Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
「Hey, Tritri, are you free?」
When he heard the call from behind, Imperial Chancellor Trisnai Izanma walked on silently in the passageway.
「Oh, you are ignoring me, but that won’t work. This is about work.」
Vackie who expected that reaction went around to the front of the Chancellor. He turned his reptile-like eyes to the girl.
「... Specifically speaking?」
「It’s regarding the reform of administration archives. It will be quicker if I show you a current issue, can you follow me?」
Vackie pointed to the archive room behind her. Because she raised a specific issue, Trisnai had to respond as her superior. He silently followed the girl, and Vackie opened an old book before him on the table.
「Heave ho── Take this for example. For the era earlier than the three previous reigning Emperors, the language and grammar of the records are very different. I can’t read it at all, can you read it, Tritri?」
Vackie flipped to a page for him to read. Trisnai browsed through it and answered immediately.
「Of course I can… I remember that at that time, the format of the palace’s documents were changed. For people like you who don’t know the formatting of that era, it’s impossible to understand the old documents.」
「I think as much. Aside from you, who else can understand these words?」
「Empress Chamille can understand. There’s also the court librarian managing the administrative documents.」
「Is he still alive?」
The girl got right to the point, but Trisnai didn’t answer immediately. Vackie realized the answer, and leaned back to stare at the ceiling.
「Ah～ so he has passed away, huh～? Right~ since he was appointed as the court librarian, he must be a noble from a long standing clan. If he was in the palace during the coup, the Remeon faction wouldn’t have let him live～」
The girl laid sprawl onto the table, then sat straight up.
「It can’t be helped since he has passed away. I expected that too, but luckily, there are still people who can understand this.」
Vackie grinned from ear to ear as he stared at Trisnai. The Chancellor furrowed his brows.
「... You want me to translate it?」
「More accurately speaking, teach me how to translate. If I can understand the trick, I will do the rest. You just need to help me translate one book. How about it?」
Her gaze was firm as she waited for his answer. When Trisnai remained silent, the girl moaned:
「You don’t want to, huh～ If Tritri won’t do it, I will have to ask Her Majesty──」
「Out of the question. You can’t bother Her Majesty over something so trivial.」
Trisnai cut her off right then. The expected reaction made Vackie look at him again.
「Yes, I concur. So you’ll help?」
「... Lend me a pen and paper.」
「Yes, please take these!」
The girl gave him some stationery. After taking the stationery and sitting down, Trisnai said at the figure hiding in a corner of the book shelf.
「Instead of watching from over there, come and assist us, Third Grade Administrative Officer Daimudaritsu. It will be better for more people to understand the original texts if we want to reorganize the records.」
「...!」
「That’s what he said, Yoyo. Let’s work together.」
Yorga, who was worried about Vackie and watching from the shadows, showed up from behind the bookshelf. Vackie prepared a chair for him happily.
「... Are you trying to butter up to me?」
About an hour after the translation started, Trisnai muttered as he continued writing.
「── Hmm?」
「I ignored you so many times, but you still came to speak with me. I think you received orders from Ikuta Sankrei and are acting this way to achieve a certain goal. It’s obviously a waste of time.」
When she heard that, Vackie crossed her arms in deep contemplation. Yorga watched worriedly from the side.
「Hmm～ how do I convey this… Instead of what the goal is── Hmm, Tritri, you are annoying to others, right?」
Her words made Yorga’s face cramp, affecting him much more than the subject himself. Vackie continued, spurred on by her natural denseness.
「Let me put it another way. In the palace, there is a consensus accepted unconditionally by everyone── some sort of 『atmosphere』.」
「......」
「However, I have always been bad at dealing with such silent consent.」
The girl said as she leaned back on the chair with a sigh.
「Teaming up with others to hate someone you have no reason to hate, I can’t understand something like that. Unconditionally detesting someone your friend hates isn’t my style. Even though I think this is a way of expressing friendship.」
「I have ignored you coldly countless times, isn’t that a good enough reason?」
「Is that so? I didn’t notice~ you see, I’m really dense.」
Vackie said with a grin── then showed a serious face.
「But to think I’m buttering up to you on Ikuta-nii’s orders── you’re wrong. You’re underestimating how calm Ikuta-nii is.」
A tense silence fell, and Yorga held his breath. Vackie looked at the other party with cold eyes and said.
「Ikuta-nii will kill you one day, that is for certain. This isn’t a matter of benefit and loss, you have taken too much from him.」
「......」
「So I’m not buttering up to you. I’m doing this out of my own judgement. However── allowing me to act freely might be the intentions of Ikuta-nii.」
The Chancellor’s pen didn’t stop while they were having this tense conversation. Trisnai’s gaze didn’t leave the book he was translating, and he answered with his voice.
「... I don’t understand. You mean that person allowed you to act against his will?」
「That’s right. That’s what makes Ikuta-nii amazing. That person── doesn’t think the best result can be reached if everything happens according to his will.」
Vackie said proudly. That was a face she made when she sang the praise of her senior disciple.
「Ikuta-nii doesn’t like to create schemes to manipulate people to his will. That’s the decisive difference between him, you, and Ario Kyakushii. He is magnanimous, and won’t decide on good and evil in his own mind. Sometimes, he will accept things outside his values. It must be difficult for you to understand.」
He wrote a little bit slower. After a short pause, Trisnai said:
「... That’s──」
「Wait. I don’t get this part, why did you translate it this way?」
Vackie cut him off. Trisnai glanced at her face and answered plainly.
「... This is the classical palace word format. Listen well, when the words...」
「Hmm── go on.」
Vackie leaned forth and concentrated. After learning to translate for three hours, the satisfied Vackie accompanied Yorga who had stomach cramps to the infirmary.
＊
On a certain afternoon, under the clear sky, the Remeon family was gathered in the same place.
