A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 11

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The Eastern Military District Command was located in Branberg, where vast wheat fields stretched out.

Indeed, as befitting an area known as the breadbasket of abundance, everything seen from the air was agricultural land.

Countless stalks of wheat swayed gently in the wind.

Karin Maven, who had woken up at some point, was also looking at the scenery beyond the window with fascination.

“Is this your first time seeing such a sight?”

“…Yes.”

Werner recalled Karin’s personal information.

Didn’t it say she was from a mountain village in the southeast?

There were hardly any areas that could be called plains in the southeast, so this would feel quite unfamiliar to her.

“40% of the Empire’s wheat production takes place right here in Branberg. A single administrative region is feeding nearly half of the nation’s population.”

Having finished organizing the documents, Werner approached Karin and explained.

“That’s amazing…”

“It’s no wonder it’s called the Golden City. I heard that in the fall, when it’s time for harvest, the horizon sparkles with golden wheat ready to be harvested.”

At those words, Karin tried to imagine that scenery for a moment.

It was beautiful even now, so it was obvious that it would be even more beautiful then.

“Is that why I heard the food is also delicious? There’s a famous pasta restaurant that you would like, Lieutenant.”

It was a restaurant he had naturally learned about during the preliminary investigation of the region.

Although he hadn’t tried it himself, judging by the long waiting line even on a regular basis, he could guarantee its taste.

“Really?!”

As expected, at the mention of pasta, Karin’s eyes sparkled for a moment.

Her voice tone also rose along with it.

Even for her, who lacked motivation and was timid in everything, she clearly expressed her emotions only when eating delicious food.

“Ah…”

When Werner smiled at her clearly changed attitude, Karin hurriedly turned her head away.

Judging by her reddened ears, she seemed embarrassed that her emotions were discovered.

“If there’s time, let’s go eat together. I wanted to try it too.”

“Okay…”

Karin nodded slightly at Werner’s words.

As they chatted like that, the helicopter pilot sitting in front spoke to them.

“Director, we will arrive at the command soon.”

Werner turned his head and looked ahead.

The huge castle that had come close at some point.

The castle towering in the middle of the plain was the Eastern Military District Branberg Command.

The army had purchased the castle of a ducal family that had owned the area in the past and used it as their headquarters.

If it was a duke who had owned such a fertile breadbasket, his prestige and power must have been immense.

Even when viewed from the air, the grandeur and beauty of the castle were evident.

Of course, Werner didn’t particularly think positively about it.

‘Being stuck in a place like that, they must be babbling about being nobles all the time.’

During the forty regressions, he had never left the field even once.

Even when he sat in the position of Supreme Commander, he had set up the Supreme Command’s field command post near the Graveyard and ate and slept there.

Werner, who was far from desk administration, found such formalities even more irritating.

Well, either way, it was an order from the President.

Werner intended to thoroughly exploit the gaps of those ridiculous self-proclaimed nobles.

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“Is this the assigned accommodation?”

“Yes, that’s right. The other places are already occupied by generals and other VIPs…”

“Hmm.”

The room directly assigned by the Eastern Military District was more run-down than expected.

It could be called a hotel, but it was a 3-star hotel that only met the minimum requirements.

Thinking it was a completely unsatisfactory response, the hotel staff who had guided Werner and Karin made excuses.

“Well… actually, this is already a great convenience for you. Other than you, Lieutenant Colonel, most of the soldiers staying here are Colonels.”

In simple terms, it meant they were giving the treatment of Colonels one rank higher.

As the manager of the special institution directly under the Supreme Command, the National Security Strategy Agency, they had considered that and grouped him with the Colonels.

It made him wonder again how many big shots were participating in this banquet.

At the same time, he felt once more the inclination of the Eastern Command to like dividing by rank.

If this was the treatment of a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel who seemed to have clout, where were the newly promoted Lieutenant Colonels and Majors staying?

Werner could only let out a hollow laugh.

Of course, there was no reason for Werner, who was born a field soldier, to be dissatisfied with the sleeping arrangements.

But the hotel staff seemed to be thoroughly intimidated by Werner’s characteristically stiff, expressionless face and the aura emanating from his unique black uniform.

“Ah, and, and! If you check the interior, it’s quite nice! The corridor and lobby interior may be antique-style, but the inside is very modern!”

“Don’t worry. I don’t have any particular complaints. But you know…”

Werner took out a few bills from his pocket and handed them to the staff.

It was an excessive amount for a tip.

Realizing the meaning behind the thick cash, the staff immediately bowed to Werner.

“What, whatever you need me to do!”

