Chapter 142: I will carry out the order! (1)
Imperial Calendar May 28th, 376
It has been a month since the Eastern Army occupied Atzuma City. Aila reported to the Director of the Capital Management Bureau (me) that the water supply had been cut off for three days.
The Deputy Director of the Capital Management Bureau said with a worried face,
“At this rate, we’ll run out of water within 6 days. If we reduce the rations to 1 liter, we can hold out for about 9 days, but we’ll have to accept a decline in combat strength. These days, in Atzuma City, someone who can fill you up with water is the number one marriage candidate.”
“There’s no way that’s happening with the same rations.”
“That’s just what they say.”
Taking the documents she handed me, I made a serious expression.
9 days we can hold out with a decline in combat strength.
On June 7th, we’ll have to live on sunlight alone. I wonder if humans can do what even plants can’t, but we can reduce the rations for a day or two to create a reserve.
We just need to survive that one day.
I’m confident because the command confirmed the date I was waiting for.
However, Aila didn’t seem to have any confidence. She complained with a dissatisfied expression,
“The Drought Countermeasures Committee is grumbling. They say we should have used the water for drinking instead of making glue. The ingredients were floating in the river, so the supply was easy, but it took a lot of water. If we gathered all the water used in the glue we’ve made so far, we could last another week.”
“I’m the chairman. I’m well aware. But we can’t reduce essential supplies.”
“They’re even talking about suing for violating the Water Conservation Act?”
“That’s a perfect joke.”
Even if others don’t know, the current Chief Justice wouldn’t accept the lawsuit. Because both the defendant and the Chief Justice are me. It’s a void judgment due to lack of cause. Bang. Bang. Bang.
After finishing a trial in an instant, I sighed deeply again.
Everyone takes it lightly, but in fact, drinking water is not a necessity of life, but a necessity of survival.
This terrifying liquid, which can kill a person in just 3 days without drinking it, has realized the ambition of drug dealers in that everyone, regardless of age or gender, must drink it to survive.
At least it’s a good thing there’s no fire. If a fire breaks out, we’ll have to use a huge amount of water to put it out. Because we haven’t prepared any fire hydrants.
“It’s a good thing that the Prohibition Act is being observed at a time like this.”
“You mean it’s being observed in a secondary sense?”
“Of course. What does that look like?”
I pointed irritably at the boxes of moonshine filling one side of the office.
What are these people doing, making moonshine in this situation?
I sentenced the moonshiners, who shouted that they were following the basic principle of commerce that sales arise because there is demand, to a water cut-off penalty that reduced their water rations to 1/4. It’s probably an unprecedented punishment this century.
The secondary meaning that Aila mentioned is that the spirit of the Prohibition Act is being upheld.
Ah, of course I understand. The feeling of needing to soothe oneself with alcohol in this hot, waterless, and depressing situation. However, alcohol wastes precious grain and water at the same time.
I wouldn’t mind if they drank the alcohol they already had, but making it is a problem. Moreover, exchanging it for double the amount of water, not even money, is absolutely unforgivable. If they have that much water stored, just drink it!
I was racking my brains, feeling the eternal incomprehensibility that a ruler feels towards criminals, when someone burst through the door as if they were going to break it down.
“Your Excellency!”
“What is it, Greyman Chief?”
“It’s a big problem!”
Just seeing you barge through the door in a panic, I can tell something big has happened.
I calmed her down by giving her a glass of water. It’s a waste of water, but she was worth it. She shouted in a tremendously excited tone,
“First Sword Martin has declared a strike!”
What? I looked at Sispa with a dubious expression. Her expression firmly conveyed that this was no joke.
I, who was already racking my brains due to holding numerous positions, couldn’t help but get angry.
“This is crazy! It’s not even a labor union!”
“Risel, you’re focusing your anger on the wrong thing.”
Aila showed her usual indifferent kindness.
The root of the problem stems from a request First Sword Martin made earlier. He didn’t want to do work he didn’t understand why he had to do it. So he’s quitting.
The Greyman Chief wanted to call that action a rebellion, but I decided not to give it a name tag for the time being.
Of course, since he didn’t follow the famous saying that points to the greatest virtue of a soldier, ‘Do as you’re told,’ it can be considered a rebellion. If we use more words, we could call it disobedience of orders, a more euphemistic name.
Lucy shrugged and said,
“Whether it’s disobedience of orders or rebellion, it’s the same thing. He didn’t do what he had to do, and he did what he shouldn’t have done.”
“But are Levidian and Al alright?”
