A Man by Day, A Woman by Night

Mirei asked blankly.

“The third drawer? What on earth does that……”

“The details are classified. Tell this directly to Commander Arsen in a private meeting. If it leaks even slightly, the commander will hold you personally accountable.”

It was natural that Mirei didn’t know.

The third drawer in his study — this was a secret the military police commander passed down to each successor.

If there were no transmission errors over the past hundred years, Arsen should know the meaning.

When Mirei tensed despite not understanding, I spoke gently.

“It’s not difficult. Just deliver the message directly to Commander Arsen. That I’ll go to the capital and open that drawer.”

“Ah, understood. I’ll convey that for now.”

“Oh, and about this terrorism incident — you’ll want to take my testimony, right? Tell them I’ll do that after going to the capital too.”

“Um, but……”

“You’re not planning to detain me, are you?”

Well, since there’s flight risk, the military police would want to hold onto me.

I shrugged.

“I may look like this, but I’m a noble’s son, a member of the twelve houses? Do you think I’d flee? I’ll go to the capital, settle in, then visit Railway Military Police headquarters, so don’t worry and wait.”

“……Then couldn’t I wait and escort you there?”

“You need to deliver what I just told you. This isn’t something to have someone else do or send by letter. It’s truly important, so I’m entrusting it to you, Second-Rank Officer Mirei, because I trust you. Understand?”

I spoke firmly, even mixing in a roar.

It worked — Mirei had a half-believing expression.

It would be a bolt from the blue, so even half-belief was good enough.

After finishing persuasion, I wrapped up in a soft voice.

The push-pull, the basics of rhetoric.

“Go ahead and deliver it, and wait. I’ll come. Is that acceptable now?”

“Yes. And……”

Mirei hesitated.

A face showing she had something left to say.

When I looked puzzled, Mirei stammered.

“I, I heard Lord Rigen greatly favors women…… would I be acceptable too?”

An elf beauty, yet deeply embarrassed.

A confession squeezed out with courage — a normal man would be excited, but……

This woman wouldn’t be doing this because she fell for me at first sight, would she?

“Did you receive orders to seduce me physically?”

“N-no. They didn’t go that far. Just…… w-would you like some tea?”

“……”

Either way, she received orders to use a honey trap, right?

But Mirei was half-crying as she gauged my mood.

Like a sheep throwing itself to a wolf?

I waved my hand dismissively.

“You don’t need to go that far — I won’t spread things around. Relax and go back.”

“That’s……”

“Anyway, loose-lipped people will talk no matter what. Just report that we had a pleasant tea together. Let’s go with that.”

“……”

Hesitating, Mirei showed relief and bowed her head.

“Thank you. Lord Rigen, you’re a good person.”

“You thought so, but it won’t be the case.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ll find out later.”

Mirei bowed her head again.

“I was extremely rude on first meeting. You must focus on treatment, so I’ll withdraw for today. I’ll visit you again when you come to the capital.”

“Yes, safe travels.”

“Then please take good care of yourself.”

Mirei glanced at the basket she brought and withdrew.

When the door closed, I clicked my tongue.

“Geez, that bastard Arsen.”

Trying to cover up the situation by having a subordinate use a honey trap?

Well, Arsen probably didn’t give the order directly.

Some underling unnecessarily used their head.

Still, that means Arsen can’t control the organization.

“That bastard, when I meet him I’ll have to give him a piece of my mind……”

I clicked my tongue and thought about what lay ahead.

The railway bombing, the explosives used in that terrorism.

The Imperial Military strictly manages explosives.

“The Imperial Military and Railway Military Police are dying to devour each other……”

I deliberately encouraged that.

Just in case the Imperial Military staged a coup, they’d use the railway.

In other words, for the emperor’s safety, relations between the railway-managing Railway Military Police and the Imperial Military had to be bad.

Of course, the Imperial Military swore blood loyalty to me, but who knows what could happen a thousand years later?

“The terrorists definitely have considerable explosives. Then the Imperial Military is also leaking……”

I reached for the fruit basket Mirei brought.

Taking out an apple, the touch on my fingers felt strange?

“What’s this?”

Looking into the basket, I clicked my tongue.

Beneath the fruit, I could see stiff bills.

A bribe disguised as a get-well basket?

The basket wasn’t very large, so the amount wasn’t much.

Maybe 500,000 won?

“No, if you’re going to give bribes, at least use the traditional apple box.”

Setting aside commoners, I’m nominally nobility, aren’t I?

Moreover, I’m a witness caught up in the massive incident of railway terrorism.

A measly 500,000 won — this carries the nuance of ‘take this and get lost.’

I sighed looking at the basket.

“Trying to hook me with bribes and honey traps is absurd, but if you’re going to do it, do it properly. The Railway Military Police’s standards have really fallen, haven’t they? This really won’t do.”

I’ll seize power and overturn everything.

I munched on the apple while organizing my plans.

