Semi-Coercive Imperialist

An adult knight, just before joining the Sentinel Knight Order, killed a cadet.

The perpetrator was the eldest son of the Ebenholtz family. The victim was a cadet with no backing or influence.

It could have easily been buried, but a few media outlets, claiming to be the conscience of the Empire, picked up the story.

“Does this make any sense?! So just because he’s from the Ebenholtz family, he can kill people however he wants?!”

They camped out in front of the main gate of the Empire’s Saheran Police Station. The chief waved his hand and ordered the officers to block them.

“They say there’s a reason for it, so just go back now.”

“What kind of reason! What kind of reason could be serious enough to justify killing a 15-year-old cadet!”

“You talk too much….”

Tsk. As the chief clicked his tongue, a subordinate approached and whispered quietly. The chief’s eyes widened.

“……Is it true?”

“Yes. It seems they’re confident about it…….”

“Got it.”

The chief clicked his tongue again as he looked at the reporters.

“They’ve scheduled a public autopsy, so come watch then.”

An autopsy is the only way to determine race. If the deceased cadet was not an Imperial citizen but from a minority race, as the eldest son’s statement claimed, then it would be sufficient grounds for immediate execution.

Here, “sufficient” means “under Imperial law”.

“Public autopsy?”

“They’re doing it openly?”

The reporters exchanged confused looks.

An autopsy is, of course, expected. Even for the Ebenholtz family, it’s a necessary process. But a public autopsy is hard to manipulate, if there were any hidden wrongdoing, it would be exposed.

“They said it’ll be held at the Etten coroner’s office at 8 p.m. today, so you’d better hurry.”

The chief went back into the station. The reporters murmured among themselves for a moment, then rushed into their vehicles. Phrases like “See you in Etten!” echoed here and there.

***

8 p.m.

“……The autopsy is complete.”

The coroner placed the deceased’s heart onto a tray. Countless people were watching from beyond the transparent glass wall.

“Analysis result.”

It was a fully transparent public autopsy. Numerous reporters had gathered, and even the political enemies of the Ebenholtz family were present. If the deceased had been a wrongfully killed pure Imperial citizen, Maximilian would have been indicted.

“The deceased, named ‘Jacob Mac’, is not an Imperial citizen.”

An uproar broke out.

When a heart is analyzed through magical means, racial differences are clear. In particular, the Dromon descendants of dwarves, Elina descendants of elves, Yaken descendants of beastkin, and Ezenheim and Edlem, these five races, show distinct traits.

The Empire classifies them not as races, but as demi-humans (Ain).

“Jacob Mac is presumed to be Ezenheim or Elina.”

Only Imperial citizens can join Empire Point. If someone falsifies their identity, it is punishable by death under Imperial law.

Therefore, Maximilian Ebenholtz made the right judgment.

Some reporters quickly left. Others stood dazed, as if they couldn’t comprehend. The retainers of the Ebenholtz family were relieved.

“……There was no fabrication?”

On the other hand, the political enemies of the Ebenholtz family looked disappointed.

“No. One of the coroners is our person.”

“Tsk.”

Maximilian Ebenholtz, the eldest son of the Ebenholtz family, had killed an Ezenheim disguised as an Imperial citizen. And the deceased was not just any cadet but a distinguished student at the Military Academy, confirmed to be a true knight candidate.

It was a clear military achievement, he had caught a spy who nearly infiltrated the Empire’s center.

“For someone who became even a cadet to be so careless.”

Ken, second son of Bertem, unconsciously blamed the deceased.

A retainer beside him added slyly like a sycophant.

“Perhaps he didn’t think he’d be caught by Maximilian?”

“Ha. That might be true.”

Maximilian is notorious among the nobility for being half-witted. His appearance is more Imperial than anyone’s, earning the envy of many nobles, but that’s all he has going for him.

“He caught a rat by stumbling backward.”

“Exactly.”

“Let’s head back.”

“Yes.”

Some reporters, still clinging to their conscience, clung to the coroner and asked.

“……Are you certain he wasn’t an Imperial citizen?”

“If you’re that doubtful, take a look yourself.”

The coroner pointed to the heart on the tray.

Mana remains in a deceased body for quite a long time, and the estimated time of death can be calculated based on that amount. In other words, heart-swapping and the like are impossible.

“Huh…….”

The reporter looked at the face of the deceased lying on the steel slab of the autopsy room. He wasn’t an Imperial citizen, but he was still a boy whose baby fat hadn’t even fully disappeared yet. That peaceful appearance was somehow cozy, and therefore, all the more sorrowful.

