[Turning] Author's latest note + Alternate Universe story

[Turning] Today's Turning will be on hiatus.

Hello, this is Kuyu.

Turning Chapter 1082, which was scheduled to be uploaded today, will be on hiatus due to my sudden health issues.

The publisher has posted a notice through the comments on the serialization platform, but I am also posting a separate notice here to deliver the news a little faster.

Chapter 1082 is scheduled to be uploaded tomorrow at noon, so I would be grateful if you could please read it then.

I am truly sorry for causing concern to those who have been waiting.

The following is an alternate universe story by the Author:

* It has nothing to do with the main story of Turning.

* Please note that the names, place names, and social system are based on a fictional country similar to modern times.

Politician Kishiar X Farmer Yuder Modern AU

-Beware of the simplified, story-like tone of speech.-

"How can you push away a sacred mountain that has been in place for thousands of years just to build a mere resort? That's absurd!"

Yuder, who had returned to the village for a moment while tending to his fields, turned his head at the angry shout. Seeing the villagers gathered in groups of three or five, spewing out words filled with anger and worry, had become a very common sight for some time now.

However, while previously it was mainly the elderly who gathered, today there were young people who were usually busy working... specifically, Yuder's friends, Gakane and Kanna, which was unusual. Gakane, the village's security officer, and Kanna, who worked as a librarian, noticed Yuder and waved their hands first to greet him.

"Oh, it's Yuder."

"Yuder. Did you just come back from the fields?"

"...Yeah."

Even without Yuder asking, the two friends told him why they were here first.

"You know what, the new mayor really seems to be trying to push away the mountain. Suddenly, people came down and there was a fight, it was a total mess."

"The people from that side have all gone back now, but earlier... I thought someone was going to be taken away. I thought I was going to die trying to stop them..."

"Poor Gakane. Even his hair was pulled out!"

The newly changed mayor who had taken office not long ago was someone who clamored that for the development of a region full of mountains and countryside, it was absolutely necessary to push away the mountain and build commercial and tourist facilities. No one knew how he got elected, but everyone believed that he wouldn't actually be able to do it because the consent of a certain percentage of the residents living there was needed to push away the mountain...

But... he's really trying to do that?

A shadow fell over the face of Yuder, who was usually so taciturn due to only working.

"How is that possible? None of our villagers would have agreed."

"No, you see... I heard that there were people who agreed."

It seemed that the mayor had succeeded in persuading some of the villagers who owned land by using compensation as an excuse. Yuder recalled a few people who hadn't been appearing much in crowded places lately for some reason. They were all either famous for being greedy or in urgent need of money for various reasons.

"Still... will it really proceed? It'll probably stop. The Red Stone historic site that the mayor is aiming for is in Yuder's field, so unless they move it somewhere else, who would want to do a resort business in this countryside?"

"Probably...?"

Looking at Gakane's awkward smile, Yuder silently nodded. The mayor's side had come to Yuder several times to persuade him to develop the land, but he had never agreed to it even once. The field was the only property he had inherited from his grandfather and Yuder's favorite place. Money wasn't important at all.

However, it seemed that the mayor had properly made up his mind this time. He viciously excluded Yuder's field and bought up the surrounding land, then made a grand announcement that he would build a large-scale resort that the rich people of the capital would like, including a golf course. People who opposed it rose up, and as a result, the entire village began to stir.

And Yuder... on the day the resort construction was about to proceed, he did the crazy thing of driving several tractors alone, occupying the starting point of the construction, and blocking it with his body. However, when a photo of Gakane, who had come to stop him, was taken together and received tremendous attention on SNS, this incident suddenly became a hot topic nationwide from a countryside story that no one was curious about.

[A tearful photo of a handsome security officer who risked his life to desperately oppose resort development, unprecedented attention on SNS! Even Nelarn's top star pressed 'like'...]

[Reckless development or a savior to revive the backward city? Learn about the recent popular resort development news...]

[Farmer Y, who blocked development by lying down and driving a tractor with his body, released without punishment...]

[Airic City Mayor expresses difficulty... 'Development with no legal issues. Some extreme opposing opinions are illegal protests aimed at compensation. We will proceed through sufficient exchange of opinions...']

[The recently talked-about Airic City resort development incident also rises as a topic in the parliament...]

No one knew it would become a topic to this extent, but anyway, the resort development case had now become something that the mayor couldn't just let slide either. Suddenly, reporters who had never been seen before rushed into the village, and Gakane, who had only been known by word of mouth around the village, became on the verge of fainting due to the love calls pouring in from all sorts of entertainment agencies. Although it was pitiful that his friend was suffering, Yuder continued the farming he had been doing without ever giving up.

It might seem strange to continue farming here, but for Yuder, it was almost a declaration of his stubbornness that he would never tolerate development. Because no one could interfere with his farming unless the mayor ran him over and crushed him to death in an accident.

