Ch.87Did I do something wrong?

# 1.

Emperor Reina of the Empire looked at the black wolf that had suddenly appeared before her and thought.

‘…No wonder my luck seemed too good today.’

A refreshing morning despite oversleeping,

A meal consisting of all her favorite foods,

And even growth after repeated training.

It had been a peaceful day after several days since handing over the elimination list to the Black Wolf, but—

“[I’ll kill you.]”

“I don’t know what you’re saying, but I agree.”

By Hanryang and Luna,

“Step aside, Ruby.”

“No. I’ll be the one to kill her.”

By Dalan and Ruby,

“Look at that stupid expression.”

By Lactea.

“…Hic.”

She came to think of her peaceful day as a final gift right before death.

‘Weren’t you supposed to help me? Well, it’s ridiculous to expect that from criminals. Could I escape? No. Absolutely impossible. They said they punish evildoers. Did they come to kill me because they believed the false accusations? If so, is it the fault of the nobles who framed me, or my own incompetence for failing to clear my name…’

Behind the flood of scattered thoughts followed an utterly ordinary wish.

If only she had known this would happen,

“Those sausages I saved for diet reasons… I should have just eaten them.”

With those words as her last,

“S-Senior Punisher, sir!!”

“Casler?”

Pedro and Casler’s enhanced hand blades flew toward Reina’s heart and throat.

──!!

The hand blades flew without a sound.

No matter how strong Reina had become, it was only to the extent of human capability.

【First Corps Member – <Pedro(SS+)> releases the Black Wolf’s restriction.】

【<Pedro(SS+)> → <Pedro(SSS+)>】

【Second Corps Member – <Casler(SS)> releases the Black Wolf’s restriction.】

【<Casler(SS)> → <Casler(SSS)>】

For beings who were supremely powerful from birth,

For those who were not human, this was nothing special.

“”Die.””

And so, with no trace of their usual demeanor,

Just as the two beings filled with chilling rage were about to finally kill Reina.

Thud.

Someone suddenly appeared and lightly caught their fingertips.

In this place now. No, in this world, only one person could do such a thing.

The leader of the Black Wolf,

The Black Wolf himself.

The Black Wolf, who had somehow positioned himself to protect Reina, calmly asked while holding the two.

“Did I give such an order?”

Unlike the two who had shown their full power, he had restrained them using only his physical abilities.

After a moment of silence, Casler withdrew his hand and asked back.

“Wasn’t that the case?”

Lactea had used teleportation, but the Black Wolf had set the coordinates.

“If you… if you knew what we’ve been through and still led us here…”

“…And?”

“I thought since you brought us here knowing everything, you were ordering us to do as we pleased.”

Though speaking calmly, his murderous gaze remained fixed on Reina.

These people who had always shown blind loyalty were still trying to kill Reina despite their leader blocking their way.

‘…I suppose they have reason.’

Nahan knew.

He knew the tragedies his corps members had experienced, and that the imperial crest was engraved on all those tragedies.

‘But the one who caused the corps members’ tragedies was not Emperor Reina, but Eclipse.’

He didn’t know why they had committed such acts under the imperial emblem, but all the events his corps members had experienced were certainly Eclipse’s doing.

He wanted to clear up his corps members’ misunderstanding right away, but he had no proper evidence, and—

“Leader. Please give the order.”

In a situation like this, it was clear they wouldn’t believe him even if he told them.

After a brief deliberation, Nahan turned to Lactea and ordered.

“Take everyone out. Find a new hideout before midnight. Once you’ve found it, send Luna to the church.”

“…Yes, Leader.”

Even Lactea hesitated before answering, but the situation was resolved with that.

“We’re leaving.”

When Lactea gave the order, all corps members turned toward the window.

Except Pedro.

Even Casler backed down and turned away, but Pedro still stood before Nahan and asked.

“…Why?”

“I’ll explain later, so go back.”

“My God!!”

Snap!

Pedro suddenly pulled his hand free and pointed at Reina, shouting.

“You know everything!! You know what that distorted sun standing there took from me!!”

Pedro.

