Do Your Own Revolution

#014

“···What an amusing fellow.”

That was his first reaction to my disorganized statement.

“I asked you to answer my questions, and suddenly what? You want to destroy Elcidore? Are you saying you’ll betray your master?”

“I have no intention of answering your questions, and even if I did, you wouldn’t understand anyway. I apologize, but we don’t have much time.”

“Time?”

In response to Maximilien’s question, I raised one arm.

The three magic imprints transplanted from Elcidore were emitting a blue light.

“These magic imprints have a ‘Mark of Control’ inscribed on them. As long as I’m alive, they continuously emit magical power signals.”

“…….”

He fell silent for a moment.

The reason was obvious without explanation.

He probably didn’t know about it.

He’s careless when it comes to these things.

“So let me ask, how much time has passed since you brought me here?”

“……About four hours.”

“Then headquarters already knows I’m alive.”

The Knifehead doesn’t rescue fallen comrades.

As proof, Senior Dwayne, who led the team, activated the detonator as soon as he confirmed I was captured.

He meant for me to perish along with the Revolutionary Army’s train before becoming a prisoner.

“A tracking team will arrive within two hours. Either to rescue me or dispose of me. Probably the latter…….”

“……You.”

While listening to my muttering, Maximilien looked at me incredulously and said.

“You, how old are you?”

“I’m ten years old. Is there a problem?”

“Ten, years old…….”

Upon hearing my words, Maximilien sighed deeply with his head bowed.

“They were making a fuss about a little devil, and it turns out they were humiliated by a mere ten-year-old…….”

“…….”

I understand his sighing.

Before the protagonist joins, the Revolutionary Army must have been in quite a state.

But that’s not my concern.

I clapped my hands to get his attention, and Maximilien nodded at me.

It meant he would listen.

‘Now, this is the crucial part.’

I was already in a position of being a discarded card, and my being alive was an unexpected situation and risk factor for Ben.

Even if I returned, I would face endless suspicious glances, and might even be killed.

In such a situation, this connection with Maximilien was my only chance.

If I failed, there would be no second chance.

“……Count Elcidore is currently preparing for an eastern wasteland expedition.”

Internal information about House Elcidore flowed from my mouth.

Of course, this wasn’t information I had discovered directly.

It was a card I could play because I thoroughly knew the settings and timeline of the original game.

“That’s also why he’s trying to deal with the Revolutionary Army within his territory.”

“To prevent future troubles?”

“Correct.”

The Revolutionary Army’s Belkers branch led by Refin was a thorn in Elcidore’s eastern expansion plans.

However, with my killing of Refin, that constraint had been removed.

With the Knifehead’s black ops eliminating the Revolutionary Army in the territory, the Count would have nothing to hold him back.

“Thanks to the elimination of the Belkers branch Revolutionary Army, most of the Elcidore Knight Order is currently deployed in the eastern uninhabited zone. Currently, only a small security force and Knifehead remain in the territory.”

“You mean, if we strike now, we might have a chance?”

“With an internal collaborator, you could attempt it right now.”

Once you start something, you need to do it properly.

The opponent is the leader of the Revolutionary Army.

Half-hearted psychological warfare isn’t even worth considering.

“What’s needed is one moment of chaos and one decisive strike. I can create the chaos.”

“And I’m supposed to deliver the decisive strike?”

“You’ve done it once before, haven’t you? The second time shouldn’t be difficult.”

“…….”

Maximilien had already infiltrated the territory from the air using ‘Liberty’.

Using the secret passage I’ve secured, escape wouldn’t be difficult either.

“It’s not nonsense, but… there’s one uncertain factor.”

“Please speak.”

Maximilien stirred the campfire once and asked me.

“For such a major undertaking as the eastern expedition, is there any reason for the Count himself to remain in the territory?”

“…….”

His gaze was sharp as he looked at me.

As he said, even if the territory was empty, there was no guarantee the Count himself would remain.

However, I opened my mouth to meet his gaze with certainty.

“The Count himself cannot leave Elcidore territory.”

Then, instead of giving a specific answer, I smiled while looking at Maximilien’s face.

“If you’ve secured young master Claude, you should know the reason why.”

“……!”

His question wasn’t expecting an answer.

What I mentioned was Count Elcidore’s most fatal secret.

By revealing that I knew this, my seemingly nonsensical talk became a ‘proposal’ worth serious consideration.

As if my prediction was correct, Maximilien fell into deep thought with his chin resting on his hand.

“I can sense my companions’ magical power signals.”

However, I didn’t have time to wait for his answer.

“You have 30 minutes left to decide.”

If he doesn’t agree, this is as far as I go.

Ben and the Count will monitor me until the ‘Mark of Control’ inscribed on me is fully activated, and I’ll inevitably become the Count’s puppet.

If that happens, I’ll have no more attachment to this life.

It would be better to commit suicide and wait for the next reincarnation.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

“……!”

Got it. I can use Maximilien!

I desperately held back my legs that were about to give out from relief.

