Kiolle snatched the note from Yuder's hand and shouted. He seemed to have lost even the basic sense of caution that might prevent his voice from being heard outside.

Yuder calmly asked, committing the information he had gathered to memory, "What rumor are you talking about?"

"The rumor that you've been engaging in all sorts of disreputable acts with Duke Peletta in the West!"

'Ah, that rumor.'

It was a rumor Yuder had left to spread, but he hadn't expected Kiolle to bring it up. Still, it felt somewhat amusing to hear such an accusation from someone who didn't even know what true dishonesty was just because he had pickpocketed a bit.

Yuder considered ignoring the statement, but instead turned his head and countered, "Well, what do you think?"

"What?"

"Whether or not I've engaged in any unscrupulous behavior with the Duke, what concern is it of yours?"

"What concern? You touched my body, didn't you? Did you join the Cavalry with an interest in that sort of thing from the start? So brazenly rejecting my offer, too!"

"Enough. Listening any further will be challenging."

The delusions and exaggerations had reached a point that was nearly impressive. As Kiolle shut his mouth, stung by the firm response, Yuder calmly continued, "I'm not interested in anyone. I joined the Cavalry because I wanted to, and I stay by the Duke's side because I want to. Didn't I explain myself well enough when I rejected your laughable recruitment offer?"

"But that’s—"

"If you're saying that my actions are disreputable, then fine, let's go with that. It doesn’t matter what you say. And it has nothing to do with you, Kiolle."

The icy detachment in Yuder's voice was like an impenetrable wall that would not allow any encroachment. Kiolle found himself involuntarily frozen before erupting in a fit of inexplicable irritation, "You...you arrogant bastard! So, is it true or not!"

To think that after all this, the conversation would loop back to this point. Yuder sighed, sharing the frustration that anyone who had ever tried to educate this fool must have felt.

"Just figure it out for yourself. Haven't you reached an age where you can do that much?"

"You, da—"

Unable to contain his anger, Kiolle swayed with sudden drowsiness and collided with the wall. Clutching his swollen temple, he gritted his teeth and shouted, "I really despise you!"

"Good to hear something I actually appreciate. It's better than your previous aimless blustering."

"You…you…"

"Let’s stop the uninteresting talk. Let’s continue the conversation we were having."

Without changing his expression, Yuder shifted the topic and ignored Kiolle’s red face, asking a final question.

"Kiolle, you'll be attending the upcoming party, right?"

"…What’s it to you?"

"Meet me there again."

"You're planning another devilish scheme!"

"I just have a few questions to ask you, just like today. Simply cooperate."

"Talk sense! How could I, who will be attending the Crown Prince, meet you during the party? If someone were to catch us—"

"Figure out a way to slip away on your end. I'll give you an appropriate signal, so come out accordingly."

"You think I'll listen to you? You’re just trying to use me to find out more about the Crown Prince's healers!"

"True. But you also think those guys are suspicious, don’t you?"

At Yuder's response, Kiolle visibly flinched.

He was a guy who, unbecoming of a son from a house as noble as the Diarca Dukedom, was unable to hide his likes and dislikes.

People usually change after facing life-or-death situations, but this guy seemed immune to such transformations.

"Whether the treatment actually works or not, it's still suspicious. You can't tell me that you've completely trusted those healers on behalf of Duke Diarca, can you?"

"..."

"What if I were to investigate for you? Wouldn't that be a welcome gesture on your part? Especially if those people turn out to be frauds."

It was unclear how much Duke Diarca's side understood about the true nature of the healers. Multiple variables could arise depending on whether Duke Diarca and the Crown Prince were aware of the fact, especially if they turned out to be Awakeners, as Yuder suspected.

And Kiolle was an excellent source of information to reduce those variables.

'So, before the party begins, we should investigate these healers on our end. Based on that, I'll try to extract more information from him. From his expression, he seems to find the idea plausible.'

Indeed, Kiolle was thinking along the lines that Yuder had precisely anticipated.

'...If it turns out they are frauds... It does seem somewhat useful when I think about it.'

If his father and the Crown Prince were being deceived by these supposed frauds, Kiolle had a duty to expose the truth. Until now, he simply hadn't known how to go about it.

'But during the party, Father will also do something to the Cavalry... The true target might not be Yuder, but if my prediction is correct...'

Kiolle's gaze wavered subtly. Yuder quickly seized the opportunity.

"What I'm saying is, let's cooperate against a common enemy. Consider it a partnership."

"Hold on. I haven't agreed yet—"

"Or are you not going to?"

Dark, penetrating eyes stared at Kiolle as if to say, 'Speak now if you wish to join the eternal sleep.' Kiolle found himself unable to utter a word, grinding his teeth in frustration.

"Don't wander around aimlessly like today, or act overly honest and expose our plans, until the party."

"When have I ever done that!"

"The way you reacted when we talked about our third oath, for example. Anyone could see that you were triggered. Have you recently had second thoughts about that particular point?"

"..."

Kiolle fell silent very quickly.

"If you don't want to talk, that's fine. I'll leave. Count to 30 silently before you come out."

"W-Wait."

Kiolle forced out a painful voice. Anticipating this, Yuder, who had pretended to walk away, turned back.

"The Cavalry member from the West who singlehandedly took down a massive monster... That was you, right?"

"It was."

"Is it not actually someone else?..."

"I had some help, but I was the one to deliver the final blow. So, what's your point?"

A conviction flickered through Kiolle's mind: indeed, Yuder was a monster, even more so than the creatures he hunted. After grappling with an array of negative emotions whose names he couldn't even fully identify, he clenched both fists and finally spoke.

"Are you really not considering joining the side of Duke Diarca?"

"No."

"After you receive the award at this party, my father will fully recognize who you are. Just my recommendation alone would earn you favor. After joining, you'll be treated differently. Are you really not interested?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, Kiolle de Diarca."

"Even knowing that Father will never forgive you if you stay there?!"

Kiolle, who had shouted in a sudden flare of anger, soon tasted a regret as intense as his rage, coupled with an ineffable sense of despair.

In the end, he had said it. The words had escaped him, a volatile mix of guilt towards his father and frustration with the man before him boiling over. Yet, the man who had stirred such emotions in Kiolle merely blinked a couple of times before donning a spine-chilling smile on his pallid face.

‘Aha... So that's why you've been so restless. I was wondering what you were trying to say.’

Yuder grasped the underlying motives behind Kiolle's words with just that one sentence.

"So, Duke Diarca has decided to show the Cavalry what he's made of? Did he say he was going to make an example of someone?"

"No, no, that's not it."

Kiolle's reply lacked the usual strength in his voice.

'So that's why he was so uneasy. Afraid of violating the third vow. To think there'd come a day when this guy would genuinely be of help to me.'

The methods they would use were obvious. Even if no specific target had been chosen, knowing their intentions was enough to create a solution.

'If he truly considers me a target, that would be simply splendid.'

The saying that the greatest enemy always lies within must be true; even Duke Diarca would never have imagined Kiolle would undermine his plans in this way. Delighted by the prospect of the wily old Duke faltering, Yuder wore a smile like a predator who had found satisfying prey. He brushed past Kiolle and opened the door.

"It doesn't matter what happens. You and I will meet at the party. Just remember that."