He had already read it. Thoroughly reading through, he muttered to himself.

“Why does a person seem out of place?”

Even though he couldn’t directly see where his feet were landing,

he knew that any path his four feet touched was not an entirely comfortable one.

“By now, I thought I understood you, but it was my arrogance.”

Even after scrutinizing, tearing apart, you still remain a mystery.

“It’s more difficult than when I sat on the throne.”

He spoke as he caught his breath.

“When I sat on the throne, I could at least see myself. Now, even though you are right in front of me, I can’t see you.”

“…You’re showing a weak side to me.”

Benhamin reached out his arm.

“I prefer certainty, but you don’t.”

“…”

“Until now, even though it was a bit distant, I was sure it would reach, but now I’m not sure. The afterimage is gradually moving away. Even if I try to grab it with my hand, I can’t catch it.”

The extended arm was soon withdrawn. It seemed like his fingertips had touched through the crimson hair, but it was so brief that he couldn’t be sure.

“Your Majesty.”

Roskella found him.

“Commander Pofuta has sent a report from the Information Division. You should check it now.”

Inside Pofuta, demons and exhibitions were in full swing.

“The demon movements have ceased.”

“Why?”

“It seems like they’re hiding. During the naval battle, they all disappeared. Demons are inherently rough and vicious. Just feeling the presence of the Expedition Fleet warship makes them hide. Even if we explode bombs, only small demons are caught, and there’s no additional income.”

“What about inside Pofuta?”

“The nearby attacks on Pofuta have also stopped. The second expedition has been temporarily suspended, and the subsequent expedition system is chaotic.”

When the demon activity phase begins, demons rapidly proliferate, increasing their population. Suppressing the reproduction of these demons is the duty of the Expedition Corps, and Pofuta is the frontline for restraining the border area.

‘They stopped.’

They stopped.

“The presence is cut off, hiding, disappearing. They keep escaping.”

Something.

Something kept bothering him. Benhamin clenched the report from the Information Division.

“Revise the expedition system and tighten internal security.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why are they all hiding down below… It’s starting to get annoying.”

Benhamin loosened his cravat and unbuttoned his shirt. The necktie that was tightened around his neck due to the shoulder strap of his outerwear made it uncomfortable. He twisted his muscles from his neck to his biceps with force. The cord tied to the shoulder strap seemed to be tied in an awkward manner, making it particularly annoying.

“Go out.”

After the Information Division left and the office door closed,

“The presence of all of them is cut off from Pofuta.”

Roskella whispered as she closed the office door.

“This is not good.”
Pofuta is a military stronghold that has suppressed demon invasions. A change has occurred in such a stronghold. The demons are hiding, and the traces of sinners have been cut off from Pofuta.

Traces cut off from Tuhtuga and traces cut off from Beberga are connected to Pofuta. After that, everything was cut off.

“How is Beberga? Beberga’s head was ill, and it has been a long time since the cattle head assumed the role of head on behalf of Beberga.”

“It was only seen by the Empress.”

Benhamin tousled his short hair.

“It’s called Lupertic, a southern wind disease. While investigating the disease, I reached Beberga, and the interior seems suspicious. The past head died early, the current head is in poor health, and the cattle head has taken over the role of head, almost ceasing external activities.”

“Yes.”

“The cause of death of the deceased heads is unknown, and we only got information that their bodies stiffened and died. Strangely enough.”

“The interior was too closed.”

“The head withdrew from the front line due to the weak health of the head. Although both heads died early, there was no significant disturbance. Since the Emperor abandoned the state affairs like that…”

It was difficult for Tuhtuga, who was not involved in the central politics, to realize Beberga’s situation from the outside.

“Look for the connection between Lupertic disease and black magic.”

“Yes?”

“It has to be discreet. You should move directly, not show your movements outside.”

It felt like the crimson afterimage was visible in front of his eyes. All of it dispersed as if it were all an illusion.

“That woman, that woman, can’t be killed elegantly.”

Pyotr Tuhtuga chewed his fingernails meticulously. The bitten fingertips were torn.

The blood had solidified, and madness dwelled in the pupils that had become hardened like soil.

Everything went wrong because of that woman.

In the end, it was all her fault.

“It’s her again, crawling into the place to die like my mother.”

It felt like self-hypnosis. The lost sense of hatred was viscous like mud.

“…Grr! Grrrr! Huh!”

“Why is the lady doing this!”