“Is this how you treat a guest? Not even offering me tea?”

“Would you like some tea, then?”

“No. Tea has never been to my taste.”

“Then perhaps coffee?”

“Coffee? Why drink something so bitter? Besides, it keeps me awake at night.”

“Good. We have neither here anyway.”

At that, Duke Heibach chuckled, as though Ludger had just landed a clean hit.

“Haha! You really are a delight, Teacher.”

“Please call me Director while we’re in the Planning Office.”

“You’re still a teacher, so why should I call you Director?”

“Because this is the Planning Office. If you wanted to call me ‘teacher,’ you should have visited my classroom instead.”

“A shame. I should have gone to the classroom, then.”

“So, what brings you here?”

“Hmm?”

Heibach tilted his head, pretending not to understand—like an old man feeding pigeons on a park bench, as though he had no connection to the bustling affairs of the world.

“You don’t need to play dumb. Someone as busy as you wouldn’t have come all this way for a trivial reason.”

“Well, that’s an exaggeration. I’ve already stepped away from affairs of state. I handed over my position to my son long ago. I’m just an old man in a dusty backroom now—why overestimate me so much?”

“And yet you’re the one who pulled the strings that pushed Ranpaltz to the brink.”

This time, Heibach’s eyes narrowed slightly in genuine surprise.

“Oh? And how did you find that out?”

He made no effort to deny it.

“We don’t sit idly by, either. And tell me—who do you think is gathering all that money?”

“Even so, you’re only Seorn’s Planning Director. You’re sharp in handling internal matters, but I doubt you’d be as informed about external ones.”

“I have a friend who brings me news from outside.”

“Ah, by any chance... would that friend be this ‘Oliver’ who’s making waves lately?”

“......”

Ludger’s gaze hardened as he stared directly at him.

Heibach grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying the one-on-one exchange.

“But is this acceptable for Seorn?”

“What do you mean?”

“A teacher holding another job on the side.”

Of course.

He knew everything.

Now Ludger understood why people found Heibach Kadatushan so troublesome.

He acted detached, as though indifferent to worldly matters, but in truth, he was more sensitive to shifts in power than anyone.

And with that smiling face, he poked at other people’s secrets without hesitation.

He was the very definition of a sly old man.

“You just thought I was sly, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“......Most people would politely deny it, you know.”

“Since when have we bothered with polite denials?”

“...Fair enough.”

Heibach chuckled again.

“So, did you get permission from the Headmaster to hold a second job?”

“Seorn doesn’t interfere in what its instructors do outside their class hours.”

“A dream job indeed. Good pay, no meddling.”

“And yes, the Headmaster gave me permission. So, was this the reason you came? Just to confirm that?”

“Hm? No, no, that’s just a side matter. I came here for a different reason.”

“And that reason is?”

“To thank you.”

Ludger frowned, clearly unconvinced.

“Thank me? For what?”

“For cutting that arrogant brat Cayden Lumos down to size.”

“Just for that?”

Ludger sounded almost exasperated, which caught Heibach off guard.

“Oh? You’re not surprised?”

“Why would I be?”

“I just mentioned Cayden Lumos. Isn’t it shocking to hear that he was the one who pushed Ranpaltz into this mess? Surely that’s a secret worth being surprised about.”

Ah, so that was what he meant.

“I already knew.”

In fact, he had heard it not ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) ten minutes ago.

Of course, he didn’t mention how.

“Tsk. I wanted to surprise you, but as always, you’re a step ahead.”

I wonder what expression he’d make if I told him that a Lumos family member whispered it to me directly...

But Ludger discarded the thought.

“So, you came to thank me for dealing a blow to another Duke?”

“Pretty much. I know you didn’t do it for that reason, of course.”

“We only responded to the situation as best we could. That Cayden happened to be involved was pure coincidence.”

“True, but even if it was unintentional, you still landed a solid hit. That man may act composed, but he’s petty—he’ll definitely hold a grudge. So yes, I’m quite pleased.”

Heibach smiled, clearly entertained by the thought.

“But that’s still not the main reason I came.”

“Another layer to this? You’re like a box within a box.”

“Call me an onion instead. Peel away as much as you like—there’s always another layer. That’s the charm of this old man.”

“Your charm is enough to bring tears to one’s eyes.”

Ludger’s remark was meant as sarcasm, but Heibach laughed heartily anyway.

“Aren’t you curious, though? Why an old man like me still keeps track of politics so closely?”

“It’s probably just habit, given your position.”

“Half right. At least you didn’t call it a nasty old man’s hobby.”

“So, I’m half wrong, then.”

“Exactly. And the other half is the real reason I came to see you.”

As he spoke, Heibach’s expression shifted.

The playful old man vanished, replaced by the sharp gaze of a calculating leader.

It was as if he had put on a mask—or flipped a switch.

Even Ludger felt himself tensing at the change.

“As you know, I keep track of these events not just out of habit. This isn’t a hobby—it’s my duty.”

“Your duty?”

“Yes, duty. Tell me, Teacher, do you know what role the Kadatushan family serves in the Empire?”

“That you’re one of the Three Great Ducal Houses.”

“And?”

“That your family crest is a goat, and you’re connected to various media and intelligence networks.”

“Oh-ho. You know more than most. That’s right. The Kadatushan family is more attuned to the Empire’s political currents than anyone.”

His eyes gleamed with the wisdom of a man who had seen decades of power struggles.

“People say eagles soaring high in the sky understand the Empire best. But that’s wrong.”

For a brief moment, Ludger thought he saw the faint silhouette of a goat with long, spiraling horns behind Heibach.

“It’s those bound to the ground who know it best. A mountain goat can climb the steepest cliffs and see every crevice of the land below.”

“......”

