"Did your endeavor yield any results?"

The words were phrased cautiously, but the intention was clear: had the pursuit of Nahan been successful?

"Yes."

Nathan Zuckerman replied without a change in expression.

It seemed he had found something significant enough to report to Kishiar, although the extent was unclear. Kanna, who seemed to have grasped the weight of their conversation, was about to speak when the office door opened and the agents exited, thereby cutting off their discussion.

"Hm? Nathan. It's been a while."

The agents outside recognized Nathan Zuckerman and greeted him. As Nathan responded curtly, Kanna whispered quietly.

"Those people seem to be looking at you more than they are at Sir Zuckerman, don't you think?"

"..."

Perhaps Kishiar's words had made a considerable impression on them; a few individuals, including an agent named Melina, cast odd glances at Yuder. Yuder patted Kanna's arm reassuringly and then turned his head toward Robel, Marty, and Nathan.

"Who would like to go in first?"

"My business is not urgent, so please allow these individuals to go before me."

"No, no, we may have been summoned, but it wasn't specified that we should come together. So, let Marty go first..."

Since Nathan Zuckerman and Robel had deferred to each other, naturally Marty took the first turn. Yuder stared at Marty, who kept her lips tightly sealed, and slightly furrowed his brow.

'...What's going on?'

He hadn't noticed when she was sandwiched between Nathan and Robel, but upon a closer look, something about Marty seemed a bit different from before.

It wasn't merely her expression or the atmosphere she exuded.

'It's more like, the color of her hand looks different than usual...'

Could it be a misconception? Yuder observed her as they were led into the office.

Alone and reviewing documents after his discussion with the agents, Kishiar glanced up and greeted them with a bright smile, which even momentarily relaxed Marty, who had been tense.

"My lord."

"Ah, Marty. A few days ago at the party, you and others provided significant aid to the Cavalry. I wanted to express my gratitude on their behalf."

Marty, taken aback, lowered her head in denial.

"No, sir. I didn't do anything so great as to deserve such words."

"If confronting the intruders in the garden isn't considered significant, what is?"

Marty and a few other non-Awakeners had acted as temporary servants at the party to monitor and report any infiltration by Nahan. The reason the damage was minimal—aside from those who died—was that they had personally identified the intruders and provided information to the Cavalry.

In particular, Marty had personally faced them and even engaged in a verbal skirmish. Surprisingly, some of Nahan's colleagues who saw her lost their momentum and were severely shaken, and ultimately fell apart.

Even though they had come this far in compliance with Nahan's will, it wasn't as if they didn't know that neither Marty nor the others were actually guilty of anything. The unexpected sight of their unharmed faces must have been quite unsettling.

That moment of wavering had ultimately been of great help in suppressing them without further casualties.

Recalling that time, a quiet Marty prompted Kishiar to ask.

"But you see, some of the other members who went out with you last time mentioned they sensed something peculiar about you. Do you have anything to say about that?"

For a moment, Yuder saw the same phenomenon occur again over Marty's clenched fists. On the backs of her exposed hands, a vein-like blue and pale hue appeared and momentarily shimmered with a faint energy before subsiding.

Thanks to his intense concentration, he caught this fleeting change. And he was sure.

'Could it be...?'

"Marty, have you awakened?"

At Yuder's question, Marty seemed startled and quickly hid her hands behind her back. Her lips tightly sealed, she anxiously glanced between Kishiar and Yuder, before eventually nodding in admission.

"Yes... you're right. I couldn't hide it from you two."

"So you have. Does Robel Gemson know?"

"Robel... is still unaware."

Marty softly answered Kishiar's question, casting a fleeting glance toward the door behind which Robel might be, and let out a heavy sigh.

Marty explained that she had first sensed an anomaly in her body when they confronted the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran on the day of the party. At first, she didn't know what was happening, but the next day, she realized without having to ask anyone.

She had awakened the ability to temporarily drain the energy of objects she touched.

This power had partially influenced why the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran were suddenly disrupted and couldn't fight properly.

Despite disclosing her status as an Awakener, Marty's expression was far from jubilant. Her complex emotions were apparent from her posture as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Are you scared of being an Awakener?"

"More than scared... No. Yes, to be honest, I'm frightened."

Though initially hesitant, Marty eventually nodded in agreement.

"I don't know what to do. Once you're awakened... there's no going back, is there?"

"Unfortunately, that seems to be the case for now."

Kishiar gave a brief answer, then made a proposal to the visibly distraught Marty.

"We intended to recognize and assist those who helped with this matter, granting you protection and the right to stay anywhere in the Empire once this is over. But, if you're amenable, I'd like to add another option."

"What's that?"

"How about staying and working at the soon-to-be-established western branch of the Cavalry?"

"The Cavalry?"

The Cavalry's western branch would be responsible for assisting newly awakened individuals in the area they oversee, handling all related matters as a priority. Hearing Kishiar's explanation, Marty's eyes gradually turned serious.

"I think the Cavalry is one of the more comfortable places for awakened individuals. You don't need to make an immediate decision; you can stay until you're ready to choose."

"I appreciate the generous offer... I'd like to consider it more."

"Very well."

Before she left, Kishiar casually imparted a few words.

"While you may find it sad to have become awakened, remember that this isn't the sum total of who you are. Someone will still cherish and love you, awakened or not. I would have made this offer regardless of your status."

"...Thank you."

With a contemplative expression, Marty maintained her silence for a moment, then said her farewells and exited the room.

Robel, who followed in after, looked increasingly tense, perhaps sensing that something was off with Marty's expression. Kishiar extended his gratitude to Robel for his assistance and inquired about his future plans.

"I'm content just seeing Marty again. Although I can't immediately return to how things were with her... I still want to be wherever she is. Ah! Of course, I'll assist with whatever is required of me in the Cavalry."

"You mentioned wanting to find your former comrades. Have you managed that?"

"Yes."

Robel had briefly visited his friends from the Star of Nagran village, who were moderates like himself, to find out about their whereabouts.

"It seems that before causing a major incident, they gathered everyone from my comrades to the villagers and sent them to another location. They didn't tell me where, but I'd like to believe they weren't lying; they are all Awakeners, after all."

"That's fortunate, then."

Kishiar responded evenly, scrutinizing Robel's face before breaking into a smile.

"Robel Gemson. While there are people like you on the Star of Nagran, there are also those like Nahan. I am interested in information about the Star of Nagran, but it's not easily accessible from the outside. You all seem to be very cautious of us."

"Ah... Yes."

Robel answered nervously.

"If you want information from us, I will do my best to provide it, although I know very little. I joined later and spent a brief period in the south before returning to the west; my life has been pretty mundane."

"We can talk about that later. But I would like you to answer one thing first."

"Go ahead."

"What do you think the Star of Nagran is like?"

Robel wore an exceedingly complex expression. His face showed that he was grappling with how to answer. However, it didn't take him long to come to a conclusion.

"When I first visited, the place felt ordinary. It was just a village where people rallied around a sage to protect each other. But now... I'm not sure."

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