Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Yelena’s father, Kirov Yumanov, was a nationalist. He did not fanatically revere pure Aran blood the way the Empire did, but he placed the Sled race above all others, and he harbored no friendly feelings toward Ezenheim or the various Subspecies.

In truth, this was the general view not only of Kirov but of the East’s power-holders as a whole.

And so, from the Ezenheim Premier’s standpoint, they could not be left alive.

“Evidence they couldn’t deal with must have been discovered.”

I handed Yelena a Robrus soldier’s uniform. She changed in an instant.

“Physical proof that the General Secretary is an Ezenheim?”

“Yes. At the very least, clear evidence that he’s a Subspecies. That’s why they had to shut mouths in such a hurry.”

Of course, they would eventually have carried out the Great Purge anyway in order to install Ezenheim in positions of power, but the reason it became this urgent was surely that.

Yelena said as she adjusted her s⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌leeve.

“By the way, I heard the Empire also sees the Sled race as a Foreign Bloodline to be eradicated. Will I be safe?”

“Well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The concept of ‘Quasi-Bloodline’ applies to individuals as well.”

In fact, the provisos in the statute had been designed precisely that way.

“What a convenient law.”

“Yes. Law is not an end; it’s merely a means.”

In the middle of this exchange, the vehicle reached a checkpoint.

“Halt!”

Heavily armed Robrus soldiers came running. In the glare of searchlights, a dozen or so gun barrels were trained on us. I calmly rolled down the window.

“Identifi-“

“Lieutenant Colonel Leonid, State Interior Ministry.”

I handed over the ID at once. The officer in charge took it, and his eyes widened.

He moved his flashlight back and forth, checking for forgery, and then.

“Glory!” (

He snapped his hand up in a hurried salute.

“Carry on.”

I took the ID back.

“Ah, my apologies, Lieutenant Colonel. The capital is currently under the highest alert, so we need to check not only your ID but also your transit permit…”

“You radio it in and confirm that yourselves. Move aside. I’m escorting classified documents, and every second counts.”

“Uh, it’s just th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌at…”

The officer looked back and forth between Yelena beside me and myself. I didn’t give him time. I floored the accelerator.

“Lieutenant Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel! Agh, shit.”

Hey! Get on the radio right now!

Voices like that scattered behind us.

“…You’ve planted a field officer’s identity inside the Robrus military?”

Yelena asked, sounding impressed. I glanced at the receding checkpoint in the rearview mirror and answered flatly.

“No. It’s just a forged ID. It’ll probably take those guys ten or twenty minutes to radio command and realize it’s fake.”

Vrrrrroooom──!

I pressed the accelerator to the floor. Belching out a heavy engine roar, the military vehicle moved down the night road.

But the Robrus capital was vast. Another checkpoint would appear soon enough.

“Let’s ditch the car here.”

I parked in a corner of a deserted factory district. After getting out with Yelena, I threw the Mana Molotov I’d prepared in advance and burned the evidence.

Fwoosh!

As flames leapt up over the vehicle, I found a tiny cipher mark on the dirt ground not far off and lifted a steel plate.

A circular passage led downward.

Operation Name: It’s Darkes⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌t Under the Lamp.

The notion that we would ditch the vehicle and hole up in a safehouse right nearby would be difficult for even the Adversary to anticipate.

“Come down.”

“W⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌hat on earth is this…”

Yelena looked dazed, but she climbed down the stairs soon enough.

Thud.

Landing on the ground, I turned on a lamp. Yelena, who had followed behind, let out a dry laugh as she looked around the illuminated interior.

“…What exactly is this place?”

“The first safehouse.”

The underground space was surprisingly cozy. Food and water for survival, various first-aid supplies, and weapons had been stocked throughout.

“First, sit down and stretch your leg out this way.”

I fixed my gaze on her trembling calf. There had been considerable bleeding ever since we were in the car.

“…Ahem.”

