Turning Chapter 1021

Chapter 1021

The Second Palace of the Sun Palace.

In the past, it felt cramped as it served the dual roles of a bedroom and an office, but now it was a space where all the clutter had disappeared.

Emperor Keilusa was sitting face to face with the Empress, drinking tea in that neatly organized place. Drinking tea made from medicinal herbs and flowers grown and dried by the Empress herself was one of the long-standing habits he had maintained since his days as the Crown Prince, and he rarely missed it even when he was overwhelmed with work. He had tried his best to keep it up until the very end, even during the period when his body was deteriorating and death was approaching every moment.

Even during the time when he couldn't see her face, the Emperor had indirectly conveyed the news that he had been drinking tea consistently. Knowing this, the Empress always tried to join him for tea time whenever possible after he regained his health.

However…

"I think I might have been a bit greedy today," the Empress said.

"What do you mean, Empress?" the Emperor asked.

"Haven't you been distracted by something other than the tea since earlier? You keep smiling, as if you're thinking about something."

"Ah."

Emperor Keilusa finally realized that the teacup in front of him had barely been touched and made an embarrassed expression.

"I'm sorry, Empress. Actually, my 'eyes and ears' in Diarca suddenly heard a very amusing story... I was going to tell you after listening to it all, but it seems to have taken longer than expected."

"An amusing story from Diarca?"

The Empress furrowed her brows at the combination of two words that didn't seem to fit together at all, but she showed curiosity. The Emperor made a humming sound as if pondering how to explain it and then opened his mouth.

"You already know who Kiolle da Diarca, the youngest son of Duke Diarca, is, right?"

"He was the youngest son that Duke Diarca had late with his second wife. He was assigned to the Imperial Knights and is now in charge of guarding the Bright Palace."

"That's right. Originally, he was a young man who was known for being aristocratic in a very bad way. When I was a prince, I even attended a few swordsmanship classes with him."

"Do you mean he was there with you and Duke Peletta when you learned swordsmanship from General Gino, just like Theorado, the Commander of the Imperial Knights? He must have had exceptional talent in swordsmanship."

"It's a bit different from Theorado."

"What do you mean...?"

A chilling smile bloomed on Emperor Keilusa's lips.

"When Duke Diarca's young youngest son threw a tantrum, saying he wanted to become a knight, the Duke obtained special permission from the Empress Dowager and inserted him into General Gino's class. A child who had never even held a sword before. The pretext was that a talented child should receive the best teaching from the beginning."

"Ah..."

"Well, it wasn't the fault of the child who came to take the class without knowing anything. However, no matter how generously you looked at it, Kiolle's skills were nothing more than an ordinary beginner with enthusiasm. You can probably guess what happened next, Empress."

"So that's why General Gino left, citing the reason that he would only focus on the Southern Army."

"That's right. My father, who had difficulty bringing the general as a teacher, was quite frustrated at the time. Even those who had real talent and were allowed to attend the princes' swordsmanship classes, like Theorado, were deeply disappointed."

"Your Majesty and the Duke's disappointment must have been immense as well."

"Well... To be honest, I was happy because I didn't really enjoy swordsmanship classes."

The Emperor pushed up his glasses with a nonchalant face and revealed his true feelings.

"I pretended to be very disappointed on the outside, but the Empress Dowager probably realized right away that it was a lie."

The Empress covered her mouth with her hand and burst into laughter. The Emperor, with a faint smile on his face, continued speaking with a satisfied expression.

"Unlike me, who was full of childish thoughts back then, Kishiar comforted his father, saying that he had already learned enough from the general and that there would be no problem with his training. Surprisingly, he really did."

"That's... truly like the Duke."

"Indeed."

The Emperor, whose gaze had softened considerably, took a sip of tea and set it down.

"Anyway, Kiolle da Diarca easily joined the Imperial Knights with the remarkable anecdote of having been taught by a swordmaster since he first held a sword. Since he wasn't very popular anywhere, I had even predicted that he wouldn't live long, no matter who became the next Duke of Diarca."

