It's been years since I last saw Arunoma. He had grown a beard, giving him a more rugged appearance.
Though he has aged a bit, his face is still as handsome as ever.
He stared at me in shock, his eyes wide as I laughed after shooting the Great Shield through the forehead.
"■■■!!"
"Hk!"
Immediately after I shot and killed the Great Shield, a Flamer soldier shouted in rage and pointed his gun at me.
He pulled the trigger with a roar, his eyes filled with a hatred as if he were staring at a demon.
"■■!"
"…That was close."
There were too many bullets to block with my [Shield].
Realizing this, I desperately rolled behind the iron shield.
In that instant, countless lead bullets clanged loudly, deflected by the statue of the Virgin Mary and ricocheted away.
"S-Stop! Don't shoot! Let me talk to her!"
"■■, ■…"
"Little Platoon Leader, it's me! Arunoma!"
The difference in numbers is too overwhelming; engaging in a shootout is not the right move.
As I was thinking that and hiding behind the iron shield, Arunoma spoke to me.
"You… why are you here, Little Platoon Leader?! Aren't you Platoon Leader Touri!"
"Arunoma…"
"I knew it was you. It's a miracle you're alive, but…"
Arnonoma's voice trembled with agitation as he struggled to find the right words.
He must have been the one who ordered them not to shoot me earlier.
"I was told that you… had already died."
"…"
"I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything to the platoon leader who took care of me. But more importantly, you were supposed to be a medic."
His words were laced with anguish and confusion as if he hadn't fully processed the situation yet.
But he's not the only one who's confused.
I'm also overwhelmed with confusion after being seen in such… an undignified state.
"Please, Touri! Can you treat Helens, the man you just shot?"
"Is Helens the man who was holding this iron shield?"
"Yes! He's kind-hearted, brave and… a really good guy! Please!"
I took a quick sideways glance at the man with the iron shield whom Arunoma called Helens.
He had been shot through the skull, blood spilling from his mouth—he is undoubtedly dead.
"I have connections in the Flamel Army! If you heal him, I promise I'll protect you. So please…"
Healing magic is not omnipotent.
There is no miracle in this world that can bring the dead back to life.
"Please, heal my one and only best friend!"
And according to him…
The man I killed is Arunoma's dear friend.
"…"
I felt a wave of dizziness and regret as if I were about to vomit everything from my stomach.
No, I must stay calm.
I am a pleasure killer who enjoys killing as if it were a game.
The victory condition of this game is the defeat of the enemy ace, the Great Shield. The defeat condition is my death.
"I am a soldier from Austin."
"That doesn't matter; I'm here. I'll protect you!"
I've succeeded in defeating the ace. The next task is to figure out how to survive this situation.
…Yes, I'm in the middle of a game—
"I'll at least examine him."
"Please! Helens has a wife and children waiting for him in Engei. He was finally going to reunite with his family today."
"…"
"Help him, Platoon Leader. He was really looking forward to seeing his son who's been imprisoned in Engei—"
I stood expressionless from behind the iron shield.
I looked down at the Great Shield, Helens, lying face down on the ground.
"…"
Helens' skull is punctured by a bullet.
The bone was shattered, brain matter spilled out, and arterial blood was gushing.
…Arunoma, being a medic himself, should understand this.
"[Shield]."
"Little… Platoon Leader?"
I created a [Shield] foothold on the spot.
"It appears treatment is no longer possible. Well then."
Using the [Shield] as a foothold, I gained momentum and ran up the trench.
"Wait! Don't run away, Touri!"
Arunoma's screams echo from behind me.
This voice was different from the one before, it was a ferocious voice filled with resentment and anger.
"How dare you do that to Helen! How dare you do that to my best friend!"
"It goes both ways, Arunoma."
Once again, countless bullets flew towards me.
In the process, my [Shield] was broken, and I was wounded in my left arm…
But I somehow managed to avoid a fatal injury and kept running toward the trench where my allies were hiding.
"The soldier that Helens crushed earlier was my precious comrade."
"...!"
I spat out those words as I blood streamed from my left arm, sprinting between the trenches.
Behind me, I heard the voiceless scream of a man.
"Why?! Why is such a kind person like you involved in such a cruel war!?"
"The war started because Flamel made the first move."
"No! You guys weren't satisfied with just driving us back, you invaded us too!"
Arunoma should know.
What actions did Flamel and Aerys take that led them to declare war on Austin?
"If you hadn't been fighting a war in the first place!"
"…."
"This… this isn't what I wanted!"
