Translator: KJ

──Central Empire's 14th District.

I was searching the site of the explosion. Sonnet kept loitering around the inside too. She pattered here and there, looking like she was inspecting every corner and then like she was just sightseeing, before suddenly crouching down in front of some pile of shattered concrete.

She was getting on my nerves.

"Ms. Sonnet. If you've come about real estate, I'm afraid—"

"Hm?"

Sonnet's eyes went wide all of a sudden.

"Maximilian."

As she called my name, she picked something up with a gloved hand.

"What might this be?"

"What...?"

A piece of metal about the size of a palm. My brow twitched. I had clearly combed every inch of the site. Even with the Virus's senses I hadn't found it, so how had Sonnet?

"That was lying there?"

"Yes. Right here."

I walked over and took the metal from her. Sonnet stared at me with an expressionless face, then stood up and started moving back toward the exit.

Clack. Clack.

She seemed to be heading home, just like that.

"...Ah."

Then she stopped again.

"That line about how a knight doesn't abandon his comrades..."

She turned to look at me and asked back.

"May I ask why Anton was excluded fro⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌m that?"

So she had recognized the worth of the man called Anton too.

I gave a smile that was almost a sigh.

"This was the way to protect Anton."

"......"

Sonnet was silent. Eyes that demanded a longer explanation. I looked down at the metal in my palm. I still didn't know what it was, but I'd been handed a fairly suspicious piece of evidence, so some payment in kind was owed.

"Surely, someday, in a distant future when the Empire has grown a little more peaceful."

I made a promise of days to come.

I do not entertain the thought that I will fail, that humanity will lose.

We will, by our own hands, save our world, our home, from destruction.

And once we have swept away that great evil called Ezenheim.

"A day when men like Anton Zefren are needed will surely come."

The reign I yearn for.

In the future that will go on without end, despite all the fighting, the weeping, the laughter, the rage.

"This is preservation for that day."

A man like Anton would be able to soothe that generation, no doubt.

"......"

Sonnet looked into my eyes as if trying to gauge my true intent. Then, still expressionless, she nodded. She pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses.

This time, it wasn't with her middle finger.

Clack. Clack.

Her back as she turned and walked away from the scene.

I looked once more at the piece of metal in my fist.

......

"──It's a detonator."

The Sentinel's external knights' office, set up separately in the Empire's Central District.

At Yukia's words, I furrowed my brow.

"Detonator?"

"Yes."

I had transferred all of the wreckage the police had collected from the scene over to Yukia for analysis, and atop hundreds of components and fragments, she had laid down a "detonator".

"This little blasting cap was attached to the central core of the condenser, and it looks like an outside signal was sent to deliberately set off the explosion."

"...You're sure?"

"Yes. The mana from the moment of the explosion is heavily imprinted on the detonator. Sending it to the Magic Tower for analysis should confirm it."

A detonator.

A new phase in Cliff’s case.

"The in⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌cident itself was fabricated..."

I am not a man who upholds principles. Nor a man obsessed with rules. I am only a man who serves a purpose. Cliff is no more than part of that.

A divided Sentinel benefits the Revolutionary forces, benefits Ezenheim. A knight who, like before my Regression, fails to be treated as he ought, who is pushed aside by politics and factions and even denigrated for it, betrayed in that fashion by his "homeland", has no reason not to climb aboard the ship of revolution.

─That must never come to pass.

Every single knight of the Sentinel is a vast force in the war that is coming. To abandon one of them is no different from abandoning them all.

Because the authority of a knight, the strength of a knight order, must be absolute and unchallengeable.

Because no matter what incident befalls them, no matter what trouble they stir up, the simple fact of being a Sentinel must be enough to smooth it all over.

Just as the old Imperial Guard once was.

"Yukia. Submit the analysis request to the Magic Tower."

From now on, the very existence of the knight order will function as justification.

* * *

...Recordings, eavesdropping, and the like turn out to be quite a help over the course of one's life.

For Sonnet Kandel, all the more so.

She had bought off one of Kentz's confidants quite some time ago. As a result, a fair portion of what he said was relayed to her.

In truth, it was a very common thing in the Imperial Palace.

Which is precisely why one ought to act on the assumption that everyone is being eavesdropped on by everyone else.

Of course, Kentz had also conducted himself that way. Until what he wanted lay just before his eyes. Until success was within reach and he grew dull, as though drunk.

—Use that bastard Cliff. He's the commoner whose loyalty to Anton runs deepest. Buy off an informant and feed him the intel.

Kentz’s plot to use Cliff, Anton’s loyal retainer.

—Once he deploys, well, some massive incident's bound to happen. The rest is the press's job. Don't push the order's incompetence so much as the necessity of control, and emphasize that Cliff comes from the bottom-rung commoner stock. Then within the order itself...