It didn’t feel right.

Crack.

The reporter, Alphonse, clenched his teeth tightly.

***

I sit with my eyes closed.

This is not a prison.

Rather, the ones behind bars are the cadets.

“……Wow. It was cleverly hidden in this novel too. You’re truly remarkable.”

Instead, I received praise from the detectives. A man with a mustache held out a book page to me.

“Unfortunately, it looks like the location of the hideout isn’t written here. Well, probably one of their own rules.”

“Please release those kids. They’re ordinary cadets.”

I gestured with my chin toward the inside of the bars. The three cadets’ faces still looked skeletal. It seemed they still couldn’t believe the death of a friend they had been with for years, and were scared, too.

“No, even so, we need to investigate them just in case. Their ideology might be compromised.”

“……If they are investigated, what happens to them?”

“Oh. Please, speak comfortably, knight-nim. I’m Sergeant Georges.”

I immediately changed my manner of speech.

“What’ll happen to those kids?”

“Well. Of course, one of their cohort turned out to be a demi-human, so their path is blocked now. As it should be.”

…….

This is wrong.

The Empire’s persecution of minority races is clearly wrong.

With one exception.

Ezenheim.

They are not a race but a species, not even considered demi-humans, but a clan from beyond.

Therefore, as long as they are not Ezenheim, it’s fine. And the cadets are not Ezenheim.

The ‘thing’ inside my body hasn’t reacted, so I’m sure.

“……Let them go.”

“Ah, still-”

“I said they’re fine. I won’t repeat myself.”

“Uh…… yes. Hey, open it!”

Clang. The bars opened. The remaining three cadets walked out with heavy steps.

“Damn kids. Be more careful choosing your friends.”

Sergeant Georges smacked each of their heads with a file folder as they passed by.

“Go on. Say goodbye to Lord Ebenholtz.”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

The cadets gave me brief glances and silently bowed their heads.

As they passed by, I asked them.

“Were you close to him?”

The form of the question had to be that way. I didn’t know what else to put into my words.

“……No.”

One of them answered. A girl. Was her name ‘Hannah’?

It was a good answer.

I signaled to the detective.

“Write that down in the report. That they weren’t close.”

“……Ah, yes.”

Joshua added one more sentence to the report, and I turned away. The autopsy results were out, so I figured it was about time to head back.

Just then, Hannah grabbed my sleeve.

“There could have been a better way. I’m sure of it.”

“Are you out of your damn mind!”

The sergeant’s face twisted like a demon, and the cadets next to her held her back, asking if she was crazy.

…….

I stopped the sergeant who was about to hit Hannah. Instead, I looked into her eyes. Into the pupils filled with a sense of justice. I looked at her and thought about the world that had been destroyed. I recalled Edmon, who had waned like a candle. I remembered the bizarre dimensional devourers that had once charged at me.

And then, I spoke the core of all those memories, of that future and present intertwined.

“This is the method.”

***

Ebenholtz main estate.

“Here are the autopsy results.”

Sebestian does not usually place his hopes on small things. In truth, he doesn’t place them on big things either.

It had been quite a long time since he stopped expecting anything at all.

However, this time, surprisingly, it wasn’t something small.

It was strange from the very first report.

Max was not the kind of person who killed easily. On the contrary, he was someone who couldn’t kill. A weak boy who still hadn’t forgotten the dog he had raised when he was eight years old.

And yet, that kind of boy killed a mere fifteen-year-old cadet. With a single slash, he cut off the cadet’s neck.

That alone was shocking, but on top of that, the cadet turned out to be from a minority race.

An insolent demi-human who had dared to infiltrate the Empire’s Empire Point.

“What a ridiculous situation.”

Even so, right now, it seemed better to believe it was a coincidence. Expectations only lead to disappointment, and Max had always been a child who brought nothing but disappointment.

“When is the Sentinel induction ceremony?”

“Next week. Will you be attending?”

The Sentinel induction ceremony is quite a significant event, even in the Empire. It’s the gathering place of the Empire’s most talented individuals.

“No need.”

However, Maximilian is far from the best. Even if he went, it would only make him fodder for those detestable nobles and bring ridicule.

Of course, there had been no backdoor favors involved in Maximilian’s admission, but the personnel department surely wouldn’t have been able to ignore the name Ebenholtz.

“I already have plans for that day anyway.”

For Sebestian, who had always walked the road of success, having a son had now become a blemish.