Once again, a barrage of bullets was fired at me.
I twisted my body, deploying [Shield], dodging all the bullets as I rolled away.
"If only Helens had been able to reunite with his family! If only Austin had left Flamel! The war would've ended, and everyone would be happy!"
"…"
"I just wanted it to be that way!"
Arunoma's voice carried clearly.
He must have been far behind me by now, yet his speech filled with naive hopes rang in my ears as if he were whispering right next to me.
As expected of a theater actor.
"Why are you here?! Why are you getting in the way?!"
He screamed in anger, sorrow, and confusion.
And yet, never once aiming his gun at me, he continued to cry and scream endlessly.
"You're supposed to be a kind person! I know this well because I've worked with you!"
I ignored his cries.
I bit my lip, trying not to let myself be pulled back to my senses.
"Why are you helping the Austin Army that's taking over Engei and oppressing its people?!"
I continued running with all my might to safety to the trench guarded by my allies.
***
"The enemy ace, the Great Shield, has been defeated."
"…Thank you for your hard work, Major Touri."
I ran through the trenches and returned to find that there were no infantry remaining around me.
All the members of the Carol Platoon sacrificed themselves in the line of duty and achieved their purpose.
Just as I had commanded them.
"What happened to the order to retreat?"
"Major Verdi has requested us to hold the front line a little longer. He says he will allow us to withdraw once Headquarters has finished withdrawing."
"…As expected of Verdi. Then, as per her instructions, let's maintain this defensive line for a while longer."
It appears that Austin Headquarters has made the decision to withdraw from Engei.
Verdi's last-minute decision-making skills are truly reliable.
"Major Touri… I'm glad you came back."
"Yes, I was lucky."
After my assault, the intense offensive ceased, and both sides were now at a standoff.
Whether it was due to the loss of the 'Great Shield' causing confusion or if Arunoma had halted the advance, I wasn't sure.
"Captain Zieve, what's the remaining strength on our side?"
"Only five or six platoons are capable of functioning properly…. The loss of the exceptionally capable Carol Platoon is a big blow."
"…I made them join in on something reckless."
However, the damage on our side is not insignificant.
The promising Carol Platoon became casualties while accompanying me.
And it was to save my own life when I had let my guard down.
…No, let's not think about it right now.
"A message from Headquarters. They're about to complete its escape preparations."
"Alright."
Thanks to the efforts of Carol Platoon, the ace was repelled, buying time for Headquarters to retreat.
All that's left is to coordinate with other units and withdraw safely.
"This is a retreat; don't let your guard down! Focus solely on withdrawing safely, not on defeating the enemy!"
To keep myself excited, I kept raising my voice and encouraging those around me.
"Major Touri. Civil unrest has broken out in the city of Engei. It will be a detour, but let's retreat by following the roads to the outskirts."
"…I understand. Scouts, please hurry and check the retreat route."
There's a layer of ice deep inside my heart.
Once the heat of the battlefield dies down and I come back to my senses.
I have no idea what kind of nonsense I would spew.
"…Permission to retreat has been granted."
"Let's go."
Thus, in the area I was responsible for, the front line was not breached, and we managed to withdraw safely.
Although the Zieve Battalion has suffered heavy damage, it was not completely destroyed.
Captain Kennel, as you would expect, immediately responded to Sylph's infiltration tactics by ordering the troops to divide the trenches and blow up the passageways, keeping the unit's attrition rate to just over 10%.
"It's all thanks to the Major's swift decision to give permission to retreat," he said, but I believe that maintaining an attrition rate of 10% in that situation is an extraordinary achievement.
I should report to Verdi and have him give the appropriate evaluation.
***
The results of the battle that day were disastrous.
After about six hours of combat, the Defense of Engei came to an end.
Only a few commanders, like Captain Kennel, were able to respond to the infiltration tactics, and Austin's forces were nearly annihilated.
The total casualties from Sylph's infiltration tactics, including deaths, missing persons, and desertions, amounted to nearly 10,000.
For the already small Austin Army, this damage was a fatal blow.
On the other hand, the Flamel-Aerys Alliance forces succeeded in their long-sought goal of recapturing Engei.
Engei, which had been occupied by the vile usurper Austin and had resisted all efforts to reclaim it, was finally liberated thanks to the efforts of the hero Arunoma Diskins, who rose from among the people.
The citizens of Engei welcomed Arunoma with cheers and praised his achievements.
However, Arunoma's face was pale and he was filled with sorrow upon entering Engei.
