Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
「Citizens of Garurujan! Quiet please! Quiet please!」
A large group of citizens who heard about that 「execution」 gathered at the steps on the third level leading up to the fourth. Those without permission may not enter this area. Mitokazuruku rushed there, and questions flooded him.
「Many of you must have heard news about the executions just now! Everyone must understand after learning this fact! The national army has gone mad!」
Feeling the stir amongst the citizens, the man continued.
「Do you understand? They are using the lives of the people they should protect as a weapon! To force us to surrender in fear── this atrocity cannot be tolerated! They are using the name of the young Empress to commit this act of terror, they are the real treasonous army in all sense of the word!」
He emphasized that he was on the side of justice and tried to put the citizens at ease without a concrete plan. The man tried his best to divert everyone’s attention.
「But I won’t lose to them! I will resist the atrocity against the rebel army and protect everyone’s lives! I will not let the enemy step into Garurujan city, so don’t worry!」
It was an empty promise, but paired with his charismatic appearance, his words soothed the citizens a little. But it was impossible to fudge things through with just that, and questions flooded in when he paused.
「But, what about the executions?」「Who will be executed this time!?」「I have relatives in Zueri town...!」
「Calm down! Please calm down, everyone!」
He didn’t say anything other than that. When the citizens got tired of shouting, Mitokazuruku intentionally paused. When speaking to an excited crowd, feeling the breathing of the group and talking during the gaps was key. Seizing the instant the crowd quiet down, he spoke again:
「──Don’t be fooled! The enemy’s goal is to waver your hearts like this! They want to disrupt our unity and make us collapse from the inside! Don’t fall for their despicable schemes! Don’t give up!」
The man said as he thumped on his thick chest. With this signature move to make himself more prominent, Naian Mitokazuruku announced loudly.
「Please leave this to me! I, Mitokazuruku, promise you that I will bring the best results! Just like I have always done, I will protect the peace of this city and province! Please believe me and bear with it for now...!」
「Start firing! Don’t let the enemy come near!」
The explosion of compressed air echoed out loud. The garrisoned Garurujan soldiers engaged from behind cover against the incoming Imperial army.
「But Captain… What’s the purpose of that thing?」
One soldier asked. Within their sights were wooden catapults seven to eight times longer than an average male adult. They were lined up more than 100 metres away.
「There were only three large catapults near the outer walls and a handful of infantry. It’s too small a force for a diversion.」
「I know, but we can’t ignore it either.」
The Captain couldn’t discern the intentions of the enemy either. As he watched with suspicious eyes, the vertical catapult slowly bent with a creak.
「It’s going to fire! All units on guard!」
Shortly after that warning, three heavy objects flew over with the sound of the wind. It barely cleared the outer walls and fell behind the soldiers in an arc.
「Check the area that got hit! Damage report!」 The soldiers nearby immediately sprint to the landing spot and return in less than two minutes.
「There is no damage to lives or property! The projectile aren’t rocks nor munition!」
「What? Then what did they throw over here?」
「Please wait. It’s covered by many layers of leather, we are not sure what’s inside yet...」
「Be careful. It might be the carcass of animals, meant to spread diseases.」
Reminding his men to stay on guard, the captain walked to the landing point. The soldiers carefully cut open the leather and gasped when he saw what was inside.
「Yes── it’s bones.」
「What?」
「It appears to be three skulls and… large amounts of human bone fragments...」
Hesitant to touch and confirm the contents, the soldier reported what he saw to his superior. At this moment, he discovered another strange thing.
「── Please wait. There’s something inside the mouth of the skull… A folded piece of parchment?」
The soldier pulled it out with the tips of his fingers and laid it out on the ground. After browsing through the words on the paper, he fell silent again.
「Hey, don’t stay quiet, read it out loud.」
「...『These are the remains of the accomplices in Kanuha village. If you fail to open the city gates, you will suffer the same fate』...」 The contents reported by his subordinate made the Captain twist his lips angrily.
「They are threatening us again... throw it away!」
「P-Please wait! If these are the remains of the accomplices, there might be citizens who are friends with them. It would be inappropriate to treat this lightly.」
「Tch... It’s crush too finely to determine whose bones are these.」
The Captain clicked his tongue because he couldn’t take this lightly. The soldiers investigating the other spots rushed over at this time.
「We have checked the other two landing spots. Aside from the names of the village on the parchment, the contents are the same.」
「... Gather all of them and put them to one corner. Inform the Generalissimo and seek his advice.」
The Captain ordered after a long sigh. Remembering something, he turned to his subordinates nearby.
「Hey, do not tell the citizens about this, it will just stir up unrest. Understand?」
The soldiers nodded profusely. However── it was impossible to shut all of their mouths. He tried to conceal the information with his authority as the onsite commander, but there were too many people who knew the contents of the projectiles.
「... Have you heard? They threw bones at us this time.」
That night, news of the bones had spread to the citizens. Since they were staying in the same city, the soldiers and civilians would naturally interact with each other. Not just that, the truth was twisted with each iteration.
「It’s filled with bones, right? The numbers don’t match the people they executed. They killed people in other places too.」
「Is it true that they are treating us as part of the rebellion? We just happen to be living in this city, this can’t be right?」
No one could answer that question. As the air grew heavier inside the bar, the citizens drowned themselves with beer to forget their worries.
「... The city is getting gloomier with each passing day.」
The situation in the city grew too big to be ignored and was reported to the commander. With his concubine Niam serving him, Mitokazuruku groaned with his arms crossed and face bitter.
「I never expect this to happen. I’m confident of handling any attacks, but they are focusing only on wavering the hearts of the masses...」
「Not just the citizens, panic is spreading amongst the troops too. I have to admit, these acts are effective against the rank and file who didn’t have the resolve to become a rebel.」
Metrache’s words fleshed out the seriousness of the situation. Niam glared at the strategist who made her master suffer, then leaned close to the man with a seductive smile.