「── The weather is great. Sariha, Sushuraf.」
A gentle woman said to her two sons. She was Elisalula Remeon── Terushinha’s wife, and the mother of the three brothers. The eldest and second son of the Remeon turned to their mother who made the air turn warm.
「Yes, mother. It’s great that the wind is gentle.」「... But the sun is hot. Mother, stand in my shadow.」
Worried about their mother, Sushuraf shielded her with the shadow from his buff body. Elisalula looked at her grown children happily and suddenly looked behind her.
「Hubby── is Toruru not here yet?」
「Don’t worry, Elisa. That child is──」
Before her conversation with Terushinha was over, the sound of horse hooves grew close. It was the youngest son of the Remeon house, the jade-eyed youth, Torway Remeon.
「── Huff, puff...! Sorry I’m late!」
「Toruru!」
Elisa welcomed her youngest son with a bright smile. Sarihasrag said from behind her.
「You’re slow, Toruru. Put the horse away and hurry on over.」
「Yes!」
Torway immediately jumped off the horse, and tied it to a post nearby. He tidied his uniform that became untidy on his way here, then ran to his family.
「Fufufu──Toruru is here, so that’s five. Just one more person, and the whole family will be here.」
Elisa told them with a faint smile. Her husband and sons didn’t miss the deep sorrow behind her calm smile.
「Come, let’s go to the last person. She must be eager to see us.」
The sunlight shone through the gaps of the lush garden. Deep inside the garden was a tombstone.
「Good Afternoon, Lucy. Look, everyone’s here to see you.」
Elisa squatted down before the tombstone. She wetted a handkerchief with a Water Sprite, then carefully wiped the tombstone.
「Mother, we too──」
Her sons wanted to help, but she shook her head with a faint smile. She lovingly wiped the tombstone and said to it:
「I’m sorry for not visiting for so long. Everyone is really busy these days, it is a hard time. I don’t understand the difficult things, but...」
She muttered as she wiped the entire tombstone, then turned to her sons behind with a smile.
「Come and give your greetings.」
The three brothers walked forth on their mother’s urging. The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder before the tombstone, and the eldest spoke first.
「This is Sarihasrag. It’s been a while, teacher Lucy.」
「Sushuraf here. Teacher, pardon my tardy greetings.」
They saluted after saying that. Torway mimicked his brothers' actions, but couldn’t speak smoothly.
「... T-Teacher...」
He tried to say something, but his hoarse voice came out in meaningless spurts. Sarihasrag patted the youth’s trembling shoulder.
「Hey, Toruru── teacher doesn’t like seeing people cry.」
「──Yes.」
Torway stood tall with gritted teeth. Sariha turned his gaze back to the tombstone, then snorted.
「But she won’t go easy despite that── Teacher, he is the same as usual, but he got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. That cry baby outranked Sushuraf and me.」
He sighed, half of it was sarcasm, the other half was worry.
「To be honest── I wish the teacher was around during times like this… You are proficient in teaching others the harshness of the world. You made me cry a lot of times, and that is something this guy will need from now on.」
Sariha said with a serious face, then grinned.
「I will stop my whining here. Anyway, don’t worry. We remember the lessons we learned from you, or rather, we can’t forget it. Compared to the number of times Dad hit us, you have slapped us many more times.」
Sariha said with an easy face. Shortly after, Sushuraf said.
「Teacher, I have learned to walk on my own path… That’s the only improvement I have made. However, I won’t regress back to how I was. Never again.」
Sushuraf vowed clearly. Sariha smiled awkwardly.
「What’s that, Sushuraf. Your words are as vague as ever.」
「No… This is enough. Big Bro has already said what I wanted to.」
Sushuraf said with his lips curled. The two brothers then turned to their youngest brother.
「Toruru, what about you?」
「... I...」
Torway was silent. A hand was placed on his shoulder from behind.
「Our family has always had two mothers.」
Elisa said softly, her slender fingers caressing her son’s hair.
「I think all of you are cute, and aren't good at scolding any of you. Lucy has always taken on the stern role of nurturing children… I’m really sly. I dote on you, and you stick to me, so I’m the only one who got the good part of being a mother.」
「......」
「I have always been receiving the grace of Lucy. You supported Tel on the battlefield, and guided the children. Do you know how much I admire you?」
Elisa said and stood before the tombstone again. She tightly embraced the tombstone that bore the symbol of the Remeon, a Wind Gun.
「But── why did you have to go, Lucy? I haven’t repaid you yet. All the things you have done for me, I have not...」
Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the tombstone. Torway said quietly as he watched his sobbing mother.
「── Teacher. Even now, I’m still not good at shooting living things.」
He stopped thinking about what to say, and said what he felt directly.
「However, I won’t be ashamed of myself anymore. Even someone like me── No, because of who I am, I have comrades who need me.」
That was the pride supporting him, the right way to live that the youth had arrived at.
「I will continue to stand on the battlefield as a coward, and stay afraid of killing others or dying to others… Because this is a precious feeling that I can’t forget.」
His two brothers listened with serious faces, the back of their youngest brother was no longer fragile.
「That’s why, I will strive for it── a world where people don’t have to be heroes. A future where anyone can be a coward. Because that must be what teacher wishes for too.」
Torway concluded and looked right at the tombstone. A while later, his father walked to his side.
「The world, huh? ──I never thought the day will come when I will hear that from you.」
「Father...」
Terushinha gently touched the back of his wife who was hugging the tombstone, and said to his long time adjutant.
「Did you hear that, Lucika? As you can see, the children have left our hands… It’s lonely and vexing, but as parents, we have to accept the time when our children leave the nest.」
The days the children were born flashed across his mind, and the jade-eyed General told her in awe:
「The children who learned from you are pioneering a path to the future, that’s the greatest thing you left to us── Lucika Kursk, the knight who stayed with our Remeon family. Thank you for watching us, and being a part of our lives──」
＊
A few weeks later. The field exercise Sazarf planned on Ikuta’s orders was being carried out by two brigades.
