Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
It was already evening and about time to consider retreating, when the two people in the hills made some progress.
「...! The Sprites are reacting! As expected, it’s ahead of us!」
Jean, who was standing on a slope, shouted with his partner Sprite in hand. He was about to climb further when Ikuta stopped him.
「Hey, wait. I know you want to get to the top to grasp the terrain, but it’s too foolhardy to bash through the foliage. If we make a detour there, the visibility and road condition will be better.」
「You want to waste time over mere foliage? If you are afraid of the road conditions, just follow the path I take. I will clear the bushes, so you should be able to keep up.」
「... Alright then. You sure are hasty.」
Ikuta showed a look of resignation as he followed the white-haired officer with the rest of the troops. Jean cleared the bushes with large movements and swiftly climbed up the slope.
「...! The bushes are denser than I imagine! Solork, are you keeping up!」
「I am! A certain guy’s back is just that conspicuous!」
「Hah*, good! It’s great that I’m leading the way! If it’s the reverse, I will miss my footing because I don’t want to see your back!」
The two of them mocked each other as they advanced, when a cliff suddenly appeared before Jean. He clicked his tongue and looked around him.
「We can’t climb this… go around from the left! Keep up!」
「... Oh, got it...!」
Jean was forced to struggle with the vegetation blocking his way as he moved sideways along the slope. As he was clearing the bushes, Ikuta reached behind Jean. His footing was unsteady since the soldiers weren’t supporting him.
「... The terrain is bad, Solork. Watch your steps──」
「── Whoa?」
Jean didn’t even finish when Ikuta cut him off with a yell. The white-haired officer could see the dark-haired youth falling towards the woods.
「Solork!」
Jean quickly grabbed his arm, but the weight was heavier than he expected. Ikuta lost his footing and was falling into an opening hidden by the vegetation.
「Ughh──」「──!」
Losing his balance and the poor terrain. Even the white-haired officer couldn’t overcome these two factors to hold back a person’s body weight── Before the soldiers could assist, both of them tumbled down the hill.
「... Hey, still alive?」
「... Obviously.」
Their voices echoed in the dark cave. After confirming that they were both there, they checked for injuries before sitting up── There were scratches, but fortunately, no serious bleeding.
Their partners quickly shone with Lantern light, illuminating the surrounding terrain── as expected, this was the bottom of a pit surrounded by cliffs and dirt walls. Light could be seen from the hole above, but it was quite far away.
「... Luckily, the slope turned less steep midway, but we still rolled really far away. It’s about ten metres to the hole.」
「...Mum*. Instead of the space between two boulders, this is closer to a cave like hole here.」
Jean looked up at the hole they fell in from. They could hear the voices of the soldiers from above, but there weren't any signs of rescue for the time being. The reason was clear. There was too big a height difference from the entrance to the bottom, so they wouldn’t be able to get up if they fell down.
They yelled to inform their men that they were fine for now, then analyzed the situation they were in.
「... It would be difficult to climb up ourselves. They just need to lower down a rope, however──」
「...Unfortunately, my escorts didn’t bring such equipment either. Their bags are full of measurement tools, and there didn’t seem to be any need to scale a mountain. I only have these tools on me.」
Ikuta pointed to a small rucksack. Jean frowned bitterly while Ikuta added:
「And worse of all── when I was rolling down the hole, I hit my leg against a rock and probably can’t move for a few hours.」
Ikuta used the pain he felt as a diagnosis. Jean stroked his chin in deep thought.
「... So in summary, what’s the current situation?」
「We can’t do anything without ropes, so we should send our men down hill to request for aid. If they set off now, the sun would have set when they reach the foot of the hill. It will be too risky for them to come back in the dark, so help will only be here tomorrow morning.」
The dark-haired youth shrugged with his back on the cliff. The white-haired officer scowled his face bitterly.
「... How shameful.」
「There are times when life hits you hard── You will have to wait leisurely until morning.」
Ikuta laughed sarcastically. Jean tried searching for a way to escape for some time── but his efforts turned up empty, so he sat down again with a heavy sigh.
Two hours later. The sun set, and the slither of light from the entrance disappeared.
「── Heave!」
Ikuta caught a lizard by its tail, and smashed it hard against the boulder. After confirming that the lizard was dead, he skewered it just like a grilled fish. Jean furrowed his brows at that.
「... You are going to eat that?」
「? Lizard is a hearty meal. It’s not a hard choice to make.」
Ikuta answered and started grilling the lizard on the flame given out by a Fire Sprite── The troops at the hole entrance wrapped one water, fire and wind Sprite in a cloth and lowered them into the hole, so they could have an easier time through the night. They could have asked the troops to leave their rations behind, but the two generals didn’t want the soldiers to starve and foraged for their own food.
「... You have the capabilities to be a Field Marshal, and the wits to debate the Scientists, but you are treating a lizard as a hearty meal? ...It might be a little late to ask, but how did you grow up?」
Jean asked with a confounded face. Ikuta inclined his head in deep thought.
「... There are vast differences depending on the timing, so it’s hard to explain. I’m the son of a Regimental Commander, so I learned military tactics, and there are Scientists around me, so I learned how to use my brain… After that, I spent some time having trouble just getting meals, and ate everything I could find. That’s all.」
「... You are omitting too much. Can’t you give more details?」
「That’s fine, but what’s with your haughty attitude?」
He was a little angry, but this wasn’t a bad way to kill time. Ikuta used the well grilled lizard as a side dish as he described his experiences.
He was born in a unique regiment, spent his days with Scientists, and met with a vermillion-haired girl who was visiting. He was on the run after his father got imprisoned, and his mother died before him. How he entered high school from the orphanage and reunited with her in school. He had no intentions of participating in the Officer Cadet Academy, but he met with the members of the 「Knights Corp」, and was commissioned as an officer for saving the Third Princess. He started his days in battles after that──
After listening to his experiences── Jean caught a lizard he saw from the corner of his eye, and smashed it on a rock. Ikuta yelped in surprise:
「What, you going to eat too?」
「If we are going to spend the night here, it will be a problem if I get frail for the trip back.」
Jean skewered the lizard with a branch, then grilled it with a Fire Sprite. After a brief silence, he said quietly.
