Volume 4 - CH 16

Underground in the dimly lit passageways, were the maze-like catacombs of Fortress City Ballard.

In a time during the construction of the cities fortress, the underground passageways were often used and well maintained, but as time went on, knowledge of the passageways dwindled and became known to a select number of people. It became a great refuge for critters like mice and spiders.

Cornered at a dead end of the secret passage, three women were now in quite a pinch.

「Am I out of bullets!? Was that it, was that the last one?….. Do I not have anymore ammo left!?」

Firing the last 9x19mm bullet chambered in her 9mm Pistol towards the monster which had popped out its head, the round had pierced its skull.

Having emptied her weapon upon the beast, it collapses before the hole from which it had dug itself from. Having rolled on the ground in an effort to survive, Lt. Suzumiya realized her predicament, grasping at her body for a spare magazine. Only to turn up short, remembering she had used it all in her previous fights. Gritting her teeth she gazed forward with regret.

Captain… I’m so sorry, it seems I won’t make it back to you.

「Ah, um, I’m out, I’m out of bullets!!」

「It’s all my fault….. I’m so sorry…. It’s all because of me, you…..I’m sorry」

Lt. Suzumiya cradles her injured right arm with her left as PFC Tina Vermeer cries out with desperation having run out of bullets. The rowdy girl begins apologizing repeatedly as the two Parabellum girls shield her from the front.

Make sure everyone is ready, when we receive the order to withdraw.

Right about now would be the time when Captain would’ve given the order for 5th Company to withdraw.

When Lt. Suzumiya found out that PFC Vermeer and the girl in Red Armour had not gone to the evacuation area, she had grabbed a GPS tracker and went to go search for the two girls on her own.

That was my first mistake, I thought I could bring those two back, because PFC Vermeers signal was just close by.

Had I contacted Haruto, he would’ve came here and brought PFC Vermeer back with no problems, I should’ve called him.

But I hate it, I didn’t want to turn it into a bigger issue, so I wanted to get those two back with my own hands.

Chasing after PFC Vermeer using the GPS tracker, I managed to find her and the girl in the secret passage when the road collapse due to the roving monsters. I was able to join them as we fought past monsters in order to reach the church, but we ended up losing our way when the passage collapsed and we became cornered at this dead end.

「Huh?! They’re here!!」

A ravenous monster comes rushing over, as it makes its way past the corpses of other dead creatures, baring its gaping wide mouth, ready to devour the three girls.

「…….Deep sigh」

Whether it was out of reflex, or because their was no turning back now, Lt. Suzumiya held up her combat knife with her injured left arm, dyed in blood.

「Ah, I’ll join too…..」

Seeing as Lt. Suzumiya raised her combat knife, the girl in red armor draws the sword from her waist in response.

「Hold on, do you think you can swing your sword in a place like this?」

「Ah….but….I thought…」

「If you’re going to use it, wield it properly, get ready to stab it!! 」

「……..I understand」

Lifting her sword in striking posture, the girl in red armor steadied her hips while following LT. Suzumiya’s advice.

「What about me!? When did I turn into dead weight….」

「Hah, here it comes!!」

Just when PFC Vermeer let out some depressing out of place words, that became the signal for the monster to strike. As Lt. Suzumiya shouted out to counter it.

『Suzumiyaaaaaaaa!!』

The ceilling immediately collapses, crushing the monster that had jumped trying to devour the girls.

Right as the ceiling collapse, all three girls heard a familiar voice.

「Huh?」

「What the!?」

「How did, why is!? 」

Unable to see what was before them, while dust and debris clouded their vision, the three girls hacked and coughed with puzzled faces.

But beyond their sight, hidden by the cloud of dust, gunfire from a Type 89 Assault rifle roars louder than the shrieks of incoming monsters.

「How is this…. This can’t be real…..」

「It must be a lie…..」

「It couldn’t be….」

As the medley of gunfire settled, one man appeared beyond the cloud of dust.

In full view, covered in various wounds all over his body, appearing right when they were in a difficult pinch, the three girls couldn’t deny the beating in their hearts. As the man before them looked really hot, considering the situation it was quite flattering.