「── Halt! Form up and roll call!」
The soldiers in file formation stopped and caught their breath. They resisted the urge to sit down, then chatted with their comrades while avoiding the eyes of their superiors.
「Phew, we are finally here...」
「It’s three days, but the distance is rather far. Anyone dropped out?」
The roll call was done quickly, confirming that no one dropped out. The soldiers were relieved, then turned their eyes to the scene before them.
「But what is the Field Marshal planning by bring all of us here?」
Within their field of vision was a structure that was 800m wide and 30m tall. From the air, it had the shape of a hexagon covered in thick walls. The walls had innumerable signs of damage from bullets and bombardment, which meant it had been used in a live battle not long ago.
「That’s right. This is the Balshiha Fortress── one of the top defensive strongholds in the Empire. It is old, but it is a facility that can still be used.」
「So you’re saying we will have a training exercise here or something?」
「No, if the enemy gets this far, then the war was as good as lost. Even if we want to conduct a siege exercise, a more practical place should be somewhere further to the east.」
「Are we going to train with the facilities to get used to a siege battle? If that is so, then we have too many people...」
One soldier said as he looked around. The two brigades of ten thousand Imperial soldiers surrounded the fortress. This was a large fortress, but too small for all the soldiers. First of all, if that was the intention, then the advance party would have moved in already.
「And we have huge cannons around the fortress. Is that the new weapon, Blast Cannons? I thought it was equipment for field battles, so they will be set up in the fortress?」
This intrigued the soldiers once more, a new weapon most of them weren’t familiar with. How would the exercise be carried out? They thought as they waited for the next instructions.
「── Okay, the soldiers are in position. It is time, Brigadier General Sazarf.」
On the other hand, at the same time, in a tent set up at a corner of the camp. Sazarf who was listening to the dark-haired youth scratched his head with a troubled face.
「I don’t know how many times I have asked this… but are we really doing this?」
「It’s too cold to not do anything and go back now. We brought so many people over.」
「That’s right, but we can do this another way...」
After traveling all the way to the site of the exercise, Sazarf was still wavering about executing the ‘upcoming actions’. Ikuta shrugged.
「I won’t say there isn’t any other way. But we are intentionally choosing such an extreme method. With the final battle looming, the Imperial Army has to change its mindset. From the top ranking officers to the footsoldiers, we have to revolutionize our common sense of warfare. That’s why we are having this exercise.」
「... In short, you have no intentions of cutting the exercise?」
Sigh, the young Brigadier General sighed deeply. Ikuta smiled nefariously to make him loosen his tense shoulders.
「Don’t worry, you won’t have any superior officer accusing you of going too far. Because I’m the Field Marshal now.」
「I might not need to worry about my superior blaming me, but I have an adjutant who is serious about everything. Will you get scolded together with me at the crucial moment?」
「Hmm… Can I take this as an invitation to 3P?」
「Hahaha, can I punch you now?」
They bickered as usual, and the dark-haired youth turned his gaze to Kusu on the table.
「Well then, it’s about time to begin. Inform all units through the communication Sprites──」
「── Ikuta here. Matthew, can you hear me?」
When he received the notification from his partner Wind Sprite Tu, the pudgy youth realized that it was time.
「Yes, I can hear you… Are we going to begin?」
「Yes, we are aiming to start in ten minutes. Can you brief the troops before it starts?」
「Alright, I know… However, I’m not a cunning linguist like you, so don’t expect too much.」
Matthew ended the call with that reminder, then gave instruction to the officers under him, and said to the soldiers around him.
「All units, attention!── Listen up! I have something to tell you before the exercise starts!」
He raised his voice so he could reach the units behind. In the distance, the other officers were yelling like him. The youth didn’t lower his volume and continued:
「Many of you must be thinking. Even if the final battle with Kioka is looming, the Empire has plenty of excellent fortresses, like Fortress Balshiha before you. And that we won’t lose in a defensive siege battle──」
「── We can stubbornly defend the fortress all over the nation, and propose a ceasefire when the enemy is exhausted. Many people predicted that the battle with Kioka would proceed in such a way. In fact, many past wars went down this exact way──」
On the other side of the Fortress, Torway was giving the same briefing to his men. Confused by their superior’s intention, the soldiers listened closely.
「── However, the way that wars are fought have changed drastically. New weapons, new infantry units, new tactics── the common sense of the war of the past cannot be applied to the new way of war.」
「And so, we need to understand this before the final battle──」
Sarihasrag and Sushuraf who were tagging along for the exercise also explained to their troops, and thought about what the future would entail.
「── The exercise today will show this. So just watch what is going to happen. It might be intense, but this is a bitter medicine we need.」
When Ikuta reached this point, Kusu in his arms, who had kept the communication channel open, yelled loudly.
「── Start the bombardment!」
The next instant, the sounds of explosion overlapped with each other, and permeated the ears of the troops.
「──What──!」
The soldiers shrinked their bodies in fear from the loud explosion, and opened their eyes in shock. The artillery batteries near them were covered in smoke, and the payload fired from the muzzles onto the fortress.
「H-Hey! It’s a bombardment?」「Impossible! It’s firing at our fortress!?」
「The sound is deep…! The soundwave is making my stomach heavy!」「L-Look! That’s──」
Loud explosions kept ranging out. The impact from the munition shattered the stone walls. Half the Blast Cannons hit the wall directly, while the other half aimed for the interior by firing at an arc. Damage to the inside and outside was progressing at the same terrifying rate.
「T-The outer walls of the fortress...!」
「A hole had been blasted?」「Too quick! With just that...!」
Less than three minutes after the bombardment, the outer walls on the east side crumbled. This was the result of the focus fire weakening the foundation so much that it couldn’t hold its own weight. This was impossible for the Wind Cannons in the past── but the power of the Blast Cannons refuted this common sense.
