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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Arwen had finally gone berserk.
That was the judgment of the Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Command.
From the beginning, Arwen had been in conflict with the Chief of Staff and other staff members over trivial matters.
She demanded FM (Field Manual) adherence from others while being extremely lenient with herself.
Moreover, despite being only a brigadier general in rank, she didn’t show respect to those of higher rank than her, solely because she wore the hat of the Chief of Inspection Department.
Naturally, they couldn’t help but view her unfavorably.
Supreme Commander Arthur Philias had already lost most of his real power.
Alfred Hess, the Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Command, was practically the real power in the Imperial Army, and naturally, Arwen had become alienated from the mainstream forces within the command.
Of course, she had stubbornly held on despite this, so perhaps it was natural that rumors circulated about her being the President’s lover.
After all, she was quite pretty, wasn’t she?
Even in this staff office alone, there was a truckload of men who were infatuated with Arwen’s beauty.
From junior officers to generals.
Arwen drove people crazy in other ways too.
Last time, even a major general – the head of the Planning Department – had tried to seduce her and was rejected.
Along with the existing evaluation of her as a parachute appointment, the jealousy and negative opinions about Arwen personally were growing day by day.
In fact, even the Chief of the General Staff who was spreading such gossip was a true ‘presidential parachute’ appointed to keep Arthur in check, but that was beside the point.
In the end, it meant that everyone was just eager to fill their own stomachs.
What ideology or greater cause could there be in that?
It was just the inherent human nature of wanting to step on others to climb higher while kicking away the ladder for others to climb.
Even someone who had reached the high position of ‘Lieutenant General’ in the Imperial Army was more sensitive than anyone else when it came to their share.
A crazy woman who used her position as Chief of Inspection to thoroughly shake down her close colleagues and juniors and relegate them to remote posts.
There were reasons why the Chief of the General Staff viewed her unfavorably.
“Don’t you think so, Chief of Military Police?”
“It certainly seems like she’s overstepping her bounds without knowing her place.”
Brigadier General Reinhard Himmler, Chief of Military Police, chuckled and tilted his teacup in response to Lieutenant General Alfred Hess’s complaint.
He was the person who had replaced the previous Chief of Military Police when they moved to another position.
“But what can we do? His Excellency the President trusts her.”
“Ah… I-is that so.”
“However, that’s only up to this point. Her recent actions have gone too far.”
Reinhard gave a relaxed expression towards the Chief of the General Staff.
Smooth white skin without a single blemish.
At the same time, blue eyes identical to those of the legendary war hero Luthers Edan, and golden hair that sparkled in the sunlight – he was truly a model of the great Imperial citizens.
A handsome man that even other men would unwittingly acknowledge.
And it wasn’t as if he lacked military achievements either.
He had led guerrilla forces on the western front, directly blocking the Titans’ offensive, and during the western counteroffensive, he had appropriately intervened to cut off the enemy’s offensive.
Despite this, he had sworn unconditional loyalty to the President, so it was natural that Mikhail favored Reinhard.
Even now, he had secured the position of Chief of Military Police, so Reinhard’s words were as good as Mikhail’s intentions.
There were no scandals or behind-the-scenes stories that usually came with this type of person, so he was indeed one of the perfect model soldiers.
“No matter what crimes the Chief of Inspection has committed, she shouldn’t propose plea bargains to those directly appointed by His Excellency the President. Isn’t this directly contradicting military law, which states that investigations must be fair no matter what?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying! This was an overreach of authority!”
The Chief of the General Staff vehemently agreed with Reinhard’s assertion.
At first, Alfred hadn’t been able to read his intentions and had remained vigilant, but listening to him speak, he realized they were on the same side.
A thoroughly trained hunting dog, at that.
That despicable woman who had risen to the position of Chief of Inspection by bringing down her superior wouldn’t stand a chance.
“I was actually planning to visit Brigadier General Arwen personally today.”
“Ahem, yes! Chief Reinhard, please have a good talk with her. Let’s keep things pleasant, shall we?”
The Chief of Military Police slowly nodded and rose from his seat.
First, he needed to find out what ulterior motives that woman had for doing such things.
As President Mikhail always emphasized, one must judge thoroughly and carefully before making any decision.
If she was just a woman crazy with power and empty-headed as the Chief of the General Staff said, they could harass her a bit and then relegate her to a civilian post.
If not, there would be no problem in tormenting her quite a bit more to figure out her scheme before dealing with her.
“Hmm.”
The corners of the Chief of Military Police’s mouth curled up slightly.
The handle of the knife was already in his hands.
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“Chief, are you working overtime again today? This is already the fifth day in a row, perhaps you should go home soon…”
“It’s fine, Section Chief 2. You go home first. I’ll handle the remaining work.”
