Chapter 16
Externally, Nathan Zuckerman was merely an adjutant who was somewhat adept at swordplay, not a Swordmaster. However, the truth was that he possessed skills tremendous enough to rival even the Awakeners, a fact that had greatly surprised many.
Unlike the superficially dazzling knights he'd met during the day, he could feel a profound aura emanating from Nathan Zuckerman, born of the mana he had consistently refined and accumulated over a long period of time. The quantity was comparable to the exceptional mages that Yuder had once faced.
For a mage, the amount of mana stored in the body was important, but for a swordsman, the quality of mana mattered more than its quantity. Infusing a sword with mana was much more difficult than casting spells, so only the most meticulously purified mana could barely provide the sword with adequate power.
The fact that he had amassed mana equivalent to a mage implied that Nathan Zuckerman was extraordinarily skilled.
'I didn't realize back then, meeting him much later... He was remarkable from the start.'
This realization was made possible by Yuder's heightened sensitivity to others' energies, a sense that had grown incomparably more developed than it had been in the past.
While the abilities he could use hadn't changed much from thirteen years ago, this perception seemed to have been etched into his soul, unfaded even by the passage of time.
Perhaps it was more akin to tricks he had learned from encountering numerous strong individuals over the years rather than an innate power.
"..."
Yuder did not drink the tea Nathan had offered, instead surveying the room. The room's appearance hadn't changed much from before. The divine sword on the transparent sword stand atop the heater was still there.
'It's still emitting an uncomfortable energy.'
Yuder tried to ignore the divine sword that seemed to be reaching out to him with its energy.
"Oh, you arrived before me. My apologies."
A few minutes later, Kishiar returned. Nathan, who had opened the door for him, silently took his coat from his shoulders and received his gloves to tidy up. A duke who had his adjutant take care of everything, not even having a single servant at his beck and call.
It was strange indeed, but Yuder, knowing from past experiences that Kishiar always behaved this way, said nothing.
"Ah, chamomile tea. It's in season now. Nathan's tea brewing skills are excellent. You can drink it without worry. Surely you don't think he would poison it?"
"No, I don't."
"Hahaha. It's a joke."
As Kishiar sat down in front of Yuder, a fragrant scent wafted into his nostrils. He initially thought it was the scent of an expensive soap used for bathing, but then he detected the lingering scent of a strong perfume. Yuder stiffened his shoulders momentarily before relaxing them and turning his gaze towards Kishiar.
The ends of Kishiar's golden hair were slightly damp.
"You appear to have taken a bath."
"Huh? Ah. Yes, indeed. You're observant."
Kishiar brushed his hair back with a smile. However, Yuder did not smile back.
'It's the perfume that was popular among the noblewomen. There's no mistake.'
What could be the reason for someone to have a persistent scent of perfume on their body, even after bathing? Who had Kishiar met and what had he been doing? Yuder had a rough idea.
'He always was quite the playboy...'
Even though Kishiar's reputation wasn't exactly stellar, he had always been popular. His godlike physique and stunning looks had always been coveted by many. He was famous for never refusing the temptations that poured his way.
In memories of the past, it seemed as though he had lived quietly after becoming the commander, but that apparently wasn't the case.
Well, it wasn't for Yuder to know. He merely thought that abstaining from such dangerous games, perfect for being met with the wrong end of a blade, would help maintain Kishiar's reputation.
"I'm curious why you've called me."
"Ah, yes. I wanted to talk about what happened today," Kishiar swallowed the tea he had been savoring in his mouth.
"Fortunately, this time it ended because I arrived just in time, but it could have been otherwise. Or I might not have taken sides. Why did you act so recklessly? I thought you were far from being impulsive."
"..."
"Kiolle da Diarca is stubbornly persistent, which could become annoying. He has a very high sense of nobility."
Who was Kiolle da Diarca again? After a few seconds, Yuder finally remembered that it was the name of the knight he had clashed with earlier in the day.
He had decided to remember only what he had done with that fledgling knight and forget the rest, and it had indeed completely disappeared from his memory. It meant that his brain didn't feel the need to remember it.
