Chapter 139 - Death and Honor Are Not the Same
Nothing stood in the way of the 5th Division.
That was because the 6th Division had already cleared the path ahead.
The 5th Division moved forward without obstruction, and before long, they arrived at Shadello, which was currently occupied by the 6th Division.
"Wow!"
"What an incredible city!"
The 5th Division soldiers couldn't stop marveling at the beauty of the city of Shadello.
Unlike the Empire, which designed and built its castles and cities with extreme practicality in mind, Belliang constructed its cities with a meticulous eye for aesthetics.
To the commoner soldiers, who came from rural villages, Shadello looked like an entire city turned into a work of art. Even for those from the cities, it wasn't much different.
"There's not a single mark of battle on the castle wall. Looks like they surrendered right away."
"How pathetic."
"No, that was smart."
Shadello's Castle Wall showed no traces of fighting. It was perfectly smooth and spotless. It meant that the city had surrendered without a single battle. Some mocked them for it, while others thought it was wise.
'They're afraid, but they didn't run.'
Seated in the command vehicle, Ernest observed the streets of Shadello. He also noticed that while the citizens were clearly afraid of the Imperial Army, they didn't particularly try to avoid or hide from them. Shadello had surrendered without a fight, and thanks to the Empire's colonial administration policies, there had been no looting. Of course, conscription likely took place, but the key point was that everything proceeded in a controlled and orderly manner according to procedure.
Perhaps there had even been cases where Imperial Army soldiers committed crimes and were punished.
If those who caused trouble were executed for committing crimes against Imperial citizens within Imperial territory and for disobeying higher orders, the people of Belliang would come to believe that the Empire would not plunder them ruthlessly and that the law would protect them.
This alone would give them peace of mind.
In fact, deliberately provoking a few soldiers into causing trouble for the sake of such an operation might even be worth considering.
The 5th Division headed to Shadello's barracks, unloaded their gear, and settled in for a rest.
The higher-ups granted a day of free time so that the weary soldiers who had fought could enjoy a well-deserved victory and explore the city of Belliang as they pleased.
"You've probably heard this before, but I'll say it again. No matter what happens, don't break the law."
Before dismissing his men, Ernest warned them once more.
However, many of the soldiers looked dissatisfied.
Normally, after conquering a city, victorious soldiers were expected to loot, pocket some easy money, and enjoy themselves.
Now, after all the blood and death caused by the Belliang people, being told not to so much as lay a finger on them naturally left the men frustrated.
Ernest looked carefully over the ranks, then continued in a cold, withered voice.
"Don't forget that this place is now recognized as Imperial territory under Imperial law, and its citizens are likewise recognized as subjects of the Empire. In these wartime conditions, with explicit orders from above and repeated warnings from your superiors, any soldier who commits a crime against civilians will—if fortunate—be flogged, and if unlucky, executed."
Disregard the higher-ups' guidelines or disobey your commanding officer, then commit a crime against Imperial citizens within Imperial territory, and you'll be flogged nearly to death and left untreated, or simply executed outright as punishment.
"Absolutely, under no circumstances, cause any trouble."
"Yes."
"What I mean is, you can do whatever you want as long as you don't cause any trouble. Drink, buy women—just enjoy yourselves as much as you want, as long as it doesn't become a problem."
"Yes, sir!"
For soldiers who had endured nothing but hardship—combat, labor, and training—among nothing but men, what they needed most was alcohol and women.
Acts like looting and rape were punishable by death, but if you paid for it and did everything legally, there was no issue.
"If anything comes up, don't try to cover it up—report it immediately. If you try to protect someone and get caught, you'll end up punished right along with them."
"Yes, sir."
Ernest gave another stern warning to his company's officers and non-commissioned officers.
This was partly to prevent any incidents from escalating, but more importantly, it was to remind them that their responsibility was to supervise and manage the soldiers—he didn't want any careless mistakes.
"Hey."
"What."
"Let's go."
"Go where?"
Robert grinned and tossed his hand onto Ernest's shoulder.
"Where else? To see Belliang's blonde beauties…"
"You're going by yourself."
"Hey!"
When Ernest coldly shot him down, Robert shouted back, feigning outrage.
