Special Promotions Again and Again
Special Promotions Again and Again
After parting ways with the princess, the platoon members and I washed up briefly and stood by for the time being.
I wanted to get out of this tiresome Northern Front as quickly as possible, but since we had spectacularly wrecked a jeep, we needed to go through various administrative procedures to receive replacement support.
After that, I took over a vehicle from the Special Mission Unit company and headed straight for General Headquarters.
Just like on the way there, we drove for four days straight and arrived at the entrance of GHQ, where the grand, ornate fountain stood.
When I opened the passenger-side door and stepped out, feeling the weight of the long journey, I saw the platoon members disembarking from a nearby transport vehicle.
The soldiers, who had quickly dismounted, gathered neatly into squads without anyone giving orders and stood before me.
I could see a few soldiers here and there with bandages wrapped around their bodies, likely injuries from the enemy raid, but as if they had forgotten they were hurt at all, smiles were blooming across their faces.
'They must be happy because they don't have to stay on edge about enemy raids here. I understand.'
If I were a soldier, I'd be wearing the exact same expression.
Looking them over one by one at a somewhat leisurely pace, I opened my mouth to speak.
"You've all worked hard. Each of you performed your duties admirably on the Northern Front. Moreover, the fact that you all responded so calmly even to an unexpected enemy raid is worthy of praise."
"You worked hard too, Platoon Leader!"
"It's a shame we couldn't fight more! We should've blown those bastards' balls off!"
As one or two hot-blooded soldiers shouted out, laughter rippled among the platoon members.
Normally, I would have given them a warning, but this was right after returning from a victorious battle.
I didn't want to ruin the warm atmosphere for nothing.
"There will be plenty more days to blow the Allied Nations bastards' balls off, so don't worry. Also, all of you... forget it. What's the point of a lecture? All of you, dismissed. Enjoy the victory."
When I finished speaking, the soldiers snapped crisp salutes.
After returning their salutes, I was about to head up to GHQ to make a report when I paused.
Because Frien was approaching me as if she had something to say.
"......What is it?"
Maybe it was the fatigue, but my voice came out low.
Frien looked somewhat frightened for a moment, then she gathered her courage and opened her mouth.
"First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner! Ah, I wish to discuss my future plans!"
"Huh? Oh. You all will now be assigned to the Headquarters Direct Battalion. If there are no special summons from headquarters, you can just receive training there."
"Wh-what I wanted to say wasn't that......"
Then what is it? As I stared at her, feeling a bit frustrated, Frien took a deep breath and looked up at me.
"If I may be so bold, I want to become an officer like you, First Lieutenant Daniel!"
"An officer?"
"Yes! Through the battle on the Northern Front, I felt a powerful desire to contribute to the Empire just like you, First Lieutenant Daniel!"
It was a bit out of the blue, but Frien becoming an officer was a predetermined outcome.
It was just the timing that was a little early. Originally, she was supposed to make up her mind to become an officer only after spending some time as a private first class.
I wasn't sure what had changed in her heart, but there was no particular reason to refuse.
"I will relay to the higher-ups that you wish to serve as an officer. Since you have a combat record of rescuing Her Highness the Princess from an enemy raid, the transition to officer should be comparatively smooth."
Frien, as if she truly hadn't expected to get permission, looked astonished for a moment before snapping a vigorous salute toward me.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, First Lieutenant Daniel!"
I wondered if this was really something to be thanked so profusely for, but it didn't feel entirely bad.
I gave a rough nod and headed into GHQ.
After that, the moment I entered the Operations Staff Office, I was seized by a powerful desire to desert.
"First Lieutenant Daniel! No, should I say Captain now? Hahaha! Anyway, I've been waiting! All of us have!"
As Ernst, the head of the Operations Staff Department, welcomed me, the staff department personnel let out cheers.
When I glanced around, everyone had risen from their seats and was clapping.
Even more ridiculous were the flowers and balloons decorating my seat in the staff office.
In the middle of the decorations—which were shoddy beyond belief, likely arranged by the soldiers—a new nameplate had been prepared.
【Operations Staff Officer / Captain Daniel Steiner】
It was a nameplate that somehow looked slightly more high-end.
Before I could even ask what that was, Ernst gave a signal with his eyes to a nearby soldier.
Then, the soldier approached carrying a small box and held it out to me with both hands.
It was a familiar box. It looked similar to the one Captain Philip had given me once before.
