Chapter 59
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: A Call from the Center (1)
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The busiest times for the Ukrainian Army's Personnel Command were February, June, and September.
February was the period when academy graduates, along with other officers and non-commissioned officers, received their first assignments. They adjusted personnel to fit each corps and command and supplied troops according to unit needs.
June was the month when assignments for existing NCOs and officers were decided. From command to field units, and from field units back to command. After conducting preliminary surveys on how long they had served in their units and what positions they desired, they reorganized the units in a fair manner.
Finally, September was the month promotions were decided. From the lowest-ranking soldier to the general, all personnel awaiting promotion in the Ukrainian Army were promoted at once. The existing personnel records had to be overhauled, and official documents had to be sent to prevent confusion between units.
With such major events occurring every three months, the Ukrainian Personnel Command was practically worked to death until October, when everything was finally completed.
And if you had to pick the most grueling and toughest period among those events...
Nine out of ten people at the Ukrainian Personnel Command would answer that it was June.
"Damn it."
Lieutenant Rabiet, the First Deputy Director of the Personnel Operations Office, felt the same. Spring, with its fresh breezes, had passed, and the early summer season was gradually heating up.
That meant the lieutenant's workload was increasing like crazy.
It was yet another morning, arriving after he had barely managed to go home following two consecutive days of all-nighters. He had finished processing the NCO reassignment matters assigned to the 1st Office, but that was still just a drop in the bucket.
Most NCOs stayed in a single unit for a long time, and reassignments didn't happen often.
And yet, he had pulled two all-nighters.
Now it was time to revise the officer roster. It was safe to say that the "Hell Gate" had only just opened now.
"Deputy Director Rabiet, here's some coffee."
"Ah, thanks."
He was fortunate to have good subordinates. Deputy Director Rabiet took a sip of the coffee an NCO under his command handed him and gave a faint smile.
"How many officers need to be processed urgently today?"
"32, sir."
"Fewer than I thought. Have all the application forms indicating which unit they're requesting been collected?"
"Yes, you don't have to worry about that, but... there's one other agenda item that needs to be handled even faster."
"Ha."
The First Deputy Director let out a deep sigh.
An agenda item that needs to be handled quickly. That must be why the faces of the NCOs under him looked like a dog desperate to take a dump.
There was nothing he hated more than something suddenly popping up like this. His face, which had been gentle just a few seconds ago, twisted in an instant.
"Where is it from?"
It was probably a request from a director within the same command, or a division or corps commander from some frontline corps.
Those damn field officers must have been outside for so long their brains had hardened.
The best way to deal with requests that came up like this, ignoring proper procedure, was to ignore them completely.
Especially during a busy period, acting so high-handedly was no different than looking down on the Personnel Command's work itself.
But his subordinates' reactions were a bit strange.
Usually, they would be cursing and complaining themselves, but now they were completely silent like mute dogs with their mouths shut.
"What the hell is it?"
Lieutenant Rabiet snatched the documents from his subordinate's hand. It was about eight pages long, and the first five pages were personal information statements.
"Five people at once? What are they thinking?"
"...Um, you'll probably know one of them, sir."
The lieutenant narrowed his eyes and slowly read through the documents.
The branch was the Magic Corps. The transfer was from the 3rd Magic Battalion, directly under the Northern Corps, to the 8th Company of the Special Response Brigade, directly under the Central Corps.
'The Special Response Brigade... that's the unit that's been in an uproar lately.'
It was established at the beginning of this year, but due to chronic manpower shortages, it was once again pulling in a large number of NCOs and officers.
Was that unit, which already had a headache trying to manage its manpower, making such unreasonable demands again?
"Ah, Enok Levandel. Isn't that the famous Lieutenant? The one who got a special promotion just one month after commissioning..."
"Yes, that's correct."
"Right, he probably couldn't stay in his original unit either."
The cohort culture was a deeply rooted tradition in the Ukrainian Army. With a second lieutenant appearing who directly opposed that culture, it was natural he couldn't live in his existing unit.
"But... wait a minute."
As he flipped through the documents, the lieutenant couldn't help but notice a strong sense of违和感.
"These kids' affiliations are all the same?"
"That's the problem. It seems an entire platoon's affiliation is being changed."
"This is insane."
No matter how severe the manpower shortage is, this is too much. Rabiet, unable to hold back, threw the papers down.
"Deputy Director!"
"I'm not handling this. Just find any excuse and shut it down. Tell them to apply through the proper procedures."
If the other side is unreasonable, they had to respond with equal unreasonableness.
"And the new affiliation is the Special Response Brigade, 8th Company? That unit doesn't even exist. How can they put personnel in a unit that doesn't exist? Tell them to fix it from the ground up since there's no foundation and put them in properly."
A lieutenant's rank could never be considered high, but that was only if he wasn't the Deputy Director of the Army Personnel Command. The story changes in that case.
At least in terms of practical work, even if a corps commander were brought in, Lieutenant Rabiet's authority was stronger, as long as it wasn't the Director of Personnel Operations or the Commander.
Even if it was the famous Grand Archmage Soni Chepelin, how many times had they shown him favor so far? How could he cross the line like this?
"Deputy Director... that's not a problem that can be solved that way. Um, could you please look at the requester's name?"
The NCO who had brought the coffee hurriedly picked the documents back up and said, flustered by Lieutenant Rabiet's sudden outburst.
"The requester?"
Soon, the lieutenant's eyes, who had checked the part his subordinate pointed out, flew open.
'This document is a decree from His Highness, Prince Orlando Ruth. The recipient, First Deputy Director of the Personnel Operations Office, and related officials of the department must maintain security. Strict confidentiality.'
