Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Ghhk! Hrrk!

Agonized groans echoed from the depths of a deep, deep underground pit.

A place where faces were shoved underwater, high-voltage electricity seared the skin, and joints were snapped apart in ceaseless acts of sadism and torture.

This was the temporary headquarters of the Special Imperial Guard Unit, organized for the proper enforcement of the「Imperial Citizenship Law」.

Temporary for now, but if results were good, it might be promoted to a full battalion and given a proper headquarters building.

“Hmm~”

Special Imperial Guard Unit Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Lorenz. He leaned back in his comfortable chair, filing his nails, then blew the accumulated dust off his desk with a puff before asking.

“How was Maximilian?”

“Sir. We learned a very useful forensic method for distinguishing forged documents from Sir Knight.”

Just as his subordinates were about to explain in detail the investigative techniques they had learned at Maximilian’s office.

Lorenz furrowed his brow.

“No. Not that technical crap. I mean that bastard’s attitude. What kind of look did he have when dealing with the Special Unit? Was he sincere about enforcing the Citizenship Law?”

“Ah, yes… He seemed quite absorbed in the investigation, but… he didn’t say anything particular about the Special Unit.”

“…That so?”

Lorenz was of common bourgeois origin. Most of the unit members under his command were commoners as well. In truth, the Imperial Guard as an organization was like that by nature.

“Guess we’re too far beneath his notice to even register.”

Of course, there were plenty of nobles among the upper ranks, but the barrier of bloodline wasn’t as high as in the knight orders, the mage towers, or the regular army. Rather, it was the kind of place where a commoner could wear the armband, so long as they proved their personal ability and loyalty to the Emperor.

A most admirable institution, indeed.

“You lot keep watching that bastard from now on. We’re the ones handling law enforcement, after all.”

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

“And when you report to me about that bastard.”

Lorenz tossed his nail file onto the table and furrowed his brow.

“Stop groveling with all that ‘Sir Knight’ this and ‘Sir Knight’ that.”

“Sir?”

“Just call him ‘that bastard’, ‘that prick’, something like that. Oh, right, I hear they’re calling knights ‘old farts’ these days. Do that.”

A flicker of inferiority complex passed through Lorenz’s eyes.

“Anyway. If you spend your whole life bowing and scraping before noble pricks just because you’re commoners, you’ll end up as nothing but dogs and pigs getting trampled on forever.”

He rose from his seat and swept his gaze over his subordinates.

“Hey, you lot. You know Rodriguez, right? Major Rodriguez.”

In an instant, his subordinates’ faces went rigid. Lorenz smirked.

“You know who I mean. You, Captain Hans. Captain Quanter. He was your senior. The guy who did every goddamn dirty thing imaginable, promising to pull you into Central.”

That same Rodriguez had, at some point, been killed. No, his body couldn’t even be found. He had vanished without a trace.

“Maximilian, that bastard, killed Rodriguez just to take his house.”

Major Rodriguez, who had rendered distinguished service as a member of the Imperial Guard, killed over a mere house.

“You know the house that bastard lives in? It was originally Rodriguez’s.”

Hans and Quanter’s faces flushed red as well.

They were angry too. As commoners, witnessing the plundering of a fellow commoner… Ah, well, Rodriguez wasn’t technically a commoner, but an eastern viscount was practically a commoner anyway.

“You all remember this. We’re not commoner scum anymore. We’re blades of His Majesty the Emperor, members of the Imperial Guard.”

Lorenz roughly clapped his subordinates on the shoulders and whispered.

“That bastard Maximilian isn’t some invincible noble either. His head could roll at any moment-“

─This is blatant unlawful detention! Open the door at once!

Suddenly, some obnoxious racket erupted from outside the office.

“…The hell?”

Lorenz’s brow twisted sharply.

He’d been right on the verge of a great line, too.

‘Fuck.’

He went outside with his adjutants.

“Arresting students without any charges! This is a violation of Imperial law! They are Aran citizens!”

Some old man was jabbing his finger at the Imperial Guard members surrounding him, and the guards were at a loss.

A neat suit, intelligent eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses, a well-groomed beard. He was obviously a noble at first glance.

