Chapter 65

Prince Klaus, visiting the Holy See as the proxy of the Cardias Emperor, and the Pope of Kelt Holy See greeted each other with smiling faces and then headed for the Cathedral.

By the prince's order, the Imperial knights who had taken charge of the colossus gathered in their assigned quarters and ground their teeth over the absurd situation that had just unfolded.

"Prince Klaus?! Why is the man who should be at House Lorenz's mansion here in the Holy See?"

"There's no way he planned this from the start... It's literally a devil's own trick."

Bidel clenched his fists as he muttered that; the same sound of grinding teeth could be heard here and there from the other knights, their anger still unspent.

"Yaan Verkut. That man is behind this."

"But how, sir? How could a mere knight-one from the Penal Corps at that-move both the Pope and the Imperial Prince?"

"It's impossible. Yet it has already happened."

With Prince Klaus's appearance, the Belkuth knights dispatched by Hiram were completely excluded from the negotiations to follow.

The prince had even refused their escort, citing his own direct unit, and ordered them to remain on standby in the quarters.

"Where did Ilak go?"

"The head gave him a separate task; he is acting alone."

"Fine. Then our immediate priority is to plan what comes next."

When Bidel spoke, the eyes of the four disciples around him deepened.

"Will you follow the head's order?"

"Yes. Since we need every outstanding knight we can get, I intended to judge for myself whether eliminating him was right. This settles it."

"Winning that man over is impossible. Therefore we have only one course."

At those words the disciples nodded in unison.

"We eliminate Yaan Verkut. If he expands his influence any further he will become a major obstacle. We nip dangerous buds while they're small."

***

"I sent word to only one prince, you know."

"If His Highness is going, we of his direct unit can hardly stay behind."

It was Dandel who answered the vacant murmur of Yaan.

In the now-familiar quarters, Yaan sighed as he looked at the Greyhounds gathered together.

"We were shocked too. Not only did His Highness return when we thought he'd left, he told us to fetch the Commander-"

"So every last one of you came all the way to the Holy See?"

"The guys who'd been here before said it was sweet duty, and with His Highness's permission we all just came."

"This isn't some picnic for brats."

As he said that, scanning the faces of the soldiers, Yaan's expression brightened.

"If everyone's here, does that mean that kid came too?"

"Ah, the Rookie? Of course she came with us."

"Really?"

At that, Yaan turned to Dandel, who stood motionless at his side.

"I told you to make a soldier while I was gone. How did the training go?"

Dandel sighed deeply, still smiling, and the other squad members began to snicker at him.

"...What is it?"

"Well, about Irene-"

Instead of Dandel, who trailed off, the female soldier with the mole under her eye answered.

"None of us can beat the Rookie for stamina anymore."

Yaan's brows rose at that.

"...Did I just hear that wrong?"

Talent has its limits. These were all veterans who had survived trenches and every sort of guerrilla war for more than five years; to say a rookie caught up to them in less than a month-

"She's got mana. Once she started applying it, she mastered it completely."

"Oh?"

Hearing the soldier add that the Rookie still lagged in actual combat and other areas, Yaan nodded as if satisfied.

"So why does our deputy commander look half-dead?"

At the question Dandel flinched and hurriedly rearranged his face as if it were nothing, but it was too late.

"It took the deputy commander a whole month just to avoid passing out during training, so he's been sulking."

"Hey, I told you not to tell-!"

"The Commander asked; are we supposed to stay silent?"

The squad burst into giggles at Dandel, who had clamped his mouth shut.

Yaan sighed at the sight, stood up, and patted the drooping shoulder of Dandel.

"No matter what they say, those kids can't even eat a proper meal without you. Don't take it to heart."

"Aw, come on!"

"It's not that bad, Commander!"

The soldiers booed loudly, but Yaan waved them off and stepped out of the quarters.

"Ah, Commander, where are you going?"

When Dandel caught his sleeve and asked, Yaan adjusted his uniform and cap and replied.

"I've gone two weeks without my page and she's vanished again. I've got to find her."

With that Yaan disappeared outside.

Watching him go, Ren likewise slipped away among the chattering soldiers.

***

"I never thought it would really be you, Irene."

"...Brother."

An alley some distance from the quarters.

Facing each other in the deserted gap were Ilak Belkuth, come to the Holy See on Belkuth orders, and Irene, Yaan's page.

"I heard you entered the Penal Corps and assumed you were dead; I never expected our paths to cross again."

"I am already a dead person. I have no connection to House Fenton, nor to you, brother."

When Irene tried to step away, Ilak, wearing a bitter smile, did not let her go so easily.

"Irene. You are a gifted child. Had you not been the daughter of a lowly concubine, you might have been knighted. With proper training, not in a backwater like this."

