# Black Snow Falls from the Dark Sky
Snow falls from the black sky. With no light source above the sea, the falling snow was not white.
Sailors holding torches, harbor workers lighting bonfires in place of the extinguished lighthouse, and nobles gazing at the sea with lanterns—all stared blankly at the black snowflakes obscuring their vision.
And beyond them, airships were falling like snow.
"Whoosh... BOOM."
"CRASH, CRACK..."
The sound of ships crashing into the water's surface echoed distantly, like a far-off echo amid the harsh winter winds.
Each time a warship sank beneath the surface, waves surged. Ships sheltering in the harbor rocked violently.
Splash—sea foam struck the breakwater and wet the cheek of an elven noble.
"The end is coming."
Those who once held the greatest power in the most powerful civilization in this world lamented as they watched the end of an era.
This was happening simultaneously across all thirteen islands of Kalion.
From that day forward, the elves lost their air supremacy.
But what Kalion would lose would not end there.
"Tidal wave!! Port side!!"
"Speak!! Properly!! The exact wave height!!"
Shouts were exchanged through the sleet. They had been struggling desperately for six hours already. Ivan was gripping the rigging tightly while channeling his magical power with all his might.
He saw Lundis rolling across the deck. He quickly threw a rope and tied him down. Turning his gaze, he saw Oswald Eastvelpen flying through the air.
He had been thrown off the deck. Ivan clenched his teeth, holding the rigging with one hand while extending the other to secure Oswald.
"Th-thank you— BLEEAARGH!!"
Oswald politely began to vomit. Ivan decided to be understanding since he had at least attempted courtesy. After all, a mage without magic was in such a state.
Sailors moved back and forth, battling the storm. Having no knowledge of sailing techniques, Ivan quietly decided to just do his assigned task.
His role was to support the sails in place of magic. Considering the tension pulling on the rigging, it was beyond what human strength should be capable of.
"Lighthouse!! North-northwest!!"
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
They slid over a wave larger than the ship itself. Two sailors tumbled below deck. Sailors sucked into the night sea never resurfaced.
An aerial journey from Geomgak to Idranhill would take three hours. Using traditional sailing methods, it would have taken about half a day.
But since Ivan was someone who could count time down to the second, he could accurately track their sailing time.
It took four hours.
That meant they arrived three times faster than a normal ocean voyage. They could say they caught a favorable wind. The problem was that it was excessively favorable.
Ivan raised his gaze to look at the snowflakes. In the stormy sky, the snow scattered helplessly in the wind.
They were heading toward Idranhill.
The wind, the snow, and the ocean currents.
A storm was gathering.
"Prepare to dock!!"
The harbor, which had suddenly appeared before them, was engulfed in flames.
The harbor of Idranhill, which they returned to after three days at sea, was engulfed in flames. Humans were gathered in swarms, driving out elves, and the scene of them holding their ground beyond burning barricades was visible.
The elves holding torches looked haggard.
"The Eternal Palace has been blockaded, senior!"
Fortunately, the leader of the humans occupying the harbor was someone familiar.
"Blockaded...?"
"Yes, well. Isn't it obvious? You know, in national disaster situations... scared authorities first lock up treasuries and warehouses, while angry workers set fires and occupy key facilities—"
The man who had incited the human working class to occupy the harbor answered with a grin.
"Scared? The Queen?"
That can't be.
She's too brave an old woman for that. The current Queen.
And this situation, while certainly a national disaster...
"People don't fear consequences they've deliberately caused."
"Pardon...?"
As soon as he heard Ivan's response, Dmitri Cherkatov's eyes sharpened.
Surviving the war against the demon race, especially as part of the Annihilation Squad, was an achievement in itself. Even more so considering it meant facing the Seven Dragon Generals and returning alive.
And the homeland he returned to was a hellscape of succession disputes. It was thin ice where one could be purged for a single mistake. The fact that Dmitri had survived all of that spoke volumes about his competence.
So he could recognize the deep implications in Ivan's words.
"Who did she ally with? The demon race?"
"Beolgrin."
"That fellow is certainly capable of such acts... but why?"
"We need to find out."
Ivan surveyed his surroundings with tired eyes.
The harbor of Idranhill was in chaos.
"What's the damage situation?"
"No casualties on our side."
The man standing beside Dmitri answered quietly with a bow.
Ivan nodded and asked:
"Occupation status?"
"We've completely occupied four harbors, including this one. Those were the only places that could be considered military facilities. Defensive lines have formed on the streets leading to the noble quarters. Due to fierce resistance from local elves, the path to the Eternal Palace has been blocked."
"The riots?"
"We initiated them, but it was only a matter of time, honestly. With treasures piled behind magicless elves, did you think they would resist temptation?"
Most laborers were human, and most humans in this era were direct veterans of war. Especially those who were healthy enough to engage in primary labor but poor enough to live in near-slavery conditions abroad.
Most of them would have been conscripts who served on the front lines. The only system controlling such rough manpower was magic.
It was a miracle that elven society maintained itself after magic stopped. With the working population at least ten times that of the noble population, the wealth accumulated by the elves would be tempting indeed.
