"Huff—huff—huff—"
The infected man gulped air, convinced he'd narrowly escaped death.
If I run all the way here, surely they won't follow…
He knew Koshelna by sight. News that the Eternal Duke of Ursus taught at a university had been headline-making—Kashchey's involvement made the press scramble, and Koshelna's photograph had circulated widely.
Leaning against a wall to catch his breath, the man suddenly crumpled. Pain contorted his face; he clutched his chest, convulsed, and fell still. A heart attack—he died on the spot.
---
"Stay calm!"
Natalya, still in her school uniform, faced the sudden outbreak of rioting with a pounding heart. Some of the attackers had forced their way into the school and were destroying everything in sight. Chernobog Fourth Middle School had been stained with blood.
She was terrified—but she didn't show it. Panic wouldn't help; what mattered now was uniting the students to repel the raiders. Her outward composure steadied the others, and soon frightened pupils grabbed chairs, stools, and kitchen knives to fight back.
When bodies began to fall, fear swept through the inexperienced students. Natalya knew she had to rally them. She seized an iron bar from one of the downed attackers and smashed it into another assailant's skull. Blood sprayed across her white hair, staining a streak of crimson.
"You scum—die!" she snarled.
She didn't hand out orders anymore; she fought. The sight of their student council president battling in the front line reignited courage in the kids. They didn't want to die. If their enemies intended to exterminate them, they'd take a piece of that enemy with them.
"Damn it, these kids are annoyingly tenacious!" one raider spat.
"You vermin! You should all burn!" another screamed.
"I know you—you little rat who turned me in and tore my family apart. Today I'll kill you!" a third hissed.
"You killed my brother! Infected scum—die, all of you!" someone else roared.
Hatred spawned more hatred; one violent act bred another. In the chaotic fray, nobody noticed the faint black shadow in the bloodshot red eyes of that white-haired girl—the shadow of a coiling dark snake.
She's beginning to change…
But isn't it too soon?
Forget it. At least being able to stand on her own is a good thing.
---
"Amiya, this is Scout. I've reached the designated location."
"Thank you for your work… What's the situation over there?"
"Terrible. The whole district is in chaos—rioters tearing the city apart. Damn it, what is Reunion's leader thinking? Has she gone mad?"
"Doctor Kal'tsit believes it may not be as simple as it looks. She suspects deeper forces at play. Her orders are clear: once we've rescued the Doctor, we retreat immediately."
"I see… Then move quickly. My team just observed Chernobog being attacked again by unidentified forces. Even the blockade has been breached."
"Understood. Stay safe, Scout."
"You too, Amiya."
As the call ended, Scout suddenly moved, vanishing to one side.
A blade slashed through the space where he had been standing only a heartbeat before.
"…You've got to be kidding."
His expression hardened as his eyes fixed on the shadowy figure emerging from the mist.
Why are Ursus' Emperor's Blade here too?!
Step by step, the Emperor's Blade advanced.
"Outsider. This is not your place."
---
"Ah… Sometimes, I really do wonder what goes on in the minds of you Emperor's Blade."
Koshelna sighed softly. Four Emperor's Blades had her surrounded.
"…Respected Duke Kashchey, may we ask you to stop here?"
They bowed slightly, their manners deferential—though their weapons were already drawn.
"We do not wish to harm you, even if this body is but a fragment of your true self."
"Your actions don't exactly inspire confidence…"
Koshelna set aside her notebook and quill, smiling with amusement.
"Do you realize what you're doing? This is treason."
"Yes, Duke Kashchey," one of them replied humbly.
"…Stubborn to the end, I see."
"All for Ursus, my lord. Only war can return our nation to the glory of the old Emperor's reign."
The Emperor's Blade's voice was firm.
"Ursus today is riddled with strife—new and old nobility at each other's throats, Infected and uninfected tearing apart, even racial extremists on the rise… I long for the days when, under the Emperor's banner, Ursus stood shoulder to shoulder with the great eagles. When both Infected and uninfected alike fought for the Empire's greatness."
"And by 'contribution,' you mean throwing gifted Infected scholars into the mines?"
"My lord, unlike you, we lack the power to tend to every Infected individually. Sending them to the mines… is, after considering all factors, the best solution available."
"'Best,' you say… You know that won't persuade me."
Cracks began to spread across Koshelna's form.
"And if you cannot persuade me, then Kashchey will come. He will see treasonous traitors like you collected in the Emperor's name."
Her voice distorted, layered with other tones.
This vessel had been carefully prepared before departure, carrying a substantial fragment of Kashchey's will.
"My lord, we do not seek your aid. We only ask that you remain neutral. We promise you—our actions will not tarnish your image in the eyes of the Ursus people."
"…Very well. You've convinced me."
Koshelna suddenly returned to normal, seating herself gracefully against a fallen stone pillar in a perfectly ladylike posture.
"…"
The Emperor's Blades remained tense, weapons at the ready.
They knew how jealously Kashchey guarded his image. Yet his quick agreement was far too easy.
They had no idea what scheme the Duke was plotting now. But their mission was simple: keep this fragment of Kashchey occupied. If this stalemate held, it was enough.
---
Of course, Kashchey wasn't so easily swayed.
But just then, he sensed something else—Chernobog was about to face a Catastrophe.
What a perfect coincidence!
An opportunity to build prestige, to reinforce my persona—it practically delivers itself!
No, I can't waste power on these zealots. This body alone won't be enough.
I'll need to gather more of the Black Snake.
And perhaps… invite a few reckless journalists to witness the scene as well.