An Ominous Request
The administrative system of the Empire was largely divided into two.
First were the Feudal Territories, ruled by feudal lords who swore loyalty to the Emperor.
And second were the City Territories, self-governing municipal regions ruled by councils elected by the citizens under the Emperor's name.
Of course, the loyalty they swore did not mean the same thing to everyone.
The feudal lords maintained their own private armies and held the rights to taxation and administration.
Though they swore loyalty to the Emperor in words, that power could be turned against him at any moment.
Thus, the nobility was always a source of instability within the Empire.
Especially from the perspective of the imperial family, which had weathered multiple civil wars, the feudal lords were practically potential rebels.
Truly trustworthy loyalists were few and far between; the rest were opportunists who would turn their backs whenever the wind changed.
Yet, the Emperor's distrust in turn provoked the feudal lords.
They loathed having the Imperial Knights, often called the Emperor's blades, enter the cities or towns within their domains, sometimes outright refusing them entry.
In extreme cases, knights passing through their territories were even quietly disposed of.
Of course, in exchange, maintaining public order within the territory became solely the lord's responsibility.
Whether it was an attack by Magical Beasts, raids by bandits, or signs of rebellion, they had to handle it themselves.
But to them, they judged it far better to be without the Emperor's lackeys.
The Emperor, too, could not simply overlook the loss of his Imperial Knights.
Ultimately, the Imperial Knights Headquarters, which managed and commanded the knights, issued a directive.
Bypass Feudal Territories as much as possible.
If passing through is unavoidable, only transit through the lands of lords whose loyalty to the Emperor is absolute.
It was proof that even though the Empire was bound as a single nation, it never moved as one.
Like cats and dogs. Like oil and water.
Those were the terms that described the current relationship between the nobility and the Emperor—and by extension, the Imperial Knights.
And yet, a rather unexpected situation had thrust itself upon us.
"Hmm..."
We stared at the request letter lying before us, lost in deep thought.
The elegant script written on the high-quality parchment seemed to warn us beforehand that this was nothing like the ordinary requests we had taken so far.
This letter had been delivered just as the fatigue from our travels was finally fading, following the nights of ecstasy we shared after arriving in Atryge.
Normally, requests distributed by the Imperial Headquarters didn't target specific individuals. Instead, the local branches held onto regional issues or missions sent down from headquarters and assigned them to visiting knights.
That was how we had resolved the disappearances in the Frontier Village, and before that, cleared the Magical Beasts blocking the river bridge.
But this one had been delivered directly to our lodgings.
Hand-delivered to us by a polite branch messenger, this request bore the name of the client: Count Timong.
"Have either of you heard that name before?"
"Junior... no, Kael. I've never heard of him."
Since Atryge was a city located in the southwest, this Count Timong was highly likely a neighboring lord.
Naturally, Lucrecia, hailing from the north, was unlikely to know him.
And since Eleonoa was from the southeast...
"I've heard the name a few times."
"Really?"
Eleonoa nodded, picking up the letter.
"A family crest depicting a soaring blue falcon. It was personally bestowed by the Emperor to their ancestor, who served as the vanguard in the past wars of conquest. They are classified as pro-Emperor nobles. However, it's said they remained silent during the civil wars that erupted when the imperial authority faltered in the late years of the previous Count Timong..."
Eleonoa glanced subtly at Lucrecia before continuing.
"But opinions on that silence are divided. Some say they stayed quiet to show their opposition to the southwestern rebels, while others claim they stood idly by even with the Emperor's enemies right next door..."
"Hmm... What about the contents?"
I broke the seal of the letter and checked the contents inside.
Surprisingly, the message was incredibly brief.
Come to the Atryge Branch to receive the details of the request.
"It's definitely not an ordinary request. Kael, what do you want to do?"
Their gazes shifted from the letter to me.
"It won't be a simple task, Kael. We might end up getting dragged into affairs between nobles."
"We have to be careful. Count Timong's public image is that of a loyalist noble... but a noble is still a noble."
