Arina’s patrol ended at the orphanage.

“I should be going.”

After a brief moment with the children, she carefully rose from her seat.

“Phantom! You’re leaving?”

“Already? You’re leaving already?”

“Well… I suppose it can’t be helped. Heroes are busy, after all.”

“That’s true… But still… sniff…”

“Can’t you stay just a little longer, Phantom?”

The children immediately started making a fuss, their eyes welling up with tears.

As if this had happened before, Arina gently comforted them.

“But you don’t come often, Phantom.”

“I’ll try to visit as often as I can. I promise.”

“…Promise?”

“When I come next time, what should I bring? Anything you want?”

“Umm… a doll?”

“A doll? What about you boys?”

“We want something delicious!”

With her skillful handling, the children quickly calmed down.

‘I should send some Mech Knight Pluto and Tinker Pang dolls to this orphanage. And maybe some Phantom masks in child sizes too.’

Watching this, I mentally added it to my to-do list for when I returned to the embassy.

‘I never knew Arina had a talent for caring for children!’

It was a side of her I hadn’t seen before, and it was refreshing.

‘She loves children so much… and yet she’s infertile. That must have been an even deeper wound for her.’

At the same time, I felt a renewed sense of urgency to find a solution to her problem.

‘The World Tree. The fruit of the World Tree is the only known cure.’

I didn’t extend our honeymoon to Bardenheim for no reason.

I had a plan.

And I was keeping it to myself in case it failed—I didn’t want to give her false hope.

‘Yulkanes mentioned it before. The kingdoms of the Union are secretly planning to expand into the Southern Continent. If I play this right, we might be able to acquire the fruit of the World Tree from the elves through peaceful means.’

The kingdoms of the Union were all secretly preparing for their own expeditions to the Southern Continent.

The problem?

If they continued planning separately, it would take another twenty or thirty years before anything meaningful happened.

‘I need to merge their separate efforts into one unified expedition. Even if that means we have to help them from the shadows.’

Both the Empire and the Union were industrializing rapidly.

If they expanded into the Southern Continent, the native races would stand no chance against them.

‘That’s when we step in—to help the elves and other races. In return, they’ll grant us the fruit of the World Tree.’

The World Tree and its fruit couldn’t simply be taken by force.

To obtain it, one had to earn the favor, trust, and goodwill of the spirits and the elves themselves.

Only those recognized as Friends of the Elves could receive the fruit.

Anyone who tried to steal it would be cursed by the World Tree.

‘While we’re at it, we should also secure a stable supply of rubber and elven spirit magic.’

It was a peaceful, just, and mutually beneficial plan.

‘And to accomplish this, I need to establish myself in Bardenheim. I need to gain enough influence to intervene in the Union’s policies.’

That was the real reason I came to Bardenheim.

To observe the Union’s capital and learn how to control it.

While I was reviewing my plans, Arina finished preparing to leave the orphanage.

“Come back soon, Phantom!”

“Phantom, make sure you win!”

“Alright~. You kids, be good and listen to the priest, okay?”

After bidding the children farewell, Arina left the orphanage.

Step. Step. Step.

“…”

“…”

The further she walked from the orphanage—

The faster the atmosphere around her shifted.

Cold. Heavy. Deadly.

“All right, boys. Grab your weapons!”

“Yes, Boss!”

And just like that, Phantom, the children’s beloved friend, transformed into Phantom, the master of Winter’s Clan.

“We finish this before lunch.”

“You heard the boss?! Let’s make sure those bastards eat lunch in hell!”

“Yes, sir!”

It looked like the next item on the agenda was wiping out the Snake—no, Steak—Clan.

“I think we should head back to the embassy.”

Having seen enough, I decided to turn back.

“Huh? You’re not going to watch?”

“This much is enough.”

I wasn’t worried about the fight.

No matter how big a gang was in Bardenheim, their strength was obvious.

At best, they might have a handful of A-rank mercenaries.

That wasn’t even enough for a post-meal workout for Arina.

Not to mention, she was surrounded by Balzac and a squad of Frost Knights.

