I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 66: The Knight's Path ③

Under the gaze of the commoner-born cavalry, Lieutenant Makaran, the noble heir, shouted at me:

“My justice is protecting order! No matter how chaotic this world becomes, one’s actions must have order and mercy!”

He was much more suited to military life than me… Well-bred people could speak noble ideals with genuine conviction.

But precisely because he was someone who could speak noble ideals with genuine conviction, I held hope that he might be able to improve the world.

So I smiled.

“Good. You haven’t changed since the day we met. I’m relieved.”

“St-stop it…”

He turned bright red—what a cute fellow. Since I counted my previous life, I was quite the old man, so young Lieutenant Makaran’s purity was dazzling.

“Then all the more, I must say this. Whether you belong to the pro-imperial faction or the anti-imperial faction doesn’t matter, but ‘following because my parent decided’ is far too dangerous. No cavalryman would leave his beloved horse’s reins to others, would he?”

I looked at the surrounding cavalry. Several were faces I’d seen in the Kavaraf region. They nodded silently.

Lieutenant Makaran looked down but replied:

“Even so, I have no choice but to follow the head’s decision.”

“Eh, is that so?”

The one who suddenly interjected was Second Lieutenant Crimine.

While everyone was surprised, Second Lieutenant Crimine brought her horse closer with clip-clop sounds.

“It’s been a while, Lieutenant Makaran. I’m Second Lieutenant Riesha Crimine of the Ceremonial Battalion. Incidentally, my real name is Gabadeli Dines.”

“What!?”

Perhaps extremely surprised, Lieutenant Makaran’s voice cracked slightly.

“You were the Dines family’s young lady!?”

“That’s right. Crimine is a pseudonym. Incidentally, I was also strung up as ‘Yuo Nevilnel.'”

“Ehhhh!?”

Too surprised. Well, I understood.

Lieutenant Makaran pointed at Second Lieutenant Crimine with a trembling finger.

“Then the one who was hung naked and wet herself that time was—”

“Me.”

Why are you puffing out your chest with pride? She’d exposed the secret I’d planned to take to my grave.

The veteran cavalry were stirring.

“Seriously? So we didn’t actually execute her!?”

“And she was the Dines family’s daughter!?”

“The daughter of one of the south’s leading magnates in such an indecent state!?”

The fact that the Ceremonial Battalion had defied imperial orders to fake an execution, with the Dines family’s daughter participating by playing the condemned prisoner, would be shocking.

Being experienced army cavalry, they understood the gravity of the situation well.

“Hey, can you believe it?”

“U-um…”

“But I remember how flat-chested she was. Wasn’t it about that much?”

“I remember how her chest didn’t bounce at all even when she was struggling…”

At that moment, Second Lieutenant Crimine turned and glared sharply, so the cavalry hastily averted their gazes. What was I witnessing?

Second Lieutenant Crimine turned back while muttering “They’re not flat” and then smiled at Lieutenant Makaran.

“Our family apparently decided to side with the ‘nightingales,’ and my brother will follow that. But I didn’t like it, so I ran away.”

“Are you sane!? A noble defying the head’s orders… no, your family is quasi-noble, but still…”

Since the sheltered Lieutenant Makaran was completely confused, I brought my horse closer and patted his shoulder.

“You also heard the fact that ‘Lieutenant Fonkt ignored imperial orders and faked an execution’ but didn’t report it to anyone. That’s proper treason.”

The cavalry surrounding us were extremely agitated. Though they’d switched to the anti-imperial faction, they were regular Imperial Army soldiers.

The elderly cavalry who seemed most senior asked as if representing everyone:

“Young master, is what we just heard true?”

“It’s true. I was told by Lieutenant Fonkt the day after the execution, but it was too momentous to report to superiors or father.” (T/N: With Fonkt he uses “Ore” and here he used “Boku”)

When talking to veteran retainers, his first person pronoun became “I”(boku) and his tone softened. Probably the same when talking to his father. What a calculating fellow.

While I watched the blonde boy with fond amusement, the atmosphere had completely changed.

“Um, so young master… what do we do now?”