The first member of the Black Wolf, who worshipped the leader, the Black Wolf, like a god.

He who always eliminated wicked evildoers with a faint smile,

“Because of that monster, Ria…!!”

He had lost the nun who had taken in and raised him as an orphan, who had been like family to him.

“…Ria?”

At Pedro’s desperate cry, the frozen Reina unconsciously murmured.

Crack!

Pedro broke his arm that I was holding and stepped forward, warning.

“Don’t dare speak the pure Ria’s name with your filthy mouth.”

With the warning came the manifestation of magic.

【1st Corps Member – <Pedro(SSS+)> activates Ultimate Skill – <Requiem(SSS+)>.】

Whoosh!

A sinister black magic circle spread from where Pedro had stepped.

♩ ♬ ♪.

After a heavy organ introduction, a new system window appeared before Nahan’s eyes.

【<The Final Song> begins.】

Pedro’s ultimate skill – Requiem.

If one hears even a single note of the song, they are designated as a <Target>, and when the approximately 5-minute song ends.

【When the song ends, <Everyone> dies.】

This was not an acquired skill, but an innate ability he had from birth.

‘Death nullifies it.’

Knowing this, Lactea half-drew her longsword to kill Pedro, when—

Slash.

Pedro cut his own arm with a dagger from his pocket and, perched on the window, said.

“I’m sorry, my God. I tried to endure, but facing her, I don’t think I can. I… I must kill her.”

His body fell as he finished speaking.

“S-Senior Punisher, sir!!”

The startled Yuria ran to check on Pedro, but he had already vanished without a trace.

“Leader, what should we do about this…!!”

When her golden cross-shaped eyes quickly turned and met the other corps members’, Yuria involuntarily sank to her knees.

“Huh…?”

What her gaze fell upon were the corps members who were about to leave following the Black Wolf’s words.

Those who had been looking at Pedro were now standing with their backs to the moonlight, emanating killing intent strong enough to cover the entire imperial palace.

“Pedro has turned his back.”

After Lactea’s brief murmur, all the others knelt on one knee.

Speaking in unison as if by agreement, they bowed their heads to the Black Wolf, no longer the ordinary <Black Wolf> they usually were.

Leader, give the order.

After surveying the corps members,

“…Leader, give the order.”

Seeing Lactea also kneeling, Yuria immediately realized.

What the Black Wolf now wanted from their leader was only one thing.

“Death to the one who turned his back on the leader.”

Pedro’s death.

# 2.

The Black Wolf.

As anyone could see after observing them briefly, the corps members each had their own characteristics and were uncontrollable personnel who acted as they pleased.

Therefore, even after becoming one with the addition of Dalan and Ruby, it was natural for them to fight as if to kill each other every other day.

Each with their own sorrow,

Each with their own thoughts,

Each with their own methods.

They were willful because they were strong, and because their strength was similar, they always clashed. Nothing could control them except their leader, the ‘Black Wolf.’

So Lactea pondered.

How could she bind these directionless blades together and place them in the Black Wolf’s hand?

Then she realized something.

The fact that all members of the Black Wolf had been saved by the Black Wolf.

So Lactea proposed:

-Since all our wishes align with the leader’s will, we will follow the leader unconditionally.

From how to handle matters to which member would step forward, instead of volunteering themselves, they would always ask the leader and act accordingly.

The result was unanimous agreement.

Since they handed over all decision-making power to the Black Wolf, they no longer fought among themselves.

But Lactea, who had already become suspicious after suppressing numerous fights, made one additional proposal, which was—

-Insubordination means death.

Those who do not follow the leader’s will shall have their lives taken by all corps members.

It might seem harsh, but insubordination on the battlefield typically leads to summary execution.

For them, already in the midst of battle to realize their ideal world, it was a perfectly reasonable proposal.

“Death to the one who turned his back on the leader.”

The killing intent of the corps members toward Pedro was entirely justified.

# 3.

Meanwhile, Nahan.

He looked down at the suddenly murderous corps members and thought.

‘…? Why are they acting like this all of a sudden?’

Did I do something wrong?