Turning

'The places Madam Bishu pointed out had all looked like normal parts of a noble estate’s garden, so it had been hard to guess their true meaning...'

At first, Yuder assumed that visiting the spots Madam Bishu had labeled “worth seeing” might be a way to find hints toward the secret vault, or perhaps they contained information that would help Kiole. But if, as the gardener said, those were simply the places Duke Diarca visited every time and in that very order—then the implications were slightly different.

Some secret places can’t be found just by holding a key; sometimes, it’s the path taken that holds more meaning. The place that had taught Yuder that truth was none other than the Forbidden Archive in the Imperial Library, not long ago.

'In other words, if passing through the pond, the annex with the statues, and the walking path in that specific sequence was the only way to reach the vault...'

Then Madam Bishu had, in the truest sense of being a “gatekeeper,” opened the gate completely and told Kiole the fastest possible route to his goal—without hiding or twisting a thing.

If that theory was correct, there had never been a need to search for anything in the pond or at the statues at all.

While Yuder was coming to this conclusion, the old servant was cautiously watching Kiole’s expression. But no matter how hard he stared, he couldn’t read the young man’s thoughts. The more he looked, the more Kiole resembled Duke Diarca—and the more that resemblance made his skin crawl.

'Come to think of it... I remember hearing once that Duke Diarca himself wasn’t originally the designated successor either...'

But one by one, his siblings—rival contenders for the title—had withdrawn, declaring they had no interest in inheriting the dukedom. Outwardly, it had seemed like a peaceful concession. But no one truly believed it came from sincerity. The truth of how Duke Diarca had made his competitors step back was unknown—shrouded in rumors, never confirmed. Now it simply lived on as a terrifying tale.

If the old servant hadn’t been part of the first wife’s faction, he might never have heard even these scraps—proof of how thoroughly that side of power had been hidden.

People said that crossing Duke Diarca was no different from pouring oil on yourself and jumping into a fire. Then what would it mean to cross someone like Kiole—who had just demonstrated that he not only resembled his father in appearance but also inherited his ability to mask his inner darkness and command those with talent like a true noble leader?

If such a man were to seek the title of duke... who could possibly stop him? And if Duke Diarca himself had chosen not his firstborn, but Kiole, to send to this place—then the Kiorne faction might have no hope left.

The power displayed by the people following Kiole alone was enough to prove that.

'Those men... they must be Duke Diarca’s secret trump cards. They were no doubt planted beside Kiole to protect him.'

It was terrifying. But at the same time, it felt like an opportunity. Even as his lips trembled with fear, the old servant’s greedy mind churned. Then he suddenly threw himself flat on the ground and shouted loudly.

“Your silence means what I just said was of some use, doesn’t it? I may have contacted the First Prince’s side once or twice—but that’s all! If you wish, I can offer much more information about this estate and its history. Just give the order, my lord!”

“...What?”

“Of course, I understand why you’d be suspicious. My rudeness earlier wasn’t of my own volition! I acted that way because I believed it necessary to assess the intentions of your visit—as per His Grace’s will! It was all out of loyalty!”

The old servant began rambling about how long he had served House Diarca. He didn’t forget to praise Kiole while doing so, emphasizing his own usefulness.

“Though today is the first time I’ve seen the young master in person, I now know the rumors weren’t wrong. His Grace must have known that the young master was the only one capable of inheriting his will—that’s why he sent you here! If His Grace has chosen you as heir, then this old man will gladly follow that path as well!”

Let’s throw my lot in with Kiole and use him to achieve my goals. The old servant made the decision to flip sides entirely in order to survive—and to feed his ambition.

“Use me, my lord! Let me infiltrate the First Prince’s faction, where they still trust me! Right now, no one would suspect a thing. I can give testimony about the ones who sent me here—and anything else you need. Please, seize what is rightfully yours! That’s all this old man wants! Madam Bishu could never do what I can! Only I can! Only I!”

