The city was plunged into chaos.
Still unsure, the citizens who remained in their homes held their breath and listened intently to the radio broadcast announcing the Emperor's death. Finally, a man's voice with a Belford accent emerged. It was an officer from the Allied Forces who had taken over the radio frequency.
Our negotiating coalition forces will drop a new type of bomb on the center of Effenberg, the capital of the Frogen Empire, at midnight today. The results of testing its power over an uninhabited island...
The officer spoke of the new bomb's terrifying power, including its lethality, explosive power, and expected damage range.
Citizens suffering under the deception of the state, the day will come when totalitarianism and imperialism, which ignore the lives of citizens, will end. The great Frogen Empire you believe in will be defeated. The Negotiation Coalition promises to do its utmost to rescue the innocent citizens of Frogen.
Then came instructions to come to a designated rescue location. The instructions were repeated over and over again, as if recorded. The citizens were confused. A commoner woman clutched her child and harassed her father-in-law.
"Father, we have to go too. Grady, hurry and pack your bags."
"Stop talking nonsense! Where are the foolish citizens who listen to the enemy? The Emperor is dead now. Who knows if you go there and they'll shoot you as a traitor? Just stay still and don't do anything stupid."
The woman yelled back at her father-in-law, who was yelling at her.
"Then, Father, you'll die here alone! The reality before your eyes is just wrong. What future can there be in a country where everything is taken away by war and children starve to death?"
The upper class was equally confused, as the son of a Baron said.
“Father, and brother. I think it’s right for me to go.”
"You believe the Allied broadcasts at face value? That's why you're being called foolish. The great Frogen Empire can't possibly collapse. Its military power is unparalleled. We've been holding out for that day alone."
"Brother, it is also God's will that humans judge human sins. Frogen has committed too many sins. Even powerful nations fall. Look back at the history of the collapse of the Western and Eastern Empires."
"Shut up! The moment you leave, you'll be excommunicated from the clan! I can't stand to see the clan ruined because of you. The Frogen Empire won't give up."
“Father, brother...”
Those who leave and those who stay. Those who stubbornly hold on, masquerading as patriotism but with a shred of melancholy, or those who, unable to bear it, abandon their country and leave. Faced with a dilemma, the answer is a mystery to no one.
The streets were filled with people packing up their belongings and hurrying away, while others threw stones and spat at them. A woman was filming the scene.
She wore her hair up in a bun and a bell-shaped cloche hat, obscuring the color of her hair. A soldier approached her and said.
“Reporter Harrison, we have to go now.”
“Understood. I’ll follow you shortly after checking to see if any children are missing.”
Esmeralda, a war correspondent, had come to document the fate of Frogen and rescue her beloved Noah Rotsilt. After discovering that Diana was the true Princess, Esmeralda apologized to her and tried to mend their relationship, but then received an unexpected request from Noah. He asked her to remain hostile to him, but to secretly assist him in the future.
At the same time, the Queen summoned Esmeralda. She demanded that she, as the heir to a sinful family, secretly follow her orders. She was ordered to follow Countess Ruben, act as a war correspondent, and keep an eye on Noah. While her role was ostensibly to be a watchdog, she also had the added order to assist in his desertion so he could escape in case of emergency. Noah had anticipated that Esmeralda would receive separate instructions from the Queen and had requested this in advance.
Esmeralda acted as a messenger, closely investigating Diana's activities and relaying updates to Noah. By tracing the investment funds, she helped the Marchioness of Wales stumble upon Diana's trap and bring about her downfall. She also played a part in Frogen's scheme to pawn military weapons to foreign capitalists. This current situation could be seen as a collaboration between Diana and Noah.
The one who runs away and the one who destroys. Despite being separated by great distances, unable to even communicate properly, and with stark differences in their tendencies and opinions, they managed to reach a reasonable compromise.
Esmeralda remembers Diana's pale face when she, with a hint of realism, pressed her, asking if she intended to kill Noah too. Her eyes, though calm, were utterly bewildered by the pain. As a war correspondent, she had witnessed the suffering of vulnerable people and those who suffered from the misjudgments of their leaders, and had deeply realized something.
Even if Diana was truly an illegitimate child born of an affair, it wasn't her fault. Blinded by moral prejudice and prejudice, she hadn't tried to truly understand her. It was her own foolishness and wrongdoing. Would Diana forgive her if she later told her the truth and apologized for her mistakes? Esmeralda, standing in confusion, adjusted her glasses and smiled hollowly.
"Will they give me a job as a company secretary later? It's really hard to become a head of household."
