Chapter 43
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: The Unopened, Second-Hand Squad Members (3)
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“Actually, I was planning on sending you back to the barracks starting today. I have to head into the city to procure new medical supplies.”
It was Edward Brecht, Roxana's attending physician and a reserve lieutenant, who spoke.
He was currently working as an external medical collaborator for the 3rd Battalion, which meant he was treated as civilian dispatched personnel.
He added that there were limits to the medical supplies they could procure from the battalion's infirmary.
I had assumed he was on active duty, which was why I thought he was always sticking right by Roxana's side without me ever running into him.
Still, it didn't change much.
As a reserve lieutenant, he was still a senior officer and older than me in both class and age.
Even if he was retired from the military, I couldn't just treat him like a total stranger. Besides, he was a respectable old man, much older than me, which was reason enough to be polite.
“Are you going to Cherno City?”
“No? There's no way that backwater city would have decent medicinal herbs. I'm heading to 'Donetsk City,' which is much further west.”
Donetsk City.
A name I had heard before. A supply hub that could be used effectively during the invasion of Ukran in the main storyline.
Because of that, it seemed a lot of medicinal herbs and supplies were flowing into Donetsk.
“Roxana's illness is very particular. She has to take medicine made from herbs I personally selected as her attending physician.”
“Is that so?”
Edward said in a calm voice.
In any case, Roxana's discharge procedures were wrapped up quickly, and I guided her to the newly renovated barracks.
Just in case, I had kept one room empty, and it was perfect for Roxana to use.
The moment Roxana stepped inside the barracks.
“Roxana! You're finally discharged!”
“Bell! Lumia!”
The two people, who had been sitting on the sofa staring blankly at the campfire, shot up from their seats and shouted.
At the warm welcome, Roxana also ran straight to them and burst into a fit of giggles as she hugged her two sisters.
‘How nice.’
When I didn't know her circumstances, I just thought of her as a sickly squad member...
After hearing the details from her doctor, she was such a pitiful friend.
She would die if she used too much mana, and she would die if she didn't use any, so she joined the military just to live.
On the contrary, I had seen people get exemptions to live, but this was the first time I'd seen someone join the military to live. That just goes to show how different Roxana's body was from a normal person's.
While I was looking at the three of them, happily sharing their joyous reunion.
“Platoon Leader.”
Claude, who had slipped out of the room at some point, approached me. Is stealth a passive skill for this guy?
I didn't even notice until he was right in front of me. He's like a living, breathing stealth aircraft.
“What is it?”
As I asked back without showing my surprise, Claude crossed his arms and answered.
“The personnel officer was here a moment ago. He said to come see him right away once you get back from the infirmary.”
“The personnel officer?”
Captain Michel Robron was supposed to be dispatched to Cherno City to support the National Gendarmerie, wasn't he?
“It's probably about your commendation. He looked quite pleased.”
Commendation!
Right, there's no particular reason for a dispatched officer to come all the way back to the unit.
Major Lanister had said he would discuss the commendation for me and my squad, along with the rewards, after the situation was somewhat settled.
Now that three days had passed since the incident, it was possible that discussions were starting within the National Gendarmerie.
Special promotion! Performance bonus! And a special artifact!
“Then I should go to the personnel office.”
With my heart swelling with anticipation, I took light steps toward the personnel office.
***
“Glory to the Fatherland!”
“Oh, our good-luck platoon leader is here! Come, come, have a seat right here.”
Captain Michel Robron said while rummaging through documents on his desk. His voice and expression weren't bad, so my expectations were high.
“How is the situation in Cherno City?”
“Honestly, not bad. The residents have been through this kind of thing for a day or two by now.”
“I see.”
“The criminal organization that Rex bastard was part of got wiped out too. Did you hear about that?”
“Yes, I heard about that as well.”
"I knew they’d end up like that one day. Those bastards crossed the line too much.”
The personnel officer clicked his tongue and added.
As someone who knew the full story, I found Captain Michel's sudden 180-degree turn, after he had been 100% in cahoots with Rex's villainy, utterly ridiculous.
