A few days later, at dusk.
In one of the villages of Humarzov’s domain, about ten junior officers of the 2nd Army Division had gathered. More precisely, they had been arranged to gather—at my request, from behind the scenes.
「Move it!」
The prisoner I dragged along was a half-naked young woman. Only ragged undergarments covered her, leaving far too much exposed. She was bound harshly with ropes like some criminal in a period drama—trussed up like a New Year’s gift ham, pitiful to behold.
Her face, however, was hidden by a burlap sack.
Lieutenant Macaran arrived.
「Captain Fonkt! A splendid capture!」
「Thank you, Lieutenant.」
I smiled brightly, then gave the woman’s bare heel a nudge with my boot.
「Keep walking.」
She shivered, flinching. Nice reaction.
Macaran looked a little uneasy as he glanced at me.
「Um… this is the ringleader, ‘Yuoh Nevilnel’?」
「That’s right, Lieutenant.」
I answered with a wry smile.
「Are you familiar with the custom here called the ‘Bride Dispute’?」
「No… I’ve never heard of it.」
「It seems to be when farmers’ wives gather to directly petition the lord’s wife. This woman is the one who led them.」
Macaran’s face turned pained.
「I see… so that’s why she’s a woman. But… surely you’re not really going to execute her?」
「It’s an imperial edict, and execution is the duty of the Imperial Ceremonial Battalion.」
I spoke as if it were obvious.
「She was in this condition at the time of arrest. Out of what little mercy I could grant, I covered her face. Since the sun is setting, let us carry out the sentence at once.」
「There’s no chance this is mistaken identity, is there?」
Poor Macaran looked worried. For an imperial noble, he had surprisingly decent sensibilities. Someone worth preserving.
I nodded and turned to the peasants trailing behind us.
「Is this truly Yuoh Nevilnel?」
They chorused their replies:
「No doubt about it, sir.」
「She’s the one who pushed the ‘Bride Dispute.’」
「But please, don’t kill her.」
「That’s right, you don’t have to kill her…」
I raised a hand with a smile, and they fell silent. Then I looked to Macaran.
「As you see. She herself has admitted it. Haven’t you?」
The woman, her face hidden but the rest not, gave a small nod of resignation.
I let out a heavy sigh.
「If it were up to me, I would rather not execute her. But I am the Emperor’s executioner. A mere executioner cannot disobey an imperial command. Am I wrong, Lieutenant?」
「No… orders must be obeyed.」
Head drooping, Macaran retreated.
Around us, the other officers, NCOs, and soldiers said nothing—but their whispers carried.
「See? That’s how the Killer Battalion does it.」
「Imagine getting paid to kill unarmed women. Shameful.」
「Yeah, say it louder.」
Honestly, I agreed. Why the hell had I ended up in this unit?
But an imperial edict was absolute. Soldier or noble, no one could oppose the Emperor’s will. So no one stepped forward to interfere.
I addressed the crowd.
「Yuoh Nevilnel, upon arrest, requested that she not suffer pain or humiliation. That much is within my discretion. Therefore, her face shall remain hidden, and she will receive the merciful death of hanging.」
Humane, isn’t it?
I scanned the faces around me. As expected, they recoiled in disgust. That was the normal human response. At least the officers seemed relatively decent.
「Then let’s proceed. Who wishes to do it?」
Silence.
Then a muttered voice:
「…You do it yourself.」
That was what I’d been waiting for. Sorry, but I needed someone to say it.
「No volunteers? Then I will do it.」
I dragged the woman, limp with resignation, to a nearby tree.
「At least let’s cover her body.」
As twilight deepened, I quickly bound the rope, then draped a cloak I’d prepared over her shoulders.
「Now, simply throw the rope over the branch, like this.」
With a pull, she rose into the air, toes leaving the ground.
「Ah, she’s struggling.」
Suspended, she kicked and writhed desperately.
I glanced around. Every eye was locked on her. In this age, executions were also a form of entertainment. Few admitted it openly, but many enjoyed watching.
She thrashed violently, her body swaying like a pendulum. The rope held firm.
Then, suddenly, the fight drained out of her, and her body slackened.
Soon clear fluid dripped from her bare feet, steaming as it hit the cold earth.
For the seasoned spectators, this was nothing new. I had witnessed it many times myself.
I forced a weary voice.
「That’s finished. To ensure death, she’ll remain hanging until morning. Any officer who wishes may stay on guard.」
The officers only gave me cold stares.
「Let’s go. I’ve had enough of this.」
「At last, we can return to the capital.」
「Damn butchers’ battalion…」
「Ignore them, I’m about to vomit.」
「Hurry, or we’ll have to camp out.」
Yet in all those cold looks, only Lieutenant Macaran approached me.
「Captain Fonkt. As my duty, I wish to confirm the prisoner’s death myself.」
I nodded, but as I drew closer, I whispered urgently.
「Look into the peasants’ eyes. If anything strange happens with the corpse, another revolt could flare.」
Macaran stiffened, then glanced around. The crowd was silent, but not a single face smiled. Of course not.
I smiled to him softly.
「I’ll bear the hatred here. Your first duty is your own safety.」
「U-understood. Please, stay safe.」
He saluted, then retreated, wary of the peasants’ stares.
The officers left quickly, fleeing the dusk, until only the peasants remained.
「All of them are over the hill now. No one left.」
The moment the lookout reported that, I sprinted to the tree.
「Are you all right!? Answer me!」
No reply. My heart froze—
Then a muffled voice:
「Crimine.」
「I knew it! Hold on!」
I drew my saber and slashed the rope in a single stroke, catching the falling body in my arms. A princess carry.
The peasant women rushed in at once.
「The barn’s ready, with clothes and hot water!」
「Thank you, soldier girl!」
「Ah, poor thing, what they did to you…」
「Men, stay out!」
I tore off the sack.
There she was—Lieutenant Crimine, with her black bobbed hair and innocent face.
Thank God. Alive.
Though of course, she should be.
The noose wasn’t tied to the rope overhead. What the cloak had hidden was not her skin, but the knots.
The rope had been rigged into a harness, distributing the weight across her shoulders and chest. Painful, yes, but not lethal.
Still, left too long, it could cause crush syndrome. That’s why I’d needed to drive away the witnesses quickly.
That was the play.
Normally, I should have played the condemned. But if I disappeared, suspicion would fall at once. Besides, “Yuoh” was a woman’s name.
Lord Humarzov had agreed to supply a stand-in, but it would take time to find someone trustworthy.
When I explained the situation, Crimine had insisted: “I’ll do it. Who else could? If not me, then who?”
So I let her. But never again.
「Are you hurt, Lieutenant Crimine!?」
「Hard to say.」
Why vague? Was she angry?
Carried in my arms, she looked up.
「To make it perfect, I even wet myself. Very embarrassing.」
「Sorry!! I never told you to go that far! I thought you were dead!」
Honestly, she’d scared me half to death.
Then she smiled.
「But you were worried for me, weren’t you?」
「Of course, you fool!」
Why did she need to ask that?
No—first things first. I had to praise her. She had done something incredible.
「Thank you, Lieutenant. If this mission succeeds, it will be thanks to you. You worked harder than anyone. I respect you.」
Still tied up like a ham, she murmured:
「It was fine. Actually, it was fun. I’d like to do it again.」
Why!? Why again? I was confused.
But I shook my head solemnly, as her superior officer.
「No. I won’t let anyone see you like that again.」
「Ufufu.」
Denied, yet she looked delighted.
…Seriously. Why?