The sun had completely set, and darkness enveloped the surroundings. It was the time when good children should be sleeping at home.

Despite the late hour, I had sneaked out of the academy dormitory and made my way to a shabby dormitory in the downtown area. It was a cheap dormitory where lower noble students resided, and the room grade matched the price.

However, in one of the rooms that didn't quite fit with the dormitory, a number of luxurious items had been brought in.

...And I was forced to help with that.

"Ah, Takumi. A bit higher. To the right."

"...Like this?"

"Too high! A bit lower."

"...Around here?"

"Okay! Perfect! Ah, it's so good! The legendary masterpiece I found by chance, 'The Scream'!"

"Found, huh? It's all a matter of interpretation."

Cid, without caring about my gaze, looked satisfied as he admired the painting. He doesn't understand the beauty of art at all.

"...Anyway, you've collected quite a lot."

"Hehehe, this is a room befitting the shadowy power holder. Everything, from hunting thieves to crawling on the ground picking up gold coins, was for this moment!"

"Because it was a past I wanted to erase. Stop it."

Cid makes an unusually deeply humiliated face. It's because of what happened when I observed the two of them that he burst into laughter. Princess Alexia asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend to avoid a political marriage, and Cid ended up being reduced to a dog through bribery with gold coins. It's an unforgettable and hilarious story.

"Is this the last item?"

"Yes. Just place this on the desk and add an antique lamp to softly illuminate the entire room."

Cid placed a heavily decorated chair in the center of the room and took out wine and wine glasses from the adjacent antique table.

"What's that?"

"A vintage wine from Bordeaux in southwestern France, worth 900,000 zenny. The glass is also French-made, worth 450,000 zenny."

"...Even though you can't even taste alcohol."

I look around at the many rare items brought into the cheap room and become exasperated with Cid's enthusiasm. He moved the pre-existing furniture, like the bed and desk, outside the room to make space for these collections. It was seriously troublesome.

"Finally... let's set this in place."

Under the wine bottle placed on the antique table, Cid slipped in an envelope as if sliding it in. It caught my attention, so I quickly took it out of his hand and checked its contents.

"Hey, you didn't say I could look."

"Shut up... I see. It's a summons. Definitely a trap."

As I spread the single letter from the envelope, I read the meeting location and time written on it. The sender's name wasn't mentioned, but most likely, they're not an ally. The highest possibility is that the knights are trying to frame Cid as the culprit.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

"Yeah... it's interesting. You're doing something interesting."

"Oh, you're getting all excited. Then since we have this opportunity, why don't you do something befitting of your right-hand man persona, Takumi?"

"Huh?"

Cid said that and snatched the letter from me, putting it back in the envelope and setting it under the wine bottle once again.

"Beta will be here soon. That's the chance."

"Yeah, it seems like it's Beta's turn now."

"Yeah, that's why we should show it to Beta. Your right-hand man prowess."

"I don't want to."

"Let's make her take note. This is how the right-hand man of the shadowy power holder... behaves."

"Listen..."

As I ponder whether those ears are just for show, the door opens quietly, and Beta enters the room. She walks towards us, her beautiful silver hair swaying in the night breeze. Why is there a night breeze in the room? Cid opened it to create an atmospheric setting.

"...Wow."

Good for you, Cid, I mean Shadow. Beta seems to be impressed by the room you've created. Well, even if Shadow were handing out tissues on the street, Beta would probably still be impressed. I kind of want to see that.

As I imagine that slightly amusing scene, Shadow starts speaking while swirling the wine glass.

"...The time has come. Tonight, we enter the shadow world."

I nod as I look at Beta. What am I really doing?

"Preparations are complete, Shadow-sama, Takumi-Light-sama."

"...I see."

"Beta, give us the report."

Naturally, I don't know anything about the operation, so it's perfect for me too. Let's have her explain it here. There's no way I would understand without words. It's meaningless without exchanging words.

"Under the orders of Alpha-sama, we have gathered all available members in the capital. The number is... 114."

"...114?"

"Uh! S-Sorry!"

When Shadow asks that question, Beta quickly bows her head. She must have felt like it was being pointed out that they could only gather such a small number. It's not like that, though.

Feeling sorry for Beta, I'm pulled by the sleeve of my clothes from the sitting Shadow.

"Did you hire extras?"

"Yeah. Just stay quiet and listen."

Not wanting to bother with explanations, he forcefully silences me. I wonder what kind of face he would make when he learns that the formal members exceed 600.

"Nevermind. Sorry, Beta. Please continue."

"Yes... umm. The operation this time is a simultaneous attack on the 'Diabolos Cult' Fenrir faction hideouts scattered throughout the capital. At the same time, we will detect and secure any traces of Princess Alexia's magical presence. Gamma will oversee the overall command, Alpha-sama will handle the on-site command, and I will assist her. Epsilon will provide rear support. Delta will lead the vanguard and serve as the signal for the operation to begin."

