Do Your Own Revolution

#093

“…Right. I understand.”

After the sudden visit from the informant.

Upon hearing his whisper, Randall Dean Clark, an executive of the Revolutionary Army, held his chin in thought.

‘Claude leading his comrades out and clashing with the target on his own. The plan has been disrupted…’

Indeed, it was an unexpected situation.

Although he had shown signs of anxiety before, who would have thought he’d run off like this.

However, it wasn’t incomprehensible either.

‘Well, he must be starting to feel threatened as he sees the Revolutionary Army that Maximilien created falling into my grasp.’

Though he could have been displeased by this unexpected variable, what bloomed on Randall’s lips was a sardonic smile.

“However, it’s already too late.”

Most of the members already followed him, and the Revolutionary Army’s finances were also under his management.

It was just a matter of time – the Revolutionary Army would completely fall into his hands.

While thinking this, a voice came from one side of the office.

– Is there a problem?

Hearing the voice, Randall’s gaze turned to his office desk.

A wireless communication device made with Republic technology.

To the man’s voice coming from the speaker, Randall clicked his tongue and said.

“No, it’s nothing.”

– Then focus. Small talk during such an important conversation? Has living comfortably in the Empire made you slack?

A sharp voice. And at the same time, an impatient one.

Understandable enough.

Randall’s sneer deepened as he looked at the communicator.

After losing the war, the Republic’s upper echelons had become even more anxious.

And that impatience was coming back as pressure directed at him.

– Answer me, Director Randall. Mages, weapons, money! Your Revolutionary Army, which consumes a budget comparable to an entire Republic army corps, why during this war…!

“I believe the Kalhyram Revolutionary Army achieved sufficient results in this war.”

Though an irritated voice came through, Randall answered with a relaxed attitude.

“Secretary General’s plan was thorough. The people’s uprisings caused by the Revolutionary Army across various locations were meant to bind the Knight Order’s feet, while the Republic army that rushed in during that time was supposed to defeat the Imperial army in a short period.”

……

“Then through post-war negotiations, confiscate the rights of the Empire that lost its military power. Accelerating the fall of the Imperial family… It was a plan without excess, and the progress was smooth as well. However…”

An unexpected variable had interfered with that plan.

As if understanding Randall’s unspoken words, a gloomy voice came from the speaker.

– Keiren Buckenheim. And what he created… The Devils of Magic Bullets.

Due to these two entities that defended against the Republic’s invasion, the Republic’s plans had failed from the start.

The Republic army retreated after suffering unprecedented losses.

The conclusion of the ambitiously started war was in the humiliating form of the Secretary General himself bowing his head to the Empire’s Emperor.

The enraged Secretary General overturned the Republic’s upper echelons as soon as he returned from negotiations, and the Republic’s upper brass had to endure ideological verification in the name of post-war evaluation.

‘But that’s your problem.’

Thinking this, Randall deliberately raised his voice.

“The Revolutionary Army fulfilled its role. We killed numerous magic nobles and forced the Knight Orders of the 12 Great Magic Houses to withdraw.”

– Ahem, ahem…

“What more should we have done? Should we have carried out a suicide charge along with the Republic army’s main force? Let me state clearly. The responsibility for this defeat lies not with the Intelligence Department and Revolutionary Army, but with the frontline commanders who were played by Keiren’s tactics!”

Director Randall! Watch your rash words!

Though shouting flowed from the communicator, Randall had no intention of backing down.

‘Like pigs sitting in the Kermel Palace, just eating their feed.’

After driving countless Republic citizens to their deaths with their incompetence, they would turn their guns on him and his agents carrying out missions in enemy territory?

What nonsense.

It wasn’t me who lost the war, it was you bastards.

Just as the argument between Randall and the Republic’s upper echelons was about to continue.

– Enough.

At one man’s voice, the voices of all the executives stopped simultaneously.

The First Secretary General of the Westraine Republic.

When he directly spoke, no one dared to carelessly open their mouths.

– Randall.

“Yes, Secretary General.”

– How is the operation progressing?

At those words, Randall immediately opened his mouth.

“We’ve made contact with Duke Buckenheim. Thanks to that, we were able to corner the head of the Special Magical Power Unit… who had been holding back the Republic army.”

– The young man the soldiers were talking about?

The news had reached even the Secretary General?

It was unexpected, but Randall deliberately didn’t voice this.

– I know he’s promising, but he’s just a Knight Order Commander at best. Isn’t borrowing Buckenheim’s hand to catch such a person too excessive a measure?

“Secretary General. There is a reason for that.”

Saying this, Randall smiled slightly.

“The one who contributed most to the Republic’s defeat was undoubtedly one person. Keiren Buckenheim.”

