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It was just a memory passing by for a moment, but Yuder felt very strange.
Even though the stone was thickly wrapped in cloth, he clearly felt that there was something inside it with great power. Just being in the same area, the air filling the space became heavy creating an almost drowning feeling. The intense energy filled the entire site.
Yuder wasn’t the only one who felt that way. All the Cavalry members who were there at the time said in unison that they felt strange energy that could not be explained in words.
The next day, Kishiar appeared with a red silk cushion in a box carved from a transparent stone, and the Red Stone on top of it. It seemed to be wrapped like that to show to the Emperor.
Just before Kishiar got on the wagon, Yuder saw the Red Stone in the box through the window of his room. The stone was not actually red and was smaller than expected.
If he didn’t know in advance that it was Red Stone, he wouldn’t know what it was on the surface. It was such an ordinary-looking stone with a strange energy.
Then the stone didn’t return to the Cavalry but was instead immediately headed to the Pearl Tower, making it the last time Yuder saw the intact red stone in his previous life.
“Have you ever tried to approach?”
General Gino replied briefly, “Yes,” to Kishiar’s question.
“The soldiers didn’t even dare to approach. Those skilled enough to start building up an oracle could get to where they could see it, and I saw it right in front of me.”
“How do you feel?”
“It was a very strange thing. It’s hard to judge exactly, but maybe it’s because it doesn’t belong to this world. The priests of the Sun God said it was different from God’s energy, and the mages of the Pearl Tower said it was difficult to access at all. so no one came to see it.”
“I see.”
“To be honest, I’m afraid if Your Highness touched it yourself, you would be in danger.”
General Gino uttered words of concern to Kishiar, who came all the way here.
“Some of the soldiers forced to approach the stone threw up blood. It’s a commodity with unknown energy. It has the power to make a difference on the continent, but if it hurts your precious body, is it really worth the trouble?”
“His Majesty believed that I’m the most appropriate person to bring it to him without harm. Are you, General, concerned about what His Majesty believes?”
“I-”
General Gino, who suddenly became a person who could not believe what the Duke was saying, immediately opened his mouth, and Kishiar reached out and stopped him.
“I trust your eyes that have watched over me since I was a child. I’m the only one in the world who can move without being defeated by that stone.”
General Gino’s face might seem like a middle age man, but his actual age wasn’t strange to have a grandson. So, as Kishiar said, he would have seen him since childhood.
General Gino closed his eyes and sighed deeply when he heard Kishiar.
“How could I even manage to stop you?”
“Haha. That’s what I always say then managed to stop you.”
“It’s the mind of an old servant who knows it’s no use, but eventually worries.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not that out of it to be defeated by a stone.”
Kishiar stood up from his seat after saying so. As everyone’s eyes were on him, Kishiar smiled and opened his mouth.
“Well then, let’s all write a secret pledge before we leave.”
The Cavalry members looked dumbfounded, but Yuder thought it had come. Not only this mission, but most of the missions that the Cavalry would handle in the future were absolutely in need of secrecy. Therefore, it was hard to count how many times Yuder also wrote a pledge before going on a mission.
“It’s a magical pledge that many knights and mages use before they go on important missions. After you write down your vows and sign them, the mana in the paper intertwines each other’s hearts.”
Kishiar continued, holding up a seemingly plain piece of paper.
“What is written this time is simple. Prohibit speaking without permission to anyone other than those who have performed this mission with regard to everything seen, heard, and experienced during this mission. In case of a breach, the magic in this pledge will tighten the heart, making it impossible to breathe. I think people here can keep this much a secret, but just in case. Those who are not confident may step down from here. I’ll send you back without saying anything.”
The word ‘impossible to breathe’, actually meant ‘death’. Yuder was the first to move toward the pledge taken out of his arms by Kishiar while everyone could not move easily. There was no hesitation at all.
“I will take it first.”
“Alright.”
Up close, it was a pledge made by the Pearl Tower. In other words, it was the most reliable and powerful pledge anywhere else on the continent.
He didn’t need any other supplies to pledge. If he read the contents and put a finger on the pledge, the mana that stretched out from the paper would naturally wrap around one’s body, and it all ended in an instant.
When Yuder finished his pledge casually and stepped back, Gakane, who had a hard look on his face, gulped down the words with a determined face and followed suit.
“The next will be me.”
As if feeling relieved when he confirmed that it was a small process, the others also took their fingers one by one. Finally, General Gino stamped his finger with an expressionless face, and Kishiar rolled up the pledge and put it back in his arms.
“Then we will go back to rest and leave early tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll show you where to stay.”
“Yes, I’d like to hear more from General. We don’t know when we’ll see each other again.”
For the first time, a smile appeared on the stiff General’s face as he heard Kishiar’s words.
“While waiting for your arrival, I happen to have a good drink in this area. I shall take show it to you on our way.”
Kishiar was guided by General Gino and left for his quarters. The Peletta Knights and Cavalry members followed a young soldier who appeared under the direction of the General to a small town near the base.
“Follow me, please.”
‘He looks familiar.’
Yuder was lost in thought as he looked at the back of the guiding young soldier. He felt like he had seen him somewhere even though the man wasn’t a Cavalry member. Had he ever known anyone he’d ever encountered in a place like this?
If he heard the name, he might remember it, but it was 11 years ago from the time he remembered. It could have been some sort of illusion.
‘Let’s keep a watch for now. If I keep looking at it, I might remember.’
The village, which is only about 10 minutes away, was incredibly lively to be in such a mountain range.
Others seemed surprised, but Yuder didn’t find it difficult to guess why.
‘Maybe it was an ordinary village where they lived by gathering and hunting.’
The Airic Mountains were very wide enough to match the nickname of the continent’s spine. This village was also a long way from where Yuder originally lived.
But it was all human beings living there, right? Villages located in the mountains had a small number of residents due to their characteristics, and there was little contact with the lord.
However, the situation might have changed since the Red Stone fell nearly two years ago, attracting a large number of soldiers.
The military is by no means a free movement. Many of them stayed in one place for as long as two years without fighting or doing any special activities. Providing a place for them to eat, drink, and stay, this small village would have quickly become a place full of money and energy.
‘Of course, after the Red Stone is retrieved by Kishiar, the glory will soon be lost.’
Once the Red Stone was retrieved, there was no reason for the soldiers to stay here anymore. Therefore, the vitality of this village was not so pleasant in Yuder’s eyes.
“Why are there so many people here?”
“Most of them are soldiers resting. Instead of taking turns performing tough surveillance missions scattered across the wide mountain ranges, we can relax here while drinking and hanging out with others. General Gino’s consideration.”
The soldier guiding answered Kana’s question with the same answer as Yuder’s guess.
“What is it, Sunz, where are you going with strangers?”
At that time, those sitting at an outdoor table and drinking loudly near the young soldier waved their hands and pretended to know.
The young soldier sneaked off his solemn look like a soldier he had just made and looked back at those who had been talking to him with a youthful smile of that age.
“I’m on a mission. I have to show the General’s guests to their quarters.”
“Okay, come here when you’re done. Sunz, It’s not as fun playing cards without you playing too.”
“We can talk about that later, not here.”
Funny thing was that soldiers in plain clothes laughed out loud drunk. The young soldier apologized to Yuder and his party with a slightly awkward look.