Standing behind Emperor Kailusa with his mouth closed, the chief attendant appeared unable to even blink.

"Your Majesty. Do you remember the gift I sent you some time ago?"

Kishiar had gifted the Emperor stone mediums imbued with the power that came from the Red Stone. In fact, a small portion of it was still tucked away in a corner of the room, inside a vase.

The Emperor's gaze briefly drifted toward that particular vase before returning to Kishiar.

"...Of course, I remember. But it showed no effect, as you know."

"Would we not be uncertain whether it had an effect or not until we open it?"

At those words, the Emperor's mouth halted once more. Speaking on behalf of the Emperor, who was struggling to find the right words, was the chief attendant, who had been quietly standing by until now.

"Pardon me, Your Highness, but it sounds to me as though you are suggesting we can find out the efficacy of this gift, like opening a box to see what's inside."

"Your ears serve you well, Yuliver. And if Your Majesty permits, I'd like to try this with the help of my assistant."

"… You are not satisfied with revealing this matter to an outsider, now you wish for His Majesty to be directly…"

The chief attendant, an older man, seemed to tremble slightly at the corners of his eyes. His expression indicated he was at a loss for words in the face of such audacious claims.

'Of course, he doesn't seem to believe me... His greater concern is likely that I know something related to the royal family’s secrets.'

Yuder surmised the emotions that the Emperor and Kishiar must be feeling based on their expressions.

"Of all the things you've done to surprise me, I thought the event of last night would be the most shocking in my life… Yet, not even a day has passed and you've overturned that notion."

"It's too early to declare last night as the biggest surprise of your lifetime, Your Majesty."

"What exactly…"

The Emperor, seeming like he wanted to say more, sighed again. Although the weariness in his eyes remained, he finally nodded and spoke.

"Fine. Let’s hear it."

Contrary to his expectation that the Emperor might refuse without even listening, he agreed to hear them out. The conversation thus far seemed to have had some influence.

"Commander, may I speak first, if you don't mind?"

And at that point, Yuder decided to take the initiative.

While Kishiar had laid the groundwork, it was Yuder who had resolved to begin this venture. Without his words, persuading the opposition would be impossible.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you."

Yuder put down the dessert fork he hadn’t yet touched and calmly met the Emperor’s gaze. A dark shadow flickered across the Emperor's face.

"Sir Aile. I don't know how much you know about this matter, but I am... quite frankly, bewildered. Not to undermine your abilities, but this issue is…"

"Your Majesty’s concerns and questions about my sudden involvement, especially when I have only recently joined the Cavalry, are quite understandable."

At Yuder’s composed reply, the Emperor let out a long sigh. His eyes, which had been as deep as a profound darkness, scanned Yuder with a newfound sharpness.

"Why step forward, even when acknowledging its unlikeliness?"

"Because I believe that if there's a possibility I can be of assistance to Your Majesty, I must come forward now."

"Assistance? In what manner?"

The Emperor's reaction was entirely different from when he had heard that Kishiar had been helped. Emperor Kailusa looked like he had no expectations of his own condition improving.

And then Yuder slowly took off the black glove he wore on his right hand in front of them.

Upon seeing the vivid, branch-like, dark-red veins on his exposed hand, both the Emperor and the chief attendant simultaneously furrowed their brows.

"These markings appeared when I took on the mission to recover the Red Stone. The force I exerted with my hand spread throughout my body, leaving this trace. At first, I thought it was a condition that needed treatment, but eventually, I realized my body is gradually adapting to this pure power."

Yuder explained the process he had gone through. The initial pain he felt after the power of the Red Stone invaded him, the changing thoughts after meeting Enon, the incidents when creating a medium with that power, and finally the first time he accessed Kishiar's body to align the cycles.

Throughout Yuder's recounting of how he utilized that power in the West and how he had gained control over it, the other three remained silent.

Yuder calmly concluded his words.

"Using this power, I can see the flow of energy within another person's body. If it works as it did in the tests with the Commander, it may also be beneficial to Your Majesty. While I can't make any promises, I hope you'll grant me one opportunity to examine you."

"..."

"I came here to tell you this."

Even after all was said, the Emperor did not easily open his mouth. Kishiar was the first to break the heavy silence.

"Your Majesty must be aware of the Awakener power I possess. During the process of testing Yuder's power, I realized my ability complements his very well. Wouldn't you feel more at ease if I were to assist him?"

"Do you truly believe so, Duke Peletta?"

The Emperor's tone shifted to a more formal one. Kishiar smiled openly and nodded.

"Yes."

"You've been conducting such a risky experiment, of uncertain outcome, without informing me, and you still find it amusing?"

"Your Majesty, I ask that you trust my assistant as much as you trust me. Because of him, I was able to achieve results last night comparable to those of the First Emperor. Ever since his power touched me, I've felt a newfound stability in my body."

"Duke Peletta."

The Emperor, once again using a formal address, raised his hand to stroke his face.

"I know my body best. While God may have granted you another chance, I don't believe I will be afforded the same luxury."

"Your Majesty."

"I have long considered what will happen after I'm gone. That's been the case for many years now, and it is becoming increasingly real."

The gravity of his words was immense.

Even Kishiar, who usually maintained his composure, lost his smile for a moment.

"Your Majesty, please do not speak so."

"From what I've heard, there's no assurance of success, and in an unlucky situation, merely attempting it could be dangerous, could it not?"

"..."

"In that case, I do not want Duke Pelleta to waste your newfound opportunity and the power of someone like Yuder, who may become a significant figure in the future, by making useless attempts. If you leave here, refrain from conducting any more 'tests'."

The weight of those words left a palpable impact, silencing even the eloquent Kishiar.

The Emperor was resolute. With a weary voice, he said he did not wish to continue the conversation any further, effectively cutting it off.

However, Kishiar was not one to back down so easily here.

"When I was in Peletta, who was it that told me never to give up if there was even a sliver of a chance? When I asked you to give up on me, you never agreed to do so."

Instead of responding, the Emperor turned his head away.

"Then, naturally, I will do the same."

Yuder could not take his eyes off Kishiar's face, who was smiling as he looked at his blood relative.

Afterward, the Emperor left early, citing fatigue, and did not partake in the dessert. What remained were the dessert and the two men. It was clearly a breach of etiquette, but Kishiar shamelessly suggested they should go ahead and finish the dessert.

"Luckily, the lid has a magic seal, so it's still cold. Shall we open it?"

The dessert, its full form previously hidden by the lid, was as special and impressive as Kishiar had claimed. Cinnamon-flavored cookies as long as fingers, and ice cream topped with fruit syrup, were stacked like a round sphere.

Yuder had seen it in his previous life but had never tasted it. He had deliberately avoided it because of people who boasted that such a dish was something commoners would never get to eat. Encountering the dish once more under different circumstances felt strange.

Reading his expression, Kishiar gently asked, "Don't you want to eat it? You don't have to if you're full."

"...No. I was just observing it because it looks unique."

What was then was then; what is now is now. Recalling how Kishiar had been looking forward to the dessert even before arriving here, the irksome memories of the past quickly faded away.

Silently, Yuder picked up a spoon and scooped some of the firmly frozen cream. The ice cream was bitterly cold as expected, but it went down smoothly, without any sense of discomfort or aversion.

"Your mouth must be cold. Let's have some warm milk to go with it."