Daniel's Merciless Suppression of the Resistance
Daniel's Merciless Suppression of the Resistance
The following morning.
The division commander's office inside the city hall.
"......Are you saying you're now going to permit assemblies and approve nighttime movement?"
Intelligence Staff Officer Pelf asked in reply, making no effort to hide his bewilderment.
Daniel, who had been seated in front of the office desk reviewing documents, answered indifferently.
"Yes. Do you intend to raise an objection?"
"That's not it. I fully respect the Division Commander's judgment. However, permitting assemblies and nighttime movement at this juncture is quite worrisome."
"What is worrisome."
Daniel asked as he stamped the administrative order execution documents.
Pelf, who had been standing with his hands clasped behind his back, deliberated before voicing his opinion.
"Division Commander. Lakedrapol is currently in a transitional period. With the military patrolling the streets for the purpose of maintaining public order, citizens' complaints are being filed constantly."
"And?"
"The mayor has stepped forward to say he will cooperate with us, but we cannot restore civilian administration the way the citizens want. To establish discipline, Lakedrapol must be sustained under military rule for the time being."
It was not an incorrect statement.
"In this situation, if assemblies and nighttime movement are permitted, there is a non-negligible possibility that those hostile to the Imperial Army will stage demonstrations. If even a minor clash occurs between the Imperial Army and citizens in the process, winning over public sentiment will become all the more difficult."
"Hm."
"Furthermore, not all the remnants who targeted the Division Commander have been captured yet. If nighttime movement is granted, won't they deliberately become active?"
This too was sound reasoning.
Of course, Daniel was not unaware of it.
Nevertheless, his reason for trying to permit assemblies and nighttime movement was simple.
'Because this is pretty much my last chance to get pulled to the rear.'
After the liaison officer Rimshel had arrived, Daniel had racked up successive feats, and the General Headquarters now regarded Daniel Steiner as something of an all-purpose general.
At this rate, not only would Daniel Steiner be appointed commander of the Lakedrapol occupation zone, they would also have him serve as a frontline commander in the next battle.
Daniel, wanting to prevent that at all costs, had desperately racked his brain, and what came out of it was precisely this measure of permitting assemblies and nighttime movement.
'If a demonstration breaks out inside the city, GHQ will realize that I'm not qualified as an occupation zone commander.'
Of course, he couldn't reveal this true inner thought to Pelf just like that.
Daniel set aside the stamped documents, placed his hands on the desk, and laced his fingers together.
Softly narrowing his eyes so that Pelf would not dare refuse was a bonus.
"I understand the Intelligence Staff Officer's opinion, but I think differently. Are you aware that this city has a large-scale festival held every winter?"
"Are you referring to the White Silver Snow Night Festival?"
"Yes. I hear it is a festival that the citizens of this city look forward to all year. They say the scale has been reduced due to the recent poor situation, but it seems to be a fairly important festival to the citizens of this city."
Daniel leaned his body toward Pelf.
"Even if this is governance by military administration, wouldn't it be right to let them have some breathing room? I believe that if the festival is prevented from being held, dissatisfaction with the Imperial Army will rise further, you see?"
As Daniel presented a pretext of his own, Pelf could no longer show defiance.
Pelf, who had trusted Daniel's judgment from the start, nodded as if he had no choice.
"Understood. If the Division Commander's thinking is so, I shall raise no further objections."
"Thank you for trusting me. And regarding this tax collection...."
Just as Daniel was about to continue speaking, a knocking sound came from outside the door.
Tok-tok—
Wondering who it was, Daniel unfolded his laced fingers and looked toward the door.
"Major General Daniel. I've brought the person you sent to be treated. May we come in?"
Since the voice belonged to Frien, Daniel nodded without much thought.
"Come in."
Once he granted permission, the door opened and Frien entered the office.
Behind her, a man whose eyes could not properly focus was trembling violently.
Just as he was wondering who it was, Frien gestured lightly.
At that, the man warily watched Frien's every move as he walked to the center of the office.
Daniel, who had been closely examining the man's wretched state, was slightly startled.
'......Sergeant Regulten?'
The man who had acted so boldly yesterday had turned into a timid herbivore overnight.
Just as he was wondering how this had come about, Frien flicked her fingers.
At that, Regulten dropped to his knees and hastily began to speak.
"I'm sorry I failed to recognize the great General Daniel Steiner and dared to plan an assassination I caused disrespect to everyone I now know it is something that must absolutely never be done I will never do it again from now on."
The voice that muttered as if in a state of panic sounded as though his soul had been castrated.
Daniel was so taken aback he lost his words, and Frien let out a low sigh.
"Mr. Regulten. Shouldn't you speak so that Major General Daniel can understand you?"
