"W-Well if you were an enemy medic, that's a different story. Y-Yes, I must interrogate you to get internal information about the enemy army!"
After seeing me crying uncontrollably, Sylph moved her gun away and called off the execution.
She then left with a promise to thoroughly interrogate me later.
"Tou-chan, who are these people?"
"…It's okay, it's okay, Sedol."
I was then taken prisoner.
My hands were handcuffed behind my back. I was tied to a pillar and put in a cage.
Is this a prison for criminals? It was an old iron cage, rusting in places.
"Tou-chan, doesn't that hurt?"
"I'm fine."
I'm glad that Sedol wasn't restrained, but he was put in the same cage as me.
He looked up at me anxiously from my feet as I was tied to the pillar.
"Where are Mommy and Daddy?"
"They aren't here yet…"
The cage was quite spacious, likely for multiple people.
Several pillars have also been erected.
"…"
…Could it be that captured enemy bandits will also be put in this cage?
If that's the case, I'm worried about Sedol.
***
Sylph's company then marched to Othello Village under the guidance of Irigol.
The bandits will be suppressed immediately given the size of this army,
…I'm worried about my acquaintances. Is Anita safe?
Mr. Gorski… should be fine.
"Hey, Aust girl."
"Yes, what is it?"
As I was worrying about the safety of the villagers of Othello while sitting in the cage, one of the soldiers left to guard me called out to me.
For some reason, he was holding a metal rod.
"Why was there an Aust in that village?"
"As I said before, I jumped into the river during the Battle of the North and was rescued."
"Tell me the truth. I'm Sonya the Inquisitor. I can easily see through lies."
The man with the rod introduced himself as an interrogator.
Come to think of it, the enemy commander did say they would interrogate me.
I guess they'll interrogate me while suppressing the bandits in Othello Village.
"No matter how much interrogation training you receive, people always show signs when they lie. Just like you just now."
"I'm not lying."
"You've come here to gather intelligence on our movements after the Battle of the North, haven't you? Look, your pulse is quite fast."
Of course my pulse would be fast after bleeding so much earlier.
I'm only able to move because I was treated with [Heal], but I'm actually quite seriously injured.
It should be pretty obvious since my clothes are covered in blood.
"If you lie again, you'll be punished. Now, I'll ask again, Aust girl. Why were you in that village?"
"…I was rescued during the Battle of the North."
"You've got guts!"
The interrogator shouted angrily as he struck my body.
I'm not lying, but he shows no sign of believing me.
What should I do? I'll be killed if I say I'm a spy.
"I am not lying, please."
"I told you if you tell me the truth I won't do anything!"
"Tou-chan, Tou-chan!!"
"Um, Since Sedol is scared, could you at least interrogate me somewhere he can't see?"
"Don't mock me!"
It seems… there's no way out of this.
I'll have to endure being tormented for a while.
I can only pray he doesn't overdo it and kills me.
"How do you contact your comrades?! Spit it out, or I'll kill you right here!"
"…"
This person really doesn't know how to hold back.
I just felt something rupture in my stomach… If left untreated, I will die.
"Stop being stubborn! I can see through all your lies!"
***
"Are you stupid?!"
I was being treated by someone when I suddenly regained consciousness.
Right in front of me was a serious-looking young female soldier with short hair using [Heal] on me.
Is she the medic who treated Irigol earlier?
"This is an interrogation to obtain internal military information! What's the point of assuming she's a spy and attacking like a fool!"
"B-But this girl is definitely a spy."
"I acknowledged that this woman is an enemy medic! I'll question her with things only a medic would know to draw out information from inside the enemy's ranks, and then I'll punish her if there are any contradictions in what she says. Even a monkey could punch her, you idiot!"
Someone nearby was yelling.
Very nervously, with a hysterical voice.
"First of all, I didn't order you to interrogate her! I intended to get the information myself!"
"But earlier, you said to think and act on your own without being ordered."
"You idiot, you have to wait for orders from your superiors to carry out your duties! Last time, I just told you to 'clean up even without waiting for orders!'"
The ringing, noisy voice gave me a headache, but I slowly raised my head.
Turning towards the voice, I saw a furious girl with a twisted face of anger and disbelief, kicking the interrogator.
"In the first place, the fact that an interrogator nearly killed a prisoner shows that you can't even fulfill your duties properly! This incompetent fool!"
