A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 52

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

 
Boom!!!

At that moment, a huge explosion occurred.

“Aaah!!”

The shockwave from the explosion sent Charlotte flying, causing her to tumble on the ground.

When she regained her senses, she was no longer in Hoenbaren.

Gunshots echoed continuously in a graveyard under the bright sun.

The old man who had been talking with the President just moments ago shouted in a desperate voice.

“Retribution for the hypocrites!!!!!”

What… is this…?

Charlotte was trying to sort out her confused thoughts.

Did the President instigate someone to carry out a terrorist attack?

But that couldn’t be, as even the President himself was now caught in the explosion and hastily evacuating.

Then was it a retaliatory terrorist attack for not keeping his promise?

She was blankly watching the horrific scene, unable to understand anything, when—

Bang, bang!!

A man dressed in a jet-black uniform rose from the crowd and began pulling the trigger without hesitation.

People holding bombs collapsed one after another.

Charlotte Evergreen clearly remembered that man.

Luthers Edan.

Why was he here?

But then, the air reverberated once again.

It wasn’t an explosion.

Having lived on the battlefield for several years, Charlotte could tell.

It was a sniper shot.

“…!!!”

Charlotte and Luthers’ heads turned almost simultaneously towards the President.

Blood gushed from his shoulder.

“Your Excellency the President!!!”

“Move! Transport him immediately! Medics! Prepare the medics!”

Charlotte felt dizzy.

“What am I witnessing right now?”

The time acceleration rate inside Oracle was tenfold.

Then the record being shown now meant that these events would occur within just a few months.

As soon as she realized that fact, her hands started trembling.

Looking down, her legs were twisting in a strange way.

It was a symptom of her consciousness of reality conflicting with Oracle’s system.

She should have immediately stopped the operation as soon as she noticed the problematic phenomenon, but Charlotte Evergreen couldn’t do that.

It was too early to stop.

Once it was stopped, who knew how long it would take for the Oracle Project demonstration to be decided again?

She had to watch.

She had to see what kind of plot was about to engulf the Empire, which had just been liberated from the Titans and was enjoying its newfound happiness!

“What a great relief, Your Excellency. The bullet narrowly missed your vital points. There will be no issues with your life.”

The background changed drastically once more.

The President got up from the bed and stood before the crowd.

Then, a thunderous cheer erupted from the grand square of Hoenbaren.

Fortunately, he survived.

Charlotte Evergreen wiped her startled chest.

Even if there was some controversy over his tactical insight, he was the leader who had supported the Empire for more than a decade.

If something happened to the President, the chaos that the Empire would face would be doubled.

But something was strange.

The President was pointing at Luthers Edan and shouting.

“I will hold you strictly accountable for the failure in security. What the hell was the Security Agency doing?”

“I apologize.”

Then, other people began to gather around Luthers Edan one by one.

Among them, there was a familiar face.

It was Drake Brown.

“I knew it. His Excellency the President was too lenient to bring someone like you for security.”

“A field soldier is inevitably a field soldier? Even after securing the position of Director of the Security Agency by the President’s arrangement, you can’t even do that much?”

“You have posed a great threat to the Empire! Get it together.”

Charlotte Evergreen clutched her chest.

For some reason.

It was Luthers Edan, whom she didn’t particularly like either.

But this… wasn’t it too much?

It wasn’t a failure in security.

Charlotte, who had watched all the events from a third-person perspective, could say with certainty.

It was clearly the mistake of the 808 Security Battalion and the security team in charge of close protection, yet they were deflecting the blame onto the National Security Strategy Agency for not identifying the terrorist attack in advance.

No matter what, this was wrong.

The President suddenly approached Luthers Edan, who had been silently smoking a cigarette.

“Plan a war.”

From that moment.

Charlotte’s eyes widened, but only for a moment before a tremendous headache began to rush in.

Countless voices began to be heard simultaneously, too many to even count.

“Ugh, ugh…!? Uuuugh!!? Uhuhuhk…!!”

Charlotte Evergreen collapsed to the ground from the sensation of her brain being forcibly kneaded.

Are you saying you’re going to declare war on the Republic?

This is absurd.

That’s why I have no choice but to make a decision.

Bring all possible scenarios in which the Empire enters a state of civil war.

Luthers, it’s me. I’m here. Please look at me.

Lea? How did you…! And that appearance….

You can’t. Go back.

No. Why, why should I? Why are you avoiding us? You know that our happiness is you!!

