Peace is always suddenly broken. The awakening of consciousness came with a violent shaking.

'What's going on here, Leader? Already! Why are you sleeping when it's already eleven o'clock?

'Hmmm... ............?

I was shaken and had no choice but to look up from the futon.
In my blurry vision, I saw the sullen face of Lucia, whose eyes and nose had always been well-defined, but whose beauty had recently been enhanced.

Lucia was the only one who would shake me awake when I was asleep. Even Luke, who is always on a rampage, rarely does such a terrible thing.
It's been a long time since Lucia became my sister, and even when I was back home, it was her role to wake me up when I was weak in the morning.

'One hour to go............'

'Already! Why are you so lazy, brother?

'Because ............ I don't have anything else to do. ......'

'Haaaa! I don't have anything else to do. Here!

The futon is ripped off and a newspaper is slammed on the pillow. Why does my sister, who is so demure in front of others, come on so strong to my brother? .......
I'm not sure where Lucia is, she used to follow me from behind.

I've brought you some breakfast. It's already noon...!

'Hmmm ...... muuu .................. oh?

I had no choice but to move my head slightly and open my eyes slightly to check the newspaper. What came into my eyes was an article that was a bit stimulating for a sleeper.
I closed my eyes reflexively, and rolled over in my sleep. I don't know. I don't know anything.

'Good night, .......'

'Hey, bro! Don't go to sleep! Don't go to sleep!

He grabbed my arm and shook me. The shaking attack was one of the few attacks where the warding fingers did not work properly.

Even though mages are weak in strength, they are indeed level 6, and their specs exceed my brother's.

'No matter how much I'm the clan master, I'm not the guardian of the clan members.

'Here, read it properly! It says that you attacked them under your brother's orders!

On the front page of the newspaper, there was an article about a major clan, Footprints of the Beginning, attacking the decadent city district.
Apparently, a large number of our clan members had attacked a section of the Decadent City. In the photo that accompanied the article, you can see a collapsed and ruined town.

'I didn't give any orders.

'It's the same thing. It says here that you attacked me in retaliation for attacking your brother!

'How annoying. ............ I told you I didn't have to get even. ............'

You've never been that loyal before, guys. Or is it a matter of hunter's pride or something?
Lucia leans halfway up on the bed, thrusting her arms under her armpits and forcing her to sit up.

So it's because of them that I'm in this mess all morning. .......

'Why are you in the decadent metropolitan area in the first place............'

'It seems that ............ Sito told Tee where the assassins might be. He said it was a special place that few people on the outside knew about.

It's also a good idea that Citry is a ............ hard worker.
She was quite angry about the destruction of the lounge,......, and she listens to me rather well, but I'm sure she didn't do anything wrong by telling her friends about the assassin's whereabouts.

'............ However, the decadent city district is like a ruin to begin with, there's no need to make a big deal about it now--'

'I heard that you destroyed five buildings. ............'

It's a rampage. How did they manage to destroy five buildings? Is it possible that he was bored? Have you been on a rampage lately?
I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. ...... If you keep doing that, our clan will be misunderstood. Even the reputation of the Ghost of Sorrows is bad, what if the reputation of the clan is also bad? ...... It's almost beyond what can be covered by the ARC affiliation.

It's a good thing that I'm not the only one. The government has said it will take care of it. ............'

I really don't want this to happen again. Didn't I say I'd be quiet? No, it's fine for you to go on a rampage on your own, but please don't bother us.
I'm completely awake. Lucia quickly put the neatly folded clothes beside me.

'Here, brother, ............ leader, a change of clothes. It looks like the Clan Master is getting a lot of press right now. Eva's handling it - she's busy today, you know?'

'Oh, thank you. Hmmm, .................. is not the time for interviews.'

Why is it that just when I've finally decided to come back to the Imperial Capital and shut myself away for a while, one thing comes after another?

'I've also been given a meal.

'That's very kind of you.

'I'll be your escort today, so don't worry.

'That's ............ a relief. Hmm ............'

I don't even want to think about being interviewed with Lizzie or Luke as my escort. Sitri is a bit more rational, but he has a habit of saying unnecessary things sometimes. In that sense, Lucia is a safe bet.
But it's also true that I don't want to be interviewed.

Then I had a good idea. I stretch out my arm and pick up the black stone on the side table. It was the treasure that Mr. Gark had brought with him just the other day--the sympathetic stone.

It was a little awkward, but it must have been fate that the stone came into my possession just before the incident. I took a deep breath, made up my mind, and activated the hotline to Franz-san.















A room in the pride of Zebrudia, the Imperial Castle. In one of the most secure rooms in the empire, with every counter-intelligence measure in place, the heavyweights of the empire were gathered.