"S-Sorry."
"That's enough. I will never entrust you with an interrogation again. Get lost!"
Seeing the enraged girl again, I felt she had a mysterious and mystical aura.
With smooth white skin and shimmering fluttering silver hair, she had light blue eyes.
However, her eyes are ice-cold and lifeless.
"…Are you awake, Aust girl?"
"Yes, I have regained consciousness."
"I will personally conduct the interrogation later. Lock her up in the cage for now."
"Understood."
She took one look at me, then snorted and turned away.
With those words, her subordinates tied me up again and fastened me to a pillar.
Though, I felt like the rope is looser than before.
"Ah, that's right. Throw that idiot in a cage and tie him up as punishment."
"Understood."
"…I really don't have capable subordinates. I can't find anyone who understands my intentions and can be trusted to do my job."
At the same time, the interrogator was tied to the pillar in the same way as me.
Well, it was indeed a poor interrogation, so it can't be helped.
There are smarter ways of getting information out of someone.
"Oh, give that child a proper meal. He's at an age where he needs nutrition."
Leaving that behind, the young commander Sylph walked away in a huff.
Her subordinates returned to their posts one by one.
All that was left there was Sedol, hiding in fear from Sylph's loud voice, the restrained inquisitor with a dissatisfied look on his face, and me, covered in bruises.
***
"Tou-chan, ahhhh."
"Thank you."
Officially, both the interrogator and I were deprived of meals.
Because I am a prisoner being interrogated, and the interrogator as a means of punishment.
However, the meal served to Sedol was not the amount a four-year-old can eat.
It was about the size of an adult meal.
"Is it good?"
"Yes, it's delicious."
…This is a very roundabout way to do it, but is this their way of preparing a meal for me as well?
The guard hasn't said anything even though Sedol has been feeding me for a while now.
"Oops, I spilled it. I'm sorry, Tou-chan."
"It's okay, Sedol."
"I'll wipe it off for you!"
"Thank you."
However, Sedol is a bit clumsy, so my clothes got dirty.
Well, it doesn't matter because these clothes are already bloodstained and are going to be discarded anyway.
***
"Hey, Aust girl. Sylph is calling for you. Come out."
"Alright."
After I finished my meal and took a breather, I was summoned by the girl from earlier.
It was only at that moment I learned her name – Sylph Nova.
"Sylph is a Captain and the commander of this company. If you show any disrespect, you will be shot immediately."
"Yes…"
Sedol was told to stay inside the cage and was crying loudly.
It pains my heart, but I'm relieved that he's not involved in my interrogation.
At worst, I would be shot.
"Come inside. If you make any unnecessary gestures, I will shoot you, so be careful."
"Understood"
I was led by the soldiers to a large tent.
Apparently, Sylph is inside there.
…Her eyes were like ice earlier. I couldn't read much emotion from them, but she's probably quite a terrifying person.
I must be careful not to provoke her as much as possible.
"Excuse me, Captain Sylph. I have brought the Aust girl"
"Uwaa! Wait, don't come in now, idiot!"
"Huh?"
The soldier who led me in raised the tent flap with a serious expression, and…
"Oh, you're safe too."
"Hurry up and let go of me, you muscle-brained idiot!"
For some reason, Mr. Gorski was playing with Sylph by letting her ride on his shoulders.
"Hah, hah… Listen Gorski, I called you here to make sure the girl is really a villager. Don't mess with me, you idiot!"
"It's an honor to see you after such a long time. You've become quite the beauty, Sylph."
"Shut up!"
The scene was more heartwarming than I imagined, leaving both me and the soldiers dumbfounded.
The two of them apparently knew each other.
"I was on friendly terms with her father, Brustav Nova. I met Sylph when she was a child."
"I see."
"I outrank you now, Gorski! Don't you think you're being disrespectful?"
"I'm just a civilian now. Isn't it unbecoming to bring up ranks?"
"Yeah, yeah, damn it!"
Contrary to my first impression, Sylph had quite an amusing personality.
She was neurotic and quick to anger, yet at the same time, she had a playful side.
"…So? Can you confirm that this girl indeed lived in Othello, Gorski?"
"Of course. We even shared a bond forged through Vanya together."
"Well, you've really adapted to our customs, haven't you!"
Come to think of it, Gorski and I went through Vanya together too.
