Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
On the sea to the south. The artillery unit led by Matthew provided support── and used the moment where the wind stopped to bombard from the coast, turning the tide of the battle in one go. The Imperial Navy, who turned all their ships into galleys, launched an attack on the trapped Kioka fleet.
「── Yes, it’s going great! As expected, this is how a naval battle should be!」
Admiral Jurgus shouted happily at the front deck of the flagship. Ramming the flank of the enemy ship with their bow, and performing naval boarding actions to fight in a melee battle── with the Blast Cannons turning mainstream, such battles had gradually faded away. But just this once, it brought momentum to the Imperial forces. For the Kioka Fleet composed entirely of Blast Cannons, they wanted to avoid such a battle the most.
「Admiral, please stay back…! Back behind this shield!」
「You’re worrying too much. If the Admiral hides in a place like this, the crew will lose their morale. Be more relaxed, people are seldom hit by stray bullets!」
Admiral Jurgus walked fearlessly on the deck. They had suppressed most of the enemy, but there was no telling if new enemies would board their ship. The adjutant followed quickly behind him.
「Admiral, please wait── Uwah!」
He slipped on the blood of the enemy sailors, but before his back hit the deck and the adjutant braced himself for the fall, someone grabbed his arm.
「Oh… are you alright?」
「Huh── Ah, yes! Thank you!」
The adjutant thanked him and stood straight up, and saw a man wearing a Naval Lieutenant uniform just like him. His face was unfamiliar, but it wasn’t surprising for there to be someone he didn’t know on the flagship. He was about to ask that man for his name when that man turned with a smile.
「Be careful next time, that’s how Admiral Jurgus is. If you worry about every bold action he takes, then you won’t have the time to do anything else.」
The man walked forth with that advice. Seeing that man walking towards Admiral Jurgus, the adjutant felt relieved and followed after him.
「── Pardon me for interrupting in the middle of a battle, but can I make a report, Admiral Jurgus?」
He said to the commander with a calm voice. Admiral Jurgus immediately answered:
「Yes, go ahead── 『Danmier』.」
Admiral Jurgus called out his name as he turned around. Immediately after that── with a slick sensation, the man before him felt a pain in his abdomen.
「── Huh?」
The man said in a daze as he stared at the scimitar blade in his stomach──── the next moment, he knelt onto the deck with his hands on his abdomen. He raised his sweat stained face, looking at the man who stabbed him with a greeting── compared to the stab, he was more shocked that he was seen through.
「...... W-Why...」
「It’s not some amazing judgement. I just predicted that you will probably pick this time to reap my head.」
Admiral Jurgus rested his scimitar on his shoulder and said calmly. Those words made the Phantom who used to call himself Danmier Kanron dumbstruck. Was everything within his expectations? Be it the assassination attempt, or that the timing would be in the middle of the final battle.
「Another thing.『Pardon me for interrupting in the middle of a battle, but can I make a report?』── You sound too calm. We just changed all the adjutants into young people, and no one dared talk to me with such a bold tone during a battle… You changed your face and voice, but leaving your fearless attitude intact is your mistake. Since the most prominent part of your character remained unchanged, I won’t fall for it.」
The head of the Navy said confidently. He looked down at the deck stained by the other party’s blood.
「It’s a mortal wound, but you still have a chance to choose how you will die. Do what you will. Since you are a Phantom, you must have the resolve to go through with this to the end.」
The right to choose his own end. After receiving this gift at the very end, the Phantom smiled wryly from nostalgia.
「You are still the same. Both your stern and gentle side… Much obliged.」
Phantom pulled out a dagger from his sleeve after saying that, and charged at his assassination target with his dying body. Admiral Jurgus raised the scimitar in his right hand, ready to engage── when his 「current」 adjutant charged over before his eyes.
「────?」
「Warrrgghhh!」
The adjutant tackled the Phantom, then straddled and strangled him. Admiral Jurgus and the Phantom both looked surprised.
「Hey… You.」
「Ahhh! D-Don’t touch the Admiral! Stay away!」
The man couldn’t hear the voice of his superior as he strangled the Phantom with a yell. After tens of seconds, the head of the Imperial Navy sighed.
「... Spare him already, he’s already dead.」
「... Huh?」
When that was pointed out, the adjutant looked stiffly at the Phantom── the Phantom was dead with his eyes wide open in surprise. He didn’t die from asphyxia, but from blood loss from his abdomen wound during his struggle with the adjutant. The unexpected outcome made Admiral Jurgus alternate his gaze between the dazed current adjutant and the dead former adjutant.
「You are a different type from that guy, but you are surprisingly brave── I have changed my evaluation of you. Here, a reward.」
He took out something from his pocket and tossed it to his adjutant. The adjutant hurriedly caught it with both hands, and opened his eyes wide at the thing in his hand.
「P-Pearl...?」
「This is impartiality in dispensing rewards and punishment. I will kill you if you dare betray me.」
Admiral Jurgus used the loot he got during his competition with his niece to harvest oysters as a reward. He looked down at his former adjutant again. Feeling he shouldn’t interfere, the adjutant quickly stood up and backed away. The leader of the Imperial Navy said to the corpse of the Phantom lying on the deck:
「You probably can’t hear me, but in the end, I think you picked the wrong man to betray… Instead of making a living by backstabbing others, working on my ship is much more pleasant right, Danmier?」
Admiral Jurgus kicked his shoulder with the tip of his feet── The face looking up at the sky seemed to be smiling wryly.