When Ernest turned around, Robert spoke in a voice burning with excitement.
"I don't speak Belliang."
"Tsk, tsk… That's why you should've studied…"
"And honestly, I'm scared to talk to women I don't know. You, my friend, have to come with me."
"Having me there won't make a difference…"
"Well, it's not like you've known any women except Marie in your whole life."
For a moment, Ernest wanted to deny it, feeling a surge of irritation, but he couldn't bring himself to argue.
Aside from Marie, there really wasn't any woman in his life he could say he was close to.
'Erika… doesn't count.'
He thought of Erika briefly, but he couldn't say they were friends, and he certainly couldn't explain when or how they'd met.
"Why don't you go with Bruno?"
"Bruno! Bruno! Come with me!"
The moment Ernest curtly mentioned Bruno, Robert abandoned him as swiftly as a bullet leaving a gun's muzzle and dashed off to find Bruno instead.
Ernest let out a long sigh and stood absentmindedly in front of the barracks, when it suddenly dawned on him that he too could enjoy his free time.
So focused was he on leading his company responsibly as company commander that he had forgotten he himself had been given free time as well.
Ernest felt as if he had been left all alone in this vast city.
Staying in the barracks wouldn't have been so bad, but since he was in a Belliang city, he wanted to at least take a look around.
"…Ah."
Suddenly, Ernest remembered that all the troops of the 5th Division were currently stationed in Shadello.
This was a chance to meet friends from other units—and he might even be able to see Sebastian from the Cavalry Regiment as well.
"No way…"
In the end, Ernest's plan failed.
As soon as the war-weary soldiers were given free time, they had all rushed out at lightning speed and scattered in every direction.
Ultimately, Ernest found himself walking the streets alone.
Soldiers poured out into the streets, so much so that there seemed to be more Imperial Army soldiers in uniform than there were citizens of Shadello.
Yet even within that crowd, Captain Ernest—so young, so tall, and sporting two medicine cases pinned to his chest—stood out as if out of place.
The soldiers didn't particularly salute or avoid the officers.
Still, since there was an officer walking the streets, they behaved a bit more carefully.
Now that he was in Belliang, Ernest wanted to try some Belliang cuisine.
If possible, something more like proper food.
He was thoroughly sick of meals that amounted to nothing more than throwing biscuits and jerky into water and boiling them.
"Excuse me."
Ernest approached a man walking cautiously along the roadside and politely addressed him in the Belliang language.
The man, who had been trying to avoid any contact with soldiers, flinched in surprise and averted his eyes from Ernest.
"I'm looking for a decent dining hall."
Ernest spoke slowly, careful with his pronunciation.
At these words, the man glanced at Ernest, took in his young face and officer's uniform, and seemed to relax a little, looking somewhat relieved.
Unlike rough commoner soldiers, noble officers maintained their dignity.
They wouldn't throw punches or draw their swords just because they were offended, and if you answered their questions well, you might even receive a reward.
"What kind of dining hall are you looking for, sir?"
The man spoke slowly, making it easy for Ernest to understand.
Ernest smiled a little.
All those hours he'd spent learning the Belliang language had paid off.
"Somewhere special. The price isn't an issue."
But with battles, command duties, unit management, training, and various tasks, his Belliang studies had amounted to less than two months.
In a moment like this, it was difficult to come up with the right words.
"I'm sorry, sir, but someone like me—a commoner—wouldn't know about places like that."
Judging by how someone so young had already risen to the rank of captain, the man figured Ernest must belong to a very distinguished house.
There was no way a man like him—just a commoner—would know of a "special" dining hall that could satisfy the standards of someone like Ernest.
Of course, all Ernest wanted was an ordinary place where he could taste Belliang food, something different from the Empire.
"No, I mean an ordinary dining hall. Somewhere with proper food. It doesn't have to be anything special."
When Ernest pushed his limited vocabulary to the fullest and spoke, the man finally understood and nodded.
"There are plenty of places like that."
"Good. Ah, the Empire… do you accept deck as well?"
Not yet knowing the Belliang word for currency, Ernest took out his wallet and showed the man some Imperial banknotes.
