Intermission: Double-Crossers

The Heavenly Empire, a realm united as one like a fortress also known as the Empire.

For a century, the nation had held claim over the largest territory in the world. Though

a portion had been usurped to form the rival country of the Nebulis Sovereignty when

the Grand Witch Nebulis had rebelled against them, the power of the fortress nation

hadn't wavered in the slightest.

And the ones making all decisions for the largest country in the world were in the

Imperial assembly. They gathered in an assembly hall five thousand yards below the

surface of the Imperial capital, Yunmelngen, deep in its abyss.

"Good morning, Risya."

"We're pleased that you've answered our summons in the early morning. Please

make yourself feel at home."

A steaming cup of coffee had been set up in front of her. It had to have been prepared

by the best barista in the Imperial capital, but the Saint Disciple chose to remain silent,

letting out a quiet sigh.

"Not a coffee drinker, we take it?"

"I prefer tea."

She was Risya In Empire. She was handsome, her sharp face framed by black glasses

that made her look extra smart. She had a certain air about her, as though she was an

influential businesswoman or the daughter of a big-shot CEO. If she was to be

described in a handful of words, she would be called "an unparalleled jack-of-alltrades genius."

She excelled at academics, martial arts, shooting, and even strategic command,

graduating military school at the top of her class. As her colleagues competed

ruthlessly with one another to become captains, she had already been recommended

as a Saint Disciple two years before her graduation and currently worked as the righthand woman of the Lord.

"But enough about that. I'd like to request an explanation for why I was summoned at

three in the morning. To be frank, I've been suuuper-busy." Risya turned her eyes up

to the front of the room.

Light glowed off the monitors installed on the wall, where the silhouettes of eight men

and women indistinctly floated into view.

"I can't remember the last time I slept more than two hours in the last month. I've been

living off hardtack and stringing together moments of consciousness with caffeine.

That's been my life because you gave me the role of commanding officer for your

proposal."

"We're incredibly grateful for your help."

"Indeed. If it weren't for you, our research never would have come to fruition."

They were the Eight Great Apostles.

The eight people on the monitors were the ones with power over the Imperial assembly.

Let's say all 189 members of the Imperial assembly convened and voted for the "east."

If these eight said "west," the steering hand would be westward-bound. If the Imperial

symbol was the Lord, the ones who held the real power of nation were these eight

people.

And to these eight people of great magnitude, this young Saint Disciple didn't bother

hiding her dissatisfaction.

"Yeah. I've been allowed to assist in your experiment as a commanding officer. Thanks

to that, I've been totally deprived of sleep."

The role of a Saint Disciple was to be the personal guard of the Lord, separate from

the responsibilities of a general soldier, which were to invade the Nebulis Sovereignty.

Acknowledging her skill as a staff officer, the Eight Great Apostles had given a

recommendation to appoint Risya as the commanding officer of a special mission.

"…So. You've got something new to burden me with?"

"Hmm. What could possibly make you think that?"

"It's a matter warranting a call to a Saint Disciple. What else could it mean? I'm

guessing there's a situation that headquarters can't meddle in? I already have my

hands full with the special mission; I can't deal with anything else." She shrugged—

half-resigned to her fate, half protesting with her warning gaze.

"…You think Saint Disciples are just marionettes you can work till we break?"

"Of course not."

"We sympathize, but you're the most suitable person for this mission."

Please continue, Risya seemed to urge them.

"You've heard about the vortex situation."

"If it's about the report from Mudor Canyon in the southwest and Observation Facility

47—then, yes. I thought Nameless was already working on that one."

Nameless was the eighth chair of the Saint Disciples.

He had taken on the role of dealing with the Nebulis troops conspiring to take over the

vortex. Risya had heard Nameless was already heading to the scene.

"We're still in need of supporting units."

"—" Risya frowned, pulling together their coded sentences to find the true meaning.

"…You think that a purebred will make an appearance?"

"Yes."

"You mean that Ice Calamity Witch?"

"No."

"Apparently, a purebred who the Empire hasn't seen the likes of before. And

dreadfully strong." Two of them answered simultaneously.

On the other side of things, Risya was staring into the air looking puzzled. "I'm impressed

you're so sure."

A trace of ridicule entered her voice. The Eight Great Apostles would surely pick up on

it, but if she just told them it was their imagination, they wouldn't be able to do

anything but overlook it.

Continuing to speak in that exquisite intonation, the Saint Disciple voiced her doubt.

"A purebred will make an appearance, but it's definitely not the Ice Calamity Witch and

will actually be someone else? You wouldn't be able to have that information without

being very familiar with Nebulis. Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"The Ice Calamity Witch made an appearance in the Nelka forest, just as we

predicted. We have the same level of confidence with our current information.

We cannot make the source of our information public at this time."

"Not even for a Saint Disciple like me?"

"Patience. You will know in due time."

"…I'm looking forward to it."

The Eight Great Apostles had a terrible habit of hoarding secrets. They would scour

the land and dig up every last secret of the Empire, but the world would end before

they voluntarily revealed one of their own to the public.

In due time. That basically was a challenge for her to figure it out herself.

"Now then, let's get back on topic."

"As you know, the Saint Disciple Nameless has already headed to the Imperial

capital. However, Nameless is tasked with eliminating the astral corps."

"In other words, we would like to dispatch additional forces to defeat the

purebred."

"..."

I see. The corners of her lips twitched up when she got a better grasp on their

intentions.

"Is this about him? The Third Division—?"

"Indeed. The successor of the Black Steel Gladiator, Crossweil. The current

wielder of the astral swords. It shouldn't be a problem for him to fight the

unknown witch."

"You're saying I need to order Mismis? You want me to dispatch Unit 907 to the vortex?"

"You decide the pretense."

"Maybe present it as calling in a favor from a friend. It matters not to us."

"..." Risya met their flippant replies with silence. "You're telling me to do it because

I'm close to Mismis? Is that why you've called me here?"

"The pretense is up to you."

"You want to make me the bad guy?"

"And why would you have a problem with that?"

"That's how you overtook your superiors and colleagues to rise to your rank."

"..." The Saint Disciple of the fifth seat could only remain silent.

She closed her eyes halfway. As her surroundings filtered into her eyes through her

glasses, she continued to look up at the Eight Great Apostles with an unreadable gaze.

"Well, I'll think up a way of asking her." She turned on her heel. "But you'll have to lay

off me from now on." With her back turned to them, Risya spoke in a joking tone.

"When it comes down to it, my employer is the Lord. Your demands are requests and

not commands. I bow to only one—and one alone."

"Yes, of course."

"We're grateful. We'll tell the Lord about your work."

"No need." Her heels clicked, echoing down the hard passageway as the Saint Disciple

abandoned the assembly hall.

"The Lord sees everything. You don't have to tell him. He's already heard it all."