Translator: KJ

A court-martial proceeded at a precipitous pace.

All evidence analysis concluded in an instant, testimony was likewise adopted or dismissed in the blink of an eye, and under the false banner of "establishing military discipline", harsh punishment was handed down in one rapid stroke.

──Drip. Drip.

A solitary cell where muddy water fell drop by drop.

Lieutenant Adel sat slumped on the cold iron floor of the cell. His state of mind bordered on despair, as if he had already given up on life; his hollow eyes lingered vacantly in the air.

──Bang! Bang bang!

Someone suddenly struck the bars. It was Bernhardt. Adel hadn't noticed him approaching, hadn't even noticed he'd arrived.

"Oh-ho, look at this bastard. Stressed out of your mind, huh? Gonna go bald at this rate."

At Bernhardt's sneering jab, Adel didn't even have the strength to retort. He merely hung his head low.

Bern glared down at him steadily.

"...Hey. They say you're getting executed."

A trial rushed through without so much as a proper defense.

Maybe the crime was being a commoner with no one to back him. Or the crime of catching on to the truth of his superiors. Or maybe it was Sergeant Manuel, that bastard, getting himself killed playing the hero for no goddamn reason...

A weak feeling welled up in some corner of his heart. Adel bit his lip as if reproaching himself.

"...Moron."

Kraak. Bernhardt seized the bars with brute force.

"Hey."

He glanced around and lowered his voice.

"You ever heard the saying?"

"..."

To Adel, who still kept his mouth shut, Bern continued.

"Good cop. Bad cop."

"..."

"Aagh, you moron. What the fuck is going through your head that you can't even open your damn mouth, seriously, fuck."

Bernhardt stared down at the top of Adel's head as if grinding it underfoot, his face full of frustration. Yet somewhere in that rough gaze, a flicker of pity and sympathy had crept in.

"Hey. You still trust that half-breed bastard? You annoying idiot."

Adel's shoulders flinched.

"You stupid, fucking moron of a classmate."

Bern leaned in low and whispered.

"That petition you wrote. You know who slipped it out from under you?"

Adel slowly raised his head to look at Bernhardt. Reading the confusion and suspicion in those eyes, Bern let out a dry laugh.

"Me? You thought it was me? Or what, somebody else? Fuck, did you actually think I was the one who ratted you out?"

Clang!

He kicked the bars with his combat boot.

"Use your damn head, dumbass! Think about who you handed it to!"

"...What?"

"Who'd you give the petition to, you moron!"

'Who'...?

Adel's eyes opened belatedly. His breath stopped for a moment, as if he'd been struck on the back of the head.

"That's right, moron. The bastard you placed it directly into the hands of, that's who slipped it out."

Bernhardt twisted his whole face into a scowl as he muttered.

"Lieutenant Colonel Eaton. That bastard is the head of the snake."

"What do you-"

"Not 'what', just think! Think! Don't believe only what's in front of your face. That's always the problem with you commoners. You don't know how terrifying men of means really are."

The Eastern Border Region was the periphery, beyond the watch of the Imperial Center.

Belief, conviction, ability, character. Trust those things alone, and you wouldn't survive. There is no faith or justice on this thin ice. You just die without a soul knowing.

"Then..."

"...Fucking finally feel like listening, do you?"

After confirming the frozen pallor on Adel's face, he went on.

"Brigadier General Jouken's already completely in Eaton's pocket. Do you have any idea how much money is in that half-breed bastard's family?"

Bernhardt scanned his surroundings once more and lowered his voice further.

"I did my own digging, see? That Jouken bloke, he lost a fortune on bad investments and ran up loan-shark debts to cover himself. Eaton paid every last bit of it off for him. Right now, on the surface, the two of them look like they're at odds, like they're keeping each other in check, right?"

A good soldier and a bad soldier.

Brigadier General Jouken gladly took on the role of the villain at the top. Eaton, on the other hand, played the upright, incorruptible soldier who commanded the trust of his subordinates.

Once Jouken retired down the line, Eaton would naturally inherit the Brigade Commander's seat, climb even higher, and monopolize the entire Eastern cartel for himself.

"...Classmate. You fucki⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌ng classmate."

Bernhardt rested his forehead against the bars and let out a sigh.

"Ah, fuck. I figured it out way too late, too. No wonder that half-breed gave me the goddamn creeps from the moment I first laid eyes on him..."

Haa. He raked his hair in irritation.

"For now, I'll do everything I can to delay the execution, so you just shut the hell up and sit tight in there. Don't say a word. Keep your mouth clamped shut, just like now."