「...... This is my fault.」
「Hmm?」
「The reason we fell into this pit. I was too hasty, and chose a route that’s too tough for you. I messed up, and I apologize.」
The sudden apology made the dark-haired youth stare with his eyes wide open. However, he shook his head with a wry smile after looking at Jean’s poker face.
「... I didn’t know the terrain would change so drastically and was overconfident in my leg’s condition. I’m at fault too. Sigh, objectively speaking, we are equally at fault.」
If either of them had kept their composure, it wouldn’t have come to this. Ikuta was too stubborn and competitive. He also realized that he couldn’t move as freely as he did in the past── He had persisted in physiotherapy, but how much mobility could he recover?
While Ikuta was thinking about that, Jean had grilled the lizard and bit its head heartily. The bold manner of eating ran contrary to the impression he gave off, and Ikuta couldn’t help saying.
「The scales are rather tough, you know.」
「This is nothing… I have experienced foot shortages too.」
Jean answered as he crunched the bones and scales. He swallowed after chewing thoroughly── then braced himself mentally before saying:
「I was a slave in Laos.」
It was well known that Bayoshie and Laos were hostile to each other, and the war between them was a norm, and was a source of trouble for Kioka at some time. The conflict started 300 years ago over a silver mine at their borders── but no one could confirm the truth, and only their hostile relationship persisted all this time.
Let’s ally with one of them and destroy the other── many politicians in Kioka thought this way, but there was a reason why they didn’t put this into action. At that time, both Bayoshie and Laos expressed their intention to merge with Kioka, and Kioka accepted both nations. Which means, they were Kioka territory at that time. However── Bayoshie and Laos had brought over their feud along with them.
Since they were fellow citizens, Kioka who upheld the ideology of coexistence between all races couldn’t destroy one side. If they did something like that, it would affect the unity of the races that were already flimsy. The only choice was to resolve their feud, but they tried everything from persuasion to sanctions, but Bayoshie and Laos were adamant in their refusal. We might be a part of the Kioka Republic, but I won’t recognize them as an ally── that was the stance of the two nations.
They were adamant on this political stance that had an adverse effect on each other, so Bayoshie and Laos were losing their national power. Because of the frequent battles and the seizing of each other’s territory and citizens, this was a natural result. Kioka provided aid to the weakening nations, but stopped after realizing that was just pouring oil onto the fire. 「If you don’t want to destroy each other, then stop the war」── Kioka expressed this opinion. However, the two nations, especially Laos, interpreted it differently. 「If you don’t want to destroy each other, then hurry up and destroy Bayoshie」, they interpreted Kioka’s opinion as such.
Jean Arkinex was borned in a city to Bayoshie’s northwest under such a situation.
The southern border that turned into a battlefield was in terrible shape, but he was born in a place physically far from the frontlines. Their declining national power meant the standard of living was worse than a century ago, but Jean who was born in a wealthy family was blissfully unaware of this in his childhood.
For better or worse, his parents were conservative patriots, and had no intention of doing anything about the deteriorating relations with Laos. They called the people who fled to Kioka ‘Ingrates’, and watched them with scorn. Jean grew up thinking the same way. He was too young to doubt his parent’s words.
Jean’s intelligence was starting to show then, and his happy parents hired teachers for him. He had a lively personality, and was showered with love and went through high quality education── In the winter when he was twelve, a decisive event happened.
On that day, the five people living under one roof gathered around a peaceful dining table.
「──Hubby, listen. Jean is learning very fast, and the teacher had nothing left to teach him.」
The mother said with a spoon by her mouth, looking troubled and proud at the same time. She was overjoyed by her son’s outstanding talents, but that was also a source of worry.
「Really? ──Jean is amazing, your intelligence always amazes me.」
The father felt the same way and concurred. He patted his son’s light brown hair. Jean was happy that his father praised him, and also felt guilty for troubling his parents.
「However, that’s the third one. I don’t know if there is a better teacher in the city. Even if we found someone, this child would learn everything in no time...」
The father smiled wryly. This wasn’t the first time Jean put a homeschool teacher out of work. The salary of the teacher that increased with their standards also troubled his parents, but not having anyone to hire was also a surprise. Their son was only twelve.
「... Young master is amazing...」
The maid stood by the table to serve him a new bowl of soup and added quietly. Jean scratched his cheek bashfully, and his elder sister beside him raised her voice.
「Father, your thinking is too outdated. Someone as smart as Jean can study in a more amazing place.」
「You mean… the academy in the capital? Jean is smart enough to skip grades… But the budget for the academy has been cut, and I haven’t heard any good news from them.」
The father said with his arms crossed… the sister shook her head with a sigh.
「That’s too conservative. If it’s the capital, then Jean shouldn’t go to Bayoshie’s capital, but Kioka’s Capital, Norandot! That’s the only place for him!」
The sister stated a place no one else thought of. The father was stunned, then objected in a panic.
「You want him to leave Bayoshie? No way! How can the eldest son...!」
「Because it’s necessary! Not many people know yet, but the senate had accepted the plan to merge with Kioka, so this place will be the Kioka Republic in the future too. So it’s not leaving Bayoshie. It’s only natural for the capable ones to go to Central. I heard the academic levels are way above this place, so if we want Jean’s talent to shine, he should go to Norandot!」
The elder sister got up from her chair and went around to her brother’s back to hug his shoulders. She had an intense and exaggerated way of expressing her love. Their father held his head with a sigh.
「You got influenced after hanging out with your weird friends… Enough already. What can he learn by going to a place that speaks a different language?」
「Oh, don’t you know, father? Jean can already speak the common Kioka language. Even the home school teacher was dumbstruck by how quickly he learned.」
Really? The father was shocked when he heard that. Jean realized the topic had turned in a strange direction, and asked the mother sitting opposite him.
「... Mother, you want to send me to Kioka?」
「Of course not! I don’t know what you would want when you grow up, but I will be very worried if you go there now. We don’t have any friends in Norandot, so what would your livelihood be like over there?」
「It’s fine if a guardian accompanies him! Well, with father’s connection, that will be easy to arrange, right? Lots of people will ask to be Jean’s guardian!」
「Like I said──」
The sister pressed the issue and the father rebuked timidly. When Jean continued eating as he watched the usual family scene, knocking came from the door. He put down his cutleries and stood up.
