Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Maximilian Manor on Kleinschmidt Street, an upscale neighborhood in the capital’s 3rd District.

[I’ll treasure it as a gift. Thank you~]

It was a reply from Yelena.

Swish. Swish. I stroked Leo on my lap and set down the parchment.

This was the extent of the opportunity I could offer Yelena right now.

Before my regression, I had only read about the Great Purge in books. Because of that, I could vaguely guess how it would unfold, but I had no way of knowing how the finer details would play out.

She would have to use this parchment to save herself.

“The Great Purge…”

The event that would dye the Eastern Alliance in blood. Within that thick storm of bloodshed, the Ebenholtz-Yumanov of Robrus would be destroyed.

The public’s assessment of Yelena’s father, Kirov Yumanov, was that of a man consumed by towering ambition. If the Premier was Ezenheim, then he could not possibly be left unchecked.

As such, the difference between the Yumanov and the Ebenholtz was the ‘head of the family’.

Sebestian was different from them. He had cast aside ambition. Instead, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to becoming the Emperor’s sword. He humbly obeyed the Emperor’s every word and made the Emperor’s every wish his own.

A retainer of peerless loyalty who achieved the greater cause, counted among the finest vassals in the Empire’s history.

“…”

A thought suddenly came to me.

Someone whom some revere with lifelong respect, and others curse for all eternity.

Yet regardless of which side one falls on, a being whose mere presence in one’s life exerts the greatest influence of all.

“…That is what one calls a ‘father’.”

I had never received love from Sebestian. Never received help, either. At some point, I had stopped hoping for such things altogether.

Crushed under the weight of endless evaluations and impossibly high standards, I had crumbled into a soft, wretched mess like rotten tofu.

But having endured all of that and returned to this world once more.

I had found Sebestian frustrating. I could not understand him.

The man who had abandoned the imperial court and politics, who simply obeyed even when the Emperor, entangled by treacherous ministers, waged senseless wars. He had even seemed pathetic to me.

But what if Sebestian had harbored uncontrollable greed and ambition like Kirov Yumanov?

Or if he had been the sort of schemer who could never relinquish his power and ego to the very end──

Would I, too, have been purged like Yelena was in the past?

In this way, Sebestian has always been a contradiction to me.

He was by no means a proper father. He had never held me warmly, never called my name with tenderness.

And yet, the power and authority that now allow me to pursue my grand ambitions at the heart of the Empire are rooted in the foundation of unblemished loyalty that Sebestian built through his own self-sacrifice.

I despise him, yet without his shadow, I can accomplish nothing.

That is precisely why I am Sebestian’s son.

* * *

…A biting wind swept through the heart of the Empire.

A blizzard so thick one could not see an inch ahead.

With Deputy Commander Anton’s hearing fast approaching, the atmosphere inside the Sentinel Knight Order was as precarious as walking on thin ice.

Every time they walked the corridors, rested in the break room, or headed out on a deploymen, everyone could feel the invisible line drawn taut between the knights.

The commoner-born knights supported Deputy Commander Anton, their sole beacon of hope, while the noble-born knights rallied around Chiron, the new power.

“Hannah.”

Even as Hannah was making coffee, one of the senior knights from Anton’s faction approached her. His name was Cliff, a ninth-year veteran. It seemed he was desperate enough to seek out every last knight’s support.

Just as he gripped Hannah’s shoulder and was about to say something,

“Let’s go, Hannah.”

Tiana appeared out of nowhere and stepped in front of the senior knight.

She shooed Cliff away with a wave of her hand, then whispered to Hannah.

“Try not to get dragged into this kind of mud fight if you can help it. A knight’s essentially a freelancer looking out for herself anyway.”

“…Yes.”

Tiana was now a proper second-year, and Hannah had just shed her 0th-year label.

In terms of years within the Order, the gap between them was barely a year, but the depth of their lived experience and the way they saw the world were starkly different.

“Hannah. Want to grab dinner tonight?”

“No, thank you. I’ve been really busy lately. Practically living in the cafeteria.

Besides, I need to save money. Lots of g⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌ear to buy. That sort of thing.”

“Yeah? That’s too bad. Catch you later, then.”

Hannah returned to her office.

[Knight Hannah Usar]

She had grown quite a lot compared to her year-zero days. The space was larger, and there was more furniture and equipment.

But more than anything, she liked the higher salaries the administrative and field officers were earning now. It meant she was someone who could take care of her people that much better.

Slurp.

Sipping her coffee, Hannah gazed quietly at the wall.

On her desk, the original Genealogy Certificates of her administrative and field officers were neatly arranged. Hers was among them. All were verified originals that had passed rigorous inspection by the Imperial Registry.

Hannah hailed from the deepest backwaters of the Empire, but precisely because of that, her bloodline was exceptionally pure.

In those barren, rotting backwater villages, there was simply no reason for Subspecies like the Ezenheim or other races to bother crawling in, drawn by the scent of money.

