* * *

The Empire’s most renowned healers were mobilized to treat Cadel’s unresponsive body. The diagnosis of mental problems, likely caused by the trauma of battle, did not deter the healers.

One week. For a full seven days, Cadel never regained consciousness. It was only because Kunra had kept his consciousness, but no one else knew that.

Lumen, Lydon, and Garuel stubbornly stayed by Cadel’s side as the healing took place. When they weren’t practicing to relieve the uneasiness of the impending outburst or answering the Emperor’s call, they tried to stay as close to Cadel as possible.

There was still no word from Van or Yozen. Halfway through, Garuel said he would go find Van, but Lumen stopped him. They didn’t even have room to look for Yozen.

The atmosphere in the Knight Order was heavy to say the least. No more of Lydon’s laughter, which always unintentionally lightened the mood, no more of the usual bickering, no more of Cadel’s imposing tactical meetings. Without anything, the Knight Order slowly stiffened.

And on the eighth day, to be exact. Cadel regained consciousness.

“Cadel!”

“Leader……!”

“Knight Commander, are you awake?”

At dawn, three men gathered in Cadel’s bedroom and surrounded him. Cadel blinked several times with a blank face, then glanced down at his subordinates, who all had impatient expressions.

“You…….”

His mouth was so dry that it was hard to get a word out. Cadel cleared his throat and frowned, and Lumen handed him the water. Slowly, Cadel pursed his lips and exhaled deeply. His head felt heavy from lying so long.

“Am I back in the Empire……? How long have I been lying down?”

“One week, that is.”

“……I’ve been lying down a long time.”

Cadel smiled bitterly as more time passed than expected. Although he had been warned by Kunra, he felt that not even a day had passed.

‘Well. It was like that first dream. I met Kunra for a very short time, but when I woke up, it was morning.’

Lydon snatched up Cadel’s finished cup of water and tossed it haphazardly, then leaned forward to face him. His eyes were uncharacteristically worried.

“Are you okay, Cadel? Are you in any pain? What about your mana?”

“I’m fine. Were you worried?”

“Is that how you call that, Leader?”

“It was a rewarding time that allowed me to feel my helplessness as a healer to the extreme.”

He could tell just by looking at them what they had been through over the past week, a time when he had been struggling to compose himself, but he had worried them without telling them.

Cadel decided to tell them a little lie to ease their worries.

“Partly because of my injury, but mostly because I met Kunra, or should I say, unconsciously made contact with him. I didn’t realize a week had passed because the time passes differently in the real world.”

“With that lizard? Why? Is he bothering you again?”

I think it was me that bothered him. After an awkward chuckle, Cadel shook his head.

“He has something to tell me about the Demon Realm, and he’s helping me recover. ……Anyway, don’t worry. I don’t feel uncomfortable anywhere at all.”

Despite the suspicious glances, Cadel patted his chest to prove his health, and indeed, aside from a slight headache, his body felt light as air.

Only then did the restless subordinates relax their tense shoulders. Lydon even climbed into bed and snuggled up next to Cadel. Lumen’s nagging was neatly ignored.

Cadel gave Lydon a puzzled look as he snuggled into Cadel’s arms and closed his eyes. Lydon’s face, which seemed to have relaxed as if relieved, was now quite gaunt. Cadel gently wiped Lydon’s slightly rough cheek and quietly raised his head.

He glanced back and forth between Garuel and Lumen, his lips pursed as if he were hesitating over something. A figure he hadn’t seen since the moment he first opened his eyes. He should ask for his whereabouts.

Unless Van was the only one missing, but even Yozen hadn’t shown up, and he couldn’t imagine that Yozen had left the Knight Order while he was unconscious.

Cadel’s nervousness was masked by his innocent tone.

“Where’s Van and Yozen?”

The answer that would normally have come back was not heard. In the face of the two men’s dark expressions, Cadel’s ability to maintain his composure was nearly hopeless.

