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At the end of an intense training session with instructor from hell Yuder, everyone laughed off their exhaustion and crowded their beloved instructor with words of awe and praise and thanks for seeing something worthwhile in them commoner rejects and helping them improve their abilities once again. Many of them even thought that their abilities somehow advanced again!
Their muscles strained and even their bones felt tired from the hellish training as always, but they all made an effort to smile and laugh and pat Yuder on the back or head or initiate friendly fist bumps to Yuder who (they beamed!) was getting used to them and fist bumping them back without a blank stare at their fist, pause, or thought.
They beamed even more when Yuder was also slowly coming around to hug the more excitable ones back too. The Elder siblings couldn't stop grinning as they jumped at Yuder to hug him again.
Although they all wanted to retain Yuder for after training drinks, it wasn't long before the man quietly refused their begs and offers for him to join them, instead quoting a desire to rest.
Before he left, Ever patted him on the shoulder and asked warmly. "Hey, Yuder, you do know that you can talk to us whenever you want, right?"
Yuder's expression didn't really change as always, but after weeks of trying, they were getting used to reading him now and saw the slight pause and little hint of confusion in his eyes as he hesitantly nodded. "...Yes?"
But no one called him out on it as Ever smiled. "Good. I just wanted to make sure you know that. Have a good rest then."
Yuder nodded and then disappeared as he always did.
And then when they were sure that he was gone, they crowded amongst themselves again.
"He hugs everyone back now! It takes him 2 less seconds to remember to do so!" Finn shouted, raising his hands in victory. Besides him, Hinn also pumped her fists.
"Yeah! I also counted!"
"He even fist bumps back without thinking." Another Cavalry member smiled goofily, holding his fist that made contact with Yuder's with his other hand preciously.
"Good going, Ever, though I think he needs a reminder that we'll always accept and love him no matter what. He looked a little confused there." Devran said with a smile and Ever nodded seriously.
"I'll remember to add that next time."
Another Cavalry member laughed. "Hehe, yeah!" And then curiously wondered with a little bit of hope in his words. "But do you think he'll ever open up and tell us that he is a spy? Not that it matters, but do you?"
Because, yes, all of them including Gakane and Kanna, the ones closest to Yuder, thought that he was a spy.
He had to be.
Yuder didn't talk much or say much about his background, but the little that he did say?
Who would believe that such a professional, systematic, intelligent, wise, so experienced that he felt like a seasoned veteran, strong expert with eyes that sometimes expressed that they saw a lot in life be a 20 year old country boy who had only lived a normal slow life in the mountains before?
Which hermit or even countryside villager or commoner in general knew how to read and write and fill out official documents before coming to the Cavalry? Most of them had to tell their information to the scribes provided at the registration table to get their applications filled out.
Which mountain hermit or commoner in general knew how to make training schedules that were better and more efficient than even the Imperial Knights' and even perfectly suited each one of them? Which mountain hermit or commoner knew how to fight like a sword master, control their ability to such fine levels that even elder mages would go green with envy, deal with nobles, command groups of people with a casual confidence that belayed his experience doing so, perfectly lead and execute rescue missions like the one Devran told them about, and the list went on?
Sure, they believed that he was 20. He sure did physically look very young, which made them even more sad on his behalf for all the hardships and things he must have experienced in this short amount of time, but a normal commoner with a normal commoner background?
Instead of answering that Cavalry member's question, a person solemnly repeated. "It doesn't matter if he does or not. Look at him going above and beyond for us, accepting us when most everyone else didn't, standing up for us against even nobles and Imperial Knights, and taking us so seriously that he even customizes each 300 Cavalry members' schedules and takes the time to listen to each of our questions and problems. Look at him realize that Devran went missing and lead a mission and fight against nobles and human traffickers and enemy Awakeners to the point of injury just to bring someone he hadn't even known well back. Look at him getting flustered by everyone's praise and thanks and getting touched by our friendship when he thinks we aren't looking. And he's so touch-starved without knowing it. Yuder must have had a hard life in the past before this assignment!" Getting teary-eyed, he declared. "Yes! Spy or not, let's always support him!"
Everyone was getting teary and warmed by the reminder that the seemingly most cold emotionless person in the organization was actually such an amazing, caring, and good person and nodded determinedly.
"Yeah! It doesn't matter what his background is! Even spies don't have any obligation to do this much to gain people's trust so I'm sure he thinks the same and unconsciously chooses us and loves us too."
"Hehe, even if he still reports back to whatever secret organization he's from, I think I wouldn't mind." Another person wiped his nose. "Of course, if Commander tells us to arrest Yuder for betraying us, I would do so- but also place him in the most comfortable prison and sneak him the best beds and meals and cakes in town."
All of them laughed, joining in on the discussions of what they would do for Yuder and how much love they would smother him with in thanks for all that he had done for them.
When more little hints of Yuder's horrible and tragic past appeared here and there, their determination to love and support him grew all the more.
"Guys, guys, I think he was hazed and tortured before. Like, even more than those stories of how spies would be trained to withstand such things. Like shit, his pain tolerance is unreal and did you see how unfazed he was by the gossips of him being Commander's whore? Fucking hell, when I find out what secret organization raised Yuder, I'm going to kill them."
"Oh my god, Yuder... Did Yuder just chug that obviously drugged wine made from lethal monster poison without blinking an eye? What kind of poison resistance training do you think he had to have before..."
"Hey, guys, I think Yuder's been arrested before. Like imprisoned and starved for a long time. I know he's only staying one night, but why else would he treat the prison like a second home?"
Their desires to hunt down whoever raised and harmed their Yuder and to wrap Yuder in a blanket and never let go also grew all the more.
Of course. There was no such secret spy organization.