The Hierarchy Reversed
Click.
The box opened, and two brilliant silver flowers gleamed within.
"By special wartime provision, Captain Max Jäger is hereby temporarily promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel."
"……!"
The conference room erupting into chaos was, of course, the natural next step.
"L-Lieutenant Colonel?"
"A two-rank jump? Wartime or not, there's no precedent for this!"
"General!"
Outrage laced with disbelief. Skipping Major entirely and leaping straight to Lieutenant Colonel — one of the most unprecedented personnel decisions since the Imperial Army's founding.
Brigadier General Dietrich's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and even the ever-composed Major Helga found herself struck speechless.
But nothing was more dramatic than—
"……Huh?"
Erika.
She stood gaping blankly, her gaze darting back and forth between the silver lieutenant colonel's insignia in Division Commander Falkenhayn's hand and my face — as though refusing to accept reality, unable to close her mouth.
Serafina, standing beside her, was a little different.
She stood quietly, watching me. Outwardly she was calm, but her eyes were churning violently.
Her right hand drifted, unconsciously, toward her lower abdomen.
Through all of this, Falkenhayn didn't so much as flinch.
"Precedent? Holding Rosenheim for three days was itself unprecedented. Those who perform miracles are entitled to miraculous treatment."
He rose from his seat and approached me.
Then, with his own hands, he unpinned the captain's insignia from my uniform and pressed into its place two silver-gleaming flowers.
"Only the one who blooms enduring the coldest winds, from the highest place, may earn the Empire's field grade."
Invoking the edelweiss — the emblem of the field officer's insignia — Falkenhayn gave my shoulder a heavy pat.
"What maxim could suit you better, the man who worked a miracle amid the blizzards of Rosenheim, than these silver blossoms?"
"…I am merely ashamed."
And so two silver flowers now took their place upon my chest.
"And one more thing."
It wasn't over. Falkenhayn's adjutant brought forward yet another box — a heavy velvet case stamped with the royal crest.
The moment it opened, golden light spilled out.
"Ho…"
The staff officers around the room drew in their breath as one.
The Imperial Eagle Cross.
Ornate gold ornamentation embraced all four points of the cross, and at its center the eagle — symbol of the Empire — spread its wings in majestic grandeur.
"This is…"
"A gift bestowed by His Majesty in person. Ordinarily, a grand ceremony at the Imperial Palace would be only fitting, but given the wartime situation, I have been entrusted to deliver it in his stead."
Major General Falkenhayn picked up the decoration and pinned it above my field coat.
"Lieutenant Colonel Max Jäger. The Empire does not forget your devotion. May this golden eagle lead you on to victory."
I snapped my boot heels together and rendered a crisp salute.
"It is an honor. I shall do my utmost for the Empire."
"Excellent! That's exactly it!"
Falkenhayn's booming laughter rang out through the conference room.
The formation of the battlegroup proceeded without a hitch.
Making full use of the authority I'd been granted, I picked out the choicest assets one by one.
"First, I request Sergeant Hanna Meyer of the 7th Brigade's intelligence section as my adjutant."
"Granted."
"Next, I'd like the 1st Battalion — Major Reinhardt and Captain Stahlberg — placed under my command."
"Hmm, two noble-born lady commanders. Very well — if it's you, I'm sure you can handle them."
"And finally… I need air support. An aviation squadron, and the 88mm gun batteries."
"You really do reach for everything of practical value, don't you. Well, no matter. Take them. Come to think of it, that Major Hermann fellow is already practically joined at the hip with you."
Nothing stood in my way.
By the time the meeting ended and we stepped outside, evening had already fallen.
"Cap…tain?"
Hanna, who had been waiting outside the bunker, blinked at the insignia on my shoulder.
"Your eyes aren't deceiving you, Adjutant."
I gave the insignia a light tap, smiling wryly.
"Do mind your forms of address from now on."
"Good heavens… it's true, then? From Captain to Lieutenant Colonel…?"
"It only makes sense because it's a battlefield."