「Lord Mitokazuruku, please cheer up...」
「Shut up, Niam, you are useless here.」
Mitokazuruku harshly admonished his concubine, and Metrache’s lips showed a clear sense of superiority.
「Pardon me for interrupting, I have a proposal in mind. To change the heavy atmosphere brought on by bad news, the simplest way would be to bring good news. Why don’t we switch from defence to offence and score a victory?」
「── Not bad. But, can it be done?」
「I think it’s possible. The enemy must be assuming that we will be defending the fortress stubbornly, so the defences of their camp must be relaxing gradually, there are weak spots everywhere. One of them is the resource depot to the northeast of the city.」
Metrache explained as she pointed to the map of the surrounding areas on the table.
「We will launch a fierce attack under the cover of night. We can seize their provisions for our own use, and the heavy blow against the enemy will encourage the citizens. More importantly ──」
「── We can show the citizens that we will not stand idly by like sheep to the slaughter.」
The man evaluated the plan, nodded, then turned to the strategist to give his order.
「I permit the execution of this plan. You will have full command of this operation, Metrache.」
「By your leave.」
Metrache accepted the order with a salute. Right now, the grudgeful gaze of the concubine made her happier than anything else.
「──Is the security at the place I designated relaxed?」
「Yes, it is proceeding as Your Majesty decreed.」
Torway Remeon answered the Empress from a kneeling position. Inside the large tent set up for one person alone, the jade-eyed youth conversed with the monarch with absolute authority behind the silk curtain.
「If they are quick, it will be tonight, they will attack that place sooner or later. Welcome them as we already planned.」
「Tonight... Huh.」
「That is quite possible. Their strategist is eager to earn war merits.」
Quiet laughter came from the other side of the curtain. Torway didn’t move his lowered gaze.
「You all mentioned that Mitokazuruku has two kinds of adjutant, a strategist and a concubine── which of the two do you think will yearn to make a mark for herself?」
The youth thought quietly at that question. This probably involved the delicate relationships between man and woman── he knew he couldn’t give a witty answer to questions of such nature.
「You don’t know? It’s the strategist. The concubine can earn favour with her master every night, but that isn’t true for the strategist. If she wants to attract the attention of her superior, she can only do so by winning victories during a war.」
I see. Torway said after figuring that out. This wasn’t just the relationships between man and woman. The youth changed his mind and lamented his own incompetence.
「Hence, the strategist on that side is very thirsty, and will probably jump right into our trap.」
The jade-eyed youth nodded in agreement. The stern gaze pierced him through the curtain.
「Don’t be stingy with the bait, cast them all out. Just pretend that you got tricked, and those guys will carry their spoils of war back to their nest ── without knowing that it has been poisoned.」
Same day, late night. The proposed plan by Metrache went off without a hitch, without any resistance. Metrache left the pillaging of resources to her subordinates, then went to the Commander’s Office with brisk steps to report the success of the mission to the commander.
「The attack was an easy triumph. They really relaxed their guard. Before the enemy forces could mass and retaliate, we took off with all their resources.」
The strategist reported with feigned calmness. Mitokazuruku’s face was filled with glee when he heard that and hugged his adjutant.
「Well done, Metrache! A splendid result, this will improve the mood of the citizens too.」
「Thank you for your compliments.」
Metrache answered with a mesmerized expression while she was held by thick and strong arms. He leaned to her ear and whispered.
「Come to my room later for your reward.」「...Yes.」
Metrache nodded, backed away, saluted and left the Commander’s Office. Someone happened to be standing at a corner of the corridor with a stiff face.
She locked eyes with the 「Concubine」.
「What is it, Niam? Why are you just standing there, aren’t you going to show off your charm?」
「...!」
The taunted Niam pursed her lips and glared back. Metrache smiled confidently and met her gaze.
「That’s just fine. You seem to have forgotten that this is a battlefield ── A cat in heat can just tremble in a corner, don’t get in the way.」
After gloating at the part that hurt her the most, she left the place gleefully.
Same time, different place. Some presence appeared amongst the large amount of cargo captured on Metrache’s instructions.
「──The voices outside have lessened.」
「Good, everyone get out.」
The Imperial soldiers hiding in the cargo broke out of the crates and sacks from the inside. After picking up the weapons stored together with them in the crates, they formed up by section level, and all men were accounted for.
「Don’t let the sentry detect us and blend right into the city.」
After pushing the empty crates into the deep corner to not let anyone notice, they slipped out of the warehouse quietly. A platoon of 40 soldiers disappeared into the darkness.
Two weeks later, contrary to Mitokazuruku’s expectations, the atmosphere in Garurujan city worsened.
「Another execution today...」「If this goes on, we will...」「Are my relatives living in the towns safe?」
The executions visible from the outer walls and the throwing of bones via catapult continued every day. And that wasn’t the only thing making the citizens waver.
「──We will all die if we left things to Lord Mitokazuruku!」
The shouting of alarmists echoed in the streets. Ever since the strategist Metrache seized the national army’s supply depot, people making such seditious speeches started appearing all over the city.
They were agents disguised as traveling merchants, wandering priests or beggars. It was easy for outsiders to sneak into a city with such a huge human traffic. After infiltrating the city by hiding in the cargo, their first mission was to incite the citizens to liberate the city.
「Hey, don’t say that.」「The patrols will hear you.」「But if this goes on...」
They were active in the underground scene, but they didn’t do anything special aside from voicing out the unease everyone was already feeling. Just by doing that, they changed the atmosphere in the city. For the group doing the inciting, the people who harbour a vague sense of danger and lack autonomy was frighteningly easy to manipulate.
「──Hey～ How about this? We can be the ones to open the city gates.」
After their unease raised to a certain level, they were finally willing to commit to a specific course of action. At this time, the citizens felt that this proposal felt very real. They had been groomed enough to consider such an idea.
