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

Half a year had passed since then.

“Doctor, Doctor!”

Riesha, who had completely mastered the nurse style, called me while dragging a house call bag.

“A cow is giving birth!”

“I’m supposedly a human doctor, you know.”

“There are more livestock than people here, so it can’t be helped.”

Having my pre-dawn drowsy head beaten with sound logic was painful.

We had fled to a ranch run by the battalion commander’s acquaintance and obtained positions as the ranch’s resident physicians.

However, as you could see, I examined livestock far more often than humans. I was already a quack as a human doctor—there was no way I’d understand livestock.

“Well, having more men helping is better.”

Since I was both a freeloader and fugitive, I got dressed while yawning. In one corner of the vast ranch was a residential area for ranch hands, with our clinic also attached.

Incidentally, the cattle barn was right next door, so it was quite smelly.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Take care.”

You’re coming too. You’re the nurse.

****

The cow birth ended up requiring nothing from me, and I returned after being told “Doctor really is hopeless with anything other than humans.” Of course—I was a human doctor.

After sleeping in again and waking up, it was time for morning consultations. Since dozens of people also lived here, managing their health was my job.

I examined patients one after another.

“As usual, you’re drinking too much. If this gets any worse, you won’t be able to continue working. At least try to drink slowly.”

“I’d like you to understand by now that the anus is an exit, not an entrance. I’ll give you some ointment.”

Ranch hands were often eccentric, but the problem was they absolutely wouldn’t listen to doctors.

“It’s hay fever. Fine dust from harvested hay—dust so fine it’s invisible—is causing trouble. Please cover your mouth and nose with a scarf. Cover your eyes with goggles.”

“That wound from before has gotten infected. That’s why I told you not to rub manure into it. You’ll really die at this rate.”

“You again! Riesha, hold this idiot’s leg down!”

Since there were no good medicines in such remote mountains, I could only do things like health guidance.

But if left alone, they’d try their own treatments and make things worse, so even a quack doctor like me was better than nothing. I could stop ineffective treatments.

After finishing morning consultations and feeling exhausted, someone came to the clinic. Too tired to lift my head from the desk, I responded while face-down.

“Morning consultations are over. Please come back in the afternoon.”

“Well well, you’ve really gotten into the doctor role.”

Hearing a familiar voice, I hastily raised my head to find Dr. Buho..

She wasn’t wearing the Ceremonial Battalion’s black uniform, but the army’s green uniform. The army and navy had apparently been absorbed by the revolutionary government and continued to exist after reorganization.

I didn’t know what had happened since then, but she had apparently remained with the army.

However, Ceremonial Battalion members contacting each other should have been prohibited.

I became wary and pretended not to know her.

“Who might you be?”

“Ah yes, that was the proper response. Well, that’s fine—bring Crimine and come to the capital. I’ve prepared a carriage.”

Seeming completely unconcerned, Dr. Buho grinned.

*****

After consulting with Second Lieutenant Crimine, we decided to return to the capital—no, the capital city—with Dr. Buho.

If she had betrayed us to the enemy, there was no escape anyway.

“This is a revolutionary government official carriage, isn’t it?”

“That’s right~”

After the Imperial Household was overthrown, this country had become a republic governed by a revolutionary government.

In reality, ‘nightingale’ faction nobles and soldiers had simply seized real power, so I heard things hadn’t changed much. In such remote mountains, I couldn’t hear Yuo’s name at all, so her fate remained unknown.

“The capital must have changed quite a bit.”

“Indeed. After that, ‘prairie fire’ invaded the capital and went to war with the ‘nightingales.’ Since army remnants sided with both factions, it was a complete civil war.”

“The capital became a battlefield for the first time since the founding. Was it destroyed?”

“They only fought around the north gate for about ten days, so damage was limited to the city gates and civilian houses. I heard quite a few died, but I was a patient myself wrapped in bandages, so I don’t know.”

That’s what happened when you did reckless things. But standing up as a physician during that chaos rather than fleeing was admirable.

“Oh right, you two should change into these.”

What Dr. Buho handed Second Lieutenant Crimine and me were army uniforms. The rank insignia showed captain and second lieutenant. The perfect fit was unsettling.

“Whose orders?”

“Why, the battalion commander’s.”

The battalion commander shouldn’t be a battalion commander anymore.

Then Dr. Buho smiled thinly:

“The Empire and Ceremonial Battalion disappeared, but I don’t intend to disappear so easily. The battalion commander seems to feel the same.”

Staying at inns along the way, the carriage entered the capital several days later.

The buildings didn’t seem much changed, but there was one concerning point.

“The poor have increased.”

So-called homeless people had increased considerably. I didn’t know what had happened, but six months was enough time to fall from normal life to homelessness. Commoners’ lives were unstable.

Dr. Buho sighed:

“That’s apparently one of the revolutionary government’s headaches too.”

“The revolutionary government eventually absorbed ‘prairie fire’ too, right?”

“Yeah. They somehow achieved peace, but they’re not in step with each other—it’s nothing but problems. I don’t understand anything beyond medicine, so I’ll leave that to you.”

What did she mean, leave it to me?

Eventually the carriage passed through the capital’s main street and entered the palace front gate. This should now be the revolutionary government’s headquarters. Not a place for fugitives to enter in official vehicles.

