Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
── Safida who got a medal in a battle where he didn’t participate in continued rising through the ranks.
Whenever he got mobilized for a battle somewhere, his unit would be assigned far away from the frontlines. The war would end while he stood by idly, and it became a norm for him to be praised for the efforts he never experienced. If all these exploits were true, then Tamshiikushik Safida would be a great hero on par with those three people. However, he knew better than anyone else that wasn’t true.
At this stage, Safida realized the position he was in. Passing the Officer Cadet School exams despite failing, and getting merits for the battles he never experienced, his meteoric rise up the ranks were all arranged by the nobles who supported him. In order to gain influence within the military, they worked hard to promote the people on their side.
If they wanted to back someone, they should at least support someone who was capable. Such a school of thought existed, however, outstanding talents like them would often break free from the nobles control and act independently. The aristocrats concluded from their past experiences that they should choose someone adequately incompetent in order to control them in the long term. And Safida was selected to be their chess piece based on that criteria.
He was very reluctant to accept this. However, Safida feared losing the backings of the nobles. After all, his promotions after passing the exam were all arranged by them. Once he learned that, it was too scary for him to let go of this special privilege. Safida was not confident about facing life without the backers propping him up.
In the end, he submitted himself to that position. He didn’t need to make any decision, and just carry out the orders given from above, and he would climb up the ranks automatically. His comrades who felt suspicious about this in the beginning soon realized the intentions of the nobles behind him, and scorned him openly. Noble’s dog, paper tiger hero── that was what they thought about Safida.
And of course, resistance from the military was firm. Any soldier with a conscience would not want an incompetent senior officer in top management.
The result of their resistance and the demands of the nobles ended up with the compromise of exiling Safida to the Northern Stronghold. The defence of the Grand Arfatra Mountains known as the 「Stairs of Heaven」, didn’t require anything aside from supervising the Shinnack Tribe in the mountains. This was the only place to insert a paper tiger high ranking officer, so the nobles accepted this after an undertable negotiation.
He might be exiled to the borders, but all senior officers had the obligation and right to participate in conferences conducted in Central. Just having Safida periodically express their opinions during these military conferences was a success to them.
Safida spent most of his life in the northern territories while maintaining that status quo. There wasn’t anything for him to invest his interest in, and he slowly became decadent. He dumped all his daily work to his subordinates, and his suppressed desires were vented out in a twisted way as he oppressed the weak and the Shinnack Tribe.
Commander of the Northern Stronghold. After being pushed by a powerful force, Tamshiikushik Safida ended up there. He was submersed up to his shoulders in stagnant water created by the authority of the nobles, and when he realized it, he couldn’t go anywhere else.
「Huff, huff, puff...!」
He kept running, sensing pursuers behind him── When he realized it, Safida was standing in a deserted alley alone.
「Huff, puff… Did I shook them off...!?」
He listened carefully but couldn’t hear any footsteps behind. He sighed in relief── but when he thought about his situation, fear struck Safida once again.
「What do I do… What do I...」
He shook them off, but he wasn’t home free yet. Sazarf saw him by chance, and came searching with a whole army. He wasn’t sure how many troops were mobilized, but he should assume that the main exits in this town had been blockaded.
「... And, what about that girl...?」
The image of that girl struggling desperately to free Safida flashed across his mind. He escaped── but what would happen to that girl if she was captured? Since she was with him, she would get interrogated by Sazarf. She might even be used cruelly like a bait to draw out prey.
「... Ughh...」
Safida didn’t know his adversary well enough to be certain that Sazarf would not resort to that. During his time in the Northern Stronghold, Senpa Sazarf was just one of his many subordinates. Sazarf did seem like a nice guy, but from the way Sazarf stared at him, Safida wasn’t so sure.
「... Ugghhh...!」
Safida was troubled until the end before he turned back with heavy steps, praying that the girl escaped safely.
「── Oh, that guy? I often see him around here recently.」
At the same time. After losing Safida again, Sazarf’s group spread out a surveillance net, gathering witness accounts from the citizens in their designated search area. Their assumptions about the target were accurate, and they asked the vagrants in the vicinity with a sketch of the suspect.
「I don't know the details since he isn’t part of our group, he is hanging around with the brats living on the streets. If you want to catch him, well… You can just search the brat’s hideout.」
「Where is that place?」
Sazarf suppressed his anxiety as he asked, while taking out a simplified self made map. He added annotations by referencing what he heard, and Melza beside him said:
「I want to ask a question. There seems to be a lot of vagrants given the size of the town. Has it always been like this? Or is there some reason?」
「Oh, about that… Half of them wandered here recently, I heard a big communal living group or something dispersed recently. Won’t you know more about this?」
Sazarf immediately knew why when the man asked in response. A group gathered together for communal living── that must be the Peace Sect. He still remembered the schemes of rebels caused the Empress to fall into crisis, and Haroma Becker was badly injured in her bid to save her.
「So it’s the repercussion of that incident...」
「There are many brats who lost their parents or got abandoned. The orphans with nowhere to go gathered together and form several small groups in town. The man in your sketching hangs out with them a lot.」
The more he listened, the more bitter Sazarf’s face was… The reason for the orphans’ predicament was war and soldiers. As a member of the Imperial Army, was he really free from any blame?
「Your expression is changing a lot, soldier sir── sigh, that’s all I can tell you. I won’t ask the reason, so go catch them all.」
The vagrant asked for the information fee, so Sazarf gave him some change and a pack of cigarettes. The wavering in his heart remained as he walked forth in the town again.
「Huff～! Huff～!...」
With his ragged breathing suppressed, the man hid in a dark alley that was rather close to the main road.
Safida prayed that he wouldn’t get seen by soldiers as he slowly inched towards the light. He turned back to search for the girl, and was getting close to the spot where he ran into Sazarf.
「... She isn’t here...?」
He searched for the girl but couldn’t sense her presence. Safida couldn’t shout out loud and held his head── in that case, should he return to their hideout? But what if there was an ambush there?
「──Old man?」
The man in a state of panic and anxiety turned to that call, and he saw the girl he was looking for behind him.
「Y-You── got away?」
「That’s my line. I was searching for you, why are you here again?」
The girl said with a dumbstruck face and approached Safida. He couldn’t help checking her out, and was relieved that she wasn’t hurt.
The girl didn’t know what he was thinking and tilted her head confusedly.
「── Never mind. Anyway, let’s go back to our hideout. There are people searching for you all over town, you might get caught if you go out to the road.」
「... B-But, they will search here sooner or later...」
「They will probably come, but there’s lots of hiding spots around here. The road leading out of town is being watched, so we can only hang on here. Either the old man gets caught or they give up and go back.」
The girl said with a firm voice. Her extremely calm demeanour made Safida speechless. The girl approached Safida who couldn’t step forward and held his hand without any hesitation.
