IMTMIA 7

Chapter 7

Face He Had Definitely Seen Before

Translator: Rae

***

“It was that woman—the one we saw before in that mountain village when we accompanied Her Majesty the Queen. I knew she looked familiar somehow. It only just clicked a moment ago.”

“...”

“Fate really is impossible to predict. Who would’ve thought you’d run into her here, of all places? Back then, Your Excellency really was…”

“Felix.”

He didn’t want to hear it anymore. That was the warning in the way he said Felix’s name. There was no need to spell it out. Those were more than regrettable enough memories for Jude as they were.

“I’m only meddling out of concern. The war isn’t over yet, after all.”

Fortunately, Felix seemed to understand what he meant, and shrugged as he stepped back.

Jude was usually the sort of man who wanted little from life and took most things in stride, but there had been one exception. When it came to that woman, he had gone mad.

Since Felix remembered that version of him vividly, he couldn’t help but worry. Of course, Jude didn’t seem particularly shaken now.

“One bout of idiocy was enough.”

Of course. It really should be. There had never been a bigger fool. That was what Felix thought to himself, but all he did was smile easily.

“That’s good, then. I was only worried you might get emotional and start drowning in memories.”

“Memories, my ass. If I could, I’d carve them out of me entirely.”

“Oh dear, that’s a bit heartbreaking. Aren’t first loves usually meant to be cherished deep in your heart as precious memories, even if they hurt? How cold-hearted of you.”

“...”

And you’re the one saying that?

Jude glared at him, as if saying the very idea was ridiculous, but it had no effect whatsoever on Felix.

Then again, when had he ever listened? That smooth, easygoing nature of his was useful enough to keep him nearby, but there were plenty of times Jude wanted to smack him across the back of the head.

Jude finally heaved out a sigh, as though giving up.

“Hasn’t everyone arrived? Tell them to come in.”

“Mm. They’re probably gathered in the waiting room. I’ll bring them in.”

Felix checked the time and slipped out of Jude’s sight.

Left alone, Jude roughly tossed his pen down.

He felt foul. More than that, it was closer to irritation.

It felt like a fistful of sand slipping through his fingers, leaving behind only a few grains in his palm. No matter how much he shook his hand, one or two grains would stubbornly remain, leaving him unsettled and irritated.

It was only that much feeling—no more than one or two grains of sand—and yet it was maddeningly irritating. If he’d known it would be like this, he should have just approved that woman’s transfer to the frontline field hospital.

If he had, if he had simply removed her from his sight altogether, then he wouldn’t have to be thinking this kind of nonsense now.

“I’ve brought them.”

He was snapped back to reality at Felix’s voice. Seated where he was, Jude turned his head, and one by one the generals of the Eupendea Allied Forces appeared behind Felix.

The discussion to come would undoubtedly be largely pointless, but if he wanted to force through the decisions made after the air raid, he would have to tolerate at least that much.

No—at the very least, it would keep his mind from wandering, so perhaps it wouldn’t be entirely useless.

—That was what he had expected, but the meeting proved to be even more of a waste of time than he’d thought. With the war indemnities the losing nation would have to pay hanging over the impending armistice negotiations, every country’s interests were tangled together, and the discussion was all over the place.

Soldiers were still dying at the front, and official armistice negotiations hadn’t even begun yet, despite back-channel work had already started, everyone was already thinking only of how to secure their share.

After listening quietly, Jude suddenly changed the subject.

“What about the search for the other spies?”

“We’ve made little headway.”

That answer displeased him as well. Jude tapped the conference table lightly with his fingers.

“And how have the Reisen allied nations reacted to the air raid?”

“There’s been no significant response. However, since there appear to have been multiple covert approaches made to His Majesty, the King of Eupendea—the head of the alliance—we suspect this may have been Reisen acting alone.”

“So the allied nations were already sounding out a ceasefire agreement, and Reisen was hoping for some kind of reversal?”

The tide of war had already turned in favor of the Eupendea Alliance, and one by one of Reisen’s allies were beginning to surrender.

On the contrary, it seemed Reisen had only earned fierce backlash for throwing cold water over everything, making the whole move pointless and deepening resentment among its allies.

Cornered from every side, they were now in exactly the sort of position one could wedge into.

