Chapter 7: From the Very First Day (2) In the lobby of the Sentinel Knights, two people stood watching Maximilian as he walked down the hallway.
"Tiana. You look like hell."
At her classmate Leon's remark, Tiana smoothed her expression.
"What are you talking about?"
Most of the new recruits for the Sentinels came from Empire Point—the military academy—but Maximilian's skills, grades, and conduct had all been below Tiana's.
Way below.
"I never had any expectations for him to begin with."
Yet, at this induction ceremony, Maximilian had taken center stage in the most prestigious position, while Tiana could do nothing but glare from his side.
"They say a knight is an independent contractor, anyway."
Tiana ran a hand through her red hair and sneered.
For a knight, individual capability was everything. It was a profession where results were clearly visible. Even if you were a commoner or from a lowly family, you could make a fortune. It meant that, at least in terms of income, it was a true meritocracy.
"Not the Sword of the Empire?"
"...."
Tiana gave a quiet snort.
Loyalty was nothing more than a romance of the distant past. In this day and age, no knight regarded such abstractions as their primary value. It was because of the limitations of status. As long as you were born in the Empire, if you weren't a noble, you weren't even given the chance to rise high. And even for an average noble, there was no beating a bloodline as insane as the Ebenholtz family.
"...Being the Sword of the Empire is a given. I'm just saying I intend to live well while I'm at it."
Of course, saying such things out loud would cause trouble.
Tiana's childhood dream had been to become the Knight Commander, but now it had shifted to becoming reasonably wealthy. If she worked hard as a knight for ten years, it was a perfectly achievable future.
* * *
I arrived at the crime scene with Julian. It was a mansion in a wealthy district of the Empire.
The police officers controlling the scene approached us.
"You've arrived."
A middle-aged detective gave a polite salute. Julian spoke.
"Lead the way, please."
"Yes. Please, come inside."
We followed the detective into the mansion.
"It's a bit of a mess."
The scene was a secret room in the basement of the mansion. Unidentified torture devices hung on the walls, and dried bloodstains were vivid on the floor. It was clear what had transpired here. The dead man had possessed some foul hobbies.
"The body was discovered in this basement."
I knew the outline of this case. The victim was one of the many pieces of noble filth in the Empire who deserved to die.
However, regardless of his misdeeds, murdering a noble was the most heinous crime under Imperial law. Furthermore, the elimination of noble-killers was one of the top priorities for an Imperial Knight.
"Take a look."
In my life before the regression, I hadn't been able to catch the culprit. Because I was a piece of trash.
...To be honest, I still didn't know who it was.
Twitch!
The virus beneath my left collarbone reacted minutely. My brow furrowed.
Is it Izenheim?
"The scene has been well-preserved."
Julian muttered as he scanned the surroundings. He picked up items inside with his gloved hands.
"But there's nothing in the way of clues."
I also searched for evidence.
Izenheim operates strictly as a cell-based organization; they are extremely sensitive and skilled at hiding their identities.
However, no matter how perfectly they try to disguise themselves, they cannot erase the unique 'traces' they leave behind.
"Maximilian. Have you found something?"
Julian asked suddenly. I shifted my gaze to him.
"These footprints."
I pointed to the faint tracks on the floor.
"Judging by the size, it seems to be a child."
That was what the shape suggested. But one must never trust appearances. They are an alien species. It's not even certain if they experience time the same way we do.
"I see."
Julian nodded.
"You've been assigned an interesting case for your first mission. Work hard, Maximilian."
He suddenly pulled off his gloves and raised an eyebrow at me.
"...By myself?"
Was it like this before the regression?
I didn't have a detailed memory of it. It was too long ago, and back then, I lacked both the ability and the will to properly handle such a case.
"Of course. Isn't this a good opportunity to test my subordinate's capabilities?"
Julian left just like that. He strolled up the stairs and vanished from sight in an instant.
"What the...."
Left alone, I looked around the dungeon once more.
While doing so, an old sketchbook in a corner caught my eye. It was something Julian had stared at intently for a few seconds earlier.
I picked it up. Every page was filled with distorted drawings.
One particular section grabbed my attention.
A painting of a park.
