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

Chapter 8: The Hanged Woman ③

After seeing Second Lieutenant Makaran off, Lord Fumazov invited us to sit and continued:

“First, let me thank you for your consideration. I was pleased that you made those lawless cavalrymen dismount.”

“You’re too kind. I merely observed proper etiquette.”

It seemed Lord Fumazov had indeed been dissatisfied with the cavalrymen. He looked at me kindly.

“I heard from my servants about your exchange, but you didn’t actually know about the ‘dismounting gate,’ did you?”

He meant that low gate.

“I’m quite ignorant and know nothing about it. I merely inferred from the ‘spear-toppling pine.'”

“I was impressed instead. Being able to perceive without knowing is something only true wise men can do. By the way, where is that pine tree?”

Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was a nice place. The scenery and sake were excellent.

Since I couldn’t very well answer that, I replied vaguely:

“I understand it’s an anecdote from a distant foreign land.”

“I see. People probably think similar things no matter where they live.”

“That may be so.”

I smiled and drank the already cooling tea. Even though it was early spring, it was colder than midwinter near the capital.

“Indeed, people are much the same everywhere. But don’t their ways of living differ when they live in different lands?”

I tried steering the conversation a bit.

Lord Fumazov nodded slightly.

“Indeed. In the Kavaraf region, there’s an old custom called ‘wife disputes.'”

That’s an interesting term.

“In this harsh, cold land, if lords and peasants were at odds, they’d destroy each other. But there are differences in status. So the women come into play.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine, being female, was listening with great interest. I was interested too.

“When the peasants want to petition the lord here, the peasants’ wives negotiate directly with the lord’s wife. Even if things get a bit heated, we men pretend not to know.”

This empire was a male-dominated society, so the status system primarily bound men. Women’s status could change through marriage, so about half were placed outside the status system’s framework.

Since men and women operated separate societies, even if women came into conflict, the men could just smile wryly and say something like “Sorry about my wife” and leave it at that.

A bit unfair of the men.

But it was wisdom for avoiding bloodshed.

Lord Fumazov smiled wryly.

“For our part, we can’t be rough with unarmed women. We listen to their concerns and politely send them home. That’s the pride of Kavaraf knights.”

If violence was restrained on both sides in that way, it might work. As a reincarnator, I had thoughts about it, though.

However, that would lead to something strange.

“Then Lord Fumazov, about this peasant rebellion…”

“It was probably just the usual ‘wife dispute’—a collective petition. If a real armed rebellion had occurred, it would immediately become the talk among lords.”

Saying this, Lord Fumazov stroked his beard.

“Some ‘wife dispute’ that occurred in someone’s territory was reported to the center and became an issue. I’ve also received orders to strictly crack down on the next occurrence as a rebellion.”

This “center” probably meant the emperor or high officials.

Lord Fumazov rubbed his white head and sighed.

“For example, in our house’s case, the most recent ‘wife dispute’ merely requested tax reduction. That year was indeed a poor harvest, so I reduced taxes as requested, and for those still struggling, I arranged winter labor to make up the difference. About five years ago.”

That seemed like a reasonable approach. It would be troublesome if they abandoned their land and fled.

I’d need to confirm this through interviews later, but if Lord Fumazov’s words were true, the battalion commander’s attitude made sense. If they executed someone over every little thing like this, real rebellions would break out.

“So Lord Fumazov, where is the ringleader Yuo Nevilnel now?”

When I asked, Lord Fumazov answered with a troubled expression.

“In my opinion, no such person has ever existed anywhere in this world.”

Right. It was written in the memo the battalion commander gave me. This person seemed to tell the truth.

Lord Fumazov drank the completely cold tea.

“In ‘wife disputes,’ the women are the ones who actually move, but it’s the men who ask them to. Since the ringleader doesn’t come forward, no one knows who it is, and that’s the good part. It creates neither heroes nor criminals.”

Hmm, this somehow reminded me of the umbrella-signed¹An umbrella-signed petition refers to a formal appeal or request in which the names of multiple supporters are gathered under the authority, seal, or signature of a single recognized leader, council, or organization. In military and feudal contexts, this practice allowed subordinate parties to express collective will without each signatory acting individually, presenting the request as a unified front. The “umbrella” metaphor signifies that all those involved are covered under one authoritative signature or emblem. petitions from my previous life.

Second Lieutenant Crimine asked while nervously picking at biscuit-like sweets:

“Then where did the name Yuo Nevilnel come from?”

“Someone ordered to investigate the ringleader probably fabricated a fictional name out of fear of punishment. There’s no surname Nevilnel in the Kavaraf region, and ‘Yuo’ is a woman’s name. Anyone from this land would know immediately.”

“I see.”

Searching for and executing someone who didn’t exist was impossible even by imperial decree. Since I’d known this, I wasn’t particularly concerned and would just finish the job.

“In that case, our Ceremonial Battalion must find someone who doesn’t exist in this world and remove them from this world. This is troublesome.”

“That’s how it is. I’m also troubled by those cavalrymen’s warhorses. Just arranging fodder and stables is rather difficult for our household finances. And they’re ungrateful and rude to boot.”

Lord Fumazov looked completely worn out and sighed.

“Several companies from the Second Army Division are already deployed, searching for a ringleader who shouldn’t exist. We need to execute ‘Yuo Nevilnel’ in front of them or this won’t end.”

They had duties to confirm and report too, and that way would be less troublesome later.

“There’s the option of executing some random person, but of course you wouldn’t do that, right?”

I checked just in case. Actually, it was more like “Don’t do that, okay?”. Most nobles took peasants’ lives lightly.

Lord Fumazov nodded.

“Of course not. I don’t particularly like the peasants, but executing some innocent person would be beyond the pale. Since I wasn’t the one who reported the fictional ringleader, I have no obligation to go that far.”

Was that true? Even if he wasn’t the one who reported it, hadn’t that person come crying to him for help?

It seemed a bit suspicious, but he probably wouldn’t answer anyway. I’d stop probing there.

But now I understand why this mission was assigned to me. It was the type I was best at.

“Then our battalion will handle it appropriately.”

“Will you do that?”

“That’s why you sent that letter to our battalion commander, isn’t it? Leave it to us.”

To Lord Fumazov, who was sighing with relief, I conveyed:

“So I’d like to ask for a bit of cooperation.”

“Oh, anything at all.”