When the panicked bastard broke his seal, 『Black World』 also dissipated.

“H-Huh?!”

“W-What was that?!”

As the citizens collapsed to their knees, clutching their startled hearts, the bastard stumbled and began to flee.

But how far can someone blind even run?

Thwack!

He slammed headfirst into a wall and crumpled down. As he desperately tried to get back up, I rushed in and drove my knee straight into his skull.

Even so, the Matriarch’s Guard aren’t chosen lightly.

“Ghhk!!”

He tried to stand again, flailing with a drawn blade, but I dodged and struck another knee into him. Only after taking seven knees to the jaw did the bastard finally slump, limp.

“Professor Dante!”

Sir Layme came running, a shuriken embedded in her side. Beside her stood Rebecca.

“Are you alright, Dame?”

“This? Just yank it out and—”

But it seemed to be a reverse-bladed shuriken. It had snagged in her abdomen, backward. Layme couldn’t pull it all the way out at once. She had to rotate the blade carefully, considering its angle.

Splurt—

Blood burst out.

“Mm...”

Layme twisted her lips but endured. The blood poured out, thick and dark.

“It’s poisoned.”

“...I’ll be fine. I’ve got pretty decent resistance to venom.”

“Maybe so, but their poison’s not amateur-level. Priestess Rebecca.”

“I know.”

Rebecca began praying to summon divine power—but nothing answered. The particles of divinity that had begun to gather scattered loosely after a couple attempts. Rebecca frowned, then pulled out a 「Detox Elixir」 and poured it over Layme’s wound.

“...Your Highness. I can do it.”

“Be quiet, Layme.”

Meanwhile, I had cloaked the entire alley in [Illusion], severing all external gaze. The citizens were calling the guards, but they’d pass right by as if nothing had happened.

Soon, Layme finished a basic bloodstopping treatment and asked,

“Professor Dante. What was that guy?”

“Looks like the Nibelung Matriarch came to this auction hall herself.”

“The Matriarch? In person?”

I nodded. The Guard never moves separately from the Matriarch.

“But why? And why target the Princess?”

“Not sure. But from what I’ve confirmed, someone seems to have leaked Rebecca’s movements.”

They exchanged glances.

“Damn it. Must’ve been someone from inside the Church.”

“The Church?”

“Yeah. It’s a closed-off place, where secrecy is everything. If you’re an outsider, your itinerary has to be fully disclosed before leaving. And if you miss a sudden summons with a clergyman, you’re excommunicated.”

It’s a pain.

Nibelung’s influence is massive in Hiaka. It wouldn’t be strange if they’d extended their reach into the Church too.

“Then what should we do with this guy?”

Rebecca asked.

“...I have a good idea.”

⋮

Thirty minutes later. The bastard scratched his head as he came to.

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Where... am I?’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Ahh... How stupid. I must’ve gotten hit by a car while walking.’ 】

Hook, line, and sinker.

My [Memory Forgery] had worked perfectly.

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘...I got hit by a car...?’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘......’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Ugh... My jaw really hurts.’ 】

He groaned at his own pitiful state. Then the guard decided to head back to his room and rest.

‘What the—Professor Dante, how did you do that? He’s acting like he has total memory loss...’

Layme asked, bewildered.

‘Trade secret.’

Afterward, the three of us trailed the guy, all cloaked in an illusion of 『Cognition Disruption Veil』.

That’s how we found out the location of the luxury hotel reserved by the Black Star⚉ in this city.

We booked a suite directly beneath their rooms.

“Professor. Honestly, I have no idea what you’re trying to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like—what’s the point of getting a room here? This hotel has [Magic Blocking Seals], you can’t eavesdrop from the floor below.”

That’s fine. The 【Script】 still rises. But I didn’t tell them that.

Now that we had a place to stay, Layme began properly dressing her punctured abdomen herself. Rebecca could only sit there, stunned, and watch.

In the meantime, I focused on the conversation upstairs.

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.5: ‘What a disgrace. Getting hit by a car, really?’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Damn it. Like I expected that to happen. What happened with the auction hall deal?’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.2: ‘Not easy. Those Empire bastards never give in easily. ......But that tactician guy? He’s a total monster.’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Tactician? Oh, that Chief of theirs? What’s he like?’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.2: ‘He sweet-talked the auction’s upper brass all by himself. Thanks to that, the Matriarch is now in personal talks with the top brass.’ 】

I frowned.

As expected, the Saint’s target is the Holy Sword.

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘Doesn’t look like we’ll be able to grab it that easily.’ 】

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘That thing called Peacemaker†...’ 】

Looks like the plan to obtain it peacefully during the VVIP auction in three days is going up in smoke.

‘So they weren’t targeting Rebecca because of the auction.’

They just figured they might as well grab a hostage while they were here.

One they could use for leverage in future negotiations with the royal family.

Touching royalty usually means open war, but Rebecca wasn’t exactly a typical royal anymore. Half-blood. A burden.

“...But something feels off.”

“What does?”

I thought it over.

The Nibelung Family showing up here? That’s not strange. Maybe they just came to buy something they liked. Maybe they sensed how extraordinary the Holy Sword is.

But why is the Matriarch herself making deals with the auction heads?

‘Something’s off.’

From the ambusher earlier, and from Balmung alone, it’s obvious—the Nibelung Family is a blunt-force organization. If they want something, they just take it.

Even against the Empire, they’ve got [Stigmata] backing them. It’s not like they can’t do it.

This unease led me to continue eavesdropping for quite a while longer.

And at the end of that—

I caught something disturbing.

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.3: ‘By the way, Captain. What were those ‘glass pillars’ that suddenly rose outside?’ 】

Glass pillars?

【 Nibelung Matriarch’s Guard No.1: ‘......No idea. Even the Matriarch seemed troubled by them.’ 】

Even those bastards don’t know what the glass pillars are.

And the Matriarch changed her entire strategy because of them.

‘Ah.’

Suddenly, something flashed in my mind.

A wave of tension scraped through my skull.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

I had to see it with my own eyes. As I hurried toward the exit, Rebecca followed.

“Stay here.”

“I’m coming. I have a feeling ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) I should.”

***

And what I said became reality.

“Huh? What... is that...”

The next day, Gray, following my orders and scouting all of Goldenfield, stumbled on a grotesque scene.

Gray: Professor. Something weird’s going on here.

Near an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Goldenfield—inside an empty shipping container—a huge crowd had gathered.

They were clinking empty wine glasses together, wearing pajamas while standing guard with no weapons, laughing or chatting at thin air.

When she began checking their faces one by one, she realized—

Hundreds of guards who were supposed to protect the VVIPs and auction hall, dozens of staff members, and senior officials—

Balmung: What? The Guard Captain’s there?!

Balmung: ......But he’s also here with me.

Gray felt chills ripple down her spine. A thousand people in front of her were all caught in [Illusion]. At the same time, a thousand people in the real world had been completely replaced by illusions.

And out beyond the horizon stood those spectrometers.

Agion’s aim was simple.

War with the casinos.

Sensing this, the Matriarch Nibelung had allied with the auction’s leadership to stop him. Two titans preparing to clash over the Peacemaker†.

In response, Professor Dante issued the order.

Dante: Dante Assassination Squad, assemble.