I Said I Don't Want a Promotion
I Said I Don't Want a Promotion
Imperial General Staff Headquarters.
Office of the Mage Mechanized Army Commander.
Sarak─
Seated before a fine mahogany desk, Heinrich flipped through the papers of the file.
The information on those pages was none other than the personal details of Daniel Steiner.
[Name: Daniel Steiner]
[Place of Birth: Pianmari Village, Betargen Barony, Southern Empire]
[Special Notes: Confirmed to have been abandoned by parents and raised in an orphanage. Later recognized for magical talent by a visiting conscription inspector, admitted to the Imperial Mage Officers' Academy, and graduated top of the class.]
Having read through the special notes, Heinrich put his pipe to his mouth.
'Graduated top of the class from the Imperial Mage Officers' Academy...'
This was not particularly surprising.
The Imperial General Staff Headquarters was, after all, a place that only admitted those of genius caliber.
However, the fact that he was an orphan left an unusual impression on Heinrich.
'He pushed an opinion relying on intuition, without even a family to back him up.'
Occasionally, there were passionate young officers who would pierce the ice-cold atmosphere of the conference room like an awl and voice their opinions.
But behind the courage those young men radiated, their family name was always entangled.
There was always the lurking certainty that, even if things went wrong because of their remarks, their family would not abandon them.
'But...'
Daniel Steiner. This orphan-born newly commissioned officer had no family to back him up.
If the military were to go wrong because of his voiced opinion, the disciplinary action would not have ended with simply stripping off his uniform.
Daniel, who must have known this, still pushed his opinion.
And that opinion, in conclusion, was reasonable and valid.
For as a result of issuing the large-scale reconnaissance order, they had obtained intelligence that the enemy was preparing an ambush near the hill country.
'Does he have eyes that see through the battlefield?'
Of course, it might be a leap. There was also the possibility it was merely a coincidence.
However, it was clear that thanks to Daniel, damage could be prevented in advance.
In this era of attrition warfare where a single small current could change the course of war, Daniel's sharp instinct was like a timely rain in the desert.
From Heinrich's standpoint, this meant he was a talent who could not be denied a reward.
Tok-tok─
His thoughts were broken by the knock.
Heinrich tidied the file and placed it on the edge of the desk.
"Commander, sir! I have come to carry out official business along with Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner!"
Removing his pipe from his mouth, Heinrich exhaled smoke and spoke.
"Come in."
Then the office door opened, and the adjutant captain entered along with Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner.
Tall with black hair and black eyes. He looked gaunt, but his spirit was very much alive.
Having reached the center of the office, the two, as if by a silent agreement, snapped a knife-sharp salute.
When Heinrich returned the salute half-heartedly, the captain stepped aside.
With that, Daniel shifted to an at-ease stance and waited for Heinrich to address him.
"Hmph."
That appearance was undoubtedly that of a model soldier.
A posture so straight that it was hard to find any deviation from the at-ease stance in the field manual.
Feeling a certain fondness, Heinrich opened his mouth.
"Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. You may have heard from my adjutant in advance, but thanks to you, the military was able to prevent damage in advance. This is a meritorious deed beyond dispute."
Daniel maintained his immobile stance.
He was adhering to the model soldier's code: not speaking until a superior addressed him first.
Even though he could have stepped forward in excitement at having earned merit, he was a truly composed figure.
Of course, this was only Heinrich's thought.
Daniel's mind was currently a crucible of chaos.
'My bullshit actually hit the mark? Why the hell?'
As he clenched his teeth, unable to understand, Heinrich continued.
"Merit should rightfully come with a reward. So I intend to put you up for next quarter's promotion review. What do you think?"
Daniel's shoulder flinched.
To Daniel, promotion was tantamount to drawing nearer to death.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel thought up an excuse as calmly as possible.
"Sir. I am deeply moved by your gracious words. However, I do not wish to receive special treatment just for earning a single merit."
"Hmm? Did you say just a single merit?"
"Yes. I think I merely did what I naturally must do as an officer defending the Holy Bavarian Empire. Therefore, please reconsider putting my name in the promotion review."
Heinrich blankly blinked his eyes.