In that instant, the man's eyes locked onto Ernest's thick wallet.
It hadn't even been three months since Ernest received his commission, yet he was already a noble officer, had earned two medals, and had risen quickly to the rank of captain and company commander.
Since his promotion, Ernest had been earning seven hundred deck every ten days—that's a whopping two thousand one hundred deck a month.
This was a fortune big enough for a family of three commoners to live without working for half a year.
After being commissioned as a second lieutenant, Ernest hadn't spent a single deck, saving every coin while struggling on the battlefield.
Now, his wallet held nearly five thousand deck—enough to buy a fine two-story country home.
When the man saw just how well-stocked Ernest's wallet was, his eyes lit up.
He suddenly spoke to Ernest in a flurry of rapid, barely understandable Belliang, beckoning for him to follow.
Although Ernest could barely make out the words, the man's expression, gestures, intonation, and general demeanor reassured him, so he kept his guard down and decided to follow.
The man seemed extremely excited and even happy.
There was no sign he intended any harm toward Ernest.
'He must be hoping to guide me and get a reward for his trouble,' Ernest thought, following the man into a modest building tucked away in an alley.
But it wasn't a restaurant—it was an ordinary family home.
"Hm?"
Then, the man, looking excited, spoke hurriedly to the woman who seemed to be his wife.
The woman, looking a bit fearful but nonetheless bowing her head in greeting to Ernest, began to cook.
The man had understood what Ernest wanted with almost uncanny precision.
He was getting ready to serve a meal as if he were hosting an honored guest, putting in the kind of care and effort an ordinary Belliang family would summon for special company.
Feeling a bit awkward and uneasy, Ernest hesitantly made his way over to a chair by the dining table and sat down.
"This morning——"
The man quickly poured Ernest a glass of milk and spoke.
It seemed he was explaining that it was freshly milked that very morning.
"Thank you."
Ernest expressed his gratitude politely and took a sip of the milk.
Only then, after leaving the 2nd Corps Headquarters, did he realize he hadn't had milk in nearly two months—so he drank the rest of the glass in one go. It was just milk, but he was surprised by how rich and delicious it tasted.
The man poured him another glass, then glance at him nervously before diluting some cheap, thick wine with water and offering that as well.
Ernest smiled, thanked him again, and, after getting the uneasy man to sit down, began to chat.
"Are the Imperial Army doing anything dangerous?"
"Oh, no, no. Nothing like that. They just——."
"What did they do?"
"Oh, well, they took food and iron."
It seemed that while the Imperial Army had conscripted supplies, they had not used any threats or violence.
Ernest felt a bit relieved.
When he came to his senses, he realized he wasn't really having a conversation with the man—he was learning Belliang.
Old habits die hard, and even in this situation, he found himself studying.
After a moment, the woman began setting out some simple dishes on the dining table.
For all the preparation she put in, the portions seemed a bit small, but then she went back to the kitchen to cook again. She was determined to go all out.
Eating Belliang's ordinary home-cooked food, Ernest felt a wave of nostalgia. There were some differences from Imperial cuisine, but food made by commoners was generally all of a kind.
As he ate this modest home-cooked meal, he remembered the times when his father cooked for him back home.
"Join me."
Seeing that the man wouldn't even dare to think of sharing a table with a noble, Ernest smiled and spoke gently.
The man stammered in surprise, but when Ernest's young face broke into a gentle smile as he encouraged him again, the man finally sat down carefully and began to share the meal.
A little while later, the woman finished cooking everything else and, after filling the table to the brim, hesitantly took a seat too. The table was laden with precious foods not usually found on a commoner's table—generous helpings of butter and cheese, meat, and fresh vegetables.
Ernest displayed impeccable table manners and quietly savored every dish, making sure to leave enough so that the couple could eat as well.
"That was wonderful, ma'am."
After finishing his meal, Ernest stood up first and addressed the woman politely.
She blushed with relief and pleasure, smiling as she bowed her head to him.
Then, as the couple got up—though they hadn't even finished eating—Ernest pulled out his wallet and handed the man a random selection of banknotes.
How much he'd given them didn't really matter.
Ernest was more than satisfied, he had nothing else to spend money on right now, and House Krieger was wealthy enough.
