Massacre in the Twilight Dawn
In the dim light of dawn, under a sky dulled to gray, the sound of hooves drummed against the silent plain. Between night and day, in that ambiguous gap, the shadows of soldiers astride their mounts stretched long. A stillness far removed from the midday bustle. The dawn air hung heavy with moisture, laced with the faint but unmistakable tang of blood.
At the head of the procession rode a woman, her black cloak billowing as she charged forward. With every stride of her horse, her long black hair swayed. Her golden eyes gleamed sharply even through the drifting morning mist. Devoid of fatigue or emotion, they held an overwhelming intensity nonetheless. Her gaze was fierce, like an eagle's—unyielding, missing nothing. Her features were stern, her tall frame in military uniform adding to the intimidation.
"This is the place, Lieutenant Colonel Quyrhalstein."
An old man pointed out the path to her. Stooped with age, he was a miller who supplied flour to the bakeries. He'd set out at dawn to bake bread for the morning and stumbled upon this horrific scene by chance.
"I was just passing by with my cart loaded with flour when... "
The old man averted his eyes. His voice trembled, his eyes reddening. He'd sought help from the nearby security forces, and Hildegard von Quyrhalstein, who happened to be on patrol, had responded.
The site was a slaughterhouse, as if a bloody gale had swept through. Corpses lay scattered haphazardly along the roadside. At least a dozen, perhaps nearing twenty, piled in blood-soaked heaps. Some missing arms, others headless. It was less murder than massacre.
Hildegard dismounted. She gazed down at the bodies in silence, not so much as twitching an eyebrow.
"Begin the investigation."
At her command, the soldiers dismounted in unison. They avoided contaminating the scene, carefully circling the perimeter to assess the situation. Gloved hands parted the underbrush, checking bloodstains and footprints on the ground. In Eisenvald, soldiers doubled as police. In wartime, they were an army; in peacetime, law enforcers. They embodied the law—and when needed, the instruments of violence.
"This is... beyond excessive."
"Residual magic detected too."
"From a high-circle mage above the 6th Circle, and a Sword Master's mana as well."
"Could be a clash between crime syndicates."
The soldiers murmured their theories in low voices. But none could offer a convincing explanation. The scene had been disturbingly tidied in incomprehensible ways. The bodies' conditions varied wildly, and signs of combat clustered more around the edges than the road's center.
Hildegard knelt on one knee. The hem of her cloak brushed the blood-soaked earth. Her eyes scanned one corpse after another. Slashed by blades. Charred by fire. Necks twisted grotesquely. The stench of blood was thick; agony contorted the dead faces.
Hildegard rose quietly. She pointed to a single footprint. Soil and grass faintly disturbed. Her gaze followed the trail to a clear conclusion.
"One against many."
"...Pardon?"
One soldier blinked in surprise. Hildegard looked up. Her golden eyes swept coldly beyond the corpses.
"This wasn't an ambush. The victims—these bodies—attacked first. But they got turned on and overwhelmed."
She nudged a bloodstained pebble with her boot, adding, "The perpetrator was one person, maybe two at most. To handle that many without losses like this... that's serious skill."
By closely analyzing the jumble of footprints—singling out the distinct ones—one could roughly reconstruct the battle. The soldiers asked,
"So... the ambushed one was both a mage and a swordsman?"
"6th Circle or higher and a Sword Master..."
"What the hell."
Silence fell over the site as her words sank in. Someone muttered,
"...A monster?"
Then, a soldier rushed up, holding something out to her.
"Lieutenant Colonel. Take a look at this."
In his hand was a dagger. Short, sturdy blade—but what stood out was the pommel's decoration. A faint but unmistakable engraving. Hildegard's eyes narrowed at the sight.
"...From one of the bodies," the soldier added.
Hildegard took the dagger. Her gloved fingers slowly traced the emblem.
"King's Shadow."
She murmured lowly. A heavy silence descended. The soldiers knew well what the King's Shadow was. Patriotic servicemen, they held the group in high regard. Those who carried out the king's orders in secrecy from the shadows. They were objects of admiration. Soldiers dreamed of joining the King's Shadow over even the royal guard. It was that prestigious a unit.
Yet members of such an elite force had been butchered mercilessly by just one person.
"Who the hell would do this..."
"The King's Shadow, wiped out like this."
The soldiers fell speechless at the unbelievable scene. They turned to their commander, Hildegard. She toyed with the dagger, lost in deep thought. She too was among those who respected the King's Shadow.
