The sights before his eyes were all distorted.

Gripping his chest, Yuder trembled in the face of an indescribable, horrific sensation. Suddenly, he took a deep breath, feeling as if he'd lost touch with what he had been doing up to that moment.

What just happened?

What occurred?

He couldn't say. All he felt was an emptiness in his chest, as if something had been forcibly ripped out, and a chill as if a wind blew through the void.

But he couldn't be injured; that much was clear.

As he blinked in a daze, the dreadful sensations gradually faded like illusions. When even the fact that he had felt such things started to seem like a lie, Yuder finally realized where he was.

The smell of dark, stagnant water wafted through the closed windows.

He was in the castle of the Duke of Peletta, where the Duke resided. Yuder stood perfectly upright, sword in hand.

And before him was,

"..."

A man sitting and bleeding from his chest. His golden locks fell over a pale forehead.

The man neither moved nor spoke. He simply sat there, as if momentarily asleep.

It was obvious to anyone that he had already drawn his last breath. Yuder continued to stare blankly at the scene before finally lowering his eyes to see his own hand. His body, hand, and the tip of his sword were all a mess, splattered with blood.

At last, everything became clear.

Yuder had successfully completed the Emperor's first mission. The Duke of Peletta had met his end as the Emperor had desired; all that remained was to discard the weapon and escape.

Yuder let go of his sword. The cheap, standard-issue blade clattered heavily to the ground. Anyone who examined it would be unable to identify the assailant.

He turned his back and walked away. Passing by a hearth whose fire had long been extinguished, he felt an inexplicable chill crawl up his spine.

As if he had left something crucial behind...

"..."

Yuder suddenly opened his eyes. His face was damp. He took a deep breath, and as he waved his hand, someone gently grasped his arm and lowered it.

"Easy there. You seem disoriented; I was just trying to adjust your posture."

"Commander?"

His own voice sounded foreign, even to him. Yuder swallowed the dry cough bursting from his parched throat and looked up at Kishiar's face.

His hair was a mess, soaked in sweat, and his red eyes revealed deep exhaustion. But his cheeks still radiated a lingering warmth and emotional vitality. The moment their eyes met, the creeping chill retreated like a mirage.

Looking away, Yuder saw the Emperor lying down, the Empress holding his hand and speaking softly. Attendants bustled about, wiping the Emperor's face and hands with hot towels.

'Ah... I must have almost fainted again.'

Only then did Yuder realize that Kishiar was holding a wet towel in his other hand. Kishiar had apparently wiped the blood-stained face of Yuder the moment he awoke.

'In front of the Emperor and Empress, how could I...?'

In an instant, Yuder's consciousness snapped back to reality. He sat up, his head lowered, on a sofa a short distance from the Emperor's bed. Technically, he was more reclined against Kishiar than sitting upright. Yet, none of the esteemed individuals near the bed seemed to mind or even consider it inappropriate.

"The Emperor has fully awakened, and I've severed our connection. The protective force covering the vessel is also perfectly effective. I'm not sure how long my power will last on others, but it should be fine for a while," Kishiar said. He added that if any issues arose, he would immediately come to reinforce the pulling force.

"I've received signals from Nathan and the others. There were unexpected intruders, but they've been dealt with. Once the remaining evidence is sorted, I'll come up and give you a detailed report."

"That's a relief," Yuder responded.

"Yes, it is. The future looks promising."

Kishiar mumbled something about 'expectation' being a curious word and silently smiled toward the Emperor. While one couldn't guess all the layers of time and emotion stacked in that smile, it was clear that joy was the most significant part.

Yuder quietly stared at his face. From the moment he had resolved to accomplish this task, he had wanted to see that face. Even though he felt drained to the point of death, he didn't feel particularly parched.

"... Thank you for keeping both your promise with the Emperor and with me,"

Those words arrived at Yuder’s ears a bit late as he had been lost in Kishiar's face.

"I wanted to say this as soon as you woke up," Kishiar said, lowering his head to kiss Yuder's hand. "I'll never forget what we've accomplished with these hands. Nor should you."

“...”

