1.
Duke Halorand’s intrusion.
Due to a single unexpected variable, the situation was completely overturned.
“Ugh… ugh.”
The death of the Minister of Defense, the only evidence that could prove Halorand was the mastermind.
“Stop!!”
Reina shouted urgently, but Halorand had already decided on his next move.
‘I must at least save the assassin.’
Nahan, who quickly grasped the situation, tried to give orders to Peter.
【Savior – <Halorand(A+)> deletes the <Cause> and extracts only the <Effect>.】
【Effect: [All Nameless who attempted to assassinate the Empress begin to be purged by Halorand.]】
Even the thread of hope was lost—taken away by Halorand’s faster move.
The death of the Minister of Defense.
The deaths of all the assassins.
In other words, all evidence that could be used to accuse Duke Halorand had vanished.
Reina knew this as well. Knowing the gravity of the situation, she stepped forward toward Halorand and shouted.
“Did I not tell you to stop!!”
Despite her overwhelming authority as the Empress of the great empire, Halorand simply wiped the blood off and bowed respectfully.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”
“Cut the nonsense and stop at once!!”
“Ah… you mean these people?”
The remaining Nameless who were still breathing.
“They dared to ambush Your Majesty. It is only right that they be dealt with on the spot.”
After surveying them briefly, Halorand gave a faint smile and snapped his fingers.
Splurt!
All of them— Their hearts exploded, and they died.
“How dare you──!!”
“Compose yourself, Your Majesty.”
“Compose myself?! You defy the imperial command and think to walk away unscathed?!”
“…Your Majesty.”
An enraged Reina rushed forward and grabbed his collar, but Halorand, still smiling, pointed around and asked.
“Who is it you are protecting right now?”
Worn and weathered blue eyes glinted from behind his crooked smile.
“We were only trying to protect Your Majesty. I wonder why you are so angered. And more importantly, those behind Your Majesty… are they not the <Black Wolf>—top priority fugitives?”
“…!”
Only then did the voices of the nobles who had entered with Halorand reach her ears.
“Duke Halorand rushed here for Your Majesty’s sake. Why speak so harshly…?”
“More than that, why are you standing with the Black Wolf? Aren’t they the ringleaders of this incident?”
“Surely… Your Majesty isn’t colluding with them?”
Suspicious, razor-sharp gazes.
Only now did Reina realize—
That Halorand had already been playing several moves ahead in this political game.
“So, Your Majesty. Right now, for the sake of the nobles involved in the great matters of the Empire, it seems your explanation takes priority over mine.”
“Explanation?! Do you mean to say this situation appears to be my doing in your eyes?!”
“Of course not. We merely wish to hear the full account of the situation.”
As Reina searched for words in response to Halorand’s feigned civility—
“Pffft!”
Laughter rang out from the training ground’s window.
Naturally, the source was the Black Wolf—Nahan.
After posting Peter by the window, he approached the crowding nobles.
“I came to see just how remarkable the Empress of this great empire was… but to see her being dragged around by a fox pup. The future of Babylonia sure is bright, Your Majesty.”
“What?!”
It was the gathered nobles who reacted first to his sharp provocation.
A visibly young noble shouted, furious.
“To disparage the Duke with such lowly status! Have you no regard for what you say!!”
“Disparage, you say?”
“Don’t play dumb!! Was the ‘fox’ not clearly referring to the Duke!!”
“Oh, if that’s how it sounded, I apologize.”
To the scolding of a visibly angry old noble, Nahan politely apologized, then asked smoothly.
“But isn’t it rather curious? I insulted the Empress quite thoroughly, yet everyone is rising to defend the Duke, not the Empress.”
“Y-You insolent—!! How dare you—!!”
“This is the Imperial Castle. The one place where the Empress’s words should be absolute.”
He finally stood before Halorand.
“Yet everyone listens only to that man. I was merely curious and spoke aloud…”
Nahan then turned to the Imperial Guards and high nobles encircling him.
“Ah, could it be that man is the Empress?”
A silence descended instantly.
Nahan’s words struck directly at the disgrace of those aligning with Halorand, countering the latter’s attempt to seize control.
But only for a moment.
“You scoundrel!!!”
At last, one of the high nobles shouted, bringing the verbal battle to a climax—Nahan’s win.
“Calm yourself, Prime Minister.”
From the very back, Halorand pushed through the nobles and guards and stepped forward.
“Halorand, didn’t you hear?! What that criminal just said!!”
“Indeed. A ‘criminal.’ Playing into their words only harms us. So then… we should focus on punishing them.”
