CH 141

The Name of the Crime

“Well, that is obvious right. Rather, the biggest inhumane act committed by the Noredian army was the purge bombing after all.”

With her arms crossed, Schleer glared at Diaroze with a stern look. On the receiving end, Diaroze breaks out in cold sweat and averts her eyes away.

“If no one takes responsibility for that, the general public will not stay quiet about this right.”

“I was in the homeland back then……”

Tersis responded to Schleer’s words. She was still in Nored back when the purge bombing took place so she doesn’t know much about it. However, perhaps they wanted to hear Tersis’s opinion on this so they brought her along today.

“On the record, it was reported that it was Diaroze who gave the order. Naturally, some people were happy that they could obtain an empty habitable planet at a low cost. However, if we use common sense here, she would immediately get denounced once she returns to her homeland right.”

“U, Umu, mumumumu………”

Hearing that, Diaroze shut her eyes and started to groan to herself. Even if she managed to win the war and return to her country, she might even lose her position and be jailed like she is now.

“Just in case, I’ve cross-examined this matter with your staff but…….they all said that the command came directly from you.”

“That’s obvious………….I was the one who gave that order after all……..”

While wiping the cold sweat off her face with a handkerchief, Diaroze sighs.

“But.”

However, as though to defend her, Kisei lightly tapped the armrest of his chair with his finger.

“It doesn’t feel right for Diaroze to give an order like that. So far, the strategies that she chose were always ones that minimize the damage to her army. For example, she did come out and act as a decoy for her fleet to retreat, even in the earlier operation, she sent out her back-up unit to protect her main force too right.”

“Certainly……”

Schleer quietly recalled her past battles with Diaroze while rubbing her chin. If she’s someone who would do anything to win then she wouldn’t resort to such a tactic.

“The purge bombing has many advantages but it also has a lot of disadvantages as well. After all, you would be wasting a mountain worth of your ammunition and since such a thing is generally frowned upon, the morale of her troops would be lowered too.”

In such a colonial invasion, the former inhabitants of the planets are usually forced on board a large transport ship and sent back to their country. Since they are the citizens of their own country, the opponent can’t possibly refuse to accept such refugees. From a purely military point of view, this is the best course of action even if it takes a little more time and effort.

“That certainly doesn’t sound right. Doing that would only make your battle more difficult. In other words, there was someone else who made you give that order right.”

“U, Umu. Umu……..there was……..”

“What, it was not your order after all? But, the only one who can order someone who holds the position of the Crown Princess like you would be…….”

“The Empress herself, there’s no one else right.”

Schleer shrugged as if she could tell that much from the start.

However, seeing her like that, Tersis was surprised.

“B, But Her Majesty told us that she would personally rebuke Diaroze for that herself once she returned, you know. Why would she punish someone who carried out her own order.”

“Her Majesty……Mother……didn’t want to be held responsible for the purge bombing. That’s why she told me to take responsibility for it……..that was her order to me.”

At her wit’s end, Diaroze squeezed out that confession. She truly doesn’t want to say it out loud.

“If she gave that order then it shouldn’t be like that right! To take responsibility for your own order is the pride of an aristocrat! If that is true then why did you accept an order like that!”

“S, Stop that~~!”

Clearly upset, Tersis grabbed Diaroze’s shoulders and violently shook them. Diaroze’s brain was shaking due to Tersis’s ridiculous strength and she had to beg her to stop.

In the end, Kisei hurriedly tapped Tersis’s back and she reluctantly stopped herself.

“Well, it’s embarrassing……saying it out loud is…….”

“I mean, there’s no use getting embarrassed now right. Just spill it already.”

“I guess that’s true.”

Diaroze nodded with a straight face to Kisei who reprimanded her while narrowing his eyes. After showing him such a pathetic figure, she shouldn’t worry about embarrassing herself anymore.

“You see, when Mother strongly gives me an order……..my body just moves on its own.”