Sonnet had heard the fine plan in advance, and the very moment Cliff deployed to the 14th District and the explosion erupted.

KABOOOOM───!

Before Kentz's gang could dispose of the evidence, she had spirited away the wreckage of the detonator and swapped it out...

"......"

Inside the moving car. Sonnet stared out at the darkness beyond the window and fell, abruptly, into "aristocratic" reverie.

'Have I ever, in my life, had someone seize me by the collar?'

For her, raised in the Imperial Palace from childhood, no. To begin with, when one is a Kandel, or an Ebenholtz, the moment someone seizes one's collar, that someone vanishes from this world.

"How strange."

Maximilian had endured that very humiliation, and yet had said he would protect Cliff.

A man like that, and yet he had become a Racist who utterly loathed the Subspecies.

A man impossible to fathom.

She drew a small Magic Recorder from her coat and turned it over in her hands.

A relentless chronicler herself, she recorded and collected nearly every moment of what she saw, heard, and experienced in writing and in voice.

Not just a sequence of events, but an obsessive archiving system that perfectly classified, by time, what expression each person had worn on what day, what conversations they had exchanged.

Something more than a hobby. A kind of mission.

"...What do you intend to do from here on?"

The escort in the driver's seat ─"Ruben"─ asked carefully. He was a confidant who had served as Sonnet's right hand with unwavering loyalty since their days at the Imperial Palace.

"I'll have to deliver this recorder to Cliff."

A recorder containing Maximilian's thoughts on Anton. Sonnet ran her hand over it absently.

"Why are you helping the Ebenholtz?"

Ruben asked again, as if puzzled.

"...Who knows."

The reason she had handed the detonator evidence, which could have her gripping Kentz Bertem by the throat, over to Maximilian, of all people.

"It seems I."

She paused. She gazed steadily at the lights woven across the Empire's night streets.

"I seem to be the kind of person who has to repay her debts."

Back during the "Brain-Eater" incident. Maximilian had covered up the fact that her brother Jun had been involved, and had preserved the Kandel name.

That rather large debt from that day.

"As of today, it's settled."

Now, once again, they stood on equal ground.

Sonnet qui⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌etly closed her eyes.

* * *

"...Whether it's the Imperial Palace's manipulation, or some scheme to sow division, or whatever else, none of it matters anymore."

Whish─

Jerome, a Senior Knight of the Sentinel, drew the curtains. The interior of the mansion was dyed in shadow.

"That's the state Cliff is in right now. And with his reason clouded like that, the fragments leaking out of the Imperial Palace gave him his justification."

More than the truth of the rumors, the problem is the heart of the one who receives them.

"Maximilian may have actually attacked sir Anton, or he may not have. But it doesn't matter which. There's no way to pin down a clear truth."

Because if Maximilian himself were to say "it was not me", he too would be breaking the Imperial Palace's unwritten rule.

"Haah. That aside."

Tiana leaned back in her chair. Her gaze swept across the faces gathered inside.

The remnants of the old Anton faction had assembled here at the Jerome estate. To discuss the Cliff incident.

"...So the Imperial Palace's eavesdropping wasn't just a ghost story?"

Jerome nodded. That was precisely why he had gone to the trouble of inviting the knights to his own home.

"A sense of unease. After serving as a knight for over ten years, you start to notice strange coincidences happening one after another from time to time."

Moments when the heart of a case you were investigating in secret seemed to leak out somewhere.

"You usually suspect an insider. I did, too."

Around his fifth year, Jerome had also tailed a clerical officer and a secretarial officer.

"But as I traced who actually benefited from those leaks, time after time, I kept arriving at one particular place."

The Imperial Palace.

So in his seventh year, Jerome had deliberately dropped a piece of bait. Within the Sentinel they had discussed an investigation into an illegal gambling den supposedly backed by an Imperial Palace noble.

That information was leaked precisely on cue, and the Imperial Guard cut off those bastards' tail first.

"...Honestly, there's one thing that's been bothering me too."

Tiana said, rubbing the side of her nose.

"Where, and how, did Sir Cliff get his information about the 14th District? Illegal Mana Stones aren't even Sir Cliff's specialty to begin with."

Jerome and the knights looked at Tiana.

"On top of that, the production of Illegal Mana Stones was being carried out in the 14th District, not even in the lower districts. And the location turned out to be a block packed with civilian shops. Doesn't that seem off?"

The "production" of Illegal Mana Stones is usually carried out in the lower districts. Statistically, ninety-seven out of a hundred. Naturally, because it draws less attention from the Empire.

"What if someone deliberately leaked information to lure Cliff there?"

At Tiana's words, Jerome too fell into thought for a moment.

