Semi-Coercive Imperialist

I kept watch over the ground from high above. The noise of the helicopter, rotors and engine alike, was remarkably quiet.

That was my own method of utilizing mana.

Every person, every knight uses mana differently. Likely because the properties and nature of one’s mana differ, as does the “path” each pursues.

───

In my case, I handle mana in the purest way possible. It was a primitive application of the Virus within my body.

Simply radiating Ebenholtz’s mana outward and transferring its properties. Thus, when I coat the entire helicopter in a thin layer of mana, the noise is absorbed and all presence fades.

That is why, in this night sky, the helicopter can fly like a phantom.

“…….”

I gazed down at the distant ground through the open door of the helicopter. A single silhouette was visible, darting nimbly across the rooftops.

He might have been able to evade eyes on the ground, but from up here, his figure was far too clearly visible.

WHOOOOSH───

With the wind crashing over me, I prepared to descend.

Compared to jumping from a transport at several thousand meters altitude, a drop from a helicopter hovering at a mere few hundred meters allowed far more precise control.

FWEEEEEE──!

I threw my body into the empty air.

The fierce wind streamed over the surface of my wingsuit. I scattered mana, controlling the air resistance. Adjusting my glide angle.

My target was the assassin on the ground.

Just one.

Tick──

Suddenly, the time of the world slowed into a sticky crawl.

Moisture beading like water droplets. The swaying wind. And the trajectory of each stride the assassin took.

For that instant, all of it seemed frozen like a photograph.

Tap──

I layered a step of mana onto the empty air and kicked off,

then accelerated once more in a straight line, rocketing forward.

───.

A precision strike targeting only one person.

A decisive sword strike, driven at a calculated angle without a hair’s breadth of error.

Shhk──!

A silver flash split the darkness. Before the assassin’s dagger could reach Alonso, my longsword silently severed the bastard’s neck first.

Thud. Roll, roll, roll.

The assassin’s torso pitched forward under its own momentum, and the severed head tumbled across the alley floor.

It was a beheading that shed not a single drop of blood.

─Thump.

The beat of my heart confirmed what the thing had been.

Ezenheim.

I turned to Crown Prince Alonso, frozen stiff.

“Crown Prince Alonso. Are you alright?”

Alonso exhaled the breath he had been holding and gasped.

“Ma– Sir Maximilian! My close aides, those loyal subjects, are still in the palace–”

“Yes. I’m aware. Lieutenant Colonel Han?”

Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han and the Chief of Security supported the Crown Prince by both arms.

“Please go on ahead, Your Highness. You are more important than anyone else in all of Zerpha. You must preserve yourself, above all. I will handle the rest.”

At my polite urging, Alonso nodded again and again, his eyes reddening. His escorts disappeared along with him.

I turned to face the opposite direction from where the Crown Prince had gone, toward the palace.

BOOOOOM──!

Explosions erupted from every direction.

The rebel forces’ armored vehicles were blown apart in chain detonations by pre-buried mines, and plainclothes soldiers struck at the rebels’ blind spots, collapsing their command structure.

RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT──!

At the center of an intersection where street fighting was in full swing.

─Lay down your weapons and surrender!

Brigadier General Esp, a Royalist Faction commander loyal to Alonso, raised a loudspeaker.

─This is a fight in which you have no cause!

A coup’s success or failure is decided within the first twenty-four hours. Therefore, this was already a failed rebellion. Yet the rank-and-file soldiers who had joined the revolt had been dragged along under orders from their superiors, most of them none the wiser. They were merely young men sacrificed to the greed of those above them, fighting simply to stay alive.

─Make no mistake, young souls! You are not traitors! The traitors are those rotten generals who drove you into this deathtrap!

Night passed, and dawn began to break.

As the first light illuminated the city streets, Brigadier General Esp’s impassioned address filled the capital of Zerpha.

─Young men! Realize where the muzzles you hold should truly be aimed! For your homeland and your families, do not shed meaningless blood!

It rang with sincerity.

One by one, Zerpha’s young soldiers set their rifles on the ground. Tears streamed down their faces as they raised both hands.

─Young souls! You are not traitors!

Hundreds, then thousands of soldiers surrendering in a cascading spectacle.

This was the power of having a just cause, and the force of agitation and propaganda.

─The traitors are those rotten generals who drove you into this deathtrap!

This speech, too, had been scripted by Johann Goetze.

Marveling once again at his talent, I gazed at the morning sun slowly rising on the far horizon.

…….

The battle that had erupted in the capital of Zerpha concluded within a single day.

The opposing forces had been the rebel army versus the Royalist regular army a⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nd the Imperial Army.

“……We’ve captured and are transporting half of the rebel generals.”

Brigadier General Esp, a Royalist Faction commander, reported to me.

“Lieutenant General Pavel and several other ringleaders appear to have fled, and the whereabouts or status of several others remain unknown.”

Step.

I heard someone approaching from behind. Crown Prince Alonso was there, staggering forward with the support of Lieutenant Colonel Kai Han.