As the tide began to shift toward Nahan, Halorand swiftly emphasized the label of “criminal” to return things to their original state, drawing his rapier.
“Halorand.”
“Black Wolf.”
A brief exchange of names, and at Halorand’s gesture, the Imperial Guards surrounded the training ground.
“The crime of attempting to assassinate the Empress, and the assault on the Imperial Castle, are by no means light.”
“Assaulting the castle, maybe—but the assassination charge is a bit unfair. Wasn’t that by your order, Duke Halorand?”
“You sure talk freely with that open mouth of yours.”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“A bit of interrogation should clear it up.”
Step. Step. Step.
The soldiers, already in position, aimed the tips of their spears at Nahan—but he simply shook his head and answered casually.
“Even if you interrogate me, you’ll kill me and cover it up anyway. No need to waste your effort.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I mean I’ll commit a crime worthy enough that neither of us has to feel wronged.”
In the next instant—
【<Veil of Shadows (EX)> – 20% has been activated.】
Nahan, having activated Veil of Shadows in an instant, turned and charged toward Reina as he spoke.
“The Empress kidnapped by Black Wolf due to Duke Halorand’s incompetence… wouldn’t that make a fun bit of gossip?”
“What are the Imperial Guard doing!! Protect Her Majesty at once!!!”
Despite Halorand’s furious command, and the wave of Imperial Guards rushing toward Nahan—
Whump!
Nahan hoisted Reina over his shoulder and leapt out of the training ground faster than they could react.
“W-Wait!! What is—?!”
“Peter!!”
“…Yes, Captain.”
With only a glance, Peter read Nahan’s intent and quickly moved to guard him.
“……Peter. I will go.”
“Wait…!! Why are you—?!”
“……Be silent, failed Savior. All is for the one true Savior.”
Unnoticed even by Halorand, one figure stepped out from among the nobles—
The 3rd Elder of <Eclipse>, the Calamity of Silent Silence, silently following after Peter.
“Damn it, that bastard again…!!”
Halorand’s plan—shattered.
【A Bad Ending created by ??? – <???. Tyrant> has been prevented.】
【First Achievement!】
【You have thwarted the will of a <different Savior>, not the <Fate of the World>!】
【Reward: <Savior System> granted.】
It was an early night.
2.
Just outside the Imperial Castle.
“That way!! After them!!”
At Duke Halorand’s command, imperial soldiers began to mobilize.
“When my crew made a ruckus, they barely twitched. But they’re damn quick to follow Halorand’s orders.”
“…Are you saying that for my ears?”
“Oops.”
“…So you’re not denying it?”
“Oops.”
Even carrying the fully armed Empress over his shoulder, Nahan’s speed was monstrous. At this rate, he would soon break through the perimeter.
‘Let’s just run for now.’
Nahan wanted to buy time and proceed slowly, step by step, as he always had.
But, as always, things never went exactly as planned.
As they arrived at the back-alley factory where Peter had stayed for a time—
Fwoosh.
“……Took you long enough.”
Someone who had been lying hidden under the veil of darkness stood up, brushing it aside.
Without wasting time, Nahan checked the information.
【Name: Sylas.】
– Alias: Calamity of Silent Silence.
– Rank: SS–
– Info: 3rd Elder of <Eclipse>. [Access Denied], [Access Denied].
The 3rd Elder of <Eclipse> — Calamity of Silent Silence.
‘He’s been quiet since last time… why now?’
Nahan’s suspicion only lasted a moment.
Peter stepped forward, already in battle stance, and said.
“Others are already tracking the Empress’s aura. We cannot afford delay. Leave this one to me and go on ahead.”
With all restrictions released, Peter’s rank now displayed: SSS.
The place where Nahan planned to leave the Empress wasn’t far—he could return quickly without issue.
But—
‘The First Elder of Eclipse…’
If that one got involved, Peter could be in real danger.
‘…Still, the Empress is more urgent right now. I’ll drop her off and come right back.’
Nahan finally nodded and dashed off again.
“…der… stop…!!”
As the voices of Imperial soldiers faded behind Nahan, Peter moved swiftly to deal with the enemy and follow.
Fwoosh.
Out of the shadows, Sylas, the Calamity of Silent Silence, grabbed something from the air and draped it around him like a cloak, then asked Peter.
“Ria… was that her name.”
“…What?”
“That woman who searched for the demon named Peter… a monstrous woman just like the demons.”
Only once Peter’s eyes adjusted to the dark did he clearly see the emblem embroidered on Sylas’ cloak.
Without a doubt—
“I came… to end our cursed connection.”
It was the emblem of the Imperial family Peter remembered.
