We Don't Entrust a Company-Grade Officer with the Job

After hearing Daniel's order, Lieutenant McCall bound the enemy leadership and soldiers with the help of his troops.

Several officers clenched their teeth with deeply displeased expressions as they were being bound, but no mishap occurred.

That was because Daniel had already ordered, ‘Anyone who resists may be shot.’

They were men who had joined the evacuation procession because they believed their own lives mattered more than the lives of their soldiers.

With their lives on the line, they had no choice but to act like meek lambs.

After binding all the Kingdom Army's high command and soldiers, Lieutenant McCall ordered the radio operator to inform the Imperial Army's Division Headquarters of what had happened.

The radio operator did so, and Division Headquarters replied that it understood.

They added that an escort unit would be sent there immediately if they provided their coordinates.

The fact that everything was proceeding with absurd ease drew a hollow laugh from Lieutenant McCall.

‘Now…….’

Division Headquarters would now broadcast in real time to both their own forces and the Kingdom Army that they had captured the commander of the Armored Division.

If that happened, the morale of their own forces would soar, while the enemy's morale would plummet.

Some enemy soldiers who did not know their division commander had fled would try to verify whether the Imperial Army's claim was true, and it was obvious that the process would cause confusion and panic.

It was as good as bringing an end to a battle that had already been shaped in the Imperial Army's favor.

‘The one who has directed this battlefield from beginning to end…….’

It was Captain Daniel Steiner, standing alone on the pier and gazing at the coastline.

‘When I first saw him, I thought he was just a sheltered bookworm from General Staff Headquarters.’

Now, however, Daniel was a genius staff officer with a mind so brilliant it was frightening.

As Lieutenant McCall gazed at Daniel with awe, Sergeant Glendy approached.

“Isn't it truly incredible? It was astonishing enough that you found the enemy's supply route, but you also proposed using it against them, and now you've even captured the enemy leadership. Honestly, I still can't believe it.”

Lieutenant McCall gave a faint laugh and nodded in agreement.

“I feel the same way. How many people would believe it if they were told that all those operations came from a single person's mind? When you look at it that way, perhaps we're witnessing history in the making.”

“……History?”

“Yes. Think about it. Isn't the Battle of Nordia that we experienced an achievement worthy of being recorded in the history books? Ordinary officers like us may not be mentioned, but the Company Commander's name will surely be recorded with pride.”

After all, it was impossible for someone who had accomplished so many great deeds not to have his name recorded in the history books.

Sergeant Glendy chuckled and said,

“Now that I think about it, I feel strangely elated. We performed under someone who might one day be praised as a great figure of the Empire, didn't we? I can't imagine a better story to tell over drinks.”

A great figure of the Empire, huh? It seemed like an exaggeration, but Daniel could indeed rise to the ranks of the great in the future.

“There is a title that suits him better than a great figure.”

At that moment, Prien stepped between Sergeant Glendy and Lieutenant McCall.

Glendy and McCall flinched when they realized she had approached without them noticing, and Prien began to speak.

“In my opinion, Captain Daniel may be a saint sent down by God to protect the Empire, which has been placed in danger by the attacks of the Allied nations, who are less than beasts.”

Prien narrowed her eyes as she looked at Daniel and smiled faintly.

“Captain Daniel can surely show the beasts of the Allied nations the fires of hell. Then, only Imperial citizens and those who follow them will remain on this land.”

McCall and Glendy could not help but break into a cold sweat at Prien's radical beliefs.

Both McCall and Glendy passionately desired the destruction of the Allied nations and the Empire's victory, but they did not believe that everyone except Imperial citizens should be severely punished.

They had sensed it ever since the battle with the supply battalion, but there was some kind of madness in the woman's eyes.

Even so, they could not criticize the loyalty Prien had shown.

Watching the others' reactions, Glendy cleared his throat to lighten the atmosphere.

“More importantly, I wonder what the Company Commander is thinking as he gazes out at the sea.”

At Glendy's words, Lieutenant McCall turned his gaze toward Daniel.

Although Daniel had every reason to be happy after achieving the military feat of capturing the enemy leadership, he merely stared at the sea with an inexplicably subdued gaze.

He was truly impossible to read.

“How could ordinary men like us hope to fathom a genius's thoughts? If I dared to guess, though, he is probably thinking about the many matters that will need to be handled after the war.”

“Indeed. If it's the Company Commander, I suppose there's a high chance that's what he's doing.”

As Glendy and McCall watched him with admiring eyes, Daniel, who had been staring blankly at several seagulls drifting over the sea, secretly sighed.

‘I want to go home…….’

Daniel wanted nothing more than pastoral peace.

*

As word that the military leadership had been caught while fleeing began to spread throughout the battlefield, the Armored Division lost its morale and raised white flags one after another.

Thanks to the enemy soldiers' loss of will to fight, the Imperial Army entered Nordia with ease, occupied the city's key buildings, lowered the Kingdom's flag, and raised the Empire's flag.

