The next day, I started moving busily. It was to achieve ‘independence’ for the first time in my life.
In the past, I always felt suffocating pressure from my family, but I never thought of leaving. I thought I could escape my father’s gaze forever if I ran away from there.
I was an idiot.
First, I checked my personal account.
There was more money than I expected.
“How is there so much?”
18.7 million dollars. That’s about 7-8 years of salary for an average knight.
It was probably a legitimate gift. Perhaps it was the inheritance left by my deceased mother, combined with the money the family formally gave me to celebrate my coming of age. My father didn’t care about me, but he wouldn’t disregard the family’s reputation.
More money is always better, especially now. I needed a lot more money to change the future.
Right now, I lack power, and money is a part of power. Even for someone like Ebenholz, money isn’t infinite. In fact, it’s less compared to other ‘pillars.’
“The biggest advantage of regression…”
My biggest weapon is information. So, I decided to leave half of the money in my account for investments and buy a house with the other half.
Decision made.
I immediately drove to a real estate agency.
[Empire Real Estate Agency R]
“…Welcome~”
The owner, who was having lunch inside the agency, hurriedly got up. I looked around at the maps of the capital covering the walls.
“What can I help you with?”
“I’m here to purchase a house.”
I wanted a mansion not far from the Sentinel Knights’ headquarters. While apartments and townhouses were options, I needed a place of my own where I wouldn’t share space with anyone.
“Oh, is that so?”
“Von Kleinschmidt. This area seems like the best.”
I pointed to a spot on the map.
[Empire Capital Arcadia, District 3, Von Kleinschmidt Street, Number 13]
It was a prime location with a clear view of the Empire’s Epsilon River. Because of that, properties here rarely came on the market, but with the recent changes in imperial policy, there were bound to be people willing to sell.
“Uh… ah~ There are no properties in that area.”
But they said there were none.
Something smelled fishy about the way they said it.
“None?”
I deliberately shortened my response. Staring at the owner, I asked again.
“Would you check one more time?”
The owner scanned me again.
Although I was in casual clothes, my fashion was state-of-the-art for the Empire. Even if they didn’t recognize the face of Maximillian, they would surely recognize the luxury brand Geronimo.
“Ah… sigh. There is one property that has been put on the market in a hurry.”
“Show it to me.”
“Yes. It’s a mansion in that very vicinity. Here are some recently taken photos.”
The real estate agent trailed off as he produced photos of a mansion. The photos showed considerable damage, such as broken windows and a partially damaged facade.
Ah.
I immediately understood.
The owner of this house was likely not a pure imperial citizen. And they probably committed a ‘very minor offense.’
Recently, the Empire’s racial policies had been escalating. The crackdown had even turned against the descendants of foreign nationals who had naturalized generations ago and pledged loyalty to the Empire.
The Melan merchants, in particular, who came from wealthy merchant families, were prime targets. A newly emerging power group, the Imperial Guard, coveted their assets.
“…As you can see, there’s too much that needs to be fixed.”
“It’s fine. I’ll buy it.”
“….”
The agent seemed flustered and ran a hand through his hair.
“Where is the owner?”
“Ah… but… uh…”
The agent glanced at my face and then let out a deep sigh.
“Actually, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but this mansion is in a rather complicated situation.”
“Complicated situation?”
“There is someone who claims to already have the right to confiscate this mansion…”
Just as I expected. I smiled faintly.
“And who might that be?”
“Ah, that… it’s a Viscount Rodriguez? A member of the Guard.”
At that moment, my temples throbbed.
It was a name I knew.
—Rodriguez. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Knight Maximillian.
He was a former executive of the Imperial Guard from before my regression, whom I had met once. He had climbed quite high by extorting wealth through all sorts of unscrupulous methods.
“I see.”
“Yes. It would be best to avoid him…”
The real estate agent hadn’t recognized me yet. He hadn’t even asked for my name. He probably just thought I was a wealthy nobleman’s son due to my expensive clothing.
“You should go back today—”
“Listen carefully. My name is Maximillian Ebenholz.”
“…What? Mak-, Eben-, Eb-?”
The owner’s eyes and mouth widened like full moons.
In the Empire’s capital, Arcadia, the name Ebenholz was almost equivalent to invincibility. At least, such sordid minor nobles who lusted after others’ property wouldn’t dare to even look at me.
“I am also a new knight of the Sentinel Knights.”
Rodriguez is a scoundrel. Most of the Guard are like that. Worms who, in their fanaticism for the Emperor, hastened the Empire’s downfall.
They must be cut down before they can spread their roots.
“A Knight maintains the Empire’s peace. However, I cannot understand the phrase ‘has the right to confiscate’ no matter how I think about it. I will have to find out what happened.”
