Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

In a dark room barely illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window, several hooded figures sat together at a round table.

The atmosphere was calm and organized, as if this meeting were very important.

And indeed it was, because this was the monthly meeting of the heads of the empire’s biggest underworld organization, Nebulous Veil.

All the figures sitting at the round table held important positions within the organization.

Among those figures sat a young girl looking about sixteen, with deep green curly hair falling down her shoulders and black eyes. Her expression was calm as she listened to other members talk, but internally...

’Just why?! What the hell am I here?!’

...she was scared shitless.

Hazel glanced at the sword attached to her waist and internally gritted her teeth.

’It’s all your fault, you stupid piece of metal!’

Moments later, a voice rang in her mind as the sword vibrated slightly.

[My fault? Are you really blaming me for your current circumstances? Pathetic. If anything, it was you who picked me up, so it’s your fault.]

She clenched her fists under the table but couldn’t think of a good counter. In the end, she sighed and chose to remain silent.

’Maybe it really is my fault...’

She closed her eyes and recalled how she had ended up in this situation.

Hazel had been a normal girl who lived in a village near the empire’s borders. Both her parents were miners who had died due to an accident in the mines when she was very young. And so, she grew up living with her grandfather.

One day, she was playing in the woods near the village when she found this sword lying near a tree trunk, as if someone had forgotten it. But from the moment she had touched it, her life hadn’t been the same.

Members of this shady organization abducted her and made her ‌one of its members. She couldn’t understand why, though. If they wanted the sword, then they should’ve just taken it and left her alone. She had no interest in this talking sword.

Just then, one of the hooded figures turned to her.

"Haze, how is the academy infiltration going? Is there anybody who suspects your real identity?"

’How the hell would I know?’

She calmly shook her head.

"No, I believe not. I have been blending in well with the other cadets."

Being a girl from a border village, Hazel was awkward around new people, so she had thought that she would be spending her time at the academy alone. But thankfully, she had recently become friends with a noble girl named Evangeline.

’And she is so kind and friendly.’

The hooded figures sitting at the table all nodded, while the one who had spoken to her turned her attention to someone else.

"You seem to have something more to report."

The one she spoke to nodded.

"I do. Recently, a new organization has begun to slowly take root in the empire’s underworld. It goes by the name Truthbearers. The speed at which this organization is growing and occupying the underworld, I predict that in one year, it will reach a point where it can compare to Nebulous Veil."

The atmosphere in the room turned heavy as all the others turned to the speaker. A hooded figure asked in a heavy voice.

"You must’ve done your research on this organization for you to sound so confident. Which territory did it emerge from?"

Hazel didn’t really understand anything, but she also nodded along to make it look like she did.

"That’s the thing," the original speaker sighed. "It began expanding in all territories simultaneously. Moreover, we couldn’t find any records of the upper echelons of this organization. It’s as if it suddenly appeared out of nowhere and began aggressively expanding."

He paused for a bit, then continued.

"Though all its current activities seem to be aimed at making money. Combining all these facts, I have concluded that the one behind this organization is a noble. Only they will have enough resources and manpower to achieve something like this. They are probably trying to create a new source of income in the underworld."

After a brief moment of silence, they all nodded. Hazel, once again, nodded along with them.

The hooded figure with a deep voice sighed.

"I really wonder how they can be so greedy. Well, if their only aim is to make money, then we can leave them alone for now. Now, onto the main topic: are the preparations complete?"

The other hooded figures nodded one after another.

"Everything has been set up perfectly."

"There was no issue on my end."

"I am done on my part, as well."

Hazel looked around in confusion.

’Hey, should I nod here or not?’

[Asking for advice? Didn’t you want to have nothing to do with me?}

She clenched her teeth in frustration.

Just then, the hooded figure with a heavy voice raised his voice and declared.

"We have finally reached this point. Let’s fulfill the purpose for which we established Nebulous Veil! We will start by destroying a viscount’s territory first. After that, we will keep destroying the other noble houses one by one!"

’...Huh?’

Hazel froze.

Destroying the noble houses? Wasn’t this just an underworld organization?! How the hell did it suddenly become a terrorist organization?!

***

While Hazel was having a mental breakdown in the dark room, something else was unfolding in a different part of the empire.

The commander of the third imperial knight order, Rikoris, walked through the massive hallways of the imperial castle at an unhurried pace as his footsteps were muffled by the carpet on the floor.

Even in the dead of ‌night, guards stood at intervals, and knights could be seen frequently patrolling the areas.

After walking for a while, Rikoris finally reached his destination.

He stood before a golden door guarded by two knights in full plate armor. The nature of their presence was enough for him to tell that they were among the strongest of the knights present in this palace.

Their presence here was understandable. After all, the room they were guarding belonged to the emperor.

Clearing his throat, Rikoris calmly stated.

"I am here to meet His Majesty."

The knights scanned him up and down. Moments later, they slowly opened the door, signaling him to enter.

As he stepped inside the room, his eyes instantly settled on the man sitting on a sofa. Long white hair with a reddish hue flowed down his shoulders, and his ruby-colored eyes looked at Rikoris.

Rikoris instantly prostrated himself before the man and spoke in a tone oozing with respect.

"Glory to His Majesty."

For a while, the emperor looked at him quietly. But then, he let out a tired sigh.

"You can speak to me normally. It’s the middle of the night, and I am feeling somewhat tired."

Rikoris lowered his head.

"Forgive me."

Moments later, he stood up and offered the emperor a light bow.

"Your Majesty, about what we discussed this morning, you said that you needed time to think and that I should come to your chamber at midnight to receive my answer. It pains me to disturb your rest like this, but your decision could change a lot of things for the future of the empire."

As he finished, Rikoris waited patiently for the answer with his head lowered.

The reply came soon after.

"Huh... I have indeed thought about that matter a lot. In the end, I have come to the decision that I—or the empire, to be precise—will not assist you in any way. But I will not stop you either. Rikoris, just keep in mind that should you fail, you will be recognized as a criminal, and I will do nothing to protect you."

Rikoris didn’t reply; he simply lowered his head further.

’Your Majesty, that is more than enough. I am not afraid to face whatever future awaits me.’

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