I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 164

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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 164

Taxes that easily exceed a year’s salary.

For reference, even commoners who earn the most never pay more than 40% in maximum income tax rates.

“Is there some problem?”

“Doesn’t Colonel Gavel’s tax payment amount here seem a bit strange?”

When I showed the data to Colonel Raint, he immediately gave an answer as if it was nothing special.

“Tax payments are made per household, so his wife must have earned a lot. It’s written right here.”

He pointed to the small text written on the back.

Special Notes: Spouse Belin operates Gartitz Trading Company.

“To pay over 2,000 gold in taxes, that’s enviable. This is the kind of marriage one should have.”

Honestly, it is enviable.

Colonel Gavel’s share among that would be 300 gold at most, so the rest is what his wife earns.

‘If this is true, it’s really a status-reversing marriage.’

Honestly, from a capitalist perspective, it could be better than marrying into nobility.

‘But common sense says this doesn’t make sense.’

Think about it.

If your wife earns this much money, would you take dangerous actions in the military?

I can confidently say that no fool would do such a thing.

‘There’s something here. Something.’

A woman running a trading company and a man being a soldier.

I might be overthinking this, but isn’t this the common husband-wife fraud team combination you can see in South Korea?

“You seem to be thinking a lot.”

“Not at all. Rather, everything seems to be neatly organized. It’s all thanks to your help, General Manager.”

“I didn’t show you anything you couldn’t see, so what did I really do?”

‘That’s true.’

Personal information of field-grade officers is classified as Level 3 secret, and I have access rights as an official Intelligence Agency agent.

So I was planning to quietly look and leave, but I unluckily ran into the general manager on the first floor and got kidnapped.

“Still, thanks to you, General Manager, I was able to sit comfortably and review everything. I’ll repay you when I get the chance.”

“Then I have a few things I’m curious about. When do you think the work you’re doing at the Support Division will be finished?”

“Excuse me…? Why do you ask that?”

Having been through this more than once or twice, I can clearly see the intention behind the question.

This is quite a dangerous moment right now.

“You seem to be doing so much work that I’m worried. Isn’t the supply situation serious right now?”

“Yes… well.”

“Being in such a place only makes you suffer physically, and promotions are damn slow. Isn’t it a shame when you quickly rose to Lieutenant already?”

‘No. I’m not disappointed at all.’

Lieutenant is already more than I deserve, and I have not even the slightest intention of rising higher.

“Ha…haha, is that so?”

“If you’re going to work overtime anyway, and work in an office anyway, the Information Management Bureau seems better. What do you think?”

Surprisingly, that statement itself isn’t wrong.

‘Compared to the intensity of work I’m doing now, the Information Management Bureau might be more comfortable. No, it would definitely be more comfortable.’

But promotions are better, and there’s even additional compensation for being in the Intelligence Agency.

The Information Management Bureau definitely seems better, but there’s a trap hidden here that only those who’ve experienced it know.

‘First they’ll take me to the Information Management Bureau, then send me here and there to work me to death.’

It’s obvious without even seeing it.

“I actually don’t have much ambition for promotion.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, rather than that, I have a strong desire to solve the military’s problems and contribute to the war. From that perspective, I think performing my role in the Support Division takes priority over the Intelligence Agency, which is already running excellently.”

Should I call it human survival instinct?

It spun wildly and completed a lengthy response in a short time.

‘Even I’m surprised by what I just said.’

Praising the Intelligence Agency while politely declining.

It’s almost good enough to be used as educational material.

“I understand what you mean. Then I should naturally respect the Lieutenant. It’s for the Empire’s sake.”

Contrary to expectations, Colonel Raint backed down cleanly.

‘What? He’s just giving up like this?’

It’s quite bewildering, but this is an opportunity I can’t let slip away.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“When someone says they’ll do harder work, what consideration is there to speak of? Come visit anytime in the future. I quite like you, Lieutenant.”

“Then I won’t refuse, and I’ll visit often.”

Unlike that Eden whatever, seeing him respect people’s opinions, I couldn’t help but feel my favorability toward him increase.

‘Right, this is what’s normal.’

I think I judged the Colonel too harshly.

“You seem to have a lot of work to do, so feel free to go once you’ve finished checking everything.”

“Yes, I’ll see you again later. Thank you for your hard work.”

I bowed my head in greeting and left the Intelligence Command building.

“Gartitz Trading Company, huh.”

At least it’s a place I’ve never heard of while handling supply contracts recently.

“So that means they don’t do military supplies.”

If they don’t do military supplies, why would they need a military husband?

Going one step further, with that level of profit, there’s no reason for Colonel Gavel to remain a soldier.

‘Really, if I got married in South Korea and my wife brought home a billion won, I’d pick up a vacuum cleaner right away.’

It’s the kind of life that brings catharsis just from imagining it.

“I should look into this.”

Investigating a trading company doesn’t require going to Besinia.

‘With the Oclo Trading Guild’s information network, I could dig everything up in a few days.’

