The Prozen Republic in the west. A nation separated from the Empire by three countries, it is the center of art and culture.
Professor ‘Jean Pierre’ of the Departnt of Political Sociology at Prozen National University pointed at a single photograph displayed on the projection screen.
“The Adeline murder case. A secretary from the Governor-General's Office picked a fight on the street with an ordinary college student from Genen. Perhaps the secretary made an advance, and Adeline may have rejected it. Either way, a clash occurred between the two parties in the process, and the secretary pulled out a pistol from his waist and fired a single shot.”
Bang.
He mimicked the gunshot with his mouth.
“This single shot pulled the trigger for a show of force.”
The topic of today’s lecture was the ‘Genen suppression incident’, which had beco a fairly major issue across the continent.
Hundreds of students filling the tiered lecture hall listened with bated breath.
“Genen burned in extre chaos for a short period of ti.”
The professor drew a circle in the air with the tip of his pen.
“As I always say, mana is a ‘human power’ more dangerous than firearms. The nature and attributes of mana differ from person to person, but there is one thing they all have in common. Mana whose emotions are not controlled always spreads like wildfire.”
Srrrk. Mana flowed out from the professor’s fingertips.
“College students of Genen, wizards who had been living in hiding, and others who studied mana rose up against the garrison forces, and the city fell into chaos in an instant.”
The mana wriggled as if alive and ford numbers.
59 and 187.
“According to the Empire’s official announcent, in the initial suppression process, 59 military and police personnel died, and 187 people were killed, including protesters and civilians. Even this may be a reduced figure, but for now.”
It was not a small number. The Republic’s students frowned as they imagined the scene of that day.
“If things had continued in this direction, Genen would surely have burned until it turned to ashes. The garrison’s incompetent response effectively placed the autonomous region onto a furnace. However, imdiately after that.”
The professor’s gaze sharpened.
“Tanks.”
This ti, his mana boldly engraved a single word.
“Hundreds of armored units, a mix of new and old models, suddenly deployed and entered all across Genen.”
The students began to murmur.
“With this level of force, you could easily wipe out an autonomous region. It’s a scale capable of conducting a full-scale war.”
Tanks are not re vehicles, so even those who can handle mana to so extent cannot help but fear them. That is because they fire high-performance shells condensed with mana and Mana Stones.
“If tanks of this number had struck the city, several thousand people would have died without difficulty. With a single shell, dozens of bodies would have been blown apart.”
The students expected as much as well. The Empire would thoroughly crush Genen as an example for the Gigantes terror incident, without caring how many died or in what manner.
“However, here is where another strange thing happens.”
Jean Pierre flipped the projection screen. They were photographs taken by the Empire’s reporter Alphonse. There were many destroyed structures and buildings here and there, but there were no scenes of damaged human bodies.
“The result: zero civilian deaths caused by tank bombardnt. However, 23 military and police personnel were imdiately executed due to their sudden actions. Among the protesters as well, 103 were executed.”
The professor circled the number [0 civilian deaths].
“The Empire announced that all reasons for imdiate execution were either excessive violent force exercised as protesters, being external forces not from Genen, or individuals whose identities could not be determined. Well, setting aside that this is an Empire-style announcent……”
It seed that at least the claim of zero civilian deaths was true. Even reporters inside Genen were saying that “the tanks did not touch civilians”.
“In the incident itself, one could say that several hundred people died, but as a result, Genen, which was on the verge of boiling over, cooled down in an instant. A situation where it would not have been strange for thousands or tens of thousands to die was brought to a close like this.”
The professor flipped the projection screen one more page.
“Therefore, we need to look at the individual who led this suppression.”
[ Maximilian von Albrecht Ebenholtz ]
“The heir of the great Ebenholtz family.”
There has never been a photograph of his face accurately taken and released outside the Empire. Perhaps in preparation for assassination or other threats, most images show only his back.
Well, he's such a famous face within the Empire that portraits are apparently circulating through word of mouth.
“He moved this massive army as precisely and efficiently as a single machine. He exercised extrely ticulous control over hundreds of tanks and tens of thousands of troops, extinguishing the flas of the autonomous region at an early stage, and wielded only rigorously restrained force. He crushed only the core of the protests and riots.”
The professor continued.
