While the branch members in the west were diligently working on the second wave of recruitment, the capital was anything but idle. Those who had witnessed the activities of the Cavalry up close were more enthusiastic about the recruitment than any other region.

Moreover, people were flocking from all over, including the relatively close Central regions, making every member busy beyond measure.

"Wait, this person is from the North. Why did they apply here? Did they send their documents to the wrong place?"

"They say they dont want to live there anymore. They think applying in the capital, where the Cavalry headquarters is located, is more fair and trustworthy. We can't force someone who has lost their hometown loyalty to go back."

"Ah I see. That makes sense, I suppose."

"It's not just one or two people like this. I even heard that someone from another country inquired about joining yesterday."

"Really, from another country?"

Amidst the members who couldn't hide their surprise, Gayle and Doyle roamed around. While the busy members paid no attention to them, the brothers found this rather favorable. They were in high spirits, particularly now that they were given responsibilities similar to the others.

"Hosanna, we're here."

The brothers entered the room where Hosanna was staying, their faces flushed with excitement. Hosanna, who was sitting on the bed knitting, looked up. Beside him was Priest Lusan, who was also holding knitting needles and stood up as he noticed the brothers.

"Oh, your friends have arrived. How time flies. I will take my leave now."

"Yes."

"I will practice the knit and purl stitches you taught me today."

The Priest, with a basket of yarn and needles hanging from his side, left the room, his eyes sparkling. As soon as the door closed, Gayle and Doyle immediately asked,

"Hosanna, were you teaching him how to knit?"

"What's going on? You must be getting better if you can knit now."

Hosanna, the once frail young man from the South, looked much improved after receiving treatment from Lusan and Enon. Although he still couldn't walk on his own, his condition had improved enough for him to move around the room.

Yet, his awakened abilities had not returned. He tried to use his power about once a day but felt almost nothing. Knowing this, neither Gayle nor Doyle asked if his power had returned.

"There's nothing much to say He asked what I used to do to pass the time in winter, and when I said I knitted, he brought some yarn and asked me to teach him. That's all."

"Really? We've never seen you knit. When did you do all that?"

Hosanna fell silent for a moment at Gayle's question, then spoke.

"Before. Before I came to the stronghold."

"Oh, right before that time."

Before the stronghold meant before becoming a Star of Nagran. Only then did the brothers understand Hosannas complicated expression and scratched their heads.

"Hmm, Hosanna. Do you know why it's been so noisy outside lately?"

"I heard theyre recruiting new members for the Cavalry."

"Exactly, and that's why we're helping out this time."

"You guys?"

Caught off guard, Hosannas response was a beat slower than usual.

"How are you going to help when you're not even members?"

"You mean we're not just grunts, so there's more we can do? I've heard there's a surprising amount of heavy lifting involved. The assistant to the leader of that scary Cavalry asked us to help with the practical exam if possible. I guess it's a bit difficult to hire someone whose skills aren't as good as ours. Hehe.

The brothers chattered on, brimming with anticipation about the Cavalry recruitment. Their faces glowed like those of ordinary young men as they spoke about how many people had already gathered and how lively the atmosphere within the Cavalry was.

'Gayle and Doyle... Who knew they could wear such expressions?'

Hosanna looked at them, feeling their faces had become strangely unfamiliar, and slightly bit his lip.

'But it doesnt make sense. The Cavalry knows better than anyone that those two are the Stars of Nagran. Yet they asked for help in recruitment Does this mean theyre planning something else?'

His sharply darting thoughts gradually lost momentum and halted. Hosanna glanced down at the tangled bundle of thread he had been fiddling with. The person who brought the thread couldn't have known, but it was the warm white color he had once loved.

To be honest, since waking up in the Cavalry, Hosanna had not experienced the kind of dangerous and painful events he had anticipated. When it was time, wholesome meals were served. A gruff but somehow insightful pharmacist and a priest with a cat-like countenance appeared, aiding his treatment and rehabilitation.

The closest thing to an interrogation he had was the times he met a short-haired woman named Kanna. Hosanna had serious doubts about whether she viewed their discussion time as a legitimate opportunity to slack off. Kanna spent much more time asking about his daily life and past than about the Star of Nagran. Even when he remained silent, she often rambled on before departing.

Once, he had responded, "Persuading me like this is pointless. I will never speak ill of my lord. Using me to lure him is futile, so stop this nonsense." At that, Kanna burst into laughter, confusing Hosanna.

Her cheerful reply was, "I get it. If you don't want to talk, then don't. When have I ever forced you to speak?"

And of course... she never had.

Kanna spoke softly, her bright blue eyes seeming to understand Hosanna's confusion.

"You already know your sins better than anyone else. You just can't let go, that's all. Well, knowing that is knowing everything, isn't it?"

The people here, while pressuring him for nothing, seemed to know everything about him. Even without speaking, it felt like they already knew the answers. While that was terrifying, something heavy that had always weighed on his heart seemed to lighten.

He started to cut back on his anxious efforts to regain his powers, from repeated attempts to just once a day. Ironically, he felt better now, unable to use any abilities at all.

Continuing to watch Gayle and Doyle excitedly discussing future plans, Hosanna impulsively spoke up.

"So, you two have really decided to stay here for the long term?"

