Chapter 406 (1/2)

<hr>

Translator: Nat

<hr>

–Aegir POV–

The uproar in the city of Patena, caused by the sudden appearance of a fleet, calmed down when the flag of the Olga Federation was flown.

The fleet stopped near Patena, lowered their speed when they spotted my flag and slowly entered the port.

「It's huge…… so this is a Federation wars.h.i.+p……」

「I've seen it once before, but this is completely different than Goldonia's s.h.i.+ps.」

It seemed like everyone living in Patena, including the fishermen and townspeople who lost their jobs due to the war, have gathered at the harbor.

While everyone was in awe of the size and magnificence, Sekrit's eyes widened and she snickered occasionally to herself as she inspected the fleet in detail.

Right when I was about to ask what her impressions were, I hear the nasty voices of men aboard the s.h.i.+ps that successfully reached the pier.

「Look over there! It's the boss!」

「Holy mackerel, we found him on the first day!」

「The general is our general after all. We are bound together by a red string of fate!」

When I turned around, the men disembarked and ran toward me.

Some of them were saying strange things and even licking their lips.

「T-they should be allies! So I think, anyways……」

I stop in time from my drawing my Dual Crater because of Celia's confidence.

That and I also spotted someone I recognized.

「It's been a while, general. You haven't changed at all!」

「Yakov, was it?」

This man's name is Yakov, and he was my adjutant temporarily when I went to the Federation as reinforcements over a year ago.

I reply with ”you haven't changed either” and compare him with the image in my mind, which is brawny at best and barbaric at worst.

His physique hasn't changed much.

It's the aura surrounding his body that changed.

「So these guys are……」

I look at the group on the s.h.i.+p waving their hands and yelling rowdily.

「They're of course the 105th division! This time we'll be acting as the general's reinforcements! Isn't that right, you guys!!?」

Yakov receives an enthusiastic cheer in response.

Instead of a proper army, they sound like a bunch of bandits, and some of the citizens who came to watch runs away screaming.

「We're here for you, boss!!」

「In the end, you are our only general!」

「We're finally free after being exiled by the strict Federation!」

Celia twitches.

「It feels like I heard a word which can't be ignored, like 'exiled' or something.」

When Celia stares at Yakov, he yells at his army.

「You idiots, I told you we're here as reinforcements! Do you want to be taken down!?」

「My apologies, Sir Yakov, reinforcements it is. We've become official reinforcements, yes.」

Yakov returns his gaze to us and smiles.

Celia isn't convinced and questions him further.

「……and the term?」

Yakov openly averts his eyes and answers.

「――forever, yes an indefinite period. We intend to remain under the general always even after the war is over.」

People call that expulsion.

「That's right. The top bra.s.s said to leave those idiots in Goldonia and to never take them back.」

The voice was a pretty one and belonged to a female, unthinkable in the 105th, yet it was also cold-sounding.

「We meet again. I thought we would never see each other…… though I didn't particularly want to meet.」

A lonesome female descends the s.h.i.+p which looked to be the largest of the entire fleet.

Unlike the loose-fitting clothes of the 105th division, who are practically indistinguishable from pirates, she's wearing a pure white military uniform for commander-cla.s.s personnel of the Olga Federation and also has a sword with a slender blade attached to her waist.

「Do you know how hard it was babysitting these idiots? No place in the city we docked at was problem-free.」

Contrasting the s.h.i.+ny white military uniform were polished black military shoes, which tapped a crisp rhythm on the stone path with every step.

It was the female navy commander of the Olga Federation, Ivanna.

During my time in the Federation, I saved this girl, fought alongside her, and was even able to spend one night with her.

Comparing the excitement of reuniting with her to the dirty men of the 105th is quite rude of me.

「Ivanna! Ooh…… you came too! What a welcome sight, I'm so happy to see you again!」

I run with my arms open to greet her, but she sticks to a formal salute and doesn't accept my embrace.

「General, that's a fairly different treatment than what you showed us―― which is what I want to say, but, I guess it's natural to treat men and women differently. That much we also learned from the general.」

「Oh, be quiet.」

I ignore Yakov and Celia, who aren't important right now.

Ivanna hands me some kind of doc.u.ment.

When I casually stuff it in my pocket and try to hug her again, she glares fiercely at me.

It seems I have to read it right away.

「――in accordance to the request for support from the Alexandro I, the king of Goldonia, I will send reinforcements as a sworn friend. I sincerely wish your nation can fend off the perils you are currently facing and achieve victory in the end―― Olga Federation Supreme Commander, Martin Stessel.」

「Ivanna Reskina, officially reporting as the commander of the reinforcements. Here is the written letter to your king. Please ensure it is delivered.」

Ivanna once again displays a proper salute.

Hmm, a strict and beautiful girl like her wearing a tidy uniform is attractive, although slightly too stiff for my liking.

She can learn a little bit from those guys.

「Uhoo, look, that's one amazing woman! Man, her b.o.o.bs are huge! Hey miss, wanna bang!?」

「Aw, she ran…… that one's bad because she ain't used to it. Her mouth is definitely NG, anyways, where are the brothels?」

「Since the trivial greetings are over, let's find them. I'm gonna find a good place with girls we can blow a month's salary on.」

「Uhyooo!! I'm gonna 〇〇〇 and ＸＸＸ in her □□□ until I spray it all over her!」

Ivanna shudders as the 105th discuss their vulgar topics loudly during our conversation.

