Yuder said no more. Kiolle, with a deeply furrowed expression, opened his mouth.
"So, no—what I mean is, your claim is that these charlatans definitely tricked His Highness into believing they could heal him. But you're saying they might possess a power similar to healing?"
"No. It doesn't have to be similar at all; they just have to make him believe it is."
"What are you talking about? So, is the effect real or not?"
"Maybe you should think about that yourself. There's hardly anyone in a better position to find out than you."
"Are you mocking me?"
Mocking? It was utter sincerity.
Kiolle was in an excellent position to best understand everything if he wished. He was a knight in close proximity to Crown Prince Katchian, a trusted son of Duke Diarca, and simultaneously someone who could meet the Star of Nagran without arousing anyone's suspicion.
That wasn’t all. He had already encountered other Awakeners, including Nahan, due to a series of incidents that happened in Hartan, and had directly experienced these matters.
It was quite remarkable that despite such experiences and his current position, he still knew next to nothing.
And the fool, even after hearing all this, looked cluelessly and indignantly at Yuder. Yuder finally decided to give him a small hint.
"Kiolle Da Diarca."
"…"
"No answer?"
Yuder leaned deeply against the back of the sofa and refilled his empty cup with water. Kishiar, witnessing the transparent liquid swirling out of nowhere into the cup, was visibly startled. Avoiding eye contact, he shifted uncomfortably and finally responded.
"…Why, why?"
"Let me ask one thing. What do you intend to do moving forward with the information you've acquired today?"
"What's it to you?"
"Do I need to remind you of the third clause of our oath, and our previous agreement to cooperate?"
"You're really devilish, you know!"
An angry Kiolle shouted, his face red with rage.
"If they really are Awakeners… if they're charlatans, then they must be expelled! What else is there to do?"
"Do you think you can do that just by your will alone?"
"What?"
"Do you think the Crown Prince and Duke Diarca will agree to your perspective?"
"…What are you saying? My father would, of course,…"
"I don't think so."
Kiolle blinked several times.
"What…"
"Think about it. Was no one aware that these individuals are Awakeners, hiding their true identities?"
"…"
"Regardless of what their actual identities are, it's true that the Crown Prince's condition has improved enough for him to appear today. In such circumstances, who do you think the Crown Prince will trust more? You? Or the healers?"
"But I am…! His Highness's knight and a person from the House of Diarca, personally recommended by my father. Obviously… he would trust me more…"
As he spoke, the strength in Kiolle's voice gradually faded.
"Fine. Let's say that's the case. Would these so-called healers quietly accept your assertion and step back?"
At that point, Kiolle clenched his mouth shut.
Despite his own assertions to the contrary, he had felt in his bones that the Crown Prince no longer regarded him or the House of Diarca with the same affection as before. Would the prince, who had not stood up even to follow Duke Diarca today, fully trust what Kiolle had to say? And what about his own father?
His father clearly detested Awakeners, openly calling them wretched souls cursed by the gods. Naturally, Kiolle assumed he brought them in without knowing who they were... but what if he did?
Kiolle slightly lifted his head, glancing down at his clenched fist. The man who once drank Quelochet—a drink one normally sips cautiously—as if it were water, looked back at Kiolle with a face no different than before. As if he knew the extent of Kiolle's turmoil, he spoke with abyss-like eyes.
"If you think the mere fact that they are Awakeners is sufficient reason to drive them away, consider why you are sitting here with me."
His tightly clenched fingers twitched. The reason Kiolle sat opposite Yuder was, of course, due to a begrudging oath and a semi-forced alliance. But on a larger scale, he was here because the man before him was stronger, more competent, and could provide useful information.
Yuder Aile was an Awakener. Kiolle neither liked nor trusted Awakeners, but the enormous power the man had shown couldn't be denied. If Yuder called the healers Awakeners, then they certainly were.
Had he not believed that, he wouldn't have tried to recruit him on multiple occasions.
Though reluctant to admit it, Yuder Aile was genuinely competent. A commoner who had risen to the title of Baron—what more was there to say? Kiolle, who had never felt inferior to his own siblings, had never once felt an advantage when with this man.
The sheer force emanating from his gaze felt eerily similar to the sensation of being in the presence of his angered father.
Even though he'd never felt that way about the healers, if someone that capable and useful was involved... wouldn't both his father and the Crown Prince turn a blind eye?
Had what he initially planned to do truly been for the benefit of his father and the Crown Prince?
