Translator: KJ

An office where moonlight filtered softly in.

Colonel Edmon Bruindol sat at his desk and turned the pages of the book he had left unread until now.

[ My boyhood was spent alongside Edmon....... The countless hours we sweated together, crossing blades, became a precious foundation upon which I built my dignity as a knight....... ]

The first chapter of the autobiography Maximilian had written. As Edmon read down the lines, his f⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠ingertip tracing them like an underline, a small smile spread across his lips.

"I owe you too."

He murmured it bitterly.

The dream of becoming a knight of the Empire. Edmon, a mixed-blood, had spent long years forcing himself to deny that dream, living as though it were not his own.

Watching Maximilian become a knight and soar high into the heavens filled him with genuine pride, and yet, at the same time, it tormented him terribly.

......thump.

Edmon closed the book. Quietly he rose to his feet. The pages had not even made it past the first chapter.

He crossed to the window and looked up at the moon hanging in the night sky.

On the desk lay a red envelope Schweitzer had delivered that day. It was a classified document from the political police, 'Georgen'.

They had sent over a document casting doubt on the backgrounds of several juniors under Edmon's command, men he held in high regard.

The fact that his own mother came from Prozen had already been overlooked, but their bloodlines had not.

Knock knock-

"......Come in."

The office door opened cautiously.

"Colonel."

It was Kane and Heinz, the two adjutants Edmon trusted most.

"The schedule for tomorrow's night mountain maneuver training has been confirmed. Here as well is the checklist for this month's supply distribution to the troops and the state of weapons maintenance. We have instructed each company commander and completed the preparations. Please review them."

True soldiers, men who did nothing but their soldierly duty and judged right from wrong for themselves.

"I'll review it. Good work."

When the adjutants saluted and withdrew, Edmon let out a deep sigh. His gaze drifted aimlessly into the empty air.

Anguish spread.

Torment flowed.

Could he really d⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠o it?

Could he cast aside the adjutants who trusted and followed him, for the single reason that their blood ran different.......

Clench.

He balled both hands into tight fists.

.......

The western Republic of Prozen. Clara Magal, leader of the armed organization「Crystal Society」, received word from Luchen.

Felix Renoir, the power behind the Crystal Society, had briefly surfaced in Luchen, and though Prozen's intelligence agency had been deployed, he had not been caught.

It was a truly fortunate thing.

"......Phew."

In any case, the「Crystal Society」 had by now grown into a group that could no longer be ignored, even within Prozen.

Following Felix's instructions, they had bought up numerous properties in central Prozen and, by backing politicians, pressured legislation to suit their own tastes.

This was owed not only to the funds Felix had procured, but to a host of like-minded corporations, the donations of its members, and their own enterprises, foremost among them the newspaper they ran.

Within Prozen, those who sympathized with the「Crystal Society」's claims had already formed a faction of their own.

The agitation that the subspecies, Ezenheim chief among them, along with the other minority races, were unjustly stripping Prozen of its precious jobs and livelihoods.

Though the Aran Race Theory that Maximilian had championed was still an object of criticism among Prozen's intellectuals, the logic underlying it, that a clear hierarchy of superiority and inferiority existed between the races, took root in the grinding lives of ordinary people and forged a common sentiment.

──Yes.

A hierarchy between the races most certainly exists......

"Leader! A letter! From Mr. Felix!"

A senior-ranking member suddenly burst in, shouting in a rush.

Clara all but snatched it as she took it.

"Leader. That's a letter from Mr. Felix, isn't it?"

A Mana-Sealed letter. The kind only Felix used, one that would not open and would destroy itself unless the cipher known to Clara alone was written in.

"It is."

Before long the members came swarming into the leader's office. They seemed curious about what the letter from Felix contained.

The leader of the「Crystal Society」was Clara, but the biggest hand that funded them and saw to their wages, in other words the one pulling the strings, was Felix Renoir.

"......."

As Clara undid the cipher and read down through the letter, at a certain moment, her face.

It twisted into viciousness.

"What? What is it?"

"......Leader?"

SLAM─!

She brought her fist down hard against the desk.

"......I knew it would come to this."

She ground her teeth.

"What? What's happened?"

To everyone's urgent questions, Clara lifted her rage-stained face and answered.

"The Prozen Intelligence Bureau."

That goddamned Commie outfit that dogged the Crystal Society's every move and threw up obstacles at every turn.

"Word is the place has already become a nest of those Ezenheim worm-bastards."

The members' faces went cold and rigid.

.......

These days, among the Merin and various other minority races, and among businessmen of foreign nationality, a certain saying was passed around openly.

'Rather than have it seized by the Imperial Guard, go to Maximilian.'

The annexation of companies and the plunder of assets being carried out across the Empire of late. The Imperial Guard bastards sucked out every last drop of blood and sweat they could wring, and not content with that, left behind not so much as a speck of dust.

