The NTR Knight Commander has Decided to Desert

Chapter 12

"Come on, drink up, drink up!"

"Ha... it's been ages since I had a drink..."

"Tonight, we get as drunk as we want!"

"Cheers to the rebels!"

The rebels raised their victory wine, celebrating the joy of driving out their enemies.

Originally, they didn't even have the resources to throw a feast like this.

But the enormous amount of supplies they seized during the raid allowed them to enjoy this rare moment.

The retreat had been so hasty that the enemy abandoned not only their siege weapons and ammunition, but even most of their food supplies.

Perhaps because it was all stolen from the enemy, the liquor tasted even sweeter, and the rebels used it to wash away their accumulated mental and physical fatigue.

Meanwhile,

Separate from the rebels who were enjoying themselves,

I was leaning against the fortress wall, observing something only visible to me.

[Thanks to your outstanding efforts, the rebels have achieved victory.

The rebels now recognize you as a true ally.

Using their trust as a foundation, you will now plan your revenge against the Empire.]

A notification announcing the successful completion of a quest.

Relieved at having crossed a major hurdle, a smile naturally crept across my lips.

At that moment.

Just as I was basking in that sense of accomplishment, another notification appeared before me.

[Once loyal to the Britannian Empire, you have now become a member of the rebels.

Complete the revolution alongside those who have suffered under the Empire's tyranny.

New factions and new heroines will assist you.

The goal is to drive the Imperial Army from this land and secure complete independence for the rebels.]

'A secret route, huh... I had a feeling, but this is getting interesting.'

I'd suspected something ever since I joined the rebels, but seeing this message now confirmed it beyond doubt.

The part that stood out most was, of course, about the heroines.

In the original game, no matter what you did, you couldn't recruit heroines from the rebel faction, as they were enemies. But now, that had changed.

'The problem is, even the Empire heroines I spent ten years building rapport with backstabbed me... What's to stop it from happening again?'

Honestly, with no idea who's behind these constant quest prompts, blindly chasing after heroines seemed like a dangerous move.

And so...

I didn't know which heroine would appear, but I decided to stay cautious for now,

and act as selfishly as possible, so that even if I got NTR'd, I wouldn't suffer too much emotional damage.

I wouldn't be like the gullible protagonist of the game, getting used and discarded for being too nice. Instead, I'd coldly weigh the pros and cons and take what I could.

'Still... a rebel heroine, huh. Honestly, I have no idea who it could be right now... Could it really be one of the female bosses I've fought so far?'

I was lost in such thoughts, a mix of tension and undeniable anticipation welling up inside me.

"There you are."

"Ah, General Franklin!"

At some point, she had climbed up to the top of the wall.

At General Little T. Franklin's words, I bowed my head in greeting.

"Everyone's busy enjoying the feast—what are you doing here alone?"

As always, Franklin kept her icy expression, speaking like a superior officer asking, "Why aren't you drinking?"

Honestly, I wasn't much of a drinker,

and of course, I couldn't exactly talk about quests here,

so I came up with a decent excuse.

"I was thinking about the next battle. Even though they retreated, they still outnumber us several times over. They might not attack right away, but there's no way this is the end. We need countermeasures."

"...I see. Always diligent, even in times like this. That's admirable."

Franklin replied in a tone that could've been either quiet admiration or cold sarcasm.

Then she sat down beside me and spoke in her usual chilly voice.

"Well then, let's hear it—what do you think the enemy will do next?"

Franklin asked, as if curious to hear just how great my ideas were.

I was relieved that I had already thought about this while reviewing the quest, and began speaking carefully.

"First of all, I doubt they'll attack alone. Their siege weapons are destroyed, they're short on supplies, and their morale is in the gutter. Most importantly, they don't even know how large our forces are anymore. Nine times out of ten, they'll wait for reinforcements."

"Reinforcements... You mean the main force you mentioned earlier?"

"Yes. An army of 8,000 led by Burgoyne, one of the Empire's three generals. They'll arrive within the next two weeks. Until then, the enemy will likely raid nearby villages to replenish their supplies and avoid a full-scale battle."

"8,000... Our reinforcements arriving soon number about 7,000, so in terms of size, it's close. But in terms of troop quality, we're still at a disadvantage."

"Exactly. So the only way to overcome that is to recruit as many militia as possible. If we can't win with quality, we'll overwhelm them with quantity."

"Is there... a way?"

General Franklin asked cautiously in response to my words. I gave her a quiet smile and answered carefully.

"I can't say anything for sure yet... but if signs start to show, I'll let you know."

"...Very well. Then I'll wait."

Knowing what was coming, I decided to leave it at that for now,

and Franklin slowly nodded in understanding.

"Well then, let's end the talk here. Why don't you go have a drink too?"

"I'm fine. I still have a few things to think over..."

Work was part of it, but honestly, I just didn't like alcohol.

Whether it was during school or in the military, I'd had my share of trouble because of it. It just didn't suit my taste, and I preferred to avoid it.

So I was about to politely decline when...

"Still, I think it's best to rest when you can. You don't want accumulated fatigue to harm your health. Especially someone as valuable as you."

With that heavy-handed remark from the General, I instinctively realized there was no escape.

'Sigh... I guess I have no choice... Well, it is the military after all...'

Like it or not, she was still my superior.

Regardless of how I felt, I had to follow orders, and for now, I also needed to stay in her good graces.

"...Thank you for your kind words, General."

"Good. Then follow me."

Franklin nodded and turned around.

Then, glancing back slightly, she spoke in a strangely awkward tone.

"Ah, a-and... since it's come to this, how about we have a drink somewhere away from the others? I-I've suddenly become curious about how the liquor tastes when you pour it."

"Pardon?"

"I-I don't like noisy places either! But drinking alone at a time like this would look bad, wouldn't it? Anyway, that's how it is, so follow me! T-this is an order."

General Franklin, in a very roundabout way, was telling me to come quietly and pour her a drink.

And though it reminded me of a superior who used to force drinks on me during my military days, I had no choice but to accept.

"Umm... Yes. Understood."

"Good! I've got a special wine I've been saving. Let's get drunk together for once."

Pleased with my response, General Franklin gave a slightly crooked smile.

Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but let out a faint bitter smile.

'Well... there's no way she's going to become a heroine, right? She still doesn't seem to like me much... And besides, just looking at this scene, she's got the exact vibe of a squad leader forcing drinks on you.'

Of course, the big difference was that she wasn't some middle-aged man, but a beautiful woman. Still, the military aura she gave off made that image impossible to shake.

And so, I began heading toward the command room, following behind her as she walked—perhaps a bit too quickly.

*

Cromwell had accepted her invitation to drink together.

Franklin was struggling to suppress the uncontrollable joy that made the corners of her lips twitch.

'He accepted... Commander Cromwell accepted my offer to drink... Fufufu...'

Honestly, she'd been so nervous she barely remembered what she said, stumbling over her words the whole time.

But thankfully, the main point had gotten across, and that was enough to make her genuinely happy.

'So now, just like in the books, I get him drunk, then lift up the staggering commander, carry him to the bed, and from there, do all sorts of things on the bed and seal the deal...'

Just imagining it made her mouth water, and Franklin's head was now filled with the desire to fall into the arms of this wonderful man as soon as possible.