When he clunked the receiver back into place, he gazed up at the ceiling in spite of himself. Things should be fine for now, at least.

…Or maybe I should hope they will? But no, political officers follow orders well enough to make themselves useful.

“What a mess this is.”

I never thought the day would come that I’d rather have an obedient Communist as a subordinate. That’s just terrific. I’ve never even daydreamed of it since my first day in the service.

“…Shit. I get it, but… Why does there have to be such a huge discrepancy?”

Ever since the Great War broke out, so many aerial mages had fallen, yet the imperial units remained their army’s sharpened spear tip?

The enemy mages burned army headquarters while my subordinates are off living in their own worlds. O God, whatever is this trial for?

AROUND THE SAME TIME, EASTERN FRONT, IMPERIAL ARMY FORWARD POSITION (AT THE CROSSING)

Even flawed, what is a victory if not a victory? Especially if it’s a definitive victory that will probably go down in history.

The eastern front is broader than those where we wiped out the Republican Army, but when the enemy carried out an all-or-nothing offensive, we surrounded them in a reversal. That’s virtually a golden formula for crushing the enemy field army.

Having come this far, the Imperial Army has realized its long-cherished desire.

In the strategic realm, this was our second encircle-and-annihilate operation. And what’s more, the victory comes with a huge leap forward compared to the time we did it when our own territory was under attack.

All’s well that ends well. No one is thinking about trivial errors during the last step. In the end, it was such a brilliant breakthrough in the east, which was deadlocked not so long ago.

This is what it’s like to get a supremely sweet sip when you’re dying of thirst in the desert. Or maybe it’s even better than that. A complete victory is a seductive wine that can steep you in feelings of omnipotence.

We won, our enemies lost, and the name of the Reich, crown of the world, has been proclaimed far and wide. At this point, the Federation will have to start thinking about a compromise.

Even Lieutenant Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff is overjoyed, hopeful that the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk¹⁰ is just around the corner.

That’s what a magnificent victory it was.

On the operational level, it must have been definitive.

“Ha-ha-ha! Wonderful! This is wonderful!”

With a smile like she’s gotten exactly what she wanted, Tanya strokes her relaxed cheeks in spite of herself.

When was the last time I smiled from my heart?

After getting thrown into this stupid world by Being X, I’ve been struggling in the Reich with its mess of crazy neighbors, and finally, finally, there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m ready to raise a hearty cheer.

Though we may have let some of the defeated remnants get away, all that faces us is the Federation, having lost its field army. If the Council for Self-Government is encouraged by our military victory and becomes even more pro-Empire, peace and security should be possible after the war.

…It’ll be at least twenty years of peace. Given that much time, they’ll secure a splendid position in society, defect, make a name for themselves, or carry on with a peaceful, secluded life—they’ll have the freedom to choose how to live.

Freedom. Yes, golden freedom.

And so, with the camera First Lieutenant Serebryakov procured from somewhere slung around her neck, Tanya and the other officers of the Salamander Kampfgruppe even have enough time to take a commemorative photo.

“Colonel, would you like to take a photo?!”

“Please do!” Tanya replies to her camera-wielding adjutant, practically shouting, It’s worth commemorating! in her buoyant mood, standing on the bridge they captured and posing.

“What a great job the airborne guys did securing this position unscathed! And I never thought we’d have so much film!”

“It reminds me of Moskva.”

“Moskva, Lieutenant?”

“Yes.” Serebryakov nods with an unaffected smile. “Because we used film we borrowed from the Federation.”

“…Oh, that’s what you mean, right.”

Photographs and video may be different media, but the two occurrences shared the fact that they had played around with equipment acquired on the ground. Just like Sun Tzu said, being able to procure supplies in enemy territory is such an advantage. It’s efficient, cost-effective, and, best of all, doesn’t take a thing out of your own pocket. Tanya is in such a good mood, she asks Serebryakov for something she never would normally.

“Once the photos are developed, bring me a few. I’d like to hang them up.”

It may be quite different from selfies on social media, but it’s always a good idea to have some material to show off. Photographic evidence for discussing one’s career with a worldly air is incredibly important—I was there that day. It’s a practical application of signaling theory, or perhaps an extension of it.

“Of course! Please expect the highest-quality finish!”

“I will, naturally!”

Then she smiles and strikes some poses. Maybe she goes a little overboard, and just as it hits her that other people are watching, too…

“You’re in a really good mood, huh, Colonel?”

“Ha-ha-ha! You bet, Major Weiss. I’ll say this, since it’s you I’m talking to…but I’d be an awful party pooper if I wasn’t happy right now.” When she asks, “Don’t you think?” with a sidelong glance, everyone laughs, proud looks on their faces.

