They weren't supposed to be here.
They were the first seat of the Republic’s Five Pillars.
“Are you certain that Commander Jin has been consumed by madness?”
The First Seat of the Five Tiger Generals looked down at me.
“...”
His unusually dark eyes seemed to be pulling me in. The moment I looked at his eyes, which looked completely devoid of emotion, I stiffened and began trembling.
I couldn’t tell whether I was shaking because of what just happened with the Bishop or because I was standing before this being.
It was unlike the sense of foreboding or danger. I was certain he wouldn’t harm me, but I couldn’t help but feel afraid. To exaggerate slightly, it was like looking at something wearing a human shell.
I found myself thinking of the human before me as something incapable of feeling anything.
“...”
When the seemingly unblinking eyes finally blinked, I snapped back to attention.
“T-thank you... for your help,” I said.
“...”
“T-though I’m late... it is an honor to meet... the Republic’s First Pillar,” I greeted him.
“Glad to meet you, too. So... are you sure that Commander Jin has been consumed by madness?” he asked.
“...”
“...”
‘What is he trying to do?’
Of course, I had to choose my words carefully; I couldn’t discern the intentions of the Republic’s First Pillar. In truth, there was no way to know why he had come here, so I had to be cautious. Could I even say there was no chance he had come to eliminate Commander Jin Cheong? It was hardly impossible that he was acting under some secret orders from the Republic’s Commander-in-Chief, or perhaps he was simply moving according to his own volition.
If I had even a shred of data on him, I could make a more rational assessment, but unfortunately, information on the First Pillar was virtually nonexistent.
The only glimpse I’d had of him was from a distance. He never appeared at official events, and no one really knew where he was or what he was doing.
Even now, it was unclear which front he was operating on.
He was a figure even more enigmatic than the Commander-in-Chief. Some claimed he moved solely under a temporary contract with the Commander, following only direct orders; others said he was the only person in the Republic legally licensed to kill.
All I knew for certain was that he had been a companion to Commander Jin in the so-called tutorial dungeon. Even Jin Cheong had never spoken of the First Pillar. The only fact I could confirm was that he was monstrously strong.
After the long silence, he blinked once again.
When I saw that, I stammered, “I-it’s... just a rumor.”
“...”
“...”
“I see.”
“Y‑yes. Of course, there are rumors going around, but the Commander remains rational and composed. He’s doing everything in his power for the Republic and carrying out the plan to the best of his ability. At present, more than eighty percent of the plan has been completed, and I believe meaningful results will be achieved soon,” I continued.
“I see. That sounds like Jin Cheong,” he said.
“By any chance... did you come from the capital?” I asked.
“It's true that I was dispatched under orders from headquarters, but what you’re imagining will not happen, so there’s no need to worry,” he reassured me.
“...”
“At the very least, I didn’t come here to kill Jin Cheong,” he added.
“I understand,” I said.
“I asked about him purely out of personal curiosity,” he said.
“You mean...”
“It’s exactly as I said, nothing more than personal curiosity,” he repeated.
‘So... their relationship isn’t bad?’
There was no record of the two ever interacting with each other. I had even heard that the First Pillar often didn’t attend the gatherings of the Republic's Pillars. I stole a glance at him. His black hair was neatly arranged. It was too neat, as if someone else had taken the time to groom it. His clothes and face were immaculate, almost excessively so. There wasn't even a single scar or blemish on him.
At a glance, he looked pale enough to be sickly. He gave me the impression of someone obsessively clean, but unlike the Commander, it didn’t feel like an illness.
It felt learned, practiced, as if he had forced himself into the shape society demanded of him. He was tall, probably even taller than the Commander. Lean, but with a physique that looked honed rather than starved, and of course, what drew my attention the most was the sword hanging at his waist.
It was an utterly ordinary blade. No ornamentation, no crest, no inscription. It looked like the kind of cheap weapon issued to common soldiers.
“Would it be all right... if I reported this to the Commander?” I asked.
“...”
“...”
“That’s fine. He likely won’t take any interest in me anyway,” he answered.
“Right. I mean... if he... were to hear that you came here... he would surely—”
“Even if he hears I came here, Jin Cheong won’t care,” he interrupted me.
“...”
“...”
“Very well. Then, please explain,” he said.
“Excuse me? Explain what...” I asked.
“Explain the current situation,” he clarified.
“Ah... I-I’m afraid it’s difficult to give a clear explanation. Why did the Bishop suddenly betray us... and what exactly is the identity of the Keepers of Moonlight... Have you heard anything about them?” I asked.
“...”
A sign of denial.
