Chapter 121: Life Itself Might Be a Play Goebel moved with frantic haste. He rushed straight to the Imperial Palace to meet Bertem and Grossman. He had practically forced the meeting, and Grossman had only managed to squeeze him into a tiny gap in his schedule.
"...So, that's what happened."
Grossman set his teacup down, his eyebrows twitching.
"We've already seized a significant number of documents from the Knights. It would make us look foolish to withdraw now."
"I am... deeply sorry," Goebel muttered, bowing his head as cold sweat trickled down his neck. Beside him, Kents Bertem wore an equally frustrated expression.
"It seems we may have misunderstood the situation."
However, Grossman did not let his emotions show. Blaming someone wouldn't change the outcome.
"Chiron worked harder for us than expected, and Maximilian's 'promise' was as solid as a nobleman's word should be."
Just in case, fearing another faction might try to tear Goebel apart, Maximilian had set the trap of the forgery. Whether he had anticipated that a fellow knight would be the one to fall into it was unclear.
"It can't be helped. The surveillance and audit of the Knights..."
This had been Grossman's long-held ambition: to forge a scabbard for the blade—one that neither the Imperial Guard nor the Palace could easily control.
"Tell them to resolve it internally within the Knights."
"Will that be alright, sir?" Kents asked cautiously. Grossman picked up a cigar.
"It's not necessarily a bad thing for us. Think about it. What happens if Chiron takes charge of the audit? Do you think he'll treat Adria rationally? He'll find any excuse to sink his teeth into her."
The responsibility for concluding this incident would be handed over to the Knights, rather than the Palace or the Imperial Guard.
On the surface, it looked like a massive concession from the Imperial Guard, but in reality, it made internal strife within the Knights inevitable.
"And if, in any direction, the politics turn sour..."
Grossman exhaled a long plume of cigar smoke.
"We will then have the 'justification' and 'authority' to set things right. It won't be too late to intervene then."
Kents and Goebel's faces brightened. They understood Grossman's intent instantly and nodded in admiration.
* * *
──[ Request for Imperial Special Audit ]──
To: Sentinel Knights
From: Imperial Secretariat
Subject: Regarding the recent allegations of evidence fabrication involving Senior Captain Goebel, we request a full audit of Knight Adria von Hardenberg, who led the operation, and all personnel who trespassed into Goebel's residence.
Note: This matter has received His Majesty the Emperor's personal approval.
* * *
Regarding the forgery incident, Goebel himself had settled it by 'not holding anyone accountable,' and the discussions regarding limiting the Knights' power had been scrapped. However, the Imperial Household had directly requested an internal audit.
The justification was to tie up loose ends properly, and since it bore the Emperor's seal, it was an order that could not be refused.
This was likely a 'gift' from the Imperial Guard.
"...I thought you were the right fit for this."
Chiron handed the hilt of the sword to me.
"I'm not in a rational state of mind, so I'm giving you full authority. It's a difficult task for a first-year... No, honestly, you're not just any first-year. Do as you see fit."
His decision was wise.
"Yes, sir. I understand."
I thought about Adria.
Adria von Hardenberg.
Codename: 'Blue Owl.' A noble-born spy who had served as a core executive of the Revolutionary Group for over a decade.
"The audit isn't just for Adria; it's for her entire unit—everyone who entered Goebel's residence."
I looked at Chiron.
Chiron was an honest man. He was transparent, too. He didn't hide his ambition for power. He intended to use this opportunity to cut away not just Adria, but everyone clinging to her.
"However, agents from the Direct Agency have already come to the Sentinels and seized quite a bit of data."
"I will retrieve it immediately."
"Good. Go."
"Yes, sir."
I left Chiron's office.
I walked down the hallway of the Knights' headquarters.
A strange sense of nausea welled up within me, so I just kept walking.
Before I knew it, the scenery had changed.
When I came to my senses, I was in the central park, not far from the headquarters.
Leaves were beginning to be stained by the autumn colors. It was the threshold of the season where vibrant green turned to red and yellow.
I sat down on a bench.
"...It's complicated."
Faced with this situation and these phenomena, those were the only words I could muster.
My thoughts and actions were spreading to places I couldn't see, in directions I hadn't anticipated, and I couldn't dare to keep them in check.
It was an uncontrollable expansion, yet I still had to reach out.
I had to grasp it with all my might.
But the whole thing made me sick.
I was simply enduring it.
Enduring the nausea I felt toward all of this.
Because if I couldn't endure it, I would crumble.
"...Max?"
Suddenly, someone called my name. A mage wearing a robe. It was Ezel. My eyes narrowed.
"...What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean? This is Magic Tower Park. Long time no see."
Magic Tower Park. It was another name for the central park, as the Sentio Magic Tower was located right nearby.
Ezel sat down next to me, clutching an ice cream cone.
"You've been busy lately. What are you doing here?"
I stared at Ezel's ice cream.
It looked delicious.
Ezel moved it away from me, seemingly having no intention of sharing.
"Don't get any ideas. I asked what you're doing."
"...Just thinking."
I leaned back against the bench and let out a deep sigh.
