Rei left the office without looking back. The corridor was quiet and still, as usual. Guards stood beside the doors, their expressions hidden behind their helmets. Beneath the light that streamed across the marble floor, Rei walked calmly away from the office.
As he walked, he raised his hand, and a small cube began to form above his palm. Its edges slowly gathered together, as though it were weaving itself from his own body before changing shape.
At that same moment, shadows stretched unnaturally across the floor, then separated from their source and materialized behind Rei in the form of a man walking beside him, as though he had been there from the very beginning.
Rei showed no surprise and did not slow his pace. He simply handed over what he was holding.
["Send the ring to Target Eighteen."]
The Shadow bowed slightly without saying a word, took the cube as it transformed into a dark ring in his hand, then vanished as though he had slipped back into the shadow itself.
Rei continued walking. At the corner of the corridor, he encountered one of the maids. She immediately stopped upon seeing him and bowed respectfully. Rei said something to her before continuing toward the Ministry of Justice.
Julian sat quietly reviewing the file and its details. Without taking a break, he had decided to begin work immediately after two consecutive meetings, just as the other ministers had done. In the silence of the office, a knock came at the door.
"Lord Rei."
Julian stood respectfully, studying Rei's face as he wondered about the purpose of the visit.
["My name isn't Rei, but it doesn't matter."] Rei sighed and took several papers out of storage. ["You have an order from His Majesty. This is your résumé. Review it, add to it, and revise it so that it is suitable for publication."]
Julian accepted the document in surprise.
["As was mentioned during the meeting, the reforms will be public. Consider this an introduction of your character to the people. Review what you wish to reveal and what you do not wish to reveal before submitting the document to Her Majesty the Empress."]
"Very well. Is there anything else?" Julian asked in confusion. This was a task Rei could have left to the servants.
["We're going to the prisons together."]
Rei produced a green file. It was neither thick nor thin.
["These are the names of the people who will be released, whether because they were wronged, because of insufficient evidence, because they committed trivial crimes, or because they have already completed their sentences but are still waiting to be released."]
["The objective is to reduce the burden on the prisons and the treasury."]
Julian opened the file. It contained nothing but names and a single line describing each crime. The file was divided into three sections. Without commenting, Julian began reviewing the first section in front of Rei.
Victims of the Previous System's Corruption
Ivan Marlock — Forging commercial seals.
Thomas Wren — Assault resulting in the injury of a noble.
Graeme Orton — Refusing a regional conscription order due to illness.
Dario Cliff — Possession of an unregistered magical artifact.
Dorian Keel — Testifying against a knight serving a noble house.
[...]
Julian frowned and looked at Rei.
"Victims of the previous system?"
["Most of them were imprisoned over trivial matters without evidence. Keeping them in prison has now become a greater problem than releasing them. As for the remaining names, there is a more important reason."]
Rei gestured as he flipped the pages to the second section.
Between Innocence and Guilt
Julian read several names.
Raven Crow — Minor manipulation of tax records.
Emma Fair — Selling old maps of a border region without authorization.
Garrick Sol — Possession of small quantities of prohibited chemicals.
...
He frowned and looked at Rei, who continued turning the pages until he reached the final section. Although it contained only names and a one-line summary of each crime, those single lines erased Julian's composure.
["People like these will be used to strengthen the system if the negotiations succeed."]
"Is His Majesty serious about this?" Julian asked as he looked at the names.
Lucas Mirad — Forming a former armed resistance cell.
Marilyn Croft — Assassinating merchants affiliated with noble houses.
Vera Cald — Casting a mind-control spell on an administrative official.
Harun Devar — Stealing military magic manuscripts.
Jules Marne — Operating a black market for weapons.
Ryan Valtor — Planning a failed coup attempt.
Nerak Zol — Political murder.
Ivan Rusk — Leading a smuggling syndicate through the Transport Gates.
...
"There are more than a hundred people here."
["Yes. Every one of them has numerous followers, and I intend to make use of that to develop the Pillar of Security and Intelligence."]
"You're going to use criminals for the state's security... Did I hear that correctly?"
Rei smiled.
["You heard correctly. I am going to use criminals, and I selected every one of them after a careful study of their psychological profiles."]
Julian closed the file and frowned.
"Lord Rei, I don't think I can agree with this, and I know you're aware of that."
["I'm only informing you. These criminals will be released because the system is being renewed. Until the new laws are enacted and they are tried under them, they are innocent under the current system."]
"Doesn't that mean that everyone currently imprisoned is innocent under the new system?"