Great coordination, she thinks, though she can’t overlook the stern face on a mid-ranking officer she sees out of the corner of her eye.

…Apparently, he heard me making fun of him loud and clear.

“Hey, Colonel von Degurechaff. Congrats on the victory.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Colonel Calandro!” She salutes ostentatiously as if she only just noticed him.

He salutes so sincerely—he must be good at putting on the right persona for the occasion. “I congratulate you on behalf of your ally Ildoa.”

“Thank you. The airborne guys really pulled it off. No, it must have been the organic coordination among all the troops and our allies.”

“Perhaps,” murmurs Calandro. The esteemed Ildoan guest worked so hard, but…Tanya and the others have pulled off such an outstanding victory that they’re a bit excited. “Please allow me to commend you on the splendid job you did. Only hearing really is…nothing compared to seeing. Whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words had the right idea.”

“Oh?”

“Personnel, teamwork, support—I feel like I’ve gained a peek at a high-level way of combining these elementary factors.”

“I’m honored,” Tanya replies adroitly with a smile. “Thank you so much for your kind words.”

“…You don’t have to stand on ceremony. Those are just my genuine feelings.”

“Well then.”

“Congratulations, Colonel von Degurechaff. Your state has really done it. I’m sure a cease-fire is only a matter of time now… You could say there’s a diplomatic out in sight now, right?”

“If we don’t get tripped up. With all due respect, it’s not within our grasp just yet.”

“But practically, it is, no?”

“The difference between almost grasped and actually in hand is subtle but very real.”

Once upon a time, the Empire let a rat called De Lugo escape. When we realized he was less like a rat and more like a tiger, troops were sent to the southern continent. And now it has become evident that a few divisions down there won’t be enough.

Given that failure, she wants to make sure that this time, their victory is complete. Wishes come true if you don’t give up. The army has the overwhelming advantage necessary to get the Federation to agree to a cease-fire. After achieving that difficult victory, the rest is up to the diplomats.

“Until the cease-fire is agreed upon and peace realized, we’re still at war. And if it’s war, then soldiers must continue fighting to win.”

“Not one to let your guard down, huh? That’s a fine thing.”

Tanya looks back at Calandro. Why would I?

Tanya isn’t such an imbecile that she would neglect learning from her mistakes and let victory slip away twice. Tuition for the teacher called experience is too high. Paying twice for the same lesson isn’t cost-effective at all. Or really, it’s just a waste.

“Security is the greatest enemy, they always say. And isn’t the truth everywhere you look?”

“I see.” Calandro cracks a tired smile. “You have a point. Generally speaking, you’re right. But—may I say something?”

“Of course.”

“You’re young. No, I don’t want you to take that the wrong way. What I really mean is, look at all that you’ve accomplished at your age. It’s praiseworthy. But there are some things you will only realize as you grow older.” He laughs it off as the babbling of an older man.

Tanya considers how best to argue back but realizes none of the options benefits her, so she responds with a polite, vague smile.

Silence is golden. Gold is justice.

“Ultimately, what wins is common sense. Colonel von Degurechaff, no one wants to continue this ridiculous war at this ridiculous scale. If I may say so, the current situation is abnormal.”

“…I have next to no experience in society outside of the army, so all I can say is that we shouldn’t rely on wishful thinking.”

“But with these results, it must be a sure thing. Having suffered a defeat this massive, even the Federation… Ah, but any more than this is just trying to see the future, and it’s not the sort of thing we mid-ranking officers should be discussing anyhow.” Calandro chuckles, as if to say that he’s making too many predictions. “Don’t you believe in the victory of reason, Colonel?”

“I believe in my own reason. But I can’t be sure about other people I hardly know. I expect them to be reasonable, but trusting them is difficult.”

“But raison d’état is different from the personal sort, isn’t it? Besides.” He gets a far-off look in his eyes as he continues, “The members of the Imperial Army General Staff, at least, seem reasonable… Ahhh, errr, I really am saying too much now.”

“Hmm, that’s trouble for me. If a colonel is going to clam up, then won’t a mere lieutenant colonel like me have to be even more silent?”

“You got me there. I’m not usually so talkative. It’d be a lie to say I don’t have an opinion, though. I know I should just be celebrating your achievements… Congratulations—that’s really all I can say.”

To the opportunists, even if the Imperial Army’s definitive win isn’t awful news, it’s hard to call it good. This is probably an embarrassing position to be in for a soldier from Ildoa.

It’s a stupid farce, but Ildoa—even like that—and the Empire are allied nations.

“To be frank, I just didn’t think this would happen.”

