A secret chamber in the Imperial Palace.
"...An irresponsible servant let the dogs off their leashes, and now they're running wild. That's what he said."
Kentz Bertem relayed Reutern's words while gripping his glass until it nearly cracked.
"That damn perm-headed, broccoli-looking bastard."
Chief of Staff Grossman leisurely curled the corners of his lips upward.
"Dogs, and a servant... So that man's mouth has finally loosened?"
He slowly swirled his dark red wine and raised an eyebrow.
"But when you think about it, it's not a bad analogy. We are all servants, after all. Only one person in this empire stands above us, and all the people are beneath our feet."
"...I know. But I can't just sit and watch that pathetic display. The fact that he's been deceiving all this ti..."
"Were you the only one deceived? I was deceived too. The entire Imperial Palace was deceived."
Reutern II had now beco a power in his own right. A significant number of royals had rallied around him as their center. With Julius, the leader of the opposing faction, having been expelled, there was no viable ans of keeping him in check.
Grossman added in a low voice.
"But royals are rely royals, and to achieve a grand ambition, one must also know how to endure. You ca to because you want sothing, did you not?"
Now was not the ti to act rashly. They still did not know exactly what sentints Reutern held toward the Imperial Guard as an organization, nor what calculations he was making.
But one thing was certain— he does not know our true intentions. The great cause the Imperial Guard has been steadily building, the "Bloody Night" ant to sever the necks of the palace royals. How foolish of him, indeed.
"...Yes. Understood."
Kentz clenched his jaw so hard his teeth might have shattered.
.......
The affluent district of the empire, Sonnet Law Office.
Sonnet Kandel, who held the titles of lawyer, clerk, mage, scholar, physician, and company representative, and had most recently acquired the title of professor as well, sipped her green tea and asked.
"How was the visitation?"
Across from her, Oswin still wore a look of unabated anger, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Those Imperial Guard bastards are going insane. Oliver is practically broken. There isn't a single spot on his body that's unhard."
Oswin swept back his hair.
"But thanks to you, I at least learned that Oliver is being held there, that he's alive, and that he's been subjected to unspeakable torture."
"That's a lot of facts."
"And Oliver is Aran. That's also a fact."
Oliver had been arrested for teaching magic to impoverished commoners. Those commoners had also been Aran. His charitable contribution of talent for the empire's future was what had ensnared him.
"You know Oliver too, don't you?"
"Yes. I do."
The reason Sonnet had asked Maximilian to arrange the visitation was, in truth, pure goodwill. It was not so deep calculation, hidden motive, or sche. It was a remarkably rare display of personal feeling from her. Oliver was one of the few people Sonnet could call a friend.
"So you'll be starting the trial?"
"I've filed the petition. His lineage records are impeccable, so we're certain to win."
"Alright. I'll be rooting for you."
Sonnet would observe the proceedings of that trial from a distance. Her emotions extended precisely that far. She would never step forward herself.
'Because that is the only way I can achieve what I want.'
* * *
These days, with the entire empire in turmoil over the Imperial Citizenship Law.
I stepped back for a mont and recalled a certain mory from before the Regression. A mory of a person and an event.
[ Imperial Herb Gatherer 'Kazen' Discovers Arcane Passage! ]
An article about the discovery of a passage where ancient relics had been buried. Back then, I had been all starry-eyed over it. What kind of artifacts would be excavated, could I win the bid and put them to good use, how much was in my account, that sort of thing.
I had been greedy, trying to compensate for my shortcomings with equipnt.
In any case, I had tracked down that herb gatherer, Kazen, at the ti.
"...Ah, y-yes, yes. I've been climbing mountains all my life, you see. A few days ago, while I was taking shelter from a storm, I, I discovered this strange passage."
The herb gatherer guided , trembling all the while.
"Hmm. It's the real thing."
It appeared to be part of the rock face, but a faint current of mana seeped through the crevice.
An ancient magical passage.
"Y-yes, yes. But no matter how hard I pushed or knocked, it wouldn't respond."
I ran my hand along the rough surface of the stone and said quietly.
"That would be because you cannot wield mana."
An ancient relic. Known as the Arcane. Wars had once been fought over these, but with the advancent of Mana Stone technology, their value had diminished considerably compared to the past.
"It is a passage connecting multiple entrances."
In other words, the entrances were scattered across the continent, but they all led to a single space. That was why it was a magical passage, connected through magic.
"See this pattern?"
Three of the four circles were lit with a blue glow.
"It ans three of the four entrances have already been discovered."
Mana had already been infused from the other three entrances. Before the Regression, this ruin had been seized by Zentra while the empire sat around debating who would enter and how.