「Crap, this fricken hurts, Man that was crazy. Huh? ――Let’s go we’re leaving」

Making a troubled face, due to the injuries he suffered from the fall―― Haruto suddenly notices the heated passionate gazes from the three individuals standing on the sidelines.

「C-cc-Captain!!」

「Woah!! Argh, ow, stop, augh, that hurts!! Suzumiya, you’re hurting me!!」

The moment Haruto had called out to them, Lieutenant Suzumiya immediately ran and jumped towards him like a kite gliding through air.

「Aaah~ this is….. that’s too lewd… If you do something like that, I’ll really fall in love ―― right!? Hehe hehehe. Having another “friend” should be fine right!?」

「……」

Sending back heated glances towards Haruto, PFC Vermeer held her flushed face, while dealing with her chaotic feelings. Looking towards the other girl standing beside her she could only smile bitterly.

「Thank goodness you’re alright, I’m glad we made it in time」

「……」

「Deep Sigh But really…. these two are already….」

Even after calling out to the girl in red armor, her eyes did not turn away from Haruto, not even shaking her could brake her out of her trance, PFC Vermeer could only laugh bitterly.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

Until Haruto and the three girls could be pulled out from the hole he made with the C-4, Lt. Suzumiya and PFC Vermeer showed regretful expressions as Haruto went on to scold and lecture them.

But after reprimanding the two for their actions, they suddenly felt a bit awkward as Haruto hugged them and expressed that he was glad they were both safe and sound.

「「Ehehehee」」

「……」

「We’re ready!!」

「Alright, pull us up!!」

Besides the lone girl who watched in silence at the giggling grinning girls, Captain Kirishima had the three pulled up first.

「「「Ready, Puuulllll!!」」」

「Oh Shit!! ….. That startled me, sorry. Thanks for bringing me up」

「Oh not at all……. our Captain’s been really reckless lately」

「Give me some time to catch my breath… For a second I thought my heart had stopped beating」

Being the last person to be lifted out from underground, the moment Haruto surfaced, he was greeted with bitter comments from his subordinates.

「Aww man… just like always the Captain managed to snag all three for himself. ……. Is there no one else that the Captain hasn’t got in his sights?」

Having seen the appearances of Lt. Suzumiya, PFC Vermeer and the girl in red armor, one of his men muttered disgruntled.

「Huh? What are you talking about?」

「Oh nothing Sir, nothing that concerns you」

What’s with all the hostility?

Noticing the sour expressions plastered on his subordinates faces and their deep mutters, Haruto tries to interject only to be shot down with an irritated remark.

「In any case, we need to leave. We’re getting out of here, everyone let’s move」

「「「「Roger that, Sir!!」」」」

Having achieved his goal in rescuing his subordinates, Captain Kirishima didn’t feel like lingering around any longer and decided to leave immediately.

「Hold on, waaiit!! What about the church, we need to go sa――」

Raising her voice, the girl in red armor pleaded once

「……I’m sorry. it’s already too late…」

「Nooo…. it can’t be… Don’t lie to me… It’s a lie….  that can’t be true…. No, no, no, no, no, noooOOOO!!!」

Raising his hand and pointing in the distance almost as if it was within arms reach. The Church bell tower was wrapped in flames, concluding that there was nothing left to do.

Watching the Church engulfed in flames was seared into the girls mind, what was supposed to be her last memory longing to be with her brethren. She fell flat on her bottom while despair consumed her, tears stream from her face as she regressed and curled herself up like a child.

「……」

Unable to leave the girl behind, Haruto bent down and cradled her in his arms, carrying her silently.

On the way they back to the Type 73 Heavy Duty Truck they recovered Maekawa’s cold body, before rejoining the rest of their guys.

「Oh God……..」

「What happened here?…….」

「………What happened over there?」

「……」

Was this really our command…… center…….

After linking up with the rest of his men in the Type 73 Heavy Duty Truck, they made their way through the city with little resistance. But as they neared their former headquarters, Captain Kirishima couldn’t help but tilt his head at all the monster corpses strewn all over the Temporary Command Center. Not only that but every structure had corpses upon corpses piled around them as each building was broken into and destroyed miserably.

