Bab 589
Sementara anggota cabang di sebelah barat sibuk merekrut gelombang kedua, ibukota justru tidak lengang. Mereka yang pernah menyaksikan kegiatan Kavaleri dengan dekat justru lebih bersemangat menyiapkan rekrutmen dibandingkan wilayah lain.
Apalagi, orang banyak datang bukan hanya dari wilayah Sekitar, melainkan juga dari wilayah Tengah yang relatif dekat, sehingga membuat setiap anggota sibuk tak kunjung padam.
"Tunggu dulu, orang ini dari Wilayah Utara. Kenapa dia mendaftar di sini? Kayaknya dia kirim dokumennya ke tempat yang salah."
"Katanya dia tidak ingin tinggal di sana lagi. Dia pikir mendaftar di ibukota, tempat kantor pusat Kavaleri berada, lebih adil dan bisa dipercaya. Kita tidak bisa memaksakan orang yang telah kehilangan loyalitas kampung halamannya untuk kembali."
"Ah, aku mengerti. Masuk akal memang."
"Bukan cuma satu atau dua orang nh. Aku pernah dengar kemarin ada yang bertanya dari luar negeri."
"Benar-benar dari luar negeri?"
Di tengah anggota yang tidak bisa menyembunyikan rasa penasaran, Gayle dan Doyle berjalan-jalan. Sementara anggota sibuk tidak mempedulikan kehadiran keduanya, pasangan kembar ini justru merasa senang. Mereka dalam semangat tinggi, apalagi sekarang mereka diberi tanggung jawab yang mirip dengan anggota lain.
"Hosanna, kami di sini."
Kedua saudara masuk ke ruangan tempat Hosanna menginap, wajah mereka membara kegirangan. Hosanna yang sedang duduk di tempat tidur sambil menenun, mengangkat kepalanya. Di sampingnya ada Pendeta Lusan, yang juga memegang jarum dan berdiri ketika ia menyadari kehadiran kedua saudara.
"Oh, teman-temanmu telah tiba. Sungguh cepat waktu berlalu. Aku akan pergi sekarang."
"Baik."
"Aku akan berlatih teknik garpu dan jarak rajut yang kau ajari hari ini."
Dengan keranjang benang dan jarum di gantung di sisim, Pendeta pergi, matanya bersinar. Begitu pintu tertutup, Gayle dan Doyle langsung bertanya,
"Hosanna, kamu sedang mengajari dia menenun?"
"Apa yang terjadi? Kamu pasti sudah lama bisa menenun."
Hosanna, perkiraan yang dulunya kurus dari Selatan, kini tampak jauh lebih sehat setelah pengobatan dari Lusan dan Enon. Meskipun ia masih belum bisa berjalan sendiri, kondisinya sudah membaik cukup untuk Bergerak di dalam ruangan.
Namun, kemampanannya yang terbangkit belum kunjung kembali. Ia mencoba menggunakan kekuatannya sekitar sekali sehari namun hampir tidak merasakan apa-apa. Mengetahui hal ini, Gayle maupun Doyle tidak bertanya apakah kekuatannya telah kembali.
"Kami sepertinya tidak ada yang bisa kami katakan. Ia bertanya apa yang pernah kupakan untuk mengisi waktu di musim dingin, dan ketika kujawab menenun, ia membawa benang dan meminta aku mengajari dia. Itu saja saja."
"Benar-benar? Kita tak pernah lihat kamu menenun. Kapan kamu punya waktu untuk melakukannya?"
Hosanna terdiam sejenak saat mendengar pertanyaan Gayle, lalu menjawab.
"Sebelum. Sebelum aku datang ke benteng."
"Oh iya, sebelum saat itu."
Sebelum benteng berarti sebelum menjadi Bintang Nagran. Baru saat itu, kedua saudara mengerti ekspresi Hosanna yang rumit dan menggelengkan kepala.
"Hmm, Hosanna. Tahukah kamu kenapa belakangan ini semakin ribet di luar?"
