"Enon, isn't it time you started eating something other than that?"

"Just give me what I want, you bastard."

"I'm busy right now. So just leave a coin here and take what you need."

Enon tossed a coin into an empty can placed next to the fruit boxes and picked up two lemons. He put one in his pocket and began eating the other one like any ordinary fruit. Watching him do this, the young shop owner scrunched up his nose.

"I've always been curious about how you could possibly eat that so casually."

"Do you want to stop doing business here?"

"To be honest, after five generations, I wouldn't mind quitting if I could."

After this cool reply, the young man moved all the fruit boxes and turned around to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"But judging by the fact that you're still here... do you need something else?"

"I'm curious if anything unusual is happening around here."

"Nothing much today. You must know about what happened in Apeto yesterday."

The shop owner nonchalantly responded to Enon's question, then suddenly let out a small "Ah."

"Speaking of Apeto, there is one thing that comes to mind."

"What's that?"

"It's not much, but you know the Cavalry that recently delivered a huge blow to the Apeto House?"

"The Cavalry?"

"Yes, that's right. The Cavalry. They're looking to hire some people."

The shop owner laughed softly at his mistake, took off his hat, and sat down on the small chair in front of the stall.

"What's so interesting about hiring servants?"

"Well, they're not hiring servants per se, they're looking for a physician and a pharmacist."

Enon, who had been expressionless, showed a slight change in his eyes at these words.

"A physician and... a pharmacist."

"Quite unusual, isn't it?"

The young fruit shop owner's mouth curled up into a satisfied smile.

"The local doctors and pharmacies have already heard the rumors. It's a place set up by the Duke of Peletta, so naturally, people assumed that they would only use the highest grade holy water for treatment from the Temple. So why do you think they're looking for a physician and a pharmacist?"

After chewing and swallowing the last bit of his lemon, Enon licked his lips.

"I'm not sure. But it does sound intriguing. So, are they offering good pay?"

"Why? Are you interested, Enon? Haha."

Despite his mocking tone, the young man didn't really expect Enon to show any positive interest. Therefore, when Enon, who had been thoughtfully chewing on his lemon, nodded his head, the young man was taken aback enough to nearly slide off his chair.

"Really?!"

"Yes. So, tell me where to apply."

"No joke, you're serious? It's not like you're short of money, right?"

"Noisy are you. I asked where I should go."

"Wow, there really is a first time for everything."

The flustered young man, getting to his feet, informed him that there was an inn nearby where several members of the Peletta Knights were staying long-term. He suggested Enon could apply there. Instead of a verbal response, Enon flicked another coin from his pocket toward the young man.

"Take it. I'm off."

"Yes, do take care."

Watching the young man smiling cheerfully as if nothing had happened, Enon clicked his tongue and strolled leisurely toward the inn he'd been directed to. Along the way, he noticed people talking about the incident that had occurred at the Apeto clan's place the previous day.

Given the festive period, it was truly a remarkable situation. Yet, Enon understood their excitement. After all, the scandal of one of the four ancient ducal houses, tracing back to the founding of the Empire, had been made public. What could be more thrilling?

For a while now, the Apeto House had been conducting cruel experiments they should not have, using the Awakeners. Fearful that the Duke of Peletta and the Cavalry would discover the truth, they hid the test subjects deep within their estate's forest. However, this act ironically led to an accident, unveiling their secret.

The exact cause of the accident remained undisclosed, but given that the Duke of Peletta announced that some of the Awakeners who were undergoing experimentation had vanished, most people suspected that the missing ones had sparked the incident.

What everyone found most intriguing was the fact that as a result of the accident, Beltrail, the Elder Priest who had been overseeing the research, went mad. Furthermore, several assistants and servants who had been under his command perished.

The Duke of Apeto naturally wished to question him about the incident, but since the Cavalry and Duke of Peletta were first on the scene, preserving the site and summoning the imperial security forces, he was unable to do so. News of the incident spread like wildfire.

The Emperor, foreseeing a potential conflict between the two Dukes, had placed security forces on standby just outside the mansion. Who could have predicted such an event? There were credible rumors suggesting that even this was a divine arrangement for revealing the unjust incident.