“Those deserters are the ones raiding the Republic’s supply depots and smaller units. Using the slogan of stopping the war, they’ve basically been committing acts of terror... and we still don’t know their exact location or identity. They call their leader the Saint,” I added.
“Did the High Bishop ever have any contact with them?” he asked.
“As far as I remember, no. But judging from how he claimed to have received revelations... I suspect some kind of psychic spell may have been affecting him. I think we need to investigate. May I proceed with it?” I asked.
“You don’t need to ask my permission for every single report,” he said.
“Ah... right.”
“More importantly, we should go outside,” he said.
“Sir?”
‘What on earth is he thinking?’
With no rise or fall in his voice, it was impossible to read his intentions and guess what he was thinking. There wasn’t a trace of emotion in him. His expression didn’t change either, which made it even harder to understand him.
He didn’t seem to be here to take control of the situation, and I still couldn’t understand why he wanted to head outside, but the moment I saw what was happening in front of us, I couldn’t help but nod.
“Enemy attack!”
“The enemy is attacking! Miss Yevkarina!” a soldier reported.
“Is it the Keepers of Moonlight?” I asked.
“Imperial troops! The Empire is upon us!” they answered.
“Right, take action at once,” I ordered.
“Understood.”
Explosions began to ring out along with pillars of fire. Screams echoed from everywhere. It sounded like the enemy had already breached the walls. Weapons were clashing and steel grinding against steel. I didn’t understand how or when they had managed to arrive here so quickly, but what needed to be done was already clear.
“No, we should retreat...” I mumbled.
‘We have to pull the troops back.’
Visibility was poor, and the troops were mixed together. It made more sense to pull the units back, reorganize the lines, and then push forward again. I was about to say something when I noticed the First Pillar moving slowly into view.
‘What should we do? Retreat? No... how should I make the call?’
He told me not to worry about him, but as long as he was here, the final decision rested with him.
What was I supposed to do? Make a move out of my own volition? No, with the Republic’s First Pillar here, was there any reason to run? Just as I forced the words back down, it happened.
“Die! Dogs of the Republic!”
The First Pillar swung his sword. Actually, I didn’t see it. I saw only a blur and an afterimage. Then, the head of the charging imperial soldier disappeared. That was all I saw. I didn’t witness the process; I only realized that he had swung the sword when I saw the result.
‘What the hell...’
The same happened again. Several soldiers charged forward with their spears, swords, and shields raised, but the result remained the same. Not a single one survived; every last head was severed, and not just anywhere, precisely their heads alone were chopped off.
For a moment, it felt as if the falling heads met his eyes. The soldiers themselves seemed to have failed to realize that they were already dead. Only after their heads hit the ground did their bodies collapse.
He moved as if on a leisurely walk as he swung his sword, and it looked like the sword never really reached them as the enemies died without being able to scream.
Blood splattered in the chaos, and the boots and hooves kicked up dirt, yet none of it touched him. After what felt like a long battle, he remained completely clean.
“...”
“...”
It was as if someone had cast a spell on him. I wasn't bragging here, but I had seen many powerful fighters over four years of brutal war, and even before that, I had witnessed countless smaller battles.
I had witnessed members of the Empire’s renowned guilds, Dawan’s Mist Summoner and sniper, a noble called the genius of the Federation, and even the same Five Tiger Generals in action.
Xiao Lin, wielder of Urd, the whip that punished the goddess, and Valentin Alexandro, known as the Fighter of Ronaf... I saw them in action, too. Of course, I hadn’t seen the full extent of their strength, but I had been on the same battlefields as them.
At least, I could understand their strength. I could feel it, after all.
However, the man in front of me was different.
‘What is he... doing? What the hell is he doing?’
If I were to exaggerate a bit, I'd say he didn’t seem to be wielding a sword, nor did he seem to be fighting. He wasn’t even looking at those he cut down. I wasn’t talking figuratively. He literally didn’t focus on those he was killing.
‘What the hell?’
Then, I happened to meet his eyes, and I saw a face that seemed incapable of feeling anything. I couldn't imagine him feeling any guilt for the lives he had taken, as on a battlefield, such feelings made no sense.
No, if he had been drunk on the thrill of killing, I wouldn’t have felt this strange unease.
It was like he truly felt nothing whenever he took a life. The heat of the battle, the soldiers’ desperate cries to survive, their fear, and the fighting spirit of those charging him, none of it could touch him.
Nothing a soldier carried could reach him. He swung his sword endlessly and mechanically as if it were some simple daily task. His face remained impassive, and his eyes were devoid of any emotion.
At that moment, I finally knew why the Commander hadn’t paid him any attention.
“...”
“...”
The First Pillar sheathed his clean sword, blinked, and muttered, “Keepers of the Moonlight.”