"Your expression doesn't look so good."
Andre Wynz, the Red Lion, glanced up from reviewing the documents submitted by his subordinates, chuckling when he saw his weary friend enter the office with heavy steps.
The same friend who had been so confident when he left.
He had been the one to scoff at the reputations of the Three New Stars and the Black Lion, saying he didn't believe in any of it.
And his parting words were even more arrogant:
–As for the Fourth Prince, I'll try to capture him alive if I can, but if things don't go my way, I'll at least bring back his head. You deal with the aftermath.
Such boastful words, but then again, this friend had the skills to back them up.
Yet...
It seemed things hadn't gone as planned.
Thud!
His friend waved his hand as if too tired to respond, then collapsed onto the sofa across from him.
He removed the wooden mask that had been covering his face and tossed it onto the table.
The face revealed was that of a man so plain that you'd forget it if you saw him on the street. It was hard to imagine such a man had been the one to toy with Elric, the two Lions, and even the elite Imperial Border Guard Force before disappearing.
His features didn't hint at any extraordinary swordsmanship or stealth skills, nor did he exude any particular presence or dignity.
He was bland and nondescript.
That was the only way to describe him.
"But what about the Fourth Prince's head? You said you'd bring it back easily... Don't tell me you came back empty-handed?"
Yet, no matter how tired the man was, Andre still cherished him as a close friend to whom he would give his heart.
And as all good friends do, Andre was quick to poke fun whenever he found an opening.
"Come on, there's no way. Right? You were boasting so much before you left. There's nothing the 'Ghost' can't put in his pocket, right? Of course!"
The man known as the Ghost scowled deeply.
He was clearly annoyed and wanted Andre to stop, but Andre paid no attention.
"So, where did you hide it? Is it a surprise? A surprise like—"
"Shut up already!"
The man in the wooden mask finally snapped and shouted.
Of course, even this outburst was just more fuel for Andre's amusement.
"Oh? It looks like you really failed, huh?"
"Damn it! It's this cursed mouth of mine that's the problem."
The man, usually dignified and quiet, now regretted the arrogant persona he always seemed to adopt around Andre.
In truth, he had never imagined things would go so wrong.
When he left the Red Lion's territory, he had thought of it as little more than a casual stroll.
And the mission itself hadn't seemed particularly difficult.
Kidnapping or eliminating someone like the Fourth Prince wasn't an easy task, but that only applied when the prince was in the imperial capital or the imperial palace. In the borderlands, it should've been a different story.
In fact, he had successfully infiltrated several agents into the Border Guard and the Fourth Prince's personal guard and had nearly managed to throw the prince's defenses into disarray with hired assassins.
But then, something unexpected happened.
'Elric Melvinger… I didn't realize he was that skilled. What a miscalculation.'
He knew that the head of the Melvinger family was no ordinary man.
Elric was the sole disciple of the White Night, Augustine, a figure who was like a benefactor to him. He also knew that Elric had mastered his family's magic and was already considered a magus in his own right.
But by normal standards, "no ordinary man" simply meant he wasn't easy to deal with. To someone of his level—a 5th-chain Superior—Elric had seemed insignificant.
That's why, even knowing Elric would be there, he hadn't been particularly worried.
In fact, he had even considered paying his respects to his benefactor, Augustine, and greeting him briefly.
But once the battle began... Everything went wrong because of Elric Melvinger.
Elric's magic wasn't at the level of a mere magus.
At the very least, he was at the seventh circle.
He didn't know what training Elric had undergone in the Black Snowfield, nor what fortunate encounter he had experienced, but all the information he had was outdated.
And the problem wasn't just Elric's magic; his martial arts skills were impressive as well.
Though Elric hadn't wielded aura, the destructive power of his magic combined with his combat prowess was overwhelming.
In the end...
The man in the wooden mask had to admit it.
He had been too arrogant, too reckless.
And the Fourth Prince's abilities were far superior to what he had expected.
It seemed he had been away from the empire for too long, unable to keep up with the changes.
"So, what was the reason for your failure?"
Seeing that his friend had been lost in thought for a while, Andre moved to the sofa next to him.
"Just as they say, the waves behind push the ones ahead. That's all."
"Such a poetic way of putting it."
"Is that what it is? I still don't like this empire."
"The bigger the country, the bigger the talent pool. There are also many prestigious families with deep roots."
As someone who wasn't originally from the empire, the man in the wooden mask could only click his tongue at the reality.
The reason smaller countries and tribes couldn't stand against the empire, which occupied most of the continent, was due to the sheer difference in size and power.
"In any case, since you couldn't bring the Fourth Prince, we'll need to rethink our strategy."
Andre narrowed his eyes, looking at the large map covering one wall of the office.
It displayed the layout of Wynz Border Province, which he ruled, and the deployment of his forces.
Opposite that, it showed the imperial army, including the Imperial guard (Division directly under the imperial family), gathering in increasing numbers.
If not for the massive castle unique to Wynz Province, nestled between high gorges, the difference in military power would have overwhelmed them long ago.
Every time Andre looked at the map, he had to suppress the nausea rising in his throat.
Even Andre, labeled as the leader of the rebellion, didn't fully understand how things had gotten so out of hand.