“But they’re short on money, food, and troops. They won’t be able to hold out much longer.”

“That’s right. Then how about we proceed east as originally planned and advance on Reisen’s capital?”

"Before that.”
 

As he listened to his subordinates and sank into thought, Jude’s fingers, which had been tapping on the table, came to an abrupt stop.

“I’m thinking perhaps we should supply Reisen with the troops they lack.”

***

Asili hurried up the hospital stairs in quick steps.

It had already been a week since she treated Jude. In all that time, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of him.

When it was time to remove his stitches, she had casually asked Felix, only to hear that Doctor Hibicus had already taken care of it and that the wound had healed well.

‘Does he not want to see me anymore?’

Well, of course. Even she would probably feel the same. She understood that—but still, somewhere deep inside, it left a bitter taste.

Jude seemed to have forgotten everything and moved on, while she alone couldn’t let go of those memories.

Perhaps she simply didn’t want to let go in the first place.

‘Then… I suppose it’ll be difficult to see him again.’

Unless he summoned her, he was a man far beyond her reach.

It wasn’t common for a mere military doctor to treat the commander, so the fact that Felix had called her in the first place was highly unusual.

Lost in thought, she found herself already on the third floor.

At the very end of the corridor, guarded by a sentry, was the room where the spy was being held, which was the one Jude had ordered to be nursed back to a state fit for interrogation.

Some medical staff hesitated to treat him because he was a spy, but Asili did her utmost to help him recover. It wasn’t only because of Jude’s order, but she also had another reason.

Hadn’t he said that since she became a doctor by “selling him out,” he expected something from her?

At the very least, she wanted to prove that she was worth that expectation.

“You’re awake. Did you sleep well?”

The man on the bed, with his hands bound, shut his mouth tightly and turned his head away at her question.

He was always like this. From the moment he woke, he remained wary of her, refusing to speak or answer her questions.

There had been only one time he spoke.

‘Why didn’t you just let me d*e?’

It had been a question laced with resentment and suspicion.

Naturally, humanitarian principles meant nothing to him.

“Is the wounded area uncomfortable?”

She asked gently, but he still didn’t respond. Letting out a small sigh, Asili stepped closer.

“Please don’t get too close, Doctor.”

“It’s alright. Does your wrist feel uncomfortable being tied like that?”

Despite the guard’s warning, Asili continued to treat him kindly.

Others said there was no need to build rapport with a spy, but she had no intention of abandoning her duty as a doctor.

“Let me check the surgical site.”

But he remained uncooperative.

His arms were bound, so he couldn’t completely avoid her touch, but he twisted his body as much as he could.

At this rate, the wound might reopen. Asili brushed her bangs back with a troubled expression.

“Shall I assist?”

When the guard asked, Asili nodded reluctantly. The guard, already used to this situation, restrained the spy’s body.

At that moment, the spy—who had kept his mouth shut like it was sealed—finally spoke.

“I don’t need it. Just k*ll me already.”

“That’s not something you should say to a doctor.”

Asili glanced at his tray with a sigh. He hadn’t eaten or drunk anything. Naturally, he hadn’t taken his prescribed medicine either. Judging by his insistence on dying, he seemed to have a clear idea of what awaited him as a prisoner.

In the end, she had no choice but to examine his wound by force again today.

“Let go—I said let go!”

"Stay still!”

While the patient and the guard struggled, Asili quickly checked the wound. Fortunately, it was healing well, but slowly.

The problem was his uncooperative behavior, in which he refused to eat, drink, or take medicine.

“Judging by how much you’re resisting, you seem perfectly fine.”

While seriously examining the patient, Asili was startled and turned around quickly.

Jude had just entered the room with two soldiers.

“Didn’t I tell you to report once he was in a condition to speak, Doctor?”

Of course, he had already received reports from the guard. The spy had regained consciousness, could speak, and was even capable of limited movement despite some discomfort.

“The patient hasn’t fully recovered yet—”

“I never said the word ‘recovered.’”

“...”

“Originally, you’re a civilian—but once you’re part of the military as a medical officer, you follow orders from the top. Isn’t that right?”

“…Yes.”

"Then step aside.”

 

His cold blue eyes ordered her to do exactly as told.

***

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