“Who’s that old g⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠eezer?”

Lorenz asked a nearby sergeant.

“Ah, sir. That is…”

A pure-blooded Aran noble of the Empire. A mage from the Sentio Magic Tower, currently a professor at the Zestfall Mage Tower. Name: Oswin. Family: Mason.

“He even has a law license, apparently.”

“…Fuck, does he have too much time on his hands? Should’ve just stuck to studying magic.”

Lorenz forced the menacing expression off his face and approached him.

“Why don’t you calm down first, Professor Oswin.”

“Do I look like I’m in any state to calm down?”

“Well, from what I’ve heard on the way over. Could it be that they were distributing subversive literature, or conducting ideological education?”

“Nothing of the sort! I am Imperial to my very bones!”

“No. Not you. Your students might have taught others some strange things.”

“He is a magic scholar. He teaches students magic. What else would he t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠each?”

Professor Oswin’s veins bulged with fury. Lorenz took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

“…Fine. What’s the name of the person who was taken?”

“Oliver. Oliver Müller.”

A commoner. He could tell just from the name.

Honestly, he had no idea who that was. Dozens, hundreds of truckloads were hauled in every night.

“Regrettably, there is no man by that name here.”

“No, the entire town saw it happen…”

“Hey, what part of ‘he’s not here’ don’t you understand? If I say he’s not here, he’s not here. Hey, what are you waiting for! Send him back─!”

The burly soldiers only then drove Oswin away.

“Let go! Let go of me! Release…!”

Forcibly shoved out, Oswin glared at the headquarters building and clenched his teeth.

Honk, honk.

A vehicle blared its horn beside him.

“How did it go?”

Journalists, Oliver’s classmates, students, friends, and family all crowded around him.

Oliver had been a good student and a good son.

That was why people of every status and rank had gathered like this to save him.

“First, I’ll file a formal habeas corpus petition with the Imperial Court, and I’ll try mobilizing my connections.”

Oswin gestured reassuringly toward them, particularly Oliver’s mother. The middle-aged woman, tears still brimming in her eyes, kept repeating words of gratitude.

“Jensen! You and the others go find the journalists. I’ll manage on my own.”

“Yes, sir!”

The students split into several vehicles, while Oswin rushed off on his own two legs, a scene that was truly enough to bring one to tears…

“Bullshit. Total goddamn bullshit.”

From afar, Lieutenant Colonel Lorenz watched closely.

* * *

These days, the Empire was in an uproar over the newly implemented「Imperial Citizenship Law」. Zestfall especially so.

But there was nothing to be done about the horrors unfolding there. Even I had no means to intervene.

It had always been a district with many immigrants and sub-races, so naturally, the Ezenheim would be swarming there too.

─Ready!

This was a prison at the center of the Empire.

To handle the increasing number of executions, the old facilities had been demolished and replaced with a newly expanded gallows platform.

─Execute!

Thud. The floor opened and the condemned dropped. The thick ropes snapped their necks.

Thump—

My heartbeat stopped for a moment. Those had been Ezenheim deaths. But there were also those who were not Ezenheim.

Likely, among the people being executed, there were many actual Imperial citizens and other sub-races as well. The Empire’s madness could not distinguish between races.

“…I, too, nearly died in a place like that.”

Behind me, Schatz murmured quietly.

“If not for you, Sir Knight.”

Those were rather grateful words, but she would not have died even without me. The future before my regression had shown as much.

“Schatz.”

“Yes, Sir Kni⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠ght.”

I gazed at the gallows, now suddenly empty, and spoke.

“Why didn’t they leave the Empire sooner? Why did they cling on so desperately, even going so far as to forge their identities and lineages?”

Schatz was silent for a moment before answering.

“Perhaps because they had nowhere to go in the first place.”

Come to think of it, she was absolutely right.

Those who, simply for being of a different race, were denied basic human dignity not only in the Empire but anywhere on the continent, persecuted throughout a long history.

“…Are you, perhaps, saddened by their deaths?”

Schatz asked cautiously, studying me.

I shook my head.

“No, rather than sorrow…”

I forced down the killing intent boiling up from my core and spat the words out.

