Amid the thunderous applause, Julius joined in with the rest of the audience. No matter the lifetime, Aiseline had always possessed the ability to captivate every soul in the room with nothing more than the grace of her bow and the sorrow of her melody.
He was no exception.
It had been the same years ago, when he was only thirteen and she was eighteen. That night, he had attended one of her earliest performances, sitting among strangers who all fell silent at the sound of her violin.
That was the moment his obsession began.
The first time he laid eyes on Aiseline Lieselotte Vergissmeinnicht, the violin prodigy, the woman who would later become his fiancée, and the first time his young, foolish heart had been completely, irreversibly taken.
He attended every one of her performances, even those held overseas. Wherever Aiseline went, Julius followed.
With his status belonging to the Schneider family, doors that were closed to others opened easily for him. Securing a private audience with her was never difficult.
All it took was a request, and the organizers would make the arrangements.
To Aiseline, he was simply an overly curious young fan, perhaps a little spoiled, but harmless all the same.
She had thought him endearing in a way, never realizing how deeply his fascination ran.
But when Julius turned eighteen, everything changed.
An official engagement proposal arrived at the Vergissmeinnicht residence, signed and sealed with the Schneider family crest.
The announcement caught Aiseline off guard, leaving her both confused and uneasy.
And when she hesitated, that discomfort soon turned into fear.
Because Julius forced her hand.
With a single phone call, the Vergissmeinnicht trading company collapsed overnight. And just as swiftly, it was saved again by none other than Julius.
But his aid came with a price.
'Are you going to dismiss my goodwill, Miss Aiseline?'
Cornered, Aiseline had no choice but to accept the engagement. Refusal would have meant financial ruin for both her and her father, a burden even her fame and fortune as a world-renowned musician couldn't shoulder.
After all, in modern Europe, the Schneider family stood among the apex. To cross them was to invite one's own destruction.
"...."
Julius's attention turned toward the rest of the orchestra. He recognized some of them.
Back then, he had despised them, especially the men. Every smile they shared with her had filled him with a deep, irrational rage out of jealousy.
Because of that, he had threatened them. Their families weren't spared either. Musicians withdrew from performances, and some had even disappeared altogether.
And through it all, Julius had convinced himself it was love.
Now, watching from his seat, he shook his head in shame.
In the end, everything he had done didn't matter in the least bit.
Because in his previous life, Aiseline had died, killed by a Glassheart, no less.
When the Revolution reached its peak, the Glasshearts had turned their wrath against all who had built and benefited from the old world.
They slaughtered those who had oppressed and shunned them. Corporations, nobles, conglomerates, and even the Revolutionary Army itself were not spared.
And among those countless victims, Aiseline Lieselotte Vergissmeinnicht had been one of them.
Click. Click. Click.
Julius descended the marble stairs, intending to leave quietly. But the bursts of camera shutters filled the hall, and soon the paparazzi's attention turned toward him.
At first, there was confusion, then realization.
He was the ex-fiancée of the famous performer on stage!
To protect Aiseline's reputation, the tabloids had reported that she was the one who ended their engagement, not him.
Now, with his sudden appearance, the crowd grew curious. Why was he here? Was he still not over her?
Julius ignored all of it. The noise, the flashes, the stares, none of it mattered.
"...."
Because across the stage, his eyes met Aiseline's. It was the first time he had seen her since that one dinner night.
——Mister Schneider, a word, please!
——Mister Schneider, over here!
——Is it true Aiseline was the one who broke off the engagement?!
"...."
Julius didn't even bother responding. He simply raised his hands and began to clap steadily.
"It was a stellar performance, Miss Aiseline," he said. "You truly embody the essence of modern orchestra."
"...."
Aiseline froze, biting her lip as his words reached her.
Without another glance, Julius turned and walked away, his bodyguards following closely as the continuous cameras flashed behind him.
He stepped into the waiting vehicle. The neon city lights blurred past the windows as it glided across the bridge.
Then, his phone buzzed. It was Gabriel.
Julius answered. "What is it?"
——You were right. Anton Blumentritt is nowhere to be seen.
"Is that so?"
