I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 45: Bonds of Comradeship ④

The ‘Yuo Nevilnel’ in the Ceremonial Battalion’s black uniform smiled while toying with the paper figure on the desk.

“You are the Emperor’s agent, but you’re different from others.”

“I’m often told I’m eccentric.”

She stopped smiling and stared at me intently.

“Don’t you want to know what we’re doing?”

“I’d like to know. I’m your enemy. As an Imperial soldier, I can’t overlook those who disturb order.”

I won’t become your ally.

There was the option of pretending to join them to extract information, but I had a promise with Second Lieutenant Crimine.

More than that, I had a vague sense of wariness about deceiving this woman. My conscience bothered me, but beyond that, I had a premonition that something bad would happen.

The black-clad Yuo Nevilnel sighed lightly.

“I can’t tell an ‘enemy’ anything. I thought you might be more skilled at negotiation.”

“I just want to be sincere with everyone. Even enemies.”

When I answered this, her expression softened again.

“That… I think that’s very good.”

“Thank you. So I’d like to ask for equal sincerity from you as my enemy, but please stop wearing the Ceremonial Battalion uniform. If you intend to deceive someone with it, I’ll need to abandon sincerity too.”

When I said this, Yuo Nevilnel nodded and stood up.

“You’re absolutely right. Then I’ll take it off.”

“No, there’s no need to do it now…”

Before I could finish speaking, she smoothly removed her jacket. When she unbuttoned her shirt, she discarded that without hesitation too.

Surprisingly… well, it wouldn’t be surprising for a commoner woman, but she wasn’t wearing undergarments. Her chest was completely exposed.

In the Empire, wire-reinforced bras hadn’t been invented yet, and the only things to cover the chest were corsets and camisoles.

Commoner women didn’t own corsets, and often didn’t have camisoles either.

Of course, they also had little sense of shame about this, so it would be strange for me, being of commoner origin, to look away. I had to act like a proper Empire commoner officer or I’d be suspected.

So I gazed calmly at the topless woman… though internally I was quite shaken.

She’s quite well-endowed. Nice shape too.

But there was something I had to look at more than her chest. The old wound on her side.

“I see, an old sword wound just as described in the wanted poster.”

“Yes, I am ‘Yuo Nevilnel.’ Undoubtedly the woman you’re searching for.”

While my gaze moved back and forth between her chest and the old wound, I could only maintain composure and answer:

“I executed you though.”

“That’s right. But ‘Yuo Nevilnel’ can be resurrected any number of times.”

Right, ‘Yuo Nevilnel’ wasn’t an individual’s name but anti-imperial faction’s ideology itself. As long as it was shared among people, it could never be killed.

And they understood this, not fearing their own deaths.

There were probably others with this level of resolve besides the woman before me. Killing her would be pointless. Soon another ‘Yuo Nevilnel’ would appear somewhere.

Thinking this, I could only voice one conclusion:

“Then the Empire will collapse. It’s only a matter of sooner or later.”

Then Yuo Nevilnel looked surprised.

“If you think so…”

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of joining the anti-imperial faction. I’m an officer of the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion. Even if the Empire’s collapse is only a matter of sooner or later, I have a duty to delay it as much as possible.”

I picked up the discarded Ceremonial Battalion uniform and draped it over her shoulders. I really needed her to cover her chest at least or I couldn’t think clearly.

“I’ll overlook you wearing this just for today. In exchange, leave before I return here.”

“Why…?”

“Arresting or executing you here wouldn’t solve the problem—on the contrary, responsibility issues would damage our allies. So I won’t arrest you now. I’ll wait for a good opportunity.”

I didn’t think such an opportunity would come, but given my position, I had to say this.

Anyway, I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything, so please go somewhere else while you can. Such troublesome business doesn’t match a lieutenant’s meager salary.

Then Yuo Nevilnel said:

“Um… I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I personally have no intention of opposing the Ceremonial Battalion. What must be overthrown is the Imperial Household itself. It’s not wise to needlessly increase enemies.”

I pulled my military cap down low and turned my back to her.

“Unfortunately, I’m not naive enough to believe enemy words. If that’s what you think, show it through actions.”

I’d like to believe her, but considering my profession as a soldier, that wasn’t possible. War was about deceiving and being deceived.

I might have chosen the wrong career.

I opened the door and went into the hallway, deciding to look for Second Lieutenant Crimine.

From her manner, she really hadn’t done anything, but I was still worried.

*****

When I found Second Lieutenant Crimine, she was skipping out of the quartermaster’s office.

“Ah, Lieutenant.”

“Don’t ‘ah’ me. Where did you wander off to?”

I was incredibly relieved but admonished my subordinate’s unauthorized actions as a superior. If that woman had been plotting something, you might have died.

Then Second Lieutenant Crimine showed me a voucher happily, seeming to know nothing:

“Look, I got not only absorbent cotton but moisturizing ointment too!”

“Planning to use it instead of toner?”

“That’s right. Ah, you know about toner?”

Men in modern Japan used that much. I’d only tried samples in my previous life though.

When Second Lieutenant Crimine looked happy, it made me happy too, but I deliberately made a stern face and spoke quietly:

“The situation is more serious than you think. I’ll accompany you, so let’s return to our room immediately after you receive the supplies.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine hurried to catch up as I began walking toward the warehouse.

“What’s wrong?”

“The ‘ghost’ came to our room.”

“Eh!?”

Second Lieutenant Crimine involuntarily raised her voice, then hastily covered her mouth. Enlisted men and military personnel were walking sparsely through the hallway, but since we were officers, we weren’t questioned further.

“Ghost, you don’t mean…”

“She properly identified herself. She even had the sword wound from the wanted poster.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine was so surprised she nearly dropped her voucher, hastily catching it in midair.

“Eh, eh? Then did you arrest her?”

“I didn’t. What do you think would happen if I arrested her here?”

“Ah, ahh…”

Since she was quick to understand, her expression immediately became serious.

“So she showed herself knowing all that?”

“Right. That’s why I told her to leave, but I’m scared, so please come with me when we return to the room.”

I wasn’t weak enough to cower before one unarmed woman, but when I smiled and said this, Second Lieutenant Crimine laughed a little too.

“Understood. Tell me the details when we get back to the room.”

“Right.”

*****

Fortunately, when we returned to the room, no one was there.

“No one’s here.”

“Seems not.”

It wasn’t a very large room anyway, and the only furniture was beds and a table, so there was no sign of anyone hiding.

The paper figure that had been on the table had disappeared at some point. Yuo Nevilnel had probably taken it. Making it stand up, then taking it away—I didn’t understand what she was thinking.

Second Lieutenant Crimine was sniffing like a dog, but eventually turned back to me.

“There’s a different perfume smell from mine, but was she someone with such a strong fragrance?”

“No, I didn’t notice until you mentioned it.”

There was indeed a fresh citrus scent. It wasn’t unusual since commoners sometimes scented themselves with fruit peels and such.

However, Second Lieutenant Crimine glared at me with resentful eyes.

“Then it’s the smell from inside her clothes. But for an inside scent to be this strong means she undressed here, right?”

Eh?

What was this development?

“You were alone in this room with a woman, and that woman undressed, right?”

“Wait, let’s discuss this calmly. If you extract only facts, that’s true, but listen to my explanation. Please listen.”

Because of Yuo Nevilnel, I had to struggle to clear up the misunderstanding.

That woman really was my enemy after all. It was fine to consider her an enemy.