And maybe it could really happen. Because public opinion was gradually becoming unfavorable thanks to the reporters who were fed money by the mayor and diligently poured out articles that development was justifiable. The minority opinion that the environment of the mountain range with the old historic site should be preserved was being pushed out of existence in the midst of the topic by those who smelled money and news about the handsome security officer that had nothing to do with this issue.

And some time after that, a suspiciously shiny black sedan appeared in the village.

The person who got out of the sedan was a tall man wearing a hat that looked as if it was painted with an easygoing style, a white suit, and sunglasses, with a stoic-looking bodyguard by his side.

Who the hell is that person? He didn't look like a journalist at all, but his atmosphere was so different that it was difficult to strike up a conversation. While everyone was curious but only stealing glances, the man leisurely walked around the village, looked around, and asked a question to a passerby.

"Excuse me, may I ask a question? Where is the most delicious restaurant here?"

"...We don't sell expensive food here."

"Anything is fine. I'm very hungry right now."

"Then go to... Paul's store over there. It'll be somewhat edible."

The man smiled and thanked him without any hint of displeasure, then went inside and casually sat in a shabby seat, finishing a flat beer and a duck roast dripping with oil without leaving anything behind.

"This is a really nice village, Nathan. The food is delicious and the people are kind."

"Well... in my eyes, everyone seems to think of you as a suspicious tourist and be on guard, sir."

"Everyone is a bit sensitive right now, but, well. It's understandable to that extent. Because the issue at hand is a big deal."

After saying that, the man elegantly folded the napkin to wipe his mouth and got up from his seat. He didn't forget to leave a pleasant greeting to the owner, saying that he had eaten deliciously.

"Now, so... where is the person I'm looking for?"

The man, who had been looking around with his hand on his forehead, noticed Kanna and Gakane who were leaving work early and his eyes sparkled.

"Oh. As expected of a small village, it's not that difficult to pretend to have a chance encounter."

Kanna and Gakane, who suddenly encountered two tremendously tall men, were naturally on guard.

"Who are you?"

"I'd appreciate it if you don't get too surprised. We are these kinds of people."

The stoic-looking man standing next to the smiling man took out a business card from his pocket and handed it over. It was written 'Affiliated with Senator Peletta's Office' on it.

Senator Peletta...? It sounded familiar, but it wasn't a familiar name to the two who had lived without interest in politics.

"Why is the senator's office here...?"

"Obviously to investigate this incident. Senator Peletta thinks that the current incident is flowing too biasedly. We thought an accurate understanding of the site was necessary."

"Ah…"

It was unknown whether it was a good or bad meaning for this side, but the man with the easygoing impression and light brown hair strangely dispelled their wariness with just a few conversations. Not only that? When they came to their senses, they were already talking about trivial things that they had never done to outsiders because they were so sick of it.

"Your names are Kanna and Gakane? Then, by any chance, your other friend's name is?"

"It's Yuder. Isn't it amazing? When the three of us are together, everyone used to tease us as the legendary three musketeers. Well, it's my middle name though."

"It must have been like that. But being able to confirm lifelong friends so quickly like destiny is a good thing."

"That's a really cool thing to say. It really is!"

"So, where is that friend Yuder now?"

"Yuder is... ah, he's coming over there!"

Yuder, with a towel around his neck and a wide-brimmed hat, was walking from afar. Even though the weather was warm and sunny, the young farmer with black hair and a pale face was as cold as if he had the ability to turn his surroundings into winter just by existing.

The man who was smiling like an easygoing person and Yuder. The gazes of the two met across a slightly long distance.

"Hello. It's a good afternoon."

The man raised his hand first and greeted cheerfully. Yuder looked at him with an expressionless face and turned his gaze toward his friends. He didn't say anything, but the two people who quickly noticed that it meant who he was quickly answered.

"Uh, um, they said they're from some senator's office!"

"They said they came here to investigate because they want to look into this development incident, and we just met them too!"

"Site assessment? What can they do by doing that?"

Yuder opened his mouth and spoke for the first time. A troubled look appeared on Kanna and Gakane's faces.

"We don't know well either, but... still, they came all the way here when interest in the resort development case was gradually disappearing, so wouldn't it be good to get some help?"

"Yeah. They're a bit different from the reporters who had no interest in our story at all and only took pictures of Gakane's face."

"Ka, Kanna... Please stop saying that. It's still terrible whenever I think about that time."

As Gakane suffered, Yuder retorted with a cold face.

"Even if they say they'll assess it, there's no guarantee that they'll definitely help us. Did those people clearly say that?"

"Uh..."

While the confused friends were watching, Yuder's face grew even colder.

He seemed to have started viewing the men who claimed to be from Congressman Peletta's office almost like scammers.

At that moment, the man with the easygoing impression intervened and raised his hand.

