I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 67: In the Prairie Fire ①

“So Lieutenant Fonkt escaped?”

Receiving the report, Yuo Nevilnel’s expression became openly disappointed.

Perhaps feeling sorry about this, the elderly man hastily tried to smooth things over.

“Forgive us, our saint. When my son went to take custody, he had already fled from the Dines family mansion. The Dines family’s second daughter is also missing, causing quite an uproar.”

“You did search, didn’t you?”

“Of course. The Dines family’s heir also cooperated enthusiastically. That house seems to have the head and heir supporting pro-imperial faction and anti-imperial faction respectively, but they’re essentially anti-imperial action, so they can be trusted. So please don’t be so dejected.”

Seeing the well-dressed gentleman flustering, Yuo responded in a calm tone:

“I’m sorry, he was such an important person that I lost composure.”

“If he’s an Imperial Ceremonial Battalion lieutenant, he’s the Emperor’s lap dog. I understand he’s important as an information source.”

“No, that person appears to follow the Emperor on the surface, but he’s actually someone with intense anti-imperial ideology. I wanted to bring the entire Ceremonial Battalion to our side, but…”

Yuo sighed.

“He probably won’t listen to anything I say anyway.”

The elderly gentleman tilted his head.

“But won’t other anti-imperial forces take him then? If he’s someone you want that badly, the ‘prairie fire’ people might have noticed too.”

However, Yuo shook her head.

“They’ve probably noticed, but no faction can acquire him. More than that, I’d like to monitor the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion’s movements, so please lend your assistance.”

“Mm, understood. My brother-in-law is in the Imperial Guards Division, so I’ll ask him. In return, please guarantee my brother-in-law’s family’s safety. Even if ‘prairie fire’ approaches, the Imperial Guards can’t easily flee.”

At the old gentleman’s words, Yuo immediately nodded.

“Leave it to me. I’ll arrange for them to escape before ‘prairie fire’ arrives. If there are others you’d like evacuated, I’ll handle that too.”

“Oh, that helps. Our saint. Actually, my third daughter’s married family…”

*****

“So you two came crawling back?”

In the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion headquarters’ battalion commander’s office, Second Lieutenant Crimine and I stood at attention.

“I’m disappointed in you two.”

Since the battalion commander spoke while adjusting her glasses, I apologized for now.

“I’m sorry. I never expected Second Lieutenant Crimine’s family to have been absorbed by the anti-imperial faction.”

“The secret that Riesha’s family was the wealthy Dines family was known only to me. I should have told you beforehand. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”

The battalion commander sighed, then looked at our faces alternately.

“Why weren’t you protected by the Dines family? There was no reason to return here.”

“Ah, that’s what you mean.”

I was taken aback but relieved for now. It didn’t seem like I was being reprimanded for mission failure.

“Second Lieutenant Crimine said she didn’t like her family home.”

“Supporting a runaway daughter’s schemes…”

The blonde beauty was ruffling her hair in a troubled manner. Like a teacher guiding problem children—somewhat amusing.

“Hey Riesha, didn’t I tell you during enlistment not to complicate relationships with your family?”

“Did you?”

“I did. At least remember your direct superior’s instructions.”

Seeing Second Lieutenant Crimine looking blank, the battalion commander perhaps thought “this one’s hopeless” and turned back to me.

“You spoil your subordinates too much, ladies’ man.”

“No! I’m not a ladies’ man!”

“What mouth are you using to say that while reeking of perfume, you womanizer?”

Eh? I hastily sniffed my collar, but only caught the clean scent of freshly washed fabric.

The battalion commander grinned.

“Why sniff your collar? If it were a colleague’s lingering scent, it would normally be on sleeves or shoulders, right?”

I’d been had.

Thinking about it, I hadn’t hugged Second Lieutenant Crimine once since changing into uniform. There was no way scent could transfer.

“Battalion Commander, that’s unfair.”

“Hah, it was obvious from the distance between you when you entered. So, how far did you go?”

Second Lieutenant Crimine thrust her face forward.

“About halfway.”

“Hey Second Lieutenant Crimine, you don’t need to report such… halfway?”

That was halfway? What did the remaining half involve?

While I was confused, the battalion commander tapped my cheek lightly.

“Lucky you, seems like half the fun remains?”

“Stop that creepy way of smiling. It diminishes superior officer dignity.”

You’re acting exactly like a sexually harassing boss.

“That aside, there’s no way I’d disappear during a mission.”

“True, you’re someone who chooses correctness even knowing you’ll lose. But where’s the correctness in such a battalion?”

