Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
chapter-267

Zigrund the Star General was our enemy.

In reality, we fought to the death. However, at the last moment, I erased her ego and gave her a new one: Hilde.

I declared myself as the observer of her existence, replacing 'her' who led Hilde to the Military State.

Thanks to this, we successfully repelled Zigrund, one of the Six Star Generals...

But to an ordinary person like Shiati, it must have seemed a bit different.

"Why did you let her live?"

"Let her live? That's an odd way to put it. She spared us. How could we kill her when she was evenly matched with Historia with her gun?"

"Lie! You controlled her freely. You could have definitely killed her!"

"I did change Hilde significantly, but she wouldn't just die because I told her to. I’m like a parent to her new ego. Just because a parent commands it, doesn't mean the child will commit suicide."

"Could you have killed her or not? Say it clearly!"

Oh dear. If you put it like that, I have nothing to say.

You couldn’t go against the instinct for survival.

She wouldn't have committed suicide just because I commanded it.

But I could have led her to her death.

I have Tyr and the Regressor.

I could have used them to kill her indirectly or weakened her and then trapped her to death.

But I didn't.

"Why did you let her go? She killed Kerapald and tortured and interrogated countless others. She's the backbone of the Military State... the closest person to it!"

"Well, maybe."

"But you acted so casually. You even said goodbye to each other! What does friendship mean to you? Have you already forgotten what happened in Hamelin?"

"No. I remember it clearly."

That event hit me hard too.

"Then why?"

Shiati shouted with a twisted face.

"You claim to grant desires?! Aren't you supposed to avenge our friends, including yourself?! Then why? Why let go of the one who killed Kerapald?! Do you even want revenge against the Military State?"

"Of course. And right now, no one is more committed to revenge than I am."

"You? You who let an enemy go after barely capturing her? You claim to seek revenge against the Military State? You know my desire, don't you?"

I do. Shiati, your desire is to destroy the Military State.

I don’t fully trust prophetic information, but according to the Regressor's recollections, the country established by the Resistance ends up as a mess.

Well, that makes sense.

After all, you want to destroy the Military State, not necessarily to build a new country.

Even the Princess next to you hopes for the Military State to remain...

Reading others' minds is a tough job.

"Shiati. Do you know what's the first thing you need to get revenge on the Military State?"

Shiati immediately responded.

"Will."

"Wrong."

"Then what? Are you going to say it's strength? That's obvious! But even with strength, without will–"

"Wrong again, it's not strength either. The first thing you need to get revenge on the Military State is the Military State itself."

It was an extremely straightforward and obvious statement.

To get revenge on the Military State, you needed the Military State.

Revenge couldn’t exist without a target.

Shiati was momentarily speechless at my answer.

I continued.

"But you don't have the Military State yet. You don't know what the Military State is. How can you seek revenge when you don't even know your target?"

Shiati, regaining her anger, responded in a subdued voice.

"Why wouldn't I know the Military State? We are standing in the heart of it right now!"

"Then? Is this refinery the Military State? Will you be satisfied by destroying it piece by piece and returning it to the earth?"

As I spoke, I picked up a broken rebar.

Grade-2, furniture-grade Alchemic Steel.

Heavy, but cheap and durable, commonly used by the masses.

I tossed and caught the rebar lightly.

"The products from this refinery flow throughout the Military State. Whether it's furniture used by citizens or weapons used by soldiers to kill, they all come from the materials processed here. Does that mean anyone using Military State Alchemic Steel is guilty?"

"...Shut up. If you're going to say revenge is meaningless, then stop!"

"Not at all. I'm actually trying to help you with your revenge."

The structure of the Military State was simple and easy to understand.

However, some very specific parts were hidden so well that even the Six Star Generals didn’t know the full story.

But while reading Hilde's thoughts, I found a clue.

'Her', the one who created or established this Military State.

The question is how can I find 'her'?

That's all that matters now.

You only know once you try.

I'm not a Prophet.

So I have to do it.

"I'm going to see the 'Military State' now. If you want, come with me. I'll show you this country. Only then can you truly achieve your revenge, as you desire."

There was a moment of silent exchange.

Shiati glared at me, her eyes filled with the gaze of a victim looking for someone to blame.

Shiati, who had often poured out futile resentment on Historia, now found a far worse bystander in me.

And yet seeing no hint of guilt on my part, Shiati suddenly asked one question.

"Tell me one thing. Don't hide it."

"I'm always honest. What is it?"

"Did you know Nicholas was going to try to kill us?"

Ah, that. It’s true.

Hmm. But nodding here would make things awkward, wouldn't it?

So...

"Yes. I knew."

"I see."

Shiati muttered calmly, staring at me for a moment, then quickly reached out her hand.

Historia, though aware of the tense atmosphere, was shocked that Shiati would actually act.