A man's voice came from the communicator tucked into her coat. It had a Belford accent, like an officer on a radio broadcast.
- Reporter Harrison, I found it. I'll be back soon.
“Please be careful, Lieutenant Groenendaal.”
"According to the will of the Princess, who holds full command authority, we will rescue the Frogen citizens together with the Allied Forces. We require Commander Rockefeller's assistance in leading and protecting the citizens."
The voice of the Esat woman, extending her hand as if to shake, was imbued with an inexplicable power. An elderly Frogen man stood before her. Two people, one dead and the other murdered, faced each other.
The commander's face was tinged with regret and self-reproach for the past years. He had always assumed the Esatians would one day come to judge or retaliate against them, but he never imagined they would reach out first like this. Of course, he didn't feel forgiven.
This was causing more pain than killing or beating someone in the name of revenge.
He recalled his days as a young soldier, the people chasing military vehicles filled with Esat children. They each called out different names. Their cries, filled with grief and sorrow, called for their children who would never return. The innocent smiles of the children who, without question, held his hand, asking if he was taking them to school in a military vehicle. All of this left a lingering guilt, a pain that haunted him for the rest of his life. If only those children had grown up safely. His eyes flickered as he looked at Johanna. The commander, removing his officer's cap and placing it against his throbbing chest, bowed his head to her.
"I'm sorry."
Johanna looked up at him without saying a word.
Her eyes were as blue as the ocean, devoid of any trace of anger or vengeance. They were like children chattering about how cool the soldier's uniform was.
"I'm truly sorry. I killed your family, your neighbors. I will atone for this for the rest of my life."
Johanna, who had been looking at him with a blank expression while he apologized without even raising his head, said.
“Commander, at least you are repenting of your mistakes and trying to correct them.”
The commander slowly raised his head and met her gaze. Her eyes softened even more.
In the end, he never heard a word of forgiveness. He never intended to be forgiven in the first place. Later, even after a long time, he knew it wouldn't be forgiven. The excuse that he had no choice but to follow the government's orders because of the unfair consequences was nothing more than a lame rationalization and an excuse.
Tears of guilt fell and flowed down the commander's well-polished boots.
“It looks like we’re almost there!”
A soldier running from afar shouted. Johanna smiled brightly and took the commander's hand.
“Please don’t forget us until the very end. We who lived, and we who have passed away.”
Every military vehicle in Frogen was mobilized to rescue the citizens of the capital who had abandoned their country. Planes, ships, vehicles, and trains carrying civilians began to swarm out of the capital.
Mastiff that had remained in the banquet hall sat down and raised a glass of champagne to the people who were left behind.
“Let’s continue the banquet.”
The orchestra, missing a few players, resumed its performance immediately at Mastiff's beckoning. The politicians spoke loudly, trying to lighten the sullen atmosphere.
"You secretly wanted to replace the old and worn-out leader, didn't you? No matter how many parts you replace, an old car can never catch up to a new one. In terms of function or appearance, that is."
"That's right. I'm once again reminded of the truth that only the strong survive. For the time being, the military will protect this country. Isn't Frogen's military technology the best in the world?"
They say humans are creatures of their environment. Inside the lavishly decorated banquet hall, not the chaos outside, people believed that this pretentious environment before their eyes was the entire world. Like fish oblivious to their own narrow fishbowl, they were convinced that as long as they were in this environment, they would enjoy this privilege for the rest of their lives.
"Major, I'll leave this matter entirely to you. I trust you'll handle it well. Of course, I'll make sure you don't feel disappointed. We're blood relatives, aren't we?"
The royal family member, resting his hand on Mastiff's shoulder, smiled ceremoniously. It was also a secret request to be proclaimed Emperor in the future.
"Play some exciting music. The banquet will continue, just like the long history of Frogen."
At the minister's direction, the musicians' hands became busy. Bright, cheerful music filled the hall.
People in luxurious attire danced in a spacious hall, ate well-prepared food, and drank expensive alcohol.
Mastiff sat upright in a military posture.
The empty glass, emptied to the brim, was quickly refilled with more champagne. The older, suit-clad minister who filled his glass smiled at him with a hint of ambition.
Politicians, bureaucrats, and nobles gathered around him. They were like flamboyant moths swarming around a streetlight. It was a superficial loyalty to someone who had suddenly ascended to military power. They asked Mastiff what he planned to do next. Since he had no plan, he had nothing to say. Some even offered subtle seductions, but he had long since abandoned his dissolute lifestyle, so he ignored them.
“Major, would you be able to attend the banquet the day after tomorrow?”
