Do Your Own Revolution

#142

The Colossus had fallen.

The Republic’s ultimate trump card and their last chance to turn the tide of war had vanished without a trace.

At the Southern Army Group’s headquarters, where the euphoric atmosphere had yet to dissipate.

As Lieutenant General Beckier looked at the tactical map, Chief of Staff Erich beside him pushed up his glasses.

“With the defeat of the Colossus, the Southern Army Group’s offensive has proceeded successfully. We’ve gained control of the industrial center Rheingrad and its surrounding cities, securing the factory facilities without damage.”

“We’ll be able to produce military supplies within our frontlines without needing supplies from home.”

“Though it will take some time.”

The monster-transformation gas indiscriminately dispersed in civilian residential districts, and the contaminated zones it created.

“Now that the enemy’s main force has been annihilated, the Central and Northern Army Groups are also advancing their offensives accordingly. Unless there are unexpected variables…”

The Kalhyram Army could conquer all of the Republic’s territory, and the Secretary General and his faction would have no choice but to hole up in their fortress at the western edge of the Republic.

After gauging the Republic’s remaining strength, the Lieutenant General concluded with a brief sigh.

“This war is, for all intents and purposes, over.”

The Secretary General’s greatest trump card had vanished, and his right-hand man, Dr. Lavrenti, had fled.

Having breached the Republic’s absolute defense line and secured key resource areas, the Kalhyram Army could maintain overwhelming superiority in the long war ahead.

All that remained was the Secretary General, hiding in the western Republic.

When Lieutenant General Beckier and Erich said this, one of the staff officers listening raised an objection.

“Then, are there no plans for additional offensives? With their defense line collapsed at this point, wouldn’t it be better to attack the west where the Secretary General is…”

“It would be possible, but it’s not the best approach at this point.”

Lieutenant General Beckier said this while looking at the soldiers beyond the headquarters.

“Though they may not notice it due to being intoxicated by successive victories, the soldiers’ war fatigue has reached its peak. They’re pushed to their limits both physically and psychologically.” РαNО฿ЕŜ

“That’s…”

“Having already occupied the key resource areas, time is on our side. There’s no reason to rush.”

As time passes, the Empire’s occupied territories would stabilize, and the resources produced from the newly acquired territories would make the Empire even more prosperous.

Having said this, Lieutenant General Beckier addressed the unit commanders gathered in the conference room.

“The entire Southern Army Group will stand by at each strongpoint. Focus on defense while maintaining the encirclement of the western Republic.”

With those words, the meeting ended.

While smoking and watching the commanders return to their respective units, I heard my friends’ voices from beside me.

“So in short, we’re catching our breath before delivering the final blow. About a month’s time?”

“That’s right. There’s talk of rotating with new recruits and reserve personnel from the rear, as well as posthumous promotions and medals for the fallen.”

It was Erich, who had been assisting Lieutenant General Beckier, who said this.

“You’ve been working hard, Erich. I’ve noticed you’ve been stuck to the Lieutenant General lately.”

“Hah… Don’t even mention it.”

After spitting out his finished cigarette, Erich let out a deep sigh with an exhausted face.

“After bumping into him a few times over Special Magic Unit personnel assignments, he’s been persistently trying to get me to come to his side. I’m already swamped with our unit’s work, and now I’m even inspecting the Southern Army Group’s supply network?”

“What?”

What’s this about?

Why is he handling Southern Army Group work?

Don’t tell me this Lieutenant General Beckier tried to poach our Chief of Staff while we were out on the battlefield?

“Hey. That’s going too far.”

“Be careful, Eugene. The Special Magical Power Unit might lose its mistress to the Southern Army Group.”

“It’s something you see all the time in military life. While you’re away on deployment, your wife gets taken by an evil superior… Gack?!”

“Oh, you…”

“Ortega, you always have to…”

“Shut his mouth.”

“Mmph?! Mmph-!”

Hmm.

Looking at how these friends are acting, the war must have been quite long.

To think these guys are the high-ranking magicians protecting the Empire.

The Empire is doomed.

“Though the war situation is incredibly favorable, our work isn’t over yet.”

Those remaining in the conference room were myself and the Special Magical Power Unit’s executives.

Erich, who had drawn their attention, spoke without hesitation.

“Despite losing this much territory and resources, the Secretary General hasn’t been ousted from the Republic’s political scene. Do you know why?”

“Ironically, it’s because the Empire’s offensive was too swift.”

It was Guille, leaning against the railing, who responded to Erich’s words.

“We crushed the opposition forces that should have held him accountable for the defeat, and the Republic’s citizens who should have risen up are dying in the war.”

“You mean there’s no one left to put the brakes on whatever the Secretary General does.”

The Republic will not change.

Because we’ve destroyed all the talented individuals who could have reformed it.

A train with broken brakes can only run wild until it burns through all its fuel.

“The Republic is completely finished. It’s becoming a group of madmen trying to kill as many people as possible by spreading their weapons of mass destruction and contamination.”

“……”

“And on top of that… Intelligence Department agents dispatched to the west sent these photos.”

Saying this, Erich pulled out photos from his chest and showed them.

Classified information not yet adopted as an official agenda.

Looking at the black and white photos, I slowly furrowed my brow.

“This is?”

Roughly hundreds of thousands.

It was a scene of countless people, too many to count, walking toward the western Republic.

“Looking at the armed soldiers and Armored Infantry… This is clearly not just a refugee column.”

“You’ve got that right.”

