◈ 078. [Side Story] Team 8 of the Aegis Task Force
First of all, I bit all the other soldiers around me. There’s nothing good to happen if the conversation leaks out.
With only Lucas and Evangeline accompanying me, I sat face to face with the five death row inmates.
“I will verify your identity first.”
Taking out the papers, I met the eyes of the death row inmate representative.
“The name… … ‘God Hand’? Am I right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
God Hand, the representative of death row inmates, bowed his head.
The eyes between the disheveled light green hair are deep brown.
I haven’t checked the ears, but I’m sure. They are a real race of elves.
Same for the other 4 people. It’s clear that he tried to cover it up, but it’s clear if you look closely. All five are elves.
“Your affiliation?”
“This is Team 8 of the Aegis Task Force.”
Lucas and Evangeline were quite surprised at the name of the Aegis task force. Not even that.
The dark department that takes care of all the dirty work of the empire. A dedicated Black Ops squad under direct control of the Imperial Family.
The shadow of the imperial family, the hounds of the emperor- because that’s the Aegis task force.
I raised my eyes to God Hand.
“I don’t think God Hand is his real name.”
“The task force does not have a real name. Our code name is our name.”
“Okay then… … God Hand.”
“yes.”
It was God Hand who had been answering calmly all this time, but he kept his mouth shut for a moment to my next question.
“I heard that you committed an act of treason, is it true?”
“… … .”
The silence lasted for only a few seconds, but the feeling felt like an eternity.
After a while, God Hand bowed deeply.
“yes.”
“You mean you admit all charges?”
“With all due respect, Your Highness the Prince.”
God Hand lowered his eyes and spat out quietly.
“We were referred to a military tribunal in the imperial city three months ago, and the verdict has already been handed down, and all punishments have been finalized.”
“… … .”
“I don’t know what you are asking. Just be patient with us as soon as possible.”
Then it’s difficult, so I’m not doing this. I muttered to myself.
‘I have to bake and boil it somehow and bring it under my command.’
I lightly licked my lips.
Where would you like to play with your tongue?
“I have a few questions about it. I’m going to die soon anyway, so wouldn’t it be nice if I could answer a few things the prince was curious about? I think I have that much authority.”
“… … .”
“Take it positively and ask a few questions.”
God Hand’s eyes widened in surprise at my next question.
“The area where you and your team were last dispatched was the Principality of Bringer. Am I right?”
“How did you know that… … .”
“Just because I’m stuck in the southern hinterland, it’s hard to think there’s no snow outside. God Hand.”
In fact, there is no such thing as snow outside. I just read your bio written on your character profile in the system.
‘Maybe it’s because he belongs to the dark department, there isn’t much information in the character profile.’
only official information. When and where he was dispatched, when he was sentenced to death, only to the extent.
But even if you know that, you can see the approximate big picture.
Besides, knowing that the race was an elf, even more so.
“Your team was dispatched to the Principality of Bringer a year ago. And nine months ago when our ambassador from the Everblack Empire, who visited the Principality of Bringer, was assassinated.”
The diplomatic situation of neighboring countries and empires also affects the game, so of course I reset game 742 and knew all the events quickly.
“Since then, the diplomacy between the two countries has been deteriorating, and eventually a war broke out half a year ago. We are still at war.”
I continued to push against God Hand, who kept his mouth shut.
“The main specialty of the Aegis task force is rear infiltration. Sabotage. And factor assassination. yes?”
“… … .”
“From now on, I will interpret all silence as positive. Anyway, I have hypothesized.”
I smirked and put on the pod with both hands.
“The high-ranking person in our empire wants to devour the Principality of Bringer, but the justification for starting a war wasn’t good enough.”
“… … .”
“But what if our diplomat is assassinated inside the principality? This can be blamed on the principality. It will be a good cause for war.”
God Hand no longer lowered his eyes. He was staring me in the eye.
“Send an ambassador and assassinate it with the hands of our special forces. Blame it on the principality and start a war. How about it, isn’t that a pretty plausible hypothesis?”
“Do not guess too much… … .”
“Three months ago, your team returned to the Empire after completing their mission, were immediately arrested and sentenced to death for treason without any explanation.”
I shrugged my shoulders humorously.
“Removing the executive team to silence… … It’s a dark way. is not it?”
“… … majesty.”
God Hand sighed softly. It was an emotional movement that I showed for the first time today.
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“You are speculating, but even if everything Your Highness has said is correct… … Then why do we want to die so quietly?”
I twitched my eyebrows. God Hand continued.
“According to Your Highness, we are in a position where we are unfairly thrown out even after completing our mission. Whether calling or running away… … .”
“Because they are being held hostage.”
At my answer, God Hand fell silent.
I grinned and continued.
“Because all of your people have been captured and are living as slaves.”
“… … .”
“In exchange for you completing your mission and dying in silence, your people will benefit from something. is not it?”
God Hand bit his lip. It seems to fit.
In this world, other races such as elves and dwarves are all slaves.
In a war with humans a hundred years ago, all the nations of the heterogeneous tribes collapsed, and the survivors became slaves of humans.
The Everblack Empire, which led humans to victory in this tribal war, seized the hegemony of the continent… … what a story like that.
In any case, the number of elves as a whole is limited, and even they are confined to the elven autonomous district and live poorly.
Are those elves working in the Imperial task force?
