"Counterintelligence, Counterintelligence Command...?! I clearly saw them leaving Pritzenkaya, how...?!"
Darkness is not silent. The tense breathing of nobles filling the salon and the frantic heartbeats disturb his hearing.
He can distinguish friend from foe by heartbeats alone. That's why Ivan prefers night raids. Well-trained agents can identify enemies without markers.
In the deep night, the interior with all light sources removed is so dark that even outlines are faint. Though not enough to disturb a transcendent's synesthesia, without night adaptation training, combat effectiveness would inevitably be reduced.
And every agent present had received night adaptation training "assisted" by Ivan personally.
"Let's see the results of your training."
At Ivan's words, the agents flinched momentarily.
"I place no restrictions on your strike zone. In the name of the sacred Krasilov royal family, I shall execute judgment for the crimes of national rebellion and treason committed here. At this moment, your guns and swords have no eyes."
-Sling.
Slowly raising the axe blade upward.
Ivan concluded his words emotionlessly in the darkness.
Guns and swords have no eyes. In other words, disregard differences in status.
The agents drew their weapons as soon as Ivan finished speaking. The startled nobles retreated hesitantly toward the center of the banquet hall.
"Stop! This cannot be! I am the Minister of Military Affairs of this country!! Without a trial, such barbaric behavior!"
"A trial?"
"Yes! Didn't the royal family declare equality under the constitution just days ago! If there are crimes, they should be judged under the law in broad daylight! I demand a trial!"
"Granted."
Ivan stepped toward the shouting duke.
"Under the authority of the sacred Krasilov royal family, I shall now pass judgment on the criminal using the emergency judicial powers of the Counterintelligence Command. Do you wish to defend yourself?"
"What is...! Are you joking with me...!"
"The criminal's defense has concluded. Witness, do you have anything to add?"
At Ivan's words, Dmitri Cherkatov, standing beside him, answered with a snicker.
"I shall witness! My judgment is death!"
"Stop! What nonsense are you speaking! What is this...!"
"This trial will be officially reported to the royal family in the presence of one commanding officer with judicial authority. My judgment is the criminal's execution."
Ivan raised his axe toward the duke. Just as it was about to strike down, a sword jutted out from the side.
The sound of the sword cutting through the air was enough to gauge the direction of attack. Ivan quickly tilted his head back and retreated.
"Your turn hasn't come yet."
"I am the third son of Viscount Yeremov."
Count Yelchinopov did not withdraw his sword, biting his lip firmly.
"That cannot be. Your voice, I remember it now. Ivan Petrovich... 'The Executioner' Ivan. You're alive?"
"The Executioner...?! That thing is alive!"
The duke screamed in terror. Count Yelchinopov stepped back with a hiss.
"I clearly confirmed the corpse. You should certainly be dead."
"..."
"No response. Yes, I suppose there's no need to converse with a corpse. That's just like you."
Yelchinopov smiled slightly and held his sword at an angle.
"I can't survive against you. Yes, seeing the axe, I understand now. Let's negotiate."
"Negotiate?"
"Spare me. I don't want to die."
"That should be called begging."
At Ivan's words, cracks appeared on the count's face. He bit his lip and continued.
"If you kill us all, what do you think will happen to this country? Hmm? Every noble here owns territory. If our executions become known, do you think the nobles will remain quiet? Do you think the kings who have ruled this country were too stupid to keep the nobles alive?"
His words were true. Nobles cannot be executed without consideration.
Not because of the law, but because their power stems from their territories. Even when the Crown Prince attempted a coup, there was a reason why the Crown Prince's noble faction wasn't killed.
Assassinating a single noble in the capital is easy. But their deaths can never be concealed.
Each noble residing in the capital is a high-ranking official in the administration. If they are killed and that fact leaks out, territorial nobles would immediately begin to revolt.
This country can no longer endure more warfare. In a situation where even the military is divided into factions under various nobles, this country with no true "central army" cannot withstand civil war.
Therefore, the nobles present never imagined the princess would dare do such a thing.
However, this was a feint from the beginning.
"The Counterintelligence Command is outside Pritzenkaya."
"What...?"
"You don't think the agents here represent the entire command, do you?"
There's no need to explain this fact. That wouldn't be the efficient work processing expected of a trained agent.
But Ivan, for some reason, wanted the nobles in this place to taste a more unpleasant... despair as they died.
These traitors.
He didn't want to see them smiling, inwardly thinking, "You're finished!" and leaving such words as their last. Their downfall should be more miserable.
"Count Yelchinopov. You have two sons and one daughter."
"W-why bring that up now...?"
"Except for one son in Pritzenkaya, you have one son and a young daughter in your territory now. Congratulations. Your daughter has inherited your city... Nizhgorod."
"What?"
"Now the Yelchinopov County of Nizhgorod will be ruled by your daughter. The administrative vacuum that will unfortunately occur will be supported by professional personnel from this command without compensation. Be grateful to Her Royal Highness."
Ivan turned his head to look at Duke Sheremov.
"All your children are grown, but one son born out of wedlock is still an infant. The Sheremov Duchy of Yelavinsk will now be inherited by your son. Don't worry as you close your eyes. Your other two sons will soon follow you."
"You... you murderer! You garbage assassin, how dare you, how dare you!!"
"How dare I."
In the darkness, Ivan's eyes blazed bright blue.
"How dare you traitors violate the authority of the royal family. How dare you parasites who devoured the legacy built by the late king who sacrificed everything in the last war. How dare you vermin who coveted rights without obligations in peacetime."
