Inquisition Day 3. Four days remaining.

“Hah… hah… Like I said… over and over…”

Kenya was gasping for breath.

He hadn’t done any strenuous exercise, yet oxygen just wouldn’t reach his lungs properly.

His immunity had weakened from the poison Catherine slipped into his meals, leaving his condition deteriorating.

His thoughts were a jumbled mess, too.

“What’s with that attitude? Stand up straight!”

“S-Sorry. I’m just not feeling well.”

“Hmph! You’re faking it just to slack off, you filthy-blooded scum! We’re continuing the questioning!”

(What’s going on? A cold? My head hurts a bit…)

Kenya was on the verge of falling ill.

Of course, it was thanks to Catherine’s poison and that filthy cell.

The poison and nutrient-poor food had tanked his immunity.

On top of that, the daily inquisitions piled on the stress.

And that cell with no blanket, exposed to the draft from the open window.

Put all those conditions together, and it was no surprise that Kenya—a shut-in with no special training—would catch something.

But the inquisition dragged on.

They kept repeating the same questions to Kenya endlessly.

All to corner him before that promised day arrived.

“Why can’t I even see him?!”

Reina appeared at the military facility hosting the heresy inquisition.

But her request for a visit was flatly denied.

“As we’ve explained, you can’t meet until the suspicions are cleared. If you’re that insistent, it’s under Lord Odin’s orders—so get permission from Lord Odin himself.”

“Grr!”

No matter how much she argued, they stuck to the same script. Reina couldn’t get in to see Kenya.

She’d thought he’d be back soon, but her anxiety had grown too much to bear, driving her to visit the facility.

“…I understand.”

There was nothing more Reina could do right now.

Road was off at the battlefield on Odin’s orders, and her father had pulled strings but couldn’t go further.

So for now, all she could do was pray.

(Kenya… please stay safe.)

“Lord Osiris… impressive as always.”

This was the KOG training ground in the imperial capital.

Osiris Halberd—Odin’s knight—was honing his edge.

He ran simulator drills against his junior Holy Knight Captains and the other Holy Knights.

They were young, but elite among the empire’s best.

Osiris sparred with them relentlessly, reawakening skills he’d long forgotten—all to defeat Kenya.

“Hah… hah… Not yet. Deeper still. I can push further.”

Osiris had toppled every Holy Knight Captain over days of training.

The title of Sword Saint wasn’t for show. Even after years away from the battlefield, his strength was in a league of its own.

“Next—three at once. Come on.”

“Th-That’s too much! We have our pride as Holy Knight Captains! Even you, Osiris—we’re winning this one!”

“I expect nothing less.”

The Sword Saint simply sharpened his blade.

For his convictions. For the oath he swore that day as Odin’s knight.

That sword was for Odin alone—no hesitation whatsoever.

If it meant world domination, he’d follow without question.

That was his chivalry, his loyalty forged into unbreakable strength.

“No way… Is this the level of the Three Heroes?”

“We can’t even scratch him… This is a true battlefield veteran…”

“We’re Holy Knight Captains, damn it…”

Osiris claimed victory without breaking a sweat against three-on-one odds.

“Good… perfect.”

A man who’d devoted his life to the sword, to KOG, even his very soul.

He’d already reached the pinnacle.

A stage reserved for the talented who never stopped striving, who overcame even hopeless death.

The forgotten sensation stirred once more.

The knight from another world ascending to that ultimate realm.

“Yes… this feeling. I’d almost forgotten. This sense of omnipotence.”

The man casually forced open the door.

Raw power overwhelming all resistance.

Ultimate focus—the zone, as it was called in Kenya’s world. A realm only geniuses who toiled could attain.

The power Kenya had awakened through that deathmatch.

The Holy Knights rubbed their eyes.

Space warped around Osiris.

Step into that domain, and you’d be cleaved apart—they could picture it all too clearly.

“What are you waiting for? Everyone at once!”

Osiris grinned fiercely.

“I am the empire’s strongest.”

Truly, the empire’s mightiest knight.

