Ch.315315. Sirah Relocation War (9)

*Tap tap.*

The hand wielding the pen stops, and the documents are neatly stacked into a pile.

It meant today’s work was finished.

“…I didn’t expect to have this much free time.”

Outside, it’s pitch dark. Still, it’s quite early to go to sleep. The moon hasn’t even properly risen yet, early enough that one could go out for a light jog to stretch the body.

This surplus of time isn’t because I’ve become more efficient at a familiar task, but because the workload itself has decreased.

Due to the disposal of officials who secretly dabbled in drugs during the council meeting, the initiative has shifted decisively to my side, and as a result, the opposing officials had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.

That’s why the workload was lighter. There was hardly any opposition to adjusting various matters as I wanted.

In other words, the daily workload has noticeably decreased. So what would others typically say in this situation?

They’d say they’re “living the sweet life.” That’s what people say as they enjoy their increased free time, making their journey home feel lighter.

Right.

Normally, this would be something to be happy about.

But…

-Dealing with the officials who oppose you. I’d like us to handle that.

Ever since Senia showed her determination to personally cut off the rotten branches with the Tembris members, Junon had been caught in a strange mood.

That was the true intention she wanted to convey in the backyard.

No. Perhaps it wasn’t just Senia, but the entire Tembris. After all, they were the ones who helped take down the officials.

Objectively speaking, it really was something to be happy about.

Setting aside how easily the officials backed down, their influence had greatly diminished. With their power weakened due to this reduction in influence, it would be easier to issue orders unlike before, and it wouldn’t be difficult to remove those who continued to oppose him.

Some of them would naturally have been involved in other illicit activities besides drugs. If Tembris investigated, there would be sufficient justification, and no resistance would arise.

The result: time saved, resources saved, and internal enemies eliminated without lifting a finger. If things proceeded as Senia had mentioned, the remaining suspicious officials could all be removed before long.

In other words, there was nothing bad about it. From the commander’s perspective, Tembris had preemptively purged those who would cause various problems and filled potential gaps in the future empire.

However, what made Junon feel uneasy was something entirely different.

Before parting, Senia had said this to him:

-You’re someone who deserves to be rewarded, just as Goden said.

“Someone who deserves to be rewarded, huh.”

This seemed to be what Senia meant by reward.

Not having to lift a finger in the council chamber and instead focusing on favorable statements, or having the officials’ misdeeds thoroughly exposed without spending time investigating them.

Perhaps she meant the current situation where he could simply focus on the path ahead without complicated and messy affairs.

And.

“Eep!”

“Renias? Why are you here…?”

“W-well, you see…”

“…I was just about to go for a walk. Want to join me?”

“Y-yes! I’ll come!”

Perhaps this too was a reward.

That’s what he decided to think.

Walking, and walking more.

The two walked for several minutes without a set path.

With Renias by his side, Junon didn’t have any other complicated thoughts for the moment.

But the awkwardness was unavoidable. Having gained some free time, he was walking with his first-ever girlfriend, yet he wasn’t sure what to say.

There was another concern. Renias’s sullen reaction in the council chamber earlier today. He had agreed to grant her a favor because of it, so he was conscious of that as well.

So Junon was scratching his head, staring into space, wondering how to start a conversation.

Then, Renias hesitantly knocks on the closed door of conversation.

“When did you come out for a walk?”

“Hmm? Not long ago. I just finished my work and came out.”

“Oh, I see…! Heh, hehe…”

That’s not what I meant to say!

Renias inwardly whimpered. Well, her thoughts weren’t much different.

She had immediately followed him when he suggested going for a walk, but she was actually curious. After leaving the council chamber, she had planned to stick close to him today as well, using surveillance as an excuse, just like the past few days, but Junon had suddenly said he was going somewhere.

So, wondering if something was wrong, she followed him, and what did she see? None other than Senia and Junon having a private conversation.

Of course, they might have needed to discuss important matters. But now, seeing those two together made her feel strangely uneasy.

‘Ugh. Why am I thinking like this?’

