Episode 16: The Red Wolf
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Gradually becoming aware of Kai's feelings, but still lacking the courage to ask for the truth.
The subtropical downpour has passed, and now a dreary overcast sky is spreading.
◆ (POV Change)
I was holed up in a small station master's office with my subordinate Mori, feeling irritated by the annoying humidity of this region.
Through the station window, the governor of the southern colonies of the 'Empire' and her accompanying officials can be clearly seen boarding the train.
Just as the tip-off had said.
I took a breath and looked around the room.
"Mori, I think you understand our objective, but let me emphasize it once more. Absolutely... do not kill the governor. Remember, the purpose of this attack is solely to extort ransom."
"Hehe. Have I ever messed up, sis?"
I somehow suppress the urge to shout, "Is there a part of your brain that controls memory missing?!"
The members of the "Red Wolves," who aspire to violent revolutionists, are all hot-blooded and reckless rebels, but among them, Mori's brutality and thoughtlessness stand out.
The other day, regarding the kidnapping for ransom that I had entrusted to her, when the noblewoman they had abducted resisted, Mori killed her without hesitation, and I ended up with a wasted effort.
For an armed militia organization aiming for revolution, the most important thing is neither reckless daredevils nor noble ideologies.
It's money. First and foremost, it's money.
Unlike the authorities and regular army, who have abundant logistics and supplies prepared for them, we, the revolutionaries, must secure our own funding through our own efforts.
That's the reality.
In this operation, the goal is to take the governor of the southern colonies hostage and extort as much ransom as possible from the imperial government and the noble families of the governor's hometown.
With the funds obtained in this way, we will continue the revolutionary activities.
I don't want to use such a rough and selfish woman for such an important operation...
In our organization, which is facing a shortage of decent personnel, we cannot expel even those who cannot act like a cohesive unit.
Really, it's incredibly frustrating.
I shook my head to clear my mind and decided to use the communication equipment installed in the station building to notify the members of the separate unit, who were lying in ambush, to start the operation.
"This is Team A, we will now commence the operation. Everyone, rally your spirits.
Death to the Empire."
"Understood, B Team. Wishing you good fortune.
Death to the Empire."
After finishing the communication, Mori and I hurriedly put on the railway security team uniforms we had prepared in advance.
The train had already started blowing its whistle. If we don't hurry...
"Hey sis, do we not need to take that magic stone we got from above?"
In the language of the forest, the ominous, glowing magic stone placed on the desk catches my eye, whether I like it or not.
Just looking at it, it radiates a toxic glow that makes me anxious, and I can't help but hesitate to put it in my pocket.
Honestly, I don't really trust that mad scientist patron... but it's a trump card just in case.
I wrapped the magic stone in cloth and stuffed it into my jacket pocket, then dashed out of the station with the forest and jumped onto the already moving train.
The station staff looked at us with puzzled expressions as we rushed into the train, but perhaps fearing the consequences of reprimanding us and being scolded by the authorities, they said nothing.
The passengers in the last third-class carriage are staring at us, but we ignore them and push forward to the front.
Forcing open the window of the frontmost vehicle, they push through the side of the vehicle and enter the engine room.
This is nothing for us veterans, who have repeatedly raided banks and noble mansions.
The driver's cabin was filled with the stifling heat rising from the furnace where the magic stones were being burned.
At the sudden arrival of a visitor, the rough-looking female engineers hurriedly stood up.
Among them, a particularly large woman glared at us and approached us slowly.
"What the hell are you guys doing all of a sudden? Just because you're police officers..."
A dull sound echoed, cutting off her words.
"I don't dislike someone who understands things well. If they follow instructions, I have no intention of taking their life."
Even though Mori was grinning and aiming an assault rifle, the engineers were pale and terrified.
"Stop this train once after crossing the next bridge."
As per my instructions, the operators pulled the brake valve handle and brought the train to a sudden stop just after crossing the bridge.
At the moment the annoying metallic grinding sound from the sudden brakes stopped, my armed comrades appeared from the forest in a flurry.
"We will be welcoming the governor, so please be very respectful..."
For now, everything is going smoothly to the point of being scary.
At this rate, it doesn't seem like I'll have to use my trump card.
Mori and I decided to leave the monitoring of the driver's seat to some of our companions and proceeded to the second row vehicle where the governor was.
