It was a dark night. An old car sped down a darkened road on the outskirts of the capital. Arman and his family were fleeing the capital.
“They’re coming.”
Rodriguez’s subordinates, wearing masks, watched them from the forest.
“The Major said.”
The most trusted of the personal guards raised a hand. Many eyes glinted, tracking the movement of the vehicle.
“Such mongrels, they can’t possibly dare to humiliate us and leave safely.”
A sinister smile spread across their lips.
“Erase them as if they never existed.”
They were to be wiped out as if they had never been born.
“Prepare.”
They crouched, getting ready to leap.
The moment the car rounded a corner and came into view.
“Let’s go.”
They sprang out. Dust kicked up from the ground with each forceful stride.
They instantly surrounded the car, plunging swords into the tires and destroying the engine by piercing the hood.
Screeeech─!
The car screeched to a halt. Inside were Arman, his wife, and their three terrified children.
“Kill them all.”
The children screamed, and Arman cried out, begging them to spare his children. The more he pleaded, the more their faces contorted with laughter.
CRACK!
The moment they ripped open the car door and were about to thrust their swords in.
───SWOOSH!
An arrow pierced the night. Sharp steel buried itself deep into one of their necks.
The moment they turned, new figures in dark crimson uniforms appeared silently.
“What…?”
They were suddenly surrounded. It happened in an instant. They instinctively raised their swords to confront the newcomers, but a killing intent brushed against their skin. Their arms and legs moved involuntarily. The very aura of their magic spoke of a vast difference in skill.
“…W-what are you guys?”
There was no answer. Instead, a man walked out from among them like a phantom. With narrow, long eyes, he had a gentle yet somehow chilling presence.
His cool voice echoed in the silence.
“I have a message.”
The dagger in his hand glinted coldly in the moonlight.
“Just one sentence.”
Suddenly, his narrow eyes formed a crescent moon smile.
“Don’t overstep your bounds.”
That was the signal. Numerous swords flashed coldly. The clang of steel cut through the silence, but only for a moment. Soon, human screams erupted as flesh and blood were brutally torn apart.
Enzi slaughtered Rodriguez’s subordinates.
It was a massacre.
“Butler. Major Rodriguez himself is not here.”
“I know. He never had the guts to be here in the first place.”
Enzi checked on Arman’s condition. The three children and his wife had fainted, but thankfully, none were in mortal danger.
“The car is ruined.”
“…”
Arman could only swallow. He couldn’t speak properly. His thoughts had stopped. It felt as if the folds of his brain were Tangled.
Enzi smiled faintly.
“Don’t be too surprised. This is a small token of gratitude from Knight Maximillian for the fine mansion you provided.”
He then gestured to the scattered corpses.
“As you can see, those less capable have a hard time letting go. They tend to lash out.”
“Th-thank you… I… I a-am grateful…”
“I will gladly pass on your gratitude. A new car will arrive shortly, so please take that and depart.”
Gurgle…
At that moment, bloody foam bubbled up from beneath their feet. It was one of them, who had miraculously survived.
Arman flinched.
“Ah, don’t worry too much. I let him live on purpose. The message needs to be delivered.”
It was both a threat and a message. The interpretation was simple.
—Leave the capital and live like a rat in hiding.
It was essentially an intelligence test. The smarter one would act accordingly and preserve their life, while the foolish would cling to what they couldn’t have.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Enzi gestured to his subordinates. They melted into the darkness of the night. With one more step, Enzi too vanished without a trace.
“… ”
In the middle of the pile of corpses, Arman sat stunned, his mind blank.
* * *
The next morning. Upon arriving at the Knights’ headquarters, I found a subpoena on my office desk.
I opened the envelope, and this is what it contained.
──────
[Imperial Judicial Department]
[Complaint]
1. Complainant
Name: Giovanni von Rodriguez
2. Defendant
Name: Maximillian von Ebenholz
3. Purpose of Complaint
We hereby accuse Defendant Maximillian von Ebenholz of instigating murder and the illegal use of force. We urge your department to conduct a thorough investigation and administer punishment according to the laws and justice of the Empire.
