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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Colonel. The final rung of field-grade officer. Generally, it was a position responsible for a single regiment, commanding around 3,000 troops based on a standard infantry regiment.
3,000. It meant a mid-sized city was at his command. He was practically a ‘mayor.’
The treatment he received was commensurate with that, an almost omnipotent power within his jurisdiction, never inferior wherever he went.
However, even a colonel couldn’t compare to a ‘general officer.’
The size of the commanded unit, the area of responsibility, the weight of responsibility on their epaulettes, the power in their hands—all were on a different scale compared to a mere colonel.
The true center of power, where even city mayor-level figures were treated as ‘mere’ somethings. That was the general officer.
It wasn’t for nothing that becoming a general was said to be like reaching for the stars among officers.
From that perspective, Colonel Sony Zeppelin’s current behavior was absolutely unacceptable. Not one star, but two.
She had barged into a meeting hosted by a major general and, on top of that, wasn’t even showing respect to Novgorod. She didn’t salute and even spoke to the major general casually.
In the military, which had a more vertical structure than any other organization, it was unimaginable.
If the division commander had flown into a rage and slapped her, everyone present would have simply accepted it.
However, Novgorod didn’t do that. Or rather, he couldn’t. If there was one person uniquely exempt from the strictly adhered-to ‘military law,’ it was Colonel Sony Zeppelin.
The Sky Archmage.
The title of Archmage wasn’t something just anyone could receive.
One had to achieve accomplishments officially recognized by the Central Magic Council and possess overwhelmingly powerful magic compared to all the mages on the continent.
It was a realm reached only after satisfying all sorts of demanding conditions, accumulating achievements, and receiving even more recognition.
Therefore, there were only twelve individuals in the entire continent officially recognized as Archmages.
An Archmage was essentially treated as a ‘strategic weapon,’ an absolute weapon capable of single-handedly turning the tide of an unfavorable war.
Since she was practically the most powerful force in the Ukrainian army, even Major General Novgorod, who far surpassed her in age, experience, and rank, had to give way.
Not only was she an Archmage, but she was also a member of the Count Zeppelin family, close aides to the Duke.
If Major General Novgorod slapped her, it would be no different than destroying the tower he had painstakingly built with his own hands.
“Ahem, hmm… Colonel Sony Zeppelin, don’t you think this is a bit much, treating me like this in front of all your subordinates?”
“Ah, glory to the motherland.”
“…“
A crooked cap and a sloppy salute. Novgorod’s expression contorted. The salute was worse than not saluting at all, and what Novgorod had said wasn’t just about the salute.
“Well, never mind that. So, will you tell me that officer’s name and whereabouts?”
“Colonel Sony. I can’t keep indulging you forever. Forty soldiers were killed in a bandit raid! Are you really acting like this because you don’t understand the situation!?”
The division commander’s voice trembled with anger. Archmage. Fine. But this was too much. Novgorod had come here as the division commander.
Since Fort Belgorod had been attacked, he had a responsibility, as the superior officer of the 18th Regiment that managed the fort, to hold a meeting and thoroughly investigate the truth.
On the other hand, Colonel Sony Zeppelin had nothing to do with this fort attack.
There was no reason for her to attend the meeting, and even less reason for her to know the identity of the second lieutenant involved in the incident.
“You’re committing a serious act of insubordination.”
“What if it isn’t insubordination?”
Even with the division commander’s firm warning, Sony Zeppelin didn’t back down. She even confidently asserted her authority.
“Colonel! Are you joking with me right now!?”
“Major General Novgorod, you’re just as clueless.”
She took something out of her uniform pocket and showed it to the officers gathered in the conference room.
A golden badge engraved with the image of a bear, a symbol that any Ukrainian soldier would recognize. It was the emblem of Duke Orlando Rus III of the Ukrainian Duchy.
“His Highness has ordered me to thoroughly investigate the truth of this incident.”
