The Masked Prince (4)

Any group of people inevitably corrupts. Even the military, locked in a desperate struggle for humanity's survival, was no exception. Just look at Lutus Edan, the former commander of Graveyard. The celebrated war hero turned out to be nothing more than a criminal who had embezzled military supplies as casually as eating a meal.

The documents Arhen reviewed while serving as acting commander were beyond absurd. She immediately reported the matter to her superiors and tipped off the military prosecution and military police. Though the upper echelons seemed reluctant to investigate a war hero, the sheer volume of evidence and the meticulous report submitted by the reserve brigadier general could not be easily buried.

"This is… rather serious."

"We appreciate the public disclosure, Brigadier General. The Central Military Police will conduct a thorough investigation."

After all, he had already left the military. No one would go out of their way to protect someone who was no longer one of their own. It wasn't as if the military was filled with kind-hearted people. They were all scrambling to climb higher with whatever achievements they could scrape together, and in this era of peace, their rice bowls depended ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠entirely on results.

The joint investigation by the military police and prosecution had barely begun when Arhen Orca's new posting was announced: Director of the Inspector General's Office under the Supreme Command. Inspection. And it was said the Chancellor himself had appointed her.

"You actively reported your superior's corruption. Your devotion to justice for the nation and the military is truly admirable."

"I will do my best, Your Excellency the Chancellor."

Of course, Arhen knew the Chancellor had his own agenda. When someone who had shown no interest during the war suddenly showered her with flattery, even nonexistent suspicions began to form. Yet the Chancellor's words were not entirely wrong. Over ten years of war, the military had achieved elite status, but its internal integrity had deteriorated far worse than before the conflict. In times like these, someone capable of cool, objective judgment was necessary.

With that thought, Arhen accepted the position of Inspector General. And the very first thing she did upon taking office was to personally conclude Lutus Edan's case.

"Just a moment. Why has this charge been omitted?"

"Ah… well…"

"Didn't you promise me a thorough investigation? This amounts to dereliction of duty."

"The head of the military police said this to the prosecution investigators? This is a serious matter that could be seen as external pressure."

She forcibly dragged out Lutus Edan's crimes, which had seemed destined to be quietly buried. The sight of her storming into their offices and hounding them the moment she assumed her post left the military police and prosecutors aghast. Hadn't he been their commander, someone they had shared life and death with during the war? Was there really any need to go this far?

The investigation was so relentless it could only be described as driven by spite. In the end, they proceeded exactly as Arhen demanded, stripping the war hero Lutus Edan of every last privilege. This included his retirement pension. From now on, Lutus would have to work simply to survive. It was a fitting punishment for having siphoned off the people's taxes and the military budget at his own discretion. She had wanted to see him imprisoned as well, but the other investigators had stopped her, saying it was excessive. Corruption or not, the achievements he had built during the war were not fabricated.

Arhen Orca concluded the investigation at that point. A war hero had lost everything overnight; nothing could be more wretched than that.

Just as Arhen, having successfully completed her first inspection mission, was about to begin the next, news arrived of an incident in the Eastern Military District. By the time she learned of it, three days had already passed. She had been conducting inspections in the distant Western Military District, so the information had been slow to reach her.

The devastating news that her most cherished younger sister had fallen into a coma.

Without asking questions or demanding explanations, Arhen packed her bags and headed straight for the military hospital in the Eastern Military District. After entrusting herself to a military transport plane and then driving three nonstop hours in a vehicle borrowed from a nearby airbase, she arrived at the hospital.

"Leah!!"

She burst into the ward, her sweat-soaked hair flying, only to find Leah Gilliard lying quietly asleep. And she was not alone. A doctor in a white coat stood there, along with a woman in a black military uniform that contrasted sharply with the medical attire. The sight of a doctor and someone in black uniform—looking as though they had come to deliver a death notice—made Arhen's heart plummet.

"…Who are you?"

"Ah, Brigadier General Arhen Orca. Leah and I are practically like sisters! Leah—is she all right?!"

The doctor nodded in understanding and answered the anxiously pacing Arhen.

"Fortunately, she has passed the critical stage, thanks to timely emergency treatment. Her condition during transport was not good, but she is now recovering at an astonishing rate."

"Ah…"

The news that Leah was safe drained the strength from her body. Arhen staggered for a moment before forcing herself upright.

"However, for some reason, she has not regained consciousness."

"Is there something wrong with her health?"