4. Details of Complaint
On March 17th, Imperial Calendar Year 1038, the Defendant, using an unidentified armed group, brutally murdered the Complainant’s loyal retainers, ‘Yuton Bill,’ ‘Cassio Veron,’ ‘Ten Ishin,’ and seven others (a total of ten people) on a road outside the capital, Arcadia.
This is a clear act of murder and a grave crime that disregards the Empire’s legal order and uses private force.
The Defendant’s instigation has not only severely damaged the dignity of an Imperial Knight but is also a blatant challenge to the authority of the Imperial Guard, which enforces the law in the name of His Majesty the Emperor. Therefore, it cannot be overlooked.
We strongly urge the Imperial Judicial Department to swiftly and impartially investigate the truth of this matter and impose severe punishment on the Defendant commensurate with his crimes.
5. Evidence
Map of the incident site and photographs (submitted separately)
List of victims (submitted separately)
Complainant, Giovanni von Rodriguez (Signature)
──────
Rodriguez had filed a complaint against me. The content claimed I had murdered his subordinates.
“Hah.”
A scoff escaped my lips.
“Does this country bumpkin from the East know so little about the world?”
Before my regression, this idiot became an executive in the Imperial Guard and wielded immense power as the Emperor’s confidant. He was proof of how rotten the Empire had become then.
Of course, he probably had his own calculations. The Ebenholz family wasn’t without its political rivals.
The Kandel family, competing for the Emperor’s favor, and Jetz, the Empire’s wealthiest magnate, had a strained relationship with me.
The Imperial Guard maintained close ties with the Kandel family, so perhaps he thought that by aligning with them and manipulating public opinion, he could at least hinder the Ebenholz family—
Such shallow thinking.
It was a delusion only possible for someone who didn’t understand the power dynamics of the capital.
I crumpled the complaint and threw it into the trash bin.
Even this was likely Enzi’s calculation.
He could have made sure no evidence remained, but he deliberately left Rodriguez alive to create a pretext for himself.
“Farewell.”
This complaint would become his death warrant, and I had more important schedules than dealing with such an idiot.
Employee interviews.
I needed to find my people.
A knight is the sword of the Empire, but they can do nothing alone. Therefore, a modern knight requires many attachments like an administrative officer, an intelligence officer, and a deputy.
An administrative officer is a secretary and butler who handles the knight’s administrative tasks. They manage budgets, write reports, procure supplies, and schedule appointments, taking care of all the miscellaneous tasks so that the knight can focus solely on their mission.
An intelligence officer is a spy expert who collects and analyzes all information related to a case and provides it to the knight. They act as the knight’s eyes and ears, analyzing evidence, checking suspect identities, and reviewing relevant records.
However, what I desired was more than that.
It was the first step towards a ‘private organization.’
I used to dislike factions, but now I had to cultivate one.
I needed talent. Not just someone with outstanding abilities, but someone who could understand my intentions and follow them diligently.
Such people usually don’t come looking for me. I have to seek them out.
This is a significant advantage for me.
Because I have regressed.
“Let’s see…”
I activated the Knights’ [Personal Information Inquiry System].
* * *
On the outskirts of the Imperial capital, Arcadia, in the Verhol street known for its not-so-tall buildings, stood a small company with a faded sign.
“Veritas Trading”
I didn’t know what they bought or sold, but this was where the future Chancellor who would later prop up the crumbling finances of the Empire single-handedly was located.
I entered the company building.
Near the counter, a thin young man in his early twenties, wearing glasses, was buried in a pile of documents.
His name was Dieter Schmidt.
I quietly observed him, buried in documents, standing in front of his desk.
“…”
He looked up, sensing my presence.
“What is it?”
He asked indifferently, pushing his glasses up his nose. His face was etched with the fatigue of paperwork and indifference to the world.
“Nice to meet you.”
Before my regression, Dieter was a financial secretary for the Empire. Although a pure Imperial citizen, he entered the Imperial bureaucracy solely on merit, without any other background, and managed the finances of a failing Empire with astonishing efficiency, delaying the Empire’s bankruptcy by one to two years single-handedly.
“I am Knight Maximillian of the Sentinel Knights.”
I had come here to recruit such a man as my personal secretary.
