Prologue

A world without sun or moon, governed by three world trees and the crystal pillars that ruled over the four attributes: Rattle Wesvania.

In the west of the southwest continent, there was a certain country.

In a room lit by fire stones, a man seated at a desk held out a sheet of paper to another man across from him. The recipient glanced over it, then, without so much as twitching a brow, returned his gaze to his seated superior.

The superior nodded approvingly, settled his weight against the back of his seat, and raised the corners of his mouth.

"Do you have any questions?"

"No."

"Good."

Harboring doubts and devising solutions was the work of other men. He would carry out his given duty faithfully. That was the common view, and the common doctrine, of those at his post.

"The handover of the additional documents and equipment will be as usual. Go."

"Understood. Excuse me."

The man left the room with no wasted movement and headed straight for his personal office.

No one knocked on the door to their own room. Pushing it open without breaking stride, he found a woman bowing in welcome.

"Welcome back. Are you departing soon?"

"Yeah. Sorry, but it'll only be for a little while, so please look after the house."

"It's work, so don't worry about it."

Were those words about him leaving so soon? Or were they more for her, the one being left behind?

The man didn't look offended by what might have come across as a cold reply. He smiled wryly in apology.

"It looks like the regular report came in… did anything happen to anyone?"

"Everyone seems to be doing the same as ever… That kindness of theirs is no doubt the Director-sensei's influence."

It was only by a touch, but the woman's tone softened.

She spoke as though it concerned someone else, but she too had clearly come under that person's influence.

Taking her words to heart, the man briskly finished his preparations.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. The woman went to answer it, received a letter, and inspected its contents. Prompted for an explanation by the man's gaze, she narrowed her eyes and quietly felt out the presences around them. Once she was satisfied there was no problem, she set the letter on the desk and spoke.

"It seems the man arrested for suspicious activity in the city was identified as a human supremacist."

"… Again? A diversion… no, perhaps the goal was to narrow our focus?"

"Perhaps."

By deliberately causing an incident in the enemy's own home, they would force the enemy to turn their attention inward.

If that was their aim, then they had badly underestimated him. The man smiled wryly.

There was no way the ones who governed the enemy's thinking would fail to see through a ploy that even someone of his level could devise.

Preparations complete, the man straightened his posture at the door and faced the woman.

Her expression had barely shifted from before, but only old acquaintances like the man could tell that it had clouded over ever so slightly.

"I'm off. I won't let the supremacists do as they like."

"… Yes. Take care."

The true meaning of her words never reached him.

Even knowing that, the woman kept staring at the door he had left through.