After calmly investigating the scene, Kishiar La Orr, Duke of Peletta freed the detained Awakeners and accused Elder Priest Beltrail from the Temple. Beltrail, who had lost his mind, could not defend himself, but no one offered him help. The Temple, recognizing the gravity of the situation, expelled Beltrail from his position as Elder Priest within a day and announced that they would investigate the ripple effects.

The Apeto House claimed that Beltrail alone had committed all the deeds. However, as soon as the incident became widely known, they announced they would close the doors of the mansion and refrain from going outside for a while. No one believed their words at face value.

Kishiar did not slacken the noose he had thrown around the neck of the Apeto House. He immediately sent an open request to the Emperor for the Cavalry to investigate the incident. His sweeping proclamation promising not to miss a single detailwhere Beltrail had collected the Awakeners to be studied, how many people were involved in his researchhad the people at peak excitement.

According to imperial law, nobles too were to be punished for their crimes, but in reality, such events seldom occurred. However, this time the one to investigate them would be the Cavalry, led by the Emperor's brother, Duke of Peletta. Everyone believed this was the perfect opportunity to deliver a significant blow to the Apeto House, which had been at odds with the Emperor.

The obscure fact that the Cavalry had the authority to investigate and punish any incidents related to the Awakeners was etched into everyone's minds due to this incident. Now, no one cared about the previously intriguing incident concerning the third son of the Apeto House.

Enon walked past the visibly excited crowd. He halted his steps in front of a dilapidated two-story inn on the verge of collapse, "The Giant's Sleep."

"Enon. It's been a while," someone greeted.

The middle-aged man, who had been sitting at the table trimming vegetables, lit up with a welcoming expression as soon as he saw Enon.

"What brings you here? I have nothing more to say about the guest you asked about before...?"

Enon had visited him a while back, asking about the people who had stayed at The Giant's Sleep before taking the Cavalry test. Two people had lodged there before heading to the test, but the owner only remembered a handsome man with flamboyant red hair. It took him a while to remember the pale man with black hair who was with him, and even then, he could only vaguely recall his existence.

Enon paid little attention to the owner's apologetic face, and glanced towards the staircase leading to the second floor, where the guests' rooms were. He promptly broached the subject at hand.

"Nevermind that. I heard the Knights of Peletta are staying here. Where are they?"

"Oh, the ones who were interviewing all day for a physician and pharmacist."

The owner's face brightened up even more at the familiar topic.

"They're still here. They've been taking turns guarding room three. I asked them this morning if they knew anything about the incident in Apeto yesterday, but they seemed clueless. Did you come here because you're curious about that, Enon?"

"No, not really."

Enon left the talkative owner behind, who was keen on discussing the recent event in Apeto, and promptly climbed the stairs.

"Eh? Then why are you here? You're not here for the interview, surely"

The voice of the owner, tilting his head in confusion as he considered that unlikely possibility, no longer reached Enon's ears. What filled his mind was the face of a man who had visited him not long ago, shaking up his monotonous life with a substantial ripple.

Even after deciding to write off the man who casually claimed to have come back from the future as a madman, something about him continued to nag at Enon.

Despite the fact that nothing seemed remarkable about his origin, the dormant power within him was mind-boggling, a fact that stirred Enon. He hadn't felt this way in a long time.

"Well... strange man. I'll see for myself whether you really reversed time or not."

Enon briskly opened the door to the room where the Knights of Peletta were staying and entered, dismissing the idea that someone else might be chosen from his mind.

---

At that moment, Yuder was sitting in the Cavalry Commander's office, quietly extending his gloveless hand. Each time Kishiar, wearing the holy symbol, channeled his divine power, the purplish spots spreading on the back of his hand disappeared, accompanied by a prickling pain.

"I'm glad I can fulfill my promise to you."

"...Yes."

"Lift your head. Seeing that it didn't spread much, I can tell you've put in the effort."

Despite his words, one could only wonder how many people in the world could look straight into Kishiar's chilly smile. As Yuder sighed and lifted his head slightly, Kishiar smiled softly, gently gripped his fingers, inspected the palm of his hand, then flipped it back to its original position.

"Good. It seems to be all cleared up. You may put your glove back on."

"Thank you."