Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Changing Days (2)

These days, talk of war was coming up more and more often inside the Sentinel Order.

War, war, war.

Knights quick to read the situation had already seen it as a “not-so-distant future,” but once Balkania launched an invasion of another country, a tense, complicated mood spread through the Order.

The western war was not that far in the past either. Still, most of the knights who now formed Sentinel’s core had been children back then, or had not even been born, so the weight of real combat was unfamiliar to them.

“…We just need to focus on our own work.”

Meanwhile, Hanna Usar firmly cut off the staff officers’ whispers.

She had no time to rest these days.

Her brutal routine: identifying and arresting Imperial Civil Law violators, tracking down the Revolutionary Faction hiding underground, and catching foreign spies who had quietly infiltrated the Empire and handing them over to the branch office.

At a time when she had to serve the Empire and Aran, she had no time to worry about foreign affairs.

Knock knock-

Just as Hanna was about to draft a new report, she got a visitor.

A knight stepped in through the door. Hanna saw his still-youthful face and raised a brow slightly.

“Lucas. What is it?”

Lucas Limperk. People said his judge father had deep ties to Maximilian, or something like that. Either way, he was a rookie worth watching.

“Ah. It’s just…”

Lucas looked awful. His eyes were hollow, like he had pulled several all-nighters, and he had gotten visibly thinner.

Hanna guessed the reason in an instant.

“I came to ask for advice on activated residue analysis.”

Activated residue. The first wall every rookie slammed into.

Hanna Usar rested her chin on her hand for a moment.

“Activated residue… is something you have to smash your head against and solve on your own. You need to audit related lectures at a Magic Tower or a university before you really start to get a feel for it.”

Hanna herself had run back and forth to the university like a madwoman when she was learning activated residue.

She had slept maybe three or four hours a day, and even that was just short naps in a carriage.

“Yes. I’ve already filed an audit request with Sentio Magic Tower.”

Lucas answered in a defeated voice.

Hanna watched him quietly, then let out a faint sigh.

“Then wait outside for now. I have some old materials I used before. I’ll organize them and send them over in a bit.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Lucas and she were both, broadly speaking, on the “Maximilian line,” and more than anything, Sentinel was still Sentinel.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, sunbae-nim!”

Lucas left the office beaming like he had gained the whole world.

“…This brings back memories. For me too.”

Only a year had passed, but it felt like three.

That probably meant those days had been that dense.

Hanna opened a deep desk drawer and pulled out a thick bound notebook.

“…”

It was a copy of the activated residue case file Maximilian had thrown to her in the past. In its margins, packed into every blank space, were her own blood-and-tears notes, explanations, and analytical logic. A kind of “secret notebook.”

But there was a reason she could not hand this notebook over as it was.

[This is fucking hard, ah shit, my head’s gonna split open~~]

[How the hell did this insane monster do this]

Those kinds of raw outbursts were all over it.

[Why the hell did that bastard Jacob try to frame me…]

[Fucking Jacob bastard, after how well I treated him]

[Ha, life is so fucking awful. I want to quit everything and go back home]

Because it still carried the ugly residue of emotions she had scribbled down when she could no longer endure the extreme stress, plus blunt little complaints about life.

“Ahem.”

Proof that she had clung to work like a madwoman, with no boundary between life and duty. Still, it was not exactly something she wanted to show a junior.

Scratch, scratch.

She erased all the personal chatter, and left only Maximilian’s genius results and her own logical interpretations, refining it into textbook form.

[Activated Residue Binder for New Knights]

That was how it came out. Too valuable to let Lucas use alone.

It might be good to distribute it to future rookies too.

“Staff Officer Dosent. Please deliver this to Knight Lucas.”

“Yes! Understood, ma’am.”

After handing the secret notebook over to the staff officer, Hanna rubbed her stiff neck and walked to the window. At some point, the red sunset had sunk like mist.

Beyond the glass lay the imperial capital, with crimson clouds flowing above it.

Suddenly, a vague feeling rose from deep in her chest.

Where were they going, and where was the Empire going?

What kind of world was really coming toward them?

“…It’ll all change on its own anyway.”

Honestly, even spending time thinking about it felt wasteful.

Hanna returned to her desk and opened new files.

* * *

The intelligence operation to shatter the Balkania alliance proceeded obliquely and with care. This kind of delicate incitement did not require me to step in personally and dance with a blade. I had the best expert in this field: Johann Georg Goetze.