「Ahhhh...!」「It can’t be, there are holes everywhere in an instant...!」
「The base of the tower is blown away...」「Uwah──! I-It collapsed!」
The structures inside were more fragile than the fortress wall. The central tower, that served as the command post of the fortress, fell over when its last support took a devastating direct hit. The shells continue to fall, the fortress that was standing tall just moments ago was quickly losing its shape──
「── Stop the shelling!」
On the instructions of the dark-haired youth, the shelling finally stopped.
「I want everyone to see with your own eyes── this is how a war looks like now.」
On the Field Marshal’s urging, the soldiers stared wordlessly at the scene before them── Ruins and debris with dust floating in the air… A fortress was standing there ten minutes ago. However, that memory had been snatched away by the intense bombardment.
「I want to say this clearly── when facing Blast Cannons, all the existing fortresses and walls are meaningless. They will be turn into this terrible state under focus artillery fire.」
Ikuta continued showing the stiff soldiers basking in this merciless truth. After being dazed for a short moment, they felt a feeling of uneasiness as if they lost their footing… The dark-haired youth wasn’t trying to destroy the fortress, but the Imperial soldiers’ over reliance on the fortress── and the myth they were safe.
「Anyway, a defensive battle depending on a fortress will not be possible in the future. Going into the defensive is equivalent to defeat. Hence── the upcoming war will literally be the final battle. There can only be either victory or defeat.」
The soldiers held their breath. They realized that the upcoming battle would literally decide the survival of the country.
「And it should be clear that because we started late in the development and manufacture of Blast Cannons, Kioka has more of them than us. We have to fight with this fact in mind── and adopt completely different ideas. To accomplish this, I organized this exercise to let everyone understand the question we are facing.」
A heavy silence loomed over the troops. Ikuta treated this situation to be only natural and nodded.
「And of course, I don’t plan to end this by just showing this result── this is just half the exercise. All units, proceed to the next destination. This is just the beginning.」
「... He showed us such a scene. What should we do...」
The troops in file formation mumbled. Their feet were as heavy as lead. They left the collapsed fortress, but what they saw earlier was still branded onto their mind.
「... If the fortresses are pointless, then what should we use for weapons...? And the enemy has more Blast Cannons too...?」
Not everyone was talking, but they all felt the same way. Deployed to a hopeless war── this was the greatest fear for the troops on the frontlines.
「... I thought Blast Cannons were just bigger Wind Cannons, but it’s so powerful… Do we stand a chance against such an opponent...?」
The more they thought about it, the more formidable the Kioka army seemed to be. No one told them to, but they were already racking their brains on how to deal with that scene.
「...Field Marshal Sir. As we expected, the soldiers are greatly shaken.」
Sazarf muttered with a glance at the troops. He was riding in tandem with Ikuta behind him, and rode in the center of the formation. The dark-haired youth nodded nonchalantly.
「This is only natural since they witnessed that scene. I will be troubled if they didn’t get shocked.」
「That might be so… Informing them of the new facts is all good, but what are you going to do about the low morale? Not many people can keep their fighting spirits after witnessing that scene.」
「It’s fine, this is inevitable. If they can’t grasp the power of the Blast Cannons now, they will go through what happened today during live battle. Think of this as a right of passage to be done as soon as possible. Instead of the brute courage before knowing the truth, I prefer the timidness after learning the facts.」
He said without any doubts. Be it as a Scientist or as a soldier, the youth’s attitude remained unchanged.
「The time spent on traveling is also a buffer for them to accept the situation in their own way. The troops must be thinking what they need to do to win, and whether it is possible to prevail── that’s a good way of thinking for soldiers.」
Sazarf groaned. Ikuta behind him laughed softly.
「Our job is to guide their thoughts in the right direction. And give them a push, so they can take the right steps towards victory. If we succeed, then their fighting spirit and morale will naturally follow.」
They crossed a large hill while they spoke, and could see the next destination. The youth looked right at their target and said.
「However── the last step is a little tough.」
Tens of minutes later. The troops followed the officers orders and halted.
「... We are stopping here?」
They surveyed their surroundings. The unit formed up with their comrades that arrived earlier on the gentle slope.
「This is the middle of the hilly terrain. What’s going to happen this time...?」
Torway who was mounted on the horse approached the soldiers that were in a stir.
「We will conduct the second half of the exercise here. Everyone, look over there.」
He pointed to a drainage basin at the bottom of the hill. The troops tilted their head puzzledly as they watched.
「What’s that? There are strange marks on the ground...」 「Are there several ditches dug in a circular shape… Huh?」
The long ditches formed concentrated circles when seen from above, looking like makeshift moats. After seeing the huge fortress, this seems very fragile.
「That is a substitute for a fortress── we will now bombard that place like we did earlier.」
What the jade-eyed youth said confused the troops further── How do they use that? They just saw a sturdy stone fortress crumble before them. If that happens to a fortress, how could these large trenches survive the bombardment?
「However, unlike the unmanned fortress, there will be people garrisoned inside… including the Field Marshal.」
「Huh──?」
His next line made the troops doubt their ears. After that, some of their comrades went down the hill right before their eyes. The soldiers watched their backs in shock.
「Wait, huh? Are they serious...?」「L-Look, so many of them are going into the trenches...」
The soldiers walked into the trenches that would be bombarded later, and a dark-haired youth was amongst them.
「── It’s slippery, please watch your steps.」
「Yes, I’m fine.」
Ikuta walked down the slope and entered the trenches with his escorts. It was about two metres deep, and an adult’s head wouldn’t be exposed even when standing.
The officers signalled with their eyes, and the soldiers surrounded the youth. They formed a meat shield with their bodies── in case of anything, this was the last line of defence for the incoming bombardment.
