95 – Stars and dragged (1)
In front of the office door of the Commander of the Northern Expeditionary Force.
I sighed and grumbled before I went in and met the count who called me son-in-law.
“I know you are busy, but isn’t it too much to call someone who has just returned from the filthy cold northern frontline in the middle of the night…?”
I grumbled so much, but it wasn’t to the point that I couldn’t understand it.
Since I have made great contributions, including defeating Khan, the commander-in-chief, ask in advance what kind of reward you would like to receive.
Or else I would have called you to give you advice on how to act in the future.
And since he only had time to talk with me now, he must have asked me to come right away as soon as he got back.
“This is Colonel Peter Yeager, commander of the 24th Regiment. Commander, may I come in?”
After saying that, Count Benner replied in a voice full of fatigue.
“Come in.”
When I opened the door and entered the office, there was a pile of papers that looked like 1 meter long, with a little added to the manager’s desk.
Even Count Benner’s face was invisible when he entered.
Damn, seeing how busy I am, I can’t even complain in my heart.
Then, as if he had decided that it was impossible for him to talk to me while sitting at his desk, he got up and went to the sofa.
Pointing with his hand to the sofa opposite where he was going to sit, he suggested that he sit down.
“After being promoted to sub-captain, it was nice to not have to go to work on weekends or work overtime on weekdays like eating bread, like when I was in charge of the operations department. After the Northern Army Expedition is over, I think I’m going to die fighting paperwork like I did back then.”
As if the count had been painted black, a thick dark circle hung over the count’s face as he said that, and he looked haggard no matter how much work he had to do.
So is it? I couldn’t laugh or react at all to the statement that I was about to die at work, which is usually said half-jokingly and half-seriously.
“You have suffered a lot, Commander.”
“But now, if you and I work hard until today, we should be able to rest for a while.”
“What do you mean?”
At that, the commander of the Northern Army smiled brightly while showing off his four-star rank insignia.
“From now on, all the work will have to be done by the Proubite Lieutenant General, who will soon succeed me. What we are processing now is the paperwork related to the handover.”
“Congratulations.”
“hahahaha, thank you. By the way, do you know why I called you here?”
In the past, when I was a captain or a major, it was good to pretend I didn’t know, but now I was going to wear a star soon.
Rather than pretending not to know, it would be better to answer.
This is because if you wear a star regardless of title or family, being cautious except when it is really necessary can become a weakness rather than humility.
“Did you call because you wanted to discuss my reward?”
“As it is, it is implicitly forbidden to ask for the intention of the person concerned when performing nongong peddling. Aren’t you the ‘Khan Slayer’ who subdued Khan? I can listen to pretty much anything. Also, you and I will be father-in-law and son-in-law soon anyway, so you can feel free to say it as if you were asking your father.”
Although I belong to the Crown Prince’s faction, and I’m making the most of it by getting ahead at the fastest pace in that faction.
I can’t believe the count who gave 4 stars ‘You can call me ‘Father’!’ I never thought I would hear the same sound.
Oh, of course, you might take this as a joke at the level of a drunken boss at a drinking party saying, ‘Call me hyung.’
Moreover, looking at the atmosphere, it seems that if you call him father in a private place or even in a somewhat public place, he will accept it with a smile.
No, since Laura and I will become father-in-law when we get married, there’s a very high chance that he’ll really like her.
As long as it’s not a really ridiculous request, I think I’ll do anything.
Behind Earl Benner is the crown prince who made me succeed so far, and if I behave too harshly, the crown prince might be wary.
I’ll have to adjust it appropriately, and ask for the territory of the Thoner tribe, which is still considered to be a semi-desert, full of foundation stones.
Besides, the reason why it is considered a wasteland is because the climate there is like the plains of Manchuria, and there is a lack of technology and iron to process proper iron, so they use stone farming tools.
If you use an iron hoe or something like that and get a lot of surplus like the second son and third son of serfs, day laborers and women, it will develop into a decent territory in the empire within a few years.
“Then, when I receive the territory, I hope I can receive the land where the Thoner tribe lived.”
“Your son-in-law, you are very humble.”
To the Count who said that, I spoke cautiously like a boy telling a secret.
“Count, this is what I found out when I dealt with the Thoner tribe. It’s because the winter is cold in the north, but it’s a decent place to farm until spring or early fall. That’s why Ludvik guys, who don’t have many iron tools, were able to make a living by farming.”
“Hey, can’t this…”
“This is a fact known to all those who have served or served in the Northern Army for a long time. However, because of the barbarians, no one tried to clear the land by investing a huge amount of capital. So, if His Highness the Crown Prince has plans to attack Sweden in the future, he must raise the faction’s funds to clear the land and make it better for people to live. You have to make a battle at the forefront with Sweden.”
In the past, in the days when stars were not planned, we only talked about military tactics, but now we have to pay attention to the realm of politics and governance.
This is because the military commanders of this era, no, the generals of the Reich Empire, are often stationed on the front lines that do not belong to anyone’s territory and have to manage them.
And the reason is, of course, that there were many cases in this era where it was efficient to see the military and administration together at the forefront.
Earl Benner smiled and said, probably expecting me to answer like this.
“That’s great too. Yes, even a colonel, a unit commander, may lack insight into politics and governance. When you become a general, a wide field of view is basic. Then, I will arrange for you to receive the territory of the Thoner tribe as you wish.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“I can do this much for the hero who killed Khan. Well, by the way. Now let’s talk for a moment not as the commander of the Expeditionary Force of the Northern Army, but as Heinz von Wenner, Laura von Wenner’s father.”
When he said that, the eyes of the count felt as if a beam of light were about to shoot out, and he showed considerable anger and annoyance.
“Ha, look. You’re dating Laura, right? If not, I can only think that there is a serious problem as a man… Even if I put down all my feelings as a parent, my daughter is the best bride. Isn’t it?”
“Count? Of course I’m fine. However, I’m skipping other issues in order to get promoted as soon as possible…”
I’ve been keeping away from women as much as possible and refraining from dating as much as possible in order to get promoted, but…
Because she had shown me clear, rational favors, we spent a lot of time alone together.
However, I’m very clumsy because it’s the first time I’ve ever been in a relationship in my past and present life.
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Laura is usually a rather cold type of woman, except when talking about military or strategy-related topics.
Due to the overlap of various reasons, I couldn’t progress beyond kissing.
So I couldn’t bear to say it with my own mouth, so I stayed still.
“I’ll let go of everything that’s happened so far. There were a lot of achievements, and thanks to that, the status of Count Benner’s family has risen.”
“….. thank you.”
“That’s it, and until now, His Highness the Crown Prince and I have somehow stopped it. There are lines of young ladies from fallen baron families or knight families asking you to take a concubine in the future. If it’s like this, even if it’s a star. The real collateral royal family will try to take you as their son-in-law.”
If it’s a collateral imperial family, it’s a duke’s family, and if you say you’re taking Daryl as your son-in-law, honestly.
Damn, just thinking about it sucks.
“I won’t say any more of this. However, for your family situation and strategy, the place to be deployed before Nongonghaengsang has already been decided. This is what Duke Otto Moritz and I discussed in lieu of military affairs, so nothing will change. Let’s go, you’ll know the rest when Nongong Haengsang comes out.”
At those words, I felt approx.
The fact that if there was a position that could be compatible with the operation and the family situation at the same time, it would be the central duty.
Still, I can’t work at a place like the Staff College like before, so…
“Loyalty!”
As I was about to close the door to leave, Count Benner muttered.
“Congratulations on your promotion, Brigadier General Jaeger. You are the youngest general in the empire, excluding the direct imperial family.”