Turning

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Chapter 691

After the door closed, Kishiar relaxed his posture and tilted his head back. Through his inverted hair, his red eyes playfully twinkled toward Yuder.

"You still look impressive upside down, my assistant. I noticed the First Princess of Herne seemed quite interested in you. Did you catch that?"

During the conversation, occasionally Myra glanced at Yuder, who was standing behind Kishiar. However, that was mostly out of caution towards an unknown person listening in on her personal matters. She might have guessed his identity by his proximity to Kishiar and his demeanor, but without a formal introduction, there was no reason to acknowledge it. That was the extent of her interest.

Knowing this, Kishiar's teasing words were just his habit. Listening to him, one might sometimes think everyone in the world had a significant interest in Yuder. As usual, Yuder pretended not to hear and moved on to the main topic.

"The proposal of the First Princess of Herne doesn’t seem bad, but what are your plans?"

Yuder’s nonchalance didn't bother the man who smirked and straightened up.

"It's not a bad proposal indeed. The Second Prince might come, but there's an equal chance he won't. If nothing major changes, I might accept the First Princess’s offer."

Kishiar then explained why he had asked for a day to think.

"I asked for time to think because it seemed you already knew the First Princess."

Silence.

"The biggest variable in our current situation is only the 'previous game'. Have you met Myra El Herne before?"

Quick-witted as always. Yuder moved to sit opposite him, intending to share his story.

"Yes, I have seen her before."

"Indeed. What role did she play then?"

"There was nothing noteworthy about her role, if that counts as noteworthy."

Yuder recounted his memories of Myra El Herne, or rather Myra La Orr, from his past life.

The Empress selection battle after Katchian became the Emperor, and Myra, the noble daughter of Herne who won that position. But her misfortune on the first night meant she never saw the light of day again, locked away in the palace. That was all there was to her previous life's story.

"Thereafter, I never saw her again. Remembering it feels strange."

Yuder knew only so much, but Kishiar deduced much more from those scant details.

"That means Myra in the previous game didn't become a successor. And despite years of humiliation, her family completely abandoned her, even though she was an extremely rare legitimate girl in Herne. This would have been unthinkable under normal circumstances."

"I had simply thought her family was extremely cautious... Is it that serious?"

At Yuder's question, Kishiar explained with a gentle smile.

"You might have heard, but Myra is the first legitimate daughter born in Herne in 35 years. Despite the southern tradition of passing wealth to the eldest, connections to the second, and titles to the youngest, her birth as a girl instantly made her the strongest successor candidate. This shows how highly she was valued as the First Princess of Herne."

The mention of this southern tradition brought back a faint memory.

'...Did I hear it from Gakane?'

Originally, First Princess Myra was not the eldest but the third child born. However, as a child, she inherited the title of First Princess after her elder siblings died. Many within the current Herne Duke's family consider the Second Prince, originally the fourth and youngest, a more traditional successor. However, there are not a few who highly value the First Princess's abilities and the rarity of her being a legitimate daughter. The First Princess herself seemed to have a great ambition for her title, making it a fight worth seeing.

"...I understand. It is indeed strange that the First Princess was not in a position to be unilaterally overwhelmed, yet ended up in a situation where no one sided with her."

Yuder, despite having enjoyed a position of envy in his past life, was inevitably ignorant of such information. Intimate, personal information among the high nobility is difficult to know unless one is born into that world. How could one know that the Herne Duke's First Princess was the first legitimate daughter born in decades, and due to this, she held a position that could even shake the traditional inheritance system?

Nobles tend to tightly conceal even the smallest of matters amongst themselves as great secrets. Only those within their accepted circle are deemed worthy of knowing these secrets.

Despite serving as the Commander of the Cavalry for over ten years, Yuder realized anew that he was outside their circle. He didn't feel bad about it, as he too had pushed others outside his own circle.

"So... Do you remember who the Herne Duke was in the previous game?"

At Kishiar's question, Yuder dredged up a faint memory. As he recalled, after Emperor Katchian's imperial power increased, the dukes couldn't strut around, and Herne was especially reclusive.

‘No... Even when Emperor Katchian's imperial power was weak, Duke Herne didn't show his face much. It's the same now.’

The Duke of Herne, who always stayed in the south for health reasons and rarely appeared in the capital, died of illness after the southern earthquake. There was no direct successor to inherit the title immediately, leading to a period of discontent.

