The Brand (7)
The Grand Conference Hall of the Imperial Knights.
The ceiling soared so high it seemed to have no end. Eighteen crests of the Empire's great knightly houses hung from a procession of Gothic columns, and beneath them sat an enormous round table of marble. Tiered seating packed the surrounding space, all of it angled inward toward that central table — less a council chamber than an arena built for combat.
"…No trace of the black mage Her Imperial Majesty was concerned about has yet been reported. As instructed, the knights of Winter and the mages dispatched from the capital have intensified their patrols and surveillance. You need not worry. They will never pose a threat to the Empire's security."
Empty seats dominated the hall. Of one thousand eight hundred, scarcely thirty were occupied. At the head of the round table, beneath the lion crest that stood for the Emperor, sat Rebecca.
"I shall continue my report. Over the past six months, the number of mid-rank monsters that have launched incursions into the territory from Gehenna totals three hundred and seventy-two. Thirteen knights were wounded. There were no fatalities. Given the dramatic drop in monster numbers, we anticipate a far more aggressive offensive beginning with the next Night of the Full Moon."
And beneath the wolf crest of House Winter stood Liana, delivering her report at rigid attention. Her tone had a steel in it that set her apart from the young ladies of any ordinary noble house.
"…Accordingly, the Winter territory plans to increase its stockpile of magic stones to six times last year's reserve, and to triple its imports of medical supplies from Shinmuhwaryeongguk Tenrin. In addition, we formally request of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress of Astaria, that three senior knights of centurion rank be dispatched to the territory."
Having concluded her briefing, she approached Sonia, who stood watch at Rebecca's side.
"Here is the petition. My sword and my heart remain at Her Majesty's side."
"Centurion of the Imperial Knights Sonia Estelt, receiving the Marquis's decree in Her Imperial Majesty's stead."
What Liana offered was a wooden cylinder containing the territorial decree of House Winter. She went on.
"Dame Rebecca, I presume upon your courtesy in making this request: if at all possible, I would ask that Dame Sonia be included in the next dispatch. This is not merely a matter of boosting the knights' morale. My father also holds her intellect in the highest regard — her gift for supply and administration of every kind."
Liana dropped to one knee, offering the full courtesy of a knight. Yet for a long while, no answer came.
"……?"
She lifted her head a fraction and found Rebecca wearing a faintly vacant expression, still standing exactly as she had been when she took the decree from Sonia.
"Dame Rebecca?"
"…Ah. Forgive me, Lady Winter."
Only then did she seem to snap back to herself.
"Are you unwell? Have I perhaps given some offense?"
"Hah… damn it."
Rebecca let out a long, sudden sigh, then bowed her head deeply toward the knights of Winter.
"D-Dame Rebecca? What on earth are you doing?"
Liana shot to her feet in alarm. Had naming Dame Sonia been so unreasonable a request?
"I withdraw the petition. I spoke without thinking—"
"No. It isn't that. Don't trouble yourself, my lady."
Not that? Then what, exactly?
"Forgive me. I have shown a face no knight ought to show. But given the circumstances, I find myself utterly unable to concentrate on this report. Let us reconvene the regular briefing in two days' time. Would that be acceptable?"
"Of course. But please, raise your head. You are not someone who should bow to us."
None of them could hide their dismay. So startled were they that every last one of Winter's knights had risen from their seats. There was not a man or woman among them who did not owe this woman their life. To see her like this filled them with a shame that cut the other way.
"…If it is not too forward, might I ask what has happened?"
"I'm sorry, but I cannot speak of it yet. What I can say is this: it is a matter grave enough that Her Imperial Majesty herself has taken an interest."
Grave enough for the Empress herself. No wonder she couldn't concentrate.
They all nodded in quiet, unanimous understanding — and then the doors of the Grand Conference Hall slammed open with a rattle.
"Vice Commander Rebecca!"
A knight burst in at a dead run.
"What is it?"
"My apologies for the interruption! The Tower Master is at this moment forcing her way past the knights—"
He never finished. Aura detonated through the hall.
