In the twilight of dawn, tinged with a dim glow, merchants leaving their homes in the still-dark residential district of the imperial capital flickered by one after another. They took deep breaths in the relatively cool air and hurried through the quiet streets with few people around.
The faces greeting the earliest morning were full of unresolved fatigue. Even when they occasionally came across a pot-bellied drunk sprawled out, they only blinked drowsily, without paying much attention.
The drunks, a part of daily life, and the repetitive nature of life can sometimes be boring, but they have the advantage of letting one move without deep thought. Seeing that there were many who hadn’t emerged from the night, people casually assumed there must not have been any night patrols.
Entering the shopping street within the residential district, the familiar sounds of a day beginning greeted them. A seasoned merchant running a magic supply shop opened the store door and propped it open with a brick for ventilation.
The wooden door creaked and groaned with age, as if it were time for replacement. Unlike usual, a fresh newspaper could be seen already threaded through the small newspaper slot.
"Hm?"
It was unusual for the newspaper to arrive before the shop lights were even turned on. The merchant pulled out the rolled-up bundle and unfolded the thin pages to see if there was any urgent news. Just then, she remembered the parchments she had shoved into the bookshelf while organizing yesterday. She placed the newspaper on the table and went to the bookshelf to finish the postponed task.
"Masa, have you seen the newspaper?"
At that moment, the owner of the spice shop across the street came in with hurried steps, carrying a topic of conversation.
As always, he was as regular as a pendulum clock. The merchant, who was about to pull her head out from the bookshelf, accidentally bumped her head and rubbed it with a pained grimace.
A concerned voice followed, but only for a moment.
"I have items that I’ve already collected advance payments for, saying I’d stock them today, but it looks like I’ll have to refund all that money."
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh my, you haven’t seen it yet. Take a look at this."
The spice shop owner, who moved around the supply shop as if it were his own home, immediately spotted the newspaper on the table and thrust it in front of the merchant.
The merchant narrowed her dim eyes and fumbled for the magnifying glasses beside her. Soon after, she lit the lamp and read the first line. She expected to see a familiar name decorating the front page today, but the characters she confirmed were somewhat different from what she’d been seeing lately.
"...Suddenly?"
"Right? We haven’t had anything like this recently, have we?"
"Not recently... except during wartime."
"Oh dear, I have so many goods to receive... Everything will be delayed."
As voices tinged with complaints slowly woke the street, murmuring voices drifted lazily between the alleys behind the two merchants. Even those who hadn’t yet seen the newspaper could guess that an unwelcome ripple had disturbed their daily routine.
In the downtown area of the imperial capital, centered around the clock tower, the ladies and gentlemen waiting for the tram in front of the large building in the city center were equally confused.
"They're reducing tram operations?"
"No, if they do this without warning..."
A newspaper article was posted on a billboard as large as a gate next to the station, stating that tram operations would be drastically reduced for two days. It hadn’t been there just yesterday. Moreover, it said that some passages would be restricted, so it was clear how chaotic the busy city center would become.
"Come on, we’ll take you there in a flash before the guards show up! We’ll leave in exactly 10 minutes!"
Illegal coachmen who had quickly caught wind of the news opened their carriage doors wide and called out to the street for customers. Come to think of it, the guards were hardly seen today. People who thought this was their chance hurriedly hid themselves in the carriages, pressing their hats down with their hands.
Someone grumbled that the fare was expensive, but it was clear that soon even this would be hard to catch. People moved busily to find alternatives without even having time to agree. Neither the posters nor the newspapers gave a reason, but no one questioned it.
"They should arrive today."
A man in a black military uniform reported to a military officer standing in the middle of a long corridor. The officer stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed outside the open window. Carriages and supply vehicles crossing the main road passed busily in front of the headquarters’ main gate.
However, his attention was focused on the invisible forces converging on the southern part of the imperial capital, rather than on the targets of excessive fines from other agencies.
"And when they arrive, what then?"
His tone was indifferent for someone who couldn’t take his eyes off the outside. The red carpet, which appeared purple in the mixed darkness, created a bleak atmosphere along with his voice.