Adel couldn't believe what he was seeing in Bern. With a trembling voice, he asked back instead.

"...Why?"

This man helping him, his actions, his face. Adel could make no sense of it.

"Why?! Because, fuck!"

Bernhardt was about to snap at him, but his lips quivered and he turned his gaze aside.

"We're classmates, aren't we. You crazy bastard."

Classmates. Adel looked up at him in a daze.

"Stupid idiot..."

Loyalty, true nature, were these things only revealed when a man stood at his most desperate?

Bern threw out a few more harsh words at Adel for no real reason, then turned sharply on his heel.

"I'm going. Remember. Keep your mouth shut tight."

...However, the words exchanged in that place were being transmitted somewhere.

The corner of the cell.

A dust-filled crevice.

A tiny receiver.

It gathered the frequencies generated by the voices using mana, then transmitted them to another machine and broadcast them out...

"Lieutenant Colonel."

Eaton's adjutant turned to him and spoke. Bernhardt and Adel. Having confirmed the tearful friendship between the two classmates, Eaton tapped the desk with an expressionless face.

"How shall we handle it?"

"..."

Lieutenant Colonel Eaton fell into thought for a moment.

That day.

The day Lieutenant Adel had picked up on 'that communication'.

The real reason Eaton himself had bothered to patrol the control room in per⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌son was, in fact, to keep watch in case any information leaked out.

Eaton's eyes narrowed.

"Transfer him."

"Yes, sir."

Bernhardt came from a family with considerable standing within the military as well. There was no need to scratch at a sore and stir up trouble with someone like him. The affront of being insulted to his face could be brushed aside, more or less.

"Instead, there's a rat who fed that information to him."

Eaton's eyes glinted with murderous intent.

"Goetz... I suspect it's him."

He laced his fingers together and gave the order coldly.

"That one, kill him without fail."

"Yes, sir."

The adjutant hurried out of the office, and Eaton sank deep into his chair.

Click, click. He lit a cigar and clamped it between his teeth.

"Haa..."

Commoners were easy to handle.

If you didn't curse at them, didn't put on airs, and merely pretended on the surface to show them respect, they would simply trust and follow.

Cigars, wine, whisky, designer accessories, lavish entertainment, and any other visible vulgar excess. Refrain from those, and they would gladly fasten their own collars and serve as loyal hounds.

They probably mistook him for one of their own.

A curious thing, really.

'Can't do it' and 'choose not to do it' were very different things in essence.

"..."

Eaton rose from his chair and gazed down with deep eyes upon the landscape of the Eastern Front.

This place, where he had devoted himself for years, the 7th Brigade.

This place where the stench of fetid mud rolled in every day, where the smell of machinery and oil filled the air, this was his kingdom.

In these godforsaken mountai⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌ns, he was king, and not a soul could look down on him or shame him.

Therefore...

* * *

Central Empire, Sentinel Knight Order office.

[Brigadier General Jouken]

[Colonel Michael]

[Lieutenant Colonel Eaton] [Lieutenant Colonel Johann] [Lieutenant Colonel Karl] [Lieutenant Colonel Goetz]

[Major Joakim] [Major Kenso...]

The staff officers had meticulously organized the intelligence on the Eastern Brigade and pinned it to the cork board.

"The current Brigade Commander of the Eastern 7th Armored Grenadier Brigade is Brigadier General Jouken."

Brigadier General Jouken. Before my Regression, his military procurement corruption had been exposed, but rather than execution, he received only a Forced Discharge. He probably lived comfortably until the Empire fell.

"And the person who delivered the petition to us is here."

The staff officer pointed his finger at a figure at the bottom of the panel.

"Major Joakim."

I listened to the staff officer's briefing while mentally mapping out the power structure of the Eastern Brigade.

"According to Major Joakim's testimony and rumors within the unit, corruption within Brigadier General Jouken's faction is severe. The same circumstances were captured in the petition as well."

The Jouken line. No, more likely the entire upper command of the Eastern 7th Brigade was rotten to the core.

Stagnant water always rots. A closed organization like the military is exactly that kind of place.

"And there is a faction that opposes the Jouken line."

The staff officer tapped a photograph on the other side of the panel.

"Eaton Weiss."

I gazed at his photograph.

A neat, sharp-featured face. Two eyes brimming with shrewdness. A face that all but advertised "behold, I am a competent commander" to anyone who looked at it.

"He is the eldest son of the Weiss Family. On his paternal side, they are a venerable noble house and a local power of the Eastern Empire. On his maternal side, his grandfather's house is a wealthy family of Zerphan."