What a bunch of absurd bastards.

Lately, Hannah was beginning to understand the phrase: “parasites who only seek to suck the Empire dry of its sweetness and fruit.”

Living out in the countryside farming in peace would be one thing, but instead they came crawling relentlessly into the capital, hordes of swindlers looking to make a killing.

“…Ma’am. We’ve identified several more suspicious individuals this time.”

Just then, a field officer brought over several more photographs. Hannah pinned them to the cork board with thumbtacks.

“As you instructed, ma’am, we investigated their places of origin, and there is strong suspicion that they are Ezenheim.”

Hannah was not the type to hold grudges, but she always remembered those who had swindled people as poor as herself. Loan sharks who sucked the lifeblood of common folk, and crooked merchants and con artists who preyed exclusively on penniless students.

“Have the informants trace their movements. Physical evidence and testimony will turn up, without fail.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After the field officer withdrew, Hannah sat in her office chair and sank into thought for a moment.

Jacob.

It had all started with him.

A Subspecies who had worn the mask of a fellow trainee to frame her. It was years ago now, but Hannah still could not comprehend his malice.

‘What on earth did I ever do to you?’

…Crunch.

Clenching her teeth, Hannah stared at the photographs of those she had referred to the Knight Tribunal and had executed.

[Ezra, Age 57, Male]

That vile swindler who, back during the Empire Point days, had stolen the hard-earned coins of hundreds of poor commoner cadets under the pretext of sending letters to their hometowns, then fled.

[Autopsy Result : Subspecies, Mana-Mutated Heart confirmed]

The autopsy confirmed he was a Subspecies.

Tracing his roots led back to the Ezenheim.

[Lea, Age 33, Female]

A corrupt pharmacist who, in the slums on the capital’s outskirts, had repackaged cheap mana-based painkillers as cure-all miracle drugs, then forced patients suffering from the side effects to take out predatory loans using their organs as collateral.

[Autopsy Result : Subspecies, Mana-Mutated Heart confirmed]

Likewise, the autopsy confirmed she was a Subspecies.

Tracing her bloodline also led back to the Ezenheim.

“How interesting.”

Tap. Hannah set her coffee cup down. She glared at the photographs pinned to the board.

By remarkable coincidence, every single one of them had been Ezenheim, but there were still many more left.

Trash that needed to be caught and killed was strewn across the Empire.

‘──Knight Hannah Usar. If the result is right, do not be choosy about the means.’

Suddenly, words Maximilian had murmured to her at some point echoed faintly in her ears.

‘We are short on time, and you have your own power and authority.’

‘I have my own authority.’

Hannah seemed to be only now beginning to understand the meaning of that cadence.

* * *

Deputy Commander Anton’s Knight Commander confirmation hearing finally commenced. It began under a strict ‘closed-door’ policy.

Anton was summoned alone into the deepest seal⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌ed chamber of the imperial palace.

A grueling, drawn-out process, carried out privately for two weeks, then reopened publicly for three days, and finally closed again for a last private review before a final decision was handed down.

But I was able to receive updates on Anton’s situation through people inside the palace. I will not bother mentioning who.

…There is a certain curly-haired someone I know well. You know, ReuXXrn II.

Day one.

When Anton emerged from the sealed chamber at the end of the long first hearing, numerous Sentinel knights approached him. Knights who claimed to respect him asked many questions, but Anton kept his silence firmly.

Word had it that letters Anton had exchanged with scholars of the Eastern Alliance and friends in the Western Republic had all been leaked, and he had been attacked with every sentence torn apart one by one.

Anton had defended himself, but one of his friends had appeared as a witness and betrayed him.

‘Anyway, that’s roughly what happened~ That’s what people on the inside are saying~ Want to know what was in the letters? Should I tell you?’

So said the insider whose identity cannot be revealed.

Day two.

Kentz Bertem and senior officers of the Imperial Guard appeared as witnesses for the palace side, taking issue with Anton’s ideology. The distortions and sophistry that poured from their mouths carried through the thick iron doors.

‘Wow~ That Kentz guy was brutal. The Imperial Guard officers must’ve had it in for Anton too~ But that Kentz guy is a total fucking idiot. The more you watch him, the more of a dumbass he is. Oh, and if he ever asks for a reservation ticket to Lilac Vita, absolutely do not give it to him…’

That day, as Anton left the palace and headed back to his estate, I watched his weary retreating figure from afar. I was probably not the only one. Countless Sentinel knights must have been watching too.

Day three.

This time, witnesses from the Knight Order who were favorable to Anton took the stand. Among them was Jerome, the de facto representative of the commoner knights. They testified to Anton’s innocence, his chivalry, and his loyalty.

‘Some of the knights cried, they said. That hairy one, you know. I mean, crying, really? Honestly, it was kind of absurd~’

According to XeuterX II, word was that several had shed tears.

The fourth and fifth days were rest days.

I had assumed I would be called in the following week or so, but the palace itself extended an invitation to me on that very rest day.