「Someone’s here, I will get it!」
Answering the door is my duty. The youth thought with the sense of responsibility of a child, running to the door without needing to be told. Hmm? His eyes opened wide when he reached the door. Without him welcoming them, several adults in thick coats were standing there.
「?Ehh～ Who might you be?」
Did we forget to lock the door? ──Jean thought carefreely and asked. His life was too peaceful back then, and didn’t have any sense of danger towards the situation before him. Even though the broken lock was right behind those men, the youth who wasn’t aware of the malice of humans didn’t notice.
「... Start from here?」
「Yes, begin.」
They conversed in a language Jean didn’t know, one of the men grabbed him by the collar. Ignoring the surprised youth, the group barged right into the house. When the door was kicked open, the other family members stood up, realizing something was wrong.
「W-What are you doing? Barging into my home──」
The father wanted to admonish them, but one of the intruders said in broken Bayoshie:
「No move!」
He pulled out a dagger and braced it against Jean’s neck. The peaceful atmosphere froze. The group looked at the father, mother, sister── when they saw the maid, they changed to Laos and said:
「From your looks── a fellow kin. Come here.」
「Huh, ahh, ahh──」
「What are you doing! Get over here!」
A man grabbed the wrist of the confused maid and dragged her away. When she was gone, the men turned to Jean and the others again. They took out ropes and tossed it to their feet.
「We are taking you away, use the rope to tie each other up. If you refuse── there will be one less member in your family.」
He pushed the dagger against Jean’s neck a little, and he started to bleed. His mother screamed.
「D-Damn you...!」 「Father, wait!」
The sister was the calmest, acknowledging the situation and taking action. She stopped her furious father, went behind her parents and whispered── if we don’t obey, they will kill us all.
「... Ugh...!」
Her father froze when he heard that, and the sister bound his wrists with the rope── Her swift reaction saved her brother’s life. Because if they resisted, those men would kill Jean, the child with no negligible value as a labourer, to set an example.
「Clever girl. Alright── if you don’t want to die, then move!」
The man shouted happily when he saw how obedient his prey were. Jean looked at his family in shock. Be it the pain from the dagger at his neck or the malice he harboured towards others for the first time── he wasn’t even aware of it, much less accepted it.
They were in a city far from the frontlines, and would normally be safe from such attacks. But in the neighbouring Kioka territory, a part of the former Mamulan tribal zone ignored the political direction of Kioka, and worked illegally with the Laos army, resulting in this situation. With the promise of getting a part of the Bayoshie territory after the attack, they brought the Laos army to northwest Bayoshie, where the security was the weakest.
Because of its vast lands, the Kioka Republic would sometimes lose control of its citizens, especially the former Mamulan tribes which had strong individual tendencies. If it was the Mamulan of the past, Bayoshie wouldn’t have let down its guard. Ironically, their complacency after Kioka took over led to this tragedy. In the towns that were attacked, the citizens who resisted were killed, and the rest captured── and most of them were brought to the place they feared the most.
Laos’ slave farm. As the name implies, this was the place where slaves from Bayoshie were pushed into forced labour, and was an official government-operated facility. As the war got drawn out, the death of the soldiers resulted in an overall deterioration in the national work force. To make up for this gap, Laos developed and enlarged their slavery system── and now, slaves were the basis of the Laos economy.
「Alright, get to your post! Don’t think you can get off easy! If someone slacks off, the entire group will get punished!」
The slaves were initially divided into two types. The first is being bought by normal people at the slave market. This is the most common kind, and the treatment of the slaves differed depending on the environment. Most would be sent to harsh manual labour, but those with good looks or special abilities might get privileged treatment, by their masters or chief craftsman. They were still slaves, but if they worked properly, their livelihood were more or less guaranteed.
And the other type was the worst for Bayoshie citizens, which was where Jean’s group was sent, the slave farm. The slaves here were fated to face four things── crude clothing, minimal food, harsh labour and living quarters. This facility was run by the Laos army, known for their rough treatments of prisoners, and the same goes for the slaves.
「Ughh...!」
「Jean, don’t push yourself! I will carry that!」
The labour load wasn’t lightened for the children. More importantly── Unlike the slaves bought from the market, the soldiers didn’t care for the slaves. A normal buyer wouldn’t want the slave they bought to die, but the soldiers were only managing the slaves as a part of their job. The slaves weren’t their property, and they wouldn’t lose anything if the slaves were worked to death. This worsened their abuse of the slaves── they were treated like expendable items destined to die from overwork.
Jean who was not fully developed couldn’t endure the labour that was harsh even for the adults. Before a year had passed, he had grown frail, and his kin had to shoulder his share of the load.
「... Father… I’m sorry...」
「Don’t worry, Jean. Rest easy… I won’t let you die here.」
Even in such an environment, his family still showed him their love. They take on the load that Jean could no longer shoulder, and even skip their food to replenish his nutrition. They desperately defeated the reality where the weakest would die first. They struggled under such a situation.
「Mother, look! I got my hands on some honey! Feed it to Jean!」
「... How… did you get that...」
「Not important! Here, hurry!」
Jean only realized a long time later how his sister managed to get those food… In the facility managed by the army, the only people they could trade with was soldiers. As a penniless slave, the price her sister had to pay in exchange for food── whenever he thought about it, Jean would clutch his chest and sob. In his memories, his sister was always smiling.
Unable to move his body freely, Jean felt anxious because he couldn’t work for his family. He got better after resting for some days, but collapsed again when he returned to his work. This repeated throughout his second year. Seeing his family gradually getting thinner over the days, he told them to abandon him. But when his father, mother and sister heard that, they would pat his head with a smile. The youth spent his life anxiously showered by the unwavering love from his family.
Their lives got harsher with each passing day── and his memories towards the end became a blur.
「── You──」
A quiet voice reached him in his deep slumber, and Jean thought── Ahh, I have to wake up.
His family was working. For the sake of him who was bedridden, his father, mother and sister were doing everything they could. He had to work too. If he didn’t wake up── If this continues, they would collapse from exhaustion.
「──alive?──」
Yes, I know. I will get right up── tried to convince myself, and desperately opened his eyelids that were as heavy as lead.
「── Are you still alive!?」
His vision recovered, and he saw an unfamiliar set of uniforms. A face of a soldier not from Laos.
