Kazimierz, inside an upscale café located in the city center.
Unlike Platinum, who had to worry about putting food on the table and go out to earn money, Roy—one of the Armorless Union's Platinum Seats—was living quite an elegant life despite having gone without income for some time due to Ursus's war against Kazimierz.
Thanks to his usual… ahem, financial acumen—rather than exploitation—his quality of life remained refined.
At this moment, he was leisurely seated by a wall, sipping coffee and reading an entertainment newspaper. On the television inside the café nearby, the news was reporting on Ursus Empress Talulah's imminent arrival in Kazimierz.
"She just waged war on this country, and now that the war's over, she comes here to comfort the people. Hard to say whether that empress is merciful… or cruel."
"Don't you think so, Mr. Mlynar?"
Roy spoke casually to the blond, middle-aged man seated beside him, who was also drinking coffee and reading a newspaper.
"Do not casually criticize an empire's empress, Roy."
Mlynar replied expressionlessly. He was making use of his rare lunch break to relax for a moment.
"That's not my personal criticism—it's the general consensus among the upper echelons and major powers across Terra right now. The contradictory behavior of this newly crowned Ursus Empress Talulah has given a lot of people headaches. Plenty of hair's been lost trying to figure out what she's really thinking."
"Besides, isn't the Nearl family supposed to be knights who protect the nation? It's one thing that you didn't show up on the battlefield before—but now, in the blink of an eye, you're showing her this much respect?"
Putting down his newspaper, Roy asked with a teasing tone.
"The war ended far too quickly. At first there was a standoff, but once large-scale fighting truly began, it took less than a day for Kazimierz's border defenses to be torn apart by the army groups and the Wendigo Legion. After that, the entire country fell in rapid succession, leaving no time for anyone to react."
"And the Nearl family doesn't care who rules Kazimierz. As long as the country becomes better, we are willing to offer our respect."
The Nearl family motto was Unfearing of hardship and darkness.
But in Mlynar's view, under Empress Talulah's rule, Kazimierz's future was looking quite bright.
The Commercial Union, which had once oppressed the people through capital, was gone. The new political decrees issued from Ursus all prioritized national development. The Infected were granted the legal rights of citizens.
One could say that aside from the noble class, the lives of ordinary Kazimierz citizens hadn't worsened after being conquered by Ursus—in fact, they showed clear signs of improvement.
Given that, why should the Nearl family resist Talulah's rule?
Strictly speaking, the Nearl family was indeed part of the nobility. But whether it was Mlynar, Zofia, or Maria, they all felt that Kazimierz as it was now… was good.
Even the fact that Mlynar could sit in a café enjoying his lunch break was thanks to the eight-hour workday and midday rest policy implemented by Empress Talulah in Kazimierz.
"Rather than guessing at the intentions of those in power, it's better to think realistically about the path forward. That's my advice to you."
The Commercial Union had already been crushed under the boots of the army groups, and the new Kazimierz would no longer need an assassin organization like the Armorless Union.
Roy knew this perfectly well. Even without Mlynar's reminder, he had realized it long ago.
But—
"With all major cities under martial law right now, it's not exactly easy to leave the country during this period."
It wasn't that Roy and the other members of the Armorless Union didn't want to run. It was just that if they didn't want to crash headfirst into Ursus army groups and Wendigo Legions along the border, they'd be better off lying low in the cities for the time being.
Moreover, aside from the Armorless Union's low-level grunts and a few individuals, higher-ups like the Platinum Seats and Blacksteel Seats needed time to transfer their assets.
Even without explicit notice, nearly all high-ranking members of the Armorless Union were already prepared to flee the moment the heat died down.
After all, the new Empress Talulah wasn't yet familiar with Kazimierz's internal power structures. Surely she wouldn't target the Armorless Union so quickly… right?
"Heh."
As if sensing something, Mlynar swept his gaze across the café. Noticing that aside from himself and Roy, there were no other customers left, he calmly put down his newspaper and walked toward the counter to pay.
"You're about to run into trouble."
At the same moment, Roy also sensed something was off.
Although this upscale café was expensive—and therefore usually sparsely populated—even so, it shouldn't have been this long with no customers besides the two of them.
However, before the Armorless Union's Platinum Seat could even stand up—
An arrow crackling with arcs of electricity suddenly pierced through the wall, triggering a massive explosion inside the café.
BOOM!!!
In an instant, the café wall was blown open with a hole several meters wide, and thick smoke filled the interior.
As the dust settled, Roy—having retreated to a corner of the café—looked through the shattered opening in the wall and saw a figure holding a longbow walking in from outside.
"Platinum… did you betray us?"
Seeing that familiar figure, Roy's mouth twitched as he spoke.
At the moment of the attack, Roy had considered many possible assailants: Ursus soldiers, incorporated Silverlance Pegasi, even the emperor's personal blades.
But never, in his wildest imagination, had he expected to be stabbed in the back by one of his own subordinates.
"By Her Majesty's order, I will end the Armorless Union and erase this assassin organization from Kazimierz."
One after another, soldiers of the Shadow Troops emerged from the darkness, surrounding Roy completely.
These were part of the authority An Xora had granted Platinum after assigning her the task—limited permission to summon the Shadow Troops.
And it was precisely with their help that Platinum had been able to locate Roy and the other high-ranking members of the Armorless Union so quickly.
After all, although she was a member of the Armorless Union, neither the Platinum Seats nor the Blacksteel Seats would ever disclose their daily whereabouts to a mere Platinum Seat.
"Just you, little Platinum, and these guys? That doesn't seem like it'll be enough, does it?"
Although he had been extremely tense when the attack first occurred, after sensing that the strength of these eerie shadow figures wasn't particularly high—and seeing that only Platinum herself had walked in—Roy seemed to regain his confidence. His expression relaxed as he spoke.
He knew Platinum's strength well enough. She was no match for him. And these surrounding figures couldn't stop him either.
While being targeted like this made him uneasy, if all he needed to do was defeat these people and then run, he was confident he could manage it.
In response, Platinum said nothing.
She simply drew her bow and nocked an arrow, firing straight at Roy.
Roy likewise drew his bow and loosed an arrow to intercept hers.
The two arrows, each carrying tremendous force, collided in midair—
And then Platinum's arrow shattered Roy's arrow, continuing forward without losing momentum.
"Something's wrong!"
At that moment, Roy finally realized the problem.
The Platinum standing before him… her strength was seriously off.
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