"No, but in my personal opinion, there seems to be a psychological component as well. It could also be a reaction to her sudden improvement."

Arhen looked at Leah. This was the same Leah Gilliard who had endured days as grueling as her own at Graveyard. Especially vivid was the memory of her sobbing uncontrollably when the unit was completely disbanded. Perhaps all the stress and fatigue she had been suppressing had finally exploded with this incident.

"In any case, the first priority is rest, and the second is also rest."

"Thank you, Doctor…! Thank you for saving Leah…!!"

"I only did my duty. Well then… I shall take my leave."

The doctor offered a gentle smile and passed by Arhen. Judging by his demeanor, there truly was no major problem. As if entranced, Arhen approached Leah and murmured while gazing at her sleeping form.

"That's right, Leah. You've worked so hard until now, so rest a little."

As long as she was safe, that was enough. Composing herself, Arhen turned to the silent woman in the black uniform.

"And who might you be?"

It was a uniform she had never seen before. Pitch-black, with not even a hint of luster, as though it had been painted with ink. Only the golden eagle insignia on her chest proved she was an imperial soldier.

At Arhen's question, the woman finally opened her tightly closed lips.

"Karin Maven of the Security Strategic Agency."

"Security Strategic Agency…?"

It was an organization she had heard of. A newly established agency she had learned about upon her appointment as Inspector General. Like the Inspector General's Office, it belonged to the Supreme Command, yet it was also directly under the Chancellor—a malformed institution. Were they connected to the reason Leah had been shot?

"What brings the former Security Bureau here?"

A flat voice answered Arhen's question.

"…Second Lieutenant Leah sustained her gunshot wound while protecting one of our personnel."

"Leah did?"

"The Director said he received great help from Second Lieutenant Leah Gilliard and asked me to deliver this to you, Brigadier General Arhen, should you arrive."

Her mechanical attitude was as though she were simply reciting pre-input lines. Though her rank was unknown, it was not something one should display toward an active-duty general. Yet for some reason, Arhen felt no inclination to point it out; the atmosphere was simply too awkward. Moreover, the woman had known Arhen would come.

Before the questions piling up in her mind could be voiced, Arhen accepted the paper bag Karin handed her.

"I have delivered the Director's message, so I shall take my leave."

"What? Wait a moment!"

Karin turned and left without another word. Arhen, flustered, tried to stop her, but Karin disappeared through the door without looking back. It felt as though she had deliberately avoided further conversation.

But the moment Arhen checked the contents of the paper bag, she could not help but be startled. Inside was a pair of syringes housed in an unmistakably high-end case. There was no way she wouldn't recognize them.

"What…?"

By the time Arhen rushed out of the ward, Karin Maven had already vanished.

===

She dreamed. It was so vivid it could hardly be called a dream, yet it carried a floating, unreal ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sensation that made it feel unlike reality.

In that place, Leah saw a man gazing down at her lying in bed. A bear-like build. Perhaps it was because his back was to the moonlight streaming through the window, but he seemed even larger. He stared at her in silence before carefully stroking her face. Then, without warning, tears began to fall from beneath his mask. He made no sound, no movement—just wept.

Transparent tears tracing down his cheeks glittered in the moonlight.

Strictly speaking, it was a man she had never met touching her body. Not only that, but crying while looking at her. It should have been horrifying. Yet before she knew it, Leah found herself crying along with him. Because that warm touch felt as though she could remember it. Because it was the very sensation she had longed for in her final moments.

She wanted to tell him not to cry, that she was sorry. She wanted to apologize for promising not to leave him behind, only to depart first. The two of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them simply wept in silence, unable to face each other.

The one who broke the silence first was the masked man.

"Leah, I've decided not to regret anything anymore. So—"

"I hope we never meet like this again. Live happily, as if to show the world. Forget me, and stay the bright person you've always been."

The masked man slowly removed his mask and rose from his seat. Leah ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desperately reached out her hand. But the more she reached, the more he walked away, the farther he seemed to grow. If nothing else, she hoped her voice would reach him.

Don't leave me behind. There's no need to leave anymore, so please come find me again. I know how selfish it is to ask you to cast off that burden you carry. But still… can't you stay by my side once more?

There were mountains of things she wanted to say, yet even that was not permitted to Leah. In the reality where no words would come, just as she was about to scream in frustration—

The man who had been looking at her lying in bed turned his head. At the same time—

"…Leah!! You're awake!? Oh my god!! Thank goodness, thank goodness…!!"

Leah Gilliard opened her eyes.