"About what?"
"Whether I should do what I want, or if I should consider the wishes of others. Things like that."
Factions and powers. Chiron and Adria. The Palace, the Imperial Guard, and the Knights.
Should I become a 'bat' that belongs to no side? Or should I stand with someone?
"Hmm... I don't know the details, Max, but weren't you finally starting to do what you wanted?"
Ezel said, taking a bite of her ice cream. My gaze drifted toward her.
"It would be a waste to give it up now. You've worked so hard to get here. You're even all over the newspapers."
Whoosh—
A gentle breeze blew, knocking Ezel's hood back. Her bluish-gold hair fluttered softly.
"Max, you're not the Max I used to know. You've overcome your nature and temperament. Though I'm not sure if that's entirely a good thing."
At those words, I could only nod.
She was right.
It would be a waste to give it up now.
I had gained a conviction more important than myself.
If I had conviction, my position didn't matter.
In fact, because I had conviction, I could move anywhere, in any direction.
"...You're right."
An Ebenholtz is a human, not a bat.
A human doesn't live by just reading the room.
"You're absolutely right."
Factions and powers were nothing more than that.
They weren't the ones choosing me.
I was the one choosing them.
Whom to save and whom to kill; whom to make an ally and whom to turn into an enemy.
That choice belonged solely to me.
"Thanks. That helped."
I stood up from the bench. I was about to turn away when I paused.
"Where did you buy that ice cream?"
"Huh? Oh, over there. At the street stall."
First, I walked toward where Ezel pointed.
I needed to eat some ice cream.
*
I just needed to maintain my own center. Among the many gears of this Knight Order, I was the only one who could do exactly as I pleased. Being an Ebenholtz meant being born into the bloodline granted such power, authority, and qualification.
"Starting with Senior Knight Adria."
In a separate office set up outside, I spoke to the administrative officers who would conduct the audit.
"Ransack her entire command."
Every knight who participated in Adria's operation would be audited. Tiana was no exception. We would conduct a full investigation into every case, mission, and financial transaction they had handled over the past three years.
There would surely be knights who would be cut. There were bound to be corrupt individuals among them.
"And, Otto. Hans."
The two most experienced among my administrative officers.
"Go and retrieve the documents the Palace took."
I assigned this important task to them—men who were formerly a deputy prison warden and a guard.
*
In front of the records room of the Palace's Direct Agency.
Maximilian's two administrative officers stood there, tense.
"...Do you think we can handle this?"
Administrative Officer Hans whispered.
"Don't be a coward. Remember the lessons we learned at the main estate."
Administrative Officer Otto replied.
"Yes. Just as Master Engie taught us..."
These were the civil servants who had grabbed onto Maximilian's coattails back at the prison where Schatz had been held.
But we weren't just civil servants anymore.
Ah, that wasn't to disparage civil servants. They never once considered the blood and sweat they shed back then to be in vain, but the weight of their current duties and authority was on a different level.
"Let's go."
They took a deep breath and entered the records room. Inside were many agents of the Direct Agency. They seemed quite busy, sorting through the documents seized from the Knights.
"—We've come to retrieve the documents you took!"
Otto shouted first in a clear voice.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
An agent from the Direct Agency approached with an annoyed look.
The administrative officer pulled out a document and thrust it before the agent's eyes.
"This is an order from Sir Maximilian."
The agent frowned as he took the document. It was a retrieval order stamped with Maximilian's knightly seal.
"And these are our identification cards."
They held out their IDs as well.
[ Sentinel Knights Administrative Officer ]
Name: Otto Baren
Position: Administrative Officer
Affiliation: Maximilian
The agents checked the document and the IDs alternately, then gestured to the side.
"...We'll release them."
The agent nodded and stepped back.
An agent of the Imperial Direct Agency—men known for being arrogant and terrifying—was actually listening to people who, until two years ago, were mere prison guards.
It was astonishing, but the two administrative officers bit their lips and steadied their hearts.
They couldn't let it go to their heads.
I am not Maximilian. I am not an Ebenholtz.
This was the core of the education Engie had drilled into their ears at the Ebenholtz estate.
The moment a servant mistakes the master's authority for their own, their life is over.
"There's quite a lot. Can you carry it all?"
The agent asked. Otto picked up a box and made a request.
"We would appreciate it if you could help us."
The agents helped carry the boxes without much complaint. Together, they loaded the Knights' documents into the trunk of the car.
* * *
...The internal audit of the Sentinel Knights was complete.
Maximilian had mobilized all his personnel to scrutinize every action of the knights under Adria's command over the past three years. Finally, a meeting was held to announce the results.
"..."
The meeting room, presided over by Vice Commander Anton, was heavy with silence.
The knights stared at Maximilian, who stood at the front, with tense expressions.
"I'm getting a bit tired of this scene. Being a knight isn't exactly a profession meant for sitting in meetings."
Maximilian cracked a rare joke.
Chiron hesitated for a moment before letting out a belated laugh.
"Ha. Haha! Hahahaha!"
Those in Chiron's line followed suit with similar smiles.
On the other hand, the atmosphere on the opposite side grew even colder.