From the general of the Empire's regular army, to the head of the Imperial Academy of Magic. The head of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, and the noblemen who have long belonged to the Empire, also known as the Sword of the Empire.

The one who was put in charge of all these people was Emperor Zebrudia's personal sword. It was Franz Argmann, the head of the Zero Knights, the Imperial Guard.

The opponent is a huge secret organization whose full picture is still unknown. The number and power of its members is unlike any organization the Empire has ever been able to capture. We need to be very careful with our information.


It was only natural that Franz, a member of the Argman family who had served the royal family since the beginning of the nation, would be entrusted with the command of the mission and the iron loyalty that he had shown by using a treasure that was feared not only by the nations but also by the members inside the nation.

The operation went smoothly, probably due in part to the fact that he had made some preparations in advance. The budget and the coordination with other countries were going smoothly. There was no one who could stand against Radric Atrum Zebrudia, whose eyes were filled with a murderous intent.
After the events of the Martial Emperor Festival and the Emperor's announcement against the fox, a number of people in Zebrudia disappeared. The investigation is not yet complete, but it is likely that they were members of the foxes.
There were people who had been with the organization for a long time and had earned their trust. Some of them were famous. Some of them held important positions in the government. The fox was reaching incredibly deep into the shadows.
A number of people in neighboring countries have also disappeared. It takes a lot of effort to send spies to rival organizations to keep them from getting suspicious. The fact that they have all disappeared indicates that there has been a major change in the Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox.

Did they retreat by order of the organization, or were they erased?
The events at the Martial Emperor's Festival probably had a greater impact on the organization than we can visibly see.

Most importantly, an informant from the inside may have appeared.
We have to be careful about what information we choose to share, but now is the time to strike back, when the organization has become so undisciplined that traitors have emerged.

One of the members around the table frowned and sighed deeply.

'But they have a troublesome organizational system. I didn't realize that the information was controlled to such a paranoid degree.

At these words, the air in the conference room relaxed slightly.
The operation is going well. We've secured the cooperation of many countries. We've even got informants. But some important information was still unclear.

For example, the location of the fox. Names of the bosses and top brass. Organizational structure. The informant's information was the basis for a sweep of the safe house, but nothing was left behind.

We learned about past incidents the foxes were involved in, but nothing about their future operations.

Paranoid control of information through the use of codes. You are not given any information other than the operation you are in charge of, and you don't even know the name of your immediate superior. This organization was designed in such a way that even if someone was exposed and captured, nothing would go wrong. Without knowing anything, the Empire's greatest treasure, True Tears, would be powerless.

The organization was so thoroughly secretive that it was a wonder it was able to operate at all. Perhaps it is because of the high quality of its members that it was still able to survive.

It's a long shot. In the first place, it was not clear whether the members present were really friends or not.

Looking at the members of the meeting who are arguing with each other, Franz sighs without expressing himself.

The only person I can truly trust is that man who proved his innocence by the same means as Franz.
Even after all this time, I have to say that the man's proof of innocence was unorthodox but effective.



Isn't there at least one of you bold enough to use your treasure to prove your innocence?


Just like the Thousand Transformations.


Just as I was about to bite my lip at my own incompetence in having to rely on that joke of a man, the secretary who had been waiting behind me suddenly spoke up.


'Commander Franz, it's Kyouson Ishi. It's the other party.

'Mu............ that man, he can see our movements, can't he?

'That's ...... not possible. This room has all kinds of counter-intelligence measures in place, and only a few people know Commander Franz's schedule.''

The meeting with the Fox is classified. The place, the time, and even the fact that it's taking place are kept secret from everyone involved.

We're taking extra precautions against leaking secrets. Every conceivable countermeasure has been taken, but even the anti-Franz can't help but admit that this is a trick. It is a truly devious scheme.

'Review the counter-intelligence measures. Thoroughly check to see if anyone is leaking the schedule! They're just one hunter, and as an Imperial nobleman, I can't let them do whatever they want!

While reprimanding his secretary, he turned on the sympathetic stone he had received into receive mode. The treasures that had been trembling stopped, and from the treasures came a voice that sounded as if it had been a leisurely nightmare.


"Ah, ah, ah, Franz? Yoo-hoo, it's me, me, me.'

'I'll kill you. I'm not your friend!

What does this guy think the imperial nobility is?

A noble family with a long history. Has anyone ever said yoo-hoo to a member of the Argman family?
I thought there was a hint of awe when I first met him... or was it just my imagination? This guy was wearing a patterned shirt the whole time.