"This much...!"
"It was a delightful meal."
The couple was beside themselves with surprise and joy, all but hopping on the spot.
Savoring a bittersweet sense of nostalgia, Ernest expressed his gratitude politely, then added in a slightly firmer tone,
"But you must be careful from now on. You have a daughter in the house."
The couple, who had been hiding their daughter tightly in the basement, turned pale and froze on the spot.
Three chairs at the dining table, three sets of dishes.
The couple looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties.
They had a child, roughly fifteen years old.
If they'd gone to such lengths to keep their child hidden even while entertaining him, it could only be a daughter, not a son.
With Imperial Army soldiers controlling and patrolling the city, it was only natural for them to hide a daughter of marriageable age.
Of course, it took someone with instincts like Ernest—who could spot the extra chair and look over the kitchen as soon as he walked in—to catch on right away, but that was hardly normal.
After giving a slight nod in farewell, Ernest quietly stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
A heartfelt meal had put him in a much better mood.
But even as things appeared peaceful, he couldn't ignore the deep-seated fear rooted in the hearts of the Belliang people, and that left him uneasy.
Walking through the streets, Ernest made his way toward Central Plaza and began to watch the people.
Just as he'd done when playing "games" with his father, Ernest picked apart, analyzed, and read the passersby.
Among the Imperial Army soldiers walking by, he could spot countless traces of the horrors of war.
Even as they laughed and joked and played in the middle of the city, they were still wandering in the fog of the battlefield.
The same went for Ernest himself.
He felt the lingering taste of nostalgia in his mouth slip away, replaced by a growing bitterness.
He walked in silence and made his way back to the barracks.
By the time the sun began to set, the soldiers who had gone out for some fun started to return one by one.
Some of them, drunk after downing cheap beer, had to be dragged back in by their fellow soldiers, but it looked like the day would end without any issues.
"Oh! Second Lieutenant Jitman! I'm truly disappointed in you! I really believed you were a fearless man!"
"…It's Jimman…"
"To claim with such confidence that you'd win over the Blonde Beauty, only to hide shyly behind me and run away before you could even say hello—how shameful!"
"P-please, just stop…"
From hearing Bruno's dramatic sighs, Ernest could tell that Robert had also spectacularly failed to fulfill his desires, and he felt genuinely relieved by that.
All the officers were back safely before nightfall, and so were the non-commissioned officers.
As for the soldiers, they all dashed into the barracks in a hurry just as the sun was setting.
"Two are missing"
However, even as the sun dipped completely and even the afterglow of sunset faded, the two members of the 3rd Platoon still hadn't returned.
"When was the last time anyone saw them?"
"About two hours ago, someone saw them leaving a bar."
"..."
At Simon's report, Ernest pressed his forehead in silence for a moment.
"There's still a little time, so let's wait for now. As soon as they return, report to me immediately. If they're still missing after it gets completely dark, I'll have to inform the higher-ups."
"Yes, sir."
Ernest decided to handle the situation by the book instead of trying anything clever. Realistically, running through the streets to track down those damn bastards himself wasn't possible, and if he tried to cover things up and something happened, he'd never be able to fix it.
Despite the desperate hopes of the 2nd Company's officers, those wretched bastards still didn't come back. In the end, Ernest had no choice but to report the matter to Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Bailey Hoffman, feeling as if he were crunching down on a cockroach.
"..."
Strangely enough, even though Bailey had a perfect chance to tear into him, he simply sat in silence, wearing the same expression as Ernest.
"All right, just go back and wait."
"Yes, sir. Battalion Commander."
Bailey remained quiet for a moment before dismissing Ernest, and from his behavior, Ernest could tell that some other company had caused a much bigger incident than the 2nd Company.
It wasn't long before some deeply unpleasant and vile news spread, not just to Ernest but throughout the entire 1st Battalion.
It turned out that soldiers from the 1st Battalion's Transport Company had been caught trying to assault a civilian woman and had been taken away.
There were reports that soldiers from other units had committed the same crime, and all of them would be punished tomorrow morning.
With things like this going on, Bailey couldn't blame Ernest just because two soldiers were late returning.
