Chapter 52
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Royal Audience (2)
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The diamond on the ceremonial uniform's epaulet increased from one to two. The Grand Duke personally reattached the epaulet.
Of course, promotion wasn't the only reward.
All squad members, including Lumia and Bell, were awarded the 3rd Class White Medal. They were recognized for their special meritorious service and received performance bonuses.
It was a fitting reward for capturing the 'spy' in Cherno city city in just a single day without the need to mobilize a large force.
As for Roxana... well, there was nothing that could be done. She wasn't assigned to the operation in the first place.
I felt a little awkward that I, the squad leader, was the only one to receive a promotion as a reward, but Lumia and Bell seemed to take it for granted.
In fact, they even scolded me for thinking that way.
"Of course, the Squad Leader should receive more rewards. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have caught Ramur."
Of course, even in real armies, there are people who receive more for achieving the same merit.
Especially in a situation like this—a quasi-wartime state (though the concept doesn't seem to exist yet)—it's only natural for the command class to be treated more favorably.
After the commendation was roughly over.
What followed was a light Q&A session with Grand Duke Orlando Ruth.
Even if I call it a Q&A, there wasn't much to it.
He just asked how I was able to make such a judgment, and what I thought was the reason I could achieve merit right after enlisting.
He didn't ask about the most important part I could answer: the future changes in the political situation and what strategy Ukran Duchy should take.
Well, it's not hard to understand.
Although I achieved significant merit within a month of enlisting, I've only gone from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant.
He must have judged that it was still too early to discuss strategy and tactics.
In fact, not a single one of the many generals gathered at that moment would see me and my squad members as 'talent that must be taken.'
In the Ukran Duchy Army, it seemed that magic corps were originally treated this way.
Even the generals seemed to think that once the five-year mandatory service period was up, the personnel would leave the army, with the exception of a few truly outstanding ones.
Especially for magic non-commissioned officers.
In the first place, mana is more useful in the civilian sector than in the military.
Unlike military magic that simply destroys, burns, or explodes, the five elements represented by fire, water, earth, lightning, and wind have limitless potential for development when applied to civilian use.
With civilian institutions like magic towers that focus on researching and commercializing these elements, the outflow of magic officers and non-commissioned officers from the Ukran Army was at a serious level.
It feels like the Air Force.
Just as Air Force officers voluntarily discharge to go to civilian airlines with much higher salaries and treatment once they reach the rank of Captain or Major.
There's no reason for magic officers and non-commissioned officers to stay in the Ukran Army, which has been rotting for over five years.
Even in our unit, there were many senior magic officers and non-commissioned officers who seemed uninterested in merit or promotion.
They invest most of their day into personal magic research rather than unit operations. In their own way, they are planning their lives after discharge.
It's not something to criticize, but... in a situation where I know about the tragedy that will happen in just a few years, it's an incredibly frustrating attitude.
Not only the individuals, but the overly optimistic government's values must have played a part.
'It's still too early for them to accept it.'
And besides, I myself had no intention of drawing aggro yet.
If I spoke up first, I might end up taking the lead for no reason. Or there was a sufficient risk of being marked as a reactionary element creating anxiety.
I need to start preparing for war step by step from now on, but I think it's better to think about that after I get out of this shitty battalion first.
I would need to take a position as an adjutant to a general of at least division commander rank or a staff officer at headquarters for my words to carry weight.
As the squad leader of a magic battalion on the front-line outskirts, there are too many restrictions.
For now, I can only be satisfied with the extraordinary personnel appointment of 'First Lieutenant promotion' just one month after commissioning as a Second Lieutenant.
With that, the Grand Duke's audience ended.
While Bell Mayer and Lumia Blue returned to their lodgings, I couldn't leave the palace yet.
I had to attend an unofficial 'after-party' hosted by the generals who had gathered there.
'Damn, it's suffocating.'
Stars everywhere I looked.
There's no way a rookie First Lieutenant with only a single medal could breathe properly among generals adorned with rows of medals on their ceremonial uniforms.
Lanister Major was the only one I could have a conversation with... but he had disappeared somewhere and wasn't to be seen.
All I could do was sip a few glasses of wine in a corner of the after-party banquet hall. This was the first time I felt like running away to the 3rd Generation, even though it was that kind of place.
"Enok Levandel Second Lieutenant!!"
It was then that a clear voice rang out from behind.
"No, no. You're a First Lieutenant now. Enok Levandel First Lieutenant?"
When I turned my head reflexively, I saw a conspicuously purple hair. A woman I could never forget.
Grand Archmage of the Sky, Soni Chepelin Colonel.
"We met sooner than I thought~, right?"
She burst into giggles as she looked at me. She must have attended the party as one of the Grand Duke's closest aides?
When I saluted, Soni Chepelin casually waved her hand to accept it.
"That's enough, what's with the salute. I'm telling you, that's all just empty formalities."
"What brings you here?"
"I originally work in the capital. My position is with the 'Central Corps' direct Special Response Brigade, right?"
That was indeed the case.
"I originally hate these after-party things and don't attend often, but I came today because you, the First Lieutenant, were attending."
Soni Chepelin passed by me, filling the wine glass she was holding.