"I acted thinking that such a situation would not arise. It's fine."
"It wouldn't arise?"
Kishiar asked back with an intrigued expression.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I am much stronger. Even if they gathered everyone from their side, there were many from my side who possessed enough power to overcome them. That's enough to handle whatever happens."
"So, you weren't stalling for time waiting for me to arrive, you just believed that you were much stronger?"
"Yes."
"Interesting."
Kishiar burst out laughing.
"So, how do you plan to deal with Kiolle da Diarca's grudge? He's already pressuring his family to punish you."
"Is it troublesome?"
Instead of answering, Yuder asked back.
"If it's troublesome, you can dismiss me."
"..."
Kishiar's smile deepened. He leaned his face on the hand resting on the armrest of his chair. His red eyes shone through his golden hair.
"You just made it into the Cavalry unit, and you're saying you have no regrets?"
"..."
As long as Yuder's future didn't flow the same as his past, he didn't care. Being expelled from here didn't mean there was no way forward.
In fact, if he left, it might increase the chances of Kishiar remaining as the cavalry commander. Considering that, it wasn't a bad outcome.
"I thought I'd scare you a bit, but it's been a while since I've met someone who doesn't get scared. Have you always been this fearless?"
"...It seems so."
As Yuder recalled, he had received a similar compliment from Kishiar before.
...Yuder, you're too fearless, and that's a problem. But that's what I...
'No.'
Yuder closed his eyes, letting a useless memory from the past wash away. No. That future would not come. There was no need to recall it since he would make sure it didn't come to pass.
"Why did you suddenly become so serious? It's as if I asked something I shouldn't have."
"No, it's nothing. Even if they hold a grudge against me, it doesn't matter. I'll make sure to avoid any damage to the Cavalry."
"Ha-ha, Nathan, did you hear what he said? He'll sort it out by himself."
Kishiar burst into laughter again.
"A commoner orphan claims he can beat a great duke family whose lineage spans a thousand years. That's really entertaining."
"..."
Nathan's ice-blue gaze met Yuder's face, then quickly averted.
"I'm curious why you think your power is so extraordinary. From what I've seen, you're impressive but I'm not sure it's enough to warrant such confidence. Do you think you can defeat me too?"
Against Kishiar La Orr? It was a dangerous conversation, one that could invoke a charge of treason if overheard. But Yuder focused solely on the meaning of the conversation.
Could Yuder, as he was now, defeat Kishiar if they fought?
The abilities of Kishiar that Yuder had seen in the past were mostly physical. Even just one of his skills seemed extraordinary, appearing to be paired with a high level of magical defense. It wouldn't be easy to fight him directly.
'Besides, he was not even at full power... He is the only opponent I have never seen at full strength.'
Nevertheless, Yuder was probably the only one who knew about Kishiar's abilities to this extent. It was possible because he had accompanied him during his time as deputy commander.
Kishiar was a leader who primarily analyzed situations and placed capable people at the right places during incidents, rarely stepping forward himself.
It was the exact opposite of Yuder, who would always step in before his subordinates whenever something happened.
'I've seen him use one or two abilities at once, but never all at once... I've only heard about him using the divine sword, never seen it.'
The fact that Kishiar was the owner of the divine sword became known during the mission to retrieve the Red Stone, but Yuder hadn't accompanied him then and didn't know the details. Those who had been there were ordered to keep their mouths shut about what had happened.
What Yuder heard later was that Kishiar had drawn the divine sword for the first time to urgently deal with an enemy's surprise attack, and the situation was resolved instantly.
As far as Yuder knew, that was the first and last time Kishiar had used the divine sword.
What if Kishiar were to use all his abilities at once, while also wielding the divine sword?
'I don't know how the power of the divine sword is manifested... but it probably makes it easier to use his existing abilities.'
Kishiar didn't directly show his abilities even during training, preferring to participate in a teaching role. Imagining unknown abilities had its limits.
"I'm not sure. I don't fully understand your abilities, Commander."