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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Calculated Sacrifice
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Good! It's going according to plan!
Gritting my teeth, I floored the accelerator.
If I stop, I die. That was the only thought in my head.
Struggling to calm my ragged breathing, I pulled out the radio while driving.
"This is Kingfisher! We are under attack! I repeat! This is Kingfisher! We are under attack! Approximately 42 kilometers towards Mavrachika Village! Requesting immediate support!"
Finishing my message, I quickly changed frequencies and then spoke to my squad members.
"This is your squad leader! Respond! Damn it, say something!"
As I released the transmit button, a trembling voice immediately came through from the other end.
—L-Lieutenant? I don't know what's happening. W-we've also taken a detour. But because of the gunfire, we're on the opposite detour from you to avoid the enemy!
Judging by the voice, it was Frien.
It would have been better if someone calmer had been on standby, but now wasn't the time to be picky.
"Alright. Drive as far as you can, and once you feel you've put enough distance between yourselves and the enemy, dismount and scatter! Then, wait for reinforcements from the outpost and try to ascertain the enemy's strength. If you judge them to be suppressible…!"
BANG—!
The impact violently shook the vehicle, causing me to drop the radio I was holding.
As Selvia's groan spread, my vision flickered erratically.
In a situation that felt like it would drive me mad, I gripped the steering wheel forcefully.
'The tire's blown. I don't know if they aimed for it or if it was a stray bullet….'
The important thing was that the gunshots now sounded quite distant.
We'd put quite a bit of distance between us, so you could say we'd bought some time.
But it was still too early to relax. We also needed to get out of their sight.
Just then, a curved road appeared before me.
To shake them off as much as possible, I took my foot off the accelerator and pressed the brake.
SCREEECH—
As the vehicle shrieked from the friction between the tires and the ground, I decisively spun the wheel.
The jeep spun half a turn and tilted precariously.
Just before it tipped over, I floored the accelerator.
The wheels spun rapidly, propelling it forward.
The jeep, which had been about to overturn, regained its balance and settled back on all four wheels.
With a thud, Selvia's piercing shriek echoed.
It was a piteous scream that made me want to apologize, but now was not the time to worry about such things.
I shifted gears and pressed the accelerator again.
Could a jeep really move this fast? The thought flashed through my mind just as my vision blurred.
'Damn it…!'
The bullet-hit tire had not only lost air but also its functionality.
Panicked, I slammed on the brakes, but it only made the situation worse.
The sound of tires scraping the ground screeched loudly, and then the vehicle spun sharply.
Then, with a CRASH!, a massive impact hit the vehicle.
"Ugh!"
Calming my body, which had taken the full brunt of the impact, I slowly raised my head to see the hood embedded in a tree trunk.
Smoke was gently wafting out, indicating it was quite thoroughly embedded.
"U-uhm…."
A faint groan came from near my thigh.
Only then did I look down at Selvia and say with concern,
"Are you alright?"
She couldn't possibly be alright, but I asked out of politeness.
Selvia, perhaps knowing that, glared at me once before sitting up.
"I'm not alright, but… I can move. More importantly, how did they know our route?"
It was unexpected. I thought she'd be crying in fear or completely terrified.
Then again, she was a woman destined to become Empress and command the Empire's military, the most powerful army in the world.
If she panicked in a situation like this, she wouldn't have earned the title 'Iron-Blooded'.
"It seems there was a spy at the outpost, collaborating with the enemy. It's common during wartime."
Speaking, I pulled the driver's side door handle. The car body seemed twisted; it wouldn't open.
After a few forceful tugs, I turned my body and simply kicked it.
After a few stomps with my military boot, the door flew off with a thud.
Stepping out first through the open door, I extended a hand to Selvia.
"Get out for now. The pursuit team will catch up quickly, so we need to put some distance between us."
"Mm. That would be best."
Selvia, answering meekly, took my hand and climbed out of the jeep.
Selvia's shoulders trembled slightly as she took a deep breath after getting out of the car.
She was acting composed, but I guess she was still just a girl.
I let out a low chuckle and led Selvia into the forest.
Walking after me, Selvia seemed to notice my chuckle and faintly blushed.
"You drive quite terribly, Lieutenant Daniel."
Look at her, trying to change the subject because she's embarrassed. Just looking at this, she was nothing but a teenage girl.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Does what I said sound like a compliment to you?"
