Translator: KJ

Silence hung over the Imperial Central Special Court.

Into that hall, where the judge and the prosecutor, and even Niko in the defendant's seat, held their breath, Maximilian's operations officers filed in.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Bound volumes of evidence came down one after another onto the desks of the judge and the prosecutor.

And then──

"Presiding Judge. May I begin the defense?"

With a Knight like Maximilian attending as defense counsel, the trial was a hollow ceremony. But such procedure would soon become justification. The evidence submitted here would be delivered to the Imperial Household as well, to argue the legitimacy of the 'disposal'.

─......You may begin.

The judge's voice trembled slightly. The face that had once resembled a stately tiger had, at some point, been reduced to that of an old dog by the roadside.

Maximilian began in a low voice.

"Presiding Judge. How much do you know about the chemical company「Alchemia」?"

Meanwhile, into the gallery. One person, then another, then another.

People came in. The hall filled with people.

The Imperial Guard had locked down this courtroom in advance, but such measures were useless now.

"「Alchemia」is a company that researches defense technology with the support of Imperial tax funds. But beneath the surface, it is stained with graft and corruption......."

The crime of passing off low-grade Eastern Mana Stones as Imperial-made under a different name and distributing them. The crime of embezzling the Empire's taxes and deceiving the Empire's workers.

Watching Maximilian assert such statements, Niko still wore a dazed expression.

To him, this moment still felt like a dream.

Or perhaps, the afterlife?

"......These are the autopsy results of the deceased."

Maximilian raised a single document high.

"The Alchemia explosion occurred at the turn from midnight to dawn, from a weekday into a holiday. A time when ordinary workers were off duty, and the researchers should all have gone home."

That was why Niko Weber's terror attack claimed no civilian─Pure Aran─victims.

"The very fact that they remained in the factory basement at that hour is suspicious in itself, but what is more astonishing is their identity."

The identity of the deceased. That is, their 'race'.

"An independent autopsy of the bodies determined that every one of them was a Subspecies."

The courtroom stirred. In the gallery, Inspector Fritz quietly rose from his seat. Sergeant Gewin stared blankly at him.

"Inspector, where are you going?"

"......."

Fritz left the courtroom without a word, and Maximilian's composed voice continued.

"Just as the defendant Niko Weber claims, they were traitorous elements of the Empire who should never have been there in the first place......."

Under the「Imperial Citizenship Law」, only Aran may be employed in any national strategic industry receiving Imperial support. And knowingly allowing Subspecies to remain embedded in a core defense facility is, in itself, a grave crime.

"......On these grounds, I assert the innocence of the defendant, Niko Weber."

Maximilian looked at the judge. The judge could not bring himself to meet his eyes.

─.......

Ordinarily, analyzing and deliberating over the vast evidence presented by the defense would take days at the very least......

─As the court finds the defense's argument highly reasonable.

The prosecutor had demanded the death penalty, and the judge had been given his backroom instructions.

─This court finds the defendant, Niko Weber, not guilty.

None of those facts mattered anymore.

'If I am to survive, if I am to cling to my own lifeline by any means at all.'

'I must cast the weaker bastards aside.'

Bang─ Bang─ Bang─

The inevitable acquittal was pronounced. Maximilian gave a small smile and nodded. To the judge, that faint expression felt like some kind of signal that he would survive.

"......You've been through a lot, Niko."

Maximilian offered Niko a handshake, but unfortunately, Niko fainted without ever taking his hand.

* * *

Maximilian sent an official request for cooperation t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌o Sentinel's upper command.

The operation was named「Leak of Malice」.

Attached to his documents were the recordings of the Imperial Guard and Georgen, gathered in person by Operations Officer Hans Wenzel while disguised as a lawyer.

In an instant, Sentinel gathered its blades against them──against Georgen and Martin Himmler.

"S-Sir, Lieutenant General. An urgent communication from the Knight Order......."

"......."

Lieutenant General Martin Himmler swallowed dryly as he took the receiver.

"......Martin Himmler speaking."

─Yes. Lieutenant General Himmler.

A composed voice came through the receiver.

His name, Maximilian.

─Have you heard the news?

A single word from the young Knight, and it felt as if a hand had closed around his heart.

"......I have heard, yes. But truly, truly, I know nothing of this."

His hands clasped together of their own accord. Before he knew it, he was begging.

─Mm. That's possible. I understand.

A voice saying it understood.

Himmler gulped down his saliva.

"Then......."

─May I take it, then, that Georgen acted alone?

Himmler chewed over his words. He weighed their implication.

As his mind raced frantically, a single word flashed through his head.

The Genen Society!