Even in Ferdinand's 1st Company and Andersen's 3rd Company, there were soldiers who returned late.
The two members of 2nd Company's 3rd Platoon didn't make it back until long after the sun had completely set.
Smack! Smack!
Simon slapped the two drunken soldiers hard across the face with his rough hands, not caring that they could barely stand.
The two had gotten so drunk buying women that they passed out and only woke up when they were thrown out, finally stumbling back just now.
"Get up."
"Ah! Ah! We—we're sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Get up."
Simon made the pleading soldiers stand up in a cold voice, then slapped them again, knocking them down.
Even after his hand swelled up, Simon kept striking their faces.
As a Platoon Leader, it was his duty to manage his men, but by any standard, this was excessive violence.
The two soldiers returned late, clutching their swollen cheeks as if their mouths were stuffed with fists, groaning as they were dragged off by the others.
There was no further punishment.
Ernest didn't step in to stop Simon directly.
Instead, once it was over, he called him over for a private word.
"Second Lieutenant Bergman. I know you're having trouble keeping control since most of your platoon members are inexperienced new recruits, but in situations like this, you should know that following regulations for punishment is better than resorting to violence."
"I'm sorry."
"Punishments driven by personal feelings or violence may work in the short term, but in the end, they weaken the soldiers' trust in their leader and weaken your command."
Ernest spoke calmly to Simon, who didn't seem the least bit remorseful.
Simon was a young man known for his coldness and ruthlessness; he would never understand if Ernest made an emotional appeal—he'd just follow the order because it was an order.
That was why Ernest cited regulations and the risk to the platoon's discipline, rather than appealing to emotion, to point out that Simon's actions were wrong.
"I understand. From now on, I'll handle it strictly according to regulations. I apologize."
Simon fully understood what Ernest was saying, and considered it less an order and more a kind of lesson.
Ernest felt utterly drained.
The comforting feeling from the home-cooked meal he'd enjoyed during the day evaporated in an instant, and he felt like even the expression on his face had crumpled.
The next morning at Shadello Central Plaza, those who had ignored higher orders and their commanding officers and gone ahead to commit crimes were punished.
Those whose crimes were relatively minor or who hadn't fully carried them out were treated leniently, receiving a beating instead.
Their backs or buttocks were struck with long wooden sticks until blood ran down, but at least it wasn't enough to kill them.
For more serious offenders, flogging was the punishment.
The whipping didn't stop until chunks of flesh had been torn away and blood was spraying everywhere, and a few of them ended up dying in agony.
As for those bastards who actually went through with crimes like murder or rape—they were simply executed.
In the Central Plaza of the beautiful city of Shadello, blood and pieces of flesh were scattered around, and six bodies hung by their necks, creating a horrifying scene.
The higher-ups merely gave a light verbal warning to each unit commander.
After all, giving the soldiers free time had been intended to provoke exactly this kind of situation.
When you set soldiers who are poorly educated and have grown violent from war loose in a peaceful city, it's impossible not to predict what will happen.
Now, the soldiers of the 5th Division would not make the same mistake again.
***
The 5th Division left Shadello and raced west.
Along the way, they stopped in various castles, cities, and villages to rest and resupply.
And finally, they met the vanguard of the 6th Division.
Now, with the 6th Division beginning to move northward, they would cut across and occupy the central region of Belliang.
Thanks to this, the 7th Division, which had halted its advance because its flanks were exposed, could now move to attack the northern region of Belliang as well.
In other words, from now on, the 5th Division would have to fight to occupy the castles and cities of Belliang that had not yet surrendered.
"We have to fight again..."
"It felt like a dream. All we did was take it easy every day."
"My back feels like it's about to break because of those damn transport vehicles."
"Heh heh. You're sure it's just because of the transport vehicles?"
As they passed through the cities occupied by the 6th Division, the 5th Division had felt like they were simply traveling across Belliang.
But now, reality had come crashing back down on them.
The 5th Division decided to operate by splitting up the infantry regiments to quickly secure the southern part of Belliang. Since the enemy resistance was minimal anyway, they judged it would be fine.
