"Like all nations that have reflected on numerous failures, the Military State respects the judgment of its field commanders. While communication officers exist, they only provide information and suggest strategic goals; they do not interfere with command.

In the field, there are clues that can only be picked up on-site. No matter how quickly the communication officers assess the situation, they can’t surpass the intuition of those in the midst of the action.

In this regard, Captain Toruq was an excellent commander. The moment Eymeder perished under the joint assault of Nabby, the regressor, and Tyr, he had already made his decision.

'I will accept your proposal. However, we also need assurances regarding your side.'"

Though it was a de facto surrender from his side, I didn’t point it out to smooth over the negotiation.

"You want hostages, I assume? However, we aren’t foolish enough to send anyone over as hostages. Instead, we promise to offer our full cooperation."

"What do you mean by that?"

"We will halt our advance and focus entirely on the rescue operation until everyone is saved."

'Stop advancing? That would tie their hands, but will they actually accept that?'

Most likely, yes. The regressor is against the idea of letting the laborers die, and Historia’s goal isn’t to destroy the refinery but to avoid further combat. As for Tyr, she's just going along with the flow.

At that moment, the regressor, having successfully taken down Eymeder, approached us. Without hesitation, she slapped me on the shoulder and spoke.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting without consulting me?"

"We’re negotiating. After all, this facility belongs to the Military State, and if we want to save the laborers, we’ll need all hands on deck, won’t we?"

"What? But you’re the one who activated the annihilation device!"

"I didn’t intend to kill them, though. That was just a means to ensure our own safety. Think about it—if I hadn’t activated the device, would they have pretended to listen to us at all?"

The regressor glanced at Captain Toruq and the troops he had brought. There weren’t that many. As a good commander, he had already scattered his forces throughout the refinery the moment he sensed things were going south. He was likely preparing for immediate recovery efforts once the fighting ended.

‘…Tactician? No, more like a dramatic… con artist.’

I said, almost nonchalantly:

"Facing a sudden disaster, we join forces with the enemy to save lives. It’s a beautiful, human conclusion. Let’s put in some effort for a happy ending, shall we?"

"Tch, but in the end, we’re helping the Military State."

"No, it's a little different. Shay, to save the laborers, we’ll have to destroy the device leading them to their deaths, just as you wanted."

The regressor realized what I meant and gave a dumbfounded response.

"Huh?"

"Yes! This is your chance to destroy the refinery’s facilities to your heart’s content, with the Military State guiding you along the way!"

In short, the regressor’s long-sought destruction of the refinery without unnecessary casualties was now sanctioned. By tearing down the facility piece by piece, the laborers would survive, and the refinery wouldn’t be able to function any longer.

Everything was falling into place perfectly.

Unlike gears, humans are too different from one another to ever align perfectly. Different ideologies, goals, and abilities mean that something always misaligns somewhere. But in this situation, I had orchestrated things so that everything and everyone fit together. The regressor was practically shivering with the realization.

'Huey… how far ahead did you plan this…?'

Oh, it wasn’t a plan.

'He saw through the trap, outpaced us, and not only planned to destroy the refinery but also prevented unnecessary sacrifices and averted a direct confrontation with the Military State. This is… something even a prophet couldn’t do…'

If only I were someone who could devise all these grand strategies and predict everything. But no, I was just following the clues from reading the thoughts of Eymeder and the Military State and solving the puzzle step by step.

I’m not a genius. I’m just a scammer who peeked at the answers in advance.

'…Maybe… truly…'

The regressor’s thoughts were cut short as she remembered the urgency of the situation. From now on, any delay would mean someone's death. She picked up her weapon, glancing briefly at me as she left.

"Whatever the case, you were useful. Thanks."

The regressor confidently strode toward Captain Toruq and his men. As she approached, the troops tensed, moving as if to surround her. Annoyed, she swung her sword and barked at them.

"Don’t waste time with this nonsense! Lead the way! We’re running out of time!"

One of the officers, clearly displeased, grumbled.

"Damn it. With someone like her around, we’re practically the hostages here."

"Then move before we treat you as real hostages!"

While the regressor led them forward, I quietly signaled Tyr to come over. She approached leisurely, observing me with a calm expression.