「They were buying time for the full retreat…… From the looks of it, the battle must have been intense」

With her right arm bandaged up, Lt. Suzumiya surveyed the scene.

「…….Yeah, it must have been a fierce fight…. 」

Why, does it feel like something isn’t…..

Looking at the monster corpses lying about full of holes and various pieces of flesh everywhere, Haruto was at a loss for words after hearing Lt. Suzumiya’s comment.

What’s this nagging feeling…. Maybe it’ll pass once we make it back…..

Witnessing destruction and remnants of everything, the smell of blood and seared remains stimulated his senses. Haruto was racked with an indescribable anxiety deep in his mind as they exited Fort Ballard.

This Chapter was translated by Kuro_0ni

―~――~―――~―――~――~―

Dear Readers using aggregator sites, If you like my work, you can show your support by leaving a comment/ constructive feedback at Hiscension.com .

After rescuing the girl in red armor along with Lieutenant Suzumiya & PFC Vermeer; by the time Captain Kirishima & company made it to Parabellum’s second line of defense it was already dusk.

At the next forward operating base, the girl they saved was still in a fragile state of mind so PFC Vermeer had taken her to see the medic along with Lt. Suzumiya who was also slightly injured. The rest of the squad was dismissed and were sent to get some rest until their next engagement.

It was around that time that some startling News came about.

「What do you mean Lieutenant Colonel Furutaka was captured!?…….. How did that happen!? 」

「Wheeze Ca-captain, can’t, cough, b-breath……..」

Having linked up with Sergeant Tatebayashi after he had delivered the Serpent tribesmen to a special contact on base―― Currently SGT Tatebayashi was having a hard time as he was held by the collar of his superior.

「SIR!! Captain calm down!! He can’t breath!!」

「You’re choking him!! You’re choking the Sergeant, put him down!!」

「〜〜Oh!! ――I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it….. 」

After several of his men called out to him, Captain Kirishima realized his error as he tried to ease off.

「Sorry…. can you tell me more」

「Hack cough cough cough cough…..cough alright so…  Like what you’ve told me before, I had taken “Captain’s note” and had given it to a high ranking person associated with the “Eye”, that person also went on to take care of the Seprent tribe.

While I was there, I overheard that Lt. Col. Furutaka was staying back in Fort Ballard waiting for some idiot bastard cough for several soldiers…. who disobeyed the withdrawal order. But as a result she was caught by the enemy and taken prisoner.

But I’m not sure how accurate that information is, because that’s just what I overheard. I don’t know the rest of the details. The thing is Lt. Col. Furutaka and her men were taken to some castle which is under control of the Imperial Army」

「Damn it!!」

This is all my fault!!

「「「「……」」」」

「That’s a lie…. that’s crazy….. there’s no way that happened!?  You’re joking right, this is all a joke, you guys are just pulling my leg….」

But as soon as his subordinate finished giving his report, Haruto looked around at the rest of his mens faces and realized that what they said was true.

「…… All of you did well, you guys can get some rest」

「Huh!? But Sir, what about you!?」

「I’ll be heading to Tactical Operations Center and request for a rescue party for Lt. Colonel Furutaka」

Could this have been that anxious feeling I had at that time?

Tormented by impatience and anxiety from the situation, Haruto had sent his subordinates away as he headed to the Operations Center.

「……. He left」

「So, what are we going to do?」

「What do you mean, “what are we going to do?”…… We just have to go rest somewhere and wait for orders」

As the rest of 5th Company’s soldiers were standing around, they all looked at each other with quizzical expressions.

「……….. Hey, you guys. Do you really think they’ll approve of a rescue operation for Lt. Colonel Furutaka at a time like this?」

Warrant Chief Kobayashi who was next in line decided to answer the company’s concerns.

