Chapter 534

A minor disturbance momentarily irked him, but the issue at hand was far more critical.

"Understood."

Yuder requested the Emperor to lie down, maintaining as composed a state of mind as possible. The Emperor, who had barely touched his teacup, got up without a word and headed towards the bed located not too far away. A brief wobble, like a sudden onset of dizziness, occurred as he started to undress, but thanks to the skillful assistance from his chief steward and Kishiar, no unfortunate fall took place.

"...Is it done now?"

"Yes."

The Emperor, who had laboriously lain down, only managed to ask the question in a lifeless tone after taking several deep breaths. Yuder approached the bed respectfully and examined the Emperor's whole body.

'He really looks frail up close.'

Emperor Keilusa, when confronting others or appearing before them, always managed to maintain a calm and dignified gaze from behind his glasses. One wouldn't have assumed he was suffering at all. However, lying down and fully exposed, he looked utterly drained and feeble.

Yuder found himself recalling the Kishiar from his past life.

Had that Kishiar also ever appeared this frail when out of the public eye?

He couldn't know for certain, but the thought made him feel somewhat suffocated.

"And now, what do you intend to do in this condition?"

Snapped out of his reverie by Emperor Keilusa's question, Yuder abandoned his musings.

"I intend to use the pure power of the Red Stone to examine your internal state."

Yuder briefly explained what he meant by 'examining the internal state.' The Emperor, possibly already informed by the Empress, simply nodded without further questions.

"You will likely feel no pain, only the sensation of being touched. However, should you experience any discomfort, please speak up immediately."

Yuder removed his gloves and lightly placed his hand on the upper abdomen of the Emperor. He felt the keen gaze of the Emperor and the chief attendant descending upon his hand. In contrast to their somewhat tense emotions facing the unprecedented event, only one person could not take his eyes off Yuder's face. Naturally, it was Kishiar.

As their eyes met, Yuder felt the unnecessary tension draining away from his hand instantly.

As if waiting for that moment, a faint breeze blew, causing the semi-transparent cloth hovering above the bed to quiver. It was a phenomenon he had experienced several times, associated with the activation of the Red Stone's power. The dark red veins on the back of Yuder's hand writhed and shone, followed by the manifestation of an ethereal force tinged red.

The moment was marked by a golden light beginning to flow from one of Yuder's pupils.

"My goodness..."

Even the seasoned chief attendant couldn't suppress his astonishment and murmured involuntarily. However, Yuder was so focused that he couldn't hear the chief attendant's mutterings.

'All those I've examined internally so far were Awakeners, and they were in no life-threatening condition. However, the Emperor is not an Awakener. His vessel is even unstable, so I must exercise utmost caution.'

Opening Kishiar had felt like pushing a heavy, solid iron door, but opening the Emperor felt like gingerly opening a rotten wooden door that could collapse at the slightest touch.

Yuder exerted more effort than ever to seize the origin of the troublesome currents flowing within the Emperor's body. However, capturing those frail streams with a force that already proved challenging to manage was no easy task—too much pressure could shatter them.

As he intensified his focus, sweat began to bead on his forehead. The erratic, dark-red blotches in the back of his hand swelled, growing large enough to be seen creeping up his arm and into the collar of his shirt.

Though the light and wind fluctuated irregularly, there was no visible change in Emperor Keilusa. The chief attendant finally broke the tense silence, "It seems to be taking quite some time... Is this typical?"

"It does seem to be the longest it's ever taken," Kishiar, who was observing the situation, replied. His voice was even, but his eyes were almost unblinkingly fixed on Yuder.

"So it's still not working?" Emperor Keilusa mumbled. His eyes were directed at Yuder Aile, who remained intently focused on harnessing the energy.

The Emperor was not terribly disappointed. He had given this final opportunity simply because a cursory examination was possible, but he had never truly harbored expectations of success.

Having had no expectations, there was nothing to be startled by. In fact, he was somewhat relieved not to have given anyone false hope.

