If the Arnold Kingdom was the titan of the West, then the Ewell Empire was its counterpart in the East. A massive nation that effectively ruled the eastern half of the world, its prowess in sorcery rivaled that of the Arnold Kingdom.
However, dark rumors always shadowed the Ewell Empire.
Tales of human experimentation and whispers of a clandestine group that had refined sorcery into a tool for assassination... while not entirely accurate, these rumors were undeniably close to the truth.
In the imperial capital of the Ewell Empire, a group had gathered in the basement of the castle that towered over the city. Among them, one man stood out.
His lustrous, pitch-black hair was tied in a single ponytail and draped over his shoulder. It was long for a man, giving him a feminine appearance at first glance. Though his features were androgynous, the lean muscle visible even through his suit made his gender clear.
"Now then, thank you all for gathering."
As he took his seat at the round table, the man’s dignified, clear voice echoed through the underground space. Six people in total sat beneath the artificial lights.
What exactly were they here to discuss?
"First, a situational report. The flames of war are spreading steadily. The issue, however, lies with the Kingdom’s new special forces unit—the Special Selection Unit 'Astral.' And Lydia Ainsworth is among them."
The moment those words were spoken, a small girl with golden hair tied on both sides spoke up. Her hair shimmered as it caught the light.
"Can't we just kill them?"
"Vier. You are right; it is always most certain to kill those who obstruct our plans. But Lydia Ainsworth is one of the Awakened Ones. Ending her life will be exceedingly difficult."
"...Is that so?"
"I believe the dossiers were already distributed."
"Sorry, Eins. I didn't read mine," she said nonchalantly.
Eins let out a small sigh. "Hah... well, I suppose that bluntness is a virtue in its own way. I'll brief you on the details later."
"Thanks."
Eins took a breath and turned his attention back to the group to explain the situation once more.
"Returning to the topic. As I have said before, the greatest obstacle to this plan is the Arnold Kingdom. Perhaps realizing this themselves, they have formed the Special Selection Unit 'Astral.' It is a small, elite group comprised of the most hand-picked members in the Kingdom. To be honest, I would like to call everyone except Lydia Ainsworth small fry... but we cannot afford to be careless."
They had already thoroughly investigated 'Astral.' Although the unit's existence was not public knowledge even within the Kingdom, this group had reliably intercepted the information.
Though Eins spoke of Lydia as their immediate enemy, she was not their true target.
"What’s the word on the brat? Why haven't we collected him yet?" a man questioned in a rough tone. He had short, shaved red hair and an arrogant attitude, yet no one at the table moved to correct him.
"Drei. As I mentioned... the timing was simply unfortunate. Even we were unable to grasp the full details of the ritual in that village."
"Hmph. And you're telling me three years have passed since then?"
"Correct. But there is no cause for alarm. It seems his education is being handled by Lydia Ainsworth. She must have realized his singularity as well."
"I see. So we snatch the fruit once it’s ripe, eh?"
"Life or death is of no consequence. It is his soul we require," Eins stated in a chillingly serious tone.
"He" referred to none other than Ray. While Lydia and her allies had not yet reached the truth behind the boy's origins, the Ewell Empire already grasped it.
They believed his existence was the key that would bring about a global transformation.
"And so—? What are we doing now—?"
A woman's voice cut through the brief silence. Her tone was languid, and she was busy carefully filing her nails, having only half-listened to the conversation thus far.
"Zwei's point is valid, but we should prioritize expanding the war first. Ray will still take time to grow."
"So we pluck it when it's ready?"
"Precisely."
"Fine by me. As long as I can keep my easy lifestyle, I don't really care—"
"To ensure that, his existence must be dealt with."
"Yes, yes. I'll help out—!"
Flicking her orange hair back, Zwei showed no further interest in the meeting.
Eins turned the discussion toward a different topic.
"Now, we should first investigate that village in detail again."
"Regarding that, is that information confirmed?" an intellectual-looking man with glasses asked.
"Sechs. I believe that matter has already been shared?"
"Seeing is believing. I cannot trust it until I see it for myself. I prioritize personal experience above all else."
"Then go see for yourself later. I'll clear it with the military."
"I appreciate it. But is he truly 'The Zeroth'?" Sechs questioned once more.
Eins replied with eyes that seemed to be staring into a void. "That is a matter of intuition. However, there is no mistake. My instincts tell me so. He is the terminal point from that world..."
No one chose to comment further. The six people gathered there had already sensed the anomaly that was the boy named Ray. Although they had yet to meet him, they were certainly connected to him.
"Then we shall conclude today's meeting here. I will convey our future outlook to the military."
Eins stood up.
The six individuals filed out of the underground chamber, leaving Eins alone. He untied his hair and leaned heavily against the back of his chair. His long hair fluttered slightly as he exhaled.
Brushing it back, he let out a low murmur. "We have finally come this far... finally."
It was a long-cherished wish. The scene he had envisioned for many years was finally within reach. Having suppressed his excitement during the meeting, he allowed a smile to spread across his face now that he was alone.
It was not a pure smile of anticipation. It was the wicked smile of a man whose twisted desires were about to be fulfilled—though he himself would never have considered them wicked.
Eins had risen to the upper echelons of the Ewell Empire, holding a top-tier post in the military. Unlike the leaders of the Arnold Kingdom, he and his peers had a singular, absolute objective.
To rule the world.
To them, the Empire only truly became an Empire by dominating everything. For that purpose, any means was justified. It did not matter how many people were sacrificed or how much blood was spilled. All that mattered was bringing the world to its knees.
"Ah, Ray. I look forward to meeting you."
Eins, the man who reigned at the summit of the Seven Sages, whispered Ray’s name as if he were calling for a lover.