Chapter 100

The watch hands in the wristwatch are turning. Carmondorf stared at it blankly before lifting his head.

“Time’s up.”

As Carmondorf stood up, a mysterious man, who had been keeping a distance from him, followed suit. Even though Carmondorf had noticed that presence earlier, he continued walking quietly without looking back.

With every step he took, the bustling crowd thinned out one by one. He was heading towards a place increasingly devoid of people.

Carmondorf stopped walking. He stood in front of an old chapel located in the most remote area of the city.

Having weathered the years, the chapel had received little care in this neglected part of the city. Now devoid of visitors, Carmondorf stepped into that house of faith.

– Creeeak…

The old chapel door opened. Without hesitation, Carmondorf stepped into the chapel where the flickering candles illuminated the space, and soon he took a seat.

– Thud. Thud.

Of course, the presence that followed him also mirrored his actions. Carmondorf vaguely sensed that someone had sat in the back, and his voice echoed in the chapel that was lit only by candles.

“Are you Walter Bailey, a top agent of the Federal Intelligence Agency?”

“That’s correct.”

Without a word, Carmondorf pulled out a money bag. The heavy weight transferred to his hand, but without any hesitation, he handed the bag over to Walter, who was sitting behind him.

“May I check the amount?”

“Yes, by all means.”

The sound of paper flipping resonated through the chapel. Carmondorf lifted his gaze to the large cross illuminated by the soft glow of the candles.

Does the Lord know what Carmondorf is about to do from this moment on?

‘…Who knows.’

If the Lord were truly omnipotent, He should have prevented the Great War from happening. Carmondorf wasn’t deeply religious.

Eventually, the sound of paper flipping stopped. Carmondorf once again fixed his gaze straight ahead.

“I’ve confirmed it. The amount is accurate.”

“You already know what I’ve requested, don’t you?”

“There might be some confusion with just the information I’ve heard, so if you could inform me briefly verbally, it would make the processing of the task smoother.”

How bothersome. Carmondorf nearly clicked his tongue unconsciously but managed to hold back.

“You need to take care of the individuals located at 331-2, 3rd floor, Central Square of the city.”

“And the survivors…?”

“If possible, please leave none alive.”

“If you want no survivors, there will be an additional fee.”

“Does that amount include the cleanup costs as well?”

“Yes. I’ll ensure that the cleanup is done so that there are no loose ends.”

Carmondorf, without further ado, reached into his pocket and handed a substantial bundle of cash to the man sitting in the back. The bundle of money quickly disappeared from his hand.

“Yes. This should be sufficient. Is there anything special I should know about the target?”

Should I really share this? Carmondorf pondered for a moment, but the contemplation was short-lived.

“They are veterans who participated in the Great War. Please proceed with utmost caution, but try not to give them any openings.”

“I know I shouldn’t ask this, but… may I?”

Carmondorf’s brow furrowed. Walter Bailey, known by various rumors, was someone he had trusted enough to approach, yet after such a long conversation, he wondered if he should have hired someone else.

“Do you have any reason behind wishing for the target’s death?”

“Of course, you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

However, Walter was the type who couldn’t suppress his curiosity. Hearing the circumstances of his clients was, in a way, an interesting pastime for him.

“Do I have to tell you that?”

“……”

Naturally, Carmondorf had no intentions of revealing such detailed reasons. He added nervously.

“Having spent quite a bit of money, please take this request seriously. There should be no failures.”

“…Understood.”

Walter’s footsteps receded, and soon, any lingering presence that had been in the chapel besides Carmondorf had vanished completely. Carmondorf looked up again at the cross.

‘…What is the reason?’

The information that the veterans were planning a protest against Colonel Adelheid was almost a coincidence for Carmondorf.

After receiving that absurd information, he thought.

The Empire was still not free from the scars of the Great War. The Empire still needed war heroes.

Moreover, Colonel Adelheid was someone he served as a superior. There wouldn’t be an unfaithful hound who would simply watch their master fall.

It seemed that Colonel Adelheid was unaware of Carmondorf’s plans, but that was only natural since it was information Carmondorf had never reported.

If he were to learn of it, it was clear he would express concern and oppose it. Colonel Adelheid was not a murderer who would indiscriminately kill those who obstructed his path, even if he didn’t bend his opinions.

And Carmondorf was willing to stain his hands with blood on behalf of Colonel Adelheid.

‘There must never be anyone who becomes a burden to the Colonel’s future.’