「So, let’s go back to the hideout. Everyone is waiting for us to eat, and we can’t run on an empty stomach?」
「... Yes...」
And so, he let the girl hold his hand and walk forth. The man who lost his place in society returned to his home with an orphan girl who was young enough to be her granddaughter. They avoided the bright roads and sneaked from alley to alley, avoiding the scornful eyes of the people from the world of light.
「......」
「... Old man?」
Liquid spilled from the man’s eyes. He didn’t know why he was crying or how long since he last cried, Safida was crying for a reason aside from fear… The girl glanced at him before facing forward quietly. She didn’t let go of his hand and the two of them continued on forward.
They carefully advanced in the alley, avoiding the attention of others, and finally reached their hideout before dusk. The girl opened the board which served as their door energetically.
「Hey～ I’m back. The old man is safe too. Let’s eat──」
The girl’s voice echoed in the quiet room, but there was no reply. The noisy children would usually welcome them, but she couldn’t even hear any breathing right now.
「...? Where did everyone go?」
The girl cocked her head in confusion, and Safida felt a chill down his back… the children’s abode was messy, but the scene before him was like...
「... Someone had broken in.」
「Huh?」
「Don’t make a sound!」
Safida said sharply, then placed his palms by his ears to listen carefully. The sound of the girl turning, noise from afar── and the sound of many footsteps and muffled voices.
「H-Hey!」
Realizing something had happened, Safida picked up a laundry rod and charged out of the hideout. He chased after the noise and travelled down a few alleys── In a place between two buildings with crates filled with trash, there were several men dragging kids with them.
「Stop right there, criminal scum～!」
Safida charged over with an angry yell and swung the rod at the face level of those men. They backed away in surprise, and Safida snatched the kids back during that gap.
「W-What are you doing──」「Are you with these brats?」
The men glared at Safida who was shielding the children behind him. The girl who caught up later held her breath at that scene.
「Old man, they are human traffickers… I heard they are loitering around here and targeting orphans...」
Her words made Safida realized his gut feeling was on point. The men quickly recovered from their confusion and intimidated him with low growls.
「We are only targeting brats, this has nothing to do with middle aged men── I can still let you off now, so leave the brats and scram.」
The men threatened as they pulled out knives. Eek! The children yelped from fear. Safida and the men glared at each other for a few seconds, before lowering his rod.
「... You will really let me off?」
「Old man?」
The girl wailed as she watched Safida. The men smiled sinisterly── Safida used that chance to kick the crate filled with trash.
「Uwah?」「D-Damn it──!」
The men covered in trash backed away. As the girl watched on stiffly, Safida pushed the backs of the children.
「Run! Everyone, spread out! Even if someone gets caught, don’t turn back!」
The children snapped out of their stupor and ran. He swung his rod to keep the men in check, then followed them. The girl at the rear of the children yelled behind her.
「Those guys are chasing us, old man...!」
「Don’t panic! Pick paths that adults can’t pass through! You have the terrain advantage!」
Safida ordered, and the children recalled their advantage. They spread out into alleys, then squeezed into the cramped space between buildings or slid into gutters. The men cursed when they saw that, but because of their numbers and size of their bodies, it was difficult to capture all the children.
「Good, and now── Ah, what about you, old man?」
After the last child fled, the girl who was about to escape through an alley realized this and asked. Safida who was at the very back answered with a cramped smile.
「I will pretend to be a soldier for a while.」
He said as he turned left at the T-junction and sticked to the wall. The girl stopped too. When a pursuer turned around the corner── Safida whacked him hard with his rod.
「Hyaa──!」「That hurts! Y-You bastard...!」
「Retard! Ambushes are the basics in dealing against pursuers!」
The man who was hit right in the face staggered, and Safida ran again with the girl. They turned right and ran into a narrow alley wide enough to fit one person. He then turned and faced them again.
「A narrow path favours the smaller force! Even better with range weapons!」
He thrust his rod out the moment he turned. The rod hit the enemy caught in surprise, and the momentum of that man doubled the impact. That man keeled over holding his throat.
「Guahh...!」「Hey, you are in the way, scram!」「You’re blocking the path!」
If someone stops in the narrow path, everyone would get blocked. Safida ignored them, then turned and ran.
「Retreat after the conclusion of your sneak attack! Do not pursue the enemy that outnumbers you!」
「A-Amazing! Old man, you are amazing!」
The girl applauded the way Safida toyed with the pursuers. He observed the terrain to consider his next attack, then said to the girl beside him.
「Hey! Don’t follow me, you need to run!」
「Don’t wanna! If I’m here, the path will be──」
The girl stopped mid sentence and turned pale.
「Ah── this way isn’t good.」
「What?」
Safida asked puzzledly. However── when he saw the high wall blocking his path, he realized everything without needing an answer.
「... D-Dead end...?」
「Turn back, old man! We still have time──」
The girl grabbed his hand to go back the way they came, but three men blocked their way with weapons in their hands.
「We finally caught up...」「You two caused quite a ruckus.」
Their eyes were filled with killing intent. Safida and the girl slowly backed away, and was forced into a corner.
「O-Old man...!」
The girl who didn’t have a way out shivered as she looked at Safida. When he saw her eyes, the man made a decision.
「... Don’t worry.」
「Huh?」
After saying that, he took a deep breath, the air filled his skinny chest.
「I’m over here!」
Safida shouted at the top of his lungs. The girl and men were surprised, but he kept on shouting.
「I’m over here, Sazarf! The man you are tracking, First Grade War Criminal Tamshiikushik Safida is here! Get over here! Don’t dally～!」
Forced to the brink, he called out to the person who was pursuing him. His voice echoed in the cramped space surrounded by walls, and the girl said in a daze:
「W-What did you say, old man…?」
「Stay back. Just bear with it for a while more.」
Safida told her curtly and took one step forward from the wall. He protected the girl behind him and held the rod as if it was a spear.
「Come at me, you punks── let me say this first, my spearmanship isn’t easy to deal with.」
Safida remembered the times he trained for the Officer Cadet School Exams and took a stance. When his opponents saw him resisting at this juncture, they exploded with rage.
「That suits me just fine～!」
The shout towards the evening sky reached the intended target.
「──That voice?」
「Over there!」
Melza immediately found the direction, and Sazarf sprinted with his men. However, he felt something was amiss.
