Chapter 652

"If you have anything to correct, please speak now. Do you have anything?"

"No... I..." stammered the merchant, his gaze wavering uncertainly between the paper where his statement was written, the face of Yuder, and Kishiar, who was sitting beside him. Recognizing the extraordinary items adorned by Kishiar, the merchant felt a chill of realization, making him the only one in the room able to somewhat accurately assess the vague figure of the man.

The merchant pondered, 'I recall now, that man took his seat before the monster called Commander's assistant. I had thought they, being commoners, simply sat without manners, but perhaps there's more to it.'

His mind was swirling with various assumptions, but he arrived at a single conclusion.

'In any case, someone wealthy enough to casually wear such items, yet remain silent and observe the situation, must have an agenda!'

The realization that a person of immense wealth was present without revealing his identity or taking any action struck the merchant with an unknown fear, more daunting than anything else.

Had he been smarter or more aware of the latest rumors about the Cavalry, he might have guessed Kishiar's identity more accurately and been less startled. In his perception, Duke Peletta was someone unlikely to attend such an event.

Yuder, who had been keenly observing the merchant's changing expressions, coolly judged the situation.

'It's difficult to imagine a Duke of imperial descent sitting here incognito. If he were to come, he'd make a grand entrance like he does in the West.'

Whether Duke Peletta became the new owner of the divine sword or was diligently playing the role of the Cavalry Commander, it mattered not. In their perception, Duke Peletta was a flamboyant man who loved attention and lacked the intellect for complex political maneuvers.

The silent, disguised figure sitting calmly did not fit the image of Duke Peletta. It was naturally assumed that such characteristics cannot be hidden.

Thus, even when Kishiar, in disguise, boldly took his seat before Yuder, and Yuder moved as usual, no one suspected the presence of the Cavalry Commander. They simply assumed the person to be an impolite commoner or, like the merchant, someone of even greater unknown power.

This was the trap of perception crafted by the image Kishiar had cultivated over the years.

'The more Kishiar conceals himself, the more those who judge by appearances alone fall into doubt and fear.'

Shortly thereafter, the merchant, sweating profusely, spoke up.

"I wish to retract everything I said earlier," he declared.

The officials and the mage looked at the merchant in astonishment. However, Yuder remained unperturbed.

"Do you wish to retract your statement all of a sudden? You were seeking compensation for commercial losses due to the recruitment of the Cavalry... Should I take it that you no longer require it?"

"Yes. We are settled. Another trade group might come, but for us, it's done!"

The merchant, even without being asked by Yuder, hastily made excuses for his change of mind. Then he suddenly got up from his seat in a hurry, making an excuse that something urgent had come up.

"A pressing matter that requires leaving before our discussion concludes? It must be truly urgent," noted Yuder calmly.

"Yes, lately my memory... has not been serving me well, leading to situations like this," said the merchant.

"Ah, that must be quite a struggle, especially working in the trade guild with such a problem."

Until then, Kishiar, who had been sitting quietly, spoke for the first time. He looked intently at the merchant, offering words of comfort. Though his words seemed warm and genuine, the merchant, upon meeting his gaze, felt a mix of unknown fear, shame, and anger.

For a merchant who relied on his memory, admitting its failure and receiving consolation was a deeply embarrassing matter.

'I didn't mean it... Damn it!'

"Ah, well, I shall see you another time," said the merchant, his face clearly expressing his desire never to meet again. He hurriedly left the room as if fleeing from something.

Yuder, in the ensuing silence, drew long lines through the merchant's words with his pen. The scratching sound of the pen on paper resonated loudly in everyone's ears.

"Hmm... The document will need to be rewritten on a new sheet. Kurga, please take care of it."

"Of course. Just give me a moment."

"..."

As the new paper was brought and Yuder picked up his pen, the official and the mage, who had been biting their lips, spoke almost simultaneously, their eyes tightly shut.

"Wait...! Please, just a moment. I also...!"

"Hold on! Before you rewrite, please consider this side too...!"

Startled, the two looked at each other. They were embarrassed and frantic, having been caught trying to back out first.

'No, I was trying to get out first, but that guy...!'

'I need to leave before him to save face!'

It's human nature to become anxious and feel the need to act when seeing others take initiative.

And Yuder knew exactly how to fan the flames of their urgency.

"So... you're saying you want me to revise what I just wrote? From the Cavalry's perspective, what's been stated so far seems sufficient."

The official and the mage's expressions twisted when Yuder, who had readily accepted the merchant's request to disregard his statement, suddenly showed resistance to their similar request.

"No, it's not about making revisions. We want to treat it as if it never happened...!"

"Yes, that's what I mean too."

"Then, doesn't that mean all the requests you've made to the Cavalry for explanations so far will end without any conclusion?"

"That's...!"

"That doesn't seem like something you would want. To make it as if it never happened seems a bit too much."

'Why is he suddenly playing dumb and refusing! He didn't do this with the merchant! What's his intention! That damned man!'

Who were they to blame? They had been the ones insisting on explanations from the Cavalry, even staging protests despite numerous official responses.

As Yuder impassively shook his head, the official and the mage grew increasingly desperate. If they could erase today's conversation, they could return to their group with some excuse and change their stance, but if things remained as they were, they risked being blamed and suffering losses.

As they struggled with their internal turmoil, Kishiar, who had been observing the scene with amusement, interjected.

"Hmm, then there seems to be only one solution."

"What would that be?"

As if they had seen a lifeline descend from the heavens, two individuals urgently inquired,

"By recording this entire process, including the request to make it as if it never happened, and having everyone present vow to it, the matter should be resolved cleanly. Adding a clause that forbids anyone not present here from speaking of it will make it as if it never happened, and thus, the concerns of the Cavalry will not come to pass."

"...What does that mean...?"

The signature had evolved into a vow. Unlike a mere signature, a vow was imbued with magic power, making it impossible to casually break. However, Yuder calmly nodded in agreement to Kishiar's suggestion.

"That seems like a good approach. If the two of you agree, then the Cavalry shall proceed in that manner."

It was a strange logic. However, driven by the fear that they might be the ones to bear the brunt of the consequences, the seventh-rank official and the mage eventually agreed to the proposal.

After completing the vow with Yuder, they could only leave after reluctantly agreeing to never repeat the same protest in front of the Cavalry's office again, their spirits and energy seemingly drained from their faces.

After their departure, the street, once filled with protesters, now lay empty in front of the office. Kurga and the members of the Cavalry cheered.

"Unbelievable! They've completely disappeared!"

"This isn't just for today, right? It's all settled now, isn't it?"

"Exactly. Yuder and the Commander have settled everything!"

The members, feeling a wave of relief, surrounded Yuder with beaming smiles. Kishiar was also there, but no one dared approach the Commander, even though his face was disguised.

It took Yuder a while to extricate himself from the crowd. Kishiar, who had been watching with a smile, gently tousled Yuder's hair to fix the disheveled parts.

'Now, we've silenced all those who opposed us... Time to move on to the next step.'