Bab 739
-Asisten Komandan? Di mana kamu tiba-tiba muncul? Apakah kamu tidak dalam bahaya, bukan?-
Untuk menjawab mereka, Ever perlu mendekat ke area dekat penggiling air. Sambil memeluk Nipollen erat, ia bergeraklah hati-hati agar tidak mencurigakan siapa pun di sekitar.
Tidak lama kemudian, tiga orang yang menggelengkan mata dalam kebingungan akhirnya melihat Ever. Sambil memegang seekor kucing, ia berjalan cepat seperti penjaga yang sedang menunggu tuannya dan mengirimkan dua sinyal tangan singkat ke bawah.
Makna sinyal-sinyal itu singkat dan jelas:
'Tidak ada masalah dengan situasi saat ini.'
'Jangan mengalihkan perhatian dari sasaran dan tunggu.'
Kombinasi kedua sinyal itu menyiratkan bahwa situasi, dengan Ever hadir dan Pruelle absen, bukanlah sesuatu yang perlu khawatirkan—justru terlihat memang disengaja. Untungnya, tiga orang yang cukup cekap ini sepertinya dengan cepat memahami artinya. Tak lama setelahnya, Revlin menjawab.
-Benar, Brother Elle telah berubah untuk ketiga kalinya? Baiklah, saya akan menunggu.-
Pria muda itu—yang sebelumnya tak pernah secara akrab memanggil saudara lakiknya dengan kasual—kini memakai panggilan kasual bagi Pruelle, meskipun bukan darah daging.
Karena mereka berasal dari latar belakang serupa—bangsawan keluarga adipati yang meninggalkan orang tua mereka—seharusnya sulit bagi mereka untuk dekat. Namun, faktor penentu persahabatan mereka adalah karena Revlinlah alasan mengapa Pruelle pertama kali memutuskan untuk bekerja sama dengan Kavaleri.
Hubungan mereka melampaui persahabatan biasa, saling melihat sebagai saudara yang baru ditemukan, memahami tindakan satu sama lain tanpa perlu kata-kata. Ever merasa senang melihat hal itu.
Di tempat lain, Pruelle—yang telah berubah menjadi seorang ksatria—sedang menyaksikan adegan yang tak terjelaskan.
"Lihatlah, Sir Kiolle. Tidak ingatkau siapa aku? Ini aku, Baron Renbow, yang baru saja bertemu denganmu beberapa hari lalu! Bukankah normal bagiku untuk menyapa Duke saat bertemu dia yang sedang lewat?"
"Mengapa aku harus mengenal siapa kamu, Baron? Kita sudah saling menyapa; mengapa kamu masih bersikeras ingin bicara dengan ayahku, bukan denganku? Apa yang membuatmu terus-menerus berterusin?"
"Kapan pun aku pernah berterusin? Aku hanya punya sesuatu yang pribadi untuk disampaikan kepada Duke."
Baron Renbow dan Kiolle da Diarca.
Kedua orang ini telah terlibat pertarungan verbal yang tak pernah putus, bahkan sebelum Pruelle tiba sebagai seorang ksatria.
Alasannya sederhana. Baron Renbow, saat berjalan di Distrik Tembok Keempat, bertemu Duke Diarca dan mendekatnya untuk menyapa, lalu meminta untuk bertemu secara pribadi.
Dalam keadaan normal, Duke pasti akan setuju—mendorong Kiolle ke samping—orang dengan cepat putuskan pertemuan ini dengan menolak.
Namun, sebelum Duke Diarca sempat berkata sesuatu, Kiolle secara tiba-tiba curiga dan bereaksi tajam, mengubah situasi menjadi pertarungan verbal yang tak terduga. Peran ini pun disampaikan oleh seorang pelayan yang lelah dan malu, yang salah mengira Pruelle sebagai seorang ksatria yang datang untuk menenangkan situasi.
"Ah, Sir Knight, tidak perlu khawatir. Ini hanya gejala terbaru dari tuhan yang terbaru."
"Gejala?"
"Sekutu di mana tuhan mencurigai semua orang di sekitarnya mungkin adalah seekor binatang."
