Lately, Haschwalth had been extremely irritated.
Those Quincy families throughout the Wandenreich (Invisible Empire) had originally been almost powerless under the Sternritter's assaults.
But for some reason, a genius Quincy named Kabuno Takuya had suddenly risen among them.
That one man had practically turned the tide by himself.
The Sternritter—who should have been continuing their outward expansion—were forced to halt.
And with the Sternritter's numbers already scarce to begin with, their members had, during this period, been nearly slaughtered to the last by that man working together with several major Quincy families.
Even Meninas, who had been sent out a few days ago to secretly investigate an anomaly… Haschwalth suspected she might have died at Kabuno Takuya's hands as well.
Otherwise, in this vast Wandenreich, Haschwalth couldn't imagine who else could silently kill a Sternritter member with a Schrift.
Haschwalth had requested permission to take the field again and again from the Quincy King, Yhwach—only to be refused every time.
Haschwalth could tell: His Heika had likely developed a slight appreciation for talent toward that Quincy called Kabuno Takuya.
To Yhwach, Schrifts were common—but Quincy capable of wielding powerful Schrifts were not.
If Kabuno Takuya really was that much of a prodigy, bringing him into the Schutzstaffel (Imperial Guard) as a fifth member wasn't out of the question.
But for Haschwalth…
Kabuno Takuya had to die.
Because his close friend, Bazz-B, had been killed by Kabuno Takuya just a few days earlier.
Haschwalth couldn't tell himself to forgive the man who killed Bazz-B.
Even if it might be Yhwach's intention.
"Haschwalth-sama, at a time like this… where do you plan to go?"
Seeing Haschwalth walking alone toward the Ice Palace's exit, one of the Schutzstaffel members, Askin Nakk Le Vaar, asked him.
Askin Nakk Le Vaar—who had a Latin-ethnicity look, a single curled forelock at his forehead, and a knotted bracer on his left arm—was the last Sternritter member chosen by Yhwach and selected into the Schutzstaffel.
But like most Sternritter, he wasn't following Yhwach from the heart.
He was simply curious about the "new world" Yhwach promised to create after destroying the Human World, Hueco Mundo, and Soul Society. He'd swallowed the bait Yhwach dangled, and accepted Yhwach's theory of world-destruction.
At the same time, he regarded Haschwalth—the man praised as Yhwach's "other half," the Sternritter's commander—as the next emperor of the Wandenreich.
So to Askin Nakk Le Vaar, pledging himself to Haschwalth early was the smartest possible choice.
He was also the only one in the Schutzstaffel who was loyal to Haschwalth, not to Yhwach.
And right now, Askin was closely watching Haschwalth's every move.
Especially with the Sternritter clearly facing a problem—Askin very much did not want Haschwalth to suffer any mishap.
"Just taking a walk outside," Haschwalth replied.
Haschwalth knew Askin's special attachment to him, but Askin was still a Schutzstaffel member serving Yhwach.
Haschwalth had expressed countless times that Askin should devote himself to Heika.
Askin had always ignored him completely, and eventually Haschwalth simply let Askin do as he pleased.
Even so, Haschwalth obviously couldn't tell Askin that the real reason he was leaving now was to privately go and dispose of that Shinigami called Kabuno Takuya.
As for how Heika would react afterward…
That could wait until afterward!
"At a time like this, Haschwalth-sama still wants to take a walk outside?"
"Then please allow me to accompany—"
Askin had little interest in staying behind to protect Yhwach. But before he could finish, Haschwalth cut him off.
"No need. I'll go alone."
With that, Haschwalth left immediately, not allowing Askin even the slightest chance to object.
Askin, for his part, tactfully followed only to the Ice Palace's entrance. Watching Haschwalth's departing back, he wore a faint smile.
"Haschwalth-sama has left," Askin said softly. "You two can come out now."
Then, within the palace shadows behind him, a man and a woman stepped out.