「──?」
Jean couldn’t understand the situation and looked around him. Looking carefully, this wasn’t the house assigned to their family. The place was similarly crude, with planks separating the space covered in straw. It has the smell of a stable.
「Good, you are alive! ── One survivor! A frail child, get food and water over here!」
In the few years they struggled for survival, the situation had changed dramatically.
The Laos invasion of Bayoshie with part of the former Mamulan tribe had come to light. Kioka could see that they had to intervene, and took action.
They divided into two groups, one to liberate the conquered Bayoshie territory, and the other strike into Laos── After subjugating the political core, they marched for the slave farm. The Laos army exhausted from the long years of war was no match for the Kioka forces that had been building up strength, and the war ended in a blitz.
「── The situation here is worse than expected… But don’t worry. The Laos army managing this place has been eliminated, and the Laos government implementing the slave system had been vanquished. You are no longer a slave.」
The Kioka soldier stated the truth to put him at ease. However, Jean wasn’t paying attention. He was too weak to sit up as he looked for his family.
「... Where’s everyone...? Where is father, mother, sister...?」
He asked his question with a stutter, and the Kioka soldier hesitated before answering.
「... Your family… are over there.」
He said before quietly looking behind him. Jean forced himself to sit up, and the soldier propped him up before continuing:
「They probably… collapsed from malnutrition a short while ago. The two older ones were placed on the straw side by side… The younger woman died holding you in her arms. We have respectfully placed them away.」
The youth saw the figure of his family members lying with their eyes closed. Their skinny limbs, hollow cheeks and eyes that would never open again── all that were burned into Jean’s eyes.
「When this place fell, the crazed Laos soldiers massacred the slaves. There’re piles of corpses outside. Your family must have escaped into the stables after realizing the danger, and hid there.」
Jean knew. Until the very end, his father, mother, and sister protected him. After he was brought to this barn, his family kept him alive at the expense of their own lives── that’s why he was still breathing.
「You are the only survivor we found… I’m sorry we didn’t come earlier.」
The Kioka soldier bit his lips in regret, then lowered his head in apology. Jean was envious of him.
He didn’t have anyone to express his feelings to. No matter how much he wanted, he couldn’t thank them or apologize to them.
The people who love him the most in this world── have fallen into an eternal slumber where his words wouldn’t reach.
Jean who lost all his kin when he was saved was sent to a Kioka Youth Academy as a war orphan. His life as a slave caused him to lie in bed from illness for some time── but proper rest and nutrition in a clean environment allowed his young vigorous body to make a swift recovery.
「... Is there, any work, I can do?」
However, Jean’s mind and body changed during his recovery. Firstly, he was very stubborn about work, and feared not doing anything. From cooking, cleaning, laundry and tending to the young children── Jean wasn’t picky as long as there was work to do. He couldn’t bear being idle, finishing one task after another, wandering around the Youth Academy for work to do.
「Please give me something to do. Please, give me──」
The second change was his insomnia. With the increase in his working hours, Jean’s sleeping time decreased in contrast. From 8 hours to 6, 6 hours to 4, to 2, to 1── and slowly, no one saw him sleep again.
He was the model of a hardworking youth, and the Academy staff felt a strange quality about him. Rumours about him spread outside the Youth Academy, and word soon reached a certain man.
「──Hi, nice to meet you.」
After hearing the rumours, a man visited the Youth Academy where Jean was staying in. His dark blue suit was impeccable, and he wore the perfect politician’s smile on his face. When they first met, Jean had no idea what kind of future this man would guide him into, and only had a vague sense that this man was formidable.
「I’m Ario Kyakushii, a humble politician in Kioka. I came here today because I heard an interesting rumour about you.」
The man stated his name kindly and chatted with Jean. The youth continued sweeping the floor with his head cocked to the side when he heard the man was looking for him.
「I heard you have been working nonstop without any sleep for almost a month. The Youth Academy staff are baffled too. Aren’t you tired?」
「No── I’m not tired.」
Jean answered immediately with a shake of his head. Right then, a strange gleam appeared in his eyes.
「Everyone died when I was asleep. They died because I slept without doing anything── so I don’t want to sleep. I can’t sleep. I don’t want anyone to die because of me.」
Jean kept speaking like a man possessed, and Ario narrowed his eyes. His body changed for a third time. The youth’s light brown hair had turned completely white a few months after enrolling in the academy.
「I want to work. I can work as much as need be. I can do any work without rest.
So── Kyakushii-san, can you give me work?」
The white haired youth asked the man before him. Ario’s smile deepened when he heard that.
「I see── how wonderful.」
The man walked over slowly and placed both hands on the youth’s shoulders. His movements were natural, but the strength he placed on Jean was incredibly strong, as if to say he would never let go.
「This is a good trip── I have been searching for someone who will say that to me.」
The man adopted the youth who lost everything── of the many 「works」 he was nurturing, this child would be his magnum opus. That filled the man with excitement.
「... I had a turbulent life, which is somewhat similar to yours.」
Jean patted the head of his partner Sprite Luna and concluded his long recollection. Ikuta closed his eyes to imagined that life── then opened them a while later and asked:
「Your goal is to develop a Republic where all races coexist, right── Don’t you hate Laos?」
「Even if I did, it already fell. Also── I remember there was a large slave market in Bayoshie too… And my family employed a slave purchased from the market.」
His recollection was filled with nostalgia and guilt. Jean had now realized the shadow behind his happy childhood.
「Her name is Raki, a quiet girl… No, she didn’t have a quiet personality, it’s just that no one taught her the language, so she couldn’t speak much. I like her egg dishes, and would often sample the dishes when she was making them. She would always show a troubled smile before serving me a small plate...」
For Jean, this was a warm memory. However, what about her? He couldn’t help wondering. She was bought as a slave. How did she feel when she watched her owner’s family living blissfully?
「There was no justice in that war── just a meaningless mutual destruction. That’s why I hate that ‘meaningless’ itself. I swear to not let the same thing happen again and joined the army. And now, I’m a general of an army.」
Jean summarized his way of life, then turned back to the youth before him.
「I will ask this again, Solork── Why are you defending the Empire?」
「......」
「From what I have heard, you should hate the tyrannical rule of the Empire. Are you trying to change the nation for the better by being a soldier? ── or are you staying for revenge?」
When he heard that question, Ikuta also asked himself── should he save the country? Or destroy it? He had not given it any thought so far. Putting Chamille’s wishes aside, what did Ikuta Solork want the Empire’s future to be?