Major General Felderahm, having made the Empire's occupation of Nordia a fait accompli, ordered a supply line to be established and transferred the Armored Division's key figures to the homeland.

In the process, I too spent busy days handling postwar affairs.

Felderahm, having come to trust me completely, entrusted me with selecting defensive positions in certain sectors, maintaining public order, and protecting classified information.

By the time nearly a fortnight had passed, Heinrich unexpectedly summoned me to City Hall.

I felt uneasy, but I was in no position to disobey an order, so I headed to City Hall.

Of course, it was called City Hall, but it was now effectively the headquarters building where the garrison commander conducted his duties.

Not only were Imperial soldiers standing guard in every direction, but I also had to have my identity checked to enter.

Feeling an inexplicably bleak atmosphere, I climbed the building's stairs, and the soldiers guarding the entrance saluted.

“You must be Captain Daniel Steiner. It is an honor to meet you. You may pass.”

I nodded, entered the building, and went up to the third floor.

After passing through a Gothic-style corridor, I arrived in front of the garrison commander's office and knocked on the door.

An answer came before long.

“Come in.”

Once I received permission, I opened the door and went inside, where Heinrich and his adjutant, Captain Philip, were standing.

I walked into the office and crisply saluted.

“Brigade Commander! I heard you called for me.”

A smile played at the corners of Heinrich's mouth as he returned my salute.

“Yes. We've been so busy handling postwar affairs that we haven't had much opportunity to see each other. I was just feeling guilty that I might have been neglecting you despite your great accomplishments.”

I shifted into a parade-rest position and replied as though his words were preposterous.

“I believe a soldier should merely follow orders and should not expect rewards for his achievements.”

“What an admirable attitude. I wish the other soldiers could learn from your humility. But the Empire's founding principle is to reward merit and punish wrongdoing, so I can't simply let this pass.”

Heinrich continued speaking with his smile intact.

“As you know, the Division Commander and I will soon be leaving this place to join the northern front line. Now that the occupation is complete, there is nothing left for us to do in Nordia. Once that happens, the position of garrison commander will be vacant. Did you know that?”

“……Yes. I know, but why are you telling me that?”

“There can only be one reason I'm telling you, can't there? I want you to fill the vacant position of garrison commander. As the acting garrison commander.”

A cold sweat broke out.

“Your Excellency? I command a unit directly under General Staff Headquarters.”

I tried to make it clear that I was merely a captain who followed General Staff Headquarters' orders, but Heinrich merely nodded calmly.

“Why would I not know that? Headquarters has already granted permission, of course. They told me to have you hold the vacant post until they appoint a garrison commander.”

No. What? I pulled myself together and forced a smile as I spoke.

“Thank you for saying so, but that is realistically impossible. Even if it is only a temporary position, I would need to command at least a battalion-sized force to serve as garrison commander.”

“So?”

“As a company-grade officer, I cannot command a battalion-sized force. Nor can the other authority required to manage the garrison possibly be granted to a mere company-grade officer like me. So please reconsider.”

I was speaking sincerely, but for some reason, the corners of Heinrich's mouth curled mischievously.

“Naturally, we have no intention of entrusting the position of garrison commander to a company-grade officer.”

What? Had that been a nasty joke?

After breathing a sigh of relief, I regained my composure.

“That's a relief. Then I'll prepare to return to General Staff Headquarters-”

“Adjutant.”

At Heinrich's words, Captain Philip approached me carrying a box.

It was a small box wrapped in the Empire's silk flag.

Huh? A box?

“My heartfelt congratulations.”

Captain Philip? Why are you speaking to me so formally?

At the moment my anxiety reached its peak, Captain Philip unfurled the flag and opened the box.

Inside were a gleaming major's badge and shoulder boards.

Just as I feared, Heinrich burst out laughing heartily.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Major Daniel Steiner! I can't tell you how delighted I am to witness the birth of the Empire's youngest major with my own eyes! Ah! That's right. I'd like to put it on you myself. Would that be all right?”

Major? Me? In a daze, I barely managed to nod.

Then Heinrich took the major's badge from the box.

“Consider it an honor. I hear that even His Majesty the Emperor has taken an interest in you, according to the news from the capital.”

Having said that, Heinrich removed my captain's badge and attached the major's badge to my uniform.

I stared blankly at the series of movements, and my hand involuntarily twitched.

Operations staff officer under General Staff Headquarters.

Holder of a Class 2 National Merit Medal, the Gukseon Medal.

A bloodthirsty wolf, according to the commander of the 6th Magic Armored Division.

The foremost contributor to the Nordia invasion operation.

The Empire's youngest major.

Acting garrison commander in an occupied territory.

As I looked back on all of it, the corner of my mouth trembled faintly, almost like a spasm.

‘Wait a second. This…….’

No matter how I looked at it, I was a ‘key member of the Imperial Army's leadership’ practically guaranteed to be sentenced to death at a war-crimes trial.