Translator: KJ

Underground City —「Tavern Quanda」

Elze of the Outcast was leaning back against the counter bar, lost in deep thought. An uncertain future as a mercenary. The complicated affairs above ground. And above all... the despair of their revenge.

"Worried?"

Behind the tavern's counter, Quanda asked, tossing the question off as he wiped a glass.

"Worried, my ass."

Elze stretched grandly for no particular reason.

Quanda chuckled.

"What, I hear even a Knight got tangled up in this?"

"...No. Actually, that Knight pulled out."

"He pulled out?"

"Yeah."

A fact caught by Filty's Clairvoyance. Mason Industry had reached directly into the imperial palace and forced the Knights to halt their investigation.

"Guess even Knights are no match. Those bastards have crawled their way up to places like that by now."

Elze let out a hollow laugh and swirled her whiskey glass.

"Their pace of growth is way faster than ours..."

A deep sigh slipped out.

Mason Industry. The monster that had come to occupy far too large a slice of the empire's western economy, and their greatest enemy.

Quanda silently filled her glass.

"Well, I knew what I was getting into."

Elze swiveled her chair and looked out at the world beyond the tavern.

This Underground City had people too. So many of them. Those pushed out from the surface, or who had abandoned it themselves, swarmed the place.

"Got to keep going till it's done."

The underground was filthy. Sunlight scarcely reached down here. But it was far purer, far cleaner than the rotted hypocrisy ab⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌ove ground.

Because here, at least, her heart was at peace.

"Elze. How's Filty doing?"

Out of nowhere, Quanda asked.

"Sent her to the hospital. Looks like she's got a nervous breakdown."

It was because she had observed Maximilian for far too long. She'd spent days shivering with chills, muttering about how 'their eyes had met', so Elze had put her brushes and paper completely out of reach.

"I see. So she won't be drawing comics for a while?"

"Probably not... what, Master, you got a thing for Filty? Why all the questions?"

Quanda chuckled, then slipped a crumpled piece of paper over her shoulder.

"Here. The information you were looking for."

"..."

Elze's expression froze.

A T24 researcher. The demons who had carried out unspeakably cruel human experimentation on children.

The fact that those bastards were sleeping easy above ground, no matter how she thought about it, was something she could not accept.

"You planning to do this one alone again?"

"You know my style. Having company actually gets in the way."

The Cross Killer, Elze.

She tended to invest considerable effort investigating her targets' patterns and executing the kill. That was why she left no trace at the scene.

But her other comrades lacked that level of meticulousness, so they only got in the way.

"Hoo..."

Elze unfolded the paper.

The name of this target was─ Gennady Gothel.

"Even his name sounds like shit."

The T24 researchers back then had only been called by their researcher titles, so their real names and personal details had been impossible to learn. But this researcher was different. He was the one her grudge clung to most darkly. An asshole more beast than man, one she could hardly bear to call human.

"...Thanks, Quan."

Elze tucked the paper between her fingers and lifted her eyebrows.

Quanda ga⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌ve a bitter smile and avoided her gaze.

* * *

For Imperial Knights, identity disguise, masquerade, and false impersonation were entirely legal. Therefore, even if their identity was exposed during a mission, they suffered no penalties; on the contrary, if there was an internal whistleblower, the informant himself was the one punished.

Furthermore, this undercover infiltration had been designed quite meticulously. A new identity had been crafted, a scholar from Imperial Central University, and through several letters of recommendation, he had been formally hired.

"Mr. Gerd?"

In the cutting-edge research wing of Mason Industry, someone called my fake name.

"I am Senior Researcher 'Milo'."

"Yes. Pleased to meet you. I'm Gerd."

Milo. Not a name I knew. Which meant he was at least not a war criminal, or had died before becoming one, and the latter was the more likely. Mason was about to be plunged into chaos.

"Fo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌llow me."

I trailed after him, walking deeper into the research wing. Through the inner corridor, beyond the glass walls, bizarre sights flickered past.

A monkey convulsing with patches of fur missing, a dolphin dying as its skin melted in a tank, countless animals trapped in cages, writhing in agony from forced mana injections.

Milo gave a small laugh.

"Find it strange?"

"...Not really. I've seen worse."

"Glad to hear it."

But there were no signs of human beings. Not a trace of human experimentation. Of course not.

Research targeting humans would have been handed off to 'T24' and conducted in absolute secrecy.

"Right here."

The place Milo stopped at was an area marked [Lab Building B].

Hisssss─ The gate slid open. Beyond was a sterile white chamber.

"Mr. Gerd, your specialty is... Mana Studies, correct?"

Milo asked, glancing at my resume.

"Yes. I have a PhD in Mana Studies."

"Other specialties?"

"None. Advanced specialization in Mana Studies."

I had genuinely studied Mana Studies. It had been a required theoretical subject at Empire Point.

And the level of my knowledge was certainly no less than that of any scholar. Active Trace Analysis itself was a Knight's specialty work, and constant self-improvement through reading and study was, for me, a duty.

