Yuder stepped on the deserted western wall, leaped high, and by stepping on the wind once more, he successfully slid into the targeted location. Ever, who witnessed Yuder infiltrating the corridor of the second floor through the window in an instant, expressed pure admiration, her eyes filled with excitement.

"Wow. It was too fast to even see what was happening. Did you happen to have experience as a Night Guest before joining the Cavalry?"

He knew it was a joke, but Yuder had indeed honed his infiltration skills through countless assassination missions, virtually indistinguishable from a Night Guest. Hence, Yuder kept silent. Unaware of the meaning behind the silence, Ever smiled brightly and led the way forward.

"I can see that you're using your strength, so now I feel Yuder has really recovered. No problems along the way?"

"None."

"Everyone's waiting, so let's go. Ah, and I don't know if you've heard, but Kanna is here right now..."

"I heard it from Finn."

"I see. Then I guess I don't have to explain why she's here."

Ever continued to speak, answering cleanly.

"It's an unexpected return, but isn't this an opportunity for us? I think it would be good for Kanna to participate in today's mission... But I feel a little bad for assigning work to someone who just returned. ...What do you think, Yuder?"

Yuder faintly lifted the corners of his lips, his careful violet eyes directed at Ever.

"When I heard that Kanna had returned, I actually intended to say that first."

At Yuder's response, Ever's expression brightened in an instant.

"Right? Actually, I already explained the details of today's mission to Kanna. Since Yuder approves, there will be no problem! Lucky!"

Indeed, it was fortunate that they didn't have to waste time re-explaining everything to Kanna. It was also exhilarating to see that Ever's judgment and leadership had greatly improved based on her experiences in the West.

Yuder, without hiding the laughter in his eyes, slightly rolled his pupils towards Ever, who was walking proudly. In his previous life, he had often walked side by side with Ever, discussing matters related to the Cavalry. Back then, they were Commander and Deputy Commander, and they never shared a laugh, but now, even with an important mission ahead, they both could converse in a light mood. It suddenly felt strange.

Even though he had looked at Ever's back for a long time, it felt unfamiliar.

He gathered that odd sensation and let out a long breath. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but now wasn't the time to get lost in such sentiments.

"We're here, let's go in."

Ever opened the door to the Cavalry's headquarters located within the security management team. The eyes of the familiar people gathered inside immediately turned to them.

"Yuder's here!"

Among the various welcoming faces, Yuder found Kanna, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. Kanna, wearing ordinary clothes instead of her uniform, opened her arms in surprise and emotion towards him.

"Yuder! Your eyes are really healed! Oh my! It's such a relief. Gakane and Jimmy should have seen this..."

Yuder bent down to embrace her. Warm yet spicy hands patted his back a few times before withdrawing. Hearing that the letter announcing her return had arrived late at the mansion due to a mix-up with the courier, she was furious, as she had already had much to say about that matter, to begin with.

"No matter how late the letter arrived after me, I showed the person guarding the main gate the mark of a Cavalry member, but then that person turned me away, saying it was unbelievable that there was no one to meet me. Then when I asked him to contact the inside on my behalf, he said he was too busy to do so. Reading the information through my power, I realized they just wanted to feed me to the wolves."

Through contact with the Tainu Knight guarding the main gate, Kanna discerned his ill intentions and, according to his wishes, neither cried nor got angry. She left with only the words, "We'll see about this later," turning her carriage coldly towards the security management team. Ever praised her after hearing her story, saying, "Well done."

"People from Baron Willhem's side are all like that. Yuder has even been to prison. Still, I thought it had gotten better since then..."

"When today's work is over, I'll make him pay several times over. Just wait a little. I'll make sure he can thoroughly check the guests who come in, hanging upside down on the door."

At Yuder's icy reply, the members who had been comforting Kanna all fell silent at once.

A moment later, a smile sharing suspicious intentions floated over the faces of all the members.

"Yes, this is exactly the quality that our Cavalry takes pride in."

"Indeed, a fitting response for the spirit of the Cavalry."

The qualities the Cavalry takes pride in? The spirit of the cavalry?...

Yuder frowned at these unfamiliar words, the meaning and origin of which he could not guess, when suddenly the door burst open and Emun Philang rushed in.

"Get ready everyone! Suspicious characters have appeared near the prison back gate, and the smell of the fruit has grown stronger in the prison area. It seems like the Baron is coming out!... Uh, what were you doing?"

