It's been a month since we began our campaign of conquest in the mountains.
We've annexed almost the entire region.

All that remains is a certain settlement on the border of the Empire.
The chief of the village and Lieutenant General Ganash, the commander of the three armies, are in the middle of a discussion.

'If we surrender to the Kingdom, we will die if the Empire attacks us.
'We'll station our forces here to protect you from the Empire. Of course, we'll need your people to help us. The kingdom will hire you as soldiers. You can buy food with your wages. Not a bad deal, right?　I'll advise His Majesty to treat you not so badly.

'Do you trust him?

'You'll have to trust me, but think about it. Even if this village refuses, the others have already fallen, right?　We'll just set up base there. It doesn't matter to us if it's this village or another.'

'And if I refuse?

'Three of us will leave, but the Eighth, or as you know it, the Black Cloaks?　That's all that's coming.'

'That brutal unit!

'That captain is merciless, you know?　I'm sure you've heard the stories.
Lieutenant General Ganash grinned, the depths of his blue eyes glowing.
'I heard that they're going to cut off the head of the chief and expose it to the public, forcing him to surrender. .... And if they don't surrender, they'll show no mercy in battle.

'I don't know about that. But if you surrender, you'll live.

'Do you really think I'll be so easily defeated?

'Perhaps by the time you realize it, your head will have left your body!　Now, choose!

'You're a fool!　I refuse!　Go home!

'Well, I'm afraid I'll have to leave. See you later!　Oh, we won't see each other again, will we? Then we'll meet again in the afterlife!

〜〜〜〜〜〜

The chief looks on in disgust as the three armies leave the village and calls out to the men of the village,
'War!　Get your weapons ready!
Get your weapons ready!

But..,
Before the men could reply, blood spurted from their throats and they collapsed.

'Yes, it's over. They were already there, weren't they? So, what about those men?　Die now?　Or surrender?'

The men, unable to comprehend the situation, were stunned speechless.

'I'll ask you again. Die now or surrender?　Or do you want to surrender?　Answer me now!'

Patrick's voice,
'Oh, I surrender!　I don't want to die!
'Oh, me neither!
'I'm going to go tell the others to surrender!　I don't know who you are, but wait a minute!　I'm gonna go talk some sense into them!　Please don't kill me again!

'Fine. You'll know if I run, won't you?
'Yes, of course.

Watching the man's back as he ran,
'It looks like I'm finally going home.

Patrick muttered to himself.