Chapter 888

“You probably know better than anyone what that is, don’t you?”

Of course, there was something Yuder could guess. He was very familiar with Emperor Keillusa’s ability.

The Emperor could imbue an object with his power and observe or listen to whatever occurred around it. It was a perfect ability for gathering intelligence on distant enemies or watching over his beloved Empress without being physically present. However, the drawback was the short duration of use.

Since then, he had begun to develop his power further through training with Yuder—but abilities don’t usually leap forward in sudden bounds. As of the time Yuder had left the Capital, the maximum range the Emperor could reach had been around the vicinity of the Capital.

‘That’s what I thought... Has he really improved enough to reach the South from the Capital?’

Kishiar caught the look on Yuder’s face and, looking like a mischievous child whose prank had worked, pulled something from his clothes. Resting in his palm was a small gemstone brooch. The unpolished red gem, left in its raw state rather than cut to shine, still looked remarkably luxurious at a glance. It was the kind of accessory that wouldn’t draw suspicion even if someone of Kishiar’s status wore it regularly.

“Thanks to his excellent teacher, His Majesty’s ability has progressed rapidly. With the help of others, he’s been testing how far he can reach, and now even this distance is no problem.”

“So that means... he can observe and listen across the entire Empire now?”

“In broad terms, yes. But he says the farther the object is, the harder it is to ‘always’ observe or listen. So for something this far away, he only uses it once a day for a very short time, ensuring the energy he imbues in the object lingers as long as possible.”

In other words, Emperor Keillusa had become able to precisely gauge and utilize the amount of power he infused into an object—far more skillfully than before. Even Yuder, who had trained him intensely, hadn’t expected such fast progress.

“His Majesty has been using his communication with me not just to exchange important information, but also as part of his power training. That’s why he kept it a secret from you—he was a bit embarrassed.”

“So... when is that once-a-day contact window?”

“During His Majesty’s evening reading time. Since his days as a prince, it’s been his cherished routine to read alone after finishing all his duties.”

Emperor Keillusa, buried in state affairs, didn’t always keep regular hours for waking, sleeping, or meals. But the one routine he never skipped was his private reading time after dinner. Despite being someone for whom solitude was rare, he always ensured he had time to read—revealing just how much he loved books.

“That’s also why even the chief attendant is ordered to stay outside during that time. It’s perfect for practicing his ability without being watched. He says the power drains him so much when used over long distances that it takes quite a while to recover afterward.”

“I see.”

“From what I can tell looking outside, it should be about that time soon—assuming my senses are still sharp.”

Though his vessel hadn’t fully recovered and he had slept longer than usual, Kishiar’s extraordinary senses were clearly functioning just fine. After checking the ornate magical timepiece on the table, he smiled and gripped the brooch tightly.

“Do you have anything you want me to say to His Majesty?”

“...Let’s see. I’m glad to hear he’s been training diligently, and I’d like him not to overdo it. That’s about it.”

Training hard to make progress was commendable. But if one’s physical state dropped below half, it became difficult to handle sudden emergencies. If training sapped your strength so much that you couldn’t perform /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ in a real situation, it would be a regrettable waste.

Especially in Emperor Keillusa’s case—he was surrounded by enemies. Conserving his strength wasn’t just important—it was essential.

Kishiar nodded, clearly agreeing.

“Good point. Anything else? Both Their Majesties were terribly worried when they heard you’d been unconscious for two weeks. Her Majesty even mobilized every connection she had in the South to ensure this incident wouldn’t damage the reputation of the Western Hero.”

Yuder had suffered the most serious injury on the day of the hailstorm, and despite all his efforts, he had failed to stop Hosanra at the crucial moment and had let Naham slip away. The Empress, upon hearing that Duke Diarca’s faction had tried to use that against him, had reportedly been furious.

Yuder had known that the Emperor and Empress had worked together, both behind the scenes and openly, to protect the Cavalry from backlash—but he hadn’t realized his own reputation was also part of their concern.

‘My reputation? I don’t care if people insult me...’

But he knew now that saying such a thing was wrong.

So what he should say here was...

“...Then please tell them I’m fully recovered now, and they can stop worrying. Also... please thank them sincerely for their concern.”

He’d already heard so much concern from others all day, but to add the Emperor and Empress to that list gave him an even stranger feeling. Not in a bad way, of course.

It wasn’t like when he had helped with Emperor Keillusa’s Awakening—this time, he had been injured for unrelated reasons. And yet, they had still been genuinely upset and angry on his behalf. That alone made it feel... different.

“Alright. I’ll pass that on. I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear it.”

Kishiar’s eyes curved into a gentle smile.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

After gauging the outdoor light and checking the magical clock again, he grasped the brooch as if he’d done it a hundred times and began speaking.

“Beloved Majesty. Fortunately, I am awake at this hour today and can contact you directly. I hope you are well in the Capital. ...I don’t know if you’re watching, but I have my aide with me today. He woke up yesterday, boldly removed his bandages, and even handled some outside business before returning. He asked me to thank you both sincerely for your concern and to let you know he is now well and you need not worry anymore. Isn’t he so kind, broad-minded, and courteous? When I think about how envious Your Majesty must be for not having such a capable aide, this younger brother finds joy and meaning in life every day.”

“...”

It had started out so graceful and proper... but the more Kishiar spoke, the more off it began to sound.

Yuder looked at him with a slightly pained expression, but Kishiar shamelessly continued.

“But no matter how talented he is, I would prefer that Your Majesty refrain from any remarks suggesting it might be better to bring my aide to the palace. I do not deny that doing so might benefit both his and Your Majesty’s safety, but if that happens, I will wither away and die. If Your Majesty truly cherishes me as a younger brother, surely you wouldn’t say such a heartbreaking thing twice. My aide agrees with this sentiment, so please take it to heart.”

“...Wait a moment. Did His Majesty actually say such a thing? When...?”

It wasn’t surprising that there had been discussions about assigning someone from the Cavalry to protect the Imperial Palace before they left the Capital. But Yuder had never heard he was being considered for the role.

Even if they had offered, he wouldn’t have accepted. But this was the first he’d heard of it being brought up seriously. While he stood there stunned, Kishiar winked and gave a low chuckle before switching the topic.

“You said last time that empty greetings weren’t necessary, so I’ll keep it brief. ...For the faster recovery of my vessel, I require the medium stored in the palace.”

“...”

“My aide examined me and judged that trying this method would be worthwhile. I agree. However, transporting the medium here is dangerous, so proper discussion and preparation are needed. I’ll send a letter about it soon. Please make arrangements in the meantime. Until we meet again—stay well.”

Kishiar delivered this long, complex message with perfect clarity and not a single misstep in tone or pronunciation. Then he slipped the brooch back into his clothing and exhaled slowly.

“That should have been long enough. According to the last letter, His Majesty’s maximum listening duration is just a bit longer than that.”

“...Was what you said earlier really true?”

“It’s true. While you were unconscious, His Majesty grew so concerned that he suggested it might be better to assign you to the palace for everyone’s sake.”

“I have no intention of going.”

“I figured as much.”

Kishiar nodded, as if he’d expected that answer all along.

“I trusted that’s how you’d feel, so I said it. His Majesty probably only mentioned it out of concern. Don’t worry. There’s no force behind it—just care.”