As he began slamming his forehead against the floor hard enough to draw blood, Kiole panicked.

'Why is he doing this?!'

From the perspective of someone with zero desire to become duke, this sudden shift in attitude—and the crazy ranting—made [N O V E L I G H T] absolutely no sense. Kiole opened his mouth to tell him to stop, but saw Kishiar raise a hand, as if to stop him.

Kishiar gave a subtle, amused smile—as if he found the entire scene entertaining—and spoke in the tone of a loyal but emotionless subordinate.

“No personal motives, huh? You said just moments ago that you contacted the First Prince’s side out of ambition to reach the center of Diarca—did you forget already? Our lord doesn’t trust hollow words. Tell us what you really want. If you’re honest, he might consider it.”

“Huh?”

“I can hear your scheming thoughts from here. But even so, he’s willing to listen to why you’re doing all this. You might be of use depending on the situation.”

“......”

“A deal without deceit is more useful than empty loyalty.”

The servant flinched. Kiole clearly wasn’t fooled by shallow flattery. But that only made the old man more eager to seize this opportunity. After a moment of intense inner conflict, he finally spoke.

“I—I wish to reach the inner circle of House Diarca. More precisely... I want to erase my criminal record and restore the name of my fallen family. If I can do that... I’ll do anything!”

That was the servant’s true desire. He looked up at Kiole with eyes full of open greed, then bowed his head once more. Seeing Kiole still flustered, Yuder opened his mouth.

“Better than the nonsense you were spouting before. Lord Kiole is going to continue his walk now. You’ve said your piece—so get lost.”

“You... you’ll let me live? Thank you... thank you! While you’re here, I’ll keep watch and make sure no one else approaches! If you ever think I’m useful, please call on me anytime!”

The old servant fled quickly without even bothering to retrieve his belongings. As his presence vanished into the distance, Kishiar chuckled and tilted up the brim of his hat, revealing more of his face.

“First Langretsi la Diarca’s nursemaid... and now a servant who once belonged to the Duke’s first wife. This place is full of amusing characters.”

“Is... is that so?” Kiole asked, sweating.

“You say you’re not interested in the dukedom, but if you really intend to go up against Kiorne, that man might be a valuable card. So? After hearing all that, did your mind change?”

Kiole shuddered and shook his head.

“Change? I—I don’t understand any of this! I mean—how could they hide a wanted murderer’s identity and keep him as a servant... That’s just... That’s wrong!”

“It is.”

“Exactly! I—I’m a knight! I can’t be making deals with serious criminals! And didn’t you tell us earlier what crimes he committed?!”

Kishiar had explained earlier, in front of everyone, why the man had been wanted.

The servant, back when he was a mercenary, had gotten into a dispute over a contract payment with a comrade and killed him in a fit of rage. Then he killed the man’s young child who had come looking for him, to silence them. Later, when another comrade visited and witnessed the aftermath, he tried to persuade the servant to turn himself in—and was murdered for it. In total, the man had committed three brutal murders.

Before fleeing, the servant staged the scene to make it look like the second victim had killed the first and the child—unaware that the second man hadn’t fully died and had managed to leave behind a magical recording device before his last breath.

That was the reason he’d been wanted.

Even one accidental killing was horrifying enough, but what followed made the man seem monstrous. Killing the friend who urged him to surrender, then framing that man for the earlier deaths—it was so vile, it almost sounded fictional.

To think someone would even consider using such a person as an asset...

Maybe the Duke’s first wife could, but Kiole certainly couldn’t stomach it.

“I see. That’s the correct answer.”

“Huh?”

“I mean I agree. But you know—most people wouldn’t answer that way.”

Kiole blinked. He couldn’t tell if that was praise or not. Kishiar gave a single shrug and laughed quietly as he turned away.

“Well then, shall we begin our walk? Take the snuffbox out again. This time, I think it might actually be useful.”