Chapter 890

From the next day onwards, Yuder's daily life began to flow at a pace incomparable to before. As the assistant to the Cavalry Commander, he was busy with his duties and helping with situation management. He met and spoke with the Cavalry members, who had changed after the Hail Night, adjusted training schedules, and had to meet with outsiders who had been waiting eagerly to see him.

With adjutant Nathan Zuckerman absent, Yuder was the only one qualified to meet with Kishiar and discuss business matters. Although the capable adjutant had arranged his work so that his absence would not disrupt operations, unexpected variables sometimes arose. This was especially true for contacts Yuder usually dealt with through Nathan, like the Peletta Knights and the Shuden Trading Company.

If Kishiar could stay awake as long as before, there wouldn’t have been any problems. However, that was not the case now. Consequently, Yuder began to take over Nathan’s duties as much as he could. Kishiar said it wasn’t necessary, but managing the communications with Peletta was not a significant task compared to his other duties.

Kishiar's awake time was now mostly after sunset, and even at his best, he could only last about 5-6 hours. To make the most of this short time, Yuder handled most of his work during the day and brought only the bare minimum to discuss at night.

From Yuder’s perspective, his schedule was tighter than usual but still much more comfortable than his previous life. However, others didn’t seem to see it that way.

"Yuder... Please, delegate some of your tasks to me or Kurga. Everyone's worried you'll collapse as soon as you get up."

On his way back from setting a new formal training schedule menu for the successful candidates who had been a great help, Gakane, who had been assisting him with his duties, approached him with a distraught look.

"You don't have to handle the training of the successful candidates yourself. Why didn’t you call me?"

"You were busy since morning too."

"Still not as busy as you!"

Was that really the case? While Yuder’s workload was undoubtedly greater, being busy doesn’t necessarily equate to being more burdened.

‘It’s the quality that matters.’

To Yuder, such tasks were not at all strenuous, merely one of twenty light duties, with no sense of pressure. However, for Gakane, Kurga, and the other members, even their current workload was overwhelming. To Yuder, there wasn’t much difference between them and the successful candidates, so he didn’t want to add to their burden.

But being brutally honest and further disheartening someone who already looked dispirited didn't seem right. Gakane probably knew he was struggling just to keep up with his current duties, so there was no need to bluntly point out the reality to someone who was already concerned.

"I had to oversee it myself since it was the first proper day of training. I was planning to share the load once everyone gets used to it, so just wait a bit longer."

"Really?"

Gakane asked, half in doubt.

"If you want to take over the training duties, come and observe every day like today. That way, I might be able to hand it over sooner. But... will you be able to? I was about to finalize and hand over the new training menu for you guys."

In the midst of this, Yuder wondered if Gakane really had the time to observe and assist with others' training. Faced with Yuder's unemotional and piercing question, Gakane swallowed hard.

"Of course... I can do it. It won't be easy, but you're doing much more. So don’t worry about me!"

"Good. And don't ever skip Sir Zukerman’s training."

"Of course not!"

Gakane clenched his fist and replied with determination, a smirk crossing his face.

"Ha, I finally hear you're willing to delegate something. How do you manage your stamina with all this work? Anyone would think it's us, not you, who woke up from a two-week coma."

Yuder hadn’t been actively managing his stamina. He simply didn’t find these tasks as demanding as he had initially thought.

Instead of a direct answer, Yuder summed it up in a single phrase.

"It's not about stamina, it's about technique."

"Technique, huh... You know we're of the same age, having joined the Cavalry at the same time, right?"

"..."

"I feel Kanna and Ever are quick learners, but you seemed like you've been at the Commander's level from the start. It's like, what, you've been doing this kind of work non-stop for a decade?"

Gakane’s comment, though accurate, was meant as a joke. He wasn't seriously doubting Yuder or finding it extraordinary; too much time had passed for that.

No matter how absurd the situation, when people see and experience it daily, they quickly adapt and come to accept it as normal. Yuder's incomprehensibly efficient work and combat skills were such phenomena for the Cavalry members.

Now, the Cavalry believed quite credibly that Yuder Aile had been the secret apprentice of a reclusive Archmage before joining them. Some even speculated he might be a fallen noble in disguise, having entered their ranks as a commoner.

What they chose to believe was their prerogative. Since no one had directly asked him, Yuder let them think as they pleased. He understood they wanted to rationalize his abilities in their way. Some even earnestly believed these theories, feeling they had to protect Yuder's true identity.

Yuder chuckled at Gakane's words, responding with an unfazed demeanor.

"Add about a year to that ten-year guess. Ten years wouldn't be enough."

"What?"

Gakane burst into laughter.

"True that. Thinking about it, to learn and practice all that, ten years wouldn't cut it. Maybe add another thirty years?"

"..."

"Ah, even thirty might be tough. How about fifty years?"

Yuder suddenly stopped in his tracks. Gakane, not realizing Yuder had halted, walked a few steps further, babbling to himself before turning back.

"Yuder? What’s wrong?"

"...Nothing. Just remembered something I forgot. You go ahead."

"Really? That's unusual for you to forget something. Alright, then, I'll go ahead."

Gakane, slightly puzzled, quickly bid farewell and disappeared. Yuder watched him leave, then spoke after a moment of silence.

"Come out."

His voice slowly spread over the road near the deserted main gate.

"You don’t think I can’t see you, do you, Kiolle? If you don’t come out by the count of three...."

"Wait a minute!"

Just then, someone rolled out from behind a seemingly empty fence, screaming in panic. Kiolle, in a suspicious outfit with an oddly shaped hat and scarf almost completely covering his face, gritted his teeth and shouted with a flushed face.

"If you knew I was here, why didn’t you just call me? Why do you have to threaten me like that?!"

"It’s because you didn’t enter properly and hid in a strange place."

"I had to hide here! If others found out I came, it would be a problem! Use your brain a bit!"

Huh. To think Kiolle da Diarca would say such a thing? This couldn’t just be overlooked. When Yuder raised his hand, Kiolle's feet were suddenly buried deep in the ground.

"Ugh!"

"You seem to have lost a lot of fear. Maybe we should have a sparring match again."

"No, no way! Why should I! You lawbreaker! Let me go!"

Kiolle struggled in fear. Even though he was clearly desperate not to be discovered by others, his attempt to keep his voice low and cover his face was rather pitiful.

Yuder relaxed his grip, pulling the flailing Kiolle back up. Unable to adjust to the suddenly elevated ground, Kiolle fell in a disgraceful heap. It was hard to believe he was a knight.

"So, what brings you here?"

"What brings me here? You, that time, you did that to me! Don’t you remember?!"

"..."

Did Kiolle really expect a quick and clear conversation with phrases like "you, that time"? But realizing it would be a waste of time to argue, Yuder tried to recall the incident himself.