Turning

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Chapter 703

According to the knights, there was a servant who had followed the Second Prince. This servant, similar to the horse ridden by the Second Prince, had not yet been found and was presumed dead with high probability.

Upon hearing Kishiar's question, Mujo's expression darkened further. However, this darkness differed slightly from the sorrow shown when speaking of the Second Prince, whom he had raised like his own child.

"Ah... yes. That damned wretch hasn't been found yet either."

He responded with a cold demeanor.

"That man's name was Panajen. He was a newcomer, having joined the Herne family less than half a year ago. He had served our Second Prince for about the same duration."

From the perspective of an old servant who had served the Second Prince since childhood, a young servant who failed to properly attend to his master deserved death. However, it seemed that he had disliked Panajen from the beginning.

"A man with less than half a year's experience went alone with the Second Prince? He must have been highly trusted."

"Trusted? What... He just took care of the horse very well, that's why he was taken along."

"The horse?"

"Yes. Prince Ashrav didn't particularly enjoy horseback riding and always traveled by carriage. When he had to ride, he always took that man with him. Yesterday was the same."

However, there was likely more to it than that.

It was improbable that someone would select a servant with such little experience to accompany them simply because they cared for horses well. To Yuder's observation, Mujo seemed displeased to admit that his master trusted Panajen more than himself. Whenever he spoke of Panajen, he wrinkled his nose, unable to hide his displeasure.

'Dislike him or not, he should at least speak the truth.'

Yuder glanced at Kishiar. Catching his eye, Kishiar silently smiled and lightly waved his finger, signaling to wait a moment.

"He cared for the horse well... Yes, that's a good trait. But isn't that something anyone can do? What about other tasks? Was he competent?"

"No! He seemed to have no intention of learning anything. Recommended by someone, he ignored us and refused to talk, wandering outside every day and only pretending to work hard in front of Prince Ashrav. D*mned rotten tomato!"

"Oh, I see. That must have been hard."

"Indeed, it was tough for everyone. Poor Prince Ashrav often believed him, but we thought that someday his true colors would be revealed."

"Who recommended him? That place seems unreliable as well."

"Well... I heard Young Master Milail of the Conche Barony wrote a letter of guarantee for his identity."

At the mention of the Conche Barony, Yuder's eyebrows twitched. Kishiar, noticing this, asked nonchalantly.

"Was the Second Prince close to them?"

"Baron Conche is a cousin of Duke Herne. Prince Ashrav and Young Master Milail weren't particularly close, but they became friendlier after Prince Ashrav’s last year's birthday. Perhaps that's why someone like Panajen was introduced, to ensure comfortable horse riding."

Indeed, it was Kishiar's craft. With a cleverly probing statement, the old servant unwittingly revealed all about Panajen.

"That's interesting. I've learned many things I didn't know. Thank you for your help."

"Oh, it's nothing..."

The old servant, who had been speaking freely to the Cavalry and Duke Peletta, was suddenly startled, wondering if he had spoken too rashly. However, Kishiar, as if anticipating his concern, soothed him.

"The one who harmed the Second Prince is an Awakener, and thus it is our Cavalry's responsibility to capture him. I promise we will apprehend him to ensure the Second Prince's death was not in vain. If you recall anything unusual from last night, no matter how trivial, could you contact the Cavalry? I believe there's no one who knows the Second Prince as well as you do."

A servant who has lost his master is an entity no one cares about. Even if he had not served the Second Prince on the day of the incident, he would still be a sinner, not free from responsibility. In a situation where returning to the Herne family would only result in a severe reprimand and expulsion, Kishiar's words deeply resonated with the old servant.

Knowing he should maintain his guard, Mujo nearly let it down in that moment toward Kishiar. After a long silence, he nodded.

"Understood..."

Taking advantage of the moment Mujo left under the knights' escort, First Princess Myra, who had been sitting quietly, spoke up.

"Mujo is a stubborn man who follows only Ashrav, but you've managed to persuade him well."

"I only showed respect for the deceased, as the Princess did for her brother. And since you are in a situation of having lost a family member, there's no need to force yourself to stay strong."

Princess Myra, as if pierced by his words, closed her mouth. Yuder, observing her crumbling facade, realized she, too, had just lost a sibling.

Though they were competitors for the heir's position and guarded against each other, even to the extent of not sharing the same house in Charloin, Myra still acknowledged the Second Prince's abilities and remembered even the minutest details of what he disliked. It was uncommon among nobility.

She might not show it, but certainly, Princess Myra was also swallowing shock and sorrow internally.

However, she quickly composed herself, her demeanor even more upright and her gaze firmer as she spoke.

"Thank you for your words, but I will not rest. I must catch the culprit and show unwavering strength before Ashrav's funeral, so I don't get entangled in useless talk."

Her resolve could be seen as unbearably tough by some. Yet Kishiar withdrew gracefully with a smile.

"Strong and admirable. If that's your decision, then I understand."

"..."

"Anyway, given the situation, dealing with the troubles in the south must wait until after we find the one responsible for the Second Prince's death. It's unfortunate."

"But your offer to cooperate still stands, right?"

Princess Myra reiterated their cooperative relationship. Kishiar nodded, and she promptly stood up.

"Understood. I'll speak with the knights and return to learn more about Ashrav's death. I'll mention that my visit to the Cavalry yesterday and today was solely for Melvin's exoneration, so please align with that."

"Agreed."

"If the Cavalry learns anything more about this, please contact me immediately."

"Ah... Before you go, there is something I'd like to mention."

Princess Myra blinked in surprise.

"Yes?"