“First, go to the capital and meet up with Roderic’s group……”

Roderic, who arrived at the capital first, tried to come after hearing the terrorism news, but I stopped him.

Instead, I told him to gather information about the capital and how things were going.

“Gather information, then immediately seize the Railway Military Police.”

Then I’ll use the Railway Military Police to investigate the Imperial Military.

Having decided the order, I stretched.

“Let’s go eat together.”

After resolving one issue, everyone gathers to laugh and chat while eating and drinking.

That’s the joy and happiness of living.

Just thinking about it makes me smile.

“Alright, let’s head to the capital!”

A secret room at night.

The imperial family’s people sat facing each other.

Second Empress of the Millennial Empire, Tiger Immortal Lang Ei.

Fourth Princess, half-elf Lisera.

And Second Prince, dark elf Orca.

They dismissed even handmaids to have an urgent discussion.

Lang Ei, who arranged the meeting, opened.

“I’m glad everyone’s safe. Especially Lisera, I was very worried.”

“Thank you, Mother Lang Ei.”

“How are your eyes? I can obtain celestial healing medicine.”

Lisera shook her head.

“No. I’m gradually improving. I can distinguish light and dark.”

“Right, if you need anything anytime, just say so.”

“……”

Orca drank tea with an uncomfortable expression.

A personality that can’t hide inner feelings well.

Lang Ei looked at Orca.

“Orca, I’m glad you’re safe too. But I have something to ask.”

“I don’t really have more to tell you. I reported everything necessary to my mother, so please ask her directly.”

“This is something I need to ask you. What exactly is that human man?”

“……You mean Rigen Librata?”

Orca is also a dark elf agent.

“I already told you everything, didn’t I? He’s my friend, and his rudeness to Mother Lang Ei was because the situation was so chaotic. I apologized on his behalf and it was a finished matter, wasn’t it?”

“Etiquette doesn’t matter. I heard the enemy was fourth rank? Did that man defeat them?”

“I don’t know. When I arrived, the situation was already over.”

“Don’t think you can deceive me about combat. Nothing else, but combat.”

Lang Ei spoke sternly.

She leads the beastmen, a heroine who greatly distinguished herself in the war against the Seven Sin God.

“Combat actions leave traces. Just from footprints I can see……”

“If I’m lying, bring physical evidence instead of circumstantial. Of course, acknowledging that evidence is a separate matter.”

When Orca cut sharply, Lang Ei sighed.

“……You don’t trust me.”

“Of course I don’t. Stopping the bombing terrorism was what I intended to do. But I never dreamed a powerful assassin would appear.”

Orca shot back.

“My subordinates and I are agents, and from the moment we entered the field, we had our backs to death. But what did the passengers do wrong? What about Sister? You deceived us and planned this — how can I trust you?”

“I know you’re angry, but…… I didn’t plan this.”

“……”

Actually, this isn’t something to question Lang Ei about.

This whole scheme, throwing son and daughter as bait to lure enemies — all of it must be Orca’s mother, the Queen of Assassins’s calculation.

Lang Ei spoke quietly.

“She said this. If you hadn’t participated, you would have been suspected by the other empresses, right? That you tried to eliminate those who aren’t your own children using the enemy’s hands.”

“……So she put me forward to avoid other mothers’ suspicion?”

“She said a lioness drops her cubs from a cliff. Of course, even lion beastmen don’t do that……”

Orca was dumbfounded.

His mother, the Queen of Assassins being this kind of person — he already knew, but……

That man, Rigen Librata — if he hadn’t helped, Orca would have died.

“Orca.”

Listening, Lisera sadly grasped Orca’s hand.

Lang Ei slowly shook her head.

“If apologizing would ease your heart, I’d do it endlessly. But what you need isn’t my words but hers.”

“……Thank you for coming. Thanks to you, we could finish things without greater damage.”

Orca suppressed his emotions and wrapped up.

Lang Ei purely came to help.

Nodding, Lang Ei looked at Lisera.

“Lisera, you were inside Royal Class’s shelter?”

“Yes.”

“How did you know about that? That bastard……”

Speaking, Lang Ei corrected herself.

“Sirik made it in case of emergency. So his wives and children could hide if attacked by bandits while using the railway. He secretly had demons design it.”

“……”

“Even the empresses probably don’t know well. How did you know about it?”

Lisera pressed her own ear.

“The sound of wind escaping was different.”

“……Really?”

“After losing my sight, my hearing became sensitive.”

“But the knight who went in with you, Garul, right? Even when I asked, he kept his mouth shut.”

Lisera spoke elegantly.

“He must have frozen from awe for Your Imperial Majesty. I explained it that way then too.”

“……”

Lang Ei closed her eyes and sighed.

“You’re both hiding something.”

“We’ve grown up now. Having secrets is natural.”

“Orca is an agent, so fine, but even Lisera is heavily guarding against me. That makes it more obvious.”

“After my body weakened, my personality changed a bit.”

“……Right, you don’t trust me.”

