Do Your Own Revolution Chapter 202

< Epilogue. >

“Phew……”

It was an incomparably bright morning.

Birds chirping outside the window.

The cool breeze blowing beyond.

Children’s laughter in the distance mixed with people’s voices.

It was a perfect day to finish work that had been done for many long years.

“Kalhyram Republic’s First Supreme Commander, Eugene Lorentz.”

At the voice calling my name, I slowly turned my head to look at the platform.

A very young appearance in formal attire.

But the man with resolute light in his eyes was staring at me with an indescribable expression.

“After achieving the great feat of continental unification, Supreme Commander, you have spent a long time resolving numerous crises behind the scenes of the nation you created.”

“As payment for the crime of providing the catalyst for the Monster War. That’s why.”

I brushed off his attempt to set a solemn mood.

All this talk about supreme sacrifice and decisions for national salvation, that’s not it.

I just got caught up in it and was paying my dues.

“……”

Seeing me speak like that, the young man who was the 17th Supreme Commander of the Kalhyram Republic nodded heavily.

Not good with jokes, this one.

His name was Riley… what was it?

With how many times they’ve changed, it’s getting hard to remember.

“Even taking that into account, you have dedicated yourself to us for 100 years.”

“The Korhonen Puppet Incident. The Magic Noble Revival Movement. And even the attempt to restore the old Kalhyram royal family… Without Your Excellency, we could not have maintained this peace.”

The ones who added those words were the two standing on either side of the man.

The current Minister of Defense and Director of the Intelligence Department.

“Considering the Supreme Commander’s achievements, I know this ceremony doesn’t match your status.”

Hearing me mutter that, Supreme Commander Riley slowly opened his mouth.

“However, please understand. To us, your existence is…”

“A top national secret. I know well enough, so don’t worry about it.”

If they had insisted on holding a retirement ceremony in front of all citizens, I was planning to overturn everything from my end.

After 100 years have passed, only these people know of my existence.

Because Eugene Lorentz, the first Supreme Commander of Kalhyram, was processed as having died long ago.

Why, you ask?

Ah, this reason is really something.

‘The mastermind behind continental unification and the great hero who ended the Monster War… was actually keeping the Monster Queen at home…’

Reading Guille’s report, Erich alternately looked at me and Guille with eyes that said “what nonsense is this?”

But what could we do? It was the truth.

‘What do you think would happen if this information got out?’

‘The Supreme Commander’s and our government’s prestige would hit rock bottom, and all those rebel forces we suppressed would start acting up again saying they knew this would happen?’

‘But we can’t just bury this incident either? How many people died because of this?’

‘Right. So what should we do?’

Sorry, but the “all’s well that ends well” excuse wouldn’t work with these guys.

If you caused trouble, you had to pay the price – that was common sense.

After racking their brains for a long time.

Guille and Erich, who held the power over my life and death, came up with an oh-so amazing conclusion!

‘Let’s retire him the moment his Supreme Commander term ends!’

‘And then launder his identity and use him as a classified military asset!’

‘What?’

And so, on the day I finished my Supreme Commander term and had the retirement ceremony.

I put back on my old Special Magical Power Unit Deputy Commander title that I had laid down long ago, and worked like a dog until now.

“Making someone who kept singing about wanting to retire work for 100 years. Guille, Erich… those conscienceless bastards.”

If there’s any consolation, it’s that they gave me more than enough time to spend with Mari.

With that thought, I looked at the photos of past Supreme Commanders beyond the platform.

First was me.

Second was Guille.

Third was Erich.

Looking at it like this, those friends really did well for themselves, didn’t they.

Looking at my friends in their prime years, I muttered in a hollow voice.

“And if you said all that, you should have at least lived to see me retire, shouldn’t you?”

“……”

Actually, I could have quit anytime I wanted to.

With control over the monster army and the power of the primal imprint, it was nonsense to try to bind me with laws and crimes.

However, I accepted this duty.

The 100 years I promised Irene.

If I could protect the world I created during that time, there was nothing better than that.

“But.”

Breaking away from the gloomy thoughts momentarily.

Riley, who had drawn my attention, began speaking in a solemn voice.

“Your duty of protecting the nation that you were carrying out… expires as of this hour today.”

Saying that, he extended an old document with his gloved hand.

A contract document with Guille’s, Erich’s, and my signatures.

Seeing traces of old friends, a faint smile leaked from deep in my chest.

“Therefore, by the special authority of the current Kalhyram Supreme Commander.”

“……”

“Eugene Lorentz. I hereby pardon all crimes you have been burdened with.”

Under the watch of friends who had gone ahead, their successor solemnly declared.

“It’s been long.”

After a while, answering like that, I removed the rank insignia pinned to my military uniform and placed it on the platform.

I took off the military cap I had worn for so long and placed it before the platform, and returned the military sword I had received when first commissioned.

As a soldier.

I returned everything I had used in the process of building and protecting this country to them completely.

After finishing all that.

Snap!

I straightened my posture and gave a crisp salute.

“Special Magical Power Unit Deputy Commander Eugene Lorentz reports receiving discharge orders as of —-/–/–.”

“Kalhyram Supreme Commander Riley Alberk. As the supreme commander of the Kalhyram Army and representative of the continental people, I approve your discharge.”

A brief salute. And a handshake.

Looking at the current Supreme Commander who showed clear signs of tension, I quietly opened my mouth.

“It won’t be easy.”

Shoulders that flinched.

As if he hadn’t expected me to speak to him, he looked at me with wide eyes.

“Your era will be a world that operates through dialogue and understanding. It will be much more of a headache than for me, who solved everything with violence.”

“…Yes.”

I’m feeling that painfully already.

With a bitter smile, the current Supreme Commander who said that parted his tightly closed lips and spoke to me.