Well, I guess you could call that a skill too.
There's a reason why 'Politics' is listed as a major stat in Hearts of General.
In the end, in an organization like the military, your position is determined by how well you navigate the politics.
Michel was a soldier who knew that all too well.
“Oh, here it is.”
Having pulled out a single document from the mountain of files, the captain folded the paper and put it in his bag, then plopped down in the seat across from me.
“I had some documents to leave at the unit anyway, so I stopped by to give you the news as well. You know Hailen, right? Our personnel administration NCO. I ordered him to go, but he said he was busy and sent me instead. Seriously... I’ve been completely sidelined now.”
“Ah, yes.”
Even though I hadn't asked, the personnel officer just kept on rambling. I just gave noncommittal replies to keep him from feeling bad, waiting for him to bring up the main point himself.
“Anyway, that's not the important part. Enok, you don't have to look at me with those eyes to hurry me up, I was going to tell you.”
“You noticed?”
I shot back with a joke, and the personnel officer also burst into a light laugh.
“Right, this must be more important to you. Actually, the Northern District Chief of the National Gendarmerie is in Cherno City right now. Major General Edgar Comy.”
Major General. One star.
Well, even the division commander personally visited during the Belgorod Fortress attack, so a major general would have to show up for this too.
The person in charge of the city's security had committed clear treason. It wouldn't have been surprising even if the commander of the National Gendarmerie himself had come instead of just a district chief.
But the person Captain Michel mentioned next was not someone to be taken lightly.
And for good reason.
“His Highness, Prince Orlando Ruth, specifically pointed you and your squad out through Major General Edgar Comy. You'll probably be heading to the capital soon.”
“Pardon?”
“Heh, so you can make a dumbfounded expression too? I heard from the Gendarmerie officers that His Highness had been keeping a close eye on this incident. You've really latched onto a golden rope, Enok.”
Just like with Colonel Soni Chepelin and Major Lanister, I already knew how important the Prince considered this incident.
But even so, to skip everyone else and have the Prince himself call for me?
I was completely flustered, as I had only been expecting a 3rd-class medal or a one-rank promotion at most.
He's the ruler of the Ukran Duchy. In modern terms, it's like the head of state—the president—personally calling out a mere second lieutenant.
Good heavens.
“I don't know the exact protocol yet, but... it seems a one-rank promotion is a certainty.”
The personnel officer looked at me with the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Congratulations. Still, we can't change your rank immediately, so you'll have to wait until the first officer rotation period in June.”
“Thank you.”
“Who would have thought you'd succeed in the arrest the very next day after hearing the Gendarmerie's request.”
That was entirely due to my luck plus Captain Ramur's pointless screw-up, but it wasn't technically wrong.
“After the 8th Division Commander, the Northern District Chief of the National Gendarmerie also has the 3rd Battalion's name on his list, so Battalion Commander Rockheart is beaming.”
I could easily picture the face of our battalion commander, who couldn't contain his excitement and kept stroking his mustache.
After all, the achievements of a subordinate are treated as the achievements of the commander.
To Rockheart, I must be like a swallow bringing him all sorts of gold.
“Ah, and I should tell you this too. I almost forgot.”
Captain Michel, as if he had remembered something he'd forgotten, suddenly clapped his hands.
“Apart from the commendation, a 2nd Company evaluation is planned for early next month.”
“I'm sorry?”
“Up until now, the 5th Platoon has been implicitly 'excluded,' but since you've drawn a tremendous amount of attention this time, the battalion commander plans to observe you closely.”
A company evaluation...?
My thoughts came to a halt for a moment. It was a system that definitely existed in Hearts of General as well.
Suddenly?
As I was greatly flustered by the completely unexpected schedule, Captain Michel shrugged his shoulders with a pleasant—and to me, slightly annoying—expression.
“Still, I gave you a month's notice, right? Now that you've caught a golden rope, you should crush the others so they can't ignore you with the results.”
“...Ah.”
“Good luck.”
As he thought very highly of me, the personnel officer gave me a sincere word of encouragement.
But with the word 'evaluation' in it, I couldn't smile.