It doesn’t matter what Gaven wrote in his letter. It doesn’t matter who he sent it through. The only thing that matters is getting mine to the capital first. That’s the only way Andromeda can handle this.

Kyrie had pinpointed the essence from the beginning.

In this matter, speed outweighed truth.

He never even considered tampering with Gaven’s report—only how to make his own reach the capital faster.

Two objectives: report the mutant beast incident to gain the Falling-Star Seat and the authority to cross the border, and defend against the political attack using Joy as the pretext.

He had chosen Gluttony.

The merchant knew the surrounding terrain, moved fast, and, most importantly, could not afford betrayal.

To trade across the border, he needs footholds in nearby villages and cities. I can’t track who he meets in the capital, but if he acts suspiciously, I can scour every settlement and city around here and crush his trade network. He’ll do his job properly if he wants to avoid ruin.

But Gluttony’s thoughts were very different.

Kyrie—a prudent, intelligent Blue Knight. I thought all Blue Knights were violent madmen, but to be entrusted with such a refined hint… He must be special. Those lightning-addled monsters never change overnight.

Kyrie believed he’d threatened Gluttony. Gluttony, on the other hand, felt honored.

He had crossed a jungle swarming with beasts rather than use the safe trade routes of the inland cities—proof that his spice trade was half smuggling to begin with.

He paid customs duty entering Astreios, but none when leaving Rykenta.

That was why he had promised Kyrie three sacks of gold—a staggering sum.

Better to bribe a Blue Knight of Astreios than pay the gluttonous tax collectors of Rykenta.

“If you plan to keep doing business near the border, best to travel light.”

Kyrie’s hint went one step further.

He didn’t literally mean the border city. He means that if my caravans pass through the villages he patrols, he’ll continue offering protection.

A Blue Knight’s personal safeguard through the borderlands—

That meant crossing the most dangerous section under his protection, drastically increasing trade margins.

Considering how much spice spoiled in storage, even ten sacks of gold to Kyrie would still leave profit.

I never thought I’d receive an offer like this in my lifetime.

Until now, not a single Blue Knight or knight in the Border Patrol Corps had ever given such a hint.

Not that they refused bribes—
they simply beat him senseless and stole his money and spices whenever he dared to offer.

They adored the spices he smuggled, yet despised him.

But Kyrie had been the first to propose a deal himself.

To Gluttony, honest yet greedy, it felt like recognition.

Kyrie’s “request” instantly became his highest priority—no, his absolute priority.

He already needed to reach Astrion quickly to process and preserve his goods.

So Gluttony drove his porters to exhaustion, racing north.

Normally, a mere merchant like him would never be granted an audience with Andromeda.

But the words “Kyrie’s sealed letter” opened doors. Within half a day, he was standing before the Minor Lord herself.

Andromeda read Kyrie’s report.

A mutant beast has appeared. And I’m under political attack through my adjutant.

She separated political and practical issues with precision.

The mutant beast was real. The strange liquid sealed in the vial was real.

“A mutant beast… good. That gives us a justification to cross the border. Only by crossing can he accomplish something worthy of adoption.”

As for the political maneuver—real or fabricated, it didn’t matter.

She knew Trisan would use the adjutant’s “management failure” as his pretext to strike at Kyrie.

[They’ll claim my adjutant violated the Church of Eternal Harmony’s doctrine and deceived the lord.]

So Kyrie’s writing had been deliberately ambiguous—“Even Andromeda would see it that way.”

Kyrie,

Andromeda smiled faintly, picturing the face of the younger brother only a few months her junior.

A bastard child, his weak mana had always been a pity.

She’d long wanted to make him her true brother in name and power alike.

Judgment Day was coming soon.

The adopted elder siblings and cousins daring to challenge the direct line—
the complacent younger siblings resting on their bloodline alone—
it would all end.

At the Ducal Council, she spoke.

“…Therefore, I observe several ominous signs at the border. I strongly advocate granting the Falling-Star Seat to our Blue Knights stationed there. Given the present danger—including the emergence of a mutant beast—the minor friction with House Rykenta is a cost worth bearing.”

The chamber was filled with the duke, high councillors, Starseat commanders, and their proxies, yet Andromeda’s voice did not waver.

There was no reason for it to. One day, all this would be hers.

“By the nature of border missions, Blue Knights must be granted broad authority over conscription and command. Furthermore, in units without a Blue Knight, the ability of adjutant-ranked officers—knights, squires, and staff officers—plays a crucial role. Their authority and experience should also be respected. With a Blue Knight’s authorization…”

Her words sounded administrative rather than political.

The Falling-Star Seat was minor, after all.
Staff Officers and Squires—far below the dignity of a noble heir—were not worth a minor lord’s attention.

Of course, it was no mere matter of paperwork.

She was a Minor Lord of Astreios—born to exhale stratagem and inhale majesty.

What’s she plotting?

Trisan immediately sensed she was scheming something.

But he couldn’t tell what. Gaven’s report hadn’t even reached the capital yet.

“I find the proposal reasonable,” he said smoothly.

He could only offer token opposition.

“However, excessive autonomy invites trouble. Send an adopted or direct heir to supervise the Blue Knights. That will prevent tragedies where lightning-drunk knights provoke disputes between noble houses, and in true emergencies they’ll unify the local governors and nobles.”

The Duke’s answer was brief.

