Translator: KJ

"Yes. Keep pressing forward. If you do, you're sure to make it. I'll look forward to the day we meet as comrades in the knight order someday......"

The words of that beautiful knight─Hannah Usar.

As if reenacting the emotion of that day, the Yaken Erka made a great fuss, her eyes shining.

"I'll look forward to the day we meet as comrades in the knight order someday...... She really said that to me, I'm telling you!"

For Entikkan, Yukia's cousin, there was no telling how many times he'd heard this by now.

"I got it, okay."

"No, but she really said it to me, I swear~!"

The orphanage in the Empire's 42nd District. Thanks to Maximilian's patronage, it had been expanded and renovated again and again, until now it had taken the shape of a fairly respectable welfare facility.

Using this orphanage as his base, Entikkan had become a businessman running all sorts of welfare programs for his own people.

"......Maybe I shouldn't have sent her to university after all."

"Whaaat?!"

Erka. That scrawny little thing who had once wandered the streets had grown up before he knew it and become a university student.

Honestly, just a few years ago, a Yaken enrolling in an Empire university, let alone a central one?

It had been unthinkable, an utter impossibility.

But of late the situation had changed drastically.

The treatment of the Yaken had improved with each passing day, and as racial traits distinctive to the Yaken, their keen senses, their powerful bodies, their loyalty, came to be recognized, in fields such as bodyguarding, policing, and security they'd even reached the point of enjoying a 'Yaken Premium' and preferential treatment.

Tok.

Entikkan slipped off his rimless glasses and set them down on the desk. Closing the ledger, he asked with a deliberately stern expression.

"So, are you keeping up with your studies?"

"Ah, obviously! I'm just about top of my whole class."

"Is 'just about top' even a phrase......? And your mana cont⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌rol?"

"That's perfect too!"

Heh-heh. Erka scrunched up her nose and laughed. Even so, Entikkan gravely lowered his voice.

"Be a model Yaken. Like I always say-"

"Don't betray their trust? I know, I know."

"......Right. And, be proud."

Proud that you are a Yaken of the Empire.

"I knooow~"

These days, Entikkan was mapping out a new venture.

A grand rescue operation to bring into the Empire the Yaken scattered and persecuted across the entire continent.

The Empire was now trying to embrace the Yaken, and in truth it was doing exactly that. But not the East and the West.

Under the fine-sounding banner of morality and equality, they condemned the Empire, while in reality they discriminated against and oppressed the Yaken all the more viciously.

'Spawn of the devil.' 'Goats that turned into men.'

The bastards who still spouted that kind of bullshit......

The Empire was different.

The private goodwill and experience of a nobleman named Maximilian Ebenholtz. That butterfly effect had transformed the standing of the Yaken within the Empire this dramatically.

In「Under the Moonlight」, too, the loyalty of the Yaken had been depicted, and the public's perception had already improved.

"Then come along. Let's go do the shopping."

"Well~ since I'm in a real good mood today~ I'll be your porter, Uncle~"

The two of them set out from the orphanage.

At some point the renovation work had been finished, leaving sturdy outer walls, a playground where the children could run around safely, and all manner of furniture.

Compared to three years ago, when it had been all but collapsing, it was a transformation beyond all recognition.

"Director Entikkan! Where are you headed?"

A neighbor they ran into on the road greeted them with a bright smile. Entikkan welcomed him with a smile of his own.

"Off to do the shopping. Let me know when the cloth comes in."

The Empire's 42nd District was a lower-tier district. Most who lived here, too, were of the lower class.

"You got it~ I'll show it to you first thing, Director!"

But their attitudes, too, had changed a great deal. It was thanks to the jobs created by all the civil engineering projects, the highway among them, that their lives had grown more prosperous.

A measure of ease had settled into their once-hardscrabble daily lives, and the hostile gazes directed at the Yaken had naturally softened.

......All their discrimination and hatred had come to be concentrated on a single race.

"Sniff, sniff."

All at once Erka flared her nostrils and knit her brow.

"Ugh. What is this smell......"

The rotten, fishy stench of stagnant water that only some among the Yaken race could catch. A stink that sometimes seeped out of some human, or of something else entirely.

"Is there an Ezenheim nearby?"

It was the moment Entikkan muttered this.

"......!"

"Huh?!"

Both their bodies went rigid at the same instant.

Hssssss......

A strange and ominous sensation crept up from beneath their feet.

Flap-flap!

A flock of birds perched on a nearby tree took flight, and the stray cats and dogs that had been huddled at the mouth of the alley bolted out into the road, barking.

RRRUMMMBLE──!

A beat later, the very ground shuddered.

It was an earthquake.

CRRRRRA⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌CK───!

A brief wave swept across the land in an instant. The windows of the buildings trembled, and people ducked low, screaming.

Woof! Woof-woof! Aaaieee!

The quake itself subsided in barely a dozen-odd seconds, but the people who had rushed out in alarm looked around with anxious faces.

"What the, where'd that come from all of a sudden......"

There seemed to be no great damage, thankfully, and one by one the people breathed sighs of relief and returned to their daily routines.

