Jet-black mini skirt.
A formal uniform, like a tight suit adorned with rank insignia and the national flag.
That is the formal attire for a female officer in this country.
"Iris Valou… has arrived."
Surrounded by numerous guards, I knocked on the door of the capital's General Staff Headquarters.
I attended the staff meeting, not as Touri, but as Chief of Staff Iris Valou.
"Eh, Touri…"
"Please call me Iris, Lieutenant Colonel Verdi."
I've applied makeup to make my skin appear pale, dressed in an all-black outfit, and stared straight ahead with a blank expression.
I didn't attend the meeting in my usual gentle attire.
I appeared in the meeting in a cold and chic officer's uniform.
This is my way of showing my resolve.
There is no justice in war.
However, the only way I can protect those dear to me is by winning the war.
In other words, I am not someone caught up in war, but rather I am in the position of "dragging citizens into war."
Like the hated yet brilliant monster Bern Valou, I must become a villain.
"I now go by the name Iris Valou."
"That name is…"
"I don't want to tarnish Rodri's family name."
"…"
The malice that Bern carried all his life, and entrusted to me.
On the day I decided to carry on his plans, I resolved to bear the burden of being evil.
Whether it's enemy soldiers or civilians… I will kill mercilessly for the sake of Austin's national interest.
If my evil deeds can save my allies, I don't care if future generations spit on my grave.
…But I don't want to link his bloodline to such a person.
That's why I abandoned the name Touri Lowe.
"Chief of Staff, Iris Valou. Please take your seat."
"Thank you."
Upon entering the conference room, both Verdi and Renvel turned into serious, grim-faced killers, as if they were different people.
Everyone here is going to discuss how to kill people.
"The meeting will begin as scheduled."
I'm just an amateur who has not received officer training and has never drafted a proper military strategy.
Normally, I shouldn't even be able to participate in such a meeting.
"Then, first, let us review the current situation—"
But now, in this national emergency,
I have inherited the "strategy" that can turn the tide of this war.
"The earliest the reinforcements from the Sabbath will arrive is around May. It will take at least two more months."
"Yes."
"It is expected that the Allied forces will reach Winn in about three months."
"Will they make it in time for the decisive battle?"
The monster Bern Valou, who died entrusting everything to me, his sister.
Only Bern and I know the details of the strategy written in his will.
"Well then, Iris-sama. Could you please explain?"
"Yes."
And I'm taking Bern's place and acting as a proxy for evil.
"The main strategy for the defense of Winn"
In the narrow conference room of the General Staff Headquarters.
Only key military figures like Colonel Renvel and Lieutenant Colonel Verdi were gathered in this room, the very core of the military.
"I am Iris Valou, the newly appointed Chief of Staff. I will now explain the outline of the operation."
The meeting, with me as its leader, is about to begin.
***
"…Hmm. We don't have any objections to the first half of the plan."
"I appreciate your understanding, Colonel Renvel."
That said, there's no way I can debate strategic theory with active staff officers.
All I did was read from the script, while the detailed proceedings were handled by Bern's close aide, Deputy Chief of Staff Curley.
"However, there are some weak points regarding the latter half of the defense plan for Winn."
"What specifically do you find lacking?"
"The deployment of the Sabbatian reinforcements. You're planning to have the Sabbatian forces defend the eastern sector of Winn by themselves. That's not a good idea."
"Why do you think that?"
"They have no reason to risk their lives in this fight. They'll flee if things turn unfavorable. We should spread them out instead of concentrating them in one place."
In the conference room, Renvel exuded an intimidating presence.
He wasn't this intimidating during the briefing at Headquarters…
"Of course, I understand Colonel Renvel's point. However, the current deployment of the Sabbatian forces has a specific purpose."
"Then let's hear that purpose."
"I'm afraid I can't share it. …It's the 'core' of this operation."
"That again!"
After hearing Major Curley's response, Renvel clicked his tongue in frustration.
The tension in the meeting room spiked, and the atmosphere became charged.