Eventually, a young cousin inherited the title, with most affairs being handled by his parents. They, not having been prominent among the nobility before, were mocked as having reduced Herne to a rural backwater. Whether they knew it or not, the new Duke and his family showed their faces in the capital only once before returning south, never to come back.

What was his name again? Yuder struggled to recall, as they were not well-connected.

‘It sounds familiar, but…’

Hearing Yuder's explanation, Kishiar's eyes deepened.

"That means, the current Second Prince also passed away early, failing to inherit the ducal title."

"Yes."

"It's not unusual in Herne for people to have short lives. Even the current Duke wasn't originally in line to succeed, but ended up in that position after all his brothers died early. But... if Myra El Herne had not become the Empress and stayed in Herne, it could have been avoided."

"Then..."

"It's plausible to suspect that Myra lost all her support and became the Empress due to some machinations within Herne. The current Duke of Herne has been criticized for not appearing in public for years, likened to a fox digging its burrow. Along with this, we should investigate those who might have been contenders for the succession of the ducal title."

"And if possible, it would be best to help Myra El Herne keep her name as she wishes." Kishiar expressed this sentiment succinctly with a single phrase.

"To prevent the same outcome from repeating."

This held the same meaning as what Yuder had said while playing a strategy game with him.

Despite it being his own words, Yuder felt a renewed pang in his heart as they came from Kishiar's lips.

The fact that Kishiar La Orr was aligned with his purpose lifted Yuder's spirits.

"Yes."

Yuder nodded deeply in agreement, prompting Kishiar to smile a bit more broadly than before.

Before Kishiar could speak, Yuder took the initiative.

"Then you'll be busier in the future. We should do what you planned to do during today's rest."

"Hmm..."

"Lie down."

The brief respite that Kishiar and he had found amidst their busy schedule was, in fact, to check on Kishiar's health.

Although Kishiar insisted he was fine, it was true that he had used tremendous power overnight, to the point of turning pale from exhaustion. Yuder had insisted on examining his body as soon as they returned.

Chapter 689

"Commander, a guest has arrived."

'A guest? Who could it be?'

This was right after the literal destruction of the betting arena. Those who would visit had already frequented the soutHerne branch of the Cavalry, marking their presence.

Among them were prominent figures: the head of Charloin's security, the haughty servant sent by the Lord of Charloin, those who protested for the release of gamblers caught on-site. Especially noisy were the representatives from the families of these VIPs. Countless others had knocked, seeking an audience with Commander Kishiar La Orr, who had suddenly appeared.

However, most were turned away under the pretext that the Commander was 'exhausted after a big task'. It was frustrating, but what could be done? They couldn't afford to offend him, especially when their weaknesses were now in his grasp.

This tactic had been effectively used by Kishiar previously at the illegal auction in Tainu in the West, quieting the protesting nobles. It seemed even more effective now.

'I guess they saw what happened to Baron Willhem of Tainu. One wrong move and they could end up utterly destroyed, just like him.'

Baron Willhem, once the lord of Tainu, had faced utter ruin. Despite his long service to the Duke of Tainu, he was abandoned in his most desperate hour.

Yuder knew that Willhem had been stripped of his title, noble rights, and his properties confiscated. He faced 15 years of imprisonment, 30 years of forced labor, and a fine of three million gold coins.

With no other way to reduce his sentence, Willhem turned to implicate others, including his brother, family, surrounding nobles, and the Duke of Tain.

Such actions were disgraceful for most nobles, but Willhem was cunningly persuaded by the first and second children of Tain, Pruelle and Priscilla.

'They'll promise a lighter sentence and his family's safety in exchange for a definitive end to their father. Not a bad strategy. Beneficial for both Tain and the Emperor, as well as us.'

Despite his vile life, Willhem hoped for his daughters' safety. Hence, their trial was still ongoing.

Initially, the entire nation was abuzz with a noble Duke, one of the four ducal families, being on trial before a judge. However, as the situation evolved, it was perceived as an internal power struggle within the Tain family.

If the Emperor and the Cavalry were seen attacking the Tain family, the nobility would resist. But if it seemed like an internal dispute gone awry, the story changed.

The longer the trial dragged on, the more the public would lose interest. This would give Priscilla, the heir, time to solidify her support. When the time was right, the Duke of Tain would face severe punishment without anyone to defend him.