「── He is finally showing cracks.」
Ikuta muttered after ending a call, then took in a deep breath to send oxygen to his brain── in this war, he made sure not to exhaust his troops under his command, as well as himself.
「── One of Professor Anarai’s theory is 『attention economy』. Simply put, focus and attention are limited resources. Just like stamina, it will be depleted when used, and won’t replenish without rest.」
<TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_economy >
This was only natural for Ikuta. However, that wasn’t true for Jean. For the 「Insomniac Brilliant General」 who abused his body, this was a foreign way of thinking.
「This applies to you too, Jean. Fatigue will build up without you seeing it, and your mind will slowly get tired── And of course, you have exceptional mental endurance, and with your insomniac nature, you might unconsciously assume that your focus is inexhaustible.
And that is true for the battles so far, since the amount of information never exceeded your load… However, things are different this time. This should be your first time commanding such a large army── and with the advent of Sprite communication, the amount of information given to the commander will increase by several levels.」
Unlike physical fatigue, mental exhaustion couldn’t be sensed easily. Because the mind would be the one judging the amount of fatigue too. Without a fixed external standard to measure against, humans couldn’t help pushing themselves. The more serious the person’s attitude towards work, the more their inclination to do so.
「When you first see the Sprite communication, you must be thinking── if I use this technology, I can reflect my will on all the battles. I won’t have to be troubled by inept frontline commanders… And you actually did so. By prohibiting the frontline commanders from thinking for themselves, you demand them to execute your orders faithfully, and create the perfect army never seen before in history.」
At a glance, this might seem like a wonderful scene, but it was actually putting all the burden of commanding on one person. Shouldering that burden in that position because everyone thought he could do it, was the tragedy Jean was facing.
「And I’m aiming for that arrogance── in the battles so far, I’m working tirelessly on exhausting your attention economy. By sending soldiers to move in incomprehensible ways, you have to think about 『what is the intention behind that move?』 Even if the action is meaningless, forcing you to think is meaningful.」
It was said that humans could only sprint at full speed for less than ten seconds. Since one’s attention economy was limited, there would be a similar limit for mental exhaustion. Even if they never felt it before, all humans had such a limit. By commanding the entire army against Ikuta Solork, the white-haired officer was venturing into unknown territories and reaching his limits for the first time.
「With the defeat of the Kioka navy, the burden they should be shouldering will all fall onto you── it’s time for you to fall, Jean Arkinex.
You got it wrong right off the bat. This isn’t a showdown between you and me. It doesn’t matter whether there is Sprite communication or not, you are supposed to fight a war alongside your comrades!」
「Ugh── Guaaahh!」
Jean screamed. As his subordinates watched in horror, the youth smashed his head against a pillar.
「Why!? Why isn’t my mind working at a time like this! Move── Please, move! Now! If you don’t work now,then my life won’t have any meaning...!」
Only frustration spun in his body── there were heaps of problems he needed to solve, but he couldn’t focus on them. His mind was as heavy as a rusty gear lacking oil, something that had never happened before. His brain that had been fine no matter how long he worked without sleep was now──!
「──Ahh──」
At that moment, Jean saw it. A short distance away in the headquarters── His family was standing there. His parents and sister. They didn’t have any emotions on their faces, but they were clearly conveying their thoughts. Continue burning up your life── You are not permitted to collapse.
「... It’s fine… It’s fine, mother, father, sister…! I can do it, I won’t fall in a place like this…! I will achieve victory, I will definitely achieve victory. So──!」
Blood oozed out of his eyes and nose, and Jean turned his twitching face back to the Sprites. The huge amount of information made him dizzy── But he wouldn’t give in. When he was desperately driving his frail heart to take that all in...
「──Huh?」
Someone was holding him tightly from behind.
「... Miara...?」
The dazed Jean called his adjutant’s name. Miara tightened her embrace.
「... Your family isn’t there.」
She said with a trembling voice. That was a nightmare he could see even when he was awake. She faced the nightmare she had been ignoring head on, and refuted their existence.
「They aren’t there. The family blaming you is an illusion created from your sense of guilt── They wanted you to live, so they will never wish for your demise in such a way...!」
Miara cried with conviction. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the youth’s back. Jean’s dazed mind thought how warm that felt.
「Please── rest. You have worked long enough. Be it the citizens or Sir Kyakushii, I won’t let anyone pick a bone with you. So, Jean, go to sleep. Have a quiet rest with gentle dreams… And then head towards 『tomorrow』. Head towards the tomorrow that you lost since the day you lost everything...!」
As he listened, a sense of weightlessness surrounded Jean. The figures of his family in the corners of his eyes were disappearing.
When he realized it, Jean was standing in an endless white space.
His sister was standing beside him with a serene smile. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel any grudge from her at all. He shifted his gaze puzzledly, and saw his parents standing beside him with gentle smiles.
「Sister── And Father, Mother… Why… I don’t──」
I don’t have the right to see your warm and gentle faces, the youth thought. He hadn’t repaid anything yet. But contrary to his confusion, his sister gently embraced him. A nostalgia that almost drove him to tears filled his chest.
── You did well. You really worked hard, Jean.
It was his sister’s voice. She wasn’t silently blaming him, and her tone was filled with care and concern. Ever since he forgot about sleep, he could finally hear his family’s voice after so many years.
── Alright now, rest well, my precious little brother. I will sing you your favourite lullaby.
