Chapter 51: Head-Eater I sit in the manor's study, quietly drafting a hit list.
*
Johann: Vice President of Golden Gate Trade. Porn Sommer: Lieutenant Colonel of the Imperial Guard. Gero Patten: President of the Western Jeffston Bank. Mario Chalmer... *
These were the Izenheims I had identified during the recent charity event.
I almost wished they were members of the Revolutionary Group instead. If they were, they would have left traces behind in some form, and purging them would be a simple matter.
Knock, knock—
Right on cue, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
It was Schatz. She approached with a much healthier complexion than before, her movements imbued with a newfound grace. It seemed her professional training at the main estate had been quite rigorous.
"This is the target list."
I handed her the hit list.
"These five. Keep them under constant surveillance."
"Yes, sir."
"How is the training at the main estate going?"
"It is proving to be of great help to us."
The person in charge of their education was Engie. As of yet, there is no one in this world I trust more than him.
"Then, take the day off today and go have some fun."
"I am fine, sir."
"It's not for you; it's for your team."
I wrote out a check and handed it to her.
"You are the leader of a team now. You need to learn how to look after your subordinates."
"...Yes. Thank you."
A faint smile brushed past Schatz's lips.
"How is the Genen Annex coming along?"
"It is nearly complete. We plan to begin official operations next week."
Soon, an 'Annex' would be operational in Genen. It was a space established by carving out a portion of a Knight's authority—in simpler terms, an outpost.
"Schatz. In a few years, your enemy will come to that place."
Schatz gazed at me silently. A strange light flickered in her transparent eyes. Her desire for revenge had frozen into something quite cold.
"Yes. I shall be waiting for that day."
"Good. You may go."
Schatz departed. I turned my attention back to the table.
The next task involved the mountain of investment proposals sent from the Kanilan Independent State. Their appeals to catch the eye of a high-net-worth investor... were essentially efforts to fleece me of my money.
"Kanilan."
Kanilan was a country well worth exploiting. Even before my regression, they had strictly maintained their neutrality. Their highest value was neither ideology nor honor, but solely 'money.'
However, it was precisely because of that trait that Kanilan would soon face a massive crisis.
"What was it again?"
Compared to the Empire, Kanilan's financial industry had developed in a deformed manner. Their bottomless greed for capital had given birth to a very vulgar limitation: an economic depression triggered by human desire.
I combed through my memories with the help of the Virus.
──[Kanilan Economic Review]──
The Tower of Greed Has Fallen – Questioning the Roots of the Kanilan Financial Collapse
Kanilan's growth has ended. This island nation, which once dreamed of becoming the continent's premier financial hub, has suddenly found itself facing a nightmare of a fall...
(Omitted)
...Kanilan's banks vied with one another to lend massive amounts of capital to tech startups and real estate developers. The only collateral provided were intangible future technology patents or empty fields where development had barely begun. In reality, these were high-risk, non-performing loans that bordered on speculation.
Instead of holding onto these dangerous loan bonds, the banks sliced and mixed them. Then, they cleverly repackaged them with safe bonds issued by blue-chip companies, creating derivative products with the plausible name of 'Corporate Debt Obligations' (CDOs).
Investors poured money in without suspicion. There was an endless cycle of wash trading and astronomical performance bonuses for financial executives. Under the guise of market autonomy, Kanilan stood by and watched all this madness...
Then, in an instant, everything came crashing down. A chain reaction of defaults occurred, and the bomb of derivative products—now reduced to scraps of paper—swallowed the Kanilan economy whole.
*
Currently, Kanilan was filled with bubbles, and they were bound to burst soon. This was also the primary reason Kanilan claimed to be a neutral country during the war. They needed to make money by selling weapons to the Empire.
I planned to take profits on my Kanilan stocks at their peak and then bet on the subsequent crash.
Beep—
A message arrived on my terminal.
[Tomorrow night, 10 PM. The garden outside the Magic Tower.]
[Come reclaim the head.]
It was from Ezel.
The Head-Eater. There wasn't much time left to deal with this enemy of the Empire.
*
A lounge in the middle levels of the Magic Tower.
Ezel Luncelot sat drinking coffee, waiting for someone.
"Oh, Mage Pexy! Over here!"
Pexy approached from the opposite side. The method Ezel had used to keep her close all this time was simple.
"I've discovered another new spell."
While conducting the same research in the same lab, she slowly leaked details of the investigation related to the Head-Eater. If Pexy were the culprit, she would naturally pay attention to any talk of suspecting the Head-Eater, and indeed, she had stayed consistently by Ezel's side.
