Do Your Own Revolution

#052

“Come to think of it, this is quite strange.”

In the mansion of House Zicklinte, located at the center of the territory.

Sitting in his luxuriously decorated office, Baron Zicklinte said while sipping his tea.

“That a scion of House Nachtval would maintain his Imperial Army status. Wouldn’t it be better to join the Knight Order right after commissioning?”

Now, if I apply the noble speech patterns learned from Walter to this text, this interpretation emerges:

‘A mage graduated from the military academy but didn’t join the Knight Order? You must be low in the family hierarchy?’

Understanding the implication well, Feilun maintained a blank expression with a faint smile.

“I believed that experiencing actual combat was the best way to accumulate experience and magical power to reach greater heights. Thanks to that, I’ve been able to fight alongside you, Baron. Isn’t this also fate?”

“Hahaha, quite ambitious.”

To interpret the conversation that just passed, it’s roughly this:

‘Of course I’m not mainstream. If I were mainstream power like the heir, would someone like you, a mere baron, even get to meet me face to face?’

‘Hahaha, you bastard.’

Ugh, even I feel goosebumps interpreting this.

It feels like there are a thousand needles hidden between the pleasantries they’re exchanging with smiles.

If you’re going to be like this, just go outside and duke it out with magic.

Is this Galphren or Kyoto?

“Hmm…”

Baron Zicklinte tilted his teacup and seemed to be calculating as he looked at Feilun.

While he couldn’t treat him carelessly since he was of Nachtval’s direct lineage, supporting the next head of House Nachtval was a different matter entirely.

“Well, fine. Let’s talk business.”

And as I expected, the baron made his decision quickly.

Let’s talk business.

It was an indication that he had no intention of getting closer.

‘Though his individual magical power might be formidable, Feilun is not mainstream within the family. He must think he can’t overturn the succession structure.’

Of course this would happen, given how impressive the presence of ‘that bastard’ heir is.

“As the lord of Zicklinte territory, my request is simple. I will directly command the Imperial Army soldiers and Magic Corps who are participating as support forces, and Lieutenant, you will assist me from my side.”

Hand over command authority to him, and have Feilun just watch from inside the castle.

It was, as he said, a simple request. And simultaneously, a rude one.

“That won’t do.”

Though he was speaking politely, it was essentially dismissing him.

As if used to such treatment, Feilun let out a tired sigh and slowly opened his mouth.

“The reinforcements are clearly under my command, and I am responsible for them. While I will cooperate in suppressing the rebels, I will command the soldiers.”

Baron Zicklinte’s lips twisted at Feilun’s objection.

“I offered you an easy path, yet you refuse. How very upright of you.”

“……”

“Very well. Then I shall give you a mission befitting that stance.”

Saying this, Baron Zicklinte placed his hand on the map spread across his office desk.

“Though there are many rebels who have infiltrated the territory, their mage forces are limited. I and the Knight Order will personally deal with them after drawing them into the mansion.”

“Surrounded and annihilated. Thus, I want the Lieutenant’s reinforcements to stop the mob that supports the rebels from the outskirts.”

“The mob, you say. Since we’ll be dealing with territory residents, our task would be suppression operations, correct?”

“Hm? What do you mean by that?”

Baron Zicklinte spoke as if puzzled by Feilun’s words.

“Of course we must kill all the mobs that support the rebellion. If I had merely intended to suppress them and throw them in prison, why would I have requested the Magic Corps and armored train?”

“Wait, what did you just…?”

Feilun asked with wide eyes, and the trio standing behind me closed their eyes tightly.

‘Was there such a backstory in Chapter 2?’

The Galphren siege in [Revolution Empire] Part 1 proceeds in two stages.

Stage 1: Stopping the Imperial Army that’s firing indiscriminately at citizens.

And Stage 2: Eliminating Zicklinte, the lord of Galphren and the root of this tragedy.

It’s the part where they burn with anger against the Empire, watching the magic nobles who tormented territory residents with vicious exploitation and the Imperial Army who were in cahoots with them.

Who would have thought there was such a backstory to that stage.

‘Baron Zicklinte takes the credit for suppressing the Revolutionary Army mages. And the Imperial Army takes the karma for shooting and killing the enraged citizens with cannons and weapons.’

And the story that proceeds in the original work was essentially playing right into Baron Zicklinte’s scheme.

Of course, his own death wasn’t part of the plan.

“The Kalhyram Imperial Army exists to protect Imperial citizens! Are you telling us to kill the citizens of Galphren territory?”

“Citizens? Lieutenant, you speak quite strangely.”

When Feilun spoke through gritted teeth, Zicklinte responded as if wondering what the problem was.

“They’re nothing but reactionaries intoxicated by an impossible dream of revolution! No different from Westraine’s puppets! What does it matter if we kill thousands or tens of thousands of such people?”

“If that’s what you think, then deploy the Knight Order to the outskirts instead! We’ll handle the rebels…!”

“Ha, first you demand command authority, and now you’re trying to control the Knight Order too? What’s next, shall I hand over the position of lord as well?”

“You really…!”

Oh my, why is this senior acting like this?

Seeing Senior Feilun unusually heated up, I grabbed his shoulder.

Zicklinte was rambling on about whether he was defending the rebels and how he didn’t expect this, saying he’d inform the family and the Duke would be shocked, but that’s not my concern.

“Please calm down. Supporting the baron is an order from above, so we must follow it.”

Saying that, I looked at Baron Zicklinte with narrowed eyes.

‘Magic noble forces are cancerous existences that need to be removed anyway. This is a basic premise.’

I had such thoughts for a while.

