Do Your Own Revolution

#058

“Claude. And even Miles…!”

“Is this all that’s left? The others…”

At the Revolutionary Army headquarters located in the central region of the Empire.

The revolutionaries who were brought in by airship in tatters were all out of their minds.

“That fire… Our comrades, in that fire…!”

“Can’t win… That guy, that devil bastard, we absolutely can’t win against him…!”

Looking around at the survivors trembling in fear, Randall slowly furrowed his brow.

“The plan has fallen apart.”

After meticulous investigation, it was supposed to be a carefully arranged chessboard.

The Galphren territory where the Knight Order’s forces were weak.

They had predicted that if they attacked there, Baron Zicklinte would request help from the nearest Imperial Army, and leave the suppression of the civilian uprising to them.

What would happen next was obvious.

The Imperial Army’s gunfire.

The enraged territory residents.

Numerous casualties.

And the Revolutionary Army’s flag rising atop the mountain of corpses, with Baron Zicklinte’s head hanging at its tip.

‘It was supposed to create the perfect scene to turn the Empire’s privileged class against the territory residents and induce chaos.’

And then the revolutionary newspaper would capture that scene and spread it throughout the Empire, inciting the oppressed territory residents.

The civilian uprising they started would become the spark for other uprisings.

A chain reaction of chaos.

That was Randall’s true objective.

‘The fight between Claude and Zicklinte should have been the start of that chain reaction. That’s why I dispatched Claude, the supreme leader, there but…’

Looking at the Imperial newspaper in his hand, Randall clicked his tongue.

What was captured in the photo was an Imperial soldier wearing a flower necklace made by citizens.

The newspaper was filled with praise for the Imperial Army that helped the territory residents with their calm response and civilian support, and mourning for Baron Zicklinte and the Knight Order who sacrificed themselves against the rebels.

At this rate, far from chaos, they had ended up creating a touching story for the Imperial Army and magic nobles.

“Huu.”

The unpleasant feeling that was creeping up was momentary as Randall suppressed his rising anger with a sigh.

He couldn’t properly do his work if he lost his composure over something like this.

‘I’ll have to take comfort in achieving the primary objective.’

In the end, Baron Zicklinte was dead, and the discord between the Imperial Army and magic nobles would deepen.

Though the plan went awry, it would be worth the lives of the Revolutionary Army members who died.

“Miles. Who were the captured personnel? Do you remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”

When Randall asked, Miles, who had bandages all over his body, answered the question.

“All the mages who entered the castle with us died, and Ren was captured by the Imperial Army.”

“Ren?”

“Yes. We tried to rescue her, but both Claude and I were exhausted…”

A tuner who recovers the imprints of members overloaded by magic bullets.

It was bad news for the Revolutionary Army to lose such a valuable resource. However…

‘From my perspective, it’s rather good news since we’ve removed one of the founding members.’

Rennie Schreier.

Though she was certainly an excellent imprint tuner, she was a woman who was difficult to control since she was brought in by Maximilien.

If he used the authority of the Republic’s intelligence department, it would be possible to recruit a separate imprint specialist from the home country.

Being caught by the Imperial Army was rather something to welcome.

‘Losing an imprint specialist isn’t such a big loss. But, there’s a different problem.’

The problem was the confidential information about the Revolutionary Army inside Ren’s head.

Of course, she was one of the founding members recruited by Maximilien.

Like all members who worked with Maximilien, she wasn’t the type to easily give up information, but…

‘I can’t leave a risk factor.’

Randall made his decision.

He needed to thoroughly track her down and eliminate her before the information could leak.

“You’ve worked hard, Miles. Go in and rest.”

“Right. Usually Claude should be the one reporting this but…”

Miles trailed off as he looked at Claude who was sitting against the wall in a daze.

“Impossible… Couldn’t win… How, how could such power…”

“As you can see, he’s not in any condition to speak.”

The shock that the battle with Eugene had brought him was beyond imagination.

