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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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A group of people inevitably becomes corrupt.
That was no different even for the military, which had been engaged in a fierce fight for the survival of humanity.
Take Luthers Edan, the former commander of the Graveyard, for example.
Even he, who was praised as a war hero, turned out to be a criminal who committed military procurement corruption like it was nothing when investigated.
The contents of the data that Arwen reviewed while serving as the acting commander were truly absurd.
Arwen immediately reported the fact to her superiors and informed the military prosecutors and military police.
Although the higher-ups seemed reluctant to investigate him since he was still a war hero to the public, the vast amount of evidence and detailed reports submitted by her, a prospective general, were not something they could easily dismiss.
-This is… a bit serious.
-Thank you for your public interest report, Major General. The Central Military Police will conduct a thorough investigation.
He had already left the military anyway.
There was no one who would go out of their way to stand up for someone who was no longer one of their own.
It wasn’t like the military was filled with only kindhearted people.
They were also just people struggling to move up by handling as many cases as possible, and now that peace had arrived, their livelihoods depended entirely on their performance.
Just as the military police and military prosecutors began their joint investigation.
The newly assigned position of Major General Arwen Orka was none other than the “Inspector General” under the Supreme Command.
Inspection.
And directly appointed by the President.
-I heard you actively reported your superior’s corruption. Your loyalty to the justice of the nation and the military is truly beautiful.
-I will do my best, Your Excellency the President.
Of course, there was no way Arwen wouldn’t know that the President had some ulterior motive.
If someone who didn’t even show interest during the war suddenly spewed flattering words, suspicion would naturally arise.
But what the President said wasn’t entirely wrong either.
During the war that lasted over 10 years, the entire military may have achieved elite status, but its internal affairs had deteriorated more seriously than before the war.
At times like this, there needed to be someone who could make cold and objective judgments like herself.
With that thought in mind, Arwen accepted the position of Inspector General.
And the first thing she did after being appointed as the Inspector General was to finish the matter of Luthers Edan with her own hands.
-Wait a moment, why is this charge omitted here?
-Ah… that’s….
-Didn’t you clearly say that you would conduct a thorough investigation? This can only be seen as a dereliction of duty.
-The military police chief told the prosecutors to do this? This is a serious matter that can also be viewed as external pressure.
She forcibly brought up Luthers Edan’s criminal acts that seemed like they would be concluded ambiguously.
The military police and prosecutors were stunned by her appearance, demanding them as soon as she was appointed as the Inspector General.
Still, wasn’t he the commander they had gone through thick and thin with during the war?
Wasn’t this going too far?
An investigation so thorough that it could almost be described as being possessed.
In the end, they conducted the investigation as Arwen wanted with a disgusted look, and completely stripped Luthers Edan, the war hero, of all privileges.
The stripped privileges included his retirement pension as well.
Now, Luthers had to work to survive.
It could be seen as a fitting punishment for arbitrarily embezzling the people’s taxes and the military’s budget during the war.
If possible, she wanted to go as far as imprisonment, but other investigators stopped her, saying that was too much.
Even if he committed corruption, his wartime achievements didn’t become false.
Arwen Orka also concluded the investigation at this point.
The war hero had lost everything overnight, so there couldn’t be anything more miserable than this.
Just as Arwen, who had successfully completed her first inspection task, was about to start the next inspection, news of the disturbance in the Eastern Military District reached her.
By the time she found out, it had already been three days since the incident occurred.
The news was slow because she was on an inspection schedule for the Western Military District, far from the East.
The devastating news that her most cherished little sister had fallen into a coma.
Without asking or inquiring, Arwen packed her bags and headed to the military hospital in charge of the Eastern Military District.
Relying on a military transport plane and driving non-stop for 3 hours in a vehicle coordinated from a nearby air force base, she finally arrived at the hospital.
“Lea!!”
In the hospital room she ran into with her sweat-soaked hair flying, there was Lea Gilliard quietly sleeping.
It wasn’t just Lea.
There was also a doctor in a white gown and a woman in a black military uniform that contrasted with it.
A doctor and a black uniform?
Their appearance, which looked like they had come to deliver a death sentence, made Arwen’s heart sink.
“…Who are you?”
“Ah, I’m Major General Arwen Orka. Lea and I are almost like real sisters! Is Lea, is Lea safe?!”
The doctor nodded as if he understood.
He answered Arwen, who was impatiently fidgeting.
“Fortunately, she has passed the critical stage. Thanks to the appropriate emergency treatment being administered in time. Of course, her condition wasn’t very good at the time of transport, but now it has improved surprisingly quickly.”
“Ah…”
The news that she was safe made her feel like all her strength was drained at once.
Arwen, who was momentarily staggering, made an effort to steady herself.
“But for some reason, she hasn’t regained consciousness.”
“Is, is there something wrong with her health?”
“That’s not it, but in my personal opinion, it seems to have had a psychological impact as well. Or it could be a reaction to her condition improving so rapidly.”
Arwen looked at Lea.
Lea Gilliard, who had gone through days as difficult as herself in the Graveyard.
Especially when the unit was completely disbanded, the image of her crying and wailing was vivid.
