The princess can no longer be a queen, and this country is no longer a kingdom. It's a military state, where soldiers rule and peace is enforced through guns and swords. In a place where everything is carried out under the command of the military headquarters, no one is likely to feel a sense of responsibility.

However, the princess, the only heir of King Grandiomor and Queen, the culprits behind the fall of the kingdom, does feel that responsibility. She feels it not only toward the remnants of the kingdom who became the Resistance but toward the entire population of this nation.

She could have taken my words as a joke, but instead, she heard them as the truth and quickly disagreed.

"Please stop testing me. Places like that should not exist! Even if the people there are criminals, there shouldn't be a hell that gives eternal torment in reality!"

"For someone who isn’t a queen, you seem awfully concerned about the lives of the people."

"I don’t have such thoughts! I'm simply following what’s right! Weren’t you also outraged by what you saw inside?"

"Oh, I wasn’t angry about that part."

Barbarism is doing whatever can be done without hesitation. Civilization, on the other hand, starts by defining what cannot be done. Murder, theft, extortion, fraud, sedition, apostasy, rebellion—all these things, with variations in different times and places, have been prohibited by civilizations throughout history. But essentially, civilization is about taking away something from humans.

So, if someone asked whether I’m barbaric or civilized, the answer would undoubtedly be barbaric. After all, I’ve committed every crime I could.

But I’m just one person, and the influence a single human can have is limited. Even if I’ve done harm, all it takes is for someone to catch and punish me.

In fact, I’ve been punished, which makes me a perfect example.

But the Military State?

“There were those who did absurd things under all kinds of pretexts for the greater good, for the country. But at least they came up with excuses to defend their actions. In contrast, this is the real deal. This is done in the name of the nation, for the nation. You even feel like the nation itself ordered it.”

Building labor camps that exploit the people? It’s all for the state. Governing everyone under strict laws? All for the state. Inventions and their widespread dissemination? Everyone knows those inventions aren’t for the people’s benefit. The hooks that pierce through bio-terminals, the restraint clothing made with clothing packets, ritual magic cast at the expense of the body, compressed rations that preserve only nutrition, the flavorless and joyless chimera beans, the Thunder Wheels that run themselves but require humans to adjust to them, the meta-conveyor belts that grind away with human blood, sweat, and corpses as their lubricant.

The Military State might be particularly ruthless, but all seven of these great inventions lack any affection for humanity. What remains after everything is stripped away is utility and nothing else.

The princess agreed with my sentiment.

“You’re right. Other nations may be similar, but the Military State is far worse. The only silver lining is that their punishments are so harsh that no one dares skim off the top.”

"Yes, that's especially true. The Military State won’t tolerate anyone else committing crimes. Only the state can commit crimes in the Military State.”

“...Crimes?”

“The Military State has surplus resources. Wealth, happiness, time, pride—they have an abundance of all these things. But instead of sharing them, they hoard them endlessly.”

The princess had already forgotten her previous irritation with me and was now fully focused on what I was saying.

“So, you’re angry at the unseen rulers pulling all the strings and hoarding everything in this country?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that. How can I be angry at someone whose existence isn’t even confirmed, whose identity is unknown, and whose location is unclear?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Let me rephrase that. You’re looking for the person who created all this, aren’t you?”

It seemed like she finally understood, as she clapped her hands together in realization. The sharpness in her tone from earlier was now completely gone.

I shrugged.

“In a way, yes. But I’ve wandered around the Military State for months, lived in the capital for years, and I still haven’t found them.”

My “discovery” as a telepath goes far beyond what others could achieve. Even if that ruler were hiding among the common folk, living a peaceful life while concealing their true identity, they wouldn’t be able to escape me. The moment they came into contact with me, I’d know. And if they were in some secret base, once they stepped outside and crossed paths with me, even from a distance, I’d uncover everything.

Even if they weren’t an omnipotent ruler pulling the strings, any power figure would be connected to countless people. If I could catch just one lead, I’d slowly unravel the thread.

But… I haven’t found anything yet. And it’s not like it’s such an important goal that I’m risking my life over it.

“So… you were testing me with that question earlier, weren’t you?”

“Hmm?”

Testing? I’m no good at testing. I’m great at answering questions, but terrible at coming up with them. I know everything the other person knows, but I can never think of something they don’t know. That’s why I’m terrible at making up questions—it reveals my limitations.

When I looked at her in genuine confusion, the princess tilted her head and asked again.

“Since I’m a member of the Resistance, you didn’t know how I’d react if I met ‘that someone.’ That’s why you tested me by asking if the existence of the refinery would be more beneficial to the Resistance.”

‘I see. It’s only natural that Shay wouldn’t say something so heartless. And yet, I foolishly took it seriously! Eryne Grandiomor, you need to keep learning!’

That’s how she interpreted it. The princess really does have a way of seeing the best in people.