His sister said and started humming with her brother in her arms. The tone changed at a whim, and was a weird lullaby Jean remembered. Just like her carefree character, his sister would change the lyrics whenever she sang.
「── You have a good family.」
An unexpected voice rang out. Jean looked surprised, and a familiar dark-haired youth was standing some distance in front of him.
「... S-Solork...」
「I won’t lose to you either. My mother’s singing voice is wonderful.」
Ikuta said as if to compete and turned, then continued speaking.
「Sleep as much as you want. If you feel tired after waking up, then sleep some more. Until you wipe away all your exhaustion, you are forbidden from getting off your bed. I will take care of things in the meantime, and lessen your workload.」
Ikuta said as he started walking, leaving Jean behind. Jean wanted to stop him and grab his shoulders, but his legs wouldn’t move. Feeling the strength leave his body, Jean reached out desperately:
「... Wait… Wait, Solork. My duel with you isn’t──」
Over, Jean insisted. Ikuta turned back half way with a nefarious smile:
「No thanks, this is my response to you for making me work so much. Good night, Jean── put a bed in your room in the future. Pick a wider one, so you won’t fall off when you turn in your sleep.」
After bidding farewell with those words── the tranquility of the lullaby liberated Jean’s consciousness from his misery.
At that moment, the youth’s body in Miara’s tight embrace turned heavy.
「...Jean...?」
She supported his body weight with both arms, and looked at his face timidly… She gasped── He was breathing soundly in his sleep. Jean’s eyes were closed gently in quiet rest.
「...... Phew...」
Miara felt a strong sense of relief. She thought in her heart── He is finally willing to let it go. He can finally rest.
「C-Commander...」
His subordinate walked over with a face of unease. Their eyes were still dependent on the white-haired officer── Even so, she won’t let anyone rely on him anymore. Miara curtly crushed the remnants of their expectations in their hearts.
「It’s impossible to continue the plan… I’m taking temporary command from the Commander-in-Chief, as of this moment, we will abandon our invasion of the Imperial territories.」
Miara declared to everyone, and gave out short instructions. With the help of her men, she carried Jean to the break room next door. Jean was laid gently onto a bed, with boards set up around him── so his slumber wouldn’t be disturbed no matter what.
「All units, retreat── notify all officers on the field post haste.」
「... Hey, that’s...」
At the Empire’s last line of defence, the Imperial forces led by Kubalha Shiba were holding the line. They watched the enemy from their trenches, and realized something was strange.
「... Did you see that?」「... Yes. The enemy is withdrawing...?」
The Kioka soldiers were pulling away with cautious steps, returning the way they came by columns, starting from the rear. The Imperial soldiers who had been enduring their fierce attack observed that in disbelief. Their commander opened a communication channel as he looked at the same scene.
「... This is Kubalha Shiba. The enemy is withdrawing from my position, they might be mustering their forces to attack your side. Stay on your guard──」
「── No, the enemy is retreating on my end too.」
In another location, the unit led by Sarihasrag responded to the call, as he observed the enemy from the trenches. As his heart wavered between determination and expectations, Suya beside him was holding her breath.
「Their Artillery are retreating, and their rearguard is slowly backing away. We are getting the same reports from the alternative routes around us… Could this be...」
「...Lieutenant Colonel Torway, this is...」
Along a southern route used by the Kioka army as an alternate path, Torway who was engaging the Kioka army with his snipers also saw the enemy falling back. The jade-eyed youth hiding on top of a branch said quietly:
「... I can sense the enemy’s fighting spirit fading away. This probably isn’t a simple reroute of troops...」
「── Ohh── So it’s over, huh?」
On the 「White Wings」 that had been boarded by the Imperial sailors and was in the midst of a melee battle. Elulufay accepted that unexpected fact rather easily.
「... I’m sorry, Greg. Pull the men back.」
「...Great Mother.」
Greg who was raising his halberd high to intimidate the enemy understood everything with just that. Elulufay looked at the Imperial soldiers wielding their scimitars, and spoke to one of them.
「You are the Captain, right? ──I just received instructions from headquarters to make a full retreat. It’s not my intent to continue the fight and create unnecessary sacrifices. I propose a ceasefire, what say you?」
When she heard that, Pommy stared with her eyes wide open. She was eager to join the fray, and felt troubled by this sudden turn of events. Unable to find the right response, Pommy asked her colleague fighting nearby.
「... What should we do, Yorin?」
「Don’t ask me～! No matter what, we need to report, inform and consult!」
<TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho-Ren-So>
「Oh, that’s right── Erm, I will notify my superior, so you need to get your Fleet Admiral’s consent too.」
「I want to do that, but our flagship has been captured by your comrades. I’m the highest ranking active officer right now, so you can treat this as the will of the entire fleet──」
「... They are working together to rescue the sailors. Looks like it’s over.」
Matthew was in command of the artillery unit spread out along the coast. He put down his telescope, having seen enough of the naval battle── after getting into melee battle, the Blast Cannons could not provide support. He watched from the sideline, confident of the Imperial Navy’s power, but they didn’t betray that trust.
「This is a close victory, Major… It will be all over if our deployment was slightly off.」
「Speaking of that, that’s also true if the Navy didn’t draw the enemy here… That was really, really close. I don’t want to do that again.」
Matthew answered with a sigh as the gentle sea breeze caressed his cheeks. The windless situation that surprised the Kioka fleet was over. After they completed the ceasefire and rescued everyone who fell overboard, they could start sailing again.