"Congratulations on your special promotion! Captain Daniel Steiner!"
As I suspected, when I accepted the box and looked inside, a captain badge and shoulder boards were neatly placed within.
As I was looking down at them with a bitter expression, Ernst spoke with a satisfied smile.
"I did tell you to go and build up achievements, but I didn't expect you to come back having finished the job this magnificently. And on top of that, to offer your life for Her Highness the Princess! The high-ranking officials above will no longer look at you with jaundiced eyes now!"
......This was the first time I had seen Ernst smile so brightly.
Well, a subordinate's achievements reflected on him too, so it was only natural he couldn't help feeling good.
The person actually involved—me—could only sigh inwardly at the fact that my dream of discharge had retreated yet another step, but I couldn't reveal my true feelings in a place with so many watching eyes.
"You flatter me. I merely did what was expected of me as a soldier of the Empire."
And so, accepting Ernst's handshake with a smiling face was the best action I could take.
*
For a week after my special promotion, I spent busy days.
The reason my days were busy was mostly due to interpersonal relationships.
Thanks to getting two special promotions in a row, I had become a famous figure even inside GHQ, and the invitations from those who wanted to keep a famous figure by their side were endless.
Most of them approached me by suggesting we have a meal together or something, but their ulterior motives were all too obvious.
Because it was all too obvious that they were trying to recruit me to strengthen the prestige of their military faction.
Thinking of the politicians tangled up behind them, I couldn't afford to even dip my toe into the pond of any faction.
So, whenever such invitations came in, I excused myself by claiming I was too busy with work, and the head of our Operations Staff Department, Ernst, seemed very pleased with that attitude of mine.
At least, that was what I gathered when he grabbed me on the way out of the officers' mess and rattled on.
"So, do you know what my little daughter said to me back then? She said she would defeat the Allied Nations bastards in her daddy's place, so I shouldn't go to work tomorrow and should play with her instead. How adorable she was......"
Ernst, who was rumored to never make small talk, didn't hesitate to bring up family stories whenever he saw me.
In other words, he was showing favoritism only to me... but honestly, it was a little burdensome.
Because the favor of a direct superior can sometimes be more uncomfortable than one thinks.
Especially if you get entangled with them privately rather than through official achievements.
It was just around the time when the desire to cut the conversation short was creeping up on me.
"Daniel Steiner! You cursed demon son of a bitch!"
My shoulders flinched at the shout coming from behind my back.
When I turned around, wondering who it was, an officer wearing an Allied Nations uniform was glaring at me, his body bound with rope.
"Son of a bitch! You cowardly, miserable piece of shit—!"
As the shouting Allied officer tried to lunge at me, a soldier kicked the back of his knee.
"Keok!"
Thanks to that, the Allied officer tumbled forward in a pathetic heap.
The soldier who kicked the Allied officer in the knee bowed his head to me with a look of embarrassment.
When I raised my hand to indicate it was fine, the soldier shouted as he pulled the Allied officer up.
As I watched that scene, I spoke with a hint of curiosity.
"That man is......"
"Ah. The Northern Front Army was supposed to hand over a field-grade officer prisoner to headquarters, and it seems he arrived today. You know him well, don't you? After all, you're the one who personally captured him."
I nodded.
Because the officer who had shouted at the soldiers to surrender after taking the first volley during the Colonel Jeremy assassination operation was precisely that man.
'I remember his rank being major......'
As I was lost in thought, Ernst clicked his tongue and spoke.
"I hear that since he's a field-grade officer, our side is trying to grant him a good deal of accommodations, but it isn't easy. He's a talent who worked for the Allied Nations Intelligence Department, so it would be nice if we could win him over."
I see. As I silently watched the back of the Allied officer being dragged away by two soldiers, a good idea suddenly flashed through my mind.
"......Department Chief."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"If it's acceptable, may I take charge of that man's interrogation?"
Ernst, who had momentarily gone blank, tilted his head.
"It's not impossible, but your workload will increase even more than it already is."
"That's fine. It seems to be worth the trouble."
At that, Ernst let out a sound of admiration.
"What brilliant patriotism this is. Truly, it fills me with a sense of shame."
Ernst, appearing deeply moved, bobbed his head up and down as a sign of approval.
But I was merely crafting a plan that was the complete opposite of patriotism, a sly smile curling at the corner of my lips.
'If this works, maybe......'
I might be able to escape the Empire without even going through a dishonorable discharge.