“I heard that you saved Graham Willhem from being kidnapped.”

“Yes. If I had been even slightly later, he would probably have been snatched away right before my eyes.”

Amidst the faint noise of the carriage running, Kishiar smiled as he replied.

“Exactly what happened?”

“It's probably not much different from what you expected.”

Last night, just after meeting Yuder, Kishiar had headed straight for Graham Willhem's house along with Nathan Zuckerman. Already in the vicinity were several members of the Peletta Knight and Cavalry, who had gathered while waiting for Nathan's summons. Within them, Kishiar found the face of Deputy Commander Ever Beck.

“Many have gathered despite the sudden call. We have no time to wait, so we’re departing with the current personnel.”

Upon hearing that the Star of Nagran might be targeting Graham Willhem, a tense look spread across the faces of the Cavalry members and Knights. Kishiar instructed Nathan Zuckerman to take the Knights and surround Graham Willhem's mansion, hiding and waiting, and then personally proceeded with just the Cavalry. Though the Knights had more experience in these missions, this task had to be accomplished solely by the strength of the Cavalry for it to have meaning. The members, who had not fully guessed this fact, thought they were going alone to fight the Awakeners.

Graham Willhem's grand and old-fashioned mansion was eerily quiet, even considering the late hour. There were soldiers guarding the front with torches, but their motionless faces, as they stared ahead without a word to each other, looked almost doll-like and grim.

“Emun Philang. How does the situation inside the mansion look?”

Asking this of Emun, who had brighter eyes than the others in the darkness, a response came after a moment.

“It's... unnatural. Despite the lights being on, no one is seen passing through the internal corridors, and all six dogs in the garden are asleep.”

“There's no need to look further.”

Even as he boldly advanced towards the front door, the soldiers guarding Graham's house gave no reaction. When Kishiar stretched out his hand and exerted his power, they fell like wooden logs. Though they didn't bleed, they were in a state as good as dead.

“We will split into two groups and simultaneously enter through the front and back doors. Ever Beck will lead those entering from the back.”

As he finished speaking, everyone drew their weapons in unison. Even Kishiar drew his sword, and all eyes were fixed on him. The members had often seen their Commander participating in training, but this was the first time most of them had seen him holding a real sword.

Shortly after Kishiar had left for the west, Emperor Keilusa announced that he had become the new owner of the Divine Sword Orr. However, Kishiar himself had yet to comment on this rumor.

Whether their Commander truly owned the Divine Sword or not, the members didn't care, but at this moment, they couldn't help but feel excited. They were about to witness the strength of the man leading them, and this fact alone filled them with indescribable reassurance.

“Those entering from the back door will prioritize searching the inside and rescuing survivors. If you encounter the enemy, suppression is the priority, but more is permitted if necessary.”

Quickly giving orders, Kishiar scanned the faces of the members.

“Lastly, just in case, if anyone feels unprepared to proceed, speak now.”

“...”

No one backed down. The eyes of the members, who had undergone long training and waiting, were filled with determination and anticipation.

“Are there no questions?”

“Commander. If we finish this well, Yuder can return sooner, right?”

All the members listened intently to the careful inquiry from Ever, who had raised her hand. Kishiar seemed momentarily surprised and fell silent, but soon relaxed his face and smiled.

"Of course. I should have mentioned first that Yuder Aile was the one who guessed that our enemies would target this place."

The faces of those who heard the answer brightened.

"We will see you when it's all over!"

Kishiar, leading half of the members, entered through the main gate via the garden of Graham Willhem's house. As Emun had said, there was no sign of the dogs that should have guarded the garden. The heavy main gate also opened weakly towards the inside as soon as Kishiar reached out.

The mansion was eerily quiet. Before long, a member who sensed a presence through the wind pointed to a room. Inside, there were servants lying in a pool of blood.

"It's too late to save them."

"The injuries are the same as the bodies in the mansion. It seems they have not been dead for long."

The manner of killing was similar to that of Baron Willhem's younger brother and sister-in-law in the mansion. This meant that, at least, Ershi was certainly here. Praising the members for excellently deducing that the enemies were few since no one was left at the scene, Kishiar headed to the floor above.

