Translator: KJ

──Yelena Yumanov. The sole surviving blood of the Yumanovs, a house that had once been a power in Robrus, aristocratic landowners, before being purged by General Secretary Varmil.

Now, as Maximilian's spy, the lawyer 'Maxim', she had arrived at the 17th Labor Reeducation Camp in northern Robrus.

"As it happens, the previous warden's term was almost up, so it was easy to push him out quickly."

Prison Warden Petrin said, surveying the empty interior. The belongings had already been cleared away neatly.

"This will be your office...... By the way. Did you bring what we discussed?"

"Yes. Five hundred thousand blanc."

Yelena handed over a suitcase stuffed with Robrus currency.

"Good. That's plenty."

Being able to funnel at least five hundred thousand or so to the Party was the price of becoming a camp warden. And Maxim had no worries about money, for Maximilian was a source of funds whose 'provenance was beyond question'.

"Ah. And one more thing."

Petrin drew a small booklet from his coat.

"Your Party Membership Card came through."

"......."

──「Party Membership Card」──

Name : Maxim Eduardovich Voronin

Sex : Male

───────

Proof that she had become a new Party Member of Robrus. A sudden wave of feeling welled up in her. To think that she, once a member of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, had been reduced to nothing more than a single rank-and-file Party Member.

"Come, have a look."

Petrin beckoned. Yelena stepped over to the broad window of the warden's office.

Beyond the clear glass, a snowfield of pure white stretched on without end. The frozen tundra filled her entire field of vision.

This frozen land was dense with conifers, and 'somewhere' beneath it a Mana Stone Vein might lie buried.

"Think you can manage it? The monthly quota that comes down won't be easy to meet."

Rather than answer Petrin's question at once, Yelena let her gaze settle on a map laid out beside the windowsill.

"Warden. What is this?"

"Directives. A 'Pioneering Order' handed down straight from Party Central."

A Pioneering Order. As Yelena studied the map in silence, her brow creased ever so slightly.

"May I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"These lines drawn here."

"Hm. Those are the Pioneering Order Lines."

Red lines drawn across the map. The routes the 17th Labor Reeducation Camp was meant to excavate were perfectly straight, traced without the slightest regard for elevation or geological features.

"Routes like these are highly inefficient for surveying and mining Mana Stones or any other resource."

A piece of basic common sense: an ore vein is a plane, not a line.

Surely the purpose of a Labor Reeducation Camp lay not only in reeducating thought criminals, but in grinding their blood and sweat into the reclamation of land, extracting the resources the state required as efficiently as possible. And yet.

"Heh."

Petrin let out a dry laugh at Yelena's observation.

"Maxim. That critical mind of yours has no doubt been the weapon that kept you alive until now."

Thump. He laid a hand on her shoulder, and his gaze settled into something frigid.

"Once you're in the Party, you must not harbor even the faintest doubt about the Party's thinking or its decisions."

"......."

Since Varmil Makstun had become General Secretary, Robrus had taken on a form starkly different from before. Now no criticism, no doubt of any kind, was permitted.

"You need only meet the quot⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌a. No need to exceed it, but fall short and there will be trouble."

Petrin tossed a single sheet of paper toward her.

A mining quota that could be met only by forcing more than twelve hours of hard labor a day in a brutal cold of thirty below zero. Rations were doled out in strict proportion to output, and output also determined the ranking among the Labor Reeducation Camps.

"......Yes. I understand."

"Good. You're adaptable, just as I thought."

Yelena nodded. Petrin turned back to gaze out into the distance, satisfied, but Yelena's eyes still lingered on the Pioneering Order Lines that cut across the map.

"......."

Those lines that seemed to hold no meaning, no purpose, drawn as though forced into being by sheer will.

And yet an order that everyone in the Party swore loyalty to and praised, one that had to be carried out without fail.

It struck Yelena, all at once, that the whole of it felt somehow like a 'religion'.

* * *

Empire, Genen Branch Office.

I faced the prisoners handed over to me in an underground interrogation room. The Ezenheim among them I executed on the spot; from Empire's citizens who were not Ezenheim, I gathered testimony about the Labor Reeducation Camps.

"We just dug at the earth...... and felled trees, on and on......."

One of the dissidents who had been held in a Labor Reeducation Camp murmured, his eyes unfocused.

Failure to meet the quota brought savage punishment, and even if one managed it by sheer luck, surviving long in such conditions was close to a miracle.

In truth, the Eastern Alliance's Labor Reeducation Camps were a cradle of slaughter that had ground up more human lives than anywhere save the Empire's own Concentration Camps.

"Sir Knight. A visitor......."

Just then, an aide approached cautiously and whispered in my ear.

"Take the prisoner out."

I halted the interrogation for a moment. Soon the iron door opened and a single figure entered quietly. They wore a dark robe pulled low, but I recognized at once the dignity that radiated from beneath it.

Princess Justine.

"You've come."

