The threads of intrigue laid out by Pale were more precise than ever, and they wrapped themselves around the countries of the eastern part of the continent. But while Pale was the one who drew up the plans, it was Sophia, the strategist of the Soar to FreedomElks, who executed them.
The faction opposing the Reformists of the Holy Kingdom were the Senate.
Their conflict could be intensified by adding just a little fuel, while the business transactions could be sped up through the merchants. If one of the Reformists were also to be assassinated, they would easily be radicalized because of their youth. Like a ball of snow tumbling down the snowy path, the conflict of the two factions would grow faster and faster.
Sophia kept an eye out for that, while giving the necessary information to the other agents that entered the Holy Kingdom. It was fine even if they were just rumors. She would spread enough rumors about the plight of the radicalized Reformists and the strength of the Senate so that they could hear them.
Like a series of collisions on the road, they were all caught up in Sophia’s schemes.
The ambassadors and agents dispatched from the minor nations had to ensure the Reformists’ victory; otherwise, their country would be overrun by the vicious monsters.
But while there were indeed those who approached the Reformists, the Senate was not so dense that they could not notice them. Sitting in the center of the country meant that they had access to information all over the country.
To them, it looked as though the people dispatched by the minor nations were trying to destroy their stronghold by snuggling with the Reformists. Naturally, they would not send any aid to countries attempting such a thing.
“As nasty as ever, I see,”
Vine Ashley laughed as she patted Sophia on the head.
“I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now, actually, but why are you following me…!?” Sophia asked.
“Hmm~, that’s because it looks like there’s more fun to be had here,” Vine said.
The master of Revea Su’s underworld, also known as Vine the Mad Blade, whispered by Sofia’s ear with a poisonous snake’s smile, but Sophia returned her gesture with a frosty gaze and a snort.
“Will Revea Su be fine?” Sophia asked.
“Should be fine, I think. Shurei and Rue are there, and the demihumans are there too,” Vine said.
“You sure put a lot of confidence in those two,” Sophia said.
“Not as overconfident as you, though. So who are you meeting this late into the night?”
“…I’m not overconfident.”
“Hopefully, you’re not. Wounded beasts are scary precisely because there’s no telling what they’ll do.”
“So even you can know fear,” Sophia said.
Vine laughed and patted Sophia on the head. Sophia brushed aside Vine’s hand, which was violently rubbing her head, but despite hating being treated like a kid so much, she quietly walked.
After walking for a while, they reached the storehouse district, and arrived at their destination.
Sophia and Vine already had hoods over their heads, so they couldn’t be recognized in one glance.
There were two people already waiting for them at their destination. One of these two was probably an escort. The sword dangling by the escort’s waist showed plenty of signs of being used.
“…You’re the one who wrote that letter?”
The man who opened his mouth was the old man being protected by the escort.
Sophia only nodded, then took out a piece of parchment from her pocket and placed it on the ground. She placed a stone on top of the parchment to keep it from being blown away by the wind, then took about ten steps back and spoke for the first time.
“Everything you need to know is written there.”
The old man was startled by the sound of the girl’s voice, but he and his escort slowly stepped forward and took the parchment. When he did, his eyes widened.
“…Are you serious?”
“Can I have my money?”
“But—”
“Former Holy Knight Gulland Rifenin.”
The old man tried to make excuses, but Sophia’s voice reached him. As the old man fell silent, his face paled as though his breath had been stopped.
“…Who are you?”
At the old man’s question, Sophia put her index finger up her mouth, and smiled. Fear rose up the old man, but he ignored it, and threw a bag full of gold coins from his chest.
After taking it and confirming the contents, Sophia nodded. She was about to turn around when she suddenly stopped. She noticed that Vine raised her hood slightly and was looking around.
Despite the old man’s paled face, resolve surfaced on him, and he urged his escort.
“…This matter can’t be leaked,” he said.
“Trust me,” Sophia said.
But when the old man spoke, the escort had already taken a step forward. In the face of such open hostility, a hand reached out for a sword.
“I’m sorry, but this is for my country…”
As the old man walked away, men in black robes emerged from the shadows of the warehouses. There were six of them.
“…Sorry. Little girl, this is our job too.”
Sophia looked at the escort with a cold gaze.
“That’s good. That’s great. I love that sort of stuff.”
As Vine removed her hood, she laughed. When the men saw that their prey were both women, one of the black men approached Vine, but the smile of a poisonous snake surfaced on her, and her curved sword was drawn.
“Especially, lowlifes like you!”
One step, three flashes. Her blade transformed into a silver streak cut the man’s flesh into four pieces. In the face of that abnormally powerful sword and that inhuman atmosphere that gave no regard for human lives, hesitation appeared on the black-clothed men.
But it was too late. The battle was already over. On that night, six headless corpses were made in the storehouse district, to be found early in the morning the next day.
But the trivial murders that occurred in the Holy Kingdom of Alsas were overshadowed by the much bigger events that soon followed.
In the year 461 of the Holy Kingdom of Alsas’ calendar, in the early summer of the fourth year of the Goblins’ King’s Calendar, that incident took place.
The Reformists attempted a revolution.