The pudgy youth felt a load had been taken off his shoulders. His subordinate who was still watching with a telescope poked Matthew’s shoulder.
「...Major, that seems to be a message for you.」
「Hmm?」
Matthew puzzledly took the telescope offered by his subordinate and looked, and realized after looking at the direction he pointed out.
「── Haha, that girl...」
Pommy stood at the head of the ship proudly, just like Captain Garciev, and blew a kiss towards the land. Matthew also raised his arm high in response to her unique victory gesture.
At the same time, far to the east from the frontlines, the Kioka Republic Capital Norandot. Ario, who received the message in the Parliament office, slumped back into his chair for the first time after assuming the position of Prime Minister.
「S-Sir──!」
He couldn’t even hear his subordinate’s concerned voice. His solid preparations for the final battle should be a perfect plan leading to their victory. The Kioka Republic’s path towards prosperity── was crumbling and getting sealed into darkness.
「── He lost? My son lost?」
He tried saying it out loud, but still couldn’t accept it. His hero should bring him victory. Even if he burns out his life, he would bring certain victory. Because that’s what heroes do.
That was the delusion he had. In the end── this man believed more firmly in Jean Arkinex’s victory than anyone else. Just like the innocent toddler waiting for the triumphant return of the heroes of justice.
「... I see, understood.」
In a corner of the last line of defence, a short distance from the capital. General Remeon who was garrisoned here just heard the report from the other units.
「The Kioka forces are pulling back from all fronts… We have outlasted them.」
After ending the call, he relayed the situation to the vermillion haired general standing beside him. Solvenares, who had gone through a series of battles and was waiting to fight a melee battle, nodded quietly at that news.
「... We really die hard, Tel.」
General Remeon opened his eyes wide. Tel── how long has it been since he last heard his nickname used by Bada?
「── You’re right, Sol.」
And he responded naturally. Even after so long, that name came out very smoothly.
And so, news of the certain victory reached the palace in the Imperial Capital Banhataal.
「... Well done. You did really well, Solork...」
Chamille said to herself after ending the call in her office. The moment she had been waiting for was right before her, and the girl’s shoulders started to shiver.
「Kioka who had lost it’s all out invasion campaign is out of options. The war── this long war is finally over. After so many meaningless sacrifices, this is finally at its end...」
She said as she thought about the number of lives that had been lost. She wouldn’t be forgiven no matter how much she apologized. However── those sacrifices had finally gotten a result.
「... However, this 『doesn’t mean the Empire won』.」
Chamille muttered quietly. It was finally time to enact the plan she had been harbouring all this while.
「We will revert to our old ways if things remain the same. We will just get arrogant over this temporary victory, and continue to rely on the military as the final solver of our problems. That’s meaningless. In order to stop history from repeating── we need to destroy the establishment itself.」
That was the greatest wish of Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik. As the Empress, she held overall command over the Imperial forces, and would betray the country in the clearest way at this moment. She would abandon the victory that they had earned, and tarnish the troops’ valiant effort in the cruelest way possible.
She imagined the rage of the masses after carrying out this plan, and how she would be hanged, drawn and quartered── and suddenly smiled. That ending put her at ease.
「It’s time to fulfill my goal── I will be issuing an edict personally. Shia, activate the Jade Voice Broadcast.」
She was ready. In order to end the Empire that was on its last legs, she spoke to the Sprite of the late vermillion-haired girl── but was answered with silence.
「...Shia?」
Chamille was baffled, and called out to her partner on the table. The Royal Sprite should have answered the request of the Empress and opened a channel to all the Sprites in the Empire, but it shook its head quietly, refusing to execute that request. Chamille felt puzzled. Did she miss out on some procedure? She was about to ask Shia for the reason when...
「──Listen with respect and awe.」
「?」
The Jade Voice Broadcast suddenly started before her. The one speaking wasn’t her, but a voice she knew very well.
「On behalf of the 28th Generation Empress Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik, Imperial Field Marshal Ikuta Solork hereby issue an edict to all citizens.」
The youth started speaking. Chamille couldn’t accept this, and grabbed Shia as she called out to the owner of that voice.
「Solork...?」
「All units, ceasefire── as of this moment, the Empire has lost the war. I repeat, the Empire has lost the war. Do not pursue the retreating enemy forces. I repeat, do not pursue the retreating enemy forces──」
Knowing very clearly that all the troops and every citizen with a Sprite partner would hear this, Ikuta said clearly… Jade Voice Broadcast was a one way broadcast. Despite knowing that, he could feel the countless people gasping on the other end of the Sprites.
「After the Kioka forces have finished retreating, all units are to return to their respective bases… Thank you everyone for your valiant efforts in this war.」
Saying that after declaring they lost was the worst sophistry, thought the youth. He had trampled over his subordinates’ efforts, and still managed to utter these words of gratitude.
「... F-Field Marshal Sir? That order is──」
The wide eyed Major Megu stood in a daze. He wasn’t even mad, and only felt confusion. Seeing his adjutant’s complete trust in him hurt Ikuta more than any words could ever do.
「... This isn’t some surprise scheme. I’m sorry, Major Megu.」
Ikuta regretted saying that… He already decided not to apologize to anyone from that moment.
