Sonnet Kandel. She was fitting together the scattered fragments of a case spread across her desk. They were records concerning the Genen incident. Due to the strict control and blockade, there wasn't much material worth preserving as historical records. However, the photographs that reporter Alphonse risked his life to smuggle out of Genen. The words delivered by internal informants within Genen. Testimonies from citizens on the streets and written statements from university students. Gathering those fragments together, Sonnet painted a picture of Genen’s scenery. “.......” She closed her eyes. As a historian who loves records, she imagined the human being called Maximilian within the Genen incident. With her eyes quietly closed, she traced his figure, his words and actions, and his principles...... Knock knock─ A knocking sound broke her concentration. Sonnet turned around, pressing firmly at the edge of her brows. "Come in." This was the law office she had opened, called ‘Sol’. Creeeak. As the door opened, a man entered. A middle-aged man holding a crude-looking gift box carefully in his arms, wearing a suit that was faded but neatly pressed. "Uh...... Hello." He seemed intimidated by the office’s refined interior and hesitated near the doorway. Sonnet gestured lightly with her hand. “Come in. Please.” “Th, um...... I was introduced by Attorney Setian.......” “Yes. That’s right.” The man’s name was Ben Roth. Adeline’s father. Sonnet bowed politely to him. “I will become your attorney.” She had partially disrupted Maximilian’s plan. She had gone directly to the lawyer Maximilian had recommended and asked for the case to be transferred. “Don’t worry. This trial will have a completely different outcome from last time.” She would devote herself wholeheartedly to ensuring a proper verdict in the Adeline case. Of course, in that process she might obtain some information about Maximilian, but Sonnet’s intentions had not gone beyond that yet. *** ......Genen was damaged in many ways. Roads, infrastructure, shops, corporations, several weeks of blockade had completely frozen the economy of the autonomous region. Genen’s own losses were that severe. “Reconstruction is proceeding smoothly.” However, that reconstruction was handled by my companies. Various civil engineering, construction, and materials firms that I had acquired in advance were deployed simultaneously, and the taxes that corrupt officials of the Governor-General's Office had been embezzling were used transparently. “Budget execution is within the margin of error, and there are no leaks.” The new appointments to the Governor-General's Office had no need to commit embezzlement, and my companies also left only minimal profits. Not a single coin of the Genen people’s taxes was wasted; all of it was invested wholly back into Genen. “The destruction of Genen’s city center by the armored tanks actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.” Genen’s old downtown had been notorious for its inefficient structure. Transportation was especially inconvenient, causing severe fatigue among the floating population, but the armored tanks trampled everything. They forcibly widened the area by knocking down decrepit buildings and walls. “The demolition costs and time required for urban district reorganization were drastically reduced.” Thanks to that, Genen’s city center would definitely change. As a military base that could accommodate hundreds of tanks, and simultaneously as a core artery of logistics connecting the Empire and the eastern front. “......Hah.” In the study of the mansion, I flipped through the report and let out a hollow laugh. “Those people at the Governor-General's Office did all this and still received imperial financial support?” I also came to realize just how much tax money the Governor-General's Office had been abusing all this time. “Yes. It seems it will continue to proceed smoothly. Since our companies can handle most of it, there is no need for additional costs such as lobbying.” “Hmm. But-.” I pushed the stack of documents aside and tilted my head. “......Why do I have so much money, Dieter?” The numbers in my personal account aren't decreasing. No, they're actually increasing. I understand the Mana Stones. The Mana Stone mines in the Lomilton region were certainly deep. With the ‘Kitten’ invented by Armand, mining efficiency had also increased greatly. But the amount of money spent must have been enormous as well. “The profit structure has improved significantly. In particular, the aggressive acquisition of raw material mines and forests was extremely helpful.” From metal minerals such as steel and copper, to special timber, rubber, and chemical raw materials. The order to 'roughly acquire everything related to raw materials' was something Dieter concretized and acquired. In other words, until the war breaks out, I am effectively earning money with infinite momentum. “Hmm...... good. You did well.” “Yes.” Dieter is definitely an irreplaceable resource. That is why I have assigned not only highest-grade defensive artifacts, but also multiple layers of guards to him. “There is also something else I must report.” Dieter said as he adjusted his glasses. “An investigation has begun into the