Even after that, life as a Guillotine Knight continued.
It wasn’t as difficult as I had expected. Since I had been recognized as a strategist, I never had to stand on the front lines, and perhaps in consideration of my status, they didn’t assign me overly demanding tasks either.
At this rate, the work-life balance isn’t too bad.
Of course, the basic working environment could still be called the worst.
“I think this should be enough. Let’s wrap it up.”
This is already the fifth body we’ve had to clean up.
All of them were corpses discarded like offerings on top of that ominous magic circle.
Some of them were Guillotine Knights, and some were ordinary civilians.
However, judging from the circumstances so far, those who were killed probably weren’t just simple commoners.
Usually, it would be one of two cases.
Either they were death row inmates who were meant to be executed from the start, or they were people so loyal to the Empire that they would even throw away their lives, just like the Guillotine Knights.
I hope there are more of the former.
“Not a single noble among them?”
“Nobles would have guards, so they wouldn’t fall victim to something like this.”
At my sarcasm, a Guillotine Knight who had been standing nearby like a ghost responded.
As if that would really be the case.
With how many criminals there are in the Empire, would being a noble really be enough to avoid this?
Besides, aren’t there a few Guillotine Knights mixed in among them?
And is it really a coincidence that all of them were dressed like commoners?
“How long are we supposed to play along with this ridiculous farce?”
“I’m not sure what you mean……”
“Tch, forget it. What’s the point of talking to you? I understand.”
Every mission assigned to me has been hinting at something.
They keep throwing out bait as if telling me to notice. There’s no way I wouldn’t realize it.
Or would others not have noticed?
There are things I can see because my common sense aligns with that of a modern person.
“I’m starting to get curious who the targets really are.”
The nobles are not the targets.
Only commoners without connections are becoming victims.
The culprit still hasn’t been found, and no active investigation is being carried out.
Despite the mobilization of the Empire’s strongest force, the Guillotine Knights, there have been no results and all we were doing was collecting bodies.
At this point, anyone even slightly perceptive would be able to figure something out.
“Seriously…….”
Those who are quick to catch on are probably suspecting that a noble is backing the culprit.
It’s rather blatant, isn’t it?
It’s possible that they haven’t caught the culprit. There are more than five terrorist groups operating in the shadows within the Empire alone.
But they couldn’t even identify a suspect?
No one would believe that. People would rather think that the culprit has been identified but is someone too untouchable to provoke. So it’s being covered up.
The people in this area probably already believe the culprit is a noble.
Most of the Empire’s nobles are those who have earned merit on the battlefield.
Rather than being described as noble, they are more often regarded as dangerous.
“Is there some kind of kill list?”
Judging by the situation, the Emperor intends to purge the nobles once.
Using nonexistent dark magic as a pretext, he’s laying the groundwork to eliminate them all at once.
“The casino?”
Something I heard at the recent meeting suddenly crossed my mind.
Tycoons who could frequent casinos even right after the war.
On top of that, those who prioritized their own pleasure without regard for the atmosphere.
A roster of nobles gambling at a casino owned by the Emperor.
“I think I get it now.”
He’s going to tie them all together and arrest them.
The reason the Emperor smiled back then wasn’t because of the casino’s revenue, but because he was thinking about those he needed to kill.
Well, it’s not like he was ever short on money to begin with.
The more I carried out missions with the Guillotine Knights, the more the questions I had during that meeting were resolved.
And yet, there was still something I couldn’t understand.
“Meticulous.”
“Given that the culprit hasn’t been caught until now, perhaps they’re quite a careful and thorough individual.”
“…….”
I quietly walked past the Guillotine Knight who kept talking nonsense beside me without reading the room.
I’ve already figured everything out, yet this bastard still thinks he can deceive me.
I figured out it was a staged act on the very first day, you know? If they were going to deceive someone, they should’ve at least removed the emblem attached to the uniform beforehand.
“I can’t even begin to guess what they’re thinking.”
“…….”
I ignored him and walked past, but the knight followed me, continuing to ramble.
I glanced at him, wondering what his deal was, and his eyes were sparkling.
Ah, right. So you’re into this kind of thing. Fair enough. I’ve recently learned that not all Guillotine Knights are bleak and emotionless.
If I recall correctly, his name was Sir Miles?
“Come to think of it, how has the knight named Miles been lately?”
“Ah, that guy is under disciplinary confinement. It seems he displeased someone higher up……. Unfortunately.”
“I see.”
So you did end up punishing him, Oracle.
Or was it Lanius? Either way, poor middle manager Sir Miles is the only pitiful one here.
“By the way, is that it for today? Any other missions come in?”
“There are none.”
“Really? That’s nice.”
Looks like I get off work early before sunset.
On the way back, I should buy a gift for Yuna.
“Still, it’s truly strange. What could the culprit’s objective be? Crimes targeting only commoners…… It almost feels like it’s implying something…….”
“…….”
Could you seriously stop?
I already know all of that.
You won’t answer me even if I ask, so quit scattering bait and muttering things I already understand.
***
What I learned through my work with the Guillotine Knights is that the Emperor is planning a large-scale purge.
However, there’s something questionable.
The Emperor planning a purge? That’s nothing unusual. It’s perfectly plausible.
Just counting the number of people he had killed with his own hands so far would already reach at least tens of thousands.
And yet, that’s precisely why it’s strange.
Why is he going through such a troublesome groundwork at this point?
When he wiped out the Tales Marquisate, didn’t he trample them over nothing more than a few stolen gold coins?
