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Imperial capital.
Divided into three sectors, this city was known to be the most densely populated in the world.
Sector One was where the government and research facilities were gathered. Here, the assembly would convene and use its full authority to decide all political matters of the Empire.
Sector Two was the residential area, where 70 percent of the Imperial capital’s populace lived. Next door was the world-leading business district that tourists all over the world visited.
Then there was Sector Three, the base of operations for military affairs. It was the permanent residence of the Imperial forces and had numerous training facilities.
“So we’ve finally made it to the capital…”
In front of a large vacant area of Sector Two, Sisbell looked up at the sky after getting out of the car. It was already the middle of the night. The sun had set beyond the horizon, and the faint gloom of the sky expanded.
Though it was so late, the Imperial capital’s sky wasn’t pitch-black, but rather still bright.
“The night sky… It makes me feel uneasy.” Sisbell seemed somewhat exasperated as she sighed. “The Second Sector, was it? The light from the buildings of the business district is so bright that I can’t even see the stars. This would be unthinkable in the Sovereignty.”
“Shh, they’ll overhear us, Miss Sisbell,” Commander Mismis whispered in a panic.
The capital was the most strictly guarded city in the world. The entire place was equipped with surveillance cameras and astral energy sensors.
“Hey, Jhin, we’ve finally made it home, haven’t we?”
“Sure have. Home is home, whether it’s been a while or not.”
“But I’m not sure I’m happy about it…,” Nene said. “I think I’m more nervous.”
“We’ve got a huge job to do, that’s for sure.”
Jhin and Nene were both looking up ahead at the checkpoint.
It was stationed at the Sector Three entrance. But the operation base and maneuvering grounds, the military site, and many other locations that lay there were not their goal.
The Castle Tower Seat.
They were headed to the building where Lord Yunmelngen awaited—the windowless structure where Rin was imprisoned as well.
“An audience with the Lord. I don’t even want to think about what’s waiting for us. Iska, you’ve been in the tower before, right?”
“Just once…” Iska nodded demurely beside Jhin.
It had been back when he had successfully risen to the position of Saint Disciple. However, when he had been granted the audience, the Lord’s body double had actually appeared before Iska.
This time it would be different.
The true Lord Yunmelngen would be waiting there.
Moreover, there were also those who did not want nor would allow them to make contact with the Lord.
…Risya said that Luclezeus’s cyberbrain disappeared.
…Since we defeated him, they’re going to come after us.
They had made the Eight Great Apostles their enemies.
They couldn’t let their guard down, even in the capital. There was the danger they would eventually be attacked by assassins under the patronage of these eight leaders of the Imperial assembly.
“All riiight! Sorry for the wait, everyone!”
Risya, who had been in the car, disembarked after them.
Her face was covered in bandages, as was her thigh.
Those were, needless to say, a result of their fight with one of the Eight Great Apostles. Despite that, she showed no sign of pain, and her tone was aloof as ever.
“We’ve gotten in touch with Their Excellency. We need to head over to the tower right away to make sure we don’t keep them waiting. In an hour, we’ll have an audience with the Lord.”
“Um… If I could ask a question?”
“What is it, Isk?”
“So about the Eight Great Apostles…”
“Hm? Oh, I reported about that, too, of course. That they’re going to rebel against the Lord.”
They were in a vacant lot in the capital.
Though they couldn’t tell whether anyone was listening, Risya didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“But the Lord was expecting that. The important thing isn’t my report—it’s for the Lord to see it.”
“Using Sisbell’s astral power?”
“That’s right. That’s why we came all the way here. So let’s head out.”
Risya pointed at the checkpoint and started walking toward it, feeling exultant.
Iska followed her, but just as he did…
“……Hm?”
He felt something.
A faint, truly faint sense of nostalgia.
Was it the footsteps? The smell?
Though he didn’t understand what it was, Iska turned around as though attracted to it.
And he saw an unbelievable sight.
“……It can’t be…”
“Can’t be what, my idiot disciple?”
“…Why are you here…Master?”
“Are you really that surprised I returned to the capital?”
That listless tone.
And that head-to-toe black outfit that hadn’t changed since all those years ago.
Iska’s teacher, Crossweil Nes Lebeaxgate, stood there before him.
He still wore a long coat about his figure, so slim it didn’t have a single bit of excess body fat.
The former Saint Disciple of the first seat. The former master of the astral swords. And the man who had been Iska and Jhin’s teacher.
It had happened years ago. He had given Iska his own astral swords and Jhin a sniper rifle, then left the capital without a trace.
Iska couldn’t believe they had reunited at a time and place like this.
“Huh, it’s Master Cross?!”
“Wait…Master Cross? You mean that’s your teacher, Iska and Jhin?!”
Nene and Commander Mismis widened their eyes. Next to them, Sisbell only tilted her head to the side quizzically without an idea of what was happening.
“Wh-what’s going on here?! Why are you all so worked up…? Jhin? Who in the world is this man supposed to be?”
“He taught Iska and me.”
“……Come again?”
“I’m just as surprised as you are. I don’t understand what’s going on. It’s all too sudden.”
There was a rare, strained smile on Jhin’s face as he answered. For the sharpshooter, whose job was to anticipate anything, this unforeseen arrival was likely distressing.
“Hey, Master, what even brought you here?”
“What?”
“I find it hard to believe we’d just run into you in a place like this now of all times. So I can only assume you were waiting for us. Or is this your doing, Ms. Staff Officer?”
“Who, me?”
When Jhin glared at her, Risya shrugged.
“I’d like to know that, too. It’s nice to meet you, former first seat Crossweil. I have heard much about you from the Lord.”
“About that.”
Iska’s master wasn’t looking at Risya, but instead straight at Iska.
“If you’re going to see Yunmelngen, you ought to hurry.”
Crossweil didn’t say “the Lord” but used Yunmelngen’s actual name—the name of the highest authority within the Empire.
“That’s all I’m here for.”
“What?! Wait…Master?!”
Iska wasn’t able to stop him in time. Before any of them knew it, the former teacher had turned his back on them and started walking toward the business district.
“What is wrong with him?! I’ve got a ton of things I want to ask him—”
“I’m busy.”
“But wait!”
“I’ve got to go console the most ferocious threat in the world before she throws a tantrum. She’s probably just about to reach the Imperial border.”
“……?”
“Ask Yunmelngen about the rest. He might not be pretty to look at, but he’s not a scoundrel at the very least.”
Iska couldn’t understand it.
After they’d finally reunited all these years later, what was his master trying to tell him? Crossweil pretended he had not seen Iska’s bewildered face.
The former owner of the astral swords disappeared into the crowd.
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