284 – There is no militarism in our empire (6)
Like the saying that when a person is too angry, he cannot say anything, Lieutenant General Manstein’s face was as red as a boiled octopus, but he did not say anything. I couldn’t even speak.
His eyes were full of death, threatening to kill me right now, and his hands were clenched so tightly that his nails were digging into them, and even a few drops of blood were falling.
If you are someone who has never killed someone on the battlefield, you might think that they would be scared when they see Lieutenant General Manstein’s eyes and anger.
It’s not that I don’t understand why it’s like that.
He was denied his entire life as a lieutenant general who dedicated himself to the Imperial Army for decades and as the head of the Count Manstein family.
The humiliation of having his rank insignia ripped off will follow him until he dies, and the disgrace of Count Manstein’s family will extend to his children, grandchildren, and relatives, making even his future military life difficult.
In addition, it is strange that the generals and officers who were close to that nobleman were not angry at the social penalty of being stigmatized.
However, I don’t feel guilty at all because it is indeed an appropriate punishment for a bastard who almost ruined the empire by talking bullsh*t.
“Anyway, is it okay to do that to a lieutenant general who has devoted himself to the empire for over 30 years? It would be better to issue a dishonorable discharge notice. “You’re going to rip off your rank insignia in front of everyone else?”
“After hearing what Captain Jaeger said, doesn’t it seem like he would do something like that? This was a problem that could be seen just by looking at the strategic map currently placed at the Chief of Staff Headquarters. If an empire is defeated just once, it loses everything. A person as high as a lieutenant general did not know that, and tried to mass-produce countless rumors by spreading nonsense about it being an active expansion policy. “If the imperial army had followed that strategy, we would be doomed.”
“…… If I hadn’t known that, I would have gone back and filed a petition to impeach Captain Yeager. “No matter how much you are the leader, or even your Majesty, I would not subject you to such a dishonorable and shameful act without a proper reason, Major General.”
For a soldier, rank and honor are more important than his own life.
Because they were taught that way from a young age, and those who have lost their class and honor are despised in society to a level comparable to that of a serious criminal.
And of course, that yoke is also placed on his family.
Representative examples are the five majors, including Matthias, who brought His Majesty Michael, who was the Crown Prince at the time, to the brink of death during the Battle of the Duchy of Switzerland.
Wherever they went in the empire, they heard that in the past, they were ridiculed for drinking by poor people who did not even dare to look at them.
Some of the people who did it too badly were caught by the imperial guards and suffered harsh punishments, but they only served one year in prison for ‘assault’, saying that it was not a crime to ridicule and insult those who had been stripped of their honor.
If they had any honor, within a few weeks they would have been beheaded with the executioner’s sharp ax for insulting nobility.
Well, since Lieutenant General Manstein was nothing more than ‘bullsh*t’, he should be treated better than that, but I ended his social life…
I listened to the staff officers whispering below, wondering if it was worth it for me to gather them all together and explain it to them.
There are only opinions about whether it’s too much, and I’m glad that no one criticizes me and says I’m bad.
And then, near me, with applause, His Excellency the Minister of Military Affairs, who could be said to be the two-headed chariot leading the imperial army, and his father-in-law, who was in charge of the Marshal, stood up.
“I was anxious because the young people these days couldn’t even see what was in front of them because their blood was boiling, and they were so intoxicated with victory that they were spouting bullsh*t about how the imperial army would continue to win in the future. As expected, my son-in-law, he has completely shaken off such ridiculous war doctrines to the point that no one can agree with them. Besides, if I just summarize the strategies and situations I advocated a little, I could give a lecture at a university!”
“I often warned Count Manstein as Minister of Military Affairs, but he didn’t listen, so I was very worried. Because the imperial army is strong, they only spew out mental theories like the empire will not be defeated, and even when I show them data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they don’t believe me. There was a need to weed them out like that, Captain Jaeger. Thank you so much.”
