I Warned You Clearly
I Warned You Clearly
The reconnaissance company returned to the brigade's encampment around the time three hours had passed.
Though it was the return of friendly forces, the soldiers at the temporary guard post could not offer any words of welcome.
It was because, at the rear of the reconnaissance company marching in silence, prisoners wearing Allied Nations uniforms were filing in.
The prisoners were all walking with their eyes on the ground, their faces deathly pale as if they had encountered a ghost.
The situation was not much different for the reconnaissance company.
After all, they were each stealing glances at Lucy, who walked along covered in blood, wrestling with their own private fears.
As if impervious to the soldiers' stares, Lucy crossed the encampment with an expressionless face.
Because of this, Daniel, who had come out to meet them upon hearing the news of the reconnaissance company's return, broke out in a cold sweat.
'...What the...'
It was only natural to be flustered when a company that had set out for reconnaissance returned with prisoners in tow.
The company commander of the reconnaissance company seemed equally flustered, swallowing hard before opening his mouth.
"Brigade Commander. I will report. At approximately 21:40 hours today, while conducting reconnaissance in the forested high ground near the road where the anti-tank mines were discovered, this company made contact with an enemy battalion-sized unit. The enemy was in an ambush posture and launched a preemptive surprise attack on our forces."
"...You were ambushed? Not the other way around?"
"Yes. This company immediately sought concealment and established firing positions, then commenced counter-fire. Even so, as the situation was unfavorable, we were considering a retreat. However..."
Company Commander Ehiliam glanced cautiously at Lucy beside him before carefully opening his mouth to speak.
"Thanks to Captain Lucy's performance, the situation was reversed. With morale restored as a result, this company counterattacked and achieved a successful victory."
"Specific figures?"
"Our losses amount to a mere 4 KIA and 9 wounded. In contrast, enemy losses are approximately 180 KIA, and we have secured roughly 120 prisoners. We also captured a large amount of equipment and weapons."
In summary, they had been ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force, yet had counterattacked and won, sustaining only minimal casualties.
It sounded like utter nonsense, but if one added the fact that 'Lucy Emilia' was included in the reconnaissance company, one could only nod in understanding.
'It was nighttime, so visibility was poor, and they wouldn't have known about Lucy's combat capabilities, so they couldn't have responded properly.'
From the enemy battalion commander's perspective, it was akin to encountering a walking natural disaster.
Daniel, who had been quietly observing Lucy, let out a low sigh and then looked at Ehiliam.
"Company Commander. Did you capture the enemy battalion commander as a prisoner?"
"Yes. When we broke through to their command post, he put his pistol down and raised both hands. He appeared to have completely lost the will to fight."
"Good. I think I need to have a talk with him. Tie him up in an empty tent. Herd the rest of the prisoners into one location for easier management."
"Yes. Understood."
The company commander, having answered concisely, turned and stepped away.
While the company commander was shouting orders at the soldiers, Daniel looked at Lucy once more.
"Adjutant."
His voice was thin and low.
It was to ensure that others could not eavesdrop on their conversation.
"I don't understand. Why on earth did you cause this commotion?"
As far as Daniel knew, Lucy was a woman who constantly tried to hide her true identity.
Yet, at this opportunity, she had demonstrated her abilities without restraint, which he could not comprehend.
Lucy answered, unable to meet Daniel's eyes.
"At the moment we were ambushed, it was an unavoidable choice to save our allies."
"Can I really believe those words?"
He was asking whether she had not been ambushed, but rather had lured the enemy into ambushing her.
Perhaps because her true intentions had been seen through, Lucy remained silent instead of answering.
She had gently opened her mouth to offer an excuse, but no voice emerged.
Daniel, finding something strange about Lucy's demeanor, narrowed his eyes.
"Is there some circumstance you can't speak of?"
Daniel's guess was not wrong.
For the closer she got to Penbark, the more Lucy had felt an inexplicable fury and hatred.
Daniel could understand Lucy's feelings, if only a little.
'If the information provided by the businessman Hamtal is true, Penbark is the place where Lucy was treated as a test subject. Judging by her words and actions, Lucy doesn't seem to know that fact, but...'
Should he tell Lucy about this? Daniel shook his head.
'There's no need to cause confusion by conveying unverified information.'
Thinking it best to keep his mouth shut for the time being, Daniel raised his hand and lightly grasped Lucy's shoulder.
"Adjutant. I will not separately interrogate you about what you did today. Because, in the end, it helped the military. However, because of today's events, you and I have crossed a river from which there is no return. I will have no choice but to report today's battle to higher command."
If a company-sized element had scored a major victory against an enemy battalion, higher command would certainly take an interest.
The forefront of that interest would undoubtedly be directed at Lucy Emilia.
There was a high probability that all sorts of tiresome matters would arise once higher command began investigating Lucy Emilia in earnest.
Lucy also knew this, so she could only wear an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry. Because of me, the Brigade Commander is suffering harm..."
"It's fine."
Daniel, having cut off Lucy's words, gave the most gentle smile he could manage.
"Because I will protect you no matter what."
Flustered by the unexpected remark, Lucy slowly raised her head.
Receiving Lucy's somewhat dazed gaze, Daniel forced himself to maintain his smile.
