The trail of the magic potion led to a secluded mountain range and unnaturally ceased.

Despite deploying numerous agents to comb through the mountains, no suspicious facilities were found. Considering all the agents were masters of search, it was a strange occurrence.

Consequently, the Defense Agency surmised it was disguised by high-level illusion magic and requested personnel from the Purple Magic Tower. They kept the details confidential, only requesting assistance to dispel illusion magic.

And a substantial reward was offered.

The Purple Magic Tower’s master was absent, having set up a bot and gone chasing love. So, an internal meeting without the master was held to find someone in urgent need of research funds.

“Please let me go… My wallet is in great pain… sob sob.”

Melverton, who had made a tidy sum with the “Melverton’s Accuracy-Reducing Field” artifact, volunteered. Despite increased income, his spending had also grown, leaving him penniless.

“Is a third-year ready to go out…? In my time, once you entered the tower, you wouldn’t even think of leaving until the fifth year.”

“…Isn’t that just because everyone was an indoor type?”

“Backtalk from a third-year…? Want to taste a short pants spanking?”

Melverton was ousted by Luce, a six-year veteran illusion magician who adored hologram shota. Generally, seniority correlates with power, and desire with strength.

After being bombarded by the mad magician’s butler corps, she walked the lonely path of creating an ‘imaginary boyfriend’ and became the deepest researcher of “Hologram” magic in the Purple Magic Tower.

She couldn’t replicate the insane structure that converted others’ beliefs into energy.

But she succeeded in imbuing physical force with all sorts of magic batteries, potions, and her own belief. And this was the result.

“My darling… Impairment of recognition, overlaying a shell, and there seems to be one more thing. Ooh, Luce doesn’t quite understand. What do you think, darling?”

“My honey, the last one is a trap. Once disarmed, it will trigger the alarm.”

“Of course, my darling, you’re the coolest…! It might take some time, but if we melt it from the outside bit by bit, it should work.”

“With the power of our burning love, right?”

It’s a tease that melts the onlookers with the flames of envy. Luce, in his short shorts, clung tightly to the shota butler as they dismantled the mountain’s illusion magic. A blissfully ecstatic expression could be seen behind his thick glasses.

Two agents watching this scene exchanged banter.

“Ah, why do they have to flirt all the way out here… Didn’t we only call one person from the tower, senior?”

“We called only one. And there’s still only one.”

“…Excuse me?”

“One person, I said.”

From noble mtl dot come

Shudder──!

The agent trembled as he realized the horrifying truth.

—

As the chilling solo act continued and the illusion magic was being breached, Pure Knight and Envers were on standby in a nearby forest. They were to join the Holy Knights once the location was pinpointed.

The operation’s objectives were twofold: unlimited destruction and information acquisition.

While the bulldozer-like Holy Knights caused a ruckus and cleared the way, the elite few, Pure Knight and Envers, were to infiltrate ahead and extract valuable information.

Envers Redburn looked around with anticipation.

At a distance of about 10 meters, he could see the Holy Knights checking their equipment. They were clad in what was essentially their trademark power suits.

And among them stood out the most conspicuous figure. A giant, easily three meters tall, exuding a profound magical presence even in stillness, the monster, the commander of the Holy Knights.

It was Envers’ first, perhaps second, time witnessing a warrior who had reached such a transcendent state. He couldn’t fathom the extent of the demonic realm.

“……..”

It seemed like he was being glared at, but it must be a misunderstanding. Why would the commander of the Holy Knights have any reason to dislike Envers, whom he had never met?

Meanwhile, Magical Girl Pure Knight was running her third mental simulation.

Stay calm. Just calmly clear up the misunderstanding. At the time, she was so shocked, as if hit on the back of the head with a hammer, that she couldn’t think of anything to say…

That night, she faced a deadly choice. After tossing and turning under the covers for three hours, Roderus came up with a solution. It was so neat that he cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner.