And behind all of it was the Virus's memory.

I could pull out any knowledge I had ever encountered, exactly when I wanted it.

"Perfect, then."

Milo guided me deeper into the lab.

"There's something we need."

He pointed to a booth sealed with special Mana Stone glass. Inside was a red crystal about the size of a finger joint.

"Take a look."

Strange waves of mana pulsed endlessly from the crystal.

"What does it look like to you?"

Milo asked, as if testing me.

The mana particles radiating from the crystal, and the disordered residual afterimages. The Virus inside me received this dissonance as a pure flow of mana. Within it, I could perceive a certain 'sense'.

"You don't need to understand. It's a very advanced concept..."

Just as Milo, mistaking my silence for ignorance, was about to put on airs.

"...A living being."

The wave of mana.

The pulse of the Virus.

A heat as if blood were rushing to my brain rose, and certain pieces of information lodged themselves vividly into my mind.

"This pulse did not originate from a machine or from nature."

I murmured, gazing at the crystal trapped behind the glass.

"It is the trembling of mana erupting from the emotion, pain, and despair of a living being."

In simple terms, an attempt to reproduce a human element through mana.

"A person's emotions?"

In that instant, Milo's eyes widened.

"...Incredible. You caught it at first glance. Yes. That's right. We've extracted the emotions of living beings into crystallized form."

Emotions kindled mana. The more extreme they were, like denial, destruction, killing intent, the more fiercely that flame burned.

These bastards had scraped together the vibrations of mana that occurred in the moment emotion twisted.

──Was it a trace of their pursuit of the illusion called the Mana Engine?

But the Mana Engine was a task that had been impossible from the start. In my previous life, its end had already been confirmed.

What was sealed within this crystal, too, was not the 'essence of emotion' but a fake, a moment of feeling preserved like taxidermy.

A recording machine that, without change, would only repeat that single section infinitely.

"Excellent. Above expectations. Then, Mr. Gerd, please record and analyze this wavelength. It's important to schematize the Mana Waves and identify their patterns."

Even so, if these bastards wanted the work done, I could do it for them. For now, I had to win their trust.

"Where is my desk?"

"Ah, this way."

I was shown to my workstation. A state-of-the-art computer sat on the desk, but I had no need for a computer.

I gripped a pen and, drawing on the Virus's intuition, began scrawling out the mana I had read without hesitation.

"What are you..."

Scratch, scratch, scratch.

In an instant, the mana wave from the crystal a moment ago was complete. Drawn by hand.

"Done."

"..."

Milo picked up the paper. With a blank expression, he looked back at me and swallowed.

I gave a relaxed smile.

"This kind of mana analysis is my specialty."

"For now, for now, let me check it and bring it back. Please continue with the next task."

Milo, unable to hide his bewilderment, hurried back to his seat. But he was back in no time, asking how I'd done it and pushing the next assignment my way, which, again, I schematized perfectly.

"What in the world are you?"

His gestures and voice were dumbfounded. There was something amusing about Milo in that state.

"I'm just specialized in this kind of field. It feels almost instinctive. People call it 'intuition'."

"...Hah. I've truly seen it all now. The last newcomer pulled a full all-nighter and still couldn't manage."

In any case, I performed the duties given to me as a researcher, and...

Another week passed.

* * *

Mason Research Institute, core sector.

"The new researcher who joined this round is quite outstanding."

Senior Researcher Milo said, setting down a stack of documents. The Research Institute's Chief Director, 'Gennady Gothel', nodded as he looked at the results displayed on the monitor.

"So it seems. One guy did all this in just a week?"

"Yes."

"Lunatic, total lunatic. Shouldn't we be calling that old man Eschenbach in? A genius has shown up."

"He's also someone vetted through a recommendation from the Wilhelm Institute."

Gennady switched off the monitor.

"If it's a Wilhelm-side recommendation, his background and ideology should be trustworthy."

"Yes, that's right. His reputation among the researchers is good as well."

"Mm~ Got it. I'll check him out a bit later myself."

Hngh. Gennady groaned and stood up, hands clasped behind his back.

"Right then. I'm off. Let me know if anything comes up."

"Yes."

Milo bowed his head.

Late that night. Gennady, having left the Mason Industry research facility, walked into the dark parking lot and got into his car.

"Ahh, I'm worn out~"

He muttered to himself for no reason and started the engine.

──Vrrrrrooom.

The engine sound came, like a beast snarling. As head of the institute, he kept no chauffeur. He always drove himself. Because he trusted no one.

Vrooooom─.

The car pulled smoothly out of the parking lot and onto a road already gone empty.

"Hooo."

The instant he took a deep breath and was about to floor the accelerator.

"──Hi there."

Suddenly, from behind him, a coldly suppressed voice rippled out.

"Move and your head comes off."

"...!"

Gennady's breath stopped. A sharp wire that had snaked out from the back seat now pressed against the back of his neck.