Then the two looked back at those who were relatively young among the staff officers.
There was quite a bit of anger on his face, and when his young staff officer friends saw that, they became as stiff as dolhareubang.
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“Please, please. From now on, don’t bring anything like the active expansion plan that guy Manstein put forward, or the active enemy making plan, or anything like that. The guy who writes an operation plan based on that will be sent to the Nuremburg Defense Forces, and will be discharged without being able to get a promotion. “I swear as my enemy.”
“The Minister of Military Affairs is greatly disappointed by the staff officers attached to the Chief of Staff who supported this ridiculous operation. So, I hope that the Minister of Military Affairs will not be disappointed again. “If I’m disappointed next time, it’ll be difficult in many ways, so wouldn’t it be better to move forward on mutually positive terms?”
If you work inside the Chief of Staff, you will see many people so high up that it is acceptable to give a somewhat cursory salute up to 2 stars.
However, even if we see so many high-ranking people that we get tired of them, it is not because of the power they have.
Therefore, if you are picked on by the Minister of Military Affairs and the Marshal, from that day on, your life as a soldier will not be disrupted and will simply end.
Because although commissions and military discharge orders are under His Majesty’s jurisdiction, those two have the opportunity to recommend promotions, accumulate the necessary achievements for promotion, and have the authority to change positions.
With these two people supporting me, those who had shown an inward gesture of sympathy when Lieutenant General Manstein expressed his opinion completely ignored the man in front of me.
Lieutenant General Manstein must have realized his situation when he saw that the reactions of those around him had become very cold, and now he did not even show any signs of anger on his face.
However, he was just in such deep despair that anyone who looked at him would have the illusion of seeing the words ‘My life is ruined’ written on his face.
Then he spoke as if he was squeezing out his will to live somehow.
Even tears were falling down his face in misery.
“Captain, considering my contributions to the empire so far, please show me a little mercy. Please help me be discharged with at least the minimum of courtesy. I haven’t committed any treason, have I? “Please do something!”
His eyes showed desperation and sadness, like a man clinging to his girlfriend who told her to break up.
But in this world, there is no grave without excuses, and if you become a staff officer in the Imperial Army and commit a crime that could destroy the Empire by talking nonsense, you should just shut up and spend your whole life reflecting on yourself.
Your Majesty will at least grant you a ‘pardon’ later, but the more you beg from me here and now, the more you’ll be throwing away whatever little bit of honor you have left.
So, taking into account his dedication in the military so far, I decided to give him the bare minimum of mercy.
“No one other than a major or higher can be allowed into the Chief of Staff except for His Majesty! “Take Lieutenant General Manstein outside politely!”
With those words, two young majors grabbed Manstein and prepared to drag him away.
I spoke carefully into his ear as he was about to be dragged away.
“It is not a dishonorable discharge, so you will be provided with an officer’s pension and other special benefits after discharge. So, continue to reflect and reflect on yourself from now on, Count.”
I was so sick of his face, which had become a lieutenant general, or even just Count Manstein, that I thought it was blue instead of white.
I gestured to the majors, and Manstein was dragged out.
As he was dragged away, he received no sympathy from those here, and my father-in-law came up next to me and asked in a worried voice.
“I know very well how you felt. However, it would be dangerous to kick out an active-duty lieutenant general like this, no matter how much he received His Majesty’s connivance. “Are you prepared?”
I appreciate my father-in-law’s concern, but I just did what I had to do.
So, there is no hesitation or fear, just keep moving forward.
“I just did what I had to do. And I will continue to do what needs to be done.”
“If you resign from your position because of this, I will never forgive you. So, protect yourself from the impeachment of the idiots in the Noble Assembly. “There are about three and a half years left in my term, and once my term is over, you will be the next one.”
“How do I beat other prominent people?”
At those words, my father-in-law must have thought that there was no need to joke in this situation anymore, so he shrugged his shoulders, ordered the place to be cleaned up, and left.