If Haschwalth were still here, he would certainly recognize the male Quincy among them—
The very Quincy he intended to find: Kabuno Takuya.
Higashino Shuuichi.
"To sell out the emperor you see as the future of this Empire so cleanly… is that really okay?" Higashino Shuuichi stopped five meters behind Askin, keeping distance.
"The Empire can only have one emperor," Askin replied.
"And that Yhwach-sama hasn't even conquered the entire Empire yet—so he can't truly be called an emperor."
"'Heika' is simply the title we use when following Haschwalth-sama while addressing Yhwach-sama. That's all."
"In my eyes, Kabuno Takuya-sama… which of you—between you and Yhwach-sama—will ultimately become this Empire's emperor is still unknown."
"As for me… I'd rather it be you, Kabuno Takuya-sama, who takes the throne!"
Askin turned to face Higashino Shuuichi and dropped to one knee respectfully.
His first contact with Higashino Shuuichi had been two days ago.
He'd been ordered to take over a city they had just captured—and there, he walked straight into Higashino Shuuichi's ambush.
Because Higashino Shuuichi knew Askin's Schrift—Shurifuto "D": Dezudīringu (The Deathdealing)—inside and out, the "normal" fight ended with Higashino Shuuichi defeating him at lightning speed.
Higashino Shuuichi hadn't killed Askin for one reason: Askin was a Schutzstaffel member.
Higashino Shuuichi worried that if Askin died, Yhwach would immediately become alert—and would no longer allow the remaining Schutzstaffel members, including Haschwalth, to act alone.
But Askin interpreted Higashino Shuuichi's restraint as a form of recruitment.
Because Yhwach had "recruited" Askin in exactly the same way.
With that prior experience, Askin didn't even need Higashino Shuuichi to speak—he openly stated his desires himself.
Put simply: Askin didn't care about his own life and death, but he was extremely interested in the "big promise" Yhwach had drawn for him.
If Higashino Shuuichi's future plans weren't to waste away in this dull, lifeless Wandenreich, but instead—like Yhwach—to step out of this cramped place and launch war against the legendary Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Human World…
Then why would he care whose vanguard he became?
To be honest, after hearing Askin's sincere little speech, Higashino Shuuichi was momentarily stunned.
At this point in time—when Yhwach hadn't even unified the Wandenreich yet—was Yhwach really that lacking in authority?
How could a Schutzstaffel member defect this decisively?
Not even a shred of backbone.
So what else was there for Higashino Shuuichi to say?
Promises, huh?
It wasn't like he'd never sold a dream before.
And Higashino Shuuichi had something Yhwach didn't.
The ability to tell stories.
In front of Askin Nakk Le Vaar—one of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel—Higashino Shuuichi perfectly displayed the kind of "talent" a great leader was supposed to have.
Destroying Soul Society, the Human World, and Hueco Mundo?
Sure.
But have you heard of Jigoku (Hell)?
You haven't?
No problem!
It's a containment facility made specifically to imprison powerful souls. Since the birth of the world, every powerful being that has ever existed—known and unknown—ends up being taken in by Jigoku (Hell)!
Impressive, right?
Want to see it?
Of course!
Follow me—when we trample Jigoku (Hell) in the future, I'll guarantee you a position as the first shock troop!
Poor Askin—just a young man who hadn't seen much of the world—got led along limping and dazzled.
What was Yhwach, anyway?
The former Quincy King?
What a joke—just an old fossil who couldn't keep up with the times!
How could he compare to the Kabuno Takuya-sama Askin was following now?!
That was Askin Nakk Le Vaar's true inner monologue after Higashino Shuuichi finished selling him the dream.
As for the information Haschwalth now held—
A large portion of it was "truth mixed with lies" that Higashino Shuuichi had prepared specifically for him.
Including the so-called staging ground that Haschwalth believed Higashino Shuuichi was in—a place filled with obvious flaws.
