To Be a Power in the Shadows!

It'd been much too soon to make her move.

Rose ran across the camp hallways, still sensing pursuers behind her.

Her mission was to take Clara, the flag of the Royalists, and deliver her to her faction's army waiting outside of the city.

Originally, that role had belonged to Rose herself.

However, currently, Rose couldn't be considered an ally of Oriana under any pretense.

She was, after all, the traitor who murdered their king. The public already knew Rose as such.

She held no ability to lead her people anymore.

She could only remain in the shadows, never to return.

But she still wished to devote herself to her country.

For that reason, she had volunteered to take part on this mission.

To use her life for her people.

But then, he had appeared suddenly.

Cid Kageno.

The boy she had once wished to spend her life with.

That boy had worried for her, going so far as to travel to Oriana. When she learned of that fact, the emotions hidden in her heart became turbulent.

The happiness that he had sought her out.

The regret that she had caused him harm.

And mostly— grief towards his feelings that she could no longer answer.

No matter how deeply she loved him, she could no longer be with him. She was a criminal. Getting involved with her would surely lead him to misfortune.

So, she had resolved herself to give up, and yet—

They met. And Rose's feelings were raging to point of pain.

She wanted to dive into his chest without a care.

But she couldn't.

For after the momentary bliss, only cruel, merciless reality.

Thus, no matter how it tore apart her hear, Rose told him clear words of parting.

And it was supposed to be over with that, it was—

Until Maximilian took him. The inside of Rose's head had went blank.

Maximilian was a dangerous man.

He was one of the Named Children of the Order of Diabolos and held the title 'Coldblood'. He was also allied to Doem who held the reins of the anti-Royalist Faction.

On the face of it, he was one of Doem's underlings, but within the Order, their positions were that of equals. As such, they were fellow competitors.

Word was that, based on the results of their occupation of Oriana, one of them may get promoted to a seat of the Rounds.

In other words, even they were underlings to a degree.

A Knight of the Rounds apparently also has a hand in Oriana's current turmoil— one Sir Mordred.

Shadow Garden has been scouring everywhere for this Sir Mordred, without any results.

But this man held a very prominent position within the Order, that is known for certain.

The aim of Shadow Garden is to find and eliminate him.

To do that, Shadow Garden has been aiding the Royalists take back Oriana so as to drive the Doem Faction to a corner.

Which evidently leads Rose's own goal of protecting her country.

Rose was well aware of her duty. She was.

But before she had realized, she had already drawn her sword at Maximilian.

—I can't.

—I should still bide my time.

—I need to find Clara and take her out of here.

No matter how much she tried to reason with herself, her feelings had won out overwhelmingly.

I've got to save him!!

Which leads us to the present.

Surely, soon enough, the whole camp would know that OWL had infiltrated the premises.

Rose was still worried whether her sister Clara would believe in her.

Plus, the matter of the traitor among those around the princess. Rose had wanted to eliminate that danger before contacting Clara… that wouldn't be happening now.

"There she is!!"

"Over here!!"

Behind her were Maximilian's men, and in front of her stood armed guards.

Never stopping, Rose readied her black blade—

"Haaahhhh!!"

Cutting down any obstacle.