The Emperor has that kind of power.
The power to carry out whatever he desires, regardless of justification or evidence.
“Maybe I should ask her in a bit.”
I blankly stared at the seat in the corner of the classroom where Lobelia was sitting.
Today was the first day of the new term.
At last, life as a third-year started.
If this were modern-day Earth, I’d be swamped as a college applicant, but here, with freedom drawing near, it was the time when one could relax more than ever.
Of course, those aiming for university or worrying about their path after graduation would be exceptions.
But at least, I’m not.
The time to escape the prison called school is approaching.
Once I graduate, I’ll head straight back to my territory and hole up there.
That is, if that’s even possible.
“Nice to meet you, everyone. I’m Thalia, and I’ll be in charge of you this year. I wasn’t originally a teacher, but due to the severe staff shortage at the Cradle, I’ve been dispatched from the Magic Tower. Fortunately, I was told that most of this class would be manageable even if I served as the homeroom teacher.”
No wonder it felt like our class roster was made up entirely of problem children.
About half the students here were those who required no instruction, while the other half were of average achievement.
In other words, that referred to last year’s transfer students and early entrants, including myself.
For such students, even if a teacher lacked proper qualifications, they would bow in gratitude at being taught by an elder from the Magic Tower.
Of course, not me. I already possess qualifications equal to the others.
Still, considering she’s a mage, I have no complaints.
“You may worry about fairness in grades and examinations, since the successor of our Magic Tower is also present here, but there’s no need for such concerns. Student Yuna will neither take exams nor receive grades.”
“Then why is Student Yuna attending the Cradle?”
“Indeed.”
At a single student’s question, Professor Thalia responded with a deep sigh.
To be honest, there were hardly any who could claim to be free from that question.
Even Lobelia and Ariel, for instance, have already surpassed the level of ordinary students.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it’s strange for them to be attending school at all.
Of course, the reason they are enrolled at the Cradle is half the Emperor’s will, and the other half is to protect themselves and expand their influence within a politically safe zone.
“You must have more questions, but we’ll hold another Q&A session at a later time. For now, before taking attendance, let us have a brief moment of remembrance.”
Professor Thalia took out ten white roses from beneath her desk.
A time of remembrance.
It was a ritual frequently held during the early days of first year.
Yet as time passed, it became a ritual we turned away from, because even the act of remembering grew too painful.
This break had been long.
There had been a war in the middle of it, along with its aftermath. Last year, we hadn’t even taken exams, and with various matters overlapping afterward, the start of the term had been delayed.
In the meantime, many had died.
To be precise, since class assignments were finalized up until now, ten students had been murdered.
“……”
I looked around.
Empty seats here and there caught my eye.
Not all of those seats must belong to the dead.
Some students were probably absent for personal reasons. Even among those I knew to be alive, a few faces were missing.
Perhaps Ariel was still busy; she hadn’t been able to attend even on the first day of term.
Seeing that even Lobelia was present, she must truly be occupied.
And…
“……”
The student I had run into not long ago was nowhere to be seen.
Ollie.
She, who had carried an inexplicably sorrowful air, was not here.
…And neither was the man who was always by her side.
“No way.”
My heart sank.
Before long, Professor Thalia began calling the roll.
Lobelia, Ariel, me, Yuna.
These were the names of those present and those absent for personal reasons.
“Ollie. Is Student Ollie not here?”
Among them was Ollie’s name as well.
She did not answer. As if no particular reason had been left for her absence, Professor Thalia searched for her for quite some time.
Considering that she had called the other absent students’ names only once before moving on, it was clear that this was not something that had been explained beforehand.
One by one, the students’ names passed, and Professor Thalia slowly closed the attendance book.
“……”
Raven’s name was not on the attendance list. He had not even been called; he had been excluded from the roster entirely.
Which meant—
“We will now hold a moment of silence for those we mourn.”
Professor Thalia’s voice felt distant. It felt as though the uneasy imagination I had harbored was becoming reality.
“Cory, Brown……”
She called out new names one by one.
“And Raven. I hereby declare that these ten students fought with pride in defense of the weak.”
A friend had died.
And I hadn’t even known.
***
If I had wanted to know, there had been many ways.
If I had paid just a little more attention, the outcome might have been different.
Raven was a mercenary. I had known that, and I had guessed that mercenaries would be deployed in the barbarian war.
A remark I had casually brushed aside at a recent meeting now seemed to echo relentlessly in my ears.
– More than half of the mercenaries we hired have been killed, and the knights have suffered heavy losses too. So rather than crushing the enemy immediately, I believe it would be better to take our time and plan our strategy.
Who was it that said that?
I had heard how the barbarian war was unfolding.
But I paid it no mind. I let it pass as if it were someone else’s affair.
But it wasn’t.
This outcome was not because of my weakness or my incompetence.
“Ha……”
It was purely because of my indifference.
Clink.
A ringing sound of metal striking metal echoed in my ears.
It was a sound I had heard before.
A sound I had felt was out of place, yet pretended not to notice.
When was it?
– Raven is……
It was when I was speaking with Ollie. That girl, who was in a relationship with Raven, had said with a detached expression,
– He’s a mercenary.
I could have known even then. I simply chose not to.
Clink.
Once again, the metallic sound I had heard that day rang in my ears like tinnitus.
No…now I know.
The sound I heard back then was not coins clinking together.
That metallic clash—
“Under Chain……”
It was the sound of chains locking together.
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