「…… It might be impossible. The Behemoth is closing in our location and there’s no limit to its attacks either」

「All our forces which entered the Empire are putting all their efforts into the destroying the Behemoth…… they won’t be able to spare extra…」

「In that case…. What do you think the Captain will do, when he learns they won’t be sending anyone to rescue the Lt. Colonel?」

「「「「……………..Ooohhhh!!」」」」

Getting the men to think about the situation, Chief Kobayashi managed to enlighten 5th company about what might happen in the near future.

「That’s just how it is. ………So just wait somewhere and be ready」

「「「「Mm-hm」」」」

As their Captain was away 5th Company began to move in anticipation of what would come.

-=-=+-+=-=-

Staggering lifelessly, Haruto was lost in thought as he headed towards his Company’s assigned quarters, which was lent out to them temporarily.

……. If that’s the case, then I’ll have to go into enemy territory all by myself.

I know where that place is. I just need a means to get over there and infiltrate the castle.

But…. If I were to go by land route, it’d take too much time. I have to somehow acquire a means of transport from somewhere.

But the longer I take thinking about this, the more danger Isuzu will be in…. Arrrgh fuck, dammit what do I do?!

Haruto had rushed into the Forward Operating Base’s Headquarters and asked if they issued a rescue mission for Lieutenant Colonel Isuzu Furutaka and her men who were captured. But the Base Commander blatantly informed him that no such thing would occur.

Aaargh, I just need to get a hold of an airplane to save her. 

Since I’ll be doing this, only I should be going….. No one else needs to know, I just need to keep my mouth shut about this. I don’t want them to join me and be all cheery like “we’ll follow you , Sir”

I can’t get them involved with this.

But… doing this, I’ll be violating orders for a second time. Hahahaha, I guess when things are over, I’ll face the firing line.

Haruto smiled bitterly, despite thinking about how things will end for him.

「Well, at the end of all of this, at least I will be able to smile」

Brooding over what to tell his subordinates, Haruto stood outside the door to 5th Company’s quarters, he slapped both his cheeks to quell his anxious mood, opening the door nonchalantly.

――HOLYSHITWHATTHEFUCK!!

「…….Uh Hi?」

The moment Captain Kirishima entered 5th Company’s temporary quarters every 9mm gun and Type 89 assault rifle in the room was pointed straight at him.

「Stand down!! ―― it’s just the Captain… everyone put your stuff away. It’s alright sir, nothing going on sir」

「Yeah put down your weapons〜〜 Captain’s back 」

「Roger dodger, back to work」

「Oh we thought we got caught and you were the military police」

「What the…. what the hell are you guys doing!?」

The temporary quarters that Haruto’s men were using transformed into something like a man cave.

Various computers had lined the walls, jerry-rigged into the base’s mainframe, off to the sides firearms and ammunition cases were all over the room and within the room’s center was a large sand table display of the entire base, with several areas marked with X’s.

「What are you….. what is this?」

「Preparing for a mutiny?」

「……」

Shocked with everything, Haruto became speechless after hearing his subordinates response.

「Besides what we’re doing Captain, Aren’t you going to join us? We’ll help you」

「Huh?」

I figured that much.

「We’ll take your silence as confirmation」

「Yeah figures. It’s pretty much useless to stop at this point. We’ve already gone past the point of no return so we’re all in the same boat」

「There’s really not much to say to sugarcoat things」

「Hey whatever the Captain doesn’t like, we don’t like too, heck we’ll follow you to the bottom of hell if we have to」

「We’re all going to hell together!!」

「You guys…. really… …. you all are a stupid bunch of idiots…..」

Looking down trying to hide his facial expression, Haruto mutters to himself as some of his subordinates reply unison.

「「「「Thank you Sir for the compliment!!」」」」

Captain Krishima looks up to the sight of his men all ready to brave danger with their puffed up chests and smiling faces.

「…… You guys are too much.  Since that’s the case, fine. What’s the strategy that you guys came up with so far?」

「Alright~, Sir」

Turning to Harutio with a wide smile Chief Kobayashi began to explain.

