I’ve just discovered something new.

Lucy is surprisingly compliant.

‘All I mentioned was that we had to go somewhere, and she’s already getting ready to leave.’

Before I could even explain what was going on in detail, she started preparing to head out.

Curious about where she wanted to go and if she had enough time, it seemed the only thing that mattered to her was my will.

“If that’s what you wish, I’ll simply follow through.”

A proper knightly response.

She looked every bit the typical knight.

‘She definitely didn’t act like this before.’

When we first met, she seemed timid and a bit clumsy. Now, she was completely different.

She might still be an apprentice knight in rank, but there was no hint of her being a rookie in either her strength or demeanor.

As I pondered that thought… one question popped into my head.

“By the way, what about your knight status?”

Now, that could get a bit complicated.

She hadn’t formally received her knighthood, so there wouldn’t be a self-destruct mark from the Empire.

But it didn’t change the fact that she’s considered a knight affiliated with the Empire.

If she’s been AWOL all this time, it could become a huge issue if she gets caught.

I asked her nervously, but she replied calmly.

“Oh, that’s fine. I was just dismissed yesterday.”

Lucy nonchalantly stated that.

Naturally, my face was painted with confusion.

I wondered what she was up to, going out alone right after regaining her faculties, and now she casually mentions getting discharged?

Is that even possible?

As I looked at her with those thoughts, she seemed to sense my gaze and continued explaining.

“If I just quit, they’d be suspicious, so I made it look like I lost an arm.”

I couldn’t help but doubt my ears.

Did I just mishear that? I leaned in to hear more of Lucy’s story.

“I got injured during duty, and when I reported that I couldn’t get it fixed at the temple, they kicked me out immediately.”

No matter how many times I heard it, it was still the same.

My expression morphed into sheer shock upon realizing that she became an amputee because of an injury during duty. Setting aside the absurdity of the Empire’s knights kicking her out without compensation…

She did that to herself?

To leave the Empire’s service even a day sooner?

Who on Earth would chop off their own arm for that? No anesthesia, real pain and all!

“Don’t worry. I can regenerate an arm whenever.”

Lucy casually responded, even adding a polite thank you for my concern.

“I’m all packed to leave. Let’s go, my lord.”

Lucy, with her sword at her hip, stood up.

She rattled off a series of insane comments, yet maintained a completely calm demeanor.

I found myself at a loss for words.

I know with the Geass she has to absolutely obey my commands.

Seeing her, it feels like she’s devotedly loyal, so I’m aware she’d go to great lengths to protect me rather than harm me.

But still, isn’t that a bit too intense?

‘…Should I just brutally wake up Rubia and take her along instead?’

I found myself thinking that, let out a sigh, and stood up.

How should I put this…

A sense of unease about the journey ahead began to well up.

*

The train boasted a luxurious, black exterior.

Embellished with gorgeous golden gears and a transparent pipe filled with azure magic stone fuel.

‘It’s a sight to behold, every time.’

It was nothing less than a steampunk marvel. Though it’s a bummer that only nobles and their attendants could ride it.

While I marveled at the train’s appearance, Lucy was busy going through ticket and identity verification up front.

Unlike with Rubia, this process seemed to take quite a bit of time.

After all, Valierre is a fallen house.

Even among nobles, the treatment can vary quite a bit.

But it wasn’t enough to concern me too much.

After about thirty minutes, we were finally able to board the train.

Since it was divided into noble and attendant sections, we had to go in separately.

I looked around for an open seat and finally settled down.

It wasn’t like I had anything to do until we arrived anyway.

As I idly enjoyed the scenery out the window, laughter suddenly rang out.

A strangely unsettling sort of laughter.

What started as a small sound began to grow louder. I turned my head to find the source.

A frail-looking old man sitting next to me erupted into convulsive laughter like a madman.

Wondering if something was up, I tried to say something to him.

But before I could get the words out, he stood up, drawing everyone’s attention as he confidently took center stage in the train car.

And then…

His face began to melt off.

…It was the unveiling of a transformation spell.

“Finally, the time has come!”

The true face revealed itself.

A man with a black head full of scars grinned a ghastly smile.

The train car erupted into chaos at that sudden shift.

Yet, despite the commotion around him, the man continued to wear an unsettling smile as he spoke.

