喵绅HCMOIC士网页版

Chapter 195

Wow, what a pleasant surprise to see a familiar face after all this time! My goodness!

“Lieutenant… Oh, excuse me, should I call you Major now?”

I was attending a military event when I spotted a familiar face in the distance. I went over to check, and sure enough, it was him.

Two years ago, he was the Imperial Army officer who played a crucial role in stopping the train terror with me. Lieutenant Magi.

His name was so unique, it reminded me of a fish, so I remembered it well.

He was a lieutenant back then, but now he’s a major after just two years? What kind of unbelievable promotion is this?!

“It’s-it’s embarrassing, Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You earned this promotion through your own skills.”

“Absolutely not. I was just lucky. I believe anyone else in my position would have done the same.”

Oh, come on. What nonsense is he spouting?

Back when the Kanfras were still alive and kicking, no, when they were the most active, those bastards dared to infiltrate Imperial territory and try to hijack a train.

They even planned to detonate themselves at the station, so it’s safe to say they were completely insane.

It just so happened that I was on that train and successfully subdued the Kanfras.

However, I wasn’t the only one on the train. There were passengers too, and innocent lives could have been lost if things had gone wrong.

That’s where Major Magi, who was a lieutenant at the time, played a crucial role.

“Th-this way! Passengers, please evacuate this way!”

“Don’t worry! I’m Lieutenant Magi of the Imperial Army!”

If the passengers had panicked, I wouldn’t have been able to fight with peace of mind.

The Kanfras might have succeeded in hijacking the train, and the terrorist attack could have been carried out.

He claims he didn’t do anything special, but to me, he did.

At that time, he was the most reliable colleague and comrade I could ask for.

Thanks to him, I was able to focus on fighting without worrying about anything else.

“If Major Magi hadn’t been there, I would have been overwhelmed on my own. I’m not just saying this out of humility or politeness. That’s how the battlefield is. There are things you can’t do alone, but with a comrade by your side, you can do anything.”

“Ah…”

“You were my comrade back then.”

I extended my hand as a gesture of gratitude.

Major Magi rubbed under his nose, seemingly embarrassed, but then he grasped my hand.

I salute your sacrifice.

Neither of us said it out loud, but I knew we were both thinking it.

“Anyway, congratulations on your rapid promotion. This is practically unheard of in the history of the Imperial Army, isn’t it?”

“Ahaha, that’s why I said I was lucky. Just being with Sergeant Karl was a huge advantage… It opened up many opportunities for promotion.”

“Of course it should be. You were trusted enough to watch the back of a two-time Medal of Honor recipient. Honestly, if you were still a lieutenant or captain, I would have marched straight to the Ministry of War to complain.”

Of course, I was just kidding. I wouldn’t actually do something crazy like that. But it seems Major Magi took me seriously.

“Please! Please don’t do that! I beg you! I’ll be crushed under the pressure! Honestly, even now, the expectations are so high that I’m going crazy…!”

Well, you have to bear it. Isn’t it said that the weight of the crown is heavy? I heard you even received a medal for that incident, which is only natural!

“I look forward to seeing you as a lieutenant colonel soon.”

“You’re not going to go to the Ministry of War and recommend me, are you?”

“I’d like to, but I doubt the higher-ups will leave you alone anyway.”

This is the Empire, after all. If you show any competence, they’ll snatch you up and put you to work.

I’m so glad I’m not a civil servant. What would I have done if I were?

“Oh my! So this is the friend who received the Medal of Honor twice!”

“Goodness! He looks like he can get things done!”

“We’re counting on you! You’re the real power in our department now! Hahaha!!”

Hmm. Just imagining it makes me shudder.

I’d rather just quietly return to the academy and then live peacefully as the heir to my family.

* * *

After participating in the military event, I was planning to return to the academy.

I saw the high morale of the soldiers and even met a familiar face in the midst of it all.

It felt great. If I could go back in this state and prepare for tomorrow’s lecture, it would be perfect.

“Young Lord Karl Adelheit. If you have the time, could you accompany me for a moment?”

That was until someone discreetly approached me before I could board the carriage and revealed their affiliation.

‘Sigh.’

A sigh escaped my lips.

Even without hearing what it was about, I could roughly guess.

The person who approached me just now already gave me the answer.

