Turning Chapter 1248

Exactly one day before the moment Kiole la Diarca hurled a silent, furious curse at Yuder Aile—

Yuder stepped into the commander’s office, pulling back the hood attached to his outdoor coat.

“I’ve just returned from meeting with Kiole.”

“For how quickly you came back, you look like you’ve got quite a bit to say.”

Kishiar, seated with Nathan Zuckerman, smiled as he read Yuder’s expression.

“Did you hear something amusing?”

“I now understand why His Majesty’s orders had to come down now. The Duke of Diarca has awakened. It looked like he’d chosen Kiole as his proxy to carry out his will.”

“Oh?”

Kishiar let out a short exclamation, thick with layered emotion.

“The Duke of Diarca of the past would never have made such a choice—not even with a blade at his throat. Well, I suppose he must believe he owes his youngest son his life... twice, even. That would explain it. So? Is Kiole planning to follow his father’s orders?”

“No.”

Yuder’s firm response made even Nathan Zuckerman, who had been quiet until now, lift his head and meet his gaze. Facing both pairs of curious eyes, Yuder continued.

“That boy still barely understands the situation surrounding him. He’s simply afraid of everything going on. He has no real interest in the title. He’s disoriented—shaken by how the world he believed in is now crumbling. So I’ve decided to offer him a little help.”

“What kind of help?”

“He said he wanted to know the truth about his father and those around him, so I’ll show him.”

After saying this, Yuder looked Kishiar directly in the eye.

“As I understand it, Kiole’s current lodging was provided by His Majesty. It’s far too comfortable and secure. I don’t think he can grasp his surroundings properly in such a place, so I plan to have him spend a few days elsewhere.”

“Elsewhere, hmm. Where, exactly?”

Kishiar didn’t object. His eyes simply sparkled with interest.

“Somewhere he can observe nobles while working. If we disguise him as a commoner and make him labor hard, whether he likes it or not, he’ll start seeing things.”

There were things one could never see from Kiole’s position. So, turn him into someone else in another setting. Let him personally experience how the commoners view the Duke of Diarca, the Crown Prince Kachian, and the nobles. It was simple.

“So, in a way... you’re planning to use him like a covert informant?”

“Yes. The method will be similar.”

Kishiar’s long lashes twitched slightly. It seemed he was trying to hold back laughter, but not very successfully. After a moment, he tilted his head back and laughed aloud.

“My word. You’re going to disguise the youngest son of Diarca as a commoner and force him to do labor? Hahaha, now you’re making me want to sneak in and work beside him myself!”

If he weren’t the commander of the Cavalry—or just a little less busy—he really might have done it. Kishiar wiped a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye, swallowing a hint of regret, then patted Yuder on the shoulder with a sweet grin.

“I approve this plan without hesitation.”

“...You’re approving it more easily than I expected.”

He had anticipated Kishiar would find it amusing—but the decision came quicker than he thought. Frankly, removing Kiole at a time like this could reasonably be considered a waste of personnel and resources. And he would’ve accepted that. It wasn’t untrue.

But Kishiar shook his head like it wasn’t even worth worrying about.

“Actually, Kironne said he’d already pinpointed Kiole’s location and is likely to start making a move soon. We were going to relocate his hideout again anyway—your plan hits two birds with one stone. We’ll catch the enemy off guard and skip the hassle.”

His red eyes gleamed with delight.

“I’d even bet that His Majesty would be glad to have one less burden finding a new hideout for Kiole. It’s not easy finding somewhere safe in the capital that avoids Diarca’s eyes. Especially since Kiole la Diarca isn’t exactly a master of stealth.”

In other words, the timing was perfect.

No matter how hard Kironne searched for Kiole, he’d never imagine his younger brother had taken up work as a commoner. Kishiar chuckled again at the thought, his shoulders shaking slightly.

“Just give me a moment. I’ll send a letter to the Sun Palace.”

The response to Kishiar’s message came almost immediately. Emperor Keillusa’s reply was succinct: “The plan is approved. All necessary preparations are entrusted to the Cavalry Commander.”