"A new spell?"
"Yes. This way, first."
Ezel stood up naturally and entered the elevator, handing Pexy a paper where the magic was recorded.
"「Chimera Brain」?"
"Yes. I mentioned it before, didn't I? There must be a reason why the Head-Eater insists on eating heads at specific intervals. This spell fits that perfectly."
Ding.
The elevator reached the first floor. Ezel walked side-by-side with Pexy, repeating the words she had said to Max.
"...So, to maintain the body, one must consume brain energy. According to my calculations, the Head-Eater's next murder will occur within the next month at the latest."
Stepping outside the Magic Tower, Ezel turned her back to Pexy. In moments like this, even she felt nervous. Her own head could be eaten, after all.
"I see. That sounds persuasive."
But Pexy did not attack. Instead, she stepped forward and offered a kind smile.
"Have you told the police?"
"No. It's still just a theory for now."
At a glance, she didn't look like a culprit at all, but Ezel was already half-certain. In fact, in the handwriting of the document Ezel had handed to Pexy, one specific letter had been written ambiguously.
「'Ca'mera Brain」
It was faint, but it could be read as either 'Chi' or 'Ca.' Camera and Chimera. Which would be more familiar? Even for a mage, 'camera' would be the more common word.
Out of ten people she had tested with the same method, every single one read it as the Imperial word for 'camera.'
Except for one person: Pexy.
"I'll help you with the calculations. The margin of error might change, after all."
Pexy readily offered her help, but Ezel shook her head with a bitter smile.
"...No. There's no need for that."
Another figure emerged from the darkness. The streetlights illuminated him.
The Sentinel Knight, Maximilian.
Pexy's eyes widened.
"Sir Knight?"
Maximilian, appearing right on time, faced Pexy and handed her a document stamped with the Sentinel seal. Simultaneously, he snapped handcuffs onto her wrists. They were magic-suppressing cuffs that disrupted the flow of mana.
"Pexy von Arjen."
Maximilian called her name.
"As of today, you are detained for 35 days."
There was no need to notify her of any other principles. This was a unique authority held only by Knights in the Empire.
*
I detained Pexy von Arjen, a 5th-rank mage of the Sentio Magic Tower, in the Knight Order's dungeon. Since this was unprecedented, the Magic Tower immediately sent a letter of concern.
Jun Kandel, her benefactor, was reportedly furious.
Is the reason he hasn't acted rashly yet because of his sister's restraint? Or is it for the sake of his own dignity?
First, I had a meeting scheduled with Vice Commander Anton.
"..."
Across from me, Anton looked at me with a quite serious expression.
"Knight Maximilian. You are the first knight to order the detention of a mage from the Sentio Magic Tower. And without any reason, at that."
"I have a reason."
"You have no evidence."
I nodded.
"I understand. However, the Head-Eater has killed eight Imperial citizens so far. Two of them were nobles, and one was a child. To prevent further victims, I had no choice but to take this path."
"...Because you have no evidence?"
"Yes. Because there is no evidence, I decided to use the Knight's authority to obtain it."
"Will detaining her give you evidence? Do you mean to say you'll fabricate it openly?"
Anton's face became uncharacteristically angry.
"That is not it."
I handed Anton the magic circle and formula for 「Chimera Brain」.
"Pexy von Arjen is not Pexy von Arjen. Within the next 35 days, she will mutate into an entirely different person."
"...Mutate?"
"Yes. She is a criminal who devoured the brain of the original Pexy von Arjen through this forbidden magic."
Anton stared at me intently.
"May I take that to mean you have no intention of fabricating evidence?"
"As a noble of the Empire, I have never even considered such a foul deed."
Of course, I had considered it.
A faint sigh escaped Anton.
"The Magic Tower is a very large institution. Even we cannot treat them lightly. Nor should we. Furthermore, the target is a 5th-rank mage whose promotion to the 6th-rank is a foregone conclusion."
"It is fine."
"And why is that?"
"Because I am an Ebenholtz."
Anton's eyes widened in disbelief. He studied my face carefully before asking:
"Is this also for the sake of the Empire?"
I met Anton's gaze and smiled.
"...Vice Commander."
If I don't catch and kill the Head-Eater now, it is an Izenheim that will rise into the high ranks of the Empire.
"My convictions and principles operate solely for the Empire."
Therefore, I must strike it down the moment the opportunity arises.
*
Crash—!
Porcelain shattered. It was a precious white porcelain piece that Jun Kandel had won at a high price. He let out a guttural roar, smashing the furniture. Mana surged around the body of the enraged mage.
