Thump! The girl’s heart pounded hard. With their eyes locked together, the youth squeezed out his voice and continued:
「This is the worst method I can think of. I was impressed by how stupid this method is. But, but── it might work. The unfavorable conditions and scandal will force you away from the path of the soldier.」
Ikuta couldn’t stop his voice from trembling. He understood how foolish his action was, a vulgar act of an unscrupulous beast── however, he didn’t have any other options. No matter how he tried, the youth couldn’t find any way to take the vermillion haired girl away from the Empire, and separate her life from that of an Igsem.
「The scandal of unwed pregnancy, and cast aside from the path of a soldier and an Igsem── will you come with me then? Even if you hate me and bear a grudge… will you live on as just Yatorishino? And leave behind your fate of dying together with the Empire?」
The fingers on his right hand sunk into the girl’s shoulder. Her robes were open, revealing her delicate skin, and exposing her bountiful breasts. However, Yatori didn’t move. Her crimson eyes showed no sign of rejection as she looked straight at him.
「── Push me away, Yatori. You understand, right? I’m being crazy right now.」
Ikuta was the one who pleaded for help. The girl finally answered quietly:
「… I already thought about it. If that really happened, how I will live my life.」
「……」
「After being impregnated with your child, the news will spread, and I will either withdraw from school temporarily, or for good── the tribulations will continue even after giving birth. I can’t predict how my father will act, or what the main house will do to me. Disowning me is easy, but the Igsem lacks an heir… They might even accept me along with the scandals.」
Yatori described the future she imagined in detail. As she imagined the days that might be, she soon arrived at an answer.
「But all those are just trivial details. I realized as I imagine all this── even if that happens, I won’t stop being an Igsem.」
The vermillion haired girl said with a pain that tore at her chest. Because she was aware that this answer would deepen the youth’s despair.
「It would take two years at most for my body to recover enough to resume schooling. I never cared much about my reputation── and having a child with you isn’t a scandal to me. I will be swamped with raising the child and my busy schedule, but the Igsem main house will probably help too. That child is a precious heir, and compared to the flawed me, they will take more care in nurturing that child── Oh, or you want to raise that child? Then convincing the main house will be difficult…」
Yatori said calmly, with a sense of powerlessness in her heart. Why couldn’t she say something more apt for the situation? No, she should say something to respond to his feelings, instead of all this.
「But, no matter what── that child won’t become the wedge that you want. Your wish of taking me away from the Empire won’t come true. So this method is a failure from the start… Even so, there’s something I want to tell you.」
She finally thought of something that could answer his feelings. This fact made her relieved, and she said with a smile:
「I will definitely give birth and raise that child. No matter what anyone says, I will not abort my pregnancy. You don’t have to worry about that.」
Complicated feelings wavered in Ikuta’s dark eyes. Her fingers brushed against the cheeks of the youth, and Yatori relaxed her body and closed her eyes.
「I won’t push you away. I’m the one who made you insane in the first place. If you are going to do it── be gentle. This is my first time.」
[Vol. 3 - Ikta's Question]
「... Hey, Yatori.」
Ikuta continued staring into the darkness that engulfed Suya’s back as he asked the flame haired girl standing beside him.
「If you receive the orders to kill me and absolutely can’t refuse them, how would you do it?」
This was an utmost cruel question without any path for redemption. However, Yatori even prepared an answer for such a question.
「When that time comes, I will first put all my effort into killing Yatorishino. In order to stop her from ever reviving no matter what happens, I will grind her soul into dust, gather them up and burn them in a fire.」
Yatori spoke with a stiff face, even Haroma who was listening besides her gasped.
「When that is finished, the Igsem that is left would be responsible for killing you.」
The youth nodded quietly. He kept nodding in agreement, as if he was savouring something precious.
「... Well then, until the moment my neck is severed by your dual blades — I will think about the you who have passed.」
[Vol. 7 - Marshal Solvenares Igsem Letter to Yatorishino]
── Performing the duties described above is the essence of the Emperor’s edict.
That was true. Even though the edict was issued by the Chancellor who was controlling the Emperor like a puppet, there was nothing wrong with this order, and the Igsem couldn’t refute it. No matter what, they had no reason to ignore the order to protect the Emperor’s right to rule, which was the foundation of the country.
── Based on the above, the search team commander working independently have to confirm the below conditions.
Yatori knew her pupils were dilating. This last part was the key point she had to read.
── First, to confirm the existence of a faction that is confining the Emperor, and attempting to seize control of the nation in that place.
Judging from the values of the Igsem, there was.
── Second, whether the forces on hand is enough to achieve victory against that faction.
Two thousand odd against five thousand. She had to admit that it was possible.
── Third, is it possible to defeat that faction by force within 6 days of receiving this order.
If it was possible… then what?
── If these three conditions are met, then by order of the Imperial Field Marshal Solvenares Igsem, the search team commander acting independently will be ordered to execute the below mission.
Like I said, what exactly is that order?
── Subjugate the rebel force, and kill their leader.
In the second rebel force, the former imperial soldier Ikuta Sankrei met these conditions.
That was the answer, there was no room for doubt.
Her mind turned blank. Her vision was white. She lost all sensation from her head to the tips of her toes.
She floated in the crumbling world. Everything that bounded Yatorishino to this reality was shaking, like the feathers flying from a ripped pillow, scattering into the void.
「──Lieutenant Colonel?」
To a bystander, she just looked like a little unsteady on her feet. But that was enough to make her subordinates rush to her side. She had never looked so lost before.
Yatori didn’t answer anyone who called out to her. She didn’t even react to her partner Shia. It was like speaking to a hole in a boulder.
More than five minutes later, her crimson eyes slowly regained focus before the frantic soldiers. However, she only gained back a bit of strength. The vermillion haired girl’s face had lost all its colors, as she stood there emotionlessly like a sculpture.
「…………」
Even in such a condition, Yatori still tried to do something. Something was pushing her to do so. Something deep inside the vermillion haired girl, a steel-like resolve that wouldn’t permit the girl to do something as unsightly as falling onto her knees.
「…… Give me…」
Her lips quivered slightly as she spoke. The subordinates listened with bated breath to her voice that sounded like the breathing of someone on their deathbeds.
「Give me, some, time.」
After saying that with all her self restraint, Yatori turned around with stiff steps, and headed to the tent in front of her. She tripped on pebbles jutting out to the ground several times, and almost fell. The soldiers were beyond shaken, and felt fear at her abnormal demeanour.
「……!……」
After stumbling into the tent, she put down the tent cover almost unconsciously. Yatori walked to the middle of the tent, and suddenly stopped.
「────」
At that moment, the girl realized why she came here.
Just like what she said in the past── she had to perform a ritual.
Comments
Comments have been disabled for this profile.