The atmosphere in the Sun Palace had been anything but normal lately.

It was not long ago that such whispers reached the ears of Duke Diarca.

Initially, the Duke thought these rumblings to be an auspicious sign he had long awaited. The Emperor, who had secluded himself due to illness and didn't wish to reveal his deteriorating condition to anyone, was perhaps nearing his end. Though the Crown Prince's condition was not exactly promising, Duke Diarca felt that regardless, the course of the world would not deviate from the plans set forth by his house. It was a rational assessment, based on a long-standing observation of the palace's various eyes and ears.

However, his hopes were shattered when the Cavalry returned from the west and the Emperor emerged from his seclusion for the first time in years.

To the astonishment of the unwitting commoners, the Emperor looked reasonably well as he openly praised the returning Cavalry. Even more surprising, he brazenly wielded his authority, appearing with an entourage that included the Grand General and the Head of the Court Mages. Watching the Emperor and Empress return, after publicly lauding the Cavalry and elevating his brother’s reputation, Duke Diarca couldn't muster even a sarcastic laugh.

True, the Duke had suspected he was placing false hopes on his brother and the Cavalry since its inception. Thus, he could come to terms with the ostentatious display. But only once.

The recent monster anomalies in the West have been exceptional incidents. It was the first time something like that had happened, and it was the first time that Duke Tain, who was so crazy about gambling that he could not afford to solve the problem himself, had brought them in. It was mere luck, not something to expect a second time around, that the Cavalry had identified and resolved the issue.

What difference did luck-made outcomes have from meaningless victories in gambling? Real victories were reserved for those who had patiently bided their time and prepared. They were not something that could be had by fools who stumbled into power by luck.

Yet, it seemed the Cavalry and Duke Peletta himself didn't share this viewpoint. At the gauche party reeking of vulgarity, they did not hesitate to provoke Duke Diarca.

After that damned party, Duke Diarca lost several confidants, including the always-obedient Baron Durmand. He even went to the extent of making sweeping changes among his inner circle, to deter any erroneous thinking about the Diarca family. Although it was something he was planning to do sooner or later, the fact that he was forced into it made it particularly disagreeable.

Still, amidst his frustration and anger, the Duke did what needed to be done based on his previous experiences. He maximally utilized the lessons learned from the party. Knowing that the awakened commoners were fiercely loyal to those who recognized their value, he decided to replace the worthless men around him with Awakeners he’d never paid attention to before. As a first step, he finally sent reliable eyes and ears into the Cavalry, which he had ignored until now.

However, this motley crew, not even a year old, gave not an iota of attention to the people sent by Duke Diarca. It wasn't that they were satisfied with their current group, but they weren't easily swayed by money or prestige either. On the contrary, they regarded the people sent from Diarca with suspicion, making repeated attempts to discern their true identities, which in turn unnerved the Duke's messengers.

"Your Grace. I apologize, but the arrogance of those commoners surpasses all imagination. Given their inflated sense of importance, they're unlikely to accept our proposal at this juncture. May I suggest we wait for a better opportunity? Human greed knows no bounds, and these lowly beings will not know their place. Time will provide the answer to all."

The first plan, which aimed to buy off members of the Cavalry to act as eyes and ears within it, had failed. Duke Diarca regretted not planting his agents when the Cavalry was initially formed. However, he reasoned that new members would eventually be recruited. If these men had any sense, they would soon realize that they'd joined a rotten corps.

Instead, Duke Diarca started to fill his ranks with other Awakeners. Though not entirely pleased, he comforted himself with the thought that nothing in the world progresses perfectly in one go.

Patience never betrays. Even the Duke's irresponsible youngest son, Kiolle, had finally matured enough to act like a proper human being. Or so the Duke thought, unaware of the truth about his 'finally matured' youngest son. Duke Diarca was unconcerned with the details.

After the Diarca party, he planted even more eyes and ears around the Emperor, Empress, and the Cavalry. Those he had left alone, thinking they would fail on their own, had started to regain their vitality. He could not afford to ignore this any longer.

