"So, you're the real commander after all?"
"'After all'? Yelena really is the leader of the Yeti Squadron, you know."
Talulah stared at the man who had seemed suspicious from the start. Not only did he act with such familiarity toward the leader of the Yeti Squadron, but he also treated the disciplined soldiers of that unit as if they were children who knew nothing of the world.
She could sense it. This man before her might be an unexpectedly significant figure.
"Sheathe your sword. I'm unarmed, and you're so intimidating I can't even get close enough to offer that handshake you mentioned."
...He even had a surprisingly sly side to him. This was the man who had made the white Cautus girl—someone skilled enough to toy with Ursus overseers—back down.
Nevertheless, Talulah quietly returned her two-handed sword to its scabbard. Her goal was dialogue, and her opponent carried no visible weapons that could pose a threat. If things went south, she could simply use her Arts.
"How about we start with introductions? I'm Earth, from the Guerrilla Staff Department."
She had hit the jackpot. Talulah suppressed the urge to shout for joy. She had long wanted to make contact with the Guerrilla to protect the Infected.
However, they were a reclusive group that only communicated with the Infected of the northern tundra, making them difficult to even find—yet here they were.
"It is an honor to meet a member of the Guerrilla, the self-proclaimed shield of the Infected."
"Talulah. You've been attempting to provide relief and rally the Infected in the southern tundra, haven't you? The honor is mine."
Talulah felt a sudden chill and rubbed her arm. His black eyes, peeking out from beneath his robe, resembled those of Duke Kashchey—eyes that seemed to pierce through a person's very essence.
"How did you know?"
"I'd like to say it's a trade secret... but you've been scouring the northern tundra so thoroughly that it's impossible not to know. We maintain communication channels with most of the Infected villages in the tundra."
The Cautus girl beside him shouted at him, her eyes wide as if this was the first she’d heard of it.
"Wait, so you knew from the beginning?"
"That she was an ally? She's someone rescuing the Infected, so she's certainly not an enemy. Though it's too early to judge her as a true ally."
"You could have at least said something!"
"Did I know we'd actually run into her? Besides, you're the one who tried to charge in first!"
Watching them bicker, Talulah felt her guard lower slightly. The chilling look in his eyes from a moment ago had vanished.
"It's good that I don't need to explain myself. I've come to make a proposal to the Guerrilla."
At Talulah's words, Earth stopped bickering with Yelena and looked toward her.
"I'm listening."
"I've come to ask for your help. At the same time, I've come to offer help. For the future of the Infected."
Hearing her words, Earth let out a small smirk.
"'For the future of the Infected'... quite a grand reason to exchange favors. Are you trying to hold the fact that you just helped the Yeti Squadron over our heads? I'll cut down any foolish requests myself, so speak up. If it's rational, I'll consider it."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't abuse your authority. My request is simple, and it's something that would benefit you as well. I want to link up with the Infected on our side. Wouldn't it be better for the Infected to live and help one another? You must be short on manpower as it is, so let's unite."
Earth remained silent for a while after Talulah spoke, appearing lost in thought.
"...It's true that for an army, the Guerrilla is absurdly short on manpower."
"Right?"
Talulah felt a secret sense of relief. Her assumption had been correct: while individual Infected might be strong, a military force requiring the operation of multiple units would inevitably suffer from a labor shortage.
"Then, will you review the proposal favorably?"
"There's nothing to review."
Earth nodded slowly.
"The answer is no."
However, what came out of his mouth was a flat refusal.
"...Why?"
"This tundra is a place where it's incredibly difficult for people to survive. Farming is impossible, so finding food is like catching a star in the sky. In this situation, increasing the number of mouths to feed is an idea only an idealist would entertain."
That was sophistry. It was a problem that could be overcome. Talulah opened her mouth to argue.
"That's not an issue! It's only cold and barren here because it's the northern tundra. If we move just a bit further south, we can manage basic farming! Don't worry about the food problem. We're fellow Infected; we can share even a single bean!"
