Turning Chapter 1048

“Heh. You’re not late.”

It was early morning, just as the sun began to crest the horizon, behind the Cavalry's rear gate.

The moment their eyes met, Inon, arms crossed and in waiting, grumbled with bluntness. His gaze was intense, as if he could ascertain precisely what transpired the previous night without needing direct observation. Yuder simply raised an eyebrow, his expression as impassive as ever. Kishiar, standing beside him, responded in his stead.

“Ha ha. My apologies. Did the pharmacist anticipate our tardiness?”

“Well, I did hear it was a rather significant day yesterday, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed. I also heard you imparted some valuable advice to Yuder. Thanks to that counsel, I experienced a most fulfilling day. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation for it.”

Kishiar's tone was smooth and unruffled, unaffected by any underlying meaning in Inon’s words. He extended his hand, presenting a small, neatly wrapped package. Inon accepted it with apparent reluctance, peeking within—only for a subtle twitch to surface on his cheek. Based on Yuder’s experience, that was the precise facial expression Inon adopted when he found something to his liking but was unwilling to concede it.

The contents of the package were, naturally, lemons.

After a brief pause, Inon shifted his gaze towards Yuder, communicating silently with his eyes.

‘Did you orchestrate this?’

‘No. He initiated this of his own accord.’

Though difficult to accept, it was undeniably the truth.

Yuder had awakened with the intention of proceeding to the dining hall to procure lemons for Inon. However, the instant he stepped outside, Kishiar had presented him with the package without uttering a word. When Yuder inquired how Kishiar knew he was seeking lemons, Kishiar simply offered a slight smile and remarked, “You invariably present him with a gift after meeting him, do you not?”

In other words, given that Yuder had evidently sought Inon’s assistance once more, Kishiar surmised he would wish to prepare a token of appreciation and thus did so preemptively.

‘I suppose it saved me some effort, but still...’

“...These appear to be of superior quality compared to what the Cavalry kitchen typically provides.”

In response to Inon’s understated comment, Kishiar touched his cheek, a bashful yet entirely unashamed smile playing on his lips.

“My original intention was not to accompany this excursion, but owing to your gracious consent, I was afforded the opportunity to join. I wished to offer something as a token of my gratitude—and having learned of the pharmacist’s particular affinity for lemons, I made inquiries with the palace. I would be delighted if you enjoy them during your travels.”

Inon regarded the lemons, then deliberately selected one and took a direct bite into it—peel and all. If one were unaware it was a raw lemon, his nonchalant demeanor might lead them to mistake it for some form of lemon-flavored bread.

After he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing noticeably, his expression softened almost imperceptibly.

“Let us depart.”

Kishiar beamed as if he had received a royal decree.

The trio quietly departed from the Cavalry headquarters. Inon’s voice was heard again only after they had passed through the capital’s northern gate.

“Regardless of the timing, departing the capital always leaves a foul taste in my mouth.”

Their destination was known to all, eliminating the need for further clarification. After approximately an hour of travel, the paved thoroughfare dissolved into undeveloped plains. In the distance, a dense forest and an aged fence stretched forth.

A signboard affixed to the fence bore the unmistakable imperial crest and the inscription: “Sanctuary Forest.”

‘No sentries, just as anticipated.’

Now that he observed it firsthand, the realization truly settled in—this location was nothing more than a historic woodland in the present day.

After dismounting, they released the horses to graze at their leisure. The well-trained steeds would remain nearby, patiently awaiting their riders’ return. Yuder silently observed the tranquil panorama of the woods before following Inon, who was already advancing resolutely into the area.

“Hm. Nearly a millennium has passed, yet remarkably little has altered.”

“...Are you serious?”

While he had somewhat anticipated it, hearing Inon casually utter the phrase “a thousand years” still felt profoundly unreal. This sensation was likely amplified by Inon’s remarkably youthful outward appearance. Kishiar, a devoted history aficionado, appeared genuinely intrigued and inquired, curiosity piqued,

“So, when you refer to ‘a thousand years,’ you imply you have not revisited this place since your initial departure?”

“Well, that’s essentially correct.”

Typically, Inon would have concluded his statement there, but after a momentary silence, he unexpectedly continued.

“I saw no necessity... and more significantly, I harbored no desire to. My final recollections of this locale are hardly pleasant ones.”

Yuder had never been privy to the circumstances or timing of Inon’s departure from Ghilandre Hill. This was also the first occasion he had indicated harboring negative memories associated with it.

“And yet, you chose to return on this particular occasion.”

“Because circumstances demanded it.”

As anticipated, Inon’s pronouncements were concise and direct—yet a subtle complexity resonated in his tone, a rarity in his usual discourse.

Kishiar seemed to perceive this nuance as well and refrained from further probing.

They proceeded onward, the melodious chirping of birds serving as their guide deeper into the arboreal expanse. Yuder glanced upwards, confirming their proximity to the forest’s core.

‘At this rate, we shall soon behold the statue of the First Emperor.’

Precisely as he surmised, the summit of the towering statue began to emerge from the dense foliage, peeking through the intervening trees.

Upon a square pedestal, roughly the height of a person, the statue of the First Emperor stood. This monument differed from those seen in the capital or across the Empire, not showing him in armor or holding a sacred sword. Neglected by time and the elements, parts of it had worn away, giving it a deceptively plain appearance at first glance, hardly seeming like the likeness of a hero.

‘Yet, up close, the resemblance is undeniable.’

All statues of the First Emperor were crafted shortly after his coronation. His untimely death meant no other versions were ever produced. Had his reign been longer, perhaps older representations might have been sculpted, but ultimately, only this singular image endured.

He was depicted tall, with a short haircut reminiscent of a new recruit. His face held a dignified yet distant, expressionless quality. Scars were clearly etched upon his arms and hands.

While countless portraits used this image as a foundation, often embellishing and refining it, this statue did the opposite. It highlighted the scars. Unlike others that draped his body in armor and cloaks to present an unblemished figure, this one revealed every wound.

Yuder stood before the statue, his gaze directed upward as if seeing it after a long absence. Despite its age, the sculpture bore a striking resemblance to Kishiar. Their specific features differed—Kishiar possessed a more captivating and elegant appearance—but the overall facial structure, the general impression, and most significantly, their height and build created an unexpected likeness.

‘...That’s what I believed in the previous life, too.’

The man stood with the posture of someone enjoying a leisurely stroll rather than a warrior, his face angled towards a distant point deep within the forest. His faint smile remained, somehow devoid of emotion.

As a mere statue, its gaze and mood were unreadable, yet the subtle weariness palpable in that faint expression was unmistakable.

It was the very same expression Kishiar had shown with increasing frequency toward the end of his previous life.

An inscription, elegantly carved on the pedestal, lauded the hero who had saved the world. A classic, ornate border surrounded this text, which, in Yuder's past life, had been the key to unlocking a hidden chamber containing the World Sphere.

As Yuder's hand moved towards this border, Kishiar appeared beside him, speaking in a low voice. “You don’t look well.”

“Do I? I didn’t think I looked particularly ill...”

“No, the commander is correct. What’s with that statue?” Inon, who had been casually observing their surroundings, added his comment. Yuder paused briefly before moving his hand over the stone frame with a practiced familiarity. He pressed the corners in a precise sequence, sliding the inscription to reveal a faint scraping sound as a hidden compartment was opened within the pedestal's base.

“Huh? What’s that?”

“A secret space.”

Naturally, it was empty.

Yuder peered down into the dusty cavity, a peculiar sensation washing over him.

“Back ‘then,’ I kept something extremely important in this spot. I was the one tasked with its safekeeping.”