Central Continent.
The heart of the world, the capital of the Everblack Empire.
Imperial Capital New Terra.
In this massive port city, roughly the size of a small nation, a grand fireworks display was underway to celebrate the final day of the Fall Festival.
Boom! Bang!
Brilliant fireworks embroidered the night sky.
As befitting a festival held in the capital of the largest nation in the world, the fireworks that concluded the Fall Festival were on an enormous scale.
The night sky was so dark that one could mistake the brilliance of the fireworks for a fleeting moon.
"..."
Prince Fernandez, the second son of the Imperial Family, watched the dazzling fireworks from his office located in the highest turret on the west side of the King's Castle.
Slowly, Fernandez took a sip of the liquor in his glass and began to speak.
"Do you know why the Fall Festival of the Everblack Empire is held on the night of the new moon?"
There was no response from his interlocutor.
Standing behind Fernandez, who was looking out the window, his companion remained silent, merely listening to his monologue.
"One would think that the festival would be better suited for a night when the moon is bright and the mood is festive. Why choose the new moon as the start date for the festival? And why hold the festival for the three days it takes for the moon to wane to the new phase?"
From the new moon to its waning phase, the three darkest days of the sky.
The Fall Festival of the Everblack Empire was held during this period. It was a somewhat strange tradition to deliberately choose the darkest nights for celebration.
"Do you know why, Captain Reina?"
When Fernandez turned to ask, his silent companion—Reina, the Captain of the Mage Corps—bowed her head slightly.
"...I don't know, Your Highness."
"There are various theories, of course."
Fernandez turned his gaze back to the window, staring at the dark sky beyond where fireworks continued to explode.
"In my opinion, the color of this moonless, pitch-black sky resembles the color of our country's emblematic tree, the Everblack. That is my speculation."
"..."
"The black tree that has brought wealth and prosperity to our nation, and has also helped humanity gain dominion over the world."
He remembered the towering, black, thorn-covered tree that stood frozen next to the Emperor's throne.
Smiling wryly as he recalled the tree that had entered eternal slumber along with his father, Fernandez continued,
"Well, this is just my personal theory. Most people think we hold the festival at this time because the fireworks are more visible."
"..."
Reina remained silent.
The old officer's face, who had sustained injuries in the south and now leaned on a cane, was stern.
Whether that expression was due to the pain of his aged body, or perhaps due to admonition from a superior he had not seen in a while, or maybe due to the path that lay ahead for her, Fernandez couldn't tell. Nor did he need to know.
Reina was a soldier.
Regardless of what she harbored within, she would eventually move as Fernandez commanded.
"Let's set aside trivial matters like the timing of the festival."
Fernandez turned away from the window and slowly walked to the center of his office, sitting down on a sofa.
"So, Captain Reina. How was your mission in the south?"
"It was enjoyable in its own way."
Remaining standing, Reina's thoughts briefly turned to Junior.
In the end, he hadn't forgiven himself. Yet he had tried to keep the conversation going with that young child.
And the new-age wizard, reminiscent of an old friend, who had united lightning and wind.
"It feels like I've been on a long vacation."
"A vacation? You think it was that light-hearted?"
Fernandez, sounding sarcastic, tapped the reports spread out on the table in front of the sofa.
"I've received complete reports on what happened at the Southern Front. I read the report you wrote, too."
"..."
"And you personally destroyed the 'Shutdown Protocol' that we had so painstakingly set up there, didn't you?"
Shutdown Protocol.
A sacrificial magic circle designed to burn all humans within its radius, harnessing the immense energy extracted from their souls to magically preserve the entire area. It was a secret technique mainly used by the magic brigade to intimidate either suspected rebellious areas or regions of conflict with the enemy.
Its installation had been the primary objective of the magic brigade dispatched to Crossroad. But Reina had destroyed it during the defense of Jormungandr.
"The situation unfolded that way. I apologize, Your Highness."
"Tsk..."
Reina bowed her head, and Fernandez sank back into the sofa.
"It doesn't matter. The Southern Front isn't our primary concern right now."
The face of his youngest sibling, who had audaciously declared independence, flashed through his mind. The sibling had refused additional support from the Imperial Family, babbling about handling the monsters themselves and asking not to interfere.
As if foreseeing the bloodshed that would eventually erupt in the Imperial Capital and trying to distance themselves from the Imperial Family.
'What the hell are you planning, Ash? You've always had a knack for sensing things.'
If the Southern Front wanted to keep its distance from the Imperial Capital, then so much the better. From Fernandez's perspective, it eliminated one variable. There was no need to exert strong control over the Southern Front.
Gazing at the beautiful scenery of the Imperial Capital shining through the window, Fernandez mumbled,
"The most important thing is the Shutdown Protocol being installed here, in the Imperial Capital."
"..."
Reina slowly turned her head and took in the nighttime view of the city along with Fernandez.
Countless people living under the bright lights of fireworks in the world's largest city.
...And the massive sacrificial magic circle being installed beneath it.
Though her hands had been stained with blood throughout her life, they felt heavier now more than ever.
Reina lifted her leaden fingers and clenched her fist tightly.
There was no turning back now.
Once you're entangled in this quagmire of blood, there's no escape.
"I wanted to wait for a more perfect timing, but circumstances are rapidly changing. We have no choice."
Thunk.
Setting down his empty glass on the table, Fernandez nodded gravely.
