Translator: KJ

......A past spent clutching an empty stomach through sleepless nights, in passages between sewers on snowy days, in the shadows beneath railway underpasses on rainy ones.

At the bottom of that free world where the very concept of "Aran" had vanished, where the Empire had transformed into a Republic, and every race─Sled, Merin, Edlem, Ezenheim, East and West alike─had come to live together in harmony,

I read their story.

─Hey. You sure 'bout this? You wanna swap that scrap of paper for this~?

The homeless man held up the bread and a bottle of liquor with a grin. Those things, precious beyond measure to people like us, I traded for a comic book.

[ Outcast: Cont⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌inental War Arc ]

The Outcast, joining the Continental War in earnest as part of the Revolutionary forces. Episode after episode of assassinating the Empire's key assets and sabotaging entire legions.

─Heh heh. This booze hits the spot~

Enemies who kept appearing no matter how many they killed, and at last the appearance of those forces called "Knights". The arrival of my old comrades, Chiron and Raynel.

And then,

[ ......One day! Sebestian noticed Filty's gaze! ]

The biggest hook left on the final page─ Sebestian's back, drawn for all to see as the final boss.

I had been a noble of the Empire whom they crushed, but in truth I was nothing more than dregs the Empire had cast aside, so I felt a strange catharsis.

[ To Be Continued ]

─Ah......

The latest issue I'd finally gotten my hands on was over. I tucked the comic book carefully into my bag. The pages were always tattered, torn here and there. Deep down I longed for a clean bound volume, but that was a luxury beyond a fugitive.

─Whoa~ What era are we in, and there's still some bastard out here spouting this kind of insane crap.

In front of a drum can with a fire crackling inside. The homeless man chuckled as he scanned the newspaper. I picked up the article he'd tossed onto the ground. The headline was a politician's racist remarks.

[ Minister Mekin's leaked recording: "The whole damn media's been taken over by those Ezenheim bastards. It's a serious problem. It can't be allowed. NewsPage is completely Ezenheim-owned, dominated by their editorials. Universal Times and Jemion Post have totally fallen into their hands too......" ]

In response to that recording, every figure and outlet in the Republic swarmed him like bees, denouncing him and burying him.

Anti-discrimination was enshrined in law, and the genocide once carried out by the Empire was inscribed in textbooks as a cautionary lesson for all of humanity. A resolve never to repeat such a tragedy took root.

And so, humanity would walk into the future, united.

I, too, as a remnant of that Empire, had truly believed in the peaceful future they were going to build.

Their choice had clearly been right.

If only it hadn't been for the Ezenheim.

────Whoooosh.

Pain's face, which had been hovering in midair, slowly sank, and his massive body collapsed first. Head and torso parted, toppling, blood scattering wide. Just as his heart, too, came to a stop.

My Virus also stopped its pulsing.

Pain had been an Ezenheim.

Yo── u ass── hole──!

A slow, viscous shout flowed in. I turned my head to look. Caden. He was unleashing Mana Waves. At that frequency, my disguise was the first thing to come undone. Black hair bled back to gold, black eyes drying out like desert.

After spitting out even the false teeth, I moved.

Pa──in──!

Caden, having lost all reason, came charging in. His mana scattered every wave. The Special Ability that disrupted the brain's nervous system directly─the one he'd used to abduct the Empire's high-ranking officers, break their minds, and pry information out of them.

Best, if at all possible, not to let it touch the body.

I twisted my upper body just slightly. Letting the Mana Waves slide past, I adjusted my grip on the longsword.

Then in a single leap. I traced an arc that would cleave him in two.

Clang──!

Someone forced themselves into the path of my Sword Path.

It was Meden. The protagonist. Using his Body-Hardened left arm as a shield, he blocked my longsword. The Ebenholtz sword bit into his skin and scattered a pure white mist.

"Krrraaagh──!"

Meden shoved me back with everything he had.

I let myself be pushed, willingly.

"......"

The space settled into stillness for a moment.

A lull broken only by breathing.

"......You."

Elze glared at me. Hostility of every color and shade gathered in her eyes. Meden was the same. Caden was no different.

People too much like something out o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌f a comic.

I only met their gazes, with no feeling whatsoever.

─Ha. Hahaha. Ha. Hahaha.

Suddenly, a strange laugh came from behind me.

Falkenrath.

The one who had been engaged by Elze's Special Ability had somehow lifted that torso of his upright again.

─......This. This power. Is. The Empire.

The bastard's red prosthetic eye blinked madly. On, off. On, off. Like a broken lamp.

─This. Is the great Empire.

From the severed mechanical arm came a hisssss-acrid steam jetting out. The Mana Stone within the circuitry was reacting. Repairs were taking place on their own.

