#069
“This newspaper has been saying the sa thing for days.”
The Imperial Capital of the Kalhyram Empire.
A man put down his steaming teacup and muttered irritably while looking at the imperial newspaper in his hands.
[The Red Bear of the Republic Falls!]
[Overwhelming Victory for Imperial Army! Republic Forces in Retreat!]
[Major Eugene Lorentz, the Hero of Victory, to Hold Grand Victory Parade with Troops in the Capital…]
“It’s our first victory in a long ti. It’s no wonder His Majesty is pleased.”
“Hmm……”
The man who heard his trusted subordinate’s words fell into thought with his chin resting on his hand.
Indeed, it couldn’t be called a small victory.
They had completely annihilated an entire Republic division and pushed back the entire front line.
Moreover, they had killed Klaus dvedev, who was erging as a hero of the Republic, so it was no wonder the entire Imperial Army was stirring.
However…
“No, that’s not the issue.”
“What do you an, Your Highness?”
In response to his knight’s question, the man put down the newspaper he was holding.
On the front page was Major General Beckier Rutier, who had commanded the battle, and his subordinates.
Nowhere in that photograph were the Knight Order or magic nobles to be seen.
“The important thing is that this victory was achieved without the cooperation of the Knight Order.”
“……”
Originally, the most important part of the Empire’s national defense was handled by the Knight Order, nurtured by magic nobles.
The Empire’s sword that could single-handedly cut down dozens of monsters and annihilate hundreds of Republic soldiers.
However, in this battle, there was no place for the Knight Order to step in.
‘No, I should say they deliberately chose not to step in.’
Using the excuse of rebels stirring throughout the Empire, they withdraw the Knight Order from the front lines.
Without the Knight Order, the Imperial Army would helplessly crumble before the Republic forces, and the weakened Imperial Army would beco docile sheep listening to the magic nobles’ words, as they always had.
It was what they had done whenever the Imperial Army and Emperor’s authority grew stronger.
The magic nobles’ drastic asure to ta the military and imperial authority.
‘But this ti… The atmosphere is quite different from last ti.’
“Rictus. What’s the situation with the rebels?”
At his lord’s question, the knight standing in formation behind him answered imdiately.
“Currently, the territories of the Bespoke, Affleck, and Dynwald families have fallen. Though the 12 Great Houses are dispatching knights…”
“You’re saying they aren’t being suppressed as quickly as expected.”
The Imperial Army drove back the Republic forces without the Knight Order’s help and is trying to display that achievent to the world through a victory parade.
anwhile, if they can’t properly suppress the rebels, which was their original purpose…
“They’re cornered.”
He was certain.
Right now, the magic nobles were floundering in their own trap.
The extre confrontation between rebels and magic nobles.
In between, the Imperial Army was gradually gaining power and public support.
After organizing the situation, he looked at the newspaper laid on the table.
“The unit that’s having a parade in the capital this ti. What was the vice commander’s na again?”
“Major Eugene Lorentz. Age sixteen. Lieutenant General Keiren Buckenheim’s adopted son.”
In the corner of the photograph showing Major General Beckier was a young officer, young enough to be called a child.
Though the image quality was poor and he couldn’t see clearly, even his uniform seed different from other Imperial Army officers.
“A major at sixteen. That’s an impossibly rapid promotion.”
“I heard it’s not an official promotion, but a temporary rank given during warti…”
“If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been selected as the officer to lead this victory parade.”
Despite placing a rookie officer who hadn’t even been commissioned for a year in a field grade position, there were no objections from his unit or the military.
It ant either he had shown corresponding achievents, or soone of high enough status was backing him that they couldn’t raise objections.
‘In this case, it’s likely both.’
The Imperial Army sharpening its claws, and the young officer who would walk through the capital representing that Imperial Army.
After finishing his calculations, the man made his decision.
“Rictus.”
The seventh in line to the Imperial throne, Prince Baker el Kalhyram, called his knight.
“Prepare a letter.”
Eugene Lorentz.
He was soone worth eting and shaking hands with personally.
***
Psshhhh-!
Steam burst from the exhaust of the armored train as it arrived at the station.
The first task of the Special Magical Power Unit mbers upon arriving in the capital was to hold back the crowds surging toward them.
Of course, this task was simpler than expected.
When hundreds of soldiers in black uniforms stood in line glaring, there weren’t many crazy enough to rush at them.
Except for these reporters who stuck like leeches.
“Major Eugene Lorentz! We’re from the Imperial News! Could we get an interview?!”