A 'trace' was found within it, and—
"...Found you."
The virus inside me reacted violently.
A residual energy unique to Izenheim.
It was a distress signal from one Izenheim to another.
"Detective."
"Yes?"
"Where is the nearest park from here?"
The bastard is hiding there.
And the man I remember as Julian is probably...
* * *
Julian reached a deserted park. Venturing deep into the woods behind a dilapidated fountain, he found a small wooden shelter. It was a hideout haphazardly patched together by children.
He peered cautiously inside. A small shadow was huddled there.
"...."
A child, trembling with fear.
"It's you."
Julian's voice was low and soft. The child looked up. They looked to be twelve, maybe thirteen at most.
A bloodless face, eyes filled with terror.
"It's okay. I won't ask you anything."
His duty as a knight clashed with his pity for the child. Julian was a knight who protected the Empire, but he knew the corruption and depravity of noble society better than anyone. There were far too many maggot-like nobles in this world.
"Come out."
He slowly extended his hand.
"It's alright."
The child seemed to hesitate for a moment, then eventually grasped Julian's hand with a small one. Julian grit his teeth at the fragile, thin sensation.
The child slowly walked out.
"Now..."
It was then.
Rustle.
The sound of footsteps came from the other side. Julian reflexively hid the child behind his back.
"...."
A man suddenly emerged from the shadows of the forest. The pale moonlight eerily illuminated his face, which was steeped in darkness.
Julian spoke his name.
"Maximilian."
Maximilian Albrecht Ebenholtz.
The man called 'Max' looked back and forth between Julian and the child, then nodded.
"Yes, Sir Julian. You may simply call me Max."
Julian didn't show it, but his mind was racing. Was he followed? No, that was impossible. He had been thorough in checking his surroundings. This fledgling knight didn't have the skill to deceive his senses.
There was only one conclusion.
I underestimated him.
"...."
Max said nothing. He was indifferent and cold. His ice-clear pupils stared at the child. A heat rose up Julian's spine.
However, this silence lasted only a moment.
A soft smile spread across Max's lips.
"The victim was a real piece of shit. Old man Essent. His notoriety was quite famous around here."
"...You've already investigated?"
"The police officers told me."
Max approached the child.
"A subhuman who committed acts too foul to even mention. Even if this incident hadn't happened today, I probably would have wanted to kill him myself eventually."
Still wearing that gentle smile, Max crouched down to the child's eye level.
"Did you kill him?"
He asked the child. Dried blood was caked all over the child's body. If one were to analyze the residual mana, identifying the true culprit wouldn't be difficult.
"Tell me honestly. We can help you."
The child looked up at Max. It was the kind of look that stirred a protective instinct—a coexistence of innocence and fragility.
"...Yes. That man...."
The child's voice trembled and stopped.
"You don't have to say any more."
Instead, Max leaned in close to the child's ear. He whispered something small. But there was no reaction from the child. Only their lips trembled faintly.
The next moment—Max's hand moved like a lightning bolt.
Swish—!
The air split. A rising blade drew a straight line across the child's throat. Julian's body froze. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of the sword at his waist. That split second felt like an eternity.
Should he draw his sword and stop him?
It was already too late. Hesitation had made him slow.
The child collapsed without even letting out a final cry, and red blood blossomed from the small body. The gushing blood from the frail frame created a thin river.
"Sir Julian."
Max returned to his usual indifferent expression.
"Under Imperial law, the murder of a noble is subject to summary judgment, regardless of the reason. Even if that noble was the world's greatest bastard."
The corner of Julian's mouth twitched minutely. He roughly wiped the child's blood from his cheek.
"...So it is."
He tried his best to maintain his composure, but a fragment of his voice trembled. He forcibly suppressed the various emotions surging within him.
"Couldn't we have arrested and interrogated them?"
Julian asked instead. Max looked down at the child's corpse and pulled out a cloth. He wiped the soiled blade.
"The evidence will remain on the body anyway. More importantly..."
Max's answer was calm.
"Who knows if things like this would grow up to be monsters that no one can handle?"
"...."
Julian thought as he forced a soft smile.
This guy is a total psycho.
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