Didn’t you hear me? Go back. There’s no place for you by the Director’s side. Have some shame.

Ah, ah… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’ll beg you like this. Luthers. My beloved….

How is the ritual of martyrdom progressing?

It’s going smoothly.

They have been completely tamed.

It’s safe to say that they are under the control of us humans, no, the Empire.

Your Excellency the President, this is Werner Grimm.

I accept your proposal.

I’m glad to hear that. But you said you had a request?

Please put me at the forefront.

I will take full authority from personnel to military supplies.

Very well, I entrust this to you, Director Werner Grimm.

I will appoint you as the new commander of the Red Cross Brigade for the relief of the Republic of Bostania.

…Then what will happen to the National Security Strategy Agency?

Captain John Hobbes was dismissed from his position?

What does that mean?

And why is Second Lieutenant Dante missing again?

Luthers Edan, why are you in that state?

What are you thinking?

Lea’s condition was strange that day in the capital.

Was it all because of you?

What did you tell her?

She attempted suicide just yesterday.

This is the fifth time.

What the hell are you doing! Even after leaving the fortress and inflicting wounds on us, all you’re doing is waging war?

No, that wasn’t my intention….

At least I thought you were someone who was sick and tired of war, but to think you would wage a new war, you will live like that forever.

A serious biological disaster has occurred in Saint Francis, Republic of Bostania.

The Republic’s authorities are controlling information, and the Red Cross Brigade dispatched from the Empire has urgently arrived at the scene.

The front line is collapsing! Commander! I thought we were fighting against humans!

The situation is deteriorating uncontrollably. Aaaaaah!! Save me!!

Citizens in the southern part of the Republic, please evacuate immediately according to the broadcast.

They are coming!! Run!

Currently, the Red Cross Brigade is maintaining the final line of defense in the Califia State, and the government forces and rebels have urgently declared a truce to respond jointly….

What the hell is happening! You told me it was completely under control!

I-I don’t know! I have no idea why it suddenly turned out like this…!

We must stop this at all costs, even if it means mobilizing all of the Empire’s forces and erasing the Republic from the map.

What about the local Red Cross Brigade?

They are expendable.

Your Excellency, as of now, all 42 ballistic missiles have been launched.

Karin, Karin, wake up.

Why am I the only one… who survived again?

When will this nightmare end?

But I have to see the end.

I have to confirm with my own eyes why it turned out like this.

Arwen Orka, Lieutenant General, I entrust the Graveyard to you.

Inherit the will of your former superior, who faced death while fighting bravely until the end, and protect humanity and the Empire.

I obey your command, Your Excellency the President.

By the way, it’s been a while since I’ve been to this fortress.

Wait a minute, what is this?

These memories….

Charlotte, what’s going on?

I told you, sister.

We must never be happy.

Never.

Air raid warning, air raid warning.

Nuclear missiles have been launched from the Republic of Bostania. The targets are 5 major cities of the Empire.

Didn’t they say the Republic had no weapons of mass destruction!

It’s over, Your Excellency the President.

We have been defeated.

Humanity ends here.

“Was it you?”

The voices that had been chaotically rushing from all directions suddenly stopped.

Charlotte, who had vomited several times in between, swallowed the bitter taste and raised her head, only to find the grim reaper with flashing blue eyes standing in front of her.

“It was you. The one who orchestrated all these futures.”

Half of his face was unrecognizable due to burns.

His hair was completely burned off, leaving no trace of his handsome face.

“You betrayed me and sold me out.”

As he approached, the tattered black uniform fluttered like rags.

“Back then, you must have seen the horrible experiment and did nothing. You are the main culprit who ruined the world along with the President.”

“Wh-what are you talking about… Luthers.”

An indescribable fear engulfed her.

Charlotte gritted her teeth and stepped back.

“Damn it… What the hell is all this…? Why…!!”

“See? You’re even acting shamelessly. You’re no different.”

The miserable-looking Luthers Edan grabbed the neck of Charlotte, who had been stepping back.

Charlotte struggled against the pain that was crushing her windpipe.

“Ugh, ack…! Cough!!”

“I regret letting you live.”

“Lu… thers…! Comm… ander…!!”

“I resent you, whom I loved to the point of madness.”

“Ugh… Sa… ve… me….”

“So die with me.”

Along with the pain of her neck being strangled, Charlotte Evergreen’s vision grew hazy.

The strength drained from her arms and legs that had been struggling desperately, and they hung limply.

And so, Charlotte met her death at the hands of Luthers Edan without knowing why.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