"I will now announce the results of the internal audit approved by His Majesty."
"I wonder if you're prepared to accept them."
Chiron sneered, glaring at Adria's faction.
"Sir Chiron."
Maximilian stopped him.
"Please refrain from private conversation during the meeting."
"Ah, right. My apologies."
"—No. Sir Chiron is right."
Suddenly, a knight from Adria's side cut in.
"How can we trust your words?"
It was Jerome.
To him, who spoke of trust while clearly prepared to believe nothing, Maximilian replied calmly.
"All evidence that was not perfect has been excluded. Furthermore, this is merely a session to notify you of the audit results, not a disciplinary committee. There will be ample opportunity to provide explanations later."
Jerome was silenced. Chiron looked at him and shook his head as if he were pathetic.
"First, I have captured evidence that several knights who participated in this 'Goebel Operation' accepted bribes and solicitations in the past. Additionally, I found circumstances where evidence was concealed or fabricated during investigations."
Maximilian picked up a document.
"Among them, those with particularly noteworthy findings are Knight Werner and Knight Muller."
The faces of the two named men paled.
"The evidence proving the allegations against you two has been attached separately. You will be given an opportunity to explain yourselves after reviewing it. However, if the explanation is insufficient or invalid, I plan to recommend a referral to the disciplinary committee."
Chiron nodded in satisfaction, while Adria's side still looked like they couldn't accept it.
"The Imperial Household specifically requested a strict audit of Senior Knight Adria."
Maximilian picked up another stack of papers. This one was very thick. It contained Adria's asset history, communication records, and mission reports. It was a file containing everything about her.
"The audit team's one-line summary regarding Senior Knight Adria is..."
Maximilian paused for a moment. Chiron's eyes sparkled like an audience member waiting for the climax of a play, and the knights on Adria's side were poised to jump up and shout their rebuttals.
"'Impeccable.'"
"As expected...?"
"That's impos...?"
Chiron's face went blank. Jerome froze halfway through standing up.
Even Adria herself looked confused.
"I found no evidence of tax evasion, nor even an attempt at legal tax avoidance. All other fund flows and actions were clean, and there was nothing that could be considered illegal in the execution of her missions."
Adria was a person of integrity. Before and after the fall of the Empire, there were many hypocrites who spoke of revolution while neglecting their own conduct, but she was at least not one of them.
"Now, I will add my thoughts as a Sentinel knight in charge of the internal audit."
Maximilian set the documents down.
"As someone who has also exercised a knight's right of detention, the success or failure of that right is a risk the knight themselves must bear."
It was a dry conclusion, strictly based on facts.
"Therefore, I judge that this is not a matter for disciplinary action by the Sentinels."
A judgment based solely on principles, devoid of personal emotion.
Jerome sat back down, and Chiron's jaw remained dropped.
"With that, I conclude the delivery of the audit results."
Maximilian continued calmly.
"Furthermore, the investigation materials have already been distributed to your respective offices. Those who need to provide an explanation, please prepare thoroughly."
Vice Commander Anton stared intently at Maximilian.
Soon, he let out a sigh and announced the end of the meeting.
"...Chiron. Adria. Everyone except those two, please leave."
At those words, the knights filed out of the meeting room one by one.
Only Anton, Chiron, and Adria remained.
Just as Chiron was about to speak.
"Don't worry."
Adria beat him to it.
"I understand the meaning behind those words."
She pulled a pre-prepared envelope from her coat.
"A risk the knight themselves must bear. He's right."
She placed it on the table.
It was a letter of resignation.
"..."
Suddenly, Chiron's expression turned somber. Adria gave a faint smile.
"A junior who's barely started is letting me make a graceful exit."
Looking at her, and suddenly seeing the overlap of those young days from over a decade ago, Chiron quietly opened his mouth.
* * *
While Chiron and Adria were having whatever conversation they were having.
I arrived at the Royal Opera House. Since the Revolutionary Group or Izenheim would likely target the Princess sooner or later, I came here to clear my head and build a justification.
"Hmm..."
Before the opera began, I sat in the VIP section and looked up at the VVIP balcony on the second floor.
A woman with her hood pulled low was sitting there. Surrounded by heavy security, anyone could see she was the Emperor's daughter.
...Or rather, a servant pretending to be her.
The real Princess was likely hiding somewhere in the general seating, watching the opera.
"—Do you like the opera?"
Suddenly, a voice spoke from right beside me.
I turned my head.
A woman in a simple dress and glasses, yet exuding an unmistakable air of nobility. Princess Justine.
She was sitting in the seat next to mine.
I thought she'd be in the general seating.
Then again, the view is better from here.
"...I wouldn't say I like it particularly."
I answered honestly.
"My head was a bit cluttered, so I came to clear it."
"The opera is perfect for that. You become immersed in another world. You can forget the troubles of reality for a moment."
She said softly, looking toward the stage.
Sliiiide.
Just then, the red velvet curtains parted, and the bell rang to signal the start of the play.
We silently turned our gaze to the stage.
The protagonist of this opera, Reynold, made his entrance.
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