Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 507 Rebuilding the Nation (Twenty-Three)
During the trial of the federal military officer, Skul Mecklen, his previous composure and restraint vanished, replaced by a sharp and incisive retort:
"So, Major Felt, please tell me, and please tell all the citizens on this jury—why is an active-duty officer of the United Provinces Army here in Palatour, in the New Reclamation, and at the scene of this trial?"

Old Felt raised his withered head and was met with hundreds of gazes carrying instinctive suspicion, disgust and rejection, simply because he was an "outsider," which made him feel a sense of desolation.

“I’m sorry,” Major Felt bowed his head again. “I have no comment.”

“Watch your tongue, Major Felt,” Skul Mecklen warned kindly. “The one questioning you now is not some ‘Military Disciplinary Committee’ convened just yesterday, but the ‘Special Court of Free Men,’ established under the powers granted by the Charter of the Alliance. Choose your answer carefully, for every free man on the jury in this hall will decide your fate.”

“I’ll ask you one more time,” Colonel Skull said, emphasizing his point, “Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry,” Major Felt replied mechanically, “I have no comment.”

The freemen of the newly established lands were clearly displeased with Major Felt's answer, and a murmur of discontent immediately filled the Great Council.

Of course, what the free people disliked even more was Major Felt's "fellow provincial" status.

Colonel Skull tapped the mallet to silence the surrounding noise.

He scrutinized Major Felt, his tone already laced with threat: "Knowing the consequences, you still answer 'no comment'?"

Old Felt seemed to be provoked, and angrily looked up, meeting the indifferent eyes of his Palatine alumnus on the judge's bench.

He then turned his gaze toward the xenophobic, conservative, and greedy 'free landlords' seated high on the jury bench.

“Yes!” When he spoke again, the anger in Felt’s eyes had been replaced by contempt and disdain. He answered firmly, “No—comment—on—this!”

Although Old Felt repeated the same words three times, it did not prevent him from conveying the emotional shift.

As a result, the free people of the newly reclaimed lands became even more disgusted with this provincial man because of his ungrateful attitude in the dock.

Many people have already secretly prepared themselves, just waiting for the right opportunity to unleash that shout that is still echoing around the dome.

On the contrary, Colonel Skull slightly raised the corners of his mouth, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

“You are loyal, Ald Felt, and I respect that.”

Skul Mecklen sincerely praised Old Felt, which surprised the latter.

However, the colonel suddenly changed the subject, asking the major, "So, did the 'department' tell you to answer like that?"

"I..." Major Felt was caught off guard, and he subconsciously licked his lips. "No comment."

"Perhaps I didn't explain it clearly, so I'll give you another chance to answer."

Colonel Skull straightened up from his leaning posture and looked at the liberties seated on either side. Although nominally he was speaking to the defendant, his body language suggested that he was addressing the jurors.

The colonel loudly questioned, "Did the United Province Army Command—which is the de facto highest command of the United Province Army—issue you a formal order that once captured, you must not reveal, mention, or disclose any intelligence that might implicate the Command, or you will be severely punished?"

Colonel Skull withdrew his gaze and refocused it on the major.

Major Felt felt as if the colonel's gaze was a butcher's knife, almost tearing him apart until only bones remained.

"So, all you can say is..." Colonel Skull asked, emphasizing each word, "No comment?"

Major Felt was already somewhat flustered, not because the other party knew the gag order, but because the other party had even repeated the wording of the gag order verbatim.

He forced down his unease and doubt, trying to maintain a calm facade: "I'm sorry, I have no comment."

“Since you have nothing to say, then I will have to tell you.” Colonel Skull put on his monocle, opened another file, and read aloud:

"Old Felt, Army Major, 8th class graduate of the Union Army Officer Academy."

"Before being assigned to the Republic of Palatour, your original position was in the Republic of the Mountain Territory—that is, the United Provinces Republic."
"The Army General Staff—that is, the actual command organization of the United Provinces Army."
"The second department—that is, the logistics and training department."
"The second division—that is, the training division."

"The second department—that is, the cavalry department"
“Second Section Chief—that is, Vice Minister, huh.” Colonel Skull paused here, peering through his crystal monocle at his junior in the dock: “Aren’t you in the infantry section? How come you’re training cavalry?”

A burst of laughter erupted from the gallery. Although few of the liberties present could understand the meaning of those tongue-twisting names, it was never wrong to laugh at the provincials.

Major Felt's cheeks were flushed and burning. He wanted to rush up the steps and yell into the ears of these ignorant people around him: "Do you even know how fierce the competition is for infantry-related positions in the United Province? Do you even know that being selected to work in the General Staff is already a great achievement?"