◆◆◆◆
The bed linens are crusted with each other's bodily fluids, and the small room still retains the lingering scent of the mingling of man and woman.
If I make the room this messy, I might get complaints from the railway company later, and I can't help but chuckle wryly.
But at the same time, my heart was overflowing with a sense of contentment that I had never experienced before in my life.
"Hehe, even though you're with a woman as ugly and abnormal as me, you sleep without a care in the world."
Kai is sleeping soundly with a slightly vacant expression, his mouth wide open.
When I see his defenseless sleeping face, a strong desire to protect him wells up within me.
I accidentally ruffled his hair.
"Ugh, Mom. Let me sleep a little longer, please."
"Ah, there's still plenty of time until we reach our destination. Sleep well."
I slowly got up so as not to wake him from his slumber, slipped out of the room, and headed to the train's restroom.
"Still the same awful face... Hehehe."
The woman reflected in the mirror is always the same, with a face like a monster.
However, at this moment, I wasn't as irritated with my face as I usually am.
Did Kai say, "The ponytail is cute"?Try tying your long blonde hair back.
I don't understand at all what is good about this, but if he likes it...
Kikikikiiiii!!
Suddenly, an unpleasant metallic sound echoed, and the car jolted.
When I rushed out of the bathroom and looked out the window, it seemed that the train had suddenly braked.
(That's strange... We haven't even arrived at the station yet... Is it a train equipment malfunction...?)
When I returned to the room, despite the loud noise, Kai was still snoring away.
Just to be safe, I decided to lock the room and head to the front of the convoy.
"Hey! If you lay a hand on another passenger, you won't get away with it!"
"Governor, it seems you still don't understand your current position."
(What is that...?!)
The first-class car at the front was enveloped in an unusual tension.
Several armed individuals are surrounding a woman with an elegant face in military uniform, pointing guns at her.
The medals on the woman's military uniform, and that face, I've seen it in a newspaper or something... I'm sure she's the governor of this southern colony...
"Peeping isn't a good hobby, young lady. You're being too careless."
Suddenly, a lewd voice was heard from behind, and a gun barrel was pressed against my head.
"Oh, Mori-san, you're impressive. But isn't that girl wearing a military school uniform? She might be a mage. Be careful."
"The magic wands were confiscated by the railway police, who are in our pocket, before boarding. You're worrying too much."
"Ah, without their staffs, they're no different from us."
The women gathered with smirks on their faces. My heart started to pound.
"Mori, don't kill her either. If she's a military academy student, there's a high probability he's from a noble family. If that's the case, we can also extort a ransom from her family."
Could she be the leader of these attackers?
The woman, who is glaring at me with eyes as sharp as arrows, calls out to the woman behind me who is pointing a gun at me.
"Yeah, I know, sis... whoa!"
Taking advantage of the moment when the woman behind was distracted by the leader's words, she quickly snatched the gun from her and shot all the women ahead in their legs and arms.
"You bastard! You're underestimating me... Ugh!!"
The woman, having her gun taken away, lunged at me while screaming.
I decisively elbow her face.
It seemed like a pretty clean hit, and her blood ejected from the nose splattered onto her clothes with great velocity.
"Damn it... just for this little girl! I didn't want to use this, but I can't afford to fail here!"
I saw the leader of the fallen attackers take out something that looked like a glowing stone from her pocket and try to ingest it.
Seeing that made my heart stir. I don't know what it is. But I have a bad premonition that something could happen if she swallows it...!
To put an end to her life, I hurriedly pulled the trigger and unleashed all the remaining bullets on her...!
A dull clanging metallic sound echoes several times.
It seems that all the bullets were deflected by his thick magical barrier. Was it too late...?!
"Hahaha...! This is amazing... I feel power surging from all over my body!!"
Her sclera turned pitch black, and her pupils slit vertically and murky yellow like a snake.
The wounds on the legs and arms, which I had shot through earlier, have already disappeared, and I can feel an immense amount of magical power, like a tingling and stinging sensation on the skin, pouring out from her.
"...Gghah!"
When the woman pointed her hand at me, a tremendous shockwave of magical power struck my body, and I was thrown against the wall.
The shock was so intense that I even felt a flickering light in my head.
(This has turned into a bad situation. I have to somehow inform Kai and make sure he escapes at least...)
I was desperately trying to think of a way to get through this situation and let Kai escape, while somehow gritting my teeth and keeping my consciousness.