“Knight Maximilian.”

The man who received me in the sealed chamber was the Emperor’s closest confidant. Chief of Staff Kurt Grossman.

“The hearing regarding Anton has the Knight Order in quite an uproar these days, so it must be weighing on you. I’m sorry to have dragged you out on a rest day. However, this matter was something His Majesty personally requested, so it could not be helped.”

“Think nothing of it. If it is His Majesty’s will, then anything.”

I gave a firm nod.

I was imitating Sebestian. Feigning that wholehearted loyalty reserved solely for the Emperor.

In truth, this was the expression Sebestian wore whenever he spoke of the Emperor.

“…However, this particular mission is rather dangerous.”

A chilling smile appeared at the corners of Grossman’s lips.

“And at the same time, it is an extremely difficult diplomatic task, politically speaking.”

Dangerous and difficult.

If those were his words, then it was surely true, yet Grossman’s face as he went out of his way to foist this upon me looked rather pleased.

“Yes, sir. Please give the order.”

I answered with an air of composure, but in truth, I was inwardly tense.

This was something that had not existed before my regression, or perhaps something I had simply been unaware of.

“The Hegemon of the Eastern Alli⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌ance, Robrus.”

Grossman suddenly broached the subject. He offered me a fine cigar as he did, but I politely declined.

“You don’t smoke? This is the finest remedy for burning away stress, you know.

If you ever need one, just say the word. I run my own cigar plantation.”

He lit it and drew in the smoke deeply.

“…Knight Maximilian. His Majesty wishes for the eastern threat lurking behind our Empire to be decisively diminished.”

Tap. Tap. With one finger, he tapped the map of the continent already laid out on the desk.

“Look at it geographically. The Eastern Alliance’s territory is endlessly vast and marshy, making short-term conquest virtually impossible. The Western Alliance nations, on the other hand, sit dangerously close to the Empire’s heartland. Now, if, hypothetically, the Empire were to go to war with the east first, the Empire would be dragged into an endless quagmire of attrition…”

And in the meantime, the Western Alliance would drive a blade straight into the Empire’s heart. Therefore, a two-front war had to be avoided, and the rear had to be stabilized first.

It was sound doctrine.

“Conveniently, a key figure of the east, Yumanov, has come to the Empire of her own accord, which naturally gives us pretext to make contact with that side.”

Exhaling cigar smoke, Grossman stared at me intently.

“Maximilian. Could you go directly to Robrus for us?”

“…Me, sir?”

“That’s right. Closely observe the volatile situation there, and if possible…”

He trailed off, his expression turning slyly suggestive. In that moment, I grasped the crux of this mission.

That was it.

“Non-aggression.”

At my words, Grossman broke into a deep smile, as if I had given the correct answer.

“You are perceptive indeed. However, given the east’s current attitude, even broaching such a topic will be exceedingly difficult.”

Outwardly, they were the ones who cursed and denounced the「Imperial Citizenship Law」like madmen.

Diplomacy and trade continued between the two sides, but a non-aggression pact was a matter that would be ‘thought’ too audacious to even mention in passing.

“All you need to do is firmly establish the opening for negotiations.”

I struggled to swallow the laughter welling up inside me.

‘A mission bordering on the impossible.’

That was what the old foxes of the palace and the Emperor must be thinking. And by the ‘current’ conventional wisdom, they were right. To anyone who could read the political landscape of the Empire and the continent, it appeared there was absolutely no reason for the east to enter into a non-aggression treaty with the Empire.

Perhaps this mission itself was a ploy by those Imperial Guard bastards to deal me a political blow.

“It is an extraordinarily difficult task. We are all well aware.”

But on the contrary, the Eastern Alliance’s Varmil Makstun would welcome this proposal.

Because of the Great Purge.

During that chaotic vacuum when the military would be shaken and generals’ heads would roll, a firm guarantee that the Empire would not stab him in the back wou⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌ld be equally desperate for him.

“Precisely because of that difficulty, there are not many to whom we can entrust it. Even I could think of no one but you.”

The Empire’s position was the same. Even if the east’s military were temporarily paralyzed by the Great Purge, recklessly poking that bear would be suicidal. Robrus had a massive population and vast territory.

Above all, the moment the Empire launched a preemptive strike against the East, it would produce the worst possible outcome, the western nations uniting against the threat of the Empire.

“…”

I closed my eyes. Drew a slow, deep breath.

An impossible mission, or so it appeared. In truth, a diplomatic task that was not so difficult at all.

But I must not let it show. I had to feign the very opposite.

“Your thoughts?”

Gros⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌sman asked.

I quietly opened my eyes. Teeth clenched, barely holding back a smile, I answered.

“If it is the path for His Majesty’s sake, I shall gladly shoulder that burden myself.”

“…As expected of you. Maximilian of House Ebenholtz.”

To Grossman, who was likewise feigning an expression of resolve, I added one final remark.

“Only, for the Empire…”