Turning-Chapter 915

Yuder slowly closed his eyes, savoring the emotions that swirled within him.

In the past, such overwhelming feelings would have felt like torture. When you cram too much food into your stomach at once, it’s inevitable that it will make you feel like your throat is going to burst. The sensation was still there, but now, it was bearable—no, it was even something to be enjoyed.

Could there be anything more certain than the realization that the very existence of Yuder Aile could shake this man to his core?

As their tongues intertwined, Kishiar continued to let out soft, low moans, the heat of their contact spreading. The warmth built up with every passing moment, and before long, Yuder felt his body lean back, nearly falling onto the desk.

Only then did he open his eyes again. The sensation of everything he had taken in filling him up completely made his head spin. As he gasped for breath like a full beast, his eyelids fluttered slowly, and Kishiar’s wet lips curved into a smile.

Kishiar finally parted his lips and whispered softly, just for Yuder’s ears.

"I’m the same."

"...."

"Even though I think I know what I should be striving for, sometimes I feel lost and exhausted. Especially when I see humans repeating the same mistakes and desires, despite countless warnings from the past. I’ve sometimes thought that maybe I’m one of them, unable to escape it, and in those moments, everything seems pointless."

And yet...

As he muttered, Kishiar’s forehead gently touched Yuder’s, their eyelashes brushing as their faces came impossibly close. Yuder could see the deep, crimson eyes, heavy with meaning.

"To know that you, more than anyone, understand this fact, and that you are here, walking beside me... that’s more meaningful to me than anything."

"...."

"There’s no way to explain it to anyone, nothing or no one else... except you."

Forever. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

The final word was swallowed between their lips, but strangely, Yuder still clearly heard it.

Beyond the long, intertwined shadows, the rain continued to fall softly. Reflecting on the earlier test of Glorie’s ability, the cards Yuder had drawn had predicted small misfortunes from water, and he now wondered if something related to the rain might have happened if Kishiar hadn't blown it away.

But now, nothing had happened to Yuder. His gamble with Glorie’s power had succeeded, and the preparations Kishiar had made were falling into place without issue.

Even the chill from the rain couldn’t touch him while he was wrapped in Kishiar’s arms. The cold and the pain that used to burrow into his chest were now barely a memory.

Yuder turned his gaze away from the rain streaking down the window and, once more, gave himself to the kiss, which felt like breathing under water.

The two scents, blending quietly and seamlessly, lingered together, merging for a long time.

***

"Yuder, I’m so relieved to see that you’ve recovered well. I was really worried while I was away, but it’s such a relief."

Kanna, accompanied by Frulelle holding the kitten-like Nipolen, had returned. Yuder exchanged silent greetings with Frulelle, giving a small wave to the newly arrived group, as he scanned their faces.

Heading into the desert for a mission was no small feat. The climate alone was vastly different from here, and many came back with strange diseases for reasons no one could explain. It was also full of monster outbreaks, making it a particularly dangerous place. Even mercenaries, whose job it was to earn money from dangerous tasks, usually avoided it.

The fact that they had managed to safely collect information directly from the Southern people, with whom communication could be nearly impossible, made them truly impressive.

After confirming that the three of them looked healthy, Yuder finally felt at ease.

‘Well, I had Nathan Zuckerman with them, so I’d expected them to be fine...’

"It’s good to see you’re healthy too."

Yuder responded without revealing his earlier thoughts. Kanna gave him a bright smile.

"We’re fine... we didn’t even have to fight, just did some information gathering and came back. So, where is the Commander now?"

"He’s out for a moment. He’ll be back soon."

"Oh, I see."

Kanna mumbled to herself, scratching her head, and then, after checking Yuder’s expression, she lowered her voice carefully.

"Well, I’m sure Zuckerman has already made his report, so... You know what we’ve been up to, right?"

"...I know. I’ve heard the results."

Yesterday, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Kishiar had shared Nathan Zuckerman’s report with Yuder.

Nathan, Kanna, Frulelle, and Nipolen had gone to the desert in search of information about Naham. They thoroughly investigated the area around the location where Naham was presumed to have fallen, focusing on a group called the Owl Wing Clan.

Nipolen had sensed multiple traces of Awakeners in the now-empty intermediate region, and Frulelle had used her transformation ability to blend in with other areas, gathering rumors that only the Southerners knew. Kanna, along with Frulelle and Nathan Zuckerman, had sifted through the items and places brought back to maximize the information they could extract.

As a result, it was concluded that the Owl Wing Clan’s withdrawal from the intermediate region was likely connected to Naham’s fall.

Among the Southern people, rumors were circulating about something happening to the family that owned the Owl Wing Clan.

‘The rumor was that the head of the clan had found her long-lost nephew.’

The current head of the Owl Wing Clan was a woman who had been single for a long time. Her sister had originally been the head of the clan, but she had passed away over 20 years ago.

The Southerners had been gossiping about how the late clan leader had given birth to a child that wasn’t approved by the Empire during an affair with an Imperial citizen. No one seemed to know the truth, but the only plausible explanation for the "long-lost nephew" rumor was this.

After the death of the former clan leader, the rumor of the nephew’s return quietly resurfaced, creating a stir among the Southerners using the intermediate region.

It was clear that this "long-lost nephew" was likely Naham.

The group continued to investigate how Naham could have survived and ended up at the clan. It was a dangerous task, but fortunately, an unexpected connection with a Southern clan helped them out.

This clan, part of a smaller Southern tribe, had been facing issues of their own due to a recent event in the desert. Thanks to Frulelle’s transformation abilities, Kanna’s information skills, and Nathan’s swordsmanship, they managed to resolve the issue, earning the clan’s gratitude and being treated generously for several days.

It turned out that the clan had a minor connection with the Shuden Clan from Mix Shuden, which also helped build trust.

During their stay, the group gathered more information than they could have ever learned during their initial trip. The Southern clan they were aided by had a deep history and extensive reach, gathering many of the hidden stories from all over the South.

One of the tales they heard during their time there involved a famous "healer" from the Owl Wing Clan. These healers had gained extraordinary healing abilities two years ago, with rumors circulating that they could heal anyone as long as they still had a breath left.

Though they couldn’t confirm whether this was true, the group was certain these healers were likely Awakeners, and they believed they were the ones who had saved Naham’s life.