「He is intentionally shouting to draw us over? What is he scheming...!」
「Be careful, it might be a trap! The complicated terrain makes ambushes more dangerous──」
Melza warned to restrain her superior who had been going wild from losing control. Sazarf took it to heart, and stepped into the alley to search for the owner of that voice.
「...? This is...」
「... There are sounds of a fight. He is fighting others before we came...?」
They went deeper and the angry shouts became more prominent. Sazarf’s instinct told him that this wasn’t a trap, and something unexpected was happening. Even so, he didn’t have time to slow down. Bringing Safida back and making him take responsibility for the death he had caused── his goal held strong in his heart. Sazarf passed through the complicated alleys.
「── Is it here!?」
When he turned the corner, a knife was stabbed into the chest of that man.
「─Huh?」
Three knives stabbed into Safida’s body. However── at that moment, those men saw the uniformed soldiers had cut off their retreat path and turned pale.
「S-Soldiers──?」「Damn it, scram!」
The trapped men charged in resignation. But their final struggles were put down by Melza immediately.
「Arrest those men!」
The soldiers with short spears advanced on that order. The spears stopped the men in their tracks, and the soldiers used that chance to pounce on them. One of them was hit in the wrist and dropped his weapon, another man was hit in the shoulder of his dominant arm and screamed. The last man lost his will to fight and raised his arms up.
「Make way!」
Sazarf pushed aside the subdued men and went deep into the alley. When Safida saw him, the last strand supporting Safida’s body snapped.
「... You are here, Sazarf...」
The rod fell from his hands, and he keeled over. Blood pooled under Safida’s body, which made Sazarf hold his breath.
「──」
「Old man! Old man...!」
The girl rushed to Safida with a wail, and turned him over with all her might. The wound made the girl and Sazarf gasped… Aside from the last three stab wounds, he was cut on his arms, shoulders, chest and stomach── his injury told the story of how hard he fought.
「... I thought I could deal with three punks… I have regressed further than I imagined… Cough cough...」
Blood spilled from his mouth as he spoke, and Melza gave instructions after seeing his wounds.
「He is bleeding out── Medic!」
The soldiers rushed to Safida on that command, and started first aid. Sazarf watched some distance away and said with a trembling voice.
「... What are you doing...」
「......」
「You── Why are you putting your life at risk? No, you shouldn’t die this way. That’s not how you’re fated to die...!」
Sazarf knelt on the ground, grabbed on his collar and shouted.
「You have to── have to apologize to the troops! To all the soldiers who died because of you! Take responsibility and get executed in accordance with the court martial sentencing! That’s the only thing you can do, right!? You didn’t fulfil any other obligations as a commander, so that is your last duty...!」
Spurred by his rage and guilt, Sazarf yelled as he shook Safida’s body. The girl who couldn’t watch idly pushed herself between them.
「Stop! Stop it! He will die, the old man will die...!」
「...!」
The girl pushed Sazarf away and protected Safida. Seeing her like this, a hot and painful feeling dwelled inside Sazarf’s chest. He came here to end things. To make the man before him take responsibility── so why was a child complaining about this?
「... It’s fine, you can step back...」
Safida said with a hoarse voice. The girl turned around in surprise.
「Old man...?」
「It’s fine… That man has a reason to do that. A legitimate reason.」
He turned back to Sazarf after saying that. The medic performing first aid turned to Melza quickly, and informed quietly.
「... He has too many wounds, it’s hard to even stem the bleeding. He has minutes at most...」
「──!」
Sazarf’s face contorted in pain. The moment he witnessed Safida being stabbed, Sazarf had an inkling this would happen. He didn’t need Melza to tell him, and realized with a sigh.
「He won’t last until the execution grounds...」
After saying that, Sazarf’s rage and anxiety made him grab his spear. He stepped over Safida and pointed his spear at Safida’s chest. The girl screamed and tried to stop Sazarf, but was held back by the soldiers.
「Yes… This is fine.」
Safida faced the killing intent without shying away. His reaction puzzled Sazarf.
He didn’t understand── Why wasn’t Safida wailing out loud? He was so unsightly during the court martial sentencing, so why could he accept his fate right now?
He even had a peaceful face──
「... What’s wrong, Sazarf? Aren’t you going to kill me?」
But the end didn’t come, which made Safida ask with bafflement. After a long silence, Sazarf said with trembling lips:
「... Why did you protect that girl?」
He looked at the girl subdued by the troops and asked quietly. Safida turned to the girl and raised the corners of his lips── he then looked towards the cramped sky above him.
「After breaking out of prison, I have been thinking── Where did I go wrong?」
「......」
「I finally found the answer. No── I remembered the answer. After a long, long time, I finally remembered the goal I set for myself...」
Safida thought as he spilled his feelings. The merits and medals he got without any effort, and the hollow promotions── those weren’t the things he wanted.
When his parents told him he passed the exams, he should have said it was impossible and refused to accept it. When he was standing beside the heroes and praised for his valiant efforts, he should have told them not to look down on him and left. He shouldn’t have watched idly with regards to his life moving because of the schemes and machinations of the nobles.
When he was excited by the contents of the war stories in his youth── his goal wasn’t to be a farce of a Lieutenant General. He wasn’t trying to be a nominal commander.
It was fine even if he wasn’t a general officer, or even a field officer. Even if he was a nameless foot soldier far from any glorious exploits, or ended his life in an unknown corner of the battlefield──
「I── always wanted to be a soldier.」
As he looked at the girl he protected to the bitter end, Safida said his real dream he never realized── until right before he died.
Standing up to protect the weak, and risking his life to resist unjust violence.
He didn’t need the backings of nobles to do this. He just needed this feeling and moved his own feet forward. If he realized that earlier, he wouldn’t have wasted his life away. He wouldn’t have lost himself to the schemes of others. He wouldn’t bear a grudge and abuse the Shinnack Tribe. He wouldn’t have caused the death of his subordinates pursuing the just path of a soldier.
「... It’s too late for regrets...」
Sazarf squeezed his voice out. As his consciousness faded, Safida nodded slightly.
「... Yes, you are right──」
With these final words, the man fell silent. Melza checked his pulse and shook her head.
「... He’s dead.」
「Old man!」
The freed girl hugged the man’s body. Facing the corpse that couldn’t speak again, Sazarf shivered── he pulled back the spear on Safida’s chest.
「... I couldn’t kill him...」
He mumbled in a hoarse voice and thought── I shouldn’t have listened to his last words, I should have stabbed him right away. If I did, I would have killed him. I could have executed Lieutenant General Safida as a war criminal, for his sins of causing the death of so many of his subordinates during the Northern Unrest.
