The Rose Cross Army achieved a complete victory over the Viroron Division. Rose gathers the commanders on the flagship.
The commanders assembled in the Pallas Athena’s strategy room. Their expressions displayed the exhilaration of a victorious battle, along with a hint of tension. The source of this tension was a single, empty chair. The chair of the last commander to arrive – Major Toma.
“That Grim Reaper, intending to make a grand entrance at the very end. How arrogant,” Littok spat out bitterly.
“You seem unsurprised, War Demon,” Master Bakusuu remarked.
“As are you, old man. Did you know?”
“I suspected he could fight. I never imagined he was such a monster.”
“Lady Rose, you knew, didn’t you?” Quester asked, and I nodded. Ashés then pressed further.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Even if I had told you, you would have been skeptical until you saw it with your own eyes. Am I wrong?”
“W-well, that may be true, but…”
I addressed the assembled commanders. “You all must have realized that Major Toma is a super-soldier and an excellent tactician. We will continue to rely on the Major for tactical command. No objections, correct?”
No one voiced any objections. Or rather, after a slight pause, one person spoke up. War Demon Littok.
“Princess Rose, may I have a moment?”
“What is it? Do you have an opinion?”
“I don’t mind the Grim Reaper taking command. But then, Princess Rose, what will you do? You won’t be on the front lines, nor will you be commanding. What is your role?”
Ashés reprimanded Littok with a flushed face. “Littok! That’s too much!”
“Ashés, Lieutenant Colonel Littok has a point. I’m not fighting, nor am I commanding. This makes me… ‘a decorative piece,’ one might say.”
“…I didn’t go that far…”
“With Lieutenant Colonel Littok’s help, please make me not a decorative piece, but a portable shrine. My job is to be carried, not just by you, Lieutenant Colonel, but by everyone. I intend to take command someday, but if I were to command now, it would only lead to unnecessary casualties.”
“…I see, a portable shrine. I do enjoy festivals. I shall carry you, then. A shrine that looks good enough to be carried.”
This was a little unexpected. Lieutenant Colonel Littok enjoys festivals.
Just as the discussion reached a conclusion, Major Toma entered. Naturally, all eyes turned to him.
“Yo, everyone. Looks like you’re all here. C’mon, stop staring. You’ll make me blush.”
Yes, Major Toma was back to his usual self.
“You’re the one who was late. Show some remorse, won’t you!”
“Remorse is something even a monkey can do… Oops!”
“Kikiki! (You shouldn’t make fun of them!!)”
The commanders chuckled at Tasche’s protest defending the honor of her species.
“…Lady Rose’s friend says this. From now on, any words or proverbs that ridicule monkeys are forbidden. Is that understood, everyone?”
And so, a new gentlemen’s agreement was born within the Rose Cross Army.
“Thanks to your efforts, the first battle ended in a great victory. Thank you. Now, regarding the future…”
“Lady Rose, we have a communication from Major General MacIntyre.”
A tiny operator appeared on the table and reported.
“Connect it. I’ll speak here.”
“Yes, connecting the communication.”
The operator vanished, and a life-sized upper body of Major General MacIntyre appeared on the table. The Major General looked around, his face contorted with displeasure.
“It’s unpleasant to speak while being surrounded like this. It feels like a court of inquiry.”
“I have no experience with courts of inquiry, so I cannot say, but what is your business?”
“I just wanted to thank you for your reinforcement. With the arrival of the Lieutenant Colonel, our victory has become unshakable.”
The commanders’ reactions ranged from stunned silence to smirks and indifference… Of course, there were also hostile reactions. Lieutenant Colonel Littok was, as expected, the first to speak.
“Our victory? Did you do something, Major General? All I remember is you fleeing like a snot-nosed brat being chased by a stray dog.”
“How dare you speak so disrespectfully! Do you know who I am! I am a Marquis of the Rondall nobility, and—”
“So you’re Major General MacIntyre, who is adept at stealing others’ achievements?”
Oh, Master Bakusuu has joined the fray as well!
“Lieutenant Colonel Ringvolt! Do you intend to overlook your subordinate’s insolent behavior!”