"Shiati, stop...!"

But I read minds.

I knew Shiati intended to use black magic, and that the target was my arm.

I moved in sync with Shiati.

She grabbed her left index finger with her prosthetic hand and, without a moment's hesitation, bent it upwards.

It was clearly projected by her mind.

Her steel prosthetic, equipped with something like a nutcracker mechanism, easily broke her left index finger.

Black mana swirled around my finger, but my arm didn't break.

Because…

“Ouch, hisss. It hurts so bad!”

“Huey! Your finger!”

Before my arm broke I had already broken my own finger first.

Black magic forced similarity.

But Shiati was one-armed.

A one-armed person's finger couldn’t be identical to a two-armed person's finger.

Shiati leveraged this to give more significance to her finger, enabling her to break larger things like gun barrels or arms with it.

But the essence of black magic was still about making things alike.

By breaking my finger before her black magic took effect, I tricked it into thinking the 'same thing' had happened.

Still, It hurt terribly, making my eyes water.

Damn it, to prevent my arm from breaking, I had to break my own finger.

I reset my joint and muttered.

"Black magic users are never sane. How can you break your own finger without hesitation? I almost didn't make it."

"... You monster. You even use black magic too?"

"Monster? My black magic is weak. It's weaker than my punches. What's monstrous about it?"

If I had mastered Gam Qi Art, I could have just endured it physically without all this.

It is frustrating to rely on tricks because I'm not sturdy enough.

Wait, Shiati.

You're not planning to do it again, are you?

"Save your last shot, Shiati. An unused bullet is the scariest, not the remnants of a fired one. Without even a last bullet, you have no rights left."

"Don't be ridiculous! You, who stood by and let all this happen! You have no right to tell me anything!"

Shiati pulled out another finger, but this time, many eyes were watching.

Historia immediately intervened, grabbing Shiati's hand.

Frustrated at being stopped at the last moment, Shiati glared and spoke with resentment.

"...Historia. Don't stop me. I'm sure of it. He's the cause of all this."

"Calm down. You're too agitated."

"Too agitated? Let me put it another way! Does he seem normal to you?!"

Shiati pointed her broken finger at me.

Her finger, bruised and swollen, trembled weakly.

It must hurt, but she still condemned me with fury.

"He's not afraid, nor does he seem sad! Whether it was being stranded in Hamelin or finding out Kerapald was dead, he showed no hints of anger! And he let the Star General go! Is that normal?!"

Historia still didn't let go of her finger.

Worried she might break it again, Historia held it even tighter.

Shiati screamed like a child throwing a tantrum.

"No matter how much you protect Huey, it won't be worth it. He has no feelings for you. He won't give you anything in return!"

The message changes with the messenger.

Shiati's words were sharp and true enough to pierce Historia's heart deeply.

But, unfortunately, it was Shiati who wielded this weapon.

"If it’s about ungratefulness..."

During Historia’s time as a Star General, she worried about Shiati the most, since I never appeared in front of her.

Seeing Shiati continually go astray had caused Historia pain.

Thus, if anyone was more ungrateful, it was Shiati.

"You're the same, Shiati."

Even without an arm, Shiati had some conscience left, so she fell silent.

Historia, with a serene face, pushed her back.

Eventually, Shiati turned her head away.

But it was only because of Historia.

Shiati still bore intense hostility toward me.

Hmm. She has potential.

If things go wrong, she will try to break anyone's arm, whether it's the Six Star Generals or me.

That's it.

"Consider this a gift. If you follow me, I'll give you the Military State."

I looked around.

The Princess, Shiati, Historia, and the two beasts.

The perfect team.

Though slightly lacking in strength, it might be risky if Tyr or the Regressor found out what was going on.

Tyr and the Regressor generally get along, but they have opposing views on one particular topic.

Even if I want to give them the Military State, It would be a problem if the Military State disappeared.

Alright. Decision made. Let's go.

"Everyone. I'm heading to Command now. I can't guarantee your safety, and I'm not forcing you. But if we succeed, I'll give you the Military State. Perhaps, it could be the target of your long-sought revenge."

Shiati's desire.

To exact revenge, she needed to understand what the Military State is.

At the end of this journey, the Military State would reveal itself.

"Or, perhaps, it could become an ideal country with a warm heart despite the ironclad system."

This time, the Princess flinched.

Caught between the Kingdom and the Military State, the Princess might find an answer in the Military State.

"Or it could be a place to stay for someone."

There was no reaction from Historia.

Indeed, she had already established a place for herself as one of the Six Star Generals.

Only Shiati and I hadn't settled there.

"I'm not forcing anyone. But if you want to come with me, step forward."

Everyone here has a reason to go.

They each made up their minds.

And the first to approach was…

Azzy, who came over quietly as usual.

"Woof!"

"I mean human only, Azzy."