The First Regression
The First Regression
Frien tried to persuade Lucy.
That crossing into enemy lines like this was no different from suicide.
That it was a reckless act, driven by a passing impulse she couldn't overcome.
That Daniel wouldn't return even if her revenge succeeded.
That this wasn't some game of playing hero.
That ending her life in such a way was something Major General Daniel would never condone.
That in the worst case, she might die without so much as getting close to her revenge.
With all those words, she tried to turn Lucy from her resolve, but it wasn't enough.
For Lucy, who had kept her silence, simply turned and walked away.
The persuasion failed.
The price of that failure was Lucy's death.
"Captain Frien. I must report that Major Lucy was discovered and attacked while operating inside enemy territory. Her death in the fortress city of Lakedrapol has been confirmed. I heard she fought bravely against enemies closing in from all sides...."
At the news delivered by the soldier, Frien could do nothing but collapse.
It was a wound too large and deep for Frien, left all alone, to bear.
But there wasn't much time to grieve over Lucy's death.
For the Republic, having confirmed the deaths of its two biggest headaches—Daniel Steiner and Lucy—had begun to move in earnest.
"The Republican bastards have begun their march toward the Filoena Highlands! Damn it! Those sons of bitches!"
"All personnel to your positions! Artillery units prepare to fire on signal!"
"Medical unit, focus on securing evacuation routes!"
While soldiers and officers scrambled about, Frien went to visit Daniel's grave.
She meant to say her final farewell, in case she lost her life in the coming battle.
Frien arrived before the gravestone, where the traces of footprints had long since vanished, and knelt down.
After gazing at the gravestone before her for a while, Frien raised her hand.
Her hand, moving as slowly as if being pulled up through a net, touched the top of the gravestone.
Feeling the cold stone, Frien brushed her hand over it and drew back.
With both hands resting quietly on her knees, Frien's parched lips quivered.
"...Major General Daniel."
Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop Major Lucy. Like a fool. I don't think there's a single thing I'm any good at. Isn't that right?"
There was no one to answer her.
Yet Frien felt as though Daniel was watching over her from somewhere.
"There's one more piece of bad news. The Republic has confirmed that Major General Daniel and Major Lucy are dead and is said to have ordered a general offensive. Honestly, I don't know how long we can hold out."
Her breath stopped for a moment.
"But still...."
Looking at the gravestone, she forced an awkward smile.
"I'm going to try to fight to the end. Because Major General Daniel would want that too."
Having said that, Frien rose from her spot.
Because she felt like she'd start crying again if she stayed here any longer.
Not wanting to trouble Daniel any further, Frien bowed her head in parting.
'Someday, again....'
Believing that she would see Daniel once more.
*
Frien fought at her post with all her might.
But the void left by Daniel's absence was far greater than she had imagined.
The morale of the soldiers and officers who had lost Daniel Steiner—their pillar of morale—plummeted, and within the military, a traitor who had colluded with the Republic kept leaking information.
In these unfavorable circumstances, the chief of staff who had taken over command did his best to fill the void Daniel left behind, but it was not enough.
The 14th Mixed Division was ultimately routed and had no choice but to abandon the high ground and retreat.
From the moment the strategically vital high ground was seized, the collapse of the front line was all but inevitable.
The defensive line anchored around the high ground became useless, and the other units holding the line, upon hearing that the high ground had fallen, were forced to order a withdrawal as well.
The Imperial General Headquarters publicly called it a strategic retreat, but in reality, it was close to a collapse of the front.
The staff department of the routed division argued endlessly over who was to blame for the defeat, and as the conflict deepened, a power struggle erupted.
It was discord that would have been unthinkable in the days when Daniel Steiner was alive.
Such discord was not limited to the military alone.
The allied nations, hearing that the Empire had withdrawn its lines all at once, openly voiced their anxiety through various media, and the citizens of the Imperial Capital were gripped by fear.
The death of Daniel Steiner—the near-invincible hero—had come as a tremendous shock.
And so, while Republican forces continued to push southward through the captured high ground, anti-war protests broke out once more in the Imperial Capital.
Seized by the fear that the Republic might march all the way to the Capital, citizens, one after another, joined the anti-war protests, and nobles and certain politicians fell in line as well.
Empress Selvia determined that those advocating the anti-war protests were sowing anxiety and undermining national unity, and she publicly declared that they would be severely punished.
Afterward, Selvia directly commanded the military through close cooperation with the Chief of the General Staff and achieved several successes.