「No matter which path you choose, you should be able to see further into the future. Since you have learned history, you should know that monarchy governance has no future, even if we ignore the issue of corrupt nobles. Even if the Empress and you push for a revolution, all your effort would be for naught if the monarchs down the line aren’t outstanding. To avoid that, we have to change the system of governance itself.」
Ikuta did not refute that point. They have pushed many measures to strengthen the nation, but that was only delaying the inevitable. It was obvious that they needed some kind of decisive change.
「Kioka has made preparations for this. We are not invaders, but repairmen that help failed nations to recover. So, if you aren’t adamant about governing by monarchy── would the Empire accept our intervention? We promise to bring you to a brighter future.」
Jean was convinced that he would bring about change for a hopeless country. His goal was to save the people of the Empire all along.
「... Even if you want to advertise your methods, mixing ideals and reality isn’t a praiseworthy way.」
However, Ikuta stopped that proposal. Jean showed a bitter face.
「What you said just now are pretty words sprouted by those with high ideals in Kioka. There are plenty of people who think otherwise. In the first place, Kioka is a coalition of anti-imperial groups, and they must have their misgivings too.」
The youth pointed that out sharply. The white-haired officer’s view wasn’t equivalent to Kioka’s view.
「If I accept your intervention, those people will just flood into the Empire. What will they think when they see the defenseless people and land in this new territory? I won’t be surprised if we revert to the warring era.」
「No! I won’t allow such people to act as they please! I will deliver strict justice to anyone who violates the republic’s law!」
「With just you? … Regrettably, I don’t think people who think like you outnumber those who bear grievances to the current situation in Kioka. Like I said, your thinking is just pretty words, and in most situations, there are more despicable people out there.」
Jean bit his lips. He had experienced too much backstabbing to refute that. Ikuta saw what he was thinking from that expression, and sighed.
「It’s the same for Ra Saia Alderamin── instead of this war, I’m more worried about the aftermath of the war. Assuming the Empire is destroyed in some way in the future, can Kioka who had lost its common enemy keep the republic together? Has the Kioka Republic made up of different races reached such a stage of cohesion yet?」
「...!...」
「You asked me why I’m protecting the Empire── sigh, this is the superficial reason. Kioka hasn’t matured enough as a country for me to entrust our future to them. Hence, I will have to figure out a way myself for now. The new measures will improve with time, and your side might get better in the meantime too.」
When he heard that, Jean renewed his determination to persuade him── As his adoptive father said, Ikuta could be reasoned with. His last sentence showed he still reserved some expectations towards Kioka.
「... Indeed, we might not be reliable enough now. And it’s true that some citizens have very different thinking from the Republic’s ideals. It can’t be helped that you’re worried about us failing to keep them in check when we intervene with the Empire.」
「Yes, that’s why──」「Since you’re dissatisfied about this point!」
Jean cut him off, then leaned forward and yelled.
「How about you help us with that, Ikuta Solork?! You can take care of the area out of my reach, right? If you take command, lots of people will follow! You can let us deal with the selfish ones trying to incite chaos! That will double our forces, are you still going to say we will be short handed?」
「────」
Ikuta was dumbfounded by his persuasion. The silver eyes staring right at him filled the dark-haired youth with awe towards the Insomniac Brilliant General.
「── You are incredible.」
「...?」
「You are saying that to me. Someone who holds opposite ideals towards your way of life── you are able to sincerely ask me to cooperate with you?」
Jean nodded clearly when he heard that. The hostility was gone from his eyes now.
「I know your character and your past. I also talked about my past without hiding anything. And so, you can understand my thinking. I told you all that because I believe you can understand.」
Ikuta narrowed his eyes, as if he was staring at the sun. He realized that this youth was confident that he could relay his thoughts to Ikuta. He believed that if he acted properly, others would give the correct response.
The light shining from Jean was too bright… Because that was something the dark-haired youth could never have. Maybe he lost it a long time ago, and could never find it back. It was the pure trust towards all the people he had yet to meet.
In any case, this was the decisive difference between the two of them. The general born in the nation heading towards the sunset, and the general recruited by the country in its dawn. The gulf between resignation and hope lies between them.
「......!」
However, if they could welcome the dawn together...
This incredibly tempting idea flashed across Ikuta’s mind──
After a long, painful, hesitation, he refused it with unwavering determination.
「... When are you going to rest?」
Ikuta asked quietly. Jean didn’t understand the point of the question and frowned.
「If your schedule is full during the war and after the war, when can you sit down and rest? In ten years? Twenty years? Or more?」
The answer was obvious. The white-haired officer said without any hesitation:
「I will leave the right to rest to the future generations. I will spend my life developing Kioka.」
「What happens when you die? Who will replace you and take the lead?」
「Someone will definitely take the baton. The children who watch me grow up will──」
Before he could finish, Ikuta grabbed his collar and pulled him close. He headbutted Jean and yelled from his diaphragm.
「── Are you forcing them to live and die like you!?」
His cry echoed inside the pit. The dark-haired youth explained to his confused opponent.
「Hey, listen up! What you are doing unwittingly, and that the Prime Minister is doing intentionally, is to create a system that infinitely produces heroes like you! When you guys die from exhaustion for your country, the Kioka politician will declare that Jean Arkinex’s way of life is the ideal model, and encourage others to mimic you! With no regards for their own happiness and serve the nation── They will gleefully educate the children, and tell them that is the right way to live!」
「────」
「The next hero will come from the children who seriously believe in this ideal, and become low cost expendable resources for them to use! They will become great pawns! Hardworking without seeking returns, and find joy from doing their best for the country── because they are raised to say that!」
The children would be taught to follow in his footsteps── when he heard that, the figure of a girl appeared in Jean’s mind. Kasha Masukusu was a brave and forthright girl. Her eyes were bright and unclouded, and she wanted to be just like him when she grew up.
「......」
However, her smile twisted when Jean heard those words.
Jean tried to imagine. Assuming Kasha wanted to be a soldier like him after growing up. If she worked hard for this, and she had the talent and the luck to achieve results early, the higher ups would demand more results, and she would work even harder── she would walk a path just like his.
And what would happen after that?
Where was the destination of the girl who thought of him as her goal?