A top-tier upbringing where wealth and prestige were combined.

But that was the extent of it.

"Among the soldiers, there are widespread rumors that he is an exceptionally upright and incorruptible commander."

I swallowed a laugh inwardly.

Eaton Weiss.

The bastard was putting on the act of an fine soldier now, but he would betray the Empire in time to come.

A traitor who would revive his Zerphan blood, latch onto the Western Allied Nations, change his name to 'Eaton Eshelin', and serve as a general of the Allied forces.

Even after the war, he would become an influential politician in the Republic, only to be exposed for corruption and fall to ruin. A disgusting opportunist.

"And there are a few more figures of note. Lieutenant Bernhardt. Third son of the Wallenstein Family."

Bernhardt Wallenstein.

A name I knew. He had been a soldier of the Empire down to his bones.

In the Continental War before my Regression, he had achieved outstanding tactical results on the disadvantaged Eastern Front, only to be overwhelmed by the sheer disparity in force and defeated. He had refused to retreat and died on the field.

"However, his reputation among the soldiers right now is very poor. Due to the arrogance and abusive language typical of a noble. He and Lieutenant Adel, the one currently confined in the brig, were classmates at the Military Academy."

As for Adel... honestly, I have no memory of him.

He probably just died like that.

"...Interesting story."

I muttered, twisting the corner of my mouth.

Memories of the past and the situation of the present overlapped in a strange way.

Ah, how do I know this case so well, you ask?

Before my Regression, the knight assigned to this corruption case was me.

The me of back then was weak. Foolish. I didn't see through Eaton Weiss's hypocrisy, and I wasn't tough enough to beat Jouken to death.

Rather, I was swayed by appeals from those around me and by Eaton's honeyed words, and I left Jouken's Disposition in the hands of the Regular Army.

I praised Eaton's character and recommended him to the upper echelons.

A moron who failed to dig down to the true nature of the case.

That goddamn moron was me.

Ding.

The staff officer's terminal chimed briefly.

"Sir Knight. The transport craft is ready."

I rose from my seat without a trace of hesitation.

Now, it was time to prepare a new Disposition.

The day had come to erase my past.

* * *

East, 7th Armored Grenadier Brigade headquarters, commander's office.

"Lieutenant Bernhardt. You're being transferred."

Brigadier General Jouken tossed the documents down as he delivered the notice. Behind Bern stood Lieutenant Colonel Eaton Weiss, his face hardened.

"...Transferred?"

Bern clenched his fist, and Eaton spoke softly to him.

"Congratulations. The posting is the Imperial Center."

The Central Regular Army. The duty station every soldier on the frontier would give a lifetime to reach.

"...Brigade Commander, sir, I-"

"I won't entertain any objections."

Jouken cut him off, sliding a letter across the desk.

The name written in the sender's field was Bernhardt's eldest brother.

"Your brother tells me your father is quite upset as well. He retired early because of the stress... and now his son wants to add more stress on top of it?"

Bernhardt clenched his teeth. A taut, hard vein surfaced beneath his jaw.

He had volunteered to come to this barren Eastern post precisely because he was sick to death of the family's influence and the meddling of his oh-so-distinguished elder brothers.

"That's exactly why I told you, why are you hanging around with some rootless commoner trash?"

Jouken clicked his tongue in admonishment.

"Just leave quietly. The unit is already in upheaval as it is, and if the shit were to splatter onto a son of a Prestigious Family like yourself, that would be a headache for me too."

"But, I-"

"If you have something to say, why don't you say it to your father instead?"

Father. At that word, Bernhardt fell silent.

"Or. Will you say it to Lieutenant Colonel Goetz?"

"..."

Goetz. The Lieutenant Colonel who had passed the information to him.

'So these people know everything about me.'

'And knowing it, they're pulling this bullshit on me.'

Bern's shoulders sagged limply.

"If you understand, you may go now."

Jouken said again. Bern shot a fierce glare at Eaton beside him, then walked out of the office.

Thud.

"...Pathetic moron."

The moment the door closed, Jouken snorted.

"Well done, Brigadier General."

Lieutenant Colonel Eaton lowered his head.

"Don't mention it. Just doing what any commander ought to do. Insolent little fool getting too uppity."

A brat strutting around on the half-baked backing of his family. He should be grateful that his neck had been spared and that he was being promoted to the Center.

"What will you do about Lieutenant Adel's case?"

"Move on it tonight. Let's finish it before daybreak."

"Yes, sir. Then, I'll take my leave."

"Yeah, yeah. Take care. Get some rest."

