I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~

The Southern Fleet Command of the Imperial Navy at Zelan Bay’s naval port was considerably more impressive than the Ceremonial Battalion’s headquarters.

I sat on a sofa in an extravagantly luxurious reception room, facing off against a bearded, intimidating old man.

That old man was staring at me with eyes full of suspicion.

“So you’re the merchant who claims to be from Shao.”

This guy was Admiral Telzen, our assassination target. He looked exactly as described.

He was not particularly large or muscular. Well-trained, but just an ordinary middle-aged man.

Yet he had a strange sense of intimidation and a somewhat frightening atmosphere.

This was probably due to his courage and confidence.

Also, incidentally, I was surrounded by armed soldiers.

Fellows who could be mistaken for pirates surrounded my sofa, standing with machete-like knives and musket pistols at their belts.

These guys probably had no hesitation whatsoever about killing people. Good soldiers, you could say.

Even one-on-one, I was somewhat uncertain I could win, and against these numbers I had no chance of victory. Moreover, I was completely unarmed.

Since struggling would be pointless, I leaned back into the sofa and exposed my defenseless state.

“Yes. My name is Wong. Family name Wong, given name Kutu. I’m a trader from Liang Province in southeastern Shaoyuntasa.”

This setting was devised by Captain Yugi. She’d insisted enthusiastically that “Lieutenant Fonkt absolutely must be from Liang! The soft, cool atmosphere is so perfect for that!” I wonder if she might actually be from Shao herself.

Admiral Telzen stared at me intently, but I smiled and looked closely at the teacup on the table.

Why a teacup?

Thinking normally, I was probably being tested to see if I was really a Shao person.

I had no idea about Shao tea ceremony, but going with an Eastern style should be fine. Captain Yugi had given it her seal of approval too.

“A fine vessel.”

I picked up the teacup and rotated it horizontally, mimicking tea ceremony movements. Horizontally, of course. Rotating it vertically might be amusing, but I didn’t want to get burned.

Looking at the teacup, I said:

“Red plum blossoms with a warbler—truly elegant. If I had hurried here a bit earlier, I could have appreciated this during early spring, but I can only be ashamed of my own inadequacy.”

It was already approaching early summer. The vessel was somewhat out of season, but pointing that out directly would be uncouth.

However, not mentioning it at all risked being told “Don’t you find anything strange about this?”

So I conveyed subtly that I’d noticed. Even drinking tea was a life-or-death matter.

The contents were black tea, or a similar fermented tea. Tea was apparently a trade good from Shao.

Tea cultivation should be possible in the southern Empire, but Shao strictly regulated the export of tea plants. Breaking this prohibition meant death, they said.

“A fine aroma. It’s an unfamiliar brand to me…”

I didn’t pretend to know it, honestly conveying my ignorance.

“The flavor permeates deeply. Delicious.”

I smiled pleasantly. I really couldn’t tell the taste. With pirate-like fellows standing all around, it couldn’t be helped.

The old man who seemed to be Admiral Telzen looked at me and nodded slightly.

“Hmph. No doubt you’re a Shao person. That’s from Dowaja. There’s no way you people would know it.”

I don’t think testing people with tea is very nice. The tea master within me is displeased.

Well, fine. I seemed to have proven my identity for now.

“You are Admiral Telzen, Commander of the Southern Fleet of the Legitimate Imperial Navy. Your distinguished reputation echoes even to distant Shaoyuntasa—that is, the Shao Great Dynasty.”

Perhaps accustomed to flattery, Admiral Telzen showed no change in expression.

“Since you wanted to meet me, you must have brought some interesting story.”

His attitude suggested he’d kill me otherwise. He really was more like a pirate chief than a military officer.

“Yes. Two very interesting stories.”

I clapped my hands.

“Bring the first one.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine, who had been trembling slightly behind me with an expressionless face, gave a Shao-style bow and backed away.

Watching her from the corner of my eye, I said to Admiral Telzen:

“How about something like this for the Admiral’s new business venture?”

“What?”

When Admiral Telzen raised an eyebrow, Captain Yugi in her cheongsam entered.

“Fayun, Chaoni.”

Greeting pleasantly in Shao, Captain Yugi raised one leg high. Then she arched her upper body backward and performed a full rotation from a handstand. I’d seen moves like that in rhythmic gymnastics.

The cheongsam’s slit created quite a situation, so such an action would cause various complications, but the amazing thing about Captain Yugi’s technique was that you almost saw but never quite did.

