He could meet Crown Prince Ezein from afar?

As Yuder mulled over whether that was meant literally or figuratively, Melvern clasped his hands together. Forming them in a soft, round shape as if cradling a small bird, he slowly opened them—and a flare of light rose swiftly into the air from between his palms.

As the white ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) glow softly billowed and expanded, Melvern maintained his hand posture and began explaining the ability in more detail.

"This same light should have appeared in front of His Highness right now. Once he touches it, we’ll be able to see him. Usually, it takes a few moments for the connection to establish."

According to Melvern, the light would flatten out like a sheet of paper, eventually forming a mirror-like surface where the other person's figure would emerge. He explained proudly that it allowed for face-to-face conversation, as if they were right there together. It was indeed a power Yuder had never seen before.

‘There were Awakeners who could communicate from afar... but nothing of this level. Especially not in this era.’

Abilities like Emperor Keillusa’s—collecting one-sided information from all over—or even Revlin’s, which could secretly transmit speech to someone far away, might fall into a similar category. But to actually hold a two-way conversation with ease, like Melvern described, was impossible with their powers.

Even in his past life, when Awakeners were far more abundant, Yuder had never encountered anyone with an ability like Melvern’s. Maybe someone like that had appeared in another country unbeknownst to him, but even then, wouldn’t there have been at least rumors?

A deep curiosity bloomed in Yuder’s eyes.

‘So this is why he was so confident I’d be surprised. Fair enough.’

But for Yuder, moments like these stirred not just amazement—but a hunger to understand the ability as quickly as possible.

"Can this power allow you to see only His Highness the Crown Prince? Or can you connect with others as well? If someone else is beside the Crown Prince, can they be seen and contacted through your power? What’s the maximum duration the connection can last? I assume distance would shorten the duration, wouldn’t it?"

"Ah... So far, I’ve only ever been able to see His Highness. I haven’t tried contacting others. If someone is beside him... hmm. I’ve never tested that, but since I can see the surroundings, I think it might be possible?"

Though overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Melvern answered honestly, wearing a proud expression.

"As for the duration... I haven’t noticed distance being a major factor. Whether it’s inside Nellarun’s royal palace or a faraway foreign land, the time I could maintain contact was nearly the same. I’ve found that the real limitation is my stamina and mental state after the connection begins rather than distance..."

At that moment—

The purely white light began to shift, slowly transforming into an eerie purple hue reminiscent of Ezein’s eye color. At the same time, the light expanded—and within it, a vague human figure began to take form.

"We’re connected!"

Melvern cried out, panting. Kishiar lightly tugged Yuder’s arm, pulling him to stand beside him.

"Yuder. Stand here so we’re both clearly visible."

At some point, Yuder had stepped quite close to Melvern, drawn in by the desire to observe the power up close. In doing so, he had nearly blocked Kishiar—one of the intended participants in the meeting—from view. Feeling a bit apologetic, Yuder took his place at Kishiar’s side.

No sooner had he moved than the hazy figure within the light came into clear focus, as if reflected in a mirror.

‘—We’re connected. Good work, Melvern.’

Crown Prince Ezein, whom they hadn’t seen in some time, appeared almost the same as when they had last met—at least externally.

His long silver hair was tied up high with a simple cord, without a single decorative piece. His outfit, too, was devoid of any regal flourish—hardly the appearance of a royal.

But his eyes. His expression. Those had changed entirely.

‘Much softer now.’

After praising Melvern, Ezein turned his head toward Yuder.

‘...Hm?’

For a brief moment, he looked between Kishiar’s cloak and the cloth wrapped around Yuder’s neck, eyes widening in surprise. But just as quickly, he composed himself and returned a fresh, bright smile to his face.

‘Commander of the Cavalry. It is truly a pleasure to see you again. I know it’s late, but let me also congratulate you on becoming the Master of Light. I sent a letter the moment I heard—did you receive it?’

"It’s good to see you, Your Highness. You look healthy, which makes this conversation all the more delightful. As for your congratulations, I read your letter after returning from leave. The part where you quoted the poet Marteum Chil was especially moving."

They had exchanged letters? Yuder hadn’t known. It seemed Kishiar had kept up regular contact with Ezein more than he let on.

‘Ah, I’m glad you recognized Marteum Chil’s poem. He’s my favorite poet.’

After saying that, Ezein finally turned to Yuder and greeted him as well.

‘My friend! I’m glad to see you looking so well. How have you been?’

The tone was twice as warm and familiar as what he’d used with Kishiar, and his bright smile glowed.

Anyone unaware of their past might have thought he and Yuder were lifelong friends.

‘I was terribly worried when I heard you were injured, but seeing you now eases my heart. Your complexion is even better than the last time I saw you, and—hm, you seem to have grown. Have you gotten taller? You already had a heroic presence before, but now no one would doubt you’re the famed hero of the Empire. Ah, and that cloth over your uniform—it suits you perfectly. Is it part of a new official uniform for the Aide?’

When Melvern constantly mentioned the Crown Prince in almost reverent tones, Yuder had thought it a bit over the top. But now, hearing it from the man himself, he realized Melvern had actually been holding back. All he’d done was relay his master’s words with politeness and precision.

‘Even so...’

The bright smile, while a bit overwhelming, didn’t feel unpleasant.

Ezein looked completely free of the inner turmoil that had plagued him before—now wrapped in calm composure and firm resolve. It was a refreshing change from the man Yuder had known in his past life. His glowing, sparkling eyes added to that impression.

‘The change in someone’s eyes really is fascinating.’

Even a subtle shift could make someone feel entirely different. Perhaps this was why people said Yuder looked more vibrant these days?

That thought only occurred to him now, after seeing Ezein like this.

To stop the prince from talking endlessly, Yuder quickly opened his mouth to return the greeting.

"It is an honor to see Your Highness. I’m equally glad to see you looking well. The cloth around my neck was a gift from the Commander for today’s weather—it’s not part of my uniform."

‘Ah. I see. Well! As expected of something bestowed by the man known across the continent for his impeccable taste—it suits you perfectly.’

Ezein smiled, having praised Kishiar’s sense of fashion.

‘I suppose you’ve already heard, but I too am struggling quite a bit trying to establish something like the Cavalry. I need to decide on the uniforms, and it’s been surprisingly difficult. It’s my first time doing something like this, and honestly, it’s twice as hard as any training. I’ve found myself wishing someone could give me advice...’

Behind Ezein, six orbs of light spun in a circle. In his past life, Emperor Ezein always kept those lights orbiting around his body—but now, he had pushed them into the background like a backdrop. It gave a very different impression.

‘If training’s so hard... it seems he’s made quite a bit of progress despite being so busy.’

Perhaps noticing Yuder’s gaze, the Ezein in the light smiled knowingly.

‘Ah. The form’s different from when I first Awakened, right? Lately I’ve been testing how far I can cast this power outward.’

"Testing the limits of one’s ability is an excellent way to train."

‘It makes me happy to hear that from you. But I’m still far from where I want to be. Sometimes I feel like writing to you for advice about the process...’

"—Your Highness. Forgive the interruption, but it appears our gracious envoy's hands, which made this meeting possible, have begun to change. Should we be concerned?"

Kishiar gently interjected as Ezein spoke.