Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Trickle.

Red wine filled the glass.

When I took a sip, Yvette took one as well.

”By the way, what do they teach at Empire Point?”

This woman was very interested in Empire Point.

”......”

I looked down at my glass and briefly closed my eyes.

”......Things I don’t want to remember.”

”Still, memories are precious, aren’t they?”Her gaze settled on my fingertips.

I gave a bitter smile.

”......I learned the values of the Aran and the Empire’s mission.”

Pretending to recall a not too distant past, I continued.

”I never got enough sleep during training.”

”You like sleeping that much?”

”......Yes.”

A gentle smile spread across Yvette’s lips.

She was imagining someone completely different from me.

”It does seem that way. And?”

I let a few more details of life at Empire Point slip out. Dawn runs, Maximilian’s Moonlight Below, other textbooks, hellish training.

I recited the life of a man named Paul in meticulous detail.

”Did you really have to quit?”

She swirled her wineglass and looked at my reflection in the window.

”My peers had clear goals. But I was...... like a buoy drifting on the water.”

To some extent, it was the truth. The me before regression. Things I wanted to say to that Maximilian from the past.

”Not knowing what I wanted.”

I had always been pushed along, always afraid. I sat where others told me to sit and said only what others told me to say.

”Not knowing what I wanted to have.”

Wherever the current pushed me, I went. I never dropped anchor anywhere, and never chose a single thing for myself.

As Sebastian had put it, a weakling who was not even worthy of being called his son.

”......”

Her gaze drifted from the window to my face.

I asked weakly.

”Isn’t that pathetic?”

”......No.”

Yvette shook her head.

”Most people are like that. In fact, people with a clear purpose in life are rarer.”

Her voice lowered softly.

”The vast majority lose their dreams at some point. Even knowing they’re the most precious thing they have, they give them up or let them go.”

Yvette gave a small smile.

”To be with someone they love. Because they hit the wall of reality. Because they’re too tired to keep pushing themselves any further......”

She finished the rest of her wine.

”......It isn’t because they’re weak or pathetic. If anything, they’ve become stronger. Letting go takes courage too. They have something in the present that lets them give up their dreams.”

I considered her words, then quietly asked.

”......What about you, Ms. Yvette? Do you have a dream?”

For a moment, her expression clouded. Resting her chin on her hand, she looked at me.

”Sergeant Paul. You suspect me, don’t you?”

I considered my response.

Psychological warfare. I still held a far greater advantage, but I couldn’t let my guard down. This woman was the sort whose beauty made anything seem plausible.

”......Yes. How did you know?”

She smiled faintly and pointed at me.

”You aren’t open. Not your shoulders. Not your chest. Not your attitude. Everything is tightly closed.”

Then she added one more thing.

”Then may I ask why you suspect me?”

”......”

I fiddled with my wineglass and raised an eyebrow.

”Starting with the fact that someone like you invited me to drink with you, Ms. Yvette. That alone is suspicious.”

”......Hm?”

She blinked.

She stared blankly for a long moment as if pondering what I had said, then burst into rather loud laughter.

......

The cargo car corridor of the Northern Express Eisenhorn. The rendezvous point.

”Hey, you bastard. Where the hell have you been?”

Gewin immediately tore into me for arriving a little late.

”I was conducting an investigation.”

”It’s already past midnight. What investigation...... Hey, more importantly, I get credit for catching that guy, all right? I’ll put your name in the report later, but......”

Gewin pointed at the corpse covered in cloth.

”Yes. That’s fine.”

Gewin looked slightly embarrassed at that.

”Get here earlier next time, damn it.”

They seemed pleased that I was handing over the credit.

Thud. Thud.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from the far end of the corridor.

Gewin flinched and hid behind me. I asked them.

”......Inspector?”

”You said you’re from Empire Point, didn’t you?”

Gewin pushed me forward.

Before I knew it, I was standing there to face them.

Thud. Thud.

Approaching silhouettes. The faint outlines of two men’s shoulders.

I asked for the password first.

”Got any cigarettes?”

Thud. Thud.

There was no answer.

Thud. Thud.

