Shadows of Nocturne
“What happened?”
It was noon on the day they were set to return north. Velkain asked the question as he regarded Arteon, who had gathered with the others at the appointed place.
“There was an attack two nights ago.”
Arteon reported everything that had occurred that night in careful detail. An attempt on the life of a man who had just been honored at a merit ceremony attended by the Emperor himself was no small matter. Worse, it might well be connected to the very affair Velkain had been investigating.
“Come with me.”
Faced with so serious a situation, Velkain stepped into the carriage he had arrived in. Once inside, he spoke.
“Basic sound-blocking magic is already in place, so speak freely. Have you identified the attackers?”
“Yes, sir. A group called Nocturne.”
“……Nocturne?”
For an instant Velkain’s eyes flickered. He had heard the name before.
Arteon nodded.
“They have ties to Moldrek. I never knew they were an assassin organization, but it seems their role is to eliminate anyone who stands in the way of their plans.”
“……I see.”
Velkain had already suspected as much, yet he had never imagined they would move so swiftly—inside the capital itself, no less. And that was not the end of it. Arteon’s subsequent meeting with Count Valenruuk was another matter of considerable weight. Such things could only be shared with someone who could be trusted completely.
But……
……If it’s Velkain.
In this life, if there was anyone to whom Arteon could speak his true purpose without reservation—
The Division Commander is the only one.
A man who had devoted his entire life to the northern front. In the end he had been killed by the opposing faction, yet the passion he had poured into the North burned hotter than anyone else’s.
Having made his decision, Arteon continued.
“There was something strange, though.”
“Speak.”
“The day after the attack, a man sent by Count Edrian Valenruuk came looking for me.”
“Edrian Valenruuk?”
“Yes, sir. I followed his messenger to the Count’s estate.”
“……In more detail.”
Arteon nodded and recounted everything that had taken place at the mansion—how they had tried to lure him to their side with the Carseia Knights Academy as bait. Given the potential Arteon possessed, such an approach was not entirely surprising.
“This is only my personal impression, but…… there was something odd about it.”
“What was it?”
“When I refused him repeatedly, the Count suddenly said something like, ‘I was going to take you in because you seemed to have decent skill.’ It was as if he already knew exactly how strong I was.”
It might have been nothing more than a baseless suspicion. But the moment the name Nocturne entered the picture, everything changed. From that point on, every detail had to be doubted and doubted again.
Velkain nodded.
“Is there anything else to report?”
“Nothing else of note, sir.”
“Understood. Then we return.”
“Yes, sir.”
Arteon stepped down from Velkain’s carriage and rejoined the others.
“What did you talk about for so long?”
“I gave a more detailed report on this incident.”
“He is a strict one, after all.”
Isaac nodded and pointed toward the carriage. Once the three of them climbed aboard, the vehicle soon began to move, carrying them out of the capital.
Isaac turned to Arteon.
“Arteon. This merit ceremony gave you the chance to request a change of posting…… Are you thinking of going somewhere else?”
At the question, Tertian also looked at him. Still so young, yet he had achieved impossible feats in the North and become its hero. In the fierce battles that lay ahead, a soldier of Arteon’s caliber was desperately needed. But what madman would choose to remain in the North—a place where death waited every single day?
Arteon answered without the slightest hesitation.
“I haven’t decided on a posting yet, but I have no intention of leaving the North.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never once considered anywhere else.”
Arteon gazed out the window of the racing carriage, lost in thought. Right now there was only one thing that mattered: finding the bastards who had driven them all to their deaths and paying them back in kind. That single purpose was what kept him fighting through these brutal struggles.
After several days of hard travel, they at last reached Almers. Arteon climbed down from the carriage and stretched with a groan.
“Ugh…… traveling without rest isn’t easy either.”
“Still better than riding horses the whole way. That would have been worse.”
Arteon nodded at Isaac’s words. Then Velkain approached the three of them.
“We rest here for the night and depart at first light tomorrow. No special restrictions, but do not cause any trouble.”
“Understood.”
“Yes, Division Commander.”
“Understood.”
Once the replies were given, Arteon looked at Isaac.
“Then I’ll go buy a few snacks for the unit.”
“A fine squad leader. Though once we return, your position will probably change again.”
“……I’ve never heard of a first-year soldier being promoted this fast.”
Tertian offered his honest impression. Thanks to the merit ceremony, Arteon’s rank had become Master Sergeant—high enough that serving as a platoon leader or deputy would be entirely natural.
Tertian asked him,
“You received two-rank special promotions three times in a row, didn’t you?”
“……You’re a monster.”
“It wasn’t exactly smooth. One wrong step and I would have been dead.”
Arteon spoke flatly. That only made him seem more monstrous.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
Leaving the two men staring after him with strange looks, Arteon strode quickly toward the busy commercial district. If he delayed any longer, the shops would all close.
“Thank you!”