The tremendous power that burst forth in the moment of crisis.

That sense of omnipotence and fervor.

And Eugene’s magical power that was overwhelming enough to completely cover all of that.

Having experienced all of that firsthand, Claude was just rambling like a madman.

“We can’t leave him like this.”

Randall, who spoke those words like a sigh, rushed to Claude.

“Brother Randall…?”

“Claude.”

Along with his deeply settled voice, his hand reached for Claude.

“Clench your teeth.”

Randall grabbed his collar and threw a punch at his face.

“Wh-what?!”

“Sir Randall?! What are you suddenly…!”

“Get up.”

Claude’s back hit the wall, and other members’ gazes turned toward the two.

However, Randall growled at Claude, who couldn’t break free from the shock, without caring about those gazes.

“You call yourself the leader of the Revolutionary Army, but you’re going to stay down like this over one defeat?”

“…!”

Leader.

When he heard that title that had belonged to Maximilien, Claude’s shoulders trembled.

“Five stroke magic imprint? Yes. He’s strong, that’s true. But the enemies we face are beyond that. No, they’re powerful beings that can’t even be compared to a mere five stroke mage. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Y-yes, Brother Randall. But…!”

Claude clenched his fists and tried to say something, but just then.

Randall’s calm, settled voice pressed down on Claude.

“Don’t be hasty, Claude. Our enemies are piled up like mountains, and revolution isn’t something achieved in a short time.”

“…!”

“If we build our strength slowly and surely… We can win.”

After saying that, Randall grabbed Claude’s shoulders and spoke.

“You’re our hero, chosen by Maxim himself.”

Hero.

When he heard those words flow from Randall’s mouth, Claude nodded while gritting his teeth.

The hollow look in his eyes gradually came back to life, showing that these words had served as quite good stimulation.

‘These revolutionaries are really… Such unpredictable beings.’

Despite thinking that in his mind, Randall returned to his usual kind expression and encouraged Claude.

After the stretchers carrying Claude and Miles were moved to the treatment room.

“The Imperial Army officer who made Claude like that. Eugene was his name?”

“Correct.”

When he asked the informant who appeared behind him, the answer came immediately.

“Eugene Lorentz. According to Claude, he was someone he knew since first joining the Revolutionary Army.”

“What information have we gathered on our side?”

“We infiltrated informants into the Imperial Army to find out his personal information. However…”

All contact with the infiltrated personnel had been cut off.

Hearing the informant’s explanation, Randall’s eyes narrowed.

“A young officer not even twenty years old tracked down and dealt with our informants? And this perfectly?”

It was impossible.

No matter how excellent a mage was, they couldn’t watch their own back 24 hours a day.

‘Is the Imperial Intelligence Department protecting him? Or is it something else?’

The more he thought about it, the more his wariness increased.

Eugene Lorentz.

He was not someone to be taken lightly.

“What should we report to the home country? Perhaps delaying the invasion timing…”

“No. We can’t do that.”

Randall, who rejected it with a firm voice, thought.

‘This incident is just a small failure, not an event important enough to affect the Republic’s grand strategy.’

The Secretary at home would probably think similarly.

If so, what he needed to do was decided.

“Send a support request to the home country. Tell them we need special supplies.”

“Special supplies… You don’t mean?”

“Yes.”

After saying that, Randall opened his mouth while wearing his characteristic friendly smile.

“It’s time to use the ‘Red Mist.'”

“…!”

The informant’s face turned pale at those words.

‘Red Mist’

Westraine’s biological weapon that had driven hundreds of thousands of soldiers to death during the last Great War.

***

“That bastard said not to trust Brother Randall?”

“Shh! Be quiet. Someone might hear.”

Meanwhile, while Randall and the informant were whispering to each other.

Miles, sitting in the infirmary, continued his explanation while looking around.

“I was surprised too. To think the Imperial Army knew Mr. Randall’s name.”

