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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The Reinhardt Empire.
One of the five great powers in Hearts of Iron, and the main pillar of the Imperial Alliance along with the Soviet Empire. As a nation inspired by real-world Germany, it had a long and historical rivalry with the Free Democratic Republic of Pry.
The Reinhardt-Pry front, which opened immediately after the Ukrainian front, was where players truly experienced what ‘war’ was in Hearts of Iron. Airships dominated the skies, tens of thousands of soldiers charged into trenches and were ground to dust.
The crossfire of machine guns lit up the night, and the incessant artillery fire deafened the eardrums. By then, it was common for players to reach the rank of major, and they would act as battalion commanders or high-ranking staff officers.
Watching the number of troops dwindle day by day, even though they were just data points, gave a glimpse of how intense the battles were.
That was the Reinhardt Empire. As a great power that proudly called itself an empire, it had a completely different atmosphere from the Ukrainian Duchy.
Ukraine, with its cold temperate climate in the northern hemisphere, often had its ground turned into a muddy mess around this time of year, but Reinhardt’s roads were incredibly well-maintained.
In fact, except for the absence of asphalt and cement, the solid carriage roads made of neatly cut stones and covered with earth were not at all inferior to modern ones.
‘So this is why their supply rate within the imperial territory was so insane. It was easy to launch an offensive.’
I could truly feel why the Reinhardt Empire specialized in short-term blitzkriegs.
“It’s so comfortable…”
“The roads are good, but the carriage is also a world apart from the military ones.”
“Hmm, mm…? What did you say?”
“Nothing, sir. Please go back to sleep.”
As expected of a royal carriage, the ride quality was amazing. After riding only in those shitty carriages that bounced my butt every time we hit a rock, riding in this luxurious vehicle was a new experience.
Of course, Sony Zeppelin, after chatting for a while, had curled up in the back seat and fallen asleep.
“Doesn’t she look just like a cat?”
“I agree.”
Lumia chuckled and said. Sony Zeppelin was indeed a human who was the spitting image of a cat. Not just in appearance, but also in her behavior.
Even now, as she slept, she was curled up in a ball. She would do what you told her not to, and she would playfully brush off your requests.
At first, I thought she would be an arrogant and stubborn person since she held the title of Archmage, but now that I think about it, she was just someone who did whatever she pleased.
It was funny how that attitude, combined with her magical prowess and terrifyingly sharp insight, worked in her favor.
‘No matter how I look at it, she doesn’t seem like she’ll age like she did in HOI…’
Of course, the portraits in HOI had a slightly Western cartoonish art style, and it was also true that the characters, except for the player, weren’t depicted very beautifully. She was one of the people who had the biggest discrepancy with her portrait.
I could even recognize Count Ferdinand immediately after seeing his face. Even with my 10,000 hours of playtime, I had no idea what had happened between her and Ukraine.
‘The most likely scenario is a coup.’
Civil war, coup, rebellion.
It was a fairly common occurrence in HOI. It would happen whenever one took a wrong route or failed to meet certain conditions, causing internal rebel forces to rise up.
If the initial suppression failed, it would spread throughout the country, making the already chaotic nation even more chaotic. It was the number one contributor to making HOI’s gameplay harder. With a centralized nation barely able to control its army, how could it control public opinion?
That was a flow that even an Archmage couldn’t control. If she had aged rapidly due to the stress, it wasn’t an entirely implausible reason.
‘I’ll have to manage internal affairs well to prevent such things from happening as much as possible.’
I thought, looking at the smooth movement of the carriage’s exterior. I had been promoted incredibly fast. If this were a game, it would be considered a bug or a console command. From second lieutenant to captain in seven months?
It was faster than the promotions of people who had advanced rapidly during World War II. Well, it was impossible to go higher than this for now. Unless there was a local conflict, the highest rank Sony Zeppelin could exercise her appointment authority on was a commissioned officer.
But this meant that the officer TO of the Ukrainian army was a complete mess.
It was rare for a newcomer to replace an old-timer.
Especially in a closed group like the military. Even if the newcomer was talented, they would often be blocked by the old-timers who were on the verge of collapsing. It wasn’t just Korea.
All military organizations in the world were like that, and the fictional nation of the Ukrainian Duchy was no different. And the Sony Zeppelin I had come to know was not someone who clung to connections or pushed only her own people.