“Well then, Tanaka. I’m transporting Takemikazuchi to the capital. You’re coming too, right?”

“Of course. It’s Kenya’s big stage—and the moment history changes. This little one’s official debut in the spotlight.”

Tanaka gazed at the redesigned Takemikazuchi.

Performance boosted, specs upgraded—but handling unchanged.

The big fix was energy; now it could run long missions.

All for Kenya.

To keep the boy who could single-handedly turn the tide from losing to something as lame as running out of juice.

“She can go full throttle for a full day now. She could fly to Japan from here in no time.”

“Yeah, Mikazuki’ll handle her just fine.”

And so Tanaka and Zeke headed for the capital.

The fateful day drew near.

Inquisition Day 5. Two days remaining.

“Hah… hah… My head hurts. Definitely a cold. This is bad.”

That night, Kenya spiked a fever.

“U-Um, excuse me. Do you have any fever meds? I’m really not feeling good…”

Kenya called out loudly from his cell to the guard.

The soldier left the room.

(Huh? Is he actually gonna get me some?)

With faint hope, he waited.

Clack… clack… clack…

High heels echoed on the stone corridor, piercing the quiet cell block.

“Hello, Sword dear.”

“…Who are you?”

Before Kenya stood a long-legged woman in a tight, vivid red outfit—utterly out of place in a prison.

She was beautiful, yet Kenya felt no spark of attraction. Not a twitch.

She looked mean. Like someone he knew.

“I’m Catherine, Lord Odin’s secretary. Pleased to meet you.”

(That’s it—Yumir. She looks just like Yumir. So… vicious.)

“What do you want?”

“Just checking on you. On the upstart rebel who doesn’t know his place. Hmm… I’d like you a bit weaker still.”

“!? What do you mean by that?!”

“Hee hee. You’ve figured it out by now, right? This inquisition’s all to wear you down.”

“…Why go to these lengths? Fight fair and square…”

“Fair and square?! Hahaha! What are you even saying? You’re such an idiot.”

Catherine burst into mocking laughter before Kenya could finish.

Her shrill voice pierced his skull, fueling his irritation.

“Hah, nothing but morons. That Road brat—the filthy-blooded prince—is an idiot too.”

“I might be dumb, but he’s not!”

“Half inferior blood will do that. And he dares defy Lord Odin? ‘Undefeated commander’ or whatever—they say. Please. Anyone could do that with the Earthguard Empire’s military might. I could do better.”

“Road… he’s the real deal.”

Over the past half-year, Kenya had seen Road up close.

His smarts, his kindness, his character.

Sure, he could be annoying at times, but deep down, Kenya truly saw him as a friend.

His first real friend.

And this woman was trash-talking him like she knew him.

Kenya’s blood boiled.

He knew Road was leagues better than the likes of her.

“Hmm. Cry and apologize, and maybe I’ll call off the torture? Otherwise, I’ll suggest some fun ways for Odin to kill Road. Sound entertaining?”

“What?!”

“Can’t wait. Flay him alive? Roast him? Hee hee.”

“I won’t lose.”

“Sure… give it your best shot. You can’t beat Lord Osiris anyway. But hey, I’ll bury you and Road’s heads together. Aren’t I merciful?”

Catherine turned on her heel, back to Kenya.

“See ya. Squirm for me, clown.”

Fury and excitement gripped Kenya.

But as time passed and calm returned, his body rebelled.

(Damn… head throbs. Breathing’s rough too… why… like this?)

The inquisition continued the next day.

Kenya finally collapsed to the floor right there.

“What the hell are you sitting for?! Hey, get him up!”

They hauled him to his feet by force. His body burned with fever.

The questioning dragged on regardless, his condition only worsening.

That night, the high fever kept him awake.

His stamina was nearing its limit.

(Hah… hah… hah… throat hurts, lungs ache… blood? Stomach’s wrecked… I need water…)

Just two days until the Empire Sword Martial Festival.

(Gotta hold on. Two more days.)

As if mocking Kenya’s naive hope…

“Hee hee, special blend today. Double the usual dose.”

The witch cackled.