I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 257

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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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Chapter 257
Fire
“How have you been?”
“Huh? I’ve been… well.”
Same face, yet an entirely different presence.
The sudden dissonance left me momentarily speechless.
‘This is ridiculous.’
I’d always known she was beautiful.
But this was something else entirely—not the same person at all.
“Why are you acting so stiff? That’s not like you.”
“Ah, was I being tense?”
I forced composure and reined in my thoughts as much as possible.
‘Come on, get yourself together. She’s your subordinate.’
Aisa already carried trauma from men complicating things.
The last thing I needed was to give her the same impression.
I’m not some beast.
“Did I… overdress?”
“Not at all. And it suits you perfectly.”
“Th-thank you.”
Had my tone been too emotionless and measured?
Aisa tilted her head slightly.
‘Wait, should I have given more praise?’
Women really aren’t easy to understand.
“How long is your leave?”
“I was granted a month, but I’ll likely return early. The situation back home is becoming serious.”
“Yeah, it’s not looking good.”
If negotiations fell through, we’d have no choice but to prepare for war again, which meant early recall orders were inevitable.
“Father usually achieves favorable results in negotiations, but it seems this one is proving difficult.”
“Is the Linton Marquis part of the negotiation delegation?”
“Yes, and thanks to that, I’m able to rest quite comfortably. No strange remarks to deal with.”
“That’s fortunate then.”
There was a reason her expression was so bright.
“What did you do during your leave, Lieutenant Colonel?”
“Hmm.”
I paused briefly to recall the past few days.
“Either working at the Guild or training, really. One or the other.”
“You… work at the Guild?”
She apparently hadn’t expected me to be involved in Guild work.
Aisa’s expression shifted to one of surprise.
“I’ll be inheriting it eventually, so I need to stay involved. There’s plenty of work piling up.”
“You certainly don’t rest much.”
“Well, I do rest. I was just… never mind.”
I’d been about to say I read novels following the stream of consciousness.
But it felt too personal to share with a junior, and something about it didn’t sit right.
“Pardon?”
“No, it’s just… one of those things.”
“What is it? Tell me!”
Aisa’s brow furrowed as she suddenly stepped closer.
The distance between us narrowed in an instant.
I reflexively tried to step back, but unfortunately there was a table laden with cocktails behind me.
“I… I’ve been reading some novels. I enjoy books, you see.”
Truth be told, I dislike books but love novels.
I added an extra lie to maintain an intellectual image.
“You read novels? I don’t often, but I do read the famous ones.”
“Really?”
That was quite unexpected.
“Yes, do you have a novel you’ve enjoyed?”
“If we’re talking about ones I enjoyed, there’s this novel called ‘Domain Reconstruction Chronicles.’ Have you heard of it?”
“Um…”
Aisa’s eyes rolled briefly before she spoke.
“I have read it, but it’s been so long that I don’t remember the details very well.”
Aisa claiming to have read Domain Reconstruction Chronicles.
My affection for her surged unexpectedly.
“I never knew you enjoyed novels.”
“I read them before bed or while traveling.”
“Oh, that’s right. I do the same.”
I’d thought she only indulged in upper-class culture.
But now I saw we were quite similar.
“But I never expected to see you here. Do you know the Ebindt Barony?”
I wanted to continue discussing novels.
But diving too deep wouldn’t be wise, so I changed the subject.
“I don’t know them personally. I happened to hear about this banquet and asked if I could attend.”
“As a soldier, it would certainly be hard to pass up an opportunity like this.”
Aisa had a kind heart, so she must have come for the same reason I did.
As we continued our conversation like this.
Baen Evint, the host, opened his mouth to speak.
“Ah, good evening. First, I must express my sincere gratitude for gracing this modest banquet with your presence.”
His expression showed visible tension.
“This charitable banquet was born from my direct experience. Having suffered severe wounds in the Battle of Rimircastle and subsequently retired, I…”
Baen elaborated in detail on the anecdote I’d read in his letter.
“As a noble, I have no livelihood concerns, but common soldiers live in poverty.”
They dedicated themselves to the Empire, yet all they grasp is a life of destitution.
How cruel is that.