“Good. Everything’s going as planned.”

“Then all that’s left is deciding where to send Kiole.”

“Hm. If I may, I do have one place I’d like to recommend.”

Kishiar smiled as he pointed beyond the window, toward the edge of the thick forest nestled in the center of the capital.

“Thanks to how violently the assassin sent by Kironne tried to kill my father, the Fourth Wall area is still undergoing restoration. From the lake promenade to the nearby homes and shopping districts—so much was damaged that most of the convicts sentenced to labor are being dispatched there. Doesn’t it seem like the perfect fit for our needs?”

The Fourth Wall—an area clustered with the luxurious villas of the wealthy and well-born, centered around a beautiful lake. A paradise for nobles. But for those working beneath them to support that comfort?

Yuder looked toward where Kishiar pointed and nodded.

“Close and suitable. It sounds ideal.”

Originally, he had considered simply covering up Kiole’s hair and having him work at a restaurant or inn frequented by nobles. But if they were sending him to the place Kishiar recommended, Kiole would now have to become a convicted laborer. Well, what did it matter?

“It’s not like he’s becoming a criminal in truth. And even rotten, a knight is still strong.”

With Yuder’s agreement, Kishiar began issuing orders fluidly, as though he had already prepared everything in advance.

“Nathan. Contact the hotel staff where Kiole la Diarca is staying. Have them report him as someone who dined and stayed without paying. That should move things along quickly.”

First, the hotel staff—already in the Emperor’s pocket—would report Kiole. Those who came to arrest him wouldn’t be the real security force, but rather agents assigned to quietly guard him up until now. The cuffs they would place on Kiole’s wrists wouldn’t be standard cheap magic tools with escape alarms, but rather the disguise artifact Kishiar owned.

“Isn’t that a bit extravagant? There’s no need to go that far...”

“Call it my paranoia. But to conceal him thoroughly, we need to use at least that much.”

Kishiar skillfully embedded his disguise artifact bracelet inside what looked like ordinary cuffs. From the outside, no one would guess its true nature.

Prisoners sentenced to labor were required to wear escape-prevention cuffs at all times, with only the chain length adjusted for the task—so there was no risk of Kiole’s disguise being discovered.

“Even if the disguise alone is enough to fool others, we still need someone to supervise him. I’ll assign Debran Hartude.”

Debran was the most elite infiltrator in the Cavalry’s intelligence unit. His ability to blend seamlessly into any environment had been proven time and time again.

Currently, he was helping rehabilitate those rescued from the Star of Nagran, under Kishiar’s command and his own volition. Recalling his face, Yuder nodded.

“The most suitable choice.”

“If necessary, I’ll add others based on your judgment.”

“For now, sending only Debran should suffice. Too much movement will just draw attention.”

And so, Kiole’s unwanted new accommodations were decided.

While Nathan Zuckerman stepped out briefly to carry out his orders, Yuder’s gaze casually landed on the papers Nathan had left behind. They were documents he had been carrying earlier while speaking with Kishiar.

Noticing Yuder’s interest, Kishiar readily explained their contents.

“Nathan took longer than usual getting from Peleta to here. That’s because I ordered him to visit a few regions along the way. These are the reports of what he found.”

“May I read them?”

“Of course.”

Yuder opened the papers. The first page listed detailed updates on the recent atmosphere in major northern cities and the activities of prominent noble families—likely to track any shifts since the rift incidents.

Turning the page, the name of Fay’s hometown appeared. Nathan had apparently met with the villagers himself. As Yuder began reading more closely, a sheet of paper almost slipped out from within. He caught it quickly and glanced at it, without expecting much.

‘Hm? Diarca?’

There, listed in clean script, was the name of the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) person they had just been discussing—Kiole la Diarca.

More precisely, it was an investigation into Kiole’s mother.

According to the note, her name was Langretsi la Diarca.

“–Though the villa where she last stayed and died is the personal property of the Duke of Diarca and difficult to investigate, we were able to uncover several details previously unknown...”