"If I hadn't driven 'terribly,' the reporter and I would be riddled with enemy bullets by now. So, if it's not a compliment, then what is it?"
"We wouldn't have been riddled with bullets. I have…."
Selvia mumbled something, then closed her mouth.
That's right. To dare try to win an argument against an adult who's been through it all—you're ten years too early.
"Lieutenant Daniel. From now on, we will…."
I raised a hand and covered Selvia's mouth.
Because the sound of enemy voices could be heard not far away.
"Mmph?!"
Selvia tried to struggle, so I put a finger to my lips, gesturing for her to be quiet.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Selvia nodded.
I led Selvia behind a nearby bush and then listened intently to the voices.
"…They must be around here. The car's wrecked, so they couldn't have gone far."
"Haa. Damn it! I told you to hide those spike strips better!"
"Shut your trap, Beldom! Complaining won't solve anything!"
I cautiously poked my head out to check the numbers; there were six of them.
They seemed to be moving as a squad. For now, no other personnel were visible.
The problem was that they were getting closer and closer to us.
If we continued like this, we would surely be discovered… Wait a minute.
'Come to think of it, they're Allied forces, aren't they?'
If so, there was a possibility they would accept me if I surrendered and requested asylum.
I am an Imperial officer who worked at the General Staff Headquarters. Unless they were imbeciles blinded by revenge, they would judge me to have strategic value.
'If they're communicating through spies, they must have also prepared a way to escape to the Allied nations.'
I never expected to get an asylum opportunity like this. In any case, it was nothing short of a godsend for me.
"…Reporter."
Of course, I couldn't request asylum in front of the Imperial Princess.
If I did, my life would be in danger even before I could join the Allied nations.
"We'll be discovered by them soon enough. So, one of us must make a sacrifice. One person needs to draw their attention and lure them away so the other can survive. Therefore, I will act as bait and lead them away."
Selvia's eyes widened as she listened to my words to the end.
Her face was clearly filled with dismay.
Selvia, holding her breath, whispered to me.
"Stop that immediately! You'll die if you do!"
"If my death can save the reporter, then that is enough. A soldier exists to protect the people of their nation."
"Lieutenant Daniel…!"
I gently held Selvia's shoulders and spoke as wistfully as possible.
"Reporter, you must survive. If a golden age ever dawns upon the Empire in the future, please remember that a man named I once existed."
Selvia's face flushed. It felt as if she was somehow moved.
The farewell performance was sufficient, so I released Selvia's shoulders and stood up.
"W-wait a minute. There's no need to run…!"
Selvia tried to stop me until the very end, but the die was already cast.
Pushing off the ground, I ran with all my might in the opposite direction from where Selvia was hiding.
"H-hey!?"
"Get that bastard!"
Behind me, I heard the sounds of Allied soldiers giving chase.
Perfect. Everything was going according to my plan.
If things continued like this, escaping the Empire was only a matter of time!
*
Left alone, Selvia stared blankly at where Daniel had run off.
Meanwhile, in her mind, she was replaying Daniel's words.
—If my death can save the reporter, then that is enough. A soldier exists to protect the people of their nation.
Daniel's image, willingly embracing death with a melancholy gaze, was vividly etched in her mind.
For Selvia, it was truly an unreal sight.
What officer in the world would sacrifice their life for a mere war correspondent?
'…Captain Heinz was wrong.'
Daniel had no respect for others? That was nonsense.
Daniel was a man willing to sacrifice his life for the people of the Empire!
He was on an entirely different level from the imperial officials who only paid lip service to sacrificing for the nation and its people.
He had demonstrated his spirit of sacrifice through actions, not just words.
Therefore, he must be saved. He must be possessed. The Empire's treasure could not be lost in such a trivial place.
"Imperial Guards."
As Selvia murmured softly, the surrounding space warped, and soldiers wearing gas masks appeared one by one.
They had been hidden around Selvia until now, deactivating their optical camouflage at the mention of 'Imperial Guards'.
Selvia didn't even glance at them as she began to speak.
"Rescue Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. If even the slightest harm comes to him…."
Selvia slowly rolled her eyes, then narrowed them sharply.
"I will not forgive you."
The Imperial Guards, having received the order, responded by bowing their heads and then pushed off the ground.
Selvia watched the Imperial Guards move at high speed, then slowly rose to her feet.
She placed a hand on her chest and exhaled softly.
Perhaps a lingering effect of the rough ride, her heartbeat was still more rapid than usual.