When the battalion commander suddenly showed a lonely expression, Second Lieutenant Crimine and I exchanged glances and smiled.

“There is some, right Lieutenant?”

“Yes. At least we won’t abandon single mothers raising children alone.”

The battalion commander looked blank, then smiled wryly.

“That’s about me?”

“Were there others?”

I didn’t know about other battalion members’ private lives.

“If we’re going to abandon missions and flee, we’ll all do it together. We can’t leave comrades behind. Right?”

“That’s right. I like Battalion Commander more than my real mother.”

Ah, is that so? Second Lieutenant Crimine’s affection was hard to understand…

The battalion commander laughed with a troubled expression but eventually patted our shoulders.

“Sigh… you two really are idiots. You should have taken the easy way out and made babies in the mansion, but you deliberately came back—hopeless.”

“We can make babies anywhere.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine, please be quiet.

The battalion commander quietly sighed, then tightened her expression.

“But honestly, I’m happy you returned. You two are reliable. The situation is terrible after all.”

What?

While Second Lieutenant Crimine and I exchanged glances like “I wonder what?” “What could it be?”, the battalion commander explained:

“A large-scale rebellion occurred in the northern Kavaraf region. Forces from north and central regions have been mobilized for rebellion suppression and already dispatched there.”

“What was the cause?”

Then the battalion commander showed a sardonic smile.

“They executed a lord’s son by mistaken identity.”

“Yikes.”

Even Second Lieutenant Crimine was appalled at such a blunder.

“While our battalion played secret police in the capital, some big shot apparently gave execution duties to a regular infantry squad. Despite the person and those around him protesting mistaken identity, they carried out the firing squad execution on the spot.”

From us execution specialists’ perspective, it was unbelievably sloppy work.

“When suspects claim mistaken identity, even whipping can’t be carried out until identity confirmation is complete.”

“That’s what Imperial law, which we depend on, stipulates.”

Since this was an early modern level state, there were properly codified laws.

An infantry squad meant the commander was a young second lieutenant or lieutenant. In an era of company-level troop movement, squad leaders had little authority. A terrible mistake.

“So the execution side committed illegal acts.”

“That’s right. The lord demanded the squad leader be punished by military law, but when upper levels tried to cover it up, the lord’s side couldn’t back down either. From there spreading throughout the Kavaraf region was instantaneous. Like prairie fire burning dried fields.”

The capital people had a tendency to look down on the frontier, but they were being too contemptuous. Rebellion was deserved.

The battalion commander sat on her desk and crossed her arms. Still ill-mannered as always.

“If they’d left it to us, we’d have handled it cleanly as usual, but having amateurs do it caused this. Conversely, we’re made to do unfamiliar peacekeeping activities—quite ridiculous.”

Like a poorly functioning company. I could tell from having worked at such a workplace in my previous life.

“So our battalion has newly taken on part of capital defense. Only about a hundred men, but we have line infantry too. Both of you be prepared.”

“I don’t want to.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine was boldly insubordinate. Court martial material.

However, the battalion commander clung to Second Lieutenant Crimine familiarly and whispered something in her ear.

Second Lieutenant Crimine turned bright red and looked down.

“W-well, if that’s the case, I’ll humbly serve diligently.”

“Very good. I’ll issue torture room usage permission under training pretext. Keep it moderate.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Just now I heard the ominous word “torture room”… Hey wait Second Lieutenant, what’s with that beautiful salute?

When Second Lieutenant Crimine gave proper salutes, nothing good usually happened. Those clear eyes were definitely abnormal.

“Lieutenant, let’s try using it right away later. I’m fine being the tortured side, but torturing you might be fresh too.”

While roughly restraining Second Lieutenant Crimine as she pressed closer, I asked the battalion commander:

“Is the northern rebellion also Yuo’s scheming?”

“Unknown. All my connections in the Kavaraf region clammed up when this matter comes up.”

Still her conspiracy, perhaps?

If so, urgent action was needed.

“Even if it’s not Yuo’s conspiracy, being attacked from north and south using this opportunity would be extremely dangerous. Part of the southern military has also switched sides.”

“Certainly. But our battalion only has a hundred infantry, and almost no influence within the Imperial Guards Division. We can’t do anything.”

The battalion commander said this and poked my nose.

“The Emperor faction is hypersensitive now. Stimulating the Emperor’s suspicion with poor moves would be bad.”

“That may be so.”

“So you two go have intimate torture training together.”

That’s not right…