When he entered Engei, the first thing he did was to place the body of his best friend, Sergeant "Great Shield" Helens, in a coffin, apologized to his family, and cried bitterly.
Seeing this, the people were moved by Arunoma's kind heart.
Arunoma Diskens became a hero who saved Flamel.
Yet, despite becoming a hero like the protagonist of a story, he did not look at all happy about it.
The battle marked the beginning of a gradual end to the war.
Following the recapture of Engei, the counteroffensive of the Allied forces, now emboldened with renewed vigor, began.
In the following month, Austin's forces were also defeated at another major front, the Mining Front.
I was not involved in this battle, but I heard that Arunoma and his group were able to break through using infiltration tactics.
In this battle as well, Austin's forces suffered thousands of casualties and were forced to retreat to near the border.
These two defeats left Austin largely unable to operate within Flamel.
The loss of crucial strongholds caused the collapse of Austin's supply lines.
As a result, we were also forced to abandon the small cities in Flamel that we had occupied.
Thus, Austin's forces began to retreat from various locations.
Approximately six months after the liberation of Engei, Flamel succeeded in driving Austin's soldiers out of the country.
On the day that Flamer territory was completely liberated, the Allied forces declared complete victory and cheers erupted throughout Flamel.
Meanwhile, Austin was on the brink of collapse.
If the Allied forces invaded again, Austin had no remaining defense forces capable of resisting.
Austin's demise was now inevitable.
Until now, Austin had countered the disadvantages in terms of military strength with superior weapon technology and tactics.
When facing an opponent with both numerical and tactical superiority, victory was impossible.
After the complete liberation of Flamel, the Austin government proposed peace talks to the Alliance but was told that they would only accept a surrender.
However, although demands included control over the military, the cession of territory, and becoming a vassal state, the demands were not excessively harsh.
The terms of surrender included provisions for the survival of the Austin royal family and the maintenance of autonomous regions, which were rather favorable for a defeated nation.
The Alliance did not impose unreasonable conditions, possibly indicating their desire to end the war.
However, Prime Minister Fogman Jr. rejected the terms of surrender.
────It was they who started this war in the first place.
────If we surrender, how will the people be treated?
────Had they forgotten what the Flamer troops did when they invaded the border villages of Austin?
The Austin government had no faith in any promises from other countries.
…Perhaps there was also personal resentment against Flamel for killing his father.
In any case, he turned the envoys away, saying that surrender was out of the question, although peace would be acceptable.
Prime Minister Fogman Jr. ordered the military to use the capital city of Winn's defense network to intercept the Allied forces.
"The disparity in forces is over ten to one."
"They use incomprehensible tactics to breach trenches as if by magic."
"It's impossible. We can't win."
Indeed, Austin had previously used the defenses of Winn to repel the Allied forces.
The memory must have crossed the prime minister's mind as well.
It was because it was within Flamel that Austin had been defeated.
If the decisive battle were fought in our own country, there was still a chance of victory.
Yes, maybe that's what he was thinking.
However, the situation was vastly different from before.
Austin was nearly out of troops, supplies, and ammunition.
And the monster Bern, who had led the military to "victory," had left the country.
It was a reckless battle with no chance of winning.
"Oh, I see."
"So this means we've lost?"
Unlike the politicians in the capital Winn, who did not feel the atmosphere of the battlefield…
The soldiers on the front lines, fleeing from the approaching Allied forces, had a growing realization.
That there was truly no chance of winning.
…And the same was true for me.
***
"From Remi Ulyakov, Chairman of the Workers' Council. To His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Austin."
Amid Austin's dire situation, a piece of tragic news and a letter were delivered to the Austin government.
It was a letter from Remi Ulyakov, the leader of the Sabbath Federation.
"I hesitated to send such a letter during these difficult times. However, as it pertains to your country's hero and the wishes of the deceased, I have taken up the pen in his place."
…What was written there?
The contents of the letter were shocking to the Austin government.
"Bern Valou was like a savior for our country as well."
According to the letter, Bern Valou moved to Josegrad after leaving the military.
He spent the rest of his life peacefully under the protection of Remi Ulyakov.
"I extend my heartfelt condolences for the passing of this great warrior─"
It was reported that Bern Valou had died last week from sepsis due to deteriorating health.
Bern Valou's death.
I was stunned to hear this news in the middle of the retreat.
…I hated Bern. He was the only person I truly did not want to meet, whom I harbored a deep aversion towards.
However, at the same time, it is true that somewhere deep inside I was hoping that he would do something in the Sabbath.
After moving to Josegrad, Bern apparently spent the rest of his life in close friendship with Remi Ulyakov and others.
