I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 36: Ghost Road ①

Having taken leave, Second Lieutenant Crimine and I departed the capital by carriage and headed west along the highway.

“I was worried about what kind of carriage would come when you said your family’s carriage, but isn’t this too luxurious?”

I felt bewildered by the interior that was like a moving palace, leaning back against the leather seats.

However, Second Lieutenant Crimine seemed accustomed to it.

“The outside is kept modest, so I think it’s probably fine.”

“Modest…?”

As an honest commoner from my previous life, I struggled to understand which part of the four-horse black luxury carriage was modest. A coachman and assistant had boarded, and two light cavalry escorts were accompanying us.

Six horses total were mobilized including the war horses, which in my previous life’s terms felt like having a private jet with two escort fighters.

It seemed a bit excessive, but that much money was involved. Horses were expensive livestock, and trained ones commanded tremendous prices. Maintenance costs were high too.

But what was with those light cavalrymen occasionally staring at me? Was I being watched with suspicion?

Second Lieutenant Crimine sighed.

“I said a small carriage with one coachman would be fine, but the fourth steward told me we don’t have any carriages smaller than this.”

Fourth? From the sound of it, there was probably a head steward or house manager above the stewards too. For a single-generation quasi-noble family to employ servants on that scale was quite limited.

Since there was no family name like Crimine among them, she was definitely using a false name like me.

“I feel bad about borrowing your personal property.”

“It’s fine, I’m just using my personal property during leave.”

“Even so…”

This was uncomfortable. Too constraining for a commoner.

Since it was uncomfortable, I began briefing out of military habit. During vehicle transport, it was standard to either nap or brief.

“Our destination this time is the ranch at Zekau Plateau, home base of [Caravine Miu Tyudur]. This is also famous as a resort area, with lodging facilities and a restaurant adjacent to the ranch.”

“That restaurant was really delicious… Though I don’t like the name.”

In Imperial, it meant “Damn Big Tits Suck-Suck,”  so it would be unpleasant for Second Lieutenant Crimine as a woman.

Thinking this, I glanced momentarily at Crimine’s flat chest.

“Hmph.”

She glared at me with a terrible expression. No, um, this is just male instinct. Please forgive me.

I pretended not to notice and pulled an envelope from my trunk.

“The ranch owner is an acquaintance of the battalion commander, so I had her write a letter of introduction. If I tried to make hotel reservations now, my leave would be over.”

“What if it doesn’t work out?”

“There’s a post town and farming village near the ranch. And for some reason there’s also a ‘branch office’…”

A safe house owned by the Ceremonial Battalion. Normally these only existed in major cities, but there was one here as an exception. It might be related to the connection between the ranch owner and the battalion commander.

I’d been forced through outdoor action exercises many times at military academy, so I could camp outdoors if necessary.

Though I certainly didn’t want to do it during leave.

The coachman and cavalrymen would be pitiful too.

While staring intently at the map, Second Lieutenant Crimine cast suspicious glances at me too.

“Is there really delicious cheese there?”

“Every cheese at the capital’s direct store was exquisite, right? The cheese here is definitely good.”

I answered while gazing at the scenery flowing past the window.

“But as I mentioned before, there’s cheese that can’t be put into distribution channels. Unlike aged cheese, freshness is everything for this cheese. Even the capital’s wealthy can’t get their hands on this.”

After all, there were no refrigerators. If it was spoiled during transport, it would be meaningless.

Cheese-loving Second Lieutenant Crimine was drooling from the corner of her mouth.

“Is that delicious too?”

“I ate it once long ago in a completely different place. I think it was water buffalo fresh cheese, but it had no peculiarities and I could eat endless amounts. I think you’d like it.”

I’d loved mozzarella cheese pizza toast and often made it on weekend mornings. Using two slices of ten-slice bread and sandwiching cheese and ketchup was my particular way. Then microwaving it.

Though I also felt that might be called a hot sandwich. Who knows.

This world had neither microwaves nor refrigerators, so I couldn’t even eat a tired salaryman’s quick breakfast. Reincarnation in another world really wasn’t worth it.

I would have preferred a world with well-developed magic at least. This world had no magic or anything.

“Um, Lieutenant? Did I say something that offended you?”

Second Lieutenant Crimine looked at me hesitantly.

I’d thought this girl disliked me, but apparently not. Moreover, unlike before, she’d become considerate of others’ feelings. She’d grown.

I felt happy as a senior and smiled pleasantly.

“There’s no way that could happen. Looking at you always heals my heart.”

Half flattery.

Half sincere. Being together somehow felt reassuring.

However, Second Lieutenant Crimine turned red to her ears and buried her face in the map.

“I-I-I’m honored.”

“I was at a loss after my partner Lieutenant Meinen’s death in action, but I was fortunate to team up with you. Sorry to Meinen, but missions go more smoothly with you.”

This was sincere.

“Second Lieutenant Crimine, you do good work calmly and composedly in any predicament. You respond to any of my demands too.”

“When you suddenly told me to moan, I didn’t know what to do.”

“Sorry.”

I was trying to feed her fresh cheese as compensation for that, but would this become material she’d hold over me forever? This girl seemed persistent.

I might have made a mistake.

While hiding her mouth with the map, Second Lieutenant Crimine asked sneakily:

“Shall I let you hear moaning again next time?”

“For what purpose?”

“What do you mean…”

A brief silence.

Second Lieutenant Crimine crossed her arms irritably and leaned back against the seat.

“To eat delicious food like this!”

Why was she sulking? No good, I understood nothing about young women’s feelings.

Including my previous life, I’d lived well over fifty years, so I was already completely middle-aged.

“Don’t kick my shin, Second Lieutenant Crimine. Violence against superiors means court-martial.”

“We’re on leave now, and I think Lieutenant should be treated like this.”

“I said I was sorry.”

She was really angry about making her moan then… I felt like I’d created a huge debt.

The conversation wasn’t progressing at all, but the carriage rolled its wheels briskly along the highway’s cobblestones.

But its progress suddenly stopped.

“The carriage has stopped.”

“Yes… Um, what’s wrong?”

When Second Lieutenant Crimine asked, one of the escort cavalrymen answered:

“My lady, it appears to be a military checkpoint. There’s a long line ahead.”

“Military? Um, can you see any military flags?”

“I’ve confirmed the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion’s military flag.”

That’s us. The Third Company wasn’t deployed, and the First Company specialized in internal duties, so if they were here, it would be the Second Company.

Even though I was on leave, I was getting the feeling of work approaching…