Bystander

What's the situation?

Those people are crazy. How did things turn out like this?

Don't be afraid. We have unbreakable faith too.

Come with me.

We won... It's our victory!

Major Mori led us to victory in this battle!

No, I didn't lead you all...

... I fought side by side with you all.

The war with Nebu ended shortly after, and the whole world seemed to come to an eerie state of peace.

Everyone knew that there were still undercurrents swirling, but no one knew when war would rear its ugly head again. People enjoyed their peace on ice.

Mori.

...

Don't make that face. We just have different political views. Do you have to take it so hard that you won't even say hello?

If you insist on going to war with Eastrise, I will beat you up the next time we meet.

Hahaha, okay, okay.

In the next workers' council, we will give up on the idea of crushing Eastrise, and work on rebuilding the Joint Council.

It'd be nice if it were true.

In the next workers' council, Yulia actually did give up on the idea of attacking Eastrise. The whole room was in an uproar.

Yulia, what's going on here?

I just thought over your words. Peace is indeed a good thing.

Do you think I'd believe you?

Just what are you up to?

Niz's talks with Eastrise are already on the agenda. I have no need to do anything that could cause conflict...

Even so, may I remind you that Eastrise is rival to be wary of.

Half a month later

You really don't need me to escort you?

I'm going to talk, Mori. Not to be a hostage.

Besides, Yulia is going to be with me. There won't be any problems.

I understand.

The train is here, leader.

Well, off we go.

(It was just an ordinary farewell, but at that moment, a sense of foreboding came over me. A chill spread from my back to my whole body.)

Ah... Bye.

A few hours later

Lieutenant General Mori, a highly classified piece of intel has been sent to you.

Intel? From who?

No clue. The signal source is from a mobile base station on the border of Bifrost and Eastrise though.

What! Could it be...

Lieutenant General! There's been an explosion on the border railroad! The train schedule currently unknown!

Quick, set up the rescue!

Understood!

And this intel... Could it be from...

Mori... Cough... There is smoke everywhere...

Stay calm and listen to me... We are under attack from Eastrise assassins...

Niz... is dead...

I could do nothing except try my best to preserve my sanity. I couldn't accept Niz's death after all.

Despite this, I still needed to appear for different occasions every day to take care of the matters related to Niz's death, and prevent Bifrost Industries from collapsing due to other reasons.

Two months later, at a meeting initiated by Yulia to crush Eastrise, I cast my vote of approval, and war began.

For General Niz! Charge!

No, that's enough. Leave it.

Lieutenant General?

(The people of Bifrost, and its land, are the things I believe in. But at this moment, I don't feel like I am fighting because of these things.)

(Is revenge for Niz the reason I'm fighting? I have to find the answers on the battlefield, but the more I fight, the emptier I feel.)

(Niz was someone I believed in a long time ago. But she's dead.)

(This war has been going on for three months, and Fulminis have allowed us to easily defeat Eastrise at the border. But the deeper one goes, the harder the battle becomes.)

(Our enemy is a group who also believes in their homeland. In front of them, we invaders are getting increasingly insufficient support, and are already half in the mud.)

Behave yourself, spy!

I am not a spy! I want to see Lieutenant General Mori!

I must see her! I have something that must be handed to her!

Behave yourself!

Hold on, what happened?

Lieutenant General, we discovered a spy to was trying to infiltrate the barracks.

Lieutenant General Mori! General Niz sent me!

What?!

General Niz is not dead yet! This letter is proof!

Niz... Is not dead...

(The north wind blows wildly, and the stratosphere starts flowing again.)

You guys heard nothing of what I said earlier.

Yes!

What's your name?

I am Snezhana, Private Snezhana, 6th Company, 4th Battalion!

Snezhana, tell me all that you know.

I see...

No, wait a minute. Your wound needs treatment.

Please call in a doctor to heal the wound.

Yes!

I see...

I've said everything I know.

Well done, soldier. Thank you.

Our troops moved back a hundred kilometers, and in the process, we got to meet the General of Eastrise one-on-one.

This emergency meeting took place in the Empire, and very few people knew. Even Yulia was unaware of the operation.

Everyone else should leave. The ones going for the meeting are me and General Mori.

I nod slightly, and the people around me got up swiftly to leave. Only Firentia and I are in the room.

We hope to end wars.

Hmm... So you guys received the news that Niz didn't die?

You guys already knew about it...?

Interests of the tribe aside, even if there is the relationship between Raeon and Niz, we have no need to move against Niz.

So on that train were not just your guards, but ours too.

We just weren't sure who to contact, after all, we weren't sure if you really wanted revenge, or if you wanted to fight a long-prepared war of aggression in the name of revenge.

I was fooled too. We didn't have to start the war in the first place...

Ha! Don't make it seem like you guys are the victims!

...

Now, have you calmed down?

You know you're going to lose right away, right? You're not against war, you're a hypocrite who's against losing war!

I know you're losing power. You're just preparing an excuse in the form of peace talks before you're eaten up, so you can minimize damage!

This war is hurting both sides... We will deal with the person who is leading the war efforts, General Firentia.

Then let's get on board and stop this war that never should have happened.

You can trust that I will make good on my word. I am of the Darhan Tribe. Once we make a promise, we keep it.

Yeah, yeah. I'm not sure if you're feigning confusion or if you really don't know anything about it... But keep your word, for your own good.

I will.

And don't forget that even if you were deceived, you still committed a wrong.

I know that already...

You called for me, sir?

Mobilize the 4th and 5th companies, and move with me. The rest will be deployed here temporarily.

Understood. Which Eastrise area is our destination?

We are headed for the homeland.

The homeland?

I will carry out your orders, but... If I may be blunt, sir, is this defection?

No, of course not.

We are targeting our own people this time, but the battle will be one of justice.

One of... justice.

Yes, believe me.

I see. I'll deploy the troops now.

Go.

Phew... We can finally meet again, Niz...

The sky... It's so blue.

Am I fated to die as a teenage soldier in the prime of my youth?

Ah... Damn it! Screw this! I wanted to experience the joys and luxuries of Earth!

Pfft... Heh...

W-Who's there?! Come out!

Hey, hey, don't shoot! I'll come out!

You're... From Eastrise?! You're crossing the border illegally!

Wait, wait! I'm a merchant! I have my papers, hold on, I'll show them to you.

But I'm not sure I'd compliment you on the poem.

Show me your papers! Cut out the nonsense! I'll shoot you!

No, no, don't. I'll get them right now.

Sound of Explosion

Huh? What happened now?

Is the sound coming from over there? Oh no!

Hey! Why are you running? I haven't finished checking your papers. Wait...

(This was my first encounter with Sunflower. The story of a teenage soldier and a merchant.)

Hey... Wait for me...

Huff... It exploded... Huh?!

Shh! Get down!

?

See for yourself.

Soldiers from Bifrost Industries... are killing their own people? Why?!

Looks like we've stumbled onto something serious.

Hm? There are survivors? Kill them all!

Oh no, oh no. What do we do? Do we fight back?

I don't want to die here!