Hearing this from two women who had once stood at the very pinnacle of nobility felt rather ironic.
We could have rejected the request right then and there, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to at least hear them out.
"Let's at least hear what they have to say first."
"Welcome, Sir Kael, Dame Eleonoa, Dame Lucrecia."
Upon arriving at the branch, we were escorted directly to the Atryge Branch Manager instead of the usual receptionist.
Clad in a deep green Knight Uniform, the Branch Manager was a middle-aged man with muscles that looked ready to burst through his clothes.
The prominent scar running across his face spoke volumes about the kind of life he had led.
"My name is Zect. You can call me Branch Manager, or Sir Zect. Whichever you prefer."
"Understood, Branch Manager."
Grinning, he placed a tiny, delicate teacup in front of each of us with his massive hands and poured some black tea.
"Now, have a drink before we begin. It's a black tea brewed from a species native to the southern part of the Empire. Its unique, subtle acidity is truly exquisite."
Having said that, he sat back in his chair, carefully lifted his teacup, and took a sip.
His massive frame made the chair look incredibly cramped, and with such a tiny teacup held in his giant hand, the sight was almost comical.
"Mmm! Excellent. Yes, the request letter you brought is indeed one I sent out. It was personally requested by Count Timong, one of His Majesty's most faithful subjects."
"What kind of request is it?"
"Count Timong has a son and a daughter."
He clapped his hands lightly. Soon, the door opened, and someone entered to place two portraits on the table before leaving.
One portrait depicted a man with a somewhat arrogant air, while the other showed a cheerfully smiling woman with her hair tied in a ponytail.
These two were presumably Count Timong's son and daughter.
"The two of them attended a gathering of young southwestern nobles and vanished without a trace. The host of the gathering testified that they left in a carriage to return to Timong, and there are numerous witnesses who back this up."
Kidnapping.
The thought immediately crossed my mind.
"The carriage they rode in was escorted by guards provided by Count Timong. Furthermore, the route from the gathering place to the Count's territory is highly secure, so it's unlikely to be a simple bandit raid or an attack by Magical Beasts."
"Then, is it a dispute between nobles?"
To Eleonoa's question, the Branch Manager offered no direct answer.
"Finding that out is precisely your job. Count Timong preferred to seek external help rather than handling this internally. That's why he submitted the request to our branch, and I brought it to the attention of the most suitable knights currently operating under us."
He looked at us as he spoke.
"Namely, you three. You were once part of their world, understand the inner workings of the nobility better than anyone, and can easily blend in among them..."
"Isn't it a fundamental rule that Imperial Knights do not interfere in disputes between nobles?"
"Mmm. Sir Kael, that is a perfectly valid point. However, Count Timong is one of the few nobles who is entirely loyal to His Majesty. If we reject his request, it could negatively impact other nobles who support the Emperor."
Political reasons...
"There are various other reasons as well. Of course, if you refuse, the request will simply be passed to someone else. Though I do believe you are the absolute best fit for this..."
"Could we have a moment to discuss this among ourselves?"
The Branch Manager left the room without a word, gesturing that we were free to do so.
"What does everyone think? Should we accept this request?"
"Kael, I am absolutely against it."
"Kael, I don't think it's a good idea either."
Both of them opposed it immediately.
Most of the requests we had resolved so far were straightforward tasks like subjugating Magical Beasts or clearing out bandits—things entirely unrelated to the nobility.
But this was not only directly tied to the nobility, it was also deeply entangled in political machinations.
As a commoner, I was a complete novice when it came to such political matters, but even I couldn't shake an ominous feeling about this.
Moreover, if even they were against it, there was no reason to take unnecessary risks.
"Kael, you probably don't know how the nobility operates. Even if we resolve this request flawlessly, we might end up making enemies. Even though we are Imperial Knights loyal to the Emperor, that won't shield us from the subtle interference or schemes of other nobles. In fact, we might just be used as sacrificial pawns to appease their outrage."
"Hmm..."
