Turning Chapter 1101

Chapter 1101

And today, a day later.

Kiolle, unable to return home, had spent the night receiving meticulous treatment in the Sun Palace and was now standing here.

He desperately wanted to figure out what was going on with this situation, but it was impossible with his abilities. He had tried telling the priest who was treating him that something seemed strange, but the priest just laughed and said there was no need to be so modest. Others were the same. It seemed like he could ask questions about what was going on if he could meet the Cavalry Deputy Commander or the Empress again, but they never showed themselves.

'I only came because they said I should receive a brief greeting before going home... Why on earth am I here...!'

The Empress approached Kiolle, who was half out of his mind.

"Sir Kiolle da Diarca. I'm glad to see you look healthy. Thank you so much for yesterday."

Seen up close, the Empress was indeed exactly the same in build and gait as that noblewoman he had seen yesterday. To think he hadn't recognized she was the Empress just because she wore a veil. Feeling deceived, Kiolle opened his mouth very slightly.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't understand what on earth is going on."

"What do you mean?"

"I just helped a noblewoman doing volunteer work as I was passing by, and when attackers suddenly appeared, I faced them... How should I think about this situation?"

"You should think of it positively."

The Empress smiled and answered kindly and brightly.

"As you said, I went out to do volunteer work yesterday with my ladies-in-waiting, hiding my face. It was a natural thing to do for an activity that had to be done anonymously. And my condition unexpectedly worsened a little, so I rested in the carriage, and during that time, assassins appeared. You bravely stood in front of the carriage and fought them. It's truly fortunate that no one was hurt except for the assailants."

"..."

"-That's how people will remember yesterday's events."

"...Pardon?"

"You know too, don't you? Who those assailants were actually targeting yesterday."

A cold shiver ran down Kiolle's spine for a moment.

'-Yes. That's why we came here well. You little rat.'

The assassin's cold laugh echoed in his mind again. He shook his shoulders and opened and closed his lips several times before finally managing to squeeze out his voice with difficulty.

"So, so. Those guys yesterday really, actually, were after me...?"

"..."

"You're... joking, right?"

"What do you think?"

The Empress just maintained a faint smile. Her clear face had never looked so frightening.

'Is... is this person really Her Majesty the Empress?'

The current Empress of the Orr Empire, Rosa Faria La Orr, was born as the daughter of a fallen noble family no different from commoners, but luckily became the adopted daughter of the Herne ducal family, which had no daughters of marriageable age, and later, breaking everyone's expectations, won the final victory in the Crown Princess selection test. Saying it like that might make her sound like a very ambitious person, but the image most nobles had of her was closer to that of a pitiful doll sitting alone like a statue guarding the Emperor's empty seat. She attended all the gatherings and meetings the imperial family had to participate in, but she had never shown the ability to dominate any of them.

An Empress who didn't step forward, was incompetent, and only desperate to maintain the status quo.

A pitiful woman with no children and whose husband didn't even stay by her side.

A person unworthy of royalty who spent her days digging in the dirt like a commoner and growing weeds instead of flowers.

Until now, Kiolle too had only remembered the Empress as a colorless, odorless person who was extremely quiet. That is, until now.

Had the Empress always been a person with such a dignified and confident gaze?

And what about her appearance of taking the lead before the Emperor and dominating her surroundings?

Not only the Empress who approached him and spoke kindly as if to reveal the truth, but also the Emperor who was watching this scene from behind with a chilly smile beyond his glasses, were all strange and frightening. It felt as if everything had completely changed overnight from the world Kiolle da Diarca had known.

'What... What on earth is this.'

He wanted to deny reality. But the memory of what the assassins had said yesterday was too clear to do so.

Nothing disappears just by pretending not to know. Just like how closing his eyes and pretending not to see the monstrous Yuder Aile had ultimately led to being caught and dragged away by his hand.

Kiolle tightly closed his dizzy eyes and then opened them. He clenched his fists and barely managed to stand straight by putting strength in his knees.

"But if those guys were actually trying to kill me, who on earth is targeting me? I... I can't think of anyone. Moreover, I don't understand why Her Majesty the Empress and the Cavalry saved me... This is like..."

"It seems as if everyone moved as if they knew in advance, right?"

'Eek.'

Kiolle became a little more afraid of the Empress who spoke one step ahead of what he was about to say. Seeing Kiolle's eyes shaking uncontrollably, the Empress covered her mouth with a fan and let out a laugh.

