He drew a deep breath and solemnly, powerfully, proclaimed, “The Long Night is coming. From this day, I shall stand watch, until my death. I will take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crown, win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness, the light at dawn, the fire that burns against the cold, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the New World. I pledge my life and honor to Dawn’s Children, for this night and every night to come!”
His words resonated with everyone present. Allen, Ella, and all the others responded with thunderous applause.
Ella, in particular, wept freely—this was a far deeper love than a simple confession.
Thus, Finn mastered Allen’s “three revolutionary tools”: the Complaint Assembly, the Public Trial, and the Mobilization Rally! He had truly become the Preacher of their ideals!
Next was the mobilization. Ella was the first to raise her hand and join Dawn’s Children, choosing to become Finn’s comrade-in-arms rather than a mere romantic partner.
She had no home left. To crush her hope, the Guild Leader had already told her that her father, deep in gambling debt, had drunk himself to death.
Her family had once owned a flower shop, living a respectable, middle-class life. But the Thieves’ Guild’s schemes had ruined them—she had every reason to take revenge on this vile world.
The story of Ella and Finn inspired the other girls, who joined one after another. Even employees of the Lily Guard, moved by their passion, asked to join as well.
Of course, Hugo, who tried to sneak in, was blocked by Allen.
“What are you doing?” Allen glared at him.
“I’m joining up! Isn’t it obvious?”
Hugo, once a “chivalrous knight” in the original story, now a “Kamen Rider,” looked eager to leap into the fray.
“You’re a sword-bearing noble! You’re supposed to become a count!”
“My family’s about to go bankrupt. Like I care?” Hugo replied, completely unconcerned. “If someone wants to be a noble in this rotten system, they’re welcome to it! Following you is my future. My old man, that fossil, should have been thrown out ages ago!”
“Your family really is a model of father-son affection…”
Fighting side by side with Hugo, Allen had already forged a deep bond of camaraderie.
He acknowledged this villain-turned-hero, who carried the protagonist’s aura, as a true brother.
Though, pulling him in still left Allen a bit…worried.
While this guy was loyal and would never betray the group, Allen always felt this hot-blooded fool would cause trouble sooner or later.
But he knew too many secrets—so whether he wanted him or not, he had to be included.
“Fine, you’re in. But I don’t have any official position to give you, you get it? I can’t play favorites.” Allen shamelessly spread his hands.
But politics is people, and how could Allen not play favorites?
“Doesn’t matter!” Hugo looked at Allen, suddenly serious. “I have no dreams, but I will protect the dreams of others. In the name of Kamen Rider, I will guard the world you want to protect!”
Allen was genuinely moved by this fool. “All right, from now on, we’re real brothers and comrades.”
“Eh?” Hugo’s eyes filled with tears. “So we weren’t real brothers before? Boohoo…”
“We were! We were! Man, your tear ducts are way too weird!”
In the end, Hugo succeeded in “joining on the spot.”
Worried that this guy’s identity might be exposed, Allen decided to ask the Church or the Judgement Court to create a custom high-grade Kamen Rider suit for him.
From now on, he would no longer be a feudal knight, but a true Kamen Rider fighting for humanity.
During the mobilization, there was a small incident: the girl who had been trained as a stand-in for Princess Charlotte saw the Noble Longsword at Allen’s waist—a sword he had confiscated—and suddenly burst into tears.
Allen thought for a moment about where the sword came from and instantly understood.
After Allen had seized this Noble Longsword, he’d used it as a consumable without a second thought, and had grown rather used to it.
Who would have thought this sword would trigger a hidden event?
The Dustfallen who had tried to assassinate Allen at the start was most likely a casualty of noble infighting.
He had joined the cult for revenge, becoming a cultist hunted by all.
His younger sister, meanwhile, had fallen to the status of a high-class slave in the underworld.
One was killed by Allen, the other was saved by him—their fates, so starkly different, truly made one sigh.
Allen handed the sword back to the girl. She stroked the now-damaged blade, choking with sobs. “This is our family’s ancestral sword…”
Sorry, your ancestral sword was ruined by me. It’s all my fault! Well, what can I say? If it’s not your own bicycle, of course you pedal standing up!
Feeling guilty, Allen gently asked, “What is your name?”
