Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Deceiving the Enemy in War is the Right Thing to Do (3)
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I believe one of the key differences between adults and children lies in how they approach tasks they must do but desperately don't want to.
Children throw tantrums when faced with something unpleasant, making their reluctance crystal clear and dragging their feet until they have no choice but to comply.
Adults, on the other hand, understand the reasons behind these obligations, accept them, and tackle the job with their best effort.
And I, at 26 years old, head of my household and a lieutenant general in the Imperial Army, will handle this unpleasant but necessary duty like a proper adult—with steadfast resolve.
"Master, the five visitors, including Major Matthias who was scheduled for today, have arrived. What should I do?"
Facing the men who helped push His Highness the Crown Prince and the Switchland expeditionary force to the brink of annihilation fills me with a surge of irritation.
Not that His Highness bears any blame, but these idiots should have stayed on Lichten Hill, shouldered their responsibility, and fought to the death alongside me.
Instead, when I told them to flee, they tucked tail like whipped dogs, abandoning the battle without a second thought for their duty as soldiers who had already erred.
Still, I'm a lieutenant general in the social hierarchy—or military chain of command—and considering His Highness's position, I have to give these fools a shot.
A few days ago, His Highness told me that while inheritance rights were off the table, we should offer them a chance to return as officers. Everything's already agreed upon.
So what can I do?
To give them that chance as discussed with His Highness, I first need to make them fully grasp their dire straits.
I'll vent my pent-up rage by grilling them until they can barely breathe.
If any are worth salvaging, the humiliation will steel their resolve—they'll stake their lives to escape this wretched fate.
"Tell them to wait an hour. And don't serve any tea or snacks just because they're nobles—make them stand outside the door."
"Master, isn't that a bit too harsh?"
"They're stripped of honor and power anyway. Fallen sons their families have disowned. If you're that concerned, put out a wooden chair by the door."
With that, I signaled Charlotte to go, and she withdrew promptly.
Over the next hour, I sorted through the military secrets and intelligence we'd hand over to lure the Ostrica Archduchy.
The criteria: leaks that wouldn't be fatal to the Imperial Army but would still sting since they're Class 2 or higher secrets.
Even for the sake of the operation, handing over such valuable intel to those Ostrica bastards makes my stomach churn.
"Master, the five, including Major Matthias, are here now. May they enter?"
I've finished organizing the intel, so it's time to let them in.
"Send them in."
With those words, the door opened, and the five 'former' majors who had planned the Switchland expedition entered, their faces taut with tension.
Despite their dishonorable discharge, they still carried themselves like soldiers—perhaps because they'd been summoned for military business—and all five snapped crisp salutes.
"Majors Matthias von Griffin and company, reporting to Lieutenant General Jaeger as ordered."
They saluted with perfect precision, but I ignored it completely.
I didn't even pretend to notice, fixing my gaze instead on Charlotte's impassive face as she let them in.
"Major Matthias von Griffin, reporting for duty as ordered by the lieutenant general."
I finally turned to them, wearing a look of utter contempt, and spoke without returning their salute.
"Hey, are you all right in the head? This is ridiculous. Do you think the Imperial Army is a joke? That His Highness giving you a chance means the world revolves around you? Griffin—or should I say, Matthias?"
I signaled Charlotte to leave with a hand gesture, ushered the five inside, and shut the door.
The office now felt like it had dropped to minus twenty degrees, and tension etched every line on the majors' faces.
But since His Highness wanted me to personally rehabilitate these idiots, I had to press on.
"Major Matthias von Griffin! No!"
"Who gave you permission to call yourself a major? You're not even fit to be a private. So why are you announcing your rank like a soldier?"
"Ah, uh... I'm sorry! Please forgive me."
Even under this extreme dressing-down, their acknowledgment of deserving it earned them a slight bump in my internal evaluation.
After all, plenty of people in this world commit wrongs but refuse to own up or change.
"And why are you still using 'von' in your name, symbol of nobility? As far as I know, you five have been stripped of inheritance rights—your families won't even let you bear their name. Do Imperial law and nobility mean so little to you?"
Hearing that, the majors clenched their teeth and glared at me.
They knew their dishonorable discharge and loss of inheritance made them commoners in all but name, but being treated like worthless plebs must have stung like an insult.
I get it, but if they hadn't wanted this humiliation, they should have stayed on Lichten Hill and held out with me for a month, fighting to the death.
"If it were up to me, I'd have you kneel and bow like serfs before a noble. But for His Highness's sake, I'll spare you that. He wants to give even worthless scum like you another chance."
At those words—whether from pity for their plight or gratitude to His Highness for tossing them a lifeline despite their self-inflicted hell—tears began streaming from these grown men's eyes.
"Have a seat, at least. This isn't the kind of talk for standing."
They sat ramrod straight at perfect attention, backs at ninety degrees, without relaxing a muscle.
"Let me reiterate your situation. Matthias, Bolton, Ludwig, Billy, Josef. For nearly causing a catastrophic defeat in this war, you faced dishonorable discharge, loss of inheritance rights, and effectively, your noble status. Correct?"
"Yes, sir..."
"Naturally, your political wives' families filed for divorce immediately, and the Imperial Court approved without hesitation. In the process, all parental rights over your children went to their mothers' sides—you can't even see your kids' faces anymore."
One might think the divorce and loss of children were excessive, even after dishonorable discharge and noble status.
But couples like Laura and me—nobles who actually love each other—are the rare exception.
Most marry for political reasons, bearing and raising children to protect and prosper their houses.
That's why there's a running joke among judges and nobles that the Empire allows polygamy out of pity for men stuck marrying women they don't love.
In practice, nobles draw a strict line with their political first wives, while getting along well with mistresses chosen for looks or personality.
So their wives' families moved fast to divorce these shit-stained losers, protecting their own houses' reputations and securing socioeconomic status for the women and children.
"From now on, all you can do is hole up in some corner of your estates, living off pocket money from your fathers—drowning in booze or screwing cheap whores. That's your fate: a miserable death after a pathetic life. And honestly, you had no path to redemption."
The majors offered no rebuttal, tears flowing freely once more.
"But His Highness is truly merciful. He took some blame for your fall, pleading with me and His Imperial Majesty to give you a chance."
In truth, His Highness wanted to help them but couldn't even broach the subject with me after their fiasco in the expedition.
So I petitioned His Majesty on their behalf, and when it was approved, His Highness was overjoyed, hugging me tightly.
But to bind them in loyalty to His Highness, all credit must go to him.
"Thus, I've been tasked with offering you—the ones who cornered me and the 7th Guard Division—a final chance. Are you willing to stake your lives on it, no matter what?"
At that, the five dropped from their chairs, knelt on both knees, and prostrated themselves, begging.
"Please, give us a chance. We can't live with this disgrace."
"We'll lick your soles or bark like dogs in the public square—anything."
"Order us to do whatever. Just please, let us try."
Any more grilling would backfire, so I'll stop here.
"Very well. You'll get your chance. Just like Count Bern of Switchland, you'll become double agents."