WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 225: The Side with the Advantage Makes Its Move

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When the possibility that the military state's daughter had betrayed them was raised, the generals turned uncomfortable looks toward the staff officer.

It was an uncomfortable prospect, but unavoidable. Someone had to raise the issue, and it was highly likely to fall to the staff officer.

As silence settled over the room, Partlaxion was the first to wave a hand.

"Now, now. That's going too far. What could they possibly have that would make her defect?"

"They have the Piper of Hamelin. Major General Historia's fixation on that incident is already well known."

"Really? That much? The military state's little daughter is obsessed with some flute-playing punk?"

Partlaxion asked without much thought, but another general who had accompanied the rifle corps sprang to their feet and defended Historia.

"That cannot be true. When I was assigned to the rifle corps to assist the major general, Major General Historia fought them with everything she had! Discussing her defection is going too far!"

Of all people to suspect, they were suspecting a much younger gunner? At their age, they should have known better. Tsk, tsk.

No one said it aloud, but those were the looks pouring down on the staff officer. The staff officer broke into a cold sweat while trying to explain.

"I-I only meant it as... a possibility..."

"Please wait a little longer. If Major General Historia truly infiltrated them, she will make contact somehow. We only need to wait for that moment."

"I-I think so too."

Though the staff officer had tried to avoid the subject, sharp glances flew from every direction. Intimidated, the staff officer soon regretted speaking up.

A staff officer had to prepare for the worst, which often displeased commanders, but this one had only done the job. Wasn't everyone being too harsh? The staff officer was inwardly voicing that complaint when a creak came from the golem sitting quietly nearby.

It was a communications magic golem. Hoping it might bring information that could break the deadlock, everyone's attention shifted toward it.

The golem raised its head with an urgent creak.

『This is Captain Piu, military state communications officer in charge of the Meta Conveyor Belt. Urgent information! Please give this your attention!』

The communications officer within the golem shouted rapidly.

『Observation report! One container has left the Belt and is racing toward the Far Eastern coastal road! I repeat. One container is racing across the eastern plains!』

Several seated generals shot to their feet. The least senior generals among them ran outside and shouted for troops to assemble.

They had moved first. Their destination was the Far Eastern coastal road. At last, they had left the Meta Conveyor Belt and moved onto new ground, where the pursuit would begin in earnest.

"Racing through the night? They're being proactive. Very good. It's better to do something than sit still. Always."

Partlaxion grinned as he scratched his chin and sank into thought.

"It's a little early, but it looks like they plan to flee to the Duchy before sunrise instead of settling things at the terminal."

"Most likely. They won't want to face a large force on the plains in broad daylight either. All forces, stand by for now! I will contact Bernartern as well!"

As Prelvior busied herself, Colonel Gand quietly approached Partlaxion.

"It may be a decoy. Unless it is an order from headquarters, what a communications officer provides is only information. In the end, it is up to us to ask for details and make the judgment. Ask the communications officer whether there is any further information."

"Why tell me? You do it. I can't be bothered."

"...My rank is not high enough to involve myself here. You should do it, General."

"You usually nag me so much, yet you act all humble in front of other people. Are you being formal with me now?"

Unable to endure any longer, Colonel Gand left Partlaxion alone and shouted.

"Communications officer! What unusual characteristics did that container have?"

『The container's outer walls were covered in bullet marks, and it had four crudely modified wheels beneath it. It appears to be a desperate measure for crossing the plains.』

"Modified? But if it has wheels, it might be even more likely to be a decoy. It would roll without any special alterations... What is providing the power to pull it?"

『A giant red horse over three meters tall was pulling it from the front! It is presumed to be Blood Steed Rallion, a servant of the Progenitor recorded in the history books!』

Blood Steed Rallion was a servant of the Progenitor, a cherished horse that had never been apart from her. If it was there, either the Progenitor was truly with them, or they had gone to great lengths to create a decoy.

Either way, they had been given information. It was up to them to judge it. Colonel Gand asked again in case there was another clue.

"What other characteristics have you not mentioned? Tell us anything at all."

『We did not report it separately because it strongly appeared to be a decoy, but a silhouette of a young woman in uniform was visible atop the container, surrounded by darkness.』

Everyone fell silent. A young woman in uniform, it was obvious who that had to be.

Colonel Gand muttered, "...If it is a decoy, it is an extremely convincing lure. One we cannot possibly ignore without confirming it."

Historia was probably inside that container, whether it was a decoy or not. At the very least, they needed to send troops capable of catching up with Blood Steed Rallion and inspecting the container's interior.

The staff officer and several generals appealed to Prelvior.

"Dividing our forces would be a bad move. We must choose one location."

"If only we had one more clue."

Choosing one place meant leaving the other open. They could divide the troops, but they could not divide the Six Generals. Without the Six Generals, they might be able to stop them, but they could not win.

The War Mage and Absolute Spear had the final say, but the generals were the ones who devised the operation. It was time for their worries to deepen.

