Echoes from the Graveyard
The incident at the banquet hall was quickly resolved.
After some time had passed, Lieutenant Edward went directly to Drake Brown to apologize.
After all, it had been insubordination.
Edward had been the one who had pulled off such insubordination without hesitation even in his previous unit, so it was possible.
If it had been Karin Maven, she would probably have only trembled and tugged at Werner's sleeve.
In that case, Drake Brown would have backed down without further provocation.
Spilled water cannot be put back into the cup.
One can only wipe it up.
"I'm sorry, Colonel."
"…."
However, if that action had been taken to protect his superior, the story changed.
Besides, if one were to argue the point, had Drake Brown not committed insubordination against Lutus multiple times himself?
He had talked back to a brigadier general while holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, so honestly, he was in no position to claim moral high ground either.
In the end, Drake had no choice but to accept the apology with a reluctant expression.
There had been no need to humiliate someone by even bringing up Arhen Orca in the first place.
From the lieutenant's perspective, his superior had been insulted right in front of him, so his outburst was understandable.
Thinking that way, it was not necessarily a bad thing in some respects.
Again, regardless of whether Lutus was truly a person worthy of respect.
The fact remained that he was a hero who had led the war to victory and an outstanding commander.
'His subordinates have always been fortunate.'
The same could be said of the Graveyard.
They were all like people whom God had arranged to save humanity.
'Though it wasn't like that from the beginning…'
Drake recalled his days as a second lieutenant, freshly transferred to his quarters.
Even at a time when humanity was collapsing every second at the hands of the Titans, there had been no sign that the damned barracks irregularities would disappear.
When Drake Brown had no choice but to grind his teeth and bow his head to the ground.
-Kek, kuhk! Aaaagh!
-Hey, you bastard! This is insubordination! Assaulting a superior!! Khk.
-Really, aren't you tired of this every time? Why are these guys who aren't even your direct superiors causing such a fuss? Get up, Drake.
Drake recalled the image of a second lieutenant who had knocked down his seniors with one hand.
Lutus Edan.
The former commander of the Graveyard had been thoroughly insane even back then.
How could he have thought of beating up his senior officers from the very first day, even if they weren't his direct superiors?
-What's your name?
-Lutus Edan. Call me Lutus, Drake Brown.
-How did you know my name?
-I happened to see the roster. There's no way I'd forget my one and only classmate.
-Is that so? What about these guys, though?
Lutus Edan waved his hand dismissively, as if it were nothing.
-They'll be too ashamed to say anything. Those bastards live and die by their pride. Let's go have a drink.
-Drinking in this situation? Kyaah~ Lutus, you look scrawny but you're one hell of a guy! Let's go!
When had it begun? The point when they started opposing each other like this.
They had often shared drinks in the beginning.
-Hey Lutus… No matter what, this operation will be too much of a burden on the subordinates….
-Captain Drake, this is an order. And who told you to call me so casually? During operations, keep personal and professional matters strictly separate.
-…Understood, Major.
It had definitely started when Lutus received a wartime promotion to major for his combat achievements.
Once he wore the rank of field-grade officer, he had become a completely different person.
Perhaps the scars of war had twisted both him and Drake to this extent.
The battlefield against the Titans was a place where ordinary people could not maintain their sanity.
And (though Arhen would never admit it) it was Lutus Edan's ruthless decisiveness, devoid of blood or tears, that had saved everyone in the Graveyard.
Even setting aside personal feelings, his abilities had to be acknowledged.
No, what had Lutus Edan been fighting for in the first place?
Only humanity's victory.
Drake Brown recalled the story Lutus had confided every time he drank during his time as a junior officer.
He would do anything for victory.
That had been the truth.
A harsh reality so severe that even Drake Brown, his closest friend and comrade, had been disgusted and left him.
-Clear a minefield? Because of this ridiculous order, two of my subordinates lost their ankles! They're crippled for life!
-If I hadn't, you would all have been annihilated. You can replace ankles with prosthetics, can't you?
-You son of a bitch…! Can you say the same thing to those subordinates who became cripples?!
-Without it, escaping the encirclement would have been impossible. I guarantee your battalion would have been wiped out, Lieutenant Colonel. Ankles can be replaced, but lives cannot.
Smack!
It was the first time.
The punch Drake threw connected with Lutus Edan's face.
Even when Lutus had talked about mental fortitude in the surrounded trench, Drake had not been this angry.
At least back then, the line had not been crossed.
But this time was different.
One could not so easily weigh other people's lives on a scale.
Even in the Graveyard, the forefront of humanity's survival, sacrificing someone should not have been handled with a few words and a few documents.
But Lutus's counterattack never came.
He did not even let out a pained groan.
Lutus Edan simply silently accepted the punch.
Why had he shown such a face?
Even while being beaten black and blue, why had his eyes been filled with sorrow?
Drake Brown still could not understand it, even a year later.
But what if all of that had been Lutus Edan's extreme sacrifice?
What if he had only killed himself to save the members of the Graveyard?
What if he had desperately held the front lines by joining hands with evil?
Drake let out a sigh and looked out the window.
"This is complicated."
