Translator: KJ

The Empire's north. A land of brutal cold where, only ten years past, winter famine and death by freezing had been treated as everyday occurrences.

To a certain village buried under the New Year's blizzard, a supply unit of the Imperial regular army arrived.

"An additional heater and the food ration...... is that correct?"

Mans, the Second Lieutenant in charge of the supply unit, looked at a middle-aged woman and frowned slightly.

"Yes...... Yes. That's right......"

"How did you manage to burn through all your heater fuel already? It should have lasted the whole winter with plenty to spare."

The woman, her head bowed low, answered in a small voice.

"My son went out hunting and got hurt...... and what with keeping the heater going and running back and forth to the clinic......"

"Tsk. Why would he push himself to go hunting on a day the blizzard was coming down?"

"My grandson had taken ill, and he wanted to earn money for the medicine......"

"......Good grief."

Tsk, tsk. The lieutenant clicked his tongue and let the monocle drop. It was an appraisal tool issued for determining whether a Genealogy Certificate was genuine.

"Still, you've kept the Genealogy Certificate in good condition."

Any theft or forgery involving Genealogy Certificates was treated as a grave crime, and the corruption of turning a blind eye to it, or conversely intimidation and extortion, were grounds for the still harsher penalty of summary execution.

In fact, not long ago, several soldiers had tried to squeeze money out of a civilian by ruling a genuine Genealogy Certificate a forgery and then demanding a bribe; they were caught, and every last one of them was beheaded.

No less than the 'Sentinel' had stepped in directly, and far from severing the tail, they had set it ablaze and climbed straight up the chain, blasting a whole general to pieces.

"Let's see. Pure Aran bloodline. Two sons. Husband deceased?"

"Yes......"

"Here, take these."

The lieutenant held out a bundle of food and a single Mana Stone heater.

"Thank you, thank you......"

"What is there to thank me for? It's that bloodline of yours and the nation you should be thanking. More to the point, has your son's injury fully healed?"

"Yes. His leg still troubles him a great deal, but thankfully it's nearly healed......"

"Sounds like he got his treatment in time."

The lieutenant looked at the middle-aged woman, deliberated for a moment, then held out a special-ration parcel packed with chocolate cookies and one more sheet of paper.

"When spring comes, tell your son to think it over. How long does he mean to live on hunting alone? Every young man has ambitions of his own."

"......"

With her wrinkled hands, the woman picked up the poster.

[ Northern Assault Battalion newly formed. Recruiting volunteers. ]

[ For the Aran, for the fatherland! ]

.......

The Sentinel. The most peerless and extralegal of the Empire's knight orders, its finest and most elite.

In the past, when it came to a knight's conduct, they had clung to what was in effect a laissez-faire approach, holding that 'it is left to the knight's own honor and conscience'.

For that reason, the rules governing a knight's own duties and obligations had long remained an unwritten code, but Chiron, as the incoming Knight Commander, intended to set their conduct down in writing.

A knight's obligations── otherwise known as the「Knight's Code」.

That doctrine, authored by Maximilian himself, was packed with the integrity and transparency a knight must uphold, along with anti-corruption, the eradication of crime, and above all a philosophy and conviction concerning the 'purity of the Aran'.

"The Knight's Code charter and the new Knight Combat Manual have been distributed throughout all of the Empire's knight orders."

"And Empire Point?"

"It has already been adopted as a formal theory course. Classes will begin without delay from the new term."

He nodded with satisfaction as he received the Chief Secretary's report.

"Good. So there are two months left until the formal inauguration?"

"Yes. There is also this."

The Secretary handed over a frame sealed like a work of art. It was the Genealogy Certificate of Chiron's own house.

"The verification of the Deputy Commander's Genealogy Certificate has also been completed without a hitch."

"Did Maximilian see to it himself?"

"A certificate is enclosed on the back of the frame as well."

──「Genealogy Certificate of Authenticity」──

......The above Genealogy Certificate has been verified in accordance with the procedures of Heraldry and ancient-document appraisal, and the continuity of the recorded bloodline and the authenticity of the seal have been confirmed to be free of any defect......

Accordingly, the above Genealogy Certificate is hereby certified as authentic.