"Yeah? Yep, that's right."

Doyle responded.

"But it's not just us. I heard some people captured in the west are also helping out in that branch, and some who were imprisoned are participating in city reconstruction."

"...People captured in the west? Is that true? They weren't executed?"

This was news to him, startling enough to question his own ears. At Hosanna's surprised query, Gayle nodded.

"So, the Cavalry leader said... what was it? He would give us a chance to understand what we've done wrong or something like that? Anyway, that's what he said. We were both surprised."

"A chance to understand what we've done wrong..."

Hosanna repeated the words, his lips trembling. He thought that maybe, just maybe, those words had a meaning similar to what Kanna had once told him.

"But that's not all, Hosanna. Some of the people here who haven't committed any crimes have signed proper contracts with the Cavalry, getting paid for work. We've decided to do the same this time."

"A contract?"

"Yes."

The brothers excitedly explained the contract. According to them, the Cavalry had originally offered them the chance to join as members. However, they had declined the offer, choosing instead to remain employed within the headquarters as they had been.

"A chance to become members... Do you really believe that?"

"Why wouldn't we? We've paid for our mistakes."

"But still... isn't it better to be a member than an employee?"

"No, we don't want that."

Unexpectedly, the brothers shook their heads, their faces stern and resolute.

"You don't understand the harshness of the training here because you haven't seen it. I've never seen people train so hard in my life. Even if you beat me to death, I won't do it!"

"...What?"

"I prefer to work in the way we have been, doing regular jobs. They even teach us to read and write here. We've already signed a contract that includes a house."

"Yeah, yeah, it's a new house in the Seventh Wall District. We didn't know much about housing contracts, but people helped us out. It's a bit small, but it gets plenty of sunlight. There's even a tiny garden..."

"We'll grow vegetables there. Pumpkins, carrots, lettuce. There'll be more than enough for the two of us, so we can share some with you, Hosanna. Come visit us."

"..."

Did they really think that Hosanna could just leisurely visit their home? The conversation felt so surreal that he was momentarily stunned.

"Oh, by the way, Hosanna. We were told it's okay to tell you this... You remember when the assistant to the leader mentioned that people who might be from the Star of Nagran have been spotted in the capital recently?"

"...Yes. What about it?"

"They've found where those people are staying. And from what we've heard, it seems they're people we know."

For a moment, Hosanna's eyes widened.

"When the assistant asked if we'd like to help with this, he mentioned that if we recognize anyone, we should tell them. He described their appearances and abilities a bit, and... it's pretty certain that Nezo and Langbarton are there."

"Nezo and Langbarton? They wouldn't have come this far without the sage."

"Exactly. Ah, but there was also someone middle-aged among them."

Doyle hesitated, watching Hosanna's reaction.

"...The sage is in the capital? Now?"

"There can't be many people of that age other than him, but it could also be someone else. You never know, it could be someone like Diemon who has acquired shapeshifting abilities and is masquerading as an older man."

"Was there anyone... anyone who looked like Nahan?"

Hosanna's voice trembled. The brothers shook their heads.

"If that guy was there, he would have asked you first, not us."

"Right, I see... But I still can't believe the sage would come here. He's not the type to frequent places like this. If he really did come, wouldn't he have come to save us...? No, but why is he here and not in the west when Nahan hasn't even returned yet?"

Hosanna's voice wavered in confusion before becoming softer.

"We don't really know either. But it's what the leader's assistant said, so it's probably not a lie. He might even come to ask you soon, so don't be too shocked."

The three of them simultaneously thought of a man with dark hair and eyes, one so cold that just approaching him felt like the onset of winter. Yuder Aile appeared before them only in crucial moments.

And for Hosanna, that man had once directly saved his life.

Even after his brothers had left, Hosanna stared at his knitting needle for a long time.

'What's happened to Lord Nahan? Should I really be doing this...?'

No matter how much he pondered, his thoughts inevitably converged to a single point: a faint envy for his brothers who now dreamt and laughed about a normal future.

What would it have been like if he and Nahan could have originally come to such a place?

Nahan would have coldly scoffed at such an impossible thought. But for Hosanna, whether it was on the Star of Nagran or with the Cavalry, all that mattered was a place of safety. Even the beliefs loudly proclaimed by his master, Nahan, weren't all that important to him.

All that mattered were Nahan's life and safety, and his own guilt.

'Lord Nahan couldn't have passed away so effortlessly. He must have left the moment he found out I failed my mission. Given my limitations now, I can be of no help to him. There's nothing I can do.'

Hosanna laid down, pressing a hand lightly against his constricted chest.

Just then, a knock on the door echoed as someone entered the room. Hosanna, opening his eyes that had been shut, was startled to see the two men who had stepped in.

"Good, you're awake. That's fortunate."

A man, beautiful as if an avatar of the sun god, sat beside his bed, his expression unreadable as he smiled. Behind him stood not Yuder Aile with his usual dark hair, but a southern knight.

The moment Hosanna saw the knight's face, his body involuntarily trembled. How could he not recognize him?

It was the very knight who had singlehandedly shattered all of Nahan and Hosanna's plansNathan Zuckerman.

"I heard you've been improving lately. Do you think we could talk for a moment?"