["Exactly. But not everyone will be released. Only those who pose no danger. Once the new laws are written, they will be tried again based on the charges against them and the available evidence."]
Julian stroked his chin thoughtfully. He understood what Rei was aiming at, yet he still sighed wearily.
"This decision will cause tremendous chaos. Are you simply ignoring that?"
["That chaos is exactly what's needed. His Majesty said that order is born from chaos. So the worse things become, the faster the new system will take root. The Star Guild will also be used to absorb part of that chaos."]
"What a strange idea."
["You'll get used to ideas like these."]
...
Returning to the Shadow who had taken the cube from Rei, after leaving the palace he did not pass beyond the castle grounds. Instead, he handed the ring to another Shadow, who immediately departed from the castle toward the city.
The Shadow leaped through the forest surrounding the castle with astonishing agility. Upon reaching the cliff, he let himself descend lightly before entering the city. From one rooftop to another, he advanced toward a specific destination without slowing. As he ran, the darkness surrounding his body faded away, revealing his appearance.
She was a petite, slender girl moving steadily across the rooftops. Her footsteps were precise and rhythmic. She approached each edge without slowing before crossing it with a short, calculated leap. Her silver hair streamed behind her from the momentum, while her eyes remained fixed on the path ahead. She landed lightly on the balls of her feet, absorbed the impact instantly, and continued forward without breaking her rhythm.
Suddenly, instead of making another jump, she dropped into an alley. She straightened her dress and gloves before noticing several insects inside.
"Oh? What do we have here?" one of them remarked admiringly.
Without wasting any time, she walked out of the alley, leaving the three young men lying on the ground with injuries that were not serious. She glanced around before turning toward the Transport District.
She headed there directly. Rather than waiting in line, she presented a badge that granted her priority access to the Transport Hall.
After taking her place inside the transport array, the mage gave the activation signal. A familiar wave of dizziness swept over her before the surroundings changed in an instant.
Unlike the capital, the sky above this city was covered by a thick layer of clouds, and the air was noticeably colder.
Paying no attention to it, she walked into one of the alleys. Taking out the dark ring, she spoke in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
"Lord Rei, we've arrived."
The cube floated into the air as she watched it transform into a human figure. She stepped back slightly. Once the figure had fully formed, Rei sighed and looked at her with mild annoyance.
["My name isn't Rei."] Rei glanced around. ["Well, it doesn't matter. What's your name?"]
"Lilia."
["Very well, Lilia. You'll be accompanying me over the next few days. You'll be responsible for the squad assigned by the Emperor."]
"Yes, sir."
Lilia raised her hand and made a signal. Numerous Shadows appeared silently on the rooftops overlooking the alley. Having received the assignment, they nodded before concealing themselves once more.
Rei had not overlooked their appearance. He knew that the number who had revealed themselves was not even a fraction of those watching from the darkness. Ignoring it, he asked,
["Have you gathered information on the targets in this city?"]
Lilia did not answer immediately. After receiving a signal, she nodded.
"Yes, Lord Rei. We have information on the Narrow-Eyed Man and the Lokamash Guild."
["What about their hideout?"]
"We found it."
Rei's eyes narrowed in surprise, and he asked again.
["You found the headquarters of the Assassins' Guild Master?"]
"We found it, but he isn't in this city."
Lilia paused as one of the Shadows descended, handed her a file, and she passed it to Rei without looking at it.
["This is detailed."]
After taking the file, Rei commented following a quick scan. He needed only a few seconds to memorize and analyze everything inside.
["But this isn't enough."]
"Do you have any orders?"
["Let's begin with the master of the Lokamash Guild, Luke. I want information that's far more detailed than this... and far more sensitive where he's concerned."]
"Understood."
The moment the order was issued, one of the Shadows moved without waiting for a signal from Lilia.
Several minutes later, he entered a room in a quiet, cold, isolated district among the slums. He removed one of the floorboards, took out a violet crystal, and after channeling a small amount of mana into it, established a connection.
The conversation was brief, simple, and concise.
"More information on the Information Guild..."
After delivering the message, the Shadow left the room. He closed his eyes, sensed Lilia's location, and immediately set off. He arrived quickly but did not approach. Instead, he simply watched Rei and Lilia walking through the crowd along the edge of the main street, discussing something.
He raised his gaze and saw where they were heading.
The city spread out before him, and within moments he identified their destination.
One of the branches of the Star Guild.
-------------------------------
End of Chapter
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