“If you insist, then bring the Emperor himself.”
“…”
“…”
There was a brief pause. Everyone present took time to comprehend the words Hazen had uttered. Those were words that should never have been spoken by an Imperial soldier, no, an Imperial citizen.
Eventually, Major Shimanto began to shout furiously.
“Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect! Disrespect!
///
scene transition
///
“So what?”
“…Gah!”
Major Shimanto tried to stand up, but Hazen kept his foot firmly on his head, exerting his strength. For this mage, it was easy to channel magic into his foot and immobilize the body.
“You… you’re not in your right mind… you’re crazy… your head is twisted… do you understand? The crime of disrespect means not only your own, but even your family’s, immediate execution!”
“Then kill me.”
“…!”
“You can’t, can you? Because you know what will happen if you fight without me.”
“Ugh…”
“Do you understand? The crime of disrespect is punishable by immediate execution. Failure to do so would result in the executioner also being severely punished, no matter the reason. But where is your head at now? Groveling before such a heinous criminal?”
“Grrrrggggggrrrrrrrr…”
Captain Shimanto struggles, but remains completely immobilized, as if paralyzed.
“I’ll give you a choice. Use my power as one guilty of disrespect to save yourselves. Or apply the disrespect crime and have me executed. Which will it be?”
“Grrrrggggggrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggg”
He’s no longer even comprehensible. Captain Shimanto can only groan in incomprehensible sounds, desperately enduring.
Hazen silently watches the sway between his reason and his rage.
Eventually,
foaming at the mouth but managing to force out the words, Shimanto declares:
“…Ggah! I’ll turn a blind eye to the crime of disrespect!”
“Well done…but you too are guilty of disrespect.”
“Hah…ugh…”
“You’ve just admitted to benefiting from the power of one guilty of disrespect. That admission is fatal, you know?”
“I did it for…the fortress, for the Empire!”
“No, that’s not it. You don’t have that kind of character. It’s time you realized it. You were just desperately pleading for your life, that’s all. For the Empire? Don’t make me laugh.”
As Hazen looked down upon him with added force, a iron fist from Captain Lorenzo suddenly connects, sending Hazen flying to the ground.
“That’s enough! This could become irreparable!”
“……”
“What’s gotten into you!? Calm down, this is clearly excessive.”
“……”
Listening to these words, Hazen gazes up at the sky. Then closing his eyes, he eventually speaks.
“I, at least, would not brand the great contributor Lei Fa as a monster.”
“Hiii…”
Hazen’s piercing gaze makes Shimanto tremble.
“You senior officers who remained in this fortress, as well as the soldiers of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, all have merit. But at this very moment, Lei Fa has contributed far more to the Empire than all of you.”
“I was only saying that everyone should be giving their all equally.”
“Equal? Don’t get it twisted. Merit is not something that should be distributed equally to all. The one who has achieved the most should receive the most.”
“Tch…”
“The 2nd Battalion fought without deserting the enemy lines. The 1st and 3rd Battalions, including their officers, cowardly fled into the gate, abandoning Lei Fa who risked her life to protect you all. That is the truth.”
“……”
Hazen shouts towards the 1st and 3rd Battalions.
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“Don’t you all have families to protect? How would you feel if those you protected showed you no respect, despite your brave fighting and sacrifice? Being branded a monster, despite putting your life on the line?”
“……”
“Think about it. At the very least, I have no desire to protect those who show no gratitude for being protected. Especially if I am the one doing the protecting.”
” …… “
With that, Hazen departs.
Returning to his quarters, he finds Yan reading a book on the bed. Despite the battlefield outside, this carefree behavior elicits an exasperated sigh from Hazen.
“Come, I’m going to treat Lei Fa now.”
“Eh, was she injured!?”
Yan jumps up, a worried expression on his face.
“She’s fine. Her life is not in danger.”
“Ah, let’s go then. Master Hazen’s ‘fine’ can’t be trusted.”
” …… “
As Yan rushes past him, Hazen allows a faint smile to appear on his face.
“But I’ve really done it now.”
Hazen mutters with a pained expression.
He had let his emotions get the better of him. Lei Fa, unlike him, has a kind heart. And those with such hearts tend to be sensitive to others’ feelings as well.
When she wakes, the thought of her being called a monster was just unbearable. But pragmatically, while branding Shimanto as such was acceptable, disparaging the 1st and 3rd Battalions was better avoided.
“Well, can’t be helped.”
Unexpected situations occur in battle. If they are discontent with his command, perhaps installing Captain Lorenzo would be wise.
Thinking this, he heads to the medical room, where soldiers from the 1st and 3rd Battalions’ junior officers are waiting.
“What are you all doing here?”
“Ah, Lieutenant Hazen. We, well, we acted terribly disrespectfully towards that person…”
“……”
“Seeing General Gizal, we were overcome by the fear of death. And yet, that person…despite seeing that, she threw herself into the fray to protect us. And yet…”
“Sigh…So you all as well?”
As Hazen looks around, everyone nods sheepishly.
“By the authority of a Captain, I order you. Go back and have a meal. Take a leisurely rest.”
“But… but…”
“You all being here is of no use. And I’m not letting Lei-fa out. To be honest, she won’t be of any use to you for a month or more. Therefore, there is no one else to fight in your place.”
“…I understand. Tomorrow, it will be our turn to fight in her place. We’ve all decided.”
“……”
“The only thing we can do to repay her for risking her life to protect us, to show our gratitude, is that.”
“…Alright. With that spirit, let’s fight tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
“By the way, I will be facing General Gizal alone tomorrow.”
“Eh? But without Lei-fa…”
“Originally, we had planned to fight without her on the third day. But with this difference in military strength, if we let our guard down, we’ll be taken down immediately.”
“I-I see!”
“But let me make it clear, I haven’t forgiven you.”
“…Yes.”
“However, I’m sure she would be grateful for your feelings. When this battle is over, and if we’re lucky enough to survive, you should bring her a meal. I’m sure she’ll be delighted.”
“Y-Yes!”
When Hazen entered the infirmary, there was Captain Lorenzo and Yan.
“Not so bad, are you? Being a military man.”
“…Well, but the morale doesn’t seem to have dropped as much as I expected, which is a relief.”
The ones visiting here were mostly junior officers and non-commissioned officers. It seems they had voluntarily gone as representatives of the squad.
“But Lieutenant Colonel Shimanto’s action was too much. No matter how you try to cover it up, the demotion is inevitable, isn’t it? After achieving such a great feat, it’s a shame.”
“…I suppose so. But I couldn’t forgive it.”
“Why? He was also in an excited state. And you, Lieutenant Hazen, wouldn’t be the one who doesn’t understand that, would you?”
“……”
After a brief silence, Hazen…
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