Turning Chapter 935

"I intend to personally attend tomorrow’s council meeting."

Emperor Keillusa had been in seclusion for a long time, citing his poor health. Everyone believed without question that he was suffering from a fatal illness—and truthfully, it wasn’t far from the mark. Although it wasn’t technically a disease, his body had been so broken that he was simply awaiting death.

Because they thought he was a dying man, the noble faction, including Duke Diarca, hadn’t paid much attention to what he did. Politically defeated, with no heir, they thought even if he engaged in eccentricities like creating the Cavalry with his brother, it wouldn't last a few years. They kept him in check enough to avoid him getting too strong but otherwise ignored him. Everyone was just waiting for the political landscape to shift after his death, while the Emperor silently watched them.

In a way, being treated as someone unimportant was incredibly convenient. It allowed the Emperor to quietly use himself as bait, gradually empowering those who would succeed him. He did everything he could to ensure that even if he died, Kishiar, the Cavalry, and the Empress would have a fighting chance to survive and push forward.

But then, a miracle occurred.

The Emperor became an Awakener and completely regained his health. Only a few in the world knew this. Even after recovering, he intentionally continued to act as though he were still ill.

He even made himself appear worse off—like during the small meeting around the time of the second Cavalry recruitment announcement, where he had appeared suddenly and deliberately.

During that meeting, the Emperor had shown up unexpectedly, coughed violently after just a few minutes, and left, supported by the chief attendant and knights. Those who saw it thought he was so close to death that he no longer cared to hide his weakness. Conveniently, this occurred just after he had tasked Crown Prince Kachian with investigating the Solar Palace incident, helping to deflect political attacks that could have derailed the second Cavalry recruitment.

Exactly as he and Kishiar ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) had planned. Now, the second recruitment was complete. The Cavalry had solidified its core without any significant opposition and was risking everything to protect the South. Crown Prince Kachian, instead of behaving himself, had caused a massive scandal, and Duke Diarca was scheming to extricate himself from the fallout.

In short, there was no longer any reason for the Emperor to continue pretending to be sick. The Emperor smiled coldly, and the Empress smiled along with him.

"My, just imagining how surprised everyone will be to hear of Your Majesty's recovery excites me."

The Emperor gently squeezed the Empress’s hand and leaned in to whisper mischievously.

"...Why do you speak as if you won’t be joining me? I intended for us to go together."

The Empress widened her eyes slightly in surprise, then cautiously asked,

"But... will it really be alright? Though I attended those meetings before, it was merely in Your Majesty’s stead, and I couldn’t do much..."

"Saying you did nothing is far too modest. You need no qualifications. You are the one who endured, holding everything together until I could return."

The Empress had stepped forward time and again on his behalf. She had endured not with aggressive ambition, but with silent determination to hold the line. Even though people mocked her background and doubted her intelligence, even though malice and plots rained down on her, she had endured it all—not because she was invulnerable to hurt, but because she squeezed every ounce of strength she had to protect the ones she loved. Had she not held on, both the Emperor and Kishiar would have been torn apart by the wolves long ago.

Keillusa la Orr had never forgotten that.

"I worry that after so long, I might not even recognize people's faces. I might not even be able to speak properly..."

"That’s impossible."

"Truly. What if someone says something cruel and I faint from fear?"

Hearing him whisper such absurdities so seriously made the Empress laugh out loud.

"Very well. If Your Majesty insists, I shall accompany you. If you forget someone's face, signal me—I’ll tell you."

"How reassuring. I’ll be relying on you."

The Emperor’s lips curved into a rare, tender smile—so soft it was hard to imagine from the man anyone else knew.

The next day at the council meeting. Those who had been sitting with bored, irritable expressions nearly doubted their ears at the sudden announcement.

"His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress are entering. Pay your respects."

"...What did they say?"

Thinking they had misheard, they looked up—only to see it was true. The Emperor and Empress, dressed similarly in formal attire, entered the council room together.

The usually lone chair at the head was accompanied by a second chair brought in by solemn attendants.

'What’s going on? We weren’t told the Emperor would attend...'

'Is this another of his random whims, like last time?'

While most nervously kept silent, a few—those few loyal to the Emperor—smiled with relief and hope. As the Emperor and Empress took their seats, all eyes naturally shifted to the Emperor. Keillusa’s complexion was pale, but not deathly so. His breathing was steady, his eyes behind his glasses sharp and clear.

'But they said last time he looked fine at first too... They said it was an invisible illness.'

"I don’t know why you all are staring as if I don't belong here," the Emperor said smoothly, facing their silent stares.

"Maxman, Unchelle, Tagaran. Are you so surprised to see me?"

The men named flinched and turned their heads hastily.

"N-No, Your Majesty."

Though most hadn’t seen the Emperor directly for years, they still remembered the young scholar who, when he had first ascended the throne, had verbally dismantled seasoned politicians with a single tongue. Even after his seclusion, they had been repeatedly stung by his sharp words delivered through written decrees. Those gathered here were no fools—many were highly educated—but against Keillusa’s knowledge and rhetoric, they had never won. Now, behind those cold, sharp eyes, that nightmare seemed to be resurrecting.

"Well. I suppose it’s understandable. It’s been so long since I last came here."

The Emperor spoke emotionlessly. It seemed almost charitable—but it was merely prelude to the bombshell he was about to drop.

"But from now on, you’ll be seeing me often. It would be unsightly if you froze like this every time. I expect you to regain your composure quickly."

You’ll be seeing me often.

The meaning behind those words plunged the entire council into stunned silence. No one even dared to breathe. And finally—cries of astonishment erupted.

"Y-Your Majesty! Do you mean—!"

"Have you recovered—?"

"When—how—!"

While chaos erupted, the Emperor merely smiled thinly, chillingly.

"A miracle has occurred. That’s all I can say."

It wasn’t a detailed answer. But it was the clearest answer of all.

The noble faction figures who had been languid until now gasped as if they might faint. Meanwhile, the Emperor’s loyalists burst into tears, offering prayers of thanks. Among them, the only one to maintain some semblance of composure was the Chancellor, Hevrena Rayflan. Though clearly shaken, she hadn’t lost her dignity. Surveying the chaotic room, she stood and rapped on the table to restore order.

"Compose yourselves. It does not suit the Empire's leaders to behave so disgracefully."

She turned to the Emperor and Empress and bowed deeply.

"I have nothing else to say. We can only offer our thanks to the heavens for the return of the Empire’s sun. Now then—may we proceed with the backlog of reports?"

"Thank you, Chancellor. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear."

And so the Emperor and Chancellor calmly began the session.

'Is this even real?'

Most wanted to scream with questions, but neither the Emperor nor Empress flinched. Immediately after the meeting ended, the news exploded out of the palace—spreading like wildfire across the capital, and even to the Diarca estate.