「I say again, I didn’t go mad. I planned this from the beginning. After this war started── No, far before this war began, I have been fighting with this goal in mind.」
「── Ahh──」
When he said that, Major Megu finally accepted reality. He realized that something that shouldn’t happen has happened, and needed time to make sense of it. Before he could decide on what to do, Ikuta told him:
「I might not be qualified to say this, but hold off on calling the guards a little while later── there is another enemy I need to deal with.」
He turned and left after saying that. As his adjutant looked on, Ikuta touched the shortsword on his waist as he left headquarters.
「Alright then── Let’s go, Yatori.」
「W-What’s happening?」
Behind the frontlines, in the field hospital filled with the wounded. The troops who heard the Jade Voice Broadcast immediately sat up frantically.
「What the hell, he said we lost...!」
「The enemy retreated, right? Then we defended our country. Doesn’t that mean we won!?」
「What is the Field Marshal thinking──」
Questioning voices rippled through the tent. Haro couldn’t ignore the heavily wounded patients trying to join in and shouted:
「Please calm down, your injuries will be aggravated if you move too much! We have heavily wounded patients here!」
The soldiers fell silent at her admonishment. However, that didn’t calm their emotions, and they asked Haro:
「Major──Major Becker do you know anything?」
「That’s right, you’re close to the Field Marshal! What is that order just now── Ughh...!」
As expected, the person shouting aggravated his wounds and screamed. Haro didn’t falter and answered with a firm tone:
「Right now, I’m not sure about Ikuta-san’s intentions! …However, there is one thing I can do! That is to send you all home safely! That’s the only thing on my mind right now!」
Haro told them without hesitation, and the troops backed away from her determination. She looked back at them and thought── no matter what the youth’s intentions were, her job wouldn’t change. She just had to follow through with her mission to the end.
「Alright then, lie down quietly. No matter what happens, I won’t let your injury worsens!」
「── Calm down!」
A firm voice reverberated in the air. After the Kioka forces withdrew from the frontlines, the troops remained chaotic. To calm them down, General Shiba and the other officers were shouting loudly.
「Don’t panic! You should know how deep the Field Marshal’s plan is! There must be a deep reason behind that order he issued!」
He was saying that there was nothing to worry about. However, General Shiba didn’t have a good grasp of the situation either. Ikuta didn’t even tell a family friend he had known since his father’s era.
「── Don’t be hasty! With our losses, we can’t pursue them right now! Get reorganized and wait for your next orders!」
Sariha fired his Wind Gun into the air and yelled. And of course, he knew nothing about this situation. The only thing he sensed was an air similar to the mock battle in the past── that everything was moving according to Ikuta’s plan.
「First Lieutenant Mittokarifu, you are too emotional. The troops are getting scared, so take a deep breath.」
「...... Yes Sir.」
He said to Suya beside him… Unlike the other subordinates, she didn’t make a ruckus and was standing stiff with a deathly silence. Sariha thought it was great that she even answered. He felt as if he was standing beside a Blast Cannon on the verge of exploding.
「...I never heard about this. What is that jerk trying to do...!?」
「......」
「M-Major Matthew──」
The artillery men’s gazes focused on the slightly plump youth. Without any answer in mind, Matthew turned to them after a short silence and said quietly:
「... Let’s return to Central.」
「B-But the Jade Voice Broadcast just now──」
「I don’t know. He didn’t tell me anything… And that’s why, I can’t do anything before I punch him in the face and ask!」
Matthew answered as he stamped on the ground. He was confused and angry, but wasn’t so green that he would panic just because of that. Suppressing all his emotions in his chest── Matthew imagined how he would vent it all out at the dark-haired youth, and arranged for his unit to withdraw.
「... What are you trying to do, Ik-kun...」
After expending all their ammunition, Torway was returning to base with his unit as he murmured. Unlike the other units, the snipers didn’t question Torway. They could tell by observing the tense face of their superior officer that Torway didn’t have the answer.
「... This is a weird situation. What are you planning, Field Marshal?」
On the deck of the Imperial Navy flagship 「Red Dragon」 sailing near the southern port, Admiral Jurgus furrowed his brow with his scimitar in hand. He bellowed 「...who is slacking off!」 to shut up the rowdy sailors who had stopped working.
「Anyway, we can only spare the effort to return to port… and watch from the sidelines.」
「── The enemy is retreating after failing in their attack! It’s indisputable that we have defended our nation! There’s no need to panic!」
In the center of the last line of defence guarding the path towards the capital, General Remeon raised his voice to drown out the noisy soldiers. He then whispered to his friend besides him:
「Sol, did you hear anything about this? I don’t understand his intentions! Declaring that we lost after gaining the upper hand...!」
「......」
The vermillion haired general shook his head silently. He didn’t know anything either── he clenched his fists, ashamed about that fact.
「Why...! Why, Shia! Why won’t you broadcast my words?」
She was definitely the one panicking the most in the entire Empire. Chamille held her partner Sprite Shia with both hands, and yelled at the top of her lungs:
「Please answer…! This is wrong, this is all wrong! I have to be the traitor! The one to tell the soldiers that we lost the war, and the subject of all their hate! Our positions have been switched...!」
── Anxiety and confusion showed no signs of subsiding, and the girl could no longer stay calm as tears welled up in her eyes… What happened? It shouldn’t be like this. She should be the only one who understood the entire situation...!
「What are you thinking, Solork!? You even hide this from me, just what are you──!」
He told Matthew in the past, be it good or bad, everyone has their own story.
He wanted to tell Matthew to remember to try and understand their reasoning. It might be difficult to do so in war, but in other situations, he should try to imagine their background and circumstances, and patiently find the best way to interact with them.