Liana and the knights of Winter stared in shock. A distinctly visible blue Aura — and it was far stronger than the last time they had seen it. The purity was staggering. And that degree of refinement — what in the world was that? It had been a mere six months since they last laid eyes on Rebecca. Had she attained some enlightenment in the meantime?
"Ah — she is still standing before the main gate. However, she has been requesting for some time now that Commander Duncan be summoned, as she has no wish for discord with the knights—"
A crash as Rebecca's fist came down on the round table. She struck it hard enough to send a hairline crack spidering across the marble.
"What a load of absolute garbage…! Sonia!"
"Yes, Dame Rebecca."
"Escort the knights of Winter out with every courtesy. I will deal with the Tower Master myself!"
"As you command."
Rebecca shoved back from her seat in a single motion. Conflict between the Magic Tower and the Knight Order was nothing new — but her expression was far too grim to dismiss this as the usual friction. Had something happened that ran on an entirely different track from anything before? It might well be a matter the Winter territory needed to know.
"W-wait just a moment, Rebec—"
"My lady."
Sonia caught Liana by the shoulder and shook her head.
"You will learn of it soon enough. For now, I would ask that you pretend you know nothing."
Meanwhile, at the main gate of Iscaron's Yard.
"My apologies, Tower Master. We have been ordered by Dame Rebecca to heed no command of any kind until an imperial edict arrives."
Five knights blocked the massive gates. Seris glared at them, a faint chill radiating from her person.
"Truly a group sealed shut on every side, without a shred of flexibility. Which is precisely why I am asking you to send word to the Knight Commander — not to the Vice Commander who issued that order. Do you people not even have a chain of command?"
"We regret this. But we of the Praetoriani follow only the Emperor's direct command, or the orders of a senior knight executing an imperial edict."
A low voice drew the line without hesitation. And yet Seris, as Master of the Imperial Magic Tower, wielded authority second only to the Chancellor. The request was entirely legitimate. It was not even an order — a favor. To ignore it outright was a clear overreach of authority.
"So you will not even hear the words of a member of the Imperial Council."
"……."
The knight held his silence without so much as a flicker. The Praetoriani, the Imperial Household's personal guard, had been designed to carry out none but the Emperor's will. His conduct, therefore, could not be faulted.
"…Hah. Fine. I did not come here to stir up needless trouble, so I shall leave it at this for today. But you would do well to prepare yourselves for a fitting punishment for having ignored me—"
"Who dares speak of punishing the Imperial Guard besides the one and only Empress of the Astaria Empire?!"
A thunderous shout from behind. The two women found themselves face to face again, scarcely a day later.
"Oh my~ It's been a while, Vice Commander. Did you sleep well last ni—"
"Are you threatening the Imperial Guard? I will be submitting a petition to Her Majesty."
"Threatening? It would be better for both of us if you didn't put words in my mouth that invite that kind of misunderstanding."
Seris's eyes curved into crescents. It was a look that meant she was thoroughly furious at the cold reception she was receiving. A bleak chill coiled around her — and in answer, Rebecca's blue Aura unfurled with a low, simmering heat.
"I have no desire to waste so much as a second of my time here, so I will be blunt. I need to see that child. Immediately."
"Denied. Obtain an imperial decree."
"I am here as a member of the Council, under Aria's orders, to treat the child."
"As it happens, I too have received an imperial command: to protect that child, thoroughly, from every threat this world contains. Even if that threat is the Empire's own Council, my duty does not change."
The tension stretched taut between them.
"Huu…."
It was Seris who, with a long sigh, unexpectedly took a step back. She held out a small pouch to Rebecca.
"Here. Pills I prepared myself. If the child has a seizure, dissolve one in water and give it to her."
"I refuse. How am I supposed to know whether this is poison?"
"Listen here! I am not— ugh… No. Forget it. I'm done talking."
She opened the pouch, made a show of taking out a pill, and swallowed it whole.
"There. Satisfied?"
"……."
Only then did Rebecca accept the pouch without further protest — though the suspicion never quite left her face.
"I was in the wrong last time, so I will yield a step."
Her expression was thoroughly sour. She added one last thing as she turned her back.