「Sorry… I’m sorry, everyone...!」
His spear fell from his hand, and Sazarf turned to the heavens and weeped. Melza walked to him quietly and held his hand. She couldn’t find the words to comfort him, and stayed in that position until his tears dried up.
The unit withdrew from the town soon after. Sazarf reported to the Field Marshal through his Sprite── in the course of protecting a civilian girl from rioters, Private Tamshiikushik Safida died in the line of duty.
「Fire──!」
Cannons were fired from the side of the ship on command, and water pillars rose high into the air. The new vessel flying the Imperial flag fluttered in the wind.
「Hard to starboard──!」
The voice of Polminue Jurgus who was in command echoed on the deck. However...
「Turning into the wind again? Hey hey...!」
When they heard that, her colleague, Naval Lieutenant Paume yelled from the ship’s aft. Naval Lieutenant Yorin who should be below the front mast had run to the bridge.
「Please keep it in moderation! We have been sailing against the wind since just now! Think about the hassle of managing the sails! We are short handed because we need to man the cannons too!」
In response to her colleagues’ complaints, Pommy who was on the bridge cocked her head puzzledly.
「But it can be done, right?」
「That’s not the issue here! This isn’t a circus act!」
Naval Lieutenant Yorin protested on behalf of the crew, since the Captain was asking for a high difficulty maneuver. Naval Lieutenant Paume rushed on scene, and when the three were about to argue, the pudgy youth rushed to the bridge through the cabin stairs.
「Wait, wait! ── Sorry, Naval Lieutenant Paume, Naval Lieutenant Yorin. The maneuver earlier was a request I made to Pommy!」
「Huh?」「Why did you you── No, Major Matthew, why did you do that?」
Paume and Yorin stared suspiciously at the landlubber. Matthew brushed his hair back and answered.
「Well… the ship is outfitted with Blast Cannons, right? The weight of the cannons will affect the ship’s maneuverability, so I want to investigate it as soon as possible. That’s the reason behind my request to Pommy .」
Matthew looked at the subject in question, and Pommy gave him a thumbs up with a bright smile. He smiled awkwardly before turning to the two Naval Lieutenants.
「Hence, she isn’t fooling around. The more we push the ship to the limit, the better we can see the subtle changes to the ship’s capabilities, right? I want to find any problems before we fall into a panic during a live battle.」
He explained to support Pommy. Paume and Yorin were surprised by the humility of their guest, and looked at each other.
「If that is the case...」「I thought she just got too excited because it’s the virgin voyage of a new ship.」
「Haha. That played a part too...」
The pudgy youth didn’t refute everything and his smile cramped a little. Seeing that their conversation was over, Pommy shouted again:
「You understand the reason for the circus act, right? Then do it again, get ready to turn with the wind!」
「You are still going!」「Ahh～ Really now, you are getting too cocky!」
They started moving while grumbling. Under the command of the woman who inherited the will of Captain Garciev, the ship started sailing again.
「... Oh...」
A few figures observed the situation from a corner of the bridge. One of them was Admiral Erynphin Jurgus.
「Not bad, that’s quite a good showing.」
「Y-Yes Sir! Your niece, Naval Lieutenant Polminue, has splendid command even on a Blast Cannon vessel!」
His adjutant standing nearby said tensely. The Admiral grunted and shook his head.
「You… There’s no need to mention Pommy’s name before me. The ship is manned by the entire crew. She is just really excited because of the new ship.」
「Yes Sir── m-my apologies.」
Realizing he had misspoke, the adjutant bowed his head in apology. The long bearded old man beside the two of them added casually.
「However, I’m glad that she had recovered her confidence enough to play around on a new ship.」
「If not, I wouldn’t have entrusted the ship to her. To avoid her acting unsightly like she did on the 『Tyrannosaur』, I retrained her completely, starting from scrubbing the decks. She should be fine even without you watching her.」
The Admiral said to Naval Commander Ragieshī Kutsuchi, Captain of the sunken Tyrannosaur. An old officer who looked stricter than Naval Commander Kutsuchi walked forth.
「Naval Lieutenant Polminue aside, I don’t like carrying something so darn heavy on the ship… We are slowing down.」
「Don’t say that, Higorum. Just like the war on land, the ships are evolving with the times too, so it will be different from our era. Be it the way we fight or our pride as sailors.」
Kutsuchi advised his old comrade. He suddenly turned to Erynphin with a mischievous gaze.
「I heard the new Field Marshal is a pain to deal with?」
The Admiral paused for a few seconds before answering this sudden question.
「... That’s right. Of all the things he can say, he just had to tell me to stop being a pirate navy and fight together with the imperial military.」
What he said during the Jurgus and Tetzirich family gathering was still fresh on the Admiral’s mind. When he saw the Admiral’s complicated expression, Kutsuchi laughed out loud.
「And since he sent the young master of the Tetzirich house over, the Admiral couldn’t turn him down～」
「... Because I want to pay back my debts as soon as possible.」
He muttered with a sour face── during that intense battle of Port Nemong against Rear Admiral Elulufay’s Fourth Fleet. He owed a lot of debts to Matthew and the other members of the 「Knights Corp」. Since the Field Marshal had put in the request, he had to accept it even if it was a little rash.
「Speaking of which── It’s good that we are committed to our training.」
Admiral Jurgus swallowed that fact for now and looked towards the crew again. They were moving around energetically── and he just happened to see Pommy and Matthew locking eyes on the bridge.
「Ah...」「...Erm.」
They stared at each other for a moment before bashfully waving at each other. Their innocent behaviour made Admiral Jurgus facepalm and sigh.
「Can’t we do something about that? It’s great that they are getting along, but it’s cringy for the crew.」
「S-Should I remind them about that?」
The adjutant took that seriously and asked. The Admiral felt exhausted and answered with a shrug.
「... I’m just kidding, you don’t have to react to everything.」
「P-Pardon!」
「Enough. There’s nothing you need to do here, go check out the ship’s aft.」
The moment he finished, the adjutant immediately jogged to the aft. Naval Commander Kutsuchi looked at that greenhorn with nostalgic eyes.
「Your new adjutant?」
「That’s right. It’s been a month, but he is still as nervous as a newborn deer, what a pain. He is capable as a communication officer though── there aren’t many people who are both smart and brave.」
He muttered with a sigh── as he was forced to remember the past. Remember a man who knew no fear and responded to him sarcastically. Someone who stayed by his side until the battle of Port Nemong── a person he would no longer treat as an ally.
「You must be living strongly somewhere out there── Let’s put an end to this, Danmier.」
His voice was deep and sharp. Erynphin Jurgus’ determined voice echoed out into the open seas connected to the enemy territory.