The mission that began as a way to help his father and the Crown Prince by getting rid of some deceitful scoundrels suddenly became incredibly confusing.
"It's truly amusing to hear you talk about driving them away without knowing the extent of their powers or their true intentions in approaching the Crown Prince. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned up as a corpse under a flowerbed in the palace within a month."
"Stop speaking ill!"
"I'm not speaking ill. It's the truth."
"..."
"Let me clarify: I don't believe they approached the Crown Prince for good reasons either. But I'm not basing that assumption on mere dislike or irritation like you."
"So, what should I do?"
Kiolle retorted, unable to contain his irritation any longer.
"If you want to prove they are scammers and expel them, find out why they are scammers—beyond the simple fact that they're Awakeners."
"Easy to say. How am I supposed to do that!"
"That's for the interested party to figure out. It's not like you're going to follow my instructions blindly."
It was an irritating, yet true statement. Kiolle could say nothing; he unclenched his fist and lifted his head.
Standing in front of the Duke of Diarca, he spoke clearly, devoid of any sense of fear.
Was there really something Yuder fears or finds difficult?
'...'
The face that came to mind at that moment was of a man dancing with Duke Peletta under the light of the chandelier. The man, who danced shamelessly and naturally as if unaware of the absurdity he was committing, was now wearing an entirely different expression as he looked at Duke Peletta.
His face was as stoic as ever, yet far more cautious and gentle.
Behind an expression so different that one might believe it belonged to another person, there seemed to be a glimpse of an inexplicable emotion.
As if it was the kind of emotion you would only see from someone with whom you have a truly deep relationship… That kind of...
'Did that brat say he has a different second gender from that of Duke Peletta?'
Voices discussing this matter, which he hadn't even considered before, now echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Kiolle seemed to have said all he had to say and was quietly staring at Yuder’s face as he drank water. Kiolle shook his head irritably. His head was throbbing, and he wanted to take some medicine.
But before that, there was something he needed to say.
"If I find out more about those healers, are you interested in exchanging information again?"
"Well, that depends on what you find out. I really can't say today since you weren’t much help."
"…Anyway, you're saying you're open to the idea!"
"Let’s say that’s the case."
"…Then meet me again next time. I've become interested in finding out more about those guys myself."
Yuder said no more. Kiolle, with a deeply furrowed expression, opened his mouth.
"So, no—what I mean is, your claim is that these charlatans definitely tricked His Highness into believing they could heal him. But you're saying they might possess a power similar to healing?"
"No. It doesn't have to be similar at all; they just have to make him believe it is."
"What are you talking about? So, is the effect real or not?"
"Maybe you should think about that yourself. There's hardly anyone in a better position to find out than you."
"Are you mocking me?"
Mocking? It was utter sincerity.
Kiolle was in an excellent position to best understand everything if he wished. He was a knight in close proximity to Crown Prince Katchian, a trusted son of Duke Diarca, and simultaneously someone who could meet the Star of Nagran without arousing anyone's suspicion.
That wasn’t all. He had already encountered other Awakeners, including Nahan, due to a series of incidents that happened in Hartan, and had directly experienced these matters.
It was quite remarkable that despite such experiences and his current position, he still knew next to nothing.
And the fool, even after hearing all this, looked cluelessly and indignantly at Yuder. Yuder finally decided to give him a small hint.
"Kiolle Da Diarca."
"…"
"No answer?"
Yuder leaned deeply against the back of the sofa and refilled his empty cup with water. Kishiar, witnessing the transparent liquid swirling out of nowhere into the cup, was visibly startled. Avoiding eye contact, he shifted uncomfortably and finally responded.
"…Why, why?"
"Let me ask one thing. What do you intend to do moving forward with the information you've acquired today?"
"What's it to you?"
"Do I need to remind you of the third clause of our oath, and our previous agreement to cooperate?"
"You're really devilish, you know!"
An angry Kiolle shouted, his face red with rage.
"If they really are Awakeners… if they're charlatans, then they must be expelled! What else is there to do?"
"Do you think you can do that just by your will alone?"
"What?"
"Do you think the Crown Prince and Duke Diarca will agree to your perspective?"
"…What are you saying? My father would, of course,…"
"I don't think so."
Kiolle blinked several times.
"What…"
"Think about it. Was no one aware that these individuals are Awakeners, hiding their true identities?"
"…"
"Regardless of what their actual identities are, it's true that the Crown Prince's condition has improved enough for him to appear today. In such circumstances, who do you think the Crown Prince will trust more? You? Or the healers?"
