The curtain rose on the opera. The audience’s reactions were varied. The nobles in the VIP seats wore leisurely expressions. The commoner bourgeoisie still blinked as if unaccustomed to the spectacle. On the other hand, the commoners who had come with their spouses to celebrate an anniversary simply savored the moment itself. Not the aristocratic culture of 'opera,' but the joy of sharing time with one another. Watching them── I realized it once more. Time. Yes, time. What I had to earn, what only I could save....... Was our time. ─Ah, my love! A world without you is nothing but pitch-black darkness! Just then, Reynold's voice erupted with tremendous power. I flinched and looked toward the stage. He sang far better than I had expected. Then again, he was the great actor who would one day master even the musical genre, a fusion of opera and theater. “......His skills are improving by the day.” The princess in the seat beside me murmured softly. I glanced at her. "Are you not being too careless, Your Highness?" "I can't help it. I can barely see anything from the balcony seats." She replied without taking her eyes off the stage. "Besides, my escort knight is right next to me." I looked to her left. The bodyguard’s piercing gaze briefly locked onto me. He was probably from the Imperial Guard. Those guys don’t care about Ebenholtz or anything like that. They don’t even try to know. Even though the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army and official Commander of the Imperial Guard is none other than Sebestian Ebenholtz. “When you’re up high, you can’t really see people’s faces or follow the progression of the play...... It just feels like watching from afar, and I hate that.” The place she was gazing at was where Leonard stood. His striking appearance shining under the stage lights, and his acting that immersed his whole body. “Do you like that actor?” I asked on impulse. “.......” The princess said nothing. Neither affirming nor denying, she simply watched him on the stage. "If you wish, I could arrange a meeting for you." I offered casually. With the name of Ebenholtz, it wouldn’t be difficult to arrange a meeting with a famous actor. “......That won’t be necessary.” She shook her head. Thump─ At that moment, my heart pounded. The actor who had just stepped onto the stage was of the Ezenheim race. No, even in the shadows behind the stage, even among the audience around us, there were Ezenheim hiding. “......Are you nervous?” Suddenly, Princess Justine asked. "Your heart is rac⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌ing." Her gaze lingered on my chest. “My senses are a bit sharp, you see.” “......It’s nothing.” I answered nonchalantly, but inside, I was uneasy. ─Life is but a play, and death alone is reality....... Just like the lyrics Leonard was crying out, perhaps life might truly be a play. The ‘plot’ is already somewhat decided, after all. Thump─ A terror attack. A terror attack would soon occur in this theater. I even knew the exact date. But rather than preventing the attack itself, I was thinking about the value I could gain by joining the flow of it. Thump─! My heart jumped once again, hard. “.......” The princess stared straight at me. There was something peculiar in her gaze. The virus was merciless on my end, but getting up and leaving now would look even more suspicious. “With someone as noble as you beside me, how could I not be nervous?” Feigning calm, face thick with shamelessness, I tried to continue enjoying the opera. “......Yannick. Shall we switch seats?” Perhaps feeling uncomfortable herself, the princess switched seats with the escort knight to her left. "A pleasure." I nodded to a man I was not the least bit pleased to see, and the feeling appeared to be entirely mutual. *** Chiron obtained Maximilian’s [audit report]. In truth, it wasn’t even something he had to obtain. Maximilian had transparently disclosed the audit details to the knights in question. "......There wasn't a shred of personal bias." For Chiron, it was frankly astonishing. “Even after going through that humiliation.” The reason Chiron had entrusted it to Maximilian was, in truth, to help him vent his anger. The heir of the Ebenholtz family was summoned to the headquarters of the Imperial Guard, the den of those rats. Rumors that he had been made to wait there for hours spread like wildfire within the Knight Order. Despite being treated that way, Maximilian had not let anger sway him. Instead, he had untangled things more coolly than anyone else, and had even secured a suspicious gift from Goebel and the Imperial Guard. If it had been Chiron himself, he would have found some way to nitpick and drag Adria's reputation through the mud. “.......” As Chiron set the documents down, he suddenly recalled his beginnings. Chiron, Adria, Julian. Their enrollment years were each a year apart, but they were all the same age. This was possible because Empire Point varied admission periods depending on multiple conditions. From the day he joined the Sentinel, Chiron had worked tirelessly to survive, and beyond that, to build his own faction. From the start, he had aimed for the top. Despite being scorned as coming from a nouveau riche family, he had relentlessly climbed the ladder of ambition. ‘Chiron. You really don’t change.’ The words Adria had left behind when she handed in her resignation echoed in his ears. ‘But I’ll respect you. Someone who never changes might have value in that alone.’ Chiron stood from his chair and looked out the window. The reflection in the glass was far different from his twenties, but his heart remained unchanged. ‘Unlike you, I’ve changed. I’ve dulled. I’ve grown tired.’ But Adria’s resolve had broken. She had acknowledged her defeat. ‘......I considered whether I should cling on to the Sentinel, even if disgracefully. Whether I should keep fighting until the end—for the sake of the knights who believed in me and followed me. But in my heart, the conclusion came quickly.’ Chiron placed both hands over his face. ‘I’ve simply grown too worn out. And maybe, only by stepping away can those who followed me be given a chance.’ She had said she would take full responsibility and leave, so please make sure her knights wouldn’t be treated unfairly. As Chiron recalled her voice, between his fingers— “......Ha.” His emotions slipped out. "Hahaha......." This laughter, so impossible to contain. "Hahahaha!" A deep, genuine burst of laughter exploded. "Khahahahaha──!" The genius of Hardenberg. The daughter of a prestigious family ha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌d lost to him. “When you chose Anton, I was glad.” It was the same as tossing her own family name into the garbage with her own hands. “You were right.” Yes. He had never changed. He was always the same, then and now. He had craved higher places, and he had clung to the defiance of never being trampled. And what was the result? The ones who had called him nouveau riche now looked up to him. The noble brats who had scorned his family's humble history now swore loyalty under his command. “I will.......” Chiron clenched his fist tightly. Adria, Anton’s right hand, had been cut away. Now, only one old, aging lion remained. “I will become the Knight Commander.” ....... Sentinel Knight Order, Jerome’s office. “The evidence against Werner and Müller was too clear.” Jerome, Tiana, and a few knights from Adria’s faction were gathered with grim faces. Spread across the table were the ‘materials requiring clarification’ that Maximilian had distributed. Most were minor regulation violations or trivial mistakes that had occurred during duty. Issues that could easily end with a warning rather than formal discipline, well within the bounds of tolerance. In fact, Maximilian had shown flexibility. However, for 6th-year knight Werner and 7th-year knight Müller, that was not the case. “They’ve already confessed. Bribery and destruction of evidence. The charges were so clear-cut there was no room for excuses. They're looking at a minimum six-month suspension, or possibly even dismissal.” 6th-year knight Mila exhaled as if appalled. “Idiots, why the hell would they do something so stupid.” “.......” Tiana quietly sighed in relief. Her own record was clean. For a knight, performance and reputation are their lifeline. Especially within the growing practice of assignments being distributed or covered up based on faction lines, a six-month suspension was as good as a death sentence. The ladder of promotion, from rookie-and-regular knight to senior knight to high-ranking knight, would be severed, and they might spend their entire lives branded as 'corrupt knights'. “......Is Knight Adria still firm in her stance?” Tiana asked cautiously. Jerome shook his head. “There was never any room for persuasion from the start.” Adria took full responsibility herself. In truth, the knights already knew. The moment the ‘detention authority’ failed, her political life as a knight was effectively over. Rather, staying in the Sentinel would be torment for her, and an even more grueling ordeal for those under her command. “She threw herself away to protect us. And the one who opened a path for that was...” Maximilian. That’s why, all the more, Jerome couldn’t understand. The man who had been dragged to the Imperial Guard and humiliated because of their blunder, why would he? Why, why, why....... The more Jerome thought about it, the more Maximilian became a man defined by nothing but 'why'. ...... Imperial Palace-affiliated direct agency, Special Investigations and Audit Bureau. The agents had thoroughly