The 13th Regiment, commanded by Levin, now joined by the cavalry battalion and artillery battalion, was set to cut across the southernmost part of Belliang. Not long after, they heard astonishing news in one of the occupied villages.
"They say those bastards ran away this way."
"Bastards?"
"The ones who fought us in the Bertagne Forest!"
Apparently, it was through this very route that the enemies who had blocked the 5th Division to the very end in the southern part of Bertagne Forest had escaped.
Even before the officers learned of it, rumors had already started circulating among the soldiers, and soon Lieutenant Colonel Bailey Hoffman, the 1st Battalion Commander, heard about it as well.
"Are you sure? Did they really carry the royal flag of Belliang? Really?"
"Yes, I'm sure! They say they saw the commander with their own eyes and even heard him introduce himself! They say he was Bertrand Belliang Lafayette, the Count of Lafayette, nephew of the king!"
Amazingly, the commander who fled in defeat was said to be Bertrand Belliang Lafayette, Count of Lafayette and nephew of the Belliang king.
On top of that, they were accompanied by the "Star of Summer," whom the Empire had put a bounty on.
"Excellent! Hahaha!"
On hearing this news, Lieutenant Colonel Bailey Hoffman, the 1st Battalion Commander, uncharacteristically cheered loudly with excitement. He was the very commander who had blocked the 5th Division's path from the moment the Empire launched its surprise attack on Bertagne Forest until the 6th and 7th Divisions broke through the northern part of the forest.
If they could capture or kill Bertrand Belliang Lafayette, the Count who was not only a royal but carried the royal flag and even had the "Star of Summer" with him!
Pulling this off might not equal the glory of breaking through Bertagne Forest and effectively ending the war, but it would be a tremendous feat rivaling that accomplishment.
Moreover, it could completely break the spirit of resistance in Belliang's castles and cities, where the will to fight still lingered.
If his own nephew—entrusted with the royal flag by the king and whom the king relied on—were to be captured, the King of Belliang would surely abandon any further resistance.
If only they caught Bertrand, they could end the war right away!
"Count Lafayette has retreated to Lanosel."
"Lanosel, huh…"
"We have to attack Lanosel immediately. Count Lafayette will slip away like a rat if we don't move quickly this time."
Bailey usually avoided speaking with Levin, but now he was so excited, his face flushed as he rattled on eagerly.
It wasn't just Bailey—the staff officers of the 13th Regiment, the other battalion commanders, even the cavalry and artillery commanders all agreed.
This could stand as one of the most significant feats in the entire War of Conquest against Belliang—an opportunity they could not afford to miss.
However, Levin studied the map silently, his expression cautious.
His extreme prudence made the others anxious, fearing he might let this golden opportunity slip away like a coward.
"We'll pick up speed and immediately advance to encircle Lanosel."
After a long pause, Levin finally ordered the encirclement of Lanosel.
No one cheered; instead, they clenched their fists and bit their lips in determination.
But his next words left everyone in utter shock.
"While we surround and blockade Lanosel, we'll request reinforcements from other units."
"What?"
Bailey was so stunned that he unintentionally questioned his superior, Levin.
"Don't underestimate them, 1st Battalion Commander," Levin replied calmly to Bailey.
"In the end, the 5th Division hasn't been defeated, but neither have we truly won. The only reason the 5th Division gained the upper hand was because the Belliang Army's Balt Battery ran out of ammunition. Don't forget that even with the Empire's surprise invasion, the 5th Division couldn't even look out onto the plains past Bertagne Forest until Count Lafayette withdrew of his own accord."
Bailey's face turned beet red with anger at Levin's words, as if he might explode.
Still, he couldn't say a word in rebuttal to Levin's firm tone—despite Levin once having been his junior, he was now his superior.
The other officers, too, were openly dissatisfied, unable to understand Levin the "coward."
They admitted caution was a necessary quality for a commander, but this just seemed over the top.
But in the military, rank and position are everything.
If the 13th Regiment Commander Levin said so, what could they do?
The 13th Regiment immediately picked up speed and advanced toward Lanosel.
At the same time, couriers set out to inform nearby units of the situation and request reinforcements.
A battle that could bring the war between the Mihahil Empire and the Kingdom of Belliang to a close was now waiting just ahead.