Chapter 22: It's My Older Sister
The Empire was spreading a newspaper at an alarming rate, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had spotted the war-related article, held it up with a look of growing concern.
He seemed to be in a bind, rubbing his temples.
Damn it. The atmosphere was already tense, and now this last article?
No matter how sensational the headlines, this was crossing the line.
He held back the headache throbbing in his temples and looked at the Foreign Affairs Minister.
“Foreign Affairs is also in a difficult position. The war has only just ended, and if the public sentiment towards each other becomes like this, it will lead to war again. It’s not that we underestimate the train kidnapping and terror attempt, but if a full-scale war breaks out again in this state, our Empire could stagger greatly.”
At those words, Boss shrugged his shoulders once.
He wasn’t just any soldier; he couldn’t not know that. As a soldier at the pinnacle, if he had no political sense to that degree, he would still be in the field command.
“Don’t worry too much. The newspapers are making a fuss like that not to create a tense atmosphere, but rather to inform the Empire’s overwhelming superiority, which will be a factor in firmly holding the Empire’s citizens.”
“Do you have absolute confidence that it will be like that? Even if so, on the Elven side….”
“Instead, you should thank them. They have a good opportunity to exterminate the hardliners all at once, and a perfect justification. And there’s no official expression of regret from the Elven side flying to the Foreign Affairs right away.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded, saying it was correct.
He had been worried that the Elves might say something unpleasant like “this is too humiliating,” but they had been consistently taking a low profile, saying they would apologize for the actions of the Luzens bastards instead.
And that low profile was naturally turning into anger towards the hardliners.
“Using this incident to solidify the internal atmosphere more firmly, is this it?”
While the Foreign Affairs Minister stroked his chin and pondered for a moment.
Crack—
Boss spread out the newspaper to check if the article he wanted had come out well.
Good. Very good. This protected the faith in the army that might be shaken.
Karl had retired, but fortunately, it hadn’t been a few months yet.
The ink on his discharge certificate hadn’t dried yet, so he could proudly shout “Imperial Army is great!”
And the status of the army didn’t fall, at least not.
“I wish I could give him more medals.”
Actually, this part was being seriously discussed with the Ministry of Justice earlier.
The merit of preventing terrorism and rescuing Empire citizens was as great as before.
However, there was no mention of whether “double Medal of Honor” was possible under Imperial law.
Since it was a medal that was hard to receive, the possibility of double award was something neither thought of.
Cross Medal of Honor, or perhaps replace with Silver Star Medal.
It was around the time Boss was pondering this.
“Ah. Did you hear the news? It seems an agent from Heigens side entered the Special Intelligence Agency.”
“Yes. I heard. It was ‘that woman,’ right? Is it true?”
“Yes. That woman.”
Commander of the extermination unit. An elf who mercilessly cut down even his own kind.
A quite dangerous person had stepped up to investigate this incident.
“By the way, do you know that Sergeant Karl Adelheit was called as a witness?”
“…I heard that for the first time.”
“Indeed. So, it seems they will send someone today.”
At the Foreign Affairs Minister’s words, “I see,” and nodding.
Then suddenly, the conversation he had with Karl a while ago came to mind.
“Don’t ask me for anything else here. Now I’m just an ordinary academy returning student.”
Honestly, we should remove “ordinary” from conscience. Sergeant Karl.
Which academy returning student has received the Medal of Honor and single-handedly subdued terrorists?
I even want to secretly recommend re-enlistment.
He had just retired as a sergeant. Soldier re-enlistment was impossible, but non-commissioned officer re-enlistment was possible.
It was a pity to have such a talented person as a single academy student.
“Well, this is just a wish.”
Boss himself was from the army, so he knew that recommending re-enlistment was crazy.
If it really were, Karl might have infiltrated the Foreign Affairs with the club.
*
“Don’t ask me for anything else here. Now I’m just an ordinary academy returning student.”
Yeah. Mouthy. Why did he do such a thing and plant his own flag.
The tongue is the door of calamity and worry, and the axe that destroys the body, right? Has my inner Confucius faded!