"......How curious. How did they know beforehand?"

Erka murmured, watching the dogs still whimpering.

Sometimes, an animal's instincts sensed the omens of catastrophe before a human's could.

"Let's go."

Entikkan pushed on, forcing down an inexplicable sense of dread.

The two of them made their way toward the market.

* * *

Chiron's inauguration ceremony was conducted with great solemnity at the Sentinel Knight Order headquarters.

"Now, my... this old sword of mine."

The decrepit Commander Ebirich raised the blade aloft.

Once Sebestian's mentor, and a comrade-in-arms who had fought through countless battles at his side.

"I shall entrust it to my successor."

Yet with two arms grown so terribly frail compared to his prime, he handed the Knight Commander's sword to Chiron.

"Thank you."

Chiron received the sword on bended knee.

The knights gathered in the great hall watched this process of succession in solemn silence......

Ta-daa——!

The celebratory feast that followed was held on a grand scale, with the Empire's finest restaurant,「Lilac Vita」, booked out in i⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌ts entirety.

"Hahahaha!"

Beneath the resplendent chandeliers, Chiron laughed, savoring his joy.

The finest wines and lavish delicacies filled the tables without end, and the mood of the banquet hall rose to a fever pitch.

"Knight Commander. They say the cooling installation on the top floor is already underway."

"Ha. Is that so? A few days of heat wouldn't have hurt, though......"

All at once, Chiron's gaze met Maximilian's as the man savored his wine. Those golden eyes had settled into a quiet stillness.

For a moment a chill ran down his spine. Chiron gave a nod and rose from his seat.

On this important day, there was a purpose he had to demonstrate in person. There was a promise he had made with Maximilian.

"Now, then."

Wine bottle in hand, Chiron got to his feet. Moving slowly, he approached the senior knight 'Jerome'.

After pouring a glass for the man who served as a sort of representative of the commoner knights, he turned to the one right beside him.

He poured a glass, too, for 'Cliff', the one who had once seized Maximilian by the collar.

In other words, he filled the glasses of the knights who had once belonged to Anton's faction first.

After that, commoner and noble alike, to every one of them...... he was about to pour, but paused for a moment.

Because Hannah's face, after all the shots she'd been knocking back, was so thoroughly flushed.

Hannah thrust out her glass first.

"Pour me one! Commannner, shir! Chiron-commannner!"

"......All right. Just don't get too rowdy with your toast."

Presently, Chiron raised his glass and began to speak.

"You all know this already, but I, and we, have always said it. That the Sentinels are, in the end, the Sentinels."

His low voice resounded calmly through Lilac Vita.

"Here there is no high or low of station. There must be no discrimination over one's origins, no factional strife that carves us into camps."

Chiron's gaze moved over the faces of the knights gathered in the hall, one by one.

"We are, simply, as pure Arans......"

Without defacing Anton Zefren's legacy, he was instead carrying on a part of the man's will.

"nothing more than knights of the Sentinels, sworn only to guard the Empire."

This was Maximilian's wish.

The true form of the knight order, which even Chiron himself now acknowledged.

"Carry the pride and dignity of a knight, and defend your own authority. Become sentinels who guard the order of the Empire without wavering."

The knights took the words of their new Commander to heart.

Commoner and noble alike felt the swelling pride of a knight.

"To the Sentinels."

Chiron's quiet cry, and the clear ring of radiant crystal glasses meeting.

All at once, everyone raised their glasses and swallowed the Empire's new future down deep into their throats.

.......

"Well, well......"

One day, the commoner knight Cliff stared quietly down at the official notice lying on his desk.

[ Notice of Knight Promotion, Adjustment of Budget Ceilings and Expansion of Grants ]

[ We hereby inform you that the annual budget allocated to your department has had its ceiling set as follows....... ]

[ Base Operational Funds: 3,309,530 Imperial Dollars ]

After Chiron took office as Knight Commander, 'promotions' were announced throughout the knight order.

The truth was, Cliff had been more or less indifferent to promotion itself.

He had fallen out of the Knight Commander's favor, caused a major incident, seized Maximilian by the collar......

Cliff was, after all, that kind of knight.

"......"

And yet this time he was being promoted to senior knight.

It was a strange feeling.

Setting the notice down, he stepped out of his office and cleared his throat at his staff.

"......Ahem. Everyone, gather round for a moment. I have something to tell you."

The administrative officers and operations officers looked at him hesitantly.

In the past, when Cliff had clashed with Maximilian and faced the threat of dismissal, they had lost sleep night after night.

Even now they were, for all practical purposes, no better off than a kite with its string cut, so their unease had to be with them still.

"Our budget has been increased this time. And I, too, am to be promoted to senior knight."

Cliff held up the notice. It was a sum amounting to no less than three times the previo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌us budget.

"Accordingly, starting next month, your salaries will......"

Cliff recited the newly set salary figures. Likewise, more than three times what they had been before.

"......"

"......"

For a moment silence hung over the office, and then,

"Whoaaa!"

"Is it real, is it really true, Sir Knight?!"

