"Eh? What's that noise... eek!"

"Argh!", "Cough!"

The fact that someone had stopped upon hearing the faint sound of a button brushing the wind made the job much easier. There could be nothing simpler than hitting a stationary target.

As the button, carried by the wind, released its concentrated force, it zigzagged across the foreheads of four men, each of whom promptly collapsed. Yuder grasped the button that had returned to his hand on the wind and looked back. Kiolle was standing there, mouth agape in surprise.

"Remember the third clause of the oath?"

"What? What?"

"Kiolle, it's your duty to assist me as far as possible. You haven't forgotten that, have you? You refused to leave when I told you to, so you have to help."

"Help? What am I supposed to do to help?"

Kiolle attempted to retreat, but it was no use. Yuder mercilessly dragged him along to help move the fallen men to a corner. Despite the simplicity of the task, Kiolle couldn't hide his terrified expression.

"Do you know who these men are? They are the Crown Prince's attendants. Knocking out the Crown Prince's attendants within the palace... The moment we are caught, we will be executed immediately!"

"If I'm caught, you'll be caught too. So, it doesn't matter."

Yuder showed no fear at the mention of execution. After all, he had already had his neck sliced once, what would he have to fear now?

"No, not me!"

Kiolle whimpered lowly.

"I was only coerced by you!"

"You're already an accomplice, Kiolle, just by carrying this and that for me."

"You..."

Kiolle, who had intended to intimidate Yuder, instead received a counterattack twice as strong. He gritted his teeth and abruptly turned his head, seemingly wanting to vent his anger by roughly moving the attendants of the prince. Yuder, whether he liked it or not, grabbed the arm of the last man to be moved and dragged him along.

That's when it happened. A sudden sharp pain shot from the inside of his right hand and pierced through his entire palm. Unconsciously wincing, Yuder looked down at his hand. His hand was covered with a white glove, so he couldn't see inside, but he had a guess about the cause of the pain.

'The spot is starting to spread from exerting just that little bit of strength...?'

"What are you doing? You were the one who said to move them quickly!"

If it weren't for Kiolle, he would have checked immediately, but he couldn't and he felt a bit frustrated. Anyway, Kiolle was not helpful. Yuder postponed his inspection, dragged the last attendant, and then started walking towards the underground stairs they were originally headed for.

---

There was always a place where no human footprints could be found, no matter where. Even if that place was inside the palace where hundreds of people were attending a party.

Yuder, with his previous life's experience, almost knew the structure of the palace. Kiolle, who was hesitantly following behind him stepping onto the stairs leading downstairs, looked around and opened his mouth.

"You seem to have not learned the basics of infiltration. What are you going to do if someone finds out? It's common sense to silence your footsteps when sneaking in!"

Infiltration basics? From Yuder's perspective, who had penetrated all sorts of places under Emperor Katchian's order, it was a laughable remark. It was clear that he was talking out of fear of the silence, so Yuder replied dismissively as if looking at a scared child.

"If you're just talking to avoid the silence, maybe you should turn back now."

"What, what? How audacious! I am a high-ranking Imperial Knight! I have no fear! How dare you treat me like...ugh."

Having been struck in a sensitive spot, Kiolle, who had been angrily spouting off, suddenly staggered and hit his head on the wall. At the same time, heat rose from the seal of the oath inscribed on Yuder's hand. It seemed that the power of the oath had activated lightly due to Kiolle's verbal outburst. Yuder watched with a slight tongue click as Kiolle, in his efforts to stand straight, repeatedly hit his head against the wall.

"Did you fall asleep?"

"As, asleep, my, foot!"

He had planned to leave him be if he fell asleep due to breaking the contract, but luckily or unluckily, it didn't seem to be that severe.

'Maybe it would have been better to knock him out with the servants before descending.'

Kiolle growled as if he knew exactly what Yuder was thinking, tightly gripping the hem of his uniform.

"If I had fallen asleep, you would've left me or killed me right away. That will never happen. You monster. I'll watch you closely with my own eyes...!"

"Even if you watch, you won't be able to tell anyone, so why bother?"

Despite having sworn to help and knowing he couldn't act against it, he wondered why he was so furious and insistent on following.

He hadn't even thought of acknowledging the favor he'd received so far, but being treated like a monster for going above and beyond was rather fresh. Yuder even forgot about the heat and pain rising from the hand with the seal of the contract, and let out a brief laugh.

