The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 4: Dabit Deus His Quoque Finem

by Carlo Zen

You’re acting like a child trying to get her way, he nearly complained, but then it hit him.

  …A child trying to get her way?

  He didn’t think it could be possible, but when he glanced over at the major, her cheeks were puffed out in frustration. She calmly faced Zettour, but the difference in their height meant she was looking up at him.

  It was easy to forget, but Major von Degurechaff was…little.

  And she didn’t have much life experience, so if the military made up the majority of it, and then this inquiry questioned her suitability for her role… Could she be going through a rebellious phase?

  You’ve got to be kidding me. Lergen suddenly felt very confused.

  “Tell me, in detail, what you believe was the military significance of the raid on Moskva.”

  “Yes, sir. It was the optimal way to support the troops on the main lines in the east. I also take pride in it as a step toward exhausting the Federation.”

  It was easy to guess how Degurechaff felt as she confronted Zettour with that restrained response and magnificently expressionless face.

  Actually, her declaration of pride was probably genuine. But that was precisely why Lergen suddenly wanted a painkiller.

  You’re proud of it but simultaneously pouting because you’re being criticized for it?

  That. If the monster leading an aerial mage battalion is a soldier with this mentality, that’s awfully ironic. She has the Silver Wings with Oak. Her achievements virtually require her to be described as a hero.

  But her alias White Silver is perhaps too far from the truth. Rather than the elegant White Silver, she’s a terrible foe corroded by splattered blood and worthy of the name Rusted Silver.

  That notwithstanding, inside she’s a child whining that she doesn’t want to go to the front lines because someone got mad at her?

  “All right. I understand how you feel.”

  “I’m honored.”

  Lergen had no idea what to say anymore, but before his eyes, Zettour seemed to have understood something and abruptly changed the subject.

  Unable to grasp the context, Lergen had no choice but to observe in silence.

  “Now then, about your request for rear service…I’d like to first confirm a few things about your intentions.”

  In reply to Degurechaff’s “Yes, sir,” Zettour nodded like a friendly old man.

  “I’d like to ask if you think an early peace is possible.”

  “It’s out of the question. I believe it’s pointless to even consider.”

  “Huh?” It slipped out before Lergen realized.

  “And why do you think that?”

  “First, this premise: There is no logical reason for the Federation to have started this war with us, as far as we know. Yes?”

  “Go on.”

  Lergen was left by the wayside at a loss, unable to read where the conversation was going, while Degurechaff and Zettour continued the discussion between themselves with their own understanding.

  But even Lergen could grasp what Degurechaff had pointed out about the Federation—he had a hard time understanding why it had opened hostilities, too. If the Federation wanted to hit the Empire, it should have come out swinging earlier. There was no explanation for why, if it had the will to fight, it had stood by until the Empire defeated the Republic.

  It should be noted that both powers took pains to refrain from accidental clashes at the border. That was why, when the first report came in, all the staff officers at the General Staff Office, including Lergen, had shouted, Why?! in confusion.

  “There is no logical reason, General. At least, not that we know of.”

  “Not that we know of?”

  “Yes, General. Regardless of how our research has progressed, there must be some reason we don’t know.”

  Actually, as far as Lergen knew, research hadn’t been progressing. Understandably, dealing with the invasion was being prioritized over figuring out the reason for it. And in the General Staff, a full investigation had been put off because they were short on manpower. Under the urgent circumstances of an enemy closing in, they were forced to choose pouring all their might into repelling them rather than leisurely analyzing their motives.

  “Therefore, we shouldn’t negotiate using the existing paradigm. Until we grasp the paradigm, it’s unclear if it’s even possible to negotiate with that country.”

  “Some think if we get through the first attack, we’ll find a way…”

  “…With all due respect, a cease-fire would mean death to the Federation. Why? Because in a state with a political system like the Federation’s, the government won’t accept that failure.”

  Lergen furrowed his brow at the direction of a conversation he thought was going to be a rabbit trail… At this rate, it was more like a strategy meeting and on an extremely realistic level.

  Degurechaff led them to an obvious answer. With this lack of clarity, it was impossible to negotiate. And more importantly, if they didn’t know the root reason, it was impossible to investigate.

  And Zettour nodded with a “Right,” as if he understood everything.

  “Therefore, negotiating an early cease-fire is a total fantasy. I would guess that even small-scale negotiations on the front lines will be extremely difficult.”

  “Your point about the difficulty makes sense. But don’t you think it’s your Moskva strike that rendered negotiations impossible due to their loss of face?”

  Virtually all their work had been obliterated by that attack.

  Strictly speaking, the move had been a military necessity. You could say that for the defense of the east, it was an indispensable action. But was the price perhaps too high?

  Now that its honor had been kicked, trampled, and minced, the Federation couldn’t back down. And with the Empire’s fighting spirit running so high, the army wouldn’t be able to quit the war so easily. The public was eager for victory and further results.

