And a few days later.
Before long, time had flowed by and turned into deep autumn.
Swoosh—.
The balcony on the second floor of Weymerth City Hall.
Now the wind blew quite coolly, gently shaking the hem of the coat draped over my shoulders.
"Colonel. You weren't asleep."
A calm voice was heard from behind.
I turned my head, and Sydney was approaching, holding two steaming cups of coffee.
"The night air is quite chilly."
She stood by the railing at my side and held out one mug.
"Thank you."
I took the cup and smiled faintly.
Normally she would have brought stiff approval documents or intelligence files. Seeing her bring coffee like this strangely reminded me of her days as a maid.
Huhu, Sydney blew on her coffee, took a sip, looked ahead, and opened her mouth.
"The training results of the government-in-exile troops are astounding. Our people too were utterly astounded by the Jaeger Brigade's training methods."
"The Red Caps, you mean?"
"Yes, those devil-like ones. Everyone fears your instructors, Colonel, yet they absolutely worship them."
Sydney added.
"To be honest, it is almost awe-inspiring."
She fiddled with the mug and gave a bitter smile.
"Just a month ago, we were in despair. Having lost our homeland, without weapons, treated as deadweight by the Imperial Army headquarters. But right after you extended your hand, Colonel, everything changed."
Rustle.
Fallen leaves tumbled along on the cool wind.
"Day by day, United Commonwealth weapons are pouring in. Your subordinates in the red caps are engraving combat doctrine into our soldiers' very bones."
She continued.
"My Intelligence Bureau is the same. Money and infrastructure—I must say, they are excellent. These days, all the agents' faces have brightened. Because results are coming out as they work."
Her gaze fixed on me. She knew full well the situation she was in.
"Having broken free from the shackles of Prime Minister Galichi, I feel like I am being swept away by a massive muddy torrent named Max Jaeger."
I took a sip of coffee and replied flatly.
"Do I really look like such a villain?"
"Objectively, you are no saint."
"That is true."
I smiled lightly and set the cup down on the railing. I turned and stared intently at Sydney. In the wind, her blonde hair fluttered slightly.
"So, do you resent me?"
Sydney bit her lip tightly.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Sydney Welsley]
[Status: Deep anguish]
[Emotion: Resentment? No. This man is using us, who are nothing but empty shells, as tools, yet he is also the only one who gives us such an opportunity. Even though I know I am clearly being tamed… I cannot escape from here.]
After a long silence, she slowly shook her head.
"……I have no right to resent you. After all, you are giving powerless ones like us the strength to fight. As the director of intelligence, the board you have laid out, Colonel, is as sweet as it is difficult to bear. Even if it is a yoke I must shoulder later."
Sydney did not avoid my gaze.
Loyalty to the Queen, an oath toward the homeland.
But the figure standing before me now was nothing more than a woman swaying in the wind. A partner of Colonel Max Jaeger, and behind the scenes, one engaged in secret dealings.
I slowly reached out and gently tucked her blonde hair, scattered by the wind, behind her ear.
She flinched.
When the tips of my fingers brushed her cheek, Sydney's shoulders trembled. But she did not step back.
"Do not think about it too heavily."
I whispered.
"I am simply taking my share and keeping my people from starving. Fattening you all up to use as good hunting dogs is my goal as well."
"For hunting dogs, the leash seems rather tight."
"Because it would be troublesome if you ran. So do not get any strange ideas going forward, and match your pace firmly by my side. Director Sydney."
Sydney swallowed her trembling breath and nodded very slowly.
"……I shall keep that in mind, Colonel."
*
From that day onward, I activated [Shared Vision] every night.
'Shared Vision.'
[The skill 'Shared Vision (Lv.1)' is activated.]
[You will receive the visual information of the designated target ('Sydney Welsley') in real time.]
As always, the sight of Sydney sitting in the first-class secured communications room.
The messages she typed out served as indicators of how far my plans had progressed.
Click-buzz.
[Today, the second shipment of United Commonwealth weapons has arrived. The arming of one regiment of government-in-exile troops has been completed.]
Tak, tak. Sydney's hand movements looked noticeably lighter.
[The training results led by the Jaeger Brigade's instructors are astounding. The conscripts, once a motley rabble, now fairly imitate Imperial soldiers. They suffer, yet their discipline is ironclad.]
Beep, tap. A reply from Queen Charlotte arrived from the New Continent across the sea.
[Wonderful news. We are sharpening our blade under the Empire's shadow. Even if the training is harsh, do not let the soldiers forget. The homeland they will reclaim.]
The reply continued.
[How are relations with the Imperial Army? And is the cooperation with Colonel Jaeger proceeding smoothly? I worry that he might act rudely.]
Sydney paused briefly, then tapped on the telegraph.
[Yes, his abilities are once again wondrous. He found administrative loopholes and poured his enormous economic capacity directly into us.]
[He is clearly distinguishing between public and private matters. Rather than rude, he is controlling the board as he wishes.]
'Clearly distinguishing between public and private matters,' huh.
She was not wrong. Publicly, he was a thorough business partner. But she could not report the underlying tension between them.
Beep, tap.
The machine spat out paper tape again.
[That is a relief. Once the advance on the capital begins, there will be many variables.]
[Continue to be thorough.]
The Queen seemed not to notice at all. Sydney's fingers hesitated briefly over the keys.