Was it because he had rejected the Crown Prince's proposal to support him? Or had he fallen out of favor with the Golden Lion because of his expressed desire to give up his vassal title and retire?
Whatever the reason, both he and his subordinates had already been labeled as rebels, with no chance for explanation.
Since things had gone this far, Andre had decided to become a real rebel and tried to kidnap the Fourth Prince, dragging his friend into the plan.
Whether to use the prince as leverage in a new deal with the Crown Prince, or as an excuse to make the imperial army withdraw, they had hoped for anything, but everything had ended in failure.
If only they had at least brought back Prince Cromhel's head, they could have made a final stand, but they couldn't even do that.
"In the end, there's only one option left."
At the man's dry remark, Andre frowned slightly.
"To think that the sword sworn to defend the empire has now turned to make a pact with demons... My situation is truly pitiful. Ha!"
The justification given by the Crown Prince and the Fourth Inspection Bureau for labeling the Red Lion's forces as rebels was their alleged alliance with demons.
At this point, Andre thought he might have no choice but to go along with what they wanted.
At first, he had been repulsed by the idea, but... his friend's words, "This is no time to be picky," made him nod in agreement.
In truth, the preparations Andre had made for this were not just about bringing in the elusive Red Phantom or forming an alliance with the demon group known as Gregory.
Ding.
Andre lightly rang the bell on the table, and his adjutant, who had been waiting outside, entered and saluted.
"You called for me?"
"The emissary from Gregory, are they still here?"
"Yes, my lord. They've been waiting in the reception room for three days without moving, awaiting your approval."
Andre grimaced. It seemed the rumors were true—they really hadn't moved a muscle while waiting for an audience.
"Bring them in. Here."
Up until that moment, the emissary had only been someone Andre was reluctant to deal with.
But not anymore.
"As you command."
Without showing any outward emotion, the adjutant nodded, fully trusting the lord he served.
Andre sighed deeply again.
His decision could lead to the deaths of tens of thousands of his loyal subordinates.
Though he had earned the title of the Red Lion and become the ruler of Wynz Border Province, he had never been fond of war or killing. This moment felt unbearably heavy.
He wished for some kind of solution.
But as things stood, it didn't seem like that was in sight, and the bitterness in his mouth lingered.
***
"It's good that we're going to see the family head, but... hmm!"
"Is there something troubling you?"
Elric tilted his head, puzzled, as he watched Augustine's grim expression as they made their way to the Nerester mansion.
He noticed that even Gility beside him looked dissatisfied.
What was it?
Was it that they were wary of going to the Nerester family?
'Is there something going on?'
Augustine hesitated to answer Elric's question and finally sighed softly.
"Be careful of the old folks."
"...?"
"There's... something about them."
『You still don't get it? He's worried they'll try to steal his disciple away.』
Seeing Elric's confused expression, Mephistopheles chuckled knowingly.
[I know. You don't think I'm that clueless, do you?]
『…Eh?』
Still pretending not to understand, Elric spoke indifferently to Mephistopheles.
[By playing dumb, I make it harder for the elders and guests at the Nerester family to approach me, making it difficult for the Master to intervene.]
『Tsk! I knew it.』
Mephistopheles shook his head, realizing that someone as sharp as Elric couldn't have been unaware.
Just as Augustine and Gility had taken an interest in Elric, if the countless hidden geniuses and reclusive elders at Nerester family noticed him, Elric would be thrilled.
To learn as many different kinds of magic as possible.
And to restore and master the lost magic of his family.
These were two goals Elric had been pursuing for a long time.
『So, you're putting on a bit of an act this time, huh?』
[People keep nagging me, so I've decided to just play dumb for now. If this counts as overacting, then we're in trouble.]
『It's more like you have a keen sense for things that benefit you.』
Ignoring Mephistopheles' sarcastic remark, Elric turned to Augustine and asked.
"Master."
"What is it?"
"May I ask what relationship you have with the masked assassin?"
In that moment, not only Sean and Heize but even Gility turned their attention toward Elric.
It was a question they had all been curious about but had hesitated to ask until now.
"It's a past connection, you could say."
"...?"
"...?"
"...?"
"There's... something like that."
With that, Augustine shut his mouth, making it clear he didn't want to say any more.
In the end, Elric didn't push further and let the matter drop.
In the meantime.
The group soon arrived at the "Hill of Fog," where the Nerester family's grand mansion was located.
Normally, there would have been a thorough security check, but this time, likely because of Augustine and Sean, or perhaps due to a direct order from the family head, they passed through quickly.
And then...
"I heard you cut off the arm of Count Franz's son."
The first words Elric heard from Guy Nerester, the family head, made him chuckle in disbelief.
'Is my story public property or something?'
Prince Cromhel had said the same thing, but Elric had no idea how the information network of these people worked.
One thing was now certain, though.
As long as someone was watching, rumors about him would inevitably spread.
"As they say, old grudges never fade, even after ten years. But why do you bring it up?"
"This time, it might not be his son's arm, but the father's neck."
Guy had one of his servants bring out something he had prepared for Elric in advance.
Elric took it without thinking, but when he saw the writing on the front, his eyes widened.
–Summons.
It was a Golden Bull (Emperor's Decree), stamped with the Imperial Seal.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]