"We should leave soon. Once we return, we should first get you checked... get you treated, and then you’ll let me express my feelings to you as much as I want."

Kishiar's request, polite yet filled with desperate longing, seemed to ignite a spark within Yuder's heart. Yuder looked down at the warmth of the hand holding his and nodded.

"Yes, but you should also get checked and treated."

"Of course."

During the brief moment when his consciousness had wavered, Yuder had felt a faint chill. Kishiar was unaware of this, which was a small comfort to Yuder.

Perhaps the memory resurfaced now because he had been strongly connected to Kishiar throughout the day. It was fortunate that the 'connection' did not persist long after he lost consciousness.

Otherwise, Kishiar might have sensed and shared something more.

Yuder let out a soft sigh and changed the subject.

"By the way, did the Emperor mention what ability he has awakened?"

"He seemed preoccupied and didn't specify. He only said he wanted to see the Empress and then fell asleep."

Kishiar spoke casually of the Emperor's intimate moments, showing no signs of embarrassment. It seemed he thought Yuder should naturally know.

"Ah, I see."

"Once he wakes up and stabilizes, he will surely send word."

It was Emperor Keilusa's awakening ability. Yuder reflected on his experiences over time. Siblings often awoke to similar abilities, but given that Kishiar's ability was somewhat unique, it was difficult to guess the Emperor's ability as well.

"If it were a specialized ability in defense or protection like Prince Ejain, it would certainly make life easier in the future... I can only wonder."

The answer came to them shortly after they returned to the Cavalry.

It was through a letter sent by the Emperor, employing his own "eyes" and "ears."

…

"So... no one knows for sure what happened at the Sun Palace that day, and the only ones who could have infiltrated were the healers. And even then, they caused an unforeseen disaster."

"I apologize, Your Grace."

Duke Diarca looked down at his subordinates with a colder expression than ever. The nobles surrounding him bowed their heads, avoiding eye contact as if they had nothing to say.

"You fools allowed a monster into the Imperial Palace, providing the Emperor's side with an excuse. My clear instructions were merely to discreetly gather information on the internal situation. How was my message conveyed to lead to such an incident?"

"That is..."

Eyes exchanged glances amongst the people; many were filled with fear. When Duke Diarca clicked his tongue, that terror spread even more.

"Regardless of what the Emperor's side discovers, it can be dismissed as their own reckless action. But we must find out who conveyed my intentions to them at that time and why this act was committed. Who is currently in contact with them?"

"...I am."

"Baron Renbow."

Baron Renbow, who had taken over the communication between the healers and Duke Diarca after the now-absent Baron Durmand, raised his hand with a relatively calm face.

"Speak. Why did this happen?"

"Your Grace, your instructions were clearly and accurately conveyed to them, without addition or omission. I can swear it on my name and faith."

"And yet?"

"According to them, this incident may appear as a failure on the surface, but it is actually not so."

Duke Diarca's eyebrows twitched in displeasure. The surrounding nobles murmured among themselves.

"Not so?"

"Yes. There is someone leading them, referred to as the 'Sage.' He has requested an audience with you, Your Grace. He wishes to report directly to you on the information gathered from this incident."

"A presumptuous and dangerous individual..."

"How dare he..."

The whispers that had been rising fell silent with a small thump against Duke Diarca's chair.

The elderly Duke did not, as the nobles had anticipated, erupt in anger or leave his seat. He stared thoughtfully at Baron Renbow for a moment before speaking.

"If he dares to speak out even after causing such a major mishap, he must be confident that he has something of significance."

"..."

"Very well. Tell him to come."

"Are you sure, Your Grace? To allow such lowly people to—"

"Wouldn't it be better to dispose of them right away?"

Ignoring the nobles' words, Duke Diarca shook his head.

"Regardless, they are the ones treating the Crown Prince. I've been curious, so let's see their faces first before making a decision."

"Very well, Your Highness."

Baron Renbow respectfully bowed his head. No one noticed the momentary glint of confusion in his eyes, nor did they realize that as soon as the conversation ended, he immediately headed to the quarters where the 'healers' were staying. There, he knelt before the Sage and relayed everything that had transpired.