"You people are still clinging to secrecy even after Colonel Henri's death!"
"Austin will lose any chance of victory if this operation is leaked."
"You're not even going to tell me about the operation even when I'm in command on the front lines?!"
"Of course, I will tell you when the time comes. But for now…"
"If that's the case, then what's the point of this meeting?! You're showing us a deployment plan without explaining the intention behind it, forbidding any objections, and expecting us to just follow it?"
"Yes. That is the will of the hero Bern Valou."
"Bern, huh? How ridiculous!"
There were two factions within this army: the Renvel faction and the Henri faction.
These factions often clashed over policy, leading to frequent arguments.
"Curley, explain the whole operation right now. That's the proper way to treat those of us who are risking our lives."
"With all due respect, the operation will have a higher success rate if I don't explain it."
"That's ridiculous! How can I command without knowing the strategy? Don't move the army based solely on your arbitrary decisions!"
"It is precisely because of those 'arbitrary decisions' that Austin has had its victories up until now."
"How dare you act all high and mighty after failing to capture the capital."
Apparently, Colonel Henri and Renvel have always been on bad terms.
Major Curley was someone who had unified the soldiers who were part of the Henri faction.
And now, having been swayed by Curley's words, I had fully aligned myself with the Henri faction.
"And now, you. Chief of Staff Iris."
"Y-Yes?"
"What about you? Do you plan to explain the full strategy?"
Renvel said, glaring sharply at me.
It was a deadly gaze filled with anger.
"Ah, um, well…"
"Since Iris-sama is not used to attending meetings, I, Curley, will answer in her place today."
"Hmph… You've brought quite the flashy figurehead."
To Renvel, it must look like I had betrayed him and sided with Colonel Henri's faction.
It's unfortunate that I had been too busy preparing for the meeting to contact him beforehand.
"In the first place, will Bern's plans really be of any use? The situation on the battlefield changes every moment. I don't think plans thought up in a hospital room at the rear without actually being on the front lines will be very effective."
"They're effective. They are the reason we succeeded in mobilizing the Sabbath Federation."
Renvel continued to glare at me as if he were looking at a traitor.
From his perspective, I had risen in rank by siding with the Henri faction, strutting around in my all-black attire.
I need to clear up this misunderstanding somehow…
"At the very least, I demand that the full details of the operation be disclosed. Without that, we can't move the discussion forward."
"Understood. I'll make a request to His Majesty and the General."
"For the record, Iris over there knows the full details of the plan, right?"
"Of course. She is the key to this operation."
Feeling afraid of Renvel's menacing gaze, I glanced at Verdi for help.
He just gave a troubled smile before quickly looking away.
…Have I been abandoned?
"Well then, Iris. How about grabbing a meal with me after this?"
"Eh, ah, yes."
"This is just a personal meal between me and her. You have no complaints, do you, Curley?"
"None at all. Please, feel free to deepen your friendship."
With that same terrifying expression, Renvel invited me to dinner.
And Major Curley casually offered me up with a smile.
"Right then. I'll be borrowing this girl for a while."
"Enjoy your meal, Colonel Renvel."
As soon as the meeting ended, without allowing any objections,
Renvel gave a chilling smile as he looked at me in my full formal attire.
***
"What are you doing?"
"S-Sorry."
And so, I was more or less kidnapped by Renvel.
With me grabbed by the scruff of the neck, I found myself subjected to an interrogation disguised as a "meal" with him and Verdi.
"I didn't know this myself, but it turns out that Bern Valou was my real older brother."
"Ah, I heard about that… Hmph, so you've switched sides?"
"'Switched sides' is a bit much… more like, I've been made into a figurehead."
Renvel glared down at me in deep displeasure.
Verdi also had a somewhat troubled and dissatisfied expression.
"Uncle, let's hear the situation first."
'Hmph."
Although Verdi is protecting me, he looks as if he is wondering, "Why didn't you come to me for advice?"
…It's true, I should have consulted Verdi about this.
