Turning Chapter 1033

Chapter 1033

Silence filled the room for a moment before it was suddenly broken by an explosive burst of laughter.

"My goodness. How did you come up with such a witty oath at that moment...?"

"So that's why Kiolle da Diarca's behavior has become so docile."

Beside the Empress, who was laughing while shaking her shoulders, the Emperor chuckled and took off his glasses, rubbing the corners of his eyes. The chief attendant, who never forgot his manners, laughed while shaking his head, and even Nathan Zuckerman stared at Yuder with a different look in his eyes than usual before making a remark.

"Somehow... I thought it was strange that the knight of the Diarca family had been avoiding directly insulting the Cavalry and us for some time, and now I understand the reason."

And Kishiar, despite being the only person who already knew what kind of oath Yuder had made with Kiolle, was enjoying himself to the fullest with the most refreshing laughter.

"Isn't it amazing, Your Majesty? Who else could have thought of making such clauses on the spot in that situation, considering the point that information shouldn't reach the Diarca side, and then firmly binding it with an oath? It would have been impossible if he weren't my assistant."

No, he wasn't just enjoying himself; he was also praising Yuder until his mouth went dry. Yuder predicted that the others would soon tell him to stop his undignified behavior, but surprisingly, no one did.

Not only that, but the Emperor even readily agreed.

"I can't deny it. No matter how clumsy one may be, it's truly remarkable to have made someone from the Diarca family agree to the oath and found a way to keep them from breaking it until now."

"Indeed."

"Baron Aile. Weren't you worried that Kiolle da Diarca would go to the temple and immediately break the oath and tell his family about it? Was there any intention behind not forcing that part? Or did you regularly visit him and have conversations related to that matter?"

To put it in a refined way, 'conversations related to that matter,' but if interpreted in a crude manner, it would be 'Did you visit Kiolle and threaten him not to tell anyone else?'

How honestly could he answer this? Yuder pondered for a moment before opening his mouth.

"Not forcing that part was partly because there wasn't enough time to list all the ways to break the oath and prohibit them one by one... but more importantly, it was because I deemed it unnecessary."

For a moment, the cheek muscles of Emperor Keilusa twitched.

"Deemed it unnecessary?"

"Yes. I don't think my ability to read people is particularly good, but when I saw Kiolle da Diarca, I had a certain... conviction."

"What kind of conviction?"

"The conviction that someone as stubborn as him, who doesn't even think a step ahead and has a strong pride stemming from his status, would never properly tell others about the humiliating and frightening memory he experienced in the East. Especially if they were his own family members."

That conviction stemmed from his experience in his previous life. And in reality, Kiolle acted exactly as Yuder had thought, without deviating even an inch.

As if understanding what Yuder meant, Emperor Keilusa rubbed his chin and made a humming sound.

"Is that so? He wouldn't reveal his humiliation to his family because they are family... I always thought he would rely on his family's power, so I never considered it that way."

"That would be the case when he hasn't committed any wrongdoings. But if he has done something he can't be proud of, the story would be different. Kiolle respects his father, but at the same time, he is also terrified of him. Of course, it seemed closer to acting like a frightened child rather than genuine fear."

"The Baron is unexpectedly good at observing and reading people."

"Your Majesty, in addition to that, please consider the fact that the oath scroll prepared there at that time was an item used by the Apeto family. It would have been on a completely different level compared to a mediocre replica with limited power. Does Your Majesty think Kiolle da Diarca alone had the ability to find someone who could break an oath of that level, achieve his goal, and even maintain secrecy while avoiding the eyes of his family members?"

Adding to Yuder's words, Kishiar interjected without hesitation and smiled coldly. If Kiolle had heard it, he would have felt terror at the accurate assessment, as if they had read his mind, even before feeling humiliated.

"I don't think he could have. Considering that the easiest way for him to break the oath would have been to visit the capital's main temple, it would have become even more impossible for that very reason."

"Yes. Based on his behavior that I have personally observed so far, I can fully understand the thought that he endured until now with that mindset. Thanks to the capable Baron, we have gained a variable when dealing with Duke Diarca. I'm also in a good mood now that the questions I had been harboring have been resolved."

The Emperor nodded. The Empress finally managed to suppress her laughter and agreed.

"Except for the slight concern about how to hold back my laughter when I accidentally encounter that young knight of the Diarca family in the future, everything else is good. Thanks to Yuder, we learned a very interesting story."

The topic related to Kiolle ended there. In the even more relaxed atmosphere, Emperor Keilusa, indicating the end of the meal by flipping his spoon over the glass, began to speak.

"Kishiar. May I ask what you plan to do during the upcoming rest period for the meritorious individuals?"

Earlier, during the short speech after presenting all the rewards to those who had made contributions, the Emperor had promised them a few days of paid leave. Especially for those who had made significant contributions, more leave was given, and Yuder was able to take a whole month off. As the Commander, Kishiar also received a month, so in a sense, Yuder received the same reward as the Commander.

In reality, they wouldn't completely rest from work during that month, and there were many places they needed to go, but it still held great significance as it was a leave granted by imperial decree.

"I plan to meet the 2nd batch Cavalry members summoned to the capital, finish the accumulated work, and then depart for Peletta. There are many who miss me, so it's about time I go."

"By accumulated work, you mean?"

"You should know what kind of work I have to do."

Kishiar answered with a glib tone. The Emperor shook his head.

"I'm asking if there's more work to be done aside from the Cavalry and Peletta matters."

"There's a lot of that as well. The matter of the unwelcome guests from the South that we learned about in the southern region, the matter of the unsavory hands targeting the two of you, Your Majesties, who are seated in this capital, and the fact that from now on, incidents like the one in the South can happen anywhere in this empire... Should I continue?"

"No. That's enough."

If they went any further, even more secretive matters known only to the Emperor and Kishiar would have spilled out. The Emperor, who had briefly refused, looked at Kishiar and then at Yuder sitting next to him with an unreadable expression.

And then, after a moment, he issued a surprising order.

"This time, don't worry about other matters except for the Cavalry and Peletta work, and rest. Especially the things related to the capital."

"...Your Majesty?"

Some of the smile disappeared from Kishiar's face. As he called out to the Emperor with a worried look, a faint smile appeared on the Emperor's lips.

"I don't mean to drive you away. If that were my intention, I wouldn't have spent such a long time lifting the restrictions placed on the Duke of Peletta. It's just that I felt like giving my younger brother, who has safely spent thirty years, a genuine rest period."

"Your Majesty, I'm already resting well. You know very well how much a swordmaster's physical strength and health surpass that of an ordinary person."

"I know. But I also know that's not everything."

For a moment, Kishiar closed his mouth as if he had been caught off guard.

"Now, listen to my words first."

The Emperor continued with an indifferent expression.

"Until now, my poor health has placed too much burden on the Empress and you. Especially on you, I entrusted things that couldn't be openly spoken about, so my heart has been uneasy all this time. Now that my health has recovered, I'm not afraid to return to the battlefield that is called politics. That's all thanks to the gift you and the Baron have given me."

"..."

"Don't forget that Mother always said the most necessary thing before going into a real battle is rest. Kishiar. But you have never taken a true rest even once. So, take this opportunity to leave everything to me and go."