Translator: KJ

"──Captain Bernhardt. Captain Adel."

In the great hall of the Imperial Command. The two soldiers who stepped onto the platform were presented with plaques. Medals were pinned to their chests, ribbons hung about their necks. With dazed faces, they stared at the medals, the ribbons, and the new insignia of their rank.

"May you continue to serve the Empire and the army with a loyalty that cuts to the bone. As the flawless sword and shield of His Majesty the Emperor, may you press onward without wavering, bearing nothing but pride......"

The ceremony ended before they could even come to their senses.

That said, the two of them could not return to the 7th Armored Grenadier Brigade in the east. It was a measure taken for their own sake.

Even so, they were soldiers of the Empire. Adel and Bern stayed at the Command for a while, chose the border region as their new posting, and received their assignment to the 2nd Eastern Border Defense Division.

"......My head's still spinning."

One day, as all of this was more or less drawing to a close, beneath the old tree in the rear garden of the Command.

Adel and Bernhardt met again.

"Hey. Adel."

"......"

Adel looked at Bernhardt without a word.

"From now on, you're under me."

"......Heh."

Adel let out a dumbfounded chuckle.

"Just half a rung under. I helped you out this time, didn't I? If things had gone even a little sideways, you'd have died in that solitary cell with nobody the wiser."

Bernhardt puffed up his chest, fishing for credit.

Adel shook his head back and forth.

"Suit yourself."

The easy answer made Bernhardt the wary one instead, and after studying Adel's face, he pulled a crumpled report from his pocket.

"......You see this?"

It was the after-action report compiled following the purge.

Among the 280 who had been executed, the proportion of those identified as Subspecies was remarkably high.

"I told you before. The ones with something to hide are always the ones harboring other ideas."

A man might be blinded by greed and commit corruption.

But to encourage that corruption, to spread it like a plague, is a problem of an entirely different order.

"There were even goddamn lowlifes like this hiding inside the regular army. This is no small thing. We Arans have to stick together, man."

"......Then quit slacki⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌ng off all the time. Dumping every bit of the paperwork on me, honestly."

"Which is exactly why we need a division of labor."

Bernhardt tapped his own temple and grinned slyly.

"I've got strategic sense. You know that."

Runner-up in tactics and strategy. First place in the chess tournament.

That was roughly Bern's record at the military academy.

"It burns through brain energy at an extreme rate, so I can't go running my body into the ground on top of it. Which means we have to combine your relentless thoroughness with my sense."

Bernhardt slung an arm around Adel's shoulder and added in a serious voice.

"That's the only way......"

To survive.

That day, the fields of the east were still vivid in their memory.

Maximilian's face, his voice, even the gesture of his hand as he ordered the executions, all of it came back as though it had been yesterday.

"Well. If we work hard enough, things'll sort themselves out somehow."

Adel had survived. In exchange, hundreds of soldiers had died.

Eaton Weiss. The man who had been a commander of high repute in the east was now a person who no longer existed, and the Weiss Family too had tumbled into the abyss. Brought to that fate by a single man.

Then.

"Captain Adel. Captain Bernhardt."

All at once a courier officer from the Command approached, snapped a salute, and handed over some sort of doc⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌ument envelope.

"News of your promotion, sirs."

"......Promotion?"

"Yes, sir."

Adel and Bernhardt looked at each other's faces.

It hadn't even been a few weeks since they were promoted

"The formal commissioning ceremony will be in two months."

Was it because their contribution to rooting out the corruption in the east had been recognized, and because the large-scale purge had left the eastern front short on manpower?

Or was it, perhaps, thanks to a single word from a certain 'someone'?

"Furthermore, there was a message from that person: 'I am wa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌tching.' Congratulations. Loyalty, sirs."

The courier left.

From those last words, they came to understand whose doing this promotion had been.

It was perhaps an obvious matter. A two-rank jump promotion...... especially from Lieutenant to Major, was very nearly impossible for any soldier.

"......"

"I am watching......"

