A cold wind blows in the Imperial Palace.

"Who is this..."

"..."

"Isn't it Marquis Wolfgang..."

The Crown Prince, who entered the drawing-room looking exhausted, bit his lip as he looked at Wolfgang, who was sitting in a chair and leisurely drinking tea. He didn't know what he had done right to be so relaxed.

"Why have you called me? You still have a long way to go to solve the problems in the west."

"..."

The Crown Prince sneered at Wolfgang, who did not answer, with hostility. The only reason he could be so relaxed was one thing. The whereabouts of the ledger.

"Did you find the ledger?"

"I haven't found it yet."

"...And you called me?"

"Yes, I did."

-Grind.

"Are you playing games with me, Marquis?"

The Crown Prince, unable to suppress his rising anger, began to spew insults at Wolfgang sitting in front of him. His brazen attitude, coming empty-handed less than a week after he was ordered to find the ledger, was truly impudent.

"You called the Crown Prince of the empire to the drawing-room without having found the ledger?"

Wolfgang, who was stretching, replied with a relaxed smile.

"I may not possess it, but I have identified its location."

"...You found it?"

"Yes, I've identified who has it and even what the person with the ledger is thinking."

A smile appeared.

"Is that so...?"

The news of finding a weapon that could damage the Crown Prince's position was more welcome than any other news he had heard so far.

A smile that couldn't be hidden naturally formed at Wolfgang's words.

Now his weakness was gone.

If he was careful of Shartia, who was gaining momentum, and Truller, who was plotting behind the scenes, becoming emperor was only a matter of time.

Yes, as long as he was careful of Desmunt...

The Crown Prince, feeling a sense of elation, smiled and asked Wolfgang where the ledger was.

"Then where is the ledger?"

If he played his cards right, he could eliminate his weakness.

If he pretended to help and destroyed the ledger... after becoming emperor, he wouldn't have to worry about being played by Wolfgang.

Wolfgang, preparing the answer the Crown Prince was waiting for, looked out the drawing-room window and said.

"Who do you think has the ledger?"

"...I don't think this is a situation for you to be joking, Marquis."

"It's someone the Crown Prince also knows."

The Crown Prince suppressed his frustration at Wolfgang's words and said. He could play along with this level of joking from a loyal subject who had solved a big problem.

And since he said 'someone I also know,' it clearly meant there was a traitor within, so the Crown Prince thought of someone who usually enjoyed flattery and opened his mouth.

"Is it Marquis Pentaric? He has always demanded a lot."

"It's not him."

"Then is it Count Leven? He has a territory adjacent to the west, so he's someone who could certainly plot something."

"It's not Count Leven either."

The Crown Prince, gritting his teeth, said to Wolfgang.

"Stop with the questions. I don't particularly enjoy this kind of joke."

"You'll be surprised."

"I won't be surprised unless it was you who had it."

Just as he was getting impatient with Wolfgang's leisurely demeanor, who was dragging it out, Wolfgang leisurely lifted his teacup and said to the Crown Prince.

"It's in Desmunt."

The moment a name that should not have been heard from Wolfgang's mouth was spoken, the Crown Prince clenched his fists and his eyes trembled greatly.

"Marquis... what did you just say?"

He didn't know what he had just heard.

"It's just as you heard, Your Highness. The ledger is with Desmunt."

"If that's a joke, it's not a funny one..."

"It's the truth. Desmunt sent someone and brought a copy of the ledger."

-Grind...

"Why!!!! are you telling me this now!!!"

Wolfgang, watching the Crown Prince's enraged appearance as he slammed the desk, looked down at the shaking teacup and let out a faint smile.

"Calm down, Your Highness."

"Do you think this is a situation to be calm about?"

"It's not that big of a deal. It's just that the troublesome Duke of Desmunt has the weaknesses of the Crown Prince and Wolfgang. To be precise, it's the weakness of about 30% of the forces that support the Crown Prince. Many of them bought slaves, you see."

What's so good that he's smiling like that?

The Crown Prince frowned at Wolfgang's calm demeanor, made an expression of incomprehension, and sent out killing intent.

"Are you insane?"

"I am perfectly normal."

"How can you be smiling in this situation if you're not insane?"

Wolfgang, with his hands folded, began to tell the Crown Prince what had happened.

What would you do?

"Desmunt made an absurd request to me. In exchange for the ledger, they asked me to open up the authority of the west and the trade routes of the east."

"..."

"Would you accept, Your Highness?"

"If I could get the ledger."

"If that happened, you would abandon me, Your Highness."

"Marquis!!!"

Wolfgang, whose expression did not change even at the Crown Prince's shout, continued to speak in a gentle tone.