"Oswald."
"Yes, Ivan."
"Leave with Evelyn. You need to contact the Privy Council and find a way to stabilize the situation."
The problems in Idranhill could be solved. With the thirty-some agents present here, it would be more than enough.
All they needed to do was occupy key facilities and incite the humans. The incited humans would naturally want to join "the armed human group."
"We need to gather as many Privy Councilors as possible and surround this city."
"This place?"
"The Queen wouldn't have given Beolgrin full authority."
If the Queen were in her right mind, she would certainly have prepared means to control Beolgrin. After all, stopping the Milestone would be an enterprise that determined the fate of their race.
Therefore, they needed to occupy Idranhill now and detain the Queen. The fact that the Queen had sealed the Eternal Palace suggested this.
If the Queen and Beolgrin caused this situation, then the solution must also lie with the Queen. At least a solution.
What she hoped to achieve by closing the doors and holding out would need to be confirmed.
"Lundis. Lucia. You two are our only combat strength at this point."
"That's how it is with the pointy-ears, I suppose."
Lundis answered with a smirk.
Though it was a disaster of unimaginable proportions, Ivan had to admit that the party composition had been a mistake. Because most of the group consisted of elves, there was a severe power vacuum in the face of a terror attack targeting elves.
But Lucia and Lundis could handle it. In a disaster situation without explicit enemies, there was no room for the group to get involved in direct conflicts.
Lundis was an engineer who had inherited all the engineering techniques of the dwarves. In a world where magic had disappeared, he was perhaps the most capable.
And Lucia was an immediate combat asset who could substitute for Ivan's role in any situation. Though her direct combat power might be somewhat lacking, together those two could fully perform reconnaissance roles.
"Once the Privy Council is convened and begins to respond, gather information. There's a high possibility of traitors within the Council."
It was clear that this situation was a collaboration between Beolgrin and the Queen. But there was something still unknown. A piece of information not yet confirmed.
Alexandr.
That was the reason Ivan had headed to Kalion in the first place. Intelligence suggesting that someone in the Privy Council was working with Alexandr.
Alexandr was still in this country. And what he desired from this situation and what actions he might attempt remained unconfirmed.
"Yes, sir. I'll be back soon!"
"Elder, please wait just a little while!"
The group promptly departed with the sailors. After a simple loading, the ship immediately set sail toward the dark night sea.
Ivan watched Lucia waving her hand vigorously from the stern for a moment before turning away.
"Dmitri."
"Yes, senior."
"Would it be a diplomatic issue to interrogate a foreign queen?"
"Only if someone takes issue with it."
"What was the last operation you were deployed to?"
"The northeast, Olega of the Great Rift."
"Survivors?"
"Including myself, five survived."
Ivan turned his gaze. He saw the men surrounding him.
He knew every man here. He knew each of their names, lives, hobbies, and even the most trivial characteristics.
These were men who had received orders to assassinate the Seven Dragon Generals, and had returned after burying more than 90% of their comrades in dangerous territory.
"Senior, there was a message from Her Majesty."
If there is something that must be done, do not consider the future.
"The current personnel selection was prepared directly by Her Majesty."
She had gathered all the survivors of the Annihilation Squad and sent them. Elizabeta Kirillovna Krasilov herself. The judgment of the commander who once operated the Annihilation Squad.
This meant they had enough strength to potentially target even the king of the Seven Dragon Generals. They were the most secretive and sharpest sword that Krasilov possessed in this era.
All armies of civilization adopt their symbol as a shield. This means they were established to protect their people and nation.
However, from its founding, the Annihilation Squad adopted only one emblem as its symbol: a dagger held in reverse grip. Signifying a military unit solely for offense.
"I will issue the operation orders."
"Yes, Commander."
The last high-ranking officer of the Annihilation Squad spoke.
"Final objective: normalization of Kalion. Immediate task: occupation of the Eternal Palace. Subsequent task: capture and interrogation of the Queen, situation assessment. Secondary task: neutralization of Idranhill. Alternative task in case of failure: join forces with Privy Council troops arriving later to secure information."
Ivan continued, making eye contact with each person:
"The grand strategy is active intervention in Kalion's reorganization process. Minimum condition: securing an ice-free port for Krasilov. Maximum condition: securing the source technology of airships."
And.
"Securing Alexandr Kirillovich Krasilov."
"May I ask one question, senior?"
"Go ahead."
"Can I include emotion in it?"
The fact that everyone here was a survivor of the Annihilation Squad meant:
Everyone here had buried their comrades before the Seven Dragon Generals and crawled back alive.
By the order of one madman.
There was only one reason the Annihilation Squad had taken Elizabeta's hand and established the counterintelligence headquarters. There was only one reason why agents betrayed by their country once again entrusted themselves to state power.
Revenge.
With Dmitri's question, the thirty-some agents simultaneously looked at Ivan.
"We can't let him return with his limbs intact, can we?"
"Revenge is meaningless."
Ivan looked steadily into Dmitri's eyes and concluded:
"So it would be an appropriate offering to our brothers who died meaninglessly."