Do Your Own Revolution

#051

“Is everyone ready?”

“Of course.”

“Alright. Let’s reveal.”

Inside the shaking armored train compartment.

Five men and women sitting around the table laid down their cards in a solemn atmosphere.

K two pair, Q triple, straight. And then next was……

“Eugene! Look at this! I collected all the same pictures! This is good, right? Right?”

“Wow, unbelievable. Straight flush?”

“That’s cheating! This is definitely cheating–!”

“Why did I lose again? How? It was a perfect strategy…!”

Yeah. Even I think it’s like cheating.

Two full houses and a straight flush – if that’s not cheating, what else would you call it?

I quietly laid down my ace one pair that I had put my all into making and raised Irene’s hand as the final winner of this round.

Never again will I play poker.

“Eugene! Here’s your gift!”

“No, Irene. Don’t give me the pot money. Save it for your allowance later.”

I pushed away Irene who was holding out handfuls of coins while saying that.

How is she still the same as before even though she’s 16 now?

I’ll have to exchange it for bills and keep it safe for her later.

“Anyway, I’m getting tired of this.”

While Irene and I were having that exchange, Ortega, who had buried himself in the sofa backrest, blurted out.

“We’ve been on this train for three days already. Everything’s getting boring.”

Matt chimed in agreement.

Guille, sitting next to him, seemed to share the same thought as he nodded.

“Don’t worry. This tedious train life will be over soon enough.”

At Feilun’s voice as he opened the compartment door, the three of us immediately stood up and saluted.

From the moment of our formal commission, Feilun became our direct superior commanding us.

“We’ll reach Galphren Station in about an hour. Let the soldiers know. Pass the word to our Magic Corps friends who came with us too.”

“Yes, sir.”

The trio immediately moved to the next car.

With the legitimate heir of a great noble house like Nachtval appearing, they must have felt uncomfortable.

As the three hurriedly cleared out, I awkwardly sat down, suddenly finding myself with nothing to do.

Currently, our armored train is heading to Galphren, a small city located slightly away from the eastern front.

It wasn’t under the direct control of the imperial family, but was the territory of a magic noble.

“Rather unexpected though. To think that high-and-mighty magic noble would reach out to the imperial army.”

“That just shows how urgent the situation is. What else could they do when a rebel leader shows up in their territory?”

Saying that, Feilun put down the newspaper he was holding on the desk.

One imperial newspaper and one revolution newspaper with an imperial army censorship mark.

The two newspapers telling contradicting stories were shouting the same name.

“Claude Elcidore.”

“He goes by ‘Claude de Lascol’ now. Expected, since he was expelled from the Elcidore family.”

Must be Maximilien’s surname.

I thought it was quite like him to make that decision.

In the past two years, Claude had made a name for himself not just as a simple revolutionary, but as a young leader of the Revolutionary Army.

He gained public support by eliminating monsters in outskirt regions beyond the reach of the Knight Order and imperial army, and stood at the vanguard of the Revolutionary Army while eliminating corrupt nobles.

‘Considering what he said at the end of part 2, perhaps this worked out better for him.’

Thinking that, I recalled the ending of the main story.

The three companions who imprisoned the protagonist.

Among them, Claude’s motivation for betraying the protagonist was none other than inferiority complex.

[How did you become the hero of the revolution when you’re inferior in both magical power and knowledge? Why did you become Maxim’s successor!]

[If only I… If only I had been in that position……]

“It turned out just as you wanted, how does it feel? Claude.”

“Hm? What did you say?”

“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

I quickly took back the words that had unconsciously slipped out.

To think I’d make such a slip of the tongue about something I hadn’t even experienced personally.

I must have really disliked this game’s ending.

“It’s surprising that the rebel leader stepped forward personally. Is there any special reason?”

“No. The Galphren territory has no particular strategic value. Just…”

“Just?”

As I hastily changed the subject, Feilun explained further with a bitter smile.

“…Just that the Galphren territory has long been notorious for its high tax rates. They demand more than half of the harvests in tribute, and don’t hesitate to impose additional levies.”

“Ah.”

Hearing that, I nodded in understanding.

‘To be selected as a priority target despite having no strategic value, I wonder if this too could be considered a talent.’

In short, they made it onto the Revolutionary Army’s hit list simply for being a bad person.

“The more intense the rebel activities become, the more the exploitation and pressure on the territory’s people increases. And then the people who can’t bear the pressure end up joining the rebels…”

“A vicious cycle indeed.”

While listening to Feilun, I turned my eyes to the scenery outside.

Green wheat fields with sprouts just beginning to emerge.

Unlike the pastoral scene under the bright sky, there was no vitality in the eyes of the territory’s people busy working in the fields.

But if you ask whether I feel sympathy for those oppressed people… Regrettably, I don’t.

If I had that kind of personality, I would have joined the Revolutionary Army and dealt with all the traitors for a ‘true revolution’, why would I have sided with the emperor?

‘The situation in Galphren territory, and the rampant Revolutionary Army…’

What I was thinking about was our destination, Galphren territory.

And about the magic noble who ruled it, ‘Dario Zicklinte’.

‘This is almost exactly the same situation as Chapter 2 of the main story.’

The Galphren territory I’m being deployed to was a location that appeared in [Revolution Empire]’s main story.

After seeing the prologue and emperor assassination event, it was the main stage of Chapter 2 where the story properly begins.

The ‘Battle of Galphren’ that branched off from the main story was the first large-scale operation the protagonist undertook after joining the Revolutionary Army.

[I know you’re Maxim’s successor. But remember this. I’m the one who’s been with the Revolutionary Army longer, not you!]