The elite often used the top floor as bedrooms, and in this mansion, the top was the third floor. As they climbed the grand staircase and neared the third floor, a faint scream was heard.

"Sa, save me...!"

Kishiar confirmed that the voice belonged to Graham Willhem and raised his sword, signaling his members. At the same time, his power thrust all the doors open in the mansion, revealing the interior.

The vast bedroom was in complete disarray. Beyond the bodies of servants and Tainu Knights, a few men and women with covered faces stood. Graham Willhem was among them, tied up in his nightwear, pitifully sobbing and struggling. Kishiar, catching a glimpse of the wide-open window, smiled.

"Your Highness!"

"It's the Cavalry. Step back."

No sooner had Graham Willhem shouted at the sight of Kishiar than a woman with a white mask on her face threatened him with a blade at his throat, warning her comrades. Kishiar confirmed that she was the woman, Ershi, who had been with Nahan.

"How did you get here so quickly...?"

"Shut up."

The woman, Ershi, failing to hide her surprise, roughly snapped at her mumbling comrade and pulled Willhem closer without loosening her grip.

"It seems we surprised you by arriving so soon."

"..."

"Let him go. He seems about to wet himself."

Ershi did not respond. As her grip tightened, blood dripped from Graham's throat. It was an unbelievable sight. Graham Willhem let out a stifled scream and wetted his pajamas, then fainted, overcome by shame and terror.

"Indeed. He's as weak as his brother."

Kishiar was nonchalant, but his calm only sharpened Ershi's gaze. She was the only person who had seen how this man had attacked Nahan. Intense hatred and caution surrounded her, but Kishiar did not react at all.

"I thought Nahan would be here too, but since I don't see him, he didn't come with you?"

"It's not that the wound on him hurts, and he can't come; it seems like he's waiting somewhere else."

"..."

"It's a shame if you planned to kidnap the counselor of the Red Deer Consortium to extract information. If you had been a little later, you could have succeeded. I acknowledge your boldness, though."

Even without a response, the eyes of those who looked at Kishiar, who accurately deduced the entire situation, quivered in surprise and terror. Most of them were not accustomed to such situations. It was the limit of people who originally lived ordinary lives, who did not even know the minimum way to keep their intentions from being read by an opponent in a battle situation.

Kishiar stared quietly, as if trying to read their faces hidden behind masks. When Nahan’s name was mentioned, one among them showed an even more intense reaction than Ershi. Seeing the skin color revealed between the folds of clothing, it seemed likely he was a Southerner.

'A Southerner.'

"What are you looking at? Move even a little, and I'll kill this person."

"Well, killing him will only hurt you; I recommend against such reckless action."

There is no enemy as frightening as the incomprehensible one. As the Awakener, who felt instinctive fear from the unnervingly unconcerned opponent, swayed, Ershi pushed Graham Willhem backward, baring her sharp teeth.

"Aaargh!"

As Ershi swung her hand, yelling, a force as sharp as a sword erupted, flying indiscriminately toward Kishiar and the Cavalry. Those Awakeners standing around her also moved quickly as if they had planned it. The flying force was blocked by the members who had stepped forward before Kishiar could even move his hand. Still, the black smoke dispersed by one of the Awakeners as an ability exploded with a loud noise, and the attack began in an instant.

"Hosanna! Quickly!"

"Drive the smoke away with the wind!"

A very brief moment filled with coughs and shouts, the sounds of fighting.

Kishiar moved straight ahead without closing his eyes, reaching the spot where Graham Willhem had fallen in an instant. Someone attacked desperately to prevent Graham from being taken, but it was in vain. In a few concise movements that would have made others doubt their eyes, all the attacks aiming for him within the unseen smoke were torn apart, and it was enough to go beyond and cut down the opponent.

Along with a scream, a great wind blew, and the entire house vibrated.

A moment later, the Cavalry members found their leader, half holding a partly collapsed wall and Graham Willhem, like a piece of luggage.

"Commander!"