Yank!

"Keep driving."

There had been no presence. No trace either. Gennady was bewildered, but he gripped the steering wheel. Feeling the wire bite into his neck, he gasped for breath.

Yank.

"Ngh!"

He rolled only his eyes to look at the rearview mirror. There she was... a woman in a hat. A face he had seen before.

A former experimental subject.

"Krrgh..."

Her pupils flushed a dark crimson. Gennady stared at her, transfixed. Soon, joy welled up in him like madness.

'So you came here on your own two feet after all.'

"Ngh... heh, heheh."

A strange laugh leaked through Gennady's teeth.

"Shut your fucking mouth."

Yank. Elze pulled the wire harder.

"Hehehe, hehehe..."

But the laughter rolling up from Gennady's throat would not stop.

"What are you smirking about? It's pissing me off. I'll just slit your throat."

"Krhehehehehe... ha, ha!"

"Crazy fucking pervert."

Elze furrowed her brow. Krrch. The instant she forced strength into her grip to tear out his throat,

a faint ripple of mana brushed against her mind.

Elze's eyes flew wide.

KABOOM──!

Too late. A thunderous shock crashed down, and the entire back seat of the car was c⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌rushed.

Elze whipped her head around. Beyond the torn-apart frame of the vehicle stood a hulking monstrosity made of machinery. Falkenrath, with a cruel smirk on his face.

"...!"

Elze tried to pull up her mana to counter, but Falkenrath's mechanical arm was far faster.

──Thwack!

With a single blow. Elze's body bent like a sheet of paper, and she lost consciousness.

The situation was settled in an instant, and Falkenrath tucked the unconscious Elze under his arm like a piece of luggage.

"Ah, my neck... It hurts like hell."

'Good thing I'd had that artifact wrapped around me ahead of time. Almost got my throat actually torn out.'

"Cough. Mr. Falken, how was my acting?"

"..."

Gennady stepped out of the car, pressing a hand to his bleeding neck. Falkenrath's Artificial Eye looked down at him.

"Whatever, fine. Not that I care."

Gennady muttered irritably and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his coat. Flick. He tossed it at Falkenrath.

"Here you go."

─This?

"That guy called Quanda or whatever. It's the secret bank account of the tavern owner those bastards use as a hideout."

The owner of the tavern where the Outcast had taken refuge, Quanda.

The guy had sold Elze out.

"It's not just the money. The man's begging us to save his daughter first. Says she's got some incurable disease."

─I'll send someone.

"Yes. Take care of it, then."

Gennady left the wrecked car at the side of the road and walked off into the darkness.

Falkenrath crouched down again.

Vrooooom──!

With that single leap, he flew hundreds of meters.

* * *

...I had been doing nothing but work, day in and day out. I was starting to wonder whether I'd chosen the wrong approach, but anyway.

"Um, Dr. Gerd. Over here."

"Could you check this waveform here for me?"

"Um..."

At some point, the way the lab treated me had subtly shifted.

"Dr. Gerd!"

'Doctor' The honorific had begun trailing me naturally. I didn't know why, but the sound of it was somehow more pleasing than 'Knight'.

Maybe because it was a title I had never held in my life.

"How should we interpret the unstable portion of this wavelength?"

Thump─.

The Virus inside me was the first to respond to the question.

"Hmm."

The Virus accepted mana as mana. That is, it understood the wavelength of mana through pure intuition. But there were limits to translating that intuition into the 'language' that scholars used.

"Don't try to force this section of the wavelength to connect... try splitting it instead. In other words, break the flow apart."

Because of that, my advice tended to be simple and easy.

Founded on the Virus's intuition, it was profoundly intuitive.

"...Ah! Splitting!"

The researchers picked up even my rawest explanations as if they understood perfectly.

"I'll run a simulation right away!"

"Oh...! As expected of Dr. Gerd!"

It almost felt like I was helping Mason advance, but no matter.

Mason Industry would not survive the year. Their patents, research data, and organizational structures would all be torn apart, and I would devour only the 'good parts' for myself.

"Thank you, Doctor!"

"Yes, good work."

"Um... Doctor...?"

The moment one researcher turned away in admiration, another would arrive at my desk with a report in hand.

A bizarre phenomenon, given that fewer than two weeks had passed since I'd taken up the false position.

"Dr. Gerd, did you come straight from the university? Your insight is incredible."

"No, well. I've worked at the Wilhelm Society for a time as well... and I've traveled around several countries on the continent, where I had many opportunities to engage with Mana Studies."

I was rambling out my background appropriately when─.

Knock knock─.

There was a tap on the partition of my desk.

It was Senior Researcher Milo.

"Dr. Gerd."

His voice was a notch lower than usual.

"I have a separate task for you."

"...What is it?"

"An experimental subject has just come in... come this way for now."

Milo trailed off, gesturing for me to follow. He meant for it to be just the two of us.

"Ye⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌s."

In my mind, I sensed the real start of the episode beginning.

~~~

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