“As you can see, she is a young girl, and I have not yet fully grasped control of the corps. The commanders burst into laughter, and Major General MacIntyre’s beard trembled with rage. Major Toma was looking at me with a deadpan stare… What can I do! Master Bakusuu, the vocal critic, has just picked a fight, what do you expect me to do!
“As the victors, how do you plan to proceed, Major General?”
Quostęp asked, and Major General MacIntyre seemed to calm down slightly.
“Lord Nightreid, of the Garum nobility and a Marquis’s lineage, demonstrates commendable judgment. Naturally, the future course of action is to pursue the Viroron Division relentlessly and annihilate them completely to make our victory perfect. Of course, your corps, Lieutenant Colonel, will also cooperate.”
What a convenient proposition. I think we can refuse, but I’ll ask the Major’s opinion, as she’s a staff officer. (Major, what do you think?) (We can refuse. We owe MacIntyre no obligation to engage in his petty retaliation.)
“We cannot participate in the pursuit. We have our next strategic objective.”
“It may be too much to ask a little girl to understand strategy, but you will obey my words. This is not a request, but an order. Do you understand, Lieutenant Colonel?”
If you’re going to resort to rank, then I won’t hesitate to use my bloodline! “We are acting under the orders of Colonel Roogetsu of the Last Legion. And the one who gives orders to the Legion is Marshal Ringvolt. Please negotiate with the Colonel or the Marshal. I cannot comply with this on my own discretion.”
“You can’t make your own judgment! Even if you are royalty, commoners mixed in make you such mongrels…”
Major General MacIntyre abruptly fell silent as all his staff officers glared at him. “Mongrels mixed with commoners? …Continue. You’ve started, so you must finish, or it will tarnish your noble honor?”
“…N-no. That was just a slip of the tongue and…”
“If you like slips of the tongue so much, why don’t you go home and play cat’s cradle?”
“Don’t get cocky by twisting my words! Listen, the pursuit of the Viroron Division is—”
“Let me be clear! If you want to pursue, do it with your own division! To put it in terms you understand, we are not interested in leftovers! It is fitting for our station, or rather, our ability, to gratefully accept the leftovers of the Rose Cross… Do you understand?”
“…I-I will definitely report this insult to my superiors and seek severe punishment. Remember that.”
“You need help from your superiors to mete out punishment! Coward!”
I cut off the communication. It’s been a while since I’ve been this angry. I’m sure steam is rising from my head! But this was a mistake. To challenge the Major General in a fit of rage… I’m disqualified as the Head of the Rose Cross…
“Um, excuse me. Everyone…”
Just as I was about to speak, Master Bakusuu began to clap. The others followed suit, and before I knew it, all the staff officers were applauding me.
“Oh, uh…”
“We saw how the portable shrine does its work. That’s why it’s worth carrying.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Littok.”
“Lieutenant Colonel is not necessary. Call me Littok. What a leader needs is grit. As long as the soul is strong, the flesh will follow.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind… Littok.”
“Kukuku. Not interested in leftovers, eh? Indeed, it is a memorable line. How amusing, how amusing.”
War Demon Littok, with a wry smile, seemed genuinely amused. Good. It seems the War Demon of this battle recognizes me as a portable shrine.
“Well done, well done. Everyone has a core of their being. If that core is insulted, one must stand their ground. No matter who the opponent may be.”
“But Master, you’ve made an enemy of the Major General with that exchange. The repercussions might fall upon the Rose Cross…”
“Scoundrels who call the Princess a mongrel are our sworn enemies, no matter what, don’t you agree, Grim Reaper?”
“A smart person wouldn’t say it, even if they thought it. Those with such little consideration for others are good as enemies. What we should fear are not capable enemies, but incompetent allies.”
Fear not capable enemies, but incompetent allies… That’s in the Kanata Dictionary too. Let’s see… “Capable and diligent is ideal, but if incompetent, it’s better to be lazy. Incompetent and diligent people are the root cause of worsening situations.” I may not be able to become diligent and capable, but I can be powerless enough to make everyone capable become diligent. Especially Major Toma. She’s capable but lazy. A powerless portable shrine must also reflect on herself. Everyone praised my recent exchange, but I need to control my emotions. I must think carefully and shift my weight backward. Emotions are important, but being carried away by them is not. For now, the path of the portable shrine is decided by the Major, who leads the cheer. But someday… I will have to decide it myself.