After waiting a bit longer with no signs of change, the Emperor turned to Yuder, "If it hasn't worked by now, there seems to be no point in continuing."

"..."

"Shall we stop now?"

"..."

"Do you need more time? At this rate, even the Baron's face will be marred by those blotches. It might be better to stop before it becomes dangerous."

The Emperor himself felt nothing, so it didn't matter to him whether the attempt was abandoned. However, seeing what looked like real-time damage on a promising talent who could be the pillar of his country in the future was not good on multiple fronts—both for the future of the Orr Empire, after Keilusa La Orr's disappearance, and, although he didn't want to admit it, for his own brother.

Just as the Emperor was about to call off the endeavor, "Yes. I need more time. Please..." Yuder raised his head, speaking in a very suppressed voice.

"Just wait a little longer."

Yuder's eyes, glaring through gritted teeth, were alarmingly red and swollen. The moment he opened his mouth, the dark-red streaks reached up to his jaw and writhed, causing the Emperor to momentarily flinch. He was immediately surprised at his own reaction.

Nothing about this situation had been anticipated by the Emperor.

'Why?'

Why was he going to such lengths?

When Yuder Aile had initially said he wanted to help the Emperor, he had highly valued Yuder's steady and calm temperament but had not given much importance to the sincerity behind those words. That had remained true up until this very moment.

Though he appreciated Yuder's willingness to help, he could not fathom why it needed to be so desperate.

He had assumed that Yuder would step back readily after a reasonable effort. Given his stoic demeanor in front of the Emperor, he had been viewed as a very rational individual, and his limited emotional range had led to that judgment.

However, the look in Yuder's eyes felt both familiar and entirely different at the same time. It wasn't mere loyalty or a desire to impress that filled his gaze; something altogether different, a form of blind conviction, dwelled within his eyes.

Caught off guard, the Emperor found himself asking, "How strange. Why go to such lengths? I've said that I'm fine."

The light emanating from Yuder's hand intensified. Amidst the wind that tousled even the Emperor's hair, a slow, flat, and almost inaudible voice could be heard.

"There's only one reason."

"..."

"Because I know what will happen next if we stop and give up here."

Between the reddish streaks that flushed his cheeks, Yuder's eyes whispered like thunder, no, like an enigmatic prophecy.

"I know Your Majesty must move beyond today. I will make sure that happens."

Even as he found the words strange, the Emperor couldn't tear his gaze away. The overwhelming conviction in Yuder's words moved him—shaking for the first time his heart and determination, which had never wavered despite hearing countless expressions of concern.

And as if that small crack served as some kind of trigger, the light flowing from Yuder's hands suddenly amplified explosively.

"Ah..."

The Emperor felt something warm gently infiltrate his body. Just as he frowned at the unfamiliar sensation and looked away, his eyes met Kishiar's. Kishiar, who had been watching the whole scene with folded arms, bore a complex expression—part pleased, part enshrouded in incomprehensible questions. It was a face even the Emperor had never seen before.

"Finally!"

Sensing a crack in the armor of Emperor Keilusa, Yuder instinctively focused his energy anew. The task remained as difficult as before, but the presence or absence of a weakness made a world of difference. Relying on his recent experience of using his powers on Hosanna—who had lacked both will and consciousness—he managed to successfully break through.

'There will be no next chance if I fail here.'

Whether Emperor Keilusa himself felt that way or not, Yuder knew he was a person who could not die here.

As if responding to its master's will, the light flowing from Yuder's hands strengthened, and the wind blew harder. In this tremendous spectacle, as if conjured by ancient magic, the moment the Emperor licked his dry lips, the light that had infiltrated his body expanded sharply and burst out again.

Everyone was rendered speechless at the sight, which looked like a painting drawn with light.

"Success."

Finally seeing the internal state of Emperor Keilusa that lay before him, Yuder wiped the sweat trickling down his forehead.