“Captain…”

Second Lieutenant Crimine looked anxious, but I’d already steeled myself and was smiling wryly.

“Just like her. Right, Dr. Buho?”

“Indeed.”

Dr. Buho chuckled while adjusting her glasses.

*****

“You came, Roxon Boltaren.”

There was a sloppy character who’d only changed the uniform color specification, making me laugh involuntarily.

“What are you doing in a place like this, Battalion Commander?”

The blonde beauty who’d been wearing a uniform with arms crossed suddenly looked bored.

“You know, at times like this you’re supposed to get maximally excited. You’re no fun.”

“If you don’t get to the point quickly, I’m going home. Because I suddenly left, I haven’t received this month’s salary yet.”

Then the battalion commander sighed and looked at us:

“Same as always. Well, I’m relieved you seem well.”

“You’re unchanged too, Battalion Commander.”

“No, many things have changed. My position and state of mind.”

Saying this, the battalion commander sat on the desk as usual. Why did she always want to show off her rear?

“The ‘nightingales’ faction seized power, but fierce power struggles are occurring internally. Discord with the absorbed ‘prairie fire’ is also a concern.”

As expected. Since their principles, positions, and schemes were all different, they’d start internal conflicts once immediate goals were achieved.

“Emperor Denar III fled to his wife’s home country, the Duchy of Kerehren, and is plotting a comeback by inciting domestic pro-imperial faction remnants. Meanwhile, distant relatives with succession rights are raising objections and offering protection and cooperation to the ‘nightingales.’ That side’s also a mess.”

“I would have preferred to hear such talk somewhere other than a place like this.”

No matter how I thought about it, she intended to drag us into that mess, right?

Then the battalion commander grinned:

“Don’t be so wary. If you say you don’t want to, there’ll be no trouble. You can return to being the ranch’s resident physician.”

Saying this, she snapped her fingers:

“Please come in.”

Then the door opened and a familiar woman showed her face.

“Um… hello. Do you remember me?”

“There’s no way I’d forget, Yuo Nevilnel.”

The fateful woman appeared. Her attire had become quite distinguished, but her core seemed unchanged, which was reassuring.

Hey Second Lieutenant Crimine, don’t make mysterious threatening sounds. Where are you making that voice from?

“I should probably say ‘nice to meet you.’ I’m Yuo Nevilnel. In the revolutionary government, I serve as Director-General of the Former Imperial Household Management Bureau.”

The battalion commander immediately spoke:

“I’ve been offered the bureau chief position of the Former Imperial Household Management Bureau. With revolutionary army colonel rank insignia. Well, if you don’t go along with it, I’ll just decline.”

—Former Imperial Household Management Bureau.

From the name, it was probably a department supervising Imperial Household assets and such. While Yuo was well-suited for it, she’d been tactfully excluded from legislative, judicial, diplomatic, or economic areas.

Apparently ‘nightingale’ faction nobles and soldiers considered Yuo disposable.

Yuo appealed to me earnestly:

“We managed to overthrow the Imperial Household, but this country is falling apart. Everyone’s doing whatever they want, but we can’t function as a nation like this. The national treasury is already nearly empty, and foreign interference and military provocations have begun.”

It was clearly becoming a failed state.

“There’s no point in you worrying about that from your position. You should leave public office now and watch this country get devoured by the great powers.”

I answered thus, but Yuo shook her head:

“I acted to survive myself. And having survived, I must take responsibility for what I did.”

Then bear as much responsibility as you like. Don’t drag me into it.

I wanted to say that, but I was the one who’d incited the smoldering Yuo. I bore some responsibility too.

Besides, previous life history taught me what would happen to this country—a long, long winter age of being manipulated by great powers. It wasn’t someone else’s problem for us either.

Second Lieutenant Crimine sensed something and tugged at my sleeve, but my mind was made up.

“Riesha, what do you think?”

“It’s no good.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine firmly warned me, but also said this:

“But if Captain does it, I’ll follow you.”

Then it was decided. With Second Lieutenant Crimine, I could be happy no matter where or what I was doing.

“So what do you intend to have us do?”

“Please become supervisory military officers of the Former Imperial Household Management Bureau. Under the pretext of preserving former Imperial Household assets, I’ll grant broad investigation and enforcement authority. I’ve also granted the Management Bureau authority to mobilize up to one regiment.”

One regiment. So that’s why the battalion commander had a colonel insignia. The scale was too large to put under a major’s command. Regiment commanders were usually colonels.

Conversely, having that much power would make things easier than before.

Yuo continued:

“I want you to use these authorities to settle the chaos in the Empire… no, this new country. Can you do it?”

“There’s far too much to do. There’s no way I could do it alone.”

I shook my head, then looked at Second Lieutenant Crimine:

“For now, let’s call back the Ceremonial Battalion members. That won’t be enough, so we’ll reach out to Lieutenant Makaran and others to gather allies. That’s fine, right, ‘Director’?”

When I called out, the battalion commander waved her hand:

“Since the country will perish anyway if left alone, go ahead and make a mess of things. Oh, I’ll issue the summons to the Ceremonial Battalion members.”

Still an understanding superior as always.

I smiled at Second Lieutenant Crimine:

“Well then, partner, let’s work together again.”

“It can’t be helped. I am your partner, after all.”

Since Second Lieutenant Crimine nodded, I was resolved to do what I could.

We wouldn’t let this country die.

[End]