Translator: KJ

──Thud. Thud.

Maximilian Ebenholtz walked down the steps of the small theater.

The eyes of Hermann, Julian, and the field officer followed him.

“Sir Maximilian...... are you the backup?”

Hermann offered the greeting with a feigned air of ease, though inwardly he swallowed his alarm. The man had arrived far sooner than expected.

Thud. Thud.

Maximilian approached without a word of reply. At his side, Reutern II tagged along, chattering away like a magpie.

“Whoa. There are theaters like this? It’s tiny. What is this, a miniature? People actually sit in here?”

Reutern, seated in the audience, and Maximilian, who had stepped up onto the stage.

The play now had four leading actors.

“.......”

Maximilian looked from Dominic to Julian to Hermann and back.

“This is Dominic Baumann.”

Hermann pointed to Dominic first. He briefed Maximilian on how they had come to capture him here.

“I’ll receive the rest in a written report. And that?”

Maximilian pointed to the evidence envelope in Hermann’s hand. The item containing Laura’s letter. Hermann hesitated for a moment, then held it out.

“It’s said to be a letter from the revolutionary Laura, addressed to Sir Julian.”

Maximilian drew out the envelope. His hand opened the letter. His eyes swept across the page. Several sentences settled into his pupils.

“......There’s a message hidden in here.”

Maximilian’s murmur sank low and quiet.

Hermann furrowed his brow.

“What? A message?”

Maximilian nodded and sealed the letter once more.

“It’s familiar. And it’s been a while.”

A strange light flickered across his expression.

Ezenheim. The method those things had used once before.

That deeply uncanny trace of mana he had first seen on the day Jacob was murdered.

“I see.”

Hermann studied Maximilian. Maximilian’s gaze brushed, for a moment, over Julian.

In that instant a faint smile rippled across Hermann’s lips like mist, but it settled calmly almost at once.

──It worked.

Hermann thought. He must not grow tense. He must not let his guard down either. Because his opponent was Maximilian. Crushing down the emotion welling up inside him, he had to stay endlessly wary.

“Sir. What shall we do with the rec⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠overed evidence?”

On the stage, and backstage. The evidence the field officers had gathered and collected.

“We’ll hand it over to Sentinel. And take Dominic in as well. In your vehicle.”

“Uh...... do you mean our vehicle, sir?”

Your vehicle. For some reason, that phrase struck Hermann as oddly peculiar.

Maximilian nodded.

“That’s right.”

“Ah, well, I’m a rookie, so my vehicle is still rather cramped.”

When Hermann offered that bit of modesty, Maximilian shook his head with a faint smile.

“It’s your achievement, so you should see it through to the end.”

“.......”

Your achievement. Julian was not included in that sentence.

“Yes. Understood.”

Hermann sensed the subtle nuance, but feigned ignorance and gave the field officers their orders. They, too, hurriedly swept up the evidence.

“All right, all right. Everybody work hard now~”

That voice belonged to Reutern in the audience. He put on airs without knowing the first thing about what was going on, while Julian, for his part, said nothing. He simply kept his silence, not letting out so much as a single word.

“.......”

All at once, Maximilian’s gaze landed on Julian again.

Julian looked back at Maximilian.

The two men faced one another.

Hermann watched in secret as those two men, so alike and yet so very different, crossed gazes.

The feeling blooming deep in his heart── something like joy, he forced himself to suppress.

“Sir Julian.”

At last, Maximilian called to Julian.

“I leave Lord Reutern to you.”

“Huh? Max. Why me?”

Julian gave a small nod.

“Hermann. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

“Max~ where are you going~!”

After that, the group came outside. The detained Dominic was crammed into the back seat of Hermann’s field officers' vehicle, and all the evidence was stuffed into the trunk.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Hermann.”

As Hermann moved to climb into the passenger seat, Maximilian called him.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ride in my car. There’s something I want to discuss with you, as well.”

“.......”

In that moment, Hermann sensed it.

What Maximilian meant to say was surely that ‘hidden content’ concealed in the letter.

“Yes.”

Hermann nodded with grave seriousness.

And so, they got into the car together.

They sat side by side in the back seat.

Vroom─

Just before they set off, Hermann checked the front and rear out of habit.

The passenger seat was empty, Maximilian was completely unarmed, and only a single field officer sat in the driver’s seat.

Shhhhh.......

The car moved forward smoothly.

Maximilian was silent for a long while.

Hermann simply watched for his cues and waited.

“.......”

A difficult man, to be sure. The air that came off him had an uncommon grain to it. Enough to leave Hermann’s mouth bone-dry.

And yet, he must not let himself stiffen up more than necessary. If he did, he would never be able to stand at Maximilian’s side.

“......I’m relieved. That the job ended without much difficulty.”

Hermann cautiously broke the stillness.

Maximilian gave a faint smile.

