Turning Chapter 1032

“To the heroes of today, may this meal be more than sufficient.”

The meal prepared by the Emperor and Empress that day was plentiful and relaxing. It wasn’t overly extravagant or spicy, nor was it a formal banquet that required stiff etiquette while eating.

There was no issue at all—except for one curious detail: every tray placed in front of Yuder appeared to hold nearly twice the amount of food as everyone else's.

He managed to finish everything, since he could eat it all, but for whatever reason, the Empress seemed both pleased and slightly apologetic.

“I’m glad you seemed to enjoy the food, but now I worry it may not have been enough for you, Yuder.”

“...Not at all. It was more than enough. Truly.”

Even though he clearly said it was enough, when dessert came, his plate featured a towering mountain of ice cream nearly three times the size of the one served to Kishiar. Topped with nuts and fruit jam, and accompanied by crisp, plain crackers, the ice cream tower was so imposing it made him dizzy just looking at it.

But the only one who seemed flustered by it was Yuder himself. Everyone else looked completely unbothered. The fact that someone who was just a subordinate aide to the Emperor’s younger brother was being served more food than the Emperor didn’t seem to faze Emperor Keillusa or the Empress in the slightest. And Kishiar, who always looked like he’d received a gift whenever he saw Yuder eating well, was no exception either.

Even Nathan Zuckerman, who simply ate his own share without a hint of suspicion or restraint, left Yuder wondering.

‘...I really must’ve given the wrong impression.’

It seemed he’d been mistaken as someone with an enormous appetite just because he finished everything he was given. But since no one else seemed to mind, there wasn’t much he could say. Still, in Yuder’s view, the ability to eat a lot and having a greedy appetite were two different things.

‘I’ll have to clarify later.’

As he spooned up his dessert, Yuder quietly watched Kishiar engage in conversation with the others.

Most of the conversation centered on events that had happened while they were away from the capital. ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ The southern incidents took up a large portion, but they also covered things from the east and west. The Emperor and Empress both seemed genuinely delighted to hear small details that couldn’t be conveyed in written reports.

‘Even in something like this, Emperor Kachien was the complete opposite... Kishiar takes after them.’

Kachien had hated lengthy reports. Yet he also hated being kept in the dark about anything. So every time Yuder reported after a mission, it had been a pain.

Kishiar, on the other hand, was entirely different. He welcomed new information—even trivial—and often showed interest in the emotions and thoughts the person experienced during the mission.

Emperor Keillusa didn’t seem as interested in every minor detail as Kishiar, but like his younger brother, he showed no displeasure over knowledge he didn’t yet possess. He especially enjoyed hearing Yuder’s impressions of the new Cavalry recruits. When the sparring match with Meghna Curlieva came up, which had taken place just before they left the South, he asked several follow-up questions. After speaking with not only Yuder but also Kishiar and Nathan Zuckerman, the Emperor finally leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t see that sparring match myself. It would have been a perfect opportunity to witness the abilities of everyone gathered here in one place.”

After saying that, the Emperor frowned at his younger brother, who sat grinning with ease.

“Isn’t having not just one, but two, too much? Shouldn’t you send at least one of them over here?”

At the word two, Yuder saw the Emperor’s red eyes—behind his spectacles—land on both himself and Nathan Zuckerman at the same time.

“Your Majesty. Both my aide and my lieutenant are irreplaceably precious to me. No matter how envious you are, I don’t think this is the time or place to make such comments—especially during a meal commemorating my birthday.”

With a cheeky response, Kishiar deflected the Emperor’s teasing. As always, the Empress stepped in to mediate between the brothers.

“Your Majesty. If they serve the Duke, then ultimately, they’re all moving toward the same goal, are they not? Just as the Duke says, today is a joyous occasion. Please don’t sully it with petty jealousy. We should be thankful for someone who waited so long and returned to us safely.”

At her gentle words, the two brothers changed their expressions as if nothing had happened. It was clearly not the first time such back-and-forth had occurred.

Their exchanges were light, even childish—but there was an unmistakable undercurrent of affection and camaraderie beneath every word they spoke.

