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Around exactly two months and a half after George Heniwei went missing, his corpse was discovered in the underground sewer drainage of Ruden. Considering it had been two months since his disappearance, the state of the corpse was surprisingly well-preserved, suggesting he had not been dead for long.

When it was found that a mage, skilled enough to hold a professorship at Estellia Academy, had been discovered in such a wretched state, it was no wonder that Ruden, which had been quietly enjoying spring, suddenly buzzed with commotion.

Although he had been wanted for embezzling academy funds, he was previously recognized for his exceptional abilities. He was close to the 7th tier of Chesed’s prowess. Naturally, the ramifications of such a skilled person being found dead in the depths of a sewer were substantial.

It wasn’t certain, but if he truly was a practitioner of the 7th tier, there couldn’t have been many capable of killing him within the Empire. For a time, the topic of everyone in Ruden revolved around the identity of the mysterious individual who had killed Heniwei.

Countless speculations and hypotheses swirled around, but in the end, nothing was conclusively uncovered.

Those capable of committing such acts usually had their whereabouts clearly established; thus, people concluded that it must be the work of an unknown mystic or an eccentric genius, still unseen.

As is often the case with humans, interest wanes if you don’t keep throwing on the firewood. The death of Heniwei was likewise losing its grip on many, as baseless speculations yielded no advancements.

However, there were those who stubbornly refused to give up on discovering the identity of this powerful individual. They belonged to the heretical group that worshiped the Foreign Beliefs Heniwei had once been part of, calling themselves “The True Night.”

Operating for over a millennium, this heretical organization’s meetings didn’t take place in any ominous secret space but rather in a normal clubroom, blending in with other common social gatherings. The individuals here portrayed themselves as learned folk, making it easy to disguise as a small academic forum.

The intellectual crowd was notorious for its eccentricities; therefore, such gatherings weren’t uncommon, and it was safer to disguise themselves as an ordinary club than to risk being caught while moving in secret.

They sat around a long wooden table, discussing their current situation with serious expressions. One man, having read the newspaper article on the table, gazed at the empty head seat and began to speak.

“I’ve been anxious since the bounty was placed, but who would’ve thought… the Bishop of the Fifth is dead…”

Was that the triggering point? The previously calm meeting atmosphere shifted. A man sitting across from him slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage.

“Who could have done it? Even though the Fifth Bishop was sealed from Divine Power due to the prohibition, he’s still a 7th-tier practitioner!! He wouldn’t have maintained the prohibition while facing death, so with the Fifth Bishop’s skills, he would’ve survived a confrontation with any high-ranking official! Who could quietly kill the Fifth Bishop like this?”

“…If it were a Transcendent, it wouldn’t be impossible. I heard the Sword Saint recently became the head of the Knight Department at Estellia. He could certainly handle the Fifth Bishop without creating a stir.”

“Who doesn’t know that the Sword Saint is a figure of renown?! If the Fifth Bishop found out he was connected to the academy, he would never have been killed! It’d have been much easier to slice off limbs and extract information rather than go for the kill!”

“Aye, if he had known, the Imperial Army would have responded long ago. Since things are still quiet, it doesn’t seem like the Imperial Family is behind it… This is complicated. No, was the Bishop’s death even due to an incident related to the academy? Could it not have been personal matters? After all, the reasons for the initial bounty were based on embezzlement…”

Just because they refused to give up on exposing the incident didn’t mean they were any closer to the truth. In fact, these were the ones most confounded by the current situation. Their leader, who they thought must still be alive somewhere, was found dead one day.

With their central figure lost, their hearts became as fragile as a candle in the wind.

In normal circumstances, they might have turned to prayer to endure their faith, but the connection to their deity had long been severed. The power of Divine Power they had previously obtained remained within their bodies, but no further grace was bestowed upon them.

It was thanks to Heniwei’s leadership that they had managed to hang on, but with his death, they were left without any source of support. If anyone had taken it upon themselves to be a pillar of strength, their situation might have improved. Yet, those assembled had been so used to relying on others that none wished to stand on their own.

What good was the power of a cornered group? To aim for the title of pillar now only meant taking on responsibilities.

“Why not contact the main sect…? With the Fifth Bishop gone, we need new leadership.”

Thus, such pitiful suggestions emerged, and everyone seemed to tacitly agree with them.

Among those maintaining some semblance of calm, one cleric finally spoke up. Perhaps due to his youth, his voice was far from authoritative, but witnessing the disarray among his seniors compelled him to intervene.

