A War Hero With No Regrets

3 – A New Residence (2)

The beautiful melody of the violin and the clear piano notes filled the banquet hall.

Well, it wasn’t really a banquet hall, but an indoor training area specially decorated for the victory celebration.

Nevertheless, it was overflowing with delicious foods and alcohol that they hadn’t been able to enjoy during the war.

Wasn’t that enough to call it a banquet?

Even the kitchen staff seemed to have put in extra effort to prepare for today.

However, contrary to expectations, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was considerably dampened.

It was due to the bombshell statement thrown by Commander Lutus Ethan just before the banquet.

“$Ah… it’s so sudden.$”

“$Wasn’t everyone expecting it? That the Graveyard would naturally disband once the war ended.$”

“$I knew that, but did he really have to say it at the victory celebration?$”

“$Who knows what’s going on in that bastard commander’s mind. Maybe he wanted to ruin today’s mood on purpose. Look at this, how is this a festival or a feast?$”

The staff gathered in a corner, sipping wine, tossed complaints and curses one after another.

They had never viewed the commander favorably, even under normal circumstances.

Lutus, who often ordered strategies not listed in the manual and spewed harsh words at them for inexplicable reasons.

Even when area B03 was confirmed to be free of enemies, he stubbornly insisted otherwise, wasting precious shells.

Deliberately disregarding operational directives from above was also a common occurrence.

Since the staff always took the blame for Lutus’s unilateral decisions, it was impossible for their view of him to be anything but negative.

Moreover…

“$Ah, I originally planned to stab him, but it feels strange since he’s retiring voluntarily.$”

Lieutenant Colonel Charlotte Evergreen, the quiet head of the supply department, added a comment.

Her beautifully flowing golden hair swayed with her head.

The short bob cut, combined with her subtly sharp aura, conveyed Charlotte’s unique cold atmosphere.

It wasn’t for nothing that she was called the Ice Witch of the supply department.

“$What else does our witch have to say?$”

“$…Chief of Intelligence!! Didn’t I tell you not to call me that!?$”

Though she disliked the embarrassingly heated nickname, Charlotte Evergreen’s voice, resonating through the banquet hall, drew people’s gaze for a moment before dispersing.

A reaction that roughly translated to, “Charlotte being Charlotte again, I suppose.”

She hastily put down her wine glass and, covering her face with both arms, cursed at the Chief of Intelligence while grinding her teeth.

“$You son of a [expletive], do you really want to die!?$”

“$Wow. I’ve been waiting for her to explode, and finally, it happened.$”

“$The Chief of Intelligence did it, wahahahahaha!!$”

Her coarse curses, in stark contrast to her refined appearance and elegant name, were not for nothing.

She was, after all, the mascot of the staff.

Even just before a battle, they would intentionally ask Charlotte to curse, almost as if requesting a victory spell.

“$Huu…$”

Realizing she would only hurt herself by getting angry, Charlotte took a deep breath to calm down as another staff member, curious, asked again.

“$So, what were you saying, head of the supply department?$”

She finished her wine, clicked her fingers, and continued.

“$Commander Lutus, there’s not just one or two items he embezzled. Do you know how many false reports he’s sent to the high command?$”

These were things that couldn’t be confirmed in the chaos of daily battles.

Especially on the battlefield, where allies were perishing.

Charlotte, the head of supply, managing logistics and supplies, hardly had the time to sit and confirm such things.

But as the battles gradually decreased and victory seemed within reach.

Charlotte realized that many of the military supplies she managed did not match in quantity.

It was during the war.

Small-arms, food, and other consumables were likely issued urgently without much reporting.

Initially, it might be faster to find items where the manual count and actual quantity matched.

But strategic weapons were different.

“$Whether it’s clearly visible, or just a little investigation would catch it, he’s taken them?$”

Missiles.

Shells.

Mines.

Incendiary bombs.

And even a prototype hydrogen bomb.

“$Did he embezzle all of that?$”

“$Can you believe it? I can’t.$”

The faces of the staff stiffened as if shocked.

“$…If this is true, it’s a serious crime.$”

“$Even execution is possible.$”

“$But executing a war hero…$”

It was only natural that the commander had a bad reputation.

Who would like someone so twisted and self-centered?

However, “a worm will turn”, Commander Lutus’s perspective on the battlefield was more outstanding than any other commander.

He was virtually the foremost contributor who made Lieutenant Colonel Lutus Ethan a war hero.

But the commander, who they thought was merely of bad character, was a criminal who could be subjected to a military trial.

“$But will you really expose him?$”

One staff member asked with a worried voice.

Charlotte could not answer honestly.

While it was true that Lutus had done something hateful, losing all his honor and going to military prison was a separate matter.

It also seemed like it wouldn’t feel right.

When it was just the two of them, the commander would occasionally throw a ‘joke’.

“$…Forget it. He said he’s retiring anyway. There’s nothing to see, and he’ll be forgotten soon.$”

It was something that could only be said by the head of supply.

She knew how serious all of this was.

At the same time, she knew how easily it could be buried.

But there was one thing Charlotte overlooked.

“$Can you explain that in more detail?$”

“$…!!?$”

“$Lo, loyalty!!!$”

The staff present neatly saluted.

Silver hair flowed down from the shoulders of the uniform.

It was General Arhen Orca.

“$General Arhen…$”

“$So… Charlotte, what did that man Lutus do?$”

Her jewel-like eyes sparkled.