Since I’d already chosen to side with the Empire, was there really a need to be hostile to magic nobles?

The Emperor had survived and the Imperial Army’s influence was growing, so wouldn’t it be fine to maintain appropriate checks and balances while coexisting?

But seeing Baron Zicklinte’s behavior, I was convinced.

They were powers that wouldn’t tolerate any authority outside themselves, entities that divided the Empire.

Magic nobles were intolerable pus within the Empire, from both the Empire’s and Revolutionary Army’s perspective.

‘Moreover, it’s nonsensical for the Empire, which is facing both Westraine and monsters, to deal with both magic nobles and the Revolutionary Army.’

“Eugene, but…!”

“Don’t worry.”

Now is the time for selection and focus.

If so, what I need to do here is clear.

“I have an idea.”

***

“The Imperial Army has been reinforced… and there’s even some Magic Corps mixed in?”

Hearing the report from the informant who was out on the streets, Claude’s mind became complicated.

Several Imperial Army officers and Magic Corps. Plus hundreds of soldiers.

While it wasn’t enough support to disrupt the operation, it wasn’t a number they could ignore either.

Moreover…

“More than the troops, the bigger problem is that armored train. The Imperial Army bastards, they wouldn’t shoot that at citizens, would they?”

“Don’t be optimistic. We’re dealing with Baron Zicklinte here. We need to keep all possibilities open.”

“What should we do, Claude? Should we proceed as planned?”

As his comrades operating in the baron’s territory said, it was a situation where they needed to keep all possibilities open.

“How about the people’s uprising?”

When Claude asked this, a muscular giant answered.

“We can make it happen anytime if you give the order. Everyone’s suffered so much under the baron that we’re actually holding them back from rushing out right now.”

Miles, a comrade who was tasked with contacting territory residents.

Hearing his answer, Claude shifted his gaze to another direction.

It was Ren, an imprinted one dispatched from headquarters.

“The members’ magic imprint conditions couldn’t be better. Since they were created based on your magic imprint, the firepower is sufficient too.”

Hearing those words, Claude looked at his own magic imprint, [Red Wings].

An imprint that had grown to four stroke in two years.

There were barely any mages his age who had achieved this much, and even Randall and senior members were amazed at his growth rate.

‘Indeed, he’s the revolutionary hero chosen by Maxim.’

‘Leading the new generation is your role, Claude.’

Recalling their words, Claude felt a strange elation as he clenched his fist.

‘Right. I can do this.’

This operation isn’t just about eliminating magic nobles.

It’s a trial to determine whether he can directly lead the Revolutionary Army.

He can’t run away.

“Alright. The operation will proceed as-“

Just as Claude finished his judgment and opened his mouth.

“?!”

“W-What?!”

At the knocking sound on the hideout door, all members’ gazes turned in that direction.

A knock at a Revolutionary Army hideout?

Shouldn’t there have been sentries?

More than that, what about the personnel monitoring from the outskirts?

In the silence-filled space, Miles, Claude’s trusted subordinate, made eye contact.

‘Should I check?’

Claude, who had drawn his weapon from his waist, nodded.

“Who is it? The password?”

“Why. Will you let me in if I know it?”

A familiar voice.

Feeling his spine go cold, Claude hurriedly aimed his pistol at the door.

How on earth…

How…!

As the door slowly opened, a man in casual shirt attire entered the hideout.

Black hair and eyes.

His characteristic languid expression, and the directionless anger hidden within that expression.

“Eugene, Lorentz…!”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Seeing him greeting with that sly face made his blood boil.

The devil who had come to find him after he joined the Revolutionary Army.

He had once again appeared before him.

“An Imperial Army mage! I’ll cut your throat right-!”

The moment Miles, who was next to the door, raised his fist, magical power spreading from Eugene pressed down on the entire hideout.

“Gu, guhk?!”

“What is this magical power…!”

“Impossible. Above five stroke…!”

Those who collapsed to the floor were only comrades without magical power.

While personnel with magic imprints could withstand Eugene’s magical power without much difficulty, no mage dared to attack Eugene rashly.

‘Even if it’s me and the other mages…’

‘The regular members without magical power, with just one gesture from that bastard…’

Dozens of non-awakened ones gathered in the narrow space located in the building’s basement.

Eugene had effectively taken all of them hostage.

‘Five stroke? Five stroke…!’

Eugene, who had found the hideout alone and subdued them in an instant.

Looking at such Eugene, Claude felt a twist in a corner of his heart.

He thought he had surpassed him.

He thought he could win if they met again.

Why do you…!

“When the people’s uprising occurs, the Imperial Army plans to conduct indiscriminate bombardment using mages and the armored train. It was decided at the meeting this afternoon, and the armored train is loaded with anti-personnel poison gas shells.”

While Claude was thinking this.

As Eugene looked around at everyone and said this, the other members’ eyes filled with shock.

“What are you saying? Bo-bombardment? Poison gas shells?!”

“These crazy bastards finally…!”

Indiscriminate bombardment.

Coming to his senses at those terrifying words, Claude raised his hand to calm the members.

“So, what’s your reason for telling us this as an Imperial Army soldier?”

“Well. Pangs of conscience?”

“Don’t talk bullshit.”

If you had such a thing, the Revolutionary Army in Belkers wouldn’t have been completely annihilated.

As if enjoying the hostile gaze, Eugene smiled faintly and spoke to Claude.

“Revolutionary Army leader, Claude de Lascol.”

An inexplicable, profound gaze was directed at Claude, and Eugene slowly opened his mouth with his characteristic indifferent voice.

“Let’s do something together.”