"Come to think of it, I heard you visited the mage's research lab today. Did you bring Micalin back from there?"

Sensing that Yuder had entirely put aside his thoughts about mage, Kishiar smoothly changed the subject.

"Yes."

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I've heard something from Master Yulman that could be of assistance in our current situation. Actually, I was planning on reporting it to you first..."

"Intriguing. Let's hear it then."

Kishiar set down the documents he had been holding. The man, now wearing a different smile than when he had faced Micalin, rested his chin on his hands and looked at Yuder with the utmost attention. If anyone had witnessed the sudden change in his demeanor, they would have been shocked. But Yuder, unbothered, said what he had to say.

Master Thais Yulman had concluded through relentless research, using his apprentice Alik's power and medium, that the 'inner self' of Awakeners—or those with the potential to awaken—could influence the acquisition of power.

If that were true, then they could find answers to both why the Emperor had yet to awaken despite already harboring the Red Stone power within him, and how they could facilitate his awakening.

After explicitly explaining all these points, Yuder finally added his own thoughts.

"Based on my experiences, I already knew that Awakeners experience rapid power growth when they possess intense desires. However, there's no guarantee that things will go as one wishes, so it's not entirely a good thing..."

"So, what you're saying is that if already Awakeners can gain power through this method, then those who haven't awakened but have the qualities and conditions may also expedite their awakening for the same reasons."

"Yes, exactly."

"Will and desire, huh..."

Kishiar muttered quietly, his gaze drifting off as if lost in thought.

"Indeed, His Majesty never seemed to hold any expectations of awakening in a way similar to me."

"..."

Emperor Keilusa had personally ordered the retrieval of the Red Stone. He had always kept the medium in his chamber and never skimped on supporting the related research.

However, that didn't necessarily mean the Emperor genuinely wished to awaken.

Yuder had sensed it before—peering into the Emperor's interior.

The Emperor had no hope or expectations for the future, as he felt his imminent demise was inevitable. Though he must have wanted to live, like any other human, he preferred reducing the current uncertainties rather than risking an uncertain future.

His objectivity even when judging himself, the cold rationality that refused to display mercy beyond reason.

His resolve to burn through the end of his life as efficiently as possible while preparing for what comes next.

These were all valuable traits, but they were precisely what prevented the Emperor from exhibiting any will or desire beyond what was necessary, leading to the current state of affairs.

"But having heard what you've said now, it gives me a new line of thought that I hadn't considered before."

"And what would that be?"

"According to what you've said, awakening is ultimately the Red Stone's power settling within a human body, undergoing transformations according to the individual's desires. In that case, couldn't the type of power bestowed upon the Awakeners also be influenced to some extent by their aptitude and desires? Whether the individual is aware of it or not."

Yuder paused to ponder, then slowly nodded his head. Kishiar continued to speak.

"You may already know this, but when I first awakened, I yearned to live more desperately than anyone else. If the power granted to me by my awakening is what has made me this way, then I think I understand why the energy within me takes the form of protecting its vessel, unlike others."

Yuder's gaze involuntarily dropped to Kishiar's abdomen. A sudden realization about an aspect he had not previously considered sent chills down his spine.

"...Ah, I see."

The power of Kishiar La Orr is to either attract or repel.

Until recently, it had been believed that this power could only be applied to what one could see or touch. It was understandable to think that way since Kishiar primarily used it in combat to swiftly and efficiently dispose of his enemies. Even Kishiar himself hadn't considered there might be more to it.

However, they had just recently realized that this wasn't the case.

If this power could apply to the intangible, metaphysical 'force' itself, then it stood to reason that the power within Kishiar could likewise be mobilized in that way.

"I didn't realize it until now because I've been like this since my awakening... but perhaps the Awakening power that was protecting my vessel was something I was 'pulling in' myself."

Perhaps, ever since his awakening until now, he had been doing so subconsciously.

"Of course, this power is not omnipotent. If the source of the power sustains damage that cannot be healed, or if the gathered vessel is struck once more, I can't guarantee what will happen next. However, knowing this allows us to prepare, which is entirely different from living in ignorance."

Kishiar might not have known, but Yuder's heart began to pound painfully at those words.

Because he knew that in a previous life, Kishiar had indeed twice sustained damage to his vessel, ultimately hurtling toward a swift death.

"And perhaps the reason you thought His Majesty’s condition was suddenly deteriorating may have been due to the Red Stone energy believed to be present in his body?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. If we're right, His Majesty's current situation could be due to a continually accumulating new energy in his body while the vessel remains unstable. Since His Majesty hasn't awakened, that power neither moves nor gathers according to his will, but disperses. If that power continues to accumulate..."

They had already seen how unchanneled power, dispersed throughout the body, could bring unbearable agony.

And a bitter, cold smile surfaced on Kishiar's face, who probably knew more about that pain than anyone else.

"...However, there are two positives. One, His Majesty has opened up to us, so our efforts should be easier than before. And two—"

The possibility that even if Emperor Keilusa did not awaken, Yuder and Kishiar combined might still be able to gather that Red Stone power and protect the Emperor's vessel.

Gazing into the eyes of the man who had mentioned these two advantages, Yuder nodded.

"Yes, it's good to know we have two things working in our favor. We will definitely succeed."

At that, Kishiar blinked for a moment before melting into a warm smile.

"It's strange. I didn't say this because I wanted to hear such assurances, but your words always make me realize just how much confidence I've needed."

‘I already know why. It's because many people wanted Kishiar La Orr to live that way, and he acted accordingly.’

Even after making judicious and wise decisions, Kishiar wasn't yet accustomed to trusting his own conclusions. That fact was subtly conveyed through his words.

Understanding someone brought a type of pain Yuder had never known before. But if it meant he could keep seeing the smile before him, perhaps that was alright. Yuder blankly gazed at the man's smiling face before lowering his eyes.

"…If we're both heading down an unfamiliar path, then walking one where we can see even a little is far easier than walking one where we can't see anything at all. From my perspective, it's well worth trying," Yuder stated.

"Well worth trying," Kishiar repeated after him.

"Yes. A person who would leap in without hesitation at the slightest possibility. That's my assistant for you."

"..."

"In that case, I'll also consider it worth trying. Until I see His Majesty again, I'll have to continue practicing how to control this power."

"Can you really master it through practice?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

With a smiling face, the man effortlessly clenched and unclenched his hand. A small orb of condensed energy appeared over his palm.

The swirling ball of energy closely resembled what Kishiar had unleashed to deal with the assassins who had suddenly appeared during the Harvest Festival.

However, unlike before, this newly manifested orb of energy was almost entirely red, marking the difference from the previous instance.

"Is that… could it be the power of the Awakener?"