Episode 131: The Bonds Between Soldiers and Villages

　It had already been ten days since Siegfried’s human experiments began.

　During that time, the experiments were conducted daily—but the details were kept completely hidden from anyone outside the participants.

　Walking through the fortress city of Dagrom in the early afternoon with heavy steps was Leon Vague.

　Even though he was cooperating with Siegfried’s human experiments, he had another duty. That was his responsibility as the infantry battalion commander.

“Captain Leon, is something wrong? You look a bit pale.”

　The one who called out to him was a young soldier around the same age as Leon.

　They hadn’t had a chance to talk directly before, but he must have noticed Leon’s condition and decided to speak up.

“…Nah, it’s nothing big. Besides, we’re about the same age, right? You don’t have to be so formal.”

“No, that won’t do. A soldier can’t talk casually to the battalion commander.”

　The soldier’s smile was unusually bright as he replied, which made Leon curious enough to ask.

“…You seem pretty upbeat yourself. Did something good happen?”

“Huh? Do I? Well, it’s not like anything special happened that I’d tell the captain about.”

　Even as he said that, a hint of joy seeped through on the soldier’s face.

“But, well, if I had to say something good happened… maybe it did…”

“Quit beating around the bush and spit it out.”

　Leon shrugged lightly and chuckled.

　Right now, drained both mentally and physically from the ‘human experiments,’ he at least wanted some cheerful news.

“Well, you see… I recently went to help out in a nearby village. For the reconstruction support work.”

“Ah…”

　That was one of the first policies the Eastern Army implemented after arriving in Dagrom.

　Plenty of soldiers hated the tedious work, but since the punishment of military rule violators had just happened right before, no one openly complained and everyone dutifully participated.

“And then, I… well… I ended up with a girlfriend in the village I went to for reconstruction.”

“Huh, good for you.”

“At first, when I went to the village, they were really wary of us. Well, after all that requisitioning we did.”

　Back when Bertram was the commander, the Eastern Army had forcibly requisitioned supplies from the nearby villages. That memory still lingered deeply in the villagers’ hearts.

“But we took the reconstruction work seriously. After those soldiers who broke the rules got executed, right? That made us think we couldn’t slack off. And gradually, the way the villagers looked at us started to change…”

　The villagers, who had been on guard at first, began to open up little by little as they saw the soldiers’ sincere attitudes.

“Then one day, a woman treated us to some home-cooked food… and from there, we started talking. —Oh, and of course, I didn’t do anything improper! Getting executed for breaking rules is the last thing I want!”

　True to his words, he seemed to have treated the village woman with complete sincerity throughout.

“And then, you know… one day, she asked me, ‘Would you like to go out with me?’…”

　Saying that, the soldier blushed in embarrassment and scratched his head.

“Man, I never thought I’d be popular like that. Even our squad leader got not just a girlfriend but a marriage proposal… Are we dreaming or something?”

“It’s not that strange.”

　Leon replied calmly, but objectively.

“The young men in these villages around here have all been conscripted into the Eastern Army. So there are no young guys left in the villages. If earnest and kind men show up in a place like that… of course they’d be liked.”

　Only the elderly, women, and children remained in the villages.

　When young men appeared there, they stood out just for that.

　On top of that, the soldiers were gentlemanly and genuinely dedicated to the reconstruction.

“In short—it’s only natural that you guys are popular…”

　As he started to say that, Leon suddenly realized something.

(Could this… be part of that guy’s plan too?)

　The public execution of the military rule violators. The soldiers hadn’t forgotten that vivid scene.

　Because of that, they gave their all in the places they were dispatched to.

　And as a result—the Eastern Army became liked by the villagers, and young soldiers even ended up pairing with the village women.

(In other words… the Eastern Army is truly putting down roots in this land for real.)

　For many soldiers, this place would become like a second hometown.

　But Siegfried’s intention behind this wasn’t out of goodwill at all.

　His true aim was—.

(To boost the soldiers’ morale when the fight with Luverios comes.)

　If Siegfried were defeated, the command of the Eastern Army would fall into someone else’s hands.

　Probably, one of the Five Great Nobles, like Bertram, would be appointed.

　In that case, there’s a risk they’d revert to an army that requisitions from the villages again.

　Or, if the threat of war with Serodonia is deemed over, large-scale military reductions might happen.

　In that scenario, the reconstruction projects would be the first to get cut.

　If the villages meant nothing to the soldiers, maybe it wouldn’t matter.

　But now—bonds had already formed.

(So… to protect those bonds, the Eastern Army soldiers have no choice but to side with him… with Siegfried.)

　For Siegfried, bonds weren’t something to protect or nurture. —They were merely tools to be used.

“He’s a thorough villain… that guy.”

　Human experiments ordered on his executives. Binding the regular soldiers with chains called bonds, manipulating them as he pleases—truly a villain.

“…? What do you mean?”

　The soldier tilted his head.

“—Nah, it’s nothing. Anyway, no matter what… we’ve got the same job to do.”

　That’s right—no matter what, they had to win against the Kirchhen Kingdom army led by Luverios.

　Even if it meant facing human experiments that danced with death.