Chapter 9
The soldier barely managed to answer, almost collapsing. Étienne scoffed. No matter how relatively low-ranking he was, it was absurd for a member of the Holy Corps to stutter in response to his superior’s words. It was laughable.
“I’ll ask again. ‘It seems like there wasn’t any’?”
“I-I’m sorry! I will correct myself!”
Only then did the soldier realize that the commander was displeased.
“Enough. Don’t waste time with pointless chatter; go back to the scene and confirm things properly. If you return with nothing but vague answers, you won’t be able to escape responsibility for your incompetence.”
No matter where he went, Étienne’s bright features did little to conceal his irritation. With his brows tightly furrowed, he gave his harsh orders and soon set off to assess the situation himself.
***
The investigation concluded earlier than expected.
It seemed that the captives had hidden explosives in their bodies. In fact, calling them explosives might not be entirely accurate. Just the night before, following Mia Blanchard’s advice, they had searched the bodies again, hadn’t they? So where had these items suddenly come from?
Moreover, while it was evident from the chaos around the captives’ barracks that something had exploded there, upon inspecting the wreckage, not a single component commonly used in explosives could be found. It was as if some unknown curse had been placed upon them.
The speculation that the incident was not a supernatural occurrence like a curse was based solely on one person’s claim, making it difficult to fully trust.
Additionally, the timing of the self-detonation raised more questions.
It had been quite some time since the battle had ended, and there had been no significant interrogations since the last failed attempt. To be precise, it was closer to saying that due to the commotion caused by Léonard, there had been little resource to dedicate to the captives’ interrogation, but the fact remained that they had been treated almost carelessly.
With so few people around the barracks, the explanation that they had waited for the right moment to inflict significant damage seemed implausible.
So why had they chosen this moment to decide to self-immolate and escape?
The mysterious individuals who left without a trace did not provide even a single answer to the numerous questions that arose.
Countless unsolvable mysteries filled Étienne’s mind.
“C-commander.”
Before he realized it, the medical officer Bertrand, who had finished treating the patients, interrupted Étienne’s thoughts. The sudden call caused the commander’s expression to darken slightly.
“It seems there’s something urgent?”
The question, spoken with a perfectly smooth and polished face, seemed to carry the underlying message that ‘if it’s not urgent, you will regret it.’
Fortunately, Bertrand, who was quicker on the uptake than average, hurriedly finished his words and left. Essentially, he conveyed that the treatment of the patients had been completed safely and that he would compile the details in a document for review when the commander was less busy.
“Before you go back, double-check to see if there are any injured near the storeroom.”
Bertrand nodded in response.
Honestly, the inefficiency of this work was frustrating. Étienne clicked his tongue while watching the retreating back of his subordinate.
Everywhere he stepped, there were remnants of collapsed barracks and scattered belongings. They were damaged to the point that they could hardly be called supplies anymore, with traces of exploded food lying scattered on the ground.
Seeing that sight, it was remarkable that the blast hadn’t affected a larger area.
‘If this is all the food that remains, it would be problematic to stay here any longer.’
Étienne raised his gaze. As he tore his eyes away from the nearby ruins, he noticed a barrack he hadn’t paid attention to before, hidden between the fallen wooden pillars.
Étienne paused.
‘Did I check that barrack too?’
Since he had no recollection of going near it, he likely hadn’t. Though one side of the barrack seemed completely collapsed, it appeared that the items inside hadn’t been damaged, which probably allowed it to escape being a primary target for investigation.
Given that this area was filled with barracks used as storerooms, it seemed that even the half-standing tent had narrowly avoided major trouble. So it shouldn’t have been anything serious, and he could still send his subordinates to investigate.
The only reason Étienne didn’t do so was that he felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
No matter how high his rank as the commander of the Holy Corps, Etienne Rochefort did not memorize the locations and roles of every barrack in the temporary encampment. He had far more important tasks piled up like a mountain.
However, if that barrack felt familiar, it must have served a role beyond that of an ordinary storage facility…
…Could it be?
As he pondered for a moment, a name suddenly flashed through Etienne’s mind.
His face drained of color in an instant, he ignored the panicked calls from his subordinates and sprinted toward the barrack in question.
***
Boom!
It was the sound announcing the start of the incident. It could be heard from the Strategy officer’s barrack, which was treated like trash, but it was a sound that wouldn’t reach the heart of the encampment. What the perpetrators had done to make such an event possible was something even Mia did not yet understand. Regardless of the principle behind it, seeing the explosion occurring within the timeframe Mia remembered suggested that the warning from the previous night had been utterly ineffective.
Etienne would not have casually confirmed that something potentially threatening to the camp’s safety had passed by; it was likely he hadn’t discovered anything suspicious despite searching the prisoners’ bodies.
After all, even Mia, who had experienced all of this once, had no understanding of the “explosive” device’s mechanism or nature, so it might have been overly optimistic to expect them to find it.
Still, she had not thought of directly meeting the prisoners at that time, so she wondered if the results would differ had she taken the time to search.
Ultimately, now that things had come to this, it was clear that finding the “explosive” would prove to be trickier than expected.
Putting aside the fact that the cause of the incident had not been eliminated, Mia’s situation was not favorable. Originally, she planned to explain away her warning as having sensed something suspicious during the interrogation had something been found in the body search. If they had not carried any suspicious items, and yet she had foreseen the explosion…
It was obvious that she would be suspected because of that warning.
“Tch, I shouldn’t have meddled unnecessarily…”
She needed to think of an excuse before anyone showed up. She had to prevent any suspicion of collusion with the enemy at all costs.
Mia pressed her temples, a habit she instinctively turned to whenever her mind became troubled.
As her mind swirled with inadequate explanations, the entrance of the wall that had not yet collapsed fluttered, swinging open to the sides. The figure standing beyond was not at all surprising.
“Sir Rochefort.”
There was no trace of composure in his expression, and his dust-covered face was beaded with sweat. His sunken eyes darted around the inside of the barrack, as if searching for something.
Mia observed him for a moment before opening her mouth. Coincidentally, it was the moment Etienne’s gaze finally met hers.
“I knew you’d come…”
Before Mia could finish her sentence, Etienne rushed toward her. It happened in an instant, making it difficult to process what was happening, let alone to defend or counter.
Etienne grasped Mia’s cheeks and meticulously checked her face and body for any injuries. Only after confirming she was unharmed did he seem to relax a bit, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Almost immediately, the tension in his upper body collapsed against her sturdy chest.
Mia stared blankly at the space before her, unable to comprehend the situation. A scent that felt strangely cozy tickled her nose.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
—
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