Yuder mengajukan pertanyaan, dan Kishiar menjawab dengan cepat dan lincah, mengungkapkan nama, "Meghna Kurlieva."
Eyebrow Yuder sedikit tergedak mendengar nama itu.
"Berdasarkan konvensi penamaan, dia adalah seorang wanita, bukan?"
"Benar sekali. Tahun ini dia berusia 37, seorang bakat yang lahir di rumah biadipati yang kurang mampu, Baron Kurlieva, dan salah satu dari bangga Selatan. Apakah ada sesuatu yang aneh dengan hal itu?"
'Itu aneh. Di kehidupanku sebelumnya, orang yang menggantikan Jenderal Gino adalah seorang pria.'
Di kehidupannya sebelumnya, Jenderal Gino tidak mati tetapi memilih untuk pensiun dari posisinya, tetap memiliki cukup pengaruh untuk memilih penggantinya.
Namun, yang tidak terduga bukanlah salah satu murid atau pemimpin andalannya yang dikenal, tetapi seseorang yang sama sekali berbeda. Malah lebih mengejutkan, perhatian tidak tertuju pada siapa yang menggantikannya, tetapi pada fakta bahwa orang ini bukanlah seorang master pedang.
Yuder dengan hati-hati menjelaskan hal ini.
"Saya pikir adjutan adalah Jenderal Angkatan Selatan yang menggantikan Jenderal Gino di game sebelumnya, tetapi sedikit terkejut ketika bukan orang itu."
"Benarkah? Siapa itu?"
"Seorang pria, dan bukan master pedang, yang menjadi topik pembicaraan pada waktu itu. Ia tidak sangat kooperatif dengan Divisi Kavaleri... Namanya... Saya hanya ingat ia disebut Jenderal Balfors."
Ketika Kishiar mengingat nama Balfors, yang ia hampir lupa karena kehinaan pria tersebut, tiba-tiba ia mengangkat kepalanya, seolah ingat sesuatu.
"Atau mungkin itu dia? Galexentre Balfors. Ia juga adalah murid Gino. Bukan adjutan, tetapi bagian dari Angkatan Selatan. Saya melihatnya sebentar ketika kita bertemu di gunung untuk misi pemulihan. Orang satu-satunya yang bisa saya pikirkan yang cocok dengan deskripsi itu, kan?"
Yuder kemudian sepenuhnya mengingat nama dari ingatannya yang redup.
'Ya, itu dia. Nama yang menggejebrok sekali, tidak heran aku lupa.'
"Ya, itu benar. Tapi kamu pernah bertemu dengannya? Kapan?"
"Kamu tidak akan pernah melihatnya. Hanya sebuah pertemuan singkat ketika aku sedang dalam perjalanan ke permainan strategi."
Pada sebuah misi untuk memulihkan Batu Merah, Kishiar pergi bersama Jenderal Gino untuk bersantai, bermain permainan strategi hanya berdua. Masuk akal juga jika Yuder dan orang lain tidak mengetahuinya.
"Aha, begitu."
"Tapi memang... mendengar ini, memang terasa aneh."
Kishiar, dengan lengan-silang, mendengkur-dengkur sambil berpikir.
"Apa yang membuatmu merasa aneh?"
"Gino pasti tidak akan merawalkan urusan keberhasilannya dengan ceroboh, terutama setelah menghabiskan lebih dari 40 tahun untuk Selatan. Ia pasti sangat prihatin terhadap hal ini. Tapi Galexentre Balfors memang cukup terkenal di kalangan murid-murid Gino karena sifatnya yang bermasalah. Tidak umum diketahui, tapi mereka yang tahu, tahu."
Murid Gino tidak terbatas hanya pada Meghna dan Galexentre. Kishiar dan bahkan Kaisar Keilusa, dalam arti yang lebih luas, adalah murid-muridnya.
Jadi, bagi Kishiar, apa yang membuat Galexentre, dengan reputasi yang kurang baik, dipilih daripada murid-murid lain yang lebih layak, adalah misteri.
"Dari dikatakannya untuk membawa adjutannya lain kali, sepertinya kepercayaan Gino terhadap Meghna belum pudar... Semua ini cukup menarik."