On the same day, the evening when the virgin voyage cum training ended. When the After Action Review in the Officers’ Meeting Room ended, Matthew walked along the passageway back to his cabin and plopped onto the bed.
「... So～ Tiring～...」
That was his sincere feelings after his first day at his Navy posting. And it wasn’t so simple either. A new environment, new work, new relations── After experiencing that for an entire day, this was the result of his struggles, be it success or failure.
「......」
When the meeting ended earlier, Matthew left after bidding his fiancee a simple farewell. Both of them had time, so they were reluctant── but they couldn’t stick too closely together in public when he just reported to work. The slightly plump youth understood very well the meaning behind his deployment here.
「... The times when the defence of the seas is all dumped on the navy… is over?」
Matthew thought back to what the dark-haired youth said during his family gathering… Ever since its formation, its independence had been the Katjvarna Navy’s tradition and pride. Their mentality built on the way the legendary Captain Garciev lived his life also got in the way of any cooperation between the Navy and the Army. And so, the biggest goal of Ikuta Solork seconding Matthew Tetzirich into the Navy was to inject a breath of fresh air into that history.
Sharing information about the Blast Cannons was important too, but it was obvious Ikuta was using that excuse to send Matthew there. One reason was the debt owed by Admiral Erynphin Jurgus during the battle of Port Nemong, but unlike his treatment as a guest the previous time, Matthew retained his voice as an officer during his stay in the Navy.
「... Simply put, I have to put on a good showing.」
The slightly plump youth was aware of that. Compared to his ability in military affairs, this mission requires his social communication skills, so he could act as a window to relay the Army’s intent. This was only possible for the first time because of his position and capabilities.
「The familiar faces from the 『Tyrannosaur』 are a big help, but it’s hard to deal with everyone, so it’s tiring. Really now...」
When he was grumbling with a sigh, his partner Sprite notified him of an incoming call. Feeling it was about time to get up, the Pudgy youth responded.
「── This is Major Matthew Tetzirich.」
「Hi, Good Afternoon, my dear Matthew. Is this a good time? Am I disturbing the passionate night you are spending with your fiance?」
Matthew felt at ease because of the old joke, but he didn’t show it and snorted:
「Unlike someone I know, I’m not so thick skinned on the first day.」
「Haha, you must had a hard day.」
「More or less… But if I didn’t earn their respect in the previous naval battle, they will treat me like a guest this time too. I’m just glad that didn’t happen.」
The youth said eagerly. A faint sense of distance wouldn’t shake his tough mental state now. Feeling how dependable Matthew was, Ikuta continued chatting happily── but a few minutes later, his tone turned serious.
「Let’s talk about something else, I have something to tell you. You will be surprised.」
「Hmm? What is it?」
「We discovered recently that Private Tamshiikushik Safida broke out of prison. However, the matter was closed after Brigadier General Sazarf took care of the search.」
「... Huh? Safida, you mean Lieutenant General Safida?」
This information was so much of a surprise that Matthew forgot to control his volume in the room with poor soundproofing. Ikuta briefly explained what happened, and Matthew crossed his arms with a serious face.
「... He broke out of prison during the coup? It’s true that we were too short handed to watch the prisoners back then...」
「No one is at fault here, but General Remeon feels responsible for this.」
「Given his character, I’m not surprised… so how did it happen?」
「According to Brigadier General Sazarf’s report, Private Tamshiikushik Safida died before his eyes protecting a civilian girl from rioters.」
The incident was beyond his expectation, and the result surprised Matthew even more. His brain was filled with question marks as he asked again:
「... How did things turn out that way?」
「I wasn’t there, so I don’t know the details. It seems that he lived with orphans in the slums after he broke out from prison. The children he was living with got attacked by human traffickers while they were evading the pursuit of the soldiers, and he died trying to save them.」
「That Lieutenant General Safida? Risked his life to save children? ...That man whose only purpose in life is to bully the Shinnack Tribe?」
Matthew couldn’t imagine that being the action by the same person they were talking about, then frowned and cocked his head. Ikuta paused before saying:
「His last words were 『I always wanted to be a soldier.』」
「──!」
「This incident made Brigadier General Sazarf really depressed. I told him it was fine, but he apologized repeatedly, lamenting his failure to bring that person to the execution grounds or dealing the final blow, even though he changed the plan to conduct the search.」
「... Can I contact him later?」
「Please do. I should console him too, but I took the stance of opposing the search, so I will contact him after some time.」
Realizing how Ikuta felt, Matthew nodded in agreement and thought about Safida’s last words.
「Wanted to be a soldier?... He made so many mistakes as a commander, and he said that in the end…?」
「I don’t understand. I never thought this way before.」
「That’s weird too… Normally, people will think about it. When they read the stories about soldiers and war, they will think about being strong and protecting every one.」
Matthew thought about his childhood, and overlapped the feelings that served as his starting point with those words.
「So Lieutenant General Safida harboured such feelings too? Like what I felt? Then… How did he turned out like that?」
「Not everyone remembers their dreams after growing up. No── it’s rare seeing people who have not forgotten, my dear Matthew. 」
Ikuta said solemnly. The slightly plump youth didn’t refute that, but hesitated to reach a conclusion immediately. He thought more deeply about that man’s fall from grace.
「... Maybe there wasn’t a back he could chase after.」
「Hmm?」
「He didn’t have someone to chase after. Lieutenant General Safida probably didn’t have anyone he could model after, and reflect on himself… I can’t help thinking that way.」
The youth continued speaking. On the other end of the Sprite, Ikuta waited quietly.
「I always have a back that I can chase after. Yatori, Torway, you… After getting my commission, all of you are by my side. I can discuss things when I’m troubled, and when I see your performance from close up, my competitiveness will well up. However, maybe… This is a fortunate thing for me.」
Matthew thought about his environment and the comrades who were always with him.
「If I wasn’t close to you all… Would I have worked so hard all this while? If I only watch from afar as if your accomplishments are something far away… Maybe I will just feel resignation? And feel that I won’t ever be like that, and that your world is completely different from mine.」
「......」
「Also… Lieutenant General Safida is around your father’s age── an officer in the same generation as Honorary Field Marshal Igsem and General Remeon, right? I don’t know if they ever interacted with each other, but he was probably watching their great feats all the time. And he would compare it to himself and feel envy… And yearning.」
「Maybe… But he never chased after their backs.」
「Maybe they were too distant… If they could talk intimately with each other, and joke like we do, maybe he would realize that the other party are just human, and feel the drive to give chase.
