Very short intermission chapter so I’ll release another chapter after this.

Marcdorf, the Imperial capital of the Debuhi Empire.

That afternoon, Count Hans Kirchhoff, the Empire’s governor, delivered an emergency report to Emperor Rupert VI.

“Your Majesty, according to the report yesterday, it has been confirmed that the assassins in the Whitnash incident were members of the Order of Assassins.”

“I knew it. But you have paid them to carry out that plan, right?”

Listening to Hans’s report, Rupert sighed and nodded.

“Yes. The plan regarding the eastern part of the Kingdom. It seems that the Whitnash incident was undertaken as a separate job. Well, they are people who will do anything if as long as they are paid … they probably took money from both sides and executed both plans.”

“What a busy bunch. But then I can’t punish them for it either. The Whitnash incident is aggravating, but we must continue our activities in the eastern part of the Kingdom.”

Rupert said and had only one sip of his tea.

“Yes, you are right. So, as you suggested yesterday, I sent people to their home village of Avan to check directly with the ‘Old Man of the Mountain’.”

“Oh, I recall saying that. I wanted to ask the chief directly for the truth of the matter. Were they surprised that we knew their home base?”

When Rupert said that, for some reason, Hans hesitated with his reply.

It was extremely rare for him to do so.

“What’s wrong?”

When Rupert urged him again, Hans steeled himself and continued.

“Yes. The village of Avan … was completely frozen.”

“……What?”

“The whole village was frozen.”

Upon hearing that, Rupert was silent for a full five seconds.

After finally finishing the tea left in the cup, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Was it a catastrophe or the work of a monster we don’t know about … If not, was it a monstrous Magician … That’s right, there was a Magician that Oscar couldn’t defeat.”

Hans was astonished to hear that.

“No way … can there be a Magician strong enough to freeze a whole village …?”

“Hmm. If Oscar goes on a rampage, he could probably burn down a city. It’s just an ice version of him. But … I didn’t expect him to be that strong. I should have listened to Oscar’s report more seriously. Did I misjudge the situation?”

The second half was a mutter that was almost inaudible to Hans.

“Hans, urgently investigate that Water-Attribute Magician. Send the information about this to the Emperor’s Magic Division and get information about that Water-Attribute Magician directly from Oscar. Understood? This is a decree.”

“Yes.”