I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 41
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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 41
“Th…that’s right, now we can finally talk! The death penalty doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“But you’ve been speaking rather curtly since last time? I’m still direct lineage of a Count family – don’t you know about hierarchy?”
“Uh…yes, you’re right! I was momentarily disrespectful. I apologize.”
A sight of someone who had fallen with nowhere left to fall.
I thought I’d feel satisfied, but seeing it firsthand, I felt nothing and just wanted to leave this place quickly.
“Right, anyway, you don’t want to die, do you? I heard you have a son named David.”
“Yes…yes! He’s my precious seven-year-old son.”
“Aw, he must be precious. It’s simple if you want to save everyone. Just sign here and it’s over. Easy, right?”
I took out the prepared share transfer contract and pushed it into the prison cell.
“If I just sign… you’ll get me out right away?”
“Hmm, even so, you did commit crimes, so not immediately, but I’ll talk to the lord and make it 3 years. Not bad, right?”
Actually, getting him out immediately was possible, but that would be too sweet, wouldn’t it?
‘He needs to pay for embezzling soldiers’ food for over a year.’
I originally thought 5 years, but seeing this environment, 3 years seemed sufficient.
‘Really, how do I live being so soft-hearted?’
Being too kind is a problem.
“Three whole years…?”
“Why, don’t like it? Then you can just die comfortably – I don’t really mind.”
“N…no! But could you reduce the time just a little?”
“Geez, even when I try to be considerate, it doesn’t work. You evaded over 50,000 gold in taxes and you don’t like 3 years? You should just face legal judgment…”
“I’ll sign… I’ll sign! I must have lost my mind for a moment! Haha!”
Before I could take it away, Alonso grabbed the pen.
“Ugh!”
Perhaps it was his last bit of pride.
His hand holding the pen trembled, but that wouldn’t change his future.
Swish!
Finally, Alonso squeezed his eyes shut and inscribed his name on the contract, and from that moment, ownership of Alonso Trading Company transferred to Oclo Trading Guild.
* * *
“Wh…what in the world is this?”
“Sergeant Ham, what I’m seeing right now isn’t a dream but reality, right?”
“They’re serving this much meat? Is the Division Commander visiting today or something?”
“Anyway, thank you for the meal!!!”
Thanks to Haiell’s thorough preparation, food ingredients prepared by Oclo Trading Guild arrived at the camp starting the very next day after the trading company changed ownership.
“Wow, what exactly did you do?”
The Director, who came to eat lunch together, kept exclaiming in admiration after receiving her food.
“It’s nothing special. Looking into it, Alonso Trading Company was experiencing financial difficulties. So I just acquired it through Oclo Trading Guild.”
“So this food was supplied by the Lieutenant’s family?”
“That’s correct.”
“Uh… even if the Lieutenant has an admirable heart for the country, isn’t it problematic to operate at a loss?”
Siel spoke cautiously, and I almost laughed out loud without realizing it.
‘Oclo Trading Guild operating at a loss?’
A demon doing good deeds would be more likely.
“You don’t need to worry. With the family’s excellent distribution network, we got it at a cheap price, so it’s not a loss.”
“As expected, a major trading company is a major trading company. It’s really unbelievable.”
That expression of someone realizing the greatness that capital provides.
It feels like I’m corrupting an innocent person somehow.
“Let’s eat.”
“Yes, please enjoy your meal.”
As always, after a brief greeting, I picked up my fork.
‘Now this finally looks edible.’
Pure grilled lamb without strange additives mixed in, and fresh green salad.
The variety hadn’t increased much, but there was a dramatic improvement in quality and quantity.
“Attention! Director, Company Commander. I was just about to look for you, but you’re here.”
As I was taking a bite of meat and marveling at it, the Mess Sergeant spotted us and approached.
“Sergeant Major, today’s lunch is really delicious. The soldiers look happy too.”
The Director didn’t spare praise for the lunch.
“Actually, that’s what I came to talk about. Company Commander, did you cast magic or something?”
“What? Magic?”
“The budget didn’t increase, but is this kind of change even possible?”
That face of disbelief.
It was exactly the same expression the Director had made earlier.
“I just corrected the problem. This quality will continue to be maintained, so please put effort into the cooking.”
“Not just today but every day… Understood! I’ll do my absolute best!”
The Mess Sergeant’s voice full of responsibility.
By obtaining even recipe books through the trading company, the quality of meals improved day by day.
* * *
“Damn it! How are we supposed to fight while eating this kind of food!”
“Ptui! I really can’t stand it anymore! Send me home!”
The Western Front, no, Rimircastle at the very front lines of the war.
Though they had succeeded in capturing it, the Adits Empire hadn’t given up on this place yet.
“Eat quickly and get up there. It’s shift change time!”
Infantry Battalion Company Commander Captain Asmon shouted, but the soldiers’ expressions only grew more grim.
“Company Commander! This is really the limit! Give us proper food!”
One soldier, unable to bear the hunger, shouted out.
Using that as a starting point, complaints began erupting from everywhere.
“That’s right! At least give us normal food!”
“We’re human too! Just seeing that damn hard bread and potatoes makes us want to vomit now!”
Normally he would have scolded them back based on military hierarchy, but right now he couldn’t carelessly open his mouth.