For the Revolutionary Army, Randall’s existence was treated as information of the highest confidentiality.

Externally, he was a businessman moving between the Empire and the Republic.

If the fact that he was involved with the Revolutionary Army was revealed, there was a risk that the Revolutionary Army’s entire funding and supply line would be blocked.

Claude looked closely at Miles’s face.

Miles had told this directly to him instead of reporting it to Randall.

In other words…

“Miles. Are you suspicious of Brother Randall too?”

“I just think it’s not something to be taken lightly.”

After saying that, Miles looked at Claude with different, serious eyes than before.

“Claude. The one leading the Revolutionary Army now isn’t Randall, but you. The Revolutionary Army supreme leader chosen by Maximilien wasn’t Randall, but you.”

Hearing those words, Claude tilted his head in confusion.

“That’s obvious, isn’t it? Why are you suddenly saying…”

“…No. It’s fine if you know.”

After saying that, Miles looked out the window with an uneasy expression.

Beyond the blue sky spread over Kalhyram, huge dark clouds were approaching.

***

Right after Feilun and I arrived at the Imperial capital and finished our report, a dogfight between the military and Knight Order had started at the Imperial Army headquarters.

“Isn’t it a clear fact that a magic noble was killed?”

“That’s right! This is because the Imperial Army failed to faithfully fulfill its duty of protection!”

The ones shouting like that were the knights from the Joint Knight Order who came to hear the report as representatives of the magic nobles.

From earlier, they had been glaring at me with unfriendly eyes, seemingly quite displeased with me.

Since they couldn’t touch Senior Feilun because of his family background, they probably intended to get at me instead.

However fortunately, there were others who advocated for my position.

“Nonsense! Lieutenant Feilun stopped the civilian uprising with insufficient troops, and Second Lieutenant Eugene even went on to eliminate the remaining rebels!”

“While the Imperial Army was fighting so hard, what happened to the knights you dispatched?”

“Didn’t they turn to ashes early on?”

The ones speaking with twisted lips were the Imperial Army generals.

Seeing their eyes full of enthusiasm and sincerity looking at me, it seemed Keiren had done quite a good job of greasing the wheels.

“What did you say?! Is the Imperial Army insulting the Knight Order now?!”

“Ha! And why is the Knight Order opening their mouths about punishing an Imperial Army officer? This is clearly overstepping your authority!”

It was quite a remarkable sight to watch.

Who would have thought there would come a day when the Imperial Army would raise their voices and argue against the Knight Order.

Seeing how this mob group that was only desperate to protect knights in the game had grown so much, I felt anew how the future had changed.

“K-Knight Order Commander! Urgent contact from the family…!”

“Major General! A report from headquarters…!”

As the argument between the Imperial Army and Knight Order continued.

The power struggle between the two groups temporarily subsided at the reports from those who burst through the doors.

The messengers who rushed to their respective camps reported with trembling voices.

“I-is that true?! The rebels…!”

“Damn it. Westraine already…!”

The higher-ups on both sides trembled with pale faces.

‘It’s begun.’

I could guess without hearing.

The report that came to the Imperial Army would be ‘Westraine begins preemptive attack.’

And the news that reached the Knight Order would be ‘Simultaneous civilian uprisings occurring in territories of small and medium-sized magic nobles.’

With the thought that what was coming had arrived, I clenched my fist.

‘About a year earlier than the original work.’

Westraine’s invasion and the Revolutionary Army’s activities.

And the Empire falling into chaos because of it.

The main story of [Revolution Empire] had begun now.

“Eugene.”

A voice came from behind me.

It was Guille, the leader of the trio.

“A message from Lieutenant General Keiren.”

Opening his mouth like that, Guille conveyed Keiren’s words with shining eyes.

“He says your unit is ready, so prepare to come west.”

“…Right.”

A smile spread across my face when I heard those words.

Five stroke magic imprint, Imperial Army officer, and even my own army.

Unlike the original work, this was a very good start.