EPILOGUE
The Land Where It Started
1
Several days earlier.
One of the two world superpowers.
In the center of the Nebulis Sovereignty, also known as the Paradise of Witches, were several globally renowned research institutes that excelled in astral power engineering.
The Hydra’s scientific institute and astral power engineering research center: Snow and Sun.
A facility run by one of the three royal families.
They had created this laboratory to investigate methods of sparking a fourth energy revolution through using the astral energy that surged from the planet’s core in place of electricity and gas.
A copse of trees a few hundred yards from the establishment.
“Mizerhyby Hydra Nebulis IX…I see. Obviously the head of house would leave Snow and Sun in your hands. Your astral power is glorious, well suited for a purebred.”
The handsome white-haired man roughly pushed back his bangs.
He had commanding eyebrows and a deep-set face. His self-confidence, appearance, manly allure, and comportment made him seem the spitting image of a first-class stage actor.
And that man was…
“How long do you plan on sleeping?” he asked in a voice tinged with exasperation as he addressed the older gentleman on the ground. “Shuvalts, you think you’re allowed to act senile after taking charge of Mira’s education?”
“…I am not Her Majesty’s… Right now…I am her daughter’s servant.”
He staggered to his feet. His eyes were deeply sunken, as were his cheeks. But of course he would look like that. He had been abducted by the Hydra and imprisoned for quite a while in the basement of Snow and Sun.
This was the third princess’s attendant, Shuvalts.
The fact that he could still stand up through sheer force of will despite being so exhausted was what made him Sisbell’s one and only attendant.
“……Salinger. It’s been thirty long years…you villain.”
He steadied himself on the trunk of a tree. He was out of breath, but his eyes showed no hesitation as he glared at the sorcerer.
“You…freed me…”
“Just to pester them,” the man feared as the transcendental sorcerer answered with a straight face. “I wanted to give the Hydra a little trouble. I don’t care why you were trapped in Snow and Sun, but I’m sure losing their captive will hurt.”
That would likely distract the Hydra.
It had been a trivial decision.
“…………”
“What? If you can glare at me, then you should get going to the palace quick as you can. The Hydra assassins will come to prowl these woods soon.”
“Salinger, you…”
The elderly man’s shoulders sagged as he breathed. Once he’d served as Queen Mirabella’s teacher; now he was Princess Sisbell’s attendant.
“You think I would forget? You tried attacking Her Majesty on countless occasions.”
“You’re right.”
“…So did you break out to make another attempt on her life?”
“What? Has your senility reached your brain?” The white-haired, brawny man gave a large sigh. “Why do you assume I would be fixated on her? How paltry. How about you stop babbling that nonsense and tell me something useful?”
“Huh?”
“What are the Hydra planning?” The sorcerer stared into the attendant’s eyes. “I wanted the secret Princess Mizerhyby was put in charge of, but unfortunately, I never found it. But you must have heard something about it, seeing as you were her hostage.”
“…I regret to inform you that I only learned a single piece of information.”
“Well, out with it.”
“The Hydra are colluding with the Empire. Either by sharing military forces or astral power research. Possibly both.”
“What?”
The white-haired Adonis went silent. Folding his arms, he looked away from the older man almost as though he had lost interest and stared into the air. He scowled.
“Odd. I doubt the Imperial forces would join hands with the Hydra to that extent. In which case…”
He turned his back on the elderly man and started walking.
“So it’s Yunmelngen. Or perhaps there are still others in the Empire.”
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