Numerous commanders had issued challenges to catch him, and they perished along with thousands and tens of thousands of Republic soldiers.

Ten commanders were dispatched, and only four returned alive.

They would all spend their twilight years in Republic labor re-education camps.

“And this target, the officer named Eugene, is the blade he forged. The one wielding that blade is the Emperor sitting in the Imperial capital.”

– The snake-like old man coiled up sitting on the throne.

Thought he was a toothless beast, who knew he was hiding such fangs.

As the Secretary General muttered this, Randall immediately agreed.

“To kill a dragon, one must pull out its fangs and cut off its limbs.”

– Hmm?

At those words, other executives showed interest.

– Director Randall. Are you saying…?

“Eugene Lorentz. That officer is just the beginning.”

The ultimate goal of the Republic Intelligence Department and the Revolutionary Army it controls.

“We will kill the Emperor.”

After a brief pause, Randall slowly opened his mouth.

“This time, without fail.”

The conditions were perfect.

Republic agents occupying most key positions in the Revolutionary Army.

Original members divided and scattered around the field.

Even new recruits gradually beginning to accept Republic ideology.

Unlike last time, the Revolutionary Army was transforming into a faithful appendage that followed Randall’s orders.

If cooperation from the magic nobles was added to this, success was practically guaranteed.

Hearing Randall’s report, the Secretary General beyond the communicator immediately spoke.

– I’ll send support supplies and weapons.

A satisfied voice.

Hearing those words, Randall clenched his fist.

Got it.

The Secretary General now completely trusted him.

– We’ll have to prepare a Republic Hero Medal. I expect successful mission completion without mistakes.

“Intelligence Director Randall Dean Clark. I will complete the mission without the slightest error.”

After some praise and promises of rewards.

The Secretary General spoke his final words.

– For the Republic.

“For the Republic.”

With Randall’s reply, the communication ended.

This communicator would now be disposed of.

When the time came, the next communication device would arrive from the homeland.

“Phew…”

Dealing with politicians was always tiring.

After moving his shoulders a few times, Randall muttered with a sardonic smile.

“A Republic hero? What nonsense.”

Assassinating the Emperor would be a great achievement recorded in Republic history.

If he returned after succeeding in such a task, he would become the Secretary General’s competitor, not his loyal subject.

What awaited him in the homeland would be not a medal, but the blade of purge wielded by the Secretary General.

However, such things were of no concern to Randall.

‘If I kill the Emperor and put Baker in that position, I’ll have no reason to return to the Republic.’

A medal that was just for show.

The title of hero who would be used and betrayed.

I wouldn’t take it even if offered.

“If I succeed in this, I can finally start my own ‘business’.”

In Randall’s eyes as he gritted his teeth, an emotion he had never shown before was boiling up.

Ambition.

The plan he had built up over his lifetime was just now getting on track.

“And…”

Trailing off, Randall looked at a photograph placed in one corner of his office.

Maximilien, Vark, and himself with arms around each other’s shoulders in a friendly pose.

And Claude, standing stiffly as if nervous in the middle of it all.

“It would be nice if I could get rid of one disobedient dog during this opportunity.”

Is it too greedy to want this too?

Who knows.

Thinking this, Randall looked at the photograph on the table.

A cherished photo from a time that could no longer be seen.

However, Randall’s eyes as he looked at it were cold beyond measure.

***

“…That’s probably Randall’s plan.”

When other Revolutionary Army members arrived guided by Feilun, this shabby house had turned into a negotiation venue between me and Claude.

To think that a Special Magical Power Unit Battalion Commander and Revolutionary Army Supreme Leader would be sitting around a campfire like this.

Come to think of it, isn’t this exactly like when I met Maximilien?

If Maximilien in heaven saw this scene, he might have done a surprised triple axel somersault.

“So, this entire situation was all…”

“A trap to eliminate the Emperor’s faction, especially the Special Magical Power Unit?”

Hearing the information we provided, Claude and Miles’ faces immediately became confused.

The Count Elcidore family remnants who have seizures and try to run away right after witnessing the major event of Elcryer’s extermination.

Magic nobles using those Elcidore remnants to try to kill me.

The Revolutionary Army siding with those magic nobles and threatening me.

Claude independently coming to crush me because he was dissatisfied with that Revolutionary Army.

And finally, me trying to resolve this situation by using Claude.

I know.

The situation is so complexly tangled it makes my head spin just thinking about it again.

However, if we combine the information obtained from Claude, the situation can be surprisingly simply organized.

“The magic nobles and the Republic want the Emperor’s death, and they are cooperating to plot the Emperor’s assassination.”

“And the means they’ll use for the Emperor’s assassination is the Revolutionary Army. And their first selected target is… me, you say.”

As Claude and I spoke alternately, a tremendous realization hit me anew.

