Translator: KJ

A private room inside「Lilac Vita」.

The talks continued in stillness. Only the occasional clink of silverware and Reutern's voice filled the space.

"How's the surveillance?"

But outside that room, things were highly dynamic. A far more intense covert struggle was unfolding than anything taking place inside the restaurant.

"...the audio reception is still unstable."

In the building across from the restaurant, agents of the Imperial Palace's Direct Agency were frantically working their listening equipment, sweat beading on their brows.

"Don't stop."

The Department Chief of the Direct Agency placed his hands on their shoulders. As men more sensitive than anyone to the shifting power dynamics of the Imperial Palace, they had to grasp, with as much precision as possible, the direction in which the conversation in that locked room was flowing.

"Every word matters. Squeeze it out."

This effort to catch even a fragment of the conversation was hardly limited to them.

The Central Intelligence Agency of the western Republic of Prozen, the Secret Police of the eastern Robrus Union, the Itelik Kingdom's Intelligence Department, Volska's Intelligence Agency, and even Canilan's Intelligence Bureau, reeling though it was from a recent economic collapse, had all marshaled every piece of equipment and tradecraft they possessed.

That day,「Lilac Vita」had become an invisible arena for spies from across the world.

"The Mana Barrier's density is too high. The signal keeps bouncing back."

A Prozen Central Intelligence agent furrowed his brow.

"Even fragments. Anything. Record it all."

Words leaked irregularly between ripples in the mana. If they could string those scraps together into sentences and trace, however faintly, any hint of the speakers' true intent, that alone would be a tremendous coup.

Because Grossman and Reutern, on the other side of that locked room, were figures of that magnitude. Heavyweights of that caliber...

.........

Grossman's ears were practically bleeding. Even Kentz, beside him, was somewhat fed up.

That was how relentlessly Reutern II ran his mouth, jabbering on about this and that.

"No, so anyway. I was like, 'Hey, wha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠t the hell are you doing over there?' And then..."

It was the same image that had earned him his old reputation as a blowhard, but Grossman could no longer dismiss or take his words at face value as he once had.

He had been deceived once already by these feather-light antics.

"Honestly, you should've seen his face, hehehe... Ah. I still picture it before I sleep, you know?"

Still, the man certainly came across as an idiot. Even now it was hard to tell whether this was an act, or genuinely part of his personality.

So this was a man with a thousand faces.

"Oh, and you remember that guy from before? Zipperperman. I always thought his name was hilarious. How do you even fit two 'per's in there..."

"Reutern."

Suddenly, Grossman set down his knife and cut him off.

"What do you think of Maximilian Ebenholtz?"

"Ah. Max?"

He called Maximilian "Max". Few in the Imperial Palace were permitted to shorten that Knight's name.

"Max is a really good guy~"

"Don't you think his enterprise has grown a touch too large to be called merely 'a good guy'?"

"Eh~ It's all for the Empire anyway, so what's the harm."

Reutern II calmly drank his wine. Grossman sensed a strange opacity in Reutern's complete absence of any check on Maximilian.

Did the bastard regard even Maximilian as a sword he could swing as he pleased?

Or was he reassured by the fact that, in the end, Maximilian was still "Sebestian's son"?

"But you know. The Knights have been sitting still and minding their own business."

Reutern's voice abruptly settled, low and quiet.

"I really don't get why you keep trying to change things. The Imperial Palace gets noisy because of it... Isn't it better to just leave things as they are?"

The remark was something he muttered out of pure annoyance and irritation, at the deliberate creation of a position for Kentz, at the noise around the Hearing or whatever it was.

"Every time you do something like that, the Palace fills up with too many outsiders."

"..."

But that melody of "leave things alone" sank like a blade into Grossman's ear.

"Ah, that's right. The other day, hey, Kentz. You saw that guy too, right? The one who was supposedly the Imperial Palace janitor."

But Reutern restarted his chatter immediately. His mouth was an engine, and the red wine in front of him was its fuel.

"I mean, he was clearly a Subspecies just by the look of him, so I was like, how the hell is he here? And I had someone look into it! And sure enough..."

......

"...He talks too much."

A Direct Agency agent let out a flustered murmur. He had been trying to assemble the words coming through the listening device, only to hit an utterly hopeless wall.

"What do you mean? Let me see."

The Chief reached out and took the paper.

[ Sitting still. They. That guy. By the look of him. Subspecies. Was wondering. Sure. Enough. Other than. Ah. But. That was. Haha. Kyahaha. No. Really. It was a pretty awful experience. But it worked out, so. Hahaha. Ah. And. What was it again. There was another time something like this happened. Ah, hold on. Hold on a second. Let me. Let me. Let me think about it. Ah. Don't say it! Let me think. Kyahahaha... ]

A stream of meaningless laughter and idle drivel. One might mistake it for drunken babbling, but the subject was Reutern. There was no chance it was ordinary nonsense.