At least, that’s true for me. Because I stayed in the same battlefield with you guys, and fought together. On the Arfatra mountain, or on the sea… This has always been my emotional support.」
Ikuta sincerely accepted the pudgy youth’s emotional rant, and said:
「If he had good comrades like I did, maybe he would have lived a different life. That’s what you think about Lieutenant General Safida’s history, right?」
「To be frank… I can’t help thinking this way. Am I drifting off topic?」
Matthew asked uneasily. He could feel a sense of rebuttal from the other end of the line.
「No, I think you have a point. I only got so far because of the help from our comrades── I feel the same way too.」
The dark-haired youth concurred without holding back on that point, and continued:
「And of course, we will never know the truth. We are not him, and won’t know what twisted Lieutenant General Safida’s life. We weren’t destined to meet again, or maybe we didn’t make good use of our meeting. What can we do at which point to lead to a different path… Since he has passed on, there is no way to probe that possibility.」
All these were deductions made from bits and pieces of information. The pudgy youth was aware of that, and hung his head.
「... Am I thinking about pointless things?」
「Don’t be daft. This is important.」
He got an unexpectedly firm response. Matthew widened his eyes as Ikuta continued:
「Everyone has a story. It’s a different matter whether it’s likable, and there are good and bad people. We are soldiers, so we have to forget that fact and face the enemy… However, if we can’t even remember just one day, it will be very very terrifying. When that happens, we will lose our heart on the battlefield.」
A while later, the pudgy youth also realized that Ikuta was warning all the soldiers, including himself.
「When both sides lose their imagination, the only interaction possible would be battle. And so── you have taken good care of it, Matthew... And if possible, I hope you can remind others when you see someone lost it.」
The youth was pleading. Matthew accepted the sincerity in his words and nodded.
「... Yes, I will remind them when the time comes.」
He answered with a vow. Matthew could feel Ikuta’s smile. Their bonds had grown stronger after surviving all these battles, and they continued to support each other until this day.
Ikuta ended his call with Matthew before going back to the office. Haro was debating intensely with his three adjutants.
「No, like I said, Major Harugo, it’s great that you are working hard, but it’s troubling if you do our work too.」
「Please don’t say that, let me, the newcomer take care of this! You two should rest more to recover from the fatigue you accumulated so far!」
「I’m also a newcomer too… It’s awkward for me to stay here without doing anything, so please assign some tasks to me.」
The ones arguing were Major Megu, Major Yuguni and Major Harugo. The quarrel started because of the young member of the Remeon faction, Major Harugo, who was recruited to balance out the veteran Major Megu from the Igsem faction. His abilities were fine, but he was too eager and even wanted to snatch the work of his colleagues.
「Erm, Major Harugo, if you want more work, you should talk to me── Oh, Ikuta-san!」
Haro who was trying to mediate between the three saw the youth had returned and smiled. Ikuta raised a hand in greeting, then walked to his desk and sat down.
「It seems I’m not delegating enough work to you. Don’t worry, we have piles of work here.」
He placed a heavy stack of documents onto the desk. Major Harugo’s face started to cramp when he saw that amount. Major Megu patted his shoulder with a sigh.
「... You are insisting on doing this alone? Then I won’t stop you.」
「O-Of course! This is what I wanted!」
Major Harugo grabbed that stack of papers as if he had no other choice. Major Megu raised the corners of her eyes.
「I take that back, you moron! I need to stop this recklessness! Get over here!」
「N-No no, Major Megu, what are you doing!? Where are you bringing me!?」
「Somewhere that won’t bother the Field Marshal! Major Yuguni, come with us too! We need to settle the problem with this guy early!」
「I concur… I will join you.」
There was only one objection, and the three of them left the office with Ikuta’s permission. Their argument grew fainter, and youth said to Haro who was left behind.
「Haro, you can go too. You have lots of work you want to work on in your own room, right?」
「Oh… Right. I will take you up on your offer then. My things are over there, so I will go back from that room.」
Haro bowed and headed to the break room next door. The break room was connected to the office, and was connected to the corridor too. She was planning to head home from there.
Haro went into the room next door, and there was the sound of her packing up and the door closing. The noisiness earlier seemed to be a dream as silence fell around Ikuta.
「... It’s already this late?」
It was evening. The light coming from the window turned orange, and cast a long shadow on the furniture. In the quiet office during dusk, only the rhythmic tick of the clock could be heard.
「......」
The tension was gone, and a strange sense of buoyancy covered the youth── there was no work he had to do directly, no one to give orders to, a short moment of peace during his busy lives.
「......!」
Suddenly, he started shivering from his feet. It spread up to his knees, waist, shoulders and arms, encroaching Ikuta’s entire body.
「... Damn it, it’s happening again...」
「Ikuta──」
Kusu noticed Ikuta’s strange condition and called out to him. But Ikuta couldn’t even answer his partner and grabbed his own shoulders.
「... Stop. Shivering won’t change anything...!」
He tried to suppress the shivering by putting force into his hands. But instead of subsiding, he shook even harder, and he was losing sensation in his extremities. He felt a chill like ice water struck him. Ikuta judged that things were bad, and quickly pulled open his drawer.
「Ikuta, that’s──」
Kusu spoke again, but the youth ignored it and grabbed the pouch in the drawer. He pulled it open with his trembling hands, grabbed dark dried grass from it and shoved it into his mouth. He bit and ground it with his molars──
「──! Guu...!」
The unique sense of numbness spread, and a strong sense of nausea made him vomit. He endured it and continued biting the dried grass, but his shivering still didn’t subside.
「... Is biting useless now...?」
Ikuta judged with his faint consciousness, then took out rolling paper from the drawer. He spread the dried grass onto the paper and rolled it up.
「... Huff～! Puff～!...」
He bit the twisted roll and asked the Fire Sprite on the table to make a fire. The Fire Sprite hesitated, but lit a fire on Ikuta’s urging. Ikuta slowly move the roll in his mouth towards the flickering flame──
「── Why don’t you use this instead?」
Just before the roll touched the fire, a steaming cup of tea stopped him.
「...Haro...」
Ikuta looked up in a daze to find a familiar gentle smile. Haro offered him the tea and said in a calm voice.
「It’s fine even if you don’t drink it. Just smelling the fragrance can calm you down.」
She didn’t push him to act or forced her way through. She waited in that posture for him to decide. After their gazes locked for a long while──
「... Haha… I’m impressed...」
The rolled up cigarette fell onto the floor. In their place, the warmth of the teacup spread through his hands. Ikuta collapsed onto his chair weakly, then muttered with his eyes on the amber liquid.