The image of the two of them in the backyard today just wouldn’t leave her mind.

Well, Senia is a woman too. And a cool beauty at that, popular with men due to her chic and easygoing charm.

She’s also intelligent, so she could help Junon in many ways, and she even handed over evidence to catch the officials in the council chamber.

With such an attractive woman, both internally and externally, by his side, how could she not feel anxious? With this uneasy feeling, Renias finally asked Junon.

“Um… Oppa.”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask what you were talking about with Senior Senia…?”

“…Don’t tell me you followed me?”

“W-what?! No, that’s not… well…”

Renias flutters her arms in panic. Since he hadn’t mentioned meeting Senia, admitting she saw them meant she had followed him without his knowledge. In other words, she had just confessed to following him against his wishes.

As Junon patted the head of the fidgeting Renias, the silver rabbit lowered her head.

“I-I’m sorry… When you suddenly said you were going somewhere alone, I got worried and followed you… That’s when I saw…”

“Hmm. So you didn’t hear the conversation, right?”

Nod, nod.

Actually, the conversation wasn’t the important part.

“It’s okay. I was planning to tell you anyway.”

“Eh?”

“Tembris expressed their desire to handle the officials directly. In other words, they want to take action themselves and are telling me to rest.”

“…”

A certain emotion nestled in a corner of Renias’s heart shriveled up.

To have mistaken it for a romantic meeting and felt jealous. It was too embarrassing to even say out loud.

“By the way, Renias. Can I ask you something too?”

“Eh? Oh, of course!”

“Hmm, then… I’d like to know what that favor is that you wanted to ask me.”

Favor?

‘Oh right. There was something like that.’

She had been so excited at the thought of being together that she had whined when he suddenly told her to go back first. She hadn’t even thought about it until he asked.

A special favor to ask of him. It was a bit tempting. When would such an opportunity come again?

“There was something, but it’s okay now.”

But Renias had just been having strange thoughts about him being with Senia… She couldn’t in good conscience ask for anything now.

“Hmm… really? You seemed really upset at the time.”

“Oh come on, it’s all resolved now, so don’t worry about it.”

Afterward, Renias urged him to go for a walk. And with the rare leisure time, Junon was able to alleviate his complicated feelings.

***

The officials who had thought they would be his war horses were in a highly sensitive state after the council meeting ended.

The cause was obvious from any perspective. They had failed to break Junon in this council meeting. As a result, their position had diminished, and for now, they had to watch what they said.

‘But that doesn’t mean we can just sit back. Who knows what that bastard might do next.’

If the officials wouldn’t provide detailed information, Kelnur had no choice but to gather intelligence independently.

And after somehow examining the council minutes…

‘This is insane. How did things progress like this?’

Far from shaking Junon’s position, the exposure of the officials’ involvement with drugs had created an unfavorable environment.

They probably couldn’t even bring up the story of Erica’s disappearance. The content of the meeting was predictable without further reading.

However, the problem was that Tembris was involved in this matter.

‘This is the worst. At this rate, even if Miss Erica appears, there’s no guarantee we can drive him out!’

Junon, who was already marked by Professor Muniher, had become the commander. In a situation where his power needed to be curbed, the most recognized neutral figure had taken the commander’s side, giving strength to the absurd operation called the Sirah Relocation Battle.

If Tembris also completely sided with Junon here, the imperial army would essentially fall into his hands.

‘We can’t face him with just the weakened officials…! To prove his incompetence…’

In Kelnur’s hand was Junon’s agenda.

It was the progress of the Sirah Relocation Battle.

“Everyone. May I make a statement?”

When Kelnur abruptly opened the door to the conference room where the officials had gathered and asked, the officials glared at him with thorny eyes.

“How about accepting the commander’s operation for now?”

“Huh? Have you lost your mind?”

“If we do that, we’ll forever be pawns of that commander!”

“If you’re here to play word games, get out! Hey, is anyone there?!”