"...Don't tell me."

The Chief's face, scanning the paper up and down in thought, soon hardened cold.

"He already knows."

"Sir?"

"That we're listening."

A Mana Barrier had been thrown around the inside and outside of the meeting venue,「Lilac Vita」, so cutting-edge audio capture devices were useless. Hence the Direct Agency had adopted an analog method. A listening device that detected microscopic vibrations on glass panes or walls and extracted them as voice.

"And he even knows what kind of equipment we'd use..."

If so, then Reutern had seen through the very principle of the device, and was deliberately feeding it meaningless noise data.

If that were not the case from the start, there was no way he would have been running his mouth meaninglessly for two whole hours.

"...He's no pushover."

The Direct Agency was an institution that served the Emperor, but at the same time it was a body that pursued its own independent power and standing.

"Sir. Your orders, please."

Once one's perception of a person had changed, one could no longer judge him carelessly as before. Nor should one. Every action had to be assigned a motive, watched for, and answered in kind.

"There's no other choice."

Just as Grossman had come to be wary of Reutern, the Agency too had tried to grope at his true intentions, but,

The Chief quietly set down his equipment and gave the order.

"Pull out for now. We retreat before they catch our tail..."

* * *

That same day, as Reutern II's reputation rose loftily within and beyond the Imperial Palace.

A certain shopping street on the outskirts of the Empire.

[No Subspecies Allowed!]

Inside one of the shops bearing that sign, a conting⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠ent of Mason Industry's private soldiers quietly took up positions.

A kind of forward command post. A control tower for recovering the former experimental subjects, the「Outcast」.

"..."

But on the rooftop of the building across from them, where the darkness lay thickest, a woman was watching.

Schatz Heizen.

─Thud.

A heavy gust of wind suddenly settled at her back. Schatz immediately discharged a current.

Bzzzzzzt──!

Sparks scorched the concrete as they surged forward, only to be intercepted by someone's "arm" and dissipate.

Schatz's gaze followed the trajectory. The hulking monster— Falkenrath stood there motionless.

─You've grown stronger.

A voice laced with mechanical resonance. A greeting offered as if between old acquaintances.

And of course, the two had met before. Falkenrath had been the agent who once subdued Schatz when she went berserk.

"And you've become more of a monster."

Schatz shot back coldly. A faint, cold-blooded sneer spread across the half of Falkenrath's face that remained.

─Quite some time has passed since then... So, you intend to interfere with our work again? With another protest, perhaps?

Bzzzzzzzt!

Crimson-black mana flowed from his mechanical arm. Schatz gauged her opponent's strength on instinct.

Falkenrath was still a powerhouse. A killing weapon who had grown stronger by the same measure she had. Victory could not be guaranteed. If they were to fight, one of them would die for certain.

But.

"My orders are to observe."

Her highest priority, for now, was not revenge. The orders she had been given were simply to monitor the movements of Mason Industry. She had to keep her reason cold.

If she trusted and waited, the proper opportunity would come. It would, surely.

─Hmm...

Falkenrath looked at Schatz with what seemed like amusement and let out a soft snort.

─So you've found yourself a Liege.

He flicked his mechanical arm idly and went on.

─But soon, you too will come to understand. What we, and your father, were truly trying to invent.

In that instant, Schatz's eyes twisted into something feral. Her father had been her one untouchable scar, then and now.

─What's that look for? This great beginning was none other than Arthur. Arthur Heizen. It was your father, too, who made me what I am.

"...That's why my father tried to put a stop to all of it."

─Hah. Because he was weak. He threw himself into Mason for money and renown, but the moment his belly was full, he grew afraid of the future his own inventions would bring about.

Falkenrath flashed his red prosthetic eye and sneered. Schatz's pupils narrowed like a beast's.

"...Shut your fucking mouth."

─Power. Overwhelming power changes everything in the end. Just as you yourself have become Maximilian's dog.

Heh, heh, heh. A mechanically tinged scorn rang out across the rooftop.

─Now... once the Mana Engine is complete...

Falkenrath's face flushed with rapture as he murmured the words "Mana Engine".

Schatz, too, knew it now.

Working at the Genen Branch Office, taking time at every opportunity to revisit the past and to investigate.

What her father had once been trying to invent at Mason Industry.

─Even Maximilian, in the face of that power's seduction, will eventually waver.

An infinite power source meant to replace the human heart. The Mana Engine.

─He cannot help but waver. After all, it's a technology that can wipe those filthy Subspecies he loathes so deeply from this continent forever.

