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After leaving Kyokuto, Philly had transferred to the neighboring country across the sea—the Rudain Federation.
She could feel an indefinable discomfort seeping through her body along with the flow of her blood. With every ounce of her consciousness, she was holding back a torrent of power that threatened to burst her apart at any moment.
"Haa… haa… hh…"
Breathing raggedly, she made her way through the central government building.
Staggering on unsteady legs, Philly finally reached the top floor. She paused once in front of the door, then slowly opened it and stepped inside as if collapsing forward.
"…A rare visitor."
A man's voice echoed.
An elderly man with white hair and a white beard, standing ramrod straight in a military uniform, stood before his executive desk.
His name was Gunnar Schulten.
The supreme authority of the Rudain Federation, holding the title of Federal Chairman.
But behind that face lay another identity.
He was [Cyclamen Cult: Second Seat]"Thunder Emperor".
Another man stood across from him.
The new Grand Master of the Explorers Guild, Solda.
He had unremarkable features and an average build that left no lasting impression. If one let their guard down, their brain might automatically forget his existence—he was that much like air itself.
That very quality was the core of his purpose.
Philly closed the door behind her and slid down it until she was sitting on the floor.
Breathing hard with her shoulders heaving, she barely managed to squeeze out her voice.
"…Sorry for interrupting your conversation…"
Blackish miasma was slowly leaking from her body.
"Philly."
Gunnar narrowed his eyes and asked,
"Why have you taken Oberon's magical energy into yourself? There should have been a vessel."
"…That vessel turned out to be useless."
Philly answered wearily, her voice laced with pain.
"So… I had no choice but to do it myself…"
"You're being reckless."
Gunnar let out a sigh-tinged murmur.
"Even though you received [Recognition Alteration] from Oberon, pushing yourself like this will lead to your ruin."
There was even a faint note of concern in his tone.
But Philly's expression turned coldly dismissive.
"…I don't need that superficial worry."
She spat the words out.
"I won't be able to move for a while. But I will fulfill my role, so rest easy."
"I see. Then that's fine."
Gunnar nodded as if satisfied and immediately continued.
"Solda."
"…Yes."
"Extract Oberon's magical energy from Philly."
"Understood."
Following Gunnar's order, Solda approached Philly.
He knelt in front of her and slowly extended his hand.
The moment Solda's fingertips gently touched Philly's left shoulder, black mist rose waveringly from her body.
The torrent of magical energy corroding every inch of Philly began to flow backward into Solda's arm.
Like drawing out poison, the black power crawled from her shoulder to her chest, then up to her abdomen.
Solda's complexion turned deathly pale in an instant, and his lips began to tremble.
Fine cracks formed at his fingertips, and a creaking sound came from his joints.
Then, without a sound, Solda's body began to crumble.
Like a tower of sand blown away by the wind.
In the blink of an eye, his body dissolved into the air without leaving behind even a single grain.
"..."
Philly watched him with an emotionless gaze.
"…I feel a little better now."
She exhaled as she spoke.
"Sorry about that, Gunnar."
"No need to worry. That was nothing more than a puppet soldier created with cloning technology. I can prepare as many replacements as needed."
Gunnar answered matter-of-factly while glancing at the documents on his desk.
"I'll arrange the next Solda as well. I'll send one to you regularly. For the time being, focus on acclimating Oberon's magical energy to your body."
"…I understand."
Philly slowly stood up.
Though she staggered, she straightened her posture and placed her hand on the door.
Over her shoulder, she dropped one last remark.
"Oh, right. Orun is currently in Kyokuto."
"…Oh?"
"Nine times out of ten, he'll start investigating the principles soon."
Gunnar narrowed his eyes slightly and formed a sardonic smile.
"I appreciate the information."
Then, in a voice no one else could hear, he murmured,
"I see. So he's in Kyokuto. It's inconvenient that I can't have Philly manipulate the information, but it's more than enough as a justification. For something on this scale of shaping public opinion…"
Gunnar lowered his gaze to the map spread out on his desk.
At the end of his line of sight lay the island nation of the Far East.
There, quietly yet surely, a black shadow was creeping closer.
Who would bleed next?
No one knew yet.