A War Hero With No Regrets

8 – Those Who Wish to Be Forgotten (4)

※ The name of the Strategic Planning Department has been changed to the Security Strategic Agency for a more intelligence-agency-like vibe.

Luterus silently emptied his glass.

He had vaguely sensed it, but actually hearing it did not sit well with him.

Even in the previous round when he had risen to the position of the empire’s supreme commander, checks from the chancellor came without fail.

No, the very reason he could sit in the position of supreme commander in the first place was because Luterus Ethan firmly stood by the chancellor, securing his support.

He promised to eliminate the opposition.

He vowed to dedicate the massive achievement of the empire’s victory – and further, the salvation of humanity – to the chancellor.

That’s why the chancellor had bestowed upon Luterus the honor of being the supreme commander.

“…May I have a cigarette?”

“Feel free. This is your fortress, isn’t it?”

Click.

Luterus inhaled the smoke deeply.

He had minimized contact with the chancellor this time, so it was understandable.

He did not give the chancellor sufficient trust, and, more than that, he several times took protruding actions within the army.

From his perspective, Luterus might have been an annoying yet non-annoying character.

Damn it.

Luterus crushed the fully smoked cigarette into the ashtray.

Having driven away the titans, was it now a battle among humans?

Why must there be battle every single day?

But once the command was given, it had to be done.

As Otto once said,

If one is to criticize, it’s a soldier’s duty to do so.

“So, when you said ‘two years’ at that time… did you mean you predict the military will have full control around that time?”

“I cannot deny it.”

“It won’t be easy.”

Even just considering the Eastern Military District, it’s true.

The empire had been fighting against the Titans since before Luterus Ethan was commissioned.

The position of soldiers, in the process, was enhanced to a level incomparable to before.

It was natural when everyone, young and old, had experience receiving military training.

Not everyone would agree with the chancellor, and there were not a few who openly opposed him.

Suppressing the dissatisfaction of citizens and within the army with the special circumstances of war had become impossible.

But Arthur dismissed Luterus’s question with a single word.

“That’s for the chancellor to do, not my business. I’m a commander, not a politician.”

“….”

Luterus recalled the words Arthur always used to say.

“Luterus, the era where a soldier just has to fight well has long passed.”

“If this war ends in our victory, I’m thinking of trying my hand at that damned politics.”

Arthur Philias, who bequeathed such a legacy when he entrusted the position of supreme commander.

It was a solid statement.

The Arthur Philias that Luterus knew was indeed a soldier: as sturdy as a bear and as clever as a wolf.

“…Is that so.”

“In any case, that was the situation. Regarding forcefully proceeding without asking your opinion… I sincerely apologize. There was no other choice.”

One cannot simply sacrifice a competent war hero to the mere suspicion of conspiracy.

The supreme commander added.

Depending on the situation, it could be heard as a statement insulting the chancellor.

Yet, while saying so, he really does not like the chancellor, that man.

Luterus let out a chuckling laugh.

“Whatever you say, I understand. Rather, I should be thanking you.”

“Well… that’s not entirely the reason, but sure.”

Arthur said as he refilled the emptied glass.

“On the day when the victory of the empire was confirmed, I saw deep emptiness in your eyes, which desired retirement. Were you really thinking of dying without a single hesitation?”

“….”

“Don’t try to hide it. I’m also getting quite old this year. When I look back on my life, only those going to find their final resting place showed such an atmosphere.”

Luterus recalled his demeanor from a few months ago.

Indeed, that was the case.

An unkempt, scruffy beard.

Rugged hair and shabby attire.

Even the vacant eyes.

In fact, he felt suicidal impulses more than once.

Could it be due to becoming desensitized to his own death after several regressions?

“That’s why I pushed you even more. Whether you commit suicide or get punished by Chancellor His Highness, either way, it’s a miserable end unfitting for a hero who saved humanity.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

But for Luterus, death could not be the final escape as it was for others.

To him, death was a re-challenge to atone for mistakes.

Having undergone regressions approximately forty times, and finally leaving the Graveyard after atoning for all the mistakes accumulated,

Luterus was not such a fool as to topple the tower he had built with pain and sweat with his own hands.

Of course, his concern and not committing suicide were separate issues, so Luterus sincerely thanked Arthur.

It’s certain that upon being stationed at Forbidden Lake, he stopped having such negative thoughts.

Commander Luterus Ethan of the Graveyard fortress had already been buried in the Graveyard.

“I’ve gotten much better thanks to you. You probably don’t need to worry anymore.”

“If so, that’s a relief.”

Arthur Philias laughed, “Ha ha.”

“In any case, now that the fortress’s repairs are nearing completion, the chancellor plans to fully utilize the Security Strategic Agency.”

Saying so, Arthur extended a pile of documents.

A logo featuring a pen and gun, unfamiliar to Luterus, along with the chancellor’s seal, was stamped on them.

Security Strategic Agency (SSA), commonly known as the Safety Agency.

An organization with not a single point of contact in the midst of regression.

Luterus felt a minor dissonance as he slowly read through the documents.

Starting from the very first page, Luterus’s face was boldly displayed, but the name written there was not Luterus Ethan.

Director of the Security Strategic Agency, Lieutenant Colonel Werner Grim.

Luterus looked up at Arthur, who snapped his fingers in response.

“It’s a pseudonym for paperwork. Like you said, it doesn’t matter what you’re called here.”

Werner Grim.

It seemed like not a bad name.

Originally, he had planned to live under a different name after retiring, anyway.

