The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 73
EP.73 Interlude
“The mercenary group was annihilated? When did this happen?”
“It happened at dawn yesterday, sir.”
Upon hearing the report, the face of Maximilian Schmidt, the governor of the Autonomous State of Rickland, momentarily brightened. However, the smile on his face didn’t last long.
“Did the Empire deploy additional forces?”
“Well….”
The high-ranking officer in the blue uniform furrowed his brow, looking somewhat troubled. His well-groomed gray mustache twitched slightly at the ends. Clearly, something about the report didn’t sit right with him.
Despite this, Schmidt didn’t think the Empire had crossed the border with a large army. If that had been the case, the officer would have stormed in with a flushed face, not with hesitation. Although the Autonomous State functioned as a “republic,” it hadn’t entirely shed its noble tendencies. It was, in essence, a nation that resembled the Empire, minus the Imperial Family.
Of course, this was only in terms of political structure; the territory was much smaller, and its military power was insignificant compared to the Empire. The fact that the mercenary group, which should have been under the state’s command, had become a warlord during the chaos of the revolution, made any comparison of military power between the two almost meaningless.
Thus, while they had no choice but to ask the Empire for assistance, they feared its military strength and had “requested” that the Empire refrain from deploying more troops than necessary. It wasn’t just Schmidt who shared this sentiment. The nobles of the Autonomous State also agreed, and though the military’s pride was wounded, they couldn’t openly oppose the request but frequently expressed their displeasure.
…Truthfully, even if the Empire had ignored this request, there would have been no way to stop them. However, the Emperor had, for the time being, honored their plea.
“There was just one person.”
“One person…?”
Schmidt pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Has General Winterfield returned?”
“No, sir.”
“Then… perhaps his daughter?”
“I’m afraid not, either. The individual in question was a woman, yes, but much younger than General Winterfield’s daughter. There are rumors that she might be a princess….”
“A princess? Are you telling me the Empire sent a princess to the battlefield, and she was the key to victory?”
Schmidt glanced at the ceiling in a daze for a moment before lowering his gaze back to the commander in front of him.
“Could it be that the Imperial army attacked the enemy, sacrificing themselves to protect the princess? If so, we’ll owe a significant debt of gratitude.”
“Protection” isn’t free. Even if the compensation for the damage wasn’t directly monetary, an equivalent price had to be paid. Otherwise, it was uncertain where the Imperial Army’s swords and spears would turn.
For now, the region was filled with warlords, but once the Empire finished dealing with them one by one…
There was a reason the state kept pleading for the Empire to limit the number of troops it sent.
“No, sir, that’s not the case.”
However, Schmidt’s assumption was quickly refuted by the commander.
“The Imperial Army reportedly suffered minimal casualties. The warlord’s base collapsed entirely, bunker and all. A unit stationed nearby sent someone over this morning. They even took photographs—would you like to see them?”
The commander gently placed a thin but finely crafted wooden clipboard on Schmidt’s desk.
“……”
Schmidt flipped through the report, skimming each page.
It was just as the commander had said. The base that the Autonomous State’s army couldn’t breach was now in ruins. Imperial soldiers were cheering from all sides, and the disheveled mercenaries were all kneeling on the ground with their hands raised above their heads.
Among the many photographs, one captured the image of a young girl. It wasn’t a close-up shot, but from a distance, near the collapsed bunker, the photo showed a girl with short hair, dressed in a coat similar to that of an Imperial officer, though slightly different in style.
Her expression was unreadable, as her face was turned slightly to the side, revealing only her profile. She didn’t appear to be seriously injured.
“That girl is the princess.”
“…So, what exactly are you suggesting this princess did? Even if the Empire sent a princess, it wouldn’t have changed the tide of the battle. Was she deployed simply to gain military experience as an officer?”
“I don’t think that’s the case. The details are unclear due to conflicting reports, but… according to what’s been circulating, it seems the girl was the key to the victory in this battle.”
“……”
Schmidt pressed his lips together, staring down at the photograph again. Though the girl’s expression was stiff, there were no visible signs of injury. The coat didn’t appear stained or damaged, though the grainy, unfocused black-and-white photo made it hard to tell for sure.
“According to the messenger sent by the Empire,”
The commander began to speak in a flat tone, as if trying to keep his voice devoid of emotion to maintain objectivity.
“The princess was directly deployed to the battlefield. Within minutes, gunshots and explosions were heard from the enemy camp, followed by a massive explosion. The Imperial Army then launched a feint attack, and as the defensive lines around the princess’s position crumbled, the Imperial forces were able to penetrate the enemy’s base.”
“Propaganda, no doubt.”
Schmidt scoffed, pushing the report back across the desk.
“…There is the example of Lady Winterfield, isn’t there? If the blood of the Emperor runs in her veins—”
“Even Lady Winterfield couldn’t infiltrate enemy lines alone and detonate their ammunition depot. That’s beyond the capabilities of any human. Are you suggesting this princess can dodge bullets?”
“……”
With Schmidt putting it so bluntly, the commander had nothing left to say. In truth, even as he delivered the report, his own skepticism was clear in his emotionless tone.
“But,”
Schmidt added, running a hand through his hair, slicking it back to expose his forehead.
“if it’s true, even partially… it complicates things.”
His face, framed by neatly combed black hair was the epitome of a “gentleman.” He looked somewhat young, but in reality, he was older than he appeared.
“Even if it’s propaganda, there might be some truth mixed in. Like the case of Lady Winterfield that the commander mentioned, she could have been a significant help in the battle.”
Even if the Empire had exaggerated their success to downplay their own losses, the photos showed that the princess had participated in the battle. Schmidt thought it might be necessary to send someone to discreetly verify the truth from the Imperial soldiers.
“Hmm…”
“What is it?”
When Schmidt narrowed his eyes and looked at the commander, the commander took a step back and asked.
“Didn’t you mention you have a daughter, Commander?”
“…I do, yes.”
Seeing the commander speak with a highly suspicious expression, the governor continued.
“My daughter is still too young to enter the Imperial Academy.”
“……”
“If you have any desire to send your daughter to study in the Empire, the Autonomous State is willing to support her wholeheartedly.”
“……”
The commander remained silent for a moment.
“There’s one condition, but if you don’t want to, that’s fine. There are many young ladies in the Autonomous State who would love to study in the Empire. Or even a young gentleman would be fine.”
“I’ll consider it.”
When the commander spoke, Schmidt nodded and leaned back in his chair.
“Do try to make your decision quickly. I’d like to send any potential students with the cadets returning from their field training on the next train.”
Of course, there would be a complex procedural process, but Schmidt believed the Emperor of the Empire would gladly accept his proposal.
Although he hadn’t fully grasped the Emperor’s character, Schmidt knew at least that the Emperor had a keen interest in “interesting matters.”
“And what do you intend to do with the information about the princess?”
“Well, information is always useful to have on hand. If this princess’s combat skills are truly valuable… we’ll need to think of ways to utilize her to benefit the Autonomous State. We still don’t know her personality.”
Schmidt shrugged casually.
“Oh, by the way, Commander, does your daughter enjoy making friends?”
“Ah, well—”
Seeing the commander’s hesitant glances, Schmidt let out a bitter smile.
“I see.”