Chapter 21

Ryan Diepelt hadn’t had a single thing go his way lately.  

“I can’t believe I’m stuck in some dust-ridden dump like this…!”  

For starters, he hated that he had ended up as the quartermaster of the Red Knights.  

Sure, the Red Knights were desperate to get on his good side, and it was tough dealing with the higher-ups from the aristocratic faction who kept trying to meddle in the quartermaster division.  

But dust was dust—no matter how much of it you scraped together, it was still just dust. Even if he managed to achieve something in this dirty place, the higher-ups would only see it as a minor feat.  

He still believed he belonged somewhere better than the quartermaster division.  

So he regularly met with the quartermaster officers, doing everything he could to make sure they knew that.  

“What? She left the premises?”  

Was she asking to have her head handed to her? Ryan tried to have Rodella Syveric captured after she slipped away from under Modilac’s Blade.  

Sure, that idiot Aivert Royden might have gone with her, but that guy wasn’t made to fight while protecting someone.  

He couldn’t even control his strength—he smashed everything he touched. How was someone like that supposed to protect a girl delicate enough to die from a mere graze?  

So Ryan had arranged an ambush.  

But—  

“Sh-she’s gone, sir!”  

The idiot lackeys from Viscount Linbeck’s side couldn’t even manage that. They said they’d lost all traces of her.  

He could understand not launching an attack if they were outnumbered while the knights were busy with some civilian relief mission or whatever.  

“But to vanish just like that…!”  

Scared off, no doubt!  

There was no way she just “disappeared.”  

More like they got terrified of Aivert Royden’s brute strength!  

Even if that were the case, couldn’t they have at least sabotaged that damn civilian relief work?

“That Azure Knights bunch has been around more lately, right? They even came by our house recently…”  

It was then that a group of commoners chatting at the next table caught Ryan’s ear.  

He frowned at the mention of the Azure Knights—but only for a moment.  

“What? Is your house okay?”  

It was an obvious question to ask if the Azure Knights had paid a visit. Ryan almost burst out laughing.  

That’s right—this was the reality!  

How could a government be run by these kinds of fools?

But the next answer twisted his face into a grimace.  

“I heard they don’t wreck things like they used to anymore. Apparently, the new quartermaster really keeps them in line.”  

“Really?”  

As the commoners kept whispering, Ryan’s fists clenched tighter.  

Quartermaster. That damn quartermaster!  

On the way back from Viscount Linbeck’s estate, the Diepelt family servants escorting him wore uneasy expressions.  

They’d brought him to a relatively upscale restaurant in this small city, but he looked ready to explode.  

And then—  

“What was her name again? That young lady from House Syveric…”  

“You know her too?”  

Voices from another table now joined in, chatting together.  

Ryan trembled with rage.  

“Ever since she showed up, it really feels like the Azure Knights are showing what a true knight is.”  

“Right? Up until now, we all thought the Azure Knights were just scary people…”  

“And the Red Knights—well, don’t get me started.”  

“Yeah, no need to even—”

That was as far as Ryan Diepelt could stand.  

“What did you just say about the Red Knights!?”  

Are you saying the unit I lead is worse than Rodella Syveric!?  

“Gasp!”  

He shot to his feet, his robe flaring open and revealing the unmistakable face of a high-born noble. The nearby commoners panicked and scrambled away.  

As they fled, leaving behind their half-eaten meals, Ryan seethed with fury, too proud to chase after them.  

Filthy little rats!  

“Who was it that suggested this low-grade restaurant! Who!?”  

He bellowed, kicking a chair aside.  

“How dare you bring me to a dump that caters to vermin like this!”  

—Crash!  

With that, he flipped the entire table over in a fit of rage.  

While he fumed and roared, the sentiment among the people began to shift.  

Maybe…  

A new order of knights—one that truly embodied chivalry—was finally rising in this empire.

* * *

A few days later, in the resplendent audience chamber of the imperial palace.  

Towering pillars supported the lofty ceiling, exuding the majesty of the imperial throne.  

On the red carpet stretching across the golden hall, two knights knelt on one knee, heads bowed.  

The Emperor, who had summoned both the Commander of the Red Knights and the Commander of the Azure Knights, was in a rather sour mood.  

“It’s been about two months since the ‘Thousand Faces’ was spotted in Red Knights’ territory, hasn’t it?”  

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”  

Commander Edric Sneed of the Red Knights seemed to be sweating.  

The “Thousand Faces.”  

A notorious killer who constantly altered their appearance with magic to the point no one could identify them—hence the nickname. Recently, this figure had stirred unrest across the Empire.  

When monsters had threatened the land, people had united in resistance. But as peace returned, they wasted no time indulging in their desires again.  

Some could not suppress the aggression born during wartime and turned it against others. Others used powers gained during war to control or harm civilians.  

The Thousand Faces was guilty of both.  

“Yet you still haven’t caught them? I heard they even crossed into Azure Knights’ territory a few times.”  

With the Emperor pressing again, Latine bowed his head.  

“I have no excuse, Your Majesty.”  

In truth, Thousand Faces had only lingered in his territory for half a day at most, but Latine did not bother to plead his case.  

What mattered was that they had failed to catch the killer.  

“It’s been two weeks since their last rampage. They used to stir up chaos every three days—feels like they’re gathering strength. I’m growing uneasy.”  

Whether he was uneasy or not, his displeasure was certainly clear.  

“For this matter, jurisdiction will no longer matter. I expect results—good ones—by the end of this month. I trust you understand what it means that I’ve summoned you both in person.”  

In other words: If you don’t catch them soon, there will be consequences. 

As the two commanders lowered their heads in acknowledgment, the Emperor asked, “I trust you’ve made proper plans to catch them?”  

It was essentially a question aimed at the Red Knights’ Commander, since the culprit had mainly operated in his territory.  

“O-of course! We’re retraining the knights and mentally reinforcing their discipline!” Edric declared with forced confidence.  

But the Emperor frowned and asked flatly, “So you weren’t doing that before?”  

“…Excuse me?”  

As the befuddled Edric stammered, Latine responded calmly and firmly, “If jurisdiction no longer matters, the Azure Knights have made their own preparations. I will submit a report.”  

“Oh?”  

The Emperor’s interest was piqued by his confident tone.  

But just then, Edric let out a faint scoff and muttered, “This is someone who escapes even when unconscious and handcuffed. What exactly do you plan to do? Planning to disappoint His Majesty?”  

Though Edric’s voice was barely audible, it was clearly a sneer aimed at Latine.  

You Azure Knights think you can catch that monster? Don’t make me laugh.  

Latine didn’t bother to respond in kind. Instead, he said, “A knight answers with results. I will not disappoint Your Majesty.”  

No matter how powerful Latine might be—strong enough to earn the title “Modilac’s Blade”—no war was won alone.  

If Latine had learned anything from the battlefield, first thing to know was how to read a room, and second, how to survive it.  

This time, his tact greatly pleased the Emperor.  

“As expected, dependable as ever. I’ll place my trust in you.”  

The Emperor smiled.  

“See to it that I hear of your success before this month is over.”  

At that, the two commanders locked eyes.  

‘Let’s see you try.’  

Edric’s gaze burned with challenge.  

‘Tiresome fool.’  

Latine’s eyes, in contrast, seemed to click his tongue.