✦ ✦ ✦
“Then I guess I’m completely surrounded by warmongers…,” said the lieutenant colonel, exasperated.
Weiss was about to say, “Birds of a feather flock together,” but First Lieutenant Serebryakov beat him to it with a better rejoinder.
“No, there is one exception.”
“Oh?” asked Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff, turning her eyes toward First Lieutenant Serebryakov as if to ask whom she meant.
“Can’t you guess?” said the first lieutenant with a chuckle before revealing, “The only normal person in Lergen Kampfgruppe is Colonel Lergen!”
Of course, Colonel Lergen! Weiss clapped his hands in agreement.
“Yes, that’s true. Colonel Lergen is perfectly respectable!”
The three laughed heartily. Once they had released that tension, feeling warm and cheerful once more, Weiss took the written order that Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff offered and skimmed it, letting the warmth seep into his chest.
“This is quite a tall order.”
“Is that all you have to say? You’re very restrained, Major.”
“Once you resign yourself to something, what else is there to say?”
It was settled. Weiss heard it clearly. There was a snap as the atmosphere in the room settled.
“Let us prepare for our fates.”
A moment ago, our superior officer might have seemed to be her age, but now with her aura as she gives orders, no one could doubt she is every bit the grizzled officer who earned the title of White Silver on the battlefield.
“It is time. To surpass Iron Hammer… And it shall be done by our hand.”
✦ ✦ ✦
To be clear, I’m very confused. Why did no one refuse? The world can be a very strange place at times.
Maybe this is one of those unsolvable mysteries. But if no other options remain, I am still determined to do what I can to avoid the worst outcome.
Thus, with General Zettour’s order, the on-site commander’s consent, the agreement of on-site personnel, and no opposition to be found, the airborne drop—the kind of military gamble that makes one question everyone’s sanity—was approved without much issue.
Approved and set into motion.
The Imperial Army is truly gluttonous for war.
Many doubts remain, but there is no time to stand still. We must each carry out our respective duties. To perfection.
✦ ✦ ✦
There was something strange about that time. One Imperial mage described the moment vividly.
They had been flying continuously for who knows how many hours—who even knew what day it was—carrying out relentless ground attacks against the Federation Army. It was the battlefield, and everyone was desperate for sleep. “Please, just five minutes!” And then the sight of their superior officer shouting angrily, “There is no time for sleep! Resupply while you fly! We marshal again immediately!” as she shoved high-grade chocolate into the exhausted mages’ hands.
“Ladies, gentlemen, eat, sleep! Sleep the sleep of death until you’re woken up!”
They would have given a small fortune for a few winks, but they suddenly felt wide awake.
“We have permission to sleep…?”
“Sir?”
“Don’t forget, we’ve been told not to expect sleep again for the foreseeable future.”
They scarfed down the chocolate they could, quickly shut their eyes, and plunged into a world of dreams, eager to catch every last second of slumber.
Meanwhile, magic officers blinked with eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, recalling the orders the Eastern Chief Inspector had barked. “Attention all commanders, curse the fact that you are commanders! There is work to be done! It is time for a commanders’ meeting! You have one hour first to take a nap!”
They had emergency orders, so being allowed to sleep, even for just an hour, was a huge indulgence. These orders must have been big.
As soon as the inspector gave them the go-ahead, the thoroughly exhausted officers tumbled to the ground like dominoes or so many ragdolls and quickly began to snore.
And then, exactly one hour later.
It felt as though they were being shaken awake mere moments after drifting off. With their bodies still crying out for sleep, these officers dragged themselves to the operation center, some even using their orbs to forcibly stimulate their minds. That was the day they learned what their roles would be.