CHAPTER 1
The Day the Phantoms Disappeared
1
It burst forth from deep underground in the capital.
The event was accompanied by an intense earthquake from a depth of more than two thousand meters below the surface in a hole at the Lord’s office. A rumble sounded, as if the whole crust of the planet was splitting apart, and a tremor that could flip the terrain upside down surged from below.
“Again?!”
“Wh-what is this?! Why is it not stopping?!”
Their sniper, Jhin, stared at the ground as Sisbell behind him leaned against the wall. She struggled to stay standing. Even Nene and Commander Mismis, who were both trained Imperial soldiers, couldn’t remain upright and narrowly managed to avoid falling over.
“Your Excellency?”
“ ”
As Risya pushed up the bridge of her glasses, the silvery beastperson in front of her only looked silently at the ground. Two protruding ears stood atop the beastperson’s head with a tail jutting out from their rump—this was Lord Yunmelngen.
The Lord, who was both the supreme authority of the Empire and had been the first human to make contact with astral energy a century ago, stared at the floor with wide, feline-like eyes.
“The epicenter is likely the Imperial assembly. The Eight Great Apostles must be in a hurry… I was wondering what they’d been scheming.” Lord Yunmelngen’s eyes narrowed. Canines flashed from the Lord’s mouth as the beastperson grimaced. “I smell something very unpleasant. It’s the same as the one from a century ago. I sense the dangerous power that ruined everything wafting toward us now.”
The Lord continued, “So the dirty princess really did accept the calamitous power. Come with me, Black Steel’s Successor.”
“Uh.” Iska had no idea what to say when he was abruptly called over.
The Black Steel’s Successor…
He knew that a certain few within the Imperial forces called him by that name. He’d thought the nickname had originated simply from his apprenticeship under Crossweil, the Black Steel Gladiator, but his master hadn’t explained the reason for the name, either.
But now he knew better.
After seeing the events of a century ago through Sisbell’s Illumination power, he now learned the true reason for the name.
“Crow, what is that?”
“It’s hope. We might be able to defeat the calamity at the planet’s core with this.”
He was the successor because the astral swords had been handed down to him.
……But I have no idea what this calamity even is.
……Is it some sort of supernatural phenomenon? Or…?
“You should see it for yourself.”
The beastperson glanced at Iska as though they could see right through him.
“I will show you the enemy you’ll need to face. Though the real thing isn’t down there. What you’ll find is simply a witch drowning in their power.”
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