Chapter 14:

Pretenders Close to the End

Magic and the Black Cloaks


"...We should really stop burning everything down."

Winter and his squad were currently camped out on a friendly base that was properly borrowed from the enemy as they march onto the capital.

Apparently, throughout the military, his company was getting a reputation for their love of fire, Winter couldn't even combat it as just about every time they've fought someone, they've burned something down. Except for a few assassinations, fire is usually involved with them.

"I think so, we literally got renamed to the 1st Special Magic Flame Company."

Unlike usual, Winter was talking with Selen and her alone, he doesn't know how he got into this situation but getting to know others in his company was always a good thing.

"Who would've thought we'd get in so much trouble for burning down a part of a city. If they burn, they burn." Winter sighed as they were severely reprimanded but also silently thanked for their actions.

Of course, the whole company knew that being reprimanded was nothing more than a front. The General Staff was happy with their efficiency but letting that show to the public was going to be a pain in the ass for everyone.

Every branch of the government had its own interest, the military was more interested in getting this fighting over with sooner than later, so it thanked the best Executioner group it had on hand and moved on. The headache of the other branches was something they could be sorry for when there weren't Breidalians threatening to kick their door down and behead the Pope and Queen.

"We're warped, Major. I don't think most people say things like that. I agree, though."

"I know we're warped. Blame the training. It isn't our fault, how were we supposed to know we weren't supposed to use fire on a large scale, no one told us that."

Selen sighed, "Seriously. We went through all that trouble to not do anything horrible just to be known as the most ruthless Executioner group anyway."

"...I think I prefer the term 'most efficient.' Look at how many campaigns we've been on, we haven't lost a single person or failed a single one!"

Winter kicked his feet up on the crate in front of him while Selen kept her proper lady-like stature.

"But, our next mission, is it really going to be like that?"

"Yeah. We were a little slow on trapping the Breidalians, they've somehow all gotten back to the capital, diminished, but that place is locked up like Fort Sect. The siege will drain us if we're not careful."

Fort Sect was simply a place in the Empire that was pretty impossible to get into for generally anyone. The only people who can easily come and go are the Queen and the Grand General, even then, they're screened extensively to confirm they are the real people and not body doubles.

"There will be no siege. They'll give up as they realize their royalty is no longer safe in their own capital."

"Assassinations of major political figures in times of war are normal, right?" Winter looked to his left at Selen again as she nodded.

"Multiple attempts on the Queen's life have been made, although no one has stepped up to the plate to claim it, we all know who tried."

The silent truth is assassinations were a guaranteed way of ending a war, most of the time and that's exactly what the 1st was preparing to go and do.

"Are you lot ready?"

Someone walked into the area and saw all of the 1st waiting around in civilian clothes.

"Yup General, we're all ready."

His entire company stood and filed out of the room and the base, they were secretly filled into a group of civilians that the Empire had captured and were sent along on their way to the capital of Breidal.

Of course, they had to pack light and were forged citizenship papers to easily get into the country. It was a pretty rough journey but by the end of the day, they were somehow in the city. The entire group split up to all go their separate ways, Winter and Akari were of course together.

By the time they had any type of settlement, it was midnight and it wasn't any better than some sloppy place in the lower levels of the city. Small, but at least it wasn't the slums, not as if they were gonna be here at all.

While looking through their terribly small place and having scanned from the tiny living room from the kitchen to the single bedroom they had for any devices, they decided to rest.

Or rather, check over their stuff as once the search was done, they flopped their bags onto the bed which had an almost frightening creak to it, they opened their stuff and moved the clothes out of the way.

They were filled to the absolute brim just in case they were checked but there were so many people filling in by this point, guards didn't have the time to do a very deep search. Just a quick magic scan and swift physical search before the poor couple was let through, which made their infiltration even easier.

At the bottom of their bags, their cloaks were laying there with knives and slips of paper that could summon their swords. Taking out the equipment, they filled through all the clothes again and pieced together their uniforms. With everything accounted for, they stored it all in the floorboards which were already super bad, and laid on the bed.

"...This almost felt too easy." Akari was on alert about this whole thing. After all, they were in the capital city, if they were caught here, there's nothing but death waiting for them.

"I know but we let such a massive group through in the middle of the night, the guards were simply too tired to try and properly deal with us. I'm surprised we were even set up with temporary homes."

"Yeah, that we have to pay rent for by the end of next week." Akari huffed as even though they were supposed victims who were caught in the war the state was still making them somehow pay for something.

After all, for all they know, these two could just be some lowly farmers, how are they supposed to make money so easily?

"I can only imagine the homelessness rate in a while. I almost don't feel needed."

"Honestly. This place already feels like it's on the brink and we haven't even killed anyone."

"We have the hardest target of all, the King. I wish we weren't so strong that we had to go for targets like this..." Winter sighed at the thought of infiltrating the royal palace and somehow killing the King in a manner that is humane and also in public.

Everyone was split into groups of two and ten targets were selected for all of them to take out. It was made this way as if the King was killed, someone else in power would simply try and take his place, so a lot of influential people were going to die if a surrender wasn't given by Breidal.

Winter was told he'd know the signal for when it was time to act and that signal would also be the perfect cover for them to act.

But their work brains eventually turned off and just realized what type of situation they would have to sleep through tonight...

"Sleep in the living room," Akari asked Winter while not moving her eyes from the ceiling above them.

"Uh, hell no. I'm ninety percent sure that the couch in there is not safe for anything to touch. You want me to die?"

She gave no reply making Winter turn his head to her with a bothered face, "How about you sleep in there? You could burn pretty much anything that dares touches you, right?"

"Yes. That includes you if you try anything funny while we sleep." She flipped onto her side facing away from Winter.

"Eh, I think I prefer Second Lieutenant Eos. Seriously, she looks super soft. Like a human pillow-!" Akari got up from the bed and Winter wasn't sure why "Where are you going...?"

"I was waiting for you to say something snarky but instead you started talking about another girl. I'm disappointed and I don't know why, but, I'm also going to change into nightclothes. Do keep listen for anything while I change in the bathroom... or at least, I think that's a bathroom...?"

She looked through her mess of clothes and found something suitable to wear to sleep in while Winter did the same. Of course, nothing happened while she was gone, Winter was sure they weren't followed at all and Breidal had no idea that they were even in the country.

No one had ever seen their faces and lived, the only thing they could possibly identify them by is their cloaks but the guards hadn't found them when checking. At the moment, they were complete ghosts.

When Akari did get back from changing, Winter blew out the candles they were using for lights and both went ahead and laid in that bed meant for them. Though Akari wasn't having the best of times trying to find a clear mind to sleep, she thought some conversation would help and flipped over.

"Winter...?" Seeing the setting, she thought it would be okay to call the Major by his actual name. She got no response and thought it was probably a mistake to do that, "I mean, Major Flynt...?"

No response again, then it hit her. The bastard just fell asleep super quick, he was out almost as fast as the candles he blew out earlier, she forgot how quick he could get to sleep and wake up when needed.

She sighed mentally and flipped herself over, determined to sleep seeing as she could have a very big day tomorrow.

On the other side of the bed, Winter was staring plain at the wall with wide eyes. He heard her the first time his name was called but didn't respond because he knew his mind would say or do something stupid to have this house up in flames, he wanted to talk as well but knew it was a bad idea.

He let out a physical sigh and muttered, "I should've just turned around..." Before closing his eyes again. Before long, they were both asleep, tomorrow was either going to be an eventful one or a dull one, only time could tell...