Chapter 4

“Uh… uh…”

I wake up to the sound of sniffles from beside me.

Annoyed, I turn my head to see a girl without rank insignia on her epaulettes – clearly a trainee.

Wasn’t her name Prien? She’s the girl I met when I got locked up in the Military Police Detention Center yesterday.

Judging by her light brown hair and dark eyes, she seems to be from the southern region.

Thinking she might be from my hometown, I tried talking to her a bit, but now that I’ve woken up, she’s clinging to me like glue, which is exhausting.

I was about to ignore her, but figured she’d probably just keep crying if I did nothing, so I opened my mouth.

“…Imperial soldiers shouldn’t be shedding tears so freely. Have you forgotten that much?”

Hearing my voice, Prien stops her sniffling in surprise.

“I’m sorry! It’s disgraceful! I suddenly started thinking about my father back home…”

“Is something wrong with your father? Is he ill?”

“No, it’s not that… Father was proud of me joining the Imperial Army, but here I am, unable to even complete basic training and stuck in here. I feel so stupid.”

“You just said ‘yo’ at the end of your sentence, didn’t you?”

Pointing that out makes Prien’s shoulders tremble.

“Ahh, I’m sorry! I’ll correct it!”

She’s hopeless. After giving her a cold stare, I turned away.

“I heard you refused to fire a gun for religious reasons, which is why you’re here.”

“That’s right. I volunteered as a medic because…”

“Even medics need to know how to shoot. What will you do if the enemy tries to kill the soldier you’re treating? Just let them die?”

Prien doesn’t answer. Can’t answer, rather.

“War isn’t child’s play. If you want to play doctor, go teach at a kindergarten instead of coming to the battlefield.”

Deflated, Prien lowers her head. Seeing this, I sigh and add:

“Still, I think your decision to volunteer for the military to save people is noble. Choosing to enlist when women aren’t even subject to conscription shows real self-sacrifice.”

“…Thank you, Captain.”

A faint smile appears on Prien’s face as she crouches there.

“Hearing your words gives me strength. Now I understand how childish I’ve been acting. For the sake of my father’s honor as a priest, I should try harder when I get back to training.”

Her sentence ended with “yo” again, but I decided not to point it out this time.

It seems to slip out unconsciously, and since she’s not directly under my command, there’s no need to correct her.

So her father’s a priest, huh? That must be why she hesitates to use firearms – she was probably taught that taking life is forbidden.

I can understand that…

“Wait a minute.”

Her father’s a priest?

And she’s a woman from the south who received disciplinary action during training…

Her backstory resembles that of an NPC I often encountered while gaming.

Unconsciously breaking out in a cold sweat, I look at Prien.

“Soldier, what’s your full name?”

“Huh? Oh. It’s Prien. My full name is Prien Remiliat.”

Hearing her full name makes my pores tingle.

If she’s Prien Remiliat, then she’s the named NPC known as the Empire’s Holy Maiden.

The one who casts her unique “Blessing Wave” magic across the entire battlefield, turning deployed soldiers into literal killing machines.

Whenever her presence on the battlefield was reported, orders to retreat were issued unless we had overwhelming numerical superiority.

I didn’t expect to meet a named NPC in the detention center, but it’s not really my problem.

“After all, I’m leaving the service anyway.”

Once I leave the Empire, I’ll probably never see her again, so why bother caring?

“Is that so. It’s a pretty name.”

Giving her a casual response makes her blush shyly.

Not knowing why exactly, but judging from how she blushes at such a small compliment, she probably has little experience with men.

What is she doing enlisting in the military during her youth?

Though I guess I would have thought serving in the military was the highest honor too, if I hadn’t regained my memories from my previous life while at the command post.

“Captain Daniel Steiner?”

At that moment, a sergeant approaches the cell bars and addresses me.

I raise my hand, and after confirming that my name matches the records, the sergeant takes out his keys and unlocks the detention center door.

“You’re being released. Follow me.”

