Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 30
The Third Conference Room at the Republic of Wisteria Army Command was filled with dozens of lieutenant-level officers, all facing forward. A military magic engineer stood before them, giving a briefing.
“As you all know, the Kladiev Army Air Corps Bombardment Wing has been using the ‘Luna’ bomb in their operations. However, they have recently developed a new type of bomb.”
The magic engineer proceeded with a friendly explanation, displaying photos obtained from unknown sources. Lieutenant Rebecca Montgomery, a commander in the Republic of Wisteria’s 5th Magic Battalion, sat in a corner of the conference room, covering her mouth as she yawned. She had consumed too much alcohol the previous night, the final day of her vacation, and her hangover persisted. Her entire body ached, and her ears rang.
“This new bomb, commonly referred to as ‘Sonche,’ possesses several distinct characteristics. It has a wide area of effect, and the flames it generates upon impact cannot be extinguished or weakened by conventional fire suppression methods. Magical intervention is necessary, be it through water or sand. The development process is time-consuming and demanding. Even if one manages to avoid the explosion, the likelihood of burning to death before extinguishing the fire is very high. It is an exceedingly brutal weapon.”
‘You make the obvious sound so dramatically.’
Rebecca thought to herself as she rubbed her ringing ear. All weapons are inherently brutal. Each passing day, humanity becomes progressively cruel…
‘Damn, I didn’t even finish the last bottle.’
In sync with her colleagues who bemoaned the destructive power of the bomb, she placed her hand on her forehead, as if sighing. A sharp pain resonated in her head, and one of the officers raised his hand to ask a question.
“So, regarding this bomb…”
“Yes. These bombs were dropped a total of three times just yesterday morning across Belize 1 Belize is the area which Rue and Dunaung are in. I mistakenly translated that all over Basbourg was bombed. But, it was Belize that was bomed. in the southern Republic of Léans.”
Major Jones, head of the operations department, answered the question. He stood next to the magic engineer, whose name Rebecca had already forgotten.
“You mean the combat zone?”
“It is believed that the bombardment affected approximately five communes, including Verduis, where the main battle was taking place.”
The meeting room buzzed with conversation upon hearing the major’s response. The fact that the five communes, “including” the combat zone, encompassed civilian residential areas meant that innocent lives were impacted.
Rebecca furrowed her brow, thinking about the sheer ignorance some people displayed. It was as if they were proudly showcasing a new, ambitious weapon to the world, disregarding the extent of damage it could inflict on civilian populations. How many more times will they strike residential areas? Such actions render any just cause void. My God, there should be a limit to survival of the fittest in these times.
The longstanding relationship between Wisteria and Kladiev was renowned across the continent. While Rebecca belonged to the faction without ill feelings towards Kladiev, as a Wisterian, she couldn’t help but question their system and ideology.
“According to reports, this is the first time the bomb has been used in combat.”
“So, you’re saying the Emperor of Kladiev chose a civilian area as the initial target for an untested bomb?”
“Confirming the intentions or orders behind it is difficult, but ultimately, it did happen.”
Silence fell upon the meeting room. Rebecca, biting her lip, immediately grasped why the room had grown quiet. The sudden hush resulted from everyone’s awareness of the impending question—one that nobody dared to ask abruptly. Yes, someone had to pose the question.
However, even after waiting for a prolonged period, no one could easily find the words. Eventually, Rebecca Montgomery raised her hand and asked the question, feigning ignorance.
“What is the extent of the damage?”
At that moment, Major Jones paused briefly.
“It is difficult to provide an accurate assessment as the damage is still ongoing, but that’s why I called this meeting.”
His words implied that the damage was extensive, warranting strong criticism.
Wisteria, which had not yet announced its intention to participate in the war with Léans but had been actively spreading its ideology as the sole republic on the continent, would soon visit Belize to seek new ideological comrades and express condolences and support for the inhumane suffering they endured. They would declare their intention to send reinforcements to the civil war.
Rebecca felt a sense of nausea, as the justification seemed flawless. It was a well-crafted narrative that left no room for doubt. It sickened her to think about the countless fools who had played a part in shaping this narrative.
? ? ?
Two and a half days later, Anais and Leonard returned to Dunang. The road to Belize had been completely controlled due to the Kladiev forces’ difficulty in extinguishing fires caused by their new unknown weapons.
The two of them sat in the hospital, devastated and filled with worry and anxiety, forgetting for a moment that Leonard was still a fugitive. Upon hearing that the road to Belize was open again (though it was not recommended to travel there), they hastily made their way back to Dunang.
Once in Dunang, they found themselves utterly lost.
It was not an exaggeration or a metaphor—they genuinely couldn’t discern which house belonged to whom, what lay to the left or right. Even a lifelong resident of Dunang like Marcel Blanc would have been disoriented in such a scene.
Everywhere they looked, it was either black or gray.
If it hadn’t been reduced to chaos, it would have turned to ashes.
Anais covered her mouth with both hands and sat down on the ground. Leonard, also in shock, swiftly reached out and supported her fragile body, on the verge of collapsing amidst the blackened ruins. Ash and dust fluttered in the wind, resembling butterflies.
The wind, tainted with ash, still carried a searing heat. Leonard retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Anais. Silently, Anais accepted it and covered her mouth. Together, they stared ahead.
The scene before them created the illusion that the entire world had crumbled. Everything had turned to ash and vanished in an instant. The life they had struggled to accept, the settlement they had sought by the roadside in their tumultuous journey—it had all been obliterated.
Then, faint cries of a child reached their ears.
Almost simultaneously, Anais and Leonard thought of Mari. Marcel’s face also flashed in their minds. How were they? What about the other villagers? Whose cry had they just heard?
Earlier, they had heard from a military truck that the search for survivors had only just begun, as the flames had only recently been brought under control. Upon closer inspection, they could see soldiers moving in pairs throughout the village.
Leonard hurriedly started navigating the ruined town, not caring about being cautious. Anais did the same. Though Leonard’s mind urged caution, his body acted first, searching for survivors.
The cries of the child grew louder as they approached a small house. They witnessed a collapsed house, a fallen tree, and three soldiers working to clear the debris. The child’s cries intensified as the floor became exposed. Leonard tightened his grip on Anais’s hand, who was still covering her mouth with the handkerchief, and gestured for her to stay put. He then leaped down and joined the soldiers, aiding their efforts. With additional manpower, progress was made swiftly, and soon the floor of the ruined house was revealed.
When Leonard attempted to go back down after briefly checking on Anais’s condition, one of the soldiers spoke cautiously, considering their delicate situation.
“Well, the two of you shouldn’t-“
“I am a doctor, and he is a resident. Please allow us to confirm their identity.”
By stating that they needed to see, it was evident that there was a body present. This time, Anais did not hold back silently and stepped forward. Unable to stop her, Leonard supported Anais and descended slowly towards the floor, following the path cleared by the soldiers.
As they reached their destination, they both spoke simultaneously, as if it had been agreed upon.
“Mister Blanc…?”
“… Marcel.”
Before Anais and Leonard’s eyes lay Marcel’s lifeless body, his back charred black, cradling something akin to a thick blanket.
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