bearer bonds.” “Faster than expected?” “It seems they are feeling impatient as well.” The department head of an organization directly under the Imperial Palace, Lutz Rozen. He has begun tracking my flow of funds. “As expected, they suspect the creation of slush funds or embezzlement.” The accusation is that I siphoned off funds from the munitions factory, a national policy project of the Empire. If true, even Ebenholtz would be in danger. Embezzlement itself could be overlooked, but the 'words I've spoken' would return as blades. “Yeah. Good work.” However, this is not embezzlement or anything of the sort. I injected my personal assets into Aternum in the form of temporary funds, then, through lawful procedures, remitted them under the pretext of overseas investment. In other words, the money merely ‘passed through’ a corporation. From the outside, the flow of funds looks extremely complex, but from the inside, where the starting point is known, it can be proven very simply. I simply put in my money and then took it back out. The only thing is that the final destination being bearer bonds that Reutern II would come to own makes it look exactly like an elaborate slush fund laundering scheme. "Then, take a break." “Yes.” There was no need for me to take any countermeasures. The moment Lutz becomes convinced of this charge and pounces, he will face not me but Reutern II. From then on, Reutern will take care of things himself. “......Leo?” After Dieter left, I called out to Leo, who was yawning at the doorway. “Woof!” Leo came running over, wagging his tail. The pup, who had grown quite a bit before I knew it, seemed to have already digested many elixirs. His muscles were hard like armor, and his fur gleamed with luster. “You’ve grown well. But yawning doesn’t suit your dignity. Yawn inwardly.” “Woof!” He really understands what I say. If he could talk too, that would be incredible. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎 I gently stroked his mane. “......When it’s just the two of us, it’s fine.” “Woof!” I plan to give him one more bottle of elixir before his growth is complete. A ten-million-dollar puppy, become the strongest dog on the earth, Leo. “Let’s eat.” I held out a special meal prepared by the chef. A menu that balances both taste and health, made by combining top-grade beef and mana herbs. I hired a dedicated chef exclusively for Leo. ──Chomp chomp. Leo eat his meal. ──Chomp chomp. As I quietly watched him eat without getting a single speck of dust on his fur, as if maintaining his dignity, suddenly...... * “......Hmm.” Inside the car on the way to work at the Knight Order. I studied Yukia’s face carefully through the rearview mirror. For some reason, she resembled Leo. No, perhaps Leo resembled her. The Yaken race really does seem to resemble beasts. I fiddled with the necklace on my neck. The Yaken race’s wooden necklace. It’s annoying, but I’m wearing it for now. Not too ostentatiously. Someday, it will surely come in handy. “We’ve arrived.” I got out of the car and walked through the corridors of the Knight Order. The way the knights looked at me was different from before. There was a bit more wariness, and their faces were a bit more tense. Genen was certainly a major incident. “Max!” Leon, a fellow cadet, came waving his hand as he approached from the other end of the corridor. Unlike the other knights, he was the same as ever. A smile briefly spread to my lips as well. Leon is a lunatic. An unchanging truth since time immemorial, guys who look that frail and smile that easily tend to have terrifyingly strong spirit. “You came at the perfect time. Want to come check out our flight research club?” “......Flight research club?” “Yeah. We just made it. It’s a group that studies aerial maneuvers.” Tiana, who had followed behind, chimed in while tucking her helmet under her arm. “Mana Wing. We’ve gotten pretty good at it now. So we decided to hold a competition too. We’ll give scores for artistic merit, practical performance, things like that.” Tiana’s eyebrows twitched as she looked at me. “Ah, right. Do you want to be a judge? I think everyone would acknowledge you.” It seems they're trying to acknowledge the authority of being the ‘first’. "Ah, really? Then......." I don’t really have time to spectate or judge. “I’ll put this up as the prize.” Premium Mana Stone purchase reservation ticket. A ticket that even the nobles of the Imperial Palace come with money in hand, begging to please sell to them. And there were two of them. “.......” “.......” Both of their faces froze. I placed the tickets into their hands as they blinked blankly. “.......” “.......” The two stared at the tickets that had suddenly appeared, blinking rapidly. “I’m going.” I went into my office. “......I’m tired. So tired.” There was too much going on these days. Haa. Letting out a shallow sigh, I leaned against the window. ──Rustle, rustle. Snow fell from the sky. The morning still held the bluish light of dawn. The season when the world is covered in white. By the time this snow melts, I’ll probably be making even more money. And then the next winter, and the winter after that, and the winter after that...... Just how many winters will I be able to face. And how far can I