The First King of the North wasn't dead. He lay trapped in the Frozen Seal beneath Snow Mountain Fortress.
The news was so momentous that even Annan rushed around handling it himself, leaving Free City's officials stunned.
After sealing off the news to keep it from spreading, Annan contacted Olin.
"Um... the information I sent you earlier was wrong. Don't read it yet."
Olin stood before the Portal in knight's armor, looking every inch a Valkyrie. After a brief silence, she said, "I haven't read it. When you called me over in such a hurry, I thought you'd heard."
"Heard what?"
"The Blackwatch Legion has been declared traitors. They're to be hanged at the end of the month."
"Outrageous!"
"Hm?"
Olin Montreal—a scion of the Empire's Royal Family and the Montreal Golden Family, a confidante of the Old Ancestor, and commander of the Montreal Mountain Knights' Order—looked at Annan in puzzlement.
"The Blackwatch Legion fought on the front lines, fell into a Chaos ambush, and suffered terrible losses. Instead of honoring them as heroes, they're being smeared as collaborators with Chaos!?"
Olin frowned too. "It was the Judgment Hall's decision. They accused Blackwatch of colluding with Chaos Heretics."
"They're the ones colluding with Chaos! They're the Heretics! Those Vermin can't help with anything. All they do is cause trouble from the rear. How is anyone supposed to govern this country with them around...!"
Olin stared at Annan, who was even angrier than she was and venting without restraint. She was at a loss for words.
"What about Blackwatch's Legion Commander?"
"The Legion Commander was stripped of his post and imprisoned too."
"Your Judgment Hall dares to kill even a Legendary?" At that moment, Annan was more shocked than angry.
"A Legendary is still only a more powerful human. He cannot