"Don't be so angry."
Jun flinched at the calm voice. He jerked his head around to glare at his sister.
"How can I not be angry? That bastard Maximilian—!"
"There's no reason to be angry, at least for us."
"What? You're—"
"Were you actually planning to marry that woman?"
Jun Kandel gritted his teeth. His sister tilted her head.
"Did you really? Did you harbor the intention of marrying a mere provincial noble mage?"
"..."
Jun's mouth clamped shut. His sister asked softly:
"Also, are you certain? The other side seems quite certain."
"Certain of what?"
"Certain of her innocence. Being by her side, did you never see anything suspicious about her?"
Scenes flashed through Jun's mind.
The times she coughed up blood, clutched her temples complaining of headaches, or secretly ran off to vomit... Such a frail appearance.
"She said it was a chronic illness. Because of that illness, she shouldn't be locked up. Pexy isn't just about marriage; she's an asset to the Magic Tower, no, to our Kandel family—"
"Endure it."
His sister stopped Jun Kandel, who was searching for any reason to rush to her.
"If it's a disease that kills in just 35 days, she wasn't an asset to begin with."
"Do you even hear yourself?"
"It is a perfectly rational judgment."
Jun was still huffing. His breathing had become too ragged. It felt like he would explode if she kept blocking him like this.
"What is Father doing? This is practically a declaration of war from the Ebenholtz!"
"Before that, could you even tell Father that you intend to marry a trivial woman like Pexy?"
"Damn it—!"
Jun let out a scream.
His sister suppressed a sigh.
"If you really want to do something, don't go yourself."
She continued quietly.
"Use the media, Brother."
"...The media?"
"Yes. From the Magic Tower's perspective, this is unprecedented. You can easily borrow the Magic Tower's influence and use the press as a weapon."
The Sentio Magic Tower was an institution with immense pride. They would never stand by and watch their honor be tarnished. Especially if the opponent was the Sentinel Knight Order.
"...Yes! That's it! That's exactly it!"
Jun Kandel rushed out as if he had reached an epiphany.
Sonette Kandel watched his retreating back with a bitter smile.
Using the media was a perfectly appropriate and effective response from their side. However, the problem was how the opponent would react afterward.
If the opponent were to be intimidated by the media barrage and fall silent, or merely retreat and wait, then he was a novice.
If he wasn't a novice—
"He won't avoid it."
Instead, he would enlarge the stage even further to clearly show his conviction to the entire world.
Maximilian Ebenholtz.
What kind of person was he, really?
Sonette sat quietly on the sofa and closed her eyes. She fell into contemplation, trying to trace the image of a man she had never met in person.
Why did he suddenly detain Pexy? What did he see in her? Where and how did he obtain the certainty to stake his life as a knight?
*
[Abuse of Power by the Sentinel Knight Order?]
[Knight Order Declares War on the Magic Tower!]
[Shocking! Ebenholtz Heir Forcibly Detains Mage]
While numerous sensational articles regarding Maximilian's detention of the Sentio Magic Tower mage filled the Imperial press, the Gemion Daily alone remained silent.
They, too, had received an offer of a massive donation from the Kandel family, but Editor-in-Chief Celine did not move hastily.
"What on earth is going on?"
"It's been a while since we've had an event like this~"
"Enjoy it~ Enjoy it."
Inside the editorial department, the reporters were also completely excited by the thrilling situation. It looked as though two giant powers—the Magic Tower and the Knight Order, Ebenholtz and Kandel—were about to clash over a single mage.
"But is that mage really Jun Kandel's lover?"
"The rumors are everywhere. There's even a bullshit rumor that Maximilian did it because he tried to hit on her and failed."
"Hey, that one's actually funny."
Editor-in-Chief Celine looked at Alphonse at the corner desk. Even amidst this commotion, he was alone, silently and diligently writing something.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing an article."
"...I believe I said we aren't participating in this."
"I wasn't interested in the first place. Whether the nobles tear each other apart or whatever. Let them rot for all I care."
"..."
Celine glanced at Alphonse's article. Once again, it was an article about a factory worker injured in an accident and the company refusing to pay compensation.
"Fine. Keep doing that, then. Keep it up."
His consistency was actually a relief.
Just then.
Bang!
The door to the editorial department swung open violently, and a reporter ran in, gasping for breath.
"Editor-in-Chief! A message has arrived from Knight Maximilian's side!"
The content of the message was—that he would release his full statement regarding the detention of 'Pexy von Arjen' through the Gemion Daily.
In other words, it was a declaration of a life-or-death struggle by the knight named Maximilian.
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