"Aku dengar mereka sedang merekrut anggota baru untuk Kavaleri."
"Benar, dan itulah sebabnya kami ikut membantu kali ini."
"Kamu?"
Tertegang, respon Hosanna terbilang lebih lambat dari biasnya.
"Bagaimana kamu bisa membantu padahal kamu bukanlah anggota?"
"Kamu tanya kenapa kami tidak hanya tentara biasa? Kami dengar ini cukup menantang secara praktis. Asisten pemimpin dari Kavaleri yang menakutkan itu meminta kami membantu dengan uji praktik jika memungkinkan. Aku rasa agak sulit merekrut seseorang yang kemampilannya tidak sebaik kami. Hehe."
Kedua saudara itu ngobrol dengan semangat, membicarakan betapa banyak orang yang sudah berkerumun dan betapa riangnya suasana di dalam Kavaleri.
'Gayle dan Doyle... Siapa sangka bisa tampil seperti ini?'
Hosanna memandang mereka, merasa wajah mereka terasa asing, lalu sedikit menggigit bibir.
'Tapi tidak masuk akal. Kavaleri tahu lebih dari siapa pun bahwa keduanya adalah Bintang Nagran. Namun mereka meminta kami untuk membantu merekrut. Apakah berarti mereka sedang merencanakan sesuatu lagi?'
Pikirannya yang cepat berganti-arak perlahan kehilangan momentum dan terhenti. Hosanna menatap benang yang berantakan yang sedang ia main-mainkan. Orang yang membawa benang mungkin tidak tahu, namun ia adalah warna putih yang hangat yang dulu pernah ia sukai.
Berkat bangun di Kavaleri, Hosanna belum pernah mengalami kejadian bahaya dan sakit yang ia antisipasi. Saatnya makan, makanan bergizi disajikan. Seorang apotheker yang kasar namun cukup bijak dan seorang pendeta dengan tampilan seperti kucing muncul, membantu pengobatan dan pemulihan dirinya.
Yang paling mirip dengan interogasi adalah saat bertemu seorang wanita pendek berambut pendek bernama Kanna. Hosanna serius curiga apakah Kanna benar-benar melihat pembicaraan mereka sebagai kesempatan untuk bersantai. Kanna lebih sering bertanya tentang kehidupan harian dan masa lalunya daripada tentang Bintang Nagran.
"Membujukku seperti ini sia-sia kamu tahu. Aku takkan pernah mengucapkan sesuatu yang buruk tentang tuanku. Menggunakanku untuk menarik dia itu sia-sia, jadi hentikanlah bersemangawu ini."
Pada jawapan itu, Kanna tertawa, membuat Hosanna bingung.
"Kuhayat. Jika kamu tidak ingin bicara, maka jangan. Sejak kapan punaku memaksa kamu bicara?"
Tentu saja... dia tak pernah memaksa.
Kanna berbisik pelan, mata birunya tampak memahami kebingungan Hosanna.
"Kamu sudah tahu dosa-dosamu lebih dari siapa pun. Yang kamu tak bisa lakukan hanyalah melepas lepas, itu saja. Tapi tahu itu sama saja dengan tahu segalanya, bukan?"
Orang-orang di sini, yang tidak pernah mengekangnya, seolah tahu segalanya tentang dirinya. Meskipun tidak berkata apa-apa, terasa seperti mereka telah tahu jawabannya. Meskipun hal itu menakutkan, beban yang selama ini ia pikakan terasa agak ringan.
Ia mulai mengurangi upaya-neonya untuk mengembalikan kekuatannya, dari upaya berulang menjadi hanya sekali sehari. Ironisnya, kini ia merasa lebih baik, meskipun tidak bisa menggunakan kekuatan sama sekali.
Kembali memandang Gayle dan Doyle yang senang membicarakan rencana ke depan, Hosanna impulsif berkata,
"Jadi, kalian benar-benar sudah memutuskan tinggal di sini untuk waktu panjang?"
"Iya? Benar juga."
Doyle menjawab.