"It's somewhat true."

"What?!"

"If it weren't for me and the Cavalry, you would have died yesterday. That's for certain. And we had guessed that fact."

"H-how...?"

The Empress didn't give an answer to that question. Instead, she just threw out a meaningful remark with a smile.

"It seems you really... have no idea how dangerous your situation is right now."

"Pardon?"

"The blades targeting you will pour down even more from now on. So don't let your guard down for even a moment. You've become too valuable to just disappear like this. Thanks to Baron Aile."

"What?"

Kiolle's mind completely stopped at the unexpected name that suddenly popped up.

"It wasn't me who noticed the danger approaching you in advance, but His Majesty the Emperor. Remember that fact. And I hope you'll go home and think carefully about who tried to kill you and why they tried to kill you."

Because the answer is closer than you think.

After saying that, the Empress naturally retreated. To others watching, it would have looked as if she had just had a brief, insignificant conversation with Kiolle.

Kiolle stared blankly at the Empress and Emperor with his mouth open in shock. The Emperor, who had briefly given a gentle look towards the Empress who had returned to his side, looked around and opened his mouth.

"Well. Now that we've finished thanking and congratulating yesterday's hero, we should also inform you about the assailants who dared to target the Empress. It's something I'll soon announce to everyone, but those gathered here have the right to hear it in advance."

The soft atmosphere changed in an instant. The pro-emperor nobles watched without taking their eyes off the Emperor's mouth for even a moment, waiting to see what he would say.

"The Cavalry conducted an investigation of the assailants throughout the night. As a result, they confessed that they had gathered in Diacalion and come to the capital."

"Your Majesty. If it's Diacalion..."

Someone muttered as if groaning. A chilly coldness settled on Emperor Keilusa's face.

"Yes. It's where House Diarca's soldier training center is located. A place where virtually nothing else exists."

"..."

Kiolle felt as if all the blood was draining from his body. If the Emperor's words were true, the assassins hadn't been waiting to kill Kiolle in the capital.

They had followed Kiolle from the Diarca soldier training center.

And there was only one person who would have known that Kiolle da Diarca was planning to go to the Diarca soldier training center yesterday.

'Big brother, why on earth...!'

It was only Kironne da Diarca.

The face of his eldest brother smiling as he said he hoped Kiolle would meet the soldiers on his behalf came to mind. As well as his voice saying they should keep it a secret between the two of them because he might get scolded by their father.

"It's truly a curious thing. Why did they have to gather there? We plan to continue investigating that part. Of course, we will also request cooperation from House Diarca, who knows that area better than anyone else."

Emperor Keilusa said that and turned his gaze towards Kiolle. In the gaze that met his, the Emperor had an expression that was impossible to read.

"Although I believe that House Diarca, where the person who saved the Empress is from, surely isn't involved in this incident, everything must be made certain. Don't you think so, Sir Diarca?"

"...Y-yes."

"I hope that you will act as a liaison and help with the investigation of this matter between House Diarca and myself."

"..."

"I expect your active participation, just like yesterday when you fought against the assailants with a courage comparable to legendary heroes."

What is this terrifying feeling of being trapped? Kiolle stood there with a dumbfounded expression, unable to say that he couldn't do it...

***

"...and so, it is said that they are currently investigating the trail of who instigated the culprits of the attack on Her Majesty the Empress, led by Sir Kiolle da Diarca. I'm not sure how much of it is true, but everyone in the capital believes it to be so."

The report from the one who brought the rumors ended.

They had heard many ridiculous news related to Kiolle before, but today's was perhaps the best among them.

Yuder slowly turned his head and scanned Kishiar's face. Unlike himself, who had been unable to hide his feelings in his eyes throughout the listening, Kishiar was smiling with a face that would look to anyone as if he was very moved.

"This is truly interesting and amusing news. Anyway, it's fortunate that nothing happened to Her Majesty the Empress."

"I left a message for those remaining in the capital to find out more information about this news, so I will provide additional reports as soon as information comes in."

"No. There's no need for that."

Kishiar shook his head decisively.

"His Majesty will handle it. It seems there's no need to worry about that part anymore. Let's focus more on other matters."

It was obvious that Kishiar didn't believe that rumor at all either.

'It's natural if one has eyes to see.'