Chapter 11 TIKR Vol. 1 Chapter 2 Part 4

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The Imperial Capital was a city of stark contrasts—of light and shadow.

The main streets teemed with life and energy. But just one turn off that path, deep into the maze-like back alleys, and you’d find countless blind spots, hidden from the public eye. These were the breeding grounds for ill-intent, the haunts of those who lived in the shadows.

“So, the information was correct.”

The moment Prima set foot in one such derelict building, she was surrounded.

Her enemies looked, for all intents and purposes, like ordinary citizens. But the sheer killing intent rolling off them, so hot it felt like it could sear her skin, told her they were anything but.

“I’m so glad you took the bait,” Prima said, her voice dangerously pleasant. “The leader of <Fenrir>, all alone in Serpent territory? You couldn’t just ignore that, could you?”

She scanned her surroundings. Seven hostiles, visible. If her hunch was right, there were more hidden in the shadows.

“Your little friend we captured last night sang like a bird. It’s only a matter of time before we have the full picture on the ‘Serpents of the Sordid Garden.’ Of course, <Fenrir> is the only one with this information. And more importantly, without me to act on it, that information is just treasure left to rot.”

The pressure in the room intensified. She could feel the eyes of the hidden ones on her. Good. Like a needle to an over-inflated balloon, Prima popped their tension.

“So let’s make this simple. If you take my head, the secret’s safe. Surely… you’re not going to miss this golden opportunity?”

The taunt worked perfectly. The assassins moved. Four with daggers, three with pistols. All easily concealed. Seven against one. The attackers, believing their victory absolute, were in for a shock.

Four slashes. Three gunshots. A cage of death, closing in from all sides. And the Silver Wolf simply slipped right through it. “Shall we have a little dance?” she sang.

Prima vanished.

Tap, tap, t-tap.

Her footsteps echoed, her body already gone. Faster than the eye could follow, she blurred through the space, her white blade flashing.

The music of swordplay rang out—seven sharp notes. The sound of her blade parrying theirs, deflecting bullets. It was over in an instant. Prima’s sword reaped the consciousness of three. She kicked off a wall, flipping over an enemy’s head, twisting in mid-air. A flash. Four more notes.

She couldn’t get information if they were dead—the only reason she held back. She had the luxury of choosing between lethal and non-lethal. Two more notes.

It was too chaotic to be a ‘sword dance,’ but every performance needs a finale. One last flash. The sound of a body hitting the floor. And then… The music of steel stopped.

Seven hostiles lay on the ground. At the center stood a single maid-knight, not even breathing hard. Prima flicked the blood from her rapier and smiled, her face still spattered with crimson, into the empty shadows.

“Well? How about an encore?”

“—As expected of the infamous Silver Wolf. A fine display.”

The reply was not what she’d expected. From the deepest part of the ruin, a single Black Knight, clad in head-to-toe armor, emerged from the shadows as if bleeding from them. A massive greatsword was strapped to his back.

“…You have excellent timing.” Prima’s senses went on high alert. This was not one of the ambushers she had sensed. This… was new. “Oh? You only come out after your grunts are beaten? You must be someone important. I’d be delighted if you were one of the Serpent’s top brass.”

“I won’t deny it,” the knight replied, his voice muffled. “I simply judged that sending grunts to fight the Silver Wolf was… inefficient.”

“Aha!” A thrill shot through Prima. This was a big one. The kind of evil that, if defeated, would bring true peace to the capital. The ultimate prize. A trophy to offer her Master was right in front of her! “So, the main event! I was getting tired of waiting!”

“How strange. I was about to say the same thing.” The Black Knight was unfazed. “It seems the bait we let you ‘find’ was too delicious to resist. I’m surprised you sniffed it out so quickly. Your nose is sharp… like a good little wolf.”

Prima’s eyebrow shot up. “…You let us capture him?”

“We know your every move. Your little backup team, waiting nearby? They’ve already been… culled.”

Prima’s heart stuttered for a half-second, but she didn’t flinch. “I know my team’s strength better than anyone. They won’t be beaten that easily.” No reinforcements. I’m the one in the trap. Even so, her purpose was unchanged. “Everything… for my Master! I will have your head!”

Her rapier shot forward, a blur of motion. It was simply caught by the knight’s black gauntlet.

“A master, you say? How… pathetic.”

“!”

He caught it! She tried to pull her blade back and froze. It wouldn’t budge, as if she’d stabbed solid rock. A second later, with a crunch, the Black Knight crushed the blade in his fist.

“Th-That’s… insane strength!”

“There is nothing more hollow than a sword offered to a ‘master.’ It’s puzzling.”

This is bad. She’d completely misjudged him. She couldn’t win this. She had to retreat, regroup—

“Too slow.” The knight was on her, his gauntlet closing around her throat. “Did you get greedy, returning to your old hunting grounds… assassin?”

“!? …Hk!”

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Your movements aren’t those of a knight. No… you’re a killer. You are a threat to our plan. And you will die here.”

The grip tightened. Her vision flashed. I’m… going to die. But it wasn’t death she feared. It was the fact that… if she died, she could never serve her Master again. “…Ma…ster…”

And then… as if in answer… a silver flash cut through the air. A thrown dagger, aimed with pinpoint precision, struck the joint in the knight’s gauntlet. The grip loosened. Prima fell to the ground, gasping for air. “Hk… hah… hah…”

“Oh?” the knight said, surprised. Before he could react, a dark figure blurred across the ruin. A fist, as sharp as a blade, slammed directly into the flat of the Black Knight’s greatsword as he raised it to block. A shockwave erupted. A crack spiderwebbed across the thick steel. The Black Knight leaped back. To repel a greatsword with a bare fist… Prima knew only one person capable of such a feat.