Georgen had investigated them and brought down two generals.

So Maximilian had never forgotten that grudge.

"......Yes. All of it. Georgen acted alone."

His thoughts in order, Himmler steeled himself to tear off one of his own arms.

.......

Sentinel. Maximilian's office.

Heinrich, Director of Georgen, was summoned by Maximilian.

"We've met before."

At the indifferent greeting, Heinrich forced a smile as he replied.

"......Yes. So we have. It's good to see-"

"The investigation is mostly complete."

He set a thick stack of documents on the table.

"Quite a lot of people were implicated in Alchemia's corruption, as it turns out. I've compiled all the money trail results and the evidence of smuggling."

Heinrich's hands trembled visibly as he took the papers. Watching him, Maximilian smiled faintly.

"Well then, would you care to try asking for a favor?"

"......Huh?"

"To Her Highness Imperial Princess Justine, or to His Majesty the Emperor. Go ahead, submit a petition directly."

"......."

Heinrich's face went blank for a moment. Maximilian gestured casually and continued.

"Beg them to spare you, to forgive you just this once. If you bring back that answer, I will gladly comply."

Director Heinrich realized, too late.

What Maximilian's personal grudge had been. Why he had shielded a mere commoner.

"......Sir Knight, during the Genen Society affair, I too had no choice but to—"

"That is the weight of being the man in charge."

Maximilian cut him off. The documents listed every key figure in Georgen, beginning with Deputy Director Valerian of the Taxis Family.

"Director Heinrich. For the sake of the Empire, I cut away those who needed to be cut away."

Because of Georgen, Maximilian had killed the generals of the Genen Society.

The Genen Society itself, of course, meant nothing to him. It was a regular army faction of no use whatsoever.

The problem was that Georgen had made him a target first.

If he let that slide regardless, they would stop being afraid of him. They would stop fearing him.

"You should fear me too."

And so, Maximilian had no intention of letting them be.

"For the order of the Empire."

His eyes curved into crescent-moon arcs.

* * *

I set my people in motion.

Just as Enzi had once told me, I had made people of my own, and they had now become my sharpest weapons.

"Major Lucan, Imperial Guard Central Audit Bureau. You are under arrest on charges of treason and bribery."

"......What the fuck is this moron, who the hell are you! Do you know who I am?!"

Everyone implicated in「Alchemia」thrashed, or resigned themselves, or resisted.

The bastards who had swaggered about with power at their backs all showed much the same reaction.

"Do you have any idea who I am, pulling this! I said, do you know who I am!"

Men who had worshipped the law of the jungle. They loved that logic when trampling others, but the moment they themselves were devoured, they let out feeble screams.

"Yes. This is a Sentinel summons, so you can say all that when you get there."

"......What? Wh-what do you, what do you mean-"

"Come with me."

A single phrase.

The mere declaration of that 'affiliation' was enough to break their bluster.

"......Deputy Director Valerian Taxis."

Valerian Taxis. Heir to the prestigious Taxis Family of the Imperial center, a young man of ambition in his early thirties who had passed through the Imperial Guard to claim the seat of Deputy Director of Georgen.

He stared at the man standing across from him, lost for words.

"Hans Wenzel."

Hans Wenzel. The man who had once come to him under the lawyer's identity of 'Thomas Iduna' tossed aside his fake glasses and smiled.

"My affiliation is the Sentinel Knight Order, First Department under Knight Maximilian. Senior Operations Officer."

Operations officer. The glittering honor of the Taxis name and the lofty title of Georgen Deputy Director were smothered and crushed beneath a mere operations officer of Maximilian's.

"We've met before, haven't we?"

Valerian's face twisted with shame and terror.

"Ah, don't worry. The Knight loves his principles, so you, Deputy Director Valerian, will be processed with perfect honesty, exactly according to the severity of your crimes."

Hans glanced around the empty office. Nearly every document had already been seized as evidence.

"Nothing more, and nothing less."

"......."

Valerian Taxis ground his teeth. Words like how dare you- spun uselessly in his mouth, over and over.

He wanted to spit on him right then and there, to stomp him to death under his boot-

"Ah. The Knight told me to be sure to pass this along."

And that bastard added, with a smile.

"Telling your father won't hel⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌p you this time."

* * *

......Scritch, scritch.

I ran floss meticulously between my teeth.

Swish, swish─

I rinsed with water and spat it out.

Whooosh─

I let it wash down the sink.

Click─

I fitted dentures into my freshly cleaned mouth.

Swip, swip─

I roughly swept back the brown hair reflected in the mirror.

Rustle─

I picked up the wallet on the shelf.

