Change (1)
Early in the morning, at the always bustling main gate of the imperial capital. As soon as the gates opened, merchants waiting to enter scattered in panic at the sight of an enormous wolf that suddenly appeared behind them.
“W-what is that!?”
“A monster!”
“Where are the mercenaries!?”
“Aaaah!”
The wolf hadn't done anything, yet screams erupted everywhere, and the long line stretching toward the gate split apart to either side around the beast. Thanks to that, the silver wolf and its rider swiftly advanced through the newly cleared path toward the gate.
“W-what the hell is that!?”
“A wolf!?”
“Crazy... Block it!”
“There's someone on top...”
Even among the guards manning the capital's west gate, chaos broke out. But at that moment—
“Valentia squire, Toren!”
A brown-haired young man with sunken cheeks and bloodshot eyes yelled from atop the wolf, tossing down his identification token.
“Brown... no, looks dyed?”
“Black roots? Who the hell is that guy!?”
“Look at his eyes. Completely red, but the pupils are black!”
“...N-no way, a demonkin?”
His suspicious appearance—black roots showing at the scalp and eyes bloodshot to hell—had the alert guards all drawing their weapons. But—
“Huh?”
“That token...”
The knights confirmed the mana emanating from the tossed token forming a clear eagle shape and didn't dare inspect him further.
“...Identity confirmed, Valentia squire. But no wolves allowed inside the capital.”
The outer guard captain, with a somewhat stiff expression, returned the token while laying down the law.
“Ah, the wolf...”
Only then did the young man seem to realize what he was riding, his bloodshot eyes looking down at the wolf. And with a soft whoosh, the beast—nearly two meters at the shoulder—suddenly vanished.
“Gasp!?”
“Wol... As long as there's no wolf, right? Running's fine? Can I go in now?”
“Uh? Uh, uh...”
“I'll take that as a yes. I'm in a hurry, so later!”
Not even waiting for a reply, Tiny snatched his token and dashed into the gate like the wind.
His mind was in even worse shape than his pallid face.
“W-what was that!?”
“What just flew by...”
Weaving through the crowd like a gale, the young man's eyes were blankly fixed on empty space, his body moving on pure instinct.
You pushed too hard.
He'd driven Wolrang nonstop without food or sleep, the spirit's ethereal wounds not fully healed. His head throbbed dully, and his stomach growled like thunder.
Gonna... die.
At least he'd made it by the morning before the wedding. But the moment relief at achieving his goal hit, his suppressed survival instincts surged.
Grrrrumble.
The roar from his gut. His mind growing ever foggier.
Sleep first or eat? Sleep or eat...?
Just before instinct overtook reason entirely, he barely analyzed the situation.
One, the wedding was tomorrow. Two, plenty of time left. Three, fill up on nutrients, sleep later.
So first—
“Food...”
Stuff his belly, then report Karina events to the duke. Reason and instinct struck a dramatic compromise.
Just then, Valentia Mansion came into view, saliva pooling in his mouth. His quickening steps turned to wind, carrying him straight to the mansion's dining hall.
“A demon barged into the dining hall!”
“Drinking the food?”
“What kinda nonsense is that?”
Murmurs spread. Valentia Mansion servants, faces full of curiosity, headed to the dining hall. Upon entering, they froze as if entranced amid the clattering chaos.
Crash crash.
“...What the hell is that?”
“Human?”
“Looks like that squire from before, but his hair?”
The beast—or rather, Tiny—had become the servants' spectacle, stacking three towers of plates as tall as himself before finally noticing their stares.
Urgh.
“Ah... Gonna live.”
His languid, satisfied expression and casual words shocked the onlookers even more.
“After all that...”
“Gonna live!?”
“Is he human...”
As the servants' disgusted gazes accumulated, Tiny's reason—the runaway's—began to stir. And with it, he sensed something off.
The mansion entrance on arrival, the path to the hall, the hall now. The biggest change from before he left.
Almost no knights in the mansion...? What's going on?
An ominous premonition brushed his chest. He shot up, grabbing a dining hall servant.
“Where's the duke!? Sir Jenas? Where are all the knights?”
“Th-they all went to Kreim Palace. For the wedding rehearsal...”
“Kreim Palace? Ah, rehearsal... Huh? Why drag all Valentia knights to a rehearsal?”
“I-I wouldn't know, sir...”
The servant looked flustered, eyes downcast, when a familiar voice answered instead.
“At Crown Prince's request. But... you're really that kid from back then? Can't believe my eyes.”
“Right? Doesn't add up.”
Turning toward the voice revealed twin burly men. Blond hair, blue eyes, chiseled faces. Memorable first impressions...
“Tren young master!?”
“Oh, it really is you. Ta... uh, what was it? Your name.”
“Toren! Use your brain before speaking, Tren. And Sir Toren, it'd hurt if you remember this idiot but not me?”
Identical to him, impossible to mistake. Famous in Valentino.
“Glen young master?”
“Yeah, nice to meet you.”
Tren and Glen, Valentia twins. Sources of his hastily made alias, Toren. But why were they here...?
“Weren't you attending? All knights to the palace—what the hell's going on?”
“We wanted to. Father said absolutely no, just attend the main ceremony tomorrow. Even Aaron brother only went after insisting...”
“Some reason, probably.”
The twins shot him a you know anything? look, but Tiny was the most confused.
Sword Emperor? Why...?
What's happening? Sensing something wrong, Tiny seized his foggy mind.