“Understood. Then I’ll go back and prepare.”

“Didn’t you say your companions would kill you?”

“That’s my problem to handle. I have my ways.”

“…….”

Hearing my words, Maximilien looked at me as if he was dumbfounded.

Well, it’s understandable to be shocked when a ten-year-old kid talks about killing or saving a Count.

“……Did you say your name was Eugene?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

After exchanging contact methods and some details, Maximilien called out to me.

His gaze seemed to be searching for something in me.

After a moment, he said this to me.

“Hey, after this is over, would you consider joining the Revolutionary Army?”

“…….”

For a moment, it felt like my breath stopped.

That was the line I had heard in the game.

Specifically, it was what he directly said to the protagonist after defeating Hans, the Chapter 1 boss.

“You want to bring down Elcidore, right? And you said your companions are coming to dispose of you.”

“···That’s right.”

“Then run away with me instead. Become part of the Revolutionary Army, and fight against this corrupt empire.”

When I remained silent, Maximilien emphasized once more.

“I’ll break the magic imprint right here. I’ll prepare a new magic imprint too. With your talent, you could reach much higher levels than now.”

“…….”

“Come with me, Eugene.”

Those passionate eyes I had seen in the game were now directed at me.

“You have the qualities of a hero.”

“……Hero.”

That single word, which made my heart race just hearing it, cooled my heart.

I know better than anyone the current state of the Revolutionary Army.

People driven only by passion and anger. Idealists who sympathize with them without any sense of reality.

Collaborators full of wolves looking for a quick profit, and a command structure that isn’t even properly established.

Honestly, if it weren’t for Maximilien, the current Revolutionary Army would have fallen apart long ago.

‘What such a Revolutionary Army truly needs to become the spark that changes the empire is… a new hero.’

A leader who would become the Revolutionary Army’s idol and guide them.

Originally, it should have been Eugene Lorentz, the protagonist’s role.

It should have been my role.

But.

“What do you say? Join the revolution with me……!”

“Do it yourselves.”

I already know the ending of this game.

I know how their passion and ideology become distorted and corrupt.

I know the betrayal they will deliver to the protagonist, to me.

And because of that, I looked at Maximilien with cold eyes.

While he was certainly a great revolutionary, the organization he created was not.

“I’m not interested in revolution.”

I will not be betrayed again.

Rather than being betrayed, I will betray first.

***

“There! Over there!”

Hearing Karen’s voice from afar, I amplified my magical power signal even more.

It took about 3 minutes for my companions to get closer.

However, instead of welcoming me, they drew their daggers and blocked my escape route.

“This is surprising, Eugene. You’re still alive.”

The one who appeared saying that was Dwayne.

The very person who activated the detonator to blow up the train with me.

I held no particular ill feelings.

It was Knifehead’s principle, and he just acted according to it.

“However, what you did is against the rules, Eugene.”

Dwayne’s drawn dagger touched my neck.

He looked ready to slit my throat at any moment.

“Did you forget? Knifehead’s principle.”

“No, I remember it.”

Knifehead Code of Conduct #1. The highest priority rule.

“During a mission, if discovered or captured, eliminate all evidence and witnesses… then commit suicide.”

“Right.”

Dwayne’s blade drew even closer to me.

“So, why are you still alive?”

One mountain after another.

Thinking that, I maintained my composure and said.

“Because I was neither discovered nor captured.”

Saying that, I raised my hand and pointed to one side.

In a corner of the bushes where the campfire was lit, there lay a brutally mutilated corpse.

“Don’t try to deceive me, Eugene. One corpse won’t clear your suspicions···.”

“I detected a serious threat against Elcidore.”

My words made Dwayne’s hand stop.

“……What?”

“That’s why I remained alive instead of committing suicide. Please send me to the supervisor. It’s urgent.”

Blood trickled from where the blade tip dug into my neck, but I continued speaking regardless.

“A threat? What kind of situation is it?”

“This isn’t information I can share with a senior. I need to return and meet Supervisor Ben.”

This isn’t information you’re qualified to handle.

Hearing those words, a hint of displeasure appeared on Dwayne’s face.

“Information you can’t share? How do you get to make that judgment……!”

“It’s information I obtained after interrogating the Revolutionary Army members who captured me. This is a matter only Supervisor Ben can decide! So hurry……!”

While I was speaking regardless of his reaction.

“Now this is interesting to hear.”

Among the members surrounding me, a distinctively large figure emerged.

Ben Herkes.

Elcidore’s first confidant was looking down at me with sunken eyes.

“Speak, Eugene Lorentz,”

“……!”

“What exactly is this major threat to Elcidore?”

A chill ran down my spine.

‘Sh*tty reincarnation difficulty for real.’

The deal with Maximilien, the chaos I was supposed to create.

And now Ben interrogating me.

Nothing was going according to plan.

But even so, I choose.

With the sensation of walking on a blade’s edge, burning away the gradually diminishing time.

“The Revolutionary Army is targeting the Count.”

And thus, I will survive.