"Ah..."
Pada awalnya terdengar konyol. Tapi tak lama, jelas bahwa kata-kata pelayan itu akurat.
Tidak jelas kenapa, Kiolle sepertinya sangat waspada terhadap Baron Renbow yang datang tanpa dipanggil dan terus-menerus meminta audiensi kepada Duke bahkan setelah salam formal selesai.
Seperti anjing kecil yang melindungi tuannya, Kiolle menyela keduanya, mencegah Duke Diarca untuk sekadar berbicara dengan Baron Renbow. Seolah-olah dia mencurigai bahwa setiap percakapan antara Duke Diarca dan Baron Renbow berpotensi berujung serangan.
Meski tahu tindakan Kiolle memang ditimbulkan dari kekhawatiran terhadap ayahnya, namun kerasnya suaranya dan sikapnya yang manja tak terlihat menyentuh sedikit pun.
Dan, menurut pandangan Pruelle, Duke Diarca sepertinya memiliki pendapat yang sama.
"...Kiolle. Aku juga merasa tidak nyaman dengan situasi ini, tapi mengemukkan suara seperti ini di tempat umum tidak pantas bagi martabatmu," Duke Diarca menegur sambil mengklik lidahnya. Namun, Kiolle malah semakin cemas dan beralih ke kekhawatiran yang berlebihan.
"Apa? Ayah, kamu baik-baik saja? Sakit kepala atau...sensasi aneh?"
"Aku sudah berkali-kali bilang, aku baik-baik saja..."
"Ayah! Bukankah kamu berjanji untuk tidak mengabaikan kekhawatiranku selama beberapa hari ke depan, menghargainya sebagai kepedulianku? Bagaimana kamu bisa memutuskan janjimu begitu cepat? Kamu berjanji akan berjalan di seberang danau bersama-sama hanya denganku hari ini!"
"Kiolle, Kiolle... Apakah kamu menyadari berapa hari telah berlalu sejak kata 'beberapa hari'? Sudah beberapa minggu sekarang."
Beberapa minggu pasti lebih dari cukup bagi siapa pun untuk mempertimbangkan janji 'beberapa waktu' sudah terpenuhi. Namun, Kiolle tetap menolak dengan tegas.
"Namun demikian, janji tetap janji! Aku merasa situasi ini sangat mencurigakan. Apa yang begitu mendesak sehingga harus disampaikan kepada ayahku saat kamu tidak ada? Jika kamu tidak menjawab, maka pasti ini urusan yang tidak terhormat, kan? Sebagai seorang Ksatria kekalangan Diarca yang bangga, aku tidak akan hanya duduk dan menduga dalam krisis seperti ini..."
"Tunggu sebentar, urusan tidak terhormat? Tuduhan yang kejam dan berlebihan seperti ini tidak bisa kusembari!"
Baron Renbow, yang tak percaya, mengangkat suaranya.
Pruelle sepenuhnya memahami kejutan Baron Renbow.
'Karena ia masih bersikeras ingin berbicara dengan Duke Diarca meskipun sudah menyapa, tentu saja—seperti yang diduga oleh Yang Mulia Kaisar—ia pasti sedang menyembunyikan para ahli yang kabur. Jelasnya Duke Diarca terus-menerus menjaga jarak dari para ahli ini dan Baron Renbow, siap untuk memutuskan hubungan kapan saja.'
Jika Duke Diarca memiliki niatan untuk melindungi para ahli yang melarikan diri, ia pasti sudah menemukannya. Baron Renbow dan para ilmuwan mungkin berharap pada kekuatan Duke Diarca untuk melindungi mereka, namun dari perspektif Duke, tidak ada alasan kuat untuk membombanya secara gratis ketika memicu masalah dan kabur.
'Serangan bodoh. Karena sifatnya seperti Duke Diarca, kemungkinan ia akan menolak permintaan mendadak ini sangat rendah...'
Dibesarkan oleh seorang Duke yang gila bertaruh, sombong, dan menindas, yang meletokan semua orang—termasuk keluarga—sebagai alas kaki, Pruelle telah mahir memrediksi pikiran bangsawan tinggi.