「Don’t worry. We will protect you with our lives.」
「I’m not worried… Sorry for forcing you guys to join me.」
Ikuta apologized. The officer snorted softly.
「Field Marshal Sir, even if you say so── I don’t think you have to apologize to someone twenty years older than you.」
When he said that, the men around them smiled in agreement. Letting their senior officer or young people risk their lives alone was unimaginable for their common sense. Realizing what they mean, Ikuta smiled wryly.
「... Yes, I misspoke. Allow me to correct myself── thank you for joining me.」
The youth said gratefully, and took out his partner from his pouch.
「Incoming call from Ikuta.」
「......」
His partner notified him of a call. Matthew realized that it was finally time, and picked up the call with a stiff voice.
「... This is Major Matthew.」
「Ikuta Here. The preparations in the trenches are done, we are ready any time.」
In contrast, the voice from the other side was very relaxed. The pudgy youth wasn’t in the mood to blindly agree and end the call, then said:
「Hey, don’t be so casual about it… You know what will happen if I make a mistake?」
「Of course I know. That’s why I’m leaving it to you.」
Ikuta continued in a nonchalant tone.
「In all the battles so far, haven’t we entrusted our lives to each other plenty of times? It’s the same this time too.」
「......」
「Hey Matthew, are your hands still trembling?」
When he heard that, a piece of memory revived in Matthew’s mind… At the start of the Northern Unrest, the conversation they had before engaging the enemy assaulting their camp. The fairy tale of the courageous general and the timid general. The youth thought about that as he stared at his hands.
「... No, they are not.」
「That’s what I thought── Well then, I leave the rest to you.」
His voice was relaxed until the end. The dark-haired youth hinted that he wasn’t worried, and to get it over quickly. Matthew sighed deeply.
「Don’t be so relaxed about it, really...!」
When he raised his head while grumbling, a subordinate rushed to him. He reported with a similarly tensed face.
「M-Major Matthew. The Blast Cannons have been deployed, but...」
「Got it, I’m going over to inspect.」
The youth walked forth with a nod. He approached the cannons in neat formation, then checked the direction and angle of the muzzle, the gauge of the Dynamic Air and other details. He couldn’t afford to be negligent, but he also used that as an excuse to back down. He had the trust of Ikuta Solork, who entrusted this task to him── This fact supported him strongly, and boosted Matthew Tetzirich’s confidence.
「...... Good, no problem.」
After finishing his inspection, the slightly plump youth confirmed. He was sure he had done everything he should do, and anything more would just be a waste of time. He shouted firmly.
「Start the bombardment!」
He ordered without hesitation── loud explosions rang out once more.
「Uwahhh!」 「T-They really are firing!」
「Stop! Stahp!」「Friendlies, there’re friendlies in there──!」
When the bombardment began, the troops turned hysterical. That was only natural── their comrades could only take cover in the trenches dug into the ground. Even a fortress fell to the Blast Cannons, so what could this accomplish?
Their screams weren’t conveyed to their allies, and the bombardment continued for a long time. Dust hung in the air where the shells found their mark, and drifted to the noses of the soldiers watching. Afraid of smelling blood in the air, they unconsciously stopped their breathing.
「... The bombardment is over, right?」
A few minutes after the screaming started, the trenches down hill was completely obscured by the dust cloud. No one could say anything, and the soldiers were too afraid to imagine the terrible state behind the dust clouds. The troops averted their gazes.
「Hey, don’t daze off. Look with your eyes wide open.」
A stern voice admonished them. Sarihasrag shouted at his men, telling them to look ahead.
「Ah──」
They could see things moving. A lot of figures climbed out of the trenches that had been blown out of shape, and were walking in the dust. Shortly after, their very healthy allies appeared before them, covered in mud.
「T-They are alive. More of them are coming out──」 「The shelling is so intense, but they...!」
The troops couldn’t hide their shock from this unexpected result. When they saw the youth with a walking stick amongst them, their surprise turned into exhilaration.
「Look! The Field Marshal is safe!」
Their eyes were focused on the survivors. Feeling the eyes of everyone on him, Ikuta slowly said.
「── As you can all see, this is our defence strategy against the Blast Cannons.」
He pointed to the trenches behind him and said. He went in there personally and went through the intense bombardment. The result surprised most of the soldiers, and Ikuta explained to the curious troops.
「Compared to the explosion itself, the terrifying thing about Blast Cannons are the shrapnels flying from the impact. Aside from the shards contained in the payload, the destroyed building will become part of the shrapnels too. The fortress walls shielding us will become a weapon because of the Blast Cannons.
The impact that sends the shrapnels flying in all directions including upwards── however, it won’t fly downwards.」
Ikuta pointed to the ground. The soldiers looked at their feet on cue.
「So the best answer to escape from the explosion is to dig a deep but narrow trench and hide inside. That will stop the debris from the fortress from causing secondary damages. Even if all the fortresses in the Empire can’t protect us, our shield is right by our feet.」
The youth said with a bold smile as he took a shovel from a soldier beside him.
「The way to fight the Blast Cannons in a field battle, is to dig trenches. In the next battle, compared to Wind Guns and crossbows, you will need your shovels more. The trenches being uncomfortable will still be a problem though.」
He said as he dusted off his cape and uniform. The eyes of the soldiers returned to life when they saw his figure. The Field Marshal personally proved the effectiveness of the trenches. For the troops facing the Blast Cannons in the future, he was a real glimmer of hope.
「Anyway, this will be your new shield. You will need to get used to making them── everyone have your shovel ready?」
When they heard the Field Marshal’s words, the soldiers all took out their shovels. And then, they dug.
「── Casualty report! The bombardment caused 12 light casualties, all of them are sprains and bruises! No serious casualties or death! And of course, the Field Marshal is also safe!」
At the same time, Matthew, the commander of the Blast Cannons, fell on his knees when he received that report.
