Turning

“As soon as the Young Master arrived here and began securing hidden secrets and firming his foundation, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the late Duke. He was just like that too. Yes, back when he was still the second son... before he ever became the Duke.”

Madam Bishu’s eyes slowly and stickily roamed across Kiole’s face. It was not a gaze that saw Kiole for who he was—it was the gaze of someone overlaying a ghost from the past. Specifically, the young Duke Diarca.

That feeling made his stomach churn again with disgust, but he couldn’t stop the torrent of information she was releasing.

“He, too, was once a young noble led by impatience, anxiously striving to obtain his title. He discovered this estate’s secrets and came here in pursuit of that. I imagine he meant to extract Her Highness Inella’s secrets and use them to win her cooperation. And in the end, he did. Though it wasn’t a one-sided agreement, ha ha.”

“...”

“My guess is, he didn’t initially realize the secret hidden here was a living person. He was visibly shocked when he met Lady Langretsi. Understandable, of course. Her identity was a thoroughly buried secret—meant to remain so forever!”

The corners of Madam Bishu’s mouth pulled high in twisted delight.

“Yes, the second son. So clever and cunning. After seeing the living secret with his own eyes, he went to Her Highness and proposed a new bargain—not to expose her, but to align with her. Because he, too, was a Diarca.”

“...”

“Lady Langretsi had no friends. She waited desperately for the second son’s visits. She cherished the stories he brought from the outside... and the gifts she received—gifts she never quite knew came from her true mother. I still don’t know what tricks he used to get those items from Her Highness. But knowing how meticulous he was, Her Highness must have trusted him.”

“...”

“If he hadn’t become the Duke, how could Her Highness have taken the incredible risk of sending Lady Langretsi to live among the Diarca? I warned her multiple times of the dangers. But she replied in her letter that ‘his proposed plan was interesting enough to sway her heart’ and gave her blessing for the marriage. I really...”

“...My father’s... plan?”

Kiole, who had been listening in a daze, suddenly moved his lips.

“What plan was that?”

“Ah. That I don’t know either. Her Highness told me many things, but the conversation she had with the Duke at that time was a critical family secret. She said it wasn’t hers to tell. If it had only involved her, maybe... but this concerned all of House Diarca.”

—But, Madam Bishu whispered.

“I can still make guesses. I witnessed everything, after all.”

“...”

“At that time, Her Highness was overcome with grief, knowing her son would soon be called to the gods. No comfort could ease that pain. But after Lady Langretsi’s marriage—and the birth of Young Master Kiole—she miraculously regained her strength. She came to think of you not just as another son... but even more precious than one. She realized you were worth cherishing above all. I believe the Duke was the one who convinced her of that.”

Through the black veil, her aged yet piercing eyes gleamed with hunger as they fixated on Kiole.

As though she were looking at the rarest, most exquisite prey in the world.

“The purest child of Diarca standing atop all that is filthy and corrupt in this world! Who better to embody that vision and meaning than the grandson of Her Highness Inella and son of Lady Langretsi—Young Master Kiole himself? Surely, that is why Her Highness gave you a name that included the same syllable ‘-le’ as her own son’s!”

The highest place in the world.

Even Kiole couldn’t pretend not to understand what she meant by that.

The imperial throne.

The position he had always believed belonged, without question, to Kachian la Orr.

“In truth... until yesterday, I feared I might be wrong. You became a knight, and hearing that a child with tainted blood had ascended to the title of Crown Prince under the Diarca name—it made me think maybe everything had collapsed. That perhaps after Her Highness and Lady Langretsi passed away, the Duke had changed his mind. That all the promises and plans had been overturned. I spent each day clinging to traces of the past, mourning quietly.”

Her voice trembled with sorrow. But then, with a sudden bright smile, she cried:

“But I was wrong. You truly are the most Diarca of them all. And the Duke knew that—he sent you here for a reason! Now everything will return to its rightful place. The unworthy imperial family! The filthy Crown Prince! That first prince who dares show no gratitude to Her Highness! Everyone else! All of them!”

“—Enough!”

Kiole could no longer endure it and burst out shouting.

“Stop talking! I can’t listen to any more!”

“Young Master?”

Madam Bishu blinked, surprised. Kiole regretted it immediately—but it was too late. The flood had already spilled over. As he stood there, panting and trying to gather his scrambled thoughts, Kishiar finally stepped forward.

“Madam. It seems the Young Master is not feeling well. We’ll take a short walk for some fresh air.”

Madam Bishu blinked slowly, then smiled like a doll.

“Ah... Yes. Lady Langretsi was like that sometimes as well. I understand. Take your time.”

Before he knew it, Kiole found himself back in the garden near the secret vault. No one spoke to him—but that didn’t make him feel better.

He silently stared at the tranquil, beautiful garden, then suddenly stormed into the pergola. The Duke of Diarca’s seal glowed, and the secret vault reappeared.

Kiole glared at the six pillars, then threw open every door. He turned toward Kishiar and shouted:

“Come in! Go ahead and look through everything inside!” frёewebηovel.cѳm

Nothing in here deserved anyone’s reverence. Nothing was so precious that it should remain a secret forever. That’s what he wanted to scream.

Kiole thought Kishiar would refuse. But the tall man simply stood still for a moment, then stepped forward and replied with a calm smile.

“If you’re giving permission, then I won’t hold back.”

“...”

And he did just that. He motioned for his aide, and together they stepped into the pergola and began examining the contents of the columns. Kiole had meant what he said, but still found himself stunned.

“You’re not going to check anything else yourself?”

It was Yuder Aile who asked, seeing Kiole just standing there like a fool.

“...No. I’m not.” freewebnovel.cσ๓

“Then why don’t you leave?”

He was being told to get out now, since he was just in the way. Everything about Yuder’s tone and manner was exactly the same as always—so much so that for a moment, Kiole felt as if none of this had ever happened.

“...Hah. Fine.”

Kiole slumped back into the same chair where he’d broken down sobbing earlier. The urge to cry and the inability to do so sat together in his chest like a cruel paradox. He had never felt like this in his life.

With his head down, face buried in his hands, he sat motionless until his neck started to ache. When he finally looked up again—he was surprised to find Yuder standing beside him.

“...What? You here to keep an eye on me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. I just wasn’t interested in the junk inside, so I stepped out.”

“Not interested? Don’t you understand how valuable that stuff is?! They say just one gem from column one could feed five generations!”

Why was he even saying this? He didn’t know himself. His words came out sharp and bitter, like a tantrum. He half-expected Yuder to hit him.

But strangely, Yuder just stared at him coldly—without lifting a hand.

“Why aren’t you hitting me? You’d usually smack me for saying stuff like this!”

“Oh yeah? You want to get hit?”

Yuder Aile asked in a flat, chilling tone. Kiole’s instincts screamed.

“...N-no.”

“Then why are you picking a fight?”

“...”

“If you want something—whether it’s to die or to be beaten—just say it straight.”

To die or to be beaten.

That merciless question struck something inside Kiole—something even he hadn’t realized.

Yes. He did want to die right now. Or rather, to be precise...

“...I want to disappear.”

The thought slipped out through his lips.

“Right now, I just... wish I could vanish.”

Yuder Aile didn’t scoff at his words. Instead, he looked at Kiole for a long moment with a gaze Kiole couldn’t understand—and then said something unexpected.

“You think things will get better if you do? ...I wouldn’t count on it.”