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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Leader of the Secret Society is Confused
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Ten days later.
Under the guise of city patrol, I took officers and soldiers to tour the city's outskirts.
The reason for specifically patrolling the city's outskirts? I thought I'd be able to hear citizens' complaints and grievances more clearly there than in the central area where the garrison was stationed.
But there were none.
I walked, listening as intently as possible, but no complaints about the garrison emerged.
Occasionally, some citizens who spotted me would make strange expressions, then simply bow their heads and pass by.
'Hmm. It seems…'
It seemed they were holding their tongues out of fear of being arrested for speaking ill of the garrison.
Or perhaps word had already spread through the streets that I, the provisional garrison commander, was on patrol.
Otherwise, it made no sense for them not to rebel against the tyranny I had imposed.
Understanding the situation, I nodded once and turned to Lucy.
"Adjutant. What's the Nordia citizens' assessment of the garrison? I imagine you'd know better than I, having been out in the field more these past ten days while I was stuck at my desk."
Lucy thought for a moment, then spoke.
"There aren't no complaints at all. However, the general atmosphere is one of acceptance regarding the garrison's occupation of the city."
"...Acceptance? Of the garrison?"
"Yes. Thanks to Major's appropriate measures, the city's public services have been swiftly restored, and the paralyzed administrative system is gradually returning to normal. Furthermore, we've received reports that the crime rate is lower than before the city's occupation."
It made sense, as I was the one who ordered increased patrols and the urgent activation of public services.
But the citizens' acceptance of the garrison was another matter entirely.
Typically, in the early stages of an occupation, there would be many citizens filled with rage.
'And in a normal city, they should be rebelling against the tax rates I set and the compulsory military service, shouldn't they?'
Was there something I was overlooking? It was just as I was about to question Lucy about it.
"Isn't this too much! My daily wage is even less than yesterday!"
My gaze naturally turned towards the young man shouting at the top of his lungs.
In front of the watchtower reconstruction site, a man who appeared to be a mid-level manager was confronting a Black man.
The mid-level manager frowned in annoyance and crossed his arms.
"Listen. Be grateful we even employ you. Or do you want to lose that daily wage too?"
"I'm grateful for the employment, but this is unreasonable! If you take half my daily wage, what will my family eat...!"
The atmosphere seemed unusual.
Wanting to know the situation, I walked towards them.
"If you want to feed your family, work overtime. Why are you bothering me—"
The mid-level manager, who had been speaking with the man, heard footsteps and turned his head towards me.
Upon seeing me, flanked by armed soldiers and military officers, he hastily bowed his head.
"C-Commander! H-How did you come to such a humble place...!"
"I don't find it humble. My hometown was more desolate than this. More importantly, what's going on that you're arguing with a laborer?"
"Ah. Well, sir. That fellow keeps making a fuss about getting his full daily wage."
The mid-level manager glared at the man as he spoke, which made me tilt my head.
"The garrison appointed you to this mid-level management position to ensure daily wages are paid properly. Why aren't you paying the full wage? Did this man slack off?"
"Huh? No. That's not it. He's quite diligent."
"Then why aren't you paying the full wage?"
"Commander, you know, don't you? This man is Black."
What? He said it so casually that for a moment, I thought I'd misheard.
After a moment of silence, I asked again, confirming I'd heard correctly.
"You didn't pay the full wage because he's Black?"
"Yes. That's right. It's outrageous that his father was a slave, yet he's acting like a free citizen. From ancient times, in the Kingdom, people of color have been third-class citizens, so..."
I raised my hand, stopping the mid-level manager's words.
There was no need to hear more.
"You speak such disgusting nonsense. Are you citing Kingdom law while serving the Empire's military? Or are you trying to insult His Imperial Majesty, who forbade discrimination based on status and race?"
The mid-level manager's eyes widened.
The mid-level manager, who had been trembling with his mouth agape, quickly brought his hands together.
"No! That wasn't my intention at all! I, I merely...!"
"Shut your filthy mouth. Not only did you disobey my order to pay wages properly, but you also insulted the solemn laws decreed by His Imperial Majesty. Soldiers. Arrest this man."
"Yes, sir!" Two soldiers vigorously replied, rushing forward to kick the mid-level manager behind his knees.
"Gah!"
A soldier twisted the arm of the mid-level manager, who was forced to his knees, behind his back.
Immediately after, he pulled out rope and bound both wrists.
"Commander! Ugh! I, I didn't mean to...!"
The mid-level manager pleaded, but I didn't spare him a glance.
I sighed softly and turned to the Black man, who was sweating beside me.
"You."
The Black man, coming to his senses, quickly stood at attention.
He seemed terrified, thinking he too would be arrested.
The fact that he was acting like this, despite having done nothing wrong, showed just how much discrimination he must have faced normally.
"From now on, you are the mid-level manager of this sector."
"...Huh? C-Commander. I can't take such a high position."
"And who are you to say that?"