"Let's toast first."
Clink. Soni Chepelin spoke as she clinked her glass cheerfully. She took a light sip and nodded.
Even though I had publicly rejected her recruitment offer last time, I didn't sense any lingering resentment from her.
'I acted that way because I thought she'd be like this, but... she won't even show it on her face.'
She really was a peculiar person.
"Congratulations on your promotion again. A Second Lieutenant who got promoted just one month after commissioning... this is the second time, isn't it?"
"The second time?"
"You see, over there. The Central Magic Brigade Commander. I heard that as soon as he was commissioned, the Quornen War broke out, and he worked his bones off there."
Following her gaze, I turned my head and saw a red-haired man chatting with other generals.
He looked like he was in his mid-thirties, but the single star embedded on his epaulet was impressive.
"Still, promotion in peacetime and promotion in wartime are very different stories. Thanks to you, the First Lieutenant, I was able to get a clue."
"You mean the stolen artifact?"
"Right, it's now confirmed that the Sovye Empire took it. They're still playing dumb... but we'll find out when we pry it open directly. We're steadily forming a recovery plan."
"Pardon? A recovery plan, do you plan to deploy troops to retrieve it?"
"The stolen artifact is a treasure absolutely necessary for the future of the Ukran Duchy. We can endure a certain amount of bloodshed and international condemnation."
Soni Chepelin's eyes flashed.
"Besides, they were the ones who crossed the line first."
What kind of future is she seeing? Whether that matches what I'm imagining is still unknown.
As I fell silent in the face of the quite serious topic, she suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me.
"So, have you still not thought about coming over to our brigade? You know the job change day is this June, right? You suddenly got promoted to First Lieutenant, so your rank is floating in the air."
"That... I'll think about it."
The situation was a bit different from when I ruthlessly rejected her last time.
As she said, I suddenly got the rank of First Lieutenant, so I couldn't stay in the current battalion forever.
Even for the preservation of the existing seniority culture, it would be better for me, someone who suddenly popped out, to transfer to another unit.
"Huh!? Really!?"
"Ahem, Soni Chepelin Colonel. You can't make a move so early."
Behind Soni Chepelin, who made a bright expression at my somewhat positive answer, a well-built man approached and spoke.
She seemed to recognize who it was by just the voice, showing a repulsed reaction.
"Ugh... Commander Sigismund Vlakovic."
"Nice to see you, Enok Levandel First Lieutenant."
A black uniform that stood out exceptionally among the pure white ceremonial uniforms.
The atmosphere was overwhelming from the three glittering stars and the large emblem symbolizing the military police itself.
It was Commander Sigismund Vlakovic, Lieutenant General of the National Military Police.
Lanister Major standing next to him was by no means a small fry, but compared to Commander Sigismund, he felt like a bear cub.
"Glory to the Fatherland!"
"Glory. Congratulations on your promotion, First Lieutenant. I've heard the report from Major Lanister. You did a great job."
"Thank you, Commander!!"
I couldn't help but tense up. Why did I feel more nervous than when I faced Grand Duke Orlando Ruth?
"By the way, you seem more suited to the military police than a simple magic corps soldier. Why don't you consider switching your post this time? The military police also has a TO for magic corps."
"What!? Commander Sigismund, isn't that going too far?"
"Soni Chepelin, don't you think he's a bit too precious a talent to drag into a brigade that's just being piloted."
Colonel Soni Chepelin, who shouted back at a three-star general even though she was just a two-star. She really was a crazy bitch.
In the meantime, as if this wasn't the first or second time, Commander Sigismund just smirked back at her.
"Ahem, even if you're the Military Police Commander, you can't snatch someone like this!"
"Then why don't we ask the person directly. To choose between the Military Police Commander and the Special Response Brigade Commander."
"Oh ho~? You're that confident? Alright. Enok First Lieutenant! Hurry up and decide! Whom do you want to serve under more?"
My head went blank for a moment. The gaze of a Brigadier General (acting) and a Lieutenant General was fixed on me. I felt a pressure that was indescribable weighing down on my body.
"I-I couldn't hear you clearly...?"
"It's simple! It's about where you want to be assigned in June."
Soni Chepelin started to vigorously express her opinion, pounding her chest with her fist.
"I'll take all your squad members too! We're suffering from a severe manpower shortage anyway? It's not difficult to transfer a whole squad, ignoring all the formalities! Ah, and I'll grant you a temporary Captain rank with my authority as Brigade Commander, how about that?"
A temporary Captain rank...?
Was that originally possible?
If it had ended here, I wouldn't have known, but Lieutenant General Sigismund, as if he couldn't lose, sent a love call as well.
"I won't say much. Military Police, Lieutenant General line, Central power."
Three words that were nothing short of extraordinary. Commander Sigismund made a relaxed expression and beckoned with his finger.
"For a talent like you, it wouldn't be difficult to have a chrysanthemum on your epaulet in a few years."
"Tha, uh...?"
"Enok First Lieutenant! You wouldn't intend to be swayed by that sweet talk and stand me up twice, would you?"
I couldn't get the words out of my mouth. I was screwed in a different way.
Excuse me, Generals... Why are you doing this to me...?