And so the two of them stared at the promotion envelope, utterly dazed.

──Whooooosh.

The wind that blew through stirred their not-especially-long hair into a forlorn sway.

* * *

War is not far off. At the most, the time remaining is four, maybe five years.

These days that fact presses against my skin. Because there is so much to feel just from walking lightly through the streets of the Empire.

「Subspecies Forbidden」

「Especially Ezenheim and Merin, no entry!」

The blatant placards hung in every shop window of the commercial district.

"You know, those Merin are thieves down to the marrow."

"Never gamble with those bastards. They'll cheat you, guaranteed, no exceptions."

The indiscriminate language of hatred and contempt drifting from every corner of the streets.

"Hey! I heard your mom's an Ezenheim!"

The jeering shouts of children tormenting another child, hurling stones at the mouth of an alley.

It is the natural self-cleansing of society, a scene that benefits humanity, and yet......

"Filthy monster! Get lost!"

As I walked on, a question suddenly crossed my mind.

That child is not an Ezenheim. And yet, despite not being an Ezenheim, the child suffers the insult of having an Ezenheim for a mother.

If what the children say is true, then did the Ezenheim adopt a child who is not an Ezenheim in order to disguise itself?

It is plausible enough.

And at the same time, it cannot be helped.

The sacrifice of the small for the sa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌ke of the great.

So long as the cause is 'the survival of the world', we dare not be choosy about our means.

......As I chewed over such thoughts, I arrived at my destination.

Before a certain chapel in the 19th District. A fair number of armed police were already lined up out front.

"Loyalty!"

The police chief came scrambling over and saluted. Without a word, I went inside the chapel.

The interior was a sorry sight.

A space shattered here and there in the course of the raid. The nuns were huddled in a circle in the corner, paralyzed with fear, and in the center, prisoners in shabby clothing were bound. They were covered head to toe in blood, as though they'd been beaten just enough.

"Knight, sir. Allow me to begin with an overview of the case! We received a report that this chapel has been illegally sheltering vagrants of unknown identity and Subspecies!"

The chief reported with a triumphant expression. I slowly surveyed the faces of those kneeling. A man whose leg had been cut off, leaning on a crutch. A man with half his face twisted by burns. A woman, blind and one-armed.

Every one of them, people driven to the very edge of life.

"......"

My heart is calm as I gaze at them.

Among these people, there is not a single Ezenheim.

"What's more, these nuns here, every one of them! They say they've got no Genealogy Certificate! Every last one, every last one!"

The chief pointed at the nuns.

"They're surely either subversives in league with the revolutionary forces, or Subspecies!"

The police were thoroughly worked up. Most likely on account of their performance numbers.

"That's not true!"

A young nun who could bear it no longer cried out, on the verge of tears.

"We were born and raised in the Empire, we're Arans! And these people are only poor souls with nowhere else to go!"

"Has she lost her mind? How dare you flap your mouth in front of the Knight!"

The instant a certain sergeant raised his baton, one man stepped forward, shielding the nuns.

Soft footsteps roused the air of the chapel.

"......I beg your pardon."

An old priest who guarded this ancient chapel, bowing his head in a quiet voice.

"......"

I looked into his face for a moment.

He was someone I knew.

One of the not-many people who revive my memories from before the Regression.

The very reason I had taken the trouble to come here was, in truth, this priest.

"And yet, Knight, sir."

The past,

that past that still exists within my memory.

The man who had hidden a wanted fugitive named Maximilian Ebenholtz.

"We have committed no crime whatsoever."

He looked me straight in the eye.

Meeting his gaze, I spoke.

"Under the「Imperial Citizenship Law」, the operation and activity of all religious institutions within the Empire is mandated to be permitted only to pure-blooded Arans."

Gulp. The police beside me tensed for no reason, and the chief quietly took a step backward.

The priest answered calmly.

"We are Arans, born and raised in this place."

"You've got no proof, no proof! No Genealogy Certificate to your name, and you'd pass yourselves off as Aran?"