I’d bet anything that their combined power was equal to an entire duchy’s military force.

“But a clan war is about to start…”

“I have no intention of getting stabbed by a stray blade just to watch a gang fight.”

“Ah…”

Eote, Carrot, and Rosie looked visibly disappointed at my decision.

Of course, watching a fight was one of the most entertaining things in the world.

But at that moment, I had something even more interesting to think about.

‘How should I use Arina’s unexpected achievement to my advantage?’

***

Back at the Embassy

The first person I sought out upon my return was Gard Stone.

“You knew about the Phantom and the Winter Clan, didn’t you?”

“Yes… Of course.”

The first thing out of my mouth was as expected.

“Does the High Tower know as well?”

“Only the Spring Magus, Sun, and Prime Minister Haita are aware.”

“So basically, everyone who knows about Mary’s true identity already knows about this too.”

“Yes, that would be correct.”

So it seemed that—except for me—almost everyone important had been in on it.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me? Was it Arina’s order?”

“Her Highness said she wanted to accomplish this one task without relying on Your Excellency.”

“Hmm… That’s all?”

“That’s the official reason. If I were to guess, she also wanted to surprise you by completely conquering the city’s underworld. And…”

“And?”

“…She might have been embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed?”

“Well… She’s a ruler of a nation, and yet she’s running a crime syndicate. Even if her actions are ultimately righteous and just, it’s still… unconventional.”

“…”

Now that all these reasons were piling up, I couldn’t exactly argue against them.

“So… should I just pretend I don’t know?”

“That’s… entirely up to you, Chairman. It’s only a matter of time before you’d find out anyway.”

“Alright. I’ll handle it however I see fit.”

“Yes. Please act as you wish.”

“How does the High Tower view the Phantom and Winters Clan?”

“They see it positively. Bardenheim is the hub where all goods and information from the western and southern continents converge. Having influence in the city’s shadows is a major advantage in espionage and information warfare.”

This assessment had clearly come from Isabelle.

“So that’s why they were so willing to let Arina and I stay here for so long?”

I recalled my previous magical communications with Isabelle.

“That is most likely the case. Hahaha…”

Gard let out an awkward laugh and nodded.

“There is something odd about this.”

“Odd? Please, tell me.”

“We’ve been openly conquering the city’s underworld… So why are Bardenheim’s power players staying silent? None of the city nobles I’ve met have even mentioned Winters Clan or Phantom.”

Everyone knew about the ties between crime clans and the city’s elites.

There was no way that Bardenheim’s upper class was unaware of a rapidly growing clan run by Rensletians.

“It’s likely because of the assassination war—the city is already in chaos.”

“An assassination war… The timing is certainly convenient.”

“Also, to the city’s nobles, clans are just disposable tools for handling dirty work. As long as they listen to orders, the nobles don’t care whether they wipe each other out or not.”

“I suppose that does fit the corrupt nature of this city’s leadership.”

I nodded at Gard’s reasoning.

“But I think there’s one more factor at play.”

I added my own theory to the mix.

“Oh? What is it, Chairman?”

Gard’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he listened.

“They’re watching us carefully.”

“Watching us?”

“Before Renslet… before we became known by that name, the North was feared. Northern warriors and knights were known for their unyielding strength.”

“Indeed. Even the arrogant Empire acknowledged our might.”

Gard puffed out his chest with pride.

“And now, a clan composed entirely of Rensletians has emerged in this city. A clan that is rapidly expanding and proving its strength.”

“Ah…! If I were a Bardenheim noble, I wouldn’t want to make enemies of them either.”

“Exactly. And with the assassination war adding to the chaos, they’ve decided to keep their mouths shut—for now.”

All the powerful figures who had come to meet me—the city’s mayor, royals, high nobles, and wealthy merchants—had all avoided mentioning Winter’s Clan and Phantom.

Now I know why.

‘Gard, you’ve become quite the politician.’

I was sure he had already realized this himself.

But instead of stating it outright, he had played along as if he had just figured it out.

There was no better way to flatter someone than to pretend to learn from them.