「Gather more people and head to the north gate where the road is wide. If we protest as a large group, the soldiers will let us through. After all, we are not in the wrong, right? No, not just that, Lord Mitokazuruku starting a revolt and dragging us down with him is troubling. We will get executed if we get involved, what kind of joke is that?」
Without agreeing or disagreeing, the citizens looked around them to watch the other people’s reactions. And then ── what the agent said pushed the timid group to make up their mind.
「There’s no need for everyone to flee, those who want to stay can stay. Even if we run, it won’t affect the combat potential of the city, so you don’t need to think you are betraying Lord Mitokazuruku. Isn’t it the same if we support him from outside the city? Am I wrong?」
After using an excuse to neutralize their sense of guilt, he gave them the final push to carry out their plan. When the mob’s mentality reached this stage, the result would be the same even if they were left alone. After the mob mentality of the citizens took over, they reached the conclusion that the agent was guiding them to.
「Inform as many people as you can and we will take action tomorrow evening.」
The next day, the incident happened as planned.
「Generalissimo Sir! The citizens who wish to leave the city are flooding towards the northern gates!」
Metrache rushed into the Commander’s Office and shouted. Mitokazuruku groaned with his head in his hands.
「Impossible, the citizens are getting impatient too fast...! Convince the mob and get them to disperse! It’s impossible for us to open the gates under such circumstances!」
「I already tried, but the citizens are too riled up and refuse to listen. They can’t even hear my voice because of all the noise...」
The strategist said in shame. The man looked down the streets with rage.
「Enough, I will go! If I speak to them, the citizens will ──」
「...? No, that’s too dangerous Your Excellency!」
Metrache blocked the path of her irate superior and said agitatedly.
「It has been quite a long time since we garrisoned this fortress, so there is a chance the enemy has infiltrated the city! This might be a trap to lure you out, Your Excellency. If you show up before the citizens, you might get sniped by a Wind Gun...!」
「Tch...!」
Mitokazuruku understood the danger and twitched his face. Before he could throw his temper, Metrache decided on a course of action.
「... I will handle the citizens, please stay in the Commander’s Office.」
With that, she left the Commander’s Office immediately without waiting for a reply. At that point ── she saw Niam standing at the same spot by the corridor as the last time she met her.
「──Isn’t that your fault～?」
The 「concubine」 asked the 「strategist」 passing by before her teasingly.
「Lord Mitokazuruku didn’t notice, but you know that the enemy might have infiltrated the city, don’t you?」
「......」
「It’s during that time, right? When you seized the enemy’s provisions and brought it back, the enemy hid in there too. The defences of the supply depot was weak to lure you in, and you got tricked, thinking you accomplished a big victory.」
Niam pointed out her opponent’s mistake with a giggle, and Metrache hung her head with her fists clenched tight.
「...I can’t refute that. If you want me to apologize, I will ── But Niam, I have something more important to ask of you.」
Suppressing her pride painfully, she pleaded with the opponent she detest the most.
「After I go to the north gate, please stop Lord Mitokazuruku. I took on this mission, but it will be difficult to convince the citizens… He might get impatient and try to go there personally.」
「You want me to stop him? Hmm～ Well～」
「Please! You want to protect him, just like I do, right?」
Metrache bowed and pleaded with her. Niam opened her eyes wide at the sight of Metrache putting her pride aside, then sighed with a shrug.
「To be frank, I think Lord Mitokazuruku’s luck is out.」
「...... Huh?」
The confused 「strategist」 asked her. Niam suddenly changed her tone.
「We were all excited when we defended this fortress in the beginning, but the situation has turned on its head now. Even if we make it past for a few more days, he will lose sooner or later. My senses are really keen for things like this.」
「What... did you say...?」
「I’m talking about what will happen after we lose. Both of us need to think about our future.」
Before she heard everything, Metrache already moved. Her slap towards Niam’s face was easily dodged since Niam already saw it coming.
「Shameless! How dare you say that in front of my face...!」
「Oh～ how ferocious. That’s why straight-laced people are such a pain～」
Niam pulled over with a joke, then sighed.
「Let me say this first, don’t try to use what I said to tell on me. Even if you try, I will just insist that you made that accusation up. That will just worsen His Excellency’s mood.」
「......!」
「Conversely, I won’t tell him that you are the one who let the enemy infiltrate in. So we are even.」
Niam offered a secret deal, which made Metrache ground her teeth and avert her eyes away.
「... I will get my subordinate to stop His Excellency. I was a fool to ask you.」
「Yes yes～ work hard then, even though it’s probably a waste of effort.」
Niam waved, trying to convince herself that wasn’t true.
The 「strategist」 started walking along the corridor again.
「Don’t come any closer!」「Stay back! Stay back, back──!」
At the gates on the north side of the city, the soldiers were forced to face the citizens swarming in with their luggage. The crowd who had gathered here since the morning grew larger with time and completely flooded the road before the gates.
「Oh no, there’s even more people now!」「We can’t stop them, what should we do!?」
The soldiers pushing the mob back wailed. Seeing the situation deteriorate, the commander made the decision after careful consideration.
「There’s no choice, fire warning shots! Fire into the sky!」
The soldiers aimed their unloaded Wind Guns and fired into the air in unison. The sound of compressed air explosion made the citizens in the front reeled back in fear, but it didn’t have much effect on the people behind. The spooked citizens traded places with those behind them, and the mob pushed forth with the same energy as before.
「No good, the gunshot was drowned out by the noise...!」「There’s no deterrent effect at all!」
The soldiers clicked their tongues at the ineffectiveness of that move. They had long past the stage where they could settle this with warning shots. Unless they brought out Blast Cannons, it would be impossible to use that method.
Metrache who returned to the chaotic scene felt a chill at the situation that deteriorated so fast and gave out instruction.