Magic nobles turning their blades toward the Emperor as soon as the war ended.

And the Republic immediately teaming up with the enemy when they detect this, along with the Revolutionary Army that’s been swallowed by that Republic.

And of all people, these bastards team up and aim for me first?

Oh shit, I’m so honored I don’t know what to do with myself. You bastards.

Feeling curses rising from deep in my gut, I looked at Claude sitting across from me.

“Emperor assassination. In planning such a massive operation, why did I…!”

Seeing him trembling with clenched fists, he seems as pissed off as I am.

No, thinking about it, he’s probably even more pissed off than me.

He may be a powerless figurehead, but for someone who’s supposed to be the Revolutionary Army Supreme Leader to have to deduce their operation details through the enemy?

At this point he’s not a Supreme Leader, he’s just an outcast.

Indeed, the advanced Revolutionary Army that rose up valiantly to overthrow the class system.

Their treatment of the Supreme Leader is truly a-mazing.

Whew, I made the right choice throwing away revolution and everything else earlier.

If I were in that position, I would’ve died from stress.

“Anyway, I have one thing to propose.”

After thinking this briefly.

When I brought attention back to the surroundings, Claude and the Revolutionary Army members looked my way.

“You need to change the nature of the Revolutionary Army that’s been corrupted into the Republic’s puppet, and I need to report and prepare for the assassination plan they’re plotting.”

“……”

“And to achieve both our goals, first we need to escape from this ridiculous trap.”

Saying this, I spoke to Claude.

“How about it? When our needs align, isn’t it better to cooperate?”

“Co-operate…?”

“Now that you’ve disrupted Randall’s plans, you’re out of his favor. Sooner or later, Randall will try to eliminate you.”

Maybe even right now.

As I added that, Claude’s face turned pale as he mulled over the situation.

“This current situation. Don’t you think it’s a perfect opportunity even from your perspective?”

The Count Elcidore family remnants who were originally supposed to kill me.

By now, those guys must be searching the entire city to find me.

And if they find and kill me, they could easily disguise the death of the Supreme Leader who ran off on his own.

‘We conducted a search, but the Supreme Leader Claude was already dead.’

Something like that.

“Brother Randall, kill me? But that’s…!”

“Doesn’t make sense? Why do you think that?”

After asking that, I brought out one of the truths I had been holding back.

“Vark Urgan, who was your previous Supreme Leader. The one who turned him into a monster was Randall.”

And hearing those words, Claude’s face turned pale beyond comparison to just moments ago.

“D-Don’t be ridiculous! That was you people…!”

“The Empire turned Vark into a monster? You believe that even knowing why the Elcryer family was exterminated?”

“…!”

The reason Elcryer was designated as an Imperial enemy was because they conducted research on monsters.

After pointing out this well-known fact, I continued speaking.

“The Empire is a nation that gives life sentences just for possessing documents about monsters. In such an Empire, they developed technology to turn people into monsters? And used that technology on the Revolutionary Army Supreme Leader in public? Don’t you think that doesn’t add up?”

“……”

“But on the other hand, what about the Republic?”

I brought up the Republic’s weapons I had seen on the frontlines.

Monsters clad in armor plates, following human commands.

The fact that the place conducting the most active research on monsters was none other than the Republic.

“And Randall is running the Revolutionary Army with support from that Republic.”

“……”

“Then, could it have been the Empire that could turn Vark into that state? Who was the only person who could contact him while he was imprisoned and mutate him?”

A cause-and-effect relationship simple enough for a child to understand.

Though Claude’s mouth gaped trying to refute something, no voice came out.

‘He must have been suspicious. He just didn’t have enough evidence to be certain.’

The doubts he had harbored inside.

The sense of unease he felt whenever Vark was mentioned.

All those suspicions must be gradually taking definite shape now.

“Eugene.”

Meanwhile, Feilun, who had been looking outside, called me softly.

I already knew why he called.

Splat-! Splat-!

Grotesque footsteps.

The knights of the Elcidore family surrounding the hideout as if to encircle it.

They were gradually tightening their encirclement, approaching this way.

And even this bizarre magical power emanating from them.

I wasn’t the only mage who had noticed it.

“Claude. This, this magical power…!”

“It’s a monster’s mana core. Elcidore’s magical power and monster reactions are flowing out simultaneously…!”

Miles and the Revolutionary Army members following Claude.

Having noticed the magical power waves flowing from the knights, they were looking at Claude with expressions of shock.

Doubts became certainty, and the evidence appeared before their eyes.

Along with Randall’s dark intentions to kill them.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Looking at Claude who had lost his words, I spoke.

Don’t trust Randall Dean Clark.

When I let him go at the Zicklinte mansion, that’s what I said.

Claude seemed to recall those words too, as he gritted his teeth with a twisted expression.