  Wasn’t the trigger for all that Degurechaff’s action? Surely, at least part of the responsibility lay with her.

  “No, General.”

  Zettour’s question, regardless of the logic of it, was one that Lergen had been somewhat curious about as well, on an emotional level.

  Should it be described as some sort of warning from his instincts, which knew the extent of Degurechaff’s abnormality? Her response is going to be garbage. Strangely, Lergen was able to foresee that much.

  “Hmm… Then tell me, Major, what do you think?”

  For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel like Zettour’s question was like a hand reaching for Pandora’s box. It was an emotion virtually unknown to him. He wanted to ask so badly, and yet his emotions shrieked not to. He thought that he’d been ready to fight for his nation ever since joining the army.

  “General, the Federation sees the world in a different way than we do. It’s a nation with a tendency to be exclusionary and paranoid.”

  “…And?”

  “So the values governing its conduct probably emphasize survival. It’s scared of the Empire. Or scared of being attacked. If you hypothesize that it took the initiative to attack for that reason, the choice begins to make sense.”

  But what’s this? Degurechaff’s giving a calm reply before his eyes?

  Lergen did his best to organize the disordered thoughts in his muddled mind. She is Major Tanya von Degurechaff. She’s a magic officer and has also completed her education as a General Staff officer.

  And she’s a child.

  …Something was very strange. Yet, there she was, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Is this the final form of the nation’s ideal soldier?

  The angle of her analysis was clear. At least, her reputation within the General Staff as something of an expert on the Federation’s unique outlook was already established.

  Or perhaps “as a strategist” was more accurate? She had overwhelmed the General Staff with her new concept of total war and its accompanying logistical concerns. Her strategy t
o bleed out enemy nations via attrition, sacrificing both honor and humanity, was horrifically effective.

  Watching the annihilation of the Republican field army and the subsequent collapse of the Republican military that went along with the bloodletting had rendered him speechless. Her success with decapitation tactics and her performance on the Rhine front proved that she was not only a skilled strategist but an outstanding field officer as well.

  “To go further—emotions. General, the main cause of their actions is fear. Military actions are no exception.”

  This officer who could read the battlefield like no other… This talent bowling over the geniuses of the army with her keen eye for strategy…

  Even if she’s within reach of the truth, what do we do then?

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “General, the existence of the Empire is cause for a fear the Federation can no longer tolerate. If that is the case, the Federation will only lay down its swords when we are destroyed.”

  Zettour smiled wryly. I see. Fear? He was silent for a moment, apparently choosing his words carefully, and then asked a question. “I understand for the most part, but I have a question.”

  “What might that be, sir?”

  “It’s simple. Major, why didn’t the Federation stab us in the back while we were fighting the Republic? If the Empire is the object of their fear, what were they waiting for?”

  Lergen nodded, wondering the same thing. But Degurechaff smiled as if to say, That’s a very good question, but…

  “You’re quite right; however, that’s a rational decision in the military realm. General, what if the Federation was frightened of the immensely powerful Empire’s intention of going so far as to destroy the Republic?”

  …The significance of that is, in other words…

  When Lergen’s thoughts hit on a terrible possibility he couldn’t deny, he finally had to interject. “General von Zettour, please forgive an interruption.”

  When his superior answered that he didn’t mind, Lergen took advantage of his chance to ask a question.

  “You mean to say that the Federation was so scared to fight us that they stood by while we destroyed the Republic and then couldn’t bear the idea of facing a giant Empire on their own?! What kind of absurd logic is that?!”

  “Colonel von Lergen, this is all just a hypothesis. But as I see it, this was inevitable. They’re desperate to survive. I would guess that they’re determined to fight until either the Federation or the Empire falls.”

  “So there’s no way to peacefully come to terms?”

  A huge war. A huge war that will only get bigger.

  The question of why the major before his eyes had an innocent smile on her face crossed his mind.

  How can she smile? How can she smile at me so calmly?

  “No, Colonel.”

  It was almost as if she was saying, I’m glad you see things my way.

  He wanted to believe it wasn’t true, but at the same time, the thought that it was welled up from somewhere within him.

  A huge, horrific war. Will we create another hell like the Rhine?

  “Achieving peace at all seems impossible. Either we collapse or they do—one or the other.”

  “A war of annihilation?”

  “Isn’t that what total war is in the first place?” she answered without pause, much less uncertainty.

  In her assured, total conviction was that manner particular to people who are stating something self-evident. If she can reply that confidently, then…I misread her.

  She has to be either a hopelessly shortsighted idiot or a lunatic fit for this insane reality.

  Having thought as much, Lergen grew truly afraid.

  Reality is mad. Which means in this crazy reality, she…

  She, crazy Major von Degurechaff, might be the rational one.

  In other words, she understands the twisted logic in this deranged world?

  Perhaps Zettour is able to control his anger because he has considered that. Having reached that conclusion, Lergen braced himself and regained the resolve to consider her a rational person.

  He abandoned his preconceptions and simply tried to understand.