“He also had no hesitation in killing military and police personnel. The greatest enemy on the battlefield is a stupid ally. If so deranged soldier had fired a machine gun, or if a tank crewman had slightly turned the muzzle, far more casualties would have occurred in Genen.”
Maximilian cut down such people without rcy.
“He used the fear of tanks as a ans. But he handled it with extre strictness. There was even a sense of order in the way the tanks were maneuvered.”
Therefore, if one were to describe this Genen suppression in a single phrase.
“It was very imperial, but in so ways, very aristocratic.”
Both the word ‘Empire’ and the word ‘aristocrat’ describe a knight who appears quite rarely in the present age, where their once brilliant etymologies are fading.
Maximilian was a very interesting figure.
“Huh, is it already 3 o’clock?”
In the anti, the lecture ti had co to an end. Professor Jean Pierre banged on the lectern.
“Today’s assignnt. Describe in more than 10,000 characters the cause of the outbreak of this Genen incident, its developnt, the suppression process, and the repercussions it will have on continental affairs.”
Aaaaaah. Groans echoed. Jean Pierre waved his hand with a smile, and the students gathered their bags and filed out of the lecture hall.
“……Hmm.”
Before he knew it, the lecture hall was completely empty.
Professor Jean Pierre quietly gazed at the projection screen. He stared at Maximilian’s back as he stood there.
According to rumors, a knight with golden hair and golden eyes possessing very handso features.
However, he had never actually seen him.
But Jean Pierre, as a professor who expands from 'points' called individuals to 'planes' called history, knows Sebestian.
“Sebestian’s son.”
Sebestian, the Supre Commander of the Empire, was already old. Once a man who dominated the continent and left a powerful impression, he had now beco nothing more than a sword for the Emperor alone. A loyalist who does not defy the Emperor’s will, who rely carries it out.
That too was a kind of downfall.
The Ebenholtz family had originally been such a house, but a predictable man was academically uninteresting.
Could his son be different?
“Hoo.”
Jean Pierre let out a light sigh.
Through this Genen incident, he understood.
War was a fait accompli.
Therefore, the Prozen Republic, both this university and I, who lecture about ‘individuals’ while believing the Empire to be far away─
Soday, I too may co face to face with the golden eyes of the knight called Maximilian.
……That is, if he does not get assassinated first.
***
The New Year.
The streets of the Empire were dyed in festival colors. Fireworks embroidered the night sky, and the citizens greeted the new year’s wind while wishing for each other’s well-being.
In that season when everyone was excited, I received news that Yukia’s father, Eric’s body had been recovered.
I imdiately flew to the Western Border Region.
“……This way.”
A place that could hardly even be called a morgue, rely a freezer where refrigerant Mana Stones kept the temperature low.
There, my attendants and the guides who had assisted them were gathered.
“The body is reduced to bones, but the personal belongings are intact.”
An attendant held out a tray. I picked up a certain accessory from among the miscellaneous items.
A necklace made by thinly carving wood. It was a distinctive article of the Yaken race.
“.......”
This alone was enough.
I slipped the necklace into my chest and gave instructions to the attendant.
“Collect the rest and bury them in the sunniest place in the Empire.”
“Yes.”
......After that, I boarded a plane again and returned ho, and just as I was about to get so rest.
An unexpected guest ca to see .
“Ah. Hello, Sir Knight. I apologize for the discourtesy of visiting at such a late hour.”
It was Inspector Josef from the Imperial Central Police Bureau. He ca inside with a face full of tension.
Perhaps because rumors of the Genen incident had spread, quite a few people these days were excessively afraid of .
“What is the matter.”
"The thing is...... a strange serial killer has appeared in our jurisdiction lately."
Josef handed over an investigation file.
“It’s too personal to be called terrorism, and to call it simple mur...... the culprit is marking them.”
I opened the file. They were photographs of the murder scenes.
All of the victims’ bodies had their chests opened like a cross, and a clear mark [??] had been left in blood at the exact center of their foreheads.
A serial killer who leaves his own mark, in other words, one who asserts himself.
“There are mana residues left behind, but they are so subtle that...... I’m sorry, but with our abilities, we can’t get any grasp on it at all.”
The police inspector watched my reaction carefully.
