Captain Yugi spread a map across the conference table in the Battalion Commander’s office.
「Admiral Terzen, as Commander of the Southern Fleet, operates from the Zerlan Bay area, where the Fleet’s home port is located. This region is also a key hub of trade」
Well, if you’re sitting on a fleet in a major trade hub and then start smuggling, of course you’re going to make a killing.
「However, ships move constantly. No one ever knows where exactly he is. He might be aboard his flagship, he might be at the fleet headquarters in the home port, or he might be out on another vessel」
In an age without satellites, not even aircraft, a ship’s mobility was essentially equal to flying through the sky. Once it’s offshore, you can’t track it. A troublesome opponent.
Captain Yugi looked troubled.
「If someone dragged him right in front of me, I’m confident I could snuff him out in an instant…」
This woman is terrifying. Well, maybe that’s exactly what you want in a Company Commander of an execution unit.
I couldn’t do that kind of trick myself, but maybe I could solve her problem another way.
「Admiral Terzen is the mastermind of the smuggling operations. Why not approach him from that angle?」
「Ah, then perhaps we should try smuggling something ourselves. What weapon would be best?」
「No, let’s avoid weapons. They’re bulky and you need them in numbers」
A hidden weapon, you only need one. Weapons of war—one piece is useless.
I hesitated how to phrase it, but got tired of overthinking. Best to speak like a soldier, straight.
「We’ll smuggle in you, Company Commander」
「…Excuse me?」
Captain Yugi blinked in surprise.
Behind her, the Battalion Commander chuckled low in his throat, clearly amused. He’d already grasped my intent.
「Good, as expected of Second Lieutenant Fonkt. Continue」
「Yes, sir」
I kept explaining.
「Since the smuggling of forbidden drugs has been crushed by the Imperial Household, Admiral Terzen needs a new source of income. Whether he reconciles with the Household or starts a rebellion, he’ll need immense funds. But there aren’t many goods more profitable than forbidden drugs」
Jewels, spices—profitable enough, but legal commodities don’t yield huge margins. Too much competition, too much market discipline. Not enough for true profiteering.
For a man with a fleet at his disposal, illegal contraband is the tastiest prize.
「In the Legitimate Empire, the obvious contraband that yields profit in maritime smuggling is… people」
The Battalion Commander nodded.
「Indeed. By land, it takes too long, and the risk of escape is too great」
「Fortunately, Company Commander, you’re beautiful, and no one would guess you’re a warrior. Market her as something else entirely, and we might get close to Admiral Terzen」
Captain Yugi smiled brightly.
「Ah, so you mean to slip me into his bedchamber as a pleasure slave for the night」
…Yes, that’s basically it. But all my careful euphemisms just got tossed into the trash. Took me some effort to choose those words, too. And why does she look so delighted about it?
Second Lieutenant Crimine cut in.
「In the South, human trafficking is rampant in the black market. Admiral Terzen may already be involved. They say ‘merchandise’ is brought into Zerlan Bay from as far as Kaldahal and the Great Dynasty of Shao」
How does a semi-noble’s daughter know so much about southern black markets?
I thought it over.
「In that case, we’ll need to add value. Mere beauty won’t be enough」
「Mere beauty, you say」
Captain Yugi shook Crimine’s shoulders gleefully. I worried she’d give the poor girl a concussion.
Crimine herself continued calmly.
「If it’s added value you want, I can make her up like a princess…」
「You?」
「Yes」
「Wait. I’ve never seen you wearing makeup」
「What are you saying? Of course I wear makeup every day」
I had no idea. It looked so natural… hold on.
「But when you disguised yourself as Yuoh Nevilnel, you washed it off, didn’t you?」
「Yes, of course」
I hadn’t noticed the difference…
While I was floundering, the women started whispering.
「You see, Crimine. Men are like this」
「Really? I thought Second Lieutenant Fonkt would notice」
「It’s because your makeup is good, Crimine」
This was getting uncomfortable.
So I did the only thing I could—I apologized plainly.
「Sorry for being dense. You’re naturally so well-featured, Crimine, I just couldn’t tell」
Was that the right way to apologize? No clue.
More whispering.
「You heard that, Commander?」
「Not a bad attempt at covering himself. But don’t be fooled—he slipped in a compliment to her face」
「Yes, that’s very like him…」
Even more uncomfortable.
Crimine turned back to me, smiling sweetly.
「Second Lieutenant」
「Yes?」
「When you say ‘well-featured,’ what exactly do you mean?」
Oh, come on…
I glanced desperately toward the Battalion Commander and Captain Yugi, but both had suddenly found urgent documents to read. Where did those come from?
Clearly, I was on my own. I stared at Crimine’s face.
…This is troublesome.
Truth is, I find expression more attractive than features. Crimine rarely smiles, so I had a slight sense of distance from her. If I stared too long, I’d probably get accused of something. And honestly, I hadn’t observed closely enough.
Still, I couldn’t botch this. Trust among comrades was everything. Time to put two lifetimes of experience to use.
「Looking closely now, your eyes are beautiful」
「M-my eyes?」
「When you disguised yourself as Yuoh Nevilnel, you even smeared mud on your face, just in case someone pulled off the bag, right?」
I remembered clearly—I’d helped her do it.
「Even then, I could not conceal the beauty of your gaze. That is without question something innate」
She shifted uneasily, then glanced up at me.
「Go on」
Since when does a Second Lieutenant order a fellow Second Lieutenant around? Well, we’re colleagues, so fine.
「Also, though not directly about your features, your black hair is so lustrous it was a problem. I’d planned to dull it with water and ash, make it ragged, but I couldn’t. In the end, I left it as it was. Anyone could have spotted it」
She looked startled.
「Was that so?」
「I regret the half-finished job, but not the choice. It was impossible」
That softness might be fatal for a soldier. A person who holds something above the mission may fail the mission.
「And another thing. When we disguised ourselves as a semi-noble couple, I was surprised at your nape. The military collar suits you, but so would a dress. Not that this has anything to do with makeup」
「My… nape… in a dress…」
「Don’t look at me like that. You told me to continue」
Crimine’s bone structure was inherently beautiful. Where skin was thin, her beauty concentrated. For someone like me, with a weakness for bone and muscle, she was dazzling. But saying that aloud would sound like harassment.
She nodded lightly a few times, then smiled.
「I forgive you」
「Thank you」
Forgiven.
The Battalion Commander cleared his throat sharply.
「Finally done? Then get moving」
「Yes, sir」
The three of us saluted.
…Honestly, there was no need for that whole exchange before accepting a mission, was there?