“And as the head of such a family, of course I know everything about the Empire. For example... that the new Seorn instructor is the same man who has been rapidly building wealth in Rederbelk’s underworld.”

The weight of his words pressed down on Ludger’s shoulders.

Heibach was neither mage nor knight.

He was simply an ordinary man, with no combat training or magical prowess.

Yet his presence was immense—like a towering mountain formed from years of accumulated power and experience.

It was the authority of someone who had survived countless storms and remained unshaken.

“...And yet, for someone so well-informed, you missed what was happening in the Capital.”

“Haha! A fair point. You’ve struck a sore spot.”

Heibach shrugged, still smiling.

“The capital is the only place within the Empire that is not under our jurisdiction. The Imperial Family resides there, and we must not concern ourselves with anything within the Imperial Family’s sight.”

“And why is that?”

“Because we are too competent.”

“......”

“I’m not joking. If we wished, we could track the Imperial Family’s every move. But no matter how skilled we are, we are still just a ducal family—challenging the Emperor’s authority is impossible. That is why a treaty was established. The capital is off-limits.”

Then, Heibach continued.

“However, if we find someone outside the capital who might pose a threat to the Empire, we act without hesitation. That is the way of House Kadatushan.”

“So that’s why you came to see me? Here in Seorn?”

“I needed to confirm something. Seorn may be a separate location, but it is still within Imperial territory. So allow me to introduce myself properly once again.”

Heibach spoke the title he had not revealed during the banquet.

“Former Director of Intelligence, former Head of the Nightcrawler Knights, and the Eye that Watches over the Empire. I am Heibach Kadatushan.”

Ludger quietly observed Heibach.

It was difficult to read the intent hidden in the man’s gaze.

‘I knew he wasn’t just some ordinary old man.’

One of the three great ducal pillars of the Empire.

Of course, such a person would never be ordinary.

But hearing it from his own mouth was still beyond anything Ludger had imagined.

“For someone so esteemed to come looking for me, I must have drawn quite a lot of suspicion.”

At Ludger’s words, Heibach lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“Suspicion? That’s putting it mildly. You’ve repeatedly shocked me with unbelievable results. This is the first time I’ve been this surprised since I found traces of those Black Dawn bastards.”

“Thank you for holding me in such high regard.”

“Thank me? I simply evaluate things as they are.”

Ludger placed his clasped hands on the desk.

The fact that this man had introduced himself once again showed how serious the situation was. Even a moment of carelessness would mean having his throat torn out.

“So, have you come to capture me? For the Empire’s stability?”

“And what if I had?”

Heibach’s gaze suddenly sharpened, piercing into Ludger.

For a brief moment, it felt as if a blade had been thrust straight into his chest.

Even Ludger, who had become immune to most forms of killing intent after enduring Grander’s overwhelming presence, felt the weight of it.

But Ludger was no less experienced.

Though he might have lived fewer years than the man before him, the density of his life had been very different.

“You’re lying.”

“And why do you think that?”

“If that were the case, you would have already brought your family’s forces to capture me—or summoned the Nightcrawler Knights.”

“You think it’s because I came alone that it’s not the case?”

“If the matter was important enough for Duke Heibach himself to get involved, then it is far from trivial. Yet you came here personally, revealed your identity, and are questioning me directly.”

Ludger pointed out the strange inconsistency in Heibach’s attitude.

“You want confirmation, don’t you? You still can’t determine whether I’m an enemy of the Empire.”

At those words, Heibach’s previously expressionless face twisted.

Then deep wrinkles creased his face as he burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahahaha! You really don’t let your guard down, do you, Professor!”

“So, is the verification process complete now?”

“Verification? That was finished long ago.”

Ludger’s eyebrow twitched.

Finished long ago?

“You look confused. Think, Professor. Look at everything you’ve done so far.”

“And what have I done?”

“Heh.”

Ludger genuinely asked, and for once, Heibach seemed almost surprised.

“You truly have no self-awareness? I can’t decide if that’s reassuring or troubling.”

“Is there some problem?”

“No. Quite the opposite. You possess an unbelievable level of skill, yet you haven’t done anything that could be considered a threat to the Empire.”

“That’s... quite the compliment.”

“Of course, you do shady things in the underworld as a side job, but such things aren’t uncommon.”

“Most wouldn’t exactly call that common.”

What kind of teacher hides his true identity and works in the criminal underworld?

Ludger almost said that but stopped himself—it would have been like throwing mud on his own face.

“You revitalized a dying district, dismantled gangs, and didn’t squander the money or power you gained. If anything, you’ve been a benefit to the Empire.”

“I see.”

“I also heard you played a significant role in the incident in the capital. Then you presented a new magical theory at the Arcane Chamber and even taught students magic techniques unheard of before. And most importantly... the Imperial Family trusts you.”

“Well, that’s...”

That was because he had made a shady deal with the First Princess.

Still, Heibach surely knew that, and even with that in mind, he must have concluded there was no reason to view Ludger negatively.

“And what if everything I’ve done has been a lie?”

“That’s why I came here to confirm it personally. But after talking with you and seeing you myself, I can put that worry to rest.”

“You’re drawing that conclusion based on just this conversation?”

“That is my duty and my role. If I’m wrong, then it just means my abilities weren’t good enough. Nothing I can do about that.”

For someone who might be facing a potential future threat to the Empire, his response was astonishingly carefree.

“But since I now know you’re not a threat to the Empire—in fact, you’re even helpful—I’d like to ask you for one favor.”

“...A favor?”

“Yes.”

Heibach’s smile disappeared completely as he spoke.

“I know you’ll be attending [GeheimnisNacht].”

Ludger nodded.

At this point, almost no one in the Empire was unaware of it; invitations had already been sent.

“I want you to kill someone during [GeheimnisNacht].”