Crash——

The intervention happened swiftly. It was a coordinated operation between Gabriel, the Japanese Revenant Knight officials, and the German Overseas Safety Commission.

The apartment they raided was exactly the type they expected. A disguised streaming setup frequently used in Japan’s underground trafficking networks, particularly for VTubers who had been forcibly contracted or abducted.

Inside, the signs were obvious.

The living space had been stripped of anything normal or personal, replaced with recording equipment, soundproofing, and tightly controlled lighting.

It was a staging room designed for exploitation. These setups had been a growing issue across East Asia, and both German and Japanese authorities had shared intelligence for years due to overlapping criminal routes.

Japanese officers handled the rescue protocol, while the German team immediately began securing data from the equipment.

Every cable and device in the room was evidence of a cross-border crime syndicate tied to the same Revolutionaries Germany had been hunting down for years.

From that point on, the case escalated into an official international incident.

The confirmation of a trafficked victim linked to a Revolutionary supply chain gave Germany the legal grounds to intervene more heavily in Japan, and Gabriel’s involvement had become a direct extension of his duties as a Revenant Knight.

——Yes, report, Knight Gabriel.

"It’s as the corps expected, sir. Some of the rats are hiding in Japan."

——Is that so? There have been confirmed movements in China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam... Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, even the UAE, and parts of Eastern Europe. The network is scattered. They’re embedding themselves into regions with heavy tech infrastructure and weak cyber-crime enforcement. Japan is only one nest.

"The patterns match the gray zone’s method," Gabriel replied. "They move the moment we shut down one cluster. However, this case confirms that they’re also using entertainment platforms as a cover."

——We suspected as much. Your confirmation will help fast-track diplomatic clearance. Germany will not tolerate Revolutionary influence spreading across Asia.

"The rescued victim was alive," Gabriel reported. "Everything points to coordinated trafficking tied to the same suppliers we intercepted in Warsaw."

——Good. Secure all data, then prepare for relocation and continue tracking the chain.

Gabriel lowered his voice. "Understood. What about Lord Schneider?"

——He is not to be involved. Do not drag the Chancellor’s sons into this. The Reichstag already has eyes on Dream Industries’ expansion. Keep him out of your reports unless necessary.

Gabriel nodded. "Yes, sir. I’ll handle the rest."

But was that even possible?

The Knights didn’t know, but Julius was a Directorate officer. A fully qualified operative whose authority, in many cases, superseded even the Revenant Knights.

When it came to intelligence, covert operations, and internal counter-revolutionary work, the Directorate held jurisdiction far above what the Corps could touch.

And Gabriel knew this all too well.

Even if he wanted to keep Julius out of it... the moment Julius sensed Revolutionary involvement, there was no force on earth capable of keeping him on the sidelines.

"Tell me everything."

But for some reason, Julius already knew. That meant someone inside the Revenant Knights had taken the risk of informing him first. Gabriel could only wonder what kind of bold fool had decided to get involved.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Who is it?"

Julius blinked. "Huh?"

"Who leaked the info?" Gabriel repeated, this time with full suspicion. "I know how the Corps works. No one gives early intel without a reason. So who was it?"

Thankfully, they were close enough that he could speak freely and get away with talking back when it mattered. But this wasn’t something Julius could reveal. He couldn’t say it had been Sabine, his sister-in-law, who had contacted him in secret.

Sabine, who hid her identity as a Directorate Commissioner. Sabine, who even kept the truth from her own husband, Julius’s older brother, Jeremy.

There was no universe where Julius would reveal that.

So he only looked away and said, "Probably someone who thought I should know."

"Someone from the Directorate, then."

Julius didn’t answer. Gabriel took the silence for what it was and didn’t push further. Instead, he began laying out the details of the operation.

Julius listened carefully, nodding along until Gabriel finished. Then he turned his head toward him with a deadpan expression.

"So, did you meet her?"

Gabriel blinked. "Who?"

"That VTuber. HikariMeow, wasn’t it?"

"Damn straight."

Julius crossed his arms. "How was it? Was she hot?"

There was a long pause before Gabriel spoke again.

"...It was a guy."

"...."

This was why it was hard to trust the internet these days.

* * *

"Hm~ Hmm~"

Sabine moved through the Directorate office with a light skip in her step while humming a tune. Officers and analysts alike greeted the ever-cheerful Commissioner as she passed.

She returned each greeting with warmth before stopping in front of the Director’s door. With a quiet knock, she pushed it open and stepped inside.

Inside, the Director, Gerhardt Bärwald sat behind his desk while reviewing the latest reports. He looked up the moment she entered the room.

"How may I help you, Commissioner Schneider?" he asked.

Sabine closed the door behind her and practically skipped toward the desk. She dropped a stack of files onto it, then clasped her hands behind her back like a student reporting to her homeroom teacher.

"You look awfully cheerful today," Gerhardt noted, narrowing his eyes. "That usually means extra trouble for me."

"It means good news," Sabine said with a bright smile. "Or... well, news that will eventually become good. It depends on how you look at it."

Gerhardt stared at her, already bracing himself. "What is it this time?"

"Inside those documents, sir," she said cheerfully, "you’ll find my resignation letter."

"...What?"

If she was joking, it was not funny in the slightest.

"Just kidding."

It still wasn’t funny.

"But," she continued, placing both hands behind her back, "I will be taking a long break away from the Directorate for a while."

Gerhardt narrowed his eyes and picked up the form Sabine had presented. He scanned the contents, then froze. When he looked up, his brows raised, surprised enough that even he could not hide it.

"Congratulations, Commissioner," he said. "I was not expecting this."

Sabine’s smile softened. She rubbed her hand gently on her stomach. "Thank you, sir. I know. I wasn’t expecting it either."

"So you’ll be stepping away from field assignments immediately."

"Yes," she said. "I have already filed the necessary paperwork. The leave will be official once you sign."

"And you intend to stay away for the full term?" he asked.

"Mhm. I want a safe pregnancy. And... I think it’s time I allowed myself to rest."

Gerhardt nodded. "It’s the correct decision. You’ve been overworked for years. Consider this mandatory rest, Commissioner Schneider. Take your time. The Directorate will manage. When you are ready, you can return."

She bowed her head politely. "Thank you, Director."

Sabine stepped out of the office and drove home in anticipation. When she entered through the front doors, several servants greeted her politely, offering bows and words of welcome.

Sabine returned their greetings with a gentle nod and handed her coat to one of them before glancing toward the living room.

"Madam Schneider, shall we prepare tea?" one of the maids asked.

"That would be lovely, thank you."

She walked deeper into the house.

"Welcome home, Madam," another servant said as he passed by, carrying an assortment of documents toward Jeremy’s study.

Sabine paused. "Is Jeremy in his room?"

"Not at the moment. Lord Schneider says not to prepare a meal for him, as he’ll be working late again today."

"...Is that so?"

Sabine’s smile faltered subtly, but enough that a stranger wouldn’t have noticed. However, the servants who had watched her grow into the role of Madam Schneider saw the disappointment the way one notices a change in season.

These days, ever since the unveiling of the mech project, Jeremy had been working nonstop. Even at home, he often stayed locked in his study until it was dawn.

Sabine placed a hand over her stomach unconsciously, a gesture she hadn’t realized she’d picked up over the past weeks.

"I see. Thank you."