First, I scraped together everything about Prime Minister Argento’s past conduct, the man who effectively ruled Balkania. I dug through Balkanian political texts, press coverage, and even unofficial social gossip, then organized every statement he had made across his political life.

──[ Prime Minister Argento’s Remarks Related to the Empire ]──

1. “As long as the threat called the Empire exists, our national defense must be strengthened even if it means enduring bone-cutting pain.” and other remarks showing he viewed the Empire as a potential enemy.

2. He consistently criticized southwestern royals who had submitted to the Empire in private settings.

Mentioning incidents where old dynasties surrendered territory out of fear of imperial pressure, he mocked them as “cowards who knelt to the Empire.”

3. In particular, he repeatedly revealed a fundamental hatred and negative view toward royals who had submitted to the Emperor, and toward nobles of the Imperial Palace…

───────

“Now we just twist the wording and revise it.”

Johann pointed to one of Prime Minister Argento’s older remarks published in a Balkanian state newspaper.

“This word here. It’s a metaphorical expression unique to Balkanian, and it carries a very broad range of meanings. The word order is different from the imperial common tongue to begin with, so during translation, we add a little ‘creative mistranslation.'”

Johann’s pen tip scratched across the article.

[Original: We must beware compromise, like the old dynasties that settled for comfort under the Empire’s shadow.]

[Revised: I loathe the submission of vile royals who parasitize beneath the Empire’s darkness.]

“We make the translation tone aggressive like this.”

I gave a small nod.

“And then reveal this directly to the media?”

“No.”

Johann adjusted his glasses and gave a cold smile.

“Newspapers and mass media are useful for agitation, but too light. The suspicious and conservative bureaucratic nobles in the Imperial Palace tend to rely more on printed authority they trust.”

Simply put, palace bureaucrats and nobles trusted whatever looked more prestigious than an ordinary reporter.

I understood Johann’s intention.

“Academia.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Johann nodded.

“We request cooperation from the dean at Imperial Central University. If we insert these remarks as if they were part of a scholarly paper published around three or four years ago, it’s perfect.”

In other words, we leaned on “academic authority.”

“A title like [Analysis of the Balkanian Prime Minister’s Political Rhetoric and Hostile Implications] should do.”

Johann’s design had no holes. It was a plot meant to sabotage the alliance by using ideas and printed text as weapons.

“Once the justification is complete, we need a real expert who can add authority to this paper. Shall we create one fake military commentator?”

I shook my head at that suggestion.

“…No.”

There was no need to fabricate a fake. Balkania’s loose force structure and hard limits were real facts even without embellishment.

“I’ll find the authority myself.”

……

Central District 30, third floor of a shabby commercial building. A nameless research institute sat there.

“Ah, yes. That’s me.”

The imperial academic world was wider and more varied than people thought. Which meant specialists obsessed with digging into one foreign country’s politics, society, and military always existed somewhere in the corners.

“I’ve gone to Balkania dozens of times for research.”

I found a man known in this field as a Balkania authority.

His name was Ruben. An elite who had graduated from Imperial Central University with excellent marks, but a tragic scholar who chose the wrong major and ended up wasting his talent here in District 30 with only three or four employees.

“I see.”

Professor Ruben glanced at my uniform and scratched the back of his neck.

“…Whenever the Balkania situation turns unstable, reporters visit me now and then for consultation. Still, I never expected a Sentinel knight to come to this humble place in person.”

“They launched an invasion war.”

“Haha… yes. Well. It was expected.”

As expected from an expert, he had apparently already predicted this war.

I first asked about the Balkanian National Army’s logistics system and combat level.

“…Their military level is very crude for the country’s size. Of course, it’s enough to crush a tribal state like Mekerel, the one they invaded this time.”

Professor Ruben continued with a bitter smile.

“It may sound absurd, but they still have craftsmen manually shaving and assembling core tank parts. So some tanks come out as unbelievable masterpieces.”

In fact, they gave each tank its own name. A tank called “Pantra” had a record of winning even in one-against-ten combat.

“But some tanks have engines that blow during training… things like that. Since nothing is standardized, the structure itself makes mass production and maintenance impossible.”

The Balkanian military’s comic-level reality had been famous even before the regression.