Two men approached with their hands behind their backs, carrying themselves with considerable presence.

I placed my hand on my holster.

”If not...”

”We have whiskey.”

One of the men answered the password and stepped into view.

Once they were confirmed as allies, Gewin stepped forward as though they had never hidden behind me.

”......Why are there so many faces I’ve never seen? I’m Inspector Gewin from Central Georgen.”

Gewin held out a hand.

”Nice to meet you. I’m Sergeant Elmer from the Northern Branch.”

”And likewise, Inspector Borhi of the Northern Branch.”

I looked at them.

Two Georgen Northern Branch agents introducing themselves.

Thump.

One of them was Izenheim.

”It seems you’ve heard the news about the Master.”

Inspector Borhi smiled. I quietly repeated his name to myself.

”First, it is certain that the Master is aboard.”

Borhi stated it with certainty.

Gewin asked back.

”Really?”

”Yes. Their objective remains unclear, however.”

Inspector Borhi scratched at his neck as he spoke.

”We need to catch them before this train stops, right?”

I quietly watched him.

* * *

”Smart little bastard.”

In the passenger car restroom, Yvette adjusted her eyelashes and chuckled.

”Yeah, like I’d ever have a reason to hang around a bastard like you.”

Sergeant Paul. At least he had an accurate sense of himself. His face wasn’t bad, but he was only about that level. There was a bit of a problem with his lower face. In other words, he was the sort of man who’d be lucky to meet a goddess like me even once in his life.

”Ah, but should I say he’s fucking stupid......”

Still, when someone’s willing to play along, they should play along. This was the first man who couldn’t even touch one of my fingers.

Smack. Smack.

After applying lipstick, she left the restroom.

As she walked down the corridor.

Bump.

She lightly collided with someone. He quickly crossed to the other side, but Yvette watched his back before returning to her salon compartment as though nothing had happened.

The compartment Halbert Goring had reserved separately for her.

There, she took out the note that had just been slipped into her inner pocket.

[ At 3:00 a.m., plant a bomb at the first class passenger car connection and detonate it when the train enters the fourth tunnel. ]

[ The later rendezvous point is the White Wolf inn in downtown northern Racorta. ]

It was an order.

Clatter. Clatter.

Inside the swaying train, her eyes gleamed in the light.

......

Clatter. Clatter.

The Master was lost in thought.

Lilac, one of the Master’s comrades, was dead. Pointlessly, at the hands of Inspector Gewin.

That left four.

The Master gave each of them a different order and rendezvous location.

Lily’s rendezvous location: White Wolf Inn.

Thistle’s rendezvous location: Downtown Winter Park.

Mistletoe’s rendezvous location: Northern Third Port.

Narcissus’s rendezvous location: Kede University Old Building.

If there was an informant among them, the orders would leak and return to the Master before long.

Whichever order leaked, and how, would reveal who was Georgen’s informant.

”......”

The Master waited quietly.

Clatter. Clatter.

To deal with the agent selling information about the revolution to the Empire, and to rescue the one being held in the north.

......

Clatter. Clatter.

Lily, Yvette, lay awake and stared at the ceiling.

”......”

She quietly sank into thought.

A beauty that transcended status and cut through the ages. Why had a woman with charm at its very peak, according to herself, joined the Revolutionary Faction......?

Because things like rank and noble birth were boring.

Because stealing people’s souls was boring too.

She had effectively been born a slave. The daughter of a tenant farmer and a maid. For someone of such low status, beauty had become a sin and a burden.

When she caught the eye of some potbellied noble, her mother and father risked their lives to flee with her. Unfortunately, both of them died.

......That sort of life story was boring now too.

To find something interesting, perhaps this Empire needed to be half overturned.

”Hmm......”

Lily got up and prepared for her mission.

Clatter. Clatter.

The train was arranged as follows: [Engine Room] [Fuel Car] [Cargo Car] [Third Class Passenger Car] [Second Class Passenger Car] [Dining Car] [First Class Passenger Car] [Salon Car].

Therefore, if the connection between the dining car and first class passenger car was detached, Goring and the distinguished guests would all be left on the tracks at once.