Para pemimpin empat besar rumah adipati bukanlah sekadar kepala keluarganya. Mereka berada di puncak kekuatan bangsawan besar yang telah bertahan selama seribu tahun. Mereka adalah mereka yang hidup tanpa perduli pendapat orang lain atau tak takut perlihatkan kelemahan.
Duke Diarca, yang memberikan pukulan terakhir bagi otoritas kekaisar yang lemah setelah lama bertahan—mencuri posisi Pangeran Mahkota, memastikan kemenangannya sebagai pemenang generasi berikutnya—tentu saja akan penuh sombong—jika tidak, keangkuannya bahkan lebih besar.
"Aku merasakannya pun saat bertemu di pesta terakhir. Meskipun ia tampak menyembunyikannya dengan baik di tempat umum, sikapnya saat dicuci Yuder tak kalah dari siapa pun termasuk ayahku."
Namun, Pruelle sedikit terkejut juga bahwa seseorang seperti Duke Diarca masih mentolerir sikerasnya putranya yang termuda, sambil tersenyum kesal.
Dikatakan bahwa Duke Diarca, meskipun merasa putranya yang termuda kurang berbakat dan menyedihkan, sampai sekarang masih mencintainya cukup untuk menempatkannya dalam Istana Kekaisaran.
"Jadi apa sih isinya? Apa yang membuatmu repot-repot datang ke sini dengan dalih menyapa? Apa yang kamu ingin katakan?"
"Mengapa harus aku menjawab si Sir Kiolle? Tentu saja, aku sungguh minta maaf mengganggu waktu berhargimu bersamaku..."
"Jika kamu tidak bicara, kuduatirkan niatmu dan menantangmu ke duel."
"Duel? Sir Kiolle benar-benar membuatku bingung. Bukankah kamu melihatku di istana Pangeran Mahkota tadi? Aku benar-benar tidak mengerti mengapa kamu mencurigaimuku."
"Justru karena itu, tambah mencurigakan! Aduh!"
Kiolle akhirnya mengangkat sarung tangannya dan melemparnya ke lantai.
"Young master...!"
Pelayan pengawal di sekitar semua ditutup mata erat-erat.
Duke Diarca juga menurunkan kepalanya.
"Kiolle. Apakah benar-benar perlu kamu bertahan..."
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[BL] Sky Tanpa Awan
Jin Soram, pemburu tertinggi yang mewakili Markas Pemantauan Fenomena Celah Korean Selatan, lebih kuat dari siapa pun dan malas sekalipun. Setiap kali tiba di kantor, ia segera bersarung selimut dan tertidur. Saat diturunkkan untuk misi, ia sering menyebabkan kecelakaan dan kembali ke kantor, sering mengelak dari tugasnya.
"Apakah kamu tahu betapa nyaman merasa bermain di game yang sudah rusak? ...Anehnya, ronde berikutnya akan datang, jadi kali ini, aku hanya akan bermain dengan santap."
Sebenarnya, identitas sebenarnya Soram adalah seseorang yang telah kembali tiga kali, mversi dunia dari Great Rift tetapi gagal di setiap kesempatan. Setelah mengulang hidup di mana ia tidak bisa tidur nyenyak, ia benar-benar kelelahan sebelum hidup ini dimulai.
"Aku tahu. Kamu sudah bekerja keras, Jin Soram."
Dan di situlah Han Tae-un, pria yang menyelamatkan Soram dan tewas dalam tiga kehidupan sebelumnya. Seperti setiap kehidupannya, ia datang ke sisi Soram sekali lagi. Great Rift sudah hampir tiba. Tak mungkinkan untuk menyelesaikannya tanpa persiapan dalam hidup ini. Soram bersumpah untuk menyelamatkan Tae-un dalam hidup ini dan mengorbankan dirinya. Setidaknya, ia tidak akan membiarkan Tae-un menyelamatkan seseorang yang gagal seperti dirinya lagi.
"Untuk sekarang, sampai saat itu tiba, ayo kita tidur..."