Seeing her pressing her forehead and speaking nonchalantly, the major asked again in a worried voice.
“Why are you suddenly doing this?”
There was even a bit of emotion in his voice.
After all, she was his superior.
Her appearance, visibly struggling to handle all the excessive work she had created for herself, looked too precarious.
However, the response to his concerned question was dry.
“What does that have to do with you, Major?”
Arwen said without even looking in his direction.
As if there was no point in discussing this matter any further.
Even the major, who had gathered some courage to ask, didn’t want to pry further when his direct superior spoke like that.
It wasn’t just a matter of courtesy; he was starting to get annoyed.
The gaze from the military police and other staff offices was already unfavorable, and at this rate, he might get caught in the crossfire too.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to join Brigadier General Werner Grimm’s Security Agency before the Inspection Department was turned upside down.
“…I understand.”
Thinking this, the major left the Inspection Department without even saluting.
Thud.
As the door closed, a dense silence rushed in.
Only then could Arwen breathe.
For her, everything about the Inspection Department was just suffocating.
Even the subordinates she had been so close with, she could no longer remember their names.
She was denying all the relationships she had formed before regaining her memories.
A position obtained by denouncing her beloved and stripping him of his honor.
She didn’t want to stay there for even a moment.
Naturally, she didn’t want to see her subordinates either.
If it weren’t for the duty given to her, she would have abandoned this position long ago.
But she had to prepare.
She had already reached the first stage.
In case ‘something’ happened, she had positioned people who could join Luthers Edan in combat units near the capital.
The success of a coup depends on how many units could be mobilized simultaneously.
Knowing President Mikhail as she did, he would have allowed only the bare minimum of troops to those who might rebel against him.
If not that, he would have sent them to positions with no combat personnel to mobilize, like education and training or logistics staff.
So, to increase Luthers Edan’s chances of success even a little, they needed more people who would at least remain neutral and not stand in his way.
“Moreover… war preparations are in their final stages.”
Arwen turned her head to look at the memos covering one side of the wall.
Since the Republic of Bostania had entered a civil war, the Holy Cross Brigade, which had arrived for relief efforts, was certainly showing remarkable results.
Combat data was accumulating in real-time, and the inadequate capabilities of the Bostanian army were being fully exposed.
The role of the Holy Cross Brigade was a kind of guide for a larger war.
As their achievements continued to come in, President Mikhail Bismarck would not stop.
Otherwise, there would be no explanation for why they were supplying weapons in real-time to the rebels who would have been suppressed long ago.
A dual form of dispatching troops to government forces while secretly providing weapons to rebels.
Anyone could see the murky intentions behind it.
This was why Arwen judged that Luthers, who was hiding somewhere, would definitely make a move.
Arwen had lived and stood by his side for decades – no, over a hundred years.
She had reached a level where she could understand her lover Luthers Edan’s thoughts and intentions without needing explanations.
There was a reason she continued to prepare even in a situation where she had no information and didn’t even know if Luthers was alive or not.
At the same time, the work of finding Lea Gilliard’s whereabouts continued.
Just in case, she had activated the emergency contact network with the former members of the Graveyard Fortress to find their whereabouts.
Of course, there were no results.
The people she could contact were all the same anyway.
Heinz was currently in another country as the commander of the Holy Cross Brigade, Drake was still in charge of close protection for the President, and no one knew the whereabouts of Durand Sterling after his retirement.
If she could find out the whereabouts of Lea or Charlotte, she could make a more meticulous plan.
But at the same time, she was afraid.
‘Perhaps those two have already reunited with Luthers.’
Arwen had already lost her place by his side.
With what nerve could she face her lover?
But perhaps she could at least watch from afar….
Perhaps she could at least call his name, or at least watch him smile with those he loved?
-No, not even that.
It was a vain hope.
Just as she harbored such thoughts, another version of herself appeared and began to dig into Arwen’s consciousness.
-Luthers would have forgiven you. If he realized what you’re doing, he would throw everything away and come to save you.
-At that time, could you really push away his hand? You’d probably rationalize it the same way and cling to Luthers’ life again without fail. Like a bedbug.
-Rather than that, it’s better not to see at all. That’s the best atonement you can make, and the punishment that suits you.
Arwen, who had been trembling, jumped up from her seat, shouting nervously.
“Alright, I get it!!”
And just as she was about to take out the carving knife she had shoved into her desk drawer and stab it into her thigh,
“Hmm? Why haven’t you gone home and stayed until now?”
A man walked into the Inspection Department.
“…You are.”
“Ah, this is our first private meeting. I’m Brigadier General Reinhard Himmler. I’ve been newly appointed as the Chief of Military Police.”
He smiled at Arwen.
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