The people in this room didn’t feel like enigmatic royals wrapped in secrecy. They felt like a single unit that could only be described as family—or comrades.

Having come this far by sharing a past that Yuder didn’t know, it was hard to imagine a more fitting word for them.

What surprised him was that, watching all of this, he didn’t feel out of place or awkward in the slightest.

‘Maybe it’s because they keep talking to me, too.’

But even Nathan Zuckerman, the quietest person here, and the steward moving busily around the room, all seemed like they belonged inside the small circle created by these people.

It felt like he had entered a place where everyone was exactly where they were meant to be. This seamless, tension-free atmosphere was unfamiliar to Yuder. While he was reflecting on the feeling, the Empress suddenly addressed him again.

“Yuder. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask since you returned. Would it be alright if I asked it now?”

“Yes. Please, anything.”

“I heard that there was some kind of relationship between you and Kiole di Diarca—who, they say, has been acting like a different person lately. Is that true?”

“...”

‘Acting like a different person lately’? Who, him?

For a second, he almost retorted out loud, but held his tongue.

In fact, he’d anticipated this question would come at some point. Before coming here, Kishiar had once told him, “His Majesty is worried about Kiole di Diarca. May I tell him he doesn’t need to be?”

‘I didn’t think it would come up now though...’

“Yes. I wouldn’t exactly call it a relationship... but I can say with confidence that His Majesty no longer has any reason to be concerned about him.”

“How curious. That much confidence... What exactly did you do to him?”

The Empress’s eyes sparkled brightly, as if she couldn’t contain her curiosity.

‘“Did” to him? More like... I just didn’t let him die and made him swear an oath so he wouldn’t suddenly vanish like in my previous life.’

The oath itself wasn’t anything grand. It was simply a restriction to prevent Kiole from doing anything stupid again. Even afterward, Kiole had continued to be an idiot—still was, and probably always would be.

‘But at the very least... he didn’t ignore what was happening in the South. That really was a change.’

Yuder recalled the slightly different look on Kiole’s face the last time they had met in the South.

To be honest, Yuder had thought Kiole would be useless even if he returned to the capital. But later, at a moment when the South was completely lacking in military support and desperately in need, Kiole had actually managed to send the Imperial Guard.

‘At first I thought it was misinformation... but after checking with the dispatched guards, they confirmed that there had been actual coordination between their commander and Kiole.’

He hadn’t been able to gain support directly from House Diarca as he had claimed, but in the end, having the Imperial Guard sent was a far better outcome.

And so it turned out that even a pompous, brainless young noble—who used to treat everyone else like they didn’t exist—could end up doing something meaningful when kept alive.

After thinking that far, Yuder glanced subtly at Kishiar. The man met his gaze and smiled, nodding as if to say: You can tell them.

“There was a time when one of our Cavalry members went missing after returning to their hometown. I went to find them myself.”

Yuder began with the unfortunate incident involving Debran Hartude. The Emperor and Empress, perhaps already familiar with the story, nodded quickly with just a few words.

“—The colleague kidnapped by House Apeto was found soon enough, but during that process, I also happened to come across Kiole di Diarca, who was in the East at the time. He isn’t an Awakener, but he had been captured after losing a fight with the abductors.”

“He nearly died, didn’t he?”

“He would have, if I hadn’t been there. After resolving the incident, I saved him—and to keep the matter from reaching House Diarca, I had him sign an oath.”

“What kind of oath?”

Emperor Keillusa asked curiously. Even Nathan Zuckerman, who had been silent until now, turned his gaze toward Yuder, clearly intrigued. Yuder hadn’t planned on explaining in detail, but after a brief pause, he relented.

“—First. Kiole di Diarca must not reveal anything about the incident to anyone. Second. Kiole di Diarca must not issue unilateral orders, challenge others to duels, or use insulting language against Yuder Aile or anyone else. Third. Kiole di Diarca must, within his capabilities, assist Yuder Aile from now on. If any of these terms are violated, the contract’s seal will signal the breach, and he will immediately fall into eternal sleep... That was more or less the gist.”

“......”

A silence hung in the room.

Then, suddenly—like a firecracker—loud laughter erupted.