"...The King's Shadow is a special forces unit that carries out the crown's direct orders."
She sheathed the dagger carefully at her waist and slowly surveyed her men. Her neat black hair fluttered lightly in the dawn breeze.
"This isn't a mere clash of arms. I'll report this to His Highness. Preserve the scene and summon forensic mages to examine it thoroughly."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The soldiers saluted and sprang into action. Hildegard mounted her horse and rode back to Lenz.
Inside the train car, golden eyelashes fluttered open.
"Awake?"
The first thing in her view was Leo. He was propped against the window, turning pages one by one.
"Still a ways to go. Sleep more."
He gently stroked Elizabeth's forehead. He smoothed her stray bangs with his fingertips, tucking them behind her ear.
"No. I've slept enough."
Elizabeth sat up with a sleepy smile. She covered a yawn, then plopped her chin on his shoulder.
"Where are we?"
"About to hit Napollia. Short stop in the city, then across the border."
"Ah..."
"Drink some water."
She took the bottle Leo offered and gulped it down, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. She pointed at the book by the window.
"What's that?"
"Oh... this? Just a novel."
Leo tried to hide it, but Elizabeth shot him a lazy glare and summoned it with magic. She eyed the cover with a strange expression.
"... The Best Ways to Raise Your Child?"
"..."
What he'd been reading was none other than a parenting guide.
"Am I a kid or something?"
"My kid."
"I'm an adult."
"Forever my baby to me."
He ruffled her hair roughly. Elizabeth puffed her cheeks like a squirrel. Leo burst out laughing.
"No matter how big you get, you're just a little girl to Dad."
He stroked the book's cover wistfully.
"Realized it this time. I was too hands-off as a dad."
"..."
"Gonna do it right from now on. Trust your dad, sweetie?"
Elizabeth placed her hand over his instead of answering. Quietly, deeply, intertwining their fingers.
Napollia. The train paused at the city station.
"Trains after so long make my body stiff."
Leo stretched as he stepped off, his back cracking satisfyingly. Elizabeth followed suit.
"Hungry? What do you wanna eat, kiddo?"
"Anything's fine. Whatever Dad wants."
"Pizza then? This is pizza's homeland."
"Really?"
"Always grabbed some whenever I passed through. Tasty stuff."
"Sounds good."
They headed to a nearby pizzeria. Leo ordered awkwardly in the imperial tongue, but the server didn't catch it. Elizabeth stepped in, handling it fluently. The server confirmed and left.
Leo fidgeted with his wrist, embarrassed.
"Haven't used it in ages. Feels off."
Made sense—his native tongue, but he'd spoken others for eight years.
"Gonna hit the bathroom real quick, Dad."
"Go ahead."
As Leo stepped away, a familiar voice echoed in Elizabeth's mind.
[I've erased the memories of the people who saw your face there.]
Elizabeth murmured softly.
"The emperor's memory."
[That was trickier. Couldn't wipe it clean—just blurred the facial features.]
Elizabeth nodded quietly. The demon of memory, Oblivius, had complied with her request, erasing her face from people's recollections. He couldn't fully touch the emperor's, but blurring it was enough.
[Anyway, that's the guy? The human you want to claim.]
[Long time no see. Didn't expect it'd be him.]
"What do you mean?"
[Pretty infamous among demons. He's killed more than a few of us.]
There was a hint of genuine admiration in his dry tone.
"...Keep talking, but don't pull any tricks on Dad."
White stars flickered in Elizabeth's blue eyes. Eyes that pierced truth. Eyes that saw through demonic schemes at a glance.
[Am I insane? I'd get caught instantly, and my powers don't work on someone with Logos anyway.]
"Yeah?"
[Not on those with their own inner world. Though it'd be different in Hell... this is the human realm.]
[So, what do you want to do?]
The most fundamental question. Elizabeth answered without hesitation.
"I'm going to have him."
[That's it?]
"I'll make him rely only on me. No one else by his side."
[Then you'll need to clear that out first.]
Elizabeth looked up at his words. The sight that met her eyes was utterly revolting.
"No... I told you I have a daughter."
"Oh, perfect! I've always wanted a daughter too~"
A heavily made-up middle-aged woman was clinging relentlessly to Leo. He'd clearly refused, but she—face flushed like she was drunk—ignored it. She was even forcibly yanking his arm, trying to shove it between her repulsive folds of flesh. A vein bulged on Elizabeth's smooth forehead.