「The plan is simple. We’ll divide our forces into three platoons. 1st Platoon will have a majority of the new guys and will create a commotion. They’ll cause a scene near the fringes of the base. Next we’ll have 2nd Platoon move and take over the Air traffic control tower and the anti-air defense controls. And as for 3rd Platoon, which will include the Captain and some senior members, you’ll go out and rescue the Colonel and her people」

「What are we using for transport?」

「There is a C-130J from the 11th Engineering Test Company, which is scheduled to take off in about an hour」

「…… I see, then let’s do this」

It was just when Captain Kirishima finalized going over the plan with Chief Kobayashi.

「――I won’t let you do that!!」

「Huh?」

BAMM!! The door was broken from its hinges as a group of Elite guardsmen poured in.

「Don’t move, put your weapons on the ground!!」

「Hands up, Hands up!! Throw your weapons on the ground now!!」

Soldiers holding their weapons at the ready, began yelling at each other to drop their weapons.

「Adolf…..I see, this is your doing…… 」

The Elite Guardsmen led by Colonel Adolf Edeltrout come storming in the room in order to stop Colonel Haruto Kirishima

「Hm? You don’t seem so happy about this, but I’m just fulfilling my duty」

Colonel Edeltrout smiles pompously while holding his Luger P08 towards Haruto’s head.

「Tatebayashi, was this the Elite Guardsmen who you gave the letter to?」

「…… Yes sir. Did I give it to the wrong one?」

「More than wrong, he’s the worst one 」

「Oh whoops…… I’m sorry Sir 」

Speaking to Sergeant Tatebayashi, Colonel Kirishima draws a finger towards his neck meaning they were dead, and that SGT Tatebayashi’s  choice wasn’t the best.

「Hey, it’s not a good idea to just ignore me」

Colonel Edeltrout’s veins bulged on his forehead, annoyed that he was left to the background.

「Oh, I didn’t know you were there, sorry. So what’s going on?」

Like balancing on a tightrope, Haruto tries to buy some more time in order to think of a way out of their current predicament.

「Ah, I see how it is, well then. Colonel Haruto Kirishima, you and your company are charged with treason, mutiny and sedition; we are here to detain you and your men.  Now come along and follow me quietly」

「Oh wait what, I didn’t get that….. Can you please speak up more」

「Hey don’t test me, you wouldn’t want me to get aggressive here, would you?」

「Don’t lie, your face says it all, smiling like you want it to happen」

「…..Kukukuh, well you’re not wrong. What can I say, I’m not remorseful for that, nor am I the type to mask my intentions…  Kukuku laugh…」

The two were on bad terms similar to like cats and dogs, Colonel Edeltrout floated his superiority over Haruto, as he was the one in charge of his fate.

……The situation doesn’t look too good.

For an Elite Guardsmen, he’s not showing any signs of letting up.

Haruto was anxiously trying to figure something out, while Adolf let up a small chuckle.

The reason being was Elite Guardsmen led by Adolf carried G36K Carbines, a variant of the G36 Assault rifle with a shorter barrel length, it was designed for mobility and special purpose missions.

At the rate things are going, he’ll be tied up by Adolf’s men and be unable to save Lieutenant Colonel Furutaka.

Is there any way to flip the situation around?

Haruto racked his brains high and low for a plan out of this life or death predicament, but by the end of it he couldn’t think of anything.

「Now now, I’ve grown tired of your time-consuming efforts, best you surrender now, quietly」

「Damn it!!」

You son of a bitch, you did that on purpose!!

Realizing Adolf’s charade of the situation, Haruto understands he’s been duped. It was just around the time when he was about to give up, that an unlikely savior arrived.

「Ah, it seems like you are in quite a pinch huh」

The sound of sword drawn out, soon ended with the tip of it at Colonel Edeltrout’s neck.

「Wha, Who, who are you!?」

「Don’t move, if you wish to stay alive」

It was the girl in red armor, whom Haruto had saved back at Fort Ballard, she had managed to creep behind the Colonel’s back and draw her sword to where the tip was just touching his neck, thus saving Haruto from the situation.