“Well. I’d guess that those two alone could survive the crossfire of the 1024th Cheonbyeongdae.”
I wholeheartedly agree with that.
Levidian and Al are skilled enough to deflect and drop incoming arrows. At least they can convert their attack range into their defense range.
But a strike? Is that even possible? With Levidian and Al as on-site supervisors?
I pondered that question as I rode my horse.
Since I was going anyway, I called the other Cheonbyeongjangs, and took Namia and Joey, who were working, with me.
After riding for about half an hour and arriving at the 1024th Cheonbyeongdae’s work site, I realized why they used the term strike. It was because they couldn’t bring themselves to actually rebel.
Levidian asked with wide eyes,
“Oh my, Risel, why are you here?”
At her feet, First Sword Dregorn Martin was groaning, having been beaten senseless and with a sword pointed at his neck, and Al was calmly cleaning up the unconscious soldiers a little distance away.
I collected my dumbfounded thoughts and asked,
“Uh…… Did you beat him up?”
“Yes. He dared to attack me without knowing his place. I thought it was over on the first day.”
“What about those people?”
“They attacked too.”
“Why?”
“To save this guy.”
“Why did First Sword Martin attack?”
“He said he didn’t want to work.”
Seeing her answer so naturally made me feel like a fool.
I sighed and looked at the soldiers of the 1024th Cheonbyeongdae surrounding us with menacing expressions. They had all stopped working, but they hadn’t let go of the equipment in their hands.
The rebellious First Sword, pinned under Levidian’s foot, let out a groan mixed with words.
“Everyone…… attack and crush them……”
“Are you still saying that? I told you that even the fastest among you wouldn’t reach me before my sword hits the ground. I also warned you that while I don’t like killing people, it’s not difficult.”
“Fu, fuck you……”
“Oh my, I’m sorry. I’m a woman, so I have nothing to kick. Should I kick yours instead?”
She was someone who became endlessly fierce towards her opponents. She doesn’t hesitate to use harsh language even in front of me. Well, I’m not going to tell her to speak politely, but……
I scratched my head and tuned out First Sword Martin.
“Who’s the second-in-command here?”
“Here.”
Al pointed to a woman among the fallen. She was unconscious, drooling from her mouth as if she had been hit in the abdomen, and she was wearing the insignia of a Chief.
“The third-in-command?”
“Here.”
Al pointed to the Senior First Lieutenant next to the Chief. I have a headache. If I asked who the fourth-in-command was, he would probably point to the next person.
My empty feeling wrapped around my voice and disappeared into the air.
“Did all the officers attack?”
“It seems so.”
First Sword Martin seems to have exerted considerable control. If all the officers rushed to rescue him, it’s obvious what happened.
I called out to the one under my foot.
“First Sword Martin.”
“Why?”
Is he talking down to me now? Good. Now I don’t intend to treat you as an officer either.
“What’s your problem?”
“Watch your mouth, you brat!”
“You too.”
Levidian put more weight on the foot pressing on his chest, and at his scream, the soldiers of the 1024th surged forward momentarily. At the same time, the four Cheonbyeongjangs drew their weapons, and finally Joey drew his greatsword with a roar and swung it.
With one hand.
“Retreat―!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A chilling sound cut through the air from a height of over 3 meters, and dust rose from the dry ground. At the sight of what would surely become a legend of this century, the soldiers quickly retreated. Excellent discipline.
I stroked my chin and said,
“Hmm. With this number of people, they could even withstand a siege of a thousand.”
“You madman. Stop talking nonsense. You seem to be clueless, but my unit wasn’t originally created to do menial tasks like this!”
“You’re the one who’s clueless. Do you even know who’s stepping on your chest right now?”
First Sword Martin, Dregorn, tried to glance up at Levidian’s face. He said with a look that could kill,
“Damn it. Get your chest off me. I can’t see your face. It’s damn big.”
“It’s just a little bigger than average. I wish you wouldn’t judge so freely.”
Levidian said with an indifferent expression, her face not changing color. But isn’t that a bit of an understatement? Aila is burning with jealousy right next to us.
Just like that, Levidian said something that would upset every woman present, then looked at me. It’s a sign to continue.
“Hmm. Do you know the Sword King?”
“The Sword King? Is there a fool who doesn’t know her?”
“There might be. You might not know while being stepped on by her, or even when your life is at stake from her sword.”
“Wh, what?!”
He tried to widen his eyes. He wouldn’t be able to open them wide no matter how hard he tried with his swollen eyelids from being beaten, but he seemed surprised.