Since they would be walking the same path── wouldn’t she say the same thing?
──I will leave the right to rest to the future generations.
Someone will definitely take the baton
「──── Ah────」
A chill he never felt before surrounded Jean.
He could see it now. He was walking an endless path which wasn’t a campaign over several generations, but an endless infinite cycle.
There was no end to the development of a nation. It was a merciless device that would keep operating when given fuel, and wouldn’t change even if the war was over. War wasn’t the only thing that consumes lifes. Given a steady supply of manpower willing to throw themself into the furnace, it could expand without any ends. After expanding, it would require even more fuel. There was no doubt that this was the nation that Ario Kyakushii wants to build.
If so, then when would that time come?
The time when the right to rest wouldn’t be passed on to the next generation? A time when everyone could live a blissful life?
When would the future generation he mentioned arrive?
「────」
The ground he was standing on seemed to be shaking, and Jean stood there in a daze.
「......」
Seeing the change in him── Ikuta gently let go of Jean’s collar.
「... Getting all the citizens of a nation to share a common ideal is indispensable in the operation of the nation.」
Ikuta said after regaining some of his calm. He felt that he had to tell Jean the best advice from his position.
「However, that needs to be balanced with the happiness of the individual. Promoting selfless contribution to the citizens is no different from committing fraud. A country exist for the sake of the nation, and the reverse isn’t true.」
Ikuta concluded── realizing he had said his piece, he relaxed his shoulders. He leaned on the wall nearby, then said to the silent white-haired officer.
「... Hey, Jean. Isn’t there anyone who has doubts about you working nonstop? Is there anyone concerned about your health and wants you to have a good rest?」
「......」
「There is, right? From what I can see, your interpersonal relations aren’t that bad. Your adjutant── Miara-san seems to care about you. Didn’t she say anything to you? If not, are there times when she is hesitant to speak?」
Jean couldn’t answer. He had never given it any thought. Ikuta said to him with a sigh:
「You probably didn’t notice… Her face is getting more sullen every time I see her.」
「Huh──」
Jean shuddered. He looked like a child who was admonished by his parents for making a non-malicious mistake. The dark-haired youth felt bad seeing him like this, and looked up with a sigh.
「... Give me a break, the features of Yaponiku people are very prominent, so I’m reminded of my mother when I see her. If you don’t do anything, I won’t hesitate to hit on her. I don’t care if she is a soldier from a foreign nation or your adjutant.」
Ikuta spat out and then lay down. Jean already knew that was Ikuta’s way of showing concern.
「An important person is staying by your side… Before you exhaust your life, think about that fact. If you do that, you might better understand her feelings.」
With that, Ikuta turned his back to Jean── and they didn’t speak until dawn.
At the break of dawn, they were pulled out of the pit by a rescue party and descended the hill immediately. When they reached the foot of the hill, their worried acquaintances rushed towards them.
「Jean, you are safe──」「Solork!」
Miara took Jean’s hands, while Chamille embraced Ikuta tightly. The two men soothed the girls for quite a while.
「Sorry Chamille, I made a mistake when I was trekking through the hill.」
Ikuta smiled to show he was fine. Ario who just reached asked the youth quietly:
「── Did my son give you any trouble?」
「... No. We just fell into a pit by accident and spent the night there.」
Ikuta shrugged. Ario looked at him and Jean with perceptive eyes── then muttered 「he got unexpectedly close」 before leaving. The youth was beyond shocked, and was completely stunned.
「Jean, go back to your tent first. Your clothes are dirty, and you need to do a health checkup...」
「Yah*, I got it, Miara. You don’t have to pull, you will tear my sleeves.」
「Ah── S-Sorry!」
The overly concerned adjutant and Jean were conversing a little off rhythm. Ikuta glanced at them before heading to the large carriage with Chamille.
「... The full body checkup is done. There’s just some bruising and scratches, there’s no serious injuries...」
After heading into the tent in the Kioka base, Miara carefully checked Jean’s entire body. She received the report that Jean fell into a pit, and was worried if he was injured. Miara was relieved after confirming that he was fine. When she realized her half naked superior was staring at her, she backed away in a panic.
「Ahh… W-Well then, I will take my leave. Your change of clothes are over there. Sorry for going overboard...」
「── Miara, wait.」
The white-haired officer quietly called out to his adjutant who was leaving in a hurry. Miara stopped and turned back with a confused face.
「W-What is it?」
「There’s something that is bothering. Take a seat and let’s talk.」
Miara’s heart fluttered when she heard Jean saying that in a serious tone. Is he going to dismiss me from my duties── She sat down as instructed and even imagined that possibility.
Jean looked at Miara who was less focused than usual, then paused for a moment before getting right onto the topic.
「Tell me honestly… Have I been making you feel uneasy?」
Miara froze at that question. She never thought that he would ask so directly. She wanted to brush things aside with an adequate answer for now… and when she was about to speak...
── You can be more honest with your feelings.
The words of that female knight echoed in her ears. As if she was encouraged by those words, Miara said her true feelings after a bit of hesitation.
「...... Yes, I have been worried about you.」
「... Why?」
The white haired officer asked. Miara’s scowled, then answered with a trembling voice.
「Because recently── you have been enjoying yourself much more than usual.」
The unexpected answer made Jean open his eyes wide. Miara then poured out her feelings like a broken dam:
「After meeting Professor Anarai, you made faces that I didn’t know about. You will get mad, laugh out loud, and talk about things outside of politics and military affairs. During this investigation, you are full of life too. This makes me feel very uneasy.」
「... You mean… I’m focusing less on contributing to the nation?」
Jean asked carefully.「No,」 his adjutant shook her head.
「Because I’m feeling that living like this will actually make you happy.」
He never imagined that would be the answer. She continued speaking to the dumbstruck Jean.
「You are sparkling right now── just as brightly on the battlefield. With no regards for obligation or responsibilities, you are giving your all to something you love… and finding joy in that. That’s how I feel.」
「────」
「When you’re speaking with the Scientists, you will be free from your heavy burdens for a moment. That’s how it looks to me. And… You have been smiling with a face I have never seen before. Getting angry with an expression you have never shown, and getting troubled with a face that I didn’t know. When I see all that… I couldn’t help feeling how useless my existence is.」
Miara was tearing up. Jean shook his head in a panic.
