I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 133
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 133
“You’re saying similar things.”
“Pardon…?”
“Banquets aren’t my taste, so that’s fine. More importantly, wherever you go, Lieutenant, you’ll be saying goodbye to the Intelligence Agency for a while.”
“Am I being completely transferred?”
“Almost. There won’t be any operations for you to carry out there.”
I naturally thought he’d tell me to straddle both sides again, but it seems that won’t be the case this time.
‘This is really good news.’
Escape from the Intelligence Agency.
Isn’t this what I’ve been dreaming of all along?
“Of course, once you’ve officially joined, you can’t completely leave unless you’re discharged. So don’t get too happy.”
“Tsk, understood.”
‘There goes my joy.’
Still, now I’ll only have one foot in the water, so it’s meaningful enough.
‘This is how I gradually extract myself.’
You can’t get full from the first spoonful.
“When I first saw you, Lieutenant, I never thought you’d come this far.”
Glug glug glug!
Eden suddenly started talking about the past while pouring more alcohol.
‘Damn, I want to get up and leave.’
I had heard all the important information, but escape was only possible at 4 AM when the bar closed.
* * *
“Your Majesty, as a result of investigating the guilds that supplied winter gear, we’ve confirmed embezzlement amounting to 20,000 gold.”
Major General Jenson, the Supply Commander, reported while gauging the reactions of the Emperor and Minister Rosen.
“What measures have been taken?”
“We’ve searched all guilds and factories to identify those involved, and in the case of soldiers, we’re holding them separately for investigation.”
“Execute the key figures in the Grand Plaza according to the severity of their crimes.”
“Yes…!”
Execution in the Grand Plaza.
This punishment is only given to traitors whose crimes must be known throughout the entire Empire.
“Commander.”
“Yes… Yes! Your Majesty!”
“You haven’t been in your position long, and you showed ability in this recent operation, so I’ll let it pass. But if something like this happens again, I won’t forgive you.”
“Of… of course! I’ll engrave this problem in my bones and work tirelessly to correct it.”
The landing operation was successful, but not everything was perfect.
Particularly, problems arose with the winter gear used by the soldiers.
Bulky enough to interfere with combat, yet with poor construction that let cold wind seep through.
The Emperor’s anger was so great upon hearing that over a hundred soldiers suffered frostbite that his joy from victory vanished instantly.
“The problems with supplies surely aren’t limited to just winter gear. Find them before they explode.”
“Yes…! Your Majesty! I receive your command!!!”
“If you need anything for this matter, don’t hesitate to request it. Don’t save it up as an excuse to make later.”
“Then… Your Majesty, may I say just one thing?”
Knowing he would surely be executed in the Grand Plaza if he failed while staying as he was, Major General Jenson gathered his courage.
“Speak.”
“Currently, the Supply Command is moving frantically due to procuring supplies for the Western Front and various other duties.”
Major General Jenson’s desperate voice.
The Emperor looked down at him quietly, as if telling him to continue.
“With many key personnel deployed for corruption investigations on top of this, the command’s operational status is on the verge of paralysis.”
“Are you requesting reinforcements?”
“That’s correct. To properly supply quality goods again, we need talented personnel of excellent caliber.”
“Hmm.”
Since there was nothing logically wrong with his words, the Emperor stroked his chin and looked at Minister Rosen standing beside him.
“Then perhaps from the Ministry of Finance.”
“You know we’re so short-staffed that working overtime is like eating meals, don’t you?”
“Personnel is the problem.”
Since the war, the workload in all sectors has increased, leaving the Empire currently suffering from a manpower shortage.
“To be helpful with supplies, one would need to be both capable and intelligent. Hmm.”
Of course such people could be found if they looked, but the problem was that personnel of that caliber would naturally be playing important roles elsewhere.
“Your Majesty, how about sending Lieutenant Paran, who’s scheduled to be an Infantry Battalion Commander?”
After thinking for a moment, Minister Rosen brought up the name of Paran, who had recently received a medal.
“You mean Lieutenant Paran?”
“Since he’s connected with the Intelligence Agency, movement would be easy, and being from a merchant family, wouldn’t he be skilled with calculations?”
“Doesn’t he lack experience to handle supply-related duties at such an important time?”
“This embezzlement has created a gap in supplies that we must now fill, hasn’t it? In that regard, Lieutenant Paran has similar experience from when he was a Mess Hall Captain.”
“Come to think of it, that’s true.”
If he has experience, that changes things.
“Moreover, he just received a medal, so who would look down on him? Please give this outstanding talent a stage to shine.”
At Minister Rosen’s continued words, the Emperor stroked his chin and made a decision after deliberation.
“Let’s do as the Minister suggests. Send Lieutenant Paran to the Supply Command, and try to recruit other personnel as much as possible. The Commander will decide the specific positions.”
“Your grace is boundless!”
Major General Jenson bowed his head with some satisfaction at having secured personnel.
“Additionally, prepare for an imperial edict regarding making an example of one to warn a hundred.”
“Yes! Your Majesty!”
As the joy of victory ended, the Empire began preparing to cut out the rotten flesh.