Lieutenant Colonel Eaton left the commander's office. Brigadier General Jouken sank deep into the plush leather chair.

He was humming pleasantly to himself, imagining the settlement money that would drop into his account this month, when it happened.

Briiing─!

The military direct line on his desk rang out loudly. The call came from the headquarters overseeing the entire Eastern Front, in other words, from the highest priority upper-level channel.

"Yes. Loyalty. This is Brigadier General Jouken of the 7th Brigade."

Jouken straightened his back ramrod-stiff as he lifted the receiver. On the other end was Major General Caleb.

"Ah~ Major General, sir. What may I do for you? Hm? The court-martial, you say? Haha, it's nothing major. Just a military supplies embezzlement case. Yes, yes."

Jouken answered glibly, trying to smooth things over.

But from beyond the receiver, the Division Commander's words took a strange turn.

"...Excuse me? Ah, I'm sorry, but. I don't think we can postpone the schedule. The evidence has already been secured, and..."

All at once, the muscles in Jouken's face went rigid.

"What?"

The hand holding the receiver flinched. His pupils dilated as if in disbelief.

─...Brigadier General Jouken. I am being as civil and calm with you as I can manage right now.

From beyond the slanted receiver leaked a voice, one that sounded as if it were forcibly choking down fury.

─Court-martial or whatever the hell, shut it down right now.

"M-Major General, sir, what do you..."

─If you don't want both of our heads r⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌olling, stop it right now, you idiotic bastard!

A thunderous shout struck his eardrum.

─Until 'that person' arrives, you sit there and breathe and nothing else──!

...

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!"

The back seat of a military jeep heading out of the Brigade and into the Eastern city. Bernhardt kept spitting out coarse curses through his teeth, glaring out the window.

"What the hell are you throwing a fit for? Just go nice and quietly."

Major Kenso, seated at the wheel, scolded him.

In case Bernhardt tried to desert or refused to comply with the upper command's transfer order, the Major had personally taken the wheel. A fully armed truck was tailing the jeep close behind.

"...But Major. Those bastards tailing us back there, isn't that the 4th Platoon?"

"Yeah. That's right."

The direct platoon members Lieutenant Adel had commanded.

Bernhardt rolled down the window.

"Hey, you fucking pieces of shit──! Don't you fucks have any conscience at all?!"

He whipped his head around and roared toward the truck following behind.

In this rotten Eastern Front, there had never been a platoon leader who treated his men more like human beings than Adel. The stupid fool who shouldered every dirty job in the unit and, whenever his men got the short end of the stick, put his own neck on the line to defend them.

And there were that many pieces of garbage who had stabbed that Adel in the back and latched onto Jouken and Eaton.

"You fucking bastards. I'm goddamn curious, how much did you get paid to sell out your platoon leader, huh?!"

"Oi. Watch your mouth."

Major Kenso warned.

"What are you talking about, how much we got. Adel was the one skimming on the side, and the whol⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌e unit took the hit because of his- ah, fuck!"

In that instant, he yanked the wheel and slammed on the brakes.

Skreeeeeech──! Hoooonk!

The heavy jeep skidded to an abrupt stop in the middle of the mountains. Sizzling heat hissed from the engine and the skid marks.

"What the fuck is that asshole!"

In the dark, silent depths of the night. Right in the middle of it all, someone was standing motionless.

"──Hey!"

Major Kenso rolled down his window and bellowed.

"Who the hell are you?! Don't you know this is a no-entry zone for civilians?! You wanna die?! Move aside, right now!"

The soldiers who had followed jumped down from the truck and chambered their rifles.

Cha-chak!

The metallic clack of the triggers split the night air. Yet the man blocking the road didn't so much as twitch.

He simply stood his ground in silence, as if he were some kind of mountain.

"This guy really wants to die. Hey! Ready your guns!"

Click─!

The soldiers raised their muzzles.

"Unauthorized intrusion into a military zone is grounds for Summary Execution! This is your final warning!"

In the very moment that shout echoed across the mountain.

The sky, which had been hidden behind clouds, slowly cleared, revealing the full moon. Between the swaying leaves, a halo of light came pouring down.

"...?"

Golden hair, catching the moonlight, scattered in a dazzling shimmer. Beneath it, cold golden eyes cast in shadow. On the mountain path, a navy uniform wrapped around his entire body.

"Ah..."

Major Kenso's mouth fell open. Bernhardt's eyes widened. The soldiers with their rifles raised were the same.

Not one of them could manage to make a sound.

A heavy silence shook the air.

Whoooosh...

Every face there froze in the wind of the night.

~~~

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