“Kwaaaargh! Kwak!”

“Kiiiiii–!”

What was only felt as magical power waves now started to be heard as voices too.

Knights rushing this way while spraying tentacles and blood.

“What I suspected turned out to be true after all.”

The exact same appearance as Vark who had turned into a monster.

Seeing that, Claude finally had to acknowledge it.

“Brother Randall really did that to Uncle Vark…!”

Anger and vengeance filled the space where doubt and distrust had been.

Randall who deceived his comrade and manipulated the Revolutionary Army with false propaganda as he pleased.

Claude had finally recognized Randall as an enemy.

You catch on quick, you idiot.

“Damn! Those are all mages with three strokes or more imprints! Count Elcidore family’s knights!”

“If such guys have turned into monsters, with our power…”

“Supreme Leader! What should we…”

Seeing the enemies crowding toward the hideout, fear crept into the eyes of the Revolutionary Army members following Claude.

It was natural.

We have less than ten people, but there are about a hundred enemies.

On top of that, they’re all knights with magic imprints, and due to turning into monsters, they have nearly infinite magical power.

By the time we realized it was a trap, everything was already too late.

No matter what we did, those of us here couldn’t win.

“You mentioned cooperation.”

After a while, Claude’s voice was heard.

“If I cooperate with you, we can survive?”

“……”

“I’m asking if you have a way to break through that many monsters.”

Betrayal, revenge, inferiority.

His voice tinged with all sorts of emotions was asking me.

“I do.”

I answered immediately.

“The rest is up to your choice.”

A short sentence.

Hearing those words, Claude clenched his fists and opened his mouth.

“What are the terms?”

Claude had made his choice, and a smile bloomed on my lips.

A deal.

What word in the world could be more pleasant to hear?

“If you return alive, Randall won’t be able to touch you carelessly.”

Even if he’s just a figurehead Supreme Leader, Claude is practically the face of the Revolutionary Army.

If such a person meets a suspicious death, the Revolutionary Army that was painstakingly stabilized would be shaken again.

That’s probably why they’re specifically using monsters to try to kill Claude too.

So, we just need to use that point.

“So you continue playing Randall’s puppet while maintaining magical power communication with me, and let me know about Revolutionary Army operations related to the Emperor assassination.”

“…!”

“Then I’ll use the Special Magic Unit to eliminate Randall’s puppets one by one.”

Of course, the opposite case was true too.

Information about magic nobles coming through various routes.

If I pass that to Claude, Claude and the real Revolutionary Army following him can hunt magic nobles more easily.

“I’ll use you and the Revolutionary Army to crush the magic nobles.”

“I’ll use the Special Magical Power Unit… to excise the Republic forces rooted in the Revolutionary Army.”

“The alliance duration is until the Republic forces inside the Revolutionary Army and all magic nobles in the Empire are exterminated.”

“And after they’re all eliminated?”

“We can go back to fighting each other like before.”

You try to overthrow the Empire, I try to protect it.

Who ends up on which side later… honestly, I’m not sure either.

A mutual scheme of using each other for killing.

After confirming the deal terms, Claude slowly nodded.

Die, or become my chess piece.

The choice he could make was decided from the start.

“…I accept.”

“Contract established. Connecting imprints.”

Patzut-!

As red sparks flashed, I could feel my [Wings of Crimson] connecting with Claude’s [Red Wings].

The communication network setup was complete after a few test transmissions.

With this, for the time being, Claude had become a ‘comrade’ I could pull out and use whenever I felt like it.

“So. How do you plan to break through those monsters?”

With a frown on his face as if still not quite trusting even after making the contract, Claude opened his mouth.

“I’ll admit your magic is strong. However, with just that, those monsters…!”

But his words trailed off momentarily.

Seeing the girl sitting beside me at some point, he temporarily lost his words.

“Who… is…”

He probably couldn’t even sense her presence.

Of course not.

Even I can’t gauge when she started sitting next to me.

“Finally, one more thing.”

Irene, tilting her head while looking at me as if asking for permission.

While gently patting her head, I spoke to everyone gathered here.

“Never, absolutely never tell anyone about what’s about to happen here.”

The enemy Elcidore remnants had all turned into monsters.

Carlos’s knights who should be monitoring me were tied up by the Imperial Guard Knight Order.

Therefore, right now.

Coincidentally, right now.

Was the most appropriate timing to use Irene.

“Eugene. Eugene.”

Irene, tugging at my collar, asked with a bright smile.

“Can I eat all of those?”

Irene, licking her lips while looking at the hundred or so monsters running toward this place.

Responding to her with a similar smile, I nodded.

“Heehee!”

An innocent smile blooming toward me.

Something more terrifying than that, I still haven’t found.

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