“Ranzustak. From the Special Intelligence Agency, Karl student. Due to the train kidnapping and terror attempt incident that happened before, I would like you to accompany us for a while.”
Yesterday it was journalists. Today it was Special Intelligence Agency officials. Just spectacular.
The one thing that felt good was that it was “Karl student” not “Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”
If treated as a soldier, how much would these guys try to use him? Worries started.
But if treated as an academy student, it would be appropriate and then finish!
“It won’t take long, right?”
“Yes. We are estimating one to two hours. As a witness, I dare say you have nothing to worry about.”
It wasn’t another department, and coming out low-profile from the Special Intelligence Agency was recognition.
There was still one lecture left, but I thought the Special Intelligence Agency side would handle it well.
If not, then… well, skip one. After all, up to three was fine.
“Karl.”
Just as he was about to board the carriage, a familiar voice came from behind.
“Huh?” He quickly turned his body, and the expected person was standing there.
“…Sister?”
Licata Adelheit. Older sister three years older than me.
That person was the next Friedrich Count. Someone who would become my family head someday.
But I had heard she was busy, why was sister here?
Slick—
Licata sister stood quietly in front of me with a cold expression.
Why was she acting unlike her usual self. Was there something wrong at home—
“Ka-a-a-aarl!”
“Kuek.”
Her expression collapsed immediately, and she hugged me tightly!
Even though there were Special Intelligence people beside me, it was a bit embarrassing, but I couldn’t push her away.
Because of sister’s personality, if I pushed her away here, she would sulk for a week.
“Sis, sister. Why are you here….”
“Too much! Too much, too much. Too much!! How could you not contact me even once?! Huh? You didn’t even tell me you received the Medal of Honor! After catching the terrorists, you stay quiet! Do you know how worried I was when I heard the news?!”
“No, that’s. I was too busy too….”
“I hate you! I hate Karl! I kept it secret when you went to the army. Sister worried every day!!”
“No, so listen to my words first, kuek.”
Sister. Breathe. Breathe! Don’t hang on my neck! Brother is dying! Dying!!
“Is there any injury? Huh? Did the Gganf bastards injure our Karl?”
“Not at all. No scratches, sister.”
“Then what is this! This wound here! What is it! Tell me!”
“This? It’s a wound from getting excited on the day of discharge and bumping into the bed.”
“No? Honestly tell me. Did the Gganfs do that?! Tell me! Sister will go right away….”
Wah. Calm down, sister. If you tell the secret like that, it’s a big problem.
“…Huuu, hic—”
Why was this sister crying again?!
“Why, why! Why are you crying!”
“It’s too sad that our Karl is suffering like this and sister didn’t know anything….”
“It’s natural not to know! I didn’t tell you! It’s my fault, it’s my fault!”
“You retired but still suffer… look at our Karl getting skinny….”
If this was getting skinny, then the real skinny ones were sticks, sister….
Better to stop now? The Special Intelligence people started looking strangely!
“Hic… B-but where are you going? You still have lectures left today, right?”
“According to the Special Intelligence side, as a witness… no, briefly. How did you know the remaining lectures?”
“Did you forget who sister is? Anyway, going to the Special Intelligence?”
When I nodded, sister suddenly grabbed my hand with a “pat”!
“Sister is going too!”
“…Eh?”
What are you saying, sister. I’m not going on a trip right now.
It’s as a witness! I’m going to tell them how we subdued the Gganfs!
The Special Intelligence staff seemed to be the same.
The one who seemed the highest ranking among them stepped forward slightly.
“Sorry, but Karl student is a witness requested from the Elven side, so I can’t bring other people….”
Unfortunately, his words ended there.
When sister pushed something in front of that person, he retreated with a “hic”.
“Done?”
“R-Ranzustak! Yes! It seems we can go together!”
“Seems so. Then let’s go! Karl!”
With a hehe, Licata sister quickly boarded the carriage.
And she patted the seat next to her with her hand, as if I was still a little sister.
“Sister. Please… I’m a Medal of Honor recipient… the guy who cut off Gganf necks….”
I wanted to say that, but I held it in. Actually, maybe it was better that I couldn’t speak.
It was perhaps natural for sister to treat me as a baby.