The same sergeant from before bellowed, his face flushing red.

"Look, Knight, sir! Look, look at the state of these wretches. Every one of them a cripple with limbs hacked off. They're surely men who got wounded committing treason and fled here! And to shelter such men is-"

"Sergeant."

"Uh, yes, sir! Knight, sir!"

"You talk too much."

At my single remark, his mouth froze, gaping open like a frog's.

"Cut down on the talking from now on."

"......"

"Step out and wait."

"......!"

The sergeant slipped out of the chapel without uttering a single word more. The other police hurried out after him.

Now only I and the priest, the terrified nuns, and the sick remained inside.

"Hmm."

I sat down on a wooden pew. Creak. These wooden boards that had creaked in the past creaked still, like some kind of pulley even now.

"Father."

"Ye⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌s. I am Ast."

"Father Ast. What became of your Genealogy Certificate?"

At my question, Father Ast bowed his head with a bitter expression.

"......It was lost."

The other side of that answer.

The hidden circumstances contained in the word lost.

And the Ezenheim who is not here.

I understood his words at once.

"Someone stole it and ran off, then."

"No. It was lost."

I had more or less anticipated it.

Since the enactment of the「Imperial Citizenship Law」, the original Genealogy Certificate proving pure Aran blood had become valuable in its own right.

Rather than crudely forging a document, it was far safer and far more popular to steal a genuine Aran's certificate, erase the ink, and overlay a new name to launder one's identity.

"In that case, then, you have no Genealogy Certificate after all?"

The priest closed his mouth.

"......"

I gazed at him for a long while. In the silence, the weeping of the nuns flowed on. The priest's complexion too had darkened to the color of ink.

Again, I gave a faint smile.

"Why such a grave expression?"

A place that, when the Empire was steeped in contempt and discrimination it could not help, could at least hold onto a measure of warmth.

"I understand."

I looked around at the sick bound on the floor. Most of them had pale blond hair and golden eyes.

"There are times when one needs the solace of religion."

A little blood of some race other than Aran might be mixed in, but at the very least, they are not Ezenheim.

In that case, there is no reason to dirty my hands.

"Father Ast."

I rose from my seat and stepped before the priest.

"I will accept that your Genealogy Certificate was stolen from you."

I looked into the eyes of the priest, far younger now than the wrinkled face from before my Regression.

"If you were born and raised here for generations, you should be able to obtain the testimony of those around you."

Testimony holds plenty of weight as evidence.

"And in addition, those people Father Ast has taken in."

I pointed at them with my finger. The priest's shoulders stiffened.

"They too may of course not be pure-blooded Arans, but those who merely receive charity and relief are not subject to the「Imperial Citizenship Law」."

In other words, it meant they were guilty of nothing.

The priest let out a sigh of relief, and I quietly turned away from him.

"......Only. The important things, you must protect on your own."

Opening the chapel door, I added in a low voice over my shoulder.

"If you cannot."

Someday, you will find yourself unable to protect the things you truly hold dear.

At those words of mine, the priest quietly closed his eyes. He bowed his head slightly to express a small measure of gratitude.

Creeeak.

When I came out of the chapel, I felt a gaze observing me.

Filty.

In this way, she had been watching me, steadily, all along.

......

"......I'm sorry!"

Outside the chapel, in a deserted alley. The chief and the rest of the police threw themselves onto the ground and pressed their heads down.

For the record, I never told them to.

"There is nothing to be sorry for. You merely labored diligently for the public security of the Empire."

I looked down at them as I spoke.

"However, in an investigation, accuracy is what matters most. If you had hastily branded that priest and those nuns as Subspecies and wrapped the matter up carelessly, what would have come of it?"

The police flinched in their shoulders.

"Those vermin, those Subspecies criminals who stole their Genealogy Certificates, would instead have been transformed into true Arans under the lawful protection of the Empire."

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

The police repeated their apologies over and over.

"On your feet."