However, the youth realized── there were people he hoped didn’t have a story.
「......」
The dark-haired youth stayed alone, not answering the questions directed towards him.
In the wide, silent room, he sat on the leather bench with his eyes closed── After leaving headquarters, Ikuta headed to the reception room one floor down. That was a room for high ranking officers to receive special guests.
Knocking came from the door. When the youth opened his eyes, a voice outside the door said:
「F-Field Marshal Sir, the Chancellor has come to visit.」
「Let him enter alone.」
He instructed the sentry outside. The sentry was a bit troubled, but he still allowed the guest to enter the room. The door opened with a creak. The face of the man who appeared was creased with rage── it was Imperial Chancellor Trisnai Izanma.
「── How dare you, Ikuta Sankrei.」
That was the first thing he said as he walked in. Ikuta didn’t fear him at all, and smiled with a shrug.
「What, it’s not like you to be so angry. You have complaints about the current situation?」
The youth joked and pretended to be retarded. Trisnai didn’t respond with sarcasm and said directly:
「... Having you hanged, drawn and quartered isn’t enough for your crimes, but let me get this clear first── why are you able to use the Jade Voice Broadcast!? That should be only possible for Her Majesty and me, her representative.」
Ikuta plainly answered that procedural-like question.
「I added an emergency protocol that is only applicable during emergencies… Currently, there are a limited number of Sprites capable of communication. Even if it is a one-sided broadcast, it will be more convenient for the Field Marshal to issue instructions to all citizens via Jade Voice Broadcast during times of war, right? Be it the deployment of units or the evacuation of the citizens, I just need to give the order once. Compared to you who claim the right as a representative during an emergency, my logic is more adequate.」
「... You convinced Her Majesty’s Sprite with that logic?」
「It took me a whole year to convince the Sprite. To be honest, it was really tiring. Sigh── since you can do it, I’m sure I can do it too.」
The youth laughed softly. Trisnai felt something was off from the youth’s attitude, and cautiously cut into the core of the matter.
「My second question── the Empire clearly won the war. After the war reached this stage under your command, why did you lie about losing the war?」
Ikuta pushed his upper body up at that, and snorted with an arrogant taunt:
「Let me ask you instead── when did you start misunderstanding that I want the Empire to win?」
The youth said with a smile. His words that dismissed all presumptions made Trisnai furrowed his brows.
「My father was killed, my mother died, and the other half of my soul was murdered ──I detest this country from the bottom of my heart. I have no reason to make this nation prosper, and very much prefer seeing it razed to the ground. It’s only natural for this to happen if I get appointed as the Field Marshal.」
Ikuta said plainly. Trisnai continued pressing with a solemn face:
「... In short, you are committing treason over a personal grudge?」
「Even if that’s true, the one who is responsible for all this has no right to say anything.」
The youth retorted. He used his position as Field Marshal to enact his revenge, and didn’t show the least bit of guilt for now. Trisnai felt light headed from too much rage. He couldn’t stand the nature of that youth, but he did respect the youth’s sense of responsibility as a soldier.
「Enough. There seems to be some things I’m not aware of── but I’m not interested anymore. You just need to die for your crimes!」
Trisnai roared with the corners of his eyes raised. His voice reached outside, and there seemed to be a lot of people moving outside. The fox has summoned his underlings to make the fool wallow in his own blood. However, the gunshots from behind the door made the fox shudder.
「......!」
「It’s impossible for the agents you raised to barge in here. My guards aren’t that relaxed, I’m just intentionally letting your agents move about freely.」
Ikuta remained seated on his bench and said casually. Trisnai stared at him suspiciously.
「... If you have seen through this much, then you have no reason to let me in, right?」
「It’s the opposite, I intentionally showed an opening to lure you in. If my defences are ironclad, you will run again, right? I don’t want to play your favourite hide and seek again. So even if I have to use myself as bait, I want to fish you out.」
The youth continued, the killing intent in his eyes was saying── you are the one who got baited. Trisnai snorted and scoffed at his foolishness.
「Unfathomable. What do you plan to do after getting me here? ──You should know that you can’t kill me. If you kill me, the Imperial Chancellor cum Archbishop, all the Sprites in this country will cease functioning──」
「You’re no longer an Archbishop. Since two hours ago.」
The youth cut him off. Trisnai twitched his eye.
「... Absolute madman. It seems you don’t know that the status of an Archbishop is rock solid. Even a Pope can’t strip away that title.」
「You don’t have to tell me that, I have also learned the social system of Ra Saia Alderamin. Don’t be so hasty to judge, I didn’t say you have been stripped of the title.」
He said in a riddling tone. A few seconds later, the man realized as if he was struck by lightning.
「── Could it be?」
「That’s right── Two hours ago Pope Labutesuma and all the Archbishops except from you declared the dissolution of the Church of Aldera.」
Ikuta told him with a firm tone. Trisnai wavered emotionlessly in a way that he had never shown before.
「You didn’t know? It is as you say, a Pope can’t strip an Archbishop of his status, however── if more than half the Archbishops consents, she can dissolve the organization. There won’t be any titles to strip at this point, since the organization that conferred you that status no longer exist.」
The youth explained with a dry smile. The fox still couldn’t accept this fact and shook his head.
「... Impossible. I already coordinated my interest with the Pope. To continue maintaining Ra Saia Alderamin, dissolving the church right now is──」
「Your mistake is your focus on this point. Personal gains and nation benefit── if you are trying to bind her with these two points, then you have completely misjudged Jenancy Labutesuma.」
Ikuta refuted him with a sigh. With the decision of the old lady in the far north in his mind, he showed a face of worry.