Soon, new shifts in the atmosphere that he had previously overlooked began to filter through to him. Duke Peletta, who had always been a wastrel and frequented all manner of parties, was now reportedly engrossed in training exercises with his Cavalry. Reports came in that the commoners' faith in him grew significantly when his new sword was verified to be genuine.

The Emperor, who was thought to be ineffectively hanging around the nobility and occasionally losing his temper, had recently started inviting several people into the palace. Even more shocking was the unreliable information suggesting a close correspondence between the Sun Palace and the upper echelons of Nelarn.

The Empress, usually so meek in social gatherings, was unexpectedly in frequent contact with her family, the House of Herne. Particularly concerning was her communication with the first and the second child of the Herne family, who were the most likely candidates to become the next Duke of Herne. This gave Duke Diarca an unsettling feeling.

It was the sensation of danger, a feeling that had dulled from years of living in victory and peace.

Could it be that the absence of any action from the Herne family in the recent tragic events involving the Apeto and Tain families was due to some conversations between the Empress and the Emperor?

It was an unknown. However, just the thought that such a possibility might exist filled Duke Diarca with discomfort. He had always assumed he had an intimate understanding of these matters.

When had these people started moving beyond his field of vision?

Why did he only hear of these developments now?

"Your Grace. Please forgive the sudden intrusion into your chamber. Urgent matters have arisen. Last night, individuals sneaked into the Sun Palace through a secret passageway. While unconfirmed, we've heard that they may be Duke Peletta and Baron Aile..."

At that moment, several days ago, Duke Diarca's displeasure reached its peak upon hearing this report.

"The atmosphere in the Dawn Palace also seems different from before. It's difficult to confirm precisely since one of our spies was discovered and expelled, but something is clearly being prepared in the Sun Palace."

"Could it be that Duke Peletta has finally found a way to cure the Emperor's chronic illness?"

"Preposterous... Is such a thing even possible?"

"Wasn't Duke Peletta the one who has met and investigated the most Awakeners in the Empire? Consider the Red Stone, of which we've heard nothing since it was retrieved by the Cavalry. If it wasn't useless..."

A chilling speculation, but worth investigating nonetheless.

Only then did Duke Diarca remember Thais Yulman, an elder of the Pearl Tower, whom he had disregarded after hearing news about the Red Stone's retrieval. He sent someone to make contact. But the old mage they had counted on was long gone, leaving behind only some luggage. Contact had been lost for several months, and few people knew where the mage had gone.

The Duke's men were quite flustered. Not knowing that an elder of the Pearl Tower had disappeared was a significant oversight that would surely bring disgrace upon the whole tower.

They believed that finding the old mage before reporting back would be the best way to avoid the Duke's wrath. They had not considered that he might be among the Cavalry, so the progress was agonizingly slow.

Had they contacted the Pearl Tower in time, they could have heard about the well-being of the missing old mage, but caution sometimes leads to undesirable outcomes.

In the midst of this disarray, Duke Diarca received another report.

Clear information had arrived that the Sun Palace was preparing to host guests yet again tomorrow.

The specifics were still unclear. But from the time when the Empress Dowager Inella La Orr, of Diarca origin, was in good health, Duke Diarca had never been at ease with the current Emperor and his brother.

"Whether confirmed or not, the conclusion will be the same."

He had no intention of scattering ashes on a job he considered finished.

Determined to find out what was happening at the Sun Palace, the Duke quietly gave his orders to those guarding him.

"Prepare for a visit to the Sun Palace tomorrow."

"Should we not also inform His Highness, the Crown Prince in the Bright Palace?"

"Leave him be. And don't say a word to Kiolle either. Instead, get in touch with the 'healers' who frequent the Bright Palace."

If they planned to use the power of the Awakener to sustain themselves, then he could counter them with the same power.

Duke Diarca decided to fully exploit their abilities and issued the orders. Not long after, a report arrived saying that the healers had agreed to cooperate.