“It’s a terrible rage.”

My voice rose slightly. The warden and guards lined up not far behind flinched.

The Ezenheim.

Because of that single race, far too many innocent people bled and died. They had no choice but to die, and we had no choice but to kill. For the most righteous cause of all: the survival of humanity.

“…I see.”

If I succeeded in annihilating the Ezenheim, how would the people of the future see me?

How would our descendants receive this blood-soaked extension of life?

Questions that surfaced from time to time.

“Schatz.”

Before my regression, the world had known my weakness.

“Yes.”

That same feeble man now stood here to save the world.

“I have seen what the continent has not.”

I had become a prophet who had witnessed the continent’s future.

“I have endured what the continent has not.”

And a pioneer seeking the path to an answer.

“…What is it?”

Schatz asked me. I met her clear eyes and offered a faint smile.

“Later. I’ll tell you when you can trust me completely.”

“I already fully…”

“No.”

I reached into my coat and pulled out an envelope.

“This comes first for you right now.”

I handed it to Schatz. She tilted her head quizzically and opened the envelope.

“…!”

Her eyes went wide, nearly tearing open, as she examined the document.

“…Mason Industry.”

The entity she hated most on this continent. The enemy that had killed her father and tried to send her to the gallows as well.

“It’s his Genealogy Certificate.”

At last, his neck could be severed on the grounds of race and bloodline alone.

“He wasn’t a pure Aran. His grandfather was a Merin. He struggled to hide it, but it seems he couldn’t erase everything.”

She stared at that Genealogy Certificate for a long while, then knelt on one knee before me. It was the knightly rite of pledging fealty.

I asked her.

“Schatz. Do you think revenge will be sweet?”

Schatz bowed her head and was silent for a moment.

“…No. The satisfaction will last only an instant.”

The voice of someone who already suspected, and knew, the hollowness of revenge.

“But.”

She raised her face and looked straight up at me. In those transparent eyes, an unwavering resolve was set.

“Through this revenge, I will finally be able to carry on the legacy of my father, who died unjustly.”

Carry on, she said.

“…Carry on.”

I rolled that word around in my mouth.

To carry on a severed life, a trampled will, to carry on for family and for oneself.

“That is a fine t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠hing to hear.”

Yes, I wished to connect humanity to humanity.

To do so, I would have to kill tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, no.

Millions of people.

…….

“It’s a request from the Oswin family.”

The office of the Sentinel Knight Order. I regarded the unannounced visitor with a look of considerable disbelief.

“Is there someone without guilt?”

“Yes.”

Sonnet Kandel. The woman who held one pillar of the Imperial Guard and was, in effect, the real power behind the Kandel Family, was making such a request.

“He’s a pure Imperial Aran magic scholar who never spread seditious words at the night school and never criticized the Imperial Citizenship Law.”

She pulled out a dossier and placed it on the desk. I skimmed over the identification document.

The person in the photo had blond hair and golden eyes, Aran in appearance at least.

“Well… But what is your connection to this Professor Oswin?”

“He was my legal mentor.”

Sonnet answered in an unwavering voice. Her eyes were thoroughly devoid of any emotion.

“He was also a colleague of my brother, Jun Kandel.”

“And Oliver Müller is his student?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Oliver Müller. I looked at the face and the name, then asked again.

“Then, do you want me to meet with the prisoner directly?”

“No. I’m simply asking you to grant permission so that Professor Oswin and the family can at least visit him in person.”

“The Kandel name alone should be sufficient for that.”

“This is a personal request, not one from the family.”

Like this, she was a person utterly impossible to read.

“Professor Oswin simply wants to know the truth of why his student was locked away in such a place.”

She was the key source of funding for the Imperial Guard, controlled an entire wing of the underworld, and effectively owned the Kandel Family. What exactly was she trying to gain, and what was she trying to destroy, in this bloodbath of the Imperial Citizenship Law?

“You’re putting yourself in my debt with this.”

She quietly extended the visitation request she had prepared.

A document with nothing unusual, truly requesting nothing more than a visit.

“…A visit.”

I chuckled softly.

