I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 136

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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 136

“Well done. Thanks to you, we saved on accommodation costs.”

“Not at all. You shouldn’t have to spend time on miscellaneous tasks, Manager.”

Every single word is practically an art form.

“Manager.”

Just when I was thinking this might be more manageable than expected since the department members were so pleasant.

Sergeant Major Kairon approached carrying dozens of documents.

“What’s the matter?”

“Didn’t the embezzlement incident create a gap in the winter gloves supply?”

“That’s right.”

Winter gloves.

One of the representative items exposed in this embezzlement case, I heard they filled them with substandard cotton padding.

‘What makes this particularly vicious is that they made the officer gloves properly and only messed with the soldier gloves.’

For reference, officer gloves are made with cowhide, while soldier gloves use sheepskin.

“So I’ve selected some places we could contract with this time. Please review them.”

Sergeant Major Kairon said this while setting down the documents he was carrying.

“Is this… all of it?”

“Yes, since we can’t have any problems this time, the volume increased because we conducted a thorough investigation.”

“Sigh.”

I can’t really complain since he’s saying he worked hard.

But there was way too much.

‘This looks like it easily exceeds 100 pages.’

Even if I spent the entire day looking at just this, I wouldn’t finish it before leaving work.

“We need to hurry and start glove production, so even though you just arrived, I’d appreciate quick processing.”

“Al…alright. I’ll check and let you know.”

“Thank you.”

Sergeant Major Kairon bowed his head to greet me and returned to his seat.

“Haah.”

I let out a deep sigh and picked up the document on top.

【Saerom Factory】

-Factory Personnel: 50 people

-Glove Unit Price: 27 silver for soldiers

-Production Volume: 5,000 pairs (monthly)

(Colonel Deadman, a reserve officer, serves as factory owner and has extensive military-related knowledge.)

【Oberman Trading Company】

-Glove Unit Price: 30 silver for officers, 26 silver for soldiers

-Production Volume: 6,000 pairs (monthly)

(Oberman Trading Company operates three small factories for delivery.)

(Unit price is low, but there are concerns about quality due to lack of military-related knowledge.)

The contents were written in more detail than expected.

Looking at this, I had one thought.

‘Do I really need to know all this?’

I can see this is about selecting delivery companies, but how many employees each place has and whether a reserve officer is the company owner or not.

Honestly, from my perspective, this is completely useless information.

‘Just give it to whoever says they’ll do it cheapest.’

And we’ve made a social contract calling this the bidding system.

“Sergeant Major Kairon.”

After looking through the documents a bit more, I called out to Sergeant Major Kairon who had dropped this bomb on me.

“Yes, have you already reviewed everything?”

“Not that, but let’s change our approach.”

“Our approach, sir?”

“There’s no need to go through the trouble of comparing conditions, right? We just make them compete with each other and give the business to whoever says they’ll do it cheapest.”

This isn’t the best or most perfect method.

However, from my perspective, this is the best option right now.

“You mean make them compete?”

“Exactly. Instead of us deciding, we leave it to the market.”

“In that case, they might bid low to get the contract and then have quality issues.”

“At a time like this? I’d actually welcome that. We’d have an example to punish.”

The thought that this would be quite entertaining made the corners of my mouth turn up.

“That… would be true.”

Seeing me like this, Sergeant Major Kairon trembled his voice as if getting goosebumps and took a step back.

“I’ll plan out detailed guidelines for you, so in the meantime, just tell the companies here that they’ll be competing.”

“Understood. I’ll relay that immediately.”

Sergeant Major Kairon returned to his seat, and I continued looking through the handover documents before leaning back against my chair.

‘I’ve created another task for myself.’

But this is something that must be done.

Right now there are dozens of supply items with gaps, and I can’t personally inspect every single factory like I’m doing now.

‘Damn it, I don’t know. For today, I’ll just look at the handover documents and call it quits.’

Putting off work until tomorrow might seem foolish and stupid.

But that’s just how the military is.

* * *

“Factory Manager! We just got a call from the Support Unit!”

“Oh, it finally came. Are they contracting?”

When the news Factory Manager Deadman had been waiting for arrived, he put down the newspaper he had been leisurely reading and asked.

“Well… I don’t quite understand it yet either. It seems like they want to negotiate. But then again, maybe not.”

“What are you talking about.”

Deadman spoke in a frustrated voice, and the employee felt the same way.

“Please take a look at this yourself.”

The employee handed the letter that had just arrived to Deadman.

-Greetings. This is Lieutenant Paran Oclo, Plan Director of the Western Support Unit.

Your company’s production capacity and abundant experience… are quite good, but

due to limited resources, we would like to proceed with a bidding process. The scale of this project is…

A letter detailing everything from the bidding process to the scale of the project.

After checking all the contents, Deadman put down the letter with an incredulous expression.

“So now they’re telling us to compete on price with other places?”

Since Deadman had been using his status as a reserve colonel to secure business deals, this was his first time encountering such a situation.

“Isn’t it because there were quality problems with the winter gloves this time?”

“Hey! That was those idiots over there trying to squeeze out more money. We had no problems. They should be giving us more business then. How can they do this?!”