If the pests gnawing at the lifeline he held were to twist, it was only logical to eliminate them.

‘If the Colonel continues to rise, I too… will be able to ascend higher.’

Carmondorf was a man overflowing with ambition.

*

Until reaching the rooftop, Carmondorf did not know that the person Maximilian was talking to was Cesar. Had he known, he would not have gone up.

The moment he faced Cesar on the rooftop, it was initially vague. He had never seen such a hideous appearance, but his voice and vaguely familiar visage felt oddly familiar.

“Because you guys just stood by with your arms crossed, you trampled on our wish to even raise our voices… while setting fire to a perfectly good building, trying to kill me and my comrades!”

And then, there were his words.

Carmondorf, only after hearing that, finally recognized his identity. The submerged memories resurfaced.

Three years ago. Flames. The War Veterans Association.

Those three elements combined unearthed the memories buried within Carmondorf. It rekindled the dying embers.

He had lived with the conviction that no survivors remained. Carmondorf was confident.

He had hired agents who were made famous among the upper class, and everything that could have been destroyed by fire was perfectly erased.

While the scale of the fire exceeded his expectations, he believed he would somehow manage to sweep it under the rug.

‘…How?’

That thought immediately occurred to Carmondorf. How, exactly?

‘How did he survive?’

The fire incident had not been intended by Carmondorf. He had only wished for their deaths.

However, events had unraveled differently from Carmondorf’s expectations.

A fire that grew so large it spread to adjacent buildings, and the entire building housing the War Veterans Association was completely consumed. Carmondorf, secretly watching from hiding, personally witnessed that horrific sight.

According to the announcements from the firefighting authorities that had begun searching for survivors, they reported that they found no one alive at that location. While it resulted in an uncomfortable conclusion and additional costs required to silence administrative bodies, the deaths of the war veterans were so seemingly undeniable.

Thus, one could not survive amidst such fierce flames.

Yes. It should have been that way…

“My comrades from the War Veterans Association who promised to protest with me… you set fire to our office building and killed them—!!”

Then, the man before him was… he was some sort of ghost?

“Huff…”

Carmondorf’s breathing became erratic. It wasn’t because he recognized that someone he thought was dead was actually alive.

Cesar believed that Duke Adelheid had instigated that fire to kill him. Had he died at that moment, such misunderstandings wouldn’t have arisen, but the problem was that he had survived the flames.

The crack in Carmondorf’s plans originated from the fact that Cesar had survived.

And the real problem was…

“What the hell is…”

Next to Carmondorf, Duke Adelheid bore a look of utter confusion as he gazed at Cesar. The doubt that flowed from Adelheid’s eyes and the subtle suspicion radiating from his expression.

It made Carmondorf anxious.

Cesar firmly believed that Duke Adelheid had set the building ablaze to kill him. Feeling jaded by the terrible reality of the veterans, it was a sufficient reason to take Laura hostage…

In the end, Cesar was channeling his hatred specifically towards the arsonist who had set the building on fire. And that hatred was directed at none other than Duke Adelheid.

What if Duke Adelheid were to learn the truth?

If it were discovered that although unintended, it was Carmondorf who had sought to kill Cesar and his group, ultimately causing the fire incident in the building?

If it resulted in an inevitable accountability towards the fact that it significantly contributed to Laura ending up in that state?

‘I am… done for.’

What had initially been a grand decision made for the future of Duke Adelheid was now tightening around Carmondorf’s neck like a dagger. Carmondorf bit his lip as he observed Duke Adelheid’s expression.

Duke Adelheid’s mouth opened. He sought a clearer explanation from Cesar, someone making statements he couldn’t understand. Watching this, Carmondorf felt his mind go blank.

‘Damn it…! Damn! Goddamn it!’

He would have preferred if he had died right there.

In the painful moments, dealing with burns endured from melting in the scorching flames, rather than desperately crawling back out into this world… he should have accepted death back then; that would have even eased Cesar’s suffering.

Selfish thoughts filled Carmondorf’s mind, but that did not matter to him. He felt as though his position was teetering on the edge, and everything before him was spinning.

His quick-witted mind began working hard to devise a countermeasure, but instead, his overburdened mind began spitting out thoughts bordering on delusion.

‘…If I couldn’t kill him then.’

And ultimately.

‘I have to silence that mouth, even now!’

Carmondorf reached the worst decision of his life.

– Bang—!!

The action taken from the hot and cold muzzle would become the greatest blunder of his life.