「No── wait, Miara. You’re misunderstanding. I spend all my time thinking about Kioka’s future, this investigation is the same too. I’m dealing with this so seriously because it have significant importance on the political and military level──」
「I’m starting to think that this is wrong!」
Miara cut him off with a firm voice. Not just uneasiness, there was an equal measure of anger in her eyes.
「Why── Why are you the only one who has to work nonstop? Why are you the only one not allowed to rest? Why isn’t the Prime Minister worried about your health? Even though you are the one working the hardest and most concerned for the country. This is wrong!」
She couldn’t stop anymore, and said everything she had been holding back. Jean couldn’t hold back his shock at the sincere words of the adjutant he had neglected.
「── Why are you saying that, Miara? You should know that I’m going to dedicate my life to Kioka. You should be following me because you want to support my ideals, together with your brother and the members of the Phantom Unit… Am I wrong?」
Jean checked their relationship with her in a trembling voice. Miara nodded gently.
「That’s right… However, I noticed. If this goes on── before we realize our ideals, you would have died from exhaustion.」
Her adjutant expressed the same views as the dark-haired youth. This shocked the white-haired officer, and tears rolled down the cheeks of Miara.
「Jean── I want you to live. The figure of you sprinting towards your dream is very bright. But I want you to receive just as much happiness as the effort you put in. I hope you can be happy, instead of the ideals in the distant future.」
「────」
「If not── I won’t be able to stop myself from cursing Kioka when you die. I will bear a grudge towards the country that squeezed everything out from you. I won’t be able to forgive myself… who is also an accomplice.」
She said with her nails grabbing her arms sinking deep into her skin, as she desperately suppressed the uneasiness welling up in her heart.
「I have been thinking about this recently. Standing in front of your lifeless body, I stab my blade into my chest in tears… Just thinking about that scene makes me shiver. It is really, really sad… I feel sad even now...」
「...!...」
「And the most useless thing is, I’m a woman we can’t do anything aside from battles. If I leave the army, I will become useless. I know nothing about living outside the army, and can’t make you smile like the Scientists do...」
「M-Miara──」
Her painful confession was too depressing. Jean couldn’t just stand there, and kicked aside his chair to embrace Miara tightly── After being together for so long, this was the first time they hugged. She grabbed his uniform as if she was asking him to save her.
「... Sorry, I lied. Half of the reason I feel uneasy lies with me...」
「......」
「You are more important to me than anything else, but I can’t do anything for you. I feel so frustrated because I’m so useless… I don’t know what to do...」
Tears fell on Jeans shoulder and made his uniform moist. Jean embraced the sobbing Miara tightly, not knowing what else he could do.
Losing his place to stand, finally learning the thoughts of his comrade, Jean was in a world completely different from the day before── however, the youth still couldn’t take the first step.
Two weeks after the accident involving Ikuta and Jean, they solved two more questions ── and the Scientists were facing the 100th question since the trial started.
「──Stand alone in the center of everything, and call out its name.」
The Sprites said in a robotic tone for the upteenth time. The instruction from his partner made Bajin tilt his head in puzzlement.
「... Hmm～ standing in the center reminds me of the first question.」
「Calling out a name is a question type that had not been used before. How should we interpret that?」
Nazuna who was standing beside him muttered with a troubled face. At this moment, Ikuta and Jean who led their troops to determine the reaction of the Sprites returned to the tent.
「So, how’s the reaction of the Sprites?」
Anarai asked them immediately, and his two disciples answered with complicated faces.
「There were several reactions, but we can’t determine the position. An reaction will happen and then stop the next instance── this happens repeatedly.」
「...Yah*, it’s the same on my end.」
When he heard the report, the old sage touched his chin.
「Hmm. The reaction stopped after an instant── huh.」
Silence loomed in the tent. Vackie raised her hand, her liveliness contrasted with that silence.
「I have a theory── It’s not that the reaction is unstable, but the point of reaction is moving. Why not think about it from that angle?」
The Scientists all looked her way. Ikuta nodded in agreement.
「I concur. My reason is── the question in the beginning involves geometry on a flat surface, but the later questions involve spatial diagrams. It’s shifting from two dimensions to three dimensions. And so── this will make sense if another variable has been added.」
His words made Chamille who was deep in thought raise her head.
「A variable other than a flat surface and the spatial dimension── That’s right, the timeline!」
「Indeed. This question probably requires us to trace the position that has a reaction at different times to solve it. And the plan to search for the reaction will be much more tedious and difficult than before.
From the results we are seeing so far, there is a good chance that the reaction will move in a wide area. If we want to grasp it in a short time, we will need all the manpower we can spare──」
Ikuta said and cast his gaze towards Jean. The white-haired officer realized his intentions and nodded.
「...Yah*, I understand. We will commit more troops into the investigation.」
「Yes, let’s start with that, and spread out the soldiers in as wide an area as possible.」
The two quickly agreed to this method. After their close call on the hill, the clashes between them subsided. Chamille observed the two of them with a mixture of curiosity and uneasiness── was this the chemical reaction that Professor Anarai mentioned?
In any case, they assumed that the reaction would move in a wide range, and spread out their troops on the plains with as many soldiers as possible. Not just that, they also recorded down which soldier saw a reaction at what time in detail. After a few days of observations── The trend of the data collected made all the Scientists furrow their brows.
「...Ikuta-nii, the range of movement is incredibly big.」
「... That seems to be the case. Even if we spread out tens of thousands of troops, we won’t be able to trace all the movements… On top of that, there is more than one reaction we are tracing. And the Sprites are showing different reactions too, so there are multiple reactions moving along the ground.」
Ikuta, Vackie and Chamille muttered as they stared at the map filled with notations. A while later, they lifted their heads with renewed resolve.
「Alright then── let’s do this another way, and give up on grasping the whole picture.」
「Will that be fine? We don’t even know the question, much less the answer.」
「We will have to stare at the data we have collected so far and utilize the imagination of Science.」
He traced the dots on the map with his finger. The saturation of data on the map seemed meaningful in his mind.