go. How long can we survive. “.......” I was briefly immersed in sentiment, but soon sat in my office chair. I picked up a rather thick file. [Case File: Cross Killer] Various genres of madmen exist in this world. There are lunatics obsessed with warped religions, monsters that went berserk after their brains were fried by uncontrollable Mana, and armed organizations like ‘Zentra’ that form groups to terrorize the Empire. But this crazy bastard...... is particularly unique. Bzzz. At that moment, the terminal vibrated. It was inspector Josef. ─Knight sir. Another murder has occurred. It’s that Cross Killer again. “Location?” ─It's a furniture workshop in District 23. The scene is currently being preserved. “Understood. I'll be right there.” I stood up. I grabbed my coat and put it on as I went outside. ....... I arrived at District 23 through the falling snow. A cordon had been set up in front of a fairly antique workshop, just off the main road. “Loyalty. You’ve arrived.” Inspector Josef greeted me. “It’s here. We haven’t touched the scene.” “Alright. Let’s take a look.” I went inside with my secretary, Yukia. “.......” The interior was drenched in blood. The walls, the floor, even the ceiling. Bloodstains splattered in every direction, distorted like some abstract painting. The victim was laid out on a table in the workshop. The rib cage had been pried open left and right, and the abdomen split vertically. A cross-shaped incision. Through the gaps, the internal organs spilled out. I asked my secretary. “Yukia. Do you smell anything? That familiar fishy smell.” “......Not a fishy smell. I smell Mana.” That casual speech. I wanted to point it out, but I held back. She was doing it on purpose. If I got angry, I lose. “Yeah.” I quietly stared at the cross carved into the corpse. There was no need to search for mana residue. Deep within the wound, in the place where the heart should have been, a dark crimson mass of Mana had congealed. It was a high-density Magic Circle. ───Tick. My soul pulsed. Time slowed down. Thoughts lengthened. ──Tick. Information that I had taken charge of this case had leaked. Whether it was the Ezenheim race or the Revolutionary forces, they had discovered this crime scene first and, using the corpse as a medium, had planted some kind of ‘magic bomb’. ─Tick. I could see Mana rising from the corpse. Sparks flared as the magic activated. I tilted my gaze slightly. Yukia. Most likely, you were the one who leaked my information. My enemies must have used the information you gave without you even realizing it. However, I will willingly allow it. This is something I decided to bear. If it is to possess a person, this level of risk must be accepted. You do not know it, but you are someone who resembles the most important part of me. Originally, the one who wants more is the one who must step in deeper. Tick. I turned my body and snatched Yukia’s arm. Pulling her in as if embracing her, at the same time I drew up the Mana within my body. Wiiiiing──. Centered on my body, a translucent defensive Aura, 「Aura Sphere」, unfolded and enveloped the two of us. Kwaaaaaa───! The magic within the corpse detonated. The cramped workshop was instantly filled to the brim with Mana. *** A private dining room in the Imperial Palace. In that place where an elegant melody flowed, Reutern II was cutting his steak with a pleased expression. Hm-hmm-hmm hm-hmm. Hoo-roong hm-hmm. A hum slipped out on its own. Because today was payday. Slice, slice. Perhaps because of the day, the meat cut especially smoothly. It sliced cleanly with a single stroke. “Mmm~” The moment he put the top-grade, juice-filled meat into his mouth. Wiiing. The terminal on the table vibrated. It was a call from the staff member in charge of collections. “Huh. What is it.” Reutern accepted the call while swirling his wine glass. This time, he had even planned to go directly to Canilan to receive it, partly to enjoy a vacation. “......What?” The stiff words flowing from beyond the terminal. Reutern’s hand stopped. The piece of meat speared on his fork trembled in midair. “Wh, what did you say? Say that again.” In fragments of the voice, the words ‘direct-affiliated organization’ and the name ‘Lutz’ drifted through. “......Alright. For now...... got it. Hang up.” He ended the call. “.......” Reutern stared blankly at the terminal. His brain had stopped for a moment. The collector’s words flickered in his ears. If things went wrong, the account could be frozen, and an investigation by the Intelligence Bureau could begin. “.......” My money. My salary. My Canilan vacation. “No, what the hell, you asshole!” Bang! Reutern slammed the dining table. Plates jumped, and a wine glass toppled over. He sprang to his feet. Thud thud, he rushed out of the dining room. His eyes bloodshot, the dignity of an Imperial Palace noble was already nowhere in his mind. He practically sprinted down the corridor and reached someone’s detached palace. He barged straight in and shouted with a deep breath. “Dad───!” The attendants of the detached palace came down as if used to it and received Reutern. “Dad──!” Compared to the degree of his anger, it was quite a cute action. “Where did my dad go─?!” Reutern II had never been more serious.