Turning Chapter 1036

A biting wind grazed his skin.

Yuder lowered his head in a formal bow, observing the etiquette required when facing royalty.

“...I pay my respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Though his voice remained steady and his expression stayed unreadably neutral, Yuder’s mind was racing with frantic thoughts.

I assumed he had been confined to the palace since Kiole forcibly brought him back from the South. Why is he standing here now?

Had he emerged with a specific goal, or was this merely a reckless impulse? Kiole had claimed that the Sage’s death failed to break Kachian’s brainwashing. Looking at his face now, it was difficult to determine if that assessment still held true.

However... one thing was undeniably clear. He had lost a terrifying amount of weight.

The last time Yuder had seen Kachian clearly—and for the final time—was during a royal banquet. On that occasion, Kachian had been manipulated into a corner by Kishiar and had foolishly declared he would take full responsibility for Diarca’s actions before making a dramatic exit.

Even though he was under the Sage's brainwashing back then, his outward appearance had seemed normal. Now, his cheeks were hollow and his frame was visibly wasted. Even his smile had lost its former radiance, replaced by something unsettling and eerie.

Yuder cast a glance behind Kachian. He could not sense the presence of another soul. This was highly uncharacteristic, as Kachian used to parade an army of attendants just to display his status.

As Yuder sharpened his senses, Kachian—who had been observing him with equal caution—finally spoke.

“I was resting when I suddenly overheard people talking. The attendants were gossiping about the Cavalry’s return ceremony to the Imperial Palace today... and the incredible events that took place there.”

“......”

“Even if I am not a direct descendant... is it not truly heartless to exclude me, the Crown Prince, from such a celebratory occasion?”

“......”

“I asked you a question. Do you presume to ignore the words of the Crown Prince?”

The smile remained, but his voice turned sharp—an oppressive tone intended to use his royal rank to crush those beneath him.

Nothing about his character had changed since the past. However, Yuder was no longer the Cavalry Commander who once followed every Imperial decree without hesitation.

Now that I think about it... this is the first time I have spoken to Kachian la Orr face to face since my return.

In the past, seeing that face hadn't sparked a thirst for vengeance or even significant discomfort—but now, it felt as though the man before him had completely vanished from his field of interest. He felt nothing at all. Staring at a stone might have provoked more emotion. Yuder realized with clarity just how much he had transformed.

He let out a slow breath before finally speaking.

“If Your Highness truly desires to hear my thoughts... I shall provide them. When you departed for the South without informing anyone, what do you imagine His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress felt when they discovered it after the fact?”

“What?”

“Perhaps... they felt exactly as Your Highness just described.”

The smile on Kachian’s lips vanished instantly—his expression contorted so violently it was almost audible.

“Do you have any concept of what you are saying right now?”

“You requested my thoughts. I merely provided them.”

“How insolent. You have become arrogant, hiding behind the shadow of your master.”

“I have never spoken those words on behalf of anyone else. Furthermore, those I follow are never behind me. They always stand at the front.”

Could Kachian la Orr even grasp the meaning of those words? Judging by his face, it seemed unlikely.

Kachian ground his teeth and stared at Yuder without blinking. Yuder expected him to throw something in a rage. Surprisingly, however, the young prince regained his composure quite quickly.

“What a shame. A dog that doesn't know when to tuck its tail is destined to be put down by its master. Yet here you are, barking away in ignorance.”

“......”

“You are unaware, but I know the truth. I know how hypocritical the people here are—how they only look out for themselves. You may be enjoying glory now, but it will not endure.”

It sounded like a blatant curse. Yuder was debating whether to ask if the tirade was over when Kachian suddenly shifted his tone and smiled once more.

“...But I am different.”

“......”

“I come from the outside—I am not stagnant. That is why I am more charitable toward newcomers like you. Fresh water must carve new paths. From the moment I first saw you, I believed... that if I could harness your power to construct the era I desire, it would be truly magnificent.”

Yuder had assumed nothing Kachian said could shock him anymore—but this was entirely unexpected. He looked directly into Kachian’s eyes.

Incredible. Is he actually serious?

He had heard a similar sentiment in his previous life. It was shortly after Kachian had taken the throne, before his tyranny began and while people still placed their hopes in him. The young Emperor hadn't just followed the guidance of Diarca back then—he frequently spoke of reshaping the world with grand rhetoric. One such comment had been aimed at Yudrain Aile, the former Cavalry Commander.

“The new Commander will be the one to usher in a new era.”

“I shall build a new Empire alongside Yudrain Aile and the reborn Cavalry.”

“His power belongs to the Emperor and the Empire. There is no reason to fear it. Accept the Awakeners and labor only for the Empire’s peace and prosperity.”

At the time, Yuder had partially believed those words were sincere. No one had ever spoken to him—or the Cavalry—with such clarity before. For a brief moment, he had been truly happy. Even though he had killed Kishiar under the Emperor’s command, by that point, it no longer felt like a burden.

If the Cavalry could secure a legitimate place in the Empire without being outcasts—if a bit of suffering was the price—Yuder thought it was a trade worth making. He believed that when Kachian treated him harshly in public but kindly in private, it was all a necessary performance.

A way to prove that Awakeners weren't a threat, that they weren't dangerous. That cooperation was beneficial.

But looking back now... not a single word had been true. Kachian only ever exploited Yuder and the Cavalry for his own greed. He never acted for the benefit of the Empire.

If he truly meant what he just said—thinking he could win Yuder over the moment he saw him—it meant he simply wanted another powerful, submissive weapon to wield.

He always had a talent for identifying what would benefit him most.

It was pathetic. And it was bitter.

After everything that had transpired... was he truly so arrogant to think he could manipulate Yuder again? It was absurd. Yet it served as a brutal reminder—certain things never change, even when the world is reset.

The man Yuder had seen in the future—the one who survived by discarding every existing power—was no different from the rest. He lived for himself, more corrupt and cruel in many ways. Even when he claimed to welcome Awakeners, under his reign, the Cavalry was nothing more than a convenient tool. Nothing more, nothing less.

And now, here was the Crown Prince—so certain he would never become that man. So convinced of his own uniqueness. His eyes searched Yuder as if to say: Just hand me the sword and the opportunity to use it, and I will change the world.

But the version of Yuder reflected in those eyes was no longer a human being. He was an object. A blade. A chance.

Unchanged from the past. And never destined to change.

Still... at least now I know exactly what needs to be said. That realization alone is a relief.

Yuder opened his mouth, his words sharp as poison—aimed at the former Emperor and the foolish man he used to be.

“I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness... but do you know how the one who called himself the ‘Sage’ met his end in the South?”