Behind the Curtain

Then Hiroshi proposed an alliance to the general.

"I want us to try one last time. If we win, we'll have everything, and if we lose, I was going to die anyway, so it doesn't change anything."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"I'm proposing an alliance to you."

"What will you do lying down like that? And why?"

"I don't know, not even I know that."

The questions and answers between the two went on further, and in the end the general accepted the alliance, even though he didn't have much hope.

However, he asked: "What do you want to do? What's your plan? You know you can't fight against such a great force."

"I know. I don't have a plan yet. I need time. Time is short, so let's do this: now you go out and say that I'm dead. Have a fake certificate made and stuff like that, but get me out of here."

"Why? What's the reason?"

"The job is big, and useless people will only be a burden."

The general understood. He wanted to ask something but didn't, so he left the room in silence with his head down. He was about to go tell perhaps his first lie.

* * *

He positioned himself in front of the door and with a firm voice said: "Guys, I'm sorry but your friend didn't make it. He lost a lot of blood and died from the lack of it before my eyes."

Rania burst out: "BUT HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IF JUST A MOMENT AGO HE WAS ONLY UNCONSCIOUS? AND THE DOCTOR ALSO SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CONTROL!"

"Girl, I understand, but if you want, call the doctor and ask him. He only said that to reassure you. When I came, the doctor revealed the whole truth to me."

Just at that moment the doctor arrived too, and the general said: "Dr. Gisman, is it true that the patient lying in there was on the edge between life and death?"

"General, perhaps you've mistaken the num—" Before the doctor could continue, the general's fixed and intimidating stares stopped his voice.

"Yes, general, you're right. That's exactly how it is. He already had a fragile body, then all that blood... he wouldn't have made it."

"See, gentlemen? I'm sorry this happened."

Rania lost her balance and screamed at the general, grabbing him by the collar: "BUT WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING! DO YOU THINK WE'RE FOOLS! YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THAT YOU'RE LYING!"

"Madam, calm down and let me go."

Hukuro quickly pulled Rania back: "Hey, what are you doing? Don't you see he's a general?"

"HUKURO, DON'T PRETEND! HE'S HIDING SOMETHING FROM US! THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO HIROSHI ALL OF A SUDDEN? YESTERDAY HE WAS FINE! AND TODAY HE TELLS ME HE'S DEAD! NONSENSE! HE'S HIDING SOMETHING FROM US! IN FACT, WHEN HE AND HIROSHI WERE TALKING YESTERDAY, HE SURELY DID SOMETHING THAT FORCED HIROSHI TO PROCEED TO DO THIS!"

"RANIA, CONTROL YOURSELF!" Hukuro shouted, then turned to the general. "I'm sorry she's like this right now. I ask for forgiveness on her behalf."

"No, no, you don't need to do this. I understand how she feels, but we can't do anything. It was destiny.

Moreover, I tell you that now you don't need to return to the village, you can stay here. A suitable master for your ability will be assigned soon."

"Thank you very much, general."

"AT LEAST LET US SEE HIS FACE!" Rania shouted from behind, held back by Duraan.

"I can't. Because of the law, I can't let you see it, and not even the place where he'll be buried. I'm sorry, it's cruel but it's the law."

Saying this, the general stepped forward. All of this was like a weight much heavier than his death, but he had trusted a person he didn't know and hoped everything would go well.

After that, the general ordered the doctors to create this fake certificate and not tell anyone. These were royal orders, and if they said anything, there would be trouble.

The doctors also said nothing because they knew that General Wilhelm was known for his honesty, so they trusted blindly and created this certificate.

So immediately the general created a fake tombstone somewhere, and the game was over.

At night, Hiroshi moved from the hospital to the general's house. The house was well-ordered, fragrant with flowers, beautifully furnished. It was small but relaxing.

The house was located in a quiet place where mostly old people lived, so there was much serenity.

* * *

Hiroshi sat on the armchair in front of the general.

"How are you now?" the general asked.

"Good. There's no pain, the bleeding has stopped. I'll have to eat healthy things and I'll be fine, but this isn't the topic I'm here for."

"So what have you thought?" then the general continued: "I don't know why I'm talking about this with you. I don't know if you'll be able to do something or not either. I don't know anything, really nothing.

You can call me crazy if you want, but I don't want to pretend to think I have hope in you. After GOD, right now I'm trusting you more than myself, because I can't understand anything. I really can't conceive and think why this happened."

"I understand. An honest person with a heart of gold can't understand this filth. Filth can only understand other filth. It's not your fault, stay calm." Hiroshi's dry response.

"I don't know what you mean, but tell me what to do now?"

"Right now I need as much information as possible, so please do me the courtesy of bringing me the monologue of the laws of this kingdom and recent newspapers from about the last 2 months, thank you. Because knowledge is the king."

The general agreed, and within an hour he brought everything. So Hiroshi got to work. In front of him he had an entire night to get as much information as possible.

The general, who understood everything, stepped aside doing his own things and finally went to sleep. Hiroshi was there reading all night seated at the workstation.

The mind was a train and the eyes the railway. Every time the train passed on a new railway, new people sat on the train.

So the whole night passed and the next day arrived.

* * *

The first lights of morning began to enter through the window, and the general also woke up and saw Hiroshi still as he had left him before sleeping.

"So, how is it going? Did you understand something?" the general asked.

"Yes, I've read a bit about how the legislature works here, and I must say the situation is quite critical. First of all, we can't fight with force or head-on in any way. We must act from behind with cunning and deception."

"Hmm, yes, I understand. But what do you intend to do?"

"Well, sit down because we need to have a very long discussion. The plan, if everything goes smoothly, will be how we'll kill the snake indirectly too. But perfection doesn't exist, so I always have a plan B."

The general lowered his head in a sign of agreement and with a hand gesture said to continue and tell the plan.

And so for the following 6-7 hours, Hiroshi spoke non-stop, so much that he had to drink about 5-6 liters of water. And the general was there listening and asking questions.

It was an interview: the host was the general, and the guest was Hiroshi. But this interview was a matter of life and death, not just for them but for all the other people who had become prey to the system.

"So this is the whole plan I've told you. Today has gone by, there are only 2 days left now. You know what you have to do tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I know. It's something I've never done."

Hiroshi's eyes fixed on the general's and his voice cold: "Sentiment, desire, and pleasure die before the objective. If you can't do this, you don't deserve victory."

These were the words, after which Hiroshi went to sleep.

The general remained seated, thinking about the whole discussion they had, and smiled, saying: "You're a genius, a real genius!"