A worn, frayed leather billfold. Inside were an identification card and a Genealogy Certificate.

"......."

I took out the identification card and checked it.

[ Eli Zella ]

A Merin born in Scasey, Highland, who had immigrated to the western Empire.

From now on, as Eli, I would board a smuggling ship at the port.

"Eli Zella. From Highland."

After practicing the accent particular to mixed blood, I changed my clothes. An old, weathered suit and scuffed-up shoes. A suitcase and a pouch of bribes.

Setup complete, I left the room.

After the「Alchemia」affair, the businessman Viktor Haim, the central figure behind the whole affair, had vanished like a ghost.

But the hint left behind by the Ezenheim bastards among the Revolutionary forces remained vivid in my memory.

【 0820. Western 3rd Port. We go together. 】

Western 3rd Port. According to my investigation, the 'smuggling' business seemed to be thriving around there.

Subspecies trying to flee the Empire's blade, foreigners, Merin, even Thought Criminals and Political Prisoners with nowhere left to go.

The desperate hopes of those yearning to escape the prison called the Empire gathered at that port.

If the core of Ezenheim was on the move, it would surely go through that route.

I made my way to the train platform.

Thump—

As I sat on a bench and waited, the presence of Ezenheim was already thick in the air.

Thump—

Before long, the train arrived. A local train bound for the Western 3rd Port. I climbed into a seat and leaned against the window.

"Tickets, please."

I held out my ticket to the conductor who had suddenly appeared. The moment he confirmed my status as a Merin, his face turned ugly.

"Tch."

As if even touching it were filthy, he all but threw the ticket back at me.

......Hatred was spreading.

Hatred catching fire from a single point was by no means a pleasant thing, but it was an unavoidable necessity. A sacrifice for humanity's survival.

I bore a sense of debt and guilt toward every people that was not Ezenheim.

If we ever won our war, it was a debt that would have to be repaid without fail...... a debt far too great.

──Screeeeech

Meanwhile, the train reached its destination.

"Hm...... where was it again."

I had already obtained the smuggling method from my informants.

The port, where the smell of the sea mixed with the smell of oil. I headed for the back of a warehouse tucked into a particularly remote corner of the already secluded D Sector.

"......."

I spotted someone. A woman pretending to work, a blue beret pulled down low over her face. I approached her and handed over the bribe sack filled with valuables.

She weighed the sack in her hand, then spat out a si⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌ngle word.

"......Genealogy Certificate."

So she checked Genealogy Certificates too. But her purpose was the exact opposite of the Empire's, to filter out Pure Aran.

I handed over the Genealogy Certificate I had prepared. The woman inspected it for forgery through a monocle as she asked.

"Eli. Western Highland, from Scasey. Say something. In Highland Language."

"Yes. Eli Zella. Born in Scasey, lived in Edin for about ten years."

The Highland tongue, and the regional dialect of Scasey at that. An accent I had drilled relentlessly for weeks.

"When did you come to the Empire?"

"I emigrated twenty years ago."

Scasey was a region with a highly distinctive nasal quality and intonation. Which meant it was an identity that much harder to imitate.

"......Ha. Good. I'm from Highland myself, you know. Yeah, you're one of those westerners all right."

She snorted a laugh and rummaged through the sack, then took only a single watch and handed it back.

"Keep your valuables. This one's plenty for the ticket."

A sense of kinship hidden beneath the brusque tone. Beyond that sharp gaze, I could feel a rough-hewn goodwill. She was probably with the Revolutionary forces.

"Thank you."

"You paid for it, so what's there to thank me for. Anyway, take the ticket. Departure's tomorrow, so go rest somewhere nearby and come back."

She handed me a single boarding ticket.

"Yes. I'll be going, then."

Trudge, trudge. Turning away, I made for the dock marked on the ticket.

I h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌ad been walking along the filthy wharf for quite a while, when.

"......?"

At some point, the scenery around me transformed completely. Expensive perfume drifted through the air in place of the fishy stench, and people's attire had become excessively lavish. The distinctive speech of Imperial nobles, their laughter blooming up in bursts of ha-ha-ha-ha.

And at the end of that procession─ a mass of st⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌eel stood so colossal it seemed to fill the sea itself.

「Titan」

"......Titan?"

As I repeated the somehow familiar name of a passenger liner far too enormous to be any smuggling ship.

Thump──!

The Virus beneath my collarbone convulsed. My ribs shuddered for a moment. This was no reaction to a mere one or two of them. What in the world was aboard that liner.......

"......Fuck."

Over there lurked Ezenheim beyond counting, so many that a sudden wave of nausea rose in my throat.

~~~

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