“We should ride this momentum and plant as many of our shadows in this city as possible. Should I request reinforcements from the High Tower?”

Gard looked ready to rush to the communication room at any moment.

I shook my head.

“We can’t be too reckless. They’ve stayed silent this long, but they must be reaching their limit.”

“I understand. If we push too hard, the entire city’s elite could turn against us—just like the Empire did.”

“In the worst-case scenario, yes. But we won’t sit back and let that happen.”

“Exactly. If they oppose us, they should be prepared for the consequences.”

“If the Union turns against us, we’ll just repeat what we did in the Empire.”

“Like with Entir Bishop and the Noble Assembly?”

“There’s no strategy more effective than divide and rule.”

Divide et impera.

Damn it, British Empire, I love you so much!

“They’ll see it coming… and still fall for it.”

“Like a man sinking into quicksand.”

“Like a debtor trapped in high-interest loans.”

“Fufufufu…”

“Hehehehe…”

Our reflections in the mirror showed Gard and me, plotting how to divide and manipulate Bardenheim’s elite.

We looked like two villains plotting some nefarious scheme in a dark lair.

Even after that, Gard and I continued discussing various matters, making time fly by.

Before I knew it, it was already lunchtime.

***

When the Sun Reached Its Zenith

“I’m back.”

Arina walked into the embassy, having switched from Phantom mode back to Mary mode.

Her outfit was different from the last time I saw her.

The Phantom mask was nowhere in sight, and she had changed into her knight’s uniform at some point on the way back.

For reference, the knight’s uniform she wore as Mary was identical in design to the one she wore as Arina—after all, Rensletian knight uniforms followed a standard design.

The only real difference was the medals and accessories pinned to her chest and shoulders.

“You’re finally here? You took so long I thought you forgot about our date.”

“Apologies. My training ran a little long. I’ll wash up quickly and be right out.”

“You don’t look like you even sweated, though. Is that necessary?”

I tilted my head in confusion at her insistence on washing up.

“T-That’s…”

She hesitated.

Indeed, there wasn’t a single drop of sweat on her.

The same went for Balzac, who had been disguised as Dominic while accompanying her.

I mean, who would expect to work up a sweat just from slaughtering some low-level gangsters?

“Th-The weather is hot, isn’t it?”

“Well, I guess winter here is on the warmer side.”

If a Bardenheim citizen heard me say that, they’d probably lose their mind.

But for a Northern Rensletian, the winter here was cool at best.

Especially now, when winter was nearly over and spring was just around the corner.

For us, this weather was practically T-shirt season.

‘There’s a faint smell of blood.’

I had a pretty good guess as to why she wanted to wash up.

“So… did you get injured during training?”

A mischievous spark lit up in me, and I decided to tease her a bit.

“W-What? No, not at all.”

“But I swear I smell blood.”

“B-Blood?!”

Sniff, sniff.

Arina dramatically pretended to sniff herself.

“I-I don’t smell anything…”

She then doubled down with a confused expression that was almost too convincing.

‘Her acting is getting better. Is this the result of living as Mary for so long?’

Her innocent expression was so flawless that if I didn’t already know the truth, I might have actually believed her.

“I’m starving. I’ll wash up quickly, so please wait just a moment.”

Still fully committed to her Mary persona, she made a quick announcement and walked past me.

I watched her retreating figure and casually spoke.

“Well, it makes sense. Fighting Snake Clan must’ve worked up an appetite.”

“Yes, that’s—wait, what? Those weaklings, all they did was run—”

Silence.

Arina froze mid-step.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at me.

Her face was a perfect representation of:

‘…H-Huh? HUUUUUH?!’

“What’s wrong, Master Phantom of Winter’s Clan?”

At first, I had considered pretending not to know about her little side gig.

But then I changed my mind.

Because I had learned my lesson from the past.

Back when I had pretended not to know about Mary’s true identity, it had caused a ridiculous number of misunderstandings and complications.

Thinking back on all of that, I couldn’t just ignore this.

It was definitely not because I was dying to tease her or see her shocked reaction.

Absolutely not.