“You’re asking me that?”

“Following the company commander’s orders is natural for soldiers. Besides, we pledged loyalty to you, not to the master.”

He was popular—enviable. My subordinate didn’t listen to anything I said.

When I sighed and looked beside me, Second Lieutenant Crimine was silently giving a thumbs up.

Yeah, well done. Thanks to that, you stole all the good parts, and even your embarrassing secret got exposed.

After nodding to Second Lieutenant Crimine, I called out to Lieutenant Makaran.

“You must make the decision here. If your justice commands ‘you should follow the head,’ then follow it. If you think ‘you should support the nightingale faction,’ that’s fine too.”

This was also my true feeling.

“Either way, this Empire is finished. The people’s and lords’ dissatisfaction has grown too much. This flow can’t be stopped. Choosing the anti-imperial faction is the ‘correct answer’ now.”

No matter how much good governance the current Emperor implemented, he could only postpone problems. The end of imperial rule was a matter of time.

“But the anti-imperial faction’s thoughts are scattered due to rapid expansion. Some like Yuo fight to survive, while others like the Makaran and Dines families cooperate as investment for the future.”

I looked straight at Lieutenant Makaran.

“After overthrowing the Imperial Household, internal conflict within the anti-imperial faction is inevitable. In some cases, your own parents and siblings might fight. We must live through such an era from now on.”

Nobles and royalty killing each other within families was common throughout history, and that didn’t change in other worlds.

Lieutenant Makaran looked quite troubled but still stared back at me.

“Are you confident you can survive that era?”

“I’m not confident. Depending on your judgment, I might die tonight. But to avoid regrets after surviving, I’m doing what must be done.”

After saying this, I tried to smile as refreshingly as possible.

“I will never abandon my comrades. I’d rather die than survive by abandoning comrades. That’s why I’m returning to the capital.”

Never abandoning comrades was a common value among soldiers. Cowards who abandoned comrades deserved to be abandoned by comrades.

With the cavalry watching, Lieutenant Makaran couldn’t argue against this value. He himself wasn’t the kind of coward who’d abandon comrades.

As expected, doubt disappeared from Lieutenant Makaran’s expression.

“I see, so that’s it… The reason you, who dislikes the Emperor, still haven’t sided with the anti-imperial faction is to protect the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion.”

“That’s right. If the Empire collapsed in its current state, my Ceremonial Battalion comrades would almost certainly be killed. Preventing that is my justice.”

“Understood. In that case, leave this to me.”

Lieutenant Makaran nodded, then looked at his subordinate cavalry.

“Gentlemen, listen! We were ordered to escort Lieutenant Fonkt of the Ceremonial Battalion based on a report from the Dines family, but we received no other orders! Correct!”

The cavalry nodded in unison.

“Yes sir!”

“Then we proceed to the Dines family as planned! During our march, we met no one! All troops in double file! Advance!”

After Lieutenant Makaran commanded forcefully, he turned toward us with a somewhat proud expression.

“Neither pro-imperial faction nor anti-imperial faction matters! I’m an ally of the noble-hearted! I’m confident I won’t regret this decision, Lieutenant Fonkt!”

What’s with that face asking for praise? Should I pat your head?

Since that would be strange, I gave him a firm handshake instead.

“Then I’ll work hard to be noble so you won’t regret it. When the Empire collapses, I’ll treat you to a meal in the  peaceful capital. I know a place with delicious cheese dishes.”

“That sounds enjoyable. But can you really do such a thing…?”

“Wouldn’t it be thrilling if we could?”

“Haha, certainly. Then it’s a promise?”

Though I got through almost entirely on atmosphere and sophistry from start to finish, I felt like I’d pressed some strange switch in Lieutenant Makaran. Would he be okay?

I’d keep watching to ensure he didn’t carelessly die.

With such thoughts, while saluting on horseback, I noticed Second Lieutenant Crimine pouting beside me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot that the Lieutenant could swing both ways.”

“I don’t swing that way.”

Though I’d escaped a dangerous situation through smooth talking, somehow it wasn’t very dignified…