User blog comment:Miskos3/Fairy Tail Chapter 505: Trump Card, Review/@comment-24102956-20161007173600/@comment-7418318-20161007174542

I doubt that Irene gives two shits about how those soldiers might feel.

This is an end-times war. If they win and get Fairy Heart, they don't need those soldiers anymore. And if they fail, chances are they won't be in a position where the soldiers will do them any good anyway.

That and her being a heartless bitch who seems to get off on the suffering of others.

As for the soldiers, I wouldn't be surprised if some (or maybe even the majority) would desert once their heads clear... if they are alive, which they most likely are, because Fairy Tail...

Or they might rebel only against Irene, since they consider her unsuited to serve Zeref, a traitor or just for simple revenge, while still being at their core loyal to their country and emperor.