"You asked what we can do by assessing the site, right?"

"..."

"To answer that, we can do quite a lot. If we assess whether the land here really needs development or not, and if the conclusion is no, we can gather the opinions of surrounding organizations based on the evidence. If we gather enough opinions, we can raise it as a political issue in the parliament, and if it's raised as an issue, no lazy administration can handle it hastily. Because the whole world, not just the nation, will be watching this place. So in other words... shall we say this is the beginning of making 'our side'?"

The man who explained it like flowing water even added a wink. Yuder replied expressionlessly after a moment of silence.

"I don't trust people who are all talk."

"Oh my. I just answered the question, but to say that, it hurts my heart."

The man pretended to cry while holding his chest, not looking hurt at all, then soon changed his expression and grinned.

"Then what do you intend to do? The point of contention in this case is the value assessment of the land with the historic site. The development side argues what's the point of forcibly preserving the old historic site vicinity where not even tourists come. They argue that they're not going to destroy the historic site, and if they develop the surrounding beautiful natural environment so that many people can enjoy it, the local economy will also revive, so what's the problem? But the opposition... no one knows why they're opposing it and what they want. It means they haven't conveyed to people at all why this land needs to be preserved."

"Are you saying that I... haven't tried to protect the land?"

Wow. Yuder is angry! Gakane screamed inwardly.

Yuder usually spoke little and was lenient enough to let things slide no matter what anyone said, but once he got angry, he always saw it through to the end. Even though he didn't look very muscular, he was so good at fighting that no one could subdue Yuder with their fists. There was a terrifying legend that the reason Yuder's vegetables and fruits grown in his fields were so fresh and delicious was because the corpses of those who rushed at him without knowing better were buried under the fields as fertilizer, and it didn't sound ridiculous at all.

Gakane was prepared to intervene with his life, thinking that Yuder might swing his fists at any moment, but the easygoing man seemed not to feel the surging hostility and only smiled.

"Of course you must have tried. That's why there were articles, and why the full-scale construction hasn't started yet, right? But do you think people other than those here will appreciate that effort?"

"So, you're going to do that for me?"

"Gladly, if it's deemed right."

"..."

"That's why I came all the way here, and that's what I do."

"..."

"If you can't even convince me, who is ready to listen, how are you going to protect your fields and stop the resort construction on your own? You can't block the road with a tractor forever."

Silence flowed in the sharp atmosphere of imminent crisis.

Gakane was sweating and worrying about when to stop his friend, but surprisingly, Yuder did not swing his fists at the man.

"Follow me. I think it would be better to talk after going to the fields."

"Alright."

My goodness. Calming Yuder down with a single word. As Gakane and Kanna were surprised, the men from Congressman Peletta's office disappeared along with Yuder.

That evening, the strangers who stayed at the only inn in the village talked about what had happened today.

"It was a bit dangerous of you to provoke the owner of the fields during the day. What if he had attacked you or got hurt and kicked us out?"

"I believed he wouldn't do that. Anyway, it was resolved well, right? Thanks to that, we got to properly see the area targeted for development."

The man with the easygoing appearance smiled brightly. As he took off his sunglasses and removed the ring he was wearing on his finger, his light brown hair instantly turned golden and his eyes turned red. That appearance, which would surprise anyone, was the true form of the easygoing man who had come all the way here while hiding his identity, Senator Kishiar La Orr of Peletta.

"When we went to the fields and looked around, it certainly... seemed to be a place where there's no need to rush development."

"Yeah. Even if they go through the trouble of building a resort, it's not a place that will greatly flourish. They must know that, but the fact that they're still trying to build it means there must be something else the mayor can gain through it, right? If we look for that, I think we can amicably achieve our purpose of coming here and the purpose of the young beast who wants to protect the beautiful nature of this place."

"Young beast... Are you referring to the owner of that field?"

"Yes. That person named Yuder, who emitted such a tremendous hostility that his name isn't wasted."

A smile appeared on Kishiar's lips.

"He's an interesting fellow. I thought he was simply stubborn and suspicious, but he didn't fall for my eloquence at all. To have that level of cool-headedness, yet his only pure desire is to protect his own fields. Why would such a talented person be in a place like this?"

"...Are you thinking of scouting him?"

"No. If I did that, I feel like he would kick me out right away."

"Then..."

"Well, since he's the owner of the land that will be the point of contention, I'll have to help as I said and build trust for now. Actually, after looking around the fields today, I also came to want to protect the beauty of this place. I understood very well what kind of land is worth protecting even if it means lying down and blocking it with a tractor."

Kishiar grinned.

"We have to show those who doubted what we can do with this what we're capable of."

A few days later.

Although Yuder had shown the strangers who came yesterday the fields and the historic site and answered some of their questions, he didn't actually believe they would really be of help.