There was no such thing as 'impossible' in this world.
Then, now that all wars had ended, what kind of person was Lutus Edan?
Was he a commander who had been blinded by achievements and arbitrarily overworked his subordinates?
Or was he a victim of war who had accepted the end of the long war and was healing his wounded heart?
Ding—.
Ding—.
Just then, the clear sound of bells announcing midnight rang out.
Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to try improving his relationship with him during this journey.
***
Contrary to Colonel Drake Brown's concerns as commander of the 808th Guard Regiment, the post-war summit was proceeding normally.
A full twenty years.
After stepping foot in the Republic of Bostania for the first time in twenty years, the Chancellor performed the gesture of kissing the republic's soil on the spot.
"Glory to humanity that has overcome the Titans! Only today have we, humanity, become one once again!"
He was truly the Chancellor.
Every time he carried out his scheduled activities, he delivered a powerful message to the citizens of Bostania.
"I, Mikhail Bismarck, sincerely mourn the patriotic spirits who were shattered in defense of Bostania. It is thanks to their sacrifice that I stand here today. If the republic had fallen, the burden on the Empire would surely have been greater. The front lines might have collapsed. In other words, you of Bostania have also protected the Empire, my homeland and the place where my loved ones reside, alongside us."
"Humanity must definitely become one. We have faced an enemy far too powerful. Fifteen years ago, on the day the existence of Titans was first reported in 'Borslava'! If we had not rejoiced in others' misfortune and remained silent, this would never have happened!"
"We must cleanly settle the past of growling at each other and move forward toward a better future. I believe that we, who have overcome fierce storms, will become even stronger, and that we will be able to overcome any force like the Titans that may appear again!"
His actions stood out even among the leaders of the five nations.
Even the president of Bostania, where the summit was being held, had his spotlight stolen.
This was because Chancellor Mikhail Bismarck had been preparing for the future one step ahead of others.
He knew the power of public opinion better than anyone.
His young and handsome appearance, which stood out clearly compared to other national leaders.
A firm voice and messages filled with appeal.
It was no wonder the Empire's citizens had been captivated by the Chancellor.
Mikhail had crossed borders and captivated the citizens of other nations as well.
But such matters were not something Werner Grime and the people of the Security Strategic Agency needed to concern themselves with.
"This is delicious!"
"Wow… This one too! This is really delicious!!"
Even before the great war against the Titans, the Republic of Bostania had been called a melting pot of races where various ethnicities gathered.
Many nations had ultimately failed to overcome the Titan invasion that swept across the world and had perished.
Naturally, the Republic of Bostania had become the last bastion of their cultures.
And the cultural heritage they had developed.
Included a variety of foods that could not be found in the Empire.
Thanks to this, Second Lieutenant Karin Maven was living a truly happy food tour.
"Karin, you have quite the appetite… more than I thought."
"Ah."
At Edward's pure admiration, Karin stiffened.
"No no no! Eat, eat! It was meant well. It's just that it doesn't match your previous image…."
"I won't eat anymore."
"…I'm sorry!"
Werner Grime watched the two of them with a faint smile.
The atmosphere was quite different from when they had first arrived at Forbidden Lake Fortress.
Back then, they had all seemed like people living because they could not die, but now vitality had taken root in their eyes.
Were they finally beginning to fully accept that the war had ended?
As a result, Werner's own heart felt at ease as well.
Werner was still unable to escape the past.
This was because of the oath he had deeply engraved in his heart.
A peace achieved by trampling over the corpses of countless comrades and witnessing horrific sights.
He was still endlessly sacrificing in the present to protect their eternal peace.
However, when he was with the people of the Security Strategic Agency, he felt strangely at ease.
Was it because they were people who carried the same wounds?
No, the most fundamental reason might be because the war had ended.
Although there were still people he needed to protect, the situation was no longer one where he had to hold them in his arms.
In particular, being able to grasp domestic and international situations in advance as the director of the Security Bureau was extremely helpful for his mental and physical stability.
There was no longer an enemy as powerful as the Titans.
Even if he did not meet his death, only problems that they could sufficiently overcome on their own, or with his secret help, would remain.
That was what life was.
As long as one did not die.
If one did not lose their life, they could look toward hope beyond that as much as they wanted.
The forty regressions had not been in vain.
"Director!"
"Hm?"
"What are you thinking so deeply about? This is precious free time we've been given."
When he turned his head, he saw Karin smiling brightly at him.
An expression he could not have even imagined just a few months ago.
It was beautiful.
Enough to make him forget the past, even if only for a moment.
Werner looked at her and awkwardly put a cigarette in his mouth.
"I was just thinking good thoughts."
No.
That was nothing but a vain hope.
You are destined to suffer eternally.
Face reality, Lutus Edan.
No matter what happens, these people can never carry your burden in your place.
Fulfill the duty given to you.
Lamb of war. Bear that cross.
Beeeeeeeeep—.
Hearing his own voice endlessly echoing, Werner raised his pistol.
The fourth day since arriving in the Republic of Bostania.
A suicide bombing occurred in a park commemorating the victims sacrificed to the Titans.
Werner Grime was right there at the scene.