"Tapi bukan hanya kami. Aku dengar beberapa orang yang ditangkap di sebelah barat juga ikut membantu di cabang itu, dan beberapa orang yang ditangkungi ikut membantu merekonstruksi kota."
"...Orang yang ditangkap di sebelang barat? Sungguh? Mereka tidak dieksekusi?"
Ini berita baru baginya, cukup mengejutkan untuk mempertanyakan pendengarannya. Pada tanya Hosanna yang tertegang, Gayle mengangguk.
"Jadi kata pemimpin Kavaleri... apa ya? Ia berkata bahwa ia akan memberi kesempatan untuk kita memahami kesalahan kita atau semacamnya? Entahlah, itulah kata-katanya. Kami berdua juga terkejut."
"Kesempatan untuk memahami kesalahan kita..."
Hosanna mengulang kata-kata itu, bibirnya gemetar. Ia pikir mungkin, hanya mungkin, kata-kata itu memiliki makna yang mirip dengan apa yang pernah dikatakan Kanna dahulu.
"Tapi bukan hanya itu, Hosanna. Beberapa orang di sini yang tidak pernah berbuat kesalahan sudah menandatangani kontrak dengan Kavaleri, dan dapat bayaran. Kami juga ingin melakukan hal yang sama kali ini."
"Kontrak?"
"Ya."
Keduanya dengan antusias menjelaskan kontrak. Menurut mereka, Kavaleri semula menawarkan kesempatan untuk bergabung sebagagai anggota. Namun, mereka menolak, memilih untuk tetap bekerja di markas seperti yang telah mereka lakukan.
"Kesempatan untuk menjadi anggota... Kamu benar-benar yakin?"
"Kenapa tidak? Kami sudah membayar kesalahan kami."
"Tapi tetap... bukan lebih baik menjadi anggota daripada karyawan?"
"Tidak, kami tidak ingin itu."
Tidak terduga, kedua saudara menolak dengan wajah serius.
"Kamu tidak mengerti kekejaman latihan di sini karena kamu belum pernah melihatnya. Aku tak pernah lihat orang latihan keras seumur hidupku. Meski kamu membunuhku, aku tak akan melakukannya!"
"Apa?"
"Aku lebih suka bekerja seperti kami sekarang, melakukan pekerjaan rutin. Di sini, mereka bahkan mengajari kami membaca dan menulis. Kami sudah menandatangani kontrak yang termasuk bagian rumah."
"Ya, ya. Rumah baru di Distrik Tembok Ketujuh. Kami belum tahu banyak tentang kontrak perumahan, tapi orang ramah membantu kami. Cukup kecil tapi cukup terkena sinar matahari. Bahkan ada kebun kecil..."
"Di sana kita akan menanam sayuran. Labu, wortel, selada. Cukup banyak untuk kami berdua, jadi kami bisa berbagi dengan kamu, Hosanna. Silakan kunjungi kami."
"..."
Apakah mereka benar-benar berpikir Hosanna bisa bebas-bebas mengunjungi rumah mereka? Percakapannya terlalu tidak nyata hingga membuatnya tersentuh sejenak.
"Aih, lupa, Hosanna. Kita diminta untuk memberitahu ini padamu... Ingat waktu asisten pemimpin bilang ada orang yang mungkin termasuk Bintang Nagran muncul di ibukota akhir-akhir ini?"
"...Ya. Ada apa?"
"Mereka sudah menemukan di mana orang-orang itu tinggal. Dan dari dengarannya, kira-kira orang-orang yang kita kenal tinggal di sana."
Untuk sejenak, mata Hosanna melebar.
"Ketika asisten itu bertanya apakah kita ingin membantu, ia berkata jika kita mengenali seseorang, sebaiknya kita memberi tahu mereka. Ia menggambarkan tampilannya dan kekuatannya agak-agak, dan... cukup yakin itu adalah Nezo dan Langbarton."
"Nezo dan Langbarton? Mereka takkan sejauh ini tanpa dukun."
"Benar. Tapi entah kenapa, ada orang berusia di antara mereka."
