The Inspector, his face cold and etched with fury, spoke.
"I'll be especially merciful and only kill half of you."
"Oh my, how deeply merciful of you."
I pretended to be scared and gripped my sword with both hands. The Guard Captain fidgeted and reached out to me.
"You don't need to do this for us! You'll get hurt!"
"You guys, you fought with me, didn't you?"
"Huh? Ah, yes."
"Then we're comrades-in-arms. That's enough."
Aki shook her head, trying to dissuade me.
"But this is our problem. If you get caught in the crossfire..."
There was something I wanted to say to these people. I looked at the approaching Inspector and spoke.
"Today, that Inspector will lord it over you. The next day, that Inspector's wife or child might bully you. Will you still submit then, just like now? I don't want to do that."
I stepped forward. I took a deep breath and steeled my resolve.
'That kind of power-abusing society is enough and should be nipped in the bud.'