"I was also on that battlefield! Do you think you fought the war alone? Hmm? Everyone here is a war hero! We all poured our fortunes into the war and rightfully claimed our due rights!"
"The only duty you showed was when you poured wine over the corpses of soldiers!"
Ivan growled, baring his molars.
He remembers. The behavior of the nobles in the rear.
Because of this year's poor harvest.
Because the tenant farmers were lazy.
Because bandits infested the roads made unstable by the long war.
He remembers the territorial nobles in the rear who threw rotting food at them with such excuses, as if doing them a favor. Even that was delayed for days, forcing soldiers to take up arms while starving.
He remembers the "victory banquets."
He remembers those splendid banquets held to celebrate heightened prestige from a single local victory, even as entire frontlines burned due to the Seven Dragon Generals.
He remembers the greasy lips of the nobles. In a situation where even the Royal Guard had to survive on thin porridge, the "supply lieutenant" who appeared flaunting wealth had lips full of grease.
He remembers the greatest king in history.
He remembers the king who personally led the front lines, gathering strength to punish the rear nobles despite knowing all the facts.
He remembers that giant who ate the same food as the lowest soldiers and gave them even the small luxuries he had prepared as refreshments.
So, how dare they.
How dare the nobles who survived under that person's sacrifice. How dare this behavior of gathering to covet his granddaughter.
A trained agent does not act according to emotional fluctuations.
So, for this moment only, Ivan acted not as a trained agent, but as a surviving Royal Guard soldier.
"I ask for the last time. Where does your loyalty lie?"
"To this country, to the royal family of this country...!"
-Skak.
Ivan's hand blurred. The axe blade that rushed in an instant struck the duke's throat and pulled out.
The axe blade, which passed like flowing water at a speed that even the count standing right in front couldn't react to, didn't have a single drop of blood on it.
Ivan twirled the axe and sheathed it, saying:
"Even with a lie, you die as a loyal subject, so it's an end without shame for that noble blood. Be grateful to Her Royal Highness."
"Ivan Petrovich!!"
A blade fell toward his head. Ivan tilted his head back to avoid the sword's path and retreated.
The fatigue from his duel with Adel had not yet dissipated. His muscles were screaming, his joints creaking, and his nervous system overloaded and ringing sharply.
But it doesn't matter. A trained agent doesn't stop the operation unless dead, and fortunately, he was still alive.
At least he planned to live longer than them.
-Kaang—!!
He entangled the axe to deflect the blade.
Count Yelchinopov contorted his eyes. How? How could someone with such damaged strength, magic, and condition—who could collapse at any moment—do this?
Was there such a big difference? That couldn't be. He was a knight who had trained with a sword all his life, a great noble with a body enhanced by elixirs and magical tools.
Nobles are not weak. That bloodline, built over a long history, cannot be feeble.
Yet he's being pushed back by this dying man. His sword is being pushed back. Barely keeping up as the axe swings.
Why.
-Kaang—!!
Sparks flew again. The momentary flash of sparks when the blades entangled made his vision flicker. Count Yelchinopov, facing Ivan who glared at him, realized.
It's not the difference in magic or strength. What's moving that man right now is just one thing.
A sense of duty.
Forcibly circulating a handful of magic, constantly accelerating an overloaded nervous system that could break at any moment, forcibly pulling torn muscles and crushed joints.
Surely his entire body must be overwhelmed with pain that would shatter him to pieces, and yet.
He swings the axe faster than him, strikes down stronger than him, and maintains the offensive.
In skill and in will. He lost to this man.
-Chaeng—!!
Finally, the blade was deflected. Count Yelchinopov laughed dejectedly.
The axe blade dug into his nape and pulled out.
Ivan pushed the collapsing count over with his shoulder and looked around, holding the axe.
"..."
The sobbing of resigned nobles and the gaze of tense agents were palpably felt even in the darkness.
Ivan cracked his neck and opened his mouth.
"Are you waiting for me to finish? Or was your night adaptation training insufficient?"
At those words, the agents startled and grabbed their weapons, rushing toward the nobles.
There was no unexpected resistance. That's because those who might have resisted had all been identified.
Ivan scanned the surroundings, occasionally sniping those trying to use ominous relics, artifacts, or magic.
The training condition isn't as bad as I thought.
Just that level of appreciation.
"This reminds me of the old days."
"Dmitri."
"Her Highness said to bring both of you seniors as soon as the work is finished."
"To the East Palace?"
"No. To the royal palace. She said she would grant an audience. Will you go now?"
"Let's go."
Ivan turned and walked. Dmitri, who followed beside him, draped a coat over his shoulders.
"It's chilly, senior."
"It's summer."
"Then lighten your expression. It's a good day, isn't it?"
Outside the mansion, the sky was clear, without a single cloud. A large moon rippled in the sky.
There was a faint smell of grilling meat. From across the street.
As the sound of weapons clashing and the nobles' screams gradually faded, and finally the surroundings were steeped in silence.
Ivan nodded as he walked through the night streets of the city, as always.
The Crown Prince's faction in Pritzenkaya can never gather again.
The nobles who doubted the princess's authority have all disappeared, and their territories will be used more "efficiently" under royal management.
The peace this country has longed for over such a long time has finally arrived. There is no longer a threat of civil war. It would be good if they could find the missing Crown Prince, but even if he returns, he has already lost his support base.
So now, this city is finally peaceful. Pritzenkaya, the Krasilov royal family, has successfully resolved its internal issues completely.
"I see. It is a good day."
Ivan finally nodded. Dmitri giggled and whistled.
Soon, a carriage rushed from the end of the street and stopped in front of them.