One of the knight’s duties is to maintain the Empire’s peace. A scoundrel like him is disrupting the Empire’s peace, so I will make it a part of my achievements.
“However, do not reveal my name under any circumstances.”
It’s a kind of undercover operation. Cockroaches hide when humans enter.
Yes, Rodriguez is just like a cockroach.
Viscount Rodriguez was a nobleman who had recently garnered considerable attention in the Empire. Originally from a border family, he had arrested a high-ranking member of the ‘Revolutionary Corps,’ a rebel faction within the Empire, a few years prior. For this accomplishment, he was chosen by the Emperor’s Imperial Guard and entered central politics. From then on, he fully utilized his specialty. He tracked the financial flows of foreign capitalists within the Empire, in other words, those who were not pure Arans, and exposed tax evasion and illegal activities. He turned non-issues into issues. The Guard wanted it, and Rodriguez was on his way to a rapid ascent.
“A mansion?”
Rodriguez asked, barely glancing at the report his butler handed him. His office was filled with expensive artworks he had confiscated or bought for cheap.
“Yes, it’s being reported that someone has expressed interest in purchasing the Von Kleinschmidt mansion.”
“Who is it?”
“The agent heard that they seemed like just a nobleman’s son…”
It was a mansion in a prime location. Rodriguez liked it a lot, and he had already laid his groundwork. He had framed the original owner, a Melan merchant, with charges of supporting rebel funds, leaving him almost completely ruined. Now, all that was left was to legally seize it.
“What are their detailed particulars?”
“Hmm… they didn’t ask that far, but given they’re looking for a mansion near the Knight’s headquarters, they seem to be a new knight from the provinces. Haven’t there been induction ceremonies in various parts of the Knight’s headquarters recently? Sentinel, Lotus—”
“Hmph, ridiculous.”
Rodriguez sneered.
Of course, the knights held a high position in the Empire. However, that was merely an external honor; the real power would soon shift to the Imperial Guard. That was the Emperor’s intention from the start.
If the knights were the Empire’s sword, the Imperial Guard was the hand that wielded the hilt…
“Is that Merlin or Molin fellow still holding out?”
“Yes. He hasn’t confessed.”
Merlin, the Melan entrepreneur and owner of the mansion, had put the property on the market merely as a formality under Rodriguez’s pressure.
No one would try to buy this house, its price would naturally plummet, and then they would arrange for it to be sold at auction at a low price.
“I have a lot of appointments this week. I’ll resolve it next week.”
“…Are you planning to go yourself?”
The butler asked, looking puzzled. It was unusual for the Viscount to personally handle such a trivial matter.
“I have to. They say he’s a knight. It wouldn’t hurt to get acquainted, and if we clash too hard, it could become a problem. I should go myself and persuade him appropriately.”
“Yes. Understood. Then, please rest well.”
The butler departed. Rodriguez poured himself a glass of red wine. His eyes, gazing at the sloshing liquid, turned a crimson hue.
Suddenly, a smile spread across his lips.
It seemed like it would be quite enjoyable.
The meeting was scheduled for next week. I didn’t rush it.
Rodriguez owed me time, and I intended to collect it that day.
Anyway.
“…Are all these people my instructors?”
Today was the day I received a gift. Ten swordsmen were lined up in the Ebenholz’s grand training ground. They were the ‘new sword skill instructors’ I had asked about from Zephastian before.
“Not all of them. You can choose one among these.”
Enzi smiled sweetly. I scanned their appearances, individuals radiating the aura of strong fighters.
“These are candidates who have been rigorously selected through trials. They have passed both the document screening and the practical interview.”
Seven of the ten were people I knew.
Seven of them were former knights who had been excessively loyal to the Empire, and the other two were faces I had seen ad nauseam on the social pages of newspapers before my regression.
Enemies of the Empire—members of the Revolutionary Corps.
Those two were dangerous individuals who should not be approached immediately.
The other seven were the type I didn’t particularly want to get close to.
I naturally turned my gaze to the remaining one.
It was a face I had never seen before. My memory wasn’t particularly good, but I could recall people’s faces exceptionally well.
I had no choice. I had to remember and distinguish countless faces while living as a fugitive for a long time.
“Hmm…”
She was dressed in a simple training outfit and stood with just her bare hands, without a sword. She seemed far removed from the flashy resumes and imposing presence of the other candidates. She was female, but she wore a robe. Her features, revealed from beneath her hood, were unremarkable. In fact, her face was deeply lined.
“What is your name?”
The old and the young encountered on the battlefield are dangerous.
Similarly, in a gathering of strong individuals, the person no one knows is the strongest.
“Freya.”
I decided to choose her.