Doyle ragu-ragu sambil memandang reaksinya.
"...Dukun sudah ada di ibukota? Sekarang?"
"Susah sekali menemukan orang yang berusia seperti dia, tapi juga bisa jadi orang lain. Siapa tahu bisa jadi seseorang seperti Diemon yang memiliki kekuatan berubah bentuk dan menggapar sebagai orang tua."
"Apakah ada... seseorang yang seperti Nahan?"
Suaranya gemetar. Kedua saudara men shake.
"Kalau dia ada di sana dia akan ke kamu tidak ke kami."
"Benar... tapi aku tak boleh percaya dudunya. Kenapa dia ada di sini dan tidak di sebelah barat ketika Nahan belum kembali?"
Suaranya bergoyang dalam kebingungan lalu membesar.
"Kami juga tidak tahu. Tapi ini adalah apa yang dikatakan asisten pemimpin, jadi mungkin tidak bohong. Dia mungkin datang untuk bertanya padamu sementara, jadi jangan kaget."
Ketiganya sekaligus memikirkan seorang dengan rambut dan mata hitam, dingin sehingga hanya dengan mendekat terasa seperti mulai musim dingin. Yuder Aile muncul hanya dalam momen penting.
Dan bagi Hosanna, pria itu pernah menyelamatkan hidupnya.
Meskipun kedua saudaranya telah pergi, Hosanna masih menatap jarum menenunnya yang lama.
'Ada apa yang terjadi pada Tuan Nahan? Aku benar-benar harus melakukan ini...?'
Tidak peduli berapa lama ia berpikir, fikirannya selalu bermuara pada satu titik: seberapa sederhana rasa rendah hati untuk saudaranya yang kini bermimpi dan tertawa tentang masa depan yang normal.\
Chapter 589
While the branch members in the west were diligently working on the second wave of recruitment, the capital was anything but idle. Those who had witnessed the activities of the Cavalry up close were more enthusiastic about the recruitment than any other region.
Moreover, people were flocking from all over, including the relatively close Central regions, making every member busy beyond measure.
"Wait, this person is from the North. Why did they apply here? Did they send their documents to the wrong place?"
"They say they dont want to live there anymore. They think applying in the capital, where the Cavalry headquarters is located, is more fair and trustworthy. We can't force someone who has lost their hometown loyalty to go back."
"Ah I see. That makes sense, I suppose."
"It's not just one or two people like this. I even heard that someone from another country inquired about joining yesterday."
"Really, from another country?"
Amidst the members who couldn't hide their surprise, Gayle and Doyle roamed around. While the busy members paid no attention to them, the brothers found this rather favorable. They were in high spirits, particularly now that they were given responsibilities similar to the others.
"Hosanna, we're here."
The brothers entered the room where Hosanna was staying, their faces flushed with excitement. Hosanna, who was sitting on the bed knitting, looked up. Beside him was Priest Lusan, who was also holding knitting needles and stood up as he noticed the brothers.
"Oh, your friends have arrived. How time flies. I will take my leave now."
"Yes."
"I will practice the knit and purl stitches you taught me today."
The Priest, with a basket of yarn and needles hanging from his side, left the room, his eyes sparkling. As soon as the door closed, Gayle and Doyle immediately asked,
"Hosanna, were you teaching him how to knit?"
"What's going on? You must be getting better if you can knit now."
Hosanna, the once frail young man from the South, looked much improved after receiving treatment from Lusan and Enon. Although he still couldn't walk on his own, his condition had improved enough for him to move around the room.
Yet, his awakened abilities had not returned. He tried to use his power about once a day but felt almost nothing. Knowing this, neither Gayle nor Doyle asked if his power had returned.
"There's nothing much to say He asked what I used to do to pass the time in winter, and when I said I knitted, he brought some yarn and asked me to teach him. That's all."
"Really? We've never seen you knit. When did you do all that?"
Hosanna fell silent for a moment at Gayle's question, then spoke.
"Before. Before I came to the stronghold."