I take that back, they're too crude.

What kind of education did they receive to become like that?

Celia repeatedly shouts at Yakov to stop them while unleas.h.i.+ng consecutive low kicks.

「Idiots, all of them……」

「Those guys, did they do something that got them exiled from the Federation?」

Their absence of character is unrelated to me and none of my concern, but I'm curious after what we've been through together in the past.

Yet, Ivanna merely stares at me.

「You want to hear their screw-ups? No, let me tell you!」

I actually changed my mind, but I can't say to stop now, so I'll have to listen.

In the corner of my eye, I see Celia finally kicked Yakov to the ground, which elicited cheers from the 105th for some reason.

According to Ivanna's stories, the 105th division is a valuable a.s.set who has experienced scenes of carnage countless times from the restoration of disrupted public order after a great war to the struggles of hunting Imperial army remnants.

「They have fought well. Many times, they have won against opponents with greater numbers…… except they just lack too much character!!」

Ivanna slams a stack of paper in front of me.

Those are all protests from the feudal lords and town mayors in the Federation as well as the doc.u.mentation requesting for their punishment from the high government officials.

Why did she purposely bring all of that here?

「It's been decided that the remnants of the Empire were to be executed. However, they simply let all the females go after violating them!」

Ivanna stomps her foot down and takes one step forward.

「In celebration of a victory, they had orgies with the town prost.i.tutes! In broad daylight and in public!」

She takes another step forward.

「They don't obey commanders. Especially when it's a female officer, they talk of nothing but s.e.x. They change in visible areas. They peek in baths. Everyone resigned after one month!」

Ivanna closes the distance between me and her.

「This is all your fault! You're the one who taught them this strange behavior!」

She grabs my lapels.

「Even if you tell me that, I don't recall doing anything of the sort.」

I'm a gentleman in all facets of life besides the battlefield.

It's a true shame that they didn't grow up by looking at my back.

Celia is strenuously pulling you away, so it's time to let me go.

That was when a single barrel rolled out of a s.h.i.+p.

「…… are we already in Goldonia? Wait, A-Aegir!? It's me! Don't you remember!?」

Another girl appears from inside the barrel and suddenly shouts at me.

「……」

Although I smiled kindly at her and she returned the favor, she gets upset right away.

「You forgot, didn't you!? In my case, there was not a single night that I forgot about you!」

The woman runs up to me.

Celia and Ivanna were about to draw their swords, but I stepped forward one step and spread my arms.

While I recognize her face, a name isn't popping up in my mind.

I feel like it's on the tip of my tongue.

「It's the former pirate, Anette! After being stolen away by you, I was turned into a toy and left in Iruisk!」

Aah, I remember now.

The way she said that was too cruel in many ways though.

「……liberated a pirate!? You've got to be kidding me, I told you to hang to death any pirates you find! You're doing the same things as the 105th after all!!」

I hear cheers coming from the 105 guys behind me.

And Ivanna's furious yelling of course.

「Anette, huh…… I welcome you too.」

I greet her with a hug, but don't know why she's here.

What was she doing inside a barrel of a s.h.i.+p sailing to provide reinforcements in the first place?

The members of the 105 fills me in.

「We picked her up when we were resupplying at a port city. She said to let her on since we were also headed to Goldonia.」

「We obviously wanted to have fun with her, but she said she was the boss's girl……」

「We thought it would be a nice gift, and if she happened to be lying, all of us would f.u.c.k her. Those were the conditions for letting her hide in the barrel!」

I see.

「……blabbering about your destination…… and allowing a girl to stowaway…… you guys……」

Ivanna's face is turning red in anger again.

I'm not involved this time, so if you get mad, yell at those fools instead.

「So how about you? You can't go back.」

I ask Anette as she rubs her face against my chest.

「Isn't it obvious when I'm in love!?」

Anette takes off her clothes without hesitation.

It's like she can't even hear the loud hooting and cheers from the 105 guys.

「Look! These are my feelings.」

Instead of showing off her shapely b.r.e.a.s.t.s or neatly trimmed crotch, she emphasizes her waist and back.

Etched into her tanned skin, in large legible letters, is a tattoo of the words ”Aegir's woman”.

「You did it again…… I told you to stop, didn't I?」

Honestly, it's not like it doesn't evoke a strange feeling of arousal, although I'm not going to praise a woman for marking up her skin.

「I couldn't suppress my feelings. Besides, if I do this, I can't get married to any other man. You have to take me.」

It's true that no man would want to marry a woman who has another man's name carved into their body.

If I look after Anette…… I would be doing exactly what she wants.

「You engraved something on the precious body given to you by your parents――!?」

For some reason, Ivanna is indignant.

If you don't stop, you're going to pop a blood vessel.

Seeing my chance after Celia pulled the clinging Anette off of me, I approach the upset Ivanna.

「These are my feelings of grat.i.tude to you…… so calm yourself down.」

I speak to her in a polite tone and bow down on one knee.

Ivanna, while confused, extends her hand out as part of the courtesy.

I gently take the hand…… quickly wrap my other arm around Ivanna's waist and back, and then steal her lips.

「Nnnh!?」