'I must imprint upon her that I am the only person in the Empire she can rely on. If we are placed in a relationship of mutual cooperation, any potential misfortunes probably won't occur.'
Daniel had spoken with survival in mind, but to Lucy, it registered as something carrying meaning beyond mere calculation.
Lucy's pupils trembled faintly.
"I too..."
Her breathing slightly ragged, Lucy lowered her gaze.
"Will make sure to protect you, Brigade Commander."
It was an ironic thing.
For they harbored different hearts, yet the place they ultimately wished to reach was the same.
*
After the commotion had subsided, Daniel entered the tent where the enemy battalion commander was held.
Inside the tent, Bental was sitting listlessly, tied to a chair.
Bental, who had been staring down at the ground, felt a presence from the sound of military boots and raised his head.
And he found Daniel Steiner, impeccably dressed in his military uniform.
The various medals adorning the uniform conveyed an indescribable pressure.
"Lieutenant Colonel Bental. I heard you were defeated even after ambushing our company with a battalion-sized force. Is that correct?"
At Daniel's words, Bental, who belatedly came to his senses, bit down hard on his teeth and shouted.
"By all rights, we should have won. By all rights, we definitely should have won! But... what the hell is that woman with the red eyes? What in the world is that monster!"
Bental, who had rushed to the fighting upon hearing the screams, had witnessed it.
The sight of a red-eyed monster butchering soldiers one after another with terrifying movements.
That monster was not only so fast that the eye could not follow its movements, but it also formed a gravity field in the area, making it difficult for the soldiers to even lift their rifles.
In Bental's memory, Lucy's form was like a wild beast rampaging among a flock of sheep.
"No matter how I look at it, that woman far surpasses the category of human being. You people... you wicked Imperial bastards! Don't tell me you even carried out human experimentation!"
Daniel had been about to say that it was you guys who created Lucy through human experimentation, but then shook his head.
For that was not what was important right now.
"Lieutenant Colonel Bental. I never gave you permission to ask questions. From now on, only I will ask questions, and you will only answer. Understood?"
Bental clenched his teeth as if in indignation.
Daniel, thinking he could see a willingness to converse, continued speaking.
"If you understood, tell me from where the city defense line begins to be formed. If there are any weak points in certain sectors, I would also appreciate you mentioning them."
Bental's mouth twisted into a sneer.
"Are you telling me to betray my fatherland right now? That's a ridiculous thing to say."
"If you're going to betray them later anyway, it would be better to betray them now."
"Do you think I would accept such a pathetic proposition? I will never surrender to you, who killed my soldiers, so get out at once."
It was a natural reaction.
However, Daniel could only find Bental's stubbornness regrettable.
"Lieutenant Colonel Bental. I am saying this truly for your sake, so listen well. If you do not answer my questions here and now, procedurally, my subordinate will have to torture you."
"How laughable. Did you think a soldier fighting on the battlefield wouldn't be prepared for at least that much?"
"No. Your resolve will certainly not hold. Because, well..."
Conscious of Frien, who was waiting outside the tent, Daniel spoke in a small voice.
"My subordinate is, objectively, not in her right mind. No matter what torture training you've undergone, the pain will be many dozen times worse. So I beg you: answer my questions here and now."
Daniel's words, for some reason, were filled with sincerity.
Bental hesitated for a moment but did not bend his will.
"Get out. I will never join hands with the enemy."
"Fine. If that is truly your decision..."
Daniel, having sighed, left the tent.
After a brief exchange of words outside, a woman entered the tent.
It was Frien.
She was carrying a toolbox in her hands.
"Hello? It was Lieutenant Colonel Bental, was it not? Would you wait just a moment please?"
Frien, having set down the toolbox, opened it and took out a pair of pliers.
Then, having risen from her spot, she walked toward Bental.
"Shall we start simply with the fingernails for now?"
"...What? Wait. Isn't it normal to ask questions before starting the torture? Surely you have information you want to find out from me."
"You aren't wrong. But asking later is more than sufficient, isn't it?"
Bental simply froze on the spot.
For he could not understand what on earth the woman in front of him was saying.
Standing before him, Frien smiled gently.
"Right now, this is time to receive punishment for having tried to attack Brigadier General Daniel, you see. It will not be too late to ask questions once Lieutenant Colonel Bental has sufficiently repented. You need not worry that you might not be able to repent."
Frien gently stroked the back of Bental's hand.
"Because I will keep teaching you until the Lieutenant Colonel repents. Even if you faint, I will wake you right up with my healing ability, so you can continue to reflect on your wrongdoings. Isn't it truly a wonderful thing?"
The gentle voice, oozing benevolence, sent goosebumps across his skin.
While Bental was aghast, Frien lightly widened the mouth of the pliers.
"Now then. Shall we begin repenting?"
Bental, who instinctively felt terror, shook his head desperately, but Frien paid no mind.
"Hoo-hoo. Everyone refuses to acknowledge their sins at first, but as time passes, they weep and look back on their own lives. Lieutenant Colonel Bental will be no different, so don't worry."
Frien began to squeeze the pliers closed on Bental's fingernail.
Because of this, Bental's breathing grew ragged.
Staring up at Frien with his eyes wide open, Bental had no choice but to acknowledge it.
'Just as Daniel Steiner said...'
This woman was not in her right mind.