Chapter 894

"Are you trying to say you were worried about me?"

"Who, me? Worried about you? Don't be absurd! You're getting too arrogant just because people call you a hero, thinking you can reach the heavens!"

Why would I worry about someone like you! Kiolle screamed in horror. It seemed ridiculous to think otherwise, but if it wasn't the case, it would have been a relief.

"Good. I'm glad it's not the case."

Kiolle finally shut his mouth at the crisp response. But his furrowed face was filled with irritation and dissatisfaction. It was unclear what was bothering him, but he was certainly a nuisance.

Yuder looked at the slightly disheartened Kiolle and clicked his tongue quietly.

"If you're not confident about going outside alone, I'll show you the way. Just follow me."

"...I never said that."

Kiolle mumbled, avoiding eye contact. However, the fact that he quickly followed Yuder, grabbing his hat and scarf, suggested he was indeed afraid to go back alone.

The outside was quieter than before, probably because it was lunchtime.

'That's good. I can just send him out through the back door.'

"You... The thing you said earlier about this place becoming more dangerous. Is that true?"

Kiolle, who was following more boldly than when he entered, suddenly asked. Yuder didn't even turn his head and responded in a flat tone.

"What if it is true? I told you to mind your own business and return to the capital quickly."

"No! You've dealt with all the monsters that appeared during the hailstorm, but I can't understand why it would become more dangerous!"

Kiolle retorted indignantly.

"I am a member of the Imperial Knights, guarding the capital, and a personal guard to His Highness the Crown Prince. I am a person with the privilege of speaking directly with my father, Duke Diarca, anytime! If something is truly happening in the south, it's only right to share that information for the public good!"

“...”

It seemed the world was really coming to an end. To think that this fool had such impressive titles and power.

Yuder stopped walking and turned his head. Kiolle tensed his shoulders but did not avert his gaze. His eyes looked serious, so Yuder decided to give him a proper answer instead of dismissing him.

"Alright, fine. What you're saying is technically correct. If a danger threatens the south, it's right to ask for help from everyone who has a duty to protect the country."

"But?"

"Do you think the Imperial Knights, the Crown Prince, and your father would readily help if they heard news of a crisis in the south?"

Kiolle's eyebrows twitched.

"If there's sufficient evidence and information... and if I say it... they'll believe me."

"Evidence, huh... Ever since the day of the hailstorm, similar strange cracks have been appearing and disappearing throughout the south."

"I haven't heard of any monsters appearing, though?"

"That's the point. The cracks keep being spotted without any monsters emerging."

Kiolle looked perplexed. If cracks appeared without monsters, it was unclear what the danger was.

"Where are these cracks? It must be a mistake. Even if it's not, isn't it better that no monsters are coming out?"

"Exactly. I knew you'd say that."

From the beginning, Yuder had no expectations. He couldn't count how many times he had heard words like Kiolle's in his past life. Even Yudrain Aile had only begun to properly acknowledge and investigate these cracks after the Southern Earthquake occurred.

The fact that Kishiar immediately believed and reacted to his words was the anomaly.

"What do you want me to do! Explain why it's a sign of danger! I need to understand before I can believe and pass it on!"

Kiolle, sounding almost like he was throwing a tantrum, disrupted the chilling wind swirling through Yuder's mind. Yuder stared intently at Kiolle, who was biting his lips tightly.

'This is unexpected.'

If he didn't believe, he could have simply dismissed it as nonsense, but Kiolle surprisingly asked for more detailed information. In Yuder’s previous life, hardly anyone had reacted that far.

When he thought about it, Kiolle Diarca wasn't even in this world when disasters and calamities began in his previous life. And whether he liked it or not, he was a man who had sworn to assist Yuder.

'Right. Whether he likes it or not...'

A light slowly returned to Yuder's empty eyes.

"Have you ever heard that animals sense danger and evacuate before a massive earthquake occurs?"

"What?"

Confused by the sudden question, Kiolle responded with a scrunched nose.

"I'm a knight; I don't know about these things!"

"Proud of being ignorant? Study a bit. If you don't know, ask someone."

Kiolle clenched his fist and trembled. However, knowing it was true, he refrained from retorting against him.

"Anyway, I can't go into excessive detail, but my Commander and I believe that the events on the Hail Night and the strange cracks occurring since then are all signs of an even greater impending disaster. If we're right, these strange cracks will continue to occur more frequently."

"A greater disaster? An earthquake?"

"Yes, something like that. You might not understand what an earthquake is, but reacting after it occurs is already too late, especially here in the south."

"Why?"

"The south has many cities and towns right beside the sea. When an earthquake occurs, it's not just the land that shakes, but also the sea bed. Then, what happens?"

"...I told you I'm a knight!"

"Even when using a sword, it's basic to use your head, isn't it?"

"..."

"Well, anyway, if the land under the sea also shakes, what happens is... the entire sea gets agitated. Naturally, waves will form."

Waves as massive as none in the empire had ever seen.

Those who had never seen it couldn't even begin to imagine. Yuder, though he hadn't seen it himself, vividly remembered what the south looked like after such a wave had swept through.

A horrific sight of everything crumbling, washed away and rotting under the water.

A tranquility as if destruction loomed imminent.

"I'm not sure, but... if an earthquake occurs and huge waves hit the southern cities by the sea, it can be dangerous. So, the sign... the cracks... like animals evacuating... It means there's something, and you guys want to respond to it, right?"

"Yes. We don't just want to respond; we're already preparing. This is all the evidence and information you asked for. Can you still go back and pass it on? It's just information from the Cavalry, whom you don't even get along with, right?"

“...”

Yuder had expected Kiolle to retreat in disbelief.

'After all, there's the oath. If something compelling enough happens that could silence Duke Diarca, I can use Kiolle for that. That should be sufficient.'

"...You think I can't do it."

However, the response he received was unexpectedly different from what he had anticipated. Kiolle, clenching his fist as if to crush it, glared at Yuder and spoke.

"If I refused, you would have just threatened me with that damn oath and made me do it anyway! You're testing me, aren't you!"

It was a series of replies Yuder hadn't foreseen in any of his predictions. As Yuder blinked in rare perplexity, Kiolle snorted loudly.

"Wait! I, Kiolle Diarca, will return to the capital, look into everything myself, and then contact you!"

"What are you planning to investigate?"

"Why should you care!"

"No. Maybe it's better if you just retract what you just said. I'd rather not have you do something unnecessary and make things more troublesome for me."

"Don't joke! You arrogant..."

Kiolle, seemingly about to say something more, bit his lip and suppressed his anger. His gaze tracked towards the Cavalry members in the distance. Among them were those who had protected Kiolle during the Hail Night.

Kiolle looked at them and spoke with difficulty.

"...I am also a Knight! A Knight of the Imperial Knights is someone who swears to protect the Empire. I've always been proud of that."

"..."

"I'm going."

Before Yuder could say anything, Kiolle pulled his scarf up to cover his face and dashed off, disappearing from sight. Yuder quietly watched the spot where he had vanished.

'...That's the opposite direction of the exit. He'll probably get lost and come back soon.'

It was absurd, but somehow, he felt strange.

Yuder looked up at the clear sky. A faint, wry smile escaped his lips.

'Kiolle, of all people, making me laugh.'