"From my point of view, I don't think she's a spy. She's been living here for at least a few months now, and I've never once felt anything suspicious."
"I don't know how reliable that is."
"She's not one to lie. If you have any questions, ask her anything."
"I'll ask even without your suggestion."
Sylph kicked Gorski in the shin and plopped down at the round table.
She then poured some liquid into a cup.
Judging by the smell… it must be Vok.
"Hey, Aust. Take a seat at the table."
"…Understood."
"The child thrown in the cage with you shared his food with you, right? Looks like he's taken quite a liking to you."
Sylph stared at me as if assessing me after downing a cup of Vok in one gulp.
"You should be grateful for your usual behavior. Children are sensitive to malice, so you must have earned a certain amount of trust."
"Thank you…"
She smiled wryly.
I see. So they gave Sedol all that extra food to test my character.
"Well then. You said you were a medic on the Northern Front and threw yourself into the river during our attack."
"That's correct."
"Then you should know about the strategist from Austin named Verdi. Tell me everything you know about him."
"About Verdi?"
"Yes."
She asked.
"He is my sworn enemy."
***
Here, I was told about the general strategies that Sylph had executed up until this point.
She participated in various battles as a staff officer and a commander during the East-West War.
"I launched a surprise attack on the rear position commanded by Verdi during the Battle of the North."
"…!"
My blood boiled when I heard that Sylph was the commander behind the ambush on us.
The woman in front of me is the one who killed Rodri.
At the same time, I broke into a cold sweat when I looked at her forehead and remembered the enemy commander I had shot.
There's a clear scar on her forehead. She'll definitely kill me if she finds out that it was me who shot her.
Thanks to that, I managed to keep my cool instead of being consumed by anger.
"I want to know the secret behind Verdi's magic. How did he manage to escape us?"
"Hmm…"
Apparently, after the Battle of the North, Verdi became known as a magician, a man of the moment.
This was because someone heavily promoted his night maneuvers around Noel Village and the retreat during of the Battle of the North as "Verdi's magic."
With the two great strategists of Bern and Verdi, Austin achieved a miraculous comeback victory against the Sabbath, and is said that they are still on equal terms with Flamel.
"Actually, I served in the same platoon as Verdi when I was a recruit."
"Really?! Tell me more about him. What kind of man is he?"
"Um, well, he's a kind person."
Verdi was known as a genius who stood shoulder to shoulder with Bern, his name echoing even in the Sabbath.
So Sylph also knew that her tactics had been foiled because of Verdi.
"He's kind, but he had a slightly absent-minded air about him on the front lines. Though, He was an extremely capable commander."
"I see, the typical strategist type. There are too many things on his mind. He must be the type who can't react quickly on the front lines."
"Oh, I see."
So it wasn't that Verdi was absent-minded on the front lines; he just had too many things to think about.
Come to think of it, I'd heard his intelligence was top-notch even in the military academy.
"That man is Austin's greatest talent. Do you know of any weaknesses he has?"
"In my opinion, Bern Valou is a much more dangerous man. I sensed a chilling evil in him when we met."
"Oh? Isn't Bern the man who commanded the Battle of the North? He's nothing special. Just a small fry."
"Eh?"
In my mind, Verdi is an incredibly talented person, but he is no match for the "monster" Bern Valou.
However, the impression on the Sabbatian side is different.
"My father rejected my strategy, which led to our defeat. If I had full authority, the Sabbath would have won since we were superior in terms of military strength."
"…"
"Honestly, Bern's tactics were transparent. I advised my father several times before we fell into his trap… You know how that ended…"
It seems that Sylph Nova holds Verdi in higher regard.
"If I was born in Austin and asked to imitate Bern, I probably could."
"That's…"
"But imitating Verdi is impossible. What kind of courage does it take to find such a narrow escape route? The real 'monster' is Verdi, not Bern."
Well, it's certainly true that Verdi's precise instructions in the heat of battle were indeed impressive.
…But that retreat was more of a last-ditch effort, a lucky break.
"Yes, tell me about his tactical orders. What reason did he have to charge at my position with only several hundred men during the Battle of the North? What other orders did he give?"
"Um…"
Well, since it's not that big of a deal, let's confess.
I think even Sylph would be shocked to hear the truth, as it was a desperate and foolhardy plan.
"Actually… That was my suggestion."
"…Huh?"
Hearing my response, Sylph uttered in a stunned voice.