Perhaps he might even disappear before the next Duke is chosen, before the fight for succession truly comes to the surface. The Emperor, who had uttered those bloody words without any hesitation, suddenly made a slightly different expression.

"Empress, do you know why I spoke at such length about Kiolle da Diarca? It's because the one who made me very happy just now is none other than him."

"..."

"That rascal who seemed like he would soon die, that ignorant troublemaker, is surprisingly mobilizing the Imperial Knights to send support to the south and even shaking his raccoon-like father. Just now, I received news that Kironne, the eldest son of Diarca, is seriously analyzing the situation with his people. He, who is cunning and slow to act like his father, has shown an unusual level of direct vigilance towards Kiolle."

A chilling yet bright smile appeared on the Emperor's face. Seeing that expression, as if he couldn't contain his amusement, the Empress cautiously asked,

"If Kiolle da Diarca has sent support to the south... does that mean he has decided to rebel against his father?"

"No."

The Emperor shook his head firmly.

"Rather, it's the opposite. He truly takes pride in his family and status. That's why he can take such actions. That's all there is to it. Kiolle da Diarca himself hasn't changed much from what I knew. He just uses fewer abusive words towards others and causes slightly fewer accidents than before."

The assertion of the Emperor, who could now use new 'eyes' and 'ears' whenever he wanted, was different from an ordinary assertion. It would be a conclusion drawn after thoroughly observing Kiolle's surroundings for a long time, so it must be true that Kiolle hadn't changed much from before.

Then why did people's reactions to him suddenly change, and why did they start to be wary of him or seriously listen to his opinions? The Empress, who had been lost in thought, soon reached a conclusion.

"The person hasn't changed much, but the surroundings have changed a lot. Then what has truly changed is not Kiolle da Diarca, but the eyes of the people who see him."

"That's right. Your words have precisely pierced through this situation, Empress."

The Emperor's eye smile deepened.

"Although people are usually like that, the aristocrats have an even stronger tendency to see only what they want to see according to their own standards. Even if they misjudge something, they rarely try to overturn a decision once made. That's because they believe their noble selves can never be wrong. All these changes and amusing situations surrounding Kiolle da Diarca must have started because of that."

"Indeed... it's an interesting situation, just as Your Majesty said."

The Empress's cup was empty. The Emperor personally poured her a new cup of tea and opened his mouth.

"This time, while observing his changes, I sent a letter to Kishiar. Looking at the reply I received, it seems that Baron Aile was surprisingly involved around the time when people started to perceive him as having 'changed'."

"Baron Aile... You mean Yuder?"

There was a warmth like a spring breeze melting in the Empress's voice as she mentioned Yuder. Ever since the Emperor's life was saved through a critical moment, the Empress had been showing a pleasantly smiling face whenever she heard the name Yuder Aile. Her joy was also the Emperor's joy.

"That's right. He didn't tell me the details, but he firmly replied that there was no need to worry about that person at all."

"Oh my. That's the most interesting thing I've heard today. I wonder what happened."

"When the Cavalry returns soon, you'll be able to meet him in person and have a conversation. Let's look forward to that time."

"We should."

The Empress, who nodded her head with shining eyes, asked a new question.

"But Your Majesty, if the eldest son Kironne has started to be wary of Kiolle, won't he soon be in danger or die, as you thought? Are you planning to just watch?"

"I would have done that before, but now that I've learned about this interesting situation, it feels a bit of a waste to just leave it be."

"Then..."

"It's difficult for me to provide direct help with my power, but if I try, I can at least prevent him from dying in vain right now."

A glimmer of light flickered in the Emperor's eyes behind his glasses. He was looking at the face of the Empress sitting in front of him, but at the same time, he was also observing the amusing sight of Kiolle, who had returned to his room, lay down on his bed, and was praising himself for speaking well to his father without trembling, from inside the decorative flowers.

"I wonder how things will turn out from now on."