She pushed the hood of her robe back a little and gave a small laugh.

"You've brought back quite a number of the vermin who would harm the Empire."

"Yes. The prisoner exchanges will continue from here on as well."

"Until when?"

To that question, I gave her the answer she most wanted to hear.

"Until we march on Robrus— that is when."

A glimmer passed through the Princess's eyes.

This is my honest truth as well.

We all want this war, in the end.

She does, I do, and so does the Emperor who stands at the very summit of this Empire.

In the 'means' we would choose, at least, every one of us is the same.

"......Each time you return from the East, you bring back results that please me."

"It is only a trade. We, too, must hand over the remnants of Robrus as the price."

"They are scarcely human to begin with."

Justine spat the words, her face twisted. She harbored a deep loathing for the Sled race, the dominant people of the Eastern Alliance. She refused to treat that race as human at all, despising and scorning them as much as she did the Subspecies.

"Yes."

I sit astride the tiger that is the Empire. This beast will become my greatest weapon.

......At least, until the day I climb down from its back of my own will.

"And the inte⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌lligence you got from the interrogations?"

"According to the prisoners' testimony, in the Labor Reeducation Camps they do nothing but dig at the earth and fell trees, pointlessly, again and again."

"They dig the earth?"

Justine's brow drew together. Her face said she did not understand, but thanks to the prisoners' testimony, my suspicion had hardened into certainty.

The Ezenheim's plan to bring down the world is already in motion.

"Yes. It is highly inefficient, meaningless work."

And so, from here on, persuasion is what I need.

"The East is squandering an immense amount of labor right now."

A pretext, so that the innocent ones, the Subspecies and humans who are not Ezenheim, might be kept alive.

"Your Highness. We must take them as a cautionary example."

As an Aran of the Empire,

as a citizen of humanity,

another duty I bear.

"I wish to propose a new and modern conception of the Concentration Camp, one that breaks from the old methods."

What matters most in war is, in the end, people. The strength of people.

And so, to set the disloyal to forced labor, to wring them dry without end and burn their manpower for fuel. To muster strength, by force if need be, and drive back the Ezenheim that would see humanity annihilated.

"I ask that you grant me full authority over the Empire's Concentration Camps."

For the first time, I voiced a desi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌re of my own to the master of the Empire.

"......."

Justine gazed at me steadily, saying nothing. At the end of that silence, a faint smile bloomed.

"To gain what you desire, you must first prove a result to match it. That is how it works."

She rose from her seat and paced slowly about the interrogation room.

"Judas, the largest city in northern Mekerel, has fallen."

The current state of the Valkania-Mekerel war of invasion.

"Though they say Valkania can advance no farther there and has bogged down into a stalemate. But it's only temporary. The gap in national strength is so vast that Mekerel will be defeated in the end, no matter how much weaponry it's slipped from behind the lines."

That place was nothing less than the omen of a vast war that would soon spread across the entire continent.

I understood what the Princess was demanding of me.

* * *

A top-secret operation had been decided upon within the Sentinel Knight Order. I hand-picked several members myself.

Second-year Leon Ascar, first-year Hannah Usar, first-year Royce, first-year Dare Tan, zero-year Mia.

The reason I bothered to bring a zero-year rookie along was that even rookies need a chance to build experience.

"This is a top-secret mission."

I had gathered them in my private office.

I left out the tired warning, the sort that goes, 'Nothing said here from this point on is ever to leave this room.' For the elites assembled here, such petty reminders to hold their tongues were unnecessary anyway.

"From this moment, everything we do is the will of the Empire, of its very highest place, and nothing else."

The very highest place of the Empire.

That is, the imperial family.

The knights' faces hardened.

I pointed to the map spread out on the table.

"The Valkanian army has occupied Judas, a city in northern Mekerel."

Mekerel was a nation whose land was made up mostly of rugged mountains and high plateaus.

Its terrain favored the forming of defensive lines, but Valkania's offensive had been merciless.

"Valkania's forces dispersed Mana Poison Gas across the highlands, and they now hold and have infiltrated the key mountain strongpoints along the route to the capital."

My finger traced the main Valkanian strongpoints on the map.

"We are going to retake these critical points."

The five knights looked at the map with grave eyes.

"The poison gas still lingers, but this helmet will be able to filter out every mana toxin the enemy uses."

The debut stage of the 'Knight-Exclusive Helmet', invented at Lorenzo Academy.

"Conceal your identities as much as you can, and move covertly. Which is to say, leave no witnesses."

Just how much force a knight of the Empire could bring to bear in a local engagement like this, this operation would serve as the perfect demonstration of it.

......

Rrrrrumble──

Inside the transport ship cutting across the pitch-black night sky. Vibration and noise rattled the craft without pause. Apparently no amount of money poured into it could fix the shaking.

"Max."

Inside the transport. There, in that hushed quiet, Leon eyed me sidelong and asked.

"What're you reading?"

"A Mekerel Language dictionary."

