I watched Jun Kandel and Sonnet running. The two ran without a word for four hours. Jun, unexpectedly, had good stamina. It seemed he had trained quite diligently, as his movements were steady. “Shall we take a break?” As the sun set, Jun pointed to a cave in the forest. “Sure.” We went inside. As soon as Sonnet found a spot, she laid out her sleeping bag and lay down, and Jun sat leaning against the cave wall. I lit a campfire. ──Whoosh. The burning fire illuminated the inside. I looked back and forth between Jun and Sonnet and recalled the Kandel family before Regression. But I didn’t remember the details. During the process of ruin and downfall, I had been too busy running away. I don’t know Jun’s end. But there was one thing I remembered clearly. Sonnet Kandel was executed by hanging and died. “Maximilian.” Suddenly, Jun called my name. “Yes.” “How did you, Pexi......” He mumbled, then exhaled like a sigh. “Know it was the culprit?” It still seemed to torment him. “It was surprisingly simple. Once I assumed the Brain-Eater was a wizard who used 「Chimera Brain」, it became easier. Three years ago, when the Brain-Eater first appeared, that subspecies also came to the Capital.” “It couldn’t have been just that bastard, right?” This bastard had started talking down to me at some point, but I didn’t mind. On paper, he was nine years older than me anyway. “But the only noble with no ties was her. Even if they had no mother, they had a father. Even if no father, there was a mother. Even without parents, many nobles had siblings.” “......Makes sense. That fucking bastard would have come up after killing Pexi and all her family. What a waste of a pretty face." Jun bit his lip gently. Apparently, it wasn’t pain he felt. This guy still regretted Pexi’s looks. “Sigh.......” I silently watched Jun mess up his own hair. “Lord Kandel.” “......What’s with the formal tone.” “What does Kandel want?” The Kandel family, a great household, had been patrons of the Magic Tower and magical studies, controlled finance and commerce, and determined the direction of arts and culture. Why did such a family suddenly come to nest in the Imperial Guard? To my question, Jun replied with a smile like a sigh. “Ask my father.” His words felt strangely familiar, and then he threw the same question at me. “What does Ebenholtz want?” “.......” I used to dislike Jun quite a lot. At Empire Point, he gave me a sense of rivalry I hadn’t even felt from other nobles my age. I think I’m finally starting to understand why. “Ask my father.” People hate those like themselves. Because the most pathetic parts they want to discard are reflected like a mirror. “.......” “.......” I looked at Jun. Jun looked at me in the same way. When our eyes met, we both frowned slightly and looked away. What a shitty face. Jun probably thought the same. I still don’t get it. How can someone’s name be Jun? In that sense, Sebestian Ebenholtz is a bit better than Mateus Kandel. Just then, Jun stood up. “Well then, I’ll leave my sister to you.” "You're leaving already?" “I’ve run enough.” With a shrug of his shoulders, he walked out of the cave. He trudged away with the guards who had approached at some point. “.......” I looked at Sonnet. She was lying down asleep. Probably pretending, but I also closed my eyes with my sword resting on my shoulder. Even escorts need rest. ....... We kept running for two more days. At night, we slept at suitable campsites, and during the day, we ran. Occasionally, monsters appeared, but we dealt with them without difficulty. Sonnet didn’t say a single word to me the entire time. I didn’t bother to speak to her either. There was no reason to. After all, we were children of competing great families, so-called “enemies”. “Hmm?” As we kept running, we suddenly came upon the Milk Lake. A deep lake, white as milk. There was also a Crystal Cave, and ornamental trees made of gold leaf. Decorations prearranged by the organizers. A scene of waste and extravagance. “There are a lot of events.” “.......” Each time something like that appeared, Sonnet would stop briefly to observe it carefully. Was it because they were beautiful, or pathetic? I couldn’t read her expression. She ran through the forest again. I followed behind her. “Let’s rest here for today.” At some point again, just as the sun was setting. I set up camp near a stream. I lit a campfire and was preparing some pasta for dinner when. “What do you think of the Empire’s economy, knight?” Sonnet suddenly spoke the first unexpected words. "...Economy?" “Yes.” "I'm not an economist." “To explain, right now in the Empire, the top 10% holds more than 80% of the wealth. It’s a very unstable structure.” As she said, inequality in the Empire had worsened day by day, and now it was probably at a historical peak. “The lower classes can hardly obtain even the minimum resources necessary for survival. In the lower districts of the Capital, citizens are dying of hunger, yet they don’t even have the freedom to move.” “Is that so.” I nodded and put pasta into the pot. “......That’s surprising.” Sonnet looked at me with a strange expression. “Surprising?” “Yes. Usually when I say something like this, imperialists like you ask if I’m denying the Empire.” An imperialist like you. Even if it’s Sonnet, that was quite a dangerous term. I asked her in return. “Are you not an imperialist?” “I’m just a writer with no interest in politics.” “You are also an Aran of the Empire. Show some interest.” We’re in the middle of an event. We don’t know where, or who might be eavesdropping on our conversation. We must always keep it in mind. The Imperial Family is the master of the Empire. No matter how corrupt or declining, they have ruled this nation for a