────

A certificate indispensable for taking up any high public office above a certain rank. Yet its very reliability could differ as vastly as heaven and earth, depending on the weight of the name behind it.

"It is the most flawless Genealogy Certificate one can obtain in the Empire today."

The 'appraiser' written at the very bottom of the document was─ Maximilian Albrecht von Ebenholtz.

He was the foremost authority on the Aran Ideology the Empire was now championing and on Genealogy Certificates, which was to say, on every matter of bloodline.

"I hear the nobles these days are beside themselves to have Maximilian handle their appraisals...... Ah, and how is the nationwide Registry compilation project coming along?"

"We have dispatched knights and keep it under steady watch and supervision."

These days, a 'Registry' certifying the bloodline of the Aran people was being compiled.

Since it was a project led directly by the Empire's Imperial Household, the Sentinel had taken on the role of final overseer, controlling and monitoring them from beneath the surface.

"And the knights you sent?"

"For now, we've dispatched the knights Hannah and Dare Tan to the imperial palace."

One a commoner from the very bottom, the other a high noble. Yet both were thoroughly versed in the concept of the 'pure Aran'.

In fact, Hannah was said to be auditing university courses these days and had even submitted a paper, so the two of them made a fitting pairing to entrust with such sensitive work.

"As it should be."

Chiron, too, wore a satisfied smile.

"I do hope you'll prepare well for your in⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠auguration as Knight Commander."

"There's not much that will really change."

Old man Alberich had been as good as retired for ages. So it came to nothing more than moving his office up to the long-vacant top floor of the order and changing out the nameplate.

"The real question is who comes after me."

The Sentinel's Deputy Commander.

Chiron had privately had Julian in mind, but the man seemed to have no wish for it, so the position of the next Deputy Commander, at least, was something he needed to weigh a little more deeply.

.......

The Genen Autonomous Region.

Elias Walter, the Chief Secretary of Genen, stood on the balcony of the Governor-General's Office, gazing down over the bustling streets.

"My term comes to an end next year now."

A voice came from behind him. Governor-General Fabian approached and came to stand at his side.

"You've worked hard all this time, sir."

At Elias's words, he answered with a wry smile.

"That I can retire so peacefully is all thanks to you."

As the Governor-General's secretary, Elias had scrubbed away the remnants of his corrupt predecessors. He had transformed Genen into a safe Autonomous Region.

"Elias. What do you make of the changes in Genen?"

Elias answered with pride.

"I'm proud of them. Genen isn't even classified as a 'Quasi-Bloodline' anymore."

An achievement made possible by the lobbying poured into central politics and Maximilian's tacit support.

"They're just like the Aran of the Empire. Brothers of the Aran who lived for a time as the citizens of another nation, and have at last returned to the Empire's embrace."

Elias Walter had labored without end to elevate Genen's standing, and the most decisive factor in that effort had been his own 'Genealogy Certificate'.

Pure Aran.

The Empire's nobility, the ancestors of the Walter Family.

Thanks to the noble blood he had once loathed, he had been able to bring about Genen's revival. Genen, where oppression and corruption had once been everyday affairs, had advanced into a flourishing hub of trade and a bridgehead linking the Empire to the East.

"You've become quite the politician, Elias Walter."

Elias gave a faint smile.

"......Thank you. But even so, now and then in the back alleys I still come upon the signs of some strange protest, or eyes gone as murky and dead as a fish's."

Impure factions that still harbored their discontent with society and worked away in the shadows.

The Governor-General gazed steadily at him for a while, then drew something from inside his coat and held it out.

"I thought it was about time you saw this, so I brought it along."

It was an autopsy report.

"Among the former Governor-General's Office officials executed during the Genen unrest back then, there were quite a few Subspecies. They deliberately stirred up that whole affair to line their own pockets."

Subspecies were identified by the Mana Transmutation of the heart.

"I know. Kasim, the one who shot me...... was an Ezenheim as well."

Elias had steadily set people to tracking down the former student council officers of Genen University.

Those who had endlessly smeared the politics of 'struggle' onto the students, fomenting division and conflict.

