Chapter 95: Dragged Along With A Star (1)
In front of the office door of the Northern Expeditionary Force Commander.
Before entering to meet the Count who calls me his son-in-law, I sighed and grumbled.
“I understand being busy, but isn’t it too much to summon someone who just returned from the bitterly cold northern front line in the middle of the night…?”
I grumbled, but it was not to the extent that I couldn’t understand.
Having achieved great feats, including subduing the Chieftain Khan, they might ask what rewards I would like in advance.
Or they called me to advise on how to proceed in the future.
And since this was the only time to discuss it with me, they must have asked me to come immediately upon returning.
“I am Colonel Peter Yaeger, commander of the 24th Regiment. May I enter, Commander?”
Count Benner replied with a voice full of fatigue.
“Come in.”
Following his words, I opened the door and entered, seeing a pile of documents on the desk, exaggeratedly about 1 meter high.
I couldn’t even see Count Benner’s face when I entered.
Damn, seeing him so busy working, I couldn’t even complain inwardly.
Then, deciding it was impossible to talk while sitting at his desk, he stood up and headed for the sofa.
He gestured with his hand to the opposite sofa, inviting me to sit.
“Ah… After being promoted to Major, I was glad not to work on weekends or stay late like when I was the Operations Director. But after the Northern Army expedition ended, it feels like I’m waging a war with documents, about to die.”
The Count’s face had such heavy dark circles, as if black paint were applied, showing how much he had suffered from work.
Was that why? I couldn’t laugh or react differently to his usually half-joking, half-serious statement about dying from work.
“You’ve been through a lot, Commander.”
“But now, you and I will only suffer until today. Then we can rest for a while.”
“What do you mean by that?”
At that, the Northern Army Commander smiled broadly, flaunting his four-star rank insignia.
“All the work from now on will be handled by Major General Praubaite, who will soon succeed me. I’m currently handling documents that I can hand over to him.”
“Congratulations.”
“Haha, thank you. Anyway, do you know why I called you here?”
In the past, it was better to feign ignorance as a Captain or Major, but now I, too, was soon to have a star.
It would look better to respond promptly rather than pretend not to know.
Because regardless of title or family, wearing a star meant watching your step, except when truly necessary, which could be a weakness, not humility.
“Did you call me to discuss my reward?”
“Normally, it’s implicitly forbidden to ask about the recipient’s wishes during a merit discussion. But you are the ‘Khan Slayer,’ aren’t you? I can accommodate most of your requests. Besides, you and I will soon be in-laws, so feel free to speak as if you’re asking a father.”
I was aligned with the Crown Prince’s faction and had been rapidly advancing and gaining merit within that faction.
But I never thought I’d hear a four-star Count say, ‘You can call me father!’
Ah, of course, this might normally be taken as a joke, like a drunken superior at a drinking party saying, ‘Call me brother.’
Moreover, looking at the atmosphere, it seemed he might heartily accept being called father even in somewhat official places, not just in private.
No, since Laura and I were marrying, he would really become my father-in-law.
Unless it was an utterly unreasonable request, he seemed likely to grant anything.
Behind Count Benner was the Crown Prince who had helped my advancement, and if I overstepped, the Crown Prince might become unnecessarily cautious.
I should modestly ask for the lands of the T?ner tribe, still considered half wasteland full of ore deposits.
The wasteland perception was due to the climate, like the Manchurian plains, and the lack of proper ironworking technology and iron, thus using stone farming tools.
With the use of iron tools and the influx of surplus second and third sons of farmers, day laborers, and women, it could develop into a decent domain within the Empire in a few years.
“Then, when receiving a territory, I would like to have the land where the T?ner tribe lived.”
“My son-in-law, you are truly humble.”
I spoke to the Count cautiously, like a boy secretly sharing a secret.
“Count, when I dealt with the T?ner tribe, I discovered that although the north is cold in winter, it’s decent for farming from spring to early autumn. That’s why the Ludwig folks, who lack iron farming tools, could manage to farm and make a living.”
“You don’t mean to say…”
“Anyone who has served or is serving in the Northern Army knows this. However, no one has invested significant capital due to the barbarians. So, if the Crown Prince plans to strike Swedia later, we should gather faction funds to develop this area into a livable place and establish military farms on the front lines with Swedia.”
In the past, when I wasn’t slated to receive a star, I only discussed military tactics, but now I must also show interest in politics and governance.
Because in this era, military commanders, or rather, generals of the Reich Empire, often had to manage areas on the front lines that didn’t belong to any lord’s territory.
And the reason was, of course, that in this era, it was often more efficient to oversee military and administrative duties together on the front lines.
Count Benner, perhaps hoping for such an answer, chuckled and said,
“Excellent indeed. Yes, a mere Regiment Commander, a Colonel, may lack political and governance insight, but for a General, a broad perspective is essential. So, I’ll arrange for you to receive the territory of the T?ner tribe as you wish.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“A hero who killed Khan deserves at least this much. Now, let’s talk not as the commander of the Northern Expeditionary Force but as Heintz von Benner, the father of Laura von Benner.”
The Count’s eyes seemed to emit beams, conveying considerable anger and irritation.
“Ha! Look here. You’re courting Laura, right? If not, I can only think there’s a serious problem with you as a man… Setting aside my feelings as a parent, my daughter is the best bride material, isn’t she?”
“Count? Of course, I’m fine. However, in my haste to promote quickly, I’ve been overlooking other matters…”
I’d been avoiding women and romance as much as possible for my promotions…
But since she clearly showed romantic interest, I’d been earnestly spending time just with her.
However, being my first relationship in both my past and current life, I was quite clumsy.
And Laura, except when discussing military or strategic matters, was quite cold in her usual demeanor.
For various reasons, we’d only progressed to kissing.
Unable to voice this fact, I remained silent, and Count Benner let out a sigh as if the ground might cave in.
“I’ll overlook what has happened so far. You’ve made significant contributions, and thanks to that, the status of our Benner Count family has also risen.”
“…Thank you.”
“That aside, so far, the Crown Prince and I have somehow prevented it, but now there’s a line of ladies from fallen baronial or knightly families who’d be willing to be your concubine. If you get a star, real collateral imperial families will try to take you as a son-in-law.”
If it were a collateral imperial family, that meant a ducal family, and, honestly, being taken as a son-in-law…
Damn, just the thought of it was terrible.
“I won’t speak further on this. But considering your family situation and strategy, the place you’ll be assigned to before the merit distribution is as good as decided. This was discussed with Duke Otto Moritz, the Minister of Military Affairs, and me, so there’s no changing it. Go now. You’ll find out the rest when the merit distribution is announced.”
At those words, I had a rough idea.
The fact that it would be a central assignment if it could accommodate both operational and family circumstances.
But I couldn’t work somewhere like the Staff College as before…
“Loyalty!”
As I was about to leave and close the door, Count Benner muttered.
“Congratulations on your promotion, Major General Yaeger. You’re the youngest general in the Empire, excluding the direct royal family.”
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