“The research lab and residence of the Fifth Bishop are currently under lockdown. Due to the oath, we can’t leave any records about ourselves, but it’s possible the plans the Fifth Bishop was working on have fallen into the hands of the Imperial Family. Given our current situation, it doesn’t look good to contact the main sect. Let’s reduce the frequency of our meetings. We shouldn’t raise suspicion, so let’s proceed slowly and cautiously—like a couple experiencing a lull in their relationship.”

“Are you suggesting we scatter? I understand your point, but is this not the time to gather and unite? We should escape while the Imperial Family is still unaware! We need the main sect’s assistance.”

“…The main sect can’t possibly be unaware of the current situation. It’s been prominently featured in the newspapers. If we act recklessly, the main sect will likely try to cut us off. Let’s hold on and wait. And you mentioned survival, right? Didn’t everyone prepare to give their lives for the greater good?! But now we’re talking about survival!!! Does that even make sense….”

As his voice rose, he looked at the faces around him and fell silent. No one responded to his words. They didn’t express anger or block him. They looked at him with eyes full of anxiety, quietly acknowledging that he was entirely correct.

With the severance of their communion with the deity, the faith that had once seemed steadfast began to crack. The young cleric, who had been raising his voice, was not oblivious to this, but continued to see such pitiful displays stirred a boiling frustration within him.

“Y-you traitors!!!”

“Enough.”

As the atmosphere began to grow tense, a man sitting closest to the head of the table intervened. Raising a hand to stop the young cleric, he spoke in a weary voice that seemed to carry the weight of everyone present.

“Let’s wrap it up for today… It appears everyone still needs time to think. The next meeting will take place a week later than originally scheduled. You should take this time to cool your head. Your words were rather harsh.”

“Y-yes…”

And so the meeting came to an end.

Those seated closest to the head exited the room, leaving behind only the young cleric who had raised his voice earlier. He briefly gazed at the empty central chair before stepping out the door. The cowards avoiding responsibility were not the only ones here.

*

“Looks like it might rain.”

The young man walking the streets muttered as he gazed at the cloudy, gray sky.

Perhaps because of the events during the meeting, his mood was as gloomy as the sky above. The cloud-filled sky resembled his life, uncertain and obscured. As drops began to fall from the sky, he hastened his pace.

Not long after he picked up speed, the ground became completely soaked with raindrops. What began as a gentle drizzle intensified quickly, weighing down the young man’s body with increasing heaviness. Having not brought an umbrella, his drenched clothes felt like burdens weighing him down.

He was not one to complain about getting a little wet, but perhaps due to swallowing a heavy stone during the meeting, he found even this oppressive. All he could think was how badly he wanted to return home, urging him to run even faster down the street.

On his way home, the silhouette of the Alchemy Tower came into view. Once his home, it was now a place he wished to tear down. Since he had left there, a strange yearning and resolve filled his eyes as he gazed at the tower, though today was different.

At this moment, only the darkened eyes of a person thwarted from their goal reflected the shining golden tower.

“Huff… huff…”

Arriving at his doorstep, he exhaled heavily, looking down at the ground.

For a mana user like him, covering this distance should have been of no issue, yet he felt suffocated by the unnameable frustration. It felt as if a stake had been driven into his chest, yearning to be pulled out, yet it was something he could not touch.

Unlocking the door, he stepped inside, greeted by a tranquil silence and darkness.

He could no longer hear the sound of rain. This sensation of being utterly isolated from the world brought him a sense of relief as he could finally breathe comfortably. He carelessly tossed his heavy coat aside and walked toward his study.

He thought that if he just picked up any random book and sat in a chair, sleep would come. Cleaning off the moisture from his soaked body was necessary, but it hardly mattered to him. He desperately needed complete disconnection from the outside world.

The hallway leading to the study was filled with a rich aroma of coffee.

The young man scrunched his nose at this scent, hoping it wouldn’t chase away the welcome sleep. The closer he got to the study, the more intense the aroma became, but he didn’t stop his stride. After all, he could always erase it with a gesture, so he didn’t want to turn back.

Opening the study door, he pulled a book off the shelf right in front of him and headed to the chair. Feeling overwhelmed and on the brink of his limits, he didn’t feel the need for a book that would serve as a sleep aid, yet there he was, holding it.

He thought that once he sat in the chair, he could finally rest completely. That is, until he noticed the guest already seated in his chair.

“You’re late.”

At that single phrase, the dying young man’s senses began to revive. With every breath he took, the deep aroma of coffee filled his nostrils. He wondered how he hadn’t realized this till now, the scent was so potent, but that hardly mattered at this moment.

Frozen in place as he gazed into the eyes of a dragon observing him from the darkness, he couldn’t move a muscle.

 

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