I did give him a sympathetic stone to call me if he needed anything, but to contact me at this rate--it's a good thing, but it makes me angry.

'New information on the fox? We don't have time for this, be brief.'

'What? 'Oh, no, I don't have time to worry about foxes anymore, do you have a newspaper?

'............ Bring me a newspaper.'

Taking a deep breath to control his irritation, he had his men bring him a newspaper.
Ever since the emperor's bodyguard, Franz's generosity has been unstoppable. No matter how cocky his subordinates are, he can't help but be kind to them if he thinks they are better than the "thousand changes".

Franz never fails to check the information. He knows everything that's going on in the Imperial City.
He also reads the newspapers carefully. He knows about the attack on the Thousand Transformations, that the bomb was forced on Chief Gark, and that the Footprints of the Beginning attacked the Decadent City District. But how could he talk about such nonsense when he doesn't even have time to bother about the fox anymore?

'At ............?'

He was silent for a few seconds, but then said in a very cheerful voice.

'I've stopped it, I've stopped it really well, but can you do something about ............?

'What about ..................?

'Well, ...... I don't know, I'm a little embarrassed by this kind of coverage after what happened. Today's newspaper is okay, but there are some troublesome interviews coming in.'

'............ Wait. So you're saying this? Put pressure on them.

He ...... has a proper procedure for asking for a favor. In the first place, such a trivial matter is not something that a nobleman like Argman should be involved in.

He was being taken too lightly, and it made me feel calm.



'No, no. I didn't say that much! But you see, I'm busy, too. ............ I'm busy. ......


His voice was getting fainter and fainter. Busy? What do you mean you're busy? That's what a level 8 would be busy with. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.



There's merit in showing the people around you that you're connected to Senhenhen Banka . But even if it's just an act, my pride as a nobleman won't allow me to show that I'm on good terms with such a man.

Franz took a deep breath and shouted at the sympathetic stone in the loudest voice he had heard in a while.

'............ d*mn it. Don't you ever contact me again with that nonsense! I gave you the syllable stone in case you had any information about the fox! What's your relationship with me? What is your relationship with me? Tell me!

In response to Franz's question, the [Thousand Transformations] was silent for a while, as if deflated, but then answered fearfully.




''Are you the same person who protected the ............ Emperor together?''



Franz silently stopped the sympathetic stone and slammed it as hard as he could on the table.
He pushed the newspaper spread out on the table at his men and shouted at them.


'Call the newspaper people and shut them up at all costs!

'What do you want me to do, sir?

'For national security, sir. Contact the Third Order. The scene is in a decadent district. We can't just bypass it. We just need to keep the papers quiet.

It's regrettable. Truly, I regret it. The proud nobility of Zebuldia cannot allow themselves to be used by a private, albeit high-level, hunter.
But I have orders from the Emperor to do my best. No matter how trivial the matter seems to be, as long as that frivolous man does not tell us what he is thinking and what his purpose is, we have no choice but to obey. For example, although it may seem unlikely, there is no possibility that the article will become a topic of conversation and affect his plan to take down the fox.

What annoyed Franz more than anything was the fact that the man was powerful enough to be a level 8.

If he was only slightly competent, it would have been fine to dismiss him, but if he had once prevented an assassination attempt and stopped the activation of the earth key, no matter how humiliating the ridicule, Franz alone could not decide how to treat him.
He held his head, breathed on his shoulders and calmed his emotions. It would be a hole in Franz's stomach if he took that crazy man seriously. It's better to take advantage of him.
The most important thing for an imperial aristocrat is not to get too caught up in the movements of those below him and lose sight of what is important.

The cautious Franz had also been secretly following the "Thousand Transformations". In order to know the source of this terrifyingly accurate information, and to be able to take immediate action when something happens, he keeps a 24-hour watch on it.
So far, however, the only report we've received is that the Clan House was attacked, and there have been no other major reports, not even a report of a Thousand Transformations leaving the Clan House.
Since the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows were visiting the Clan House in turn, they were probably only issuing instructions from the Clan Master's office on the top floor. There is also a report of a chain pigeon carrying a letter.

I don't like any of this. I don't like the way he gives orders without ever leaving the clan house, the way he says he's busy, and the way he has to rely on his power despite being teased a lot.


You say you don't have time to worry about the fox! You don't have time to worry about an organization that your country is chasing with all its might?
I don't think there's a better problem to be dealing with right now than that! I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out!



At that moment, the door opened vigorously and one of Franz's men jumped in.
The gazes of the people gathered in the room all focused on him at once. One of the members of the Zeroth Order said with a pale face.




'Commander Franz. A prediction of disaster has just been issued by the Academy of Astrology and Mysticism!