The officials called for guards with glaring eyes, and the arriving guards immediately tried to drag Kelnur out of the conference room as ordered by the officials.

“This Sirah Relocation Battle. It’s an opportunity to ask the commander if this operation can really be carried out!!”

“What is he saying now…!”

“Just get out! Tsk!”

“Wait. Stop.”

“Count Belmehofe?”

Although most reactions were negative, Count Belmehofe, the leader of the opposition, stroked his beard and stopped the guards’ actions.

“So, Kelnur, are you saying we should ask the commander about the feasibility of this operation?”

“That’s exactly it…!”

Kelnur continued his statement to Count Belmehofe, who had listened to his opinion.

“An operation created by an incompetent person. An operation forcibly pushed by an incompetent person. And an operation that uses the officials and the imperial army as pawns and discards them. Isn’t that what we should make it?”

“Hooh.”

In other words, induce the operation to fail and make Junon appear as an incompetent commander. This was Kelnur’s assertion.

“If we fail here, we can bring him down in one fell swoop. We can claim that Miss Erica has lost her will to fight, and that some soldiers deserted because they couldn’t agree with that nonsensical operation!”

“Hahaha!! You’re quite the schemer.”

“I’ll use any trick to bring him down.”

“Good. Very good. I think I understand what you want.”

Count Belmehofe stood up, applauded, and approached Kelnur.

“If I say I’ve adopted you, you’ll be given a chance to speak. Make sure there are no mistakes in your statement.”

“Of course.”

Just one day before the operation was to begin.

Such conspiracies were being hatched, but…

“What?! About 40% of the imperial army won’t move?!”

“Yes. According to Senia, Count Belmehofe’s side will act that way.”

That too was already a calculated factor in Junon’s mind.

***

A day passed, and now it was the day of the operation.

The most crucial operation in the Sirah Relocation Battle. Today’s battle at the Ripol River was quite tricky in some aspects.

The first step was to lure the magical beasts toward the front line established by the imperial army.

“The commander seems quite confident? Even though some have lost their will to fight.”

“How many soldiers from our units are missing? They were all recovered by Lady Erica’s hands. But now, she’s nowhere to be seen!”

“At first, we thought she was busy or adjusting her condition. This is the result of desertion after learning that fact, Commander!”

Just an hour before the operation was to begin, the officials left their designated positions and came to protest to me about the inappropriateness of the operation.

‘I already knew about that. But why bring up Erica?’

Not understanding what they were trying to say, I decided to hear them out.

“The Tembris member, the healing mage most skilled in sustained battles, had her will broken by the commander. We’ve brought a witness!”

Breaking someone’s will? Without needing to think deeply, it was a false accusation.

But Michelle had hinted at something before. That Erica had been expelled from Tembris. Then this was clearly malicious.

But a witness? Now I had a sense of what they were going to say. And who the witness looking for me might be.

‘Ha. Not even funny. This time, they’ve sided with the opposition rather than Tembris.’

That explains it. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen him around.

“We meet again, you piece of trash.”

As expected, the person introduced by the officials was Kelnur.

‘Now I understand.’

Kelnur clearly shows hostility toward me.

Only Tembris knows Erica’s whereabouts, and even among them, Kelnur is not included.

But he must have told the officials that her mysterious disappearance was because of me. To check me and pull me down from this position.

So that’s why I understand now.

The source of that huge misunderstanding that the Tembris members had in the past.

The current rumors, the past rumors. Everything must have started with Kelnur. And this time, he’s attached himself to the opposing officials who can check me.

The reason, though it seems odd…

‘Inferiority complex… perhaps.’

Nothing else comes to mind.

Maybe he resented that he was just a clerk, while I, who couldn’t do anything, was a formal member.

Well, for now, he can confront me by borrowing their hands. That’s why he appears so confidently.

But, Kelnur, you’re overlooking one very important fact.

Step, step.

*Shing-!*

“!!!”

“Calling the supreme commander of the imperial army trash, let alone speaking informally. You must be desperate to die.”

I’m not the same person as before.

You damn bastard.