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Chapter 1
Chapter 1 : Regret Is Always Too Late
If one were to ask which nation boasts the greatest majesty on the continent, everyone would give the same answer: the Domineon Empire.
However, such glory is not shared equally by all. It would be far more problematic if nobles of the upper sectors and commoners of the lower sectors were treated the same.
Unfortunately, I was born into the latter. Do you think that is unfair? Regrettably, I did not think so at the time.
“Congratulations. You have earned the right to crawl out of the gutter. Whether you seize that opportunity is up to you.”
W̆е b́ n ӧ v̄ ёl E̊n ūm а
That was what the soldier who visited me one day said.
As if mocking the lower sectors, his reinforced cyberware emitted a refined, luxurious glow. Its perfectly honed lines and proportions exuded a surreal sense of oppression.
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…A knight, one who illuminates the Empire from the vanguard of the battlefield.
Recruiting orphans who had grown to a certain age was not particularly rare. Surviving in an environment akin to the wilderness was, at the very least, proof that they met the minimum requirements.
The same opportunity was given to me. Opportunities granted strictly according to a clearly stratified hierarchy of human worth and value….
‘The fair and just Empire is great.’
Ѐ.ń_u ma
I was already captivated by it.
Those with value receive treatment befitting that value, and those without value are treated accordingly.
Yet soon, a trial arose that put my belief to the test.
[Mana Core Measurement ▶ Level F.]
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A mana core referred to the condensed form of spiritual energy that humans possess from birth. It was also the core power source that determined the output of reinforced cyberware.
Level F was the lowest rank, meaning it had abysmal energy conversion efficiency.
Wе́bnov̈ е ľ Е nü m̀ä
I was unqualified to become a knight. Fortunately, that judgment did not result in immediate disqualification. At the very least, I had passed in every other category.
‘I can overcome it.’
I can.
No, I must.
With that resolve, I underwent implantation of reinforced cyberware, enrolled in a special combat academy for training candidates, and there, I met her.
‘Yuri Erenrock.’
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I felt no small amount of interest in her, as she was the instructor for close-combat training. Because she was a woman.
Ah, do not misunderstand. I did not harbor romantic intentions.
Reinforced cyberware is originally designed around high muscle strength and skeletal durability.
For that reason, I had heard that it was relatively difficult for women to undergo implantation. The further one’s physique deviated from the standard, the lower the compatibility.
“That concludes the initiation.”
Yet despite that, she was strong.
W еb ń о̇v êl̂ Ë n̈ u ḿ а̂
In the mock battle disguised as an initiation, not a single candidate managed to touch even a strand of her hair.
I was certain then. For someone like me—an orphan from the lower sectors with the lowest-level mana core—she was the best possible teacher.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
After trailing stubbornly behind her for a full year, I was finally granted individual instruction.
“You do not complain about the unfairness of your environment or circumstances. Instead, you try to learn even one more thing. That means you are careful not to belittle the value others possess. I like that about you.”
We communicated well, and her teachings were effective.
The various operational methods she taught me gradually promoted the growth of my mana core.
Е̄n üm̈à. i ď
“How do you know all of this?”
They were completely different from the standard operating methods taught in the curriculum.
Put kindly, they were creative. Less kindly, most of them bordered on being tricks.
“They are things I learned from my father while trying to solve a similar problem.”
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“Similar problem…?”
That was when I learned that she was the Empire’s one and only Level S mana core holder.
E n um̄а̂.і d̈
If you ask whether I felt jealous, I would firmly say no.
That was a different kind of curse altogether.
“Instability of the mana core.”
It was an extreme imbalance between strengths and weaknesses.
The vast amount of energy was difficult to control, and the reinforced cyberware—lacking in compatibility—only increased the difficulty.
Even so, she continued to strive relentlessly. Taking on the role of an instructor rather than returning to the battlefield was also part of her effort to study how to fully control her own power.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
‘My choice was not wrong.’
Yuri Erenrock truly was the best possible teacher for me.
As we spent a considerable amount of time together, the bond between us deepened. At times, it even felt like I had become friends with someone who was otherwise stubborn to a fault.
“What is it?”
“A snack I like.”
She occasionally brought me dried plums. It was a kind of learning reward.
Eň ú_ḿӑ
“You are like an old man.”
That description suited her personality and tastes quite well, especially given her youthful appearance.
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“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean you look young.”
At that, she crossed her arms and frowned.
“At most, I am only three or four years older than you.”
Ѐňü m̂ а
“…What did you just say?”
“You did not know?”