「We don’t have enough people to deal with so many civilians, call for more back up! You lot, form a human chain before the gate! And don’t let them near the gate control device!」
Seeing that it was impossible to block the entire mob, Metrache identified the key places to protect and concentrated her forces there. But the soldiers immediately questioned her orders.
「Can we act so passively? The civilians are agitated, I don’t see this ending without bloodshed ──」
「No! Avoid harming the civilians, this is the Generalissimo’s orders!」
The woman shook her head firmly. The citizen’s support was the foundation of Mitokazuruku’s power, so Metrache drew the line that couldn’t be crossed. It would be all over if the citizens deserted him ── as an officer based in a province, this knowledge was drilled deep into her heart.
「Only open fire if someone tries to activate the control switch! If we defend that place, the gate won’t open no matter how many of them there are ──」
Midway through her orders, she heard a loud alarm coming from the opposite direction ── from the city centre.
「── What’s going on?」
Before long, a confused messenger came running.
「E-Enemy attack──! Large enemy units are approaching the city! Especially to the south, they are launching a large scale attack with siege weapons!」
「What──」
She was speechless for a few seconds before her face twisted from regret.
「The timing is too good. This is their ploy...! I retract my order, send the reinforcements to the south gate! We can’t waste time on these citizens right now!」
「What should we do here!? We can’t leave them be!?」
「Leave a platoon to guard the gate control device and continue firing warning shots into the air from the top of the gates. There aren’t many citizens willing to brave a hail of bullets, so use this method to keep them at bay!」
Metrache issued this final order before heading south to deal with the enemy attacks ── However, she missed out on one thing. The soldiers weren’t just dealing with civilians.
「Look, that’s the device to open the gates! Let’s charge to that place!」
Shortly after Metrache left the gates, the civilians who noticed the control device on the walls started targeting that spot. The ones coercing them were the national army soldiers who infiltrated into the city.
「Stay back! My superior gave permission for me to fire, anyone who comes will eat a bullet!」
The soldiers defending the control device had to raise their guns. Seeing the guards forming ranks to protect the device, it was clear they didn’t want to let anyone through, which made the citizens erupt from displeasure.
「What? Are you kidding me!?」「Let us out! Return us our freedom!」「We have women and children with us!」
With all the attention on the citizens protesting loudly, the national army soldiers realized that this was their chance.
「── Good, do it.」
With that order, they poke the barrels of their guns out from the wall of people ── and pull the trigger.
「Shyaa──!」「...! Gwahh!」「...What...?」
The soldiers on the stairs squatted down after getting hit. They thought they just had to deal with civilians and couldn’t deal with the sudden change of events.
「E-Enemy attack──! Those guys have Wind Guns!」「Return fire! Return f── Hyaa?」
Covering fire from a different angle hit the city guards who hesitated a few seconds before starting their attacks. Seeing their comrades got hit one after another, the soldiers opened their eyes wide from surprise.
「The shooting isn’t just coming from the front!」「Damn it, where? Where are they aiming from?」
They frantically scanned the area, but it was in vain. The snipers laying down suppressive fire were on a tree 40 m away, and a roof 60 m away.
Since this was an Imperial Fortress City, the national army naturally knew the layout of Garurujan. The soldiers also knew the gate control device was beside the gate and already had a detailed plan to suppress that area when they were in hiding.
The device was deep inside the wall, but the guards on the stairs were exposed to gun fire. The plan had a 50% chance of success once the agents infiltrated the city, and that had risen to 100% now. The national army was already sure that the enemy would be at a disadvantage.
「The return fire has stopped── Quickly, move in!」
When the sniping dealt a great deal of damage, the assault team mixed into the mob charged in. The enemy soldiers who retreated to the walls out of fear of being shot couldn’t deal adequately with this attack. They were already faltering from before and got wiped out in less than a minute.
「Suppression complete. How’s the control device?」
「We have secured it! Opening the gates immediately!」
「Hurry! Guide our allies into the city now!」
Ten of the soldiers turned the huge windlass and the tightly closed gates started to creak.
On the other end, the pudgy youth was watching this scene with a battalion of men outside the city.
「Major Matthew, the gates are opening!」
「Yes, the infiltration team did great── sapper team, set up wedges in front of the gates! The other soldiers are to cover them!」
The soldiers immediately started assaulting the city. The sappers rushed through the shots fired from the walls to the half-opened gates, and erected two metre tall wooden wedges on either end of the gates while the infantry protected them
「There are lots of people inside the gate! The attacking unit will hold and let the fleeing citizens out first! There are wedges under the gates, so it won’t close so easily!」
The mob of civilians rushed out as Matthew issued his order. Afraid of hurting the civilians by mistake, the enemy soldiers on the walls didn’t fire while the mob was fleeing.
「Most of the civilians are out! The shooting from the walls have ceased!」
「Good, charge! Go right into the urban districts!」
The moment the crowd cleared away, the civilians exit turned into the entrance for Matthew’s unit. When the army breached the gates, the fall of the Fortress City Garurujan was just a matter of time.
「W-What’s going on?」
The ruler of the city watched the scene leading to the end of his ambitions.
「The northern gate has been breached… The national army is in the city!?」
Mitokazuruku shouted hysterically, and his staff officers reported to him with cramped faces:
「R-Right now, our forces are engaging the enemy on the 1st and 2nd level. However, most of our forces had been diverted to the south, so we are outnumbered in the city...」
「Defending the zones below the 2nd level is hopeless… We should pull back our forces and consolidate on the upper levels.」
「Where! Where can we set up a defence line!?」
「G-Given the current situation… We should consider foregoing the 3rd level and defend the upper levels...」
The staff officers answered with cold sweat on their brows, and what they said made Mitokazuruku feel dizzy.