It was undoubtedly the color that best matched the recent bloody atmosphere within the headquarters. The one who had delivered the message remained silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and answered carefully:
"I was thinking that we should also step up to provide support."
"..."
"After the recent closure of the northern plaza, public opinion has been negative, saying that the imperial army didn’t step in for suppression, not to mention the Council. Didn’t the Council return with achievements from this Elder Millie Peninsula subjugation operation? If they really used that fellow to complete the subjugation, shouldn’t the imperial army side at least put on a show of pressure―"
"It’s already out of our hands."
"But..."
"Do you know where Brigadier General Dubray is?"
"Pardon?"
As the name of a third party who wasn’t present suddenly came up, the soldier asked back with a puzzled expression.
"He hasn’t shown his face at headquarters for about a day. In the current situation, when he should be busiest with surveillance network follow-ups, where do you think he might have gone, even being absent without leave?"
"Perhaps... he’s gone out to the field to question those in charge, or he’s under disciplinary action and confined?"
"Hmm, well... That could be ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) the case... But I’m certain that he’s either been imprisoned in Amphitrite or is no longer of this world."
"Pardon?"
Another question followed the chilling statement. Seeing his subordinate’s quite serious reaction, the officer finally turned his head and gave him a meaningful look.
"What I’m saying is that now is not the time to step in and interfere unnecessarily, but to keep our heads down and do our jobs well. Wasn’t the rumor that the Council took that fellow to the peninsula for the expedition not even confirmed? Seeing how they’re keeping their mouths shut despite the media’s pressure, they must be planning something in preparation for the situation."
The officer released his hands from behind his back and grabbed the handle of the wide-open window. Then, slowly pulling the large window closed while watching outside, he muttered:
"We can’t know all of the higher-ups’ thoughts... But anyway, it’s clear that now is the time to lie low. Even the newly arrived youngsters should be able to sense that much."
"..."
"So let’s ignore things like public opinion and focus on rooting out the hidden cockroaches."
At that moment, a woman leaning on the window of the floor right above paused as she traced her lip line with purple lipstick. After a moment of stillness, she filled in her lips with the vibrant color only after hearing the window close on the floor below, pressing the corners of her mouth firmly.
After lightly parting and pressing her lips together a few times to even out the color, she closed the lipstick cap and stuffed it into the waist pocket of her military uniform. Then she straightened up from her leaning position and firmly closed the window she had left open. Her water-colored high ponytail swayed on both sides, along with the full bangs covering her forehead.
"Idiots."
The elegant steps that followed toward the end of the corridor didn’t make a single creak despite her heavy military boots. Her cat-like, upturned eyes gave an impression as chic and haughty as her lip color.
The thick silver ring on the middle finger of her left hand, which was clutching today’s newspaper, glittered in the dawn light. Even as her silhouette quietly disappeared into the darkness, the ring’s ethereal light lingered for a long time.
*****
The rattling engine noise and slight shaking were quite comfortable, like lying in a cradle. Other than that, it was so quiet that not a single word could be heard, and the soft breathing that had been steadily exhaling subsided as if becoming aware of its own sound.
An intense light seeped through the eyelids, and his vision seemed tinged red.
As the golden eyelashes twitched once or twice, soon the stiff eyelids slowly opened.
The first thing the bloodshot eyes encountered in the blurry vision was a slightly parted curtain. The abundant twilight entering through the gap dyed the golden eyes a vermilion color.
The afternoon sunlight greeting the hazy mind made even the thigh of another person, on which his head was resting, feel like a firm pillow.
Leonardo, intoxicated by the familiar body scent, repeatedly rubbed his pressed cheek and one eye against what he perceived as a pillow.
Focused on that sensation, he still hadn’t thought about what situation he was in or why he had been sleeping.
'Maybe I'll sleep a little more...'
He only remembered feeling sleepy and falling asleep just like that. Now that his eyes were open, it felt as if he had barely half-awakened from a deep sleep. The desire to sleep more welled up, similar to the drowsiness that pours in when one wants to escape reality under extreme stress.
