Episode 186 Shadow Peace –
After the peace negotiations were concluded in Alsace, the revolutionary army entered Alsace, where Krafte’s army had withdrawn, and declared its recapture.
A war that began as a civil war over the succession to the Franzian throne and lasted for over 10 years.
Frangia’s fight, which seemed to continue as if it would never end, finally ended with the war with Krafte.
The entire revolutionary army set out to return to the capital, Lumière, leaving behind some units to guard the border and manage security in Alsace, which was in disarray due to the occupation.
Riding at the head of the revolutionary army, I glanced at Louis Daquiten, who was riding next to me with a rather emotional expression on his face.
“Is it that good?”
“Huh.”
Lewis froze and answered.
“I’m sorry. dismissal.”
“What are you sorry for? It doesn’t have to be that difficult just because you’re the commander-in-chief. The war is over anyway. I don’t think you’ll continue to be a soldier, right? “You are a precious wizard from the Magic Tower.”
Even if it’s not necessary, Louis is Aquitaine.
I didn’t say it because I didn’t think I would like it that much.
“…Is that why you kept me by your side?”
When Lewis asked carefully, I smiled secretly because I thought I knew his intention.
Although he was given a special promotion to the rank of captain for his actions in the Bahua street battle, he was not worthy of returning home next to the commander-in-chief.
“Don’t worry too much. “I will hold you back when you enter Lumiere.”
Lewis looked quite relieved, so I burst into laughter.
If you ride a horse next to the commander-in-chief during a triumphal ceremony, it will be deeply engraved in the minds of citizens.
Louis Daquiten, whom I have observed so far, has a personality that is reluctant to receive attention from others, so I have no intention of subjecting him to that kind of torture.
“I was in the military for a long time, but because of my position, I never really talked to him, so I just called him aside for a moment on my way home.”
“okay.”
Lewis seemed to agree, so I just laughed quietly.
In fact, considering the rigidity of the original military organization, even that is not common and there must be people who would not welcome it…
Anyway, there is no one in the revolutionary army who does not know the relationship between me and Christine. If there is, he is a spy.
The commander-in-chief who defeated Krafte would become a family member. I’m sure no one would have the temerity to criticize me for briefly showing favoritism, right?
“So, I guess it’s a special feeling to see Francia, whom you protected?”
“It’s not that big of a deal, but…”
Lewis smiled awkwardly and opened his mouth.
“Before I entered the Magic Tower, I had never done anything with my own hands or walked around freely on my own feet.”
“okay.”
It may not be that Christine specifically oppressed Lewis’s freedom, but that Lewis’s position was at risk.
There were so many people who were loyal to Christine but wanted to get rid of Louis.
At that time, it was taken as a natural fact that Lewis would become a threat to Christine when he grew up.
But for now, well.
Considering Christine’s achievements in handling Aquitaine so far, Louis cannot dare to threaten Christine’s position just because he is a man.
It doesn’t seem like the person in charge had any intention of doing that in the first place.
…Rather, Christine is thinking that way.
“Even though what I did was insignificant, I realized for the first time that the scenery looked so different after I had achieved something for peace with my own hands.”
Lewis said this with a rather overwhelmed face.
“Yes, it seems like I saw and felt a lot during this war. The face has also become quite usable. “I’m sure Christine will be happy to see how much you have changed.”
Lewis’ face showed joy, but at the same time there was bitterness.
After a long moment of silence, Lewis slowly bowed his head to me.
“I am sorry, His Excellency the Marquis de Lafayette.”
“what?”
“…I almost put Francia and His Excellency the Marquis in danger by bringing in someone I thought was a friend.”
“Things like that happen, too.”
I spoke calmly, but Lewis was actually embarrassed.
“Can you just leave it like that? “My sister…”
Lewis slumped his shoulders.
“…You must be angry with me.”
I chuckled.
Christine, who came running straight from Verdun and heard from me that Leon Durand was Gilles de Lionel, went back without seeing Luis.
-Even though I paid enough attention, he didn’t show anything suspicious until the very end, and only at the very end did he reveal his sins in a place where I couldn’t do anything. … So I know it’s not the kid’s fault, but I feel like I can’t be cool with him right now.
Now that I see it, Lewis may know Christine better than I thought.
“It certainly wasn’t a very wise choice. “Christine was suspicious of him too.”
“…I see.”
Christine suspected Leon Durand’s identity from the beginning and even told Luis about it.
He appeared in an overly elaborate situation, and Lewis probably didn’t completely trust him.
“Obviously, I heard a warning from my sister, but it was the first relationship I had outside of the Magic Tower, and she protected me for quite a while, so I guess I relaxed my mind without realizing it.”
However, he was a boy who had not yet reached adulthood, having lost his parents at a young age and growing up alone for a long time.
It is rather a harsh request that he continue to be suspicious of those who continued to care for him and protect him during the long war.
“Was it really worthless to me to spend all that time on him?”
Luis spoke very sadly, and I said this after seeing Gilles de Lionel for the last time.
“…well. “That’s probably not it.”
“is that so?”
Why Louis Dakiten?
That was the reason why Christine, although suspicious of Leon Durand, was hasty in believing that he was a Krafte spy and was unable to kill him.
If you were a Krafte spy, you should have approached a more influential person.
At the very least, it is easier to infiltrate and gain more from those who are less suspicious and less dependent on luck.