"Did you just laugh?!"

"Quiet down. Even though everyone's in the hall now, we never know when they could return."

At Yuder's response, Kiolle was taken aback and shut his mouth. From the way he frantically looked around, he didn't exhibit any of the dignity befitting an Imperial Knight.

For a while after that, he followed Yuder in silence, but eventually, he couldn't bear the quiet and spoke again.

"Hey."

"..."

"Cavalry. Not going to respond?"

"Why bother."

Facing Yuder, who was clearly annoyed, Kiolle swallowed his anger and spoke again after a moment.

"You're here because of His Grace, Duke Peletta, aren't you?"

"..."

"I've been watching him since we were young, so I know him well. He is inscrutable, whimsical, and indulges in all sorts of debauchery. He's currently immersed in being a Commander, but he'll soon tire of it. He always does."

So, that was what he was trying to say.

Finding it wasteful to lend an ear to Kiolle's words, Yuder quickened his pace. Behind him, he could feel Kiolle hustling to keep up.

"While a commoner might be dazzled by his outward appearance, he's not worth dedicating your life to. Do you understand?"

"Yeah. So?"

"There's no need to do something so risky that would lead to execution if caught! Why not devote your powers to our Diarca family instead. My father would recognize your abilities and put them to good use. I guarantee it."

He had been so dismissive of Yuder, yet now he was acknowledging his power - the irony was not lost on Yuder. He didn't bother looking back as he moved, casually dismissing Kiolle's proposition.

"No need."

"Frustrating. The Diarca family is renowned for its perfection and greatness. Its far closer to the Sun God, and far more balanced than the likes of the worthless Apeto rabble or the soon-to-be-extinct Duke Peletta. The reason His Highness, the Crown Prince, ascended to that position is precisely because his lineage was recognized."

Kiolle's words, full of pride, bore the signs of the teachings he must have long been subject to.

'To think they can so casually claim their lineage is superior to the imperial family; it tells me how overconfident they've become.'

He had a rough idea of their plan. With the death of Emperor Keilusa and Kishiar, the current imperial lineage would end. To prevent this, they adopted a child from one of the four duke families that split from the first emperor, the closest relative. That child was Katchian, which meant the future imperial lineage was set to be the Diarca family.

In a few years, the era of the Diarca would begin, and they would take the imperial family's place. It was understandable why Yuder, who followed Kishiar, might appear laughable to them.

'Sure, if it had been like before, things would've turned out just as you wanted.'

But this time was different. Even if Emperor Keilusa died prematurely as in his previous life, Yuder had no intention of letting Katchian La Orr ascend to the throne easily. That was precisely why he was here now.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"I heard. You want me to join the Diarca family."

"That's right. You must have changed your mind after hearing me, right? What do you say? As soon as we get back, I'll speak to my father..."

"I refuse."

"What?"

Yuder stopped in his tracks and looked back. Kiolle blinked rapidly, taken aback by his sudden focus.

"Do you really think that, given my capabilities, I've never been offered other opportunities? Of all the offers I've received, yours is the least appealing."

Countless people had reached out to Yuder in his past life, however short or long it may have been. Wherever Yuder went, there were always whispers tempting him to join them, promising better conditions than being tied to the position of a Cavalry Commander who wasn't properly acknowledged.

Even when he was imprisoned and facing execution, an emissary from a foreign country who had secretly visited the prison had promised to help him escape immediately if he would just agree to join them.

But Yuder had turned down all their offers. No sweet words had ever moved his heart.

"The choice is mine to make. And the one I chose is my Commander. That won't change."

Leaving only those words behind, Yuder turned around again. Fortunately, Kiolle seemed at a loss for words, so he didn't bother him further.

'They should have left it around here... Just as I thought.'

As Yuder had predicted, Lenore's corpse was hidden in a seldom-visited underground liquor cellar. Yuder approached the body, which was crudely wrapped in white cloth on a cold table, without any hesitation. He grabbed the edge of the cloth and pulled it down. The horribly bloodied corpse, eyes bulging in a deathly blue pallor, was revealed. It was a ghastly sight, but Yuder inspected the body without batting an eye.

'If he really did use a poison that burns the throat... Ill have to use fire to find it.'