「Only the 4th and 5th levels...? We lost all the urban districts, so that’s half of the city!?」
Before he realized it, most of his organs had been seized. He felt a sense of vertigo as he desperately searched for a way to survive.
「Anyway, recall the forces in the south to the upper levels! Since they have infiltrated the urban districts, there’s no point in defending the gates! We have to secure a defence line and rally our forces!」
When they heard that order, the staff officers looked at each other sheepishly. 「Our units in the southern outer walls are under attack from the enemy that breached the northern walls, and is locked in battle...」
「We want to recall them back, but we don’t know how many can make it back...」
They couldn’t even pull their remaining forces back. When he learned of that fact, Mitokazuruku who couldn’t even struggle any more stood there stiffly.
「...Hey～ You lot. Could this be a──」
The man looked down the streets of Garurujan through the window and asked as he watched the familiar scene before him:
「── lost cause?」
None of his staff officers said anything, and their silence was the answer.
The battle ended at noon. When the national army entered the urban districts from the north, the isolated unit who lost contact with their headquarters surrendered one by one. The forces in the south gate who resisted to the end gave up when they saw a white flag raised in their headquarters.
「There’s a gun on your back, don’t think about doing anything funny.」
Metrache who was commanding the forces at the south gate was taken prisoner after they surrendered. Matthew instructed his men to raise their guns and walked to her back.
「... You are young for an officer. Are you the battalion commander?」
「I’m Major Matthew Tetzirich. I will be grateful if you don’t mention my age.」
The youth answered with an annoyed face. Metrache understood when she heard that.
「I see, so you are a member of the 『Knights Corp』, huh... After joining the group that won in the last civil war, you have made it big. It makes me envious.」
「You are not actually qualified to be mocking me.」
「That’s right. I’m just ranting about sour grapes.」
Feeling disappointed about herself for failing to even be sarcastic, Metrache sighed deeply. As they walked up the stairs to the upper levels of the city, she asked again.
「Where are you taking me? If possible, can you tell me if Lord Mitokazuruku is safe?」
「You will probably see your superior officer later. But I can’t guarantee his safety.」
The youth answered emotionlessly. The 「strategist」 eyes turned sharp.
「... What do you mean by that?」
「Because it will depend on what Her Majesty decides... So brace yourself for the worst.」
Matthew remained cold. His tone wasn’t overtly threatening, and that gave Metrache goose bumps. She could feel from the youth’s back that he was trying to accept something against his will.
They reached the 3rd level as they spoke and stopped before a house that the national army had commissioned for their use.
「Major Matthew Tetzirich, is here with the enemy commander’s adjutant, Major Metrache Lance── to seek an audience with Her Majesty.」
The slightly plump youth stepped into the house first. Metrache followed him in, and felt a chill she had never felt before assault her.
「Good work, Major Matthew── Is that woman the 『strategist』?」
The soldiers were standing stiffly by the sides as the girl’s loud voice echoed out clearly. The girl was seated in a temporary throne at the deepest part of the house.
Empress Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik. She was wearing a dark coat decorated with silver and gold accessories like stars in the night sky, and the crown passed down the royal family for generations. She had grown taller after reaching the age of 16, her child-like features had matured into an intelligent and beautiful face. The Empress had a military sabre on her left waist, and after wearing it for two years, it no longer seemed out of place for her stature.
「Y-Your Majesty...」
And the thing that pressured those who seek an audience the most was the cruel smile on her lips and hellfire light in her eyes. Metrache even felt the illusion of those eyes scorching her, and her knees started to shake.
The Empress in a dark coat looked down at the prisoner as if she was looking at an ant on the verge of death and asked:
「Who gave this woman permission to raise her head in my presence?」
Metrache didn’t realize her discourtesy before the throne, so Matthew grabbed her shoulder and forced her to kneel. After going through the barebones ceremony for an audience, the Empress spoke again:
「Metrache Lance. I will be questioning you personally, only answer my questions.」
「... Yes, My Liege...」
Feeling her throat turn dry, Metrache managed to squeeze out this answer. At this moment, two people were pulled up from the side. She was familiar with the both of them ── The Commander Naian Mitokazuruku and the 「concubine」 Major Niam Nei.
「First question. Is this man your superior officer?」
The Empress asked from her throne. After analyzing the situation frantically, Metrache carefully answered.
「... Indeed, this is my superior officer, Sir Naian Mitokazuruku.」
「Good. Second question, is this woman your colleague?」
She pointed to the other person and asked. Metrache could only answer directly.
「... She is staff officer Major Niam Nei. L-Like me, she is... Sir Mitokazuruku’s adjutant.」
She was stuttering, but Metrache still answered. When she heard that, the Empress shifted her gaze away as if she had lost interest.
「Good. Your questioning is over── Major Matthew, stuff her mouth.」
The pudgy youth grabbed Metrache as order and covered her mouth. She almost started to panic, but when she heard the youth plead 「Please don’t struggle and stay still」, she instinctively realized that the youth was cautioning her.
She realized that she can’t make any mistakes, or she won’t live to see tomorrow.
「Well then, Naian Mitokazuruku. Remember what I just said?」
The Empress turned to the self declared Generalissimo. Metrache didn’t know what the Empress meant but realized that they were conversing before she got here. Kneeling before the Empress, Mitokazuruku stayed silent with cold sweat on his face.
「If you don’t remember, then I will repeat myself ── if you give up your life, I will spare the two of them. If you choose to let them die, I will spare you. That’s what I said.」
Metrache was at a loss as she looked up at the Empress, but Matthew behind her held her down. After a brief pause, Mitokazuruku squeezed out his voice:
「... Your Majesty, please don’t go too far with your jokes...」
「Oh. Does it look like a joke to you?」
The Empress answered and her smile deepened slightly. Just that was enough to make Mitokazuruku feel that he had taken one step towards death, and he frantically took action.