“Didn’t think it would happen?” Interesting. Tanya engages. She’s incredibly interested in hearing on what basis Ildoa ended up trying to take advantage of the situation. “Is this a chance for me to discreetly inquire as to how the Ildoan General Staff thinks the war will go?”

“Nein, if you’ll allow me to brush off the question like they do in your country. I don’t doubt our ally’s victory for a minute.”

“Sure,” says Tanya, about to thank him. Calandro is being awfully generous today. In the end, these guys are sensible.

So they weren’t sure if the Empire could pull it off?

Well, that’s a reasonable level of wariness, thinks Tanya. The Imperial Army may be on a rampage against the entire world, but that in no way guarantees a victory on this scale. And it was close, so you can’t even say they made assumptions without thinking and ended up being proven wrong.

“At least officially?”

“Of course officially.”

“Do excuse me. Everything you say is correct, Colonel.”

Sharing an unspoken understanding is a strange bond. Shrugging our shoulders and making liberal use of the space between the lines is actually quite intellectual and not unpleasant.

“What a rude lieutenant colonel you are.”

“Well, I was raised in the field.”

“…I’m not sure what to say to that. Is this the sort of animal a Silver Wings recipient is?”

“Maybe.”

Perhaps it’s the anticipation of being able to participate in civilized activities like this more often once the war is over that’s getting me excited.

Cease-fire, pacification, and then peace. At least I hope that’s what happens.

“Well, I can’t compete with that. I suppose I’ll be going now.”

“As long as you’re here, why not tour the battlefield? I would hate for you to write in your official report that the Lergen Kampfgruppe didn’t show you much of anything.”

Tanya makes the offer out of pure goodwill. Calandro is nominally here to observe, and he’s doing us the favor of going along with the “Lergen Kampfgruppe” fiction.

“As luck would have it, the principal officers of the Salamander Kampfgruppe, beneath the Lergen Kampfgruppe, happen to be free. I could have someone take you around.”

“I appreciate the offer, but that’s all right.”

“Are you sure?”

That much entertaining we can do pretty painlessly…, Tanya was thinking, so she’s caught off guard by this unexpected reply.

This is curious Colonel Calandro we’re talking about. I thought he would be interested.

“Let’s just say I spent the day having a good long chat with Colonel von Lergen. I can write that up with no trouble.”

“So, then?”

“I won’t interrupt your celebration. Have a wonderful time.”

She is about to say, You won’t join us? But she knows you’re not supposed to do things you know someone won’t like to anyone but your enemies. After all, Lieutenant Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff is an individual of common sense.

“Thank you. We will.”

“Please do.”

“Yes, sir.”

Thus, with the mood still buoyant, the Salamander Kampfgruppe with Tanya in the lead raises a triumphant cheer in the direction of the far reaches of Federation territory.

We’ve annihilated multiple corps.

We’ve acquired a path to invade. And more than anything, the military supplies we were able to seize are like a blessed rain upon the Imperial Army logistics org.

“Colonel! One more shot!”

“Sure! I’ll take some of you, too!”

Everyone mingles, beaming.

Struggling to focus and take a picture with a looted camera—errr, a trophy of war—isn’t something you get to do every day. Though she knows how to work one due to having used them on reconnaissance, she never thought she would have the leisure to take landscapes and portraits; the scent of civilization nearly moves her to tears.

It’s just such a beautiful fragrance.

“Hmm? Wait a minute.”

Sniff, sniff. When she wiggles her nose, she detects a good smell. If it’s real…it’s something we haven’t seen on the front lines in quite some time…

“Huh? Where’d that come from?”

“It’s a special ration from the beloved party, Colonel! We stole it from enemy HQ when we attacked.”

The camera, the alcohol, mostly provided by the Federation. Ahhh. Tanya shivers at the delectable horror of barbarian economics even as she enjoys them.

“Lieutenant Serebryakov! Use all our funding! Buy out the alcohol in the area and serve it to the Kampfgruppe!”

“Are you sure, ma’am?”

“Of course! Oh, and one thing before I forget. The airborne guys did a great job, too. I want you to pay our respects.”

“Certainly. I’ll distribute some to them in the spirit of sharing!”

Commies are horrible precisely because you can start to think, even as a joke, that Communism might not be so bad. If the unproductive practice of taking from havers went on forever, the efficiency of distribution in such a looting economy would be fantastic!

“Lieutenant Serebryakov, feel free use some of the classified funds from the Kampfgruppe treasury, too! Find something we can nibble on! I’m sure our fellow troops have plundered more than they can get through even with their numbers.”

Encircling multiple Federation supply bases means we’ve seized a ton of supplies. It’s just a bonus, but it’s one of the reasons the food situation is better on the front lines than the home front.

In any case, wonderful victory, wonderful feast, and the smell of civilization.

Victory is just that great.