Yelena sat in the chair and rolled up her pant leg. The area around the gunshot wound on her pale calf had flushed a dark purple.

A poisoned bullet.

“So it’s true that Robrus uses Lethal Poison Bullets. Not just rumor. I heard you even lace black tea with poison.”

“…Only when the target is important.”

“It’s probably Mana Poison. Hold still.”

Fortunately, I had the antidote on hand.

I disinfected the wound, injected Komasol, then dressed it with a Mana Bandage.

Yelena endured, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Done. Now, have something to eat.”

I held out a high-calorie combat ration to her.

As I’ve said time and again, the most important thing for knights and all other ‘wielders of Mana’ is food. Every act that consumes Mana carries a staggering caloric demand.

“…Thank you.”

Yelena offered that belated thanks. I gave a small smile.

“It’s a transaction. No need for gratitude.”

“…”

Watching my reaction, she ate.

Munch. Munch.

I also scooped up the combat ration with a spoon and put it in my mouth.

“Not bad.”

Yelena’s eyebrows rose.

“Yes.”

It was a combat ration prototype developed at Lorenzo Academy, and it was quite satisfactory even to my palate.

I should give them a bonus.

For a while we focused on eating without speaking.

—Burp.

Yelena suddenly belched. With her stamina spent, it seemed the tension was finally leaving her.

“You should get some sleep now.”

“…Is it really alright to take it this easy?”

“Yes. The night streets are empty anyway, so our movements would only stand out more. It’s easier to move during the day tomorrow when there’s foot traffic. And you couldn’t run on that leg even if you wanted to.”

She gazed blankly down at her bandaged leg.

“…”

Sweeping her hair back, she leaned against the safehouse wall.

“…It still feels like a dream.”

Self-mockery and laughter mingled in her dry voice.

“Having my house wiped out and hiding underground with a knight of an enemy nation… it’s deeply unreal.”

I too gave a faint smile.

“I always feel that way myself.”

Calling it dreamlike really did make sense to me.

I had surely died.

No, I had been on the brink of death.

But humanity had died before me, and I, miraculously, had regressed to the age of twenty.

I had seen that apocalyptic future.

“However…”

To stop the destruction, to achieve the great cause, I must endlessly swing a bloodstained blade.

I must seek endless hatred, stir endless wrath.

And so, at the very end of ends, I──

Will face judgment by the name of history.

“We’re alive.”

Whisssh…

The sounds of many vehicles echoing above seeped faintly through the ventilation shaft. A savage current of Mana combed across the bedrock of the area.

But this underground safehouse had a perfect Mana-shielding setup thanks to Lorenzo Academy’s technology.

Their detection magic would not pierce through this steel plate.

“The fact that we’re still breathing.”

I leaned back against the floor and closed my eyes.

“That’s what matters most.”

* * *

Day broke.

We walked the bustling streets of the Robrus’s capital once more.

Our clothes were shabby. Faces deliberately smudged with just the right amount of soot and grime. Blending into the current of commuters off to work, shopkeepers opening their shutters, and the crowds hurrying here and there was the most flawless disguise.

“This is the place.”

We arrived safely at the second safehouse I’d prepared in advance. From the outside it was nothing but an ordinary bakery, but beneath a pile of flour sacks, a hideout had been set up underground.

“There’s even a radio.”

Yelena raised an eyebrow and turned it on.

[ A sweeping hunt is currently underway for the Yumanov Family remnants and other forces of treason… ]

A dry voice mixed with static flowed out.

“Zerov must be running the show.”

Yelena murmured bitterly as she took off her coat. She rolled up her pant leg and changed the blood-soaked bandage herself.

[ Wanted posters have been distributed throughout Robrus, so the cooperation of the people is… ]

I switched the radio off.

Whoooo…

The hush of air settling over wooden planks.

Yelena lay down on the straw bed and quietly closed her eyes. Soon the sound of snoring came. She’d fallen asleep.