Time to go, it seems. The higher-ups must have convened a court-martial after gathering information.

Prien, standing next to me, seems unaware of this and blinks her clear eyes innocently.

“You’re finally leaving. It was an honor speaking with you, Captain.”

I nod awkwardly (though internally I’m cheering) and stand up to follow the sergeant.

Passing through the Military Police office and stepping outside the building, I see Captain Philip waiting.

He’s holding some kind of box that looks rather fancy.

“Ah, you’re here.”

Captain Philip greets me with a gentle smile.

Something feels off, but I decide to maintain proper etiquette and salute.

Philip casually returns my salute before approaching me.

“I originally wanted to get you out earlier, but various procedures delayed things. You know how it is, having worked at General Staff Headquarters yourself.”

I do. The military values reports and procedures more than life itself.

But getting me out early? Something about his tone feels unsettling. As I silently observe him, Philip hands me the box.

“This is your reward for your distinguished service, Captain Daniel Steiner. Or rather, Lieutenant now.”

What the hell is this? Still blinking in confusion, I take the box and open it.

Inside are the two-diamond insignias and epaulettes symbolizing a lieutenant.

Not understanding what’s going on, I look up at Philip, who smiles warmly as if telling me I deserve to be proud.

“Your judgment proved correct. Colonel Karl Heimrich has been revealed as a spy for the Allied Nations. In recognition of your military achievements, upper command has awarded you a one-rank special promotion, skipping the usual promotion review process.”

“…One-rank special promotion? Are you serious?”

“That’s right. The Empire’s fundamental principle is strict enforcement of laws. Additionally, upper command has ordered you to temporarily assume the duties of Operations Staff until they fill the vacancy.”

Are you kidding me? I assaulted my superior officer, but it turns out he was actually a foreign spy, so now I’ve received a one-rank special promotion? This is ridiculous.

“This might be the start of you surpassing me, old chap. Congratulations nonetheless!”

…But Philip’s congratulations confirm that this absurd situation is indeed real.

Thus, I have no choice but to grit my teeth and shake hands with Philip while praising the Empire.

*

After using my week of commendation leave, I returned to the Imperial General Staff Headquarters.

Entering the building and walking into the Office of the Operations Staff, the staff officers currently conversing turn their gazes toward me.

They soon gather around me with smiles.

“Lieutenant Daniel? Aren’t you our hero!”

“It takes great courage to assault a superior officer, even if he was a spy!”

“Stacking merits twice in a row recently is quite impressive. Did you know your name occasionally comes up in upper command discussions?”

People, I didn’t seek to earn these merits.

It’s frustrating watching them congratulate me without realizing how rotten things are inside.

“Please retract your compliments. I merely acted according to my devotion to serve the Empire.”

Still, I couldn’t ignore their goodwill entirely, so I smiled and responded.

After exchanging greetings for a while, I walk over to my assigned desk in the Operations Staff Office… the place where Colonel Karl used to work.

All of Colonel Karl’s personal belongings seem to have been removed, leaving the area tidy.

On the desk lie a few documents, a telephone, and most notably, a nameplate.

[Acting Operations Staff / Lieutenant Daniel Steiner]

Even as a temporary position, assigning the role of Operations Staff to a lieutenant is quite unprecedented.

The Operations Staff position is considered an important post within the General Staff Headquarters, usually warranting its own private office. It’s not typically given to someone of lieutenant rank.

In other words, upper command clearly views me as a valuable talent.

Having only been commissioned for three months, receiving a one-rank special promotion to lieutenant and then immediately being appointed Acting Operations Staff feels surreal.

This is truly the path of an elite among elites. Rather than a steady road, it’s more like a golden path unfolding before me.

Which also means the road to dishonorable discharge has become significantly more difficult.

‘…’

Listening to the chirping of birds outside the window, I sit down at my desk, furrowing my brows as I rest my forehead on my hand.

‘Why are you doing this to me…’

I seriously feel like I’m going insane.