Chapter 274

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[ Gary Beaufort, Who Achieved Peace ]

[ An Unprecedented Royal Statement of Praise ]

[ The Prime Minister Standing Beside Hailand's King...... ]

At 7 King's Way, the Hailand Prime Minister's residence, hundreds of letters of thanks arrived every day. Countless bouquets were sent to Gary Beaufort.

Unable to deal with all the flowers, Beaufort announced in the morning paper that people should stop sending them. He could not even bring himself to read every letter.

"Prime Minister Beaufort!"

"Gary! Gary!"

Whenever he walked down the street, people of all ages approached to thank him.

In the latest poll, the ruling party recorded its highest approval rating since its founding. At schools these days, Gary Beaufort was named the most respected person.

"Goodness. Business is doing well thanks to you, Prime Minister."

Umbrellas were selling. The black umbrella Beaufort carried every day was displayed in every shop under the name "Umbrella of Peace." Gentlemen wore them as fashion accessories, while children imitated the Prime Minister.

Letters recommending him for the Continental Peace Prize poured in.

Newspaper cartoons portrayed him as a great man holding a dove, and both parties in the Common Hall praised his efforts traveling between the Empire and Hailand in one voice.

There had never been a Prime Minister as beloved in Hailand's history...... at least, not yet.

"......"

Sitting at a table in the park he often visited, Gary Beaufort was suddenly lost in strange thoughts.

"Do not wave the paper. The ink might fall off."

Maximilian's voice, saying the ink would fall off, lingered in his ears.

He had said it was a joke, but...... the Imperial family and Maximilian.

Could those two coexist?

The Princess was beautiful, as befitted royalty, with an appearance that seemed to prove the Aran's pure bloodline. Yet her words and actions fell infinitely short of that beauty.

She considered others inferior and sought to speak only through strength.

Maximilian, on the other hand, respected people and knew how to preserve his own dignity. As beautiful as he was, he understood beauty better than anyone. His hobbies were gardening, painting, and patronage of the arts. All things that dealt with an innate sense of beauty.

Yet reports strongly suggested that beneath it all, he was filled with madness. A man who hated Izenheim to an extreme degree, gripped by some incomprehensible sense of duty. He openly advocated discrimination against them.

Peace agreed to by people whose hearts could not be seen.

Beaufort wavered several times a day, but he still believed this was the best he could do.

* * *

A tavern in a back alley of the Imperial capital. After business hours, someone sat there alone.

Creeeak.

The wooden tavern door opened.

Those entering were searched, then silently approached his table and sat down. No one greeted one another. No one spoke a name.

Creeeak.

The door opened five times in all, and when the table had filled up, a man in a robe spoke first. He was an executive known within the Revolutionary Faction as the Master.

"There are six of us."

The sixth man to sit down replied quietly, lowering the brim of his hat.

"......Why did you call us here in person? Since Fritz, Georgen's surveillance has become extremely tight too. I shook off two tails on my way here today."

Fritz of Georgen. A loyal comrade of the Revolutionary Faction. Sadly, he had been removed.

"I think meetings should be held at the Veil."

This time, it was a woman's voice. Seated by the window, she looked out into the alley through a gap in the curtains.

The Master looked around at them.

"This is something we must do ourselves. The Veil is not a safe zone either. What matters is the people."

"......"

The comrades' hands, reaching for their beer glasses, stopped short. Then another. Then another.

"This mission consists of the following."

The Master folded down his outstretched fingers one by one.

"Delivery, insertion, destruction, rescue."

Then his final finger.

"Assassination."

The air around the table froze. Someone trying to light a cigarette extinguished their match.

"First, we board the Northern Express."

"......Just us again?"

The Master looked at the man who had asked. He was a comrade wearing his hat low.

"You always hide inside the Veil."

"This time."

From beneath the robe, the Master replied briefly.

"I am going too."

"......"

The man's words stopped. Five pairs of eyes turned toward the Master.

"I'm against it. It's too dangerous. You're more important than the five of us put together."

A woman spoke. She continued.

"And what if this information leaks?"

They looked at one another.

There could be a spy among the six. All six of them knew it.

"Can we trust ourselves?"

At the woman's question, the Master fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"Even if we fail, we may leave behind a small achievement."

They would be able to identify the enemy who had betrayed their comrades.

......

Gewin, a Georgen inspector, was pursuing someone. The target was the Master, believed to be the Revolutionary Faction's chief financial officer.

Gewin could hardly believe the information either, but it was an order from above, so Gewin remained doubtful.

"Fuuuh......"

Inside a parked car with a clear view of the train platform, Gewin sat in the driver's seat, chain-smoking.

Knock knock.

Suddenly, someone knocked.

"......?"

Gewin turned the handle and rolled down the window.

"Nice to meet you, Inspector. I'm Sergeant Paul."

Outside stood some rookie introducing himself like that.