However, out of many, Leon Durand and Gilles de Lionel chose Louis D’Aquitaine, who had little influence on the Revolutionary Army and Francia and could not help but attract attention from Christine.
“At least I think so.”
I think he probably felt some sympathy with Louis, who lost his family because of Christine and me.
Did you initially intend to provoke Lewis into betraying Christine? Of course, considering that he chose Giselle Darby, he might have thought something like that.
Nicola Brissot Giselle Darby and Louis. Because it was a ploy to achieve revenge by having everyone deny me and Christine’s actions.
At least for him, simply killing me couldn’t be considered revenge.
But from what he saw of the relationship between Lewis and Christine, it seemed unlikely, and if that were the case.
Gilles de Lionel had a much easier way to get revenge on us.
Just by killing Louis Daquiten, one of the purposes that supported Christine’s life could have been taken away.
I too will see her collapse because of that.
Still, he didn’t choose that path.
Even though there was a much more reliable and easier way, he chose to leave the choice to Giselle Darby instead of touching Louise directly.
Damien de Mirbeau According to the idiot’s report, even when that failed and his identity was discovered, he could have killed both Louise and Giselle and escaped if he had wanted to.
And I, too, would have died if he had wanted to.
“perhaps.”
I smiled lightly at Lewis.
“Louis Daquiten. Maybe the way you and Giselle Davy showed Gilles de Lionel saved my life. So, don’t be discouraged by the past and open your heart. “At least as far as I know, Christine wouldn’t want you to come back feeling guilty.”
Lewis looked at me for a moment, then adjusted his expression and answered.
“This will never happen again in the future.”
Then I glanced at the procession following us.
Where he belonged and where he protected.
“Because I’m no longer a loner who only watched people in the mansion. “There are people who have expectations of me that I must live up to.”
I answered with a secret smile at Lewis, who had the stocky face of a young man, not a boy.
“Congratulations on coming of age. Louis.”
* * *
When the revolutionary army arrived in the town of Lumiere, the residents welcomed it warmly.
Residents filling the city waving Franzian flags.
Among them, a phrase written on a sign held by residents caught my eye.
Liberty Equality Fraternity.
There is no eerie sound of the blade of the guillotine falling day after day.
There are no crowds going crazy and shouting for death.
Instead of flying stones, flowers carefully prepared by citizens flew in the wind and covered the path we were walking on.
For this moment, everyone turned a blind eye to those who broke away from the ranks and hugged their families.
I entered the central square, enjoying the joy and joy granted to the winner.
The guillotine, which provided entertainment to residents in the central square like a crazy performance, has long since lost its purpose and been dismantled.
Instead, I went up to the podium prepared there.
“First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the soldiers of the revolutionary army who should have enjoyed this joy together but were unable to do so.”
The once noisy atmosphere suddenly became quiet, as if cold water had been poured on it.
However, the number of people who died fighting under my orders was not small, and I gave the order for them to die.
If those who protect them do not mourn them, who will mourn them?
After spending some time in solemn silence.
I added slowly.
“Their sacrifices that allowed us to rejoice here will never be forgotten, and as a member of the National Assembly and Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Army, I will prepare compensation to comfort all the bereaved families.”
Muffled sobbing can be heard here and there.
Time passed for those who could not share in the joy or show their sadness.
Only then did I open my mouth again and declare.
“Revolutionary army and citizens of Lumiere. “We won.”
“Waaah-!”
Shouts filled the huge city of Lumiere.
Death penalty for corrupt nobles.
Death to blue blood.
I slowly closed my eyes as I heard voices praising the revolutionary army and me instead of the sharp cries that had been coming out of this place.
“We have come a long way to this day of victory. “The path we took through days of distrust and countless sacrifices was by no means easy.”
The price we had to pay to join the republic.
The Republic, which could not erase suspicion until the end, and even the actions I committed in anger at their atrocities.
“Nevertheless, we came together and created a new Franzia. That’s why we were able to win against powerful enemies.”
The republic that brought destruction to me before my return is no longer there.
What is here is neither a corrupt and corrupt kingdom nor a republic engulfed in madness and hatred.
However, there is only the homeland that everyone here has protected and the homeland that has been achieved at the end of the journey.
“Some people will praise the generals of the revolutionary army as heroes, while others will praise the National Assembly as the heroes who achieved the revolution and led it to victory.”
Maximilien Isidor, who called for the revolutionary army led by me and the generals to defend the revolution until the moment of death.
The great king thought of me as both a hero and an adversary.
Not just me, Eris, or the generals.
However, I and Eris also thought that it was ‘we’ who were fighting against the Great King.
“But the generals, including me, would not have been able to win without the soldiers who fought even in the face of death, and the National Assembly cannot survive without the support of the citizens.”
When I was caught off guard by the Great King’s tactics, it was the soldiers who followed my almost suicidal actions that ultimately led to victory at the most critical moment.
This is thanks to the people who endured the difficult life caused by the war despite more than 10 years of war that began with the civil war.
“So, I would like to give that honor to all the citizens and revolutionary forces present here. I salute all the great heroes present here who achieved victory because of you.”
If it weren’t for them, if I hadn’t fought alongside them, my end would have been no different from that of the Blue Knight who died leaving behind a feat of his own.
I was denied everything by the revolution and the republic.
At the place of death in a previous life.
I would like to thank those who led me to victory in this life.
“Thank you to all of you who protected our revolution.”