"Oh, right before that time."
Before the stronghold meant before becoming a Star of Nagran. Only then did the brothers understand Hosannas complicated expression and scratched their heads.
"Hmm, Hosanna. Do you know why it's been so noisy outside lately?"
"I heard theyre recruiting new members for the Cavalry."
"Exactly, and that's why we're helping out this time."
"You guys?"
Caught off guard, Hosannas response was a beat slower than usual.
"How are you going to help when you're not even members?"
"You mean we're not just grunts, so there's more we can do? I've heard there's a surprising amount of heavy lifting involved. The assistant to the leader of that scary Cavalry asked us to help with the practical exam if possible. I guess it's a bit difficult to hire someone whose skills aren't as good as ours. Hehe.
The brothers chattered on, brimming with anticipation about the Cavalry recruitment. Their faces glowed like those of ordinary young men as they spoke about how many people had already gathered and how lively the atmosphere within the Cavalry was.
'Gayle and Doyle... Who knew they could wear such expressions?'
Hosanna looked at them, feeling their faces had become strangely unfamiliar, and slightly bit his lip.
'But it doesnt make sense. The Cavalry knows better than anyone that those two are the Stars of Nagran. Yet they asked for help in recruitment Does this mean theyre planning something else?'
His sharply darting thoughts gradually lost momentum and halted. Hosanna glanced down at the tangled bundle of thread he had been fiddling with. The person who brought the thread couldn't have known, but it was the warm white color he had once loved.
To be honest, since waking up in the Cavalry, Hosanna had not experienced the kind of dangerous and painful events he had anticipated. When it was time, wholesome meals were served. A gruff but somehow insightful pharmacist and a priest with a cat-like countenance appeared, aiding his treatment and rehabilitation.
The closest thing to an interrogation he had was the times he met a short-haired woman named Kanna. Hosanna had serious doubts about whether she viewed their discussion time as a legitimate opportunity to slack off. Kanna spent much more time asking about his daily life and past than about the Star of Nagran. Even when he remained silent, she often rambled on before departing.
Once, he had responded, "Persuading me like this is pointless. I will never speak ill of my lord. Using me to lure him is futile, so stop this nonsense." At that, Kanna burst into laughter, confusing Hosanna.
Her cheerful reply was, "I get it. If you don't want to talk, then don't. When have I ever forced you to speak?"
And of course... she never had.
Kanna spoke softly, her bright blue eyes seeming to understand Hosanna's confusion.
"You already know your sins better than anyone else. You just can't let go, that's all. Well, knowing that is knowing everything, isn't it?"
The people here, while pressuring him for nothing, seemed to know everything about him. Even without speaking, it felt like they already knew the answers. While that was terrifying, something heavy that had always weighed on his heart seemed to lighten.
He started to cut back on his anxious efforts to regain his powers, from repeated attempts to just once a day. Ironically, he felt better now, unable to use any abilities at all.
Continuing to watch Gayle and Doyle excitedly discussing future plans, Hosanna impulsively spoke up.
"So, you two have really decided to stay here for the long term?"
"Yeah? Yep, that's right."
Doyle responded.
"But it's not just us. I heard some people captured in the west are also helping out in that branch, and some who were imprisoned are participating in city reconstruction."
"...People captured in the west? Is that true? They weren't executed?"
This was news to him, startling enough to question his own ears. At Hosanna's surprised query, Gayle nodded.
"So, the Cavalry leader said... what was it? He would give us a chance to understand what we've done wrong or something like that? Anyway, that's what he said. We were both surprised."
"A chance to understand what we've done wrong..."
Hosanna repeated the words, his lips trembling. He thought that maybe, just maybe, those words had a meaning similar to what Kanna had once told him.
"But that's not all, Hosanna. Some of the people here who haven't committed any crimes have signed proper contracts with the Cavalry, getting paid for work. We've decided to do the same this time."
"A contract?"
"Yes."
The brothers excitedly explained the contract. According to them, the Cavalry had originally offered them the chance to join as members. However, they had declined the offer, choosing instead to remain employed within the headquarters as they had been.