“I’m… Olivia de Mortemare.”
Mortemare? Why did that sound so familiar?
Allen tried to recall…
Wait, hold on a second.
Last week, the cultist he’d killed and buried behind the academy had called himself Mortemare…
Wow, fate really is strange, huh!?
Sigh. Since I’ve killed your brother twice, I guess I’ll just take care of your sister myself, no worries.
“Since the sword is in your hands… that means my brother is already dead, isn’t he?” the girl asked calmly, her manner reminiscent of Princess Charlotte’s seriousness.
“That’s right.” Allen admitted frankly, deciding to spin a half-true, half-false story on the spot. “Here’s how it happened…”
He told the tale of that perilous night, when the Crimson Spiral Cult tried to wipe out the Laval House.
Allen’s storytelling was masterful. Soon, even those not involved gathered around to listen.
Like a detective novelist, he focused on the subtle clues, showing how he’d unraveled the cult’s plot and set a trap for the assassin sent by the cult.
He embellished the entire process, making the battle with the Dustfallen sound thrilling—everyone’s hearts were in their throats.
After a fierce fight, the mortally wounded Dustfallen saw the error of his ways. He entrusted the family sword to Allen, hoping Allen would save his lost sister.
But the world was so vast—Allen had tried everything, but could never find the sister’s whereabouts.
Determined to prevent tragedy from repeating, Allen resolved to change the world. He could only fulfill the noble youth’s dying wish in this way.
But fate played a trick on them. After destroying the Thieves’ Guild, Allen had, by sheer accident, found the youth’s sister, Olivia.
The sword had traveled a winding path, but finally returned to its rightful owner.
Allen’s well-intentioned lie made Olivia sob her heart out.
Knowing her beloved brother had died by Allen’s hand, Olivia only became more resolute.
She didn’t hate Allen; her hatred was reserved for the Old World and the wicked high nobles who destroyed her family.
Everyone was moved by this fabricated story, finding new meaning in their own lives.
Olivia had once led a good life—a beautiful noble lady, destined to marry a handsome young noble and live happily ever after.
But under the oppression of Feudal Society, even noble families couldn’t escape destruction.
This well-bred noble girl had ended up as a slave for other nobles to abuse.
To survive, she’d even had to play the part of a princess.
What irony!
“Please, take the sword back.”
Allen was about to get his own Black Sword anyway, so he had no more use for this blade.
Though reluctant, Olivia thought of the miracles Allen had performed, and of the sacred flames the sword had once carried. She shook her head and refused.
“No… You should use it to save more people.”
“I know this sword holds great meaning for you. But precisely because of that, you must face this pain. Even in his final moments, your brother was thinking of you. So please, carry his love with you.”
Olivia was finally convinced, and took back her battered sword.
She decided to restore it, and to heal her own wounded heart.
Looking at this strong-willed girl, Allen suddenly had a bold idea.
“Do you want revenge?”
Olivia wiped away her tears and nodded firmly. “Yes!”
“Then I can give you a chance. Do you want to become a true princess?”
“Eh?” Olivia was surprised.
A true princess? What did he mean?
Allen’s plan was simple: the Laval House would present Olivia as a stand-in for Princess Charlotte, winning the princess’s favor and turning her into the highest-ranking spy—Deep Sea!
Allen explained the plan to Olivia, adding, “From now on, you must forget everything from your past and develop the bearing of a true ruler.”
“Olivia de Mortemare died during the fall of the Thieves’ Guild. You are now our highest-level undercover agent, ‘Deep Sea,’ whose only superior is the Torchbearer Marianne. Are you willing to give up your true identity and accept this difficult mission?”
“I am!”
Olivia accepted without hesitation.
Allen shook her hand solemnly. “The people will remember your sacrifice, Comrade Deep Sea.”
Olivia looked at him with determination. “Yes! I will not fail!”
The mobilization rally stirred everyone deeply. In the end, the overwhelming majority joined Dawn’s Children.
This time, concerned for health and Evil God corruption, Allen decided to use wine instead of blood for the bowl-smashing ceremony.
“With my blood, I forge the Dawn of the New World!”
The slogan echoed through the underground hall, filled with light and hope.
A new chapter of history had begun.