The nature of Falkenrath's innate mana. He certainly had what it took to fuse with machines.

─We are the Empire.

Hisssss! The bastard discharged Mana Stone residue, cackling gr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌otesquely.

─Insects. Like you. No matter how. You writhe. There's no escape. Power. Power. Power......

Falkenrath's nonsense went on. A long-winded sermon about the Empire. The bastard seemed to be under the impression that I was on his side.

─You are merely. Manure crushed. Beneath the Empire's heel. The Emperor. Wants. Us.

I had no desire to hear any more. No reason to.

I twisted my longsword. My foot drove into the pavement.

──Tick.

Hyper-acceleration. Within the suspended flow of time, I moved. I'd decided to break him first. I had never had any intention of letting a monster like that live.

──.

The very next moment, I was right at his face. My longsword bore down between his shoulder and collarbone─the organic part not covered by mechanical armor.

─What......

Falkenrath's red eye widened as if it would burst.

"Something like you is no Empire."

I twisted the gripped sword.

"You're nothing but a filthy, unclean lump of scrap metal."

Just like that, I let loose an Aura Blade. Falkenrath's body burst into dozens of pieces. Machinery and chunks of flesh blew skyward.

He would not be getting up again.

Whip.

Lightly flicking the oil and blood off the sword, I straightened, once more, as a Knight. I scanned the area calmly.

"Pursuant to Articles 14 and 31 of the Imperial Penal Code."

As I went on speaking, for a moment.

Just a brief moment.

"For perpetrating acts of terror."

It was only an instant, but my voice trembled, just barely.

I did not let it show on the outside, but somewhere deep in my heart, an unaccountable hesitation rose.

"And for the inflagrante crime of slaying innocent Aran......"

They had been the heroes of a comic book who'd carried me through hellish days, one after another.

The ones who'd given me a reason to live through today, tomorrow, and the next week. The people the past me had looked up to.

Perhaps, fragments of "humanity" lingering in my soul.

Bang──!

A gunshot rang out from behind me.

The armed group, Onyx. The bastards who had joined to support the Outcast unleashed a barrage of firepower on me all at once.

"Run, Elze! Meden! We'll hold him off!"

Ratatatatat─!

Deflecting the storm of bullets with an Aura Sphere, I hurled the longsword.

Vrrrooommm──!

The mana-laden sword spun like a helicopter rotor as it bore down on the Onyx bastards.

──Krrraaaak

Their torsos and limbs were torn apart. Pieces of bodies scattered in every direction. Screams and shrieks. Blood and flesh. Humans rent into chunks of meat, dripping wet.

They had no power to stop me.

Whoosh.

The sword returned like a boomerang, cutting back through the air thick with falling rain of blood. I gripped its handle tight.

I drew in a deep breath.

"Pursuant to Articles 14 and 31 of the Imperial Penal Code."

Now, at last, the time had come to erase the past.

"The reactionary group that committed acts of terror and mass-slaughtered Aran civilians."

Before the cause I bore, my private sentiment was nothing but indulgence.

"As a Knight of the Empire, I deliver summary judgment."

I sprinted across the pavement. As if resonating with the motion, Caden was the first to come at me.

Whish─!

Caden was fast. He could push past human limits by manipulating even his own nervous system. So he tried to close in matching my speed and land his Mana Waves directly.

This was how he fought, but I drew back. Forming a platform of mana beneath my feet, I pushed off it and stepped half a pace backward. The distance between Caden and me grew. Wind spun uselessly through the gap.

I thrust the sword out, straight.

──!

The blade pierced his heart. The mana that had run vivid as a current faded into nothing.

Then Meden lunged at me. It had been meant as a coordinated strike, timed together, but Caden had died too soon.

In fury, Meden drew his Body Hardening to its peak. He swung straight punches at me one after another. I deflected his fists with the flat of my sword.

Clang! Clang! Claaaang—

Meden's fists came at me like a gale. But the Fence of Ebenholtz remained still. The longsword wove the Flow. Flawlessly, it struck back at impurity. Meden's mana was impure. Because his body held Mana Stone within it.

Clang──! Claaaaang──

He could not withstand my sword. At some moment the silver of Ebenholtz surged up, and everything below his right elbow was cleaved off whole. The body the comic had drawn as invincible was being shorn away by my flawlessness.

"──Ngh!"

Even so, Meden did not retreat. He swung his remaining left arm. I ducked to evade it and, at the same time, brought the sword up from below.

──.

Without a single sound, Meden's left shoulder, too, was sliced clean away.

Both arms gone, he tried to bare his teeth at me, but someone's mana caught him and held.

Whoooosh.