She was a person who valued ability above all else, the most important thing for a soldier and a mage. If I hadn’t shown some results, or if someone like Chief of Staff Joseph had already taken the position, she wouldn’t have promoted me to captain.
So, the reason Sony Zeppelin had made the drastic decision to promote me to captain in seven months and agree to promote all the non-commissioned officers under my command to officers was nothing else.
It was because there were no old-timers in the Ukrainian army. The remaining officers and personnel were just pebbles and sand that had been rounded off by the storms of time.
Even if they tried to solidify the ground, there was no way they could cultivate the land that had become so barren. The only way was to sweep away all the sand and pebbles and lay down stones that hadn’t weathered and were sharp and hard to serve as a foundation.
That was me. And our squad members, including Lumia Blue. And the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion and the Special Operations Brigade.
‘I’ll just have to work harder, what else can I do.’
I will repay trust and confidence with results. That was the value of a soldier and the duty of a subordinate. I hardened my resolve once again. My new goal was to become a lieutenant colonel before the war. If that happened, I would be one step closer to a future where Ukraine wins.
“Brigadier General, we will soon arrive at Deoronto, Count Ferdinand’s territory.”
“Madam, it’s time to wake up.”
“Huh? Mmm… I know…”
As I approached the sleeping she and shook her, the Brigadier General sat up, wiping the drool from her lips.
“……Please don’t wipe it with your sleeve, use this.”
“Haaam~! Oh, thank you, Captain.”
As I handed her a handkerchief, Sony Zeppelin yawned and stretched. Was it really okay for a Brigadier General and the top military power of Ukraine to be so defenseless?
That question suddenly came to my mind, but…
I had no reason to nitpick now.
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“It’s good to see you again.”
“It’s an honor, Count.”
I politely responded to Count Ferdinand’s handshake and bowed slightly.
“I believe you were a lieutenant the last time I saw you. And now, you’ve added another gem in just a few months?”
“It’s all thanks to the Brigadier General’s favor.”
“Hahaha, you have a way with words. If I had a young man as talented as you among my vassals, I would have pushed you hard.”
He was a good connection to have. In the near future, he would be hailed as the father of the Reinhardt Empire’s air force.
Even now, he was a wealthy man and a pioneer who was so engrossed in the development of airships, which was close to a hobby, that he was using his own funds. It was worth getting to know him.
And in a few more years, when his true value began to be recognized, he would be an even more valuable connection than now. From Count Ferdinand to Lieutenant General Ferdinand.
If I established a connection with him now, I would be able to use it well when the time came.
Karl von Clausewitz, who wrote the world-renowned military strategy book, “On War,” said that war is the continuation of politics.
In the end, the reason why Ukraine was the first to be destroyed at the beginning of the Great War was because Ukraine’s political foundation was very weak. What I had to do from now on was to increase my contact with these bigwigs and gradually increase my influence.
A strong military force was a clear deterrent to war, but what acted as an even stronger deterrent was ultimately international politics─diplomatic power.
“Then, I should show you this first.”
Count Ferdinand briefly greeted Lieutenant Lumia Blue, who was accompanying him, and then… with an expression like a child hiding a very cool toy, he led us to the back of the mansion.
“Thanks to the Pearl of Premonition you recovered, I was able to achieve my lifelong dream. The Graf Ferdinand, an air battleship named after me.”
Diameter 70m. Height 40m.
A huge airship that made the two small airships sleeping at the back of the battalion look like babies revealed its form.
“Wow……!!”
Lumia couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at the overwhelming size, and the Count grinned with satisfaction.
“Isn’t it magnificent? Of course, I won’t use that one for military purposes, unlike the other airships. I can’t send that beautiful child to a bloody battlefield.”
“Hahaha…”
As someone who knew the future, I could only let out a dry laugh. Oh no, you won’t. You’ll use the Graf Ferdinand as the main bomber in the early stages of the war. Thinking about how it had crushed the frontline trenches and military headquarters like snacks made my blood boil.
But he was right, its majesty was incredible. I had a rough idea, but seeing it in person was a completely different experience.
“And today’s exhibition closing party will be held on that airship. Won’t it be beautiful?”
Aha, a party on an airship. For some reason, a cartoon movie I shouldn’t have thought of came to my mind. And we even had a Brigadier General who was called the Archmage of the Sky here.
“……”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
……We’ll be fine, right?
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