I tipped up the cover of the book to show him. Leon's eyes went wide.

"Whoa. Even a place like Mekerel has its own language?"

Leon is an imperialist to the bone. Despite his looks, and unlike his own kin Julian, he's a man riddled with a vicious prejudice against other races.

Which is exactly why I trust him all the more.

"Yeah. It does."

"Huh. Wild."

Leon leaned back against his seat. I turned a page and went on, evenly.

"Every people of every nation speaks a language all its own. All but one single Subspecies."

"Yeah? Which one?"

Leon looked at me with curious eyes. I gave the answer at once.

"The Ezenheim."

I could feel the eyes of Royce, Dare Tan, Hannah, and Mia, who were eavesdropping on our conversation from nearby.

Of course, I was saying it precisely so they would hear.

"Their language does not exist in this world."

The Ezenheim Language has no roots anywhere, not in history, not in scholarship. Of course, I know their 'true language', but it is something I must never let pass my lips.

"It's the very reason they are something past Subspecies...... that they are an Anti-Race."

Anti-Race. The word had come to me out of nowhere, yet the very feel of it clung snugly to the tongue.

The lowest rung even among the Subspecies. Carrying the sense that they exist solely to destroy humankind......

"Huh, you're right. Maybe I'll pick up a book myself."

In the meantime, the transport ship reached Mekerel's airspace.

"All units. Ready to drop."

The first drop point. At my order, one of the knights rose to her feet.

"Hannah Usar. Deploying."

There was no need for loud encourage⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌ment or rallying cries. Each knight was, on their own, a strategic asset with the destructive force of an entire battalion, and a commander who judged and managed the course of battle by themselves.

Whoooooosh─!

The transport's ramp opened and a fierce gale rushed in. But Hannah showed not the slightest fear. Like a true knight, she flung herself out beyond it without hesitation.

"Ne⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌xt."

After her, Mia, Royce, and Dare Tan leapt out in turn, each at their proper point.

Leon, too, grinned easily as he gathered up his gear and pulled it on, piece by piece.

"Max. See you later."

"Yeah."

"Leonhardt. Deploying."

Shhhhwiip──!

Even Leon had finished his drop, and I stood at the ramp, gazing out at the open sky.

"......."

The wind ran steep. Like the tide of history, an endless, onrushing surge of air.

"Deploying."

I stared blankly into that darkness for a moment, then kicked off.

Fwooooosh─!

Free-falling from thousands of meters up, I looked down upon the ground below.

Whoooooooo——

Terminal velocity. Holding the balance where the air caught and bore up my body, I observed the Valkanian army's garrison built deep in the heart of the mountains.

Whirr-

The helmet's visor closed over my eyes, ears, and mouth. In that instant, the sound of the air receded. My ears and eyes sharpened to a fine focus, and the battlefield unfolded before me in a wide angle. The enemy soldiers showed only as heat sources, their positions registering with perfect clarity.

Halfway up the mountainside.

A company-strength force set at a strategic chokepoint. A stronghold manned by well over a hundred soldiers.

The knight plunged straight down toward it.

Without a sound, sinking as desolate as moonlight──

────.

The knight cut the heads from the men clad in Valkanian uniforms. The battle did not last long.

──.

Wind that shook the mountains. The graceful gust raised by the arc of the longsword.

Kwaaaaak──!

Ebenholtz's blade, darting between the posts of the garrison.

A single knight reduced one stronghold to ruin in an instant.

─! ──!

The blade sheared through the throats of enemies who raised their guns too late.

The knight surged upon those who reached for their radios to call for support, or those who turned to resist, and butchered their arms and legs.

─! ──!

Throughout this whole sequence, the helmet's effect was superb. There was only the sensation of cutting down toys, nothing more.

Just as I thought. It is perfect for taking the edge off the guilt.

──! ─! ───!

As I sliced through every last one of the enemy, I felt, all at once, a deep gratitude toward the military strategists from before my Regression.

[The real problem lay in the Empire's rigid, by-the-book way of deploying knights only on the ground. The knight, the ultimate embodiment of the Empire's iron-man doctrine, held undeniable value..... A knight would likely be at its most devastating when it descended from the sky.]

Their insight had been precise.

Shhhrk─

I cut down the last soldier. In a mere fifteen minutes I had taken the garrison completely, and I sheathed my longsword.

Beep.

Just then, a string of small signal tones came through, one after another, on the helmet's comm.

Two tones in the event of a failed mission. A signal prearranged to sound just once if the mission succeeded.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

From every one of the five, a single tone came through, and nothing more.

But a knight's duty includes the retreat as well.

'When combat ends, do not remove your helmet; without fail, get yourself clear of that place at once-' such is the new doctrine for knights that I am writing.

All of it─ to lessen the guilt of the human being that a knight is.

Beep.

I, too, sent my signal and then slipped quietly into hiding.

Among the hundred and more I had just killed, there had not been a single Ezenheim.

~~~

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