Charlotte sensed that she couldn’t escape.

—-

Trudge trudge.

The footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

It was Lutus Ethan, who had boldly sabotaged the commander’s speech before the victory celebration.

He escaped from the chaotic atmosphere and headed straight to the very center of the Graveyard fortress.

[The helicopter is expected to arrive in 2 hours.]

Lutus checked the message on his smartwatch, which he had received before the speech.

It should be about 30 minutes left now.

—

The banquet was in full swing anyway.

Not wanting to confront anyone in particular, the plan was to swiftly conclude the business and depart.

Upon reaching the very core,

A colossal hexagonal pillar, entwined with all sorts of cables, stood starkly there.

The super-advanced quantum computer, Akasha.

$….$

Rutus silently gazed at Akasha.

Not only the comrades of the Graveyard had watched over him during the forty cycles of return.

The quantum computer Akasha had also been a silent observer and companion on his journey.

Rutus closed his eyes for a moment, bowed his head in gratitude to Akasha, and spoke.

$Thank you for everything. However, as the commander lately, I issue my last order.$

[Please input the command.]

$Delete all the records I’ve created so far. Everything related to the past too.$

The war was over.

Humanity greeted a brilliant victory, so there was no need for the records contained in Akasha anymore.

It was a memory he didn’t particularly want to recall, just erasing the traces completely.

[All records and command logs deleted. Input confirmed.]

$You’ve worked hard until the end.$

Rutus Ethan left a bitter smile, gently stroking the surface of Akasha.

Although Akasha did not possess emotions, it was the only entity that knew his past memories in this final cycle.

Inadvertently, a hollow thought crept in thinking so.

$Rutus Ethan.$

Until a familiar voice echoed from behind.

$…Arhen.$

A woman, visibly angered, stared at him.

Rutus sighed and tried to pass by her.

Just seeing her face brought up painful memories.

But Arhen seized his wrist with a sharp grip.

$Stop.$

Meeting her turquoise eyes felt suffocating.

No.

He couldn’t afford to weaken here; otherwise, all that he had done so far would be in vain.

Rutus steeled his heart.

No remaining regrets were allowed.

$Isn’t the major general too arrogant? After all, it’s just a planned promotion.$

Rutus mocked Arhen with a teasing tone.

Strength poured into the hand that was holding his arm.

$…You’re disgusting to the very end.$

$Not something you should say to the hero who saved humanity, I believe.$

$It wasn’t you who saved humanity. It was all of us.$

Definite anger lingered in her voice.

A warning.

Not to be too arrogant.

$I just got a message from the high command. You resigned your position as the commander of the Graveyard before the speech ceremony.$

$….$

$So, you’re neither my superior nor anything now. In fact, as the acting commander, I’m the rightful successor of the Graveyard. Do you understand what I mean?$

$No, I don’t.$

$It means I can expose the sins hidden behind your indifferent expression.$

She hadn’t planned to be this hostile.

Arhen had no doubt about Rutus’s military capabilities.

But after hearing the story from Charlotte, the chief supply officer, and considering Rutus’s suspicious actions that she had been overlooking,

Arhen, who valued discipline and order, could never forgive her former superior.

Especially knowing what tragedy military corruption could bring during wartime.

$We almost died several times because of you. The way you look at us, talk to us, treating people thoroughly like objects. After all, you saw us not as comrades but something else, didn’t you.$

Utterly disgusting.

Arhen’s sharp words pierced Rutus’s heart.

But if his heart were so easily shattered, it would have been discarded in those distant memories.

Rutus shook off Arhen’s hand and responded coolly.

$So what? As long as you didn’t die, it’s fine, isn’t it.$

In that moment.

Zap, a stinging sensation resonated across Rutus’s cheek.

$What…? As long as we didn’t die? Did you forget your subordinates lying in the field hospital right now? Don’t you feel even a bit sorry?$

Biting her lip and trembling with anger, Arhen stood there.

$I wanted to…think well of you even a little. But you were just selfish to the end.$

Tears streamed down her cheeks before she knew it.

$Get lost. Get out… Never set foot in our army again. Get out of here!$

$…I was thinking of doing that anyway.$

Rutus turned around without hesitation and left Arhen.

Even such a departure stoked Arhen’s anger, and she added with a voice strained with suppressed rage.

$I’ll make you cry and regret it.$

Rutus did not reply.

Instead, he fled from her, heading towards the heliport.

His slapped cheek didn’t hurt at all.

However,

All he could do was clutch at his sagging heart.

—-

In the deepest part of the fortress where a riot had once erupted,

Only the light and noise from the super-advanced quantum computer Akasha lingered.

The top priority was to handle the data left by Major General Rutus Ethan after several cycles of return.

Due to the nature of the quantum computer, Rutus could record all his experiences in data form.

Even when returning through death, as long as Rutus Ethan’s existence remained in the military personnel information system,

The information he had accumulated was fully transferred to Akasha of the next cycle.

The ‘Akashic Record’ that enabled humanity, pushed to the brink of extinction, to commence a counteroffensive.

However, the memories left by Rutus Ethan were never completely deleted.

[Rutus Ethan, Major General ＞＞ Access to Graveyard Akasha denied.]

[Personnel records of the input subject have been erased from the high command DB.]

[Input subject, Rutus Ethan, no longer has the relevant authority.]

[… … ….]

[Command denied!]

It was something not even Rutus Ethan had anticipated.

—