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

Thus I ended up being sent on another field assignment accompanied by Second Lieutenant Crimine.

“Isn’t it unnatural for a military doctor and band member to travel together?”

“It can’t be helped. We only have one completely forged ‘face’ each, from military records to career history.”

The battalion commander and company commander seemed to have multiple “faces,” but we underlings couldn’t have that much cost invested in us.

“Faces” perfectly crafted down to military academy grades weren’t simple to create or maintain. It would be impossible without expanding the First Company’s clerical staff.

Thin “faces” consisting of just one document were easy to forge, but powerless before organizational investigation. That would be too unreliable.

Though it was certainly an unnatural combination.

“The most natural would be posing as lovers. No, there’s also the option of siblings…”

“Lovers then, understood.”

Didn’t she just interrupt with incredible momentum?

“Then I, Sue Vagils, will be Roxon Boltaren’s fiancée.”

“We don’t need to go as far as engagement.”

“But since we have the chance.”

Chance for what?

Half swept along by momentum, I ended up continuing the journey to the Empire’s south as Second Lieutenant Crimine’s fiancé.

And thus began Second Lieutenant Crimine’s torrential fiancé talk:

“Hey Roxon, how many children do you want when we marry? Work hard so we’ll be blessed with many.”

“Someone of your medical skill, father will surely like. So don’t worry.”

“I’m looking forward to nighttime examinations.”

Since she kept interjecting sexual harassment, Second Lieutenant Crimine’s evaluation kept dropping, but since it was better than being hated, I endured. Endure and persevere—marriage is patience. No, I’m not marrying.

Since such disguises had to be thorough, we shared rooms at inns to avoid suspicion.

I decided to sleep on the floor.

“The floor won’t work, Lieutenant. If there are no signs of two people sleeping together, the bed-making staff will be suspicious. We don’t know where enemy eyes are watching.”

“That’s true, but there’s only one bed in the room.”

“So we just sleep in the same bed.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine pulled back the blanket and beckoned.

There was no way I could sleep in the same bed as an unmarried female subordinate. Don’t underestimate modern Japan’s compliance standards.

But I lost the argument and ended up sharing a bed.

“Hey Lieutenant, won’t it be suspicious if the sheets aren’t wet?”

“Don’t wet them.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine, who kept clinging to me, smelled very good and was warm and soft.

When she clung to me, I could sleep surprisingly peacefully, but I was always concerned that my clothes were somehow disheveled when I woke up.

“Good morning, Second Lieutenant.”

“Good morning, Lieutenant!”

“You didn’t do anything while I was sleeping, did you?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Look into my eyes, Second Lieutenant.”

I felt my chastity was in crisis.

But sleeping while clinging to Second Lieutenant Crimine was truly a peaceful time, and I could forget harsh military duties. So I decided to overlook minor crises.

And throughout the journey, Second Lieutenant Crimine was constantly in good spirits.

However, the investigation wasn’t going so cheerfully.

“I really feel like the anti-imperial faction’s influence is growing stronger.”

“You think so too?”

After checking in for the nth time, we had such conversations. Since we didn’t know where we might be overheard, it was whispered while clinging in bed.

“Two informants introduced by the battalion have gone missing. The informant we met earlier can’t be trusted either. From his manner, he might sell our information to anti-imperial factions.”

“We were right to hide our identities. Aahn!”

“Don’t suddenly moan loudly—it’s scary.”

Then Second Lieutenant Crimine wriggled around while retorting:

“It’s an anti-eavesdropping measure. Come on, Lieutenant, you moan too. We’re pretending to have passionate intercourse.”

“No, that’s not necessary…”

“Anh anh anh anh.”

Here it came again. She was blackmailing me.

But Second Lieutenant Crimine was right. If we were already marked, our conversations at inns would be priority targets for eavesdropping. Private spaces didn’t require disguise.

We were like spies now. We couldn’t survive without being ruthless.

“Understood. But I won’t accept complaints.”

“Waah…!”

Even though I’d warned her, Second Lieutenant Crimine’s eyes were sparkling, which was scary.

I covered her and made the bed creak.

“This way you don’t need to moan, right?”

“Lieutenant’s such a coward.”

“I said I wouldn’t accept complaints.”

This meeting was exhausting in various ways, so let’s end it quickly. I whispered in Second Lieutenant Crimine’s ear:

“The farther from the capital, the weaker I feel the Imperial Household’s control.”

“Y-yes! I feel it!”

“We might want to send word to battalion headquarters while our communication network is still alive.”