Maximilian’s knight office. Yukia was seated at the administrative officer’s desk, handling her work. Tadak- tararak- tarararararak- She had an exceptional sense for machines. Her fingers moved so fast and skillfully over the keyboard that they were almost invisible. So much so that the other administrative officers kept glancing over at her. Bang. At that moment, the door opened and the senior knight Chiron entered. He asked Yukia. “Is Knight Maximilian inside?” “Appointment.” “......What?” “Did you make one?” Chiron stared blankly at her for a moment, then knocked on the door to Maximilian’s office. Knock knock. “Max. Are you in there?” ─Please come in. Chiron glanced sideways at Yukia and went inside. Yukia focused her Mana on her ears. ─You're here. Through the wiretapping Artifact she had installed in advance, the voices of Maximilian and Chiron were transmitted. ─Ah, Max. This time, the premium cube, you even put in a discount? There was no need to go that far. ─It’s fine. In the middle of their casual conversation, Maximilian suddenly brought something up. ─How many staff members do you have, Sir Chiron? ─Hmm, eight administrative officers. Far more informants than that...... But one of your staff is Yaken, right? At Chiron’s words, Yukia pricked up her ears. ─Yes. ─Is that all right? There’s no specific clause in Sentinel, but...... In the Sentinel Knight Order, only pure Imperials can enlist. However, clauses regarding a knight’s personal staff are still blank. ─Keeping a subspecies close to you could become a blemish for someone with such a bright future like you. You might get criticized for it unnecessarily. ─It’s fine. Maximilian smiled faintly. ─It’s a connection with someone I know well. ─......Someone you know? ─Yes. Thud. Yukia’s hands stopped. Her heart sank heavily. ─Did you know someone among the Yaken? ─You should have someone as well, Sir Chiron. ─Me? ─The Empire needs guides as well, doesn’t it? ─......Ah~ Empire Point. Right. Chiron let out a dry chuckle as if he understood. ─It’s been over ten years already, so my memory’s fuzzy. Yukia bit her lip. A guide. And the necklace. “......Ms. Yukia.” At that moment, a fellow administrative officer cautiously approached her. “Could you help me with this? There’s this strange error on the computer—” Yukia had now become an expert whom the other administrative officers sought out for advice. “Later.” “Ah, okay.” The administrative officer returned to her seat, grumbling. -Ah, damn it. She’s too good, I can’t even complain. ─Haha. How interesting. Chiron’s greasy laugh came through. ─You cared about such a trivial connection? ─It was not trivial at all. Maximilian’s voice, saying it was not a trivial connection, was serious. ─In fact…… they made me reflect on myself as a noble. Yukia’s fingers tapping the keyboard stopped. She quietly waited for the next words. ─He was someone who made me look back on myself. It was a solemn tone. ─Hmm. I see. Because of that, Chiron did not add anything further. ─So then. What did you want to say? ─Ah. About that 4-star restaurant you mentioned last time...... She let the rest of the conversation go in one ear and out the other. It was nothing but everyday chatter, and more than anything, Yukia’s mind had become completely filled with other thoughts. Bang. The door opened. Chiron came out with a cheerful expression. Maximilian deliberately came out as well to see Chiron off. “Then, Max. Thanks to you, I’ll enjoy the meal.” “Yes. If anything happens, please let me know.” ──In fact, Maximilian had deliberately called Chiron over. He intentionally mentioned the number of staff to steer the topic, and exchanged words meant for Yukia’s sake. “Ah~ what could possibly happen? Haha. Go on, go on. No need to come out to see me off like this.” Unaware that he had been used, Chiron simply wore a cheerful expression. ....... After work. Back at her residence, Yukia perched herself in the gap of the window and took out an artifact. A wiretapping recorder in the form of a disc no bigger than half her palm, one she had crafted herself. ‘You cared about such a trivial connection?’ She replayed Maximilian’s conversation from just moments ago. ‘It was not trivial at all.’ Someone who was not trivial. ‘In fact…… they made me reflect on myself as a noble.’ Someone who was not trivial at all. ‘He was someone who made me look back on myself.’ As she listened to his words over and over. An owl flew in through the night sky. She untied the letter bound to its leg. This time as well, it was a cipher. [ ◆◇◆◇◆◆◇◇◆◆...... ] The decoded content was concise. [ The promised overpass. Together with Maximilian. ] Yukia clenched the note tightly. Her tightly shut eyelids trembled faintly. ‘It was not trivial at all.’ Unlike the nobles who had treated the Yaken as something too trivial, his voice, saying it was not trivial at all, kept lingering in her ears. *** A new spring, to me, is unknown. Perhaps from now on, the things I know and the things I do not know will be mixed together as they unfold. Buuuuung── Even right now, that is the case. The driver of the car I am riding in is Executive Secretary Yukia. A pitiful Yaken being used by the Ezenheim race. The air in the car feels oddly cold. Silent, dangerous. A sense of foreboding seems to be transmitted through the car seat like some kind of sensor. But I’ve already made preparations. By now, Schatz is probably tailing us covertly. “You drive well.” I meant it sincerely. The administrative officers trained at the main estate also drive well, but Yukia feels like she is on a different level. “......There’s something.” Yukia opened her mouth as if she had been waiting. “I’m curious