「After becoming the Pope── No, after she became a priest, she had been thinking about the future of humanity. She bears the truth by herself, and shoulders the burden alone… But after that 『Trial of God』 ended, she finally found the path she should take.」
「The path she should take...?」
「Ra Saia Alderamin’s obligation to be a religious nation is reaching its end. That is her conclusion.」
Ikuta firmly stated the ending guided by him and Professor Anarai’s group.
「The truth about the Sprite will be shown to the world one day. When that time comes, the Church of Aldera won’t be able to function as it did in the past… She doesn't want to be caught between two great nations and run the country like it has always been. And so── your offer is off the mark from the start.」
As long as the Pope’s term continues, he wouldn’t lose his position as Archbishop── Trisnai Izanma made a serious miscalculation with that assumption. The country Ra Saia Alderamin was formed for a goal aside from maintaining order as a nation. In contrast with many nations with the goal of unlimited prosperity and expansion, this nation only treats them as a means to an end. Protecting the future of humanity with Sprites was the raison d'etre of Ra Saia Alderamin. For the sake of upholding this goal, they could change the basis of their religious faith. With Professor Rika’s love for humanity, they could even change the way their country functions.
「And of course, that country won’t vanish without a trace. More accurately speaking, it’s in the middle of a reorganization, and will be rebuilt after a change in personnel and structure a few days later… However, Pope Labutesuma would no longer be the leader of the Priests. That is what she wishes for. She will abdicate her leadership role to usher in the new era.」
You had worked hard, Ikuta thought about her work so far… She had to defend her nation nimbly against the two big nations, and was the leader of the priests concerned with the future of humanity. She bore a truth she couldn’t tell anyone by herself… he couldn’t imagine how hard the years had been to her.
「And now── I don’t have any reason to let you live… The same goes for you too, right?」
Ikuta said as he watched Trisnai. The two of them had the figure of the other person reflected in their eyes.
「I have peeled off all your protective layers. No one will save you. It’s just you and me, villain.」
「......」
「If you want to survive── the only way is to take me hostage. If you succeed and link up with your agents outside, you might have a chance to escape… To do that, you need to deal with me first.」
After analyzing the conditions, Ikuta stood up from his bench. With his left hand on his walking stick, he drew his short sword with his right hand. Ikuta held the memento of the vermillion-haired girl, and pointed its tip at his mortal enemy and yelled:
「Bet your life on the line, Trisnai! Just like all the people you have toyed with!」
「────」
The youth bared his intent to fight. As the youth watched on── the man smiled shamelessly, pouring cold water over the heated atmosphere, as if to say he didn’t want to humour the youth.
「── Calm down, Ikuta Sankrei. This is too funny. Neither of us are good with blades, fighting like this is──」
He pushed off the floor mid sentence without any signs. Trisnai charged at the youth blocking his path with unexpected speed, kicking his cane without any hesitation.
「Woah──!」
Seeing the cane rolled away from the youth’s hand, Trisnai was certain of his victory. The youth lost his balance and fell suddenly. The fox reached into his waist and grabbed a knife hidden under his shirt. Now to attack his defenceless opponent──
「...?」
They locked gazes. Ikuta stopped his fall with his left leg. The leg that should be lame from his injuries from the coup. He was supporting his body with both legs, standing firmly on the ground.
「Wooaahhh!」
The youth stared right at his opponent’s chest. Trisnai ignored the short sword lunging at his heart, and tightened the grip on his dagger instead. He timed his attack one beat slower than Ikuta, stabbing out his dagger with the determination to trade blows.
「──?」
However── the impact of the attack on his chest never landed. Instead, he felt his right wrist being grabbed, and a searing sensation on his neck.
He realized that it wasn’t a searing heat but a sharp pain, and the next moment── blood sprayed out from that man’s neck.
「── Psss──」
The knife fell from Trisnai’s hand as he pressed his hands on his neck and fell on his knees. Ikuta maintained his posture after slashing with his short sword, then looked down coldly.
「... I didn’t tell anyone, but my leg has recovered.」
He stamped on the floor firmly to show that fact. Trisnai who was desperately stemming the bleeding from his neck widened his eyes── His leg had healed? When did he recover? That was impossible. The agent he sent to spy on him didn’t give him such a report.
「── Could it be...」
The fox said with a trembling voice── the youth and the people around him kept it secret. Trisnai could only assume that. He couldn’t accept this. While he was making the arduous preparation for the final battle against Kioka, during that period when he was racing against time── this man had been faking a lame leg just for this moment? The youth couldn’t even walk briskly just to keep up this lie!?
「The chest you showed left a deep impression, but you must be hiding a steel plate or something there, right? So I have been practicing attacking the neck without my gaze giving it away… Even though I always hated practicing melee training.」
Ikuta spat out mockingly. As he had pointed out, Trisnai was wearing a thin chainmail under his admin officer’s robe, and the filling for the cavity in his chest had been replaced with a steel plate. He wanted his opponent to aim for his chest, and even laid the groundwork for that during the coup. However, Ikuta saw through that and outwitted him.
「I severed your artery. From the blood flow, you can last a few minutes at most… I don’t intend to finish you off. You can curse and swear all you want.」
Ikuta looked down at the other party and urged quietly. The man’s pale lips started to quiver.