Elze. She drew him back toward herself.

She had accepted defeat.

"Meden."

Leaning against a heap of rubble, Elze held Meden tight in her arms.

"You can stop now......"

Meden looked up at her, dazed.

"......"

I gazed at them. Letting my sword hang at my side, one step at a time. I closed in on them.

Elze did not look away from me. She did not run.

"You. Do you think you're right? Do you... do you even know the things the Empire has done?"

She asked me. Resentment knotted up against the Empire, hatred, and the helplessness of one broken under violenc⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌e, all mingled together.

"I know."

I lowered the sword as I answered. Elze clenched her teeth.

"And knowing, you still-"

"The Empire is neither good nor evil. It's merely the best option."

It existed only for survival.

To stay alive, the monster called Empire was simply necessary.

Good and evil. Right and wrong. Such moral values were utterly meaningless before the great premise of humanity's survival.

"Mason is the best option? Are you out of your damn mind? You played researcher and you didn't see? You moron!"

"Mason Industry will fall."

At my words, Elze's and Meden's expressions wavered, just slightly.

"Because I have obtained evidence of the human experimentation that's illegal under Imperial law."

As a Knight of the Empire, I would tear down the cradle of this insane experiment with my own hands.

As the heir of Ebenholtz, I would show Hector Mason what "the ceiling" truly meant.

"Bastards like you will never appear again."

"......Whew~ now that's a real relief, isn't it."

Meden's bloodless lips moved faintly as a dry laugh slipped out. Elze, too, smiled emptily.

"Our kind won't show up anymore? On that one, I really do hope you pull it off, Sir Knight."

I came within close distance of them.

"For your last......"

In that moment, my senses caught another gaze watching this place from far off, deep in the darkness.

Filty.

Was her Clairvoyance recording this moment?

"Is there anything you wish to say?"

At that, Meden and Elze looked at each other. Meden no longer had two arms with which to strike me, and Elze's mana was spent. Resistance was impossible.

Soon, the two of them nodded.

"Ah. Yeah. There is. Bit weird to say this on first meeting, but."

Meden looked at me first and grinned brightly.

Officially the most handsome man in the series. Even drenched in blood, that evaluation did not lose a bit of its luster.

"Fuck─off!"

Elze, hearing Meden's shout, smiled the same way. She thrust her middle finger up with force.

"Yeah, fuck off, you fucking moron, you Imperial slave!"

I looked down at them quietly.

Without realizing it, joy spread across my lips. From somewhere deep in my chest, a real laugh slipped out.

"......Yeah."

If it were possible, I would have w⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌anted to show them, too, the future where Mason Industry fell completely.

But that would not be permitted.

If Elze and Meden survived, the Empire would put them on the experimentation table once more. For those whose lives the Empire had ruined down to the root, that would be a humiliation worse than death.

"......"

I surveyed the area.

The mechanical wreckage of Falkenrath, sundered in pieces. Pain's body, headless. Caden, killed instantly with his heart pierced through.

Meden and Elze, eyes closed as if they had already sensed death, holding each other in their arms.

The two of them, accepting death with serene detachment, said nothing at all.

"You did well."

Because I understood the banner they had raised, the meaning of the freedom they had so fiercely longed for.

I willingly swung the sword.

I beheaded the two of them.

───.

Moonlight wandered briefly across the ground.

Stillness settled over the area.

This would do.

I stepped back a pace or two and looked down at my own hand.

And......

'Hey. You there, kid. Out of those Outcasts, who's your favorite?'

Out of nowhere, the voice of some homeless man from my fugitive days slipped into my ear. A cancer patient who'd been a fan of「Outcast」, just like me.

'......My favorite?'

'Yeah. Pick just one.'

Tracing memories of a past that no longer existed, I lowered myself onto a heap of broken concrete.

'Pick? What's there to pick. They're all good.'

I lifted my face to the night sky. A crescent moon. A faint arc wreathed in mist seemed to be turning to meet my gaze.

'Aw, come on, that's no fun. At least pick one.'

Days when I could love someone purely, with no reason at all.

A day when I might have been caught and killed the next morning, and yet my heart, at least, had been free.

'......Then it'd be meaningless.'

Not yet knowing this world's doom, not yet bearing this fucking burden.

And yet, strangely enough, the me who fought tooth and nail just to live one more day.

"If not together......"

I gently closed my eyes. The night wind wound around me as if to dig at a sense of loss whose source I could not name.

"Then it has no meaning."

At some point, it seemed, I had come too far.

The path back was sunk in darkness, and too much blood had stained my hands.

At the end of it, I stood alone.

But──

Believe, Maximilian.

This is the only path for you.

~~~

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