Chapter 2: Trying Out Being the Head of the Holy Knights – Part 2

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Part 2

　The next morning──
　Kenstone City greeted its second day of being under foreign military occupation.
　Aira received an unsettling report, and ran to the western plaza.
　Armed Imperial Soldiers were lined up, and threatened the Lifelia Kingdom citizens.
　Since the citizens didn’t have weapons, a fight didn’t take place. If they had clashed, it surely would have turned into a one-sided slaughter.
　Aira sent her gaze around.
　A portion of the citizens were being placed on a carriage.
　She ran over there.
「Wait!」
「Oya, well if it isn’t Army Corps Leader-dono.」
　The one who was taking command of the area was a man clothed in black and had something that looked like a crow’s beak covering his mouth.
　He was a Seeker.
　She knew that Doriadamp, the commanding officer of the invasion army, had brought some along but……
「What are you doing!?」
「Just as you can see, it’s a manhunt.」
　Aira looked at the carriage.
　Black haired, Demi-Human women──it was hard to tell the ages of other races, but they were most likely all young girls.
　The races were Pantherian, Dwarf, and Grasswalker, while Humans and Elves couldn’t be found.
「I didn’t hear anything about this, you know?」
「Oya, is that so.」
　Due to the beak, the man’s voice sounded muffled.
　Aira spoke with a strong tone.
「I would like for you to refrain from needlessly interfering with the citizens of the Lifelia Kingdom. Maintaining the public order of an occupied territory is my duty.」
「It isn’t needless at all. This is an imperial command of His Majesty the Emperor──or so I was told by the commanding officer. I’m sure it would be for the best that you don’t get in my way.」
「Did you say an imperial command!?」
　The emperor of the Gelmedo Empire was already at an old age.
　It was said that he was always asleep in bed, and rarely got up from it. At this late point in time, she felt that there wasn’t a reason to gather up young girls.
　──A manhunt?
　 The Seeker shrugged his shoulders.
「I’m just executing my duties. I value my life.」
「Kuh……」
　Aira grit her teeth.
　Strong gazes of hatred were turned towards her from the citizens of Kenstone City.
　Despite declaring “if you surrender, we shall guarantee the safety of the soldiers and citizens”, this happens.
　Having their brethren taken away by a bunch with suspicious appearances, it was only natural that their dissatisfaction would increase.
　However, with there being an imperial command, she couldn’t carelessly interfere.
　She stood stock still.
　What she remembered, was something from the past.──
　About the time she lived with the other Kobolds in the village.
　Armed with magic weapons, the Imperial Army came, and the men of the village were killed in great numbers, while the rest were captured.
　Aira was evaluated to have “high willpower”, and was thrown into the Silver Argenos. She thought that she would be eaten but……
　Luckily, she was compatible, and it all lead to this.
「……Come to think of it, that time as well……Only those with black hair were taken away to a different place. I completely thought that they were made into candidates for other Magimatic Sols though.」
　The Seeker narrowed his eyes.
　It was hard to tell his expression due to the beak, but he might have been smiling.

「The 《young vessel girl》 wasn’t among the Kobolds.」

「……What is that about?」
「Who knows? It’s someone that we’ve been searching for all this time……someone who we don’t even know really exists.」
「All this time……?」
「You all should have also been given the order to not kill any black haired women.」
「Yeah, it’s just as you say.」
　She thought that it was probably for some humane reason, but after thinking about it, it was a strange story.
　Even the young black haired girls from Aira’s village were gathered up and taken away. And then, they never came back.
　She thought that they weren’t able to be compatible with the Magimatic Sols, but was it for a different reason?
　──What was the 《young vessel girl》 about?
　There was no mistake that the Empire was hiding something.
　Aira asked.
「We, are fighting for the sake of the Gelmedo Empire ruling over the world with sorcery……so that the Empire can unify the world, and make war vanish from the earth──wasn’t that the case?」
「Do you really think I have the answer to that question?」
「……No.」
　He and his men were also in the same position as Aira’s group.
　Their birthplaces were subjugated by the Empire, and they were made to obey.
　The Seeker turned his gaze to the young girls.
「Just as I was told by the commanding officer──I only gathered young girls that were Beastmen and had black hair. It would be best if you don’t get involved. For both of our sakes.」
「However, in that case……」
「Army Corps Leader-dono, instead of the citizens of another country, your companions and the people of your birthplace are more important, right? The same goes for me.」
「Uuu……」
　The figures of their past selves overlapped the Kenstone citizens that were speaking their worries and dissatisfactions.
　However, she was unable to oppose the Empire in order to save them.

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