I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 9: The Hanged Woman ④

Several days later, in the evening, about ten junior officers from the Second Army Division had gathered in a settlement in Fumazov territory. Or rather, I had arranged behind the scenes for them to gather.

“Move faster!”

What I was escorting was a half-naked young woman. She was in tattered undergarments with various things showing, and was severely bound with rope like a criminal from a period drama.

She looked utterly wretched, like a New Year’s gift ham.

However, her face was covered with a burlap sack, so you couldn’t tell what she looked like.

Second Lieutenant Makaran came over.

“Lieutenant Fonkt! Well done!”

“Thank you, Second Lieutenant.”

I smiled cheerfully while prodding the woman’s bare heel with my military boot.

“Keep walking without stopping.”

The woman flinched and trembled. Good reaction.

Lieutenant Makaran looked at me with a somewhat taken-aback expression.

“Um, is this the ringleader ‘Yuo Nevilnel’?”

“That’s right, Second Lieutenant.”

I smiled wryly.

“Are you familiar with the custom called ‘wife disputes’ in this region?”

“No… I’ve never heard of it.”

“It seems to be where farmers’ wives collectively petition the lord’s wife directly. This person is the ringleader of that.”

Lieutenant Makaran looked sympathetic.

“I see, so that’s why it’s a woman… But surely, you’re not really going to execute her?”

“It’s an imperial decree, and execution is the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion’s duty.”

I answered as if it were obvious.

“She was in this state when arrested, so out of mercy I at least hid her face. It’s already sunset, so let’s execute her now.”

“There’s no chance of mistaken arrest, is there?”

The anxious Lieutenant Makaran had quite decent sensibilities for an imperial noble. I should take good care of this person.

I nodded and turned back to the peasants who had been following in a crowd.

“This person is definitely ‘Yuo Nevilnel’?”

The peasants all answered:

“No mistake, sir.”

“That’s the one who started the ‘wife dispute.'”

“But please spare her from killing.”

“That’s right, there’s no need to kill…”

When I smiled and raised one hand to stop them, they fell silent.

Then I looked at Lieutenant Makaran.

“As you can see. She also admitted it herself. Right?”

The woman with only her face hidden and everything else exposed nodded resignedly.

I let out an exaggerated sigh.

“I don’t want to execute her either, if it were permissible. But I am His Imperial Majesty’s executioner. A mere executioner must not overturn imperial decrees. Isn’t that right, Second Lieutenant?”

“No, orders must be followed…”

Lieutenant Makaran withdrew dejectedly.

The other junior officers, NCOs, and guard soldiers said nothing, but I could hear them whispering among themselves.

“Look at that, that’s how the assassin battalion operates.”

“Getting paid to kill an unarmed woman—what a disgrace to soldiers.”

“Yeah, tell him off, tell him off.”

No really, I agree completely. Why did I get assigned to such a unit?

But imperial decrees were absolute.

This was the same for both soldiers and nobles. No one could defy the emperor’s will. So not a single person tried to interfere.

I announced to everyone:

“‘Yuo Nevilnel’ requested treatment without pain or humiliation during arrest. That falls within my authority. Therefore, I will not expose her face and will grant her a merciful hanging.”

How’s that? Quite humane, right?

I looked around at everyone, but as expected, they were appalled. That was normal sensibility. I was somewhat relieved that the army officers were relatively decent.

“Well then, let’s get this over with quickly. Does anyone want to do it?”

Everyone was silent.

No, I heard a quiet voice.

“…you do it yourself.”

I’d been waiting for those words. Sorry for making you say it.

“No one? Then I’ll do it.”

I dragged the woman, who had become completely resigned and unresisting, to a nearby large tree.

“I should at least cover her skin.”

As twilight approached, I quickly bound her with thick rope and draped a prepared cloak over her shoulders.

“Now I just hook the rope over a branch, like this.”

When I pulled hard, the woman floated in the air in the dim light. Her toes left the ground.

“Oh, how she struggles.”

The moment she was lifted, the woman kicked her legs and struggled in apparent agony.

I glanced around—the soldiers’ eyes were glued to her.

In this era, criminal executions also served as entertainment. Few would openly admit it, but many people apparently enjoyed watching executions.

Her violent struggling made her body sway like a pendulum. But the rope didn’t budge.

Soon that futile struggling suddenly weakened, and strength seemed to drain from her entire body.

Eventually the woman’s bare feet became wet, and clear liquid dripped down. Steam rose from the cold evening ground.