「... I showed you an unsightly side. I have no excuse...」
From the way the youth usually act, she could never imagine the youth could sound so frail. Feeling a heart wrenching pain in her chest, Haro tried to say with her usual cheer:
「Sorry for scaring you… I pretended to leave and intentionally hid my presence. If I stay by your side normally, you might tense up and act normal.」
When he heard this explanation, Ikuta’s awkward smile turned into self mockery.
「... I asked you to take care of the troop’s mental health, and ended up being the first one in your care...」
「No, you are just the first one I noticed… When did this started?」
Haro resolved herself to ask him the core questions. The youth answered in spurts:
「... I’m usually fine. However, when my work suddenly stops like this, and I relax, the uneasiness will well up… And I can’t stop trembling. It’s been, four, five months… No, about half a year ago.」
「Do you use Coca leaves every time...?」
「I know it’s not good, but it relieves the symptoms the quickest… And worse of all, I can’t even hold a pen in this state.」
He showed her his right hand that was still shaking, then sighed heavily.
「Sigh── I know the reason, this is a symptom of a common mental condition. With how complicated my work is, even I feel like screaming at times despite my nerves. That is surprising to me too──」
The youth tried to brush it off as a joke, but Haro grabbed his shoulders. She stopped her and said clearly:
「...Ikuta-san, please lose your reason.」
「... Huh?」
「You can’t calm down. When you can’t stand the pain, you can’t treat your sufferings coldly… Please look around you. There’s no one aside from us here. No matter what you say or what you do, no one will blame you.」
She urged him to release the shackles in his soul with that. When the youth remained motionless, Haro smiled at him.
「Sorry, but this time── I will be bold.」
「Ehh──」
Before Ikuta could even feel surprised, she grabbed his arm and pulled him hard. His body was pulled from his chair, and when he realized it, he fell into the arms of the kneeling Haro.
「Fufu── this is the first time I took the initiative to hug you.」
「......」
「It felt really warm when Ikuta-san hugged me last time. So it’s my turn now.」
She grabbed his arms and squeezed tight. Ikuta couldn’t resist the loving embrace and she got to have his way with him.
「Let me say this first, I won’t let go. Be it two or three hours, even if it's the entire night, I will stick tightly to you. You can’t fool me by pretending to be cheerful. Your tricks won’t work on me.」
「......」
「Fufufu, this is a great perk, I can use mental health management as an excuse to hug the person I like. It makes me worried that I will suffer divine retribution for being so happy. Is there a job better than this in the world?」
Haro said as she pretended to be free of worries, so Ikuta wouldn’t feel concerned. The warmth of her body and the beating of her heart was transmitted to him through the uniform. Basking in that warmth, the reason binding Ikuta quietly relaxed──
「........... I’m really scared.」
A while later, quietly...
He said depressing words he had been holding in.
「──Yes.」
Haro accepted his words unwaveringly. As if an underground stream finally found an opening, words poured out of the youth’s mouth.
「Whenever the dusk comes, this feeling will intensify. Did I forget to do something critical? Did I make any mistakes? Are the things I’m trying to accomplish even feasible?── I’m helplessly uneasy.」
How many years had it been since the youth was allowed to share his unfiltered thoughts?
「The clashes with Kioka in war and diplomacy. Maintaining the internal affairs of the Empire. And above all, protect Chamille’s heart.
If I can narrow my focus, I want to concentrate on that last point… But I can’t do that. Because Chamille won’t abandon her citizens or her responsibilities as a royal. She can’t separate herself from the country.
That side of her── really resembles Yatori.」
He said with a sob. The more he said, the more intense he trembled.
「I── I might fail again. Maybe it will be just like that coup, after dragging countless lives down into the mix, I still didn’t save the person I wanted to rescue. If I lose on the battlefield to Jean Arkinex, lose strategically to Ario Kyakushii, or fall for Trisnai Izanma’s schemes── my worst fears will come true.」
「......」
「I won’t let them get their way. I won’t give in to such an ending. However── I-I already know that no matter how perfect my preparations, how well laid my plan is, there are no guarantees in war. The twins, illogical and unreasonable, will snipe at my heart in unexpected moments. And I’m far from being omnipotent and omniscient enough to even know what the future holds a few short days later.」
He was shouting towards the end. He couldn’t endure the chill creeping up his back, and hugged Haro with all his strength.
「What should I do, Haro? I already promised her── that no matter what happens, I will protect Chamille. I made a promise I can’t break on the battlefield that had no guarantees… Whenever I remember this fact, fear would well up in my heart. I can’t stop trembling as if ice was in my veins...!」
The tears rolling down Ikuta’s cheeks seeped into Haro’s uniform. She accepted his feelings completely, then whispered into his ear.
「You are doing well── you are incredible, Ikuta-san.」
Haro said to him and gently patted his back. Tears were falling down her face too. The youth felt a lot of uneasiness, and now, she understood his struggles and pain.
「I know that too. Working harder than anyone else, until you have nothing more to give── after giving it all, but I still can’t touch my goal. Especially on the battlefield… This cruelty permeates from the frontlines to the rear.」
Haro thought about her times on the battlefield and continued:
「Like a field hospital. There are many patients that can’t be saved even if we treat them, and I have witnessed the last moments of many of them.
… But Ikuta-san, there is one thing I want you to know. What do you think the patients beyond saving tells me?」
The youth in her arms sobbed. Haro searched through her memories for the words that could stop his shaking.
「There were all kinds of contents. Some call for their mother, some cried for the lover they were leaving behind, and some cursed at no one in particular.
However── what I heard the most were words of gratitude.」
The moment she told that to the youth, the sobbing in her arms lessened. Sensing a ray of hope from that reaction, Haro continued:
「When they realized they can’t be saved, many of them thanked me. They didn’t blame me for being powerless, and thanked me for my efforts… They offered their gratitude with very gentle words.」
「......」
「I realized then that even if it didn’t yield any results… for many people, just having people trying to save them was a form of salvation itself.」
Haro declared with confidence. Because her feelings proved that wasn’t a lie.
「Do you still remember, Ikuta-san? When you told me to come back, and it is fine even if I’m not a good girl.
I was saved from that moment on, and won’t mind even if I suddenly die now. However── if I can choose my last words, I will not hesitate to thank you. I would want to tell you, Yatori-san, Torway-san, Matthew-san and Her Majesty Chamille, thank you for meeting me, calling me your friend and spending a warming time with me── After expressing my gratitude, I will accept death with salvation in my heart.」
Haro told him and embraced the youth tighter. With the love welling out from her chest, she conveyed all her feelings through words.
「Even if the future isn’t smooth, even if our efforts don’t bear fruit, I have decided to tell you this when the time comes.
If possible── can we rehearse it?」
She said as she gently brushed his hair. Her words were gentler than anything she said in her life.