While attention was drawn to them, we would escape north with the promised cargo.

”Shall we go?”

She left the salon car and walked down the corridor.

She wore shoes that made no sound, yet made no effort to hide herself.

Click.

The moment she planted a mana stone bomb on the coupling between the [First Class Passenger Car] and [Dining Car], connected it to the detonator, and turned around.

”Who goes there?”

A sudden flashlight shone on her.

”......”

Lily turned calmly toward it.

A man.

A man would be fine.

”What are you doing out this late?”

”......Taking a walk. I was feeling too stifled.”

Lily smiled at him.

Even so, the man remained calm.

Thud. Thud.

He strode up to her and spoke.

”Your ticket and family register, please.”

”......Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first? Are you a railway employee?”

”Ah. I’m this sort of person.”

He handed her his identification. Inspector Borhi of Georgen’s Northern Branch.

A fairly significant figure whose name Lily also knew.

”......Yes. Here.”

When she handed over the family register, Borhi skimmed it with his eyes.

”Would you mind if I searched you?”

......This fucking bastard. This piece of shit. Should I stab him to death?

Yvette forced a smile.

”Search me?”

”Yes.”

A body search.

A bomb was attached to the corridor ceiling, and Lily had the detonator inside her clothes.

Clatter. Clatter.

Just then, the first tunnel passed outside the window.

She gave a small smile.

”If the family register checks out, isn’t that enough?”

”You never know. It’ll be over quickly.”

”I’m sorry, but...”

”I’m more sorry.”

Thump. Borhi shoved her.

”What are you doing...”

”It’ll be over quickly.”

He pressed her against the wall and reached out.

”Stop right there.”

A voice came from somewhere.

Yvette looked toward it. Borhi did the same.

”I have already inspected this passenger.”

Thud. Thud.

Another Georgen agent approached as though trampling down the corridor.

Paul Berg.

”Let her go. Even Georgen doesn’t have the right to search a civilian whose identity has been confirmed as it pleases.”

”......”

Inspector Borhi looked Paul up and down. The corner of his mouth twisted as if he found it absurd.

”Sergeant Paul. The difference in our ranks...”

”You should come to Central before saying something like that.”

Inspector and sergeant. Borhi’s rank was much higher.

But what of the difference between the Northern Branch and Central?

Besides, Paul was from Empire Point.

”......”

”......”

Borhi stared at Paul without a word, and Paul did not avert his gaze.

Yvette quietly watched the contest of wills between them.

Win, Paul. Win.

”......Sergeant Paul. Are you sure about this? As I understand it, you only met Inspector Gewin for the first time today as well.”

What Borhi meant was, You don’t have anyone backing you.

Instead of answering, Paul pointed at Yvette.

”This lady is an acquaintance of Sir Halbert Goring.”

Borhi’s gaze settled calmly.

”If you treat an acquaintance of Sir Goring this way, there could be trouble later.”

Only then did Borhi seem to consider it, taking in a deep breath.

”......I see.”

He released Yvette and smiled.

”If her identity has already been confirmed, and she is a distinguished guest in the salon car...... perhaps there is no need to inspect her separately.”

Thud. Thud.

Borhi walked over to Paul and put a hand on his shoulder.

”Still, it isn’t good to act too big. The north is different from Central.”

”......”

Whispered words.

Paul met Borhi’s smiling eyes.

”Keep up the good work.”

Before long, Borhi left, and Yvette approached instead.

She patted Paul’s stiff shoulders.

”You must have known that I was with Sir Goring.”

”Yes. It was written there when I checked your ticket in the first place.”

”Oh my.”

Yvette put a hand over her mouth.

Paul gave a faint smile and gestured toward the other side.

”Go get some rest now.”

”......Will you be all right? That Borhi person is infamous in the north.”

”He’s from the north, after all. Central and the north are different.”

He was full of confidence when it came to things like this. Well, just considering the value of his family’s land, it must be enormous.

From a wealthy district, and an Empire Point background. He looks cooler than I thought.

Clatter!

The train lurched heavily.

Yvette counted the numbers outside the window. It had just entered the second tunnel.