“Nobles and their dogs! Judgment day has come for you. We, the ‘End’s Harbingers,’ have come to judge you.”

Upon hearing those words, everyone’s expressions turned pale.

And honestly, it was no surprise.

What he was about to do was crystal clear.

An uncanny man who infiltrated the train using a transformation spell. The hateful words that came from his mouth were aimed directly at the nobility.

And of course, this train was a symbol of noble authority, a prime target for anti-Empire factions.

A terrorist.

A terrorist was on the same train as me.

I bit my lip and quickly put my mind to work.

Where were the bombs set up?

Can I stop this?

What would be the best course of action?

Yet… there was no answer.

Nothing came up.

I could disable him at any time, but handling the bombs was another story.

There was no detonator in his hands.

The probability was high that he planted bombs that would explode automatically as time passed.

No matter how I dealt with the terrorist, the bombs would go off.

I might stay safe, but others would be caught in the explosion without a doubt.

So many lives would be lost.

A hopeless situation.

Tragically, time passed unkindly.

And the terrorist opened his mouth once more.

“You shall all fall with me into hell!”

Declaring as he spread his arms wide.

With a maniacal grin on his face, he began a countdown.

The numbers ticked down slowly.

Panic set among the people.

But the countdown refused to stop, and soon enough, that moment arrived.

A deafening explosion echoed.

People transformed from humans into lumps of flesh in an instant.

Countless lives vanished without a trace, and the train was overturned.

…Except that didn’t happen.

The faces of those frozen in fear melted into confusion. No one had died.

The train was smoothly on its way to its destination.

Rather than being derailed, it showed off the Empire’s amazing technology, gliding along stable tracks.

That terrorist stood there, stuck in an absurd posture with arms wide open, still grinning.

In this situation…

I realized there was only one thing I needed to do. I stood up and made my way toward him.

“…This can’t be happening. How can this be? How can you fail not once, but three times?”

Muttering to himself in a distasteful manner.

The terrorist’s gaze suddenly turned towards me.

Once again, that madness raced into his eyes.

“It’s you… You’ve been thwarting the noble plans of our End’s Harbingers…”

Grinding his teeth, the terrorist pulled a dagger from his robes and charged at me.

But I didn’t flinch.

His blade struck my abdomen directly.

The terrorist laughed watching me…

Until an expression of bewilderment overtook his face.

He must’ve realized something was off.

That the sensation of the knife piercing me felt too strange.

The terrorist stared down in disbelief at his dagger.

There wasn’t a single drop of blood on the blade.

The blade bent as if it were made not of steel, but rubber.

“…Huh?”

A bewildered sound escaped his lips.

He was finally realizing things were amiss, as cold sweat streamed down his face while looking at me.

But now, it was too late to notice.

With one swift motion, I hit him square in the head.

-BANG!

It sounded like clashing metals rather than flesh meeting flesh.

He crumpled to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

…And thus ended that rookie terrorist’s short-lived escapade.

*

“Really, I don’t even know how to thank you.”

After the crew bound and dragged the culprit away, the conductor called me over to express his gratitude.

Once I heard the full story from him…

It turned out they weren’t even a real terrorist organization.

“They’ve made threats of terrorism but have never actually executed one?”

“Exactly! I can’t make sense of what those lunatics are thinking either.”

That sparked the conductor’s ongoing rant.

So, it seems they were just a bizarre group called the End’s Harbingers, which merely threaten terrorism without intention.

Why they would do such ridiculous things baffles everyone, and even during interrogations, they spouted nonsensical lies that just made it a headache for the officials.

“They claimed a bomb was installed, but then they said a ‘Black Wolf’ took it away, causing a failed attack. Are they treating people like idiots or what?”

For the two previous false alarms, it seems they offered that as an explanation. They’ll surely come up with some absurd excuse again this time, declared the conductor with conviction.

I found myself dumbfounded and asked the conductor:

“…Doesn’t that just make them more like terrorism advocates than terrorists?”

“Exactly! It’s me who’s suffering because of it!”

After chatting for a while, we realized the train had arrived at our destination.

I made sure to remember his face as I thanked him for his assistance, promising him that if he ever needed anything, to let me know.

‘What a bunch of morons.’

The world is vast, and there are fools everywhere.

Realizing this truth again, I joined up with Lucy and set off toward the blacksmith street.