Kishiar had just mentioned a missing servant, referring to the one spoken of by the servant Mujo. "Investigate the Conche Barony first, which reportedly sent that servant. Also, continue the investigation we requested earlier about the southern merchant."

"…I was planning to investigate the Conche Barony myself upon my return, but the southern merchant as well?"

"There seems to be a connection that's piqued my interest."

Princess Myra could not understand the connection, as there appeared to be none.

However, Yuder was not in the dark. The moment Kishiar spoke, he met the latter's gaze and thought.

'So Kishiar also made the connection immediately upon hearing that word.'

Earlier, the old servant Mujo, while talking about the missing servant, had used the word 'rotten tomato.' The term 'rotten tomato' was known to be a derogatory term used by people in the Southern part of the Empire against people of Southern countries or heritage. Anyone aware of this would have guessed that the missing servant was of Southern descent.

Hiring a servant of Southern descent in a noble house was not unheard of, but it was certainly not common. If not recommended by another noble house, it would have been unlikely for him to be hired.

And who had given that recommendation?

'Conche…'

Upon hearing the name of the Conche Barony, Yuder, recalling his previous life, suddenly remembered the identity of the next Duke of Herne, which he had almost forgotten.

The previous Duke of Herne, not Princess Myra or her brother.

It was a person from the Conche Barony.

It was a family so insignificant and lacking presence that he had forgotten about them until now, but hearing it brought back the memories.

'And coincidentally, we are currently pursuing Southern merchants who might be hiding somewhere in the south. A murder involving a servant from the southern countries and Awakeners… It's worth pursuing any potential connection.'

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[BL] Cloudless Sky

Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.

"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."

In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.

"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."

And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.

"For now, until then, let's sleep..."

As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.

'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'

[BL] Bermuda

Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.

Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.

"Since when have you been watching me?"

Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.

"From the very beginning."

[BL] The Mist (Same author as Turning)

In the autumn of his 18th year, after winning the high school kendo championship finals, an unexpected accident occurred.

Due to that incident, Kang Mu-heon lost one of his legs, his closest friend, and his promising future. He closed off his heart and shut himself away alone.

A few years later, the world's first real virtual reality game <THE MIST> was announced, where even those with physical disabilities could play in healthy bodies.

By chance, Kang Mu-heon encountered it and began a new life as the mage Kapros, facing unexpected meetings, reunions, and days of change....

***

"Why was someone like you born into this world to make me so miserable? Do you understand when I say it like this?! You were born with talent for the sword, a bright personality, everything - you must have been laughing at me always lagging behind! Did you even know how pathetic I felt because of your stupid hypocrisy? A genius? What does any of that matter!"

Seung-jo's cries stabbed at his heart, wailing as if he were crying even though he wasn't, but there was no time to think further. He quickly clutched my stomach, got up, and ran towards him.

He looked surprised for a moment, but he was desperate.

Just as the car was about to reach us, he shoved Seung-jo hard. Right after Seung-jo fell and rolled away with wide, startled eyes—

Screech!

Bang! With an impact that felt like his whole body was being shattered, he flew through the air.

And in that brief yet long moment of floating in space, he remembered his reflection in Seung-jo's eyes for the last time.......

***

[ Then in THE MIST, may you become the master of infinite possibilities. ]

Whoosh!

When his vision returned after everything went white, he was standing in the middle of a bustling town. Amidst the clamor, countless people were busily going about their business here and there.

He looked down at himself, standing dazed and wearing clothes of unknown origin. When he touched the sleeve, he felt the texture of fabric as real as reality. His hair felt the same, and even when he touched the wall of a nearby house, he could clearly feel the solid, cold surface.

Is this... VT?

It seemed like a joke. It truly felt as if he had come to another world and was touching everything.

As he stood there unable to think due to the shock, he suddenly remembered the biggest reason he had decided to play this game, and snapped back to attention. His two legs were still as they had been when he first stood.

'Can I really walk?'

He first stepped out with his left foot, then very slowly put strength into his heavy right foot. It felt like cold sweat was running down his spine.

And then,

He lifted it,

Moved it,

And took another step to touch the ground again.

So easily. As if there had never been any problem with this leg from the beginning.

"Ah..."

At that moment, something that was neither joy nor emotion shot up his spine. Suddenly feeling a lump in his throat, he lowered his head and leaned against the wall. His right foot, bearing his weight, was doing its job perfectly.

"..."

Holding back the tightness in his throat, he took another step.

It didn't hurt. It wasn't heavy. His leg was no longer a useless piece of wood that ached.

Damn it, to be able to walk so easily like this.

To be able to run so easily like this.

He had wished even in his dreams for the day to come when he could walk and run like this again.

And so he walked again, kept walking, slowly getting faster, until finally he started running like a madman through the entire town.

***

"Kap. ...There seems to be a misunderstanding. That's not what I meant."

Just as he was thinking he should throw a punch, Yu-wan sighed with a troubled look and said.

A misunderstanding? How could it be a misunderstanding when he said with his own mouth that he didn't think of me as a friend?

"I didn't expect to receive such a question suddenly, so my explanation was probably too brief. Let me rephrase."

Yu-wan reached out his hand, his face completely changed from before - intense yet resolute - as he stared at him. As he didn't reject the hand suddenly approaching his face and kept his gaze fixed, his cool large hand touched his cheek completely.

A shiver ran down his spine at that moment.

"I'm sorry to say this to you, but I don't see you only as a friend. ...This is the complete answer."

Check out the new project 2:

[BL] Cloudless Sky

Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.

"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."

In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.

"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."

And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.

"For now, until then, let's sleep..."

As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.

'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'