But Maximilian of Ebenholtz was different.

"......Haa."

The Merin businessman Hassan arrived on trembling legs at the asset-acquisition office that Maximilian ran.

Just as the rumors had it. The waiting room was full of people clutching all manner of corporate documents and deeds of transfer to their chests, waiting anxiously.

Like an immigration checkpoint mobbed with refugees, every one of them seemed to be dabbing away the sweat that streamed down without pause with a handkerchief, waiting only for their turn to come.

"......Excuse me. I made a reservation in advance."

Hassan approached the counter and spoke.

"Ah, yes. Please come in, Mr. Hassan."

A clerk in a crisp suit, like an office worker, called his name. Hassan hurried inside.

"H-here, here you are."

Trembling, Hassan laid out on the table every financial statement and ownership-transfer document he had prepared.

'As a Merin, there's simply no way to go on living in the Empire anymore.'

That was the conclusion he had reached.

"Please submit your Genealogy Certificate as well."

Submission of one's genealogy. A procedure that had become a mandatory step of verification in the Empire.

Of course, he was no pure Aran.

"Here, here it is."

Never in his life had he envied the Arans' precious genealogies the way he did these days.

But in this place, the one who told a lie was the first to die.

Having walked into the tiger's maw on his own two feet, he had to lay bare every detail of his identity with complete transparency.

"Yes. Confirmed."

The documents Hassan submitted were swiftly passed along and put through a meticulous review.

Before long, the clerk relayed the result.

"Your company has been valued at a total of 1.09 million Imperial Dollars."

"......."

1.09 million Imperial Dollars. To think the company three generations of his family had built over a lifetime, since his grandfather's day, came to no more than that. A pittance, not even a tenth of its true worth.

Of course, there was a clause saying it would be returned after twenty years, but that was surely just the sort of hypocrisy-cum-protective provision peculiar to the nobility.

"Will you receive payment in Mana Stone Bonds?"

"......Yes. Please."

Even this was more than he could have asked for.

If his family business fell into the hands of those Imperial Guard bastards? If it were taken by those animals already circling his premises, getting ready to dig in and squeeze him dry?

He wouldn't salvage so much as a thousand dollars.

"We'll proceed with the sale."

"Yes. Please."

This too was one more part of the plunder, dressed up in the guise of legality to swallow whole the continent's choicest companies.

And yet Hassan had thrust his own neck forward.

"There. Take these."

Once all the paperwork was done, the clerk handed Hassan a stiff, crisp bond and a small envelope.

"This certificate will never be reissued a second time. Whatever you do, do not lose it."

Inside the en⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠velope was a single ticket made of fine parchment.

「I hereby recognize this man as a businessman who has contributed to the prosperity of the Empire, and should any unjust harm befall his person, I shall hold the responsible parties to account accordingly.」

Below it, scrawled bold and clear, the personal signature of Maximilian Albrecht von Ebenholtz.

"......!"

The single most precious document of all, the one that, the instant he laid eyes on it, brought tears to his eyes and a tremble to his hands, the one that guaranteed the safety of his family.

"......Thank you, thank you! Thank you so much!"

Hassan hugged the ticket tight to his chest and let out a deep sigh of relief.

The moment he stepped out of the office, a crowd of people rushed urgently to his side.

"How, how did it go?"

"Did you, did you happen to get it, that token?!"

They were fellow Merin. When Hassan let the ticket inside his coat peek out just slightly, envy, relief, and an anxious worry of the kind 'Could I get one too?' all crossed through every pair of eyes.

"Never tell a lie. They know every last detail of our bloodlines anyway, so you simply have to lay everything down, honestly and completely."

"......Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

"Stay strong, everyone. As long as you keep your wits about you, you can make it through. Well then, I'll be off."

Taking Hassan's advice to heart, their faces clouded with fear once more as they waited for their own turns.

***

One spring day.

Before the Sentinel induction ceremony, Chiron's confirmation hearing for Knight Commander concluded. As expected, it proceeded very smoothly, and neither the imperial palace nor the assembly raised any particular objection.

[ Northern Front in Valka⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠nia Enters a Lull....... ]

In the meantime, a short article tucked into a corner of the newspaper.

Valkania's military force had been blocked by Mekerel's tenacious resistance and had finally fallen into a stalemate. Thanks to that, Reutern II was being treated like some sort of scholar around the imperial palace these days.

Together with Professor Ruben─though surely Ruben wrote every last word of them─he even put out a few more papers on diplomacy.

It's an absurd state of affairs, but either way, I can only hope his attention stays divided.

Reutern is better suited to scholarship than command. At the very least, he won't get our own men killed.

"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Maximilian."