「... Let me explain! Your Majesty, please give me a chance to explain!」「Granted, speak.」
She accepted easily. Knowing this was his last chance, the man started speaking loudly:
「──I, loyal vassal of Empress Chamille, am Naian Mitokazuruku! I only raise in revolt out of concern for Your Majesty! The rebel army is ravaging our nation by abusing your good name, and out of false fealty! My only wish is to chase those traitors away from your tailcoat!」
His desperate self-defence rang out in the room. The Empress watched with the cheerful expression of someone seeing a clown’s performance.
「How intriguing. You are calling the army I command a rebel army?」
「Pardon me for saying so, but yes.」
「Let me ask you then, what’s your rationale for labelling them as a rebel army?」
Mitokazuruku answered his Master’s question without pause.
「Allow me to explain. After witnessing the circumstances of this battle, it was clear how deplorable the officers of the rebel army claiming to be the national army are. They used the citizens they should be protecting as tools of war, and felt no shame about such a despicable action.」
Matthew who was behind Mitokazuruku turned pale at that. It wasn’t clear if Chamille knew how he reacted; the Empress continued asking cheerfully:
「Using the citizens as tools of war? What do you mean specifically?」
「First, the horrible public executions that struck fear into the hearts of the Garurujan citizens. It is clear how foolish that is, and the so-called accomplices are innocent citizens put to death by collective punishment. The poor residents of Garurujan just happened to be in the city when I started my revolt, but they were labelled as traitors and their kin were slain by association. This is an incomprehensible act of tyranny and brutality.」
The man continued talking as if he was being chased. This wasn’t a figure of speech; he had bet everything on this chance to explain. He deeply believed that the girl before her didn’t know about the evil nature of her vassals and was pushed onto her role of figurehead.
「Furthermore, they acted like devils when they catapulted the remains of the executed into the city. If they had a shred of respect for the dead, they wouldn’t have done something so barbaric. I don’t know who thought of this plan, but for it to be carried out without any objections fills me with dread.」
Every single word he used was dripping with hatred towards the act of brutality. Mitokazuruku exhausted his vocabulary, showcasing his glib of the tongue in this desperate battle.
「An army without ethical judgement is no longer an army, but a demon nest! The demonic nature of the man who is disguising as your loyal vassal is dangerous, and it pains me to see you being tricked into acting as his figurehead! Please open your eyes, Your Majesty!」
Mitokazuruku shouted with blood shot eyes. And then, the Empress who could no longer stand the amusing theatrics said:
「I’m the one who proposed these two plans.」
Time froze for that man. The delusion inflating in his heart started cracking because of what she said.
「──Huh?」
「The public execution and catapulting of the remains, both of those schemes are thought up and carried out on my orders. But I see now ── they are acts of the devil in your eyes?」
「Huh── Ahh... Ughh...」
With his assumption overturned, Mitokazuruku was tongue tied. In a sense, he was a pure person. Up until this instant, he unconditionally believed that his monarch had a wholesome sense of judgement.
「Let me ask you then, what’s so wrong about the Empress using the lives of her citizens as tools?」
She questioned the foundation of his argument. With her hand on her breasts, the Empress continued:
「I’m the reigning Empress of the Katjvarna Empire. The 20 million citizens, everything on my land, even the tiniest blade of grass belongs to me. So, who can chastise me on how to use them? You mourn the death of innocent citizens whose lives have been used by me. I slapped away the hands of the officers with righteous minds like you and personally fanned the flames of war ── isn’t that all there is to it?」
Every action of the Empress was announcing that she felt no guilt at all. The girl held her chin with her hand, as if she thought of something and said to the speechless Mitokazuruku.
「Oh right── there’s also god. The Four Great Sprites don’t belong to me, they belong to god. I see, so it’s not unreasonable for you to question my authority. Regrettably, I still don’t know of any way to take possession of god.」
She looked irately at the sky beyond the ceiling before returning her gaze to the man.
「Well then, are you a god, Naian Mitokazuruku?」
「────」
「You are not. A god won’t defend his actions ── then you are my property. A property that has one foot in the garbage bin. Don’t think so highly of yourself, retard.」
Her eyes of contempt pierced that man. Realizing that his all-out verbal defence had failed, Mitokazuruku stared at the floor blankly.
「This is wasting my time. Enough, I will tell you the conclusion of your earlier question.」
The Empress had enough of the clown’s performance and returned to the topic.
「There’s no need to consider too much. The Empire can maintain order as long as someone is punished for the crime. The three of you can take the punishment together ── unfortunately, the Empire is starving for talent right now, and officers who have graduated from the Military Academy are valuable. I want to cut out the rot, but that should be kept to a minimum.」
She suddenly switched to a very pragmatic subject, which gave Mitokazuruku’s brain some leeway to think. His fate wasn’t sealed ── He forced himself to think that way and listened carefully to the Empress.
「I will let you decide, Mitokazuruku. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to judge with a perspective of a soldier, right? Let you live, or let your two adjutants live── You just need to consider the choice which will serve the Empire the best.」
And finally, she gave him two options. After his swing and miss just now, Mitokazuruku could no longer spare the effort to overturn the question.
「State your answer, Mitokazuruku. What will it be?」
The moment he was urged to answer, his brain froze. Since his only choice was to answer, he just needed to be honest with himself ── And the words came out easily from his mouth.
「── I will offer their lives. Do what you will with them.」
His life was irreplaceable. That was Naian Mitokazuruku’s conclusion.
「Niam, Metrache, don’t beg for your lives. At least make yourself useful at the very end.」
The man glared at his adjutants, and warned with an urgent tone ── In that instant, something inside the「strategist」, who was watching all this, shattered. She pushed Matthew’s hand on her mouth away, and said at the risk of death:
「── My Lord, what do you mean by begging for my life?」
The woman said to the back of her superior officer with a trembling voice:
「I gave my life to you. I have always been telling you that, when I’m in service to you, in admiration of you ── and when I’m in your arms.」
Memories of the past flashed across her mind as Metrache blinked away her tears. However── what pained her wasn’t that those days were over.