When the neighboring factory was skimping on cotton to pocket extra money, Deadman’s Saerom Factory manufactured and delivered all products according to the contract.

It wasn’t that there was no temptation, but it was an action based on his military experience that you’ll get caught eventually.

He thought he could sweep up all the winter glove contracts when everyone else got caught this time, but this wasn’t right.

“Is there no letter for Sergeant Major Kairon?”

“No, there isn’t one separately.”

“Phew, this is giving me a headache. Damn it.”

Deadman looked over the bidding items that came with the letter.

【Cowhide Winter Gloves】

Company Name :

Bid Price :

Delivery Quantity :

Delivery Plan :

【Sheepskin Winter Gloves】

Company Name :

Bid Price :

Delivery Quantity :

Delivery Plan :

“Does this mean we can write whatever quantity we want?”

“That must be it. Didn’t they get a big gap over there right now?”

“Well, that’s true.”

From what he’s heard, they’ll use the defective products for now, but dispose of them all as quickly as possible.

“Are you going to fill this out?”

“I have to. Don’t you see it in this letter? The name of the person who’s the Plan Director.”

“Yes…? Huh?!”

The employee read the letter again, and as soon as he checked the name section, his eyes widened.

“Paran Oclo… isn’t that the person who received a medal this time?”

“That’s right, and he’s nobility from a marquis household. If this person is doing it, how can we challenge it.”

A reserve colonel.

In the end, he’s a commoner who couldn’t earn his stars.

But his opponent is essentially the next marquis and a soldier favored by the Emperor.

If he makes a mistake, he might lose even the opportunity given to him and have to close the factory.

‘To live long, you need to judge the weight class. This won’t work.’

There’s only one reason why Deadman, who wasn’t particularly outstanding in any area, was promoted to colonel.

Detecting pitfalls.

And right now, in the name Paran Oclo, he could see an endlessly deep abyss.

* * *

“Ah, I’m tired. Just kill me.”

It’s already been a week since I became the Plan Director of the Western Support Unit.

Summarizing the time so far, it was a hellish schedule.

‘Why is there no end to work no matter how much I do.’

For reference, yesterday was Sunday, but I came to work at 8 AM and worked until 10 PM.

“Haah.”

A heavy sigh rising from deep within.

I really want to close my eyes and go back to sleep like crazy, but unfortunately it’s 7 AM now.

I have to get up to go to work.

“Today’s schedule is reviewing bid contents in the morning, presenting at the weekly staff meeting. In the afternoon, meeting with Budget Operations Division and reviewing contract drafts….”

I have no idea what kind of wealth and glory I’m trying to enjoy by living this busy.

‘Seriously, just going to an Infantry Battalion… no, that’s not right.’

I heard recently that the Adits Empire’s supreme commander changed from General Memoled Sikaite to Seto Count.

‘From what I can see, it’ll be soon.’

From the moment they lost Yalc Island, they’re losing money with every breath they take.

So they’ll definitely make a decision in the near future.

‘Right, no matter how hard it gets, how could it be harder than going to the battlefield.’

Thinking as positively as possible, I went to the closet and put on my military uniform.

“The facilities are really nice.”

The place I’m staying now is field-grade officer quarters, and I don’t know the exact square footage, but in Korean terms it’s a three-room apartment.

‘Usually by the time you make Lieutenant, you have a family, so they probably made the space bigger.’

It can’t compare to the manor in the capital, but compared to the quarters I’ve lived in so far, it’s hotel level.

‘If there was a computer, one room would be perfect as a gaming room.’

This world is good in every way, but the biggest flaw is that there are no computers.

“No cell phones either, it’s too much dopamine detox.”

Of course, the insane dopamine called war hits my brain every day, so there’s no time to be bored.

‘Could it be that in the past, people fought wars frequently because there were no computers?’

What a tremendous truth….

“Sigh, I’m going crazy too.”

Smack!

I slapped my cheeks with both hands, washed up lightly, then left the quarters and headed to work.

“Loyalty!”

“Loyalty!”

“Loyalty!”

Now that I’m a Lieutenant, even soldiers I don’t know salute me when they see me walking down the street.

‘Up until Captain, I was just treated like some neighborhood uncle, but what a big difference one rank makes.’

My shoulders feel really heavy.

“Loyalty, you’ve arrived.”

Captain Dennis, who had arrived at work first, stood up from his seat when he saw me.

“You came to work early again today. When did you get here?”

“I arrived about 15 minutes ago.”

At those words, I glanced at Captain Dennis’s desk, and documents were scattered all over it.

‘It looks like it’s been way more than 15 minutes.’

According to rumors, he comes to work almost an hour early.

“You don’t get paid extra for coming early, so just work overtime instead.”

“Haha, but I concentrate better during the day than at night. I just prefer to come out a little early and handle important tasks.”

“That’s a destiny that makes it hard to earn money.”

While making small talk, I put down my bag and sat in my chair.

“Today’s the deadline for the winter glove bids, right?”

“Yes, I picked them up from the post office on my way to work. About fifty companies participated in the bidding.”

“That’s quite a lot.”

On my first day of assignment, Sergeant Major Kairon gave me fifteen companies, so it’s more than tripled.

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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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