Three days before the Sentinel induction ceremony, I received an invitation from an organization called 'Georgen'.

A political police organization, recently established under the protection of the imperial household, tasked with rooting out the Empire's thought criminals and political prisoners. An agency that would absorb even the investigative authority of the regular police, be folded under the Imperial Guard, and spread terror across the whole of the Empire.

"I am Heinrich von Stark."

A Class 1 war criminal, infamous even before my Regression, had risen to the head of it.

Soon enough, an obsessive control over thought and ideology would begin. They would try to cram every last one of them into the camps, the anti-war activists, the pacifists, and any seditious intellectual who voiced even the slightest disagreement with the Empire's policies.

"Maximilian."

Georgen headquarters. In an office walled in ink-black, Heinrich wore an affable smile.

I looked around the empty interior.

"There's not much here. The place feels bare."

"Haha. That's because it's an agency that's only just taken its first steps. There's still a great deal left for us to fill in."

Contrary to his words about having much left to fill in, there was already a great deal that had been filled.

'Surveillance bugs', for one. The devices, installed so cunningly, were enough to confuse even me.

"Sir Knight. The thing is. We believe the Sentinels and Georgen can come to share a relationship of close cooperation."

Heinrich laced his fingers together and broached the matter in a low voice.

"You knights would refer the thought criminals we apprehend in the field to fair trial, and should our agents happen to make a mistake or carry out a flawed investigation along the way, the Knight Order would rigorously set it right. In that spirit."

Heinrich held out a document envelope.

"It's a classified document our Georgen recently came upon, concerning the illicit accumulation of wealth. Evidence of grave corruption that arose within the Empire's regular army, and at the senior-officer level at that."

I o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠pened the envelope and checked the documents.

......The names were familiar.

"They are men who once worked shoulder to shoulder with you, Sir Knight, in the Genen suppression operation of the past."

A faint smile hung at the corner of Heinrich's mouth.

Two generals belonging to the so-called 'Genen Society'.

In that moment, I sensed it.

This was not the will of some mere police organization.

Higher up...... the Imperial Princess, or the Emperor.

They were watching me.

Whether I would collude with the military and turn a blind eye to their corruption, or strike them down according to a knight's principles.

To put it simply, the imperial household was laboring under the delusion that I harbored some 'special feeling' toward the Genen Society.

Which couldn't have been further from the truth.

Heinrich asked, feigning caution.

"We respect Sir Knight's judgment entire-"

"Execution."

I said it as I folded the documents neatly and tucked them into my coat.

"If this information is true."

I looked straight into Heinrich's golden eyes, as though to bore through them.

"Before that, I'll first determine thoroughly whether the information in these documents is genuine. If it turns out to be a fabricated lie, then Georgen will likely go down in the Empire's history as the agency disbanded in the shortest time after its founding."

A faint twitch ran along the corner of his eye.

"And if it's true, I'll refer the parties involved to a knight's tribunal at once and have them executed."

A Major General and a Brigadier General. The scale of these two men's illicit gains had gone beyond all bounds.

"As a general, or as a soldier, or as one of Georgen's police. Accumulating assets beyond one's salary, that much can be tolerated, to a point. A family fortune might have grown, or it could be the fruit of lawful investment. But."

Without expression, without feeling, I went on.

"If that money was wrung from the blood and sweat of the Empire's subjects, or pocketed through bribes and favors."

I never once said I would shield the Genen Society. In truth, I had no interest in them at all.

Just as now, the moment they cross the line, they're nothing but the rot of a bygone age, fit to be cut down and killed.

"Then I could never allow it."

Heinrich fell silent for a moment.

Of course. It seemed he hadn't expected this. Ah. So he'd assumed I had built up some kind of rapport with those Genen Society men.

"......I see."

He let out a sigh of relief, forcing himself to look at ease.

"That's a relief. I'd agonized quite a bit over how to even broach such a sensitive matter with you, Sir Knight....... Truly, your fairness and integrity are everything the rumors say. I leave the disposition of it entirely in your hands."

Raising his eyebrows, he held out a red envelope of some kind.

"There is, however, one more thing remaining."

I broke the seal and looked over the contents.

It was a matter concerning Edmon, or to be precise, his adjutant.

"......We could handle it ourselves, of course. But given that he is someone connected to you, Sir Knight......."

It was certain.

The Emperor, or the Imperial Princess, was trying to keep me in check, and Georgen was bending to their will.

「Under the Moonlight」had become the very framework binding together the Empire's ideology, but in return it had earned the worry and apprehension of those 'on high'.

"I'll go myself."

I smiled without letting anything show.

"It's a matter I can resolve easily enough."

Now was the time to make a show of my loyalty.

In any case, if I just held out and waited until war broke out, they too would no longer be able to cut me loose so easily.

~~~

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