"A servant who has protected Wolfgang for decades came back injured. He said he was indiscriminately assaulted by Desmunt's butler."

"That bastard..."

"He was the one who brought the ledger."

"What...?"

"He said, 'You don't even know that...?' Kuhaha!!! He said he gave me a hard time."

"That son of a bitch... I'll kill him when I become emperor...!"

"Normally, it would be normal to get something in return for this, but Desmunt said this instead of handing over that friend."

-Swoosh.

"Choose between a territorial war and ruin."

'Haha,' a weak laugh echoed in the drawing-room.

"How scary. To fight a war with Desmunt, who has the most private soldiers in the empire."

"..."

"It's annihilation. Of course, Wolfgang will be annihilated. The assets we've been scraping together will be taken by them...! And if the ledger is revealed... Kuhaha!!!"

"...I said this is not a situation to laugh about."

"Shouldn't you be saying you'll help at a time like this? 'We can just frame it as Desmunt trying to lead a rebellion and move the imperial army.' A comfort like that would give me some strength, you know."

"..."

"Of course, if that happened, they would be the ones to really start a rebellion."

"...So you're going to wage an all-out war with Desmunt?"

"To be precise, it's not us, but the heretics who will do it."

-Bang!!!

The Crown Prince, who grabbed Wolfgang by the collar, glared at him as if to kill him and began to spew insults.

"You brought in the heretics...?"

"Yes."

"...You must be desperate to die."

"The ledger is with Desmunt."

"...Still!!!"

"Do we have a choice?"

"But this has crossed the line."

"Your Highness."

"I'm out of this."

Wolfgang, who coldly shook off the Crown Prince's hand that was holding his collar, straightened his clothes, put on a cold expression, and said.

"Don't act so naive."

"..."

"We are already in the same boat."

"Even I can't solve a situation like this. The Crown Prince's... no, the imperial family's position may be in danger."

"We just have to make it so that no one knows. A secret that only you and I know, Your Highness."

"...Shut up."

"Do you remember what you said back then? That if you couldn't become emperor, you would destroy Wolfgang."

"..."

"If I fall, you will naturally fall to the bottom as well, Your Highness."

"How dare you..."

"Everything will be resolved well."

"..."

"A territorial war is a war that is possible only with the permission of the imperial family. We give them time to prepare and then wage war, but..."

"..."

"What do you think will happen if Desmunt, who hasn't even declared a territorial war, is suddenly attacked by the heretics?"

Wolfgang looked at the Desmunt mansion visible outside the window and lifted his teacup.

"The Duke of Desmunt's family will disappear from the empire."

"What are you plotting..."

"Just sit still."

Wolfgang opened his cold eyes and gave an order to the Crown Prince.

"The capital is now..."

-Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!!

"In a state of emergency."

The one who was mad with power gave a faint smile and looked at the burning Desmunt mansion.

"It's beautiful."

----------------------------------------

It's burning.

"..."

The mansion that had not allowed anyone's intrusion for hundreds of years.

-Kill them!!!

-Kill every last one of them!!

-Everyone, risk your lives and follow the archbishop!!

It's burning.

Darbab, with calm eyes, slowly began to walk out of the office door, wearing black armor.

And in front of his eyes.

"ⲙⲁⲅⲟⲥ...(magician...)"

A fanatic of the heretics, filled with a thick killing intent, was blocking the way.

"An elf..."

Just as he said.

Darbab clenched his fists.

At the thought of being able to run wild after a long time.

"Interesting."

A smile forms on his lips.

Darbab, who clenched his fists tightly, looked at the elf who had drawn a dagger in front of him and said.

"Have you ever seen a meteor shower?"

A shadow is cast.

One.

No.

-Saaaaaaa...

Dozens of meteors began to fall towards the Desmunt mansion.

"It's not so beautiful up close."

The great magician of the empire began to advance towards the apostle.

Not in a hurry.

At a slow pace.

"What is your name?"

"..."

"My name is Desmunt Darbab."

It distorts.

The cold, blowing magic.

"I am the head of Desmunt."

It began to burn as if to tear everything apart.

The Desmunt knights were pushing back the battlefield, cutting down the cultists as if they were madder than the fanatics themselves.

"Kill them. Leave not a single one alive. Execute."

"Execute!"

"The ones before you are each a gold ingot worth 1000 gold."

"Gold ingots!"

"Are we men mad for money?"

"No, sir!"

"Then who are we?"

"We are men mad for slaughter!"

The Desmunt knight order was one that had protected its position even during the family's downfall.

Some had sworn loyalty to Desmunt out of gratitude.