thousand years. They must never be underestimated. The Emperor’s eyes and ears are everywhere and nowhere. “Do you think my words are an attack on the Empire?” Sonnet asked firmly. “No. If someone thinks that, they’re fake.” “Fake?” "Yes. Denying reality doesn't help the Empire at all. In reality, the concentration of wealth is not beneficial to the Empire." Do I really have any culture or learning in my head? It’s not like I have none. These days, the thing I feel was the best thing I did before Regression is reading. After the Empire collapsed, the New Cabinet rambled on about the reasons for the Empire’s fall and their own methods of victory. In newspapers, magazines, and countless books, the history of victory and free academic thought were recorded. Freed from the Empire’s oppression, they spread very creative knowledge. “If the lower class citizens cannot function as efficient factors of production, and wealth is excessively concentrated in the upper class, then reinvestment in human capital will naturally cease, leading to a vicious cycle.” I read those things as a fugitive wanderer. I had no choice but to read them. For someone labeled a “war criminal” wandering the continent, all I had was time, and how could I not read those piles of paper that served as my blanket, floor mat, and pillow? Thanks to that, I can now handle conversations like this without being intimidated. “Subjects who don’t receive education and technical training will decline in quality, and that leads directly to losses for the entire Empire.” An excerpt from a column I once read: 「The Empire Collapsed Because of Its Economics」. Sonnet looked at me quietly and asked, “......If it’s a loss for the Empire, shouldn’t it be resolved?” “Yes. I already know the answer.” Nobles who engage in endless exploitation. Bourgeois who call themselves businessmen while oppressing workers. There is an opportunity to wipe out those trash in one blow. “War.” War is the process of organizing the internal to crush the external. Therefore, the parasites eating away at the Empire will be swept away by war. The power and authority I build will destroy them. Thus, the most sharply honed blade will annihilate the otherworldly species hiding in the continent—the Ezenheim. “As subjects of the Empire of Aran, all inferior races shall be subjugated.......” This was the ideological foundation held by the war criminals of the Empire. It was the very banner of the Empire that the Revolutionary forces despised, and at the same time, the only method to ensure the survival of mankind. “We achieve perfect governance.” Sonnet gave a quiet nod. “In that case, do you think the Empire can win the war?” To Sonnet’s naive question, I gave a bitter smile. “It absolutely must.” The Empire, hated by the continent, is humanity’s only seawall. Defeat is no longer an option. The moment we lose, all existence will perish. *** Sonnet had ‘crossed’ the forest. The finish line was right in front of her. Marathon was one of the activities she utterly despised, but it was a necessary task, even just to grasp the intentions of Maximilian, whose name recognition had been rapidly rising lately. “There it is.” Maximilian smiled as he pointed to the finish line. It seemed he also disliked marathons, just like her. Many people were already waiting at the finish line. “There she comes!” “Ah~ yes! This finisher is Lady Sonnet Kandel of the Kandel family!” 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂 She finished amid applause and fanfare. Unfortunately, she didn’t place in the rankings, but it was still worthwhile. “Huh? Good to see you, Max!” Just as she was receiving congratulations, someone called Maximilian “Max”. Sonnet also turned toward the voice. Familiar curly hair and a pale white face. It was Reutern II. “.......” Maximilian looked at him in silence. Reutern furrowed his brow slightly. “Aren’t you glad to see me? What’s with the face?” Reutern II, his father, Reutern, was a giant in Imperial politics. He was one of the pillars of the House of Nobles residing in the Imperial Palace, a bloodline of a royal family long ago subordinated to the Empire. “No. Of course, I’m very glad.” No matter how high his status, even someone from the Ebenholtz family must show respect to a “person of the Imperial Household”. Maximilian smiled at Reutern. “Lord Reutern, what brings you here?” “Ah~ nothing much, just that thing called the Aura Sphere! Sell me one of those? I hear it’s quite the trend these days? My escort seems to want one too.” "...Yes. I'll try my best." People from the palace often deliberately provoked scions of great houses, and those scions often took the bait, Jun in particular, but Maximilian was surprisingly good at hiding his true feelings. “Max, seeing you doing well these days makes me happy. Last time I saw you, you looked half-dead. Now you’ve plumped up quite nicely.” “Is that so? I don’t think I’ve gained any weight though.” “Oh, really? That’s strange. You look fat.” The words and tone of Reutern II were clearly intended to insult. “Anyway, send it right away. You know my address, right?” “Yes. I do.” “Mmkay~ Thanks~” Even so, Maximilian showed no sign of humiliation. To Sonnet, it was quite an interesting sight. “Let’s go, Sonnet Kandel.” Maximilian beckoned to her. Sonnet followed behind him quickly, muttering. “I heard Aura Spheres are in short supply. Do you still have some in stock?” “No. We don’t. That’s why I can’t send him one, even if I wanted to.” At those words, a faint smirk formed on Maximilian’s lips. “Aha. Reutern will be disappointed, then.” He didn’t assert his pride in front of a palace figure, but he also wasn’t swayed by their pettiness. He was a solid man. “Are you acquainted