I could not let that happen again in this life.
Even if I couldn't claim it myself, it absolutely must not fall into the hands of those anarchist, anti-imperial militants whose sole purpose was destruction.
"Y-yes, yes. Truly, there is nothing Sir Knight does not know. Thank you. Then I shall take my leave..."
Shuffle. Shuffle.
The herb gatherer backed away with a terrified expression.
"Where are you going?"
I stopped him.
"Huh? Oh, I, well..."
I studied his face, which had gone suddenly pale.
From his complexion to the bone structure of his features, he was clearly not of pure Aran blood.
"P-please forgive ! Spare !"
The herb gatherer imdiately prostrated himself, pressing his forehead to the ground. I was slightly taken aback.
"...For what?"
"M-my grandfather was of the Kensi people... We've lived our whole lives climbing these mountains, generation after generation... I never intended to hide my bloodline!"
I let out a dry laugh. It seed to be because of the Imperial Citizenship Law.
"It doesn't matter."
"...What?"
The herb gatherer quietly raised his head.
"Are you currently in public office? Is herb gathering a governnt position?"
"N-no. It isn't."
"Exactly."
I pulled a checkbook from my breast pocket.
"If anything, you reported the location of such a valuable ruin to an imperial knight. You deserve a reward, not punishnt."
I tore off a check and handed it to him.
"......"
The herb gatherer's face went blank. He blinked repeatedly, as if unable to tell whether he was dreaming or awake.
"Also, if you happen to co across any exceptionally high-quality Wild Ginseng while climbing the mountains, you must bring it to without fail."
Wild Ginseng is very different in nature from Elixirs. If Elixirs are water that gradually accumulates in the body, Wild Ginseng is fire that tempers mana through combustion.
That ans it would be quite helpful not only to the Virus inside , but to as well.
"Understood?"
"Y-yes, yes! I'll keep it in mind!"
A herb gatherer who traversed the empire's treacherous mountain ranges and discovered an ancient ruin. There was no downside to keeping him as one of my people.
"Off you go."
"Th-thank you! Thank you so much, Sir Knight!"
The herb gatherer left with a beaming face. Joy was evident in his retreating figure as he headed up the mountain path.
"......"
I stared at the sealed stone door of the ruin for a long while, then placed my hand upon it.
At that mont.
Thump─!
The Virus suddenly stirred, and then, with a clunk.
Rummmmmble─!
The crack in the rock wall split open and the stone door parted.
"...No."
It was the Virus acting on its own. I glared at the area near my collarbone.
I hadn't intended to go in right away, but this door was now open to everyone.
aning Zentra's people could enter from the other entrances. If I was late, I'd lose it.
"Hah..."
I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Thud.
The mont I took a single step forward, the interior opened into a vast expanse.
This itself is magic. Different locations across the continent connected into a single space. In other words, I am walking through magic itself... but.
It is dark.
Deep and damp.
The problem isn't beasts. The spectral energy raises goosebumps on my skin like a chill.
I am absolutely not scared.
"...The wind blows. With a sorrowful heart."
I found myself singing without realizing it.
Get a grip, Maximilian.
I should have brought Leo along... no, that isn't the point. I am never alone to begin with.
"Hey. This is your fault, you know."
Thump─.
The Virus answered. I smirked.
Lately, we communicate quite well. The Virus sees what I see, understands my words, and even responds.
"Don't pull any more stunts from now on. Rember this: if I die, you die too."
Thump!
It feels like it is protesting the unfairness.
Anyway.
I projected my mana outward. I expanded my Mana Sense and secured my periter.
Whoooosh.
As the Mana Sense spread outward, I compressed mana inward. I suppressed not only my footsteps and breathing but even cooled my body temperature, erasing every trace of my presence.
My mana turns into moonlight.
An elent of nature that can neither be grasped nor sensed.
I walked on for so ti.
Hissssss———
Faint presences were detectable in the distance.
Ethereal-type Magical Beasts. The ones actually called ghosts. Their forms were translucent, and because they could manipulate mana and launch attacks called "curses", they were quite a nuisance to deal with.
Ooooohhh——
A wave of mana resembling a wail.
I scoffed.
Ebenholtz is nobility.
True nobility. We win without fighting.
Without disturbing their group, I glided past them as smoothly as a shadow...
Stage one, clear.
Whooom— Whooom— Whooom—
Going a little deeper, this ti a circular corridor blocked the path ahead.
A thick steel pillar rose from the center, and Mana Stone blades rotated around its axis, scraping across every surface.
Whooom— Whooom— Whooom—
I glared at it, calculating the trajectory and timing of the spinning blades.