「I’m willing to accept being your stepping stone if you get to live. I have always been willing.
But── you don’t even believe the promise I made to you? And you are doubting until the very end that I will change my mind? You are treating Niam and me on the same level and warn me not to betray you!?」
What she couldn’t stand was the days she spent with him being tarnished. For the man that she loved so deeply to doubt her.
「W-What am I to you? A strategist? A concubine? Or── a useless chess piece that couldn’t serve as either?」
The man didn’t answer. Seeing that the time was ripe, the Empress signalled Matthew to take Metrache’s hand and walk to the entrance. She resisted desperately as she asked sadly to the man who was growing further away from her:
「Please answer me, Lord Mitokazuruku──」
Not relaxing the strength, he was exerting was the only way Matthew could show his gentleness. The door closed before her eyes and they two of them ── Metrache Lance and Naian Mitokazuruku would never meet again.
「── So, the final job has been done?」
The Empress’ cold words reverberated in the silent room after the woman’s scream faded away.
「Enough. Show me your fealty, Mitokazuruku.」
Mitokazuruku knelt before his monarch and bowed deeply at that request.
「... Your will is my command. How shall I prove my loyalty to you?」
He asked weakly and the Empress gave instructions without any hesitation.
「Kneel on both knees with your head low and arms stretched out.」
「...? Yes, as you wish.」
He didn’t understand the purpose of those instructions, but he didn’t give it a second thought and carried it out. Leaning forward with his arms before him, Mitokazuruku asked again:
「Will this be fine?」
「Yes, that will do just fine── Do it, Lucanti!」
With her red hair swaying with her movements, a knight charged forth from the rank of guards flanking the throne, and cut off the arms of that unsuspecting man.
「Uwwaaahhhhh!?」
The man’s scream echoed in the room. The thick scent of blood lingered in the house and the Empress frowned with displeasure.
「What an ear sore, shut him up.」
The officers near Mitokazuruku covered his mouth in response. Resisting by waving his stumps around, the man called out to the Empress with froth in his mouth:
「Y-You said you will spare me! That I alone will live...!」
「You think you have a chance to escape death? How shallow, traitor.」
With her elbow on the throne and her palm on her chin, the girl declared irately:
「What I want you to do, is your last job as their superior officer. Do you understand?」
「Hah...!」
「You don’t? It’s the handover of duties. Ever since the 『concubine』 was brought before me, she started searching for a new master. But the 『strategist』 was still mesmerized by you. I could tell with a glance── If I want to separate them from Naian Mitokazuruku and claim them for myself, we will need through a ritual.」
Mitokazuruku opened his eyes wide with despair. Empress Chamille deepened her smile.
「Without those theatrics, Metrache Lance will probably kill herself to mourn your death. I have to thank you for that, Mitokazuruku. Thanks to that short scene you acted out, that woman’s fantasy about you was crushed. It is a fact that the Empire lacks talented people, so I can’t let a young officer die because of the likes of you.」 The girl stopped smiling here and shook her head pitifully.
「But in the end, you are mistaken. That choice isn’t to determine your fate, but to decide your adjutants’ future── Well, it will also decide how you will die. You have chosen the more painful way.」
The Empress said to him and got up from her throne. She slowly walked to the man pressed down into a pool of his own blood, leaned in, and whispered into his ears:
「Your limbs will be severed and you will be executed by impalement.」
「────?」
「That’s how a traitor like you will die, Mitokazuruku. The execution will be carried out at the top level of this Fortress City Garurujan── the top of the steeple on the fifth level. The sappers will carry you there and tie you right to the steeple top alive. Wouldn’t that be a grand tomb? The view of the city will be just wonderful.」
A fear Mitokazuruku had never felt before cleared his foggy mind. He suddenly realized that medics who were swarming him like fleas were stemming his bleeding to stop him from dying.
「You will spend a few days alive, and a few years dead, to show what will happen to anyone who defies me. This will truly be the last mission of your life.」
「──Hiee──」
「Stop being noisy. I’m absolutely grateful to you as a monarch, Mitokazuruku. I can’t let anyone but you volunteer for this great task!」
Empress started laughing uncontrollably. Fearing the figure mocking him from the bottom of his heart, Mitokazuruku looked around him with tears in his eyes.
「S-Someone… Save… Save me...!」
He tried to latch on to anyone that could save him, but no one answered. Most of the officers were controlled out of their fear of the Empress just like Mitokazuruku, just to different degrees. In the face of tragedy, there were basically two types of reactions: Averting their eyes until it was over or suppressed their emotions and focus on their work.
「...Niam... Please save me! Please help me plead with the Empress for mercy! Please, please...!」
In this situation, his last hope was the 「concubine」. Since the 「strategist」 wasn’t here, this was probably the natural choice for Mitokazuruku. However, his plea fell on deaf ears. After looking at her former master like she was looking at walking garbage, Niam turned to the Empress and bowed deeply.
「── Your Majesty, this lowly Niam Nei will be a house cat that is only loyal to you.」
After her laughter subsided, the Empress said quietly to Niam behind her:
「Yes. And then?」
「I don’t want to die like him. Can you please employ me?」
Niam made no attempt to hide her intention or dressed up her words. She understood that she would lose her head next if she tried that. She understood the person before her wouldn’t even hesitate.
Satisfied with the correct answer, Empress slowly turned to look straight at Niam and said firmly.
「If you want food, then hunt for rats. That’s all I will say to you.」
Her cold brutal smile made the woman who was no longer a concubine shiver ── The contract was made, and she joined the Empress as a new member of her vassals.