Perhaps the stress and fatigue she had been suppressing all this time had exploded with this incident.
“But first is rest, and second is rest.”
“Thank you, doctor…! For saving Lea’s life…!!”
“I only did my job. Then… I’ll be on my way.”
The doctor passed by Arwen with a benevolent smile.
Judging by the doctor’s reaction and attitude, there really seemed to be no big problem.
Arwen approached Lea as if possessed, and while looking at her soundly sleeping, she recited.
“Yes, Lea. You’ve worked hard too, so let’s rest a bit.”
As long as she was safe, that was fortunate.
Having calmed her mind, Arwen soon turned her head to look at the woman in the black uniform who was silent.
“Who are you?”
It was a military uniform she had never seen before.
A pitch-black uniform that didn’t even have a shine as if ink had been poured on it.
Only the golden eagle insignia hanging on her chest proved that she was a soldier of the Empire.
At Arwen’s question, she opened her mouth that had been tightly closed.
“I’m Karin Maven from the National Security Strategy Agency.”
“National Security Strategy Agency…?”
It was an organization she had heard of before.
A newly established organization she learned about when she was newly appointed as the Inspector General.
An abnormal institution that belonged to the Supreme Command like the Inspection Department, but at the same time was directly under the President.
Were they related to the reason Lea was shot?
“What brings the SSA here?”
A dry voice answered Arwen’s question.
“…First Lieutenant Lea’s gunshot wound was sustained while she was protecting a member of our agency.”
“Lea did?”
“The director said that First Lieutenant Lea Gilliard was of great help to him and asked me to give this to you when you arrived, Major General Arwen.”
It was a mechanical attitude as if outputting the lines that had been inputted.
Karin didn’t reveal her rank, so it was unknown, but no matter what, it wasn’t something to say to an active-duty general.
Nevertheless, for some reason, it felt awkward, and she didn’t even think of pointing it out.
Moreover, didn’t they already know that she would come?
Putting aside the questions that arose one after another, Arwen accepted the paper bag Karin handed her.
“Then, since I have delivered the director’s message, I will be on my way.”
“What? Wait a moment!”
Karin, who said what she had to say and abruptly left.
Arwen tried to stop her in surprise, but Karin left through the door and disappeared without looking back.
It felt like she was intentionally avoiding her.
But the moment Arwen checked the contents of the paper bag Karin Maven had handed over, she couldn’t help but be shocked.
A pair of syringes in a case that looked luxurious at a glance.
There was no way she wouldn’t know.
“This is… nanomachine treatment. Even high-ranking generals can’t get it because it’s not available… how on earth…?”
An ultra-expensive treatment that could theoretically revive even a dead person.
Moreover, a note written in a scrawled handwriting was enclosed in the case.
[I hope you find it useful in case of unforeseen circumstances, Major General Arwen Orka. When First Lieutenant Lea regains consciousness, please tell her that the captain she helped is sincerely grateful.]
“What the…?”
By the time Arwen hurriedly left the hospital room, Karin Maven had already disappeared.
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She had a dream.
A sensation that was vivid for a dream, but felt somewhat detached for reality.
There, Lea saw a man looking at her lying on the bed.
A bear-like physique.
Perhaps because his back was against the moonlight shining through the window, his back looked much larger.
He looked at her quietly, then carefully stroked her face.
Then he suddenly started shedding tears under the mask.
Without making any sound or movement.
The transparent tears flowing down his cheeks sparkled in the moonlight.
Strictly speaking, it was a man she had never even met who was touching her body.
On top of that, he even cried while looking at her.
It should naturally be creepy.
But Lea found herself crying along with him without realizing it.
Because it felt like she would remember that warm warmth.
Because it felt like the sensation she had longed for so much in her last moment.
She wanted to tell him not to cry, that she was sorry.
She wanted to apologize for leaving first even though she had promised not to abandon him.
The two could not face each other and only cried silently.
The one who broke that silence first was the masked man.
“Lea, I’ve decided not to have any more regrets. So-.”
“I hope we never meet like this again. Live happily for all to see. Forget about me and be your usual bright self.”
The masked man slowly took off his mask and got up from his seat.
Lea reached out her hand urgently.
But the more she reached out, the more she took steps, for some reason, he only got farther away.
Then she at least hoped her voice would reach him.
Don’t leave me behind.
Now that there’s no reason to leave, please find me again.
I know how selfish it is to tell you to throw away the burden you carry.
But can’t you be by my side again?
Even that was not allowed for Lea.
In a reality where words wouldn’t come out, the moment she was crying out in frustration.
The man who had been looking at her lying on the bed turned his head.
At the same time.
“…Lea!! Are you awake!? Oh my god!! Thank goodness, really thank goodness…!!”
Lea Gilliard opened her eyes.
chapter 20
Inside a safe house located on the outskirts of the city, Werner Grimm was blankly staring out the window.
“Director… Are you really sure it’s okay not to visit her?”
When Second Lieutenant Karin Maven carefully asked again, he nodded his head to answer.
“We didn’t have a particularly good relationship.”
His tone was as if it wasn’t a big deal, but Karin vaguely understood the hidden meaning behind it.
How could she not know?
But she couldn’t say it out loud.
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Sadge