  Of course, he was only one person, so he didn’t really think he could fully comprehend it.

  Even so. His ability to understand this world where every piece of the paradigm was different can be said to be a successful manifestation of his intellectual flexibility as a high-ranking imperial soldier.

  Ohhh, ohhh, oh God. How could you let this happen?

  “Major von Degurechaff, you say you wish to serve in the rear knowing that we’re currently in a crisis. I’ll ask you directly: What do you want to do?”

  “Military might has to be used properly. I want to make sure that when we need ways to contribute to such proper usage, we have them.”

  “…I’ll give you two months.”

  “Sir?”

  “I’ll station you on the western front on my authority. You won’t be completely in the rear, but on the western lines, you’ll be able to work on combat skill research and apply your energies to investigating the lessons we’ve learned in action. After two months, write up whatever’s on your mind and turn it in to the Strategic Research Office. We’ll decide your assignment based on that.”

  Ah, damn, thought Lergen as he read his superior’s intentions. Even if her eye for strategy is deranged, it’s solid. So he wants to know that for sure? He must mean to see how this lunatic analyzes this insane world and decide what to do with her based on that.

  APRIL 3, UNIFIED YEAR 1926, SOMEWHERE IN THE FEDERATION CAPITAL, MOSKVA

  At a meeting in a bunker far below Moskva, the distinguished members of the true core of the party gathered. But, perhaps it should be said, despite the power and authority these nomenklatura13 possessed, all but one of them were white as a sheet in the face, just sitting in terror.

  A major incident in their one-party regime had dragged the honor of their great dictator and the party members through the mud. Moskva getting attacked directly would most certainly…not blow over like a mere storm.

  And what’s more, their westwardly attacking army’s Main Attack Group was met with an imperial counterattack, took heavy losses, and was falling apart. With the Federation Army at the Imperial Army’s mercy in that way, a moderate political solution was virtually hopeless.

  Everyone still remembered. They remembered how many of their colleagues and predecessors were forced to “confess” to “counterrevolutionary crimes” and fell victim to the Great Purge several years ago.

  When the incident was this big, someone was definitely going to be made a scapegoat, whether they had erred or not.

  There were more than a couple from the top of the Federation Army and national defense matters who had bid their families good-bye before coming.

  For those in attendance, who were feeling a mix of grim determination and resignation, the presence of the furious Comrade General Secretary Josef was rightly enough to bring back their nightmares. But what was even more terrifying was the presence of the grinning purge enforcer, Loria.

  Just the sight of that bloodthirsty duo made it easy to jump to the conclusion that they were going to die this day, so the atmosphere was frigid.

  “Comrade General Secretary, permission to speak, please.”

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. We must show the scoundrels who caused this situation the fury of the people.”

  Just as someone bemoaned their fate with a groan…

  When everyone was prepared for the traitors and culprits to be reprimanded, Loria said something no one expected.

  “So what we need is solidarity of the people.”

  “…Comrade Loria, did you just say ‘solidarity’?”

  “Yes, Comrade General Secretary. Our motherland is in crisis. As such, we must unite. We are one nation, one party, and we must fight for one victory.”

 
Everyone was sure he would say that there had to be a purge, or punishment, or executions, or disposal. When they were all scared stiff that they would be blamed…

  Comrade Loria continued with a proposal no one had anticipated. His remarks surprised even General Secretary Josef.

  “We’re in pursuit of an idea. Perhaps, then, we should give our dishonored former comrades, who should be pursuing it with us, a chance to atone. We must overcome our petty differences and face this crisis for the sake of our motherland, our mother party, and the party’s triumph.”

  As Loria of the Commissariat for Internal Affairs continued, everyone was astonished.

  “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Therefore, I recommend that in order to reach that goal, we use the mages currently interned for their offenses against the previous regime. We should also reinstate the imprisoned officers and give them back their commands.”

  For a moment, the remarks boggled even the general secretary’s mind. It was neither a purge nor a judgment on those responsible but an actually constructive proposal. From Loria, of all people!

  The man whose fellow political commissar secretly thought him a brute—that Loria—made a constructive proposal. Several people reacted with a hint surprise despite being in public because it was just so out of the blue.

  If—if they weren’t in the presence of Comrade General Secretary Josef, who would declare even averting one’s eyes a treasonous sentiment, everyone would have turned to the person next to them with a look that said, Has he lost his mind? That’s how strange and shocking this was.

  “…Comrade Loria, do you mean that? They’re counterrevolutionaries!”

  The response from the party member who just barely managed to hide his mental distress was an ideological one. At least, he didn’t want anyone to think he was clamming up because he was plotting something. And thankfully, for the other attendees, his remarks provided a jumpstart for their own brains.

  “Think about it, though. We’ll just have the counterrevolutionaries kill one another. Of course, the people’s resources are ours to use, but we can reduce our bullet consumption this way.”

  But Comrade Loria’s answer was articulate. It was a clear idea presented without a moment’s hesitation.