He was so distracted by the constant chatter in his ear that he was out of his mind.
The scowling Mastiff lifted his sharp jaw and nodded.
“Everyone, get out. I’m losing my mind.”
At the command to "get out," they quickly dispersed and began to gather around the royal family. Was this what I had hoped for? He asked himself, chuckling.
“I don’t feel good.”
He leaned back in his chair, thinking of Noah and Ayla. And his own faceless child, born a boy. He gazed at the newly commissioned officer and the woman dancing beneath the dazzling chandelier, then rolled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. He looked like he was waiting for someone.
In the past, he lived without knowing the purpose of life, believing death was a no-brainer. As a boy, Noah spoke of death and promised to kill him.
In truth, it wasn't about knowing about death, but about the reason for living and the meaning of existence. Why do we all struggle to survive? For him, who grew up hearing nothing but that he was useless and should die, it was a distant and distant realm of ignorance.
It's been a while since he realized it was his desire to be meaningful to someone. He longed for someone to mourn his death and remember him. In any case, Noah kept his promise to teach him what a meaningful death is. Instead of Noah Rotsilt blowing himself up here, he's the one who will die.
"He's still a very hands-on guy," he grumbled to himself, slowly getting up.
A boy in a school uniform from a long memory said goodbye with a calm smile.
“Goodbye, problem child.”
“Goodbye, Young Master.”
The grandfather clock began to chime, signaling the end of the madmen's banquet. After twelve chimes, the ticking second hand of Mastiff's wristwatch stopped, pointing to the exact hour. A power outage caused the lights in the banquet hall to go out simultaneously, and the music ceased. A strange silence fell, as if time had suddenly stopped.
In the quiet darkness, someone who sensed the end was muttering softly.
“Come, blessed rest.”
There was a flash of light.
The world suddenly brightened, and a dazzling light washed the city out in white, leaving only a blank shadow.
The light that came down from the sky like judgment, began to caress the sinful lives and take them away one by one.
After a moment of silence, a tremendous explosion rang out.
The history of the great powers was long, but their final moments were fleeting and fleeting.
The unprecedented madness of the man known as the Mad Duke in his world.
At exactly 12 o'clock in the morning, a 15-kiloton atomic bomb was dropped on the center of Effenberg, the capital of Frogen.
Still unsure, the citizens who remained in their homes held their breath and listened intently to the radio broadcast announcing the Emperor's death. Finally, a man's voice with a Belford accent emerged. It was an officer from the Allied Forces who had taken over the radio frequency.
Our negotiating coalition forces will drop a new type of bomb on the center of Effenberg, the capital of the Frogen Empire, at midnight today. The results of testing its power over an uninhabited island...
The officer spoke of the new bomb's terrifying power, including its lethality, explosive power, and expected damage range.
Citizens suffering under the deception of the state, the day will come when totalitarianism and imperialism, which ignore the lives of citizens, will end. The great Frogen Empire you believe in will be defeated. The Negotiation Coalition promises to do its utmost to rescue the innocent citizens of Frogen.
Then came instructions to come to a designated rescue location. The instructions were repeated over and over again, as if recorded. The citizens were confused. A commoner woman clutched her child and harassed her father-in-law.
"Father, we have to go too. Grady, hurry and pack your bags."
"Stop talking nonsense! Where are the foolish citizens who listen to the enemy? The Emperor is dead now. Who knows if you go there and they'll shoot you as a traitor? Just stay still and don't do anything stupid."
The woman yelled back at her father-in-law, who was yelling at her.
"Then, Father, you'll die here alone! The reality before your eyes is just wrong. What future can there be in a country where everything is taken away by war and children starve to death?"
The upper class was equally confused, as the son of a Baron said.
“Father, and brother. I think it’s right for me to go.”
"You believe the Allied broadcasts at face value? That's why you're being called foolish. The great Frogen Empire can't possibly collapse. Its military power is unparalleled. We've been holding out for that day alone."
"Brother, it is also God's will that humans judge human sins. Frogen has committed too many sins. Even powerful nations fall. Look back at the history of the collapse of the Western and Eastern Empires."
"Shut up! The moment you leave, you'll be excommunicated from the clan! I can't stand to see the clan ruined because of you. The Frogen Empire won't give up."
“Father, brother...”
Those who leave and those who stay. Those who stubbornly hold on, masquerading as patriotism but with a shred of melancholy, or those who, unable to bear it, abandon their country and leave. Faced with a dilemma, the answer is a mystery to no one.
