1.
A few days earlier.
“I’ve got a decent one lying around from before. I’ll use that identity to stay by Your Majesty’s side as a royal guard.”
“…Indeed, that might actually work.”
“Besides, Your Majesty is already buried in all kinds of infamy. We might as well toss one more on the pile.”
“Infamy?”
After suggesting that to the confused Reina, Nahan added.
“Well, we’ll be sharing chambers now, won’t we? If we want to move around more freely together, how about spreading a rumor that Your Majesty has become addicted to pleasure and drink──”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“I said no.”
“…No?”
“I want to get married too!!”
Right after being rejected for that reason, Nahan smiled softly and asked again.
“Are you serious?”
“Do you need to ask—!!”
“Understood.”
“Eh? I haven’t finished speaking yet?”
“It’s fine. I will respect Your Majesty’s will.”
“…Ehh?”
Reina was flustered.
‘He’s giving up this easily?’
What kind of man had she seen in Nahan—no, in the <Black Wolf>?
A man who, for reasons she still didn’t understand, would use any means necessary to achieve his goal.
A man who wandered into the Empress’s private chambers like it was his own home, pressuring the Empress herself to get what he wanted. A man of outrageous arrogance and nerve.
“You… why so suddenly…”
As Reina hesitated at Nahan’s sudden change in attitude, he gently held her hand with an even warmer smile.
“Marriage is an important matter, is it not?”
“…Huh? Uh, yes. That’s true.”
“Your Majesty is already called a tyrant, an incompetent Empress, a butcher, a monster drunk on blood, a garbage piece of trash, and a total idiot. If we add rumors of indulgence in wine and women on top of that… it would seriously hinder any future marriage prospects. Wouldn’t it?”
“Wa-wait. I’ve never heard the part about garbage or idiot—”
“Haaaaaaah…”
Nahan let out an enormous sigh, cutting Reina off, and added:
“Forget the rumors about debauchery. It already looks like Your Majesty’s marriage prospects are in utter shambles, but if it’s something that truly concerns you, I can’t force it.”
“Wait, hold on.”
“We can just leave it be. Keep things as they are now. Continue being helpless, and eventually get your head cut off by Peter and your heart stabbed by Eclipse. No—head cut off and heart stabbed. That’s your fate.”
“Even I—!!”
“Yes, yes, I know. I’m sure Your Majesty has your own plans. So you don’t need to follow mine. Well, none of your plans have ever worked so far, but as a loyal subject, I’ll just pretend not to notice.”
A sharp tongue behind a smiling face.
“Y-You…!!”
She tried to argue, but he wasn’t wrong—about anything.
“…Do as you wish…”
“Huh?”
“I said… I’ll follow whatever you say.”
“Aha.”
In the end, Reina surrendered.
“You should’ve just said that from the beginning.”
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Anyway.”
Having obtained Reina’s cooperation through conversation, Nahan explained the plan once more.
With the Main Scenario – <The Unredeemed> and the Main Quest – <Happy Ending> excluded, only one goal remained: the annihilation of <Eclipse>.
“But it’s difficult at the moment.”
“Why? With the power of the <Black Wolf>, shouldn’t it be possible?”
“No.”
The <Black Wolf> was currently being hunted by the Heroes of Light, and Peter, No.1 of <Black Wolf>, had turned his back, declaring he would kill the Empress.
The loss of power due to Asha and Peter was not something that could be ignored.
‘But that’s an internal issue.’
Nahan filtered out only the sharable information and explained calmly.
“If <Eclipse> were a simple organization, that would be one thing. But their Elders are comparable in strength to our own members, and their First Elder seems to be on par with me. We must be fully prepared before we eradicate them.”
“They’re that powerful?”
“Yes. And if we strike recklessly, they’ll just burrow deeper into hiding. That’s why we must be even more cautious.”
“…I understand.”
Reina nodded, then after a thoughtful moment, changed her question.
“Then don’t you have no time to lose? Isn’t now the time to find <Eclipse> and strengthen your forces as quickly as possible?”
Reina’s point was accurate.
With the Main Scenario – <The Unredeemed> and the Main Quest – <Happy Ending> hidden, the destruction of <Eclipse> seemed to be the sole remaining objective.
Of course, to give such advice, Reina had to willingly place her own life below the priority of eliminating <Eclipse>.
“That’s why you don’t need to worry about my life. Do what you must do now.”
With a serious expression, Reina continued without hesitation.
“The destruction of <Eclipse> is the salvation of the Babylonia Empire. For the people, I can give up my life without hesitation.”
In her solemn, golden eyes—gleamed the qualities of a saintly ruler, shining like stars.