“Your Highness. I’m relieved you’re safe.”

When I offered my greeting, he looked up at me with vacant eyes.

“……Sir Maximilian.”

“Ye⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠s.”

I stepped closer. The Crown Prince’s lips quivered.

“The palace– what happened to the palace? My people……”

What he was desperately asking about was most likely the fate of the “close aides” who had stayed in the palace to the very end.

“The Deputy Minister of Justice, the Chief Secretary, and three other officials are dead.”

At my words, the color drained from Alonso’s face.

“It appears they fought the rebels to the end and fell valiantly.”

Of course, they weren’t actually dead.

I had been planning to pull several operatives out at around this stage anyway. In other words, it was simply the expiration of their contracts.

No matter how skilled an actor, no one can live the life of a spy forever. Force them to, and things only go wrong.

For those whose aptitude no longer suited the work and who wanted to return home, I had simply arranged an exit scenario of “honorable death”, complete with a generous bonus.

“……Hah.”

The Crown Prince’s legs seemed to give out beneath him, and he swayed.

Right on cue, medics appeared. They carried a body on a stretcher, draped with a cloth. In that moment, an arm slipped out from under the cloth and hung limply, and the Crown Prince’s hollow gaze happened to land on it.

“……Chief Lecito?”

The blood-soaked uniform, the familiar bracelet on the wrist. Those clues alone seemed enough for him to recognize who it was.

“Chief Lecito!”

Alonso rushed to the stretcher, gasping.

“Lecito…….”

He pulled back the cloth covering the stretcher. A face drained of all color was revealed, deathly pale.

“…….”

I quietly raised an eyebrow.

This, too, was a prop for completing the scenario. Lecito was in a deep sleep induced by a special anesthetic that slowed his pulse to near nothing. To an ordinary person, he would look like a corpse.

“Ah…….”

The Crown Prince staggered as if about to faint, then dropped heavily to his knees. He laid both arms over the body.

I firmly gripped his shoulders and steadied him.

“Your Highness. You must not fall apart here, if nothing else, for the sake of your loyal subjects’ sacrifice.”

But no sound seemed to reach the Crown Prince’s ears.

“All righteous cause and justification now belong entirely to the crown. To you, Your Highness.”

Even so, Alonso heaved ragged, animal-like breaths, struggling to accept the reality of–

“Lecito──!”

He looked up at the sky and cried out in anguish. The image of a sovereign grieving for a fallen retainer. Not a bad scene, and the surviving palace staff and soldiers, unaware of the truth, bowed their heads in somber respect.

“Lecito, why would yo──!”

“……Lieutenant Colonel Han.”

Watching the wailing Crown Prince, I whispered quietly to Kai Han beside me.

“Who was Lecito?”

“…….”

The Lieutenant Colonel cleared his throat awkwardly and murmured.

“……His golf caddy.”

Hm.

Chief Caddy.

“Apparently he served, in effect, as the Crown Prince’s counselor. They say he was the one who shared the deepest emotional bond with His Highness.”

I silently gazed down at the crown of Alonso’s head as he wept openly.

“……I see.”

He was, without a doubt, incompetent. There was no other conclusion to draw. Even before my regression, no reassessment had ever changed that verdict. Too ordinary and too weak-willed for a crown prince.

For me, that was fortunate.

“Lecito───!”

Watching him, I was certain.

The Crown Prince lived in a world of his own, and someday, the day would come when he wished to lay down the duties thrust upon him.

When that day came, he would seek me out.

I knew him well.

Because even I, sometimes, wished I could set all of this down…….

* * *

Around the time the Royalist Faction’s suppression of the rebellion in the capital was nearing completion.

“Fire.”

FWEEEEEEEE──!

Tearing through the air, countless rockets flew in first.

KABOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM────!

Rockets from the new multi-launch mana rocket “Kerben” hammered mercilessly into the heart of the defensive line.

Into the ground being torn apart, where shockwaves erupted in rapid succession, the first wave of the Durkon Legion under Major General Schweitzer charged like beasts.

“Advance.”

The Jeronika Mine’s defensive line had two vulnerabilities. One was the narrow gorge entrance connected to the supply route, and the other was the northern slope that had been leveled for mining operations.

Major General Schweitzer employed a feint to exploit both points.

He split the main force in two, feigning simultaneous strikes on both positions to scatter the enemy’s defenders, then in reality concentrated his entire first wave on the single point of the northern slope and drove through it like a wedge.

“There it is. That’s the mine, right?”

Having swiftly established a firebase on a ridgeline overlooking the mine, Schweitzer wore a satisfied smile.

“Yes, sir. However, the enemy appears to have retreated inside the mine, prepared to fight to the death. They seem ready to entrench themselves using the tunnels and facilities as shields.”

“Oh. That so? It’s fine. Bring up every last Kerben and blast every bit of it to rubble.”

“……Sir?”

The adjutant asked again, taken aback.