This time, there would be no slip-ups. It was time to restore Roderus’ honor. Let’s go. Hye-in, watch over me…!

Clap, clap.

Pure Knight slapped her cheeks to psych herself up, rose from the stump, and walked towards Envers. Then, she calmly repeated the words she had been pondering.

“It seems there was a misunderstanding… I’m not Roderus’ lover, nor am I seducing him; we’re just cooperating with each other.”

“……..?”

“Yes, the truth is… your brother was rebelling against the family. I noticed that and approached him for help. So, your brother isn’t particularly lecherous, nor has he been seduced. Do you understand?”

“Ah, well, um, I understand.”

Such a clear explanation, worthy of a scholarship! Pure Knight praised himself greatly in his heart. After this is over, he’ll reward himself with a blueberry cake.

But reality is often harsh. Envers began to ponder deeply and then, unexpectedly, launched a counterattack.

“So why didn’t you speak up sooner?”

“That’s because I was… flustered.”

“Flustered? We have a perfectly fine partnership. Why would you be flustered? Besides, even if we are partners, the fact that there were clothes in the wardrobe and… I clearly saw a lipstick mark on my brother’s nape.”

“……..”

Envers, greatly taken aback, watched Pure Knight staggering and thought. Until now, he had seen Pure Knight as seducing Lord Roderus, but judging by the reaction, could it be that Pure Knight also had feelings for him?

The fact that he went so far as to make excuses to restore Lord Roderus’s honor, and the way he’s blushing so embarrassingly, makes me think it’s 100% true.

If it wasn’t seduction but mutual affection, there was no reason for him to interfere. On the contrary, it was something to be greatly supported.

“Ha ha, if things go well, I should start calling you my sister-in-law.”

“……..!!”

Pure Knight thought. Did I just get hit by a thunderbolt?

As Odaesu pondered where to begin unraveling the misunderstanding, the word ‘sister-in-law’ reached the ears of Kim Lulu, who was standing far away. Sister-in-law?

Thud. Thud.

The heavy power suit pressed down on the ground as it strode forward.

“Ah, you must be the commander of the Paladin Order. My name is Namgung Cheonghwi…”

“It’s mine.”

“?”

“Odaesu is mine!”

The voice, altered by the power armor, echoed through the forest. Kim Lulu wrapped her arms around Pure Knight’s waist and pulled him close. For a moment, silence fell over the forest.

The members of the Paladin Order thought. The commander has been chasing after the “Blue Rose,” and now their eyes have met! Ronald, the head of Team 3, must be heartbroken!

Odaesu? Significant. It was a word that lingered in memory. Was it when I passed the dessert cafe in the capital? A short girl had called the woman across from her that.

Envers thought. So this means…

Pure Knight is in a relationship with the commander of the Paladin Order.

Pure Knight is in a relationship with Roderus.

The woman from the dessert cafe, Odaesu, is in a relationship with the short girl I saw back then. They even kissed.

And as I realized last time, Pure Knight and Odaesu are the same person. Their physique and movements were perfectly identical.

“……..!!”

All the mysteries were solved. They all pointed to one place. It wasn’t Lord Roderus who was mistaken, it was that wretched “Blue Rose” who had been setting fires everywhere!

Enbus spoke carefully, his voice laden with a mix of emotions.

“Um, would you please stop seeing Roderus? I’ll take over the task of extracting information. And, I will be the one to recruit him.”

“Alright.”

Roderus promised not to double-cross with Roderus.

—

Yeah, let’s just drop the disguise. Just close your eyes and do it.

Just say you were cursed by a mad sorcerer to transform into a woman. That should do it. That should fend off all misunderstandings and prevent any backlash.

If misunderstandings pile up here, it’s going to be a case of the cure being worse than the disease. Cutting off fate requires resolve, and Roderus steeled himself with a “determination.”

“In fact—”

Just then, an agent from the Defense Bureau rushed in and exclaimed.

“The illusion magic has been breached!”