Upon confirming her sincerity, Nahan released her hand—and then lifted it up.
Smack!
And struck her.
“Guh!?”
A clean flick to the forehead.
“Wha— Whaa!? You just!?”
As Reina flailed in confusion at this first-ever experience, Nahan spoke solemnly.
“Just as Your Majesty cherishes your people, your life is equally important to me.”
“…Huh?”
Unwavering black eyes.
“If Your Majesty were to die, I too would writhe in agony and follow shortly.”
“No, I—!”
Her brow furrowed in anger.
“That’s why I beg you—please, do not take your own life lightly.”
As he leaned in close, worrying for her life, Reina blushed and gave a small nod.
“Ah, um… o-okay.”
“Very good.”
Only then did Nahan offer a gentle smile.
Looking at this sharp yet kind man, Reina unconsciously murmured:
“Your voice… is deeper than I thought.”
“Huh?”
“Ah!? No!?”
Her face turned bright red in an instant.
“W-what did I just say…!! It’s nothing! Absolutely nothing!!”
“? Sure, alright.”
Leaving the flustered Reina behind, Nahan sighed in relief deep inside.
‘Why does an Empress treat her own life like it’s disposable?’
After all the hell he’d gone through, he refused to let it all end in a bad ending now that they were so close.
“In any case, until we bring the runaway member back, I’ll be stationed at Your Majesty’s side 24/7 to guard you.”
“Ah, y-yes! D-d-do so!”
As mentioned, once Peter could be persuaded to return, <Eclipse> would once again be their only enemy.
When that happened, just Kassler alone would be enough for guarding her. Until then, Nahan planned to stay by Reina’s side and wait for Peter.
“But, um, you know… if it’s an unofficial event, maybe, but wouldn’t it be… difficult for the <Black Wolf> to appear at official functions?”
“Difficult? That would be putting it mildly. The Empress, seen consorting with the <Black Wolf>. As I said before, it might even lead to rebellion.”
“T-then what do you propose we do!! Even if you have a fake identity, if it’s too vague, people will be suspicious!!”
At Reina’s anxious complaints, Nahan raised one corner of his mouth in a smirk.
“That’s why I told you—we need the ‘debauchery’ angle.”
Debauchery.
“A tyrant lost in drink and lust, who even keeps a male bodyguard close at all times. It’ll earn you some criticism, sure—but it’ll throw off suspicion.”
“Ugh… that may be true… but won’t some people still find it odd?”
“They would—if Your Majesty were a respected ruler. But you’re already treated worse than a stray dog. No one will question it. They’ll just think, ‘of course.’ Though, yes, you’ll still be insulted.”
“Aren’t you the one doing most of the insulting?”
“Consider it praise.”
After saying that, Nahan gently patted Reina’s head and added.
“And there’s no need to worry. The false identity I’ve prepared isn’t a flimsy one. I’m sure people will accept it.”
“Even so, how impressive could a fake identity possibly be? Regardless, I’ll at least hear it out. Who is the one that shall become my personal guard?”
With a defeated tone, she asked—and Nahan placed his hands on both her shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear.
“Yellow Dragon.”
“…Haaah, I see. From now on, you shall be—”
But her words stopped mid-sentence.
Reina repeated his words in her head several times, as if she hadn’t heard them correctly.
“Who… did you just say?”
“You heard me just fine.”
“…Eeeeeeeeeh!!!???”
Her voice burst out before she could stop it.
The two briefly worried it might break the barrier Nahan had set up—
“Y-Y-You… You’re Yellow Dragon!!!?”
“…Shhh. Please keep it down.”
—But the barrier crafted by Black Wolf was flawless.
2.
A few more days passed.
“Hey, did you hear the news? They say the Empress? Apparently, she’s fallen into wine and debauchery…”
“Huhhh, now even that? She’s gone that far?”
“How disgraceful…”
Creeeak…
Amid today’s noisy commotion within the Mercenary Alliance, a dazed-looking man staggered in.
“What’s going on?”
“For… the… Saint of the Back Alley…!!”
“…What’s with this creepy bastard? Hey, ignore him—just get out of the way.”
Unsteady steps, a frail frame, ragged appearance.
His body was dull, like it had rotted—but his eyes, gleaming as if enchanted, were the only part still bright.
He took out a single piece of paper from his clothes, pinned it to the mercenary request board, and quietly disappeared.
.
.
.
【Request Notice】
– Will buy information on vile and despicable ‘trash’ for a high price.
– The more wicked they are, the higher the reward.
– Buyer: Saint of the Back Alley.
.
.
.
“…Just wait a little longer, Ria.”
After all vengeance has been carried out—
“I’ll come back to you.”
