"How should we deal with this leaning pillar?"

"Ah. We planned to remove it, since straightening it seems difficult..."

"If you prefer to straighten it, I can make that happen."

"Really?"

To someone who could harness the power of the earth, such a task was far from difficult. Yuder straightened the leaning pillar in no time, right in front of the astonished mage, driving it deeply back into the ground.

"Is there anything else to do?"

The mage, who had been staring at the now straight pillar, awkwardly nodded, his expression much softer than before.

"Ah... No. We're finished here. If you still have energy, perhaps you should head that way..."

"Understood."

Even without a word of thanks, Yuder turned around without a care, attracting varied emotional gazes from the mages. The news that Micalin, the leader, had misunderstood the Cavalry and decided to cooperate, and that the mages who had been brought to the base with the help of the Cavalry had accepted them, didn't completely erase the residual hostility. However, Yuder made no forced attempts to mollify these feelings.

If people with friendly characters like Gakane and Kanna were here, they might have already become close. However, Yuder knew better than anyone that he could not be like them. He simply did what he could at the moment.

However, such demeanor surprisingly drew a not-so-bad response from the mages. His calm demeanor, despite having performed miracles single-handedly, was extremely peculiar and intriguing.

Constant, secretive glances filled with curiosity were thrown at the Cavalry member, who seemed like a drop of oil on water.

"Sir Aile. They say that the restoration of the magic circle is almost complete. We're about to have dinner, would you like to join us?"

Yuder, who was about to bury the debris under the ground, looked up at the calling gaze. Lorna, the mage who had been with him from the village in the western border region, and her colleagues stood not far away. Looking around, it seemed that the other mages had already gone to have their meal.

"No, I'm good."

"I understand that it may be difficult for you to eat since your companions have left, but starving isn't good for your health. You've worked hard all day, let's eat together."

Another mage standing beside Lorna chimed in, his face full of resolve.

"That's right. If the person who did the most work today goes hungry, it would be a disgrace to the name of the Western Mage Union."

Yuder stared at their faces for a moment. It seemed like these mages had gathered here out of worry for him being left alone.

It wasn't that he had trouble eating since his companions had left, he just avoided joining the others because he knew it would cool the atmosphere during mealtime. However, the mages, who tried to look after him through their short bond formed from traversing the Great Sarain Forest together, didn't seem all that bad, despite the awkwardness.

"In that case... alright."

"That's great. You've made a good decision."

The mages' faces brightened up at Yuder's consent. They surrounded Yuder and headed to the place where the mages were dining. As soon as the other mages, who were eating their dry bread and soup with tired faces, saw him, they closed their mouths and fell silent. The gazes pouring on his face were unbearably sharp.

"Um If you would remain here, we shall bring enough food for your party, Sir Aile. Would that be acceptable?"

"Yes."

The companions who had come with him, Lorna and the mages from the village, looked at Yuder with somewhat uncomfortable expressions, but he paid them no mind. After all, this was something he had expected since they decided to have a meal together. He sat down and nonchalantly bit into the bread the mages had brought for him. As Yuder continued to eat undisturbed, seemingly oblivious to their gazes, the mages gradually returned to their normal demeanor.

Only when the silence had been replaced by the sound of casual conversation did Lorna, who had been holding her breath in relief, cautiously speak to Yuder.

"You've really helped us a lot today. Wasn't it exhausting?"

"It wasn't too much."

At Yuder's comment about not handling 'too much' despite having done over half of the work alone, the mages exchanged glances.

"So... you're saying it was just not... 'too much'..."

Their words trailed off rapidly. However, the silence didn't last long. One of the mages, who had been eating quietly for a while, eventually couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Yuder a question.

"Sir, there's something I've been curious about ever since we learned you guys are part of the Cavalry from the village. Can I ask you about it now?"

"If I can answer, I will."

As soon as Yuder nodded, a flood of questions poured out.

"Do Awakeners typically possess power equivalent to yours or your companions?"

"When you use your power, it seems like there's no need for preparation at all. What does it feel like to use it?"

"Exactly what abilities do you have and what can you do with them?"

Too many questions were asked for him to answer them all, but Yuder tried to respond as concisely as he could.

"The abilities we have vary greatly from one individual to another, so a direct comparison isn't easy. But I believe that the things I have done today are well within the abilities of my comrades. Using power feels like energy is being drained from my entire body. There are even people who bleed from their noses if they overdo it. I can't explain all about my abilities, but according to the classification system within the Cavalry..."

Upon receiving answers, the mages' faces brightened.

"I see. That's truly fascinating."

"It seems completely different from how we use magic."

"If we go by what you say, doesn't it rather resemble the original form of magic usage, as recorded in the ancient texts?"

As the mages started a heated discussion based on Yuder's answers, other mages who had been secretly eavesdropping couldn't resist subtly joining in.

"Um, can I ask something too?"

"Go ahead."

"Well, earlier, while we were cleaning up the debris"

The barrage of questions continued even as the soup cooled and the bread hardened to the point of being inedible. If Lorna hadn't noticed the sun had completely set outside the window and put a stop to it, Yuder would have had to answer their questions indefinitely.

"I'm sorry. Many of our mages can't help but ask when they are curious they don't know when to stop."

After finally escaping after a while, Lorna apologized to Yuder with a regretful expression.

"It's okay. I'm somewhat used to the passionate nature of mages."

He did think the young mages' enthusiasm was remarkable, but he wasn't tired or uncomfortable. Compared to what Thais Yulman had shown him in the Cavalry, this was nothing.

As he responded, Lorna's eyes widened, seemingly recalling something she had heard beside Micalin.

"Oh, that's right. You mentioned that Thais Yulman is currently in the Cavalry."

"Yes."

"When I quoted from the research records for my personal study, I referred to his papers quite a lot. But I've never met him in person. Have you seen him often, Sir Aile?"

Although he hadn't seen him every day, he had made regular visits with Kanna to see Thais, so he could say that they had met frequently. As Yuder gave a slight nod, Lorna's gaze swirled with curiosity and other emotions.

"Do you plan to help us out again tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"I see. Since we received so much help from you today, more than we could possibly articulate, we should try to assist you where you need it tomorrow."

Her statement held a somewhat suggestive undertone for something spoken simply out of gratitude. Upon Yuder's sharp glance, Lorna tilted her head slightly and smiled.

"Thanks to the swift completion of today's tasks, it seems we can return to the sites we've set aside for research tomorrow. Including the ruins."

Yuder did not miss the slight shift in Lorna's expression as she mentioned the 'ruins'.

"The leader also said to assist you in any way possible. Think about it and have a good rest."

Yuder watched her retreating figure before entering his lodgings. The quarters provided by the mages were the cleanest and most organized, apparently prepared with guests in mind.

There were two beds, one for each of them, but Priest Lusan was nowhere to be seen, likely still tending to the wounded. Rather than sit on the bed, Yuder walked towards the window, where darkness had fallen. Not far off, the sound of trees rustling in the wind, their leaves and branches moaning, filled the air.

The day had gone better than expected. The thought of possibly visiting the ruins the next day should have excited him, yet his heart remained as cold as the dark forest outside.

Could his comrades hear this cold and eerie sound as well?

If they could, where might they be listening from?

And what about Kishiar?

At the end of this thought, Yuder remained motionless for a long time.