Saat Soram pelosokan hidupnya menunggu saat itu, perlahan-lahan perubahan terjadi dalam hatinya.
"Aku pikir ini ronde yang sudah rusak... tapi aku ingin bertahan sedikit lebih lama di sini."
[BL] Bermuda
Leonardo Blaine, pahlawan perang sejati dari Kekaisaran Raina Logia dan komandan Pasukan Armsilver ke-11, diberhentikan karena tidak mematuhi perintah dalam pertempuran terakhir yang bisa membuat Kekaisaran mereka dalam perang territorial. Orang-orang mengkritik dan menyalahkan dirinya, lalu setelah dikeluarkan dari penjara dengan jaminan, ia menghilang tanpa jejak.
Tiga tahun kemudian, namanya telah dilupakan oleh dunia. Dewan tetap mendesaknya, namun ia sulit ditangkap. Frustrasi, Hugo Agrizendro, komandan pasukan Dewan, memutuskan untuk menangkapnya secara pribadi.
"Sejak kapan kamu mengamirimku?"
Leonardo pasti sudah cukup lama mengamatinya. Namun, jawaban Leonardo justru membuat Hugo terkejut.
"Sejak awal."
[BL] The Mist (Penulis yang sama dengan Turning)
Pada musim gugur, ketika usianya 18 tahun, setelah memenangkan keputusan akhir komp
Chapter 739
-Deputy Commander? Where did you suddenly go? You're not in any danger, are you?-
To respond to them, Ever would need to approach the area near the watermill. Holding Nipollen close, she moved carefully to avoid drawing any suspicion from those around.
Soon, three people rolling their eyes in confusion spotted Ever. Holding a cat, she paced like a guard waiting for her master and sent two short hand signals downwards.
The meaning was concise:
'No issues with the current situation.'
'Do not divert attention from the target and wait.'
Combined, these signals implied that the situation, with Ever present and Pruelle absent, was not a concern but intentional. Fortunately, the three astute individuals seemed to quickly grasp the meaning. Shortly after, Revlin responded.
-So, Brother Elle has transformed for the third time? Understood. I will wait.-
The boy, who had never affectionately addressed his own brothers as such, casually used this term of endearment for Pruelle, unrelated by blood.
Coming from similar backgrounds as nobles of ducal houses who turned their backs on their parents, it would have been more difficult for them not to grow close. However, the decisive factor in their camaraderie was Revlin being the reason Pruelle first decided to cooperate with the Cavalry.
Their relationship transcended mere friendship, viewing each other as newly found brothers, understanding each other's actions without words. Ever found this sight pleasing.
Meanwhile, Pruelle, transformed into a knight, was witnessing an inexplicable scene.
"Look here, Sir Kiolle. Do you not remember who I am? It's me, Baron Renbow, whom you met just a few days ago! Isn’t it normal for me to greet the Duke when I see him passing by?"
"Why should I recognize who you are, Baron? We’ve already greeted each other; why do you keep insisting on talking to my father instead of me? Why did you keep beating around the bush?"
"When did I ever beat around the bush? I just have something personal to say to the Duke."
Baron Renbow. And Kiolle da Diarca.
The two had been engaged in an unending verbal skirmish, even before Pruelle approached as a knight.
The reason was simple. Baron Renbow, while strolling in Fourth Wall District, had encountered Duke Diarca and approached to greet him, asking to have a private word with him.
Under normal circumstances, the Duke would have either acquiesced to the request, moving Kiolle aside, or quickly ended the encounter by refusing.
However, before Duke Diarca could speak, Kiolle, suddenly suspicious, reacted sharply, turning the situation into an unexpectedly prolonged confrontation. This was what a weary and embarrassed servant, mistaking Pruelle for a knight who had come to intervene, explained.
"Ah, Sir Knight, no need to worry. It's just the youngest master's recent affliction flaring up again."
"Affliction?"
"The symptom where the master suspects everyone around him could be a beast."
"Ah..."
At first, it sounded absurd. But soon, it became clear that the servant's words were accurate.