"Please expedite the completion of the Shutdown Protocol, Captain Reina. I trust only you."
"..."
"All of this is for the future of the Everblack Empire."
One of the four fates that Emperor Everblack foresaw to bring ruin to the empire.
At the heart of the central dark front, the Aegis Special Forces faced an unidentified dark power.
Ironically, that dark power was none other than the Aegis Special Forces themselves, led by their commander Fernandez.
They conjured up nonexistent enemies, inflated rumors about them, and used the pretext of fighting these imaginary foes to grow the organization and expand its influence.
They deceived the Imperial Family, infiltrated in reverse, and burrowed deep into the darkness— the Aegis Special Forces had already seized control of the empire's underworld.
And now, the time was drawing near.
"Be prepared. The time for rebellion is soon."
Fernandez stood up and brushed past Reina as he left.
"We'll have much for the mage troops to do soon, Captain Reina."
"..."
"Do not falter."
Ah, right.
A bitter smile crossed Reina's lips.
Hadn't she vowed already? To cast away her human skin for the empire?
Gladly becoming a monster.
Fernandez exited the office first. Alone in the empty room, Reina muttered softly.
"...Everything is for the future of the Everblack Empire..."
Why did it hurt, even though she had firmly resolved to do this?
The bright smile of her long-gone friend Blitz flickered before her eyes, as did the trembling pupils of his adopted daughter.
Staring at her motionless palm, Reina clenched her fist tightly.
The wheel had already started to turn.
Now, no one could stop it.
***
"Second Prince Fernandez is planning a rebellion...!"
Serenade continued to quickly explain to my bewildered self.
"As per our previous agreement with the Imperial Family, our Merchant Guild has been assisting the Imperial Family in all areas of their work. Collaborating with the Aegis Special Forces on intelligence was part of that."
"..."
"But the more we assisted the Special Forces, the more strange information began pouring in. At first, we thought it was nothing and were going to overlook it."
"..."
"As the information accumulated, the situation became all too clear... and you, Your Highness, were the only one I could trust to reveal this to."
So that's why.
Is that why you hurriedly came all this way? Having sensed the signs of Fernandez's rebellion, you came to tell me?
"Actually, even when I arrived here at Crossroad, I wasn't certain. It was a faint suspicion."
Serenade bit her lower lip.
"But a few hours ago, after collating information sent by carrier pigeon from the Merchant Guild's headquarters in the Imperial Capital... it became certain. Second Prince Fernandez is plotting a rebellion."
"..."
"The information is too large and weighty for me to handle... I really didn't know what to do..."
"..."
Truth be told, I already knew.
The [Fernandez's Rebellion] event.
It's the largest turning point in the second year of , where the Second Prince Fernandez instigates a rebellion to seize the imperial power.
If the biggest branching event of the first year was recruiting Dusk Bringar,
Then the biggest branching event of the second year is Fernandez's conspiracy.
At this point, the empire is divided into two: one faction led by First Prince Lark and another led by Second Prince Fernandez. Even the monster front must choose a side.
Whom to align with. Whose side to take.
'In the game, the structure was simpler.'
1. Aligning with Crown Prince Lark would grant you access to knight troops and various soldier-related benefits.
2. Siding with Crown Prince Fernandez would grant you access to mage troops and various administrative benefits.
In other words, depending on your choice, the focus of your frontline operations would differ. Additionally, minor branching paths were formed, and the game diverged up to its third-year operation.
Yes, it was bound to happen.
The issue was,
'The timing has been pushed forward.'
Originally, this event would only take place in the middle of the second year. But now, signs of it were already appearing in the latter half of the first year. The pace of the game was already beginning to differ from reality.
'Why has it sped up?'
Could it be because of me?
I, Ash, survived and protected the Silver Winter Merchant Guild along with Serenade. The southern front declared its own path.
I thought it was just a small snowball, a single flap of a butterfly's wings... but could it be distorting subsequent developments?
"..."
It didn't matter.
Though the timing had sped up, it was still within the scope of my clear experience.
My 742nd strategy wasn't futile. I knew how this world would move forward.
Even Fernandez's conspiracy, and the subsequent trends within the Empire.
Even if the pace had changed, it was still in my hands.
I would stick to my plan.
Serenade shivered slightly within the crook of my arm as I sorted out my thoughts.
"Your Highness, I am... afraid. I'm scared that I've come to know such information and don't know how to handle this heavy truth."
Serenade looked up at me with fear-filled eyes.
"Tell me, Your Highness. If Crown Prince Fernandez truly conspires against you, what will you do? What should I do?"
"..."
I stared intently at this intelligent yet naive person.
I had instructed the Merchant Guild to cooperate on intelligence, but I didn't expect that the fragmented pieces of information exchanged would lead them to the core of the long-hidden conspiracy.
'How smart must you be...'
Her cognitive speed was likely several times faster than mine.
My survival, as well as Serenade's, had a butterfly effect, distorting subsequent developments.
Yet, I was confident.
With my experience in strategy and Serenade's analytical skills, we could make it through.
Through the treacherous path to clearing this volatile world, we would find the one safe route.
"Serenade. I have one question."
So, I quietly asked.
"If I say I have a plan, but it looks to be a very dangerous and difficult path. Would you still follow me?"
"..."
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Serenade's face hardened, but she did not hesitate.
"Of course, Your Highness. The Silver Winter Merchant Guild will share its fate with you, Your Highness. We've been committed to that from the start."