Vol 2 Chapter 18 (2/2)

「That’s true But that’s under the assu is untactful」

「How idealistic… This is so every country does」

「The Grantz Grand Eulations Soeneral in particular needs to keep that in ainst that, your actions are by no ivable」

Hiro continued indifferently

「And so, I will strip you of your rank of general」

「E-Even if you are an Imperial faives you the right to do that?!」

「That is true But if I send a report to the military department, I think the result would be the same」

「Th-That’s…」

「If you don’t want that to happen, I guess you have no choice but to poison me or attack me in the dark and kill me」

「I wish you wouldn’t speak such nonsense」

General Kielo’s face tensed up His reaction hts and hit thehow easy this man was to read, Hiro held back a sneer and nodded

「I did go a bit overboard there I apologize Please forget it happened」

「You really did I wish you wouldn’t think so little ofso insolent」

「Yes, that’s true You are a noble and distinguished person」

Hiro stretched out both arms

「Which is why you should have realized— That the only ones here are the staff officers who obeyed your instructions」

He ht have noticed this for the first time, as General Kielo opened his eyes wide and looked around at the faces of the staff officers

「I-Indeed」

「Then, you knohat I want to say, yes?」

「… O-Of course」

It looks like he doesn’t know His eyes are darting about and he’s confused While shocked at General Kielo’s ignorance on the inside, Hiro decided to throw out a lifeline to continue the conversation

「You probably won’t believe it unless you hear it from my mouth」

He ser

「If you obey my instructions from here on out, I’ll pretend this never happened」

「Wha—」

「I don’t think it’s a bad deal It depends on your achievements hereafter, but I can try to push for you to be called to the capital I ht even be possible for me to nominate you as commander in chief」

「… Do you mean that?」

「It’s a waste to have a distinguished general such as yourself secluded in this reion」

After a forced sigh, Hiro shook his head

「However… I can’t cover up all the violations of ulations you’ve coave instructions to」

「My word…」

「So, I’uard for tomorrow’s decisive battle, General Kielo」

「That’s…」

General Kielo was clearly dish And if he becaeted by ree to that Which is why Hiro decided to give him a little push on the back

「We outnumber them There’s no need to worry It’s not like I want to send you to the vanguard unit without a plan I want you to build your merits」

「Hmm…」

「I’uaranteed victory But if you’re in the safety of the rear, you can’t achieve any merits Then you wouldn’t be called to the capital」

「That is true」

「Please understand I’d like for a distinguished person such as yourself to become commander in chief」

「… Please be sure his Majesty hears well of me」

「I promise I’ll be sure to send a report」

After holding back the part that it would be a report of his death in battle, Hiro put on a fake sht hand

General Kielo grasped it in delight

「Then, I will give it my all」

「I’ until noater under the bridge」

「Yes, let’s」

After sitting back in his seat, Hiro spoke to the silent staff officers

「I’ll have all of you join the vanguard unit as well That isn’t a probleht?」

General Kielo is leading the vanguard unit There’s no way they’ll say no

「In a month or two, I’m sure everyone here will be welcomed as heroes in the Imperial capital」

This was the clincher After hesitating, the staff officers nod

Hiro tried to resist, but he couldn’t help but s his eyepatch to hide it…

「Then, everyone, please rest in preparation for tomorrow」

「Yes We will be sure to achieve great deeds for your Highness Hiro!」

General Kielo said in lively voice before leaving the tent The staff officers also followed suit In the now empty space, Hiro turned towards a corner where darkness was lurking

A human silhouette slowly revealed itself, and then a man appeared

It’s one of General Kielo’s former staff officers He approaches Hiro and kneels

「Our spy has successfully infiltrated the enemy camp And as instructed, we have prepared 1,500 camels outside our encampment」

「So things are going as planned How is our security doing?」

「Also going as planned We have thes」

「Did any enemy spies sneak in?」

「There are currently four We’ve received reports confir their infiltration」

「Then please give out instructions to have those four captured」

「Understood」

The staff officer was about to leave, but Hiro called out and stopped him

「Is there so else?」

「Can you spread the word to the soldiers that General Kielo and his followers have turned in?」

「Surely」

His expression see told No doubt he has a considerable ae built up

「Then, I shall excuse myself」

This tih and closes his eyes

The General Kielo ill repute fro in before the soldiers will likely spread instantly

In contrast, Liz is caring for the soldiers without rest With this, the number of those who are dissatisfied with Liz will surely dwindle It will likely help raise morale as well In short, it will ht for Liz while willing to give up their lives

「Noe have to drop the enemy’s numbers」

Hiro stood up and went outside The night breeze brushes against his cheeks as the campfires sway

He started heading towards the place where Gahda was being held captive

There are a large nuuards Hiro expressed his gratitude and entered

The zorosta— Gahda notices Hiro and lifts his face

「Are you alone?」

「I a important to discuss with you If anyone else were here, I wouldn’t be able to be coht?」