"Hmm, I see."

"Interesting."

With Beta's explanation, I understood the movements of Shadow Garden. Shadow will forget everything even if I explain it now. He forgets things he's not interested in. It's enough if I remember the operation myself.

"As for the unit composition..."

"Takumi-Light."

Interrupting Beta's words, Shadow gestures towards me. I take the letter from the antique table and he hands it to me with a smirk on his face. I got it, I just have to do it.

"Beta, take a look at this."

I stylishly opened the envelope with a flick of my hand and showed the paper inside to Beta.

This stylish way of opening envelopes brings back bitter memories of being repeatedly forced by Shadow to practice it. Due to the relentless practice, my hand has naturally adopted this method whenever I open an envelope. Whether it's mail from the academy, love letters from female students, or letters from my family, I open them all stylishly.

(This should count as work-related injury, right?)

Without knowing my complaints, Shadow looks delighted. Does he think it's a right-hand man thing? It really annoys me.

"...This is..."

"It's an invitation to the execution platform."

With a phrase that would appeal to those who like chuunibyo, Shadow finishes his explanation, and as expected, the man's face relaxes as he rises from his chair.

"I apologize, Delta, but... I'll be the one to perform the prelude."

"I'll do it."

"Huh?"

A voice that seems unusual for Shadow comes out, but I can't back down here. Sorry for trying to show off.

"Beta, you should go to Alpha's place now. Leave the signal for the start of the operation to Delta."

"Umm, um... Understood! Excuse me!"

Beta bows politely and disappears into the darkness of the night. The room is once again left with only Shadow and me.

"...Why?"

"I'll give you the leader role. I'll take care of the opening act."

Shadow looks at me with eyes that seem to want to complain. I grab the wine bottle to escape from that gaze and mercilessly take a big sip.

"Ahh!"

"...It's not bad."

"That's terrible! That bottle was worth 900,000 zenny!!"

"If you become Pochi about nine times, you can earn that much easily, right?"

I place the empty bottle down and put on my hood. White hair stands out at night.

"Come on, let's go, Shadow."

"My collection..."

"Cheer up. From now on, it's going to be a fun game of being shadowy power holders, right?"

As a start, I need to show my appreciation for our leader.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

"These guys are members of the 'Cult.' Extract as much information as you can from them and leave the rest to me."

"Understood. Excuse me."

Following my instructions, three girls who are members of Shadow Garden disappear with two men in tow. Once we bring them back to our headquarters, it'll be time for the torture course as a return favor.

As I suspected, it was a trap.

"Indeed. They conveniently cast the role of the culprit on a minor noble from the countryside."

"They threw their boots at you when they came and left magical traces. Their methods are sneaky, to say the least, or rather, petty."

Looking at the boots of Princess Alexia lying on the ground, I was amazed by the simplicity of those who tried to set a trap for Cid.

I had expected the knights who were torturing Cid to come, but their strength fell far below my expectations. Later, I was informed by Alpha that they were members of the 'Cult,' and while torturing them, I thought they might be hiding their true strength, but it seems I was mistaken. They were nothing more than weaklings who didn't even require an explanation.

The two who were tailing Cid after his release seem to have been dealt with by Beta, but we might not be able to extract any information from the low-level ones.

(Well, it's fine. At least I know not all knights are as shitty as those guys.)

Normally, when students suspected of being involved in something are thrown out in their underwear, they wouldn't be knights. I wasn't particularly calm either. It's embarrassing.

"...Alright. The opening act is over. Shall we move on to the main event?"

"Let's do it. We should be able to track the magical traces."

"Of course. Then, I'll leave the guiding to you, Pochi."

"Can you stop calling me that?"

Well, tracking Princess Alexia based on the magical traces from her boots is like being a police dog in a previous life. It's a good thing I became a dog, and every experience has its time to shine.

"Hey, hey, why didn't you knock out those knights right away?"

"Why the sudden question?"

"No, I mean, you said you didn't kill them because you wanted to obtain information. But you hit them, stabbed their legs... seemed like unnecessary attacks."

"..."

"Why?"

They're asking out of pure curiosity, aren't they? I know that's why—because I absolutely don't want to answer.

"...It doesn't matter. Just track the magical traces quickly."

"Aww, I'm curious."

"Do it quickly."

"Why hit them?... Hey, stop it! Okay, okay, I got it, I got it!"

After a few punches to his back, I make Shadow give up. He quickly switches his consciousness. By now, he should have grasped the whereabouts of Princess Alexia. Let's go and finish this quickly.

"Tonight... the world shall know us."

Putting on my mask, Shadow leaps into the air. A mid-air flight using magic. I've never seen anyone else do it apart from Shadow and me, but are there others who can? It's difficult in terms of difficulty, though.

"Let's go, my right arm."

"Yes."

Flying through the pitch-black sky, Shadow and I stand side by side.

Now... shall we indulge in a game of "make-believe"?