“There will be an official statent from Imperial Army Command later, I will speak there. Now if you’ll excuse …”
“W-wait just a mont, Major! Just one minute…!”
The reporter who was rejected was led away into the crowd by the unit mbers.
“It’s annoying right from arrival in the capital. Isn’t it, Eugene?”
“Considering they got past our mbers using body enhancent magic, these reporters aren’t ordinary people.”
While Ortega and Matt were saying that.
After passing through the crowded station and reaching the exit, a relatively quiet street ca into view.
The Special Unit headquarters building was under construction, and until then, they were supposed to use the Buckenheim side lodgings.
Soone should have co to et them, but…
“Hey Eugene? There. Isn’t that person…?”
Following Ortega’s finger, I saw a girl standing in the middle of the station with her arms crossed.
A red outing dress and beret made of luxurious fabric.
The girl looking at
with a bright appearance was…
“……Mari?”
It was Mari.
My fiancée, whom I was eting after 4 years, was approaching
with a smiling face.
“Hey. Sorry, but I think I need to get separate lodgings.”
“Huh?”
“What are you suddenly talking about? And why does your face look like that?”
“Did you eat sothing bad?”
When I spoke with an uncharacteristically urgent voice, Erich and the trio looked at
and asked that.
No, guys. It’s nice that you’re worried, but now isn’t the ti…
“Right? After leaving your fiancée hanging for 4 years without a single letter, where are you planning to run off to this ti?”
Hearing the chilling voice flowing from that smiling face, I couldn’t help but squeeze my eyes shut.
“…fiancée?”
“4 years?”
“Left hanging?”
The trio’s expressions grew increasingly suspicious hearing those words.
“You haven’t t your fiancée for 4 years?”
“But you were stuck to Miss Irene all the ti…”
“Wait. Then this…?”
Hearing that, I thought about it too.
If soone who didn’t know the circumstances saw this situation.
How would they view
right now?
‘A noble-born officer who didn’t contact his fiancée for 4 years while keeping another woman by his side even on the battlefield.’
…
……
………
Looking at it objectively, I’m totally trash, aren’t I?
Crack!
Just as I thought that, Ortega’s kick struck my waist.
“Eugene, you bastard! Your fiancée is standing right here, and you’ve been fooling around with another woman for 4 years?!”
“I knew what kind of person he was, but I didn’t think it would be this bad…”
“Eugene. I know noble family culture is decadent, but even so, this is…”
It was too late to argue.
Ortega and Matt, who had already written a whole love and war drama in their heads, skillfully cornered
and started condemning , while Erich, the proper adult, started preaching at
like so church pastor.
By the way Matt? What do you an you knew? What are you talking about?
“I’m being wronged, you crazy bastards!”
Not sending a single letter for 4 years… honestly, that is my fault.
But having an affair with Irene?
The girl who eats Westraine spies and assassins for dessert?
When I asked why she was just staring, she said “Yeah! I wonder what Eugene tastes like!” You want
to do what with soone like that?
“Haah……”
While my subordinate officers’ exciting superior officer beating party was going on enthusiastically.
“Think of it as your karma, Eugene. Your conduct was suspicious after all.”
“No, what did I do…!”
“You really don’t know?”
Guille, who had led the soldiers to their quarters in the anti, ca up to
shaking his head.
“Rennie, was it? You specifically imprisoned that Revolutionary Army VIP in a private room.”
“No, that was just for interrogation…!”
“Plus, whenever she ca out of the room, her face looked dead. What do you think the soldiers thought about that?”
Right?
Co to think of it, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to interpret it that way… What?
“Guille.”
“Speak, captain.”
“Don’t tell
I’m already rumored that way? To all the unit mbers?”
Worried, I asked that, and sure enough.
Guille nodded with the expression of a doctor announcing terminal cancer.
“Fuck.”
These bastards, after I gave them money, weapons, and even magic imprints to raise them, how dare they see
like…!
“This is insubordination, you crazy bastards!”
“It’s temporary anyway, punk!”
“Ah, this feeling! The two things I wanted to beat up in my life were superiors and nobles, and today I get to achieve both!”
By the way Ortega, now that I look at it, you’re quite the revolutionary friend?
Want
to introduce you to a similar friend? There’s soone called Claude Elcidore…
“Mari, Mari!”
“Yeah. I’m right here.”
“You know this is a misunderstanding, right?”
“Of course. Obviously.”
“Then don’t just watch, co help stop these guys…!”