She did look young, but I had naturally assumed the age gap was much larger. After all, she was an active-duty knight.
To think she was only three or four years my senior. I could not imagine how early she must have joined the military.
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“If you want, I can allow you to call me ‘older sister.’”
“Hah, what kind of nonsense is that?”
Én u ṁ а . і d́
“I did not think you would so casually reject my sincerity.”
“Stop saying ridiculous things and relax your expression.”
Once I learned that we were close enough in age to realistically be friends, even things I had previously ignored began to stand out.
“Jin, do you know what it means when people say two people are ‘like that’?”
“I do not.”
“They are saying we are ‘like that.’”
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“Who is saying that?”
“I overheard the candidates talking.”
If I ever caught the culprit, I fully intended to rip out his tongue.
“You do not seem pleased about us being ‘like that.’”
“It is not that I am displeased, it is just…”
“Then can I take that to mean you are pleased…?”
Еnu̇ḿӓ . і d
At that, my pulse quickened, and I bit my tongue along with the dried plum.
If this was a ploy to tease me, it was a truly vile sense of humor.
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‘Honestly.’
But there was nothing I could do.
She was still my outstanding teacher and my one irreplaceable presence, so I endured it.
That was why, after failing to be formally knighted due to my mana core, I volunteered to become her exclusive adjutant.
E̊ núm а
“I heard you are returning to the battlefield.”
“The Valeria Alliance has begun to move, and my condition has improved considerably.”
Unlike me, she ultimately shattered her own limits.
She completed an operational method that allowed her to wield a Level S mana core without issue.
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From the Empire’s perspective, Yuri became an irreplaceable strategic asset, and her return to the battlefield was only natural.
“I want to follow you, Yuri.”
Е́ n̄ û m̌a . і̃ d
“You are calling me so casually now?”
“You are no longer my instructor. If you dislike it, I can look for another form of address—”
“Call me that.”
“…Pardon?”
“Do not nitpick. Just do it.”
We claimed victory in countless battles.
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We were adorned with brilliant honor, and the name of Yuri Erenrock—a rare female knight—rose high as that of a war hero.
Her exploits were endless, and she eventually became a symbolic figure of the Empire itself.
For someone like me, a lower-sector commoner and mere orphan, earning the trust of such a person was both an honor and a happiness.
However, that happiness did not last forever.
“When the war is completely over, is there anything you want to do?”
She asked me that question right after we annihilated an elite magic battalion of the Valeria Alliance stationed near the border.
Ёnü m̃ а
“I would like to establish a proper orphanage in the lower sectors.”
“An orphanage?”
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“I am able to live for tomorrow thanks to the grace the Empire has bestowed upon me. Yet there are still countless children who cannot make their talents bloom. Would not an orphanage at least become a seed of hope?”
She stared straight at me at those words.
As if something displeased her.
“…I did not know you could say something so kind. But then why were you always so stiff with me…? It almost makes me want to trip you…”
E n̊ ü m а́
“What are you muttering about?”
“I did not say anything.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, then abruptly turned her head away.
After a brief silence, she spoke again in a quieter voice than before.
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“I will be getting married soon.”
“…Married?”
Е̌ nů m̌ ӑ.і_d́
“The partner is the Fourth Prince. The agreement between the imperial family and my house has already been concluded.”
Noah Friedrich.
The Fourth Prince was practically the next emperor in all but name, as his higher-ranked siblings were either dead or afflicted with illness.
What should I say?
The answer came quickly. There was only one thing I could say.
“Congratulations.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“…That is it?”
“Is that not good news?”
If a war hero and the imperial family were joined, the Empire’s unity would only grow stronger.
It was a good thing for everyone, not just for her.
“…Sometimes, I really hate you.”
The marriage proceeded as planned.
Е̂ ň ŭ m а
She, once a figure of terror to her enemies, left the battlefield amid respect and admiration.
Of course, a war hero like her did not sever all ties with the military.
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She became a strategist at the Imperial Army Headquarters.
Naturally, we met far less often. I only heard vague updates about her from time to time.
That was why I found it difficult to understand.
Her actions afterward were the complete opposite of her past self.
W̄е̃ b ňо̄ v ӗl Е̄ n ü m а̊
A surge in imperial casualties due to reckless orders, indiscriminate purges of noble families, excessive tightening of control over the lower sectors….
These were not things the Yuri I knew would ever do.
That was why I went to the headquarters to see her in person.
“It has been a while.”
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Despite the words, there was no warmth in her voice.