"Kita harus memeriksa apakah Galexentre hadir kali ini."
"Sepertinya tidak sulit untuk menyelidiki. Banyak orang yang akan memberi tahu kita tanpa kita bertanya."
Kishiar tersenyum sambil berpikir.
Beberapa saat kemudian, Komandan Brigade Pasukan Khusus Angkatan Kekaisaran, Sunz, muncul di depan mereka dengan ekspresi yang bingung.
"Apakah pertemuan dengan Jenderal Gino berjalan baik tadi?"
"Ah... Ya! Terima kasih atas pertimbanganmu, semua anggota kami bisa bertemu dan berbicara dengan Jenderalnya dengan nyaman. Terima kasih."
Ekspresi Sunz yang tadinya bingung kini mencair. Ia dan anggota Pasukan Khusus telah memilih untuk tinggal dan bekerja langsung dengan cabang Selatan, meskipun Jenderal Gino ada di sana.
Kishiar telah mengatur untuk mereka bertemu dengan Jenderal Gino secara terpisah sebelum ia berangkat, sebagai tanda dukungan.
"Senang mendengarnya. Tentu saja, kerja sama seperti ini seharusnya didukung. Jenderalnya senang dengan usaha unitmu."
"Ha-ha... Ya. Ia sangat menggaluhkan dan tidak ragu untuk memuji kami."
Sunz tampak sangat senang mendapat pujian dari Jenderal Gino, yang ia hormati. Kishiar, seizing momentum, dengan cerdas mengalihkan pembicaraan ke topik berikutnya.
"Ngomong-ngomong, aku dengar Jenderal berencana untuk membawa adjutannya lain kali. Apakah kamu mengenal dia?"
"Ah... Maksudmu adjutan Kurlieva! Benar-benar orang yang luar biasa. Jujur, unit kami tidak akan bisa berkembang dengan cepat tanpa bantuan darinya."
"Benarkah?"
"Dia mungkin bukan Awakener, tetapi ia pertama kali yang mengakui kebutuhan dan potensi kami, memperlakukan kami tanpa prasangka. Ketika ide untuk membentuk unit ini pertama kali muncul, adalah dia yang tegas mendukung dan membujuk mereka yang menentang."
Menurut Sunz, Meghna Kurlieva telah melindungi Selatan sementara Jenderal Gino bertugas dekat dengan Batu Merah. Setelah tugas itu selesai, Meghna sangat terkesan dengan cerita-cerita para prajurit Awakener yang ia dengar dari Jenderal Gino, dan secara pribadi bertemu dan menguji kemampuan Sunz dan Emon.
"Aku tidak tahu ada seseorang sepert itu di Angkatan Selatan..."
"Memang. Aku sangat ingin bertemu adjutan Kurlieva sendiri. Bagaimana dengan Galexentre Balfors? Ia juga murid Jenderal dan pernah berbagi makan denganmu di gunung, bukan?"
"Ah... Maksudmu, petugas khusus Balfors. Ya, ia memang hadir kali ini..."
Ekspresi Sunz berubah menjadi ambigu. Biasanya seseorang yang baik hati, tapi ekspresinya sekarang jelas menunjukkan ketidaknyamanannya. Kontras yang jelas dengan saat ia berbicara tentang Meghna Kurlieva.
Kishiar bertukar pandangan rahasia dengan Yuder.
'Sepertinya ia datang juga. Mungkin ada sesuatu yang bisa di selidiki.'
'Latihan bersama.'
Sementara Sunz tidak menyadar, berdua saling bertukar pandangan cepat sambil mempertahankan ekspresi biasa mereka. Yuder memulai percakapan.
"Apakah ada insiden?"
"Uh... Belum tentu, tapi... agak sulit untuk berbicara dengan bebas tentang seseorang yang lebih senior... agak... menantang, tahu? Ha-ha. Aku juga tidak tahu banyak tentangnya."
"Itu wajar. Aku mengerti."
Sunz tampak lega mendapat simpati Kishiar yang baik hati dan penuh martabat.