"Well, I understand the desire to side with someone you're related to."
"Th-Thanks."
"That aside, explain this strategy your brother supposedly left behind."
Renvel seemed particularly concerned about that.
This man truly cared for his country.
He was probably worried that the plan left behind by Bern might be a hopeless failure.
"Rather than explaining it myself, I thought it would be quicker for me to show you his will."
"You have Bern Valou's will?"
"Yes, a will addressed to me."
Knowing I'd be interrogated by Renvel today, I had brought the will with me.
I was confident that once he read it, Renvel would understand.
"The first half is about Bern's regrets. The second half gives an outline of the operation, but…"
"Hmph."
And so, what was Bern's final strategy written in the will he handed over?
────The specifics of the plan have been fully conveyed to Curley. Due to confidentiality reasons, I can't tell you. Sorry!
────I've prepared a suitable place for you to shine. All you have to do is plan and execute the strategy as you like. You can do it, and only you can do it.
It was incredibly vague.
"What is this!? Is he mocking me?!"
"…It appears the detailed strategy was only communicated to Major Curley."
"That damn bastard! No wonder he handed Touri over so easily!"
Renvel became furious after reading the will.
He was on the verge of tearing it apart, but Verdi calmed him down by saying, "That's a memento from Touri's brother."
"What hero! What monster! War isn't something fought by individuals!"
"…Indeed, this is truly a mess."
Both of them were now holding their heads in exasperation over Bern's so-called strategy.
…When I read it myself, I felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment and letdown.
"In short, I'm just a figurehead on the sidelines. I'm also out of the loop."
"You weren't informed of the intent behind that formation?"
"Nope."
However, maybe it was because my and Bern's ways of thinking were similar.
I had noticed the hidden side of Bern's final strategy.
But I have no intention of telling Renvel about it.
"I haven't been given any further explanation."
It's a bold yet delicate gamble, like a thin thread. It's a strategy that relied on trust—trust that I could manage it well.
…If Renvel were to learn about the contents, he would surely raise hell and vehemently oppose it.
If that happened, the chances of the strategy leaking and failing would increase dramatically.
"You went along with a strategy you don't even understand?"
"It's also a fact that Bern Valou has overturned adversity many times."
Bern must have written it that way because he believed that I would be able to spot the hidden meaning.
So that even if the letter was stolen and read by someone else, it wouldn't pose a problem.
"I agreed to join Major Curley's proposal without asking for details of this so-called final strategy, all for the sake of saving the country."
"Yeah, that's just like you."
Renvel gritted his teeth in frustration but appeared convinced by my explanation.
There were no lies in what I had just said. I haven't been told anything about the specifics of the plan.
────I've just made my own assumptions about it.
"Fine. If this plan truly saves the country, then I intend to fully support it. Just don't hide the details of the operation, that's all I ask."
"I'll make sure to pass along those words."
"And let me know if you suspect they're up to something strange. …Honestly, I don't trust those guys."
"Understood. I'll be sure to consult you if anything comes up, Colonel Renvel."
"Come by anytime. I'm on your side, Touri."
"Thank you."
With this, my explanation to Renvel was successful. This too was all in Bern's plan.
It seems Bern also struggled with how to handle Renvel, and was worried that he might oppose the final battle.
That's likely why he wanted to use me, someone who had good relations with the Renvel faction, as a figurehead.
"Well then, Colonel Renvel, Lieutenant Colonel Verdi. I'll take my leave now."
"Yes, do your best."
Thus, as a mere figurehead Chief of Staff, I began preparing to bring this war to an end.
"Ah, one last thing, Touri… or rather, Chief of Staff Iris."
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Verdi?"
Ruthlessly, coldly.
With hidden resolve in my heart, I will bear the burden of evil—
"That makeup doesn't really suit you."
"Yeah, it doesn't look too good."
"How about trying to learn makeup from someone?"
"…I'll consider it."
Turns out the villainous makeup I spent an hour perfecting in front of the mirror was not well-received.