"Cliff isn't a knight who refuses missions."

He had simply deployed in order to perform his duty.

"...He's also a veteran. A knight of Cliff's caliber instinctively shies away from dangerous objects with unstable mana."

For unstable explosives like a Mana Condenser, a knight's senses would normally tell him to avoid them.

Yet Cliff had gone out of his way to fire an Aura Blade at it, and the chain explosion had followed.

"There's a possibility this was manipulated by an outside force."

That was Jerome's conclusion. Tiana nodded as well.

"Ah, and. I don't think Max attacked Deputy Commander Anton."

At the name "Max", the knights flinched.

"He's not the kind of guy who'd talk smack behind someone's back to begin with. I mean, his record kind of proves it, doesn't it?"

"...As it is not a very noble thing to do. He'd kill you to your face before he'd whisper behind your back."

At those words from Lufton, an eight-year veteran, everyone wore a wry smile.

Jerome fell into deep thought for a moment.

As if he were, just as he had said, trying to feel his way through what could not be seen, he closed his eyes and pondered.

"I'll go meet Deputy Commander Chiron."

He shot up from his seat.

.......

In the center of the Empire, around the time spring had begun to bud along the streets.

A public hearing was held for the establishment of the Standing Minister post and the confirmation of Kentz Bertem. Unlike during Anton Zefren's, the atmosphere of the great assembly hall was already in full bloom.

It was as warm and easy as if a festival were under way.

"Hahaha! Allow me to congratulate you in advance on your appointment as Standing Minister, Lord Bertem."

"Come now, the confirmation isn't even finished yet, what's there to congratulate?"

Kentz Bertem, dressed in an immaculate suit, made a show of modesty, but he could not quite hide the smile at the corner of his mouth.

"I've reserved 'Beat Gigas' for after the public hearing."

"...Ahem. Have you, now? Well, very good."

Upscale restaurants had sprung up like mushrooms in the wake of Lilac Vita's runaway success. Yet none, they said, could match the original.

Once he became Standing Minister, he would be able to set foot in that Lilac Vita as well.

──Everyone. Please be seated.

Soon enough, the appointed time arrived, and the nobles and key figures of the Imperial Palace all took their respective seats.

The gallery was packed. Knights, businessmen, military officers, nobles...

Kentz Bertem strode imposingly through their midst and ascended to the candidate's seat at the center of the platform.

──We shall now begin the public hearing for Standing Minister candidate Kentz Bert⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌em.

At the Chairman's declaration of opening.

Various Imperial Palace officials and Councilors carried out their pre-arranged questioning. Formal questions flowed back and forth smoothly.

"C⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌andidate Bertem?"

"Yes."

A Councilor asked.

"The newly established office of Standing Minister includes substantive control and budgetary authority over the knight orders, which have hitherto maintained an independent status. We would like to hear the candidate's views on this matter."

"Yes. A very fine question. As we can see in the recent explosion catastrophe in the 14th District, the Sentinel Knight Order, too, clearly requires proper guidelines and integration..."

He didn't directly disparage the order, but rather kept his words vague. There was no need to invite their pointless resentment.

"...In other words, for this position of Standing Minister, which can serve as a bridge between the various organs of the Empire, the private sector, and the knight orders, I, Kentz Bertem, dare to take pride in being the most fitting candidate."

"Mm. I'd be curious to hear, in concrete terms, what those qualifications are, and what philosophy guides you."

"All things rest on the premise of trust and mutual respect. The knight orders, the blade of the Empire, are to be honored, but within the bounds of the law..."

Just as Kentz was pouring out the lines he had prepared in advance.

Suddenly, the gallery began to stir.

From the press seats at the very back of the hearing chamber, a strange murmur rippled outward like a wave.

Several reporters, faces flustered, hurried out the door, and before long someone came rushing back in, panting, and pressed a book of some sort into a Councilor's hands, flipping it open to a particular page.

The brow of the Councilor who had received the book twitched faintly.

That wasn't all.

The reporter who had brought the book showed it to another, then to yet another... and the murmuring spread uncontrollably through the entire hearing chamber in the span of an instant.

"Order in the chamber! What is this commotion?"

The Chairman shouted, but the room was already writhing beyond control.

In the end, that "book" was passed even to a Minister seated near the platform.

"It's fine. I shall continue."

Kentz forced a relaxed smile.

He cleared his throat and tried to pick up where he had left off.

"...'Candidate Anton has insisted on remaining a bachelor his entire life and has never married, but it appears he once had a lover with whom he was deeply involved.'"

A reading came from somewhere.

Words someone had spoken to Anton, once, in some private chamber of the Imperial Palace.

The back of Kentz's neck stiffened.

~~~

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