Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Lieutenant General Jaeger, Beloved by His Imperial Majesty (1)
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And so, over the course of a month, I took sick leave on the grounds of "wounded in battle."
Even though I hadn't set foot on the front lines, taking leave like this might make me look like a slacker faking illness while everyone else was run ragged.
But hardly anyone among the generals, including His Highness the Crown Prince, thought poorly of me for taking this time off.
This was largely because I was the de facto commander who had led this battle to victory, but there was also a reason it had to be this way...
"Master, time to get up. It's time for breakfast."
At those words, I opened my eyes to see Laura, apron-clad, bringing me porridge because I had to pretend to be sick for my 'illness.'
"Here, eat up. When you're not feeling well, you need to eat something light, even if it's just a little at a time."
"You know I'm not actually hurt or sick."
"As your wife, I love seeing you like this once in a while, letting me take care of you. You're always so capable, but acting spoiled like this is just adorable..."
With that, Laura sat on the chair Charlotte had brought beside my field bed and spooned the porridge into my mouth.
As expected, what looked like simple porridge from the outside was packed with all sorts of meats and grains—heavy stuff that no real patient should ever be fed.
Still, it was far better than the watery gruel I'd eaten for nearly a month during the battle on the Lichen Heights.
"By the way, Laura, how's the peace negotiation going that His Highness the Crown Prince is handling? I can only get out of this bed once that's squared away."
Just as I said, the real reason I'd taken sick leave now was that, as deputy commander, I didn't want to overstep by getting involved beyond securing victory in the battle.
This might not make much sense at first glance.
His Highness the Crown Prince—junior in rank to me—was negotiating with majors general, brigadier generals, and staff officers in a way that benefited the Empire.
If I, the star of this victory, inserted myself there, it would inevitably limit His Highness's authority to some degree.
And that could mean some of the Crown Prince's achievements in the peace talks would end up credited to me.
Yet by title, as deputy commander, I was obligated to participate in the negotiations. So the most uncontroversial excuse was to take 'sick leave' and rest like this.
"It sounds like you'll be up in a few more days. Word is, we're getting a huge chunk of Ostrica's western territories."
"The north would be preferable, but the west has vast plains too, so it's not a bad deal."
"I played a big role this time too, so I should get promoted, right?"
Having risen to lieutenant general as deputy commander, age was holding me back from further advancement. But the General Staff would surely look favorably on Laura's promotion in my stead.
As we chatted, Charlotte approached cautiously and spoke up.
"Master, ma'am, Major Max is here to visit the sick."
Laura stood with a regretful expression.
"Then I'll take my leave. Colonel Anya worked hard in this battle too, so please visit her once you're better. I'm sure she'll be waiting for you deep down."
"Got it. I'll make sure to stop by once I'm healed."
"I'll come back tonight after work."
Not long after she left, Major Max—my brother-in-law—sat in the spot she'd vacated.
"I was really worried when I heard you'd been badly wounded in battle. Glad to see you looking so healthy, Lieutenant General."
"Come on, between us, what's with the formality? It's just me and Charlotte here, so call me brother-in-law."
"If that's what my brother-in-law wants, then I will. Thanks to you, I crawled back from hell this time."
With that, my brother-in-law handed me a fairly large box.
"This is a get-well gift. With the war over, I figured you'd be needing some extra vigor at night, so I'm giving it early. Anisefruit, walnuts, dried figs, almonds. You and your wife are both officers, so who knows when the second one's coming. But nights call for something intense."
In Korea, even a brother-in-law handing over stamina-boosting foods with talk like that might feel awkward.
But across the Euro continent, including the Reich Empire, macho men ruled the roost.
Naturally, in a world that placed huge stock in male virility and marital relations, this was just standard well-wishing, nothing to bat an eye at.
Yet for someone delivering such cheerful words, he wore a strangely sincere look of concern. Must be my imagination.
"Thank you, brother-in-law."
"Without you, brother-in-law, I wouldn't have salvaged my honor from the dirt. This is the least I could do."
"I just gave you the opportunity. But didn't you exceed my expectations this time?"
Honestly, the one role I'd expected from Major Max was simple.
Safely playing the double agent spreading rumors of 50,000 Ostrican flanking troops to the Archduke—that was it.
But he'd anticipated my plans, forcing the Archduke to commit his reserves from the start in our clash.
And during the Ostrican retreat, heaven knows what he was thinking, but he'd disguised himself as an officer courier to issue fake retreat orders, utterly shattering the enemy's will to fight.
Thanks to that, our casualties were—give or take—a thousand fewer, while enemy casualties swelled by several thousand, no exaggeration.
At my words, he looked sheepish and said,
"After that fiasco in the Swiss expedition, I got demoted to a dead-end post and couldn't get a decent assignment. Spent a month or two just showing up on time, staring into space, reading novels, and quietly drinking at night. Felt sorry for myself."
"I see..."
"Then my eight-year-old son comes to me and says, 'Dad, you always looked so cool coming home, but lately you don't. Are you feeling down?' He used his pocket money to buy a pile of snacks I'd get him sometimes."
He spoke with a touch of pathos.
"Otto said eating snacks helps when he's down, so maybe it'd help me too. I munched them through quiet tears. With no real duties anyway, I restudied your war records and textbooks up to then. That's when I saw it—their moves were the best response."
Surprisingly, the hardest part of being an officer after qualification is studying.
You're swamped with work, and the older you get, the more your brain turns to stone—trying to cram new doctrines and tactics on top feels maddening.
But as the saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Officers who keep studying transform into capable ones before they know it.
Because blending duties with fresh knowledge yields effects beyond imagination.
That's why, among the generals I knew, only General Patton never studied military doctrine for two hours a day.
Well, he trained instead—wearing armor past sixty for 5km runs and mock battles with active knights.
"So after this war, I'm getting my boy that children's armor he wanted. He dreams of being an officer like me—he'll love it."
"He sure will. By the way, you knew I was writing personnel evaluations even while on sick leave?"
"...I knew. The personnel chief was thrilled his workload lightened."
With that, I called Charlotte to fetch a document from my drawer.
"This is your personnel recommendation, brother-in-law. Promotion to lieutenant colonel, 3rd Battalion Commander of the Reichburg Palace Guard. As promised, I'll pull strings for the Bronze Knight's Sword medal. And if the General Staff rates you well, a barony's not out of reach. So get your son a proper sword to go with that armor."
He grabbed me and spent thirty minutes pouring out his gratitude.
As he left, he added—strangely cautionary—
"You're a likable guy, brother-in-law. Charms men and women alike. That's why I brought the stamina boosters. I'll send more once you're better."
......Being loved by everyone regardless of gender is great, but why does hearing that give me chills?