Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 40

Commander Gerald Berger of the Felius Front Army was in a room underneath the Sarajevo Fortress, welcoming a guest.

“Ah, good of you to come.”

“……”

The room was dimly lit, and the figure facing Gerald was illuminated by the light of magic stones. One of the Three Heroes, Ayane Sugimoto, an otherworldly visitor who drifted to the Crest Kingdom and became an adversary of the Highserk Empire.

The girl’s hands were bound behind her back as she glared at Gerald. He could see through her bravado. Gerald, who had long been involved in life-and-death matters, loved humans. The true nature of a person is not revealed until their death. This was both frustrating and endearing to him. That’s why Gerald felt a tender pity for the girl trying to suppress her fear inside. The Crest Kingdom was cruel. If she were a powerless girl, Gerald might have patted her on the back, given her some bread, and sent her away, but her abilities were too rare and dangerous.

“I like people. And in my homeland, we treat prisoners with care. Unlike your Four-Nation Alliance, we don’t dispose of prisoners like trash. Shouldn’t there be meaning in a person’s death? However, a prisoner who does nothing is a burden, a nuisance. Isn’t that right?”

The girl did not respond to Gerald’s question.

“You see, Ayane, I am trying to have a conversation with you. It seems like I am just talking to myself. Let’s continue.”

Without getting a response from the girl, Gerald resumed speaking. Frankly, it didn’t matter to him either way.

“I was thinking of having you work by treating our injured soldiers. Will you let me hear your response? Of course, even as a prisoner, you will be compensated for your labor.”

“I refuse, thank you.”

The girl’s voice trembled as she spoke. She was optimistic that help would come. She did not fully imagine what would happen if she refused. Or perhaps Gerald’s love for people had conveyed, and she saw him as a benign, philanthropic old man.

“What a pity. I just wanted you to work in a way that’s worth your life. This is troubling. There’s a limit to how many prisoners we can support, so we have to reduce their number, like the Four Nation Alliance.”

Gerald looked away from the girl and called out to someone outside the room.

“Bring him in.”

The person dragged in was a wounded prisoner of war from the Crest soldiers. Even captured by the enemy, he did not lose his fighting spirit, a model soldier, and Gerald admired him.

“A Crest soldier. I heard he was at the infirmary. Do you know him?”

The girl remained silent, but a twist appeared on her previously expressionless face. Again, silence. But as always, Gerald didn’t care if he got an answer.

“Now, he is a target for reduction. It would be a waste to “discard” him entirely. Let’s start with a finger, shall we?”

“You’re a crazy old man, you’ll die in vain! You think I’d be scared—”

Instantly, the Crest soldier hurled insults. Brave and unflinching, even in enemy territory. To Gerald, he was an admirable soldier.

“Wonderful, such spirited determination.”

Gerald’s longsword, which had been idle on the battlefield for a while, cleanly severed a target.

“Aa, aaAaAa, damn it, damn you!!”

Gerald picked up the severed finger and quietly placed it on the desk.

“One for now, don’t bite your tongue. Human resources are finite. What a waste this is.”

Gerald smiled at the girl. The soldiers standing by either side of him gagged the Crest soldier and secured his hand to the desk.

“Let’s take another one.”

The man arched his back and flailed his legs.

“Fuuu, uh, uuuuuh!”

“Do you have any experience with losing all your fingers? What about having your limbs chopped off? Or being scorched alive? What about your nose? Ears? Teeth? Eyes? Many humans misunderstand, but sometimes death can even be a mercy. Do you understand what I mean?”

It was as if he were a teacher admonishing a poorly performing student. For the first time, fear flickered in the eyes of the Crest soldier. Gerald’s intelligent gaze grew dark and turbid.

“I love my homeland, and the people who live there. That’s why I’ve fought every day for forty years. But the more I win, the more the neighboring countries interfere, like the Four Nation Alliance.”

Inside the room, a dull sound and a muffled voice echoed three times in succession. A soldier, who had been holding back, began collecting the severed fingers and applying tourniquets to them.

“15 more to go. Let’s change the method. Next, we’ll crush the right hand. Pay careful attention to the bones.”

Picking up a hammer from the shelf, Gerald walked around the room, making no sound with his footsteps, and stood beside the girl.

“It’s a troubling situation. That’s why I declare it. If necessary, and I mean if it’s necessary, I will do anything, go anywhere. Fortunately, we have plenty of prisoners.”

Behind him, the fingers of the Crest soldiers were being fixed to the table. Gerald watched as the soldier, who began to twist and groan in resistance, was restrained.

“It seems you are good to go. Now, we’re ready.”

“Ah, that’s right. I remember now,” Gerald clapped his hands.

” A woman close to you is also waiting. I thought of her as an assistant, but if she’s not going to work, there’s no need. Men and women must be equal. Everyone’s life is equal. So, let me ask again, what’s your answer?”

Confronted with the ultimatum, the girl, desperately trying to control her ragged breathing, managed to squeeze out a response.

“…I will cooperate.”

“I thought you would say that. I’m glad I didn’t have to bring the assistant in. Your first job will be to reattach this man’s fingers.”

The girl joined the soldier’s fingers with a speed and skill that exceeded Gerald’s expectations. After completing the treatment, she looked up at Gerald with resentment.

“You’ve done your job. I am a man of my word. I’ll arrange a workplace and an assistant for you. And yes, you’ll need a guard. I’ll arrange everything.”

“All of this… everything is going as you wish?”

The girl spoke with frustration, to which Gerald smiled.

“There’s no such person who gets everything as they wish. I am just a man who diligently does what’s necessary. That’s all I can do.”