For reasons unknown, Kiolle seemed to be extremely wary of Baron Renbow, who had approached unannounced and persistently sought an audience with the Duke even after formal greetings. Like a small dog protecting its master, Kiolle stepped in, preventing Duke Diarca from even speaking to Baron Renbow. It appeared as though he suspected any conversation between Duke Diarca and Baron Renbow could lead to an attack.
Despite knowing Kiolle's actions were motivated by concern for his father, his loud voice and childish demeanor did not come across as touching in the slightest.
And, in Pruelle's eyes, it seemed Duke Diarca shared the same sentiment.
"...Kiolle. I too find this situation unpleasant, but raising your voice like this in public is not becoming of your dignity," Duke Diarca chided with a click of his tongue. However, Kiolle, instead of heeding these words, became even more alarmed and turned to check on his father in a frenzy.
"What? Father, are you alright? You don't feel a headache or...any strange sensations?!"
"I've told you several times, I'm fine..."
"Father! Didn't you promise that you would not disregard my concerns for a while, appreciating my worry for you? How can you break your promise so soon? You said you would walk by the lake with only me today!"
"Kiolle, Kiolle... Do you realize how many days have passed since that 'for a while'? It's been several weeks already."
Several weeks would be more than enough time for anyone to consider the term 'for a while' to have been fulfilled. Yet, Kiolle shook his head firmly.
"Still, a promise is a promise! I find this situation extremely suspicious. What could be so urgent that it must be said to my father in my absence? If you won't answer, it surely must be some dishonorable affair, right? As a proud Diarca Imperial Knight, I will not stand idly by in such a crisis..."
"Wait a minute, a dishonorable affair? Such impudent and exaggerated accusations are intolerable!"
Baron Renbow, incredulous, raised his voice in protest. Pruelle fully understood his astonishment.
'The fact that he insists on speaking with Duke Diarca despite having already greeted him must mean, as His Majesty the Emperor speculated, that he's harboring the escaped sage. It seems Duke Diarca has been maintaining a careful distance from both the sage and Baron Renbow, ready to sever ties at any moment.'
If Duke Diarca had intended to protect the escaped sage, he would have found him by now. Baron Renbow and the sage might hope for Duke Diarca's power to shield them, but from the Duke's perspective, there's no reason to unconditionally protect someone who's caused trouble and is on the run. That's why Baron Renbow's approach was evident.
'Such a foolish move. For someone like Duke Diarca, the likelihood of entertaining such sudden requests is extremely low...'
Raised by a gambling-addicted, arrogant, and overbearing Duke who considered everyone, including family, beneath him, Pruelle had become adept at predicting the thoughts of such high nobility.
The leaders of the four great ducal houses were not just heads of their families. They stood atop a colossal noble force that had maintained its position for a millennium. They were individuals who had lived without concern for others' opinions or fear of exposing their weaknesses.
Duke Diarca, who had delivered the final blow to the weakened imperial authority over a long period by snatching the position of the Crown Prince, securing his place as the victor of the next era, would not be short of arrogance - if anything, his pride would only be greater.
‘I had felt it even when I saw him at the last party. Though he seems to hide it well in public, the attitude he revealed when provoked by Yuder seemed no less than that of my father.’
However, Pruelle found it somewhat surprising that such a man was tolerating, albeit with an annoyed expression, the stubbornness of his youngest son. It was said that Duke Diarca, despite finding his youngest son's lack of talent pitiable as he grew older, still found him endearing enough to arrange a position for him in the Imperial Knight.
"So what is it then? Why bother coming all the way here under the pretense of a greeting? What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Why should I explain that to Sir Kiolle? Ah, of course, I am truly sorry for interrupting your precious father-son time, but..."
"If you don't speak, I will suspect your intentions and challenge you to a duel."
"A duel? Sir Kiolle? Really, why are you acting like this? Didn't you see me at His Highness the Crown Prince's palace before! I really don't understand why you doubt my intentions so much!"
"That's exactly why I find it more suspicious! Ugh!"
Kiolle finally removed his glove and threw it down.
"Young master...!"
The servants guarding the surroundings all tightly shut their eyes. Duke Diarca also held his head.
"Kiolle. Do you really have to persist in this..."
[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.......
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