“I…I’ll relay it to higher command, so just bear with it a little longer.”
“Damn it! Ptui!”
The soldiers also knew that the poor meals weren’t the Company Commander’s fault, so they spat on the ground and climbed up to the castle walls.
This situation was happening all throughout the castle, and it was only a matter of time before an incident erupted.
* * *
“What? I think I misheard, so say it again.”
“Ri…Rimircastle had about a thousand soldiers revolt, and they’re currently in the suppression phase.”
“Before that, the reason for the revolt.”
“That is… they couldn’t bear the poor meals and…”
CRASH!
The Emperor slammed his fist full of rage down on the desk.
“I clearly invested additional budget into Rimircastle, so why did soldiers take up arms over food? Are you trying to play games with me right now? Rosen, explain.”
The Emperor’s gaze turned to Rosen, who served as both Military Supply Commander and Minister of Finance.
“Yes, as soon as I heard the news, I checked. The cooking facilities were destroyed in the siege battle a month ago.”
“If they were destroyed, couldn’t they just repair them and get them running again? That’s why I invested more budget.”
“Well, thinking the repairs would be delayed, they used the procured budget to buy large quantities of potatoes, which can be eaten immediately…”
In summary, a thick-headed commander used all the additional budget to buy potatoes because they were cheap and plentiful.
“Have I ever seen such an idiot? Does he think soldiers are machines? Who the hell promoted this fool and put him in an important position!”
At the Emperor’s roar filled with murderous intent, everyone without exception trembled.
“To my eyes right now, the soldiers who took up arms from hunger aren’t the rebels – the commander who only fed soldiers potatoes looks like the rebel. Isn’t that right, Supreme Commander?”
“I…I’m sorry. I’ll correct it immediately.”
“Remove all related personnel from their positions and have the commander-in-chief report a solution by this afternoon. If it’s unsatisfactory, you’d better prepare yourself this time as well.”
“Yes! Understood.”
After delivering his harsh warning, the Emperor left the conference room without looking back.
“Haah.”
As soon as the suffocating pressure disappeared, everyone in the conference room caught their breath.
“Really, this is beyond ridiculous. Does the military promote people even if they’re stupid? Commander-in-chief.”
True to his straightforward elven nature, Rosen fired off his words.
“What do you mean by that?”
“What I’ve noticed during the audit and from this incident. Most of these so-called commanders are incompetent.”
Since he had insulted all the general-level commanders in the conference room, including Bast, uncomfortable expressions appeared here and there.
“Your words are harsh, Minister.”
“Harsh? Then maybe you should have done well from the beginning. From what I can see, the commander-in-chief probably wasn’t unaware of the military’s problems. Yet staying silent about it – are you accomplices?”
“Minister!”
Unable to bear the unbearable insult, Bast raised his voice.
“Instead of getting angry, cut out the buds that are ruining the organization. I see that what’s needed for promotion isn’t ability but connections. Have some shame.”
Grr!
Since it wasn’t wrong, Bast couldn’t properly refute and only clenched his fists tightly.
“I will… correct it.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d do it through actions, not words. Before I borrow His Majesty’s power.”
Normally it might be different, but since this was wartime, Rosen was ready to draw his sword right now.
He was only giving one last chance because he didn’t think badly of Bast normally.
“Understood.”
Though it was a short answer, much was implied in it.
“Now then, about solutions – does anyone have opinions?”
Rosen asked while looking around at the generals, but there was only silence.
“Tsk tsk, if this were the Ministry of Finance, someone would have raised their hand and said anything to build achievements. Pathetic.”
Sharp criticism without any filter.
The commanders averted their gazes in shame.
“Then may I offer an opinion?”
Even after being humiliated, when they were still looking at each other without raising their hands, Intelligence Command Instructor Lieutenant General Calren raised his hand.
“Oh, since no one else is raising their hand, you’re finally stepping forward. Go ahead.”
Calren participated in meetings and only listened to the content, speaking so rarely it could be counted on one hand.
The reason wasn’t lack of passion for work, but because due to the nature of the Intelligence Agency, he had already said everything he wanted to through reports.
“We were planning to announce this next week. The Intelligence Agency recently conducted a survey on meal quality at each military camp.”
“When did such a thing happen?”
“There was an order from His Majesty the Emperor to check the field conditions.”
Since it was too clear what kind of work he had ordered the investigation for, the commanders’ expressions weren’t good.
“The survey results showed that the place with the highest satisfaction was surprisingly the 1st Division, not far from Rimircastle where the problem erupted.”
“Isn’t that the place where purging… no, position removal occurred due to poor meals?”
Bast asked with an expression of disbelief.
“Yes. But after the purge, Lieutenant Paran Oclo who was newly appointed as company commander and First Lieutenant Siel who was the existing director – these two completely overhauled the structure.”
He knew all the details from putting Alonso in the underground prison to taking over the guild, but didn’t bother revealing them.
“They achieved that level of change when they haven’t even been stationed there long? Is it because he’s from the Oclo Family after all?”
“It appears new attempts that are difficult for us soldiers to think of were implemented.”
Calren nodded and agreed with Bast’s words.
“Then the opinion the Instructor wants to present is.”
“Let’s send these two to Rimircastle. Along with additional funding.”
In some ways it seemed like a very reasonable and proper proposal, but there was one problem.
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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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