While the officers were speaking, Erich moved his hand to the military map in the center of the conference room.

The Republic’s remaining territory.

And their major industrial bases and breadbasket regions.

After marking each of these, Erich spoke with his arms crossed.

“If we calculate the resources the Republic can currently produce, they can’t support this many refugees. It’s obvious they’ll either suffocate unable to handle the food consumption, or collapse from internal riots.”

“……”

“But among the information brought by the Intelligence Department, there’s not a single report about riots or civil unrest.”

The western Republic was surprisingly stable and fortified.

There were no reports of refugees escaping after being transported west.

In other words…

“These hundreds of thousands of people heading to the western Republic have vanished without a trace.”

“…!”

“Vanished? No, that’s…”

If they had massacred the people in the photos, we wouldn’t be this disturbed.

The Secretary General Vladimir from the original work was a madman who would do such things without hesitation.

But vanished?

This many people disappeared without a trace?

My mind couldn’t keep up with the information.

What was happening now was an event that wasn’t in my memory.

However.

“The month preparing for the final offensive. That sets what we need to do during that time.”

When I spoke after calming my mind, Erich immediately replied.

“We need to find out what they’re plotting.”

“How?”

“By catching someone who would know well.”

Saying this, Erich nodded toward the photo he had handed over.

Turning over the photo I was holding, there was a familiar face of a man moving with black Armored Infantry.

“Lavrenti Kravchenko.”

“Dr. Lavrenti’s whereabouts have been located. We’re going in for the arrest operation.”

I thought he couldn’t have gone far, but they’ve already caught his trail.

“The Intelligence Department has really improved. When is the operation?”

Ortega asked with an eager face, showing his teeth in a grin.

“Tomorrow.”

“…Yes?”

At Erich’s fresh response, the officers including myself couldn’t help but doubt our ears.

“It’s 9 PM now, and you say tomorrow? What time tomorrow?”

“00:00.”

“Only three hours left?”

“That’s right.”

Erich spoke without a moment’s hesitation.

Seeing his brightly smiling face, it seems I’ve raised this child very wrong.

Mission deployment just a day after recovering from magical power exhaustion.

I…

I’ve created a work-obsessed monster…!

***

– Come to think of it, it’s strange.

In the empty operations room.

As if realizing I was alone, a blurry figure appeared on one wall and spoke while looking at me.

A figure that started appearing to my eyes after the Colossus subjugation.

Eugene Lorentz, the protagonist of [Revolution Empire].

“You wouldn’t answer when I asked questions, but now you’re bored again?”

When we first met, I asked him countless questions.

If he was really the protagonist.

If he was the one who put me in this game.

If so, what was his purpose.

And why he showed himself now of all times.

The guy who remained silent when I was frantically asking questions is now initiating conversation.

But he continued speaking what he wanted to say, regardless.

– In this desperate situation where surrender wouldn’t be strange by now. Nevertheless, the Secretary General continues to fight.

“It must be his desire for power.”

That’s the kind of person the Secretary General was in the original work, after all.

But hearing my words, ‘Eugene’ slowly shook his head.

– You heard what Erich just said. Because of you, there are no competitors to the Secretary General in the Republic now.

Meaning his power won’t be threatened whether he surrenders or whatever.

Having said that, he continued speaking.

– But even so, the Secretary General doesn’t stop resisting. Why? In a situation where defeat is certain, why does Vladimir continue these destructive actions?

Smirking as if posing a riddle, he went to the tactical map spread in the center of the conference room.

He raised his finger and pointed to the blackened space at the western edge of the tactical map.

The western end of the continent, where even the Imperial Intelligence Department’s eyes couldn’t reach.

– The hundreds of thousands of people in the photos are all heading there.

“How do you know that?”

– Because I saw it.

Saying this, Eugene looked at me and spoke.

– Yu-jin. Where did the ending of my story that you saw end? (+)^[1]TLN: Since it’d be confusing if I used Eugene as well for the MC, I thought of using Yu-jin if the real Eugene calls our MC.

“With you being betrayed, your magic circuit shattered, and imprisoned.”

That was the end of Revolution Empire, and the beginning of my story.

– That’s right. But that was the end of the ‘game’, not the end of my life.

“…What?”

There was a story after the ending?

You’re saying you didn’t die in prison?

“Then, what did you do after that?”

– I escaped from prison. Escaped and took revenge on everyone who betrayed me.

Speaking in an even tone, he added one last thing.

– And at the end of it all, I witnessed destruction.

The protagonist closed his eyes tightly for a moment, as if reminiscing about that time.

But soon returning to his original expression, he suddenly spoke to me.

– With Petrenko’s death, all turning points that could have changed history have disappeared.

“……”

– What remains is you alone. After breaking all possibilities existing on the continent, you’ve become the only ‘hero’ left in this world.

And now, you and your army are holding a blade to the Republic’s throat.

To the Secretary General’s throat.

– That’s why I appeared. Because you accomplished what I couldn’t. Because you changed the future of the Empire that should have fallen to revolution.

Because you might be able to prevent the continent’s inevitable destruction.

Unlike me who failed after being betrayed.

And unlike that fool at the western end.

Muttering this, Eugene opened his mouth toward me.

– I’ll tell you the Secretary General’s plan.

“…!”

– What he’s planning, what he’s trying to become. And for that…

What he’s willing to sacrifice.

• 1. TLN: Since it’d be confusing if I used Eugene as well for the MC, I thought of using Yu-jin if the real Eugene calls our MC.

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