The Daughter of Evil - Volume 3 - Chapter 2.24

Chapter 2, Section 2-The Signal Fire of a Counterattack; Scene 4
Praeludium of Red, page 125-133

♣ Yukina ~In the Beelzenian Empire, “Rucolebeni/Bar"~

.

Germaine was in a bar on first avenue. Most of the time when she wasn’t at the garrison, she was here.

As far as I knew, she was always sitting at the counter and drinking alone. But today there was another person with her.

Miss Lily?

They were both amicably sitting side by side at the counter. After calling out to them I joined in myself, Lily and Germaine to my right. Upon ordering black tea, and being told there wasn’t any by the bartender, I asked for milk instead.

“Do you two know each other?” I asked.

Lily shook her head, replying, “No, this is the first time we’ve spoken directly. Although we did face each other in Rollam, during the revolution.”

“As enemies, right?…”

The battle of Rollam. That was a conflict between the revolutionaries and Lucifenia’s proper army in one of Lucifenia’s big cities, Rollam.

At first the proper army had the advantage, but due to the merchants backing the revolutionaries and providing aid in people and equipment at my father’s instigation, the tides turned. The revolutionary soldiers were able to seize victory without a hitch…or so I read in some documents.

I knew that Germaine, York, and Minage’s wife Sekka had participated on the revolution’s side, but I hadn’t known that Lily was on the proper army’s side.

“I was still a general-in-training back then,” Lily laughed a little bashfully.

“But for former enemies to be sitting shoulder to shoulder drinking together like this…It’s like a drama! I have a feeling it’s going to be dramatic!“

Somewhat intrigued, I pulled out my notebook. It sounded like I was going to hear an interesting conversation.

"Pretty excited, aren’t you Yukina? And here I am so let down…To see the former hero in this state,” Lily said, drinking up the beer in her glass in one swig. She pressed Germaine, with a challenging tone, “Gracefully drinking a bout without participating in the battle. The red swordswoman isn’t so distinguished anymore.”

“…There’s still the matter of the dead soldiers. Someone’s gotta stay behind,” Germaine replied without meeting Lily’s eyes, with a manner that suggested she didn’t want to bother taking her on.

“Then stop sitting around here and join up with the guards. That sorceress is doing her part on proper countermeasures isn’t she? And aren’t you a member of the Langley Unit? Isn’t it weird that you alone are doing something different?”

“…”

“Don’t make excuses. In the end you’re running away from the battle. You coward.”

Was she drunk, or just riled up? Lily talked on and on with her face flushed red.

“…Then why don’t you go in my place?”

“Aah? I’m a refugee from the enemy country. Even worse, I used to be the commander. Obviously I wouldn’t get permission to. Don’t compare me to you!”

I had to agree–by all rights Lily should be in a jail cell right now. Her being able to walk about freely like this was a result of the gentle emperor taking into account her achievement in defeating the dead soldiers’ general, and her scary face.

“With all due respect, Miss Lily, Miss Germaine did fight quite splendidly when the dead soldiers were causing havoc a while ago.”

When I cut in, Lily seemed to calm down somewhat.

"Hugh. Then what the hell? So what, she’s got some flower child mentality, like she can fight monsters but not people?”

“…I just don’t see any point to this fight.”

Germaine still made no attempt to meet her gaze.

“Point?”

“The revolution was to liberate everyone from a tyrant.  Earlier was to protect everyone from the dead soldiers. But what is this next battle? To give them a taste of their own medicine? It’s foolish. Taking revenge can only bring about emptiness after it’s over…”

Germaine started breathing more heavily.

After a short silence, Lily opened her mouth. “Speaking from experience, there? I had heard that you joining in the revolution was to get revenge for your father being killed by the princess…”

“No!”

Germaine hit the desk with her fists, making a loud noise.

She glared at Lily. My heart pounded, gazing upon the scene and certain that if this kept up the two of them would be brawling. But at the same time, a question crossed my mind.

“Uh–excuse me!” Unable to help myself, I piped up again. “Miss Germaine, your father was one of the ‘Three Heroes’, Sir Leonhart, wasn’t he?”

Lily responded to my question instead of Germaine, who remained silent. “Yeah. Leonhart Avadonia. He was Lucifenia’s best swordsman. Though he was murdered.”

“The culprit still isn’t known, right?”

“Officially. Although well, people who know how things were internally all unanimously say that the princess ordered it in secret. Seems the two of them had a stormy relationship.

Germaine continued drinking in silence.

After ordering another beer from the bartender, Lily once more started talking to Germaine.

"Well, I don’t know your circumstances or what you’re thinkin’. But when I look at you, all I see is a spoiled brat.”

“…What do you know?”

“I just said I didn’t know. But if it wasn’t for revenge, then that means the revolution was for Lucifenia, yeah? If you decided once before to protect Lucifenia, then you oughtta stick to that to the end. Yeah, I’m one to talk as an ex-general, but to be frank Lucifenia’s way more bizarre now than it was when it had a princess.”

Certainly they did have a woman who could manipulate monsters commanding their army, and furthermore the king had actually approved of that–even I knew that wasn’t normal.

As far as I knew, Marlon’s King Kyle was not the sort of man to sign off on such violence.

“…Your way of thinking is too simple,” Germaine retorted listlessly.

“Simple is good. Your own father said that when he was alive. Leonhart Avadonia was a straightforward and simple man. That’s why he was strong.”

“It was his simplicity that got Dad killed.”

I could see her start to clench her fists.

“Maybe so. Then what do you think about him for that? You think he was an embarrassment?”

“…No, I respect him more than anyone.”

“Then live by the dying wish of the man you respect. What would he do now, if he was in your shoes? You oughtta take action with only that in mind.”

I quietly listened to their conversation, secretly jotting it all down in my notebook.

It was a powerful exchange between two swordswomen. This was a drama, it was so dramatic!

“I’ve had a bit too much to drink.” Germaine stood from her chair. “I’m going home. …I’ll do some thinking at the lodging house.”

“Yeah, you go sober up,” Lily said. Germaine fixedly gazed at her face.

“Can I ask you one last thing, Lily?”

“Yeah?”

“Your father was Retasan Fortress Commander, and he died during the revolution.”

After Lily’s expression hardened for a moment, she sipped the beer she was carrying.

Once she’d set down her glass, she replied, “Ah, he was old then. I heard he suffered a major defeat by the revolutionary army. He died from the wounds he’d gotten during it.”

“Do you hate the revolutionaries for that?”

Lily shook her head at Germaine’s question.

“It’s alright. My dad always wanted to die in battle. I fought against the Langley Unit, but that was just because I wanted to compete with the reprobates who put a black mark on his record. That’s all.”

After saying that, she flashed me and Germaine a wide smile.

“…I see.”

Germaine left the bar.

 .

Three days later, Bruno once again reported to me the war situation.

In order to break their current stalemate, the Beelzenian army carried out a night attack by the combined Langley, Baggio, and Catalani units. By sending false alarms earlier, they sowed discord among the fortress ranks.

Ney raised dead soldiers to defend the fortress, but as the dead soldiers would attack ally and foe alike it just ended up causing even more havoc.

The fortress forces fled, and the area surrounding Retasan was almost completely taken over. After that was suppression of the heart of the city and its town areas; resistance was slight, so in about two or three days Retasan fell entirely into Beelzenia’s hands.

 .

In addition, there were plans to make an official commendation of Germaine Avadonia, for having won more in the battle than anyone during the night attack.