“You are the knight who solved the brain-eater case, and there are many rumors that you are among the top in the Empire when it cos to analyzing residue mana, so......”
“Many rumors?”
“Ah, yes! Of course! You’re an authority, an authority!”
I had only been dealing with the accumulated workload, but it seed I had earned quite a good reputation before I knew it. Thanks to the virus.
“If you are too busy with official duties─”
“No.”
I shook my head as I closed the file.
“I’ll take it.”
Josef’s face brightened. I tapped the date of the incident written on the front of the file.
A murderer who draws crosses.
There was such an incident from before my regression, and I rembered it.
It was a mission well worth taking.
***
A certain day in mid-January.
Without delay, Genen’s new appointnts were announced. I personally placed selected individuals into the vacant positions left by the executed departnt chiefs.
The criteria were clear.
It didn’t matter whether they were commoners or nobles. Background or family lineage was not a consideration.
Tracing back my mories from before regression, I selected particularly competent working-level officials from the New Cabinet, or talented individuals who had been outstanding but had never seen the light of day due to being blocked by those above them, and for financial matters, I took recomndations from Dieter.
"Then, we will now hold the inauguration ceremony for the newly appointed officials of the Genen Autonomous Region."
The grand hall of the Governor-General's Office building. In this place filled with people, Governor Fabian stood on the podium.
I stood two or three steps behind him, slightly to the side.
“New Departnt Chief of Internal Affairs. Hermann Krauss.”
As his na was called, a man with a small fra walked up with trembling steps.
An administrator who had graduated second in his class from the Imperial University’s Departnt of Public Administration, but had remained rely an official in the 30-sothing district because he ca from the lower district. Coincidentally, he was soone who had completed his studies with a scholarship sponsored by the Ebenholtz Foundation in the past.
He had the ability to restore Genen’s administrative network.
“I hereby appoint you as Departnt Chief of Internal Affairs of the Genen Governor-General's Office.”
The governor extended his hand for a handshake. Hermann clasped it.
Receiving the letter of appointnt and the inauguration plaque, he ca toward .
I gave him a small nod with my eyes. I could see his legs trembling.
“H, Hermann Krauss.”
“I know. You received support from Ebenholtz.”
“Y, yes. Thanks to that, I was able to graduate from university...... safely.”
I patted his shoulder a few tis, and he stepped down from the podium with a face that looked as though it might lt away.
“New Departnt Chief of Land. Erika Giono.”
Next was Erika Giono. She had been recomnded by Dieter. That ant she was an employee Dieter trusted quite a bit.
“New Departnt Chief of Industry. Harman Hein.......”
Like that, one by one, key positions were filled.
The atmosphere among the audience was strange. The bewildernt was especially evident on the faces of the reporters.
The reason was simple.
They didn’t know who these people were.
Nevertheless, the appointnts continued in that manner, and finally.
“Second Secretary.”
Second Secretary. The very position once held by the culprit of this incident, the one who murdered Adeline. A title positioned close to the Governor, positioned just below the departnt chiefs.
“.......”
The Governor paused for a mont. He knew the na written on that paper. It would probably be a highly controversial appointnt.
However, he soon opened his mouth.
“Elias Walter.”
At that mont, the hall stirred.
The Student Council President of the recent Genen protests. The man who had ordered the peaceful dispersal of the rally, only to be shot down by an ideological criminal who refused to comply.
Elias returned dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.
Step. Step.
He walked confidently. The bandages wrapped around his chest protruded out over his shirt, and there was no hesitation in his stride.
As he ca up onto the podium, the Governor spoke.
“Elias Walter. I hereby appoint you as the Second Secretary of the Genen Governor-General's Office.”
A emotionless handshake. After receiving the letter of appointnt and the inauguration plaque, he took a few more steps and stood before .
Elias looked at . I looked at him in return.
Eyes that had been coldly refined, the eyes of soone who had faced reality.
I liked it quite a lot.
“You got out of prison faster than I expected.”
“......Thanks to you.”
The aning contained in his brief reply was deep.
“Keep the necklace from now on as well. It’s not a disposable item.”
“Yes.”
Smiling, I extended my hand toward Elias, who had bowed his head.
“Congratulations. Secretary of Genen, Elias Walter.”
He willingly took my hand.
~~~
rry Christmas everyone!??
~~~
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