Regulten flinched, nodded, and then slowed his speech.
"I'm sorry. I have committed a crime worthy of death. I will make sure this never happens again, so please, just this once, forgive me. I have also told you all the information I know. Great General Daniel. Please forgive me just this once."
Seeing him tremble like that, Daniel felt he had a rough idea of what had been done to him.
When he turned his head, his gaze met Frien, who was grinning.
It was as if she were asking, 'Did I do well?'
Daniel found it absurd, but he decided not to rebuke her for what had already passed.
"......Captain Frien. From now on, only do what you are ordered to do. But what is this 'information he knows' that came out of Sergeant Regulten's mouth?"
"Ah. While the treatment procedure was continuing, he complained of pain and then told us where the hideout of the company that planned the assassination of Major General Daniel was."
He decided not to ask what the treatment procedure had been.
"You found out the company's hideout?"
"Yes. When Major Lucy heard that, she said she would go and deal with it immediately."
"My adjutant did?"
Daniel, thinking of Lucy who had gone alone to find the enemy company, let out a pensive murmur.
"I'm worried, for some reason."
"You mean Major Lucy?"
At Pelf's question, Daniel shook his head.
Because what Daniel was worried about was not Lucy, but the Republic soldiers who would have to face Lucy.
*
Meanwhile, beneath the fortress city of Lakedrapol.
"Move quickly! Start with the firearms crates and ammunition boxes! We don't need to take all the food supplies—abandon any that have spoiled or show signs of spoiling!"
The 3rd Platoon Leader raised his voice as he looked at the soldiers.
Inside the inspection chamber, Republic soldiers were carrying luggage one by one.
Since the company's key officers had been captured, they thought it was only a matter of time before this location was exposed, so they were trying to relocate the hideout.
But their movements were not that swift.
No matter what, they did not think the company officers would have spilled all their information overnight.
Thus, the prevailing complacent thought was that as long as all the luggage was moved today, it would be fine.
The 3rd Platoon Leader was also thinking similarly, so while he was barking at them to move quickly, he wasn't exactly forcing them.
'If the Company Commander were here, I'm not so sure....'
The Company Commander was out monitoring the Imperial Army's movements, so there was no one whose mood he had to be mindful of.
So as he was passing the time with his arms crossed, he heard the sound of footsteps trudging from the rear.
'......Huh?'
Thinking it might be the Company Commander, the 3rd Platoon Leader turned around, but he couldn't help but feel bewildered.
Because from the darkened passageway, only the trudging sound of footsteps could be heard.
If it were Daegen, he would have called out to a soldier by now. It was a puzzling matter.
After waiting a moment, a slender-framed woman revealed herself within the reach of the light.
She wore the uniform of the Imperial Army, but since she was wearing a gas mask, her face could not be confirmed.
Confirming it was not Daegen, the 3rd Platoon Leader hastily drew his pistol.
"What the fuck! Who are you!? How did you get in here? Did Daniel Steiner send you!?"
As the 3rd Platoon Leader caused a commotion, the soldiers who had been carrying luggage also stopped what they were doing and stared at the passageway.
The soldiers, who had realized she was an intruder, put down the luggage they were holding and each drew their weapons.
In the atmosphere that had instantly gone silent, the woman's small lips parted slightly.
"Lay down your weapons and surrender. Then I won't kill you."
The voice that came through altered from beyond the gas mask made one's whole body chill.
But from the 3rd Platoon Leader's perspective, it was an utterly absurd statement.
She had come in alone and was urging the entire unit to surrender—there was no way they would heed that.
'And even....'
Right now, the woman was not even carrying a single common firearm.
The only thing she had was a dagger worn at her waist.
Judging that they could not lose, the 3rd Platoon Leader raised his pistol.
The moment he was about to pull the trigger, the woman vanished, leaving an afterimage.
Chwak—
At the same time, the 3rd Platoon Leader's wrist was severed and rose into the air.
"Huh?"
Amidst spurting blood, the hand that had been spinning in the air fell to the floor and rolled.
Only after a moment did the 3rd Platoon Leader realize his wrist had been cut off and collapsed to his knees.
"Aaaaargh!"
In the space where the 3rd Platoon Leader's scream echoed loudly, the woman, having confirmed that the enemy possessed no biochemical weapons, raised her hand and removed her gas mask.
When she took off the gas mask, the soldiers, seeing the red eyes that were revealed, were enveloped in silence.
Having let out a light breath, Lucy looked around at the soldiers who were surrounding her.
"Final warning. Lay down your weapons and surrender. If you ignore my words again this time...."
While the soldiers were gripped with terror, Lucy emotionlessly continued speaking.
"All of you will die here."
This was not a threat or an exaggeration, but an obvious fact.