The Black man hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"That man was right. My father was a slave, and while I am a free citizen, I am still a slave's son. And as a person of color, it's only natural to be discriminated against..."
"You're not listening. I asked who you are."
The Black man, who had been blankly blinking his eyes a few times, cautiously replied.
"...It's Danell."
"Good. Danell. I don't care in the slightest that you're a person of color or that your father was a slave. What matters is that you diligently performed your work but weren't paid properly. I'm here to set that right."
I gripped Danell's shoulder.
"This is an order. From today, you will be the mid-level manager, supervising the laborers and ensuring they are paid properly. Furthermore, if anyone makes an unjust complaint to you, request assistance from the garrison."
Tears welled up in Danell's eyes as he listened to my words.
Perhaps trying to hide his overwhelming emotions, Danell bit his lip and bowed his head deeply.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Commander!"
I nodded once and turned to leave.
Then, I instinctively paused.
Because a faint smile was playing on the lips of the officers and soldiers who were looking at me.
Feeling a strange chill, I quickened my pace.
"Let's head back. The day is cold."
As I led the way, the officers and soldiers followed behind.
I tried my best to ignore them, but I could hear the officers whispering behind me.
"The Commander truly has no flaws. I never knew his loyalty to His Imperial Majesty was so profound."
"Why else would His Imperial Majesty have bestowed the Order of National Merit upon the Commander? He is truly a model soldier. Consider it an honor just to follow by his side."
It was Sergeant Glendy and Lieutenant Macall.
"Indeed, Major Daniel is like a saint sent by God. Honestly, any other Imperial would have just ignored it. Don't you agree, Lieutenant Lucy?"
"Yes. That point certainly..."
This was Prien and Lucy.
As Lucy responded, Prien, seemingly delighted, clasped her hands together and said,
"What I dislike most are racists and citizens of the Allied Nations. Both are practically beasts, you see."
...When will this one realize she's not quite right in the head?
*
Meanwhile, at the Black Swan secret society's hideout.
On the third floor of the building, disguised as an ordinary general store, a row of telex machines and radios capable of sending and receiving messages was lined up.
As the society members moved about, attending to their duties, their leader, Hamtal, sat at his desk, pressing his brow.
'Daniel Steiner is the leader of the occupying forces who conquered the city. He is, naturally, a target for elimination. But...'
The citizens had begun to accept the garrison.
Their hearts, which had been seething with anger, gradually subsided upon hearing Daniel Steiner's urban plans.
Hamtal was no different.
As he looked at the policies Daniel was implementing, the question 'Must he truly be eliminated?' began to raise its head.
'But as long as he is the leader of a foreign army...'
He couldn't know when Daniel might shed his facade and oppress the city's citizens.
Therefore, eliminating him was the wise course of action.
Hamtal, having steeled his resolve, opened a drawer and took out a revolver.
Just as he opened the revolver's cylinder to check the remaining rounds, he heard familiar footsteps.
He looked up to confirm the identity and saw Tarky, who had delivered information to the council yesterday.
Tarky, apparently having run in a hurry, was panting heavily. He finally caught his breath and spoke.
"Hamtal-nim! The garrison has issued a new order to the citizens!"
"...An order? What kind of order?"
If it was an attempt to oppress the citizens, he couldn't delay any longer.
Amidst the tension, Tarky began to speak.
"They say that from now on, anyone who discriminates against people of color within the city will be punished according to Imperial law."
Hamtal, who had been closing the revolver's cylinder, froze.
"...They're forbidding racial discrimination?"
"Yes. I also heard that they appointed a Black man as one of the local mid-level managers assisting the Imperial military."
Upon hearing Tarky's words, Hamtal instinctively dropped his revolver.
'It can't be...'
For the past ten years, Hamtal had strived to eliminate the racial discrimination propagated by Nordia's nobility.
In fact, the Black Swan secret society was founded precisely in opposition to racial discrimination.
But Hamtal's wish had not been fulfilled.
In the past, he had succeeded in bribing a politician and raising him to the position of mayor, but once mayor, that man had merely continued his autocratic behavior, failing to keep his promises to the Black Swan.
However, Hamtal did not despair and continued to fight for freedom and equality.
'Yet, there had been no progress...'
Daniel Steiner had fulfilled a long-cherished wish that had seemed unattainable.
An unprecedented emotion filled his mind, throwing his thoughts into disarray.
Hamtal, frowning and breathing heavily, raised a hand and ran it across his face.
"Thank you for bringing the news. It seems I'll have to personally ascertain what kind of person Daniel Steiner is."
"...Are you saying you'll reveal your identity?"
"No. I will merely observe him from afar. I need to discern whether the policies he's shown are temporary deceptions meant to appease the city's populace or not."
If it was a temporary deception, then he was naturally a target for elimination.
But if all his actions stemmed from genuine intent, then that was a different matter.
'In the latter case, Daniel Steiner wouldn't be a conqueror who came to dominate the city, but rather...'
He might just be a savior, come to liberate the city from the Kingdom's oppression.