The man who appeared before him called himself Chrono.
He knew the instant he saw him — this was the mastermind. The "organization" that writhed at the very bottom of this country, one that even Rose couldn't track, that even Yurugen had only vaguely sensed without ever getting a firm grip on — the one pulling its strings was this man.
An unexpectedly massive quarry had landed right in front of him, and this was his chance. But precisely because of that, Yurugen couldn't read the man's intentions and cautiously watched to see what he would do. To him, Chrono said:
"Won't you come over to our side?"
He was extending an invitation — the last thing Yurugen expected.
For an instant he was thrown off, but at the same time it made perfect sense. When you lined up everything that had happened, it would hardly be strange for him to resent and curse this country.
But don't underestimate me.
He had seen enough of this country's cruelty, its sorrow, its helplessness. And precisely because of that — he would end it in his generation. The dark parts, the ugly parts — he would carry all of it himself. That was the resolve he had steeled himself to —
"—Can you do it?"
In response, Chrono uttered just those five words.
Nothing remarkable — just a simple question, a simple confirmation.
And yet... the feeling behind those words, the atmosphere they carried —
And above all, Chrono's face.
It was like looking into a mirror. That face stirred something deeply unsettling within him — an ineffable sensation.
That said, of course his only answer could be yes.
Having heard that answer, Chrono left behind only the words, "If you change your mind, come visit this place," and vanished from the scene like smoke.
"............"
For a while, Yurugen stood there in a daze.
But he quickly pulled himself together. Above all else, he had learned the identity of the mysterious organization's leader. He needed to make maximum use of this information, and he set off from the spot —
*"Can you do it?"*
...That question clung to his mind with terrifying tenacity.
From that point on, Yurugen continued his vigorous activities.
Ermes, Rose's protégé. He maximized the upheaval Ermes had begun stirring within the country and, beyond the children's knowledge, quietly continued purging wicked nobles in the shadows.
It's fine. Ermes's actions, his ideals — they were definitely starting to move this country. This country wasn't dead yet. Nobles — beginning with their children — were being influenced by him and starting to change for the better, in a wonderful direction.
So if he could just eliminate the ones who couldn't change, the ones who were beyond redemption — this country would surely become wonderful. It would be reborn.
It had to be. It had to be. It had to be. If it wasn't —
He wouldn't know why he had killed his own heart.
That voice, deep within his soul.
Perhaps not noticing it was, in a sense, where it all began.
Purge them.
The foolish nobles who refused to accept Ermes's rise and sought to eliminate him instead.
The nobles who clung to fossilized phrases like "the good old ways" and could think of nothing but protecting their vested interests.
The nobles who judged people solely on the quality of their Bloodline Magic and blithely committed inhumane acts.
Purge them. Purge them. Purge them.
He knew this was no easy path. He knew that no matter how many he crushed, they would keep spawning like maggots.
So he would keep crushing them, every time. Then surely things would get better. The root treatment was already underway thanks to Ermes and the others, so all he had to do was continue the palliative treatment indefinitely.
Eventually, the country would be filled only with good people who had never been poisoned by its culture from the start, and those who had been poisoned but managed to change properly. It would become a country of only such people. A wonderful country.
So crush them.
Each time new ones appeared — even if the heart he had long since sealed creaked under the strain, even as he felt certain parts of himself wearing away every time he looked at those who refused to change, or those who understood but went along with the easy path, even as he sensed himself eroding in places he hadn't even been aware of —
He had to do it. He couldn't stop.
Because this was his atonement — the only thing he could do for the future, he who had failed to protect anything. And because it was — the only form of revenge he could accept.
Under that conviction, he continued doing what he had to do.
Continued, continued, continued —
After some time had passed, one day.
Yurugen was holding a meeting.
It was an assembly of nobles — and more specifically, nobles who had answered his call to cooperate in reforming this country.
In other words, nobles who had changed. Nobles he planned to eventually incorporate into the Third Princess's faction — this was a gathering to strengthen their unity.
Honestly, there was no real need to hold it.
But... as he kept crushing the nobles who refused to change, the wicked nobles... something inside him was wearing down. If things continued like this, he would hit his limit.
Perhaps it was because of that unconscious thought. He wouldn't deny that the gathering served as a private way to confirm that what he had been doing was bearing fruit.
Regardless, Yurugen had opened this meeting seeking that peace of mind... and it was there that the following conversation unfolded.
"Oh, by the way, Yurugen. There's something I'd like to bring to your attention."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Well, it seems the neighboring earl's family has caught wind of this gathering. On top of that, they've approached me directly. They're telling me to stop this foolish gathering — that there's no need to cooperate with reforms that throw away the advantage of Bloodline Magic."
This man had been the first noble to cooperate with Yurugen's ideals. Yurugen had carefully explained the need for a country that didn't rely on Bloodline Magic, and the man had fully understood and stood by him. He could fairly be called Yurugen's first true ally.