That Kasim, once his own friend, had been an Ezenheim who served a religion called 'Ezent', had been proven by testimony, circumstance, and autopsy.

"I have no wish to hold prejudices, but."

Their betrayal had remained a trauma not easily erased, yet Elias had overcome that wound.

"Those who commit the treas⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠on that does grave harm to the Empire."

With cold reason, he looked reality squarely in the face.

"Are, for the most part, Ezenheim."

Crunch. He crushed the autopsy report in his fist.

A great part of the Empire's Thought Crime originated with the Ezenheim; the bastards hid underground and spread their bizarre religion and ideology. A breed suspicious through and through.

"Governor-General. The Ezenheim are like uninvited guests who appeared all at once in the history of the continent."

From some point onward, the scholarly zeal and knowledge harbored by the man called 'Elias' had advanced in an entirely different direction from what he had held in his university days, growing ever sharper, like an awl.

"......Uninvited guests?"

"Yes. A people far shorter in history than even the Empire, with not a single link to any other people whatsoever."

Perhaps from the very day he had accepted his bloodline as the Empire's nobility and grown certain that his choice was right.

"Do you truly think such a race cou⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠ld exist?"

The effort to dig up a reason for one's hatred, all in order to justify oneself, did at times happen to land on the right answer......

* * *

Maximilian's office in the Sentinel Knight Order.

"Sir Knight. It's finished."

Johann Georg Goetze. He handed me a thick manuscript.

I took it, envelope and all, and spoke.

"Lately there are far too many offshoots of ideology."

Ever since the Imperial Citizenship Law took effect, disorderly, ununified interpretations of race and class had been springing up like mushrooms after rain among the intellectuals and the knights.

"That paper Hannah supposedly wrote this time...... honestly, it wasn't much. She really seems to have no talent for writing."

Hannah was a genius when it came to swinging a sword and tearing across a battlefield, and her will and zeal for the Empire were exceptional besides.

She simply had no gift for the written word. Her logic leapt about wildly, and her sentences were clumsy.

"Yes. That is precisely why this book is essential."

Johann pushed up his glasses and spoke in a voice full of conviction.

"Your book, Sir Knight, will serve as the firm bedrock that binds the fractured ideologies into one."

"......"

I drew the manuscript out of the envelope and examined the cover.

The title was「Under the Moonlight」. I hadn't bothered to put in any blunt word like 'struggle', replacing it instead with metaphor.

[ I was born in the main keep of Ebenholtz Castle, in the heart of the Empire. My father is Sebestian, and my mother, Cecilia...... ]

Opening with a calm preface that announced my origins, the book gradually revealed the framework of its ideology.

Every act of human creativity, every emergence, all art and magic, the whole advance of magitech had been achieved by the Aran alone. The Aran were the very evolved specimen of humankind and the guardians of civilization, and Aran people this great were rightly meant to reign over the continent and establish order.

Should the Aran ever fall, this world would surely perish.

......Many learned men would not believe it, but every word of it was the truth.

It was the proposition nearest to absolute truth.

I went on skimming down the manuscript.

Chapter One, the longest, covered my life and my awakening as a knight.

Chapter Two, the history of the Empire and the justification for the Aran bloodline.

Chapter Three, the world to come and the path the Empire must follow.

From Chapter Four onward, races in general. The Subspecies, that impurity of the continent, and the people without history. An analysis of alien bloodlines.

It was an escalating structure, meticulously designed by Johann himself, that first stoked the reader's emotions and then expanded the logic outward.

"The arrangement of the sentences and the white space is superb."

I smiled as I turned the pages.

Even before my Regression, Johann had written a book similar in ideology to this one. But back then it had been far too overwrought. Its propaganda sentences had been stiff as bricks. It was regarded as required reading for the Empire's subjects, yet most people had merely kept it on display for show.

"Well written."

This book was different. Above all, its prose was decidedly polished, and Chapter One, where I came to grasp the 'Knight's Descent', was structured almost like a novel, so even the general public would likely find it a great pleasure to read.

Johann had taken the fragments of my thoughts and, with the nib of his own pen, polished them into something beautiful.

"This part especially."

I pressed a finger to one of the paragraphs.