with Lord Reutern?” To Maximilian’s question, Sonnet looked back for a moment. Her eyes met with Reutern II, who was glancing at her. “Yes.” She gently fiddled with the necklace in her chest and answered quietly. “I used to see him often when I was little.” ......Suddenly, her past came to mind. Sonnet Enciella von Kandel. Before she was the young lady of the Kandel family, she was raised from a very young age in the deepest parts of the Imperial Palace. From birth, she had been designated to grow as the Emperor’s eyes and ears, and now she bore the duty of tracing the shadows of the Empire and delivering them to the Imperial Household. The Imperial Family never gave such individuals an official title, but all citizens of the Empire referred to them through the lens of legend. Agentes Augusti. *** ──One month after the publication of Maximilian’s 「Knight Technique: Aura Sphere」 Chiron’s intuition had been right. 「Aura Sphere」 had become very popular. Now, not only knights but also wizards across the Empire had begun seeking the technique book, and naturally, a shortage occurred. Noble knights repeated the words “I need the「Aura Sphere」” like parrots. Some even dared to make requests of Maximilian, but he rejected all of them, citing the long time required for production. “......Even I couldn’t get one.” “Me neither.” This was Chiron’s private chamber. Not just first to third-year knights, but also those in their fifth or sixth year were voicing the same complaints. “You know that guy Elron, right? Every time I see him, he brags about how he got one. So damn annoying.” “......Honestly, it stings. There are especially many rumors that retired knights managed to get a copy. Why would those guys, who are nearly in their fifties, even need it? They should yield to us younger ones.” There was particularly strong resentment toward the retired knights, those who had left the order and opened their own knight offices. This generational conflict showed itself in such ways, but of course, whether young or old, they’re all adults. All adults equally like excellence, and all equally want to possess something impressive. Young punks don’t have the right to criticize them just for being older. “Ahem. No more spiteful talk. Attention. There’s something I want to show you.” Chiron pulled a cube from his inner coat. It was a mana stone cube he had received from Maximilian just last night. The knights’ eyes widened. “Watch carefully.” He fixed it to his chest and activated the Aura Sphere. Wiiiiiing- Though the intensity was still incomplete, the translucent spherical form was clearly visible. The knights looked on with envious expressions. “This is the reason I called you here.” “......To show us the Aura Sphere?” The young ones, including Raynel, pursed their lips with a sullen tone. If he let them off with just this, his reputation would surely plunge. “Hahaha.” Chiron laughed and snapped his fingers. Attendants entered and placed luxurious boxes in front of each knight. As they looked around in confusion, Chiron’s expression turned solemn. "I know too. Among Sentinel's prominent noble families, I may appear unorthodox." Orthodoxy is something built up over a very long time. No individual can overcome time. “However, I want to say this. That’s why it’s ‘sacred’. Because it’s new, it can become a force unlike anything before.” He gestured toward the boxes. “Go on, check them.” One by one, the knights opened their boxes. In an instant, their eyes widened. Inside each box was a premium hardcover that shimmered with a silver hue, 「Aura Sphere」. “That’s right. From today on, we will study this technique book together.” Chiron continued. “His Majesty the Emperor will ultimately desire war, and we will not be able to avoid it.” He was skilled at reading the political landscape. He had a vague idea of what the Imperial Household ultimately desired. “This is my gift to help you play an active role when the time comes. At the very least, it should put you several months ahead.” “No, sir knight. How could you part with something so valuable.......” “Are we really allowed to receive this?” Chiron’s subordinates all wore expressions of deep emotion. “Don’t feel burdened. It’s simply my will.” “......Sir knight.” At that, one by one, they rose from their seats and saluted. Chiron glanced over each of their faces. Among them were several who came from houses of even higher standing than Chiron’s, those considered part of the orthodox nobility. Raynel and Zione in particular were such figures. Yet even they were showing their gratitude and loyalty like this. “......Very good.” An item that can be bought with money is low-tier. An item that can only be bought with great wealth is mid-tier. However, an item that cannot be bought with money is considered a noble item, and it is such things that inspire loyalty. "Everyone sit down now. It's embarrassing." Chiron himself was no exception. He had received no less than ten theory volumes from Maximilian. That favor came with a clear condition. Lately, Chiron had been sensing a certain “thread” hovering above his head. It was silver like moonlight, a thread connected to the Empire’s most prestigious house. However, that thread was still testing him. If he reached for it too hastily, it might slip away. Therefore, he had to wait until he could be trusted. He had to solidify his faction even more. “Direct your thanks not to me, but to the original author, Maximilian.” Chiron still remembered that day clearly. The power that had silenced Tower Master Nikolaus with a single word. The orthodoxy he had long admired and revered. To grasp the thread of Ebenholtz, and to stand as an equal. He would first have to possess a 'form' befitting it.