——Yeah. I'm heading to your location now. You might be in danger.
"Heh."
At last, Gabriel was beginning to listen.
"It's fine, Gabriel. I can handle it myself."
——You sure?
"Yeah. There's a bigger fish to catch."
——You think that person will show up?
The one they called Nameless.
With the Revenant Knights scattered throughout Berlin, this was the perfect opportunity for Nameless to make a move.
"Head to the concentration camp Adler was sent to—"
——Wait. I just got a report. The camp where Adler was detained… three guards are dead. The entire facility's on lockdown.
Julius's expression darkened. "Then it's begun."
"Young Master," the driver suddenly called out. The car slowed to a stop.
Julius looked up, his eyes narrowing. A massive truck was blocking their path. In the rearview mirror, several vehicles closed in, sealing off any chance of retreat.
"I'll get back to you, Gabriel," Julius said, ending the call.
The doors opened, and the bodyguards stepped out. Their nanotech bodysuits spread across their bodies like liquid metal. Julius followed shortly after, his coat swaying in the cold air.
"Young Master, please stay inside the car—"
"Quiet."
Julius moved forward, eyes narrowing as he scanned the area through SIBYL. A quick overlay filled his vision as he activated SIBYL's heat signature. There were explosives concealed within the truck.
It was clearly a contingency plan in case things went wrong.
He clicked his tongue in irritation. He had been too complacent the last time, forgetting to activate SIBYL's heat sensors. A mistake that had nearly cost him his life.
The truck's doors opened. From one of the nearby vehicles, a man stepped out. It was Anton Diepold Blumentritt.
The bodyguards immediately raised their rifles, aiming straight at him. Anton, however, raised both hands slowly in surrender.
"I'm not here to pick a fight, Mister Schneider."
"State your business," Julius said. "And make it quick while I'm still in a good mood."
Anton lowered his head. "Please… only you can convince them to release Mister Adler."
Julius's eyes narrowed. Anton had heard from Friedemann Adler himself that it was highly likely Julius was the one who had reported him.
Julius raised a hand toward his men. "Lower your weapons."
"Young Master, we can't do that."
"There are explosives inside the truck," Julius said calmly. "Enough to turn this entire bridge into a sea of flames. Right now, we're the ones cornered."
The men exchanged wary glances. One by one, the muzzles of their rifles lowered.
Julius nodded, then fixed his attention on Anton. "You. Come closer. It's proper etiquette to meet the one you wish to speak with face to face."
Inside the nearby vehicles, the men who had come with Anton glared. One of them even advised, "Don't do it, Anton."
Julius ignored the interruption entirely. Anton shook his head and took a few careful steps toward Julius.
"Now," Julius said, meeting Anton face-to-face, "repeat what you wish to say to me."
"Please… convince them to release Mister Adler. He doesn't deserve imprisonment."
"Then, who do you think does?"
"...."
"Do you want me to answer for you?"
Anton's jaw tightened. "...No."
Julius took a step closer, his shadow falling over him. "Then speak. Because as far as I can tell, everyone in your group thinks themselves righteous, but when asked who should pay the price, none of you ever have an answer."
Anton looked away. "We're fighting for something real. For a future that isn't built on our blood."
Julius's expression didn't change. "And how many have you killed for that future?"
"...That's different."
"No," Julius replied. "It's the same. You're just not honest enough to admit it."
"...."
"Tell me, Anton," Julius continued. "How far will you go before you become the very thing you despise?"
"I…"
The rest never came.
———!
Because the very next moment, the truck behind them suddenly collapsed with a heavy crash. Streams of electric light coursed across its surface as Electrites spread rapidly, dismantling the explosives attached to it.
Throughout the entire conversation, nanite drones had been operating under the truck, moving at Julius's command through SIBYL's guidance.
"Don't mess with me! Schneider—"
Sizzle——
Before Anton could finish, a sharp hiss split the air. In an instant, blood splattered across the ground, followed by a wet thud.
"...."
Anton froze. His pupils trembled as he looked down. His arm, severed cleanly from the shoulder, was on the concrete beside him.
"...."
Julius watched him with cold indifference, gripping a red photon saber in his hand.