「Thank you for your hard work, Ikuta.」
It was like magic.
The moment he heard that, the youth’s trembling disappeared like the receding tide.
「... That’s sly, Haro.」
Ikuta said softly while he leaned on Haro. Nostalgia and bashfulness made him pouted a little.
「This is foul play. Because I always cried when my mother says that to me.」
The memory of his beloved mother stopped his shivers. Haro embraced him gently, reminding him of the first happiness he experienced in his life. He remembered the warmth that would never fade.
「Ahh...」
The youth pressed gently on Haro’s shoulders. He pulled himself up, wiped his tears away and looked right at her.
「Thank you, Haro. I’m fine now── you can tell, right? I’m not pushing myself.」
He grinned and showed a strong smile. After seeing that, Haro had a complicated expression between smiling and crying.
「Yes, I can tell── it’s a pity. I wanted to keep hugging you tightly.」
She made a joke that had a hint of sincerity. Ikuta quietly embraced Haro tightly again when he heard that. His hug contained all the feelings of intimacy that the youth had, and was as strong as the feelings she showed to him.
── No one but him knew about this memory from a long time ago.
「── Did you changed your mind?」
That voice echoed in the dim dungeon, and the coldness gave him goosebumps. However── the voice from the other side of the iron bars was carefree in contrast.
「I’m still considering it. Sorry, can you give me some time?」
── A man in uniform was saying in a tone like he was pretending to be retarded. He was of average height, had a wide chin, and his pupils were relatively small, the appearance of a typical tired middle aged man. However, the rank insignia on his shoulders didn’t match all of that.
「Just to confirm── how long do you actually need?」
「Around five or six years. It’s my nature to think things very thoroughly before making a decision.」
The man in the jail── Imperial General Bada Sankrei, casually answered Trisnai’s question. Trisnai sighed without a word.
「So you want to die in prison?」
「I don’t have such a fetish. It’s just that… From the looks of things, I can’t pick where I will die.」
Bada muttered with his back to the cell wall. What he said made the Fox frowned for the upteenth time.
「I gave you a choice, so why not choose to live?」
「Hmm?」
「Subjugate the Igsem, and lead the next generation of the Imperial Army as the new Field Marshal── if you resolve yourself to do that, I will release you from your cell. You will get to live, and you will receive status and glory. I don’t understand why you are rejecting this. You won’t lose anything, and can even leave your name in Imperial history.」
The fox’s face looked confused. Smiling wryly at his ignorance, Bada said:
「Leaving my name on the tomb is enough. Losing the lives of my friends and the children’s future is a terrible deal.」
「Compared to making the Empire great again, no sacrifice is too great.」
Trisnai declared without any hesitation. His sense of value made Bada snorted:
「That might be so for you. You invested a lot of your passion into this. Now that I think about it── treating you like the other corrupted nobles and misjudging your passion must be the reason why I ended up like this.」
He said unwaveringly, as if it didn’t concern him. He had already accepted the inevitable.
「But there is one thing that bothers me. Is that your only wish?」
Bada looked at him with analytical eyes, as if to say he was more interested in that, compared to his inevitable fate. Trisnai frowned:
「── What do you mean?」
「It’s a simple question. Reviving the mysterious Katjvarna Royal bloodline in modern times. Ignoring whether that really exists, is realizing that your only wish? I can’t help thinking that your real wish is dwelling somewhere deeper.」
He said as he fiddled with the small table at the corner of the cell, and continued saying with his back to Trisnai.
「I want you to think back, when did you first start pursuing this goal?」
「......」
「If it stems from your wish for more authority and power, then it’s a simple matter. Because achieving your wish means self actualization. Whether it’s good or bad aside, it’s a straightforward wish. However── the baffling thing is why you don’t wish to take the throne yourself. You wish for the prosperity of the Empire more than anyone else, but don’t see yourself as an equal to the Royal family. To me, that’s unfathomable.」
Bada said as he poured into a glass with the teapot on the table── He suddenly looked up, as if he just thought of something.
「Oh── I see. It’s not the goal, but the means.」
Bada turned to the fox with a glass in his hand, then said while staring right into Trisnai’s eyes.
「Let me ask you in a different way── what are you trying to achieve by guiding the Empire towards prosperity?」
Trisnai’s furrowed his brows even deeper. Before thinking about the answer, he couldn’t figure out the intent of the question. Seeing that reaction, Bada took out a paper sachet from his clothes.
「If my speculations are wrong, you can just ignore them. But if it bothers you── then you will have to think about it sooner or later. Because that will have a decisive effect on your life.」
He said something vague like advice or a riddle, then poured the contents of the sachet into the glass. Trisnai watched his every move closely.
「I said too much. Looks like I can’t drag this on any longer, time to say good bye.」
Bada gently shook the glass to mix the content as he said that. There was no hesitation in his actions── He knew right from the start that he would endanger his friends by staying alive.
「It’s a little embarrassing to say this myself── But I had a good life.」
Bada said with a bashful smile before the fox── then drank from the glass with that smile on his face.
「──...」
Shortly after witnessing the last moments of that man, Trisnai Izanma got up from his short nap and opened his eyes.
「... I have a strange dream at this juncture, huh.」
He muttered in the lonely office, his mouth scrowled with displeasure just like he did in the dream.
「You are foolish, Bada Sankrei. If you made the right choice back then── the one leading the Imperial Army now would have been you.」
He got up from the chair after saying that and walked to the window. The admin officers and soldiers bustling around the palace filled his field of vision.
「Look, with the awakening of Empress Chamille from her slumber, the Empire is slowly remembering its ideal form, and is searching for the right path. We are on pace to return to the mythical times, so what is there to worry about?」
Trisnai said with a mesmerized face, then slowly returned to his chair and sat down. He then said to the Royal Sprite on his desk.
「This is Archbishop Trisnai Izanma── Can you hear me Your Holiness?」
After saying that, there was a short pause before an old woman’s voice came from the Royal Sprite:
「... Yes, I hear you loud and clear, Villainous Minister.」
That wise voice definitely belonged to the head of the Ra Saia Alderamin, Jenancy Labutesuma. Trisnai nodded happily and said to the other party who was a great distance away:
「I’m really glad. I will be in your care in the future too.
… Hey, you should understand too. I will lose my head one day, but not yet. I still want to support the brilliance of Her Majesty, the rule of the Eternal Sprite Tree bloodline── and stand beside the glorious throne.」
There was a madness in his eyes that had no signs of ever fading, as Trisnai told the other party as if he was singing praises. The Pope on the other end of the Royal Sprite fell silent… As if the ominous feeling from the distant land made her feel a chill down her spine.
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