Lang Ei covered her face with her hands.

She never discriminated just because they were another empress’s children.

Sirik’s children are all her children.

She truly thought that way, and Orca and Lisera acknowledged it.

But the son and daughter she met after so long were guarding against her.

“How did we come to this?”

“……”

Silence.

Lang Ei slowly shook her head.

“Enough lamenting. One last question. The compartment where the explosion occurred, the blood on the floor was strange. Orca, do you know anything?”

“What was strange?”

“There was a trace of a straight line that then went in a circle. Like sliding in, then rotating.”

Lang Ei asked without giving time to think.

“And that man’s back as he left was also covered in blood.”

“……What do you mean?”

“That man used very strange swordsmanship, didn’t he? Lying on the floor, suddenly bouncing and twisting. Pulling objects?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Lang Ei stared at Orca.

Orca responded expressionlessly.

“Right, fine. Both of you go rest now. What will you do going forward?”

“I’ll go to the capital with Librata.”

“……I have some things to do separately, so I’m thinking about it.”

At Lisera and Orca’s answers, Lang Ei nodded.

“Right, understood. I’ll also go to the capital soon, so if you need my help anytime, just say so.”

“Yes. Then I’ll withdraw, Mother.”

Orca stood first and supported Lisera.

Holding Lisera’s hand, Orca came out to the corridor and sighed.

Did we get through that okay?

“Orca.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Lisera stopped and said,

“Please, I beg you. Keep everything about the young master of Librata thoroughly secret. You must not tell even your mother.”

“Of course. I’m already doing……”

“I know you’re already doing that. Still, repeatedly, once more, I beg you.”

When Lisera bowed her head, Orca was shocked.

“S-Sister. Please raise your head quickly. If you lower yourself like that, I’m embarrassed. I already……”

“If by any chance something urgent happens, seek that person’s advice and rely on him.”

“Pardon? Of course, Rigen is an extremely outstanding man, but……”

The back.

When he saw Rigen facing the orc while showing his blood-soaked back.

Orca somehow felt his eyes growing hot and wanted to cry.

An embarrassing story — Orca quickly changed his thoughts.

“You already know I’ll do that, don’t you? So why specifically……”

“I have a feeling. No, it might be a mistake, but if……”

Even when Orca waited, Lisera didn’t continue.

“Let’s go. He’ll be waiting. Let’s go to the capital together and look into the next steps.”

“Yes.”

What did Sister want to say?

Suppressing his question, Orca held Lisera’s hand and walked.

Lang Ei remained alone in the secret room.

Darkness fell and magic lamps lit.

In the flickering light, the white tiger beastwoman’s form appeared.

A majestic beauty like a battlefield goddess, a body tightly carved like a sculpture captivates onlookers.

When she just raises a flag on the battlefield and commands, soldiers’ morale soars……

But now she was face-down on the table.

Drooping tiger ears and tail, in a depressed state.

And to dispel that depression, she mutters to herself.

“……Rigen Librata. According to the military police, he has magic. Then I should assume he defeated the Liberation Army’s assassin.”

Up to here is general reasoning.

But Lang Ei had doubts.

“……Strange.”

The bizarre bloodstain on the floor.

Imagining the movements in her head, Lang Ei let out a groan.

Normally impossible movements to take during combat — suicide actions.

But she knew a man who fought that way.

“A very special awakened ability. Or……”

A psychic.

Lang Ei knew two.

But both aren’t people of this world anymore.

“Psychic abilities are passed down in direct lineage, generation to generation. Then…… did Sirik secretly leave descendants?”

Lang Ei groaned.

If this speculation is true?

Rigen Librata is a successor inheriting the emperor’s true bloodline!

If so……

“I didn’t hear about it. No, did the other kids not know either?”

Did the other wives know this?

Did they know and hide it?

Even thinking about it, she couldn’t tell.

“Should I go ask?”

Lang Ei is far from scheming.

A style that breaks through difficulties with strength.

“No, his skills aren’t ordinary, and even pushing with strength has clear limits. Moreover, Orca and Lisera are protecting him, so things will blow up. Why are the kids acting like that?”

The more she knows, the more mysterious it becomes.

Lang Ei raised her head.

Her tiger ears perked up.

“I’ll investigate Rigen Librata. I can’t use people. Other empresses might notice. Secretly. I’ll dig up everything myself and secure him.”

Lang Ei’s breathing quickened as she muttered.

Her heart pounded…… her voice boiled over.

Why can’t other empresses know?

She knew the reason.

Because she wants to monopolize him.

“……Sirik.”

He’s no longer here, but.

Because she wants to possess even just his traces.

Without yielding to anyone, she wants to enjoy him purely alone.

Lang Ei sat in the chair hugging her knees and burying her face.

The brave, fearless battlefield goddess.

“……I miss you.”

Was simply lonely.

Lang Ei sat there, agonizing over her turbulent heart.

Deep into the night.

Suffering from piercing longing.

And endless regret.