「── Phew, we did it...」
He exhaled the air in his lungs along with his voice. His tension was gone, which made him a little dizzy. His subordinate supported him with his hand and complimented him.
「Congratulations, Major… This is a scary exercise. The showcase of the trenches’ defences aside, I never thought the Field Marshal will go in personally...」
「I also objected, but he refused to back down. He insisted on leaving things to me, and told me not to worry...」
Matthew stood up with the help of his subordinate, then sighed deeply── the trenches might be effective against bombardment, but that didn’t mean staying in them was completely safe. They could only avoid the wide range splash damage from the explosion, but a direct hit into the trench will definitely kill the soldiers.
And that was why Matthew had to adjust the bombardment to prevent that from happening. Ikuta’s safety was a given, and considering the psychological effect on the troops, they couldn’t afford any serious casualties or death in this exercise. Opening fire on allies without causing any serious damage── he accomplished Ikuta’s request splendidly.
「We did a lot of experiments beforehand, and got used to handling Blast Cannons, so this isn’t an impossible mission… But just the thought of shelling allies is...」
The pudgy youth grumbled as he watched Ikuta give a speech to the troops. I won’t do this again── he might be thinking that, but he was honestly proud to have answered the youth’s expectations.
Chapter 2: The Wavering Heroes
The place was the ocean to the south of Kioka. Booms from explosions echoed in the naval harbour nearby.
「── Fire!」
Shells were shot out from the side of the ships, splashing tall pillars of water on the sea. The sailors observing the effectiveness of the barrage yelled.
「Well done── the accuracy is good!」 「Next is the starboard side! Open the gunports!」
When the ships turned towards the wind, the gunports on the other side of the ships opened. They were conducting combat training to prepare against enemy vessels. The prisoners of wars successfully returned home, and the morale of the Kioka Fourth Fleet was high as they trained to take revenge for their defeat in Port Nemong.
「Oh, the ocean is wonderful...! The seabreeze feels great!」
「It’s great to be back. The thought of idling in the Empire until we die is...」
The sailors shuddered at that thought. His comrade beside him patted his back.
「That will happen if we lose next time. They won’t make the same mistake.」
「Y-Yes, I know── We are getting used to using the Blast Cannons on the ship too. We will sink those damn Imperial Pirates next time!」
That sailor raised his voice to motivate himself. He suddenly turned behind, but the woman who was always watching them from the bridge wasn’t there.
「But── the Great Mother isn’t here today.」
「She has the day off. And surprisingly, Commander Greg has the day off too.」
「Oh～...?」
The two of them love the sea more than the land, so it’s rare for them to have off days at the same time. Something felt a bit off for them, but for the sake of their beloved Great Mother, they focused on their training.
＊
At the same time, on a land far from the ocean and the sailors, the two subjects in question were meeting up in the streets.
「Good Morning, Greg. Did you wait long?」
「No, I arrived just ten minutes ago.」
In front of the fountain where they were meeting up for a date, Greg stood with his back straight. His posture made it look like a rod was stuck down his spine, making it obvious he was a soldier. His buff body, six feet height and split mouth were very effective in clearing the crowds── however, the 「Great Mother of White Wings」 didn’t mind. She approached him with a glamorous smile.
「It’s been a while since I last saw you in casual wear. Your taste is still as good as ever.」
「Thank you, because my parents took care to teach me.」
He said as he straightened his tie. His scars made it difficult to see properly, but Greg had a manly face. He was wearing a three piece suit, his pants didn’t have any creases, and his leather shoes were as shiny as a mirror. Including his choice of accessories like a pocket watch, he stood at the forefront of fashion even in the Capital Norandot.
「However, it’s been a while since I tormented the tailors because of my large physique. I just need a set of military uniforms to go anywhere. It’s convenient, but──」
Greg stopped and looked at the woman before him.
「── But that won’t do today. If I have to match you on land, then I have to put in some effort to dress up.」
「Fufu. How about it?」
She turned around and asked, her snow white dress fluttering in the air. Matched with her khaki shirt, Elulufay gave an impression of innocence completely different from the usual her. Greg narrowed his eyes and commented:
「... You look like you’re shining. I’m not exaggerating.」
「Oh, how smooth.」
Surprised by that reaction, Elulufay blushed a little and turned around.
「Let’s start then── Can I leave the place to visit to you?」
「I can’t promise that you will definitely enjoy yourself, but if you don’t mind, please accompany me.」
Greg led the way and Elulufay followed with a smile. Their day off started peacefully.
They went to a couple of tourist spots, then entered a teahouse when they got a little hungry, and sat opposite each other.
「── It might be a bit late to say this, but why a date?」
Elulufay suddenly asked. Greg took a sip of tea, then snorted.
「Who knows… I don’t understand what that brat is thinking. There is no way he can know that we will keep this promise on a whim.」
He muttered and put down the teacup. They were spending a rare day off like this because of the promise they made with Ikuta at the end of their escape from the Empire. His condition was for the two of them to go out on a date, before allowing the 「Great Mother of White Wings」 to go back to Kioka── it wasn’t clear how serious he was, but that was what the dark-haired youth said. Thinking back on what the scene that day looked like made Elulufay laugh softly.
「Yes. However, I don’t want to forget it either… Since we first met, he kept saying weird things to me. I didn’t understand back then, but I have been thinking about it recently.」
She said as she added a spoon of sugar into the steaming tea. She slowly stirred the amber liquid, then continued:
「The thing about how it’s the commander’s job to sell the lives of the troops for a high price…? I always do my best to protect the children in the fleet, but depending on the perspective, he has a point.」
「You jest. None of us think the Great Mother is doing business with our lives.」
Greg refuted it immediately. The Great Mother nodded with a smile.
「That’s right, you’ll say that. However── it’s unavoidable for there to be deaths in any war.」
Elulufay sighed. Seeing the deep sorrow in her eyes, the man said sharply.