Her voice was markedly different from before. Even Division Commander Novgorod closed his mouth and listened to her next words.
“I didn’t tell you separately because it was a top-secret operation… but a valuable ‘artifact’ was being temporarily stored in Fort Belgorod, which was attacked.”
“Artifact?”
The atmosphere in the conference room stirred at Sony Zeppelin’s words. Why on earth was an artifact being stored in that remote fort?
Noticing the questions rising on the officers’ faces, the colonel quickly continued,
“I can’t tell you the details… but anyway, it’s the Duke’s decree. I just received authority from the National Guard captain who was investigating the scene.”
The atmosphere in the room instantly reversed. With the Duke’s decree, Major General Novgorod’s authority as mere division commander became powerless.
“Now, going back to our previous conversation. What was that second lieutenant’s name, affiliation, and current location?”
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“I failed.”
“Hmm… it can’t be helped.”
Belle Meyer, who had briefly left the hospital room, returned dejectedly. I had hoped, but it seemed she had been rejected.
“They were incredibly busy and told me to stop bothering them.” She grumbled, pouting her lips.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand. With even the division commander involved, the atmosphere in the staff office must have been on the verge of exploding.
“Thank you anyway.”
“It’s the platoon leader’s request, of course. Ah, by the way, did Claude come by?”
“Yes, before Sergeant Belle.”
“At least he has some conscience left to visit. I was going to give him a piece of my mind if he hadn’t.”
“Haha…”
Of course, for visiting a wounded superior officer, his attire was quite casual. His hair was messy, and there was a faint smell of alcohol, as if he had come straight after a heavy drinking session.
I heard you got injured while extracting Lumia.
Yes, well, that’s what happened.
Seriously. I’ve seen countless injuries during my military service, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone injured so ridiculously.
My body is particularly weak.
Tsk.
The conversation wasn’t exactly wholesome… but I thought he had come out of concern. Honestly, I might have been a little disappointed if he hadn’t even visited. And the fact that he hadn’t used a single curse word was a stark difference from Sergeant Claude’s usual behavior.
“Well, I should get going. The platoon leader needs to rest. You need to rest well to recover quickly.”
Sergeant Belle Meyer patted her bottom and stood up.
“Then, rest well?”
“Ah, wait a moment, Sergeant Belle Meyer.”
“?”
I grabbed Belle’s sleeve as she was about to leave.
“Um… the fact that Sergeant Lumia left the front lines is a secret between us. Lumia discovered the detouring giant and went to block their path under my orders.”
Soon, the military police and the internal investigation team would cross-check Belle’s and my testimonies for a thorough investigation.
If it came to light that Sergeant Lumia had left the front lines without permission…
Even if she had engaged with unidentified giants, disciplinary action would be unavoidable. She could even be subjected to a court-martial.
Fortunately, due to the chaotic nature of the battle, only Belle and I knew that Sergeant Lumia Blue had left the battlefield in a state of panic.
I intended to cover up Lumia’s desertion.
“Of course, Platoon Leader.”
“We need to take this secret to our graves. You understand, right? For all of us.”
I wasn’t kidding.
It was pure luck that I had been able to identify the mages from the Sobiye Empire, suspected to be behind the fort attack.
If Lumia’s desertion was acknowledged, the merits Belle and I had accumulated would undoubtedly be devalued. We might even be held jointly responsible, which would be absurd.
The military was that kind of place.
Belle Meyer knew this, so she nodded in agreement.
“I promise. It’s a secret.”
“Good. It’s a secret between the two of us.”
Just as we linked pinkies to reaffirm our commitment,
“Gotcha! Caught you red-handed!!!”
BANG!!!
The door slammed against the wall as if it would break, and a woman appeared. Three chrysanthemums were drawn on the fluttering officer’s coat.
“Ooh~ What’s going on between you two? What secret are you sharing with such serious faces? Tell me too!”
What the…
Who was this now?
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