– Special Task Force, Team 7 –

I heard from my sister that Team 7 is in charge of the southern part of the empire.

And what’s in the south? Hot springs? Yes, there are. The Great Forest? That’s also true. But the most important thing is not that. It’s what’s below that’s the problem.

No way. It can’t be. Oh, come on. I trampled them so thoroughly, there’s no way…

“It’s been a while. Young Lord Karl Adelheit.”

“…Yes, it has been a while.”

This time, it’s another familiar face. What was his name again? …Ah, right. ‘D,’ I think.

The Special Task Force that investigated our captured Kanfra friends after the train terror incident.

He was the agent who eagerly took the lead but was then kicked out of the interrogation room by my sister.

Additionally, he has a track record of catching the Kanfras who wreaked havoc on the academy with me.

You can find the details in Chapter 35. Yep, yep.

[TL/N: It was in the Raw. Not added by me.]

“You were a regular agent back then, I think. You’re already a team leader?”

“Somehow, it happened. Actually, I’d say I got lucky.”

He says he got lucky too. Is that kind of line trending these days?

“The situation in the south has been resolved much better than expected. Thanks to that, my colleagues and I had a lot to do and achieved many results.”

And of course, my contribution was also a part of that, according to Agent D, no, Team Leader D. This makes me seriously worry about how far the ripples of my actions have spread.

“Anyway, Team Leader, you suddenly got busy, and if you’re summoning me like this, I assume some trouble has stirred up with the elves again. Am I correct?”

“…In the current situation, unfortunately, I can say that’s correct.”

Team Leader D’s following words were quite unpleasant for me, who survived the Southern Great Forest War.

The remnants of the Kanfras who had been quiet for a while after being crushed by Hyzens after the war.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t be completely eradicated. And as the empire rapidly rose in power, that damn Kanfra ideology was spreading again among the neutral elves.

“On top of that… uh, seeing how you received the Legion of Honor Medal, Young Lord, Hyzens is twisting the narrative, claiming the elves have surrendered even their last shred of pride and former glory.”

“What?”

Why did I even receive this? They gave it to me.

Does Hyzens know that they practically forced it on me as a gift, a war hero, to improve relations with the empire?

“…I don’t know why they’re making a fuss now.”

“Young Lord?”

“Ah, my apologies. Thinking about the Kanfras brought back my military habits. I meant I don’t understand why they’re doing this now. Hahaha.”

“…There’s no unrest yet, and Hyzens is making efforts, so it’s not entirely negative. We’re also closely monitoring the situation.”

“I see. But then, isn’t there no reason to call me specifically?”

I have a pretty good idea of what they’re asking of me.

The person who’s easiest to mobilize in the current situation is none other than the one right next to me.

“Hyzens is requesting to temporarily send Eloise Loengrand under the guise of a dispatch.”

“A dispatch, huh? That’s an odd way to put it. Isn’t Eloise an elf and a member of Hyzens to begin with?”

“That’s true, but it seems they’re very conscious of your opinion, Young Lord.”

This means Hyzens is taking a step back, knowing the relationship between Eloise and me.

They’re certainly different from those damn Kanfras.

If it were the Kanfas causing trouble, they would have been demanding, ‘Send that woman over!’

“It just so happens that winter break is a month away. That seems like the best time. I suppose we can tell Eloise to visit her hometown for a month or so, right?”

“…?”

“Shouldn’t Hyzens put in more effort first?”

But, you elves. No matter what, this is too much.

Eloise is my person now. And you want me to push her to work?

Are you all out of your mind? It’s your own country’s problem, can’t you handle it yourselves?

Damn it, if you can’t handle it, just crawl under the empire.

If you need to bring Eloise into this, it just means you’re doing a shitty job.

I was trying to be patient, but you keep pissing me off, damn it. Seriously.

“Team Leader D, what do you think? Do you really believe it’s right for me to persuade Eloise to return to her homeland?”

Choose your words carefully, seriously.

“…To be honest, I also find it a bit strange. Considering the amount of cooperation the Empire has provided, if they can’t control the situation to this extent, it seems like they’re proving their own incompetence.”

“I can’t help but admire your insight, Team Leader. Hahaha.”

I discreetly traced the hilt of the greatsword in my arms.

Next year will be my niece’s first birthday. Surely they won’t cause trouble around that time, will they?