Well, she had walked twelve hours on a wrecked leg.

“…”

I leaned my back against the wall.

I closed my eyes briefly until daybreak.

──We moved this way for several more days.

By day we walked disguised as civilians; by night, we rested in silence at prepared safehouses.

There were of course checkpoint stops, but with the forged ID, transit permits, and on top of that, Yelena’s face.

“…Pass!”

The soldier gave the wanted poster and Yelena a quick, offhand comparison, then waved us through.

Yelena gave a faint smile and murmured.

“Remarkable. All I did was put in lenses and dentures.”

“That’s the most effective method.”

Lenses changed the eyes, dentures changed the shape of the jaw. On top of that, she’d even cut her hair like a man’s, so it would have been stranger for someone to recognize her.

“…By the way, if things happen to take a turn for the worse. Flee alone at that point. The one they’re chasing is only me.”

Yelena said this while glancing my way.

I nodded and replied.

“Yes. Don’t feel burdened. Naturally, I intend to do the same.”

“Oh. That’s a refreshi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌ng thing to hear.”

And with that, I set a foot forward.

Trudge. Trudge.

How many hours had we walked. We were taking the route toward Robrus’s northern border, so at some point the temperature turned sharply below freezing.

Whoooooo──

Before we knew it, we had been enveloped in a bone-cutting blizzard.

“All we have to do now is climb this.”

I pointed into the distance.

A snow-covered mountain in the high elevations north of the Robrus capital. A curtain-like ridge spreading across the whole field of view─ “Makete”.

Yelena gave a wry smile.

“…I never thought I’d be climbing this mountain again.”

“It is a rough course.”

“Rough is an understatement. It’s the mandatory climb at the military academy.”

“Sounds fun. Let’s go.”

We started up the foot of the mountain.

Crunch. Crunch.

We pressed forward along the slope that seemed to grab at the ankles.

“By the way, Robrus is like this even in spring.”

It was my sincere admiration.

Whoooooo──!

The pummeling blizzard somehow felt even more brutal than winter itself.

“Isn’t the Empire’s north similar?”

Yelena tilted her head.

“No. Even the north doesn’t get blizzards this bad in spring.”

“I see.”

As we walked, conversation faded away before we knew it.

Whoooosh──!

Because the wind slapping at our skin was blade-sharp.

“…”

“…”

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Without a word, only the sound of feet pressing down on snow rang out.

And we climbed the mountain, and climbed, and kept climbing, until.

“Oh.”

I spotted a signpost planted somewhere on the mountain.

“We’re at the midpoint.”

I had set up another safehouse nearby.

“A shelter should appear soon.”

“What a relief.”

“Is your leg alright?”

“It’s so tattered I’d like to cut it off.”

“Yes. I’ll cut it off for you. Follow me.”

As we exchanged that sort of trivial banter, while advancing through the snowfield, at one moment.

Whooooosh──!

Shriiiing.

Between the vicious sounds of the wind, a chill presence that was decidedly not of nature scraped across my skin.

I stopped walking.

─Thump.

The Virus inside my heart lurched.

“Enemies.”

I said to Yelena as I pulled the hood of my robe down low. However, the promised border-crossing point was still a long way off.

Thoughts like how in the world did they track us across such a vast stretch of land were foolish.

Ezenheim, an Otherworldly Species surpassing the five human senses, surely possessed special abilities I didn’t know of.

“Enemies?”

“Yes. Not far.”

The instant I answered.

Whisssh──!

From within the pure white blizzard, pitch-black shadows revealed themselves. To describe it, they looked as if they’d pried their way out by forcibly tearing space open.

“…”

Robrus’s most elite assassin unit, the Adversary.

Their number was exactly five, three of them were Ezenheim, and every one of them was formidable.

In raw strength, we were plainly outmatched.

Could I, as I stood now, overcome them?

Impossible.

Because it was not yet the ‘appointed time’. Thanks to Yelena’s leg injury slowing our pace behind schedule, my longsword was not yet in my possession either.