Just then, Brigadier General Dietrich, who had followed us out, came over to me.
"Congratulations, Jäger… Lieutenant Colonel."
A strained voice. His subordinate suddenly leaping ahead in rank — jealousy would have been only natural.
But I knew exactly what was going through his mind.
Status Analysis.
I bowed my head first.
"Thank you, Brigadier General. But whatever my insignia may say, I remain your man. And the defense of Rosenheim was only possible because of your support, sir."
"W-well, yes! Of course, of course! I'll hold Rosenheim like an iron fortress, so you take care of striking those bastards from behind with an easy mind!"
"I trust you, sir."
There was no need to make an enemy of him for nothing. We were still in a give-and-take relationship, after all.
Once Dietrich walked off in high spirits, Serafina and Erika approached in turn.
"My loyalty, and… congratulations on your promotion, Lieutenant Colonel."
Serafina said it with a composed salute. Her honorifics came out stiff, awkward.
"How does it feel, Major? Having your subordinate rise clean over your head."
I asked, deliberately mischievous.
Serafina lowered her gaze and slowly traced the decoration and insignia on my chest with her eyes.
"…Not bad."
Oh ho.
"…I see. Then I look forward to working with you going forward as well. Your support will be absolutely vital in this operation too, Major."
I turned to Erika next.
She was still standing there like a honey-glazed mute.
"Nothing to say, Captain Stahlberg?"
"Ah…"
Erika's lips flitted wordlessly.
My academy classmate. The ducal daughter who'd always growled at me, insisting on treating me as her rival.
But now her gaze wandered, having lost somewhere to land. Captain and lieutenant colonel — in the army, the gap between those two ranks was heaven and earth.
"Congratu… lations, I suppose. No — I mean, congratu… lations, sir. General… no, Lieutenant Colonel."
Her words tangled into a mess. Pride on one side, reality demanding acknowledgment on the other — and that cognitive dissonance was written all over her face.
Oh ho.
I let out a long breath and took a single step toward her. White mist puffed out and scattered into the cold air.
"Captain Stahlberg."
"……"
"What's with the face? You don't have to force a congratulations. If it burns you that much, go bag a couple of tank battalions yourself and get promoted."
"W-who said it burns, sir! And I can do it… too!"
Erika flared up and shouted — then caught sight of the silver flowers on my shoulder and promptly tucked her tail.
"……Hmph. You just got lucky, that's all."
"Luck is a skill too, Captain. In this operation, just make sure you stay close behind me. Don't go getting pushed back by orc stragglers and crying again."
"I did not cry! And this time I'm taking point! Just you watch!"
She fumed, face flushed red.
I gave a wry smile and turned my back on the two of them.
"Then rest well, both of you. Things won't be easy starting tomorrow."
I looked up at the night sky. Above the ruins of Rosenheim, the stars glittered coldly.
A promotion to lieutenant colonel. The founding of the Jäger Battlegroup.
On the surface, a meteoric rise — but in truth, I'd climbed onto a tiger's back.
Slip here, and I die.
I clenched my fist tight.
The walk back to our quarters was quiet. We passed mounds of collapsed buildings and tank wreckage that hadn't yet been cleared away.
Our destination was a hotel building serving as a temporary barracks — half-collapsed, naturally.
One wall had been boarded over with plywood, and dust occasionally sifted down from the ceiling, but by our unit's standards this still counted as the better end of the lodgings.
As I stepped into the room, the hollow air greeted me. Without hesitation, I sank deep into the sofa, which was more or less a rag by now.
How long had I been lying there?
Ding!
A cheerful sound effect chimed in my ear.
"…Oh."
I let out a short murmur.
A promotion reward worth two levels at once. Add in the point I'd been hoarding since hitting level 16 for the successful defense of Rosenheim, and a small fortune of no fewer than three points lay before me.
I swept my gaze over the system window.
A new skill can now be acquired. Please choose one from the list below.
1. [Enhance Existing Skill]
2. [Acquire New Skill]
I dove straight into [Acquire New Skill].