"Namun, tidak tahu banyak tentangnya justru bisa memberi perspektif yang lebih obyektif. Hanya antara kita, sepertinya Jenderal sangat prihatin terhadap mereka berdua."
"Kamu maksud Jenderal Gino?"
Sunz lebih tertarik dengan sebutan nama Jenderal daripada fakta bahwa Jenderal prihatin terhadap 'mereka berdua'.
Beberapa saat kemudian, sudah jelas bahwa baik Kishiar maupun Yuder tidak membantah tentang masalah mencurigakan antara Meghna dan Galexentre.
"Aku, yang tidak terlalu familiar dengan situasinya, ingin mendengar pandangan dari seseorang yang lebih netral tentang keduanya," terjelaskan Kishiar.
Mata Sunz membelalak, ekspresinya menyampaikan rasa 'Kamu bertanya kepadaku?'. Sebelum ia bisa mengucapkan pendapatnya, Yuder langsung memotongnya.
"Sunz, kamu sudah lama berinteraksi dengan Kavaleri, termasuk denganku, dan sebagai Awakener, kamu pasti mengerti tentang rekan-rekan sekalimu, bukan?"
"Ah... Ya, benar."
Ketika Yuder dengan santai menyebut kata 'sebagaian', Sunz, mengejutnya, sepertinya lupa tentang situasi yang serius ini dan jelas terharu.
"Jadi, tentu saja, aku yakin kamu akan mengerti rasa ingin tahumu tentang situasi mereka dari perspektif sebagai rekan Awakener. Jangan khawatir, Komandan akan bertanya kepada orang lain juga, jadi kesaksianmu tidak akan menjadi satu-satunya dasar untuk penghakiman kita."
"Um..."
Sunz menggosok kepalanya, lalu setelah sejenak berpikir, ia menghela napas seolah sudah memutuskan.
"Baiklah. Tapi tolong pahami, aku memang tidak tahu banyak, dan perspektifku hanyalah sebagai seorang prajurit biasa dari Angkatan Selatan."
"Dimengerti."
Akhirnya, Sunz mulai berbicara tentang Galexentre Balfors.
"Ketidaksenangan terhadap adjutan Kurlieva sudah dikenal di kalangan kami. Maksudnya, di kalangan mereka yang bertugas di gunung bersama."
"Ia sudah jelas menyampaikan perasaannya?"
"Ya. Siapa saja yang berada di gunung pasti pernah mendengarnya setidaknya sekali. Setiap kali minum, biasanya ia berkata bahwa adjutan Kurlieva, sebagai murid andalan, menghindari tugas-tugas yang melelahkan dan hidup dengan nyaman di Selatan. Ia sering mengeluhkan bahwa posisi adjutan Jenderal seharusnya miliknya. Apakah itu benar atau tidak, aku tidak bisa yakin."
Di
[BL] Langit Tanpa Awan
Jin Soram, top runner muda yang mewakili Markas Fenomena Celah Korea Selatan, lebih kuat dari siapa pun dan malas seperti siapa pun. Begitu tiba di kantor, ia segera bersembunyi di bawah selimut dan tertidur. Ketika ia keluar untuk misi, ia sering menciptakan kejadian dan kembali ke kantor, dengan sering bersikeras untuk mengabaikan tugasnya.
"Apakah kamu tahu bagaimana rasanya bermain game yang sudah rusak? ...Anehnya, ronde berikutnya akan datang, jadi kali ini, aku hanya ingin memainkannya dengan ceroboh."
Sebenarnya, identitas sebenarnya adalah seseorang yang telah melalui tiga kehidupan berturut-turut, berusaha menyelamatkan dunia dari Great Rift tetapi gagal setiap kali. Setelah mengulang satu kehidupan di mana ia tidak bisa tidur nyenyak bahkan selama sehari, ia kebetulan benar-benar kelelahan sebelum kehidupan ini bahkan dimulai.
"Aku tahu. Kabur keras kamu, Jin Soram."