What was this all of a sudden?

"......What the hell are you talking abou..."

Gewin glared.

"Hey, we're civilians right now."

"......"

The rookie quietly backed away.

"What is with this...... Hey! Get back here, you idiot."

"Yes?"

"Get in!"

"Ah, yes."

The rookie, Paul, got in the car.

"Thank you."

Gewin suddenly felt a headache coming on.

This idiot sat in the back seat instead of the passenger seat. The seat of honor, no less.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For giving me a ride."

"......Before I set you on fire."

"Yes?"

How could there be such a useless bastard?

Anyway, the Northern Express Eisenhorn operated from the platform where they waited.

A train leading to the Empire's north. Its route circled the Herzen, one of the most treacherous mountain ranges.

They said someone believed to be the Revolutionary Faction's leader...... or at least an executive, would board this train. They still did not know whether the person was a man or a woman.

"Got a cigarette?"

Gewin asked him.

"No. I have whiskey, though."

It was a passphrase check, just in case, since he was an unfamiliar face. Unfortunately, the answer was correct. So this was the kind of rookie he was. Georgen's future was bleak.

"Nothing from the Knights?"

Gewin knew Julian, but Julian had been busy lately and could not be reached.

Gewin had requested cooperation from the Sentinel Order, just in case.

"No reply."

"Ugh. I wasn't expecting one. Those Knights are stiff-necked as hell."

"......There should be plenty of our agents inside."

"Of course there are plenty. Would there be few?"

Gewin ground out the cigarette beneath the sole of a military boot.

"Hey. Have you thought about it? What are they planning to do in the north? Why are they going north?"

"I'm not sure. I don't really know."

Gewin gave Paul a sidelong glance.

"......You're not an informant, are you?"

"Come on, what are you talking about? I'm pure Aran."

"Show me your family register."

"Here it is."

A family register. A certificate of pure Aran blood made to look like a notebook. He was even from Empire Point.

"Empire Point?"

"Ah, yes. I attended for three years, but...... it was too hard."

"......Three years? Oh."

After inspecting it for possible forgery and returning it, Paul carefully put it away.

"Inspector, are you participating in this operation too?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Since your rank is so high, I thought you'd be commanding it......"

It was a fair point.

"What can I do? I still have to be on site."

The Master was supposedly on this train. The information had come straight from above.

Surely that meant Georgen had an informant inside the Revolutionary Faction.

But what if that informant was a double agent? Or a double double agent?

No matter how much Gewin racked their brains, there was no answer. Gewin had no choice but to find out the hard way.

"The train will be here soon. Get out first."

"Yes. When will you come, Inspector?"

"......I'll follow when I follow. Get out already. Buy two tickets."

"Yes!"

The useless rookie got out of the car and walked away hesitantly. He did not even look trustworthy buying tickets.

How had someone like that lasted three years at Empire Point?

Gewin gave a hollow laugh.

* * *

......One day, while preparing for a short business trip, a letter from Arthur Winston was delivered to my estate.

"To Sir Maximilian Ebenholtz,

Congratulations on obtaining Bolska. It is rare in history for a country's land to be seized without firing a single shot.

But do you truly believe it was right? Do you believe it was the right judgment, the right decision?

Our Prime Minister calls you a gentleman and believes that you want peace. I do not. You are someone who wants war. I thought the same when I met you before, and I have not changed my mind now......

......However, there is one thing I wish to ask in writing this letter.

Why do you hate Izenheim so much?

Is being born as they are a crime?

I do not expect a reply. But someday, you will have to answer this question before the continent. Our history will demand your answer."

[ Arthur Winston, Member of Hailand's Parliament ]

────────

I instructed a servant to frame the letter and hang it up. As for a reply...... it seemed I would need to think about it.

Afterward, I got into the car and headed for the arranged platform.

A suitable disguise. Blond hair and black eyes. A slightly darker complexion, a slightly slower walk. A deliberately vacant expression.

I arrived at Platform Three of the capital's North Station and got out in the parking lot.

"......Is that it?"

A car parked suspiciously out in the open. The face visible beyond the window was familiar.

Inspector Gewin.

I stood beside the car and knocked on the window.

Knock knock.

The window came down with a rrrroll...

I spoke quickly.

"Nice to meet you, Inspector. I'm Sergeant Paul."

"......"

The expression on Gewin's face was spectacular. Their eyes and mouth widened, while their nostrils flared as though they could not believe it.

"......What the hell are you talking abou..."

Gewin quickly looked around outside the window.

"Hey, we're civilians right now!"

"......"

When I quietly turned and stepped back, Gewin called out.

"What is with this...... Hey! Get back here, you idiot."

"Yes?"

"Get in!"

"Ah, yes."

As Georgen's rookie Paul, I climbed into the back seat.

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For giving me a ride."

"......Before I set you on fire."

"Yes?"

