The difficult situation was finally resolved thanks to the timely appearance of King Orlando Rus III.
I almost died split in half five minutes later instead of five years later if not for barely surviving.
There was no special banquet held to commend my major, and it wasn’t even on the official schedule; it was just an impromptu after-party.
With the king’s arrival, the banquet atmosphere suddenly became lively, like when the company chairman appears at the end of a workshop.
“Did you enjoy the after-party?”
“It was terrible. I missed my battalion for the first time.”
“Is that so…?”
Exhausted, I returned to my accommodation where Lumina greeted me with a worried expression.
“Did you offend anyone…? Did you get threatened for being too forward?”
“No.”
If I had, I could have easily dismissed it as the country being doomed anyway. This was completely different, which made it problematic.
I felt like I understood why birds and reptiles d*e from too much attention.
This is more stressful than I thought.
“Just being around the generals feels suffocating.”
“Oh, I understand. I know how you feel.”
Lumina nodded with a smile, seemingly understanding right away.
“What about Sergeant Bella?”
“She’s in her room. She just went shopping.”
“Those are new clothes, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, hihi. There are so many pretty and good clothes here in the capital…”
“She looks great.”
Her silver hair contrasted beautifully with the black blouse, creating a striking look. Her slightly sharp features added to the aristocratic vibe.
When I gave a pure compliment, Lumina looked away slightly and replied.
“Th-thank you. Commander Rex also looked very handsome today. …He looked like someone from a fairy tale.”
“You don’t need to hide it.”
“No, really! At first, he seemed very stiff, but actually, he’s kind and good-looking.”
His physical presence is top-notch. He’s excellent at character customization.
“Oh, but did Sergeant Lumina also receive a personnel reassignment this June?”
“Most non-commissioned officers don’t get reassignments unless they’re exceptional or volunteer… ”
“Even though you received a medal this time, do you have any particular place you want to go?”
Third-grade white medal.
While it’s the lowest military medal, having it awarded by the king himself surely adds merit to the personnel decision.
“Well… I haven’t really considered anything outside the 3rd Battalion.”
However, Lumina’s reaction was surprisingly indifferent.
“Now, it feels like home. I don’t really want to go anywhere else. And…”
She added shyly.
“Bella probably wants to stay in the unit too… Soldiers and officers keep changing, but eventually, we can overcome the stigma of being a subpar platoon and receive proper treatment.”
“That might take too long.”
“But the commander managed to change things significantly within a month.”
Her amethyst eyes stared intently at me. Her hypnotic gaze left me momentarily lost in thought.
“But are you getting reassigned in June?”
“Probably. I didn’t expect to be promoted to captain so suddenly.”
“That’s a shame.”
Lumina said with a subtle smile.
“I wish I could have spent more time with you.”
“After all, there are issues with rank and other problems.”
Even if promotions are automatic after serving the minimum term, a sudden promotion to captain after only one month is an exceptional personnel decision.
Thus, living in the 3rd Battalion would be difficult in many ways.
“Don’t worry. I plan to finish as much of the planned work as possible before I leave.”
Since I boasted about this in front of Sony Chepelin, at least the appearance needs to be maintained. I hate people who contradict themselves, and even though I’ve been promoted to captain, I don’t want to casually neglect the operation of the platoon.
“The facility manager said they will watch over us while we’re away. Let’s strive to get full marks in next month’s platoon evaluation.”
In fact, the stigma of being a subpar platoon could be removed immediately. The individual skills of the platoon members are beyond reproach.
Even excluding Sergeant Claude, Roxanna is a first-class green mage.
The difference between having a first-class mage and not in the battlefield is immense. ‘Mage’ itself is akin to a weapon.
Typical ‘drafted’ mages are usually third or fourth class, so first-class mages, capable of projecting several times more firepower, are highly valued by the military.
That’s why Sony Chepelin, despite being a lieutenant colonel, is close to the king and doesn’t bow to major generals.
She is the only high mage in the Okhraine Duchy.
It’s impossible to face a woman of equivalent strength to a legion with mere physical power.
From this perspective, even if a first-class mage is practically on par with a battalion in terms of tactical capability, their value is undoubtedly high.
If Lumina, Bella, and Roxanna can fill in the gaps…
We could become a formidable force for the Okhraine Duchy.
‘I’m sure we will become a powerful force.’
For the future of this nation and for my purpose in this world.
‘I will make it happen.’
*
“Then, I look forward to meeting again someday, Captain Enok Revendale.”
“Thank you very much, Colonel.”
On the last day in the capital, we had lunch with Colonel Lannister and bid farewell before returning to the battalion.
“Who knows? Maybe Commander Siegmund is right, and I’ll join your unit in June?”
“Haha, I hope so.”
“Having a capable person like a captain nearby is reassuring.”
“I’m grateful for your kind words.”
While receiving calls from high-ranking officials is certainly good, it’s also exhausting.
In truth, the military police and Sony Chepelin’s Special Response Brigade weren’t particularly appealing to me.
“If I must go to the center, then the strategic-tactical department or technology development would be priorities.”
Originally, I planned to spend two years in the field, followed by two years in technology development, and then return to the field for the final year to command the battlefield.
But now that I’ve been promoted to captain, perhaps going directly into technology development wouldn’t be bad.
Although modern tanks and aircraft don’t exist yet…
As the war drags on, similar equipment will start appearing.
Chepelin airships powered by magic stones and mages, and conventional fuel-powered trucks and combat vehicles will slowly begin development.
“The problem is that Okhraine falls before such equipment is widely distributed.”
After gaining some experience in the field, I would need to overhaul the Okhraine army’s own technology and tactical doctrines.
Involvement in politics would be ideal, but that’s secondary. While it’s uncertain how skilled Orlando Rus III is as a politician, the fate of the nation rests solely on its military power.
If the enemy army is strong, even a great power would think twice before acting.
Considering this, Sony Chepelin’s Special Response Brigade suits me better. As a new unit, it’s good for experimenting with various tactics.
“I’ll head back now.”
“Let’s write letters occasionally. It wouldn’t be bad for a captain to build rapport with a military police colonel.”
“Of course.”
I smiled and shook hands with Colonel Lannister. Making connections with departments like the inspectorate or military police couldn’t hurt.
“To the glory of our homeland!”
“Glory!”
After boarding the carriage, I completed the formalities, marking the end of my time in the capital.
Colonel Lannister watched the departing carriage for a moment before turning away.
We retraced our steps through the same stopover points, completing a four-night, five-day journey back to the beloved 3rd Battalion camp.
“Whew, I’m tired.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I could go to the capital again…”
Lumina sighed as she unpacked. Both Bella and I, and even the parrot, were visibly exhausted from the long journey.
“It’s late. We’ll report our return to the battalion commander tomorrow. Let’s put our bags away first.”
Since I hadn’t brought much, I only carried my formal uniform and a few sets of casual clothes in my backpack.
“We’re back.”
The sound of a crackling fire could be heard from the lounge. A faint warmth suggested someone had been waiting for us.
Roxanna? Sergeant Claude wouldn’t be waiting.
But my prediction was completely off.
The moment I entered the barracks, instead of a welcoming platoon member, out rushed—
“Captain Enok! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting? I thought I’d d*e of boredom waiting here all day!”
It was Facilities Manager Debra Bennett.