In the end, however, he swallowed his anger and didn't say a word of explanation: "I'm sorry, I have no comment!"

“You received your transfer order on April 3rd—the day after the coup on April 1st.” Colonel Skull continued reading mercilessly: “The person who issued your transfer order was Jason Cornelis—the instigator of the coup.”

At this point, Colonel Skoll paused, pondered for a moment, and asked seriously, "Isn't Jason the head of the Army Academy? How come he signed your transfer order?"

The laughter grew louder, and Major Felt found it incredibly noisy.

From the beginning of the April 1st Revolution until Congressman Richard Myerhouse publicly admitted in a speech that "the revolution was an illegal coup," the actual affairs of the United Provinces Army were overseen by Colonel Cornelius.

Old Felt wanted to ask the colonel sitting on the judge's bench, "Since the transfer order was issued on April 3rd, if it wasn't Colonel Jason Cornelis who signed it, then who else could have signed it?"

“No comment!” Felt replied curtly.

Colonel Skull turned a page, glanced at it, and then placed the file on the table: "You arrived at Kingsburg around mid-April. Your mission should have been to oversee the handover of armaments, provide military advice, and assist Kingsburg in training new recruits to rebuild the Fifth and Sixth Legions. Am I correct?"

Old Felt remained silent, for the colonel was absolutely right.

However, at the same time, the major keenly noticed that although the other party's tone remained confident, he unconsciously used words such as "about" and "should".

Major Felt quickly calmed down.

Information about people before they came to Palatul is accurate down to the date; information about people after they came to Palatul is not so detailed.
This might mean that the rebels' intelligence source wasn't in Kingsburg, but in Guido—Major Felt thought.

But right now, more important than catching the mole on the shores of the inland sea is surviving today's "interrogation."

“I’m sorry.” Major Felt rallied his spirits, took a deep breath, and said, “No comment.”

On the judge's bench, Skul Mechren immediately noticed the change in the defendant's emotions. Compared to his dejected and listless state when he entered the Great Council, the junior suddenly showed some nameless fighting spirit.

The colonel realized that something he had said must have attracted the other person's attention.

After a quick review, Colonel Skull realized that he may have inadvertently leaked classified information.

Skul Mechlan calmly picked up a quill, dipped it in red ink, and drew a thick, red circle around the name "Old Felt" on the list of those on trial.

“It is my duty to remind you, Ald Felt,” Colonel Skull said expressionlessly, putting the list back in the folder. “You can choose not to answer the questions, but that means you are also giving up your right to defend yourself; you can also refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Special Court of Free Men, but that also means that ‘letting you live’ is more costly than ‘letting you die’.”

Major Felt shuddered inexplicably as he listened to the colonel's emotionless statement.

When the colonel gave his final reminder, Major Felt did not reply with "no comment" again, but he also remained silent.

“Major Alder Felt, how you answer the court’s next questions will determine your ultimate fate.” Colonel Skul Mecklen clasped his hands together and asked calmly, “Since your mission is merely to deliver armaments, provide advice, and train new recruits…”

"Then why?" A cold glint flashed in Skul Mecklen's eyes: "Where were you captured—Maple Leaf Castle?"

[In contrast, this week was plagued by a multitude of debuffs, managing only to manage a mini three-chapter update.]
But I believe... in hope. (T_T)
[I apologize to everyone. If I have ample writing time next week, I will definitely make it up to you.]
[Note]

[The United Provinces Army Command is not comparable to the General Staff of later generations. The United Provinces Army created such a complex organization mainly to accommodate a "large" corps of professional officers without real positions.]

In this respect, the Venetian Army's [numerous agencies] and the United Provinces Army's [large departments containing smaller departments] share a similar structure.
[At the provincial level, due to the separation of military command and military administration, there were both a Military Command and an Army Ministry, collectively referred to as the Ministry. The former was responsible for military operations, while the latter was responsible for maintaining the army.]
[On Veneta's side, the Army Headquarters, like the Navy Headquarters, is directly subordinate to the top five-member governing council, which procedurally avoids allowing it to operate independently.]
[Whether it was the Venetians or the United Provinces, the organizational structure of their armies was far inferior to that of later armies.]
[However, in any case, establishing a dedicated agency to manage military affairs is already a significant step forward.]
[In comparison, the top-level structure of the Imperial army, compared to that of the republics, was a tangled mess.]
[The emperor could not allow another person to have more power and influence in the army than he did, so he established various committees to divide military affairs into several smaller, independent committees, and frequently adjusted the scope of authority of each committee to ensure his own indispensable position.]
Thank you everyone.

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(End of this chapter)