“Show your face.”

Their gazes fixed only on Yelena, not on me.

Whooooo…

The blizzard raged savagely. Within it, Yelena let out a sigh.

“Haa.”

Shoving me lightly aside, she stepped forward first. She pulled off her hood.

“Right. I’m Yelena Yumanov.”

The corners of the Adversaries’ mouths twisted slightly. A sneer. Their gazes flowed coldly and landed on me as well.

“This one is a woodcutter. He only guided me along the path for pocket change, without knowing who I was.”

At Yelena’s words, the Adversaries looked me up and down. They would sense no trace of Mana from me.

“Sorry about this. Let this cover your trouble.”

She pulled a few bills from her pocket and tossed them at my feet. As they started to fly away in the wind, I grabbed them with a fumbling “Uh, uh.”

A pretty decent performance, I’d say.

“…I’ll walk there on my own two feet.”

Yelena moved her leg toward them. She held out both hands in front of her, as if inviting them to cuff her.

“Taking me alive is more to your advantage too, isn’t it? There must be plenty you want to hear from me.”

The Adversaries said nothing. Too many words expose weaknesses.

They glanced at me, then locked the cuffs around Yelena’s wrists.

“Move.”

I quietly watched Yelena being dragged back down the path she had worked so hard to climb.

Crunch. Crunch.

I moved my legs.

Crunch. Crunch.

I carried my steps up the mountain.

It was because on the ground, I was at a disadvantage.

…On the ground.

There was no need to go all the way up into the sky.

When I raised my head, a cliff stood at the edge of where my sight could reach.

As much as I climbed the mountain this way, those bastards would also head down to lower ground.

Above all else…

I checked the time.

There was no need to borrow the aid of a clock. Through my internal clock, I could sense the current hour without a second’s error.

Before long, my greatest asset would be coming to me.

The time had arrived to borrow the strength of Schatz, whom I had nurtured on nothing but the best.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the garden of the Sentinel Knight Order, where warm spring sunlight was settling.

“…Everything’s in chaos for one reason or another.”

Tiana approached and cautiously sat down beside Jerome.

“…”

Jerome said nothing.

Recently, the commoner-born knights of Sentinel had been gripped by deep sorrow and powerlessness.

In truth, it was closer to guilt and self-reproach.

To them, Anton Zefren was far more than a mere Deputy Knight Commander. He was the anchor who had led them, who had willingly given them the chance to become knights, who had taught them honor.

He had, of course, left the Knight Order with the parting request that no one should be blamed, but the knights grieved over the fact that they had failed to protect such a man.

“Don’t put too much faith in the rumors from the Imperial Palac.”

Tiana spoke with forced brightness, trying to lighten the mood, but Jerome’s face only hardened instead.

“The news reaching us is hard to bear.”

What made them even angrier was the private-life exposé that had brought Anton down.

Maximilian… who had wielded the grief of a miscarriage as a weapon.

“He clearly must have disliked Anton.”

Anton had deliberately excluded Maximilian from various missions surveilling the Empire’s scholars and notable figures. Because Maximilian’s decisiveness in rashly judging ideologies had concerned him.

“Well…”

Tiana gave a bitter smile.

The culprit behind Anton’s fall from grace. If one were to ask what it was, every circumstance leaking out from within the Imperial Palace pointed to Maximilian.

Surprisingly, Chiron had not attended the closed hearing.

“Still, we’re knights, so let’s just believe what we can see.”

Jerome’s gaze stiffened.

“It’s because we tried to believe only what we could see that Deputy Commander Anton ended up like that. We… should have felt out what wasn’t visible first.”

Ding─

Just then, the alert tones from both their terminals chimed at the same time.

[ Emergency Situation: Large-scale Mana explosion in Central Empire’s 14th District and numerous civilian casualties. ]

Their eyes met. Tiana and Jerome rose from their seats at the same instant.