Chapter 11: Me and My Family (2) The Knight Headquarters was abuzz with the news that had finally begun to make the rounds.
The rookie knight, Maximilian, had killed a child. Granted, the child was a suspect in the murder of a nobleman, but that nobleman's reputation had been abysmal. In truth, he was a man who deserved to die a hundred times over. Various imperial media outlets were already seizing on that particular detail.
"...It's strange."
In the Sentinel Knights' training hall, the rookie Leon thought about Max as he wiped down his wooden training sword.
Max had never been one to stand out. It had been that way since their days at the knight academy, 'Empire Point.' The academy was rife with factions, and Max had the pedigree to lead one whenever he pleased. Yet, he never joined a faction, nor did he start one. At first, Leon had thought Max simply looked down on everyone else and didn't want to associate with 'lesser' beings.
But that wasn't it.
Max was surprisingly soft-hearted. However, he didn't exactly give off the impression of being purely 'good' either.
He didn't go out of his way to trample others, but he harbored an intense loathing for anyone who slighted him or wounded his pride...
In a way, he was a very unassuming man.
It felt odd to say, but he was one of the many 'nobles who didn't act like nobles' in this Empire.
"Twelve years old. They say this one was three years younger than the last."
Leon's sparring partner, Tiana, muttered as she gave her sword a quick flick.
"Maybe there was madness hidden beneath that fragility. You know how those quiet types are—they just snap and go crazy once they lose it."
Leon wiped his sweat and let out a small chuckle. A strange look of interest flickered across his gentle face.
"Max did seem a bit unhinged at times."
The type who rarely gets angry, but bottles it up until they finally explode and lose their mind.
"Still, Max is getting ahead of us. I'm jealous."
"Jealous? The media is having a field day right now."
At Leon's words, Tiana tossed her towel aside.
"He didn't really need to kill the kid. You know how sharp those quill-drivers are these days. He probably just got overzealous because it was his first day. I bet he's regretting it now."
"...Is he?"
"I'm telling you, he is."
The two drank some water and headed out of the training hall.
"If we had done that, the higher-ups would've raised hell. But since he's an Ebenholtz—oh, Loyalty!"
"Loyalty!"
As they climbed the stairs in the hallway, they ran into senior knights. The two quickly saluted.
"Ah, good work. Tiana and Leon, was it?"
"Yes, sir!"
It was Chiron and Julian. Chiron had a slippery, snake-like aura, while the handsome, model-like Julian beside him was Max's mentor. Julian and Max actually shared a somewhat similar appearance.
Julian nodded at the two.
"Keep it up."
"Yes, sir!"
The senior knights entered the underground sparring hall, and the two rookies continued toward the first floor.
Just then, they saw Max standing in front of the elevator.
"Max! Max! We heard the news. Congratulations."
Leon approached him with forced cheerfulness. Max merely gave a slight nod.
"Yeah."
"Where are you going?"
The elevator doors opened. Max stepped inside and answered.
"Summoned to the Vice Commander's office."
* * *
Knock, knock.
I knocked on the door of Vice Commander Anton's office. Soon, a voice from within told me to enter.
When I opened the door, Anton was sitting in his office chair. He gave me a gentle smile.
"Welcome, Knight Maximilian."
"Loyalty."
"Come closer."
I walked over and stood before his desk.
"You've solved a major case in your very first week."
He tapped a few newspapers lying on his desk with his finger. The headlines were polarized.
[The Rising Star of Ebenholtz Judges a Heinous Criminal!]
[Cold-Blooded Knight Points Blade at a Child: Controversy Over Excessive Force]
[Was the Noble's Killer Truly a Child? Lack of Transparency in the Investigation...]
"Many doubt us. They claim that even the things they see with their own eyes are fabricated."
Much of the media was hostile toward the Knights. Before my regression, I had loathed them too, but behind that hostility lay the Emperor's machinations.
It was a manipulation of public opinion designed to shift the center of power from the Knights to the Imperial Guard.
"The Grand Jury has been finalized as well. I heard you didn't refuse the review."
"I did not."
The Grand Jury was scheduled for next month. Anton gave a bitter smile.
"Maximilian. I know the burden resting on your shoulders. The name Ebenholtz is far too brilliant. The weight of the family, the expectations of the world... such things can crush a man. But there is no need to move too aggressively. Even if you only take one step a day, you will eventually reach your destination."
I looked at Anton. He was a self-made man. Born into a fallen noble family that was practically commoner status, he had risen to this position through sheer skill alone.
"Yes. I will take your words to heart."
Anton Zefren was a kind man. Undeniably a good person. A man who sought to walk the right path without leaning toward either the Empire or the Revolution.
However, in this era where the clouds of war were gathering, a man like Anton was a liability. While he was certainly someone worthy of respect, he was ill-suited for the position of Vice Commander.
"As a reward, an additional $50,000 will be added to your annual knight budget."
Every knight is given a specific annual operating budget. Rookies start with a base of $300,000, while high-ranking knights with proven track records can manage $2 million, $3 million, or even more.
Knights used this budget to hire informants, cover mission expenses, and so on.
"Thank you, Vice Commander."
"Is there anything else you wish to say?"
"No, sir. I am fine."