「Do you have doubts about continuing as a soldier?」
「......」
「Please be frank and be straight with me. This concerns the future of all of us.」
Greg urged further and stared at her. Facing his serious eyes, Elulufay looked up at the ceiling of the teahouse.
「The Fourth Kioka Fleet── is the home Ario prepared for us in this country. We all drifted here after experiencing painful things, and hung on to it desperately… Because if we lose this home, we won’t have anywhere to go.」
「......」
「But recently, I can’t help thinking── will this be so in the future too? Can we only live as soldiers in Kioka, and be recognized as citizens through risking our lives in dangerous battles…? If that is so, is it really fine for us to accept this?」
She shared the struggles in her heart── for the sailors born in fallen nations, the Fourth Fleet was one of the few places they could stay in Kioka. However── that meant they had nowhere else to go. Being a Kioka citizen was equivalent to being a sailor to them.
「I don’t hate being in the military. I’m treated extremely well here, and I get a sense of joy and accomplishment by using my talents to their fullest. But… But...」
Elulufay thought about her subordinates who died during their long imprisonment and their escape. The fleet managed to return, but not all of them survived. Some fell sick during their imprisonment, some didn’t recover from their wounds during the naval battle, and died in a foreign land. She still remembers all of their names.
「... No matter how hard I work in my position, or love them as a mother… the children I want to protect, who admire me as a mother will die whenever war breaks out...!」
The woman cried in pain── that was her contradiction. She called her subordinates her children and gave them her love. But that contradicts her actions of sending them to their deaths. The same thing will keep repeating. The Great Mother of White Wings’s heart was finally creaking.
「Sorry for losing my composure here… But I can’t help thinking whether I made the wrong choice in the first place? Instead of calling me mother and admiring me, aren’t there more things that they can do──?」
Elulufay told him her struggles with clenched fists. Greg looked at her for a moment── then raised the corners of his lips.
「... I’m glad.」
「── Huh?」
「You’re finally discussing this with me, and not just coaxing me like a kid… You are finally relying on me as a person.」
Elulufay opened her eyes wide when she heard this unexpected answer. Greg returned to the topic with a serious face.
「I always wanted to be a person like this. With how tall and buff I am, I don’t want to just be a kid protected by you… the others must be thinking the same thing. Speaking of kids, after they got through the age of wanting to be spoiled, they will want to support their parents.」
After hearing his sincere feelings, the Great Mother of White Wings had no words. Greg quietly approached her struggling soul, and shielded her from the cold storm with his huge body.
「Great Mother── No, Lady Elulufay. You need to understand your feelings first. What do you want to do? How will you make arrangements for the crew? If your thoughts aren’t clear, then we can’t start. This is a signpost for this voyage, and we will capsize if we paddle without thinking.」
「...Greg...」
After receiving a sincere warning, Elulufay closed her eyes and thought carefully. In the shop that didn’t have many customers after the noon rush hour, silence fell── she opened her eyes a while later.
「... I haven’t given it enough thought to make a decision. If possible, I want an opinion from a third party. A person who could calmly assess our position from an entirely different perspective...」
At this moment, an old memory surfaced in Elulufay’s mind. The date after returning home was a request made to Greg, not her. He made a different request to her before that.
「...Who is that youth asking me to meet?」
＊
「──Yah*, please take care of the deficit that way. That base is slightly overstaffed, so it’s a good time to reorganize. Do pay attention to──」
In the Kioka army base near Capital Norandot. In a room on the floor above, a white-haired officer was dealing with his duties together with a few aides.
They were communicating with colleagues, but the person they were speaking with wasn’t present. Just like Ikuta, they were using the unlocked communication function of the Sprites. For the person who felt one body wasn’t enough, this improved the efficiency of his work dramatically, a gift right to his liking. However──
「Jean, take a break. I will take the next call.」
「Mum*? No, but──」
Seeing that he just ended his call, Jean’s adjutant Miara cut in sharply. Jean turned her down on reflex, but his words were stopped by her serious eyes. A few seconds of silence later, he handed his partner Luna over in resignation.
「...Yah*. I understand, I will leave this to you.」
「──! Thank you!」
Miara couldn’t hide her glee── since that day when she confessed, her actions towards Jean had changed a little. She no longer just watched on helplessly, and would take the initiative to lighten her burden.
「Hello, this is the headquarters.」 「I understand. Our colleague will meet you on site tomorrow.」
「Please relay that to the supply unit.」 「Regarding the change in equipment, we are currently researching──」
The other officers in the room were assigned there by Miara for that goal. If Jean wants to, he could take care of all communications himself and finish a large amount of work. Not letting him do so was Miara’s current goal.
… Aside from jobs that could only be done by him, the tasks that could be finished by others would be kept away from him. She refused to back down on this, even if Jean hates it.
「Oh── your workplace has gotten lively.」
Someone walked into their office. The man was wearing a dark blue suit and had a perfect smile on his face. The soldiers in the office all stood up and saluted.
「Sir Kyakushii? What brings you to our base? If you need something from us, you can just contact us through the Sprites.」
「I will do that for normal affairs. But sometimes, there are things that I rather do in person.」
「You mean──」
Jean had a premonition and straightened his back. Ario said to him with a fearsome smile.
「This will be made public at a later date, but we have decided on the commander-in-chief for the coming final battle with the Empire── You will be in charge, Major General Jean Arkinex. Congratulations.」
He offered his hand for a handshake. When they heard that, the officers came over.
「── Is that true?」 「Amazing! Isn’t that a huge step up? Major General!」
The commander-in-chief for the looming final battle would definitely be recorded in the history books. Jean shook the hand with a stiff face, and his adopted father maintained his smile and continued.
