The cheers were deafening even outside the fortress.

“Waaaaah!”
“The heroes of the Empire have returned!”
“General Gerhardt!”
“Her Majesty is with them, too!”

Inside the fortress, the atmosphere was a frenzy of celebration.

The main streets were packed with people, their cheers so loud they seemed to vibrate through the very skin. Imperial banners, expeditionary flags, and the Weisshilt family’s emblem fluttered everywhere. Soldiers brushed flower petals off their armor, laughing as they marched.

“...What is that?”
“...Could it be...”

— Whoosh!

“General, look this way!”
“Kyaa!”
“Her Majesty glanced over here!”
“What? Please, look at me too!”
“Son! Over here, over here!”

The cheers became even louder as Luise and Gerhardt at the front acknowledged the crowd, their interaction causing such uproar that even those marching mere steps behind couldn’t hear their conversation.

“This is incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“Who could be used to such a sight? It’s a good thing, though. Just enjoy it.”
“You say it’s unfamiliar, but you seem oddly at ease. Hard to believe you’re not used to it.”

Even Friedrich’s voice, coming from right beside me, was only barely audible over the clamor as we half-shouted at each other while marching.

“Isn’t it thrilling? This energy is quite invigorating.”

Though I wasn’t the centerpiece of this victory march, I genuinely felt uplifted.

“Thrilling, you say...”

Friedrich, his expression still a bit stiff, suddenly stopped.

— Thud.

“Ugh. Ha... Haha. This is the first time being hit in the face felt good.”

A stray petal struck his face, and the tension at the corners of his mouth gave way to a smile.

This unity—the soldiers, nobles, and commoners all celebrating together—was a scene entirely absent in the Ruthenian Kingdom.

There, northern wars often fizzled out without achieving their objectives, and even if they had succeeded, such victory parades were unlikely.
The nobles often feared the military’s growing influence, preferring to handle rewards and ceremonies within the royal court.
Moreover, the Ruthenian king was far too young to act as decisively as Luise, making such festivities even less plausible.

And when I recalled how Ruthenian nobles treated their commoners...

“Do you like it?”
“Commander Viktor, you’ll understand if you let one hit you too.”
“Hmmm...”

— Smack!

“Hm.”
“See? It happens quickly, doesn’t it? How does it feel?”
“...It’s pleasant. Very pleasant.”

The contrast with the Empire was undeniable.

Not everyone here was perfect, of course, but at least the superiors I’d met weren’t authoritarian, nor were the officers entrenched in aristocratic ideals.
Moreover, most of the soldiers were professionals, which naturally made a difference in morale and combat capability.

It was unfamiliar, yet pleasantly so.

“I made the right choice.”
“Hmm? Don’t tell me you were considering refusing Her Majesty’s prepared victory march?”
“No, not that.”
“...?”

Switching allegiances had been a wise decision.
Even though I’d spent about two years in the Ruthenian Kingdom at the start of the campaign, I was convinced that devoting myself fully to the Empire from now on would be the fastest route to overcoming “crisis” and achieving global conquest.

As I marched without overthinking,

“...?”

Luise, who had been speaking with Gerhardt ahead, suddenly turned to look at me.

It was such a brief moment that it almost felt like an illusion, but I was sure I saw her smiling as our eyes met.

“Did Her Majesty just look back?”
“...Seems like it.”

Friedrich confirmed it, removing any doubt.

“Oh, Her Majesty Luise!”
“Glory! Such an honor!”
“General Gerhardt!”

As if nothing had happened, she raised her hand again to receive the crowd’s cheers.

“...”

Although she had promised to fully support my path forward and continued to show her smile, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease.

The victory march ended as we reached the square in front of the imperial palace.
Luise went ahead to stand on a prepared platform.

The unending cheers quieted with a single gesture from her hand.

“People of the Draconian Empire and our proud soldiers! Today, we stand here to celebrate a great victory!”

Her voice, amplified by a magical device, carried across the square.

It was firm and commanding, yet her gentle smile exuded an air of nobility.

“With the long war against the Brotan Kingdom finally concluded in the Empire’s favor, I hereby declare to honor the Empire’s glory and everyone’s contributions!”

Without a script, her natural movements—stepping forward slightly, gesturing gracefully—added weight to her words.

In the game, she often seemed like she was simply going through the motions. But now, none of that detached attitude could be seen.

