I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 59: The Rebellious Young Lady Won't Stop ①*

“Nice room.”

Escorted to the top floor by sturdy servants, I looked around the confinement room and stated my honest impression.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant Fonkt.”

Polhartoi, Second Lieutenant Crimine’s older brother, looked apologetic.

He apparently thought I was being sarcastic.

I waved my hand while laughing.

“No, it really is a good room, so I’m happy. A poor lieutenant rarely gets the chance to stay in such a fine room.”

It was probably a royal suite. The top floor guest room of the reception mansion at the headquarters of the Dines family, one of the Empire’s leading wealthy houses.

It even had a walk-in closet that seemed more comfortable than my office, and a servant’s bedroom.

Even the servant’s bedroom was more impressive than the business hotel rooms I’d used for work trips in my previous life. Since upper servants of nobles were often nobles or quasi-nobles themselves, they probably showed consideration.

“Even if I’m killed tomorrow, this room wouldn’t make it such a bad deal.”

I laughed to lighten the mood, but Polhartoi sighed.

“Tomorrow, members of the ‘nightingale’ will come. I intend to ask them not to be rough, but I don’t have much authority. Father holds the family headship, and our house is quite new as ‘nightingale’ supporters.”

An honest person.

“Please don’t worry about it, Polhartoi-san. This Empire is tilting toward collapse. I think your father’s judgment is correct.”

Polhartoi’s eyes widened.

“Should an officer of the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion directly under the Emperor be saying such things!?”

“Soldiers must acknowledge inconvenient facts. We can’t win wars by turning away from them. The war situation is already terminal. What we should consider is ‘how long will the Imperial Household last’ and ‘which anti-imperial faction will overthrow the Imperial Household.'”

While saying this, I sat on the sofa and threw my military doctor’s armband onto the table.

“Honestly, I think it was good to bring Riesha… Gabadeli here. Whatever direction the situation moves, being here should be safest.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m serious. When the Imperial Household is overthrown, all Ceremonial Battalion officers will be massacred. We’ve executed quite a few nobles and clergy on the Emperor’s orders. If I can prevent Gabadeli from being executed, I’d gladly offer my life.”

I was serious. Second Lieutenant Crimine hadn’t lived as long as my previous life.

Polhartoi’s expression became increasingly pained.

“You really do love my sister.”

I looked straight into Polhartoi’s eyes and answered directly:

“Yes, I’m surprised at myself. That I cared about her this much.”

“Then why don’t you just join the anti-imperial faction too? From your manner, you’re not pledging loyalty to the Emperor, are you?”

I’d like to, but I was also concerned about the battalion commander and others.

So I smiled wryly.

“I am receiving salary as a Ceremonial Battalion lieutenant. I must work for my pay. Besides—”

“Besides?”

I smiled brightly.

“You wouldn’t want a shameless person who abandons comrades and betrays to the enemy out of self-preservation as family, would you, ‘brother-in-law’?”

“Mmm…”

Polhartoi seemed like a well-bred young master, pleasant to converse with. He showed no grasping qualities like upstarts, nor attitudes looking down on commoners.

Playing with such a good person in my palm almost made me forget I’d failed my mission and become a captive.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve met Yuo Nevilnel and even helped her once. I won’t be killed immediately.”

Though the rank-and-file might hate me, so there was a fair possibility of being killed during transport. I’d prefer to escape if possible.

But since showing that would be bad, I made a face like I wasn’t worried about anything.

“More than me, please take care of Gabadeli. She said she liked the Ceremonial Battalion. The battalion commander and company commander are both women who are always kind to her.”

I thought there was probably no unit in the entire Empire except the Ceremonial Battalion that would accept an oddball like Second Lieutenant Crimine.

Thinking such things, I chuckled.

“That girl is a bit… no, quite strange and chaotic. Being with her was always surprising.”

“Sorry, she’s the strangest among our siblings…”

“But being separated like this, I realized I liked that chaos.”

Thinking about it, we’d seemed to constantly act together since becoming partners. I’d always felt uncomfortable, but somehow we’d gotten along well.