“Th, that’s impossible! Th, there’s no way such a woman could be the Sword King!”
“What, what do you mean by that……?”
“What do you mean?”
Levidian and I interrogated him with one mind.
Dregorn, I think your phrase ‘such a woman’ carries quite a lot of meaning, doesn’t it? She’s not someone you can ignore just because you think she’s low-ranking.
“Th, there’s no way such a beautiful woman could be the Sword King! Th, that’s right! It has to be someone like that monster over there!”
If I had said that line, Levidian would have blushed with embarrassment and at the same time, punished me for the sin of comparing her to Joey. However, she is merciless towards her enemies.
So she only questioned the sin of comparing her to Joey. Hahaha.
“Don’t you think that’s quite rude, First Sword-nim, to put yourself above me?”
“Kyaak! Do, don’t press! My, my arm!”
For your information, his arm is twisted behind his back and pressed against his body. It would be hard to pull out and it would hurt a lot. I waved my hand and said,
“Now, Levidian, let’s just bear with it. Yes? He doesn’t know, so he complimented you.”
“If Risel says so, I will.”
She released her strength, and Dregorn, after catching his breath for a while, made an incredulous expression.
“What, what kind of re, relationship do you two have?”
“That kind of relationship.”
Levidian said firmly, and I made a shy expression. Although the traditional roles of men and women have been reversed, she and I are not an ordinary couple in the world.
“Un, unbelievable……!”
“Now, whether you believe it or not is your freedom. Let’s stop chatting and move on with the story.”
I approached his face and squatted down, staring at him. Levidian’s sword was right in front of me, but I wasn’t particularly scared.
Hmm. Still, let’s keep my center of gravity back. Let me say this in advance, but it’s because it’s uncomfortable to talk like this.
“Hey, Dregorn, what do you think the problem is? Are you upset because it’s menial work?”
“Ugh……! Yes, you damn noble brat! Do you think we’re just puppets who move as you command!”
“Weren’t you? A soldier does what he’s told. He doesn’t interpret orders or question justice. Isn’t that the spirit of a soldier?”
“Humph! What would a guy who only chases after girls at balls know! Soldiers are those who cross the line of fire, fight enemies, and protect the country! They’re not here to do trivial digging! Especially our unit! The 1024th Long-Range Mobile Strike Patrol Unit! We were organized to fight!”
If you were to name someone who could proudly declare their stance even while being crushed in defeat, he would be one of them. However, his posture makes his pride look considerably faded.
“Hey, what does a soldier do?”
“Fight! Fight, fight, and fight to protect the country and its people!”
Hey. Those are nice words, but from the Empire’s perspective, we’re rebels. Do you know that? Well, since we’re practically treated as the Orknesia Kingdom now, it’s not exactly wrong.
I chuckled and said,
“You’re wrong. A soldier is a convenient multi-purpose tool.”
“What?”
“Of course soldiers fight. It would be problematic if a multi-purpose tool didn’t have offensive capabilities. However, most soldiers not only have offensive capabilities, but they also do all kinds of work: building, caring, creating, and destroying. And you have to use the one who uses the tool properly. Who is that? The commander-in-chief. In the case of the Eastern Army, it’s my father. When a soldier is not using the sword he carries, he should be utilized as another tool. That’s what’s desirable.”
“That’s nonsense! Even if that’s the case, our unit was created to be a sword! Comparing us to lowly shovel-wielding trash is an insult!”
At this point, I couldn’t help but look back at First Sword Luxilen.
His Cheonbyeongdae was an excellent engineer corps, and he was proud of that fact, and thanks to that, we were able to successfully carry out this Atzuma City occupation operation.
First Sword Luxilen perfectly expressed the look of a parent glaring at a punk who insulted their child.
“Created for only one purpose?”
“That’s right!”
“Killing?”
“That’s right!”
At this point, there’s one more person I need to call out. I turned to Levidian, returned her bright smile with a smile of my own, and called out to a good friend.
“Aila, they say they’re an assassination unit?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. What assassination unit? Judging by their appearance, they might be bandits.”
“Oh, for your information, she’s the leader of an assassin group.”
Aila, who had approached us at some point, grinned and waved at Dregorn.
“Hello-! I’m Aila, the master of Mangya, which rivals the Black New Moon. But no matter how I look at it, your group is too different from us. If we wanted to, we could send in about 30 people and assassinate you all in one night. Oops! That’s a company secret, what should I do? Oh ho ho!”
As expected of Aila. She showed the perfect reaction I wanted. This is why friends are great.
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