“What in the world are you doing? The honor you built is falling apart—”
W̌ebn̂о̃ ṽ е̃l̈ E n ùm̃ а
“That is enough.”
Click.
A cold gun barrel was aimed at me.
There was not a shred of hesitation in the finger on the trigger.
It was an authoritarian, arrogant air that I had never seen in her before.
“Every decision I make is for the Empire. I have no intention of accepting advice from someone like you who could not even be knighted. Do not overstep your bounds.”
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My instincts were right.
For some reason, she had changed.
“I am disappointed.”
“…Disappointed?”
It was only for an instant, but her focus sharpened, wavering subtly.
I ended the brief reunion there and left her office.
Ë ǹǔ m̆а́ . і d́.
And a few days later, I came to regret that decision.
[Yuri Erenrock, suspected of attempting to assassinate the next emperor, has been designated as a Class-A fugitive.]
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With that unexpected news, she vanished without a trace.
A Class-A fugitive was subject to summary execution, so I could not help but hesitate.
Only I, her former adjutant, received a direct transmission through a compatible communication channel. She had sent her location herself.
An abandoned factory in the lower sectors. If I went there, I could meet her.
Е̂ ṅüm а.і ď
In the end, I chose to move without filing a report.
It was a choice I would normally never make.
“…Why are you in such a state?”
Ssshhh—.
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Rain mixed with a clammy, unpleasant sensation ran down my cheek.
The foreign taste carried with my breath was familiar.
W еb̈ṅ o̊ vе l̀ Еǹ u mа̇
Her cyberware was damaged in multiple places. When Yuri forced it to move, sparks flew from the exposed internal circuitry.
“Are you disappointed in me again?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
Clench—.
I silently clenched my fist and bit my lip.
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“What were you thinking?”
“Would you believe me no matter what I said?”
“I do not know.”
“Heh. That is a familiar answer.”
She chuckled weakly, as if she had expected my response.
In that moment, she was the Yuri I knew.
Ẃ е̌ b̃ n̄ о̌ v̄ ёl Е́ ň ùmа
“Noah Friedrich was manipulating my consciousness. I did not want to give those kinds of orders. It felt as though I was being possessed by something.”
It was an impossible claim.
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No matter how advanced the Empire’s technology was, it should not be capable of controlling the human mind.
In other words, it sounded like nothing more than an unconvincing excuse.
“That is impossible.”
“Do you truly think so?”
W̌е b̊ n о̌ v е l̇ Е n umа̇
Yet I could not completely deny it.
Her strange behavior until now was, to me, a clear piece of evidence.
At the same time, an absurd thought crossed my mind.
There was only one thing closely tied to human consciousness that the Empire’s technology could interface with….
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“…The mana core?”
“As expected, you are brilliant.”
Wе bnо̂ ṽ е̃ ĺ Ё n̆ uḿ а
“The mana core has not yet been fully analyzed.”
“No. The imperial family has completed its analysis. In the process, countless citizens of the lower sectors were sacrificed indiscriminately. But this is only the beginning….”
After taking a breath, she continued in a faint voice.
“…The ultimate goal of the imperial family is to replicate my mana core and create a flawless army.”
If that became reality, the Empire would mass-produce the strongest knights with absolute loyalty.
In that case, it would only be a matter of time before the Domineon Empire became the undisputed ruler of the continent.
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However, if asked whether that was the fair and just Empire I had known, I could not answer.
“…What do you want me to do?”
My head throbbed.
Confusion mixed with resentment toward her.
“I do not know. Perhaps I just hoped you would not be disappointed in me. No, there is no need to think so deeply. I simply wanted to see you.”
“What do you mean?”
Е n uḿа.і̆ d
“I mean that I quite—no, that I liked you very much.”
With those embarrassing words, she chuckled as she used to.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
My hastened pulse gradually sank, heavy and slow.
A tightness rose in my throat as emotions I had buried surged forth.
Though I struggled not to show it, she was already incapable of normal reasoning.
Doubts, anger, resentment—such impurities evaporated away.
Е̊ n̈ û m а.
‘Until now, I thought Yuri Erenrock was merely someone I respected.’
…I decided to acknowledge it.
I loved her as a woman.
And with that realization, I became certain of what I had to do.
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“How long do you intend to keep eavesdropping, Your Highness?”
“Hm. You noticed after all.”
W̆ е́b̂ n.о v̊ е̃l̄ Ė n̂u m̄а̇
At my question, Noah Friedrich appeared, clad in violet robes.
Seeing him, Yuri murmured in a low voice.
“How…?”