[ The Aran are humanity's North Star. Even within the darkness of a reality as distant and deep as the abyssal sea, we can look to that star and press on without losing our way. An eternal signpost lighting the road ahead for all humankind...... ]

At my praise, Johann gave a faint smile.

"It's a passage I thought of while looking at you, Sir Knight. Any subject of the Empire who reads this book will surely think the same."

A deep yearning settled into his eyes as he gazed at me.

"Whenever I am in your presence, Sir Knight, you are ever so lofty and apart."

This man, who before my Regression had pledged his loyalty to the Emperor and the Imperial Guard, now murmured such words to me.

"Unwavering amid any turmoil and chaos, simply present in that place, lighting the darkest of nights to guide us, yet so exalted and refined that none may dare reach it, the moon of the night sky."

Johann's praise stirred in me a strangely petty, all-too-common sort of feeling.

"In times as troubled as these, you, Sir Knight, are the very North Star the Empire ought to follow."

The sense of superiority that came from reigning over others and being worshipped.

"Johann."

But I must not put too much faith in myself. I was by no means a saint or a hero for them to look up to.

"Everything I am comes down, in the end, to staying alive. Don't revere me too much."

What I had been granted was nothing more than the miracle of Regression and the calling to keep humankind in existence.

Those duties bearing down on my shoulders were never any reason to hold my head high in triumph.

"......Yes."

Johann, as though he had taken my words for modesty, bowed his head even lower.

.......

Whirrrrrr──!

The rotary press spun with a roar. Amid the smell of ink the machine belched out, books came pouring forth like a waterfall.

"......"

Celine Dubois, the Editor-in-Chief of Jemion Daily, watched the printing run with her arms folded and not a flicker of feeling on her face.

"Whew~ this book really is the real thing. Jemion will run a full-page ad for it too, won't it?"

The print shop owner proudly held up a freshly printed copy.

A top-grade binding, leather hardcover gilded with gold leaf. It bore every sign that money had been poured in for the sole purpose of raising the book's authority and dignity, as though the production cost had never once entered anyone's mind.

"Editor-in-Chief. Have you read Chapter One?"

Editor-in-Chief Celine stared in silence at the book's cover.

「Und⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠er the Moonlight」.

As an avid reader, she had naturally read this book already. Even before it became a book, in its manuscript form.

Which was why her worry ran deep.

Once this dangerous ideological tract had been scattered across the whole of the Empire, how would the air of the continent change?

What sort of man would the public come to see Maximilian as?

"Reading it sent a thrill straight through my whole body. The Knight's Descent, a knight's duty...... the Knight's Code!"

The owner shuddered, as though gooseflesh had risen all over him.

"......Is that so?"

"Oh, absolutely!"

Most people would probably think just like this man. Without even realizing it, they would be steeped in his ideology.

"Ahh~ just reading the lines, I can picture the whole thing. Truly, this, this is just~ the pride of our glorious Empire's......"

Gazing blankly at him as he prattled on about this and that, Celine quietly turned away.

.......

In the heart of the Empire, at the most co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠nspicuous display window of a large bookstore, dead center on its display table.

Sonnet Kandel came to a halt before a certain book stacked up like a mountain. Hundreds of copies of the same book were laid out.

「Under the Moonlight」

-Maximilian Albrecht von Ebenholtz

An autobiography authored by Maximilian himself. Yet in form it took on the character of a political and ideological treatise.

The moment it was published, it had taken over the bookstores across the entire Empire, was stocked in the university libraries, and hundreds of thousands of copies were slated to be handed out free of charge to the military.

"......"

Sonnet reached out and picked up the book. The smooth touch of the leather cover met her fingertips.

Rustle─ rustle─

With an expressionless face, she turned the pages and read once more the blueprint of the Empire that Maximilian had drawn.

"──The next reading discussion."

All of a sudden, words came from beside her.

Sonnet shifted her gaze and looked toward them.

"Shall we make it this book?"

Ezell Runsellot. As she picked up Maximilian's「Under the Moonlight」, she wore a smile that somehow seemed sad.

"The autobiography written by an old friend of mine."

~~~

Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/cdZPxPVrXW