Well, I suppose a deaf person is simply someone who can’t hear, not someone who doesn’t speak. And a blind person can’t describe colors. We become numb to what we can’t perceive.

In that sense, the princess, who has never been exposed to hostility, never learned to be cautious of it. It’s a kind of mental blindness, an obliviousness born from privilege.

Or maybe it’s more appropriate to call it naivety. She truly is naïve.

“You catch on quickly,” I said, nodding.

It’s not a bad misunderstanding. After all, I did intend to spark her curiosity.

Her curiosity is key. If she’s curious, she’ll be more proactive when we eventually infiltrate the headquarters.

The princess nodded, somewhat bitterly.

“You’re remarkable. I was too shocked by what was in front of me to think clearly, but you, Huey, you’ve been considering the future, not just reacting to the present… Please forgive me. I’ve been nothing but a loud voice without offering any real help.”

That’s not true. You’re probably going to be a huge help.

That unfairly overpowered ability of yours, the one that prevents anyone from harboring hostility toward you—it’s just been a little dulled after that madman with screws in his head nearly killed you. But I won’t let such a powerful gift go to waste.

And besides…

“Well, never mind. That’s something to worry about after we’ve safely made it out of here.”

“Safely made it out? What do you mean?”

‘Aren’t we done here? Once we destroy the refinery and head for headquarters—wait, destroy it…?’

Ah, she realized it.

This is a trap. One of the worst kinds of traps, too.

It’s not a trap that relies on brute force, but rather one that locks you into a moral dilemma.

The princess’s face turned pale.

‘How? How do we destroy it? Do we kill all the criminals, or free the laborers? Who decides, and how?’

It’s hard to realize this when you’re inside the refinery because they’re the ones trapped in the dilemma. To those acting according to the script, it’s as if the world outside the stage doesn’t exist.

That’s why the princess and I had to get out.

I explained to her.

“The Alchemic Steel Refinery is a critical facility. In fact, in some ways, it’s even more important than the headquarters.”

Even though alchemic steel is a resource with plenty of stock, it’s not infinite. And resources like alchemic steel, which are used everywhere, are always in short supply, no matter how abundant they may seem.

If production were disrupted here, any plan the Military State had would be delayed. The Military State, which prides itself on functioning like a well-oiled machine, would never tolerate one of its most crucial cogs slowing down.

“That’s why the Military State set a trap here. And we’ve walked right into it.”

In other words, they’re going to stop us. Even if they have to bring in a powerful force like Jiekhrund.

…Actually, I didn’t figure it out on my own—I read Jiekhrund’s mind and realized it afterward! I saw the script and thought, ‘Wait, is this serious?’

“But there was no sign of any military presence here! Shay confirmed that before we came!”

“That’s exactly why it’s a trap. There was no one at all in a place where there should have been at least some kind of resistance. Even if it was Tyr’s time of night, the Military State should have had at least a small delaying force here. The Military State treats its troops as disposable, so they’d use a delaying force, even if only to buy a few seconds.”

In fact, during the day, there were delaying forces cutting off the roads and launching artillery from a distance. They didn’t buy much time, but that’s the Military State’s method.

The princess’s mind was reeling.

“Then… what does that mean? Did the Musketeer trap us…?”

“No, Ria’s suggestion was correct. Thanks to her, instead of overwhelming us with sheer military force and firepower, they’re trying to trap us with this crude scheme.”

Historia’s strategy is very much in line with the Military State’s methods. She keeps a low profile and strategically targets key facilities with a preemptive strike.

But precisely because it’s so efficient, it’s also easy to predict. The moment we turned toward the automaton assembly factory, the Military State likely guessed our next target.

And more importantly, Princess, the one who actually trapped us is your comrade, Carrafald… or rather, Jiekhrund, who extracted the information from him. So don’t go blaming Ria.

I’m keeping quiet because I can’t reveal that I’m using telepathy, but if we were holding anyone accountable, you’d be the first on the chopping block.

But that’s not important right now.

“This place is a stage. From the refinery entrance to the deepest part, it’s a carefully crafted route designed to show us the horrors the laborers are subjected to. The entire process is meant to force us to confront a bigger dilemma. Should we kill them all, free them, or leave them as they are? Ria and Shay will clash, Tyr and Shiati will weigh in, and it will all become a chaotic mess.”

Historia is, after all, a high-ranking officer in the Military State. She has the authority to order her subordinates to their deaths, and she won’t hesitate to sacrifice these criminals.

The Regressor, on the other hand, is moving to prevent a future overflowing with sin. She won’t agree to slaughtering a defenseless group of laborers.

Shiati, seeking revenge on the Military State, would prefer to free all the laborers and let the chaos unfold.

Meanwhile, Tyr, indifferent to life and death, might even suggest turning them all into revenants.