“And your subordinates have all been specially promoted to officers.”

It was as he said.

If they were already special agents directly under the chancellor, it wouldn’t make sense for all the people he brought to be regular soldiers instead of at least officers.

Lieutenant John Hops became Captain John Hops.

Edward, Dante, and Otto became lieutenants.

Karin became a lieutenant, as she had the shortest career.

They went from ordinary soldiers to commissioned officers overnight.

“Now it looks roughly in shape, doesn’t it

? There’s even a uniform custom-made for the Safety Agency.”

“The uniform is… fine.”

“No, why? I guarantee it’s completely different from our drab dark green uniforms!”

Luterus stood from his seat, placing the documents back on the table instead of answering.

“You must try it on! As the supreme commander, I command it! It looks really good, the ladies will be blown away!”

“Since it’s come to this, why don’t we have dinner together? It’s a bit early, but what do you think?”

Luterus asked, offering a light smile.

—-

“Commanding, fighting, strategizing, all excellent, quick-witted, handsome with a good body, and even a good cook?”

Arthur Philias muttered as though it was outrageous.

“It’s a mystery why a man like this is still not off the market.”

Judging by the patting of his stomach, it seemed to have been a quite satisfying dinner.

Luterus, holding a cigarette in his mouth, did not respond.

Over the lake, touching the sky, a red sunset billowed.

“Indeed, the view of Emerald Lake from the rooftop is magnificent.”

Arthur, too, lit a cigarette in response to the sight.

Ssshh, tss.

When he inhaled, the cigarette glowed, puffing out smoke.

Soon, silence enveloped the rooftop.

How much time passed in that way?

When two or three cigarette butts had fallen to their feet, the supreme commander broke the silence.

“Luterus Ethan, do you regret the decisions you’ve made up to now?”

“….”

Luterus fell into a moment of contemplation.

Having decided not to regret, he had consistently executed his will as the regressing Luterus Ethan, listening to no one else.

As a result, humanity won, and all those he wanted to protect survived.

However, if you talk about the decisions he made so far, everything was dotted with regret.

To say he does not regret would also be odd.

But regardless of Luterus’s answer, Arthur Philias continued.

“In fact, I debated a lot about bringing up this story. But I thought it would be better to let you know.”

“…?”

Arthur, after hesitating for a few seconds, eventually sighed as if there was nothing he could do.

“Acting commander of the Graveyard, Major General Arhen Orka, has accused you of corruption.”

“Corruption?”

“Yes, he alleges that you embezzled various military supplies, including strategic assets of the army, and manipulated the books.”

Luterus could easily recall those deeds.

In a way, they could be tied to corruption.

Even just for the prototype hydrogen bombs, which showed outstanding results against the Titans, he had reported falsified numbers to stockpile more than the allocated amount.

“So, Arhen….”

“He was harsh in evaluating subordinates, I knew that… especially Major General Arhen, he really seemed to hate you to death.”

“He has every reason to.”

However, Luterus accepted it surprisingly calmly.

Really.

Arhen Orka was a person who accomplished whatever he decided to do in one way or another.

Saying he would make him cry and regret was certainly not empty words.

“Do you admit it?”

“Though it was necessary for the operation, strictly speaking, it was an act that falls under corruption. And besides that, I haven’t really… done anything to be liked.”

“What? So, you’re saying you’ll undergo an investigation?”

“No. If that were the case, Commander Arthur wouldn’t have visited like this in the first place.”

“…Heh. That’s true.”

A hollow chuckle escapes, as there’s something incredulous about the lack of even a final struggle.

Even after admitting to corruption with his own words, such shameless behavior was displayed.

Arthur thought the hero before his eyes was more cunning and sly than he appeared.

“You think correctly. Luterus Ethan’s personnel information has already been erased from the imperial army. Luterus Ethan, the war hero of the empire and the former commander of the Graveyard fortress, does not exist. Only Lieutenant Colonel Werner Grim, the director of the newly established Security Strategic Agency, exists.”

In other words,

No matter what punishment was inflicted, it would have no effect on the current Luterus.

“However, military corruption is a serious matter, so even as a war hero, you won’t be free. The military prosecution or investigation team will get the information.”

“So you’re saying that all these things will have no effect, in the end?”

Arthur nodded.

Puffing out a white cloud of smoke, Luterus responded,

“Whatever Major General Arhen says about me now has nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Interesting. It’s not easy to have such a bad relationship with a direct subordinate, especially a deputy commander.”

Click.

Arthur’s words once again brought back memories of that day.

– So disgusting.

Whenever he came here to look at the lake, he always heard only a warm voice.

But today, it was a cold voice that seemed to gouge out his heart.

“…There were various circumstances. She was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to be forgotten by people.”

“Everyone has a story. I understand.”

Arthur said so and turned around.

“Don’t worry. I will also handle it firmly. I just wanted to let you know just in case.”

“Does the chancellor know?”

“Of course. He personally instructed me to wrap up her accusation at an appropriate level.”

“Thank you, Commander Arthur Philias.”

“I should be thanking you, Major General Luterus Ethan.”

Arthur Philias said so, but soon corrected himself.

“No… Lieutenant Colonel Werner Grim.”

Luterus Ethan.

No, Werner Grim looked at the supreme commander descending from the rooftop.

Creak.

As if discarding a cigarette butt that had burned out unknowingly,

Werner Grim buried his old name here on this rooftop today.

“Werner. I need to get used to the name again.”

He muttered with a slightly awkward voice.