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

“Classified documents 03 through 07 incineration complete!”

“Good. Dissolve First Company and order all subordinate NCOs to retire. Return issued equipment and escape without waiting for Second Company’s return. Officers remain and assist in subordinate evacuation.”

The Imperial Ceremonial Battalion’s closing was finally reaching its climax. First Company, which had been managing my reports and salary until now, was removing military uniforms and returning to civilian dress.

Second Company hadn’t dissolved yet since the company commander was returning, and my Third Company also hadn’t been ordered to dissolve.

Then the battalion commander approached with clicking military boots:

“Captain Fonkt, come to the battalion commander’s office. Incinerate ‘those documents’ with your own hands.”

“Understood.”

Familiar reports were stacked in the battalion commander’s office.

“The ‘duel’ with Lord Grien, the ‘execution of Yuo Nevilnel’ in Fumazov territory, and Admiral Telzen’s assassination. All reports written by you. I submitted ‘processed’ versions to the Imperial Household, so don’t worry about those.”

“How nostalgic.”

As I flipped through the documents, the battalion commander looked exasperated:

“You’re quite carefree. If these reports surface, you’ll be hunted wherever you are in Imperial territory. Incinerate them thoroughly with your own hands. So you won’t be anxious after leaving here.”

“It would indeed be dangerous to leave this processing to others.”

Even a fragment of remains would be enough to eliminate me. The documents submitted to the Imperial Household were safe since dangerous parts were omitted, but these contained the “truth.” Leaving them was problematic.

I quickly flipped through the documents for confirmation while throwing them into the battalion commander’s office fireplace.

As we both gazed at the fireplace flames, the battalion commander muttered:

“Future historians would writhe in agony if they saw this scene.”

“This scene is also part of history. They’d probably be delighted.”

The political criminal search in the northern Kavaraf region had earned the lords’ resentment. As a result, they’d rebelled and become ‘prairie fire’ approaching the capital.

Meanwhile in the south, we’d assassinated Admiral Telzen. Naval officers probably harbored fear and hostility toward the Emperor. Some were surely joining the ‘nightingales.’

After we fell silent, I voiced a sudden question:

“But this should achieve your long-cherished wish, Battalion Commander.”

Then the beauty illuminated by fireplace flames smiled with sparkles in her glasses lenses:

“What, you knew?”

“Anyone would understand after hearing so many details.”

I threw in document bundles while poking them with a fire iron:

“You had your life ruined by the previous Emperor and assassinated him to protect your child. Yet you’re in the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion, the closest place to the Imperial Household. I could only think you were planning revenge.”

Glancing at the battalion commander after saying this, she was still smiling.

“Can’t fool you, eh? That’s right. I’m here thinking I’ll destroy the Imperial Household. And now, my wish is about to be fulfilled.”

A smile completely different from her usual gentle one—like a drawn blade.

The battalion commander continued:

“While being stabbed from behind by that old man behind curtains, I questioned why this was happening. Why was I becoming that disgusting old man’s plaything, so repulsive in both appearance and nature?”

As I silently burned documents, the battalion commander sighed:

“No matter how much I thought about it, the only conclusion was that this old man had Imperial Household power. Then the Imperial Household should just perish.”

The battalion commander gazed at the flickering flames:

“But it wasn’t straightforward. Since Minaka made the previous Emperor’s death look accidental, I dutifully mourned as a second lieutenant palace guard who had supposedly received the previous Emperor’s favor.”

“To protect your child?”

“Right. That child is supposedly unrelated to the Imperial Household on the surface. The previous Emperor’s close associates probably found deep investigation troublesome too. If inconvenient facts emerged, who knew what the current Emperor would do to them.”

Unlike the previous Emperor, the current one tended to execute people frequently. Well, the previous Emperor seemed to be a sinister man who favored assassination, so they were similar father and son.

“Since I was supposedly favored by the previous Emperor, I used that to infiltrate the Guards Division’s Ceremonial Battalion. There were female officer positions here.”

Since condemned prisoners sometimes requested female executioners, the Ceremonial Battalion had female officer slots. So she’d been squeezed in there.

I laughed:

“When you left the palace, the previous Emperor’s associates were probably relieved.”