Others had been raised in an orphanage managed by Desmunt itself and had sworn loyalty to the family.

These men, bound by sufficient money and solidarity.

"Kill them."

Surpassed the fanatics.

-Clang.

The cultists, seeing the knights approaching like a wave in heavy armor, felt with trembling eyes that something was wrong.

"...What is happening."

Fear began to dye the cultists at the sight of those they had expected to come to the battlefield in mere cloth rags, now clad in heavy armor.

Why.

"For Desmunt!!!"

Are they prepared?

As if they knew about this raid.

The cultist, looking at them with fear-drenched eyes, voiced their question to the inquisitor. How could they know of a plan that he, a believer, had only learned of today?

"Inquisitor-nim!!! All of Desmunt's forces are armed!"

"..."

"This is..."

Their blades were sharpened as if ready for war at any moment. So much so that one's face could be reflected in the blade.

No matter how wealthy Desmunt was, it was absurd for them to be constantly prepared for battle...

The flustered inquisitor parried the approaching knights' swords and asked the believer.

Where was the one who could resolve this situation?

"Where is the Apostle-nim...!"

"...That is."

"Quickly, take out the communication orb and inform the Apostle-nim. That there is an informant within."

"..."

"At this rate, we'll be annihilated."

"That is... I can't get in contact."

"...What did you say...?"

"The Apostle of Meekness-nim definitely said she would take care of the Desmunt matron and the Vice-Lord, and took 5 Archbishops with her..."

"You mean the Apostle of Meekness-nim was defeated?!"

"I can't get in contact with the Archbishops."

The battlefield begins to be colored by chaos.

And the greatest chaos of all was.

"It's a meteor!!"

A meteor shower, pouring down enough to bring down the entire mansion.

"Crazy Desmunt...!!!"

The inquisitor, looking up at the meteor shower falling from the sky with anxious eyes, wondering if they intended to kill friend and foe alike, began to flee the impact without exception.

For those who saw the meteor for the first time.

-Shwoooooooooooosh───!!!

"Run!!!"

It felt like witnessing an unavoidable disaster.

"Kuaaaaaaaaaak!!!!"

"The wounded, retreat to the rear!"

"I can't see ahead!"

A delicate voice began to be heard from the battlefield, where clouds of dust were swirling.

"Take up your weapons, everyone."

"...!!"

"The banquet I've so carefully prepared will become boring."

-Slice.

The huge greatsword, which cut down those in front without giving them a chance to question, began to approach, trampling on the falling corpses.

-Step.

"Who are you..."

-Step.

"Who am I? I am the master of this mansion."

The beautiful woman walking through the dust cloud smiled faintly and began to move her greatsword calmly.

A lion.

"It's been a while since I've held a sword, so it's not cutting as cleanly as it used to. I used to cut cleanly back in the day."

Rosanna, with a cruel smile, clad in black armor, began to approach the inquisitor.

"Come closer."

"..."

"Why do you hesitate? It's rude for a gentleman to keep a lady waiting."

Everyone began to be frightened by the sight of Rosanna, who moved her greatsword, which was bigger than her body, as if it were a toothpick.

No matter how much they borrowed the power of black magic, such a feat was impossible for anyone less than an Archbishop.

"You're a coward."

"Shut up..."

"A coward who is afraid of a lady."

-Shwoooooooooooosh...

Seeing the meteor falling once again, Rosanna smiled bitterly and muttered in a low voice.

"He's at it again..."

This is why you can't give him a chance.

The second meteor shower began to strike the ground to wipe out every last one of them.

-Thud...!

One.

-Thud thud!!

Two.

-Gukukukukukuku!!!

The inquisitor, feeling a thrill at the pouring meteors, looked at the collapsed mansion, clenched his fists, and sneered.

"I was scared because they said he was a great magician!!! Turns out he's a madman who kills his own allies!!"

No matter how strong their steel armor was, if they wiped out the battlefield along with the lives of their allies, they would suffer the same damage.

But.

[Distorted Mirror.]

That joy was ended by a single person.

-Advance!!!

The Desmunt knights, advancing through the settling dust cloud, were all sprinting, their bodies enveloped in black defensive magic.

And above them, the one the inquisitor had been searching for so desperately was approaching with cold eyes.

"Apostle of Meekness-nim!!"

The inquisitor, seeing the apostle, began to run as if he had witnessed a miracle. Because he was confident that even in this desperate situation, she would surely do something.

Therefore, to the sanctuary...

-Squash!

With the sound of the inquisitor being trampled, Elysia, who had descended to the battlefield, removed the protective shield she had cast on the Desmunt knights and began to approach Rosanna.

