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The progenitor of monsters was, once again, sealed beneath the earth.
As the final, agonized shriek of their fated enemy tore through the air, Arl and the Black Knight faced each other amidst the ruins.
“—Arl is my trusted blade, you know.”
Eilfina, who had been watching silently, suddenly spoke. Realizing that the Origin had been sealed, she must have understood Arl’s plan—entrusting the task to the Three Organizations. Pride shone in her eyes as she spoke of her knight.
“In the treacherous world of noble politics, Arl worked in the shadows for my sake, even as an Imperial Knight. To ensure I came out on top in the power struggles, he sometimes took on not just the role of 【Scorpion Hunt】, but two entirely different identities as well.”
The 2nd Seat of the Imperial Knights—known as 【Whale Caller】. The 7th Seat of the Imperial Knights—known as 【Magic Bowstring】.
Names renowned even among the Empire’s Strongest, particularly feared for their combat prowess. And their true identity was…
“I had Arl hold all three Imperial Knight positions concurrently,” Eilfina revealed, winking and puffing her chest out slightly. “Imperial Knights always concealed their true identities. It made for the perfect cover.”
“And he did it all… for me. Fufun. See? He loves me, doesn’t he?”
“Impossible… To hold multiple positions among the Empire’s Strongest…!”
“…It worked out, somehow,” Arl admitted quietly.
The Black Knight’s choked disbelief was understandable. This was, after all, the very reason Prima, Rosetta, and Kirsi had believed their Masters were three different people.
“Duplication magic is quite versatile. While I couldn’t change my physical build, it was enough to fool people for the limited time I operated under those other titles.”
Incidentally, the reason he could manage being the Master of three separate organizations simultaneously… was also partly due to using duplicates at times. It was, in hindsight, an almost ridiculously simple truth.
“However,” Arl continued, “duplicates consume a significant amount of magic power. It’s not convenient enough to use alongside other magic when facing a powerful enemy. That’s why I entrusted the Origin to the girls. Thanks to them, I can now stand before you… at my full strength.”
Standing before the Black Knight was the man who had once borne three of the strongest titles in the Empire. Arl spoke quietly to his former comrade.
“Surrender. It’s not too late to turn back.”
“Turn back…? As if I have anywhere to return to—!”
Rage propelled the fallen knight forward. He charged like a lion, closing the distance with inhuman speed. The flashing blade was a blur, too fast to track—the same blade that had likely spilled the blood of his former allies, seeking vengeance.
—If the blade itself hadn’t suddenly shattered into pieces, pierced through its flat side by a bullet.
“!? “
He tried to recoil, but it was too late. Like shadows, bullets struck his greaves, nailing his feet to the ground. As his stance broke, more shots slammed into his knee and shoulder.
Barely managing to prop himself up with one arm, preventing a complete collapse, the Black Knight looked around wildly, his face contorted in pain and disbelief.
『—Stop, 【Lion Eater】』
The voice echoed, layered, resonant—the sound of many speaking as one. Twelve voices. Surrounding him, standing atop the rubble, were twelve figures. Twelve identical copies of Arl, created through chantless duplication magic. All held pistols aimed directly at him, the bullets chambered glowing faintly with enchanted power.
“………Heh. Hah… haha.”
Ignoring the searing pain, the Black Knight let out a dry, mirthless laugh. The weight of his own earlier words crashed down on him.
“The ranks of the Imperial Knights… a measure of strength… 【Whale Caller】… 【Magic Bowstring】… So this… this is what it means… to face them as an enemy.”
『I’ll say it again. Surrender.』
“…Terrifying.”
The enchanted bullets had pierced his armor easily. He was likely only moments from losing consciousness, yet the Black Knight gathered his remaining strength, fixing his gaze on one of the Arl duplicates.
Arl saw the maelstrom of emotions swirling within those eyes. They had both started as knights. Comrades who had pledged loyalty, who had dedicated their lives to the nation. Where did we go wrong? the eyes seemed to ask, filled with envy. What should I have done? the eyes burned with rage. But the flicker of vulnerability lasted only an instant. The Black Knight masked his true feelings, his lips twisting into a cruel sneer.
“—Do it. I’m still breathing, aren’t I?”
『—Stubborn fool.』
Arl sighed softly. The bullets fired, swiftly extinguishing the consciousness of the fallen hero.
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