[I shall keep that in mind, Your Majesty. I will do my best.]
[It is late. I pray you have a peaceful night.]
Beep. Tap.
[You as well, my Sydney. Let us endure a little longer.]
The communication ended there.
Click. The machine's sound ceased and silence fell.
As always, Sydney burned the paper tape and left the communications room.
'Skill Deactivation.'
[Terminating the skill 'Shared Vision.']
*
Time flew by quickly, and the training of the government-in-exile troops also proceeded smoothly as planned.
Ratatat! Boom!
"Enemy position confirmed! Break through! Charge!"
"Mortars, prepare supporting fire!"
Every day, the training grounds outside Weymerth echoed with live-fire artillery that felt like real combat.
The new recruits, fully armed with United Commonwealth weapons, rolled around like dogs before my direct instructors, filling their eyes with deadly resolve. Not a trace remained of their motley rabble days.
The Imperial Army's advance was smooth as well.
Having already completed their landing and reorganized their ranks. With no disruption to supplies either, the enemy could not match the Imperial Army.
The enemy defending southern Londinium retreated repeatedly, gathering at the strategic stronghold, 'Sector 4.' It was a shallow calculation to tie down the Empire with urban warfare.
But that place was already rotten and decayed to the core due to Sydney's and my scheming.
Click-buzz.
[Breakthrough of the Sector 4 defensive line complete. A perfect victory with casualty figures far below estimates.]
Sydney would not miss such welcome news. As soon as the operation ended, she headed to the first-class secured communications room and tapped out a telegraph.
[Intelligence Bureau-bribed enemy commanders caused internal disruptions, and the Jaeger Brigade's armored units swept in as if carrying out a bloodless occupation.]
[And following right behind them was none other than our government-in-exile army.]
Finally, the government-in-exile troops had entered actual combat.
[Our soldiers, armed with United Commonwealth submachine guns and flamethrowers, swept away the Red insurgents hiding in the trenches.]
[Though there were still immature points, and casualties were higher than the Imperial Army's, in their will to reclaim their homeland with their own hands, they rivaled even the Jaeger Brigade, the Empire's finest elite.]
Beep, tap.
Shortly after, a reply arrived from across the sea.
[Oh, at last. The first victory has been sounded by the hands of our own army. Well done, Sydney!]
[Colonel Jaeger has kept his promise perfectly. As expected, it seems we were right to trust him.]
The reply continued.
[We must ride this momentum. Seize our glory together with Colonel Jaeger. I eagerly await the day we fully reclaim Londinium.]
[I shall keep that in mind, Your Majesty.]
Having finished the reply, Sydney gathered up the long strips of paper tape.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Sydney Welsley]
[Status: Fatigue, Elation, Strange Trust]
[Emotion: Colonel Jaeger always pays the promised price. Though it was a deal I disliked, in the end, the government-in-exile benefited from it. It is frustrating, but… now he feels reliable.]
'Reliable,' huh.
I smirked and deactivated [Shared Vision].
Tangible transactional results were far stronger than clumsy goodwill. Having tasted the flavor of a cheat skill, Sydney's wariness was rapidly fading.
But that was not the end.
*
"……Unexpected. I thought they were a motley rabble with nothing but empty shells left."
Before the large tactical map.
The landing force commander and other generals of the Empire stood with arms crossed, puffing out streams of cigar smoke.
On the map they looked down upon, beside the marker for the Jaeger Brigade, the marker for the 'United Kingdom 1st Infantry Regiment' was positioned proudly.
"It is largely thanks to the supplies brought in through the Weapons Lend-Lease Act. Their firepower itself is on par with our frontline-class units."
The generals murmured under their breath.
Their gazes were markedly different from a few days ago. Back then, they had truly treated them as parasites trying to freeload off someone else's table.
"If they are usable combat strength, there is no need to keep them tied up in the rear."
"Indeed. We were short of troops to maintain the front lines; if they take the left flank, we can increase the speed of our advance."
Having proven their combat achievements, the haughty Imperial Army generals began recognizing the government-in-exile troops as one axis of the front line.
"Very well. Formally incorporate the United Kingdom forces into the final advance operation toward Londinium."
And so, the enemy's southern defensive line, Sector 4, completely collapsed.
All obstacles had vanished.
On the tactical map, the arrows of the Imperial Army and the government-in-exile troops now stretched in a straight line toward a single destination: Londinium.
That night, it was only natural that the telegraph in Sydney's secured communications room rang off the hook.
Tap, tap.
Sydney's fingertips struck the keys harder than ever before.
[Your Majesty, I report. The Londinium assault operation has finally been approved by headquarters.]
[Our proud United Kingdom 1st Infantry Regiment will take the southern axis together with Colonel Max Jaeger's 207th Brigade.]
Beep, tap. Tap.
The long-awaited recapture of Londinium was at hand. Queen Charlotte too replied in a somewhat excited tone.
[Finally… finally, this moment has come! Well done, Sydney. The Colonel has kept his promise once again.]
[I sincerely pray that God watches over the operation beginning tomorrow.]
Sydney bit her lip tightly.
[It will surely be so.]
From tomorrow, the final maneuver toward Londinium would begin.
The government-in-exile troops, the Imperial Army, and even I, who designed the board, had completed all preparations. Morale was soaring, and supplies were perfect.
Victory seemed beyond doubt.
At least, until that night.