reinvestigated the 'audit results' they received from Maximilian. As if examining them under a microscope, they glared with eyes desperate to find even a single speck of dust. "......There is nothing particularly worth faulting." That was the conclusion of the bureau chief. “.......” Chief Secretary Grossman placed the report down as he sat in his chair. "That's how it looks to me as well." The audit was conducted directly by Maximilian. They could see instances where he had flexibly overlooked issues that technically violated the law but were trivial in nature. However, picking apart even those would be unwise when the backing of Ebenholtz loomed so large behind him. Grossman let out a hollow laugh. “I underestimated him.” “Chief Secretary.” Suddenly, the bureau chief proposed seriously. “What if we exposed Maximilian for deliberately planting a fake to help Goebel? If we bring Adria back in and set them to check each other—” “That won’t solve anything. On the contrary, it might only strengthen the bond between the Imperial Guard and Maximilian.” Grossman shook his head while fidgeting with his cigar. Goebel already owed a debt to Maximilian. If that fact were made public from this side, Goebel would only cling more tightly to Maximilian in orde⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌r to survive. “When the time is right, kill Goebel.” Grossman's voice rippled with a cold edge. “I have no use for someone with a leash around his neck. It doesn’t have to be now. When he lets his guard down, handle it quietly.” Goebel had an exceptional ability to rally the Imperial Guard. Finding a replacement for him wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t impossible. "We can find at least one man to take his place." Grossman lit the cigar. Fssss─ As he exhaled the acrid smoke, he thought about Maximilian. The second-youngest recipient of the 2nd-class Golden Lion Medal, and a pure imperialist. A knight of the Sentinel, and a monster of Ebenholtz. And yet...... "He's a man I simply cannot figure out." Only questions swirled through Grossman's mind. If Maximilian wanted power, the right move would be to step forward himself and aim for the Knight Commander position. The normal path would be to wipe out Adria's faction entirely, overpower or absorb Chiron, and stand at the top. But Maximilian appeared intent on yielding that seat entirely to Chiron, and was even displaying gestures that suggested he might forgive Adria's faction as well. “Maximilian Ebenholtz.......” A name entangled in chaos. Grossman murmured its cadence into the haze of thic⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌k smoke. ...... Adria’s resignation was approved. Though she retained her knightly title, she was no longer affiliated with the Sentinel. "Yes. I see." I nodded without much emotion. In any case, even before my regression, Adria had left the Sentinel alongside Anton. The cause she had embraced as part of the Revolutionary forces was 'to prevent war from breaking out'. “Well, it's for the best.” A knight whose strings had been cut was of no use to the revolution even if she remained in the Sentinel. Instead, she would operate as an independent knight, secretly releasing or protecting those connected to the Revolutionary forces. If I kept a steady eye on her, I might eventually be able to track down the Revolutionary forces' trail. “Also, it seems the Imperial Palace will officially grant you ‘permanent audit authority’.” Chiron added. “Anton will probably inform you personally.” He had already dropped Anton’s title. As far as I was concerned, I had now acquired virtually complete authority. Before my regression, the Sentinel had been devoured by the Imperial Guard, and degenerate noble bastards, rotten to the core since the Empire Point days, ran rampant. Those who released Ezenheim in exchange for money, conspirators in humanity’s downfall; traitors who turned a blind eye after taking bribes from the Revolutionary forces; morons who catered to the Imperial Guard’s requests... Knights had been reduced to mere puppets, becoming nothing but target⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌s for artillery on the battlefield, and plenty had turned their hearts toward revolution because of it. “Yes. Understood.” In this life, the Sentinel Knight Order will never face such a lowly, miserable future. The authority of knights will rise with each passing day. Because I will make it so. The more thorough the Knight Order became, the sharper its blade grew, the stronger my own power would become as well. “From now on, I will gladly sever the heads of those unworthy of being in the Sentinel.” The Sentinel. This Sentinel, where the power of iron-willed knights converged, would one day become the most solid foundation supporting me.......