For he had seen countless war fanatics thirsting for promotion, but this was the first time he saw someone persistently refuse when told he would be promoted.
The captain who had been watching this scene from the side was equally surprised.
'Truly an extraordinary fellow.'
Chuckling, Heinrich put down his pipe.
"Lieutenant. I'll say this because you seem to be mistaken, but your achievement is not 'just a single merit'. It's akin to having saved at least hundreds of our compatriots. Therefore, I cannot grant your request."
"Sir. I am merely..."
"Stop. Do you not know that reward merit, punish failure is one of the basic tenets of the Imperial Army? If you refuse repeatedly, I will take it as a denial of the Empire's tenet."
This meant that even if he refused, the promotion would go through regardless, and he was expected to understand that.
When the commander, the one with military authority, spoke like that, a mere second lieutenant could not complain further.
In the end, Daniel answered reluctantly, like swallowing mustard with tears.
"...I will accept this honor that is beyond my station."
Heinrich, who had been intently watching Daniel, nodded.
"Good. Then consider it settled. You may withdraw now."
Upon hearing the word to withdraw, Daniel snapped a precise salute.
When Heinrich returned the salute, Daniel turned around and exited the office.
The sound of footsteps grew distant. Confirming that Daniel had left the office, Heinrich let out a low laugh.
"A rare young man in this day and age. Isn't that right, Captain?"
The captain, who had been blankly staring at the office door Daniel had left through, turned his head.
"Yes. Normally, people will do anything to raise their performance record, but this is the first time I've seen someone who tries to lower their record."
"He's not a soldier in name only. There is a will genuinely to defend the Empire and to smash the Allied Nations. It seems a tremendous fellow has entered the army."
It was like seeing his own younger days.
Heinrich smiled contentedly and added in passing,
"The army needs talents like that. Especially at this point when the Allied forces' power is growing day by day."
Picking up the pipe he had put down, Heinrich chuckled as if amused.
"I look forward to seeing how high that fellow can rise."
*
"Stop fucking around! For real!"
Having returned to my private dormitory, I yelled out in anger.
For things were going from bad to worse.
"Early promotion..."
This wasn't simply a matter of going from second lieutenant to first lieutenant, just adding one more diamond.
An early promotion at the Imperial General Staff Headquarters, an elite institution, meant being an elite among elites — acknowledged as such.
Even if my assignment were to change later, the label of 'an elite who received early promotion at the General Staff Headquarters' was bound to keep following me.
That was the highest honor a junior officer could obtain and the smoothest career path.
In other words, it meant I had inadvertently moved a step closer to the core leadership of the Empire.
In short, it meant the probability of my neck being cleanly severed when the Empire's defeat drew near had just increased.
Sitting on the bed, I wiped my face once and raised my head.
In the full-length mirror before my eyes, I saw a man with light dark circles under his eyes.
I definitely seemed to have yelled in joy when I confirmed my first assignment was the General Staff Headquarters, but after awakening my memories of my past life, this place was hell.
For a while, I faced my own eyes in the mirror, sighed, and stood up from my spot.
When I opened the window and looked outside, I saw high-ranking officers heading to work one by one.
Right. Come to think of it, this was a place where high-ranking officers were as numerous as stones on the roadside.
Thanks to that, it was a place optimized for scoring points for a comfortable military life, but conversely, it was also a place optimized for losing points.
'Things got a bit twisted, but... nothing will change.'
It was just a matter of committing acts so incompetent and shameless that they outweighed the merit.
Loosening the suffocating tie of my uniform, I exhaled lowly.
'Sir. I will express my gratitude for the trust you placed in me. However, I do not want an early promotion. At least, not from the Empire.'
Therefore, even to cancel the early promotion and hasten a dishonorable discharge, I needed to become a thoroughly wicked scoundrel.
Fittingly, the optimal material for me to play the scoundrel existed within the General Staff Headquarters.
That material was exactly Major Karl Heimlich, the operations planning staff officer I served under.
A personality wreck who began his daily duties by harassing me and ended them by treating me with contempt.
If I used my direct superior, Karl Heimlich, the opportunity for a dishonorable discharge still remained.
'So just watch, sir.'
For I will escape this Empire, no matter what.