"Then you may go."
"Loyalty."
I backed out of the Vice Commander's office. Retracing my steps, I took the elevator down to the second floor.
At that moment.
"Max!"
Someone called my name. I turned around.
There stood a group of knights of noble birth. There were about five or six of them, all part of Chiron's faction.
The very people who, before my regression, had ruined Anton and seized control of the Knights.
"Max. What did the Vice Commander say? Tell us."
"I mean, did he say anything special? You know... regarding Ebenholtz."
They were wary of me. More accurately, they feared a potential alliance between Anton and the House of Ebenholtz. Anton's only weaknesses were his birth and background.
"Max. If that old man said anything strange to you..."
"Max. Tell us what you heard in there..."
"Hey, Max. You remember when we went out drinking back then, right? I can set up another spot for us..."
Max. Max. Hey, Max. You punk, Max.
The sound of them casually tossing my name around was nauseating.
"—Max?"
I cut them off, my voice cold as I asked back.
"When did I ever give you permission to address me so familiarly?"
"...Huh?"
I must become the most loyal man in the Empire. To exterminate an entire alien race, I have no other choice.
However, that didn't mean I wanted to side with trash like this, who were eating away at the Empire. That would be nothing more than turning the lesser evil I had chosen back into the worst possible outcome.
"My name is Maximilian, and this is not Empire Point where we used to associate so insignificantly."
"..."
The so-called knights were momentarily speechless.
"Be careful with how you address me from now on. Regardless of seniority, we are all fellow knights here."
I walked past them toward my office.
Old memories flickered briefly. The days when I was treated like a pushover, a foolish noble.
"I should have realized sooner."
Those bastards still called out to me as if I were their pet dog, but they were not my equals.
I was not like them.
I am the son of Zebestian and the legitimate heir of Ebenholtz.
From the moment of our birth, we were different beings, and Priya's words were the truth.
I should never have tried to distance myself from Ebenholtz.
Because I am Ebenholtz.
I stand in the position where I can finally do what needs to be done.
* * *
How does a knight's day begin? How are missions carried out?
I had completed my first mission with my mentor, Julian, but a mentor was just a mentor. All operations of the Sentinel Knights were systematically managed through the 'Mission Management System' on the central computer.
Click.
I turned on the computer in my office. The interface screen appeared.
[Sentinel Mission Management System]
On one side of the screen, countless incidents being reported in real-time from across the Empire popped up like constant notifications.
Ding— Ding— Ding— Ding—
The types were diverse: monster sightings, insurgent movements, heinous crimes, cold cases. The incidents were graded according to their severity and urgency.
These myriad missions are assigned to individual knights based on a specific algorithm. The primary consideration is expertise.
Past mission records, training performance, and individual specialties all served as criteria for judging this expertise.
For example, a knight who focused on hunting monsters or one specialized in assassinations and espionage would be prioritized for related missions.
Of course, since these were merely recommendations, they could be rejected, and not every mission found its perfect match. In the case of general incidents where expertise was harder to define, knights could manually select and apply for missions from the list.
Thus, for a rookie, it was a process of finding one's own field of expertise.
Click.
I clicked on the 'Wanted List' among the mission categories. The screen filled with montages of sinister faces accompanied by red warning text.
I scrolled through their codenames.
"...?"
Suddenly, a name caught my eye: 'Head-Eater.' A bizarre serial killer who reportedly only ate the heads of Imperial citizens.
The attached crime scene photos were gruesome. The victims' bodies were all mutilated beyond recognition above the neck. The edges were ragged and torn, as if ripped apart by a wild beast.
"Wait."
Suddenly, Jacob's final moments flashed through my mind.
Crr-ack!
His mouth, tearing past human limits all the way to his ears. The sharp teeth writhing with mana inside.
— Who is this 'Lexi' who's coming to offer you their heart?
I had asked Jacob that, and he had exploded in rage, revealing his true form.
Was the being named 'Lexi' that precious to him?
But the child I killed in the park was different.
Just before I took the child's head, I had whispered something.
— I know who you are. Are you still waiting for Lexi?
The child hadn't shown the slightest agitation. He had simply looked at me with a faint smile, never revealing his true identity. He died while maintaining the form of a fragile child.
It was to protect his kind.
"...Lexi."
I muttered the name softly.
Jacob hadn't reacted because I understood their alien language. Instead, he had lost his mind at the mention of a fellow tribesman's name, Lexi.
They prioritized keeping the existence of their kind hidden from humans above all else. Even to the point of willingly accepting their own deaths.
However, there were clear differences in personality and emotion between individuals. Jacob had cherished the specific individual named Lexi.
Perhaps, by Izenheim standards, he was a 'very weak' one. That was why he fell for the provocation, revealed himself, and died at my hands.
"Head-Eater."
I turned my gaze back to the 'Head-Eater' on the screen.
[Sentinel Knights Mission Management System]
[Knight Status: Year 0, Maximilian von Ebenholtz]
[Mission Code: C-077]
[Mission Type: Tracking and Disposal of Wanted Criminal]
[Would you like to accept the following mission?]
[Target: Head-Eater (Unidentified)]
[> Accept Mission] [Reject Mission]
I clicked accept.
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