“Also, the officers’ luxury has reached extremes, and class conflict with the soldiers is severe enough to be just short of a riot.”

One especially ridiculous episode from Balkanian war history:

Reports said soldiers operating in desert zones were suffering from severe thirst. The rear command responded by supplying hundreds of crates of red wine.

“Excellent.”

“To be clear, it’s not an excellent country.”

“No. I meant you, Professor Ruben.”

I looked at Professor Ruben and smiled.

“Now gather that knowledge and publish it as a book.”

“…Pardon?”

Professor Ruben looked slightly flustered.

“Ah, um, Sir Knight. As you can see here…”

With a bitter expression, he looked around the cramped institute.

Only three staff members. One sweeping the floor, one organizing receipts, one typing on an old typewriter.

A cleaner, an accountant, and a secretary.

“With our institute’s finances, publication is impossible. We can barely pay these three right now. We don’t have the means to publish-“

“Even as a poor scholar, you are a valuable and diligent imperial Aran, doing your best to keep three fellow Arans fed.”

“…What?”

“Your academic achievements, insight, and authority on Balkania are also excellent.”

“…Mine?”

I nodded and set a suitcase full of cash on the desk.

“Full funding for publication and research.”

Thump. The weight shook the room. Dust lifted and settled again.

“I’ll support you.”

The text that would sabotage a future military alliance was now prepared.

Johann’s manipulated paper on the Balkanian prime minister, and the critical study Professor Ruben would write on the Balkanian military’s incompetence and limits.

I had no authority to intervene in the Emperor’s state affairs or diplomatic decisions. I should not have that authority either.

Policy proposals could be made in a formal place like the Emperor’s National Support Council, but this kind of private operation, guiding the direction of war itself, needed a completely different approach.

So I chose to use the most perfect loudspeaker.

“Max! What is it?”

Leutern II.

He waved as he entered the VIP room, his face full of excitement.

“It’s good to see you, Duke Leutern. I heard you’ve been very busy lately…”

“Ah, you know how it is. Balkania invaded Mekerel. Because of that, even the palace is in chaos. They say the state minister is drafting a response operation right now. Might take like two days… you know? The western guys are already criticizing Balkania like crazy.”

He started leaking internal secrets the moment he sat down.

“I see. What do you think of Balkania, Duke Leutern?”

A man who kept talking military strategy whenever he had the chance because he dreamed of being a commander.

The greatest loudmouth in the palace, desperate to show off in front of others.

“Well~? I’m still organizing my position. I’ve actually been researching that side pretty deeply these days.”

“Impressive.”

I gladly fed his vanity.

“What’s so impressive. Still, there wasn’t much data.”

There was plenty of data, of course, but he had probably only told his secretary or guards, “Hey, bring me some info on Balkania.”

“I have a few papers and military books related to Balkania.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Have you heard of Professor Ruben?”

“No. Who’s that?”

“He’s an authority on Balkania. He’s spent about thirty years studying only Balkania-“

“Oh, really?!”

Leutern II’s eyes lit up. The way he stared at me made it obvious he wanted them now.

“I’ll have them delivered to your residence tomorrow.”

“Huh? Tomorrow? Can’t you give them today? I was gonna go home after dinner and start studying right away. I’ve been staying up every night studying lately~”

Suddenly he acted like a scholar starving for knowledge.

“The world is so big, no time to rest~”

It seemed he was genuinely excited by war itself.

“Yes. I’ll have them loaded into your carriage when you leave after the meal.”

“Thanks! As expected, Max, you’ve got good sense.”

Food was served right then, and Leutern II picked up his fork with obvious satisfaction.

“The menu changed completely… I haven’t come in a while because I’ve been too busy, but it got even better. I should come with that Professor Ruben guy sometime. Introduce us.”

“Yes. Of course.”

I watched his face and gave a faint smile.

I did not know exactly how Leutern would move from here.

Maybe he would stay up all night reading the papers. Or maybe he would just order his secretaries to make summaries.

Then, after skimming through them, he would probably spray spit while bragging in front of nobles and bureaucrats, pretending it was high-level information he had personally researched and analyzed.

Either way, it benefited the Empire.

So Leutern II was also, beyond doubt, an imperialist.

“Would you like a drink?”

I lifted my wine glass leisurely.

“Ah, sure~”

Leutern hummed to himself and clinked glasses with me.

Clink.

A clear sound rang softly.