Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Since assuming office, Balenz has done everything within his power to bridge the gap between the military and the government, to ease the tensions between the National Assembly and the military command. Every night, he prays devoutly, hoping to make it through his term unscathed… at the very least, without any incident happening under his watch.

But the very thing he feared most came crashing down upon him—a sword above his head has fallen, and the powder keg beneath his seat has erupted in a thunderous explosion.

Compared to the panicked Minister of the Army, the expressions of the two other junior officers in the office appeared far more composed.

"General, don't waste your energy." One of the junior officers, seemingly unable to bear the sight of a high-ranking general in such a state of disarray, calmly advised, "Sit down and take a rest."

The other junior officer also chimed in, "You're very safe here."

Though their tone seemed relaxed, both junior officers gripped the wooden handles of their revolver guns tightly, their eyes never wavering from Balenz, not relaxing for even a moment.

William Balenz halted his steps, looked at the two officers, and cautiously asked, "You are…"

"Class 19, Fernando Albert."

"Class 20, Henry Voss."

The two junior officers stiffly raised their hands in a perfectly formal salute.

"Lieutenant Albert, Lieutenant Voss," the brigadier general, whose temples were already streaked with gray, gazed at the two young subordinates with a mix of pity and sorrow, "You both had such promising futures. Why would you involve yourselves in… something like this? You were supposed to defend the Republic. But now, look at yourselves—do you even understand what you're doing?"

The two junior officers exchanged glances. Lieutenant Albert of Class 19 narrowed his eyes. "And you, General? Do you understand what you're doing?"

Balenz hadn't anticipated such a bold retort. Instinctively, he tried to reassert his authority as a general. "Are you questioning me?"

"Yes." Albert stared at the brigadier general and repeated his words deliberately, enunciating each syllable, "Do you understand what you're doing?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The level of corruption festering within the government of the Republic—don't you understand it better than us? The National Assembly—does it truly represent the people? Don't you understand that better than us? How many gluttonous parasites sit in The State Palace, solely looking out for their own desires? Don't you understand that better than us?" Albert questioned bitterly, his teeth clenched with anger:

"And you, what have you done? You submit to them! You flatter them! You sell out the interests of the Army, the people, the Republic—just to keep your position! What gives you the right to ask whether we understand what we're doing? We know exactly what we're doing! We're saving this nation—before it's too late!"

Balenz was momentarily struck speechless by these accusations. Unsure how to respond, he folded his arms, avoided their gaze, and coldly remarked, "Young man, don't presume to judge before you've actually sat in my seat."

Albert let out a cold laugh as well. "

Fine! Let's go through it one by one. Why did the corruption case over the city defense construction project seven years ago go unresolved? The funds meant to fortify city defenses—squeezed from the budgets of municipalities and the Army—whose pockets did they end up in?"

Voss added in a low but pointed tone, "Districts, villages, and towns that draft soldiers annually by drawing lots—it's a system where money keeps you from being drafted, but for those without money, their family members are taken away. Wealthy, powerful scoundrels even turned the conscription lottery into a tool for seizing lands from independent farmers. And all this under the watch of the Ministry of the Army."

"That's a lie! Tampering with the draft lottery is a crime punishable by hanging." Balenz slammed his hand on the desk, his eyes blazing. "Who told you these things?"

"No one needed to tell us." Voss replied steadily, without a trace of flinching, "We saw it all with our own eyes."

William Balenz sank defeated into his chair. "I didn't know about this."

"And we don't blame you, General," Albert replied in a detached tone. "We also know Lionel didn't have good intentions when he put you in this position. Your problem is that you're part of a corrupted, filthy, bloated system—a system we intend to topple."

"You? Who is 'we'?"

"Every Army officer who still has a conscience," Albert declared, his eyes locking firmly onto the brigadier general's. "Every Army officer who still remembers the teachings of the Old Marshal."

"A conscience? Teachings? You're just engaging in mutiny," William Balenz said with a bitter smile. "You're dismantling the sanctity of command. One day, you'll taste the bitter consequences of this yourselves."

"Say whatever you like!" Albert replied without yielding, pausing briefly before saying with cutting resentment, "What's more unbearable than your corruption is your incompetence! Incompetence!

After the Tanilia campaign, how many reserve troops did the Republic mobilize? And what did those reserve troops add to the nation—besides more burdens? You assembled such a massive army and couldn't achieve a single strategic or tactical victory. If that's not incompetence, then what is? Compared to your corruption, your incompetence is an even greater and deeper wound festering on the body of the Republic—a wound that makes the Republic groan and wail every moment. We're here to stop it!"

"And what do you want to do? Do you really want to start an all-out war with Vineta and Paratu?" William Balenz's fury erupted, like a spring compressed to the limit suddenly recoiling. "The best use of weapons is to keep them sheathed! Don't you even understand that!?"

"You're wrong, General," Lieutenant Voss lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with an almost mystic confidence. "Forging the sharpest weapon but choosing not to wield it—that is the greatest incompetence and waste."