about one thing.” “Put a ‘sir’ at the end.” “There is, sir” “Much better.” Whoooosh── The sound of the wind rushing pa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌st on the road. “You were wearing a necklace.” It was something I had been waiting for as well, but I asked back as if I did not know. “......A necklace?” “Back then. When the bomb went off in the corpse.” “.......” Yukia’s gaze flicked to me in the rearview mirror, and I quietly put on a poker face. “……I wonder.” When it comes to ‘putting on an act’, I am actually an expert. It is a kind of experience that naturally accumulated over many long years of fleeing and living on the run. “It’s a gift I received from a benefactor.” That was all I said. There is no need to explain it in detail. In fact, I should not. It could come across as artificial. “Khn⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌gh.......” Yukia let out an inexplicable groan. Just then, the overpass appeared. The Marinus overpass, with the Empire’s deep river flowing alongside it. One of the many scenarios Schatz had anticipated. If the steering wheel were suddenly twisted here and we plunged into the river, the assassins waiting below would...... Yukia glanced sideways at the river spread out to the left. ─Clench. The sound of gripping the steering wheel. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂 Is she hesitating now. I, too, gripped the Super Stimpack inside my coat. Thump. My heart trembled faintly. Below the riverbank. The presence of the Ezenheim race was detected. Thump! A warning infused with the virus’s cry. There seems to be only one Ezenheim, but their ‘level’ is extraordinary. Thump. However, the car just kept moving forward. Peacefully drifting away from the river. Just as the virus’s reaction was gradually subsiding, in that instant. Kiiiiiik───! Suddenly, Yukia turned the steering wheel. A deafening roar erupted as the vehicle spun like a boomerang. Black skid marks were carved into the road, and immediately after. Kwaaaang──! A truck burst out from the opposite lane. Kudududuk! It shoved straight through the spot where we had been, slammed into the road’s rail, and fell. With my body tilted, I looked out the window. Kung─! Kung─! Kwaang──! The truck rolled over and over before plunging into the river. “......Hmm.” That truck was supposed to ram me, and then the assassins would confirm the kill underwater. Not a bad scenario. “Haa, haa.......” Yukia gasped heavily, slumping over the steering wheel. I gazed at her quietly. Right now, what kind of ‘decision’ had this Yaken made? I don’t yet know. Just as I am acting, this too could be Yukia’s performance. “Are you all right.” “.......” At my question, Yukia lifted her head and nodded. Her face and back were already soaked with cold sweat. “You’re a good driver.” “It’s basic.” She calmly turned the steering wheel again. Wiping sweat with her sleeve, she slipped through the wreckage-strewn road like an eel. “.......” “.......” The inside of the car was silent. Even the engine sound did not made any sound. I closed my eyes without a word. Today’s harvest—this is good enough for now. ....... Imperial Central University. My schedule for today was a lecture. The topic of the lecture is 「The Path the Empire Must Take」 “......As Aran people of the Empire, we must shatter the envious speculations cast upon the Empire from outside.” The large auditorium was filled with university students staring at me. “The thousand-year history of the Empire will never collapse.” A ghostwriter wrote the script. I’m really not compatible with writing myself. “So I ask all of you as well, to become talents befitting the Empire and fulfill that duty.” Clap clap clap c⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌lap- Applause resounded. The faces of the university students looking at me were varied. Faces of sincere admiration, gazes mixed with envy and suspicion, and even a small amount of blatant hatred were all intermingled. “──I have a question!” Someone in the center of the audience shot a hand up. I looked at his face. A sharp-featured blond Aran. Someone I knew. Perhaps, a man I had ‘wanted’. “Sir Maximilian, I have a question.” Before the Regression, he was a war criminal. Moreover, a first-class one. “......Your name?” First-class war criminals possess that level of ability. It’s nearly impossible to attract nationwide and global hatred without some sort of talent. “I am Johann Georg Goetze, currently in the doctoral course of humanities.” Johann Georg Goetze. A man of commoner origin who would later rise to become the Empire’s Minister of Propaganda. The look in his eyes toward me brimmed with deep hostility. “You told us to become talents befitting the Empire. However, before that, I wish to ask. Do you truly believe that the current Empire is providing Aran people with treatment they deserve?” The hall stirred. An uproar broke out. It was a statement far too provocative and reactionary to be hurled at Ebenholtz. But I know. He does not hate the Empire. Rather, because he loves the Empire too much, he despises those who ruin it. The pig-like bourgeoisie, the rotten nobility. His hatred was directed at them. “Right now, the taxes imposed upon Imperial Aran people are harsher than ever. Commoners bend their backs just to buy a piece of bread, yet those who collect those taxes.” “G-get that bastard out of here!” Security and university staff rushed out from behind the stage in panic. “Leave him be.” I stopped those who were wildly reaching out to seize Johann. The guards hesitated and stepped back. I walked to the very front of the podium and looked down at Johann. “......Johann Georg.” A