However, surprisingly, the stranger who seemed like an easygoing man began to stir up a new wind that had never been seen before.

They first brought in a journalist they knew from somewhere. That journalist, Yergin Schiller, took pictures of the Red Stone historic site at the speed of the wind and disappeared, and finally, a proper article was published that didn't feature the face of the handsome security officer Gakane or illogically advocate for development.

Then, through that article, this time, Hellem Caspirl, the president of the World Historic Site Protection Association, and Thais Yulman, a renowned rare plant researcher who had won some award, came to visit. They settled in with several researchers and began reporting daily on the academic research value of the mountain range and historic site. It was completely incomprehensible what they were talking about, but people liked it anyway because they greatly increased the sales of the stores in the village.

As the value of the mountain range and historic site raised by the famous scholars became a new topic, this time, a broadcast news reporter appeared. Everyone was surprised by the presence of the Orr National Broadcasting's main news reporter, whose caliber was different from the ones who had previously come and merely made Gakane sing. Although it was just a few minutes of coverage, after the broadcast that raised the issue in a serious tone that had never been seen before, various civic groups began to voice their opinions little by little.

"What is the Airic City Council doing? We criticize reckless development plans without proper investigation."

"3 rare plant species that only bloom near the Red Stone historic site! Please protect them."

"Airic City, which tries to push ahead with development without properly gathering the opinions of nearby residents... This is a prevalent problem in our society."

"Did you know that a mountain disappears to build a single luxury resort that only aristocrats use?"

It was by no means a coincidence that people who had never come before no matter how much they were called began to come on their own. If the staff members of Senator Peletta's office, who boldly introduced themselves as 'Kit' and 'Nathan,' had not stimulated people's curiosity and called in experts who could gather good opinions, this topic would never have reignited like this.

Of course, the mayor's side also published opposing articles as before, but the topic did not get buried quickly like before. Kit and Nathan knew very well how to properly ignite a certain topic and borrow the mouths of those needed for it. Yuder, who had always turned off his interest if it wasn't resolved with fists, rarely thought of others as great while watching their thorough and clever means.

"How is it?"

The man who had been smiling beside Yuder, who had come out to farm as usual today, tilted his head and asked.

"Step 1 of a better method than blocking the road with a tractor. I think I've shown enough now."

Yuder threw an apple he had just picked to him. It wasn't a full-fledged farming, but it was an apple grown from an apple tree that had been growing in the corner of the field since he was young.

"How should I understand the meaning of this?"

"Eat it. It's the most delicious now."

"Really? Hmm. It really is. It's delicious."

The man casually took a big bite of the apple Yuder gave him.

"Then, can I understand this delicious apple as a sign of gratitude and trust?"

"I'll give you gratitude, but trust is still difficult."

"Hmm? Even after doing this much? I heard that people from the House of Representatives, who are preparing to consider a bill to reorganize the regulations related to development, will come soon?"

"That has nothing to do with it."

"Then what's the problem?"

Yuder replied expressionlessly to the man who was deliberately tilting his head and smiling.

"How can I trust and believe in someone who hasn't even revealed their real face and name?"

"...Huh?"

After a long silence, the man who was looking at Yuder blinked his eyes and touched his lips in bewilderment.

"How did you know? This is the first time this has happened."

"My eyes have been pretty good since I was young."

"Then, could it be from the beginning?"

"Yes."

"Oh my."

"I must have pretended not to know quite well. How can you talk about moving and helping others when you can't even deceive me?"

Upon hearing the words uttered nonchalantly, the man made a dumbfounded expression, then soon burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! You're right. Originally, I was going to tell you when this job was over for safety reasons, but... somehow it was becoming more and more regrettable to do that, and I got hit hard in this way. My heart is beating so fast that it feels like it's going to burst from surprise."

After a while, he took off the ring he was wearing on his finger and removed the sunglasses that always covered his eyes.

"..."

What the?

Although he knew that his face wasn't real, he never thought the revealed face would be this good-looking, so Yuder was quite taken aback.

He had gotten used to Gakane's face since childhood and had never thought of anyone as good-looking no matter how many handsome men and beautiful women he saw.

Even when watching the numerous stars that appeared on TV, he had never felt any particular impression in the same way.

But the moment he saw the man who was brushing up his golden hair and smiling brightly in front of him, he really couldn't see anything other than that face.

"Shall I introduce myself again?"

Yuder reflexively accepted the business card the man held out.

Kishiar L. Peletta, Senator.

"Step 1 for stopping the development has passed safely, but now, the side 'behind' the mayor will probably bare their teeth and not let it slide. Because I've been working hard to stimulate them to make it that way. To be precise, I came all the way here chasing after that side."

The man, who smiled saying that he had been chasing them for a long time but it was very difficult to catch the tail, whispered to Yuder intimately and sweetly.

"How about it? Shall we try to help each other?"