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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“I refuse.”
“Yes, I knew you’d say that… Huh? What?”
To her dumbfounded reply, I responded firmly,
“I’m truly honored and grateful that you think highly of me, but I cannot accept your offer, Colonel.”
Sony Zeppelin, seemingly not expecting a rejection, swayed as if heartbroken.
“N, no… Why? Do you not like that it’s a brigade level? It’s a brigade now because it’s in its early stages, but once I get promoted, it’ll definitely become a division.”
“No, it’s not that.”
I looked back at my platoon members. Look at their expressions. Their eyes were wide, as if they had seen a ghost.
It wasn’t just my 5th Platoon; the entire 2nd Company—no, the entire battalion—looked shocked.
“I have platoon members I’m currently responsible for. I made a promise to be with them, and as an honorable officer of Ukraine, it’s my duty to keep that promise.”
This was also my stubbornness. Honestly, my platoon members weren’t in the best shape, but I had a plan for how to guide them for the remaining year.
It wasn’t in my nature to run away before even starting that plan.
“And more than anything, I need more experience. The Special Response Brigade, with you, Colonel Sony Zeppelin, as its commander, is undoubtedly a unit full of elites. I’m not yet worthy of being part of that unit.”
Judging by Sony Zeppelin’s personality, she seemed fixated on the fact that I had confidently identified the perpetrators behind the incident.
But that was only because I knew what would happen five years later.
I still didn’t know how to efficiently use mana, and my actual command experience was severely lacking. I needed those experiences much more.
“And I don’t think it’s right for me, having been in my post for less than a month, to abandon the battalion commander and other senior officers.”
I laid out all my reasons one by one. She listened to everything I had to say, then just clicked her tongue.
It was a three-hit combo aimed at her vital points. No matter if she was a brigade commander, a colonel, or an Archmage, there was no way to counter the brutal honesty of a Korean.
“…Sigh, I can’t believe you’d say that.”
“I apologize.”
“Damn, playing hard to get makes me like you even more.”
Sony Zeppelin tapped her boots and said to Lieutenant Colonel Lockhart,
“You’ve got a good officer under your command, Battalion Commander. For a newly commissioned second lieutenant to speak like this… How did you manage to win him over?”
“Win him over? Brigade Commander, isn’t this a testament to Second Lieutenant Enoch Llevandel’s outstanding character? Hahaha!”
Twitch.
Lieutenant Colonel Lockhart’s mustache twitched. Having figured out the battalion commander’s patterns, I could tell that was his reaction when he was pleased but couldn’t express it openly.
“Platoon Leader.”
“Second Lieutenant Enoch Llevandel!”
“Think about it carefully. Our Special Response Brigade always welcomes capable officers like you, Platoon Leader.”
“I’ll give it serious consideration.”
And anyway, the one who felt regretful was Sony Zeppelin, not me. I was just a newly commissioned second lieutenant.
And since I had recovered some of the battalion commander’s trust with the Belgorod Fortress incident, there was even less reason for me to leave the battalion.
Furthermore, accepting Sony’s offer now might be a big mistake for the future. My goal wasn’t to curry favor under an Archmage brigade commander, secure a good position, and get promoted.
Of course, promotion was important, but to prepare for the devastating war five years later, I needed to interact with more people.
If I was stuck in the Special Response Brigade, I might miss those valuable opportunities.
A one-man show wasn’t enough to win in Hearts of General. This was a world where the more comrades, subordinates, and superiors who trusted and followed me, the higher my chances of victory.
That wasn’t just talk; that was real war, strategy, and actual combat.
For now, it was enough to simply imprint my name in Sony Zeppelin’s mind.
“Then I understand your intentions, Platoon Leader. I’ll withdraw the order to the personnel command.”
“Thank you, Colonel Sony Zeppelin.”
“Come find me if you change your mind. I’ll be waiting.”
The colonel, who had barged in so forcefully, turned and disappeared again, leaving behind only a few words. Truly an Archmage.
It was arrogance stemming from the confidence that she had nothing to lose, daring anyone to challenge her. Honestly, being 12th in the continent was enough to warrant arrogance.
It meant being recognized as one of the strongest.
She was someone who possessed the power to single-handedly wipe out an entire army corps. It was only natural for her to have such a fiery personality.
‘I know she’s the youngest among the Archmages…’
Well, it was a missed opportunity, but that was it.
As Sony Zeppelin had said, if I continued to prove myself in this damned Ukrainian army, even if I joined the Special Response Brigade someday, she wouldn’t dwell on today’s events. This was also my way of increasing my value.
“Ahem, hmm!! Alright, there was a little commotion. Then, I shall give you your final orders for this operation.”
Lieutenant Colonel Lockhart cleared his throat and regained control of the situation after confirming Sony Zeppelin had completely left.
“3rd Battalion, withdraw!”
