Turning Chapter 934
The last time he met Yuder before leaving the South, what had Kiole said? He had puffed up his chest and declared that he was a knight of the Empire and that he could receive proper support from his House and the Imperial Guard. And what had Yuder’s answer been?
‘–Do you really think the Imperial Guard, the Crown Prince, and your father will happily offer help just because they hear the South might be in danger?...’
That cold reply hadn’t come from a place of wanting to oppose Kiole’s words. It was as if Yuder had seen the future unfolding with his own eyes—utterly objective and full of certainty. A mere twenty-year-old commoner, speaking as if he knew everything about the world. At the time, Kiole had simply flared up in anger. He knew that although people praised his House and the Imperial Guard publicly, they spoke poorly of them behind their backs. Still, he had firmly believed that his House and the Imperial Guard were, more than anything else, institutions that served and upheld the honor of the great Oure Empire.
At least, he had believed that—until now.
'......'
Earlier, the Duke of Diarca had said that the Hail Day had ended with virtually no damage. But if the Duke himself had been present at that shrine on that day, would he have still said the same? Would the absence of civilian casualties or property damage really have made it any less horrifying? Kiole remembered the surreal feeling he had when he saw monsters pouring down from the darkened sky. He remembered the fear he felt watching the Nagran's Star members fight savagely with murderous intent. He remembered the shame when he saw the Cavalry members, battered and bleeding, selflessly protecting the unawakened like himself. And he remembered the unspeakable humiliation of being struck by the Crown Prince as he rampaged madly.
The emotions Kiole had felt that day were not fake. They weren't something that could be dismissed as trivial. Even now, just thinking about it made his body tremble with fear and a strange shame. The reason the Hail Day ended with so little damage wasn’t because it wasn't dangerous — it was because the Cavalry, that monstrous Yuder Aile, and Duke Pelleta had been there. Anyone who had truly experienced that day would not be able to deny it. Kiole tossed and turned in restless frustration, then finally sprawled out, glaring at the ceiling, breathing heavily.
"Ugh, whatever. In any case, I’m supposed to lie low for a while, so what else am I supposed to do?"
Maybe his father was right. Though troubling events had struck the Empire recently, as the Duke said, they had all ultimately passed without major harm. Yuder had warned that a new disaster might strike the South, but wasn’t he already preparing for it himself?
The Cavalry had proved how capable they were. If they acted, things would surely be handled smoothly—just like on the Hail Day. Maybe they were just overreacting over nothing.
'Yeah. That must be it.'
Staying here was not Kiole’s fault—it was by his father’s orders. Even if Yuder Aile himself came now, what could he blame Kiole for? He had already done all he could and been locked away.
"......"
But even as he stared up at the ceiling, the images from the South kept replaying in his mind. The Cavalry members, standing between him and the monsters, bleeding while shielding him with their own bodies, saying in calm voices that it was simply their duty. Yuder’s eyes, clear and certain, as he told him the Imperial Guard and House Diarca would never help. And himself, shouting back at Yuder in blind frustration.
"......Argh!"
Kiole bolted upright, clutching his head in agony.
"Why the hell am I like this?!"
This place was safe. The terrifying memories of the South had already faded like a dream the moment he returned to the capital. If he just stayed here and forgot about it, like the Duke said, he could live in peace. Yet something kept gnawing at his heart. Because his cries had been too loud, there was a commotion outside his room, followed by a knock.
"Uh, Young Master Kiole... are you alright?"
"......What? I didn’t call for you. Get out."
"If you're not ill, that’s good. Um, the butler instructed us to give you this in case you couldn't sleep..."
The servants were used °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° to Kiole’s sharp moods whenever he was under house arrest. They also knew exactly what to bring to comfort their simple, irritable young master. The servant handed over a stack of books. Naturally, they weren’t dense, difficult books, but light novels with big illustrations. Kiole glanced at the topmost cover, showing a brave knight. It was a story about a knight of the Imperial Guard who, under secret orders from the Emperor, traveled the world on grand adventures. It was that very book that had inspired Kiole to dream of becoming a knight as a child. He lay motionless until the servant quietly exited. Then, as soon as the door closed, he grabbed the book.
'This really is a masterpiece. No matter how many times I read it, it’s so good.'
His mood lifted slightly as he read. But when he reached the page he had worn out from reading so often, his gaze froze on a line.
'–I am a knight. But not an ordinary knight. A knight of the Imperial Guard is one who has sworn to protect the Empire.'
A knight who, while normally protecting the Emperor and the capital, was legally authorized to go anywhere in the Empire when needed. That was the honorable position of an Imperial Guard knight. Kiole stared at that line for a long time. It was from this very passage that he had stolen the words he had once shouted at Yuder.
"......"
The urge to keep reading disappeared. He closed the book, noticing the faint red mark on the hand that had gripped the cover tightly. The red mark—the one he hadn't bothered to erase for some time—made him feel as if Yuder's dark eyes were staring straight at him. He shivered involuntarily. Kiole flopped face-down onto the bed again. But this time, he didn’t thrash about or vent his anger. Instead, he stared at the red mark for a long time. Suddenly, he felt like he understood what had been troubling him all along.
"...Yeah, that's right. In the end, I made a big promise to that bastard, didn’t I...? If I don’t keep it, won’t that break the vow of returning the help I received—and bind me in eternal slumber?"
Exactly. That was why he felt so uncomfortable. Yuder Aile had never expected Kiole to accomplish anything. He had never once pressured him to fulfill the oath. But now that Kiole thought of it that way, his mind felt lighter. He sprang to his feet and clenched his fist.
"I am a knight of the Imperial Guard! There’s nothing I can’t do that those guys can!"
Saying it aloud filled him with a reckless confidence. Kiole made up his mind: he would forget about seeking House Diarca’s support. Instead, he would find Theo Ravan Tain, the Commander of the Imperial Guard.
'The Imperial Guard’s base is in the 7th District, so the chances of getting caught are low.'
Of course, sneaking out wouldn’t be easy. But he wasn't too worried about that. After all, he had lived in this house all his life, and getting scolded by his father was nothing new.
'In the knight stories, whenever they were locked up, they always waited until deep night and escaped through the window. The Commander usually trains late into the night, so he should still be there today too. Alright. I’ll pretend to sleep, then slip out!'
Holding his pounding heart, Kiole finally managed a small smile.
***
At the same time, in the Sun Palace.
Emperor Keillusa, dining with the Empress, put down his spoon upon reading a letter hurriedly delivered by the chief attendant.
"Your Majesty?"
"...It’s a letter from Duke Pelleta. It seems something has indeed happened in the South."
"Ah..."
The Empress's expression turned worried.
"It’s so soon after the Hail Day... Is he alright? He hadn’t even fully recovered yet...."
"We've prepared precisely to ensure he would be fine. We must hope for the best."
The Empress sighed and nodded. She knew better than anyone that worrying from afar would change nothing.
"Yes. I must assist the Duke and the Cavalry however I can."
"That’s a lovely sentiment, but, Empress. I’m a little hurt."
"Excuse me?"
"Did you plan to help them without me?"
Blinking in surprise, the Empress then smiled like a blossoming flower.
"Of course, Your Majesty must help too."
Finally, a faint smile crept onto the Emperor’s cold face. He took her hand and reread the letter before setting it down.
"Incidentally, some troubling words have been leaking from the Diarca estate. It’s best we deliver some good news before they can cause trouble."
Knowing what that implied, the Empress’s eyes gleamed.
"Good news...?"
"I plan to attend tomorrow’s council meeting personally."