However, the Sabbath's medical technology was far inferior to that of Austin.
It seems that the production line for the antibiotics developed by Mr. Kuma was not established yet in the Sabbath.
Medical resources were heavily reliant on imports from Austin.
As a result, they could not provide adequate treatment for Bern Valou's sepsis.
Upon hearing about Austin's predicament, he coughed up blood and his condition rapidly worsened.
The legendary monster, Bern Valou, passed away at the young age of 24.
For a while after hearing the news, I was skeptical about Bern's death.
Did Bern fake his own death because it would be more convenient if he were dead?
Or perhaps it was a rumor spread by the Alliance to lower morale?
…But in the end, Bern's death was indeed a fact.
While Austin was defeated on the Engei Front and fleeing from within Flamel,
He had developed sepsis, and despite urgent treatment, his death was confirmed at a Sabbatian hospital.
Bern Valou's death was widely reported in the Sabbatian newspaper, and Remi reportedly cried as she mourned his death.
***
"I am a villain. But I was the villain that Austin needed."
These were the words of Bern Valou, published in the Sabbatian newspaper shortly before his death.
He reportedly said this proudly during an interview with a newspaper reporter while he was in recovery.
"It was extremely enjoyable to deceive and kill people. The immense sacrifices caused by my strategies gave me the greatest pleasure."
"…Are you saying you enjoyed killing people?"
"Exactly. No, I know that without you telling me. That's a very evil thing."
He enjoyed killing people.
He told this to a Sabbatian journalist, whose countrymen he had killed in great numbers.
"Then the brave Sabbatian soldiers were killed for your pleasure?"
"Yes. …That's why, the people of the Sabbath can hate me as much as they want."
It was perhaps Bern's way of confessing his sins.
The Sabbatian journalist reportedly grimaced upon hearing his words.
"But no matter how much of a villain I am, the people of Austin cannot blame me. Because the Austin military wanted an excellent commander, and I just happened to meet that need."
"…What does that have to do with your love of murder?"
"Don't you get it? Let me give you a sports analogy. Who do you think makes a better player: someone who hates football or someone who loves it?"
However, Bern showed no remorse towards the reporter.
With a clear face, he continued speaking in a murmur as he stroked his wounded body.
"I had the talent to be a villain. The war, and the country, demanded that I be a villain."
"…"
"This is the reason why war must be avoided. War is something that glorifies villains like me."
He had a sense of common sense. He had the judgment to recognize that bad things are bad.
However, even knowing all of this, he chose to become a villain.
"…Do you think war should be avoided?"
"Hmm? What, that's so obvious."
Bern clearly showed disgust at this question from the newspaper reporter and spat it out with annoyance.
"If there hadn't been a war, I would have lived longer."
He just loved killing people.
And the only place where he could make use of his talent for killing was war.
He was someone who took pleasure in massacring others from a position of safety.
He seemed to be fed up with the system of "war," where he might get hurt himself.
I don't think all of his words to the newspaper reporter were entirely sincere.
I don't think Bern felt any remorse towards the people of the Sabbath.
However, I think his opinion that "war should be avoided" was probably his true feelings.
Before being recognized for his talents as a strategist, Bern Valou was a genuine slacker.
He was a soldier who pushed troublesome tasks onto others and lazily performed his own work.
…He originally did not actively seek to participate in the war.
The reason he probably began to seriously involve himself in the war was because he would suffer if he didn't.
If Austin had surrendered unconditionally, Bern, who had participated in the war as a soldier, would have suffered greatly.
So he had no choice but to intervene in history, knowing that it would incur much resentment in future generations.
All he wanted was to live and die as he pleased.
Bern was also one of those whose life was greatly distorted by war.
Why did he move to the Sabbath?
In the Sabbath, without antibiotics, there was a risk that his condition could worsen and he might die.
Did he inadvertently overlook this fact?
No. I can't imagine that a man as smart as him would overlook that possibility.
Then was Bern Valou seeking death?
Was he tormented by the pleasure he found in killing people, as I have, and sought death?
Or did he become despondent after a major defeat and wish for death in his despair?
…That is probably unlikely as well.
Three days before his death, it is said that he cried in front of Remi from his hospital bed in the Sabbath.
He reportedly shed tears of regret, saying that there was still much he had left to accomplish and that he wished he had lived longer.
In other words, he had not achieved his goal.
…What was it that he wanted to do?
What was the reason he moved to the Sabbath?
I would not know the answer to these questions until after retreating to the capital, Winn.