[Thanks to you, I avoided getting scorched. If not for your quick thinking, I might have ended up a charred mess. I must say, it was quite the considerate gift.]

Her attempt at maintaining her dignity didn’t hide the fact that she had been quite shaken by the overwhelming artificial light. The density of the light had even surpassed sunlight in some respects. If she had faced it directly, Tyr would have been incapacitated, even if just for a short time.

A vampire trapped in light is like a human drowning in water—every move comes with immense resistance, and it’s impossible to exert full strength.

Well, she probably would have escaped eventually by using her powers to resist the light or breaking through a wall. But by then, we would all have been dead. So, in the end, I didn’t save Tyr as much as I saved myself.

Feeling a bit sheepish, I scratched my head.

"It’s nothing. Oh, by the way, could you return that cloth now that you’re done using it?"

At my legitimate request for its return, Tyr, still draped in the Diamond Queen, hesitated for a moment before clutching the fabric tighter.

[…It wasn’t a gift?]

"I never said I was giving it to you, did I? It’s expensive. Please return it."

[No sense of romance at all! How can a man give someone a handkerchief only to demand it back later?]

"That’s old-fashioned! These days, people even ask for their gifts back after breakups."

[What a degenerate world!]

"I doubt the world is degenerating because I’m asking for my item back."

Tyr, always so composed, reluctantly handed back the Diamond Queen, muttering under her breath. I retracted it back into its card form and tucked it safely away. It’s too valuable to just give away, after all. But Tyr’s grumbling didn’t stop there.

[I cannot fathom how anyone could do such a thing!]

"Haha, I have my reasons. Oh, Tyr, there’s something I need to ask you."

[The nerve! You dare ask a favor after taking back what you gave? Is that how one makes requests nowadays?]

I don’t like taking back what I’ve given either, but the Diamond Queen is a precious tool for me. I can’t afford to give away something that could buy a house!

And besides, she seems to have gotten used to receiving things from me as if it were natural.

"Tyr, you’re older and wealthier than me, right? You’ve even founded your own nation! Isn’t it a bit much to expect me, a poor commoner, to hand over my last valuable item to you? You might as well take the liver of a flea!"

[Do you think I would be stingy about giving you something in return? Show sincerity first, and then I will give you treasures and gold in abundance.]

"Oh, right. Last time, you promised gold or treasure as payment for teaching you or giving you a massage, but I haven’t received anything useful yet. When can I expect those rewards?"

[…Let’s discuss that later. There are more pressing matters now, so tell me what you need.]

Tch. She’s skilled, using the urgency of the situation to dodge an unfavorable answer. She’s even better at this than the regressor. Perhaps it’s the experience of having founded a nation.

I glanced around, lowered my voice, and whispered to Tyr.

"When they free the laborers, there will be a brief moment when the laborers are no longer bound. While pretending to help, I want you to cloak them in darkness and secretly smuggle them out of the refinery. Scatter them so that the incoming forces from the Military State have a whole new headache to deal with."

Understanding the gravity of the task, Tyr lowered her voice as well before responding.

[Are you sure about this? From what I’ve heard, these laborers are heinous criminals. If you release them into the world, it could cause all sorts of problems.]

"Why would I care? As long as they don’t mess with me, it’s none of my business."

[You care nothing for the law or justice. How shameless.]

"Disappointed?"

Tyr shook her head and smiled faintly. Her crimson lips curled into an approving smirk, as if she were acknowledging a kindred spirit.

[Not at all. In fact, I like you even more.]

To Tyr, this refinery wasn’t some abomination trampling on human dignity. Historically, it was merely the most advanced method of efficiently using human resources. Trying to discuss modern morality with a vampire who has lived for a thousand years is a pointless exercise.

[Very well, then. What will you do in the meantime?]

"Me? If I try to help, I’ll only get in the way. And if I’m captured as a hostage, that’ll just be a burden to you and Historia. I’ll stay put and let myself be protected."

[That sounds like a wise plan.]

"Great. Tyr, go free the laborers—not for justice, but for me."

Tyr chuckled and nodded in agreement.

