Turning Chapter 1259

From afar, he detected the approach of other members towards the training grounds. Their early morning training, which had been solely for the two of them, was drawing to a close.

As Yuder stood to begin packing their belongings, Ever's voice called out from behind him.

“To be perfectly honest, it was quite surprising. You asking me for assistance like that—it’s a first for me.”

Turning around, he was met with her radiant smile. There were no discernible negative intentions behind it.

“I felt genuinely pleased. It gave me the impression that… I was finally acknowledged as someone dependable, worthy of being entrusted with significant duties—as a proper Vice Commander.”

…Is she interpreting this to such an extent?

Yuder paused for a moment before replying, concerned she might have misinterpreted his intentions.

“Ever. I am simply the Commander’s aide. While we collaborate, it doesn’t imply I hold a higher rank than you. If your thoughts were leaning in that direction—”

“That was not my intention.”

Ever shook her head.

“Hin and Pin are permitted to move about freely, but officially, they are under the command of Sul and Vice Commander Steber, or even Kanna, whom they are closer to on a personal level. You could have approached any of them. Yet, you chose to ask me.”

“My reason for asking was my belief that you already possessed the experience those two required.”

The failure in the South—and the subsequent overcoming of it.

Instead of succumbing to that failure, the decision to learn and grow from it.

After absorbing his brief yet impactful explanation, Ever nodded, her expression brightening.

“Precisely. I've been striving to compensate for what happened, yet I remained uncertain if I was truly on the right path. But knowing you considered me capable of aiding them… that brought me joy.”

So, I have indeed been progressing correctly… This sense of certainty brought a smile to her face.

“Frankly, I still bear a sense of guilt regarding the events in the South. I feel regret towards you, and naturally, even more so towards the Commander. I believe everyone who was present with me back then likely shares this sentiment—perhaps not as intensely, but it’s there. It just appears that Hin and Pin are taking it more heavily than the others.”

What? After all was said and done, after they had even been granted time off—she was still dwelling on it?

Were the errors and oversights from that period truly so difficult to let go of?

However, if hardship was to be considered, the Cavalry in his previous existence had endured far greater adversities…

And in that exact moment of thought, Yuder seemed to grasp the situation. The look in Ever’s eyes reflected that very understanding.

“We had been performing exceptionally well until then. Honestly… perhaps we were doing too well.”

“……”

“From the moment we joined, every endeavor we undertook met with success, devoid of significant challenges. No one, apart from you, had ever sustained a serious injury. You recuperated and rejoined us. Each time, we received rewards that far surpassed our efforts.”

Therefore—

“At some juncture, we all grew arrogant. We began to believe failure was impossible… even if we made mistakes, we were convinced everything would ultimately resolve itself.”

Ever turned her gaze towards the approaching footsteps of their fellow members.

“The reality is, even when we erred or acted carelessly, things turned out alright because someone was consistently providing support from behind the scenes. Someone was bearing the accountability, allowing us to persist without shattering. And we completely overlooked that fact.”

“……”

“And the consequence of such oversight… was far too severe.”

A cool breeze swept through, causing her neatly tied hair to sway gently.

“Even a single individual letting their guard down can lead to an incident. Yet, all of us had become complacent. What exacerbated the situation was that none of us perceived ourselves as such. Reflecting now, we mistakenly believed that training more rigorously or possessing greater abilities meant we were immune to complacency.”

“……”

“But those formidable abilities were not entirely our own. Someone had been relentlessly propelling us forward from behind, pushing us to attain them…”

She spoke of an unspecified ‘someone,’ yet her eyes were fixed intently on Yuder’s face.

There was no necessity to explicitly name this individual.

“And despite that, we were fortunate once more… no, someone shed blood, toiled relentlessly to the point of exhaustion—and as a result of their sacrifices, we survived and were once again rewarded.”