All operations related to the Belgorod Fortress attack officially concluded.
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“Haa.”
As soon as I entered my room, I threw myself onto the stiff bed. It was strange how, even though it hadn’t been long since I possessed this body, I felt a sense of returning home.
Of course, the wall of my room, which I had smashed, was still broken. Even though a temporary wall had been erected with planks, the wind blew through the holes here and there.
Since the facility management personnel were currently working on the Belgorod restoration alongside the division engineers, I would have to live like this for a while.
Well, the ventilation was good, damn it.
Still, after being overworked in the field for several days, exhaustion washed over me. The best way to cure insomnia was to exhaust your body.
If you pushed yourself to the limit, your brain would shut down first.
The bed, usually hard and uncomfortable, felt much more stable and comfortable than the makeshift cot in the tent.
Lying under the covers, I felt sleepy. I needed to change my clothes, but I couldn’t because my body felt languid and drained.
‘Since the entire unit is off duty today and tomorrow, I should get some sleep now.’
As sleepiness washed over me, my eyelids grew heavy, and my consciousness slowly drifted away.
“Platoon Leader… Are you there?”
A faint voice from beyond the door jolted me awake. My eyes snapped open, and the sleepiness dissipated like the wind. A cautious, melodious voice.
It was Sergeant Lumia Blue. At this point, sleep was out of the question. I sighed deeply, got up, and opened the closed door.
“Ah.”
“Come in.”
Lumia was in her uniform. Unlike me, who had relatively minor injuries, Lumia had suffered a gunshot wound and should have been transported first… She hadn’t changed her clothes yet?
“What’s up? You should be resting since you haven’t fully recovered.”
Despite having my precious sleep interrupted, I spoke in a friendly tone. I had a vague idea of why she had come to me at this hour. She must have come to apologize.
And my prediction was correct.
“I’m sorry, Platoon Leader. I… There’s nothing I can say.”
Lumia said, her body trembling. Her voice was slightly strained; she was genuinely apologizing.
Not only had she panicked and left the front lines in a critical situation, causing significant damage, but she had also been subdued by the unidentified group of mages she had encountered.
It was the worst possible mistake for a soldier. Desertion, and defeat by the enemy. How humiliating.
Lumia wasn’t someone indifferent to the military. She was someone who took pride in serving her country. That had nothing to do with the trauma she carried.
But from the moment she heard that I, her platoon leader, had rescued her and even covered up her mistake with a ‘lie,’ Lumia must have been consumed by guilt and self-loathing.
Knowing full well what she had done, she probably lacked the courage to face me, the victim.
“Lumia.”
When I called her name, Lumia lowered her head.
“I didn’t mean to. I just… I knew I shouldn’t have, but…”
I felt sorry for her. Her hunched figure, crushed by guilt, reminded me of my past self.
“It’s alright, Lumia. You did your best, Sergeant. I know.”
“Yes…?”
“This is my responsibility too. I knew you had an aversion to interpersonal combat, yet I failed to properly address it.”
Lumia’s expression faltered at my words. Overwhelmed by emotions, her eyes quickly welled up. She looked as if she would burst into tears at the slightest touch.
“Besides, Sergeant, you played a crucial role. If you hadn’t encountered those mages, the truth behind this fort attack would have been completely buried.”
In reality, Lumia hadn’t just run away. She had discovered the unidentified mages and immediately engaged them in combat.
Thanks to that, I was able to witness them and provide a crucial clue to the military police and Sony Zeppelin, who were investigating the incident.
Even if it was just luck, in the end, it was thanks to Lumia.
“Th… that’s not true.”
“You endured against five of them even while panicking. The gunshot wound on your shoulder is proof of how fiercely you fought, a badge of honor.”
Perhaps they could have been saved sooner. Lumia, Claude, and even Roxanna, whom I hadn’t met yet.
But the reason they had been driven to this point was probably because no one had paid attention to their struggles.
“You’ve been through a lot, Lumia.”
With those words, I hugged Lumia tightly and patted her small, hunched back. Yes, she was still young. Even if she wore a sergeant’s insignia and a proper uniform.
Lumia was still too young to be a true soldier, and the burden on her shoulders was too heavy for her to bear. It was a wonder she had endured until now.
“You don’t have to say anything else. It’s human to show weakness sometimes. Soldiers are human too; it’s only natural.”
The useless platoon. It had been less than a month since I joined them, but I felt like I could understand their feelings, at least a little.
In the end, both incompetence and excellence were cultivated. If only there was someone to guide them properly, they could shed the stigma of being useless.
Just like I had, and just like I had been guided. They could definitely do it too.
“For the remaining year, please trust and follow me. I will definitely help you. I promise.”
“Platoon Leader…”
At my words, tears streamed down her face. Time stopped in the small, cramped room. Lumia remained in my embrace, silently weeping for a long time.
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