In the end, Mari was the only one I could trust.
When I pleaded like that while being held by my friends, Mari opened her mouth with the sa smiling face as before.
“I know it’s a misunderstanding and I’m not particularly angry, but it looks fun so I’ll leave it be. It’s true you left
hanging for 4 years, and it’s true you were with another woman during that ti, right?”
Ah.
“Right, Irene?”
“It’s been a while, Lady Mari!”
“Just call
Mari now. We’re friends, right?”
“Wow! Friends!”
There was no escape.
There were no allies left here anymore.
In the end, I had no choice but to accept my friends’ anger as they approached , having lost all hope.
Just wait until we get back to the unit.
***
“Your friends all seem like good people.”
Just as my friends’ condemnation was about to continue.
When Mari stepped in to diate, it didn’t take long to clear up the layers of misunderstandings.
After clearing up those misunderstandings, Mari and I sat across from each other at a cafe near the capital’s entrance.
“When I heard from Butler Walter, I thought they were demons rolling around in hell.”
“Well, it wasn’t hell, but we did roll around quite a bit.”
Saying that, I sipped the coffee placed on the table.
To think this one cup of coffee costs the sa as three boxes of supply coffee.
Even as a noble, I thought the Central prices were insane.
“I entered the Imperial Academy. I ca today to tell you that.”
While I was thinking about that, Mari put down her coffee cup and spoke.
“Didn’t you say you would beco an officer?”
“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out how to get promoted to major one year after commissioning.”
“It’s simple. Just incinerate 14,000 Republic soldiers.”
“Wow, brother, you know you just sounded really unlikeable?”
After saying that, Mari and I giggled at each other.
“Even if not an officer, there are clearly ways I can help father. I’m studying everything that could be helpful – military science, administration, et cetera.”
Hearing that, I recalled the contents of letters Walter occasionally sent.
Since she’s already handling so work in logistics and operations, it’s quite a heavy burden for her age.
Talking with Erich might be good study for her.
Then I started making small talk with Mari while sipping our coffee.
What Otto was doing, how the mansion people were doing these days, such trivial things.
And during that, I thought.
‘This child’s fate has really changed.’
And having survived like this, she beca one of the few people I could have such trivial conversations with.
“And one more thing.”
“Hmm?”
While I was thinking that, Mari looked at
with a grin and said.
“I haven’t t a single other man in these 4 years?”
“Ah, really?”
“Yeah. I magically smashed all the guys who tried to get close.”
“Oho.”
Saying that, Mari rolled up her right sleeve and showed .
The Buckenheim magic imprint that had grown to three strokes.
Looking at that, I said with a smile.
“The imprint condition is good, and the magical power amount is excellent. You could probably beat soone like Delling who’s the sa age.”
“……”
However, hearing my praise, Mari looked at
with a pouty expression as if sothing was lacking.
“…What, sothing else to say?”
“No, never mind. I won’t say it.”
When I asked that wondering what it was about, Mari let out an incomprehensible sigh and stood up.
“Irene! Let’s go sightseeing in the city!”
“Yay! Eugene! Can I go?”
When Irene asked excitedly about the rare outing, I readily agreed.
With Irene there, I wouldn’t have to worry about Mari.
“Then I’ll go first. Write letters sotis at least.”
“Okay… Ah, right.”
Just before parting.
I called Mari to stop and took out a ring from my breast pocket to give to her.
“What’s this?”
“An engagent ring. Co to think of it, we never did any of this stuff.”
I can’t let those disgraceful rumors circulating in the unit spread outside.
Even if it’s a political marriage, an engagent is an engagent, so I should at least keep up appearances.
Saying that, I put the ring on Mari’s left ring finger with an indifferent expression.
“It’s made from the jewel I received when I was commissioned, there was one more for a spouse.”
The red jewel on Mari’s finger sparkled.
It matches well with her hair color.
After that, I patted Mari’s head and got up from my seat.
I had mountains of work to do, like death notifications and preparation for the victory parade.
***
“I’m counting on you, Irene. Take good care of Mari.”
“Don’t worry!”
Eugene smiled seeing Irene’s grin, then returned to his unit like that.
“Huh?”
After waving to the departing Eugene for a while.
Seeing Mari standing there for a long ti, Irene tilted her head.
“Mari, your face is really red. Are you okay?”
“……!”
Even when Irene said that, Mari’s body didn’t move.
Looking at the ring placed on her hand, she just stood there as if nailed to the spot.
Author's Thoughts
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