Turning Chapter 1021
The Second Palace of the Solar Palace.
It was a place that had once served as both a bedroom and office, and so always felt cramped. But now, with all the clutter cleared away, it felt like a completely different space.
Emperor Keillusa sat there, across from the Empress, drinking tea. It was one of his oldest habits—drinking tea made from herbs and flowers the Empress had personally grown and dried, a ritual he had maintained since his days as Crown Prince. No matter how busy he was, he rarely missed it. Even during the time when his body had deteriorated and death loomed ever closer, he had tried to uphold this tradition to the very end.
Even during the period when he could not see her face, the Empress had heard indirectly that he continued drinking the tea as usual. Knowing that, she made an effort to join him for tea whenever possible since his recovery.
However...
"Today, I wonder if I may have been a bit greedy."
"...What do you mean, Empress?"
"You’ve seemed distracted since earlier, Your Majesty. Your mind appears to be elsewhere rather than on the tea. You even keep smiling to yourself."
"...Ah."
Only then did Emperor Keillusa realize that the tea in front of him had barely gone down, and he looked troubled.
"I apologize, Empress. In truth, something rather absurd came through from one of my ‘eyes and ears’ stationed in Diarca... I meant to tell you after it ended, but it went on longer than expected."
"An absurd story from Diarca?"
The Empress frowned at the odd combination of words, but her curiosity was piqued. The Emperor let out a hum as if pondering how to explain it before opening his mouth.
"You know of Kiole da Diarca, the youngest son of Duke Diarca."
"Yes. The Duke’s late-born youngest by his second wife. Currently part of the Imperial Guard and serving as a guard of the Radiant Palace."
"That’s right. He used to be seen as excessively aristocratic, and not in a good ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) way. When I was still a prince, we crossed paths a few times during swordsmanship lessons."
"You mean he trained alongside you and Duke Peleta under General Gino’s instruction, like Theorado, the Captain of the Imperial Guard? Was he that talented in swordsmanship?"
"Kiole was a bit different."
"What do you mean by that...?"
A cold smile curved Keillusa's lips.
"The Duke of Diarca allowed his young son to join Gino’s lessons after gaining special permission from the Empress Dowager—all because the child insisted he wanted to become a knight. The boy hadn’t even held a sword before. The excuse was that a child with talent should receive the best training from the start."
"Ah..."
"Well, it wasn’t the boy’s fault that he was thrown into the lessons with no clue. But no matter how generously one looked at it, Kiole’s skill was that of a typical passionate beginner—nothing more, nothing less. You can probably guess what happened next."
"So that’s why General Gino used the excuse of focusing solely on the Southern Army to step away."
"Exactly. My father was greatly disheartened by losing the general he’d worked so hard to bring in. Those who, like Theorado, truly had talent and were allowed to join the princes' lessons were also dismayed."
"You and the Duke must have been just as disappointed."
"Mm... I actually disliked sword training, so I was secretly pleased."
The Emperor casually adjusted his glasses and spoke candidly.
"I pretended to be quite upset on the surface, but I’m sure my mother immediately saw through that lie."
The Empress covered her mouth and burst into laughter. The Emperor, smiling faintly, continued in a satisfied tone.
"Unlike me, who was full of childish emotions, Kishiar said he had already learned everything he could from the general and that it wouldn’t affect his training. He even consoled Father. It was astonishing—but true."
"That... is very much like the Duke."
"Isn’t it?"
The Emperor's expression softened warmly as he took another sip of tea and set the cup down.
"Anyway, Kiole da Diarca carried with him the impressive tale of having been taught by a Sword Master since he first picked up a sword and smoothly entered the Imperial Guard. But because he was never well-liked anywhere, I assumed that no matter who succeeded as the next Duke of Diarca, he wouldn’t live long."
Perhaps, the Emperor added matter-of-factly, he would disappear even before the succession struggle truly began to surface. Then his expression shifted slightly.
"Empress. Do you know why I’ve spoken so long about Kiole da Diarca? Because he is the one who brought me such amusement just now."
"......"
"That brat, who once seemed doomed to fade away without ever understanding how the world worked, has surprisingly mobilized the Imperial Guard to send aid to the South and even shaken his fox-like father. Just now, I received word that Diarca’s eldest son, Kironne, was sitting with my people, seriously analyzing the situation. The man who usually sits still like a stone—so similar to his father—openly showed wariness toward Kiole. Can you believe it?"
A cold yet delighted smile spread across the Emperor’s face. The Empress, watching him struggle to contain his laughter, cautiously asked,
"If Kiole da Diarca sent support to the South... does that mean he’s turned against his father?"
"No."
The Emperor shook his head firmly.
"Quite the opposite, actually. He takes great pride in his family and status. That’s precisely why he can act as he does. That’s all. Kiole da Diarca himself hasn’t changed much. He simply curses others less and causes fewer incidents than before."
For an Emperor with newly gained ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ everywhere, this was no ordinary assertion. Having thoroughly observed Kiole’s surroundings over time, his conclusion that Kiole hadn’t changed much was likely true.
Then why had the reactions of those around him suddenly shifted? Why were people becoming wary of him, or taking his opinions seriously?
As the Empress gently cradled her teacup, lost in thought, she soon reached a conclusion.
"The person hasn’t changed much, but the surroundings have. Then it must be that what’s truly changed is how people see Kiole da Diarca."
"Exactly. Empress, you’ve hit the nail on the head."
The Emperor's eyes crinkled in amusement.
"People usually do that, but nobles in particular are prone to seeing only what fits their standards and desires. Even if they’ve misjudged something, they rarely overturn their decisions. Because they believe their noble judgments can’t possibly be wrong. That’s what brought about this entire amusing situation around Kiole da Diarca."
"Indeed... It is quite entertaining, just as Your Majesty said."
Her cup now empty, the Empress received a fresh pour of tea directly from the Emperor, who began speaking again.
"While observing the man’s changes, I sent a letter to Kishiar. His reply indicated that—surprisingly—Baron Aile was involved around the time people began perceiving that Kiole had ‘changed.’"
"Baron Aile... You mean Yuder?"
Warmth bloomed in the Empress’s voice as she said Yuder Aile’s name. Ever since the Emperor had awakened and survived, she had shown visible delight whenever Yuder was mentioned. Her happiness was the Emperor’s as well. He responded with a much gentler tone.
"Yes. He didn’t elaborate, but he assured me firmly that there was absolutely no need to worry about that man."
"My, that’s the most interesting thing I’ve heard today. I’m curious about what happened."
"The Cavalry will be returning soon. You can speak with him yourself when that time comes."
"I’ll look forward to it."
Eyes sparkling, the Empress nodded before asking a new question.
"But, Your Majesty... If Kironne has begun to keep an eye on Kiole, doesn’t that mean he might soon be in danger, or even killed? Are you planning to just watch?"
"In the past, I might have. But now that I’ve found such delightful entertainment, I’d hate to let it go so easily."
"Then..."
"I may not be able to offer direct aid, but if I put in some effort, I can at least prevent him from dying a meaningless death."
Behind his glasses, a curious glint flickered in the Emperor’s eyes. While looking at the Empress seated before him, he was also watching the ridiculous sight of Kiole da Diarca lying on his bed back in his quarters, quietly bragging to himself that he had spoken bravely to his father without trembling—unaware that the Emperor was observing him from within the decorative flowers.
"...I wonder how this will turn out next."