The seal stamped there was undoubtedly that of the Royal Family.
The month of June, which seemed like it would never come, had arrived. The trees that had burst into full bloom had long since changed into green clothes, and the once-refreshing wind was now starting to mix with a sticky heat.
'So this loathsome battalion is finally coming to an end.'
Enok thought as he looked at the scenery outside the window. The shoddy dormitory conditions he had encountered upon his first arrival had become much more livable, thanks to Debra Bennett's large-scale renovations.
First of all, the fact that there were windows was the best part. Before, it was completely enclosed, giving off the atmosphere of a solitary confinement cell.
Now, he was used to the room he was staying in, though there were only a few days left.
'It's surprisingly bittersweet. It reminds me of the feeling I had when I switched to field operations before.'
It was the complete opposite of that time, when he didn't want to leave but was forced to, but still, he couldn't help but feel unsettled.
As he was lost in such memories of the past, a knocking sound came from outside his door.
Knock, knock.
A voice followed from outside.
"Lieutenant Enok, it's Lumia."
"Come in."
A woman with beautiful silver hair tied up entered the room. She was holding a brown document envelope in her arms.
"Here are the documents to process today."
This place served as Enok's private dormitory and his platoon leader's office, so all simple paperwork was handled here.
"Haha, this might be the last piece of paperwork. Where is it from?"
"...The Personnel Command."
"Ah, so it really is the last one."
Enok answered with a bitter joke. Finally, the inevitable had come. That must be why Lumia's voice felt strangely heavy.
"Now that it's come to this, asking you to stay in the unit would be a selfish thought, wouldn't it?"
"I don't know about me, but the Personnel Command doesn't seem like they'd just roll over and accept that."
"Still... we'll meet again someday."
"Of course. If you miss me that much, why don't you apply to our unit during the next reassignment period, Sergeant Lumia."
"By then, I might be seeing you as a company commander."
Where there is a meeting, there must also be a parting.
Still, Enok Levandel thought he should find meaning in the fact that he had kept all the promises he had made to the battalion and platoon leaders when he first took charge of this platoon.
In the four months since he was first commissioned to the unit, quite a few remarkable changes had occurred in Enok's 5th Platoon.
Lumia Blue had overcome her trauma regarding using magic against people to some extent.
Bell Mayer's depression and dissociative amnesia had also noticeably decreased in frequency. Now, she could overcome it well on her own, even without Enok.
Roxana Elim had completely moved all her baggage from the infirmary to here, the annex.
Her attending officer, Edward, had even said directly that Roxana's condition had stabilized, so there was nothing to worry about for a while.
And finally.
Claude Raine.
The frequency of his clashes with Sergeant Bell, who he had been on bad terms with, had clearly decreased, and recently, complaints from other officers had stopped coming in as well.
Recently, he seemed to be focusing on exercise rather than drinking all night, so the image of the war hero who had been so unfriendly and threatening when they first met was gradually fading.
In conclusion, the trashy 5th Platoon had now successfully merged completely with the 3rd Battalion.
From now on, they would have to forge their own path, rather than relying on an outsider.
Enok calmly broke the seal on the envelope and spoke to Lumia.
"Thank you so much for protecting the platoon and supporting me all this time. You've worked hard."
"Platoon Leader..."
That was all he could say. He couldn't say irresponsible things like 'let's go together' or 'I'll stay here.'
"Lumia, you're a strong person. You'll do fine even without me."
However, Lumia didn't answer. She was forcefully suppressing her emotions.
Squeak— Thud.
She gently closed the door she had entered through. Then, leaning against it, she just stared at her platoon leader with trembling eyes.
Of course, now that it had come to this, Lumia had no intention of backing down.
Normally, after receiving a personnel order, most people would transfer three days later, but considering the battalion commander's interview and interviews with other officers scheduled before leaving the battalion, the moment she could be alone with Enok was now.
Then, it would be okay to bring out the feelings she had been holding deep in her heart.
"P-Platoon Leader...! I, I have something to tell you."
Lumia squeezed her eyes shut. Since she had already committed to it, she would see it through to the end!
"As you just said... I'll work even harder from now on, and I'll definitely come to see you again someday!"
Enok Levandel had already become far too large a presence in Lumia Blue's life.
Whatever it took, she would definitely protect her place by the Platoon Leader's side again. That was Lumia's resolve.
There was no grand reason. She had simply fallen for him. When a person falls for another, what grand reason is needed?
For the first time in the life of Lumia, who had lived an unfortunate life, a connection had appeared that she desperately wanted to win for herself.
Yes, Lumia was confessing right now.
"So... so...! Until then, absolutely...!"
"Hold on a moment, Lumia."
Enok's voice cut through the torrent of words she was spitting out. When Lumia opened her eyes, which she had squeezed shut, Enok's face was twisted in an absurd expression.
Thud. With a reaction that was nothing short of devastating, Lumia's heart sank heavily. She tried to erase her answer with a trembling voice.
"Ah... Ah, no... it's nothing. I'm sorry, heh..."
"Lumia!"
"Yes? Yes, s-sorry... I was being too forward..."
"It doesn't seem like that's necessary. Look at this."
Flutter, a white paper waved in front of her eyes. Her vision was blurry with tears welling up to the brim, but still, Lumia tried her best to read the text.
"Huh?"
It didn't take long for a stupid-sounding noise to escape her mouth as well.
[Platoon Transfer Order]
📍 Transfer Subject: All members of the 5th Platoon
"Please assemble the platoon members right now."
This was a result that neither Lumia nor Enok Levandel had ever expected.