“But we will live on regardless.”

Saying that, he looked at me while maintaining his characteristically clear gaze.

“Just as you did long ago.”

“…You have a way with words.”

The Supreme Commander and the two people beside him slowly bowing their heads as they watched my back.

This was enough.

If the sparks of the next generation saw me off, no better ceremony was needed.

“Do well.”

With those final words, I turned around and walked outside.

The world that the Emperor designed and I created.

Filling that world with goodwill and passion would be something they would have to do themselves.

***

Step- Step-

After the brief retirement ceremony, I walked for a while.

I did have a car I bought long ago, but somehow didn’t feel like riding it.

[…your life. Add vitality to your life!]

[Your interest is needed for desert restoration in the southwestern region. For donation inquiries, call — —-…]

The city’s noises were chaotically intermingled.

Billboards, neon signs.

The massive news screen embedded in the center of the Kalhyram government building.

Roads being paved, subways being opened, planes flying through the sky.

“When radio first came out, people said it would change the world completely, and now we’ve come this far.”

It took a long time for the world to become like this.

My friends and I who saved the continent became figures in history books and biographies, and the Special Magical Power Unit barracks bustling with people became the Continental Unification War Memorial.

The time until one generation passed and the next began to fade.

If there’s one thing I learned while living through all that long time.

It’s that time can solve more problems than I thought.

[…completed. With this, the continental general election held 2 days ago has successfully concluded. This holds even more significance as it is the first national general election held 70 years after continental unification and Westraine’s annexation.]

[That’s right. Though the eastern and western continents continued to conflict without integration even after unification, this was made possible thanks to newly inaugurated Supreme Commander Riley’s decision. Additionally…]

Letting the flowing news pass by, I continued walking.

Past the city bustling with people.

Onto a quiet country road in the suburbs.

And after walking for quite a while longer, a well-maintained columbarium came into view.

[Marlene Buckenheim]

[The light that illuminated my life.]

“This will be the last time, Mari.”

After sitting down in front of Mari’s grave, I replaced the old flowers with new ones.

They say all that remains after time passes are photos.

True to those words, various photos were arranged before Mari’s grave that greeted me.

“You said it on your final journey. That you were happy because of me. So don’t be sad.”

Reaching out, I examined the photos one by one.

Mari smiling brightly in her wedding dress.

Friends met at the Special Magical Power Unit Veterans Association.

The scene when we adopted our daughter Meryl.

The lake park we all went to as a family to celebrate Meryl’s academy enrollment.

And the scene of that preciously raised daughter graduating university and having her wedding.

When we saw our first grandchild.

And that grandson growing up tall, grinning while wearing my old military cap…

“Then I’m glad.”

As if reflecting on my past life, I spent a long time stroking the old photos.

Those who were with me.

And those I loved.

After watching all their endings, I had arrived here.

“Eugene.”

At the voice from behind me, I slowly turned my head.

Irene.

Looking exactly the same as 100 years ago, she was looking at me with a smile.

“You came early.”

“Yes. Because I wanted to see you quickly.”

Hearing that, I took out an old pistol from inside my coat.

Heresy.

The weapon I obtained after killing my master in the original story.

A weapon that had cut through countless battlefields and spat out innumerable bullets.

Click.

After placing it down in front of Mari’s grave, I slowly got up.

My hands that had been full of wrinkles had become perfectly clean long ago, and my elderly body bearing all traces of time had returned to its appearance from 100 years ago long since.

Now that I had finished everything I needed to do.

There was no need to keep up appearances.

“Was it fun?”

“……”

Taking a step forward, I took Irene’s outstretched hand.

The question Irene posed to me.

Hearing it, I spoke with a smiling face:

“More or less.”

“What, how bland.”

With that brief exchange, I walked forward holding Irene’s hand.

Into the shadows where nothing could be seen.

A world full of uncertainty.

Nothing was determined, but that didn’t matter.

Just as I had prevented the destined destruction and created a new world.

I could forge the end of my journey myself.

Do Your Own Revolution- The End

< Afterword. >

Yes. This is the author.

A novel I was going to scrap after about 12 chapters ended up coming this far.

It feels like just yesterday I was surprised when it made Today’s Best, and now I’m writing the final chapter, it really gives me new feelings.

It must be thanks to the readers who showed interest in my inadequate writing and watched until the end.

Looking back, every chapter I published was filled with regrets.

What if I had done this differently in the previous chapter, what if I had done that differently. When I thought about it, there was no end.

But at the same time, I learned so much while serializing.

What I’m good at, what I’m not good at.

What stories readers want, what developments they like.

Though I grandly said “afterword,” I actually don’t have much to say.

I just thought expressing gratitude this way would be better than briefly adding to the author’s note.

To the readers who read [Do Your Own Revolution].

To the readers who left comments and gave advice.

And to the readers who followed until the end.

Because of all of you, I could become an author and come this far.

I’ll learn more and grow more to return with my next work without delay.

Thank you.

< Afterword. > End

Hi everyone, thisn is Dawn the translator of this series.

I hope you had fun reading this series with my inadequate translation.

Thank you so much to those who read this series until the end.

And special thanks to you who bought the advanced chapters using your own money, it’d been a big help on my life and I can continue doing translation work even though my English and my translation is lacking a lot. Geniunely, thank you very much.

Please, if you can show some support to the author. Big please.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to write a review on Novelupdates.

Hope to see you on the next series I’ll translate, see you later!

P.S: There is another novel from the same author of this series. And it’s also about a revolution, but the setting now is in Joseon (old Korea) but in the future. Look, I know it’s confusing but basically it’s Futuristic Old Korea. Huh? Well, if you interested please do check it out: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-hunting-dog-of-the-prestigious-family-has-returned/