170 – Hero of the Nation’s Salvation (1)
When a country is defeated in a war or has something to cover up, it tries to create a hero.
It is the same in the case of individuals, just as if you feel joy while watching an interesting movie or performance when something is difficult or painful, it comforts your mind and gives you strength.
When something bad happens at the national level, heroes are highlighted to attract people’s attention and attention.
And now, the person His Majesty the Emperor wants to highlight is me and our 7th Division.
So, after my body recovered to some extent, I came up to the capital and held a triumphal ceremony with the surviving soldiers of the 7th Division, unable to return home right away.
Now, I was even forced to attend a special encouragement banquet given by His Majesty the Emperor along with the soldiers of the 7th Division in the yard of the Imperial Palace.
“Sergeant Otto, I can’t believe that a mere serf like me is going to attend a banquet held at the imperial palace. “It’s something I’ve never dreamed of in my life.”
“You idiot, His Majesty the Emperor personally ordered us to participate. Serfs again, we are no longer serfs. What a worthy citizen! “If you want to be a serf, do it yourself, dude!”
“f*ck, honestly, when I stayed behind on Richen Hill following the division commander, I thought life was really sh*t. Now that I think about it, it was the best thing I ever did in my life! “Life is short and bold!”
But all the soldiers who risked their lives fighting with me are satisfied, so it’s a good thing.
“Division Commander, instead of just watching your subordinates enjoy the banquet, why don’t you at least give them a word of encouragement?”
“I think everyone will really like it if the owner praises it.”
In normal times, the best option would be for a high-ranking person to have a drink or a sip in a corner.
Right now, as Anya and Charlotte said, I think everyone would be happy if I went around and gave at least a word of praise.
Thinking like that, I went to the nearby battalion and was about to give them a word of encouragement, but I heard a loud voice along with the sound of a trumpet.
“Please come, Your Majesty Fernando von Reich, the sun of the great Reich Empire! “All soldiers of the 7th Division must show respect!”
At those words, the soldiers, who had never even met a baron who was not an officer in their lives, let alone the emperor, did not know what to do.
Actually, I was nervous about meeting the most respected emperor in the empire, whom I thought I would never meet again in my life, and I was doing this because I had completely forgotten what I had been taught many times by the officers and court nobles.
The officers who saw this gave instructions to their soldiers in low voices, as if ventriloquizing.
“Get down on both knees and bow your heads.”
“Do not lift your head until you are told to do so. “If you get caught wrongly, it will be considered lese majeste and you won’t see any good results.”
“Kneel like you kneel when praying in church.”
The nobles around His Majesty who saw this just looked at the soldiers with happy expressions, even though it was a situation that would normally make them angry.
“Actually, those who are not nobles should kneel on both knees when meeting me, but the soldiers of the 7th Division here are the crown prince of the empire, my son’s benefactors, and heroes who saved the empire. We can’t make people like that kneel on both knees on such an auspicious occasion. Make an exception this time and ask them to kneel on one knee like the other officers. And lift your head up.”
According to the caste system, in principle, commoners and serfs must kneel on both knees when meeting a king or a titled noble.
This contains the meaning of ‘I am sorry and sorry that an infinitely lowly serf would dare to have an audience with a high man.’
However, now that the emperor has invited them with a sincere expression of gratitude, he has told them to kneel on one knee to show courtesy regardless of their status.
The soldiers still don’t know what this means, but the officers’ eyes widen as they clearly know what it means to have an emperor express his sincere gratitude.
However, His Majesty seemed to not care about such things and took the royal decree from the grand chief next to him and read it himself.
“Thanks to the tearful sacrifices and sparkling bravery of all soldiers belonging to the 7th Division, the Empire was able to avoid a major national crisis in which the crown prince was captured and 50,000 troops were lost. “For this, I, Ferdinand von Reich, Emperor of the Reich Empire, express my sincere gratitude.”
Having said that, His Majesty bowed his head towards us, although it was almost like a nod.
If you look at the size of the movement alone, it is not a big deal, but considering that the emperor does not bow his head except to God and his representative, the Pope, in principle.
It is like showing in advance how grateful the emperor is to us and that he will promise us an unprecedented level of compensation.
Of course, this is an honor that everyone in the 7th Division can boast about until their death.
“Therefore, along with several ministers, I pondered how to repay those of you who contributed to overcoming a crisis that could greatly shake the empire. As a result, he has decided to repay you with the utmost sincerity and gratitude.”
When I heard this, I was convinced.
From noble mtl dot com
Honestly, if it had not been for the 7th Division’s activities, the expeditionary force would have completely lost 50,000 troops, and His Royal Highness would have been captured and made a hostage.