After being told of Van and Yozen’s whereabouts, Cadel was silent for a long time. Lumen and Garuel assumed it was because he was worried, but the truth was different. Cadel realized Van had ‘left’ before anyone else.

He had cried a lot. From his subordinates’ point of view, he had been crying nonstop for a whole week. That was enough. His feelings for Van, his pain, shouldn’t have any impact on them.

Clearing his throat lightly, Cadel opened his mouth as nonchalantly as he could.

“Yozen will be back on his own, he’s always been a free spirit, he’ll come when he needs to, and Van is…….”

He cleared his throat and swallowed dryly. The words were harder to come out of his mouth than he’d expected. Cadel raked his fingers meaninglessly through Lydon’s hair as he burrowed into his arms, forcing the corners of his mouth to tug.

“He’s left, no need to look for him.”

“……What? What do you mean he has left……?”

Garuel gives him a dumbfounded look, not expecting to hear that from Cadel’s mouth. Only Lumen lowered his gaze in understanding. Cadel offered a simple excuse, one he’d been thinking about since before he woke up.

“It’s already over. It’s because of Van’s personal reasons, and I gave my permission.”

“Even so, he’s just gonna leave in the middle of a battle without even saying goodbye? Sir Van was the one who actually dealt with the dispenser. Maybe he was injured and couldn’t join us―”

“Garuel.”

“……Knight Commander.”

“Van has left, and I know it was sudden and surprising, but that’s all you need to know.”

His tone was so firm that Garuel couldn’t add another word. In the instant silence that followed, Cadel struggled to raise his voice.

“Sooner or later, word will get out that you’re a black magician. You’ll get some stares, but no one will try to get close to you, so you can rest easy. And don’t worry, you probably didn’t overdo it with the whole healing thing.”

Garuel glared at Cadel for a moment, then touched his mask with a faint smile.

“……Thank God. I walked around wearing a mask, and I got attention just by breathing.”

“You’ve always been an eye-catcher.”

“Yeah, well. Because I’m handsome.”

Garuel was not unaware of Cadel’s efforts to lighten the mood. It was his job to carry out his commander’s wishes, and if anyone could understand what it was like to lose a subordinate here and now, it was him. So Garuel tried to lighten Cadel’s mood by cracking a silly joke.

“Tell them I’m a black magician of few words. I’m sure some of the knights will recognize my voice, and even though I’m dead, it’s best to avoid suspicion as much as possible.”

“Okay. I will also spread the word that you will place a curse on anyone who bothers you.”

“Oh no, I didn’t mean to say I wanted to be an outcast.”

After exchanging a few words with Garuel, Cadel looked over at Lumen. His expression didn’t show much agitation. Cadel thought he would be surprised to learn that Van had left. Maybe he’d sensed that the relationship between him and Van had gone sour some time ago.

‘Was I the only one who was blind to it?’

Seeing Van treat him as usual even after knowing everything, Cadel promised himself that he would follow him if this was his choice. Even though he knew better than anyone else that he couldn’t make that choice. The breakup was avoided.

His expression suddenly hardened in bitterness. Cadel patted Lydon, who was sleeping soundly next to him, and lowered his head.

“I’m sleepy again after all that sleep. I need to get some rest while I can because if I let it be known that I’m fully recovered, I might get another order.”

“Do you want me to take Lydon away?”

“No, leave him alone. He looks tired.”

“……Then rest. I’ll leave the healer to his own devices.”

As Cadel lay down once more, Lumen and Garuel quietly left the room. In the quickly deserted room, Cadel focused on Lydon’s breathing as if to drive away his thoughts. Face to face, their foreheads touched lightly. Feeling the warmth of Lydon’s breath against his skin, he calmed himself a little.

‘That should do it.’

He didn’t have the right or the ability to change Van’s choices. He wanted to make him happy in a life of splendor, but if he could only be unhappy in his own company, it was right to let him go.

Sleep did not come. Cadel gently stroked Lydon’s cheek as he slept, enjoying the short-lived rest.