I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 95

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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 95

“Welcome. It’s cold today, so what brings you suddenly to the battalion?”

I spoke to Hobbs, whom I had seen before, with an expression that showed I knew nothing.

‘Who’s the person next to him?’

Unlike that day when he came with the village chief, there was a man next to Hobbs who looked younger than him.

‘Vice president, something like that.’

I didn’t need to know for now, so I lost interest.

“Company Commander, I heard something that doesn’t make sense. That you built a barbecue restaurant in the battalion and are grilling and eating meat.”

“Yes, that’s right. Is there any reason why that wouldn’t make sense?”

“Because of that, the sales of stores in our village have plummeted. How could you do this?”

“Hmm.”

Hobbs was saying exactly what I expected.

Still, I thought he would come up with some more plausible reason, but I couldn’t see any effort to think.

“So you’re saying the barbecue restaurant doesn’t make sense because your sales dropped? Whether we build a barbecue restaurant or not seems like the military camp’s freedom.”

“The villagers’ livelihoods are at stake. Are you telling us, who have lived by doing business with soldiers until now, to sit out on the street?”

“That’s right. Company Commander, our meat shop’s sales were cut in half in the past week. At this rate, we’ll go bankrupt.”

The man next to him supported Hobbs’ words.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Horen, who runs ‘Dongjang Meat Shop’ in Retop Village.”

“Ah, that place.”

“Have you ever visited?”

“No. I just heard about it.”

To be precise, it was one of the stores that came up during this investigation.

“If you visit our store, I’ll treat you with utmost care. So please save me.”

Horen’s desperate voice.

Honestly, I didn’t like it from the start.

“I’ll speak frankly. You should have treated soldiers as moderate suckers. You people crossed the line.”

“What…?”

“What do you mean by that.”

An expression of incomprehension.

Meanwhile, I picked up the documents I had prepared.

“Let’s look at Dongjang Meat Shop first, shall we? Hmm, you raised prices specifically for soldiers. What kind of sales method is this?”

I saw they were selling meat at 8 silver per serving to civilians, but 10 silver to soldiers.

“That’s because… soldiers eat more side dishes and such, so we charge that price.”

“You sell fixed portions of meat, but raise the price citing side dishes as the reason. Then what about the deputy company commander over there? She eats less than civilians. But she has to pay more?”

“Uh…”

When I pointed to Lieutenant Aisa and asked, Horen couldn’t answer properly.

“Looking at why this hasn’t been a problem until now, I see you wrote ‘soldiers’ but only charged extra money to enlisted men. You sold to officers at normal prices.”

It’s really a method that can only be described as vicious.

“And the problem is that most meat shops are like this, which I don’t understand. Once the investigation is complete, I’m thinking of speaking to the territorial lord for the sake of the company soldiers.”

It’s partly a threat, but also somewhat sincere.

‘It would be troublesome, but if there’s no answer, I’ll have to eliminate them.’

It would probably be the last resort.

“To the lord…? Company Commander, please calm down for a moment first.”

As soon as the lord was mentioned, both their expressions hardened and Hobbs’ voice trembled.

“It’s not just restaurants that are the problem. Looking at items that soldiers absolutely need to buy, they’re all expensive beyond reasonable levels.”

The results showed prices ranging from 30 percent higher at the least to 3 times higher at most.

“At first, I tried to find a way to coexist, but you make unreasonable demands and commit fraud against soldiers. Do you think I’m a joke?”

“N-no. How could I think that of the Marquis Household’s young master.”

“Then I’m not a joke, but the soldiers in the company seem to be a joke to you. That’s why you can think of coming to the battalion so brazenly while committing this fraud.”

Having pressured them enough, I took a sip of my coffee and caught my breath.

“The barbecue restaurant has sufficient business feasibility and proven effectiveness, so it will spread throughout the entire 7th Division. Naturally, the demolition you want won’t happen either.”

“Yes…”

Hobbs answered with a soulless expression.

In contrast, Horen standing next to him, perhaps because he directly operated a meat shop, was beyond soulless and even trembling.

“If you don’t want the problem to go to the lord, the stores in Retop Village need to come to their senses. Every single one without exception.”

“Then… will you let it slide?”

“If you really change, I’ll do that.”

You might ask why I’m being lenient with these fraudulent bastards.

If I tell the lord, the village will be destroyed, and many families of company officers reside in Retop Village.

‘There are many people among the officers’ families who work in the village, so if I destroy it, they’ll all become unemployed.’

Doing the right thing isn’t bad, but when you reach a high position, you need to consider the ripple effects.

“Understood. I’ll take responsibility and correct the problematic stores.”

“I hope you do. And.”

I paused briefly and looked at Hobbs and Horen alternately.

“The soldiers endured it because it was bothersome to deal with, but they’re not stupid. I hope there won’t be visits like this again.”

“I-I’ll be careful. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Please leave.”

At the dismissal, both left the room.

And not long after, news came that Dongjang Meat Shop had gone bankrupt due to gambling debts.

*    *    *

“We must target Yalc Island as our top priority.”