If the situation goes like that, even if His Majesty later deposes the Crown Prince in return for this matter, they will have to take His Majesty away from them.
In return, he would have had to give at least 3 to 4 duchies to the Duke of Switzerland, which would have lowered his national power and put him in a diplomatic predicament.
The fact that the emperor mentioned such a crisis foreshadows the unprecedented reward that will follow, and the unprecedented reward may contain a political intention to bury the defeat in the war by highlighting the hero.
“First, the 7th Division of the Imperial Army, which saved the Empire, will be specially promoted to the ‘Guards’ Division, and its soldiers will be awarded promotions and decorations according to their respective achievements. In addition, 10 gold coins are given to all members of the 7th Division from the Jim, and 5 gold coins are given to all from the Crown Prince. However, special rewards will be given separately. And all soldiers and their families are freed from serf status.”
In the Brown Bear Empire, the title of ‘Guardian’ was given to the emperor as he pleased and there were no special benefits, but in the Reich Empire, it was different.
Generally, units with the title of Guards immediately receive more than twice the salary of officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of the same rank in other units.
In addition, if you pass through this unit even once, from officer to non-commissioned officer to soldier, you will receive significant bonus points for future promotions.
Furthermore, in the Imperial Army, medals, no matter how low the rank, are given only to officers.
If you receive the lowest level medal here and work hard in the military, you will be able to graduate from the officer academy and become a second lieutenant, so you will be able to easily rise to semi-nobility.
In addition, 15 gold coins is enough money to go to any rural area in the empire and buy a reasonably large piece of land, a house, and a pretty wife.
In short, the guys working in my division have completely lost their minds whether they continued their military service or were discharged.
“Officers will also be given enormous rewards based on their rank and merit, and all officers will be given a special promotion to the first rank. In addition, a sword with a medal and the royal family emblem will be awarded.”
For all officers, the first-class special promotion and medals are great, but it is difficult for even a decent noble to receive a sword with the imperial family emblem on it until they have the rank of colonel.
So, what I’m saying is that those who served under me will be promoted much faster than other officers.
In addition, judging by the atmosphere, it seems that a huge number of Knight’s Cross and Sword medals, which automatically grant knighthood, will be distributed.
If this continues, the real nickname of the 7th Division will become Knights.
“In particular, Lieutenant Colonel Kergit and Lieutenant Colonel Werner, who played a significant role in this war, will be formally awarded the title of Baron and Baronet, and will be awarded 30,000 gold each as a reward.”
For your information, all officers were given a special first-class promotion, so those two were promoted to colonel and became barons in name and reality.
“And Major General Peter Yeager, commander of the 7th Guards Division, please come forward.”
Following those words, I silently walked in front of the emperor while receiving everyone’s attention, knelt on one knee before him, and bowed my head.
“Major Jaeger was the first to realize that Count Bern of Switzerland was a double agent, and he completely defeated Count Ticino’s division with very little damage. He led the 7th Guards Division and stood at the forefront as a division commander to preserve the crown prince and 50,000 imperial troops as much as possible. And he raised the majesty of the empire high through his courage, inaction, and resourcefulness as he cut down at least 200 Swiss soldiers over the course of a month. Therefore, his achievements were worthy of reaching the heavens, and he brought fear to the enemies of the empire all over Europa and made them tremble.”
Although these are all my own achievements during this expedition, hearing them from the mouth of someone else, especially the emperor, makes me think that they are truly incredible.
“Therefore, I, Fernando von Reich, in recognition of this unparalleled and overwhelming achievement, award him the following award. The title of count was granted to Viscount Peter Jaeger, and the counties of Ingolstein, Augsburg, and Angol were granted. He is specially promoted to lieutenant general and awarded the Diamond Knight’s Cross of Swords and the Double Dragon Medal.”
If you become a count in an empire, you become the highest-ranking noble, with only the marquis and the royal family above you, and among counts, there are not many families that have multiple counts.
In addition, if you become a lieutenant general, you can go on any expedition as a second-in-command.
Although he failed, he becomes the actual commander-in-chief when he goes with His Royal Highness like the Swiss expedition.
And the Twin Dragon Medal is the highest award of honor, which was last given to the Marshal who helped the Empire overcome an extreme situation a hundred years and several decades ago.
It is a medal of much higher rank and greater influence than the Diamond Knight’s Sword Medal, which is considered the highest medal in fact.
What this means is that even the enemy of the imperial army must bow down to my military experience and achievements.
So I shouted with sincere gratitude.
“I will repay your Majesty’s grace by dedicating my whole body and soul.”