“It’s thanks to your good work.”

“No, sir. Sir Julian did nearly all of the tracking. I just......”

Just as he was about to play humble and prop Julian up.

“Hermann. Did you see what was written in the letter?”

Maximilian cut him off, staring out the window.

“No. I didn’t really...... Did you find something?”

“I found something.”

There was no change in Maximilian’s expression.

No agitation, no waver, only a dryness like the desert.

“.......”

Hermann did not hastily add a word. He waited for Maximilian’s ‘next’, pouring all his focus into managing his expression.

“─Julian was an officer who had been cooperating with the revolutionary forces.”

His voice settled thick and low, like mist.

“......What?”

Betraying as little as he could, Hermann reacted with shock, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“No, no, surely...... surely not. Surely, surely there’s no way.”

The corner of Maximilian’s mouth twisted slightly. Hermann swallowed like a greenhorn. Only his tongue felt parched.

Vroom─

Silence wound itself around his whole body again.

Without a word, Maximilian simply watched the scenery slipping past the car window.

A suffocating stillness continued.

Then, suddenly.

An unfamiliar landscape came rushing into Hermann’s view.

“......?”

Now that he thought about it, the direction was wrong.

This was not the road leading to Sentinel.

The instant he opened his mouth to voice his doubt.

“Hermann Berg.”

Maximilian broke the silence first.

“......No, that’s not right.”

And with that, he quietly turned his head, looking him dead in the eye as he spoke the name.

“Otto Berg.”

At the sound of that name spilling from Maximilian’s mouth, a chill went down Hermann’s spine.

The vehicle had, at some point, entered a tunnel.

“Hermann died a long time ago. Isn’t that so?”

Maximilian’s golden eyes glinted in the darkness.

Hermann was badly shaken, but he hid his true colors at once, masking his alarm with a show of anger.

“......Sir. Otto is the name of my dead brother.”

Maximilian’s lips drew into a curve.

“No. I believe that is your name.”

Whoosh.

A bleak wind pooled inside the car. It was the flow of mana.

Hermann glanced again at the rearview mirror.

“Eve⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠n for the revolutionary forces, it’s no easy thing to impersonate a noble with no connection to you. Empire Point’s vetting isn’t that lax either.”

If he had been merely a man playing at being a noble, there was no way he would have slipped through to begin with.

A faint accent. By that alone, Maximilian could distinguish a person’s origin and background, west or east.

“But impersonating one’s own flesh and blood, now, that could plausibly slip through.”

Hermann’s brother─ Otto von Berg, said to have died in a revolutionary terror attack.

But as Maximilian saw it, Otto had not died back then.

Rather, he had feigned death, and conversely borrowed the identity of his younger brother, Hermann.

Because the greatest barrier at Empire Point, alongside bloodline, was ‘age’.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, sir. Are you insulting my brother and my house?”

Hermann flushed with anger. Maximilian leaned at an angle against the window frame. There was still an elegant ease woven into his every gesture.

“Otto. It doesn’t matter if you say you don’t know. In fact, it doesn’t matter even if I’m wrong.”

A voice that stabbed clean through him. Had Maximilian already mad⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠e up his mind?

Hermann clenched his fist tight.

“......We found a great deal of evidence. It will point to the truth. Sir Maximilian, you’re a fair and objective man, aren’t you?”

“Fair?”

At Hermann’s protest, Maximilian spat the word back out, cold with contempt.

KRAAAAAAA──!

Right on cue, a thunderous reverberation rose up behind them. Hermann snapped his head around. Blue flames erupted on the road. The field officers’ vehicles trailing after them, Dominic and all the evidence along with them, had exploded, every last bit.

“Oh dear. All the evidence is gone.”

Maximilian laughed quietly.

Hermann, no, ‘Otto’, clenched his teeth. His face went taut, veins rising across it like a web.

“My condolences, Otto.”

“.......”

Things had gone sideways.

When had he been found out, and since when had the man known?

But he had to stay calm. The situation itself was not bad. Now that he had come to be alone, face to face, with the very core of the Empire.

Otto glared at Maximilian and secretl⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠y moved his hand.

“Sorry to say.”

Maximilian seemed to read his gaze and his killing intent completely, yet there was no sword in his hand.

“The Empire isn’t so easy to deal with.”

Shk. Otto drew the dagger he had hidden at his wrist.

But faster than his arm could move, from the driver’s seat.

Schatz Heizen came surging at him.

* * *

The Empire’s western reaches. A harbor blanketed in thick fog.

At a desolate pier with not a soul in sight, a black sedan glided to a stop.

Clunk.

The car door opened, and a corpse was dragged out of the back seat.

Schatz moved swiftly. She bound heavy iron weights and a mana stone sinker firmly to the body, then hurled it over the breakwater like a javelin.

Splash─!

The body sailed far out. Schatz’s mana churned into a vortex, dragging it down deep, deeper still.