For those accustomed to watching hangings, this was probably the standard ending. I myself had witnessed such scenes many times.

I tried to maintain my composure and created a tone as if to say “well, well.”

“Is it finished? To ensure she’s completely dead, I’ll leave her hanging here until morning. Any officers who want to participate in the guard duty should remain.”

But the soldiers just gave me cold stares.

“Let’s go. Can’t be bothered with this.”

“Yeah, now we can finally return to the capital.”

“That bastard from the assassin battalion…”

“Don’t bother, it makes me sick.”

“More importantly, we need to leave quickly or we’ll be camping out.”

But amid those cold stares, only Lieutenant Makaran approached me.

“Lieutenant Fonkt. As a matter of duty, I would like to personally confirm the criminal’s death.”

I nodded, but when he came close, I whispered in a serious tone:

“Look at the peasants’ eyes. If anything inappropriate happens to the corpse, the rebellion might reignite.”

Lieutenant Makaran looked around with a startled expression. The crowd was silent, but no one was smiling. Of course not.

I immediately smiled.

“I’ll take on being the hated one here. Second Lieutenant, prioritize your safety above all.”

“I-I understand. Please stay safe.”

Lieutenant Makaran saluted and withdrew while watching the peasants’ gazes.

The officers departed as if fleeing from the twilight, leaving only the peasants behind.

“Everyone has disappeared beyond the hill. No one’s there anymore.”

The moment the lookout peasant reported, I ran to the tree at full speed. I called out to the swaying body:

“Hey, are you okay?! Answer me!”

No response. Could it be…

Just as I thought that, I heard a muffled voice.

“I’m fine.”

“Right! I’ll get you down immediately!”

I drew my saber and cut the rope with a full-strength stroke, catching the softly falling body. It became a princess carry.

The peasant women immediately gathered around.

“We’ve prepared clothes and hot water in that shed over there!”

“Thank you, soldier girl!”

“Oh, look how pitiful she’s become…”

“Hey, you men stay away!”

When I removed the burlap sack, there was the cute face of my black-haired bob-cut colleague.

Ah, Second Lieutenant Crimine. Good. She’s alive.

Well, of course she’s not dead.

The rope around her neck wasn’t connected to the hanging rope. What I’d hidden with the cloak wasn’t her skin, but the rope knots.

The rope that lifted her was tied to the ropes binding her shoulders and chest. Like a harness, it distributed the load, so while uncomfortable, she wouldn’t suffocate.

However, if left like that for too long, there was risk of crush syndrome, so I needed to quickly chase away the witnessing officers. 

(T/N: Crush Syndrome is a medical condition that occurs when a part of the body is compressed for a prolonged period — usually more than an hour — causing muscle breakdown and the release of toxic substances into the bloodstream once the pressure is relieved)

That’s why I put on that performance.

Originally I should have played the death row inmate myself, but if I wasn’t present, it would definitely arouse suspicion. Besides, “Yuo” was a female name.

Lord Fumazov was supposed to arrange an actor for the death row inmate role. Though finding someone who could keep secrets would take time.

When Second Lieutenant Crimine heard the situation and said “I’ll do it. I’ll absolutely do it. If you won’t let me do it, who are you planning to have to do it?” she was so enthusiastic that I fearfully asked her.

But I’ll never make her do something like this again. I’m really glad she’s safe…

“Are you injured, Second Lieutenant Crimine?!”

“I wonder.”

Why are you being evasive? Are you angry?

While being carried, she said to me:

“To be perfect, I even wet myself, so it was very embarrassing.”

“Sorry! But I didn’t tell you to go that far! I really thought you were dead!”

Honestly, I was shocked too, and that really scared me.

Then Second Lieutenant Crimine smiled.

“But you were worried about me?”

“Of course, idiot!”

Why are you checking on that?

No, more importantly, I needed to care for my important subordinate. She’d accomplished a difficult mission.

“Anyway, thank you, Second Lieutenant Crimine. If this mission succeeds safely, it’s entirely thanks to you. You really did your best. I respect you.”

Second Lieutenant Crimine, being carried like a New Year’s ham, said quietly:

“No, this much was nothing… Actually, it was quite fun, so I’d like to do it again.”

Why? There have been a lot of “whys” lately. Am I possibly confused?

But even so, I shook my head solemnly as her superior.

“No. I don’t want other people seeing you like that.”

“Hehe.”

Despite having her request rejected, the second lieutenant looked very happy for some reason.

Really, why?