rather earnest anger was etched onto Johann’s face. Looking at him, I answered succinctly. “I very much agree.” In that instant, Johann’s eyes wavered. Of course, he must not have expected such a response. I took my gaze off him for a moment. I swept my eyes over the students gathered in the auditorium. “You who have entered Imperial Central University, pure Aran intellectuals whom the Empire takes endless pride in.” More than eighty percent of the students gathered here are commoners. To begin with, the Empire does not have that many nobles. “I will ask. The poor and the rich, high-income earners and low-income earners. Which side should pay more taxes?” The audience fell silent. “Nobles and commoners. Which side should bear greater responsibility and obligation.” There was no an⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌swer. Because it is a world where answering itself becomes a crime. However, that does not apply to me. I am one of the most dignified nobles in the Empire, and also one of the businessmen in the Empire who pays the ‘most’ taxes ‘honestly’. At the very least, I alone have the right to discuss anything regarding taxes. “It’s almost a law of nature without needing to be said.” I looked back at Johann. “Those who have more must give more, and the shoulders of those who stand higher must bear greater weight.” “.......” Johann swallowed blankly. As if he had been prepared to be beaten down, his face was filled with extreme confusion. “However, in the current Empire, there are many who refuse to do so. Even though they grew up nourished by the Empire’s resources, within the warm fence of the Empire, there are far too many who only suck out the fruits and try to shirk responsibility and duty.” This is also my sincere belief. Those rotten bastards who led the Empire to ruin before the Regression. “As Maximilian of Ebenholtz, I am different from them. I always act solely for the sake of the Empire, and pursue only the truth.” Strength entered my voice. “The duty of a true noble. The attitude a noble must uphold. I intend never to forget that. Nobles must, by all means, be so.” I stepped down from the podium and walked toward Johann. I placed my hand on his frozen shoulder. “Someday, not just I, but all the nobles and bourgeois of this Empire will finally come to realize it. That the privileges they enjoy are, in truth, the weight of responsibility they must willingly shoulder for the countless Aran people.” ──I slightly twisted a sentence excerpted from the book I once read, 「Reasons for the Empire's Downfall」. “That is the path for the Empire, and the path Aran people must walk.” Silence flowed. The students stared at me quietly. I asked Johann in return. “Is that sufficient as an answer?” Johann, sweating coldly, opened his lips. He flapped like a goldfish, then suddenly his eyes lost focus and he collapsed. “……Huh? What.” It seems he had forcibly squeezed out far too much courage until now. “Is there a doctor here?” *** “I apologize!” Imperial Central University, Dean’s Office of the College of Humanities. “I am truly sorry, Knight!” The dean of the humanities college, the department heads, the professor in charge, even the assistant professor. Everyone related to Johann was bowing at a ninety-degree angle before me. “That fellow... no, that student Johann, is currently on a leave of absence. We never dreamed he would suddenly barge into the lecture hall and throw out such irreverent questions. We will expel him at once.” “No.” I shook my head as I set down my teacup. “I rather liked him.” “......Yes?” “I liked it. I’d like to read the papers or writings that student has produced as well.” The deans exchanged glances. Their confusion was evident. “But why did he take a leave of absence? He said himself that he was in a doctoral program.” “Ah...... well.” The dean of humanities glanced around at the surrounding professors. One assistant professor standing at the very back whispered in a barely audible voice. “......Apparently his family circumstances are difficult. There are rumors he goes from one construction site to another to pay his tuition.......” I nodded. “So that is the source of his anger toward the bourgeoisie.” “We have no excuse, no excuse at all! We should have managed our students more thoroughly, and to end up offending your feelings, truly.” The dean’s repeated apologies grated on my nerves. “......I believe I clearly said there was no need to apologize.” At those words, the faculty members’ faces hardened like plaster statues. It seems they took my words ‘no need to apologize’ a bit differently. Well, perhaps they think I intend to bury him or hang him myself.. These days, I have to be careful with what I say. Because of that image born from the Genen suppression. “Your name?” I asked the dean. “Ah, I am, well. I am.......” “Do you not have a name?” “Ah, ah, I do. Hahaha...... Benedict.” He forced a laugh and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief. “Dean Benedict.” “......Yes.” His neck shrank in like a turtle. I took out a checkbook from my coat. I wrote a number with my fountain pen and tore it out. “I truly liked that student, Johann.” I placed the check on the table. The dean’s eyes widened when he saw the amount. “Th-this is......?” “It’s a scholarship.” From now on, I intend to ‘manage’ the future war criminals. If their madness is not handled properly, it will explode recklessly just like before the Regression. But it would be a waste to discard such talent. “Please ensure Johann Georg Goetze receives it in full.” Johann fainted after just ten minutes of eye contact with me. With the fear they hold toward me, I’m sure I can control them.