Her words were somewhat shocking.
After all, one of the core principles drilled into our heads at the Academy was loyalty to the Emperor, and the Emperor's reward for that loyalty.
Knights protect the Empire, and the Emperor recognizes their deeds and shields them.
That was the relationship between knight and Emperor that the Academy preached endlessly.
Of course, I knew reality wasn't such a fairy tale, but still...
After a short while, the Branch Manager, who had given us space, stepped back inside.
"Well, my friends. It seems you've had enough time to talk... May I hear your decision?"
"Branch Manager, we believe this request is too difficult for us to handle."
"Oh...?"
The Branch Manager let out a subtle smile and nodded.
"In that case, Sir Kael, would you mind stepping out for a moment?"
"Stepping out?"
"Yes. I must ask this of you. Naturally, it is to persuade these two ladies. Rest assured, I won't resort to any threats that might worry you."
"..."
I turned to look at them for a moment.
Roenheim and Waltern.
The names of these two noble houses had been ruined by the Emperor, yet ironically, they now stood on the Emperor's side.
I feared that their past might be used against them as a weakness.
Publicly, when the Emperor first admitted ruined nobles into the Academy—especially those who had fallen after rebelling against him—he declared that if they swore loyalty anew, the past would be forgotten, and they would be granted a fresh start. But...
"Don't worry, Kael."
"Kael, do not worry."
Hearing their reassuring words, I stepped out of the room.
I paced up and down the hallway, wondering what kind of conversation was taking place behind the closed door.
Creak.
A moment later, the hinges groaned as the door opened.
The Branch Manager poked his head out, looking at me with a bright smile.
"Sir Kael, it seems we need to talk again..."
I felt a knot tightening in my stomach.
Following the Branch Manager back inside, I saw the two of them sitting with slightly stiff expressions.
The atmosphere had shifted strangely, making me tense up as I returned to my seat.
"Now, why don't you tell him your decision once more?"
"Kael..."
"Kael..."
At the Branch Manager's prompting, both of them looked at me.
Hesitation was written all over their faces.
"Come now, my friends..."
Another nudge.
Finally, Eleonoa spoke.
"Kael... I'm sorry. I think we have to accept this request."
"..."
I had no intention of blaming, scolding, or getting angry at them.
I was simply curious about what had been said to make them change their minds so suddenly.
That was what I wanted to know.
Besides, no matter how ominous or dangerous I thought this was, I believed we could overcome anything as long as we were together.
I couldn't possibly let my beloveds go alone, nor did I want to oppose their decision.
"Alright. I understand."
"Ahem. Well, since all three of you agree, I will contact Count Timong. It will be much easier for you to hear the finer details and the Count's specific demands when you meet him in person."
The conversation that followed was nothing but idle chatter.
Talk of our recent missions, life in Atryge...
But none of it registered in my mind.
After spending some time in meaningless conversation, we finally left the branch and headed back to our lodgings just as the sun was sinking below the horizon.
"I'm sorry, Kael."
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"Kael... this was... something we simply couldn't refuse."
At Eleonoa's words, I looked at Lucrecia.
She nodded in agreement.
"Kael. We have a goal. We've already told you many times, but..."
The goal they had held as knights ever since we first met at the Academy, grew close, and fell in love.
It was the restoration of their fallen houses.
"The Branch Manager promised us various resources and support needed to rebuild our families."
"I won't say we agonized over it forever, but it wasn't a light decision either. That's why I'm so sorry. We were the ones who said we should refuse, only to change our minds..."
I looked at them and smiled.
"What are you talking about, both of you? Why do you have those faces? I love you more than anyone. How could I ever stand in the way of you reaching your goals? Besides, as long as I'm with the two of you, a request like this will be solved in no time."
"Thank you, Kael."
"Thank you, Kael."
The two of them threw themselves into my arms.
Though our sudden public display of affection drew a few sharp glares from passersby, their embrace was warm and peaceful.
And so, a few days later, we set off for Count Timong's territory.