Whooom— Whooom— Whooom—
In the split second a gap opened, I drew the long sword from my back and hurled it into the space between the pillar and the floor.
Cliiing— Clunk!
The long sword jamd between the gears. The chanism stopped, and I walked through, then extended my hand into the air.
Whirrr.
The instant the long sword returned to my grip, the blades resud their deafening spin.
"...Hah."
I pressed onward.
Nothing to it.
Breathing easier, I reached a considerably deep chamber. It was a vast cavern.
To the eye, there was nothing inside, but in terms of sheer area, it was the size of several parade grounds combined...
─What the hell. There's nothing here.
A voice was captured by my Mana Sense from a distance.
I pressed my body behind a wall.
─Hmm, I thought sothing cool would pop right out, but nope.
Probing for presences, there was only a single person. My guess was a Zentra advance scout.
In a one-on-one fight, I could win. I had the Super Stimpack, after all.
Swish.
Just as I was about to take a step forward.
Thud.
Another set of footsteps arose.
─Oh, you're here? Look at this. There's nothing?
Swish.
I hid myself.
Another figure ca into my view.
Thud.
He was making footsteps, yet my Mana Sense detected not a single ripple of mana, not even the warmth of a living body. Just a man as dark as pitch. He wasn't Ezenheim, but I had never seen a figure so close to nothingness.
Thud.
─What do you think?
─...
He gazed silently at sowhere.
Not at .
Rather, the opposite direction.
─Hm? Who the hell are those guys?
Voices poured in from that direction.
Again, this place had a total of four entrances. That ant four different factions could enter through this relic.
─Who goes there! Identify yourselves!
This ti, it was a group of roughly ten. I examined their attire.
Dark crimson uniforms and chests covered with dals.
Iron warriors trained by the Eastern Alliance to counter knights. Adversaries.
Twelve of them, to be exact.
If they engaged in combat, I could exploit the chaos to seize the relics. I had the Stimpack and the Aura Sphere. I'd watch and gauge the situation, then charge in at the right mont...
At that instant.
The unknown man extended his hand toward the Adversaries.
——!
There was no incantation, no buildup of mana. With a single gesture, space itself warped and an invisible pressure detonated.
"AAAAARGH!"
"——!"
"GACK!"
A sudden maelstrom of mana. A violent, crazed upheaval. In an instant, the Adversaries caught in the blast were torn apart like sheets of paper.
Crunch. Splatter. CRACK!
Those were the sounds that followed. Blood and severed chunks of flesh that had struck the ceiling rained down like a downpour.
Twelve people. An entire unit, reduced to bloody pulp.
The ti it took for this massacre: re seconds.
─Whoa. As expected of the Major.
The title of Major.
A mory surfacing belatedly. The leader of Zentra from my past life.
An irregular who had been rated as equal to Sebestian of the empire and Jackal of the north.
─I'll handle the investigation for now. What are you gonna do, Major?
─Wait.
Swish.
I hid myself once more.
I beca a single stroke of shadow.
I sank beneath the earth.
The world is vast and the strong are many.
But it is not as if there are no options at all.
Because however many strong there are, there is only one at the apex.
Rather than let this ancient relic fall to Zentra, it would be better to...
* * *
The Emperor of the empire loves ancient relics. He believes himself to be chosen by the gods and is convinced he is the greatest figure on the continent.
Therefore, the Emperor's hands must hold objects befitting an Emperor, and those are ancient relics.
Commander-in-Chief Sebestian understands the Emperor's heart exceedingly well. As a longti close friend and the most loyal of subjects.
"Commander."
One day. Words delivered by the Adjutant who had co to the Commander-in-Chief's residence.
"Maximilian says he has prepared a gift."
At that, Sebestian's brow furrowed.
"A gift?"
"Yes."
"Get rid of it."
Sebestian could have anything, but he desired nothing. Such greed, such material want, was of no use whatsoever to a subject of the crown.
"However, it is not a material object."
Not a material object.
Sebestian regarded the Adjutant in silence. His gaze was as crushingly heavy as always, but the Adjutant continued calmly.
"He says he has discovered a passage to an Arcane, that is, an ancient relic."
The Adjutant then handed over a map.
"An Arcane?"
An Arcane...
Indeed, this ti it was sothing worthy of presenting to His Majesty.
"Yes. He also added that, since he has left the passage open, he strongly recomnds that you go in person to collect it as soon as possible..."
As soon as possible. Collect it in person. Strongly recomnds.
Sebestian was dumbfounded, but if it truly was an ancient relic, it was well worth the trouble.
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