Partlaxion, who had been leaning back in his chair, addressed the magic golem.

"Communications officer. Where did they jump down from the Belt?"

『Assuming you remain stationary on the Meta Conveyor Belt, it is approximately fifty minutes away.』

"Good. Old lady! Get ready to make a quick trip!"

Prelvior took an interest in Partlaxion's question.

"Why did you ask that?"

"I told you earlier. Historia got captured on purpose."

"I heard you. What does that have to do with... Ah."

Historia had deliberately been captured. That meant she knew what was a decoy and what was real.

In that case, she would have left a trace somehow. A cipher, or a signal.

The War Mage followed that line of thought and gave a quiet exclamation.

"I see! If we find the signal the major general left behind, we can obtain a clue! You were useful for once, brat!"

"Don't just say she's admirable. You have to trust her too. That's how you treat your child. Oh dear. You never got married, old lady, so you wouldn't know."

"Don't talk nonsense. I am married to magic."

"That's something old maids worship like a god."

The generals had to do their utmost not to show even the slightest trace of a smile. If even a little escaped, not only their military careers but their lives could be ruined.

Partlaxion muttered without a shred of dignity, then left the War Mage behind and gave his orders.

"All right, prepare for both possibilities! One if the container is a lure, and one if it is real! Be ready to respond either way!"

At the command of one of the Six Generals, the troops moved busily. They maintained close contact with Bernartern through the communications officer and prepared to handle either possibility.

Partlaxion and several generals flew through the sky using Prelvior's magic. Prelvior's spell, which made it seem as though a giant were walking while gripping the wind itself, felt awful, like riding a ship tossed in every direction.

Partlaxion did not get motion sickness only because he was sturdier than merely healthy.

"Ugh. If you haven't learned Water Qi Art, you'll get motion sickness ten times out of ten. That's why people joke that the requirement for becoming a general is enduring the War Mage's flight magic."

"Which bastard is saying such nonsense?"

Once they reached the target location, the War Mage, Absolute Spear, and several generals quickly switched on searchlights and searched the area. On the grim Belt, which looked as though darkness had only just passed through, several containers caught up in the battle lay scattered about.

Partlaxion found familiar footprints, aligned his feet with them, and recalled the battle from earlier that day.

After arriving at this location, he had fought the Progenitor. He had attacked her and been thrown back several times. Beyond the darkness, it had been as black as night and difficult to see, but the container where they had stayed had definitely been...

Thirty paces from here.

Partlaxion strode forward thirty paces. When he took the final step, the ground where the container had stood showed nothing but a level floor.

"Hm. They definitely moved the container."

As he muttered, he noticed a fragment of container lying unnaturally at the corner of the Meta Conveyor Belt. He rushed over and picked it up.

Then he smiled with satisfaction.

"As expected."

Delicately pierced dots made with qi. A military cipher. Historia had pretended to be captured and given them information.

Partlaxion had not bothered to memorize such trivial ciphers, so he handed the message to Colonel Gand. Gand read it aloud.

"The red horse is a decoy."

The gunner's infiltration had meaning. They had been given a new and fatal clue. Prelvior nodded firmly, and Partlaxion grinned.

"Did you hear that? The Blood Steed is a decoy. They must still be on the Conveyor Belt! Everyone, prepare!"

Now, there was a ball.

I had to hide it from an audience so eager they could barely wait. What would be the best way to do that?

Should I hide it in my left hand, or my right?

Tyr chose the right. Azzy sniffed it out. Nabi hissed, which frightened me enough that I showed it to her at once. The regressor tried to see through it with her green eyes... I was never showing her magic tricks again. Seriously.

And Historia, trailing cigarette smoke, said, "...The hands themselves must be the trick."

As expected, she knew me fairly well because we had spent so much time together before.

The moment I mentioned my left and right hands, their attention was drawn to both. There was no reason I had to hide it in either one. Simply presenting choices made people fixate on finding the answer within them.

When in reality... it was hidden in my pocket.

"Let's go inward."

That was why I made the suggestion.

We could probably make it through the coastal road somehow. Tyr's strength was terrifying, and if the regressor stopped caring about the means, she had enough power to accomplish it somehow.

But there was no need to clash with the military state. As they said, we would be in trouble if they lost their heads and brought in a regular army like Bernartern. At that point, we might truly have to fight to the death.

It was absurd to think the military state would go mad enough to bring in a regular army.

So.

"We're going to the Inner Circle. We'll enter the interior of the Meta Conveyor Belt and open up a shortcut."

There was no need to head for the Duchy. Who would even try to capture us if it was not the military state?

We could go around the north, cross the wilderness of the Abyss, and head for the Lesser States instead.

"While their attention is concentrated in the Far East, we'll hide beneath the military state's skirts and head north. Once we've gotten far ahead, we'll board the Meta Conveyor Belt disguised as cargo... and enjoy a comfortable, pleasant journey."

Footnotes:

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