Commander-in-Chief Bast brought up an unplanned topic as soon as everyone gathered in the Emperor’s office.

“Commander-in-Chief, what on earth are you talking about? Why is Yalc Island suddenly coming up instead of Belzium Castle?”

Most of those gathered in the office nodded in agreement with Rosen’s words.

“Based on content from Intelligence Command and the results of Military High Command meetings, to win the war, our next target must be Yalc Island.”

“I know Yalc Island is important too. But realistically, isn’t it a place that’s not easy to occupy?”

Yalc Island is strategically located between the Kingdom of Osiris and the Adits Empire, and not too far from the Raikhan Empire either, making it a military stronghold.

“That’s right. It’s a sad fact to admit, but aren’t we a step behind in naval power?”

The Adits Empire maintains diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Osiris, an island nation.

Not only in warships like the Elt, but in all aspects including naval combat experience, the Raikhan Empire is objectively inferior.

“Exactly. That’s why now is the right time.”

“Now is the right time? What do you mean by that?”

At Bast’s difficult-to-understand words, the Emperor asked with a slightly interested expression.

“Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Osiris also has monsters as a headache, doesn’t it?”

The Kingdom of Osiris doesn’t have something like the Gork Mountains, but borders the Red Sea where marine monsters appear.

Mountain ranges can be blocked by drawing a clear line, but the sea is different.

Monsters that cross lines freely following weather or food.

The number of casualties they cause is famously difficult to even calculate.

“Don’t tell me, what you’re trying to say is.”

“Yes, by emphasizing the danger of magical devices through diplomacy, we can get a promise from them not to participate when we attack Yalc Island.”

The reason occupying Yalc Island is difficult is that while the Adits Empire owns it, there’s an agreement that the Kingdom of Osiris will also provide military support if attacked.

However, if the Kingdom of Osiris stays out of it, the chances of success naturally increase significantly.

“Indeed… it’s a deal worth trying.”

The Emperor, having run the calculations, nodded seeing the possibility.

But even so, it’s still weak and risky to change direction from Belzium Castle.

“Commander-in-Chief, even if the Kingdom of Osiris remains neutral, can we break through the Adits Empire’s navy? I don’t think it will be easy.”

Rosen’s expression had softened compared to before, but he still offered a negative opinion.

“That’s right. The Adits Empire’s naval power is strong. However, that naval power isn’t concentrated at Yalc Island.”

Bast pointed to a section of the map spread out in the middle of the office.

“A considerable number of naval forces are gathered here at Hasmon Fortress, and they deploy when situations arise.”

“Are you suggesting we go with a diversionary operation, hitting both places simultaneously?”

“That’s correct.”

Bast nodded with a serious expression at the Emperor’s question.

“Hmm, certainly if Yalc Island alone falls into our hands, it would bring us the major flow of the war.”

Though the land is just a tiny island, the operational range we’d gain from it would be as wide as an entire kingdom.

“However, isn’t it impossible to directly attack Hasmon Fortress?”

To reach Hasmon Fortress, one would have to pass through Cobalt Fortress and Velet Fortress in front of it.

“Yes, if we try to break through the fortresses honestly by land route, the enemy will notice our operation and concentrate forces at Hasmon Fortress and Yalc Island.”

“That’s right. The enemy isn’t foolish.”

Those two fortresses exist for that very purpose in the first place.

“Therefore, the method I wish to propose is to use ships to land here, rather than the land route.”

Bast pointed to the coastline roughly between Hasmon Fortress and Velet Fortress.

“What did you say…?”

“Instructor? Are you seriously saying this right now?”

The Emperor and Rosen were beyond surprised—they were shocked.

It was a very natural reaction.

Going into the heart of enemy territory was far too dangerous.

“When winter ends, the Adits Empire also deploys warships to hunt sea monsters.”

Unlike land monsters that rampage in winter, sea monsters go berserk in spring when the cold weather breaks.

“Not only that, but we’ve confirmed that warships have been deployed due to the unstable relationship with the Belua Kingdom.”

“So you’re saying the defenses here have become lax because of that?”

Bast nodded at Minister Rosen’s question.

“That’s correct. We’ll need to scout it out, but if we can secure the route, it’s an operation with quite high possibility according to myself, the staff, and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

With the Crown Prince mentioned, a brief silence fell over the office.

“Did Bern participate in planning the operation?”

“It was His Highness the Crown Prince who came up with the landing operation.”

“I see.”

After that short response, a picture began forming in the Emperor’s mind.

‘Assuming the landing is successful, it wouldn’t take very long to capture Hasmon Fortress.’

Hasmon Fortress also has basic defenses, but it’s not a fortress specialized for siege warfare.

‘If our army attacks Hasmon Fortress and captures the port, naturally no support can go to Yalc Island.’

Then we’d naturally only need to deal with the warships at Yalc Island.

No matter how excellent the Eltho is, it’s no match for overwhelming numbers.

‘The problem would be the attacks that come after capturing Hasmon Fortress.’

Actually, if we capture Yalc Island, we could abandon Hasmon Fortress and join forces at Yalc Island.

After all, the ultimate goal is capturing Yalc Island.

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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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