He didn’t know why he felt that way. With a languid expression, he absentmindedly fumbled beside his head.
However, as his hand moved, the "pillow" gradually tensed, and what was already firm turned hard.
'...?'
Sensing something strange, Leonardo opened the eyes he’d been about to close and slowly raised his body. Although there was a dull pain in his pelvis, bent to the side for a long time, it wasn’t unbearable, so he sat up straight at once.
Unconsciously cradling his left arm, he turned to the side and met Hugo’s eyes on him.
The two stared at each other in silence. No kind inquiry about whether he’d slept well, no explanation of the situation, came.
However, from Hugo’s expression, colder than ever, Leonardo sensed an ominous atmosphere. The fact that he had just been lying with his head on Hugo’s leg didn’t even register. Instead, the interior of the car he’d last seen began to come into focus.
Curtains were drawn over various parts of the car windows, so the outside wasn’t clearly visible, but the scenery glimpsed through slight gaps was familiar.
In an instant, the pupils in his golden eyes contracted.
"...Where is this?"
His voice, cracked from his parched throat, slipped out, unsure of how long he’d slept.
"..."
But the blue eyes gave no answer. Leonardo looked around nervously.
Thump, thump, thump—his heartbeat was painfully loud. Hot blood coursing through his aorta radiated heat throughout his body.
The unpleasant sensation of mana being restrained, rising from the floor, and the instinctive rejection engraved in his bones made him intuitively sense where they were passing.
'The imperial capital.'
He had set foot on this land without time to mentally prepare. For a moment, his spine went cold and his vision blurred.
As uncontrollable anxiety overwhelmed him, Leonardo hunched his shoulders and covered his ears. He was afraid the cursed voices would burrow into his ears and eat away at his mind again. But as he squeezed his eyes shut like that, something felt off.
The outside noise he had expected to assault him was quiet.
'Leo.'
The clamor of the imperial capital citizens who had come up to the iron bars to wish for his death couldn’t be heard at all.
'Leo–'
There was only a chilling silence, except for Agrizendro’s voice calling him. In this strange situation, Leonardo slowly lowered his hands and stared at the curtain attached to the right window.
Just as he reached out toward the curtain, Hugo’s hand shot in and firmly grasped Leonardo’s hand.
The golden eyes flinched and snapped over. From close enough that their lips might have brushed if they were only a little nearer, Hugo whispered softly:
"Don't open it."
He forced down the hand he’d grabbed to keep the curtain from being pulled back. Although his expression held a poker face, a subtle tension settled in his blue eyes.
"..."
Leonardo was enveloped by an inexplicable chill. It was extremely rare for this man to show tension, and the urge to confirm only grew stronger.
Leonardo, his arm trembling, engaged in an untimely test of strength with Hugo and barely managed to open a small gap. His muscles had weakened, and he couldn’t even pull it back halfway, but it was enough to take in the situation outside.
A moment later, the sunset spilled into the car window. Between eyes squinting against the glare, a sight that stirred extreme fear came into focus.
"...What is this."
The heavy auditory hallucination, like a drumbeat, intensified. In his tightening vision, the familiar southern plaza of the imperial capital stretched endlessly.
The Imperial Knights and guards, escorting the convoy and forming a line, were arrayed in solemn ranks from the bridge before the gate, all the way across the plaza.
Although all of them, easily numbering in the hundreds, had their backs to this side, even without facing them, their concentrated gazes crawled like insects on the skin.
Apart from those in uniform, not even an ant dared to stir in the vast plaza. Neither the trams that usually bustled by nor the shadows of citizens crossed his eyes.
'...This has never happened before.'
His quivering lips stifled even the faint breath they’d been exhaling. His trembling eyes hurriedly scanned the surroundings.
The artificial silence lurking in the space that had always been bustling evoked the image of a ruined city where all humans had vanished. In the midst of what looked like martial law, seen only for major events like a large army’s departure or return, the Council’s escort convoy advanced slowly along the controlled road.
His confused mind could hardly grasp the situation. But Leonardo vaguely guessed that all of this was a landscape sculpted for him.