Dan ada Han Tae-un, pria yang menyelamatkan Soram dan mati dalam ketiga kehidupan sebelumnya. Seperti yang dia lakukan di setiap kehidupan, ia kembali di sisi Soram sekali lagi. Great Rift sudah semakin dekat. Mustahil untuk menyelesaikannya dalam kehidupan ini tanpa persiapan. Soram bersumpah untuk menyelamatkan Tae-un dalam kehidupan ini dan mati sendiri. Setidaknya, ia tidak akan membiarkan Tae-un menyelamatkan seorang yang gagal sepertinya dirinya lagi.
"Untuk sekarang, sampai saat itu, mari kita tidur bersama..."
Seiring Soram yang pelan-pelu membelanja hidupnya sambil menunggu saat itu, perubahan yang bertahap terjadi dalam hatinya.
'Aku pikir ini ronde yang rusak... tapi aku ingin bertahan sedikit lebih lama di sini.'
Read up to the latest chapter (1240) and more than 1000 chapters of BL novels here
Chapter 801
Yuder posed a query, to which Kishiar responded promptly and with ease, revealing the name, "Meghna Kurlieva."
Yuder's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing the name.
"Based on the naming convention, she is a woman, isn't she?"
"Yes, indeed. She's 37 this year, a talent born into the impoverished house of Baron Kurlieva, and one of the South's prides. Is there something odd about that?"
'It is odd. In my previous life, the person who succeeded General Gino was male.'
In his former life, General Gino hadn't died but had instead retired from his position, retaining enough influence to choose his successor.
Yet, it was not one of his well-known disciples or successors who unexpectedly took Gino's place, but someone else entirely. Instead of this being the hot topic, the focus had been on the fact that this person wasn't a swordmaster, which was strange.
Yuder cautiously explained this.
“I thought the adjutant was the Southern Army General who succeeded General Gino in the previous game, but I was a bit surprised to see that it wasn’t that person.”
"Really? Who was it?"
"A man, and not a swordmaster, which was quite a topic at the time. He wasn't very cooperative with the Cavalry Division... His name... I only remember him being called General Balfors."
Kishiar, recalling the name Balfors, which he had barely remembered due to the man's insignificance, suddenly lifted his head, seemingly recalling something.
"Could it be that person? Galexentre Balfors. He was also Gino's disciple. Not an adjutant, but part of the Southern Army. I briefly saw him when we met in the mountains for the retrieval mission. The only person I can think of fitting that description is him, right?"
Yuder then fully recalled the name from his dim memories.
'Yes, that's him. Such a tongue-twisting name, no wonder I forgot.'
"Yes, that's correct. But you met him? When was that?"
"You wouldn't have seen him. It was just a brief encounter while I was on my way to a strategy game."
During a mission to retrieve Red Stone, Kishiar had left with General Gino to unwind, playing strategy games just the two of them. It made sense that Yuder and the others wouldn't know about this.
"Ah, I see."
"But indeed... hearing this, it does seem strange."
Kishiar, arms crossed, murmured thoughtfully.
"What aspect do you find strange?"
"Gino wouldn't have handled his succession carelessly, especially after devoting over 40 years to the South. He would've been most concerned about this matter. But Galexentre Balfors was rather infamous among Gino's disciples for being problematic. It's not widely known, but those who know, know."
Gino's disciples weren't limited to Meghna and Galexentre. Kishiar and even Emperor Keilusa were, in a broader sense, his disciples.
So, it was puzzling to Kishiar why Galexentre, with his less-than-stellar reputation, was chosen instead of other more suitable disciples.
"Considering he even mentioned bringing his adjutant next time, it seems Gino's trust in Meghna hasn't waned... It's all quite intriguing."
"We should check if Galexentre has come here this time."
"That shouldn't be hard to investigate. There will be many who will tell us without us even asking."
Kishiar smirked at this thought.
A short while later, the Commander of the Imperial Army's Special Forces Brigade, Sunz, appeared before them with a bewildered expression.
"Did you have a good meeting with General Gino earlier?"
"Ah... Yes! Thanks to your consideration, all our members could meet and speak with the General comfortably. Thank you."
Sunz's expression visibly relaxed. He and the Special Forces members had chosen to stay and work directly with the Southern branch, despite General Gino's presence.
Kishiar had arranged for them to meet with General Gino separately before he departed, as a gesture of support.