It was a kind of tacit expression used when making a personal request to the staff.

At the same time, it implied that the staff should prioritize his requests over anything else during his stay.

“During the event, don’t clean my room. Also, tell the other staff not to enter for any reason.”

“Ah! Don’t worry about security! I will thoroughly manage it, especially for you, Lieutenant Colonel!”

“Hmm, and my aide will be coming in and out quite often, so can you give me a separate visitor’s pass?”

The staff looked at the cash, Werner, and Karin, then nodded vigorously as if he understood something.

“Understood! I will prepare the visitor’s pass by this evening! Please rest well until the banquet!”

As soon as the conversation ended, the staff grabbed the cash and quickly disappeared.

Even from his back, his upturned lips were visible.

After making sure the staff had completely disappeared, Werner entered the room with Karin.

The staff’s words were somewhat true.

Unlike the smelly corridor that seemed to have been built decades ago, the inside of the room was quite well decorated.

The bed was queen-size, not single, which might be because it was a slightly higher-grade room.

“Phew… Flying for a long time makes my shoulders a bit stiff.”

Werner muttered to himself and casually dropped the luggage he was carrying in a corner.

But he couldn’t rest yet.

The banquet would start tomorrow and end the day after.

So the preliminary preparations had to be completely handled today.

However, unlike himself, Karin Maven seemed somewhat exhausted.

After pondering for a moment, Werner spoke to Karin, who was standing blankly in front of the entrance.

“Karin, sleep here.”

“…Yes, excuse me?”

Karin’s red eyes began to spin rapidly.

“What, what do you mean…? Me, with you, Director…? Sleep, together…?”

Karin Maven shrank back with a more wary tone than usual.

She raised her hands and covered her chest area.

At the same time, she recalled the conversation Werner had with the staff just before.

A space where no one was allowed to enter.
A large bed.
Frequent coming and going, so a visitor’s pass was needed…?

At first, she thought it was simply for official reasons, but her thoughts gradually began to lean toward something impure.

“No, that’s not what I meant. You look very tired right now, so I meant you should sleep and rest here.”

Sensing a serious misunderstanding, Werner hurriedly corrected himself.

“…Oh.”

“Do you think I’ve been shot in the head to sleep with a subordinate? I’m not that kind of depraved bastard.”

“I, I never thought that way.”

Karin replied in a shrinking voice.

Her bowed head was an extra.

Anyway, it was better to rest comfortably if she was going to rest.

In the first place, the safe house where she was originally scheduled to stay – a small inn owned by a local collaborator – was a facility that couldn’t be praised even in empty words.

“Then, then I’ll stay here…”

“If I come back too late or have to leave due to unavoidable circumstances, use this phone to contact me.”

Werner handed Karin a communication terminal he had prepared in advance.

It was a terminal Werner had personally purchased for this operation.

It was a new model he had purchased at a much cheaper price than the original price, saying it was an end-of-war celebration sale.

Karin, who received the terminal, fiddled with it with a slightly surprised look.

“And if it’s okay with you… you can stay here instead of the safe house.”

“What…? Then what about you, Director?”

“I can sleep there. Anyway, no one will care what a mere Lieutenant Colonel does. You can tell by the staff’s reaction.”

Not only the soldiers of the Eastern Military District but also the general-level personnel of the adjacent military districts.

The banquet was also attended by prominent figures from all walks of life, including the local leaders of Branberg.

All the good luxury hotels would have been taken by them, so no one would find it strange if a mere Lieutenant Colonel frequented a shabby inn.

Rather, wandering around where Colonels were staying together might attract unwanted attention.

This black uniform was already unnecessarily eye-catching.

Karin wouldn’t go out of the room much anyway, and even if she walked around inside the hotel, they would think she was just someone’s aide and not pay much attention to her.

“Then rest here.”

Werner closed the door.

If he wanted to get a visitor’s pass for Karin in the evening, he had to come here at least two hours in advance.

Just as Werner was quickly moving his steps out of the hotel.

“I’m looking forward to a banquet of this scale.”

“…!”

At the familiar voice coming from the lobby, Werner instinctively hid his body.

“I know, right? But are all the Colonels staying here?”

“Well, there are a lot of generals too.”

The voices of two women chatting familiarly.

Carefully checking the place, he saw an unfamiliar female officer with Colonel rank insignia and a First Lieutenant with reddish-brown hair who seemed to be an aide.

A side ponytail tied to the side, and sparkling yellow eyes.

It felt as if his breath was caught in his throat.

Werner’s entire body stiffened.

It was Lea Gilliard, the supply company commander of the Graveyard and his other fiancée.

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