“Right. Thanks to that, things proceeded surprisingly smoothly. With promotion to first lieutenant included.”

From there she’d further become captain and finally battalion commander, promoted to major.

“I began recruiting talent from there, and there happened to be an NCO who seemed to have one or two quirks. When I sent him to the military academy to make him a second lieutenant, he started doing remarkably good work. I’m talking about you.”

Me, huh.

The battalion commander touched my bangs, lovingly curling them before releasing:

“Originally, what a mere battalion commander could do was limited. I’d intended to just slightly hasten the Imperial Household’s end, but when I left things to you, you advanced matters beautifully.”

“I’m honored.”

I smiled, but the battalion commander directed a sticky gaze at me:

“But eventually, I became curious why only you worked so conveniently for me. I even thought someone might be pulling your strings for a while, but your background was squeaky clean.”

“Because I’m the [Laundry Man].”

When I gave the expected answer, the battalion commander chuckled:

“Right, right, that’s the thing. But eventually, I realized something.”

“What?”

“That you were decisively different from others in some way. Many battalion members anticipated the Empire’s collapse, but yours wasn’t ‘anticipation’ but ‘certainty.’ No, that’s not it either.”

The battalion commander shook her long blonde hair:

“You ‘knew.’ That this Empire would collapse and order would be lost. As if you’d seen it once and returned from the future. That’s why to this extent… hey, don’t laugh.”

Only when the battalion commander pointed it out did I realize I was smiling.

I waved my hand:

“My apologies. This isn’t mockery or bitter laughter. I was probably happy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because you finally noticed.”

I sighed, then looked straight at the battalion commander:

“Your assessment is mostly correct. Though not this Orthodox Empire, I know of an empire’s collapse.”

“Hoho, so my judgement of character wasn’t wrong after all.”

“That’s right. Haha, Battalion Commander really is a frightening person. I made the right choice becoming your subordinate.”

No one else had come this close to realizing I was a reincarnator from another world.

Meinen had found me amusing as a strange fellow, and Second Lieutenant Crimine seemed to vaguely sense I was different from others, but no one had pointed it out this directly.

Precisely because she was such a person, she’d survived the confusion of the previous Emperor’s death to be here now. Honestly, I thought she was more frightening than Yuo.

“I’d like to discuss details, but we’re out of paper.”

I threw the last documents into the fireplace and watched them become black ash and crumble:

“I’ll tell you in detail when we next meet.”

“Hahaha, I’ll probably miss hearing it then.”

Right. Once we left here, we’d never meet again.

So this conversation ended here.

The last documents burned to ash. After completely crushing them with the fire iron, I turned back to the battalion commander:

“The empire’s collapse I knew had several possible endings, but our Orthodox Empire seems headed for quite an unstable conclusion. A bloody period of confusion will continue for a long time.”

“Hmm, so that’s how it is. Same as my assessment. Then let’s act without regrets.”

Saying this with a smile, the battalion commander smoothly approached me.

Surprised by the unexpected movement, my reaction was delayed by an instant.

When I thought something had touched my cheek, the battalion commander had already moved away.

“Battalion Commander?”

“I see. So this is how it feels to be the one taking. That old man continued such enjoyable things until he died.”

The battalion commander licked her lips, then winked at me:

“I’d always wanted to try being the taker just once. Consider it payment for not prying into secrets.”

I’d been forcibly kissed. Wasn’t this the worst sexually harassing boss?

But the fact it was my cheek rather than lips showed the battalion commander’s conscience. It was a gentle, kind kiss like a mother blessing her child’s departure.

This person probably couldn’t do things like trampling on others after all.

“If you really intended to take, it would be the lips.”

“What, would you have preferred that?”

When the battalion commander made an “Oh?” face, I hastily shook my head:

“That’s not allowed. Even you can’t go further than this, Battalion Commander.”

Then the battalion commander showed gentle eyes:

“I understand. You two be happy.”

The battalion commander flipped her coat hem and gave brisk instructions in her usual manner:

“Process the fireplace ashes a bit more. I’ll gather everyone first. It’s about time for the Second Company to return.”

“Yes ma’am.”