But it was impossible to hold back all of the Republican soldiers who kept pouring in.
In desperation, they were forced to pull personnel from the eastern front as well, but the failure to redeploy those forces caused the northeastern front to quite literally collapse.
After Daniel Steiner's death.
The future of the Empire had become as precarious as a candle flame before the wind.
*
Six months had passed since Daniel's death.
Countless discords and conflicts were breaking out across the Empire, but the cemetery on the snow-covered high ground remained wrapped in an unchanging stillness.
Fresh footprints appeared on the high ground that no one bothered to visit anymore.
"...."
A woman was walking, breathing heavily.
Her light-brown hair, tousled by the wind, had lost its luster and turned coarse, and not a trace of hope could be seen in her dull eyes.
The name of the woman who had come, never having forgotten Daniel, was Frien Remilliart.
She had endured the passing months, endured and endured again, and had at last returned to this place.
"Ah. Found it."
Exhaling a frost-laden breath, Frien approached the gravestone.
Frien was wearing civilian clothes—the dress and cardigan she had worn when she went to see a movie with Daniel Steiner in the past.
But she looked very different from the neat, flowing appearance she had back then.
For the pure white dress was stained with blood, and the hem of the cardigan was torn.
It was because she had been discovered by Republican soldiers on her way here and had been forced to fight.
"...Major General Daniel."
It had been so very long since she had spoken Daniel's name aloud.
Feeling something both awkward and painfully missed, Frien continued.
"I tried my best and worked hard, but I don't think it's going to work. Winning a two-front war was a lot harder than I thought. It's strange. When Major General Daniel was alive, I thought it wasn't that difficult."
A low laugh flowed out and quickly withered away.
"You know, Her Majesty the Empress grieved deeply. When I personally told her about Major General Daniel's death, she looked utterly shocked. She denied it several times, and when I told her what I had seen with my own eyes, she couldn't hold back and burst into tears."
Frien slowly knelt down.
"Her Majesty is a pitiful person. To me, she is endlessly wretched. Because she had to carry out the duties of the Emperor before she could even accept Major General Daniel's death. Watching Her Majesty attend to state affairs even after losing the person she loved, some call her iron-blooded and relentless, but I know the truth."
A bitter smile settled on her lips.
"Every night, Her Majesty allows no one near her and pours out her grief all alone. And yet, seeing her refuse to set aside her responsibilities for the sake of the nation and its people—she is truly strong, isn't she? Someone like me could never follow her example."
Her gaze fell upon the gravestone.
"...Ahaha. That's right. As you can probably tell by my being here, I deserted. How should I put it... I felt that if I didn't come now, I'd never be able to return."
Frien chattered on as if speaking directly to Daniel.
"If Major General Daniel could see me like this, I think you'd get angry and call me stupid. Maybe you'd yell at me to go back right away. Or else...."
As she pictured Daniel from when he was alive, moisture welled up in Frien's eyes.
"...I miss you. Major General Daniel."
After that, sobbing followed.
Frien had prayed to God without missing a single day after Daniel died.
Just once.
Just once would be enough—please, let her see Daniel Steiner once more.
For that, she would give everything she had.
She would gladly suffer for all eternity, if only she could see Daniel Steiner.
But her prayers went unanswered.
"The footprints lead this way! Over here! Bind her the moment you find her!"
The voices of Republican soldiers rang out in the distance.
Thinking that time had run out, Frien pulled a revolver from the bag she had brought.
Raising the muzzle of the revolver to her temple, Frien slowly closed her eyes.
'O God. If there is a next life....'
A single tear streamed down over her closed eyes.
'Let me devote everything in my life to only one person. Daniel Steiner alone.'
Having offered her final prayer, Frien pulled the trigger.
Taaang─
At the same moment, an immense quantity of black mana erupted and blanketed everything around her.
*
The sensation of death did not come.
The moment she opened her eyes, bewildered, the strength drained from her legs.
Kudangtang─
Frien collapsed to the floor without realizing it and simply blinked, not understanding why.
"I was definitely...."
As she muttered in confusion at the inexplicable phenomenon, footsteps approached.
"Frien? What's the matter? Are you alright?"
It was a familiar voice.
It was Daniel's voice—the one she had so desperately begged God to let her hear, even just once.
Drawing in a stunned breath, Frien slowly lifted her head and found Daniel.
"Daniel... Major General?"
This was the miracle granted to Frien.
And the agony she would have to endure countless times to come.