「Hmph, even if you were co everything inside you」

「So harsh」

「More iht?」

「She’s fine She’s with Liz and pretending to be her attendant」

「I see… It’s fine if she’s safe So what did you want to discuss?」

Hiro stared at Gahda’s state for a bit, then cut the ropes which were binding him

Gahda looks at the ropes on the ground, then looks at Hiro confused

「What are you playing at?」

「I can’t talk to you comfortably like that」

「You’re a strange one There’s a limit to how bold you can be towards a prisoner of war」

「I’ll take that as a compliment」

Hiro sat on the ground and took out a bottle of alcohol from inside his black clothes

「Sleight of hand?」

「I’s away」

He shrugs and tosses the bottle to Gahda Gahda tilted his head and mumbled

「Aren’t you drinking?」

「I’et suspicious, but there isn’t any poison in there」

「I’m not worried about that Even without any roundabout methods, I’m sure someone as skilled as yourself would easily be able to take my head」

Gahda open the lid of the bottle and gulped it down Then he tilted the bottle and held it out

「So, are you really not going to drink?」

「I told you I’ed Besides, I still have work to do」

「Then let’s stop with the idle chit chat and just get to the point What sort of difficulty are you thinking of forcing on me?」

「If I’ to have the slave liberation army participate in tomorrow’s battle」

Perhaps he had anticipated this, as Gahda voices his objection without showing any agitation

「We won’t et in the way」

「It won’t be a proble of any coordinated efforts」

「What are you sche?」

Gahda sent hiaze Hiro calmly brushes it aside and opens his mouth

「I want to preserve our battle power」

「Are you planning to have the slave liberation arht alone? If you did that, not only will there be deserters, there’s the possibility they s at all of you」

「No, I’ll have the Fourth Iht first I think there are about a 1,000 men There shouldn’t be too much complaint with that」

「… Hmm…」

「And I’ve even prepared a reward Once the battle’s over, we’ll free the slaves And the mercenaries, too We can even provide them a place to live」

「That’s extraordinary」

「Right?」

「The conditions are too favorable I feel like there’s so to this」

「Exactly But it’s not difficult」

「That depends on what it is」

Gahda placed the bottle on the ground and gave Hiro a serious look, letting hihtest of movements slip past him

To respond in kind, Hiro didn’t show any signs of plotting any tricks as he spoke

「I want you to blend in with the confusion of the uard unit, and his followers」

「… You’re insane」

「Though if possible, I’d like the entire vanguard unit to be annihilated But anyway, at the very least, I want them to die」

「Can I ask the reason for that?」

「General Kielo has committed too many crimes That’s the reason」

「… You es?」

「You knew about it?」

「Despite my current situation, I was in command of the slave liberation army Such information came to be immediately」

「Then that s simpler You know—」

His lips for Hiro h to send a chill down your spine

「I never allow those who hurt innocent people to be forgiven」

In the dead silent space, the sound of teeth grinding rang out

A moment of silence falls upon therabbed the bottle and let out a sigh

「I think it would beit to someone else」

「I probably would have killed him with my oo hands if I was a fool who didn’t consider the consequences」

「Because he’s a general, he’s a well known noble」

「That’s right By no means is he of low status」

General Kielo’s Nickel house is a distinguished one which holds a high position a the nobles in the south If he killed their current head, there’s the danger of the southern nobles becoer that his grudge against Hiro will be a hindrance to future endeavors

「So whether you punish him and leave him alive or kill him with your oo hands, his existence is a nuisance… So you have him killed on the battlefield and—」

After putting words to Hiro’s thoughts, his smile deepened as if he now understood

「— Are you planning to shi+ft the blame to the Lichtein Dukedom?」

「That’s right I supposed I’otiation material」

Gahdaabout soulp and tosses it in the air

「… All right I’ll be sure to take their heads」

After voicing his resolve, he pointed at Hiro who now had the bottle

「Bring some top quality alcohol next time」

Gahda lied down using his ar the conversation is over

As Hiro tries to leave the tent, Gahda turned his body and looked at hi

「I was about to just go to sleep, but are you okay leaving me like this?」

「It’s fine You can stay like that and keep your spirits up I need you to work hard for me tomorrow after all」

「I’ll take you up on that then」

After going outside, Hiro called out to the soldiers standing guard

「Please don’t go inside until I co」

「As you wish!+」

Afterwards, Hiro headed towards his own tent Along the way, a light infantryman ran to him

After saluting and kneeling, he spoke quickly while panting

「The enemy spies have been captured」

「Understood Please bring them to my tent」

「Yes」

After stopping suddenly, Hiro looked up at the sky

The stars are glittering in the night sky like scattered ge on the surface offers a feeling of warmth despite the cold weather

「It’s so pretty」

Hiro lets out a white breath of air and smiles peacefully

「This is the one thing that doesn’t change, even after a 1,000 years」

He recalled a woht sky

She was a woirl

They weren’t exactly alike in appearance, but they were almost identical in nature

「I wonder what you would say if you saw her」

Hiro returned to his tent as he looked up towards the night sky