[Very well. I’ll grant your request.]

With that, she disappeared into the shadows, bringing forth a host of dark knights in her wake. A vampire saving people, huh… It’s ironic, but it happens. Vampires may be known for taking countless human lives, but in some twisted sense, they’ve also saved more humans than any other race.

Well, everything’s set. I stretched my limbs, feeling the tension ease. On one side, Aji was still struggling with the barbed wire, while Nabby was happily going around destroying the remaining lights one by one. The remnants of the lights, now shattered like glass, would soon serve as Nabby’s paw prints in the future.

Over by the other side, Historia was explaining the situation to Siati and the princess. Siati was gritting her teeth, while the princess, overwhelmed by the sudden changes, wore a puzzled expression.

"Wha—? Wait, Carrafald… betrayed us? He triggered the trap, and Shay killed him…?"

"I don’t know the details. Whether he was the real Carrafald or someone in disguise, something happened to him, that’s for sure."

"I can’t believe it. There’s no way he would betray us…"

"People change. You can never be certain."

The princess shrank in on herself, looking around the control room. Though the lights had been destroyed, the room was still illuminated enough to see everything clearly.

"But… where is Carrafald?"

Historia flinched, her head snapping toward the spot where Carrafald had collapsed, bleeding, just moments ago.

There was nothing there. Not even a dried bloodstain.

Historia tensed, reaching out her hand in apprehension.

"It seems… Carrafald wasn’t the real one after all."

"Oh, that’s a relief! So Carrafald didn’t really betray us!"

The princess’s naive optimism earned her a scathing look from Historia.

"It’s not a relief. If someone disguised themselves as him, it means his identity was already compromised. He was likely tortured to death after spilling everything he knew."

"Wha—what?!"

"But to fool both me and the regressor… How did they manage that?"

Ah, that. It was a masterful performance.

Jiekhrund’s deception wasn’t some mystical power. He was a true actor, someone who had honed his skills to deceive humans. It was pure technique, so well executed that even the regressor and Historia had been fooled.

His greatest ability was infusing martial energy into his body with camouflage ki. Reaching the pinnacle of technique, he could manipulate his body’s responses at will, even transforming into someone else.

"Meow?"

Crack.

Nabby, who had been merrily breaking lights, suddenly reacted. As if something was wrong, she raised her paw. The moment her paw lifted, an enormous explosion echoed from the light.

"Nyaaahaaack!"

Sparks flew like fireworks, scattering shimmering dust everywhere. Historia quickly reacted, unleashing a burst of energy to dispel the particles. Aji and Nabby, startled, barked and yowled, their voices echoing through the chaos.

Amid the confusion, Historia’s voice rang out.

"Stay together! Don’t scatter!"

But her words were cut short when someone stepped into view. A tall, long-haired woman with a tired gaze and braided hair stared back at her with wide eyes.

It was someone who looked exactly like Historia.

No, it wasn’t just similar—it was as if Historia herself was standing there. Siati, who knew her well, and the princess both gasped in shock at the sight of two identical Historias.

"Wait, two Historias?!"

But the real Historia didn’t waste time being shocked. With only a brief pause, both she and the imposter moved simultaneously. One of them extended a long leg for a kick, while the other deflected it with a smooth movement, trying to trap the leg with a swift turn of her knee and elbow. The air was filled with a flurry of rapid movements as their limbs clashed and redirected in a confusing blur.

Boom. With an explosive burst of martial energy, both figures slid back from each other. The imposter, still maintaining her disguise, reached out toward me and shouted.

"Huey! Get behind me, quick!"

"Hide behind you? No thanks, you're the fake."

Leaving the princess behind, I darted toward the real Historia. As I pulled away, the hand reaching for me clenched and opened a few times, empty.

The imposter’s face fell into an expression of despair as I once again rejected her.

"How… How did you…?"

No amount of acting would fool me. The quickest way to break out of a deception is to remember that it’s all just an act. The imposter realized that I hadn’t simply been testing her, but had genuinely seen through her. Her expression shifted rapidly. With a face full of curiosity and surprise, the Historia look-alike—Jiekhrund—tilted his head and questioned me.

"You figured out I was the fake?"