“I believe that soldiers who sacrificed for the Empire should not be condemned to poverty.”
Every word rings true.
We need to remove this Emperor bastard and enthrone Baen Evint.
“I promise that the funds raised at this charity banquet will be used transparently to support the livelihoods of discharged soldiers.”
Well, I don’t need him to say that—I already trust our teacher Baen Evint.
“Peace is built upon the sacrifices of soldiers. So I humbly ask for your support. Thank you for listening.”
Baen Evint appeared nervous, but he finished his words without trembling.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I was the first to applaud.
Clap, clap, clap!
‘Now that’s a brilliant speech.’
Inciting soldiers from a watchtower to go fight isn’t a brilliant speech.
This one was genuine and served the public good.
We need to pay more attention to words like these.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!
As I applauded, others followed suit one by one.
From their expressions, it seemed everyone was genuinely moved.
Now the crucial part is the donations.
There are typically three methods of fundraising.
‘Auctions, participation fees, or direct solicitation.’
Auctions are the most common, but this charity banquet uses direct solicitation.
‘Usually with direct solicitation, someone needs to set the tone.’
And the highest-ranking person here to set that tone is Aisa, right beside me.
“The cause seems truly wonderful.”
Aisa approached Baen Evint and spoke briefly.
“Y-yes! Yes!”
Baen Evint visibly tensed.
Well, when Aisa suddenly addresses you, that kind of reaction is natural.
“The Linton Marquessate will donate 3,000 gold. Please use it for a worthy cause.”
“Thank you so much!”
3,000 gold.
It’s a substantial sum, yet not burdensome for a noble family.
‘Perfect.’
The opening is crucial, and Aisa struck exactly the right note.
“The Oclo Family will also donate 3,000 gold. Additionally, we will provide employment opportunities for those who have been discharged with disabilities.”
A path to employment.
I’ve been thinking about this issue since receiving the letter.
‘Support is one thing, but ultimately they need employment.’
Food support? Well, that’s fine.
But are you going to bring him meals until the day he dies?
If not, honestly, going there to give water and food doesn’t seem to have much value to me.
‘It’s just sponsorship for image purposes.’
If you truly want to help, no matter how many obstacles exist, you need to make them function as a person.
And the foundation of that is employment.
“Are you speaking of employment?”
“Just because someone has difficulty with their hands doesn’t mean they can’t do every job in the world. I intend to find what they can do and hire them accordingly.”
“To that extent… The people back home would be so delighted to hear this!”
“I hope so.”
The atmosphere wasn’t conducive to a lengthy conversation, so I excused myself.
After that, two thousand gold, one thousand gold.
Sponsorships continued pouring in.
‘Everyone has so much money.’
It’s no wonder I raise prices excessively when dealing with nobility.
“Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Hmm?”
This time, I was examining the cake selection rather than cocktails.
Aisa approached me.
“You said you liked novels.”
“I did.”
“Then perhaps you’d like to go to a bookstore with me….”
Just as Aisa was about to say something.
An entirely unexpected situation erupted.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is entering!”
A trembling voice rang out from beyond the doors.
That sudden announcement threw the Banquet Hall into chaos.
“The Crown Prince has arrived…?”
“What does this mean….”
A Marquis Family party.
Because of that, even among the nobility here, a considerable number were lower-ranking nobles.
And there were even commoners without noble status—those who led Guilds and had wealth.
“What should we do….”
Panic and confusion.
However, the Crown Prince was not someone who waited for everyone to calm down.
Creak.
The doors of the Banquet Hall opened in an instant.
And the face of Prince Louis Raikane, whom I actually knew, came into view.
“We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!”
“We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!!”
Those near the door quickly bowed their heads.
Those who had been flustered regained their composure and followed suit.
“So you were in a place like this.”
His Highness the Crown Prince walked slowly while surveying his surroundings.
He stopped at….
“Lieutenant Colonel, you’ve dressed up quite impressively today. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“I… I see you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Unfortunately, that was me.
“I naturally assumed you’d be at the Imperial Court banquet, and when I couldn’t find you no matter how hard I looked, you can imagine how bewildered I was.”
“My apologies.”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure why I should apologize, but I bowed my head anyway.