The streets were filled with people packing up their belongings and hurrying away, while others threw stones and spat at them. A woman was filming the scene.
She wore her hair up in a bun and a bell-shaped cloche hat, obscuring the color of her hair. A soldier approached her and said.
“Reporter Harrison, we have to go now.”
“Understood. I’ll follow you shortly after checking to see if any children are missing.”
Esmeralda, a war correspondent, had come to document the fate of Frogen and rescue her beloved Noah Rotsilt. After discovering that Diana was the true Princess, Esmeralda apologized to her and tried to mend their relationship, but then received an unexpected request from Noah. He asked her to remain hostile to him, but to secretly assist him in the future.
At the same time, the Queen summoned Esmeralda. She demanded that she, as the heir to a sinful family, secretly follow her orders. She was ordered to follow Countess Ruben, act as a war correspondent, and keep an eye on Noah. While her role was ostensibly to be a watchdog, she also had the added order to assist in his desertion so he could escape in case of emergency. Noah had anticipated that Esmeralda would receive separate instructions from the Queen and had requested this in advance.
Esmeralda acted as a messenger, closely investigating Diana's activities and relaying updates to Noah. By tracing the investment funds, she helped the Marchioness of Wales stumble upon Diana's trap and bring about her downfall. She also played a part in Frogen's scheme to pawn military weapons to foreign capitalists. This current situation could be seen as a collaboration between Diana and Noah.
The one who runs away and the one who destroys. Despite being separated by great distances, unable to even communicate properly, and with stark differences in their tendencies and opinions, they managed to reach a reasonable compromise.
Esmeralda remembers Diana's pale face when she, with a hint of realism, pressed her, asking if she intended to kill Noah too. Her eyes, though calm, were utterly bewildered by the pain. As a war correspondent, she had witnessed the suffering of vulnerable people and those who suffered from the misjudgments of their leaders, and had deeply realized something.
Even if Diana was truly an illegitimate child born of an affair, it wasn't her fault. Blinded by moral prejudice and prejudice, she hadn't tried to truly understand her. It was her own foolishness and wrongdoing. Would Diana forgive her if she later told her the truth and apologized for her mistakes? Esmeralda, standing in confusion, adjusted her glasses and smiled hollowly.
"Will they give me a job as a company secretary later? It's really hard to become a head of household."
A man's voice came from the communicator tucked into her coat. It had a Belford accent, like an officer on a radio broadcast.
- Reporter Harrison, I found it. I'll be back soon.
“Please be careful, Lieutenant Groenendaal.”
***
"According to the will of the Princess, who holds full command authority, we will rescue the Frogen citizens together with the Allied Forces. We require Commander Rockefeller's assistance in leading and protecting the citizens."
The voice of the Esat woman, extending her hand as if to shake, was imbued with an inexplicable power. An elderly Frogen man stood before her. Two people, one dead and the other murdered, faced each other.
The commander's face was tinged with regret and self-reproach for the past years. He had always assumed the Esatians would one day come to judge or retaliate against them, but he never imagined they would reach out first like this. Of course, he didn't feel forgiven.
This was causing more pain than killing or beating someone in the name of revenge.
He recalled his days as a young soldier, the people chasing military vehicles filled with Esat children. They each called out different names. Their cries, filled with grief and sorrow, called for their children who would never return. The innocent smiles of the children who, without question, held his hand, asking if he was taking them to school in a military vehicle. All of this left a lingering guilt, a pain that haunted him for the rest of his life. If only those children had grown up safely. His eyes flickered as he looked at Johanna. The commander, removing his officer's cap and placing it against his throbbing chest, bowed his head to her.
"I'm sorry."
Johanna looked up at him without saying a word.
Her eyes were as blue as the ocean, devoid of any trace of anger or vengeance. They were like children chattering about how cool the soldier's uniform was.
"I'm truly sorry. I killed your family, your neighbors. I will atone for this for the rest of my life."
Johanna, who had been looking at him with a blank expression while he apologized without even raising his head, said.
“Commander, at least you are repenting of your mistakes and trying to correct them.”
The commander slowly raised his head and met her gaze. Her eyes softened even more.
In the end, he never heard a word of forgiveness. He never intended to be forgiven in the first place. Later, even after a long time, he knew it wouldn't be forgiven. The excuse that he had no choice but to follow the government's orders because of the unfair consequences was nothing more than a lame rationalization and an excuse.
Tears of guilt fell and flowed down the commander's well-polished boots.
“It looks like we’re almost there!”
A soldier running from afar shouted. Johanna smiled brightly and took the commander's hand.