「You might feel dissatisfied with your rank staying at Major General, however── a nation with proper rules can’t make reckless manpower deployment. I seek your understanding in this.」
He subtly snide the current state of the Empire. Jean holding the rank of a Major General was out of the norm, but Ikuta Solork getting appointed as Field Marshal in his twenties was clear tyranny. His talent couldn’t be refuted, but his appointment was a result of numerous abnormal situations piling on top of each other. But Jean had no intention of comparing Ikuta’s situation with his──
「However, when you achieve victory in the final battle, then this won’t be a reckless manpower assignment.」
With that as the premise, the Prime Minister hinted that his son would rise even higher in the future. He had no doubts that he and his son would stand at the top of the political and military scene. Surprised by his adoptive father’s confidence, Jean silently saluted.
「... I will take on the heavy role of leading Kioka to victory.」
「Yes, do your best── but you don’t look too happy?」
「No, that’s not true… I’m just nervous because of the heavy responsibility.」
「I see, that can’t be helped. You have the fate of the nation on your shoulders at just 25 to 26 years old. But I think this is the most adequate manpower assignment.」
「... It’s an honour.」
「Field Marshal Ikuta Solork’s Imperial army is formidable, but we have nothing to fear if the 『Insomniac Brilliant General』 put his all into battle. While he was satisfied with sleep, you continue thinking for the nation’s future without rest. This will be the difference that decides the result of this war.」
Ario grabbed Jean’s shoulders with both hands, then gave one final push with his perfect smile still on his face.
「So── you will work harder than ever, right?」
When he heard that── the white-haired officer experienced a flashback.
「── Your insomniac nature has many hidden dangers.」
After passing the trial, they entered the underground facility. While Ikuta and Kusu were speaking in private, Jean also entered a guest room to speak with his partner installed in a large body.
「Shortening sleeping time is one of the traits implemented by the mutation stimulant from the past. However── you have normalized it in your case. Not sleeping for several years is obviously not the standard.」
The white-haired officer digested the content and asked quietly.
「Can you make it clear? Luna… what will happen to me?」
「You won’t show any abnormalities swiftly tomorrow. Before coming here, I did a health scan for you, and didn’t detect any pressing symptoms. However── looking at the long term, it’s obvious there would be repercussions. You will age early, have lowered immunity── leading to a shortened lifespan.」
When he heard that conclusion, Jean twisted the corners of his lips and looked up into the sky.
「... So that’s the price of doing away with sleep?」
「That’s right. Even in the distant past, sleep is a mandatory element for a long life. Even with the technology of that era, humans can’t avoid sleeping. Sleep deprivation for a short period is no problem, but if that state persists for a long time, the fatigue will gradually build up in their brains. The fatigue will result in irreversible aging, and become visible on your body──」
Luna sincerely told him the truth without any frills. Jean nodded and asked:
「... If I want to extend my lifespan, what can I do?」
「There is no other way but sleeping. Stop overusing your brain and set aside time for sleep. If you do that, you can suppress the progress of aging.」
The simple answer made the youth lower his head with gritted teeth.
「... I already forgot how to sleep.」
「I know. As you suspected, your insomniac nature is closely related to your psychological state. In extreme terms── the one stopping you from sleeping is yourself, Jean.」
「......」
「... I can prescribe medicine to promote sleep for you. However, if you refuse to sleep, you can’t change your body’s nature. Please consider this carefully. Do you really wish to live a life that shortens your lifespan──?」
「──? What’s wrong, Jean.」
Ario, who was confused by the silence, asked. Jean snapped back to reality and fudged things over with a smile.
「... No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry Sir, I will definitely answer your expectations.」
Jean didn’t think his adoptive father would accept any other answer. The Prime Minister deepened his smile and embraced him.
「I’m proud of you, my son── go forth boldly, hesitating doesn’t suit the reputation of our hero.」
He patted Jean’s shoulder and backed away. Ario then left the room after finishing what he came to do. Unable to stand by idly, Miara took the youth’s hand and rushed into the break room next door.
「...Jean...!」
「......」
「Is this really fine? Are you planning to do what Sir Kyakushii said, and work as hard as you used to── no, to work even harder than before for the upcoming final battle?」
Miara asked him directly. In response to her firm question, Jean said in a quiet voice.
「... I tried to sleep before.」
「── Huh──?」
「I mean that literally. Last night── I took the medicine I got from that place, and tried lying down on a bed.」
The Insomniac Brilliant General confessed, and Miara realized with bated breath just how much his heart was shakened after the Three Nation Conference.
「I tried for several hours, but I only dozed off a little and couldn’t sleep… But I dreamed. It’s about my family. My father, mother and sister stared at me from the side of the bed without saying anything, with gloomy grudgeful eyes...」
Miara felt a chill down her back imagining that scene. The youth continued with his head hung low.
「Is my goal correct? Is Sir Kyakushii’s ideal right? I can’t be certain now. However── that didn’t matter, maybe I can’t be forgiven. Maybe I shouldn’t hold expectations that I can rest and sleep, or live as long as normal people.」
「──!」
That’s not it. Miara was about to shout when Jean noticed a presence at the entrance. The soldier quickly appeared, and looked relieved after seeing Jean.
「So you are here, Major General Arkinex. You have a few letters, one of them is from that girl.」
The soldier gave a stack of envelopes to Jean and left. The youth opened one of the envelopes with trembling hands and perused the letter… This was her 32nd letter, and her handwriting had gotten much better compared to when she first started.
「...Kasha...」
He quietly read out that name. After staring at the letter with a long silence, Jean sat before a desk and wrote a reply as the teary eyed Miara watched on.
「... Ughh...」
Starting with the season greetings, he responded to the girl’s report and got into the main topic… He would be busy and couldn’t meet her in the meantime, and his response would be slow. He held the pen with trembling fingers to write all that down in neat penmanship. And then, he wrote at the very end.
── Don’t be like me.
He ended with these short words, and firmly believed── he shouldn’t be the goal of that girl. If he wanted the girl to be happy, then he shouldn’t meet with her again.
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