* * *
[Personnel Transfer Order]
Subject: Lieutenant Paran Oclo
Transfer: 103rd Special Forces Battalion -> Western Support Unit Headquarters Planning Division of Supply Command
Appointment: Chief of Western Support Unit Headquarters Planning Division
The above personnel transfer is hereby ordered
Supply Commander
Major General Jenson Kenate
A personnel transfer order received just two days after the triumph ceremony.
Actually, the person standing before me now is more of a problem than this.
“You’ve placed your medal here. Not a bad idea. Any guest would inevitably sit in the reception room.”
“It wasn’t my idea, my father suggested it.”
Long ears, looks that could easily blow away any idol’s appearance.
Even if the Emperor couldn’t recognize him, this person is such a special existence that I couldn’t fail to recognize him.
“But why has the busy Minister Rosen come all the way here…?”
Minister Rosen, a giant in the Empire’s economic circles.
He came to the manor personally with the personnel transfer order from the crack of dawn.
‘He’s really damn handsome.’
That jade-like skin and delicate features.
Being moderately handsome would be enviable, but this is just otherworldly.
“I wanted to have a conversation with the Lieutenant. I also have work-related matters to discuss.”
“Is that so…? What am I, just a mere soldier.”
Knock knock!
Just as I was wondering how to speak to such an important figure, someone knocked on the reception room door.
“Come in.”
Rosen’s brief response.
The person who entered after the door opened was none other than Father.
“Minister, it’s nothing too grand, but please have some tea and let’s talk comfortably.”
The head of the family personally carrying in a tray.
Anyone watching would think he was a servant.
‘That’s understandable.’
As the second most powerful person after the Emperor, getting on his bad side means you’re finished.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
“Not at all! Please take your time talking!”
Father bowed his head in greeting and left the reception room.
“Sit.”
“Yes…!”
I took a light sip of the freshly brewed tea.
‘He brought expensive stuff.’
Just from the taste alone, I could feel the luxury.
“First, according to the orders, Lieutenant will be assigned to the Planning Division. Originally it’s a Lieutenant Colonel position, so it could be considered exceptional.”
“Is that so…? Why would you give me such an important responsibility.”
It may be just one rank difference, but from field grade officers up, each level makes a tremendous difference.
“That’s because Lieutenant has shown good performance. And I didn’t see anyone else suitable for this task.”
“If you see it that way, I’ll work hard.”
It’s a bit burdensome, but at least it’s not a combat department, so it’s manageable even if difficult.
“But what exactly is the work I’ll be doing that requires the Minister to personally select a suitable candidate…”
“Simply put, filling the gaps in supplies caused by embezzlement.”
“Excuse me…?”
What kind of nonsense is this now.
‘I’m not some factory manager, how am I supposed to fill supply gaps.’
I thought being Planning Division Chief meant making unachievable New Year’s resolutions, but something felt off.
“It’s complicated in detail, but since you need to know, let me explain…”
Minister Rosen’s words then entered my mind.
It was lengthy content, but summarizing it once was simple.
‘The Emperor was furious seeing the supply situation in this operation, and when everything was turned upside down, it was a complete mess. Normalize all of this.’
The first thought that came to mind was one thing.
“Isn’t the scale too large for a mere Lieutenant to handle.”
Just from what I heard, the scale of the gap caused by embezzlement is at least hundreds of thousands of gold.
A Lieutenant is supposed to handle this?
My head is already spinning.
“It’s not about catching corruption, it’s about filling new supplies, so what’s difficult about it?”
Minister Rosen asked back with an expression that showed he didn’t quite understand.
“Uh… that’s true, but.”
“I know the previous food supply issue was similar to this, and Lieutenant fixed it then too, so I believe you can do well this time as well.”
‘No, that and this are different in scale.’
It’s like telling someone to catch a sturgeon in the sea because they’ve fished in freshwater.
“That’s a valid point, but I have little experience with supplies, so wouldn’t it be better for a specialist to handle it rather than me.”
Continued refusal.
Fortunately, Minister Rosen was someone you could have a conversation with.
“I didn’t expect Lieutenant Paran to think that way. I thought you’d be happy to take on such work.”
‘Why would he think that.’
I want to open up his brain and see exactly how he’s evaluating me as a person.
“There must be someone more suitable than me.”
“More suitable… alright, I understand. Let’s forget about this and issue new personnel orders for the originally planned Infantry Battalion Commander position…”
Grab!
I instinctively grabbed Rosen’s wrist as he was about to get up.
“I… when I think about it again, didn’t His Majesty personally choose me?”
“You could see it that way…”
“As a subject, how could I refuse. I’ll try my best once.”
“Didn’t you just say it was burdensome?”
“In wartime, what work could there be if I avoid things because they’re burdensome.”
Rosen seemed somewhat flustered by my suddenly changed words.
However, the most flustered person right now is me.
‘Why is he suddenly switching to Infantry Battalion Commander.’
With this kind of drift, a car would lose control and crash into a wall.
“Anyway, so you’re saying you’ll do it?”
“Yes, I’ll quickly fill the problematic supplies to support operations without issues!”
At my voice filled with desperation beyond passion, Rosen nodded.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“I’ll depart today, so please trust me with this task.”
Unfortunately, this is the only way I can survive right now.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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