In an instant a cry of astonishment burst out.

Clap-clap-clap-!

Cheers and applause. Faces that looked as though all the grief and worry of the past had been washed away in a single instant. Watching them, Cliff felt a strange, truly strange emotion.

"Post a recruitment notice too. We're going to need more...... a lot more people working here."

Handing down the order with feigned gruffness, he went back to his own office.

Leaving the door open just a crack, he leaned deep back into his chair.

At the joy-laced voices of his staff drifting in through the gap, a faint smile bloomed even at the corner of Cliff's gruff mouth.

.......

"Halt!"

A checkpoint on the outskirts of the Empire. Armed soldiers blocked the vehicle.

"Stopped aga⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌in."

At the words of her subordinate agent in the driver's seat, Schatz clicked her tongue lightly. Lately, checkpoints like this had grown markedly more frequent every time they moved through the Empire's cities.

It was an unavoidable nuisance whenever she ran night operations with a group of agents.

"Group travel is illegal! Everyone! Present your identification and Genealogy Certificates!"

the soldier shouted. Schatz first checked the reaction of Yukia, seated beside her. Yukia drew in a deep breath of air and gave a quiet nod. It meant there were no Ezenheim among these men.

Schatz rolled down the window and handed over a prettily bound identity booklet.

Decorating ID papers. It was, in its own way, a hobby of hers.

"Let's see now......"

The soldier shone his flashlight and pored over the documents.

Father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather, all the way back through the great-grandfather's forebears, every last one born and raised in the Empire's central heartland, a flawless, pure Aran bloodline. Even among pure Arans, a rather special 'Five-Generation Genealogy'.

Even among her subordinates, there were plenty who envied this immaculate lineage.

"......!"

At some point the officer's eyes went wide. It had to be because of the single name inscribed in the guarantor field of the documents.

[ ......It is required that no obstruction be posed to the performance of duties: Maximilian Albrecht von Ebenholtz ]

"L-Loyalty!"

The soldier gave a violent reaction and threw up a hand salute. The other soldiers beside him did the same.

Schatz's face twitched. A small snort of laughter slipped out, but she reined it in with effort. Instead, she laid a finger to her lips.

"Shh. I'm not your superior."

"Ah, yes! Yes! Go on, safe travels!"

They hurriedly cleared the way. The vehicle passed through the checkpoint and sped off into the darkness once more.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

As they neared a certain city in the West, the receiver in the passenger seat rang out with an electromagnetic signal. Schatz's eyes flickered coldly.

"......This is the place."

They had found a base of the Revolutionary forces.

* * *

Sentinel Knight Order headquarters, Maximilian's office.

"......"

I gazed at the large cork board that filled one entire wall. On it, photographs or composite sketches of the Revolutionary forces' key officers, and the intricate web linking their scattered cells, were tangled together in red thread.

────

[ 1. Oracle ]

Called the prophet among their ranks, the very core of the Revolutionary forces. Identity unknown. Top priority for tracking down.

[ 2. Master ]

Head of fundraising. Face never made public, but believed to be a key figure involved in 'Veil', the beating heart of the Revolutionary forces.

[ 3. Ares ]

.......

────

A list of the key wanted figures who threatened the very existence of the Empire and the survival of humankind, the ones who had to be struck down and killed, whether before the war, after it, or in its midst.

I murmured, dredging up my memories from before the Regression.

"Which of these is the Ezenheim, I wonder."

Parasites who, to all appearances, wore human masks and cried out for a noble cause, while behind it all they turned the gears of annihilation.

Ding-

The terminal chimed briefly. It was word from Schatz.

The location-tracking results from the Mana Receivers I had attached, some time ago, to the auction goods that had slipped out of the Luchen Auction House.

"......Hmm."

At last, I had caught hold of a part of the revolution's tail.

The time had come to go and strike at them.

But I must not carry out this operation alone. Because the act of crushing heresy and treason is, in itself, a rite that shares an ideology with the Empire's knights and binds their loyalty together.

Which is to say, I need comrades to stand with me.

I pressed the communicator on my desk and summoned an operations officer.

"Yes, Sir Knight."

"We're launching a joint operation. Request the cooperation of a few knights. First......"

Rapidly weighing up the Sentinels' fighting strength in my head, I recalled the name of one man.

"Cliff."

Within the Sentinel Knight Order, if one were to speak of 'raw martial force' alone, he was without question a knight to be counted among the very few.

A powerhouse who, while no match for Sebestian, could at least cross blades with him for a moment.

To be honest, when he grabbed me by the collar the last time, I had felt just the slightest touch of fear.

If he had truly meant it, he would have torn my collarbone out with his bare hands.

Because he is that kind of knight, I want him at my side.

"Send word to the knight Cliff."

"Yes."

The operations officer withdrew, but a thought suddenly occurred to me.

Was that really the only reason I was forgiving Cliff, and trying to bring him into my fold?

The one Cliff could stand against── who was there, apart from the Revolutionary forces?

......Sebestian.

Unbidden, that oh-so-familiar name surfaced in my mind.

~~~

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