"That's good to hear. It's only natural to facilitate such cooperation. The General was very pleased with your unit's efforts."
"Ha-ha... Yes. He was very encouraging and did not hesitate to praise us."
Sunz looked extremely happy at the praise from General Gino, whom he revered. Seizing the moment, Kishiar cleverly steered the conversation.
"Speaking of which, I heard the General plans to bring his adjutant next time. Are you familiar with her?"
"Ah... You mean adjutant Kurlieva! Truly an exceptional person. Frankly, our unit wouldn't have been able to form so quickly without her."
"Is that so?"
"She may not be an Awakener, but she was the first to recognize our necessity and potential, treating us without bias. When the idea of forming our unit first came up, it was her who staunchly supported our cause and persuaded others who were against it."
According to Sunz, Meghna Kurlieva had been safeguarding the South while General Gino was stationed near the Red Stone. After that task was completed, Meghna had been deeply impressed by the stories of the Awakener soldiers she heard from General Gino and had personally met and tested the abilities of Sunz and Emon.
She had then become an unwavering ally, significantly bolstering the Southern Army's strength.
'I had no idea such a person was in the Southern Army...'
"Indeed, I'd very much like to meet adjutant Kurlieva myself. What about Galexentre Balfors? He is also a disciple of the General and has shared many meals with you in the mountains, right?"
"Ah... You mean Special Officer Balfors. Yes, he did come this time..."
Sunz's expression turned ambiguous. Normally a good-natured person, his current demeanor clearly showed his displeasure. It was a stark contrast to when he spoke of Meghna Kurlieva.
Kishiar exchanged a secretive glance with Yuder.
'It seems he also came. There might be something worth digging into.'
'Let's do it together.'
While Sunz was oblivious, the two exchanged glances quickly, maintaining their usual demeanor. Yuder initiated the conversation.
"Was there any incident?"
"Uh... Well, it's not that, but... It's a bit difficult to speak freely about someone of a higher rank... It's a bit... challenging, you know... Ha-ha. I don't know much about him, either."
"That's understandable. I get it."
"Thank you for understanding."
Sunz seemed relieved at Kishiar's kind and dignified nod.
"However, not knowing much about him might actually allow you to provide a more objective perspective. Just between us, it seems the General is quite concerned about those two."
"General Gino, you mean?"
Sunz seemed more surprised by the mention of the General's name than the fact that the General was worried about 'those two.'
Shortly thereafter, it became clear that neither Kishiar nor Yuder were denying the existence of concerning issues between Meghna and Galexentre.
"I, being less familiar with the situation, wanted to hear a balanced view from someone with a neutral perspective on these two," Kishiar explained.
Sunz's eyes widened, his expression conveying a sense of 'Are you asking me?'. Before he could voice his thoughts, Yuder interjected.
"Sunz, you have long interacted with the Cavalry, including myself, and as an Awakener, you are well-placed to understand your fellow comrades, aren't you?"
"Ah... Yes, that's right."
When Yuder casually mentioned the word 'comrade', Sunz, surprisingly, seemed to forget the gravity of the situation and was visibly moved.
"So, naturally, I believe you'd understand our curiosity about what their situation is like from the perspective of a fellow Awakener. Don't worry, the Commander will ask the same question to others, so your account won’t be the only basis for our judgment."
"Um..."
Sunz scratched his head and, after a moment of contemplation, sighed deeply as if he had made up his mind.
"Alright. But please understand that I really don't know much, and my perspective is just that of a low-ranking soldier of the Southern Army."
"Understood."
Finally, Sunz began to speak about Galexentre Balfors.
"Special Officer Balfors’ dislike for adjutant Kurlieva is well-known among us. I mean, among those of us who served together in the mountains."
"He's made his feelings clear, then?"
"Yes. Anyone in the mountains would have heard it at least once. Whenever he drank, he would often say that adjutant Kurlieva, being the favored disciple, avoided tedious duties and lived comfortably in the South. He frequently lamented that the position of the General's adjutant was originally his. Whether that's true or not, I can't say."
Read up to the latest chapter (1240) and more than 1000 chapters of BL novels here
[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!"
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