“From today, for the next three days, there will be a festival in Reinesberg so that everyone may share in this joy! Soldiers, lay down your heavy armor for a moment and enjoy the celebration with us!”

She raised the scepter in her hand high.

“We have grown stronger, and the united Draconian Empire fears no enemy! Let our eternal name echo across the world! Long live the Draconian Empire!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Long live the Empire!”
“Long live Empress Luise Zainburg!”

The square seemed to tremble from the roaring cheers, louder than during the march itself.

Luise entered the palace first, leaving us officers to finalize arrangements for the soldiers to join the festival.

“Soon, there will be a ceremony in the audience hall for awarding medals and rewards. Generals, please follow me to the waiting room.”
“Understood.”

Gerhardt, Friedrich, and I entered the imperial palace.

“Did you come straight from the battlefield in that uniform?”
“Hm? My formal uniform is here.”
“...Does it even fit you? Wait, what’s this? Are you wearing a standard-issue officer’s uniform? Aren’t you a corps commander?”
“Well, I—”
“This is why Her Majesty insisted on preparations! Commander Viktor, this way!”
“...”

I barely had time to protest before I was whisked away by a group of maids.

Under the guise of preparing for the ceremony, they hurriedly dragged me from one place to another.

I was thoroughly bathed, my measurements somehow taken in an instant, and I was fitted into a pristine formal uniform that fit perfectly.

“You arrived early.”
“Hm. Oh, you got a new uniform?”
“Yes, I did.”

Once everything was done, I made my way to the waiting room where Gerhardt and Friedrich were.

Unlike Gerhardt, who was calmly enjoying tea, Friedrich was reclining slightly on a sofa, his posture just shy of inappropriate. His pale complexion suggested he’d been through something similar.

“Commander Friedrich seems unable to get up.”
“Commander Friedrich, did you have a hard time?”
“Haha... I’m not used to being tended to by others after so long in the field. What about you, General Gerhardt?”
“I often think it’s something I could manage on my own. But for an occasion like this, it can’t be helped.”
“...I agree.”
“Absolutely.”

After some light conversation, I turned to Gerhardt.

“General Gerhardt.”
“Hm?”
“May I ask what you discussed with Her Majesty during the march?”

I’d been curious about it since earlier.

“Oh?”

He flashed a conspicuously sly smile.

“Is there a particular reason you’re curious?”
“Well, I think I understand. During your conversation, Her Majesty briefly looked back, and I believe she was looking at Commander Viktor.”
“...That’s correct.”
“Hm, hm. She did indeed.”

Friedrich’s additional comment made Gerhardt nod in agreement.

“You’re wondering about Her Majesty’s intentions, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“To be honest, I was surprised too. It might sound irreverent, but Her Majesty doesn’t usually involve herself so actively, does she?”
“...No, she doesn’t.”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“In any case, my answer is no.”
“...I see.”
“Not because it’s some great secret. If it were, we wouldn’t have discussed it during the march.”
“...”
“I suppose my refusal might make you worry, but there’s no need. Just participate in the upcoming ceremony, and you’ll understand why.”
“Well, if Her Majesty read the reports, she must already know how significant Commander Viktor’s contributions were. General, isn’t that what you discussed with Her Majesty?”
“Something along those lines. You could say Her Majesty and I are aligned in our thoughts.”

While my curiosity wasn’t entirely satisfied, Gerhardt seemed disinclined to elaborate.

“I understand. I’ll wait patiently.”
“Hm.”

As I reached for some of the snacks on the table, Gerhardt suddenly spoke with a cryptic tone.

“You should look forward to it, Deputy Commander Viktor.”

“...What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. While Commander Friedrich will also receive his due rewards, I believe you, in particular, should have high expectations.”
“...?”

Gerhardt left it at that, declining to elaborate further on his conversation

with the Empress.

“We will escort you to the audience hall now.”
“Understood.”

Following the attendant’s guidance, we left the waiting room and made our way to the audience hall.

Gerhardt maintained his composed demeanor, while Friedrich, occasionally breaking into nervous smiles, seemed more on edge.

Finally, we arrived at the massive doors of the audience hall.

“Announcing the arrival of the victorious generals! General Gerhardt Weisshilt of the 10th Corps, Commander Viktor of the 1st Provisional Corps, and Commander Friedrich Günther of the 8th Corps!”

As the herald’s booming voice echoed, the enormous doors began to open.

I took a short breath.