That’s probably why Jiekhrund wanted to separate me from the princess—to stir up confusion and buy time.

And just as we’re about to make a decision, they’ll surround us and wipe us out.

“I really think that could happen! What should we do?” the princess asked, her face pale with fear.

“Why did you come outside if you already knew all of this, Huey?!” she cried in desperation.

“Because the easiest way to ruin a well-prepared stage is an intrusion from outside,” I replied.

“W-what?!”

Magic and theater—both prepare a stage for their audience. Both require acting, in a sense.

However, there is one key difference: the genre's obligation.

Theater must ultimately meet the audience’s expectations, but magic must defy them. That one difference leads to all sorts of variations.

We’re getting close. The seemingly endless concrete wall stretching toward the border of the Military State was finally coming to an end. We had reached the far side of the refinery, opposite the entrance.

Only now did I bring the automaton carriage to a halt.

“This refinery has no doors. So, the farthest point from the entrance is where the core should be.”

There were no doors on this building. The walls stretched on like smooth skin. Remembering that we hadn’t seen a single side door on the way here, the princess looked confused.

“Why didn’t they even make a side door? What if there’s a fire…?”

“Well, the building is divided into sections, right? I guess they planned to separate the areas with partition walls.”

“But then the people in the burning sections wouldn’t have anywhere to escape…”

“I guess the person who designed this thought that was better.”

The princess seemed shocked by my answer. I left her to her thoughts and jumped down from the automaton carriage, walking over to a corner of the wall. I pulled out a card and flipped it over. My favorite tool, the Diamond 1 Skewer, greeted me with its familiar weight.

“It’s been a while, my friend. Miss me?”

“Woof! Didn’t miss you! Seen you too much! But still glad to see you!”

Apparently, calling for one friend also brings all the others. I waved Aji off as she came up behind me.

“…You go fetch Nabi. We’ve got work to do.”

“Woof!”

AjI nodded and scampered off to get the Nabi box. I gripped the skewer with both hands and aimed at the concrete wall.

“Hup!”

With all my strength, I thrust the skewer forward. It struck the concrete wall hard.

…About one centimeter deep.

“Yup, it’s concrete. My strength won’t do much here.”

But that’s why I have Earth Magic. The technique that was once mistaken for divine power when I was trapped in the Abyss.

I slashed the skewer hard, carving a small but rebellious scratch into the smooth gray wall. Like a vandal etching graffiti into a historical monument, the irreversible nature of it made it all the more satisfying.

“Phew, this is hard work…”

After drawing a full circle with the skewer, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took a deep breath. Dust rose from the concrete I had just cut through.

Now, it’s time to get to work. Placing my hands on the wall, I took a deep breath and concentrated. I focused on the vastness of the earth and my small existence upon it as I activated Earth Magic.

Creak, creak.

The section of the wall I had outlined with the skewer shifted, sliding back as if it had merely been resting on top of the rest of the wall.

The earth, which seems eternal and unchanging, is actually constantly in flux. It rises, falls, and shifts, its surface cracking and shifting like skin. Beneath the surface, there are rivers of molten red, pulsing with life.

What we call “earth” is merely a crust atop a sea of molten rock, flowing and colliding. The mountains we revere are nothing more than scabs on the skin of the earth.

It’s enough to make anyone understand why someone would become a demon god.

“Cutting through a concrete wall so cleanly with just a skewer…!”

‘Huey must be a sword master! His ki must be so refined that there wasn’t even a sound!’

Meanwhile, the princess was staring at me with her hands over her mouth in shock. She must think I used my ki to cut into the wall.

She really has no idea. It’s Earth Magic, not ki. If my ki was strong enough to slice through concrete, I wouldn’t be doing this right now.

I gave the wall one last push, and the cut-out section slid away, falling into the building’s interior with a heavy thud. Through the hole, I could see nothing but pitch-black darkness.

Alright, we’re ready.

“Nyaha… Let go, let go! I, I’m not moving!”

“Woof! No work, no food!”

AjI was dragging Nabi by the scruff of her neck, pulling her along. Nabi had dug her claws into the ground, trying to resist, but Aji’s strength was too much for her. The only thing Nabi managed to do was leave shallow furrows in the dirt as she was dragged along.

Those claws will be sharp. More than enough to break through what we need to.

“Good, we’re ready. I’ll go in first. Bring Aji and Nabi in after me.”

“Yes…!”

‘I bet you have a brilliant plan! If I can be of help, I’ll gladly assist!’

The princess clenched her fists and watched closely as I climbed through the hole. The more she believes in my greatness, the more she’ll follow my plan later…

Wait. This wall is thicker than I thought. It’s practically a tunnel. This hole might be a bit too small… Oh.

“Well, I’m stuck! Princess, can you give me a push?”

‘…You have a plan for this, right?’

Are you already doubting me? If you’re going to trust me, trust me fully!