"Hmph. You're delusional. Don't assume we're struggling with food. The Guerrilla succeeded in establishing a self-sufficient environment months ago. Even if it's full of nothing but fishy, tiresome slug dishes every day."
"Then why! The Guerrilla is the shield that protects the Infected. The people I lead aren't just warriors. There are helpless Infected among them too. They need your strength."
"We certainly do our best to save the Infected, but even within our ranks, priorities differ. If it were Yelena here, or our Leader, saving the Infected would be the absolute priority. But I am different. Since I am a non-Infected, my own people in the Guerrilla come before some nameless Infected strangers."
Every logic she presented was blocked. His reasoning wasn't necessarily right or morally correct, and she could have countered it if she tried.
However, he was closing off any room for persuasion with logic that was diametrically opposed to her own. He didn't want a dialogue; he seemed to want a stalemate. Talulah bit her lip at the ideological clash that felt like two parallel lines that would never meet.
"Ha...! This is unbelievable. Where did the spirit of the Guerrilla, standing as the shield of the Infected, go? As a member of the Guerrilla, shouldn't you be ashamed?"
"As I said before, I have no shame. I am doing my best to prevent the Guerrilla from facing a worst-case scenario. Provoking me like that won't yield any results."
The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile. The members of the Yeti Squadron and Yelena looked on, flustered by the intense battle of wills.
"You call me an idealist? What about you? You're nothing more than a pessimist who does nothing, using 'reality' as an excuse."
"Personal attacks all of a sudden? How harsh. I wonder if you'll still be able to speak so boldly when you eventually trip and surrender to that reality."
The more they talked, the more Talulah realized it. This man, with a personality so opposite to hers, was her natural enemy. Their ways of thinking were just too different.
"Fine. I have nothing more to say to you. You're just a single member of the Guerrilla anyway. I'll speak with the Leader. Take me to him."
"The nerve. Do you really think anyone is just going to lead you there?"
"Both of you, stop!"
It was Yelena who jumped into the argument. Stepping between Talulah and Earth, she scolded Earth first.
"What are you talking about? Putting the Guerrilla before the Infected?"
"...I was only stating facts."
"Don't disparage yourself like that! As a member of the Guerrilla, you've been at the forefront of rescuing the Infected more than anyone else."
"No, I mean... what I'm saying is that while the Infected are important, the existence of the Guerrilla is far more important."
"You can't say things like that when you think about the spirit of the Guerrilla! Are you trying to bring shame to my father's name?"
Watching the woman shouting and the man flustered, Talulah felt it was bizarre. To her understanding, the arguments she had just made and what the girl named Yelena was saying were essentially the same, differing only in the fine details.
If he had intended to be stubborn, an endless argument would have ensued, just as she had experienced.
But he didn't do that. For some reason, he couldn't fight back and was simply at a loss before the white-haired Cautus girl.
"It's decided. I'm taking her to see my father."
"Yelena! Be reasonable! We don't even know for sure if she's an ally!"
"She's not an enemy. Besides, her mindset is clearly for the sake of the Infected. If she causes any trouble, I'll take full responsibility."
"You...! You shouldn't throw around words like 'responsibility' so lightly! Do you even know what that means?"
"Of course I do. Look who I learned it from."
The man called Earth took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm his anger.
"...Fine, do what you want. And you, Talulah? You'd better not try anything foolish. You won't be welcome anyway."
Talulah, who had been watching the fight end so abruptly only to be called out and criticized, didn't back down.
"We'll see. The Leader of the Guerrilla will judge who is right. I'll prove that this isn't a place for a mere soldier like you to interfere!"
"Quiet! Both of you, shut up! Earth, stop picking fights! And Talulah! You're going to be a guest of the Guerrilla by my authority, so keep your dignity!"
...Talulah felt she finally understood why that man was so helpless against this girl.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register