This was the outcome of a political agreement between Pruelle, Priscilla, Emperor Keilusa, and Commander Kishiar. The trial might take months or years, but the wait was worth ensuring their victory.

‘But ordinary nobles would not know so much.’

In the minds of the nobles of Charloin, only Baron Willhem, who had met his downfall at the hands of the Cavalry, would have left a lasting impression.

‘So, the more they have to hide, the more likely they are to turn back when they hear from Kishiar that he’s tired... The fact that they sent a notification of a guest's arrival means the other side didn't care about it.’

"Even though I sent word that I was too tired to see anyone, they still wish to see me?"

The Kishiar by Yuder's side asked with a look that shared the same thought. A response came from beyond the door, breaking the brief silence.

"Yes. They insist on seeing you right now."

"What is their name?"

"They said they couldn't tell us. Only that you would know them if I mentioned the 'Owner of the Dawn'."

Kishiar's eyes sparkled briefly upon hearing these somewhat cryptic words.

"It must be someone from the House of Herne."

"The House of Herne, you say? Why... Ah."

Just as the question was about to be asked, the answer dawned.

‘The House of Herne is the family of Her Majesty the Empress. The Empress Palace is known as the Dawn Palace... So that's why they used that term.’

"Let them in."

"Understood."

Kishiar straightened up from leaning on Yuder's shoulder, while Yuder himself stood up and moved a step back to his rightful place behind the man. Kishiar clicked his tongue in apparent disappointment.

"I thought I might get a little rest, but it seems there's no time for that."

"Could it be someone from the Herne family... Did the Lord of Charloin summon them?"

"Although the Lord here is of the Herne family's collateral line, I doubt that's the case."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they mentioned the 'Owner of the Dawn'."

As Kishiar spoke, the door opened and a person entered. Removing their luxurious traveler's robe, platinum blonde hair, nearly identical to the Empress's, cascaded down.

At first glance, the lady appeared nobly raised. Her strong features could intimidate the viewer, yet the freckles around her eyes and lips softened the harshness. The riding outfit she wore under her robe suited her perfectly.

Yuder recognized her immediately upon her arrival.

'Myra El Herne.'

Yuder had seen her in his previous life. She was the candidate for Empress from the Herne family, proposed to Emperor Katchian.

Emperor Katchian, an adopted son, had ascended to the throne unusually quickly after only a few years as the Crown Prince, becoming Emperor without having had an Empress to be. Of course, there were whispers during his time as Crown Prince, but Emperor Keilusa's early demise reset everything to a blank slate.

The four great ducal houses fiercely contested who would sit beside the Emperor. The Diarca family naturally proposed someone from their line, while the other three houses openly criticized Diarca's excessive greed and nominated their own candidates.

Among them, the Herne family boldly proposed a direct descendant, with clear logic.

'The previous Empress was not truly our making. Herne suffered greatly due to her extravagance and various incidents, and we have struggled to cope ever since, so it is only right to give us another chance.'

Despite various events, it seemed Diarca eventually stepped back, allowing Myra El Herne to become the Empress. Naturally, her marriage to the Emperor was anything but smooth.

For reasons unknown, Emperor Katchian had suffered wounds on the night of his wedding in the Empress's Palace, similar to those of claw marks. Hushed rumors circulated the palace, suggesting a physical altercation between the two.

Thereafter, he never visited the Empress's Palace again. Whenever advised to produce an heir, he would erupt in anger, accusing the adviser of harboring treasonous intentions due to his youth.

The House of Herne was displeased, but the House of Diarca and other families were quite satisfied. This situation allowed them to propose their own candidates for the position of concubine or legal wife.

After Emperor Katchian began to cunningly assassinate or manipulate the power holders of other families, including the House of Diarca, Empress Myra's situation worsened. Since she was out of favor with the Emperor and virtually exiled, no one dared to visit her.

The Empress's Palace was always famously quiet, as if empty.

No one knew how she lived there.

Yuder, too, had almost never seen her until his death.

'I never expected to see her here again.'

To be honest, until just moments ago, he had nearly forgotten her name. But upon seeing her face, the memories of her from the wedding resurfaced vividly.

Kishiar, noticing Yuder's subtly furrowed brow and blinking, glanced at him discreetly yet keenly before turning his head with a smile.

"Well, this is a surprise, such an illustrious guest has graced us with their presence."

"You must have known I would come, yet you jest so well."

Myra El Herne retorted coldly.

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