“If I ever come here again, I’ll make a formal engagement proposal.”

“I’d welcome it, but… what would you do if father didn’t approve?”

I grinned wickedly.

“Then I’d take her anyway.”

Polhartoi stared at my face intently, then gave a long, long sigh.

“Ah, I see… no wonder my sister fell for you. You have the same scent.”

No way, brother-in-law!? I don’t want to be like her!

*****

Riesha Crimine, aka Gabadeli Dines, was confined in an annex of the main house.

“I don’t like watching Lady Gabadeli…”

Three men in Dines family guard uniforms were sighing in the corridor leading to the main house. The uniforms modeled military dress—essentially the Dines family’s private army.

“My Lady has always done things chaotically.”

“All the veterans say that, but is she really that bad?”

“Her restraints are off. She didn’t seem to care about dying.”

The veteran guard removed his cap and scratched his graying head.

“Well, anyway, don’t let your guard down. She’d easily jump out windows. Being trained at a military academy, she should be far more reckless than as a child.”

The young guards exchanged glances.

“Sounds way more dangerous than expected.”

“Right. We can’t be rough with her, and we need to stop her before she starts moving or it’ll be troublesome.”

While having such conversation, the topic herself—Gabadeli—appeared, accompanied by supervising maids.

“Thank you for your guard duty.”

“Ah, my lady.”

All guards saluted crisply.

The dressed-up young lady looked somewhat worried.

“Is Lieutenant Fonkt safe?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer that.”

The veteran guard answered, then smiled wryly.

“Rather, we really don’t know since we’re assigned to different buildings. The young master is gentle, so I don’t think he’s done anything rough.”

“Then I’m a bit relieved. Thank you.”

Though Gabadeli looked disappointed, she smiled saying this.

“I brought refreshments. Here.”

At her words, the maids offered silver trays. Wine bottles, glasses for everyone, and some kind of dried goods were loaded on them.

“What’s this?”

“Eight-year Bryan region wine and dried mushrooms.”

“Oh, fine wine. No no, we can’t drink during guard duty.”

The veteran guard answered thus, but it was obvious at a glance that if the three here shared it, it wouldn’t be much quantity.

(She probably plans to get us drunk, but her estimate’s too low. Even if she got us drunk, the maids would be watching.)

The maids nodded silently and exchanged glances with them—apparently meaning “it’s futile resistance, so let her do as she likes.”

The bottle had the brewery’s wax seal, so it was probably unopened. Unlikely the wine was drugged.

“Are these dried goods safe?”

“They’re ordinary mushrooms from the capital region. They’re delicious.”

Gabadeli pinched some dried mushrooms and began chewing. Her bad manners of eating while standing with her hands remained unchanged.

Then she opened her eyes wide.

“Wow, what’s this!? It’s really delicious!?”

(Even though she just said they were delicious herself?)

The veteran guard was confused, but this was just Miss Gabadeli, so no point worrying now.

“Yummy! I can’t stop eating!?”

The young lady munching mushrooms while ignoring the guards was strangely compelling, so the veteran guard lowered his vigilance.

“Um, may we partake as well?”

“Ah, that’s right. Please do.”

Lady Gabadeli, with her mouth full of chewing, stepped back smoothly and smiled gracefully while chewing. Like a squirrel before hibernation, the veteran guard thought.

Lady Gabadeli looked at them pleadingly.

“This refreshment is a gratuity, so if any information about Lieutenant Fonkt comes in, please tell me what you can. Please.”

Lady Gabadeli bowed her head.

The veteran guard watched this with surprise.

(That tomboy girl bowing her head to lowly servants like us. Don’t know if the master would praise or scold seeing this, but it doesn’t feel bad.)

“What should we do, senpai?”

When the young guard asked anxiously, the veteran guard scratched his head.

“Can’t be helped—if we refuse my lady’s gratuity carelessly, it might leave a bad impression with the young master. We won’t get drunk on this much alcohol, so let’s accept it.”

The veteran guard said this with a wry smile and took a bite of dried goods.

“Yummy!”