「At this stage, we can deduce a pattern. The Sprites reactions move in a line── some of them make one cycle in a day. Some Sprites would show the same reaction after 24 hours. Assuming all the reactions follow the same principle, we can assume that the reactions are circling around on the same route every day.」
Ikuta opined with a mix of his assumptions. Anarai walked over and interjected:
「If it is a daily cycle, the first thing I can think of is circular motion. This question is similar to the first question as it also asks us to stand in the center, so we can’t ignore the possibility that this question also involves a circle. From the previous questions, we can see that they are establishing a foundation for later questions.」
The old sage included the intent behind the questions too一 with that in mind, he continued his line of reasoning:
「Assuming the reaction is a circular motion that happens once a day, we have to confirm if the Sprites will show the right reaction at a time and position we predicted. It should be simple to understand with a set square and clock. Since it will move 360 degrees in a day, then a reaction at 12 am, 0 degrees, will show the same reaction at 6 am, 90 degrees. Then 12 pm, 180 degrees. It might not be true if the speed changes in the middle── but the data so far hinted that the speed is constant.」
Without needing to be prompt, Ikuta said:
「If we want to verify, let’s start from the smallest circle from the data. For convenience’s sake, let’s call this reaction A. To predict the circular motion, we will need to find the center, and that requires at least three points on the route. From the map, the arc formed by reaction A fulfils this criteria. But that’s only if our assumptions are right.」
Master and disciple traded opinions and nodded at each other── With this in mind, they sent soldiers to multiple locations to check for any reactions. A few days later, when all the locations showed the same reaction at the predicted timing, the Scientists went up in an uproar.
「The actual data matches the predicted values. Looks like we found the right answer, Ikuta!」
Yorga said excitedly after verifying the data for the third time. Anarai nodded:
「From the verified data, we have proved that reaction A moves in a circular motion at a constant speed. For convenience, let’s call this circle A. Since it’s a circle, we can find the center easily, just use the method proposed by Chamille to solve the first question. That would be the center of circle A.」
The old sage said as he added new data to the map. The Scientists leaned forward to stare at the paper.
「We can verify reaction B, C and D, in the same way, and observe the movement in a wide area. It will take a lot of time even if we have ten thousand people. However── Jean, what’s your view on that? Do we need to do this?」
Anarai suddenly asked the white-haired officer. But Jean shook his head without hesitation after thinking about it briefly.
「... No.」
「Oh. What’s your reason?」
「It’s my interpretation of the question. The Sprites said 『Stand alone in the center of everything』. They intentionally added the term 『alone』, so I think it means the multiple circles have only one center?」
A few Scientists were surprised by that answer. Anarai looked satisfied, and pointed at the map with a smile.
「── That’s right. We can deduce that the other circles aren’t unrelated, and share a common center. It’s easy to verify, since the path can be traced easily after learning the position of the center and one point of its path. If all the reactions have the same center, then we will be able to see the Sprites reaction at all the predicted positions.」
The Scientists nodded at each other. Just like the time they verified the movement route of reaction A, they dispatched soldiers to several predicted points. The result was as expected── all the reactions trace out a circle with the same center.
After verifying that, the Scientists followed Professor Anarai’s proposal and marked out the center of the circle on the map. Everyone realized that the stage of using the soldiers to gather data was over.
「We can finally see it── the whole picture of this question.」
It was already 9 pm. Under the starry night, a large table was placed in the center of the plains. The old sage placed the map on the table.
As his disciples watched on, Anarai started guiding their thoughts to the final destination.
「Several circles with varying sizes── We can’t use this directly, since the circles are a result of tracking various movement paths, they are traces of a circular motion, and not circles── The traces are formed by the objects moving with time along a flat surface.」
The old sage remarked and said quietly to the Scientists 「Let’s confirm that information again.」 Bajin asked his partner Sprite right away.
「Stand alone in the center of everything, and call out its name.」
The Sprites repeated that information again. Anarai nodded.
「We found the center, it’s about 100m to the north here. We just need a person to stand there alone and shout the name. Well then, what does the name refer to? There seems to be a name for this center. What is this thing?」
He asked everybody present. The Scientists fell into deep thought, and Chamille sorted out the information together with Ikuta beside her.
「... The circles are moving spots… They share the same center, and revolves around it once a day...」
A few key clues floated up in the darkness of their minds. A while later── the pieces of the puzzles fell together, and they looked up at the night sky.
「「「「「「──!」」」」」」
「Correct. That’s the conclusion.」
His disciples followed the right track of reasoning to find the answer. As they watched on, Anarai stared at the map filled with notations.
「This is a mirror on the ground that reflects the sky. If we look up, we can find the answer there.」
The old sage told them as he walked alone to the north. The Scientists watched his back with bated breath, and thought about the process that led them to this conclusion.
The circular motion that cycles around in one day── a daily revolution. The Scientist knew that the answer he deduced wasn’t an unrealistic proposition, but something that could be seen in nature at any day.
In the distant past── a person who never grew tired of looking at the stars discovered this pattern. The countless stars that move in a fixed timing, and the only star at their center that remained stationary. Before compasses were invented, it was a signpost that guides humanity, and the light shining brightly in the night sky was──
「Hey, North Pole Star!」
<TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_star>
Anarai Khan stood at the center that could observe all the circular motions, and cried out that name. And then── a dramatic change happened at that moment.
「「「「「「「Intelligence level reaching the standard has been confirmed. Conditions met── opening the door of the Storage Vault.」」」」」」」
The Sprites notified at the same time, and the ground dozens of meters away from Professor Anarai started to split apart loudly. After the earth was pushed aside, a metallic gleam could be seen rising up before the shocked crowd, forming a platform.
「Phew── what an extravagant showing!」
Anarai watched all that without backing away, while his disciples rushed to him out of concern. Before their eyes, something protruded out of the metallic platform. It was a conical object the size of a mid-sized tent. There were no windows aside from the entrance, and it was clearly hollow.
When the entire metallic object came out, the ground finally stopped moving. The tremors from deep below ground subsided── and the Sprites announced once again.
「「「「「「「Anarai Khan, Ikuta Solork, Jean Arkinex, Jenancy Labutesuma── these four are permitted to enter the Storage Vault as representatives. If you wish to enter, please enter the elevator within 72 hours.」」」」」」」
The Sprites named the four people. Anarai said after hearing that.
「Ikuta, Jean and the Pope── can we set off after an hour?」
No one objected. I won’t wait any longer than that── the back of the old sage and the passion in his voice emphasized that more than anything else.
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