”By the way, Paul. Are you sure you don’t want to do it?”

”......Do what?”

Yvette pressed herself close to him and slightly pulled back her coat.

”I mean the body search.”

Paul’s cheeks immediately turned red.

”Uh...... Well...... I......”

She watched him stammer, red as a tomato.

”It’s already too late.”

She closed her coat and ran away again with quick little steps.

A man who still couldn’t follow her. The earnest gaze she could feel only on her back was simply amusing to Yvette.

* * *

After finishing my inquiries, I returned to the cargo car. Gewin was sitting there, reading some sort of notebook.

”......Hey, Paul. I hear you’ve fallen for a woman.”

”Hmm...... It was part of the investigation.”

”Part of the investigation, my ass. I saw it too.”

Gewin cleared their throat and stood up.

”She was pretty, though. But don’t touch her if you can help it. You know Halbert Goring, right? Halbert Goring brought her along.”

”......I know.”

”If you know, leave her alone. More importantly.”

Snap.

Gewin closed the notebook. At that moment, a man appeared behind them.

Gewin spoke.

”......This friend is an agent on the inside.”

”Pardon?”

”An agent inside the Revolutionary Faction.”

I looked at him.

An ordinary-looking man in railway worker’s clothes. The same face that had been patrolling the train and checking tickets.

”......Nice to meet you. My codename is Thistle. My real name is Peter.”

Thistle took off his hat and held it in his hand.

”First, let me make this clear. I don’t know all their faces.”

Gewin furrowed their brow slightly.

”You don’t know?”

”Yes. The Revolutionary Faction uses a cell structure. Of the six people participating in this operation, I know the faces of only two.”

I looked at him and asked.

”Why are you selling them out to us? Have you defected?”

Defected.

At the word, Thistle gave a bitter smile.

”......The Revolutionary Faction does things much like the Empire they condemn. Even if I carry out every mission for the Revolutionary Faction, I’m left with absolutely nothing.”

On the other hand, he had secretly visited his hometown village sometime last week.

A place that once had no food now brimmed with life. The radio played, everyone gathered at the theater, children ate buns filled with sweet red bean paste......

”Even the Revolutionary Faction discriminates against us because of bloodlines. Just as the Empire cannot trust subspecies, the Revolutionary Faction says pure Aran cannot be entrusted with important duties either......”

At that, Gewin snorted. I probably wore a similar expression.

”Ha. That’s right. It’s ridiculous. What is this revolution even for? These people who call themselves comrades now talk only about things too far removed from us.”

The Revolutionary Faction’s ideology.

No race should be discriminated against. The things one is born with cannot be a crime. Aran, Mer, Izenheim, everyone possesses rights granted by heaven.

Natural rights.

It was certainly obvious, but most within the Revolutionary Faction were starving or could be caught and killed by the Empire tomorrow.

Obvious words did not fill empty stomachs.

”Therefore, I believe that if I hand over the Master, I can have what I want.”

”So.”

I asked him.

”What do you want?”

After all, I was the one who could give him what he wanted.

Thistle swallowed.

”A new identity and money. Enough to live on for half a lifetime, if not a full one.”

”The bounty on the Master is three million imperial dollars. That’s more than enough. Show us the mission note first.”

”......Here it is.”

At Gewin’s words, Thistle handed over the note.

The order he had received was:

Start a fire in the third class passenger car. Afterward, the rendezvous point was Downtown Winter Park.

”Money aside, regarding my safety...”

”By any chance.”

I interrupted him.

There was something more important.

”Did you give Inspector Borhi the same order you gave us?”

Thistle hesitated before replying.

”......Yes.”

”......”

I looked down at the note bearing his order.

”......You can trust Borhi, damn it. He has locked up hundreds of undesirables himself. Even in the north, they call him a demon and a bastard.”

Gewin seemed to understand what I was implying, but their judgment was wrong.

Inspector Borhi of Georgen’s Northern Branch.

He was Izenheim.

Rumble!

At that moment, the train’s shaking intensified.

The Northern Express Eisenhorn had emerged from a long tunnel.