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"It has begun..."
I murmured the words to no one in particular, my eyes fixed on the magic circle etched against the night sky beyond my office window. I am Vince Briars, the Grandmaster of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
Casting my gaze down, I looked at the two withdrawal notices resting on my desk.
I had already been informed of what Orun intended to do. Even when a thunderous explosion echoed from the distance, I felt no surge of alarm. I had only known him for about a year, but that was more than enough time to understand that he was a man of profound kindness.
It was no exaggeration to say that Orun was orchestrating this entire upheaval to protect the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky—and more importantly, to shield the members who called it home.
I recalled the declaration Orun had made before the other executives when he first joined us.
—“I have no intention of devoting my life to this clan. However, as a member of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, I will do everything in my power to protect my comrades, no matter the circumstances.”
It was because we lacked the strength to stand beside him that Orun had been forced into this course of action. Had we possessed more power, perhaps a different path might have opened for us.
"...It’s too late to start whining now. If we lack strength, then we simply have to do our absolute best with what we have."
He had asked one thing of us: the conquest of the Great Labyrinth of the South.
We would achieve it, no matter the cost. That would be our way of repaying the man who was currently sacrificing everything to protect us.
The die was cast. It was time for me to do my part.
Soon, Marquis Forgas would publicly announce that Orun was the perpetrator of the night's events. At that moment, Orun would officially become a wanted man.
That was when my role would begin. Immediately after the announcement, I would declare that both Orun and Luna were being expelled from our ranks. I would broadcast to the world that Orun and the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky had severed all ties.
Reaffirming my resolve, I cast the two withdrawal notices into the flames, ensuring they would never be seen by another soul.
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"My Lord, a report has arrived regarding the explosion. The detention center has been half-destroyed, and several neighboring buildings have suffered partial collapses."
A soldier entered my office and began his briefing. Since Orun had warned me of this beforehand, I felt no shock. Fortunately, because I had reinforced the patrols around the facility in advance, every criminal who had attempted to use the chaos to escape—save for Oliver and his companions—had been successfully apprehended.
Even the fires that had broken out in the immediate aftermath of the blast had already been brought under control.
"What of the residents? Were there any casualties?"
"As of our current assessment, no injuries have been confirmed. Given the sheer scale of the explosion, it is nothing short of a miracle."
It seemed Orun had kept his promise. I doubted anyone else could have pulled off such a delicate feat of destruction. He was, as always, truly extraordinary.
"I see. And is there any indication that the Empire was involved?"
I knew the truth, of course, but for the sake of appearances, I had to maintain the facade of ignorance. When I feigned the question, the soldier shook his head.
"No, sir. We believe it is unrelated to the Empire."
"On what grounds do you say that?"
"Well... the thing is..."
"Why the hesitation? Speak up."
"Y-Yes, sir! At the scene, there are many soldiers claiming that Orun Doura is the culprit."
"Orun? A culprit?"
"Witnesses say that before the explosion, he told the guards he was there to liberate Oliver Cardiff. It appears that when our men resisted and he found himself surrounded, he triggered the explosion out of desperation."
From the sound of it, he had played the part quite flamboyantly. He had left so many witnesses that any hope of an alibi was gone.
“Paint me as a criminal,” he had said.
I doubted I would ever receive a request like that again in my lifetime.
"...Very well. Place Orun Doura on the wanted list. Spread the word throughout the territory immediately. I will handle the report to the Royal Family myself."
"Understood, sir! I will see to the posters at once!"
The soldier saluted and hurried out of the room. Once I was alone, I leaned back against my chair and stared up at the ceiling.
I had secured the safety of my people by sacrificing the reputation of a young man who had brought nothing but prosperity to Tsutrail over the past year. I was well aware that the world did not run on pretty sentiments alone. Even so, the guilt weighed heavily on my chest.
"Orun, my boy... forgive me. I have no right to ask this of you, but please... win the future you desire. Reach the day where you can truly smile again."
My whispered prayer melted into the shadows of the night, reaching no one's ears.
Thank you for reading until the end. I hope you'll join us for the next chapter. Please note that I will be taking a break next week; the next update is scheduled for September 6th.