A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 67

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Around the time when the eagles were building a nest in a quiet village in the southern part of the Empire.

People who currently formed the backbone of the Imperial Army were also gathering one by one in the capital of the Empire, Hoenbaren.

Most of them were generals who had pledged loyalty to President Mikhail or those whom he had pre-selected as his pawns.

Naturally.

Drake Brown, the commander of the 808 Security Battalion, was also present.

He quickly scanned the visitors with sharp eyes.

“Excuse me, General Alfred. I’m really sorry, but could I ask for your understanding for a moment?”

“Ah, um… what’s the problem?”

“Can I check what the bottle in your pocket is?”

“It’s just a water bottle. If it’s a problem, you can confiscate it.”

“I will confiscate it.”

“Well… but that water bottle is quite expensive, can you return it to me later when I leave?”

“Of course.”

Even if he was only a colonel, he was the commander of the direct unit that closely guarded the President.

The authority granted to the position, not the rank, was heavier than that of a mere field commander.

Even generals who differed by several ranks had no choice but to back down at Drake’s words.

Of course, Drake Brown wasn’t the type to flaunt or act arbitrarily with such things.

It was only to prepare for a situation where the President’s safety might be compromised.

The generals couldn’t really express dissatisfaction with that point either.

Scolding was a moment’s work.

But military life still had a long way to go.

If they caught the President’s eye for nothing, it was clear that it would become quite a headache.

“Is this roughly the end of the attendance list?”

Drake, who had been meticulously checking the list of attendees, muttered.

It was then.

There was someone who pushed open the door that was about to be locked and entered.

“Huff, huff… huff…!!”

Beautifully flowing silver hair.

And similarly sparkling emerald eyes met Drake Brown’s gaze directly.

“Brigadier General Arwen, why are you so late? I thought you weren’t coming.”

“I, I had… huff, some work… to do. I was a bit far away.”

She approached him, sweating profusely.

Brigadier General Arwen Orka.

After the dissolution of the Graveyard, she had taken on the role of the head of the Inspection Department, one of the special staff of the Supreme Command.

As someone who had to observe, inspect, and manage the military ahead of others.

Naturally, she was one of the President’s closest aides, no less than Drake Brown.

Although she herself didn’t seem to think so, at least the people gathered in this place would mostly think that way.

The nickname Silver Guillotine didn’t come out for nothing.

If one were to recall the sight of generals much older than her squirming at the last conference, one could only laugh.

“Do you have any water?”

“…Um, here it is. It’s General Alfred’s possession, so please handle it carefully.”

Drake Brown said as he handed over the expensive water bottle he had confiscated a little while ago.

“You still haven’t lost the habit of collecting antiques, I see.”

Arwen sniffed to check that there was nothing strange, then gulped down the water inside.

“Phew…! I feel alive now.”

“But where have you been that you’re like this? If you say you’ve been far away, you must not have been at the Supreme Command at least.”

“I went to the southern part of the Empire for a bit.”

“The Supreme Commander is also in the south and is absent, did you go together?”

“No, that’s not it… I just had something to investigate personally.”

In fact, she had completely forgotten.

She had met Sergeant Hans Rockfell to find the whereabouts of Charlotte.

She had verified what she heard from him at the Disabled Veterans Association.

The fact that Luthers had been delivering a huge amount of money to the injured soldiers of the Graveyard through the Disabled Veterans Association.

Arwen, was heading to 38 Neudink right away.

However, she was reminded by a subordinate from the Inspection Department that a very important meeting was scheduled for today.

Arwen had immediately turned the car around and hurriedly returned to the capital.

Thanks to literally rushing without a single break in between, she was able to arrive at the meeting place, albeit barely.

‘I’ll have to take a vacation and visit Neudink later.’

Arwen thought to herself.

“Anyway, good work, Drake. Ah, right… do you have some time tonight?”

“I can make time if I need to.”

“Then let’s have a late dinner together. I have something to tell you.”

“Alright, then go inside, Brigadier General. Everyone will be waiting inside.”

Arwen Orka tapped Drake’s shoulder and walked forward with long strides.

“Loyalty!”

“Loyalty, good work.”

As she entered through the door opened by a soldier, people were tightly filling the entire large table.

They were all formidable generals.

Arwen Orka sighed and found her seat, sitting down on the chair.

“What’s the reason for the Inspector General being late?”

“Tsk tsk, maybe she got a boyfriend these days.”

“Then it’s only natural to be late. Isn’t that right?”

The middle-aged generals sitting on either side of her, who had taken her seat late, threw jokes.

Arwen laughed awkwardly and responded to the jokes of the two.