Everyone bustled and laughed at his bewildered look as he turned to Yuder and Kanna.

‘The strong smell of the fruit means that the accomplice who was trapped in prison has finally come out. In the case of Baron Willhem, his role will only be to remove them from prison and hand them over to those who will transport them, so there's a high chance that merchants from the southern country are here.’

Yuder declared briefly, looking at the members who had turned their black hoods over their simple uniforms.

"Let's go."

The members moved efficiently, dividing into several groups. Some went to the top of a building where the landscape could be seen in the open, some went inside the security management team, some went to the entrance, and along with Yuder, Emun, Kanna, Ever, and a member named Gilbert with a keen sense of smell, headed towards the most dangerous underground prison. Emun, who showed off his ability to hide in the dark to his colleagues, led them towards the shadow between the buildings.

The entrance to the underground prison was unusually quiet, with no people around, as Baron Willhem had moved most of the security personnel to the bustling inner city for today's party and auction.

He probably thought that both the Cavalry and the Peletta Knights had left the area without suspicion, but in reality, many who were targeting him were lurking around like predators.

"Look there. The carriages parked at the back gate. Can you see? I looked as closely as I could with my ability, and there are guys in all black inside, waiting for something."

"It's a cargo carriage. They plan to transport the people taken from the prison like real cargo. They call people 'horses,' but this is even worse than treating them like horses."

Ever sharply criticized, looking towards the darkness.

"There, the smell of the fruit is almost upon us. They'll be out soon."

Gilbert, who had been gently pressing his face against a wall near the entrance, murmured quietly.

"Understood. When the people come out, tell me which one smells of fruit and then immediately head back to the building. Ever, please also confirm if that person is the one you met."

"Mm."

"Understood."

At Yuder's command, Gilbert and Ever nodded their heads.

Just as he said, shortly after, the door opened, and a figure wearing a reversed black cloak revealed himself. Following him, a servant gripping the end of a rope, and people whose hands and necks were tightly bound like fish, staggered and stumbled out.

Although they had heard that one could miraculously neither eat nor drink while sleeping in the prison, the bodies of those who had emerged were so emaciated that their bones were showing. Their terrified faces were so paralyzed that they looked like corpses. Gags had been forced into their mouths to keep them from screaming, and whether to make escape more difficult or not, they were not even given shoes. It was a chilly day, and they were only dressed in a single layer.

Upon seeing their pitiful state, flames of anger burst forth from the eyes of all the Cavalries.

With a face colder than the winter wind, Yuder watched them and gestured to Gilbert. Understanding his meaning, Gilbert slowly raised his hand to point at someone. Ever followed with a slight nod of her head.

Among those bound, a man with milky-colored hair standing at the very end was the ally of the Cavalry who had swallowed the fruit. He looked around, trembling as if searching for someone.

While Yuder was watching him, people also descended from the black carriage and approached those who were tied. Apparently to verify each other's faces, those standing at the very front took off their hats one by one.

The one standing in front of the bound people was, of course, Baron Willhem, and facing him was the southern merchant they had fought with in the underground warehouse before.

"...That one. The one who fought against me and the Commander before. He fights by emitting a force similar to a sword, so be careful in close combat. He's also skilled in sensing presence, so be cautious."

He whispered so softly it was almost inaudible, but even that worried him in case the southern merchant would notice. The members exhaled softly as if holding their breath and nodded their heads.

"Now, all 37 are here, so check them and load them up. You did properly store all the goods from the warehouse, right?"

"Yes."

"Go together and check, and do not wander about until the appointed time. You never know when those madmen might break in again, so you must guard thoroughly until the auction is over. If something goes wrong, not even sacrificing all your necks will wash away His Grace the Duke's wrath, so don't forget that!"

"..."

Silently listening to Baron Willhem's tirade, the southern merchant suddenly turned his head slightly. Yuder saw his gaze faintly directed towards the security management team and felt a subtle prickling sensation.

"Why are you just standing there? Don't waste time, move now!"

"..."

At that moment, conveniently, Baron Willhem's shout turned the southern merchant's gaze back to where it had been.

Select your tier Qi Cultivating Stage $5.00 USD - month(s) Foundation Establishment $10.00 USD - month(s) Xudan $20.00 USD - month(s) Jindan $50.00 USD - month(s) Yuanying $100.00 USD - month(s)