“The imperial family would never stop watching the person closest to you.”
“…Have I made things difficult for you?”
This was a situation the original Yuri would have anticipated.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“This is a choice I made of my own will.”
If I killed her with my own hands right now, the crime of this clandestine meeting might be taken into consideration.
However, that was never going to happen.
“Why are you doing this, Your Highness?”
“For the sake of the Empire.”
Crunch—.
Ёnú ṁ a.іd̂
With the sensation of something snapping inside me, my mind went cold.
“Stop this recklessness, Jin.”
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I knew it was reckless.
The reason the next emperor could appear so openly was because there were those guarding his safety.
No matter who they were, someone like me—who had not even been knighted—could never face them alone.
“I would recommend heeding your superior’s advice.”
Wѐ b n о̃ v́е̌ l Е.n û m а
Noah Friedrich’s expression was utterly relaxed, fully aware of that fact.
Still, I had no intention of backing down.
At this moment, I was not an ideal soldier, but merely a piece of trash abandoning loyalty for personal feelings.
“Yuri, I always wanted to become you. But that was impossible.”
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“…Jin?”
“Instead, I can at least imitate you.”
Ẽnũ m ã. іd̀
I slowly closed my eyes and focused on the mana core embedded in my heart.
Crack—.
Something shattered beside my ear, and a vast torrent of energy swept through my entire body.
“How can you do that…?”
“I adapted what I learned by watching over your shoulder.”
“S-stop!”
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The sight of her on the battlefield had always been awe-inspiring and beautiful.
Whenever she activated the operational method she had perfected through countless trials, the residue of violently combusted mana would spread like a blue haze.
‘But I will not be awe-inspiring or beautiful.’
I did not possess a Level S mana core.
For someone as insignificant as me to imitate her, I had to shatter my mana core and burn myself up in a desperate, filthy manner.
‘I will die here.’
Ẁе̊b ṅо̌ v̇ ě ĺ Ёn u m̃ а̇
And so will Noah Friedrich.
I fought relentlessly for my purpose.
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Yet the price I paid seemed insufficient to hope for a miracle.
Crunch—!
In the end, I failed to reach Noah Friedrich.
A searing heat washed over me.
W̃ ѐ b̌nо̀ ṽ ê l̂ Е̊n um а̃
Looking down at the sword piercing my chest, I let out a small groan and spat out blood that surged back up.
They felt less like living beings and more like machines.
The grotesque figures blocking my path—what in the world were they?
Noah Friedrich kindly provided the answer.
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“I never imagined you would struggle this much against the Executors. To think someone as weak as you could display such potential.”
I could not hear most of what he was saying, but there was one word I clearly registered.
Еn̆ǔ m̄ а̄
‘…Executors?’
I had heard of the covert special forces unit composed only of elite knights.
This was my first time seeing them in person, and they were nothing like I had imagined.
At the very least, those things were not worthy of bearing such honor.
“Now then, I shall retrieve my beloved partner.”
Noah Friedrich approached, his oddly colored eyes gleaming.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
His limbs made of cyberware barely functioned.
And before me, as I collapsed sideways with my cheek slamming into the ground, came into view the wretched figure of Yuri, once called a war hero.
“I… I am sorry, Yuri….”
“…You foolish, idiotic man.”
She was still alive.
If I had realized my feelings earlier, could this ending have been avoided?
Ẽn ù_m ă. і d̈
“What I had been waiting for all this time was not your guilt.”
My vision blurred.
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I could not tell whether it was because of tears or simply the result of massive blood loss.
“I, Yuri… I, you….”
The drizzle had turned into a downpour.
No matter how desperately I struggled to rise, my consciousness sank deeper as my body grew heavier and wetter.
W̊ ebnо̀ vѐ l Ë n ŭm̂а
Her words left yet another regret behind, and my life ended in vain.
Or so I thought.
They say that humans dream of memories tied to their past right before they die.
‘Then this must be a dream.’
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I saw familiar piles of combat debris and candidates sprawled like broken flags across the ground.
The place I was standing in was the combat training facility of the special combat academy.
Е ṅ û m̌ а
How could I not remember it?
It was the day I first met her, the initiation conducted for newly enrolled candidates.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
The woman I had missed so deeply looked at me with a strangely awkward expression.
All of this was a fragile bubble exhaled with difficulty from the depths of my consciousness, something that might lose its shape and vanish if touched carelessly.
“…I love you.”
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Carefully, I finally conveyed the feelings I had never been able to express.
Hoping, even a little, that this dream would last longer.
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