“So be it.”

As always.

A priest arrived from a nearby city.

Kyrie paid a heavy donation without hesitation.

Several soldiers had begun showing signs of delirium—nightmares, hallucinations, erratic fits—and required urgent care.

If one of them fires a flare at my back, that’s real trouble. Wounds are one thing, but it could undermine my command. Anything solvable with money should be solved with money.

The soldiers’ reaction was ecstatic.

“Sir Kyrie brought a priest himself!”

“He must’ve used up all the unit funds restocking the cannons!”

“They say he paid from his own pocket.”

“His own pocket? Just to heal us?”

“I thought we’d be written off and discharged!”

The priest of the Church of Eternal Harmony only stoked their fervor.

“I shall offer the Prayer of Starlight Healing. Eternal One, grant your mercy.”

The treatment was a complete success.

All thirty wounded soldiers stood up again by the end.

“The healing is done,” said the priest.

“Thank you.”

“But I had to use Starlight Purification several times, not just Healing. Tumors, rashes, abnormally swollen veins… These weren’t ordinary injuries—they carried a malign taint. I don’t know what you fought, but be cautious.”

Before leaving, the priest left that warning.

Purification instead of Healing?

Recalling the Thundering Star’s dream, the words felt ominous, but Kyrie deliberately ignored it.

To secure adoption, he needed to pursue the mutant beast—whether it was a demon or an ancient god.

“The men’s recovery is good. Paying out of your own funds deserves high commendation,” said Gaven, approaching with his usual smugness.

“High commendation changes nothing now, does it?”

“You misjudge me.”

A short distance away, Jo—no, Joy—bit her lower lip as she watched us.

Both Gaven and I had already sent our respective reports to the capital days ago.

The responses would arrive soon.

“If I’m dismissed, you’ll be acting commander, correct?”

“Likely so. My first duty, I imagine, will be to execute the heretic who defied the Church and deceived the lord.”

“I wonder what my first duty will be.”

And I had no doubt my reply would arrive first.

“You’ll probably be recalled to the capital. Trisan—or rather, Starseat Terminus—will send the summons.”

Gaven turned away, his hostility now undisguised.

“Sir! Something’s coming this way!”

Moments later—

“A bird? No, a dragon?”

A small shadow approached from the distant sky.

“It’s a messenger dragon. From the main house.”

Its wingspan was that of a large raptor, its body covered in neat, seed-like scales—
a winged serpent, an amphiptere.

Unlike wyverns or drakes, it was easily tamed, tougher than pigeons, faster than hawks, and gifted with a keen sense of direction—
the preferred courier beast for high houses.

Of course, it cost a fortune.

They said raising one cost as much as training a squire-level swordsman.

“Kreee!”

Sensing my faint electromagnetic field, it swooped straight toward me.

I raised an arm to let it perch.

The creature landed and extended a small metal canister tied to its leg.

“Give it some meat.”

“Yes, sir.”

While the soldiers fed it, I broke the wax seal on the canister.

My heart pounded.

My fate rested inside.

If it contained an order of dismissal or reassignment, my adoption path would derail from the very first step.

I swore silently that if that happened, I’d kill Gaven before leaving.

Inside was a brooch and a tightly rolled letter.

The brooch bore the engraving of a meteor burning itself to light the night sky.

[Falling-Star Seat — “He Who Cuts the Dark”]

The Falling-Star Seat.

A hum.

The stigma in my right eye flared.

【Hero’s Journey — Stage 12】
【Stage 1: Adoption as Heir】
【Enter the main house of Astreios and end your life as a bastard.】
【Failure: Death】
【Success: Reward — Downstrike】

‣

【Sub-Objective 2: Acquire the Falling-Star Seat, “He Who Cuts the Dark” — SUCCESS!】
【You have become a meteor, burning yourself to give light. You now possess authority to operate across the border in emergencies. However, if any trans-lunar violation occurs, the House will repudiate you.】
【Celestial Lightning Body efficiency +75%.】
【Lightning Technique Authority gained: “Endowment to Projectiles.”】

My knees buckled—then steadied.

From the crown of my head to the base of my spine, a dizzy, ecstatic tremor coursed through me.

Every nerve, muscle, and bone shifted at the root; my heart swelled with new magical capacity.

Pain and euphoria swept through me like a storm—
and then came the sheer triumph of victory.

I’d won.

My report had reached the capital first.

I unrolled the letter.

Naturally, the sender was Andromeda.

The contents, in essence:

Take the Falling-Star Seat. Do well.
Don’t worry about your adjutant.
We’ll examine that strange liquid.

It also mentioned Nereus being assigned Sectors 5–10, and several minor matters from the capital.

The last line was written in her own hand:

[…I miss you. Come back soon!]

I exhaled deeply.

Yes—
I wanted to return soon, too.

“Sir Kyrie! What does it say?”

“I’ve received a major directive. I need time to consider it. I’ll tell you in the morning.”

Leaving the curious soldiers behind, I turned away.

“Jo.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come. You and Evaluator Gaven will join me. We’ll discuss how to carry out this operation.”

I walked toward the house where Gaven was staying.

Creak.

“Sir Kyrie?”

“Evaluator.”

I smiled—the brightest smile I could muster.

“I’ll now begin my first mission.”

To Gaven, that smile was the most terrifying thing in the world.

Chapter 28

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