The flow of money is always connected.

“I have a good feeling about this.”

I went to the post office to send a letter, then returned to the office to handle the remaining work instead of going home.

* * *

“Commander-in-Chief, according to recent reports, the enemy has completed their troop reorganization.”

“Of course they have. Quite some time has passed.”

Commander-in-Chief Seto Count looked around at the generals gathered in the conference room.

“You’re all anxious right now. Because it seems like we can’t win once the enemy is ready.”

“Not at all! The army is ready for victory.”

“It would have been nice if you had actually achieved victory instead of just being ready. Don’t you think?”

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

The general who spoke bowed his head, and Seto Count withdrew his gaze as if uninterested.

“You would have wanted to attack before the enemy could regroup, but what they want now is our haste.”

It had been a month since the Battle of Yalc Island.

Seto Count had forbidden not just attacks on the Raikhan Empire, but even provocations.

There was much internal dissatisfaction with Seto Count’s judgment, but no one dared voice it.

Because the results they had produced so far were worse than garbage.

“The enemy’s morale is sky-high, while we are exhausted from defeats. Did you grant leave as ordered?”

“Yes, many soldiers have returned refreshed after taking leave in shifts.”

The first order Seto Count issued upon taking command was leave, granted to all soldiers.

“That’s fortunate. Then it’s time to draw our swords again.”

“Just give the order!”

General Delph, the Army Chief of Staff, answered as if he had been waiting.

“We’re going to target Adman Castle.”

“Not Rimircastle, but somewhere else…?”

“With our current capabilities and situation, even with the best planning, our chances of taking Rimircastle are less than 20%.”

During that month, Seto Count hadn’t just been idle while granting leave.

Countless battle simulations through the Reconnaissance Command and staff.

At the end of it all, Seto Count had completed a sure victory plan.

“Adman Castle…”

It was a fortress barely mentioned throughout the war.

There was a reason for this – aside from the main castle, there was nothing particularly valuable in the surrounding area.

Moreover, even if captured, it was in a remote location compared to other castles, lacking expandability.

“You all have doubts. But what we need now isn’t Rimircastle or anything else – it’s victory.”

The Adits Imperial Army and citizens were steeped in defeat.

The high value of Rimircastle was the result of commanders’ calculations.

Seto Count believed what the Empire currently needed was news of victory, even if it was just a neighborhood brawl.

“But if we gather troops to capture Adman Castle, the enemy will come out of Rimircastle and target Belzium Castle.”

That could result in the disaster of trading the core of cores, Belzium Castle, for the relatively worthless Adman Castle in the wilderness.

And this was a fact Seto Count naturally knew as well.

“An excellent point. That’s why we’ll attack Rimircastle as well.”

“Pardon…?”

General Delph’s eyes widened as he questioned the completely unexpected statement.

“Commander-in-Chief, I’m embarrassed to say this, but the army currently lacks the resources to attack two places simultaneously.”

Preparing for just one siege required deploying all of the army’s key personnel.

To conduct this in two places simultaneously?

Not only would the quality suffer, but if they lost, it would be unmanageable.

“I’m aware of that point as well. That’s why attacking Rimircastle will serve as a kind of smokescreen. Do you understand what I mean?”

“A smokescreen, sir?”

“The enemy’s misconception that Rimircastle will be attacked. That alone will force the enemy to prepare defenses at the fortress, and in that gap, we’ll take Adman Castle.”

A quite aggressive yet bold tactic.

Not only General Delph but many of the commanders attending the meeting showed signs of bewilderment.

“Commander-in-Chief, using a siege battle of such scale as a smokescreen is only possible in books and will inevitably be discovered in reality.”

Major General Matters, commander of the Third Army Corps, spoke with an irritated voice, unable to perfectly control his emotions.

“Corps Commander, right now the Commander-in-Chief is…”

“Stop.”

Just as General Delph was about to say something to mediate, Seto Count raised his hand to stop him.

“Only possible in books, you think it’s impossible in actual combat?”

“Yes, the enemy also has eyes and conducts reconnaissance just as we do. It’s impossible not to be caught in this process.”

“Wrong. The assumption that you’ll inevitably be caught—that’s due to lack of expertise and capability of the personnel carrying it out, not a flaw in the operation.”

“Reality and the battlefield are…”

“Then what do you think tactics are, Major General? Just marching out boldly and fighting with brute force? I’ve seen the results of that approach many times—do you want to repeat it again?”

Major General Matters’ mouth closed at those cutting words.

“A commander is someone who plans and leads tactics. That’s why we spend expensive money teaching tactical studies. But when I came here and observed, I found that you people have never put what you learned to use.”

Seto Count rose from his seat and picked up his command baton.

“If that’s the case, why wage war at the cost of precious lives? We might as well just count the number of soldiers and agree that whoever has more wins.”

Words that were far too direct and insulting.

Major General Matters’ face reddening was completely unconcealed.

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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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