[I understand. I’ll just trust and follow you, Claude.]

A typical noble with a small territory, heavy exploitation, and no ability.

The protagonist travels around the territory with his Revolutionary Army comrade Claude, helping people and planning a major public uprising.

‘And looking at what the revolution newspaper is saying… It matches exactly.’

I looked at Claude’s image in the newspaper.

Claude shaking hands with territory people in shabby clothes covered in soot.

Photos taken around monster corpses, and scenes of waving flags with the territory people.

Actions matching exactly what the protagonist did in the main story.

‘This confirms it then.’

The main story had started long ago, and Claude had taken the place where the original protagonist should have been.

The hero of the Revolutionary Army who had become Westraine’s puppet.

No, he had become a tool packaged under the name of hero, to be used for countless malicious purposes.

Just as Eugene Lorentz, the protagonist of the main story, had been.

“Seems we’ve arrived.”

As the armored train’s whistle blew, Feilun headed out first.

I should gather the trio and head out too.

I put on the cloak placed on the chair and pressed down my military cap.

Looking in the mirror, there stood an imperial army officer with a dark and gloomy impression.

“Come to think of it, I am curious.”

The protagonist who made completely different choices from the original work.

And the future traitor who ended up replacing the protagonist’s position.

They will meet again at the place where they once called for revolution together.

“I wonder, will you be able to meet a different end than me?”

The man with the cold expression reflected in the mirror muttered so.

Whether the smile on that face was a genuine smile or a sneer, only he would know.

***

“Welcome! To think that the heir of Duke Nachtval would come personally! Now our Galphren territory can rest easy! Hahaha-!”

The plump Baron Zicklinte grabbed Feilun’s hand and shook it up and down.

Wow, I really can’t get used to this.

This guy who spent the whole game screaming ‘You lowborns!’, ‘How dare you touch things with your filthy hands!’ had become a gentle lamb in front of Feilun.

“So, how many imperial troops have come?”

Is that the first thing you ask?

Must be quite urgent.

To the baron’s question, Feilun opened his mouth with a smiling face.

“Two infantry companies and two Magic Corps platoons. Along with myself and these friends.”

“U-um?”

Support troops numbering less than a thousand in total.

The baron’s expression wavered, clearly showing dissatisfaction to anyone who looked.

Feilun seemed to notice this as well, but he blocked any room for objection with his characteristic smile.

“Though small in scale, these are units with actual combat experience from the eastern front. Especially these four behind me are promising newcomers with many achievements, so they won’t disappoint you, Baron.”

“Ah, aah… Is that so?”

Perhaps the mention of combat experience caught his interest.

The baron, approaching us in imperial army uniform, offered his hand while looking us up and down.

“I am Dario Zicklinte, lord of Galphren territory.”

“Eugene Lorentz. The three behind me are……”

“Lorentz? Did you say Lorentz?”

As if completely uninterested in the three behind me, Baron Zicklinte’s eyes lit up as he looked at me.

“Guille. Did we just get ignored?”

“He’s a noble after all. Probably doesn’t want to mix words with non-nobles like us.”

“Ha, treating supporting troops like that? Is he an idiot?”

Hey hey, curse quietly. He might hear you.

While I was thinking that, the baron maintained his interested gaze and offered his hand to me.

“So you’re the one who was adopted by Lieutenant General Keiren. I hear you have quite powerful magical abilities at such a young age?”

“Yes……”

Even though I’m just a disfavored adopted son, for him to speak without honorifics about Keiren, the legitimate heir of a ducal house…

Hearing the clearly intentional provocation, I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘So he won’t acknowledge me as a fellow magic noble.’

A non-awakened born into a magic noble family.

Add to that my weak position in the family compared to Carlos, the heir, this is how they show their disrespect.

Even considering that, this behavior was way over the line.

“Despite having such innate magical power, for a commoner to achieve this much. It’s like a dragon emerging from a sewer!”

Ah, as expected.

Openly talking about commoners and whatnot, this is definitely the Baron Zicklinte I know.

Looking at his expression, he doesn’t even seem to realize his verbal mistake.

What an idiotic magic noble.

“It’s nonsensical for a noble family’s mage to work with a non-awakened. How about it? As it happens, there’s a position open in my Knight Order……”

“I’ll decline.”

His vulgar nature of not knowing his place was exactly as shown in the original work.

Going from a duke’s adopted son to a baron’s knight? Is he crazy?

“No matter how dirty a sewer might be, it’s still better than a manure pile crawling with cockroaches.”

“Kheup…!”

Hearing my words, Feilun hastily swallowed his laughter.

‘Cockroach’ was one of the derogatory terms for rebels.

The meaning being: no matter how flawed a non-awakened family might be, it’s still better than your territory that’s getting stripped by rebels.

Seeing Feilun turn his head unable to contain his laughter, the baron glared at me with a red face.

What’s your problem?

If you’re upset, try picking a fight with the support troops.

“Guide them to the barracks! These are special guests, treat them with respect! Understood!”

“Yes!”

Knights who received the baron’s orders guided us inside the territory.

Seeing how the knights were glaring at me, it seemed I’d made myself thoroughly disliked from the start.

‘To think I have to face monsters and the Revolutionary Army alongside guys like these?’

While thinking that, I felt gazes watching us from the corner of the station.

“Hey, those guys…”

“Imperial army and Magic Corps… Support troops have already arrived.”

“Tell the leader. The plan might change.”

Mysterious men who disappeared into the crowd after eyeing us.

Looking back and forth between them and the baron, I made a decision in my heart.

‘Not happening, you bastards.’

Baron Zicklinte.

According to the original story, it seems you should die here.