With dried fruit and jerky that the squad would enjoy tucked under his arm, Arteon scanned his surroundings. There was no reason for those two to follow him, but caution never hurt. Confirming that no one was watching, he slipped into the alleyways.
He had originally planned to make time after returning to the unit, but—
Passing through Almers……
He considered himself lucky. He needed to meet Lisiven regarding Count Valenruuk. Not much time had passed since their last encounter, so major changes were unlikely, yet—
They were a thieves’ guild to begin with. I can leave the information gathering to them.
Arteon moved with practiced ease through the maze of alleys and entered a tavern.
“Hahaha, so I was saying—!”
“……Haa, like I told you—”
Inside, a fair number of patrons filled the place with the usual tavern bustle. Arteon walked up to the man behind the bar. More often than not, the ones working the counter or the bar were the ones who truly ran the establishment.
“Looking for a particular drink, sir?”
For a tavern operated by a thieves’ guild, the place had a surprisingly refined air. The man, his goatee neatly trimmed, waited for an answer.
“Tell Lisiven that Arteon is here. She’ll know right away.”
“……You are Lord Arteon?”
“You know me?”
Arteon asked, noting the man’s clear surprise. The man nodded.
“Lady Lisiven has spoken of you. This way, please.”
As if he had been expecting the visit, he smoothly opened a door leading deeper inside and guided Arteon through. They walked down a corridor lined with several doors. After opening a few more, they entered a room.
“Well, who do we have here.”
Lisiven greeted him warmly. Nothing about her appearance had changed much, yet the dark circles under her eyes had grown considerably deeper.
Looks like she’s had quite a lot to sort out……
Fatigue clearly clung to her. Still, she welcomed him brightly, and Arteon spoke.
“Sorry for dropping in without notice. Something unexpected came up.”
“Not at all, Lord Arteon. You are welcome anytime. Please, have a seat.”
As Arteon sat, Lisiven brought him a cup of warm tea. The fragrance was excellent.
“This is fine black tea.”
“You know a little about tea?”
“A little?”
Arteon lifted the cup, savored the aroma, then held the liquid in his mouth before swallowing slowly.
“It’s good.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste. But…… what brings you here?”
Arteon set the cup down and asked her,
“Do you know anything about an assassin group called Nocturne?”
“……?”
Lisiven’s eyes grew still. When she spoke again, her voice was far more serious than before.
“How does Lord Arteon know that name? It is an extremely secretive one.”
“So you do know.”
“It was information we obtained not long before our own conflict broke out—classified at the highest level.”
Arteon nodded. If they had information on them……
“Is Count Edrian Valenruuk connected to Nocturne?”
“……Unexpected names keep coming up. It’s a little startling.”
Lisiven rose from her seat. When Arteon looked at her, she said,
“Let’s move somewhere else. The soundproofing here isn’t quite adequate.”
“……All right.”
Arteon’s expression hardened. He was beginning to suspect he had become entangled in something larger than he had imagined.
They relocated to an inner room. Lisiven locked the door, then drew up her mana and poured it into a device beside her.
A low, resonant hum filled the air as a small apparatus studded with mana stones bathed the entire room in a soft blue light.
Lisiven sat again and spoke.
“You can speak freely now. This one is quite effective.”
Her expression turned grave once more.
“Nocturne. No one knows when it was founded or who its master is. It is a bizarre organization. One thing is certain: no one who has been marked by Nocturne has ever survived. They have grown powerful by handling the dirty work of high-ranking nobles.”
“And the connection to Count Valenruuk?”
“To put it simply, I don’t know yet. We are currently investigating any links to him.”
With that, Lisiven rummaged through a drawer in the corner, produced a single sheet of paper, and handed it to Arteon.
“This is a summary of the information we currently have on Nocturne. You’ll also find details on individuals connected to them.”
Arteon quickly scanned the document she offered. As she had said, several names linked to Nocturne appeared.
“……Moldrek.”
“The military officer Lord Arteon killed. As for whether Count Valenruuk is connected to Nocturne, we cannot yet say…… but do you see the name Polenchron linked next to Moldrek?”
“……Yes.”
“He is a merchant who has been trading heavily in the northwest and west. Through the late Moldrek he was siphoning military supplies and lining his own pockets.”
“Siphoning military supplies? If there’s proof, that entire merchant house would be wiped out overnight.”
“Exactly. We’re investigating that angle now…… Nothing is confirmed yet, but it is certain that nobles are shielding him from behind. And our current estimate is……”
“That one of them is Count Valenruuk?”
At Arteon’s words, Lisiven carefully nodded.
“Yes. That is correct.”
“……Haa.”
Arteon’s face twisted. Just how thoroughly rotten were these bastards?
He rose from his seat.
“Keep looking into it. And if possible, dig a little deeper into Count Valenruuk as well.”
“Understood.”
Lisiven’s reply left Arteon’s mind racing. If they were the sort who could reach into the military as well……
Even staying here…… could be dangerous.
On the way back, Arteon’s thoughts tangled into a complicated knot.