...The Ezenheim.

Maximilian loathed the Ezenheim with an extremity that bordered on the pathological. Even Schatz could not fathom the depth of that vicious killing intent's source.

─Schatz Heizen. That Knight will choose to stand on our side over a dog like you. In the end, he'll come to look in the same direction we do.

Schatz clenched both fists.

She was about to refute him, but in that moment,

she found herself looking back at what she actually knew about Maximilian.

I know of his hatred, his loathing, his rage, but its depth, its origin, those I do not know...

─You waver, still.

"..."

Schatz forced the corners of her mouth up.

"And what if I had my father's original designs and data? That's why you spared me instead of killing me, isn't it?"

She tried to provoke Falkenrath, but the bastard merely scratched at his upper lip and smirked.

─We don't need that crap anymore. A true 'successful specimen', far more advanced and complete than your old man's research records, is not far from here.

Falkenrath bent his knees.

Vrooooom─!

With a heavy reverberation. The colossal frame leapt into the air. He vanished, soundlessly, into the darkness.

Schatz stared steadily at the trace he had left, then drew the terminal from inside her coat.

* * *

I received the report from Schatz on the surveillance of「Mason Industry」. At the same time, I checked the current date on the calendar atop my desk.

Soon, that episode would unfold.

Elze's abduction, which I had read about in the comic book before my Regression. The clash between Mason Industry and the Outcast.

So I had been planning to start preparing myself, when,

"..."

Schatz was standing motionless directly in front of me.

She didn't step back. She kept looking up at me, fixed.

"What is it?"

"Two-man squad. How about it."

I gave a small laugh at her question.

"The Knights act independently, as a rule. And besides, Schatz, you're a poor matchup against Falkenrath."

Falkenrath was already a half-mechanical fusion who had crossed beyond the line of human. He was also one of the few natural predators capable of accurately tracking Schatz's electromagnetic movements through his prosthetic eye's thermal imaging and wave detection.

Schatz's strength was speed. Her weakness was durability.

"Will you be all right yourself, Sir Knight? Falken⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠rath, from what I have seen, is undeniably formidable."

Schatz asked, in a rare voice tinged with concern.

"...No need t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠o worry. I'm the opposite. I'm his natural predator."

Mana grew more impure the more foreign matter was mixed into it. The same was true of Falkenrath. He used the impurity of human blood, Mana Stone, and machinery to forcibly amplify the vibration of mana and produce his destructive power.

But my mana was different. The Ebenholtz arts, on the contrary, eliminated fluctuation entirely. They refined mana to its absolute extreme and ran it as an unwavering, constant 'Flawlessness'.

Therefore, the Flawless overcame the impure.

"Yes. Understood."

Schatz quietly stepped back, and I submitted a [Leave Slip] to the Knight Order.

......

I arrived at the resort.

The location was a luxury mansion I had prepared in advance in the western Empire. An ideal base, only a few blocks from Mason Industry's headquarters.

"Let's see..."

In front of the mirror, I changed into a Mason Industry researcher's uniform. I hung a fake ID card around my neck and altered my hair and iris colors.

Since I was posing as a researcher, I added a mask on top of the dental prosthetic.

─Beep

An alarm sounded on the Mason Industry employee terminal I had obtained in advance. It meant my start time was almost near.

[ AM 4:45 ]

The start time was earlier than the Knight Order's.

I left the mansion. On the first floor, a researcher dressed almost identically to me stepped out at almost the same moment.

I followed behind him as he walked, yawning. He didn't seem the least bit interested in me.

Step. S⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠tep.

Dawn was breaking. A fairly large number of people in the western Empire were walking the road that led to「Mason Industry」. Researchers, laborers, cleaners, and executives in their cars all passed me by in flashes.

「Mason Industry」

The high-rise on the far side, the building called, the "skyscraper". The structure that boasted the greatest altitude in the western Empire came into view.

Step. Step.

The footsteps of all of us converged and rang out together at the entrance. I scanned my ID at the gate, where the security guards turned their gazes with fierce vigilance.

[ Confirmed: Gerd Bynes, Building B Researcher ]

I walked into the company calmly. My destination was Research Building B. I trailed directly behind the male researcher walking ahead of me.

Step. Step.

As I moved my legs, I steadied my mind once more.

I cannot let my guard down. I cannot underestimate Mason or Hector. Right now, they are one of the continent's foremost corporations, basking in the Emperor's favor.

Ding─

I stopped before the elevator. Researchers in white coats gathered in an instant, and I entered the elevator with them.

Whirrrrrr—

I smiled, pressed in among the researchers.

Because, all of a sudden, this saying came to mind.

──A Knight of the Empire is everywhere, and nowhere.

~~~

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