Only then did I run an indifferent eye over the faces of the police as they rose awkwardly to their feet.

Among them too, there was no Ezenheim.

Was today a lucky day?

Or was it, rather, an unlucky one?

For these police, in all likelihood, it was a 'very' lucky day.

"From now on, track down whoever filed the report on this chapel. They had their Genealogy Certificate stolen, and as if that weren't enough, they suddenly find themselves reported. A truly remarkable coincidence."

"Y-yes, just as we'd expect of you, Knight, sir! We'll see to it!"

The chief answered with vigor, and I gave a glance to the Operations Officer standing beside me.

The Operations Officer drew a thick envelope of cash from his coat.

"......All of you. This is a gratuity bestowed by Knight Maximilian upon the public security forces for their hard work. It is a reward for your passion, so take one envelope each."

The color shifted in the faces of the police. They studied one another's expressions, then sidled up before the Operations Officer.

"The chief first."

"......Ah. Yes. Thank you."

"Right, next, step up. And don't go coveting another man's share. The amounts are all the same."

As I've said time and again, a charge of offering a bribe does not apply to an Imperial Knight. It is part of the duties of an overseer.

"......Oh!"

"Hah!"

The police, who had taken their envelopes in bewilderment, grinned from ear to ear the moment they checked the amount and bent at the waist again and again.

I turned on my heel to climb into the car.

"─Extra! Extra edition!"

Suddenly, in the distance, a newsboy came charging in, raising his voice.

Flap. Flap. Flap.

I plucked one of the spilling newspapers from the lot.

The headline stamped in thick red ink.

[ Valkania Declares War in a Surprise Move! ]

"Valkania......"

Valkania is a peninsular nation jutting out from the southwest of the Empire. Its territory is fairly broad, and its terrain qualifies as a strategic chokepoint.

To the upper part of the peninsula lie Zerpha and the Republic of Prozen of the west, to the east the Empire's Genen Autonomous Region and Volska of the Eastern Alliance, and so on, borders pressed against borders layer upon layer, the so-called 'throat' of the continent.

"Extra! Valkania has invaded Mekerel! Extra!"

Valkania had started a war out of nowhere.

Their target was the southernmost tip of the continent. That is, 'Mekerel', which had built an independent state as a tribal confederation in a land located waaay further south than even the southern Empire.

The pretext, astonishingly, was a stale historical origin going back some five hundred years, that the two regions had once been unified under a single dynasty.

"......What's this now?"

"Where's Mekerel?"

The people of the Empire seemed to have little interest, but this is one of the events that will shake the political situation of the continent.

From now on, the great powers of the Western Alliance, Prozen, Italic, and the rest, will immediately and fiercely condemn Valkania, will issue statements day after day branding it an unlawful aggressor, and will pass a powerful resolution of sanctions.

Even Robrus of the east, thrown into chaos by its own internal purge, will get in on the act.

[Robrus General Secretary Varmil strongly denounces Valkania: 'The barbaric armed atrocities of Valkania must be stopped at once!']

And the like.

So then, what stance had the Empire taken before my Regression?

When all of international society reviled Valkania as an aggressor and turned its back, the Emperor of the Empire instead bet on the exact opposite.

He extended a hand to a Valkania facing diplomatic isolation, and in time even forged a military alliance with it.

──For the Empire, it was the worst possible choice.

Of course, the Empire would have fallen even without Valkania, but the continent's tacticians appraised the Empire-Valkania Alliance like this:

'For the Empire to crush Valkania, a mere three divisions would suffice. But should they be the Empire's ally, more than ten times that force would be needed just to hold back the enemies pouring in from Valkania's borders.'

To put it plainly, a nation too incompetent to take on as an ally.

The moment an alliance is struck, Valkania becomes the worst sort of dead weight, one that will hobble the Empire and suck up its resources without limit.

"......Tch."

I crumpled the newspaper and tossed it out the car window.

This too cannot be helped.

From here on, I must employ every means and method to shatter that future.

~~~

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