「... Are you, kidding me? I can’t, die in a, place like this──」
Trisnai muttered, then put strength into his waist to stand straight up. However── his waist sank heavily and he fell on his butt with his eyes wide open in confusion.
「You are losing the sensation in your limbs, right…? Death is approaching. You are losing blood in your extremities.」
「── Ughh──」
「You can’t stand even if you want to, huh? Your vision should be starting to blur. Soon, you will lose your orientation… It will happen in a blink of an eye. I have seen it too many times.」
The death the youth saw plenty of times on the battlefield flashed across the youth’s mind. Some cry and wail, others fall into a daze, and some leave behind a message to their loved ones, they all die in their own way. What about this man? ──Ikuta thought with a numb mind, and could see Trisnai spasming on the floor.
「... Ughh...」
「... Yes, it’s cold. Because red blood flows in your veins too.」
The man’s body temperature gradually dropped as blood flowed out from his neck. Trisnai said in a hoarse voice.
「...So cold......So cold...... So, cold......」
That was unexpectedly normal── Ikuta thought emotionlessly as he listened to the moaning. He imagined that man to have a more unique moment of death, instead of freezing slowly to death like this. He thought that man would continue spewing mad drivel or praising the Imperial family until he died. That was the monster’s image the youth imagined.
「...So cold......So cold......So cold......」
「......」
「...So cold............Fa-ther......」
Ikuta turned stiff. He hoped he heard wrong. However── the words continued. The whimsical voice said like a frail child.
「...Father...Mother......Brother...... I’m here… I’m… here...」
He said with all his might. He wasn’t speaking to someone here, or even someone who had passed on. His enlarged pupils were no longer looking at reality. The man was looking at something he was yearning for in his heart.
「... I will be, a good boy… I will protect… His Majesty and the Imperial family...」
He continued in a fervent voice. He decided to offer everything he had. He would accomplish any mission, and endure any suffering and noteirity. He had no complaints about becoming the foundations of the Empire.
Because── To him, the Imperial family was the possibility that was taken away from him. The girl Chamille didn’t have any birth defect nor lost in the race of succession, and realized the mysterious Imperial bloodline, she was the ideal form that he and his brother dreamed of. There was no way he didn’t yearn for that, for him to love her. She had everything that he failed to gain. The feeling was like an amputated arm yearning for the body it belonged to.
「... So… So… One day── when I return the Empire to its former glory… When that time comes...」
── However, if he was permitted, he wanted to make just one wilful request. He knew it would never be granted, and realized long ago that even holding expectations was a sin. However, as a medal for life in service of the nation, he wanted to realize this dream. Just once was enough.
「...... Will you call me your son… your family......?」
「────!」
Ikuta’s face scowled intensely. The man was still sobbing on the verge of his death.
「...Father… I’m here...Father......Mother...Father, Mother...」
「... Stop it.」
「...So cold...Brother...So cold......」
「Stop talking!」
The youth cut off his death throes with a roar. Ikuta pressed his forehead with claw-like hands, and pleaded with a trembling voice.
「... Stop. Don’t say something so human… at the very end.」
When he came back to his senses, he couldn’t hear that voice anymore… The monster is dead, and the corpse of a human remains on the floor.
The long feud starting from his father’s generation ended, and the youth learned that this man also has his own story.
「── I’m coming in, Ikuta-nii──!」
Before the guards completely suppress the agents, Vackie and Yorga who rushed over from the capital to question Ikuta arrived on scene with ragged breath.
When they opened the door── that scene appeared before them. The exhausted youth sat in the chair, and a corpse was lying by his feet. It was Trisnai Izanma’s body.
「...Vackie and Yorga, huh? You two move fast.」
「──── Ahh────」
Vackie stopped breathing. As she looked at Trisnai on the floor with wide opened eyes, Ikuta dropped his gaze and said to his junior disciple:
「He just passed on… From the amount of blood lost, resuscitation is impossible.」
He informed her of the facts plainly, with a look of bitterness on his face.
「I know you were trying to communicate with that guy… I’m sorry for wasting your efforts.」
「...... No, I had a feeling things would end this way...」
Vackie answered with a trembling voice, then walked slowly to the body. She knelt on the floor and looked at the face of the corpse.
「... But I just can’t leave him alone. I’m not so arrogant to assume I can solve this problem… Even so, I still can’t leave this be… Because Tritri is always alone, and is detested wherever he goes… That’s too familiar to me...」
She was starting to sob. She saw the story of her life overlap with his.
「... That’s me… It’s me who didn’t meet Professor Anarai, Yoyo and Ikuta-nii when I was growing up. The me who couldn’t mingle with society, and grew up into a lonely monster...」
Vackie reached out with her fingers and gently closed the eyes of the corpse.
「... I wanted… to save him...」
Seeing the tears fall onto the face of the corpse, Ikuta thought── in this wide world, this must be the only girl who would shed tears for Trisnai Izanma. Having someone mourn his death might be a tiny salvation for this man who bore all that hatred alone.
「... This matter is finished.」
Ikuta returned the short sword cleaned of any blood back to the scabbard on his waist. Unable to accept this situation, he continued speaking to the confused Yorga:
「Committing treason by abusing the position of Field Marshal. Equivalent to a First Class War Criminal. Killing the Chancellor because of a personal grudge… There are many other crimes, but that’s the gist.」
The youth plainly stated his crimes with a smile. A very clear smile.
「The traitor is right here── You two, can you bring me to the place where I should be?」
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