「You……」

「I heard the news from Tina. There isn’t much time right, let me give you a hand then. You there, drop your weapon. And the rest of you drop your weapons too」

「Damn you!! …. Everyone drop your weapons」

Infuriated that he lost the upperhand, Colonel Edeltrout bitterly follows the girls demand. Once the Colonel dropped his Luger P08, the rest of his men discarded their weapons.  In a swift motion, Colonel Adolf Edeltrout and his Elite Guardsmen were rounded up and tied at the waist by the Soldiers in 5th Company.

「Why are you here?」

Once all of the Elite Guardsmen were pacified, Haruto came up to question the girl in red.

「Uh, well….. I heard my benefactor was in deep trouble, so I just came by to help」

Answering Haruto, the girl looks down, her face turning crimson.

「I see… Thank you for saving us. I’ll take care of things from here」

「…… Um~ don’t you need directions to where you going?」

「Directions?」

Haruto’s forehead creases, confused by the girls question.

「I know the entire layout of Palace Korsakov, where your superior and her people are being held prisoner」

「Huh, who told you? Wait, how do you know that? 」

「How do I know?  That’s because Palace Korsakov was where I spent my whole childhood.  Ah, that’s right, I never introduced myself before. My name is Reminas Gerias Coltrane. First Princess of the Coltrane Kingdom, which no longer exists now… But you can call me Reminas」

Wide eyed, everyone’s jaw dropped once Reminas dropped a bombshell story.

「「「「WHAT!??」」」」

Shocked and speechless, everyone tried to digest her story.

「Is that true? Are you really a–?」

「About that….there’s no one alive now that remembers me… so I have no way of proving my identity to you」

Towards Haruto’s surprise, Reminas replied crisply but in a sorrowful tone, while looking down once more, before raising her head.

「Anyway I can help you!! I can give you directions, you need that right!? I can be helpful!!」

Unghhhh….. Truthfully, I do need someone who knows the inner workings of the palace, but I can’t take a civilian with me to somewhere dangerous, not even if she was the former princess of a fallen country.

「Sir, just take her offer, she’s our best shot at saving the Colonel….」

As if reading through Haruto’s intentions, Chief Kobayashi directly calls him out.

「Nnnghh…. you’re right. With the way things are, this is for the best.  ――Reminas, I’m sorry but will you please help me with this」

Quelling his internal troubles, Haruto accepts that he needs Reminas assistance.

「Yes, anything for my future husband」

「「「「……」」」」

Once again another bomb went off in front of everyone.

「……Husband?」

Haruto’s eyes quiver, scared to even ask, but Reminas just said something really scary.

「Ehehe, well you proposed to me at that time didn’t you?」

……Propose? When did that happen?

「……」

Haruto begins to think back, while all of 5th Company turn against him, suddenly the tied up Adolf & Elite Guardsmen laugh heartily as Haruto would be torn down from within.

「Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!! I can’t even forget it, the way you held me close and how you took me away from Ballard’s Fortress!!」

「Woow…. The Captain did that…. behind everyone’s back…..」

「Playboy」

「You’re just the worst」

「Ladykiller」

「Go to hell」

「Just die, die for all the men everywhere」

Turning on Haruto, the men of 5th Company hurl their insults one after another.

「Wait, wait , hold on a minute!! When you say I held you close―― you don’t mean that one time right, the princess carry thing, it’s not that right?」

「Oh you do remember it!! That custom was part of our wedding ceremonies for Royals in the Coltrane Kingdom. But I never thought I would marry anyone, much less be proposed to. It was like we were meant to be married, when you carried me like that」

The moment Reminas explanation went around, several of 5th Company’s Soldiers relaxed their attitudes towards Haruto.

「I had complete trust in you, Sir」

「See the Captain didn’t really mean to, right?」

「Yeah, that makes sense」

「I figured that was the case」

Sigh These guys, really….

Meanwhile Haruto stares back at the rest of his men with a pissed off expression.

「Huh?」

Reminas tilts her head in confusion, around the misunderstanding which 5th Company held against their leader.

While trying to resolve the misunderstanding amongst his men, in order to get their help to save Lieutenant Colonel Isuzu Furutaka, before he knew it, Haruto became engaged to a lovestruck maiden.