"A chance to become members... Do you really believe that?"
"Why wouldn't we? We've paid for our mistakes."
"But still... isn't it better to be a member than an employee?"
"No, we don't want that."
Unexpectedly, the brothers shook their heads, their faces stern and resolute.
"You don't understand the harshness of the training here because you haven't seen it. I've never seen people train so hard in my life. Even if you beat me to death, I won't do it!"
"...What?"
"I prefer to work in the way we have been, doing regular jobs. They even teach us to read and write here. We've already signed a contract that includes a house."
"Yeah, yeah, it's a new house in the Seventh Wall District. We didn't know much about housing contracts, but people helped us out. It's a bit small, but it gets plenty of sunlight. There's even a tiny garden..."
"We'll grow vegetables there. Pumpkins, carrots, lettuce. There'll be more than enough for the two of us, so we can share some with you, Hosanna. Come visit us."
"..."
Did they really think that Hosanna could just leisurely visit their home? The conversation felt so surreal that he was momentarily stunned.
"Oh, by the way, Hosanna. We were told it's okay to tell you this... You remember when the assistant to the leader mentioned that people who might be from the Star of Nagran have been spotted in the capital recently?"
"...Yes. What about it?"
"They've found where those people are staying. And from what we've heard, it seems they're people we know."
For a moment, Hosanna's eyes widened.
"When the assistant asked if we'd like to help with this, he mentioned that if we recognize anyone, we should tell them. He described their appearances and abilities a bit, and... it's pretty certain that Nezo and Langbarton are there."
"Nezo and Langbarton? They wouldn't have come this far without the sage."
"Exactly. Ah, but there was also someone middle-aged among them."
Doyle hesitated, watching Hosanna's reaction.
"...The sage is in the capital? Now?"
"There can't be many people of that age other than him, but it could also be someone else. You never know, it could be someone like Diemon who has acquired shapeshifting abilities and is masquerading as an older man."
"Was there anyone... anyone who looked like Nahan?"
Hosanna's voice trembled. The brothers shook their heads.
"If that guy was there, he would have asked you first, not us."
"Right, I see... But I still can't believe the sage would come here. He's not the type to frequent places like this. If he really did come, wouldn't he have come to save us...? No, but why is he here and not in the west when Nahan hasn't even returned yet?"
Hosanna's voice wavered in confusion before becoming softer.
"We don't really know either. But it's what the leader's assistant said, so it's probably not a lie. He might even come to ask you soon, so don't be too shocked."
The three of them simultaneously thought of a man with dark hair and eyes, one so cold that just approaching him felt like the onset of winter. Yuder Aile appeared before them only in crucial moments.
And for Hosanna, that man had once directly saved his life.
Even after his brothers had left, Hosanna stared at his knitting needle for a long time.
'What's happened to Lord Nahan? Should I really be doing this...?'
No matter how much he pondered, his thoughts inevitably converged to a single point: a faint envy for his brothers who now dreamt and laughed about a normal future.
What would it have been like if he and Nahan could have originally come to such a place?
Nahan would have coldly scoffed at such an impossible thought. But for Hosanna, whether it was on the Star of Nagran or with the Cavalry, all that mattered was a place of safety. Even the beliefs loudly proclaimed by his master, Nahan, weren't all that important to him.
All that mattered were Nahan's life and safety, and his own guilt.
'Lord Nahan couldn't have passed away so effortlessly. He must have left the moment he found out I failed my mission. Given my limitations now, I can be of no help to him. There's nothing I can do.'
Hosanna laid down, pressing a hand lightly against his constricted chest.
Just then, a knock on the door echoed as someone entered the room. Hosanna, opening his eyes that had been shut, was startled to see the two men who had stepped in.
"Good, you're awake. That's fortunate."
A man, beautiful as if an avatar of the sun god, sat beside his bed, his expression unreadable as he smiled. Behind him stood not Yuder Aile with his usual dark hair, but a southern knight.
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