“Nn!? A, Ahh–……”

Hearing that, Kisei let out a long sigh. Perhaps the Empress noticed Diaroze’s masochistic tendency so she used that side of hers to make her obey as her ‘Master’. A mother that takes advantage of her daughter’s disposition, that’s quite evil.

“Did you know something?”

On the other hand, Schleer who doesn’t know of Diaroze’s fetish asked him while tilting her head. If she was in the same position as Diaroze, even if her mother ordered her to bombard a civilian position, she would definitely refuse. That’s why she is unable to understand why Diaroze chose to follow such an order.

“No, how do I say this…….”

Clearly, he can’t just tell her about what happened the other day. After pondering on it for a moment, Kisei continued.

“This person you see, she may look strong but…….she’s kind of submissive too right.”

“Muh!”

Hearing his words, Diaroze’s shoulders jumped and as though it was on reflect, her face started to turn bright red.

“Certainly, she did shamelessly grovel before us too……”

“You see, that’s why her mother was able to exploit that weakness of hers.”

“I see……..No, I’m convinced that she’s like that but was Nored really okay with having such a weak-willed person being their next empress?”

“Even if she’s a little submissive she’s still good at putting on an act and her commanding ability was regarded quite highly too right.”

“Mugh!!”

At that second jab, Diaroze threw herself on the table and collapsed. She is lying face down with her face hidden and all they can see is her trembling back.

“It seems that she really is that weak-willed.”

Her action does pique Tersis’s interest but in truth, Diaroze herself is elated at the situation. Of course, Kisei is doing his best to not let the others notice that. Seeing the joyful reaction he expected, Kisei was pleased. Making others happy is a good thing after all.

“But that’s also a problem. I reckoned that there was no record of such an order being given. But we need some kind of proof here……”

No matter how hard Diaroze argues that the order originally came from the Empress, as long as she’s the de-facto commander of the Calencian Expedition Fleet, others can simply dismiss her statements as lies to protect herself. From the side that wants to save Diaroze’s life, this hurdle is very hard to overcome.

“About that, I guess that we have no choice but to have them take her word for it. In the end, it’s inevitable that your fight with Nored will continue right?”

Tersis speaks up. She knows that the ceasefire negotiation is not going well.

“Yes……..well, the Calencian Expedition is only one of the many after all. It’s likely that they are forming a larger fleet to continue their invasion as we speak.”

In other words, as long as they have enough power to win this war, they are not willing to back down and accept defeat. And sure enough, the Nored empire has the power to win this.

“In that case, the commander of the next fleet is definitely going to be Her Majesty herself. [I was forced to give that order by the Empress! I want my revenge so I will lend Calencia a hand!], I guess there’s no other workable narrative……..it is a little painful to admit but this woman’s commanding ability is well known even in Calencia. If she promises to give us her full operation then the people might be willing to reluctantly forgive her for her ability.”

“U, Umu…….that’s right, I agree. Let’s go with that. I don’t mind cooperating after all.”

Seeing Diaroze replying while sneaking a glance at Kisei, Schleer let out a sigh.

“Understood……Haa, I guess this is it then.”

With her enemies becoming her allies one after another, Schleer can’t help but hold her temples. Tersis then gently tapped her shoulder to comfort her and spoke to her with a big smile.

“Then, this talk is over right? I want to say something myself here too.”

“Eh, you have something to say?”

“Of course.”

“Then please do.”

Seeing her wholeheartedly nodding in reply, Schleer reluctantly responded.

“When we took action, there was a promise that Kisei-dono would reward the person who contributed the most to the course right? I thought that I should collect on that promise now.”

“Eh.”

“I can’t say that I am proud of it but I was actually the one who took down the most strikers in the battle the other day. I confirmed with both Valentina and Lady Nora so there’s no mistake.”

“That was the thing you brought up yourself right! Isn’t this rigged from the start!?”

Kisei started to panic but Tersis did not back down and continued.

“Of course.”

That’s what she said………..