“You even declined Rene’s invitation to come here. Hmm, this place certainly looks better. That one was rather stiff.”
“I… I see. I truly wanted to attend, but as a soldier, I couldn’t help but come to support the purpose of this banquet.”
“Now that you mention it, it was related to retired soldiers.”
His Highness the Crown Prince finally came to his senses and turned his gaze toward Baen Evint, the organizer.
“I… I am Baen Evint.”
“I heard on the way here that you’ve had a truly excellent idea. You were injured in the arm during the Rimircastle battle and retired, correct?”
“Y… yes, that’s correct.”
Baen answered while trembling.
Well, that was only natural.
To a baron, the Crown Prince represented a gap far greater than the difference between commoner and nobility.
“Your attitude of thinking of others despite your own injury is so exemplary that it should serve as a model for everyone.”
Quite the high praise.
With just those words from His Highness the Crown Prince, the reputation of the Ebindt Barony must have risen by at least two levels.
“The Imperial Court cannot be absent from such a brilliant initiative. I shall ensure that the Imperial Court stands with you in supporting our retired soldiers.”
“Thank… thank you so much!!”
In an instant, the scale of the event had grown at least tenfold.
Baen Evint bowed his head, feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to establish a department related to this matter. Once negotiations with the Gelrof Kingdom are concluded, I shall recommend it to His Majesty.”
His Highness the Crown Prince continued to speak with unprecedented generosity.
The eyes of those attending the banquet began to move rapidly.
‘They’re thinking this is an opportunity to catch the Crown Prince’s eye.’
And they weren’t wrong.
With the right approach, connections could certainly be made.
“Continue with this spirit and help those who have dedicated themselves to the Empire.”
“Yes…! I shall work diligently to convey Your Highness the Crown Prince’s will.”
“See that you do.”
The conversation ended as His Highness the Crown Prince nodded.
I noticed people swarming around Baen Evint like bees as he stepped back.
‘The donations are going to increase significantly.’
Not just money. There will probably be people offering to support it by linking it to their family’s business ventures.
Anyway, that’s something Baen Evint will handle from now on.
What matters to me right now is this persistent problem standing before me.
“But what brings you to seek me out?”
“Do we need a reason to visit each other?”
‘Ah, this madman.’
He’s definitely insane.
“Ha…haha.”
“More importantly, Princess Arin mentioned it to the Baetra Family, and apparently they responded favorably.”
“Is that so?”
I honestly expected them to be unenthusiastic, so this was unexpected.
“The exact schedule hasn’t been set yet, but an envoy will be coming regarding the Crown Princess matter. They’ve arranged to arrive together and stay then. Were you aware of this?”
“I’m hearing this for the first time.”
It seemed various things had been happening without my knowledge.
‘At this rate, won’t the marriage procedures be finished while I’m out at the Western Front?’
The possibility didn’t seem to be zero, which terrified me.
“That’s why Princess Arin has been in such high spirits lately. So do visit the Imperial Palace when you have time.”
“Y-yes.”
I nodded while thinking to myself that I absolutely must not go.
“To be honest, from my position, a Lieutenant Colonel marrying into a prominent family of the Kingdom of Osiris isn’t particularly favorable.”
“Yes.”
“However, it will be an unprecedented opportunity for the Oclo Family, so I shouldn’t be dictating terms.”
“Regardless of whom I marry, my loyalty will be directed solely toward the Raikane Empire.”
“I have no doubt about that.”
Really, he believes that?
The Crown Prince is exactly the type to be deceived.
“Ah, the young lady of the Linton Marquessate was here too. It’s been almost a year, hasn’t it?”
The Crown Prince turned his head to look at Aisa.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I greet you.”
“Your expression doesn’t look good. Are you unwell?”
When I turned to look at what the Crown Prince said, Aisa’s face was indeed darker than before.
‘Does she have an upset stomach?’
Looking at her, the dress clearly seemed uncomfortable, and eating in that state would inevitably lead to digestive troubles.
“No, it’s just… yes.”
As Aisa said this, she suddenly glared at me.
What should I say?
I sensed complex emotions in that gaze—anger and more.

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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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