Mountains on three sides.
A barrier covering the sky overhead.
Only one concealed ground-level entrance to enter.
On the surface, it looked like an ideal fortress—easy to defend, hard to attack. No matter how many Sternritter surrounded it, Kabuno Takuya would only have to face one Sternritter at a time.
But in Haschwalth's eyes, it was a deathtrap.
A deathtrap that would become Kabuno Takuya's grave.
Because one entrance meant one exit.
Block the exit, and whoever was inside would become prey in a jar.
Higashino Shuuichi was confident that with Haschwalth's intellect, plus the message Higashino Shuuichi had intentionally had Askin "leak"—that Bazz-B had been killed by him—
Haschwalth would absolutely go to seek him out alone, hiding it from Yhwach.
For Bazz-B's sake, Haschwalth was capable of it.
After all, in the original course of events, Haschwalth dared to play even Yhwach during the final battle—for Bazz-B.
So what was a little concealment now?
And Higashino Shuuichi wasn't exactly being kind to Haschwalth, either.
That "deathtrap" wasn't empty.
It was packed with the combined top-tier combat strength of every ambitious Quincy family in the entire Wandenreich.
In the intelligence Askin gave Haschwalth, the overwhelming majority of details—staging area, barrier, terrain, and so on—contained no exaggeration at all.
Higashino Shuuichi told only one lie:
Whether he himself was actually inside that staging ground.
"If you can accept the 'gift' I left for you there," Higashino Shuuichi thought as he watched Haschwalth leave the Ice Palace without looking back, "then the Wandenreich won't have much usable fighting strength left."
"Conquering the rest of the Wandenreich will be as easy as breathing."
"Though whether Yhwach lives long enough to see that moment… is another question."
In a sense, that was also Haschwalth's "contribution."
Because if Haschwalth hadn't kept delivering victories to Higashino Shuuichi, the ambitious Quincy families inside the Wandenreich wouldn't have so boldly handed over all of their elite strength to Higashino Shuuichi—and allowed him to command and deploy it freely.
Higashino Shuuichi looked at Askin Nakk Le Vaar kneeling before him like a subject.
His eyes held only cold indifference.
To Higashino Shuuichi, Askin was nothing more than a disposable chess piece—nothing else.
Even if he was strong. Even if he was one of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel.
"Then follow the plan," Higashino Shuuichi ordered.
"Lille Barro goes to you and Yumeoto. Pernida Parnkgjas is mine."
Yumeoto was the alias Nemu was using inside the Wandenreich.
Even if the name "Nemu" might not be known to these Quincy, Higashino Shuuichi preferred caution.
More importantly, this was the Ice Palace.
Yhwach, due to his weak body, would fall into a sleeping state during the day.
But Higashino Shuuichi still couldn't guarantee that fighting inside the Ice Palace wouldn't wake Yhwach—or trigger some alarm that brought back the Haschwalth they had lured away.
So the first rule was simple:
Decide it fast.
Lille Barro wasn't an especially terrifying opponent—at least, that was what Higashino Shuuichi believed when comparing him to a fellow Schutzstaffel member like Askin.
Sending Nemu along was simply insurance.
As for the last Schutzstaffel member that Higashino Shuuichi "left out" of the plan—
Gremmy Thoumeaux.
His power was so dangerous that even Yhwach had to keep him locked inside a special cage.
Right now, Yhwach definitely hadn't released him yet.
So Higashino Shuuichi didn't include him in the first stage of the operation.
At this point, everything Higashino Shuuichi did inside the Wandenreich unfolded exactly as he had envisioned—
Swift and efficient.
Against Quincy for whom there was no reason to show restraint, Higashino Shuuichi displayed a rare side of himself:
Cold efficiency.
In less than half a month, the obstacles between Higashino Shuuichi and Yhwach had been reduced to only a handful of Schutzstaffel members.
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