Though during preliminary practice, I’d heard Second Lieutenant Crimine shout several times, “It’s showing! Company Commander, it’s showing!” I wasn’t present, so I wouldn’t know. I really had no obligation to participate that far.

Captain Yugi, having completed her spin, smiled with a truly suggestive expression.

“Ah, faifei, youchi?”

Since we’d had little time, I could only master basic greetings, but she seemed to be saying “lean back more.” I wonder if Captain Yugi likes crude humor…

“Ohhh…”

“This is incredible.”

The rough seamen’s gazes were riveted on Captain Yugi. It was somewhat amusing how all their eyes focused on her thighs.

Every last one of them was wide open, but since I’d been just as vulnerable on first sight, it couldn’t be helped. I’d had my forehead flicked before I knew it and was laughingly told “You’re dead now.”

Admiral Telzen, however, was staring intently at me rather than Captain Yugi. This guy has no openings.

If I were a professional assassin, I might be able to eliminate Admiral Telzen even in this situation, but unfortunately I lacked confidence in defeating this old man while unarmed.

If Second Lieutenant Crimine had worn the cheongsam and attracted attention, Captain Yugi could have finished him off, but it was unclear whether Crimine’s thighs had that level of magnetic power. General male preference tends toward Captain Yugi’s type rather than mine.

“‘Master’?”

…I somehow felt Second Lieutenant Crimine glaring at me with terrible eyes from behind. I was afraid to turn around and confirm.

Right, back to work.

I turned to the Admiral with a business smile.

“How about it? This is a princess of noble blood…”

The instant Admiral Telzen’s eyebrow twitched, I quickly laughed.

“Would have been nice, but she’s a village girl I bought in the countryside. I’ll present her to you, Admiral.”

“Hmm?”

Admiral Telzen momentarily showed a displeased and puzzled expression. This might be dangerous.

But this was my chance. Aiming for that momentary gap in his heart, I stepped forward with my smile as a weapon.

“I took a mud-covered village girl, taught her song, dance, music, and proper etiquette, and refined her into such a courtesan. Since I can legally procure girls through debt slavery, giving away one doesn’t hurt at all.”

The seamen were murmuring behind us.

“What’s this about?”

“What’s this guy trying to say?”

Slow bunch.

However, only Admiral Telzen curved his mouth downward and nodded.

“Hmph, so you’ve come to develop new ‘shipping destinations.'”

“Yes. Your keen insight truly intimidates me, Admiral.”

I bowed reverently.

Admiral Telzen stroked his beard with a displeased expression.

But this wasn’t representing his emotions—it was probably his style. A mask for intimidating his surroundings with a displeased attitude.

So I didn’t mind.

Now, time for the sales pitch.

“Shaoyuntasa has many poor farmers, and there’s no end to those selling their daughters. Rather than the whole family starving to death, this is a way for everyone to survive…”

I pretended to be pained and shook my head theatrically.

“Foolish slave traders simply sell off the girls they buy, but we’re different. We have them learn arts and knowledge to increase their value as slaves, ensuring good treatment wherever they’re purchased. It’s easier to sell one thousand-taoz slave than a hundred ten-taoz slaves.”

After delivering this lengthy speech, I glanced at Admiral Telzen’s face.

The Admiral stroked his beard while nodding slightly.

“Hmm… Certainly it would be difficult to transport a hundred people while preventing slaves from escaping, but one person would be easy. An educated slave probably wouldn’t flee so readily.”

Oh, interested? Please consider our human trafficking business.

In my previous life, I’d worn down my soul with fake smiles while dealing with the complex customs of my industry, company regulations, laws, and public opinion, but I never thought that experience would prove useful.

“Yes. But when it comes to valuable slaves, we must carefully select buyers. I thought Admiral Telzen would be trustworthy, so as a preliminary inspection…”

At that moment, Admiral Telzen drew his pistol.

“Ah!?”

Captain Yugi tensed, but I restrained her with one hand.

“Stay calm. We’re in the middle of negotiations.”

Admiral Telzen pointed the muzzle at my chest while stating matter-of-factly:

“The negotiations are over. I have no interest in that transaction. Nor in you.”

Am I going to die here…?

Even if I die, showing weakness would be bad. If my identity was exposed, it would lead to the worst results.

Then I’ll die as “Shao merchant Wong” to the very end.

I sighed with a “good grief” attitude and changed my tone.

“The ‘second’ story still remains. Or perhaps you have no interest in a story about becoming Emperor?”

“What?”