Before Kiole could even ask how he knew all that, Yuder continued.
“Even if you disappeared right now, the Duke of Diarca wouldn’t be able to turn things back to the way they were. At best, he’d grieve the loss of his dreams. But either way, it’s only a matter of time before Kironne takes down his father and becomes the new Duke. Once that happens, House Diarca will do whatever it takes to maintain its prestige.”
“What...?”
“They’ll find another Kachian, even if the current Crown Prince is dethroned. Even then, the Commander and His Majesty won’t just let them have their way. But—let’s be generous and say everything goes exactly how Kironne and House Diarca want. Even then, their glory won’t last long.”
“What... What the hell are you saying?”
It was the longest string of words Kiole had ever heard from Yuder Aile. But the content was so jarring he didn’t even have time to be shocked by that.
A crooked smirk tugged at Yuder’s lips.
“Kironne’s even more cowardly than you think. His ambition surpasses his father’s, but he doesn’t have the wits or guts to match. Even if he grabs power, he won’t last long. Someone will strike him from behind. Maybe someone’ll even chop off a finger in his sleep—then he’ll quiet down real fast.”
It didn’t sound like speculation. The way Yuder described it—especially the finger-cutting analogy, which sounded like an assassination attempt—felt terrifyingly real, as if he’d already seen it happen.
“Which means your disappearance wouldn’t change anything. Maybe you’d feel a little better—but that’s it.”
It was like a prophecy. Yuder Aile sounded like someone who knew exactly what would unfold after Kiole disappeared.
Even though that couldn’t possibly be true.
‘First it was the Duke of Peleta acting like he knew every secret—now this guy... Everything just keeps getting weirder!’
Kiole gaped blankly for a moment, then snapped himself out of it. If he stood there any longer, he’d end up swallowed by Yuder’s words. He shook his head furiously.
“H-how can you be so sure?! No one knows the future! H-how can you say something so awful, so casually...?”
“Really? Then you think what I said is just ridiculous? That there’s no chance of it happening?”
His lungs locked up like a windpipe clogged with air.
Kiole couldn’t say a word.
No chance? No—it was the opposite. There were too many chances.
‘But then...’
What the hell was he supposed to do with this filthy truth?
Was he supposed to pretend this sadness, rage, and shock didn’t exist and just look the other way?
‘There’s no way I could do that...’
Madam Bishu had gone on about how noble his blood was, but Kiole felt utterly filthy—like a dangerous, monstrous stain. A walking taboo. A shameful scandal. A threat to the Empire.
No matter how he looked at it, his future only ended in disgrace and death.
Kironne had already tried to kill him before knowing any of this. If he ever found out the truth, what would he do? Hug his little brother and sing him a lullaby? No—he’d try to kill him again, harder, to bury the family’s secret for good.
And the Emperor? He’d given Kiole multiple chances before—but how long would that generosity last? Once House Diarca had been punished, wouldn’t Kiole be next?
The “debt” the Duke of Peleta had spoken of earlier—was it just a parting sentiment for someone he knew would soon be gone? What if Kiole begged for his life, saying he didn’t care about swordsmanship anymore? Would he actually be spared?
Even thinking these things felt surreal. His head—unaccustomed to such tangled thoughts—ached and throbbed as if it would explode.
If he couldn’t disappear right now, he almost wished he’d never been born at all.
Kiole wept in despair.
“I—I never even cared about being a Duke... or the royal family or the damn throne...! I just... I just wanted to be a knight, that’s all!”
He wanted to curse the whole world, but the oath he’d sworn with Yuder stopped him. Even now, he couldn’t utter anything too cruel. The irony of that made his tears flow even more.
And then, a cold voice brushed his ear.
“Then do it.”
“...Hhk, wha...?”
The same devil who’d locked him into that oath said it again.
“Live as a knight.”
“You... You heard me just now! Who’s going to let me be a knight, knowing the truth about me?!”
“So what? If that’s what you want, then just do it.”
What was with this guy? Was he being serious?
Or did he just not understand how serious this situation was?
Still sniffling, half in disbelief, Kiole blinked as Yuder spoke again, indifferently.
“To be honest, I figured there was a chance you’d change your mind about becoming a knight after learning the truth. I was actually surprised you didn’t.”
“What?! Why the hell would I?!”
“You’re clearly the product of a taboo. But that also means you’re the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} perfect tool for the lunatics in House Diarca to worship and go wild over. Didn’t you see how Madam Bishu acted? If you wanted to, you could gather all their support and do whatever you pleased.”
And it wasn’t just her. There were bound to be many more like Madam Bishu within House Diarca.
Kiole had the noble bloodline as a descendant of Empress Dowager Inella, the sealed vault filled with secret knowledge, wealth, and resources from the Duke—and even, unintentionally, the trust of those around him.
Yuder counted each one on his fingers and gave a short, dry laugh.
“If you used all that, Kironne wouldn’t even be a threat anymore. If you actually dreamed of becoming Emperor, there’s no better trump card.”
“I don’t! I don’t want that kind of dream!”
“Yeah. I know now.”
Yuder nodded calmly—so calm, it startled even Kiole, who had just screamed in his face.
“You might’ve said you wanted to disappear, but you never once said you didn’t want to be a knight. That one thing... I believe you were truly sincere about.”
Believe you.
Such an unfamiliar phrase.
And yet, hearing just that—from Yuder Aile, of all people—felt like the entire world had finally acknowledged his heart.
“H-hah... but... what do I even do now...?”
“You said you want to be a knight, right? Then tell others you’re going to live as one. And then do it.”
Yuder said it like it was the simplest thing in the world.
“If you don’t move, then neither the Duke nor anyone else can act freely. Remember that.”
“...That’s all it takes? But I was going to do that anyway. What worries me more is the Emperor and the Duke of Peleta... no, the Cavalry Commander—I don’t think they’ll believe me anymore...”
Yuder let out a short, incredulous snort.
“Sounds like you’ve already forgotten what the Commander told you earlier.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?!”
“He said if you gave the same answer after hearing Madam Bishu’s story, he’d believe you.”
Yuder’s flat voice rang out like a declaration of truth.
“He said it. So just give your answer.”
“...”
That’s it? He’d believe me just for that?
No way. That went against everything Kiole had ever known.
But the way Yuder said it—it gleamed like a light in the dark.
And once again, Kiole began to cry.