"But I am…! His Highness's knight and a person from the House of Diarca, personally recommended by my father. Obviously… he would trust me more…"
As he spoke, the strength in Kiolle's voice gradually faded.
"Fine. Let's say that's the case. Would these so-called healers quietly accept your assertion and step back?"
At that point, Kiolle clenched his mouth shut.
Despite his own assertions to the contrary, he had felt in his bones that the Crown Prince no longer regarded him or the House of Diarca with the same affection as before. Would the prince, who had not stood up even to follow Duke Diarca today, fully trust what Kiolle had to say? And what about his own father?
His father clearly detested Awakeners, openly calling them wretched souls cursed by the gods. Naturally, Kiolle assumed he brought them in without knowing who they were... but what if he did?
Kiolle slightly lifted his head, glancing down at his clenched fist. The man who once drank Quelochet—a drink one normally sips cautiously—as if it were water, looked back at Kiolle with a face no different than before. As if he knew the extent of Kiolle's turmoil, he spoke with abyss-like eyes.
"If you think the mere fact that they are Awakeners is sufficient reason to drive them away, consider why you are sitting here with me."
His tightly clenched fingers twitched. The reason Kiolle sat opposite Yuder was, of course, due to a begrudging oath and a semi-forced alliance. But on a larger scale, he was here because the man before him was stronger, more competent, and could provide useful information.
Yuder Aile was an Awakener. Kiolle neither liked nor trusted Awakeners, but the enormous power the man had shown couldn't be denied. If Yuder called the healers Awakeners, then they certainly were.
Had he not believed that, he wouldn't have tried to recruit him on multiple occasions.
Though reluctant to admit it, Yuder Aile was genuinely competent. A commoner who had risen to the title of Baron—what more was there to say? Kiolle, who had never felt inferior to his own siblings, had never once felt an advantage when with this man.
The sheer force emanating from his gaze felt eerily similar to the sensation of being in the presence of his angered father.
Even though he'd never felt that way about the healers, if someone that capable and useful was involved... wouldn't both his father and the Crown Prince turn a blind eye?
Had what he initially planned to do truly been for the benefit of his father and the Crown Prince?
The mission that began as a way to help his father and the Crown Prince by getting rid of some deceitful scoundrels suddenly became incredibly confusing.
"It's truly amusing to hear you talk about driving them away without knowing the extent of their powers or their true intentions in approaching the Crown Prince. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned up as a corpse under a flowerbed in the palace within a month."
"Stop speaking ill!"
"I'm not speaking ill. It's the truth."
"..."
"Let me clarify: I don't believe they approached the Crown Prince for good reasons either. But I'm not basing that assumption on mere dislike or irritation like you."
"So, what should I do?"
Kiolle retorted, unable to contain his irritation any longer.
"If you want to prove they are scammers and expel them, find out why they are scammers—beyond the simple fact that they're Awakeners."
"Easy to say. How am I supposed to do that!"
"That's for the interested party to figure out. It's not like you're going to follow my instructions blindly."
It was an irritating, yet true statement. Kiolle could say nothing; he unclenched his fist and lifted his head.
Standing in front of the Duke of Diarca, he spoke clearly, devoid of any sense of fear.
Was there really something Yuder fears or finds difficult?
'...'
The face that came to mind at that moment was of a man dancing with Duke Peletta under the light of the chandelier. The man, who danced shamelessly and naturally as if unaware of the absurdity he was committing, was now wearing an entirely different expression as he looked at Duke Peletta.
His face was as stoic as ever, yet far more cautious and gentle.
Behind an expression so different that one might believe it belonged to another person, there seemed to be a glimpse of an inexplicable emotion.
As if it was the kind of emotion you would only see from someone with whom you have a truly deep relationship… That kind of...
'Did that brat say he has a different second gender from that of Duke Peletta?'
Voices discussing this matter, which he hadn't even considered before, now echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Kiolle seemed to have said all he had to say and was quietly staring at Yuder’s face as he drank water. Kiolle shook his head irritably. His head was throbbing, and he wanted to take some medicine.
But before that, there was something he needed to say.
"If I find out more about those healers, are you interested in exchanging information again?"
"Well, that depends on what you find out. I really can't say today since you weren’t much help."
"…Anyway, you're saying you're open to the idea!"
"Let’s say that’s the case."
"…Then meet me again next time. I've become interested in finding out more about those guys myself."
