Belphegor stood on the cliff of Manggot, gazing at the sea.


    Hisnguid eyes seemed as if they would fall asleep at any moment, but somehow those thin eyes continued to follow the movement of the waves.


    "There you are."


    Soon, Hagley stood behind him.


    Hagley, searching for Belphegor who had disappeared along the way, came herest, really just in case.


    It had been a while since his superior had shown his face outside of Manggot.


    "Hagley, are the preparationsplete?"


    "Yes. Everyone is waiting for the signal."


    "Good."Belphegor''s eyes still followed the waves.


    "Hagley. Can you predict what shape the next wave will take?"


    "…No. It''s impossible."


    "Right. It''s impossible. No one tries to predict it. Why do you think that is?"


    "…Because it''s meaningless."


    "Kuku, you''re no fun because you always give the answer I want."


    The waves were all different, with no rules, so it was impossible to predict them, but.


    The sea always receded and always came in. The waves changed shape, but they always wet the sand and then retreated.


    It was a sight where small irregrities were actually wandering within a vast rule. Belphegor liked that.


    "I don''t predict the entirety of the waves. That would be foolish. What we need to anticipate is the next low tide and the next high tide. We will be a tsunami and engulf the Empire. A tsunami of fire, of course. Kukuku."


    "…"


    Hagley remained silent.


    When his superior spoke like this, it meant he was suspicious of the opposite. Nodding along mindlessly would only lead to trouble.


    "…So, we shouldn''t pay attention to the irregrities of the waves. Everything within them is a random movement, and it wouldn''t be special even if I focused on one of them."


    Therefore, Belphegor''s words meant that he was concerned about the irregrities of the waves.


    And Hagley knew the answer.


    "…Are you concerned about Frondier?"


    "…You really are no fun."


    Belphegor''s head tilted slightly.


    "I know the Empire''s power, and I''ve set the time and ce for them to burn most easily. The only thing I don''t know the identity of is Frondier."


    "…As you say, Belphegor-nim, that existence is nothing more than an unpredictable wave."


    "Right. I think so too. I just happened to witness that one guy among countless others like him."


    Belphegor agreed with Hagley''s words, but his voice didn''t sound like it at all.


    "…But what if he''s not a wave?"


    "Belphegor-nim."


    "If that one irregrity stops the wave, and beyond that, stops the tsunami, then this entire operation is wrong from the premise."


    "A mere human cannot stop a disaster."


    "Hahaha. You''re a human, yet you look down on humans more than I do. Humans can stop disasters."


    Humans in the past had far more disasters than they do now.


    They couldn''t withstand droughts, pests, or attacks from wild animals.


    "Humans have grown while oveing disasters. They just haven''t been able to stop a tsunami yet. Not yet. But next time, someday, if humanity can stop the next disaster…"


    "Do you think Frondier can stop the tsunami, Belphegor-nim?"


    "It''s a matter of possibility. A slim possibility. A devil''s intuition is sharp."


    But nothing could be changed now.


    The mes of Manggot had grown toorge, and even Belphegor couldn''t dy the timing or change the operation at this point. If he forced it, the mes would simply extinguish immediately. Without burning anything.


    "…Well, even if this Frondier guy has power beyond our expectations, he won''t be fighting me."


    "That''s right."


    "Among the pirs of the Empire, the wisest is Osprey, right?"


    "Yes. As he is on the verge of bing an Archmage, I believe he will be a key figure in the strategy."


    Belphegor let out a sigh, or perhaps it was just an exhale, as he spoke.


    "Then he will be my opponent."


    * * *


    The Imperial Pce conference room.


    Never before had so many people gathered in this ce.


    The Emperor, Empress, and Princess were present.


    All members of the Zodiac, including Osprey, were present.


    Arge number of members from the Roach, Rishae, and other prominent noble families of the Empire were present.


    Several instructors from the Constel Institute, and student council president Ellen Evans as the student representative, were present.


    Representatives of the Imperial Knights and the Shroud Knights were present.


    The vast conference room of the Imperial Pce, prepared for meetings of any scale, was filled with people.


    And all of them, with half curiosity and half doubt in their eyes, looked towards the front of the room.


    ─Why is it not Osprey standing there?


    Most harbored such doubts, but.


    ─It is the Emperor''s order.


    ─His words are the will of the Imperial Pce, the will of the Empire.


    The attendees had been informed in advance, so some had faces full of discontent.


    However, a few others sent looks of trust towards the front, as if they had expected this.


    "…Then."


    The man at the center slowly opened his mouth.


    With a faint smile and dressed in a ck suit he had once worn.


    Without a hint of subservience or arrogance.


    Justnguidness and pitch-ck darkness resided within him.


    "Let''s begin."


    The Imperial meeting.


    Frondier de Roach present.