Rosanna, looking at Elysia, shouldered her greatsword and smiled.

"Are you the person Ricardo was talking about?"

"Yes, that's right. My name is Elysia. I am a person of the Saint-nim who was in charge of the Apostle of Meekness in the cult."

"I see... I thought it was strange that he fired more meteors than he promised."

"Haha... I may not be able to block them, but protecting is simple. Since the head of the Desmunt family specified a range that wouldn't harm others, I was able to protect them more easily."

"Still..."

It was then.

"Apostle of Meekness... how dare you.. betray us?"

An Archbishop who had survived the impact of the meteor began to approach Elysia with cold eyes.

At the steps of the Archbishop, who was approaching with excited eyes, cutting down the Desmunt knights who were blocking his way, Rosanna smiled faintly and went out to meet him.

"Please go to him. I will take care of this place."

"The head of the family ordered me to protect the matron."

"What did Ricardo say?"

"He said the matron would not be a target, so I should just put up a protective shield."

Rosanna let out a satisfied laugh and smiled.

"I may look like this, but I was a successful adventurer in my younger days."

"..."

"This much is nothing...."

Rosanna's greatsword begins to move, imbued with aura.

"It's not even as bad as our kids' playtime."

-Slice!!!!

*

Today, the dangerous Hamel mansion.

Inside the gloomy mansion, I was smiling as I looked at the young lady.

"Press it."

"Press?"

"Yes."

"How."

"Like this."

"Ung."

When I told her to press the button on the black bear-shaped hat, the young lady, who pressed it with a 'squeeze', wiggled her nostrils as she saw her own reflection in the mirror with perked-up ears.

"Ooooooooooh!!!!"

"Heuhat..."

"My ears perked up..."

"That's right."

"So now I have four ears?"

"No. They're toy ears, so you have two."

"Eeeeeeeek... no fun."

Looking at the disappointed young lady, I smiled faintly and said.

"If there's any danger, you can press this button firmly to perk up your ears."

"Okay."

"Like this?"

-Boop!

No sooner were the words out than the young lady, who was repeatedly pressing the button, smiled bashfully and moved the ears of the bear hat.

-Boop.

"Heehit!"

-B-boop!

"Heeheehee!!!"

As if the perking ears were very fascinating, at the sight of the excited young lady who gave it no rest, I smiled faintly, took her hand off the button, and said.

"Young lady."

"Yeah."

"You must not come outside from now on."

"Why?"

"Because bad people will come."

"Bad people?"

-Boop.

Startled by the words 'bad people', the young lady pressed the button on the hat to perk up her ears and shook her head vigorously.

"Is an investigator coming because I didn't pay my taxes?"

"No."

"Then who is it?"

"Bad people."

"Eeeeek..."

The young lady, looking out the window with worried eyes, let out a long sigh and then began to caress my cheek.

"Don't go."

"I can't."

"If you're not going to tell me, then stay here with me."

"I would like to do that, but I think they're going to destroy the mansion, so I have to stop them."

"...Eek..."

"No one will be able to enter the mansion, so you can rest comfortably."

Tang-tang-i, who was wriggling its tentacles as if boasting of its iron-clad defense, proudly flexed its tentacles as if showing off its biceps.

-Bear.

Gom-tang-i was the same.

"The cultists are coming."

"..."

"Dangerous people are coming to the mansion."

The young lady, with cold eyes, changed the atmosphere and asked.

"We just have to kill them all, right?"

-Saaaaaaaaa...

The young lady, whose light purple eyes had turned a deep purple, began to emit a chilling dark magic and harbor killing intent.

"Just kill them."

"..."

"I'll kill them for you."

I shook my head at the young lady's words and said.

"You can't."

"Whyyyy? I'm strong."

"Didn't we promise that you would only use black magic when it's really dangerous?"

"But still..."

"I will ask you when I'm in trouble. One of a butler's virtues is to protect their master."

"Ricardo, you're weak... you're always getting beaten up."

"I doubt there's anyone in the Empire stronger than me right now."

-Thud!

The mansion begins to shake with a huge sound. An opaque barrier blocked the intruder's attack and began to shimmer as if dancing.

"Don't go..."

The young lady grabbed my hand with anxiety.

-Boop.

"I pressed this, so don't go."

-Boop. Boop.

Why is she so cute?

With a faint smile, I extended my finger to the young lady.

"I promise I won't get hurt."

"...You never keep your promises."

"I can keep it this time."

"Eeeeeeeek."

The young lady hooked her finger and said.

"It's a promise."

I smiled faintly and answered the young lady's concern.

"Yes, I promise."