My organization would surely grow in size, so I needed the most capable person.
“Yes. Nice to meet you, Knight Maximillian.”
Dieter replied calmly. The Revolutionary Corps had evaluated him as a lone wolf. He was strangely obsessed with his work until the very brink of the Empire’s collapse.
“…Maximillian Ebenholz.”
I shook his hand, stating my full name.
It’s a bit awkward, but he’s so dry.
“Ah, I see.”
Even so, he was lukewarm. He seemed unimpressed by the name Ebenholz.
“I am Dieter Schmidt. An employee of this company.”
“…”
This was certain. This man wouldn’t even accept my hand if I offered it now. He had previously refused even the persistent advances of the new cabinet, choosing instead to be executed.
It feels strange to say “previously” when referring to his past actions.
In any case, it’s strange to ask him to be my secretary on the first meeting.
“…Excuse me. What brings you here?”
At that moment, a middle-aged man with a potbelly peered out from the back of the office. I shifted my gaze from Dieter.
“Are you the president?”
“Yes, I am…”
Approaching the president, I took out my knight identification.
“Nice to meet you. I am Maximillian von Ebenholz.”
“…Huh? Yes? Eben, Ebenholz?”
The president’s eyes widened instantly. I glanced at Dieter.
Since he clearly stated he was an employee of this company, the best way to acquire him was already decided.
“I’ve come to purchase this company.”
This was a method favored by the Imperial Guard. An “aggressive” merger, beyond mere hostility.
But I was different from them. At least, I wouldn’t steal; I would pay the fair price.
“Please make a seat available.”
I needed a legal entity anyway.
“Ah, this is very sudden. I’m sorry, but I have no intention of selling this company—”
“No.”
I smiled faintly and extended my hand to the president.
“Don’t misunderstand. This is not a request.”
If there was one thing I had in common with those guys in the Imperial Guard, it was that the other party had no right to refuse.
If you try to accommodate everyone’s convenience, the world will fall apart.
* * *
…The interior of the building was made of cold marble and sharp lines, and guards in black uniforms stood in the hallways with unwavering posture. The high, empty hall seemed to freeze the very air with its coldness.
This was the headquarters of the Imperial Royal Guard KS.
“Hmm…”
In the office of Lieutenant General Strassen of the Imperial Guard, he spoke to Major Rodriguez, who was seated opposite him, without taking his eyes off the document.
“I heard your report, Rodriguez. You’ve filed a complaint.”
“Yes, General. This is an outright challenge to the authority of the Empire and His Majesty the Emperor.”
Rodriguez’s voice rose, sounding aggrieved. Strassen raised an eyebrow.
“I know. I saw the scene myself. It would have been better if you had given me a heads-up before filing the complaint.”
Rustle. He turned the page, his gaze still fixed on the document.
“It was an unforgivable act. Official members of the Imperial Guard were sacrificed. From the start, Ebenholz’s path is different from ours in the Imperial Guard. We should use this opportunity to break their arrogance!”
“Uh… I understand. Ebenholz… is a bit arrogant.”
Strassen finally looked up. His pupils were relatively dry, but Rodriguez, emboldened by his words, smiled.
“Yes, thank you. Then, I will contact Duke Kandel and publicize this matter…”
“No, there’s no need for that.”
The Lieutenant General cut Rodriguez off. He rose from his seat and walked toward the window, a faint smile on his face.
“I will handle it myself. You are a rising star of the Imperial Guard, aren’t you? You don’t need to worry about such trivial matters.”
Rodriguez’s lips twitched slightly. The praise of being a rising star was pleasant to hear.
“Usually, people like us handle these troublesome conflicts. That’s what this rank is for.”
Strassen tapped the golden lion medal on his chest.
“You need to focus on bigger things. Go and rest.”
“…Thank you, General. Loyalty!”
Rodriguez bowed his head, looking deeply moved, and left the office.
Thud!
The door closed. The moment it did, the smile vanished from Strassen’s face. He clicked his tongue and reached for the communicator on his desk.
“Yes, Duke Kandel. This is Lieutenant General Strassen…”
His voice, discussing something, quietly faded into the distance.