Chapter 4: The Midst of Turbulence
The scene changed to the Imperial Capital Banhataal. The citizens standing on either side of the road cheered to welcome the return of the punitive force led personally by the Empress.
The victory parade was more extravagant then the sending off parade. String and wind instruments played a majestic tune as the Empress’ carriage toured one time around the city. It returned to the palace after displaying the authority of the Empress to the people.
Instead of feeling hyped up, the citizens watching the parade felt somewhat confused. The sight of their monarch personally taking to the field and returning victoriously had long faded from their memories.
The Empress this time was young and could get things done, an evaluation that everyone was talking about. The rumours had crossed great distance by word of mouth, including the strategy used by the Empress to attack the Fortress City Garurujan, and the downfall of the traitor Naian Mitokazuruku.
「Suppressing the rebellion swiftly and returning triumphantly. How splendid, Empress Chamille.」
General Terushinha Remeon’s voice echoed loudly in the Grand Courtyard of the Deep Green Hall. After the returning monarch sat on the throne in the deepest end of the hall, she looked down on the two generals welcoming her back.
「It’s just a sham of a rebellion and a laughable dispute. It’s not a hassle at all.」
The 28th Generation Empress Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik said plainly, leaning her arm on the throne and her chin on her palm. General Remeon said in surprise:
「Naian Mitokazuruku isn’t strong?」
Empress nodded, twisting her lips, and saying in disbelief:
「That guy ── before talking about strategy or tactics, he lacks conviction. He seized the city and started a revolution, but is so fearful of the mood of the citizens, how unsightly.」
The jade-eyed General fell silent with a complicated expression and Chamille shrugged before him.
「In another sense, he got confused because of how peaceful it is, this is the adverse result of him attending to the citizens kindly in place of the Governor. If he wants to make the revolution a success, he should make the citizens shut up through shock and awe. The situation would be different if he fired a salvo at the mob, but he couldn’t work up the resolve to do so, leading to his defeat ── Don’t you think so? General Shiba.」
She turned to the other General kneeling before her. Kubalha Shiba nodded without hesitation.
<TL: Decide to switch from bakatsuki’s ‘Saba’ to ‘Shiba’ >
「That is true. Your Majesty is swift in your decision to sacrifice the civilians.」
General Remeon’s face turned stiff as the Empress curled her lips.
「── Hahaha! I like your courage to mock me, it doesn’t feel too bad, Kubalha Shiba. Compared to the times when you keep saying 『boring』, you are like a new energetic man!」
After laughing for a while, the girl continued gleefully.
「One of the 『Twin Jewels of the Sun』, you won’t tell me that what I did was wrong, right? I’m confident in trading the minimum sacrifice to achieve the maximum results. And the price is just executing the prisoners on death row in that province earlier. Nothing of value was lost.」
The monarch declared nonchalantly and General Shiba answered with a stern face:
「So it’s death row inmates charged with treason by association… I will turn a blind eye to that since they are fated to die. I will think of their sacrifice as saving the lives of soldiers.」
However── he switched tones firmly. General Remeon tried to stop him with a gaze, but it was useless.
「I can’t ignore the fact that Your Majesty gave orders to keep this fact a secret. If we don’t make this public, then the story that Your Majesty sacrificed the civilians to suppress the rebellion will be passed down the generations. Do you know how serious that will tarnish your reputation? I won’t be surprised if you get a title like 11th Emperor 『Lord Executioner』.」
General Shiba didn’t mince his words, and that left the Empress in stitches.
「You are making me laugh! Why did you mention the worst Emperor in Imperial history here!?」
She laughed in the face of her vassal’s selfless advice. This has gradually turned into a routine in the past two years and was developing just as Chamille wanted.
「But that’s fine by me. It will be great to get the title 『Lord Executioner』. If I make that title famous throughout the world, no one will forget about me, the Empress. I will work hard to emulate the 11th generation.」
Once she made up her mind, she wouldn’t budge. After shutting General Shiba up, the Empress changed topics.
「Well then── Generals. While I’m gone, is the central defences secure?」
It was his turn to speak again, so General Remeon lifted his head.
「── Your Majesty, when you were out on campaign, there had not been any signs of any groups attempting to revolt. As for minor cases, there had been four soldiers confined for Lèse-majesté, enlisted soldiers speaking ill of Your Majesty.」
「Four in the past two months? The rank and file are much more docile compared to when I just took the throne── and their punishment?」
「By your instructions, the three who publicly criticize Your Majesty will receive 5 lashes, and the one who insulted Your Majesty as a『unworldly wench』 will be executed.」
The Empress nodded emotionlessly to the General’s report.
「Good. It’s fine to fear me, hate me or even question me ── but none shall insult me. Those who breach this rule will be executed. That’s the rule I set.」
The monarch declared firmly, which made General Remeon gulp. Feeling the majestic aura of the monarch again, he continued his report.
「Aside from that, the former Igsem faction, and Remeon faction are staying in line… This is the result of Your Majesty display of authority for the past two years.」
「I see, this is a result indeed. The result of executing several thousand traitors.」
The Empress answered with a quiet laugh. Her penchant for intentionally stating her flaw often left her vassals at a loss.
「Really now── After the Igsem anchoring the organization retired from his post, there are a lot of guys who regressed their thinking back to the warring eras. There had been four large scale rebellions, with Mitokazuruku being the fifth. Why don’t they consider being in my shoes, since I have to suppress them with all my might.」
「......」「────」
「I cut off his limbs and impaled him this time, the previous one was buried with only his head sticking out, and then sawing it off with a rusty saw. Before that, I threw the guy into a dog cage to feed them. I’m almost out of ideas on how to execute the mastermind. If only the 『Lord Executioner』 left any records, then I can use it as reference ── Don’t you think so, General Shiba?」
Ignoring her venomous words, General Shiba used his silent aura as a way of counselling her. She knew very well what he meant, but the Empress still had a cruel smile on her lips ──
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