To Be a Power in the Shadows!

"I didn't quite plan on making a scene, quite frankly…"

Maximilian took in his surroundings with just moving his eyes.

He saw Clara at Guin's mercy, Batt bloodied and laying still, and of course, the knife at his own throat.

"Well, aren't you calm. I can slit your throat anytime I want, buddy."

"Kuku… I suppose you think you have the upper hand now. Sad to say, I don't quite see it like that."

"You ain't makin' sense."

"My only concern is how much of my power I should reveal to you lot. I'd sincerely wanted to end this maintaining the face of a minor villain."

"The face of a minor villain…? Wait, so you're involved with them… the real Evil lurking in the shadows…?"

Zack took a quick glance at the black haired boy laying propped up a side wall.

"Ho… Zack, you seem to know something you shouldn't… how unfortunate."

"… Unfortunate?"

"Yes, indeed very unfortunate… since now I must kill everyone here."

"- WHAT!?"

Suddenly, Maximilian had vanished. Having lost sight of his mortal foe, Zack's knife was now stuck in thin air.

The next instant, snow flurried upwards and blood rained down.

"Gahhh…!!"

Multiple bodies fell to the white ground, dying it red.

At the center of them stood Maximilian with a sinister smile. He flicked his sword to shed off the blood.

"Y-you cut your own allies…?" Clara uttered in shock.

The ones that Maximilian had cut down were indeed- the guards and other member of the Doem Camp.

"… Indeed. They were closer as well as complacent. If I must kill everyone other than you, then the order matters not much."

Maximilian said easily with a shrug of his shoulders.

"What, in the blazes! I'm on your si-!"

"-You're no exception, Guin."

Guin's head flew.

Warm blood spray hit Clara's face, and the sword at her own neck clattered to the ground.

Slowly, Guin's headless body fell backwards.

"N-no… Guin…"

Clara fell on her arse trying to move away.

Just when they were supposed to be at a standstill, the situation had changed instantly and dramatically.

Prisoner and guard alike had been cut down without distinction… as if their lives held no value whatsoever.

They'd fallen powerlessly all by the hand of one man.

"W-what kind of… monster are you…"

"Me a monster? Surely I'm but a simple criminal, put here as punishment for my crimes. Just your average prisoner."

"T-there's no way… you're no prisoner…"

"Kukuku… whatever do you mean?"

Maximilian looked down gleefully at Clara.

"Fuckin' 'ell. Yer Highness, please run!!"

Zack picked up the sword Guin had dropped.

And without delay, he charged at Maximilian.

"I plan to leave you for last."

"-!"

Maximilian's form blurred, and Zack's blade struck only air.

Then,

"Gahh!!"

Zack was knocked off his feet.

Blood sprayed from his back.

"Z-Zack-!!" Clara screamed.

Zack fell on the snow in agony.

"Yes, I will kill you last. Writhe in agony and watch. I will now begin culling all your comrades. I will bring you Royalists true despair…"

Clara's retainers stood before her.

"L-Lady Clara, you must escape…"

Their trembling swords told all too well their fear.

All of them knew- they wouldn't survive Maximilian's slaughter.

"Right… suppose I shall take my time with this. Come out now, OWL. The more you hide, so much more will they die. Come out if you wish to save them. If you can defeat me, that is…"

Maximilian looked over each of Clara's people one by one.

Clara was shaking in the knees, desperate to escape.

As for Zack-

He, despite his carved back, was crawling along the snow.

He sought only one thing.

To go where he lay… at one corner of courtyard, the black haired boy.

"…P-please…"

Even as blood dripped out from his mouth, Zack clawed the snow with trembling fingers so as to approach the boy.

"Please… you're… our last, hope…"

As for the boy, he was already half covered in snow.

"Just, do something… whatever your goals are… just help us, for now…"

Finally, Zack reached where the boy lay.

"I'm beggin' ya, just save Her High…"

He swiped away the snow covering the boy.

— And saw,

"…Huh?"

Only a lump of black slime taking his shape.

A vast burst of mana shook the earth.