“After it’s over, stay behind, Enbus Redburn. There’s something we need to discuss.”

“I already have a lover. This is troubling.”

“You little—”

Brat.

Pure Knight almost shattered his sibling’s head with a magic wand. There were things that could be said even in the face of misunderstandings, and things that should never be uttered.

Had it not been just before the operation’s commencement, he would have revealed his identity as Roderus and faced off, but he had the self-control to suppress his anger for the sake of the grand plan.

And that suppressed anger became strength.

The illusion magic concealing the facility scattered, revealing stairs leading deep underground beneath the gorge. Traces of carriage transport were also found around the area.

Descending to the first underground floor, a residential area appeared. It was quite spacious, enough to accommodate about a hundred people. Simple beds and household items were arranged in the regularly excavated space, along with a food storage.

Of course, there were enemies in the residential area. A group wearing black hoods. They began to draw their weapons one by one, preparing for battle.

“Who, who goes there!”

“It’s an enemy raid!”

“How dare you come here—!”

“Shut up, you lowlifes—!!”

Pure Knight roared and plunged into their midst. The “Ribbon Rope” unfurled in all directions, tying up the enemies’ arms and legs.

Thwack! Smack!

The magic rapier exploded against those whose balance was disrupted. Fast and swift, the movements were sharp and devoid of any superfluousness, akin to an assassin.

Enbus felt that this sight was all too familiar.

The assault team broke through without hesitation. They swept away the enemies as they descended deeper underground following the stairs, and though there were occasionally some strong ones mixed in, there were no foes above the level of a mere diversion.

Additionally, there were no practitioners of black magic to be found.

Pure Knight furrowed his brow. It was suspicious. A foreboding premonition seemed to crawl up his spine.

Upon reaching the fourth underground level,

At the center of the vast cavern, an ominous altar had been erected. The space was filled with the sticky scent of blood, and mummified corpses were strewn about.

And the remnants of a dense magical power lingered, trembling.

The magician from the Purple Tower adjusted his thick glasses and said,

“I’m not sure of the intent behind this altar, but it seems to have been activated a day, or perhaps half a day ago. Darling seems to think so too.”

“They’ve already escaped? And only a half-day’s difference?”

“Indeed, it’s unfortunate timing. Had we arrived just a bit earlier…”

“No, don’t chalk it up to luck, Envers. This is… a leak of internal information. They knew we were coming.”

Where could the information have leaked from? The defense agency? Or the capital’s knight order? Or perhaps, the Purple Tower that requested the joint operation?

“Moreover, if they knew in advance, why leave anyone behind?”

“…”

It was a valid point.

If there was a reason to leave people behind instead of completely vacating the facility… it was a bait. Had the facility been empty, we would have proceeded with caution.

Was this the identity of the ominous premonition…!

“It’s a trap. Get into defensive position!”

Rumble rumble rumble…

The entire facility began to shake violently, and a sinister red glow started to surge from the altar.

—

“The Noose of Despair,” Duke Redburn Maximus intently observed the chessboard. The white pieces were in a precarious situation, trapped by the black.

The white queen was powerful, but her weakness was clear. Without the skill to regulate her output, if people were crowded into a tight space, she wouldn’t dare to use her power recklessly.

Even if she did, it would ensnare her allies as well. Either way would suit him.

The duke lifted a black pawn.

aaahhh──!!

The souls linked to the pieces screamed like an orchestra, and a sea-like surge of magical power erupted. And through his eyes, countless pieces of information flitted by.

He could see as much as he knew, and what he didn’t know, he could illuminate with magic. The path to success began to reveal itself.

Today, was my meticulous and delicate plan sufficient to kill the “Blue Rose” and injure the commander of the knight order?

The clusters of information transformed and intertwined, eventually forming a beautiful and simple number.

98%. Indeed.

The peacock had almost perfectly dominated the board.

And the name of the transformation was “Prescient Lantern.”