I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 228

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Episode 228
“According to the initial survey, the reserves are estimated to be on par with the Mana Stone Mine in Velburn Duchy.”
“Is that all?”
The Mana Stone Mine in Velburn Duchy.
It was the second-largest deposit in the Empire, and if true, it would be a discovery significant enough to impact the economy substantially.
“Yes, though some believe it could be even greater, further verification is needed according to the reports.”
“This is giving me a headache.”
If I’d stayed quiet, I could have monopolized it as Imperial Crown territory.
But since I already announced it as a reward at an official gathering, it seems I’ll have to share it with the Oclo Family.
‘And I can’t exactly stop the war now.’
Even if I did, a mine at the front line?
There’s no way proper mining operations could take place.
“Only the Oclo Comital Family seems interested. Have the Technical Families made contact?”
The discovery had already leaked, so there was no need to keep it secret—it had been made public long ago.
And naturally, the first to react to this news were the Technical Families with magical device manufacturing factories.
Rosen nodded at the Emperor’s question.
“Yes, but it appears that not a single preliminary contract has been signed so far.”
“Trying to drive the price down, I see. Count Oclo isn’t one to be trifled with, though.”
“That doesn’t seem to be the case. From what I hear, the Technical Families brought quite favorable terms, yet all were rejected.”
When one held Minister Rosen’s position, certain information naturally reached one’s ears.
From his perspective, the Technical Families’ contract terms were quite generous.
‘He must believe the war will drag on longer.’
One could argue it contradicts the Emperor’s desire to end things quickly.
But since investment is a personal choice and doesn’t harm the Empire, there’s little grounds for complaint.
“I’m curious what audacity drives him. If he fails to take Belzium Castle, he loses everything.”
In the Emperor’s eyes, Count Oclo appeared to be making a reckless gamble.
“He’s no fool, so he must have his reasons.”
“True enough.”
If he were foolish, even with Paran Oclo, the guild couldn’t have grown so rapidly in such a short time.
“How are the defenses of Belzium Castle progressing?”
The Emperor’s gaze naturally turned toward Commander-in-Chief Bast.
“By next week, the garrison will reach sixty thousand troops.”
“Sixty thousand—reassuring indeed.”
What kind of place was Belzium Castle?
A fortress with city walls among the highest and most formidable in the realm.
After its capture, specialized personnel had been deployed for inspection and repairs, making it even more impregnable.
“Yes, judging by the enemy’s movements, battle seems inevitable, but we shall emerge victorious.”
His voice brimmed with confidence.
Of course, there was no room for complacency.
He’d experienced the board flip several times before.
“I wish we could succeed in defending the city and then advance straight to Salt Castle.”
If we manage to take Salt Castle, we can spread our wings on both sides and secure definitive territorial expansion.
“I’ll prepare for the next operation.”
Bast understood this was a golden opportunity.
He nodded while his mind worked through the complexities.
* * *
“What drives a murderer’s psychology?”
As if I’d become some sort of detective.
I stood before the map of Belzium Castle hanging on the wall and stroked my chin.
“The emotion I’m currently suspecting is hatred.”
Every time, they leave messages about being the instigator of war, something repulsive—don’t they?
This can only be interpreted as an emotion rooted in hatred.
“Then it makes sense to assume the culprit is someone from the Raikhan Empire who despises the Adits Empire intensely.”
But here’s the thing.
Eighty percent of the Raikhan Empire citizens currently in Belzium Castle are soldiers.
Of the remaining twenty percent, ten percent are non-military personnel like security guards, but they’re essentially similar, so we can group them together.
The last ten percent are military families, though there aren’t many yet.
“For now, exclude military families.”
Ten people have died so far.
By gender, seven men and three women.
Among those seven men, two had particularly impressive physiques.
“The probability of a soldier’s wife doing this is far too low.”
So that leaves soldiers.
Honestly, I think the likelihood is quite high.
‘If they’re a soldier, they can’t help but harbor hatred toward the Aditus.’
Witnessing comrades die beside you—there’s no way you wouldn’t develop negative feelings toward the Aditus.
I certainly have quite a bit myself.
“The problem is there are too many soldiers right now, so there’s no way to coordinate and verify anything. That’s frustrating.”
The deeper I dig into this, the more it becomes a headache.
“What troubles you so much?”
While I was furrowing my brow and running my mind at full capacity.
I heard Lieutenant Colonel Larsen’s voice from behind.
“I was just thinking about how to catch the culprit.”
“Earlier you seemed so reluctant, yet you’re the most sincere about this.”
“I have to do what needs to be done. And with one person dying every day, how could I just sit idle?”
If my lazy work delays the arrest by a day?
Then another person dies.
‘It’s not just one person dying, really.’
Natural death in old age and a death like this have completely different impacts.
‘Families are destroyed, and it becomes a wound that can never be healed in a lifetime.’
Didn’t you see that child last time?
You could say that with each passing day, more children like that continue to appear.
“Whenever I see you, Chief Inspector, I always find myself reflecting on my own life.”
He spoke in a rather serious tone.
This was somewhat embarrassing.
‘If seeing me makes you reflect that much, you’re living your life all wrong.’
It’s at a level where serious counseling would be needed.
“Please don’t say such things. I don’t know how to respond to that.”
“Humility is deeply ingrained in you, sir.”