“…Master?”

Arl stood over her, shielding her.

Arl was an insomniac. The lifestyle of an Imperial Knight—summoned at all hours, running endless missions—had destroyed his sleep schedule. It was a chronic condition. This time, that particular occupational hazard had saved the day. He had woken up from Prima’s… treatment… after less than an hour, found her gone, and rushed to the scene.

“Master… why…”

“I’m a light sleeper. But… your ‘spa’ was incredible.”

“…My sincerest apologies,” Prima whispered, looking down, ashamed.

“Don’t be. I’m just glad I made it in time.”

“…I see.”

The sound of grinding metal filled the air. The Black Knight was… laughing. “Ku… Kuhaha… So… So that’s it! HAHAHAHA!” His laugh was so loud it shook the building. “So, you are alive… Scorpion Hunt.”

The eyes behind the helmet locked onto Arl.

“How did you survive? No… how did you escape? The Emperor doesn’t make mistakes like that… Ah. You were the Third Princess’s lapdog, weren’t you. Did she smuggle her precious knight out of the country? Sounds just like her.”

“…”

Arl’s guard was now at its absolute maximum.

The Imperial Knights were the symbol of the Empire’s military might.

They were the nation’s sword, having slaughtered countless enemies of the Empire, and by extension, they were the shield that bore the full brunt of foreign hatred. To prevent assassinations and reprisals, all Imperial Knights wore vestments to hide their identities and were identified not by their personal names, but by aliases. And his title, ‘Scorpion Hunt,’ was an alias. His true identity was known only to Eilfina and a select few. And this was now, nearly five years later. For this man to know it…

“I don’t know any ‘Serpents.’ You have the wrong person.”

“As if I could mistake you. Why are you back, Scorpion Hunt? If the Emperor finds out… Or… don’t tell me… you’ve gone back to being the Princess’s dog? Have you no pride?” The knight’s voice was laced with mockery. “You haven’t forgotten, have you? The day you were cast aside. The day you lost everything. And you still serve her?”

“Is that an insult to Her Highness Eilfina?” Arl cut him off, taking a bare-handed stance. He didn’t know who this man was, but he would not let that stand. “You don’t know anything about Fina—”

“Don’t you dare talk about my Master!” It was Prima. Still unsteady, she scrambled in front of Arl, shielding him. “Who do you think you are, you black-armored brute! My Master is wonderful! He’s so cool and sharp, but when he’s sleepy he’s just… adorable! He’s the best Master in the world! I don’t care about his past! Don’t you talk down to him!”

“P-Prima, wait, calm down!”

“Leash your dog, ‘Scorpion Hunt’,” the Black Knight said, disgusted. He raised his cracked greatsword. “No matter. The Silver Wolf is a nuisance. She dies here.”

Just as Arl pushed Prima behind him again, the entire ruin shook with a deafening… BOOM. Dust rained from the ceiling.

A voice, laced with static, echoed directly inside Arl’s head.

‘Yoo-hoo, Seeeenpaiii… Can you hear me? Testing, testing…’

She made it. Arl let out a silent breath of relief. ‘Kei,’ he thought back, ‘Situation.’

‘Gotcha! <Blacksmith> and <Noah> are on their way. They’re currently… ah… blasting… through the rest of the Serpents’ welcome wagon.’

This had been Arl’s real plan. He’d told Rosetta and Kirsi that <Fenrir> was making a move, and that this was their chance to steal the credit.

‘It’s working perfectly, Senpai. They’re both charging in. The <Fenrir> backup team that was pinned down managed to escape in the chaos. Oh, and I’m listening in. They’re saying, “The Boss predicted <Fenrir>’s move! He’s amazing!” and “The Master’s strategy is so profound!” I guess those two aren’t completely clueless.’

Arl could almost picture Kei’s smug face.

‘It’s not really ‘predict their moves’ when I’m the Master giving the orders. Just… stay with them, Kei. Report if anything changes.’

‘Understood. Fufu, this is a feat only I, as Her Highness’s personal guard and a master of the advanced magic of Telepathy, could accomplish, you know? You’ll have no choice but to praise me when I get back, right?’

‘Right, I’ll consider it ‘payment’ for that little stunt you pulled on the ceiling.’

‘Nooo, that’s so cruel!’

Arl cut the connection and looked at the Black Knight.

“The other two organizations are about to arrive. Your ambush seems to have failed. What now?”

“…So, you were the one pulling the strings.” The knight lowered his sword. “Fighting all three… would be troublesome. I’ll withdraw.”

“You think we’ll just let you leave!?” Prima growled.

“Prima, stand down.”

The Black Knight stared at the two of them.

“A knight… becoming a ‘master.’ How ironic.” He turned to leave. “Listen, ‘Scorpion Hunt’. The Serpents are already moving. Do not forget… A new calamity is coming to this capital. One that will rival the Great Collapse.”

“What did you—” Arl stepped forward, but the Black Knight was already melting back into the shadows. Just before he vanished, a final, ghostly voice echoed in the ruin.

“Nothing ended five years ago, ‘Scorpion Hunt’. Nothing.”