Chapter Text
Once again, Kishiar’s deep, red eyes followed the figure that impressively snuck away from the Cavalry’s Headquarters. Every movement spoke of years of practiced stealth, and the way he used his power to help him was nothing short of amazing.
But Kishiar couldn’t help the disappointment in his heart.
It was the third time this week that Yuder wordlessly left. Kishiar stood in his office, looking out the window that gave a clear view over most of the Cavalry. Nathan stood behind him, also gazing out the window with cold eyes.
"Your grace.”
“Hm.”
This wasn’t the first time Yuder did this, and more than once has Nathan tried to convince Kishiar to look more deeply into him. Of course, Kishiar wouldn’t be careless enough to let this go. If there was a chance that Yuder worked for someone else, possibly an enemy to Kishiar, then it would be unforgivable.
Yet, even at this very moment, Kishiar was letting Yuder report to another master despite what he hoped wouldn’t be true.
He won’t deny a small part of him has been putting off investigating because of the odd affection he found himself feeling, but the visits have become more frequent, and the dangers were rising.
Another reason why Kishiar waited was because he’s curious. He's curious to see what Yuder will do, and, if he came to a choice, what would he choose? It’s undeniable that he’s talented, incredibly so for his age, but his ability to adapt so quickly also made Nathan continuously suggest a thorough investigation.
“What if he works for one of the ducal households? I can inform the investigation team to send someone to tail him.”
“Tail him… Yes, well, I am rather curious where he’s going.” A smile became present on Kishiar’s lips. “Good idea, Nathan. Please go grab my coat.”
Nathan paused.
“…Your grace?”
“I’d like to see for myself.”
If Yuder did work for someone else, Kishiar thought over what to do, but one thing was for sure; he wouldn’t let his assistant go so easily. A talent like him would be too crucial to lose to someone else.
It was honestly a bit impressive if one of the other dukes had already thought far enough to infiltrate the Cavalry. As it is now, many are still skeptical over the efficiency of having an army of awakeners along with the distrust, so Kishiar knows the nobles haven’t been paying much attention to him. Yet, the possibility of it happening should be accounted for.
It was only a shame that it had to be Yuder. A young awakener who could wield the sword, effectively use his powers, knew the art of stealth, and sometimes even had the intriguing look of a veteran soldier. He was experienced, but this all unfortunately revealed his possible connection to nobility despite his written background.
The times Kishiar did investigate him, he did it through records and witnesses. Oddly enough, the one Yuder works for seemed to be skilled enough to completely conceal their connection. Kishiar was honestly impressed at the lack of information his informant gave him.
After all, Yuder’s background written in the report only contained a short explanation. He was a young commoner who lived alone in Airic. There was nothing abnormal or eye-catching about him until he arrived in the Capital and took the entrance exam for the Cavalry.
But this time, he would see for himself.
Yuder wasn’t wearing the Cavalry’s outfit, Kishiar took notice. He and Nathan have been following the man for the past few minutes, and by the looks of it, his destination was the slums.
A bit surprising, but a logical conclusion.
‘If he intended to meet up with someone, the slums are a good spot.’
An unfortunate and neglected part of the Capital, but one perfect for stealthy meetings. Not a lot of guards patrolled this area, so it was easier to blend in if you wore the right clothes. This was something Kishiar missed to account for before leaving, so his extravagant, white outfit was hard to miss.
Luckily, Nathan had prepared a dark cloak for him to wear, but even with it on, Kishiar seemed to continue to draw attention. It was something he was used to by now, but at times like these, he wished they could move more efficiently.
On another note, it was quite entertaining how Yuder pretended not to notice them. Kishiar doesn’t have anything to prove it, but he’s sure the latter noticed their presence with his skill by now. The commander wouldn’t expect anything less from his assistant.
They continued to follow him from a distance away, sometimes stopping by stalls to pretend to buy something, but they began to move the second Yuder almost slipped away from their eyes.
His skill to conceal his own presence and to sneak around continued to impress Kishiar as he felt amusement build up. Despite the situation, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
At that moment, Nathan subtly tapped his arm, catching Kishiar’s attention and signaling that Yuder was moving again. He smiled, thanked the owner of the shop he was speaking to, and began to walk.
Yuder easily slipped away from the crowd, walking between two houses to get to the street beside this one. He blended in with the shadows and Kishiar’s eyes attentively followed him.
They tracked him until Yuder suddenly stopped. Kishiar and Nathan instantly hid themselves, only now noticing how the people had dwindled the further they walked.
Yuder stood in the middle of the street, unmoving.
‘Has he arrived?’
Maybe this was the spot for meeting up, but would he let him and Nathan listen in? Suddenly, Kishiar felt the air shift and Nathan also tensed up. There was a different aura coming from Yuder, warning them.
‘So he really does know.’
And now he was confronting them.
Should he step out or continue to hide? A moment of tense silence passed, Nathan tightened his grip on his sword just in case, and Kishiar’s breath quieted.
Just then, Yuder slowly began to turn around, to force them to reveal themselves and—
“Mama!”
A young voice suddenly echoed in the streets, and Kishiar almost flinched in surprise. Yuder, who seemed to be on the verge of activating his powers, instantly snapped his head back at hearing the voice. Gone was the threatening aura and the warning.
Then a small figure came running at a fast pace. Kishiar watched with wide eyes as a child with blond hair and red eyes collided with Yuder, hugging him tightly around his legs.
And to his shock, Yuder smiled.
The young assistant responded to the name and picked up the boy, affectionately looking at him as a playful giggle left the child.
Stunned by the sight, Kishiar unconsciously walked out of his hiding spot. Nathan, who was equally surprised, couldn’t stop the bewildered expression on his face.
Yuder had a child.
“Where is Uncle Enon?”
“I shaw you first!”
The child was young and obviously hadn’t learned how to pronounce all the syllables correctly yet.
“I missed you…” Blond locks swayed as the boy clung to Yuder’s neck, nuzzling into him. Then he looked over his shoulder and… “Hm?”
He immediately spotted Kishiar.
‘Oh.’
Kishiar thought absentmindedly as realization finally settled in.
‘Yuder has a son.’