"It seems they're worried about being shut out of the new faction, so they've even made concrete offers — rights to several local specialty products, outright land transfers, and so on."
"...And?"
"Yes. So, taking that into account —"
With that, the man smiled.
"— What guarantees can you offer us, Yurugen?"
A smile completely devoid of pretense, as if to say there was nothing wrong with what he was saying — delivered with full confidence.
*Offer more benefits,*
*or I'll betray you.*
At a gathering that was supposed to be united by ideals, he was declaring without hesitation that he would sell his principles for material gain.
...He didn't think the reasoning itself was wrong.
You can't live on ideals alone. He understood that — which was precisely why he had guaranteed everyone at this gathering a comfortable life even after the country was reformed. He had spared no effort to make that happen... and because of that, they had agreed with his "ideals" and followed him.
Or so he had believed.
"Oh, if that's the case, then I have my own conditions. You'll properly destroy that family that mocked my magic, won't you? Without that guarantee, I can't follow you."
"As long as Bloodline Magic exists, my family will never get ahead. If you can't guarantee our standing in the new system, then we... you understand?"
"If not for the Church's ridiculous Bloodline Magic value system, my family's magic would be recognized as the supreme one. You have proper plans to destroy them, don't you?"
"What a brilliant idea." "Now is the time to break free from Bloodline Magic." "We must build a new country."
The same people who had said those things — were now saying these other things, in exactly the same tone of voice.
Revealing that they thought of nothing beyond themselves.
Something wavered inside him. Something began to crumble.
As Yurugen experienced that sensation, yet another person approached him.
"Lord Trackia! There's someone I absolutely must introduce you to at this opportunity!"
The noble who said this brought over another male noble.
Seeing that man — Yurugen's eyes widened slightly. It was a face he recognized — one he would surely never forget for as long as he lived.
Oblivious to the change in Yurugen's expression, the man introduced himself and declared:
"Lord Trackia, I was deeply moved by your ideals! Relying solely on Bloodline Magic, a relic of the past, this country will inevitably collapse — we must protect this country!"
"...Is that so. Tell me one thing, if I may."
And so Yurugen asked:
"Do you remember what happened eight years ago, on the second day of the Crimson Moon?"
"Eight years ago...? Well, that was quite some time ago. I'm afraid I can't recall memories that far ba—"
"...The
Great Flood
happened, didn't it? Many people were caught up in it, and I recall you were one of the nobles present."
"— Ah —!"
And that noble — the noble who had been there eight years ago.
The one who —
Had been present during the incident where Theta —
Lost her life.
The one who —
Had abandoned Theta and fled.
"Oh, so that happened too! I'd completely forgotten!"
With those very words, and with a voice and smile that held no memory, no awareness, no guilt whatsoever — he said it.
"But truly, to prevent such an incident from happening again, we need the kind of reform Lord Trackia speaks of! And I believe I can be of great service to that cause! So when the reform is achieved, I would very much like to —"
From that point on, whatever the man was saying — it didn't reach his ears at all.
But judging from his tone, the man was apparently sincere. He would work hard and offer full cooperation to Yurugen's plan.
And... as one of the nobles at the center of the reform, once everything went well, he would probably enter the new nation's power structure.
This.
This was what survived.
This — atop Theta's corpse.
He had been planning to carry all of it himself.
The evil, the ugly legacy — he had intended to take it all down with him and sink.
Ah, that man called Chrono was truly formidable.
His eye for people was extraordinary. If he had seen through all of this, and if such a being was measuring the moment to overthrow this country from its depths, then truly nothing could be done.
He recalled the man's words.
*"Can you do it?"*
"— I can't."
He didn't think he could do it. Even the people he had chosen had turned out like this — he didn't believe he could change anything.
And more than that — even if he somehow managed to change them. The thought of those people surviving in the new country, blissfully ignorant and reveling in prosperity —
Simply put — absolutely.
He could never forgive it. Not even in death.
He heard something shattering inside himself.
And Yurugen —
"Oh my...? What's wrong, Lord Trackia? You look rather pale. Surely there's no issue with the reform plan? That would be a problem — you'll have to take responsibility for what you've started —"
Before that noble — whose words he could no longer hear as coming from the same person —
He drew a breath.
And sang.
◆
When it was all over.
Yurugen stood amid corpses and rubble. As if timing it perfectly —
"Wonderful, isn't it?"
With perfect composure, at a timing that seemed almost miraculous, Chrono appeared.
He once again spoke his invitation —
This was everything.
Let me say it once more: the only reason he had betrayed everything was his own weakness.
He couldn't contain his feelings and had acted on his desires.
And even now, at this late hour, he felt absolutely no regret whatsoever.
The moment he realized what kind of person he was —
Was the instant the "organization's" third supreme executive, Yurugen von Trackia, was born.