And besides, quietly waiting for execution? All five people?
then what is obvious The life of the same people is held as a weakness.
‘Elf queens appearing after the third year also move for similar reasons.’
After all, this is one of the most common ways the Empire exploits heterogeneous people.
Holding on to the lifeline of one’s own people and forcing them to sacrifice. It was almost cliché level in this game.
“Sacrifice for your people… … It’s beautiful. It is a noble spirit of sacrifice.”
I sighed.
“It’s stupid, too.”
“… … Even if you yield a hundred times, Your Highness’ guesses are all correct.”
God Hand sighed again.
“So what changes, Your Highness?”
“Hmm?”
“We were sentenced to death. His Highness must have received the official notice as well.”
God Hand muttered in a tired voice.
“I don’t know what you mean by saying this to death row inmates who are about to run away. Are you mocking us? Otherwise, is this also just a game for the imperial family?”
I smiled and leaned my upper body toward God Hand.
“You know what, God Hand?”
“… … ?”
“Even though the official document that came down to me says ‘execute the death penalty’. There is no order to take your lives in any way.”
“What is that… … .”
“Whether to hang, behead, burn at the stake, or separate the five bodies, there is no designation. Therefore, your lives can be taken as I please.”
I nodded toward the far south.
“And this is the monster front. It is a place where monsters like disasters come and go every day.”
“… … ?”
“I give you a very difficult mission, and you go missing while doing it. I report to the superiors that the death penalty has been carried out… … That said, it is possible.”
“… … !”
I have that much discretion.
The monster front is definitely the southern front of the Everblack Empire. It is one of the four frontiers.
The commander is given the right to kill and evade the entire area of defense.
‘… … Of course, it’s only nominally, and I don’t have the same authority here as other defense commanders.’
Still, I requested reinforcements, but the fact that they sent down five useful death row inmates means ‘do as you please’.
I decided to interpret it on my own.
“Before that, let me ask you first. Do you want to live?”
I looked into God Hand’s trembling eyes and asked.
“If no harm is done to your people, are you willing to prolong your poor life?”
“… … What are we going to do with our lives?”
“Anything.”
“… … .”
“As long as you’re alive, you can eventually do anything.”
God Hand, biting his trembling lips, groaned.
“Don’t give me false hope, Your Highness.”
“hmm?”
“You can tear it with a whip or cut it with a knife. Cut off your limbs and cut your throat to feed the dogs. It doesn’t matter. whatever way you dispose of us. but.”
God Hand shook his head slightly.
“Don’t give me hope.”
“… … .”
“More than anything else, hope hurts us.”
There are people who live with despair.
If you have expectations, if you dream of the future, you will be betrayed.
If you give up, at least you won’t get hurt.
“Don’t get me wrong. I have no intention of giving you anything shiny like that.”
However, I have no intention of giving hope in the first place. It’s not something I can give you in the first place.
“I just want to give you a chance. A chance to never end your life.”
“… … Why?”
After coming this far, God Hand asked me why.
“Why are you trying to save us?”
“Don’t ask for the obvious. Because we need you here.”
I answered honestly.
“Let me be clear. I am trying to keep you alive for my own needs.”
Even though it’s hard, it would be right to explain why you really need these guys.
“Currently, the Kaiju Front is in a state of chronic talent shortage. Talented fighters are desperately needed. If you help me, it will be much easier to defend this place.”
“… … .”
“The invasion of monsters is getting stronger day by day. If this place collapses, the borough where your people live will also be in danger.”
The Elf Autonomous District is quite far from here, but it is located in the southern part of the continent.
If the monster front is captured, it will surely not be safe.
Protecting this place, in the end, is also protecting their own people.
“Okay, that was long said, but the choice is yours.”
I crossed my arms and leaned back.
live or die
That’s always the problem.
“I still want to ask you a favor. Not only do you live your own life, but ultimately contribute to protecting your people.”
“… … .”
after a moment of silence.
“majesty.”
God Hand opened his mouth.
“It is as Your Highness said. We got a pact from the task force. When the five of us succeed in our mission and are quietly ‘disposaled’, our species receives enough food to live on for the next year.”
de facto product.
They accepted their fate.
“We, of course, do not wish for death. However, the situation of our people is so poor that we are willing to lay down our lives. To the point where I had to fight for my own death.”
God Hand slowly looked back at the four kneeling subordinates tied behind him.
“I dare to tell you, Your Highness. If you won’t take care of us, just kill us right here and now.”
“… … .”
“But if you are going to take us in spite of this, please take responsibility until the end.”
“I will take responsibility until the end.”
I put my hand on my chest and affirmed.
“I swear by the name and blood of Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack, the 3rd Prince of the Everblack Empire.”
“Team 8 of the Aegis task force swears allegiance to His Highness Prince Ashe as of this time.”
visor-
There was a sound of metal cutting, and the chains entangling God Hand’s body were ripped off.
It was able to escape on its own, but was tied to itself.
As God Hand waved his hand, the chains that bound the bodies of the four subordinates were also cut off.
The four subordinates slowly removed their muzzles and eye patches.
“We are but one arrow, one bullet, one gust of wind.”
God Hand came to me and slowly knelt down on one knee. Four of his men also knelt down behind him, one after the other.
All five members of the task force bowed their heads at me in unison.
“Please use it generously and throw it away without remorse.”
I will never throw it away, and I will save it until the end.
I grinned.
Finally, we secured a decent sub party.