“You said Crown Prince's request? Dispatching the knights? Why?”
“'Rehearsal like the real thing,' he said. But he seemed to be hiding something. Odd we're not there—we're direct line. Suspicious.”
“Ah...”
“Be honest, Toren. You just returned from mission—must know something, right?”
Glen's sharp gaze scanned Tiny, but he had no mind to answer.
Something's off.
Tiny's eyes shook violently at the twins, his weary brain overworking to grasp the situation.
What? What is it?
Twins aside...
Took only heir Aaron. All knights and heir to a mere rehearsal. Leaving twins behind...
“Even tried separating Captain Jenas, but he tailed secretly. Captain seemed to know something. You too?”
...What?
Instinct flashed like lightning.
Twins and Jenas—all ones I never saw in my past life...
Ones he thought might've died. The thought hit—
“No way!?”
Tiny couldn't help yelling.
Date's advanced! Not tomorrow—today!!
Reason unknown, but it fit perfectly.
“Damn it! To the palace now! Kreim Palace, young masters! Somehow, right now...!”
“...What? Sudden nonsense.”
Tren blinked blankly, but—
“Good, been uneasy. Talk on the way!”
Glen grabbed his brother's arm like he'd been waiting.
Thud thud thud.
“G-get out of the way!”
“Horses!”
“Insane!”
“Who rides like that in the capital...”
Pedestrians screamed, scattering from the group charging down the avenue like a wasteland sprint. But soon—
“...Eagle banner!?”
“Valentia!”
“Why from the ducal house?”
They merely wondered at the banner atop the lead horse.
“Salute!”
Guard patrols, startled into action, saluted the eagle emblem. But the riders had no time.
“...Makes no sense!?”
“I experienced it myself!”
“Damn, but the palace!?”
“Shut it, Tren! If true, worst case! Focus on riding!!”
Tiny, the twins, and their escort knights raced like in a tournament. If Tiny was right, the implications were massive.
“Halt!”
“Slow down!”
“This is the palace!”
Inner citadel entrance guards.
“This is where His Imperial Majesty resides. Slow—”
“Official business! Valentia takes responsibility!”
Patrolling palace knights yielded to the eagle banner.
Finally, before Kreim Palace—the crown prince's residence for the wedding—they met familiar faces.
“What?”
“Young masters?”
“Weren't you at the mansion?”
Valentia knights on outer guard looked baffled, but no time for greetings.
“Father!?”
“Inside the palace, of course.”
Jenas eyed Tiny grimly but answered Glen.
“Rehearsal starts soon.”
Glen whipped around to Tiny.
“We'll go in. Anything to relay?”
Only royals and direct Valentia line could enter now. Tiny knew, so he silently extended his palm.
“Woof!”
Wolrang on his palm signaled no demon worshippers nearby. But that only heightened Tiny's unease.
“Take him.”
“Woof.”
Glen's eyes flashed at the shrunken Wolrang but scooped him up without question, dashing inside.
“Damn. Ta... ugh, Toren! If wrong, you're in for it!!”
“Shut up, idiot! Run instead of yapping!”
Tren yelled worriedly at Tiny, but Glen dragged him by the ear, screaming into the palace.
Only Jenas watched gravely.
“Hold positions! Watch the palace! Enter if anything odd!”
Like he'd been tipped off, Jenas directed the knights relentlessly.
“Ta—no, Toren! You seem to know what's up—explain?”
“W-wait...!”
But Tiny ignored him, focusing amid baffled knights' stares.
On Wolrang, now in Glen's hand, entering the palace.
Ding! A small golden bell rang, its clear tone filling the grand hall. Then—
“The crown prince's wedding rehearsal begins shortly. To avoid mistakes at the main ceremony, please focus.”
At the archbishop's words from the dais, chatting nobles moved as one.
Main ceremony would have duke-level nobles, but now only royals and direct Valentia line. Most moving per orders were royals.
“Then, Duke, see you later.”
“We'll withdraw.”
“Me too...”
Collateral royals around the Sword Emperor offered light bows en route to seats. The center figure, stone-faced, scanned everywhere without reply.
Royals frowned briefly but, seeing his poor expression since entering, didn't press.
Especially collaterals—duke-rank in name, but lost all upon leaving palace. Unlike the duke, power incarnate. No overt complaints.
So they just—
“Real daddy's girl after all.”
“That reluctant to marry her off.”
“Even transcendents are just parents.”
Muttered among themselves to save face, heading to seats.
“Father, at least a nod...”
Heir Aaron urged worriedly, but—
“Never mind, Aaron. Check for suspicious moves instead.”
“...Yes.”
The transcendent duke ignored the whispers.
Where?
Palace mana freeze barrier couldn't block transcendents. He sharpened senses over the hall, but nothing snagged.
Crown prince's mentioned royal knights showed odd vibes occasionally, but—
With our knights, they can't do much. Must be something else? Demon worshippers or other threats.
Yet nothing registered.
Then—
“W-wait!”
“Young masters Tren von Valentia and Glen von Valentia enter the palace!”
Unexpected words.
These kids!?
Sons who shouldn't be here. Weaklings unlikely to survive disaster—he'd left them. Why appear now?
Focus broken, Sword Emperor glared axe-eyed at the twins. Desperate-faced Glen and tiny pup on his palm caught his eye.
Wolrang? Tiny already...!?
His rigid face bloomed unknowingly.