I watched the sinking indifferently, then spoke to someone behind me.

“What do you think?”

......Julian Ascar.

He stepped forward slowly.

“The way I see it, the ‘real’ Hermann probably died in some incident.”

I kept my eyes on the sea as I went on.

“Whether from illness. Or in battle.”

The younger brother, Hermann, lost his life unjustly for one reason or another, and the elder brother, Otto, was either told the truth of it by the revolutionary forces, or joined hands with them while digging into the truth himself.

He harbored a vengeance so deep it cut to the bone, enough to steal his brother’s identity and infiltrate the knight order.

“Are you certain?”

Julian asked.

“There’s no way for me to know.”

I turned my face to look at Julian.

He had, at some point, come to stand beside me, and he held out some sort of wristwatch.

“It was a watch his brother gave him as a gift.”

Behind the backplate, where a screw had come slightly loose, a sentence was engraved in small letters.

[ To my most beloved brother Otto, from Hermann. ]

......Not a keepsake left by the elder brother, but a watch received as a gift from the younger one.

A sliver of a smile slipped across my lips.

“Did you know from the very beginning, sir?”

Julian had been away from the knight order for a long stretch. He’d given the excuse of an undercover operation, but he had probably spent that time investigating Otto behind the scenes.

“Who knows.”

Julian’s eyes drifted off toward the far side of the sea where Otto had sunk.

“Knowing and understanding are two different things.”

At the sight of him, I raised an eyebrow.

The revolutionary forces had failed, but in part they had succeeded.

The lingering aftertaste of their malice and the contradictions of the Empire would gnaw at Julian’s inner self without end.

“We’re going to come face to face with countless forms of malice from here on.”

Julian gazed up at the night sky and mur⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠mured without feeling.

“Perhaps the Empire itself is malice.”

The hollow tone scattered on the cold sea wind.

“Yes.”

But there is no need to worry.

I already know what kind of man Julian is.

Someday, if a day ever comes when he can no longer bear the Empire and crumbles.

“That may well be true.”

When that day comes, I will gladly──

sever his head from his neck.

* * *

The Empire’s northern reaches. A visiting room in a place where gray sleet still drifted down even at the threshold of summer.

“.......”

Julian looked at Laura through the transparent partition.

Cheeks gone pale, eye sockets sunken deep. The vitality of the past had vanished without a trace, leaving the wretched figure of an inmate facing death.

“.......”

Laura, too, looked at Julian without a word. From the mere fact that Julian had come to her ‘alive’, she could guess what sort of things had happened on the outside.

'So the plan failed.'

“......I guess that’s how it turned out.”

Laura sighed and murmured.

“That’s how it turned out.”

Julian’s reply was dry. The two of them read far too much about each other in each other’s faces.

“Nothing to be done about it.”

The vengeance she had harbored.

The hatred she had leveled in her fury over Eshton’s death.

The malice that had sought to ensnare Julian in the revolutionary forces’ net had failed to see its purpose fully realized.

“......Julian. You really haven’t changed.”

A sorrowful smile spread across Laura’s lips.

“Even after it’s come to this. No, even though you knew everything from the start, you don’t hate me.”

Laura laid her hand against the partition. Julian looked at the ring mark left on her finger and answered.

“Because knowing and understanding are two different things.”

“......I see.”

But she knew.

Her malice would, in the end, see its purpose realized.

The Julian reflected in her eyes was already not normal.

On the surface he upheld his duty as a knight of the Empire and carried out his charge, but inwardly he was already worn down beyond any hope of return.

A broken man, grown so very far from the Julian of the past.

“I heard the news about my older brother and my younger brother.”

Julian was a man incapable of betraying the Empire. But at the same time, he agonized and tormented himself endlessly over the Empire’s injustices. He wandered within that contradictory yoke.

In the end, unable to withstand the friction he himself generated, he would shatter into pieces.

“I heard Maximilian sorted it out so that no harm came to my family? Tell him thank you.”

“......Sure.”

Julian checked his wristwatch.

Laura counted the numbers, too.

Three minutes. One hundred and eighty seconds.

The visiting time was up.

“I’ll be going, then.”

He spoke with that unshaken face, in that same tone as always.

“Laura. I was glad to have you by my side.”

Leaving those words behind, he rose from his seat.

“......Yeah.”

As he departed, receiving the guard’s salute, Laura, too, left a final farewell.

“Goodbye, Julian. Forever.......”

****
TL Note: With this, we have caught up with the latest released chapter. Previously, I was keeping a gap of 5 chapters, but I have decided to remove that and translate the chapters as they are released. Do note that because of this, there might be some mistakes (both from the author's side as well as mine) and there may be changes, so be on the lookout for such notes where I will be mentioning all such mistakes or changes done by the author or me.

Thanks, and enjoy!!

~~~

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