“Please don’t forget us until the very end. We who lived, and we who have passed away.”
Every military vehicle in Frogen was mobilized to rescue the citizens of the capital who had abandoned their country. Planes, ships, vehicles, and trains carrying civilians began to swarm out of the capital.
***
Mastiff that had remained in the banquet hall sat down and raised a glass of champagne to the people who were left behind.
“Let’s continue the banquet.”
The orchestra, missing a few players, resumed its performance immediately at Mastiff's beckoning. The politicians spoke loudly, trying to lighten the sullen atmosphere.
"You secretly wanted to replace the old and worn-out leader, didn't you? No matter how many parts you replace, an old car can never catch up to a new one. In terms of function or appearance, that is."
"That's right. I'm once again reminded of the truth that only the strong survive. For the time being, the military will protect this country. Isn't Frogen's military technology the best in the world?"
They say humans are creatures of their environment. Inside the lavishly decorated banquet hall, not the chaos outside, people believed that this pretentious environment before their eyes was the entire world. Like fish oblivious to their own narrow fishbowl, they were convinced that as long as they were in this environment, they would enjoy this privilege for the rest of their lives.
"Major, I'll leave this matter entirely to you. I trust you'll handle it well. Of course, I'll make sure you don't feel disappointed. We're blood relatives, aren't we?"
The royal family member, resting his hand on Mastiff's shoulder, smiled ceremoniously. It was also a secret request to be proclaimed Emperor in the future.
"Play some exciting music. The banquet will continue, just like the long history of Frogen."
At the minister's direction, the musicians' hands became busy. Bright, cheerful music filled the hall.
People in luxurious attire danced in a spacious hall, ate well-prepared food, and drank expensive alcohol.
Mastiff sat upright in a military posture.
The empty glass, emptied to the brim, was quickly refilled with more champagne. The older, suit-clad minister who filled his glass smiled at him with a hint of ambition.
Politicians, bureaucrats, and nobles gathered around him. They were like flamboyant moths swarming around a streetlight. It was a superficial loyalty to someone who had suddenly ascended to military power. They asked Mastiff what he planned to do next. Since he had no plan, he had nothing to say. Some even offered subtle seductions, but he had long since abandoned his dissolute lifestyle, so he ignored them.
“Major, would you be able to attend the banquet the day after tomorrow?”
He was so distracted by the constant chatter in his ear that he was out of his mind.
The scowling Mastiff lifted his sharp jaw and nodded.
“Everyone, get out. I’m losing my mind.”
At the command to "get out," they quickly dispersed and began to gather around the royal family. Was this what I had hoped for? He asked himself, chuckling.
“I don’t feel good.”
He leaned back in his chair, thinking of Noah and Ayla. And his own faceless child, born a boy. He gazed at the newly commissioned officer and the woman dancing beneath the dazzling chandelier, then rolled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. He looked like he was waiting for someone.
In the past, he lived without knowing the purpose of life, believing death was a no-brainer. As a boy, Noah spoke of death and promised to kill him.
In truth, it wasn't about knowing about death, but about the reason for living and the meaning of existence. Why do we all struggle to survive? For him, who grew up hearing nothing but that he was useless and should die, it was a distant and distant realm of ignorance.
It's been a while since he realized it was his desire to be meaningful to someone. He longed for someone to mourn his death and remember him. In any case, Noah kept his promise to teach him what a meaningful death is. Instead of Noah Rotsilt blowing himself up here, he's the one who will die.
"He's still a very hands-on guy," he grumbled to himself, slowly getting up.
A boy in a school uniform from a long memory said goodbye with a calm smile.
“Goodbye, problem child.”
“Goodbye, Young Master.”
The grandfather clock began to chime, signaling the end of the madmen's banquet. After twelve chimes, the ticking second hand of Mastiff's wristwatch stopped, pointing to the exact hour. A power outage caused the lights in the banquet hall to go out simultaneously, and the music ceased. A strange silence fell, as if time had suddenly stopped.
In the quiet darkness, someone who sensed the end was muttering softly.
“Come, blessed rest.”
There was a flash of light.
The world suddenly brightened, and a dazzling light washed the city out in white, leaving only a blank shadow.
The light that came down from the sky like judgment, began to caress the sinful lives and take them away one by one.
After a moment of silence, a tremendous explosion rang out.
The history of the great powers was long, but their final moments were fleeting and fleeting.
The unprecedented madness of the man known as the Mad Duke in his world.
At exactly 12 o'clock in the morning, a 15-kiloton atomic bomb was dropped on the center of Effenberg, the capital of Frogen.
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