“Well.”
If I weren’t humble, I’d face all sorts of criticism—being from South Korea and all.
It’s rooted deeply in the depths of my mind.
“Have you thought of something, sir?”
“Thought of something, yes.”
I turned my head back and stared at the map.
“First of all, I think the perpetrator is most likely a soldier. And a highly skilled one at that.”
“Yes, that’s likely.”
Lieutenant Colonel Larsen nodded in agreement.
“But looking at these crime scenes, there’s no consistency whatsoever. It’s quite ambiguous, isn’t it?”
Going here, then going there.
Just wandering through this vast Belzium Castle as they please.
Because of this, even a hundred patrols wouldn’t accomplish much.
We can’t even predict anything.
“The Security Guards have analyzed it too, and they say they couldn’t find any pattern.”
“Of course not. There is no pattern.”
It’s truly puzzling.
“I really can’t understand it. If they’re a soldier, they could release those emotions in combat. What benefit is there in killing civilians?”
“Exactly. It’s not like they lack a stage to display their talents. What benefit could there be… ah.”
As I was nodding at Lieutenant Colonel Larsen’s words and about to respond.
A shock struck me as if I’d been hit in the head with a hammer.
‘Wait, what benefit?’
Now that I think about it, that’s right.
If they’ve done it not just once but ten times, it’s not impulsive behavior.
Are they really continuing to kill people out of emotional control, driven by hatred?
‘Of course that’s possible, but there’s a high chance it’s not.’
Then if it’s not the case, what I need to consider is profit and loss.
One could argue that calculating profit and loss with human lives is wrong, but no problem can be solved with emotion alone.
‘Who has benefited the most over the past ten days?’
Certainly not the Military or the Security Guards.
The Security Guards are dying from overtime they never asked for.
The soldiers also knew that worsening relations with the citizens wouldn’t help future combat operations.
Then who was it?
‘Damn it, this is the Adits Empire?’
An Aditus dies, and the Adits Empire benefits.
It might sound strange, but surprisingly, it’s true.
Soldiers coming out to drink and Aditus citizens getting into quarrels and throwing punches had become routine.
Today, they’d apparently gone in groups to find the Security Guards.
For the Adits Empire, which was about to strike Belzium Castle soon, there couldn’t be a better situation.
‘And right now, there’s only one place that could do this.’
Only one.
The Reconnaissance Command.
“Lieutenant Colonel Larsen.”
“Yes, Chief Inspector.”
“Doesn’t this look like the Reconnaissance Command’s handiwork?”
“The Reconnaissance Command? Why do you say that?”
“Think about it. Who would be happy seeing Belzium Castle in chaos? It’s simple.”
“That’s… true.”
Lieutenant Colonel Larsen nodded, but his expression still seemed ambiguous about something.
And there was a reason for that.
“But no matter what, they’re ordinary citizens who were originally their own people. Isn’t the risk too great?”
“That’s a fair point too.”
They’d become citizens of the Raikhan Empire now, but that was only a month ago.
Ask anyone living anywhere in the Adits Empire, including Salt Castle, and they’d say the people in Belzium Castle are their own people.
‘If my suspicion is correct, it’s murder of their own citizens. If this gets out, there’ll be hell to pay.’
I don’t know what the atmosphere is like in the Adits Empire, but if this were France, it would definitely be revolution-level.
“There’s definitely risk involved. But think about it differently. If they don’t take this risk now, what else can they do?”
“That’s… a fair point, sir.”
And to be more honest, an operation to create chaos inside the castle by killing their own citizens?
Setting aside the emotional aspect, I think it’s quite brilliant.
‘They must have excluded the risk factor because they’re confident they won’t fail.’
After all, they’re pulling it off mysteriously without even taking ten days.
It’s only possible because they’re all Reconnaissance Command agents.
Looking at it this way, the puzzle pieces fit perfectly.
“Lieutenant, this is it. This has to be it.”
Before I knew it, the corners of my mouth had lifted.
Lieutenant Colonel Larsen nodded as well.
“Yes, it seems quite possible.”
“And look. Let’s assume the Reconnaissance Command did this. Would they really do it near their own base? With a search coming in.”
“Ah…? That’s…”
As if realizing something.
Lieutenant Colonel Larsen’s mouth fell open.
“Erase all the places where crimes occurred and everywhere we thoroughly investigated.”
“Yes, sir…!”
Screech! Screech!
Lieutenant Colonel Larsen picked up a red pen and drew ‘X’ marks on the ten locations where crimes had first occurred.
“And here are the places we investigated.”
Screech! Screech! Screech!
More ‘X’ marks continued to appear on the map.
The fact that we hadn’t located the Reconnaissance Command base over the past two weeks didn’t mean we’d been idle.
“This is what we have so far.”
After marking everything on the map, Lieutenant Colonel Larsen looked at me.
My gaze became completely fixed on the map as if entranced.
“If we exclude the districts where crimes occurred.”
Screeeech!
I picked up the pen myself and drew large ‘X’ marks across the map.
Some might think this was excessive elimination, but when murder crimes occur, patrols are naturally intensified in those districts.
Screeeech! Screeeech! Screeeech!
I continued drawing ‘X’ marks.
After completing ten operations, what remained was.
【District 1】
【District 2】
【District 8】
“Found it.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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