“……”

“So I suppose that’s why the events in the South continue to occupy my thoughts. I harbor a fear of becoming overconfident again—without even realizing it.”

In Yuder’s prior life, the Cavalry had been an unmitigated series of failures from the outset. Nothing proceeded as planned. The unit's internal atmosphere continuously deteriorated. Even when it seemed they had reached the absolute nadir, the subsequent day would bring a new, even deeper low.

Even after Yudrain Aile’s renown skyrocketed and they ascended to become the Empire’s preeminent military force, the internal atmosphere did not miraculously transform. The greater their strength became, the more catastrophic the disasters that befell them. News of fatalities and personnel changes became a daily occurrence.

In contrast to that past, no lives had been lost on this occasion. From Yuder’s vantage point, this was a matter of relief—however, he had not considered the potential impact this might have on the others.

So that's the reason...

Yuder had grown accustomed to witnessing meticulously crafted plans crumble from an unexpected vantage point. In his previous existence, he often found himself to be that very blind spot. Consequently, when a few unforeseen complications and setbacks arose in the South, he simply adapted his strategy and moved forward. However, not everyone possessed the same resilience.

He suddenly recalled the extensive efforts Kishiar had invested in reorganizing the unit following the Southern campaign. It was inconceivable that Kishiar hadn't perceived the emotional turmoil of the other members. He was undoubtedly working to address it. Furthermore... perhaps Kishiar wasn't any more impervious to this type of setback than Yuder himself was.

Hmmm.

In days gone by, encountering anything beyond his expectations would have instantly chilled his resolve. Yet, not anymore. This was because he now had the assurance that others were already working—discreetly, behind the scenes—to rectify the situation. And for Yuder, that was sufficient.

Yuder turned his gaze toward Ever. She remained standing there, awaiting his reply.

“Ever. To be perfectly candid, I too have been guilty of complacency and overconfidence.”

“...Huh?”

“I am merely stating the facts. If one were to identify the individual present who has committed the most errors due to arrogance or negligence, I would be a strong contender.”

She appeared to interpret his words as an attempt to console her with a jest. However, it was the unvarnished truth. Yuder Aile had indeed returned, having learned through bitter experience that the consequence of complacency was death.

“I am human, after all. Therefore, I endeavor not to repeat the same errors. This makes us equals in that regard.”

Yuder paused for a moment before continuing.

“So, how about we forge a pact? When either of us begins to falter in focus, the other will provide a stark reminder.”

“...What?”

“Should you ever perceive me drifting into carelessness once more, do not hesitate to strike me. I shall extend the same courtesy to you.”

“...Are you serious?”

“Indeed.”

“You place that much faith in my judgment?”

Ever Beck. Even as the world hurtled towards its predicted demise, she had remained steadfastly loyal to the Cavalry, standing firm until the very end. Even if she didn't fully embrace his words, if he couldn't rely on her unwavering resolve—then whom could he possibly trust?

Yuder gave a nod.

“I am saying this precisely because I do trust you.”

Ever remained silent for a beat. Then, without the slightest hint of a smile, she responded with firm resolve.

“Very well. I shall commit this promise to memory.”

“......”

“I have a premonition that I will end up striking you more often; thus, I ought to intensify my training. That is the implication, correct?”

That was not his intended meaning.

However, it seemed she had already reached that conclusion, so Yuder opted to remain silent.

Following the conclusion of the morning training session, exclusive to the Cavalry members, Yuder cleansed himself of the day's dust and proceeded directly to the Commander's office.

Kishiar was present, diligently polishing the divine sword, Orr.

“You’ve arrived. You appear somewhat more cheerful than usual—did something transpire?”

Unsurprisingly, Kishiar saw straight through him. Yuder recounted the conversation and the promise he had exchanged with Ever.

“I hadn't quite grasped it... none of our current members have truly encountered defeat before. They've never had the opportunity to truly contemplate the repercussions of arrogance or carelessness. I presume you were already aware of this fact.”