The Contest Between the Two Parties, the Silent Rose

The ripples caused by Edmund's death were far greater than anyone had anticipated.

On the second day after Edmund died in the abandoned church, news of his death spread throughout the entire Royal Capital, propelled by some inexplicable force. At first, newspapers merely reported that he had allegedly stolen state secrets, intended to defect to the Allied Forces, and was ultimately executed by a mysterious unit. But after members of the two parties noticed the situation and entered the fray, the narrative surrounding his exact cause of death began to change.

Newspapers published by Old Guard Party members described him as "a good official driven to death and framed by the Reformist Faction," while newspapers published by Reformist Faction members claimed he was "a victim of the Old Guard Party's internal struggles and greed."

However, the one point on which both sides could be considered united was that, regarding Edmund's death, they each insisted that their political opponents were the true masterminds behind it. Yet both sides tacitly avoided mentioning the Magic Pistol or the words Edmund had spoken before his death.

Because once someone dared to raise those matters openly, it would amount to admitting that their own subordinates had been at the scene.

It would also mean admitting that their party had dispatched private troops.

While everyone was curious about Edmund's cause of death, everything that had happened in the abandoned church yesterday had now reached the ears of the various higher-ups as well. "So Edmund had some so-called master behind him?"

As he listened to his deputy's detailed report, Wolf sat in the Cabinet office, repeatedly turning those words over in his mind. His expression remained neither sorrowful nor pleased. From that title alone, Wolf could guess that Edmund had likely not switched sides willingly, but had