Gewin, seemingly frustrated, sighed and asked.

"What about the Knights?"

"No reply."

"Ugh. I wasn't expecting one. Those Knights are stiff-necked as hell."

"......"

How embarrassing for the Knight listening to him.

Anyway, I exchanged passphrases with Gewin and showed them a family register that included my cover story of three years at Empire Point......

"The train will be here soon. Get out first."

"Yes. When will you come, Inspector?"

"......I'll follow when I follow. Get out already. Buy two tickets."

"Yes!"

The operation began.

* * *

Gewin boarded the Northern Express Eisenhorn. The inspector first looked out the window while disguised as an ordinary citizen.

Clatter, clatter.

Meanwhile, the train ran north.

Clatter, clatter.

The scenery outside the window was wistful. Summer had already ended, and leaves on the far side fell one by one.

Clatter, clatter.

After watching for some time, the colors along the horizon soon turned pure white.

Clatter, clatter.

The snow of the north.

And north meant it was nearly time to begin.

Clatter, clatter.

From this point on, once the train climbed into the mountains, it would not stop. That meant there was no escape.

"......You're sleeping well, you bastard."

Gewin looked at Paul in the seat beside them. Gewin did not know how it had happened, but this guy seemed to have been assigned as their partner.

With his arms crossed and his head tipped to one side, he slept in perfect peace.

Gewin decided to let him sleep, since he would likely be more annoying once awake.

"Fuuuh......"

Gewin took a deep breath and stood. Then Gewin took two or three steps toward the front of the carriage.

"Hello, everyone."

All eyes inside turned toward Gewin. An old man reading a newspaper looked up, and a woman holding a child pulled the child closer.

"Nice to meet you. I am Sergeant Gewin of Georgen."

Gewin took out their identification from inside their coat.

At that moment, the air inside the carriage grew heavy.

"Do not worry. There is no need to be nervous. If you are civilians, that is."

Gewin put their identification away and smiled gently.

"However, we have received intelligence that a suspicious person is currently aboard this train. It is only a formality, so I would appreciate your cooperation."

First, Gewin approached the very first seat.

"Could I see your family register and ticket?"

"......Y, yes."

The family register said Aran, thirty-two years old. Nothing unusual.

"Thank you. Next."

Yaken. Twenty-four years old. Student. Nothing unusual.

"Next."

One person after another, Gewin slowly walked deeper into the carriage.

Clatter, clatter.

The floor shook beneath Gewin's feet.

Clatter, clatter.

Suddenly, Gewin stopped around the middle of the aisle.

"Excuse me?"

A man with crossed arms, apparently sleeping soundly. Gewin lightly tapped the back of his seat.

Tap tap.

"Excuse me."

"......?"

The man opened his eyes halfway.

Gewin smiled kindly.

"Sorry to disturb your sleep, but may I see your family register?"

"Ah. Yes."

Gewin accepted the family register the man handed over.

"Your ticket as well, please."

"Yes. Just a moment......"

The man reached into his coat.

Then someone stood up behind Gewin.

Gewin turned to see a man rising from a seat about three rows back and striding toward them. It was the rookie Paul, now awake.

"Hey. You stay seated..."

Without answering, Paul took a black object from his waist.

Bang.

He fired.

The passengers ducked with short screams.

"......"

Gewin stood frozen in place. Splatter. Warm liquid splashed onto Gewin's cheek. A drop of blood entered their eye, making one eyelid twitch.

"......"

Gewin looked ahead again.

A man with a hole in his skull. His neck hung limply over the seatback.

"Are you all right, Sergeant?"

Paul asked.

Gulp.

Gewin swallowed before barely managing to ask back.

"......What?"

"Look."

Paul grabbed the corpse's limp arm by the sleeve and pulled it out.

A leather strap around the wrist came along, and what had been caught at its end fell to the floor.

Thud.

"......"

A knife.

It was short and thick, made to slide straight from the sleeve into the hand.

"Inspector, that was close. It has poison on it too."

"......It does?"

The tip of the blade gleamed a deep blue beneath the train's lights.

"Do you think he was with the Revolutionary Faction?"

"Uh......"

"Just a moment."

Paul casually snatched the family register from Gewin's hand. He gave it a quick glance.

"Ah, this is fake too."

"How...... do you know that?"

"......"

Paul stared at Gewin.

For some reason, his eyes were chilling.

A broad smile spread over Paul's lips.

"I'll tell you later."

Pointing at the corpse, he added.

"First, let's clean this up."

Gewin watched the rookie drag away the corpse for a long time. Gewin's mind was blank for a moment.

It had been a while since Gewin had seen someone shoot another person dead right in front of them.

Paul had said he attended Empire Point for three years, and his handling was certainly...... Ah, fuck, my eye stings.

Gewin wiped the blood around their eye with their sleeve.

Clatter, clatter.

The train continued north.