Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin (Alderamin on the Sky)

9 Years Earlier

Sinack Village, Festival of Thanksgiving

It's not fair. They only treat me like a kid at times like these.

Ow...

I'm here on a nighty call, Ikta!

You, huh?

You scared me, Nana.

So?

What's a nighty call?

You don't know about it?

On the night of a festival, a woman goes and visits

a man she likes in bed.

And?

What happens next?

Well...

I think you go to sleep together?

You can't do anything if you fall asleep.

That's true...

Wanna chat, then?

Grandma, grandpa...

You goddamn barbarian!

Hey, wait.

She's a woman.

Our army...

It's out of control.

Captain, send Yatori's platoon and mine in!

Not yet!

There are too many of them rampaging—

If we don't go now, it'll be too late!

Get off, damn it!

I'm the superior officer, so I go first!

Shut up.

Who gives a shit about your rank?

Hey, you guys need to cut that crap out.

That's an awfully condescending tone.

Why the hell should I listen to a mere warrant officer?

Don't think I'm always going to have an answer

that you people are going to accept.

Yatori, secure Nana.

It's better if a girl does it.

She's fine.

We made it in time.

I see.

This time, we made it.

I don't care if you're a hero or a warrior.

But I've got no patience for beasts.

La Saia Alderamin

This is about the worst ending possible,

but it shouldn't be possible for the Sinack to put up an organized fight anymore.

This war is at an end.

An end...

It's over...

Looks like we'll make it home in one piece.

Yeah.

Didn't expect this battle to be so rough, though.

There were too many problems with our higher-ups.

And we weren't just facing the Sinack.

What do you mean?

Those guys who showed up at the end of the last battle

were probably Kala Karm.

Kala Karm?

Yeah.

The Ghost Squad.

A special forces unit of the Kioka army.

Wait.

Are you telling me Kioka was involved in the Sinack rebellion?

Their tactics were far too efficient.

The assassination of Major Toakk,

those mountain guerrilla warfare tactics...

And...

Ikkun, they've got them, too?

That's right. They're using air rifles.

Oh, right...

If anyone else had an air rifle,

it would have to be the Kioka Republic, where Dr. Anarai fled.

That's right.

Hello, men!

Looks like you taught those Sinack barbarians quite the lesson, huh?

This is—

We are an Aldera inspection team.

Is the man in charge here available?

I am Lieutenant General Tamtooktsk Safida,

commander of the Northern Garrison!

What do you want?

We received a message that

the commandments of the Aldera religion were being violated in the Northern Region.

The suspected location is the Northern Garrison,

and the violation is abuse of the Four Great Spirits.

We were sent to investigate the truth.

But...

It seems there's no need to even bother.

Wait! We have our reasons!

If you want to make excuses,

you can do it after official censure arrives from headquarters.

Chase him!

Huh?

Go after them and stop them!

Pick a company that's still got spirit and send them!

A company that's got spirit?

La Saia Alderamin?

The army of the nation of Aldera?

They hold those flag upright and bring out their army

only when executing holy duties...

Wh-What do you mean?

Military invasion of another country,

performed in the name of God.

Oh, no...

They've been ready for this for a long time,

and this was just their last warning before beginning the war.

This is bad.

That's right.

The Northern Garrison is exhausted.

This is the worst possible time.

It's like someone set us up...

Ah... so that's it!

There were Aldera pilgrimage clothes left where Major Toakk was killed.

We know the Sinack used them to conceal their identity,

but why pilgrimage clothes?

However, if you put Kioka in the mix,

it all makes sense...

Kioka was manipulating the Sinack,

and they spurred the priests of Aldera into invading the Empire.

They've got quite the strategist on their side.

The Holy Army of Aldera is right in front of us!

We must either retreat with all forces, or fight!

You can at least make that decision, right?

I have a suggestion.

We should put a retreat support unit to our rear

and attempt to delay the enemy.

Yeah, that's the only way!

That's right!

We have less than 8,000 soldiers,

and if we wish to continue a defensive battle,

we'll need at least 6,000 to make it back to base.

Which means we have at most 2,000 to use for retreat support.

The question is how we use these forces...

My aides will explain the rest.

Before we can begin a defensive battle to buy time for a retreat,

we'll need to draw out a first battle to make time to prepare.

We can use a single battalion of around 600 for this.

Wait!

Can 600 delay a force of 12,000?

We'll explain the exact plan later,

but since I was the one who came up with this plan,

I, Senpa Sazaluf, would like to be in charge.

Oh, I have a suggestion on the manpower issue.

We'll have the Sinack help make up the missing numbers.

What? You're going to make the Sinack help?

Why did you undo the ropes?

Apologizing to someone when you've tied them up in ropes

is just another way of threatening them.

Apologize?

You won the war! Why would you apologize to the losers?!

For the inhumane acts we committed.

Shut the hell up!

Having the winners look down on you and apologize

is an insult to a warrior!

You're correct.

I have no intention of apologizing for the inhumanity of war itself.

But we do have to apologize for the senseless violence and slaughter

of the non-combatants under our jurisdiction.

A hackneyed apology certainly isn't enough to erase our crimes.

And it won't bring back the dead.

I heard a story once.

A hunter who lived in Alafatra

once mistakenly shot a girl with his bow.

He used all his wealth buying gifts to atone,

and uttered every word of apology he could think of.

But the girl's father

silently handed him a small dagger.

The hunter realized what was asked of him.

If he used the dagger,

he could avoid ever making the same mistake,

ever again.

Ever since then,

the Sinack have cut off their fingers

as a traditional way of showing apology.

That's the old story you told me, wasn't it, Nana?

W-Wait...

You're...

Ikta Solork, Warrant Officer in the Imperial Military.

A lot's happened, and now my last name's different.

Is that really you, Ikta?

It's been a long time, Nana.

This really isn't the time,

but you've grown up to be very pretty.

Nana...

I know I don't have the right to ask,

but I want three favors.

The first is

that you accept my apology for our misdeeds.

The second is

that the Sinack help us repel the Holy Army of Aldera.

I don't know if this will make it worth it,

but I'll cut twice more...

as my way of apologizing!