The Jeronika Mine was an asset of Zerpha. It would be no exaggeration to call it one of the kingdom’s most vital assets. Therefore, if the mine were destroyed, there would be no point in recapturing Jeronika. It was the kind of matter that could easily escalate into a diplomatic incident.

“Will that be alright?”

But the thing they feared was not the government of Zerpha. The famously unhinged Durkon couldn’t care less about some country. The only concern was a single knight who was watching over this place.

“The troops are tired from the march, so have them each pop one of those new Stimpacks from the latest supply drop. We push in without delay and finish this today.”

“Uh, sir. If we destroy th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠e mining facilities, later on–”

“I said it’s fine. This has already been discussed with Sir Maximilian.”

It’s been discussed. At those words, the adjutant’s expression relaxed.

Schweitzer smi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rked.

“He says all that equipment down there is fucking ancient and useless anyway.”

If they had demolished another country’s critical industrial facilities and simply washed their hands of it, that would indeed become a diplomatic issue. But Maximilian’s plan was to tear it all down from the start and rebuild it entirely with state-of-the-art equipment.

‘That man sure has deep pockets.’

“So fire.”

“Yes, sir! All batteries, prepare to fire!”

At the adjutant’s echo, dozens of Kerbens arrayed along the ridgeline raised their barrels in unison.

“Fire with the intent to cause a landslide. Don’t leave so much as a rat alive. Wipe them all out. Fire!”

SCREEEEEEEE────!

The Kerben’s mana rockets shrieked with a piercing wail, painting the sky red.

New technology developed to shatter front lines rained down upon the Republican Faction’s forces like a storm of arrows.

BOOOOOM──!

* * *

“Well done, Major General Schweitzer.”

“Eh, it was hardly what I’d call hard work.”

Schweitzer had seized the mine in what was truly the blink of an eye. From the outset, the gap in military capability, new technology included, was vast, and the competence of the commander wielding it was equally overwhelming.

“You know that?”

Schweitzer looked at me and waggled his eyebrows with a sly grin. It was a rather nauseating attempt at charm.

“Fighting an enemy that has something to protect is the easiest kind of fight.”

The side that had to protect the mine, versus the side that didn’t care if it was smashed to pieces.

The outcome had been decided from that moment.

“By the way, what do we do with these prisoners?”

“……Good question.”

I strolled slowly past the hundreds of Republican Faction prisoners kneeling with their arms stripped of weapons.

Thump–

My heart pounded.

There were Ezenheim among them.

And quite a few, at that.

The prisoners numbered in the thousands with a dozen or so Ezenheim.

Thump–

Not exactly a favorable ratio.

If I killed thousands of prisoners just to weed out the Ezenheim, it would be a massacre. It was “not yet” time for that.

─These imperial pig bastards……

A whisper in Zerphan reached my ears. I turned my gaze, walked over slowly, and stood before him.

Thump–

As luck would have it, he was Ezenheim.

“Pig, huh……”

I drew Yukia’s pistol from its holster.

Pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang–

A muffled gunshot rang out. The fired mana pierced through his forehead. He collapsed, blood pouring from the hole in his skull, and Schweitzer flinched and stepped back.

“W-we are prisoners!”

From somewhere beside me, someone screamed as if in desperation. One of the Republican Faction’s officers.

“We’ve already surrendered!”

“…….”

I wordlessly aimed the pistol.

Unfortunately, he was not Ezenheim.

Thump–

But the adjutant next to him was. I let a thin smile cross my face.

How kind of you to give me an excuse.

“A prisoner is only a prisoner up to a point. How I treat you is up to me.”

I twisted the muzzle and shot the adjutant dead.

Crack!

His skull burst, spraying brain matter and blood across the officer’s face. The officer gasped sharply as if his breath had been punched out of him.

“The Imperials are pigs?”

I murmured in fluent Zerphan, coldly scanning the faces of the prisoners now consumed by terror.

“And yet here you are, leashed by those very pigs.”

Faces trembling, holding their breath.

“Let me explain. You are not prisoners. You are traitors. Worthless bastards, worse than dogs, who dared to bare your fangs and snap at the rightful ruler of Zerpha.”

Click. I loaded mana into the pistol.

“Do you think I came here on Imperial orders to slaughter you?”

The atmosphere felt right for killing one more Ezenheim without raising suspicion.

“No. Before you are prisoners, you are traitors, and therefore this is──”

Bang.

I actually shot one.

Another skull burst apart and the body crumpled.

“The wish of Crown Prince Alonso.”

Now, there is no noise.

Not a soul, not a single one, dared to make a sound.

And it was not just the enemy. The allies watching me were the same.

“……Major General S⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chweitzer.”

“Yes.”

Schweitzer stepped before me with an expression that said he was seeing me in a new light.

“Transfer the rest to a detention camp.”

“Understood. Everyone, move out!”

The crisp salute he snapped off as he said it felt, for some reason, distinctly different from before.