Contrary to Enon's grumpy face, Lusan had honestly taken Yuder's hand and started with a prayer of joy. Little by little, an awkward gratitude welled up while listening to the prayer, expressing relief that no serious trouble had arisen and that the long-standing injuries had improved.

Once the prayer ended, after hearing a brief account from Enon, Lusan opened his mouth with great relief.

"So you don’t have to worry as much about this hand as before. That's truly fortunate. You can't imagine how surprised I was when I was suddenly called here in the middle of the night..."

"...I'm sorry."

"No, it's I who should be sorry. Unlike Enon, I haven't been much help, so I feel more apologetic."

"Why are you speaking so nicely? I thought I was being kidnapped and interrogated or something. You were dragged here from sleep too."

While he had guessed that Kishiar must have been incredibly surprised, having vomited blood and even fainted, the reaction from Lusan and Enon at being pulled from sleep seemed to have been more significant than he had imagined. Yuder, recalling the deep scar in the red eyes that looked down at him, closed his mouth and bowed his head in silence.

Lusan quickly extended his hand, assuring that he was fine.

"It's only natural that you were called secretly since you were on a confidential mission with the Commander. Earlier, Enon even told the Commander such things because he was worried about Yuder. Why are you saying such mean things now..."

"When did I? I never did. Anyway, give me those herbs."

"Yes, yes, take them."

Enon vehemently denied it, but Yuder had already heard Lusan's words. Enon was worried about him and had said 'such words' to Kishiar. What did 'such words' mean?

"…Enon. Was the Commander not just going out?"

"…I'm going for this."

"Tell me what that means... Enon."

Before he had even finished speaking, Enon hurriedly left. Watching his retreating figure, Lusan made a face as if he might laugh.

"...He's truly remarkable. I knew he wouldn't be cowed even in front of the Commander, but earlier, he was really..."

"What on earth happened?"

With Enon gone, Lusan was the only one left to speak. Upon seeing Yuder's gaze, Lusan hesitated momentarily before opening his mouth.

"When I was called and came here, Enon was already here. At that time, the Commander was sitting here, watching Yuder... The atmosphere was not good. It seemed like he didn't even hear my greeting."

Kishiar sat quietly, not even changing his blood and dust-stained clothes, watching as Enon and Lusan examined Yuder's body and infused it with energy. His eyes remained still and dark.

During this time, someone outside continually sought him. Whether it was a Peletta Knight who had run from somewhere in Tainu, a messenger from the security management team, or a servant from Pruelle Van Tain, all called for Kishiar, but he did not respond. Normally, Natan Zuckerman alone might have spoken to him, but strangely, even the Southern Knight looked at his lord with an unknowable expression, unable to easily speak.

Eventually, Enon, his nerves sharpened by the continuous calls from outside, exploded. He turned to Kishiar and opened his mouth with fierce eyes.

"Excuse me, but may I say something?"

‘…’

"This fellow is surprisingly alright, despite how he looks. It's quite astonishing, considering what he's been through. So, there's no need to look at him as though he's about to die."

A rough and unrivaled voice made Lusan's gallbladder chill, but Enon continued speaking.

"But there's no environment as toxic to the patient as the noise outside. I understand that you want to be angry with me, but it's incredibly uncomfortable when you interfere like this."

"Sir Enon!..."

Lusan was startled, but Kishiar laughed softly at those words. The man, waking from a long contemplation and wiping the dried blood from his eye with his hand, stood from his seat with his usual expression shortly after.

"Yes, good. It's a relief that he's alright, despite appearances. I'll leave for a while, so please take care of things."

The man, who had been looking down at Yuder's face, soon turned and walked away. Nathan Zuckerman also followed him, but just before opening the door, Kishiar paused as if struck by a thought.

His final command was as follows:

"Help Yuder Aile to rest as much as possible, but have someone watch over him until he wakes. If I haven't returned by then, that's the message."

After hearing Lusan's story, Yuder swallowed dryly. He learned the names of some emotions he hadn't known before, but what he was feeling now was different, and he couldn't express it in words.

Only that inside his chest it stung a bit, as if he had just woken from a dream.

"I already knew that the Commander cares for Yuder, but... this time I was really surprised. Yuder must not be harmed even by a scratch from now on. Of course, no one in the Cavalry should be injured either."

Lusan jokingly said, half-seriously, half in jest, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. Yuder could not respond to him.

Afterward, he gulped down very bitter herbal tea and various medicines until he was almost bursting. Whether there was a sleeping drug in it or not, he closed his eyes unknowingly and when he woke up, the presence of the two was gone, and one person was sitting in their place.

At the sight of Kishiar sitting in the dim dawn, Yuder thought the dream had started again. The posture with clenched hands on his knees and the shadowy, haggard eyes looked remarkably similar to then. If it were not for the rainbow-colored flame of the magic heater crackling behind him, he might have doubted his sense of reality.

"...How's your body?"

A soft voice came. Yuder, calming the momentarily disturbed emotions, cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

"I'm fine. When did you arrive?"

"..."

"It's dawn. You haven't slept, have you?"

Kishiar didn't answer again. It was neither affirmation nor denial. Perhaps he didn't even want to speak......

'It's understandable.'

Yuder breathed out softly and raised himself. As he stepped off the bed, the soft rug wrapped around his bare feet. He approached where Kishiar was sitting, intending to kneel, but Kishiar, as if understanding his intention before he could bend his knee, shook his head to stop him.

With no other choice, he stood straight in front of the seated man and opened his mouth.

"I apologize."

"..."

"I have caused you worry and concern with my immature judgment. I should have told you about the medicine that Enon provided, but...judging that the condition was not serious and the situation needed to be resolved urgently, I delayed a detailed report. You must have been quite surprised when I suddenly vomited blood and fainted."

"..."

"Thank you for bringing me here, nonetheless. I've heard from Enon and Priest Lusan that you took great care...in many ways."

Only the sound of the burning magic stone stove resonated louder in the silence. It was so quiet that one might even hear the beating of one's heart. At that moment, Kishiar finally relaxed the strength in his hands that were resting on his knees.

From the space where the ten intertwined fingers like two trees unraveled, there appeared a small, transparent potion bottle that Yuder had given him.

The moment he saw it, a painful cry rang out inside his body.

Yuder could not know what thoughts were in his mind as he watched him lying there, clutching it.

"…I asked Apothecary Enon, and he said this potion was handed over due to your questions and requests. Is that so?"

"..."

"When I found out that you had taken poisonous medicine for yourself and handed this to me...I could say nothing."

It was really Yuder who could say nothing. He was about to open his mouth to clarify that he hadn't wanted Kishiar to feel that way, but Kishiar spoke first.

"That is..."

"You don't hesitate to hide the process for a better result, no matter what happens to you... You must have thought it acceptable for a greater goal. You were sure it wouldn't kill you, so you judged it to be so natural, so even if you apologize to me, you will be satisfied with the current result itself."

Each slowly spoken word pierced his lungs. The red eyes were reading Yuder's inner thoughts very precisely.

"..."

"That certainty hurts me very much, Yuder Aile."

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