"...What are you trying to say?"

When Irene asked, Ilak chuckled and leaned closer.

"Do you not wish to bear the name Belkuth?"

"...!"

At Ilak's soft words Irene's eyes widened.

"Whatever... do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Do as I ask, and I will petition Count Hiram to grant you relief."

Hearing that, Irene clenched her fists.

'As expected, she wavers.'

Thinking things would go more easily than expected, Ilak began to whisper into Irene's ear.

"Eliminate... the Commander?!"

Startled, Irene echoed the words, but Ilak kept the smile on his lips.

"Yes. Your commander, Yaan Verkut-report his every move to me. His relationships with women, family, acquaintances, friends... anything will do."

"...!"

While Irene stared, Ilak continued his sweet temptation.

"Succeed, and you will become a knight bearing the name Belkuth. I did it; why would it be impossible for you?"

"I... lack the mana to become a knight."

Irene turned her head as she spoke, but Ilak laughed scornfully and opened his mouth.

"Don't worry. Count Hiram will prepare everything-record, fortune, status... even mana!"

"What...?"

Irene questioned the absurd claim, but Ilak said no more.

"Well? Will you accept my offer and become a Belkuth knight?"

So saying, Ilak extended his hand to her.

Irene gazed at it for a moment, then let out a long sigh and looked him straight in the face.

"I refuse."

"Fine. Of course you should-what?"

Caught off guard, Ilak scowled and stared at Irene, disbelief on his face.

"Did you just-?"

"My commander once said: there is no goodwill without a price, and no malice without a reason."

"...?"

Repeating the line Yaan liked to use, Irene, having steeled herself, shouted at him.

"I cannot betray the company commander who dragged me up from the very bottom. Especially not when it is an offer from the older brother who abandoned me, his family, and his younger sister!"

At Irene's cry, Ilak was momentarily speechless.

"Ahahahaha!"

After standing in silence for a moment, Ilak clutched his stomach and burst into laughter.

And before long, his face changed, now bearing a sneer full of killing intent.

"Mixing with the Penal Corps bugs must have made you forget who I am. Irene Fenton."

When her real name was spoken, Irene flinched, but then raised her eyes boldly and met his murderous gaze.

"Huh? Do you not understand the situation? Or have you already given up your life?"

Even at the voice laced with mana, Irene did not yield, and Ilak tilted his head at her.

Soon Irene smiled and quietly sneered at the knight before her.

"...this level of killing intent is nothing compared to my officers."

At those words, the last thread of Ilak's sanity snapped.

"Ha! Before I kill that man, I'll kill you first, you little commander brat!"

The moment Ilak lunged toward Irene-

Crack-!

Struck from behind by a shock wave, Ilak flew forward and crashed to the ground.

"Gah!?"

Agony raced along his spine. Because it was a surprise attack, the impact was greater, and a black shadow loomed over Ilak, who could only wheeze.

"So it was true-Belkuth really does inject mana to create knights?"

The owner of the shadow was Yaan.

"Hey, Yaan Verk-!"

"Shut your mouth. Take this."

Clang!

After speaking, Yaan's knight badge dropped onto the ground beside Ilak's head as he writhed.

"It's a duel. Witnessed by my commander Irene. The time starts now. You agreed to the duel two hours ago and came here. Got it?"

"Wh-what...?"

As Ilak gasped the question, Yaan's pistol drawn from its holster touched his forehead.

"Whatever your head says, you'll just parrot it, so shut up and die."

"What...!"

No final argument, no time for apology or explanation.

Bang-!

Gunshot. Then silence.

Without even a word, Ilak's body turned into a corpse, and snow began to pile on it.

"C-Company Commander...."

Irene herself could not tell what expression she wore as she looked at her company commander.

"Since this bastard is a Belkuth, even if you hadn't killed him, I would have."

A merciless pronouncement. Yet clutching her trembling hands, Irene quietly nodded.

"I'll tell you the reasons later. Go back to quarters. I'll clean this up."

"No."

He had killed her brother before her very eyes.

Recalling that, Yaan tried to send Irene away, but she was the one who stopped him.

"It is the duty of this commander, your commander, to assist after your duel. I will do it."

Saying so, Irene hoisted Ilak's corpse onto her shoulder and stood.

Tap.

Something fell from the corpse; Yaan picked it up and checked the contents.

"What is this... a medal?"

Inside an antique case was a medal engraved with the Emperor's seal.

Written beneath it was the name Yaan Verkut-his own.

"...Ha, they even arranged this far? Hard to believe."

Recalling the Emperor's face, Yaan gave a hollow laugh and surveyed the drifting snow of the Holy See.

Far off, Prince Klaus was walking back from the Holy See after completing his task.