Boyfriend, my ass.

She couldn’t even properly put on makeup because she was rushing.

Since becoming the head of the Inspection Department, she hadn’t even taken a single vacation, so there was no way she could get a boyfriend.

Arwen swallowed the words she wanted to say and looked around the meeting room.

There were a total of five empty seats.

Among them were the seat of Supreme Commander Arthur Philias and the seat of the director of the Strategic Security Agency, one of the organizations that made her particularly nervous.

‘When was it promoted to a brigade level? Wasn’t it a lieutenant colonel level until recently?’

Arwen Orka suddenly had a question.

Because there was a star attached in front of the name Werner Grimm.

Such trivial thoughts didn’t last long.

“I think it’s safe to say that everyone has gathered now.”

It was because President Mikhail Bismarck clapped his hands and drew attention to the surroundings.

“Long time no see, gentlemen. Have you been well?”

As he lightly broke the ice, the generals who were already old enough responded with a loud voice.

“Yes, thanks to Your Excellency the President’s wise insight and overwhelming wisdom, we don’t know how peaceful everyday life is!”

“Seeing the glorious Imperial Navy being gradually rebuilt, it seems like the smile won’t leave my face!”

“Everything is thanks to the leadership of Your Excellency the President! We are living so happily!”

And most of them were statements stemming from blind worship without substance.

Arwen Orka mixed her voice with the voices of others, mumbling roughly.

Although she was loyal to the President as a soldier and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, honestly, there was a thought lingering in a corner of her heart that it was a bit much.

“Enough, enough. Haven’t I told you repeatedly not to do this?”

However, a smile was still on the President’s lips.

“By the way, I’m sure everyone knows why we gathered here.”

“…Isn’t it because of the Holy Cross Brigade?”

“Correct.”

The President nodded his head.

The Holy Cross Brigade.

It was the name of the relief unit to be dispatched for the relief of the Republic of Bostania, which had been hit by a mysterious nuclear attack.

After all, the purpose was relief, not invasion, so the holy cross symbolizing healing and mercy was included.

“Since it’s the first deployment of our Imperial Army since the end of the war, I put a lot of effort into who should be the commander.”

“At first, I thought it would be good to appoint a general infantry commander, but if we just send out infantry alone in a place where rebels are swarming, wouldn’t there be unfortunate incidents where our precious sons of the Empire get injured or die?”

Everyone in the audience listened to the President’s next words.

“Then…?”

“The first and inaugural commander of the Holy Cross Brigade has been decided to be ‘Colonel Heinz Bismarck’, who showed remarkable prominence as an armored officer in the last Great War. Come in, Colonel.”

“It is truly an honor to meet the heroes of the Empire in this place. I am Colonel Heinz Bismarck, currently the commander of the 43rd Armored Brigade.”

Heinz Bismarck!

Arwen Orka couldn’t hide her joy at the familiar name.

She never thought she would hear that name here.

Heinz was a colleague who had shared joys and sorrows together in the Graveyard, just like her and Drake.

He had also attended the impromptu gathering held in the capital last time.

Even though Charlotte, who had led the gathering, had become a wanted criminal, and Lea had left the military after clashing with her….

Anyway, he was someone Arwen felt as close to as Lea or Charlotte.

And he was the commander of the Holy Cross Brigade.

It wasn’t really something she couldn’t expect.

As evident from his surname, Heinz was a distant relative of the current president, Mikhail Bismarck.

Although they were from the same family, unlike Mikhail, who was a direct member of the main family, Heinz was a distant branch.

Still, they say blood is thicker than water, don’t they?

Given that he had been entrusted with the important task of being responsible for the international prestige of the Imperial Army in the future, it meant that the President was determined to push Heinz.

‘It’s not like he lacks achievements.’

Heinz had made remarkable achievements as an armored company commander in the Graveyard.

There was no doubt about his leadership and commanding ability.

However, the expression of Heinz Bismarck himself, who had been given that role, was not good.

Even though it was a position where his promotion was confirmed and everyone envied him, why was he making such an expression?

And Arwen was able to know his thoughts sooner than expected.

Right after the meeting ended, Arwen Orka and Heinz Bismarck met separately with Drake Brown, the commander of the 808 Security Battalion, at a pub.

“Actually, I had submitted a discharge request.”

“What?!”

“But I was dragged into the Holy Cross Brigade. His Excellency the President said he absolutely won’t approve it.”

Heinz Bismarck gave an answer that was not expected at all.

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[T/N: Btw in case ur wondering why its holy cross instead of red cross its cuz the author changed it so maybe this future is different idk]