Sonnet Kandel was making a request to the knight of Ebenholtz. To be honest, before regression, she had been someone I couldn’t even look in the eye.

“Very well. I’ll open that channel for you.”

I scrawled my signature.

* * *

─Meanwhile, this was the outer garden of the Imperial Palace, where flowers bloomed gracefully despite the winter.

Kentz Bertem had requested a private audience with Reutern II. A private audience that was more of a stroll, and a stroll that was a decidedly political meeting.

“Reutern. What are your thoughts on this particular matter?”

Kentz casually broached the topic as he walked along the garden fountain.

“Hmm.”

Right now, Reutern II’s inner thoughts about Kentz Bertem went something like this.

Wow, unbelievable. This guy who’s always been subtly looking down on me suddenly comes crawling the moment I get「Lilac Vita」reservation tickets. Ha ha. Sorry, but you’re already out. Anyway, what matter? What matter is he talking about? Whatever it is, screw it.

“Look~ the flowers are lovely.”

He almost swore out loud.

“Lovely.”

Reutern cleared his throat with a deliberate ahem and gazed at the garden. The Imperial Palace had many Aran Shepherds. Guard dogs presented as tribute by Ebenholtz. Ever since they were brought in, the security guards and palace sentries had been overjoyed. Internal security was apparently twenty times easier or something.

In any case, Ebenholtz, or rather Maximilian, was particularly devoted to Shepherds these days. Going around spreading their bloodline cultivation and training methods.

“……”

And the inner thoughts of Kentz Bertem, watching Reutern II, went like this.

This bastard knows everything and he’s pretending not to. His cards are already face-up on the table and he’s still slithering around playing dumb like before. How pathetic. A man whose entire life was handed to him by his daddy… Ah, there is one thing. The Lilac Vita reservation tickets.

He’d planned to snag one if today’s conversation went well.

But as expected, this was no easy task.

“…You must have some thoughts on the matter?”

Just as Kentz was trying to subtly probe him again.

Woof! Woofwoofwoofwoof! Grrrowl!

Two Aran Shepherds in the peaceful garden suddenly began fighting each other.

“Oh my. The dogs are going wild all of a sudden.”

Reutern II watched the fight with an amused expression.

“The servant must’ve let go of the leashes. How irresponsible, don’t you think?”

“……”

Kentz Bertem listened to his words carefully.

Normally, it would have seemed like nothing more than idle chatter. Like attention deficit disorder, perhaps. But not anymore. Every word and action of his concealed sophisticated political metaphor.

“…Ha.”

Dogs. That meant the Imperial Guard. Imperial Guard, running wild because of the Citizenship Law.

And the Emperor’s servants who couldn’t control those dogs were… him, the Bertem Family, and Kurt Grossman.

Kentz clenched his jaw and rubbed his face.

“Hey, Ken. But I hear you’ve been hanging out with those Imperial Guard guys a lot lately?”

An offhand remark from Reutern II, thrown out without a second thought, purely to get under his nerves.

“Your brother doesn’t say anything about that sort of thing?”

In that instant, Kentz’s face went cold and rigid. His features crumbled like grains of sand.

“…What?”

Has this snake lost his mind?

Kentz’s face twisted hideously. Reutern, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy it, smirking.

“You…”

A pause. He detected the malice lurking beneath that smile.

“What? What is it? Go on~”

“…Son of a…”

Kentz Bertem’s elder brother, the firstborn, was Kentz’s reverse scale. Reutern II had brought it up on a whim, not particularly caring, but to Kentz, it landed very differently.

──The ambition to conspire with the Imperial Guard and oust the firstborn. My will to devour the family whole.

Had Reutern seen through even that?

Was he u⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠sing it to threaten him?

“……”

Kentz suppressed the fury surging within him. In the end, without a word, he spun on his heel and strode out of the garden.

Revealing oneself was never a good thing. Reutern was not the moron he thought he was, so he had to endure, no matter what…

“Tsk tsk. Moron. No matter how hard you scowl and glare, I’m never giving you a「Lilac Vita」reservation ticket~”

At the sight of Kentz’s retreating back, radiating murderous intent, Reutern II laughed with a considerably refreshed heart.

Mwahaha.