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Major Filia Gehenbach, Battalion Commander of the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion, was receiving a report from Second Lieutenant Risha Crimine of the Third Company.
「And so this officer removed her uniform and soiled her underclothes for the sake of Lieutenant Fonkt. Naturally, it was to disguise myself as a fleeing peasant. I also had him bind me tightly with rope. That was extremely effective—」
「What exactly am I being forced to listen to here.」
Filia sighed and pushed back her bangs.
「Risha. Listen carefully. I am not demanding a detailed account of your perverse hobbies. I am demanding a report on the mission in the Kavallaf region.」
Risha tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
「But this is the report. I am sure Lieutenant Fonkt skipped over this part, since it is just like him, is it not?」
「Unlike you, he has common sense.」
Resting her elbow on the desk, Filia set down her pen.
「Even so, hanging yourself in disguise—impressive enough. You have come a long way.」
「During the duel with Lord Grien, I ended up displaying such an unsightly appearance…」
Risha exhaled a long, heavy sigh.
「I was worried Lieutenant Fonkt might be disappointed in me, so this time I put everything I had into it.」
「Hate to break it to you, but he does not care about that at all.」
「He should care! I was prepared to die for real, you know!」
Watching the little girl bang on the desk, Filia gave a wry smile.
「Still, at the very least, Lieutenant Fonkt must have reevaluated you. He will not be treating you as dead weight anymore. Your resolve was not wasted.」
「Right?」
Risha’s eyes shone with expectation. Filia glanced away. She was not the type to tell unnecessary lies.
「Anyway, it seems your reports line up with his, so I can rest easy. As always, your reports are trustworthy. Even if what you two actually do is insane.」
「I thought that insanity was what was expected of us.」
「It is. There are only a few in the Third Company who can handle such things. Losing Lieutenant Meinen was a painful blow.」
Filia remembered the smile of her lost subordinate and offered a silent prayer.
「For the time being, you are to serve as Lieutenant Fonkt’s aide. On your own you are far too dangerous, and for him to demonstrate his full capability, he needs a proper partner.」
「Yes, Battalion Commander.」
Snapping a sharp salute, Risha immediately added with a straight face:
「Then, as Lieutenant Fonkt’s aide, I must state: that man is best suited to remain single for the sake of his duties.」
「You were eavesdropping outside my office again, were you not.」
Filia sighed.
「Do not worry. I have been strictly ordered, 『Since I will be marrying Fonkt, Mama must absolutely never get married.』」
「Ah, your daughter…」
Risha chuckled wryly.
「Still, you are all too ready to jump ahead of the line, are you not?」
「As if. Honestly, what do you all even see in that man.」
「He is capable, reliable, gentle, serious, good-looking, kind to women and children, clean, and somehow impossible to leave alone.」
「Every last one of you.」
Filia turned away with a sour look.
「For my part, I personally think you are the one who fits him best.」
「Battalion Commander, I love you. Let us get married.」
「And what do you expect me to do with that. Marry him.」
Filia collapsed onto her desk, long blonde hair spilling everywhere.
「Ahhh, if only I had met someone like that back when I was your age.」
「There is no use lamenting. Leave the future to the young.」
「Do not treat me like an old woman. In society’s eyes I still count as a little girl, thank you very much.」
Since Risha said nothing, Filia grew all the more irritated.
「You are infuriating. And do not even think about transferring. In a proper unit you would be bullied to death.」
「I have a vague understanding of that. I wonder why.」
「Because you say things you should not, and leave unsaid things you should say. Anyway, enough of that—I have a top secret mission for you.」
Raising herself upright, Filia’s expression hardened.
「From now on, you are to guard Lieutenant Fonkt personally. In private life as well. If necessary, become his lover or even his wife.」
「Yes, ma’am.」
Risha saluted at once. Filia could not help but laugh wryly.
「In just the past two missions he has already risked his life considerably. From here on it will only become more dangerous. I suspect this battalion even has an insider leaking information. If mission details are exposed, assassins or political sabotage may be sent after him.」
Risha’s face showed understanding.
「So that is why, even in his private life.」
「Exactly. Watch everything he does. Not that I expect him to visit a brothel, but if he ever looked like he might, you are to ‘handle it.’」
「Yes, ma’am.」
Once again Risha saluted without hesitation, this time grinning broadly.
「Battalion Commander, you really know how to talk.」
「What value does a commander have if she cannot protect her subordinates.」
After saying that, Filia allowed herself a small smile.
「Of course, you are also free to let yourself be protected by him. No doubt he already is protecting you. Escorting female officers is one of his specialties.」
「I have noticed. Ever since I began partnering with him, other officers have stopped trying anything strange with me.」
「See? When I have him accompany me to the Guards’ Headquarters, those bastards who usually grope my ass or shoulders do not dare come near.」
In the Legitimate Empire, where male supremacy was deeply ingrained, female officers were always at risk—even in supposedly safe rear-line postings.
「Honestly, there are far too few decent men in this Empire. Just like the officers’ mess at the Guards’ Headquarters. Plenty of numbers, but no one worth choosing.」
Blowing away the shadows of her own past with a sigh, Filia gave a crooked smile.
「In that sense, even the late Meinen was not so bad. Since he only cared about alcohol, a heavy drinker like me never suffered any unpleasant treatment.」
「That is true. Lieutenant Meinen’s standard of value was always ‘Can you drink or not?’ Although I do question him as a human being for that.」
Risha laughed along with her. She too was a heavy drinker—though known for being a belligerent drunk, feared even within the Third Company.
「Regardless, any male officer who can show respect to female officers is valuable enough for that alone. Guard him well, and let yourself be guarded in turn.」
「Yes, Battalion Commander.」
Even in the military, where rank was absolute, women held low standing. Neither of them ever went out alone; even common soldiers might attack them.
「By the way, will my daughter scold me if she learns I gave you such an order?」
「Probably.」
At once, Filia flopped onto her desk again.
「But it cannot be helped, can it… Mama is just doing her job… All for the sake of protecting your precious ‘Mr. Fonkt,’ so please understand…」
「It is all right, Battalion Commander. You have done nothing wrong.」
Risha gently stroked Filia’s golden hair.