Chapter 303
EP.303
Two months later, my family and I moved to Bavaria, where the headquarters of the Faroesia Army Commander was located.
Usually, nobles pack up all their belongings and take them with them, so it often takes more than three months just to move, but since I have been living as a soldier ever since I became possessed here, I have nothing I am particularly attached to, so I was able to come quickly.
Fortunately, my wives tend to follow my tendencies well, so there were no problems.
And the day after I finished moving, I decided to visit the unit a week earlier than the scheduled move-in report date.
Normally, if you are unlucky, it is an action that could result in a court-martial, but before coming here, I told His Majesty that I needed a prior visit to understand the actual situation of the unit as the newly appointed ‘commander of the local forces’, so I obtained permission separately. There won’t be any problem.
To suit the purpose of my unprepared visit, I changed the rank badge on my military uniform from 4 stars to 3 diamonds symbolizing captain.
The reason is that in order to check the status of this unit, I disguised myself as a lieutenant or captain and tried to look around.
Only then will the soldiers and other officers stop pretending in front of me and I can see the real thing very clearly.
“When I was in Reichburg, Marquis Benner said that the Faroesian Army was a mess in many ways, even though it was the southern front line of the empire. “Would you like to see how much it is?”
And I walked straight into the guardhouse.
Is it because the soldiers who are on duty despite being on the front line in name and appearance have never been attacked by the Faroesian Union for about 30 years?
At the guard post where the soldiers on guard duty were, there was a glass filled with beer and the soldiers were just chatting.
I can tolerate small talk except for the Imperial Guard, but I can’t tolerate beer.
“Haha, that’s right, Corporal. “Didn’t I tell you that the time I met Anna, now my fiancé, was at a festival?”
“It was like that. But then, how could you, a former serf, get engaged to a woman from a knightly family, even if she was the third daughter?”
“Anna happened to be lost at that time, and the damn kidnappers were trying to take her away. Ah, I thought that a man must save a woman in such danger, so I jumped in without hesitation. And I learned that Anna was from a knightly family when I met my father-in-law, Sir Daniel, in person. “But in order to get a marriage permit, I have to pass the sergeant commission, which is killing me.”
In Korea, it’s a story about a man who earns 2 million won a month and his life turns around by seducing a well-to-do woman from a wealthy family. How on earth did he do that?
It’s a very interesting story that makes me curious, but what’s important right now is not checking the condition of the unit.
When I suppressed the curiosity that arose in my heart and entered the guard post, the soldiers on duty crossed their spears to block my path and asked:
“Stop stop. “Can I ask about your loyalty and rank statement and the purpose of your visit?”
“This is Captain Peter Drime. “As of today, I have been appointed as the commander of the 2nd company of the 3rd battalion, and I am on my way to report my transfer to the unit.”
According to the rules, I would either be subdued with a spear because I did not give the secret code properly, or the private, who was the second-in-command, would have to go to the battalion headquarters to check if I was really the new captain who was transferring.
Here, I thought that if you choose one of these two and handle it correctly, I will write you a vacation card of about 10 nights and 11 days like a division commander who gives out reward vacation days.
These two, as if they had always done so, very naturally removed the window blocking my path.
“I have confirmed your loyalty. “Go in!”
“Loyalty. By the way, where is the 2nd company’s barracks?”
“Go about 100 meters ahead and there’s a sign. Go and see and you will find out.”
“Thank you for the details. “Where do you belong?”
“This is the 4th platoon of the 1st company of the 3rd battalion.”
After hearing that, I decided to remember the name of the 3rd Battalion very well.
He’s a front-line person in name and appearance, but he’s a person who makes me wonder how he got his education, so I think it’s necessary to call him in separately and have an interview with him later.
As I walked inside, I checked the condition of the unit’s facilities and the soldiers’ working status.
Perhaps because it was a local military headquarters, the soldiers were not drunk and making a fuss in the unit like in the Tang Dynasty army, but the unit management did not seem to be in a good condition.
The long spears that soldiers carry when on duty were not rusty, but their color looked dull, as if they had not been cleaned properly for a few days.
If you look closely at the facilities, you will often see places that look quite dirty as they are not properly cleaned, and there is a strong odor around the restrooms.
According to military management regulations, toilets must be cleaned once a day by emptying urine and feces and spraying water.
Aside from everything else, if you do not follow bathroom hygiene rules in a military camp where hundreds, if not thousands, of tens of thousands of soldiers are quartered, a catastrophe will occur.
In the case of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the number of troops he lost during the battle was quite small.
There are often records of infectious diseases spreading in naval forces where thousands of people were stationed together, as the importance and management of ‘sanitation’ were not well known due to the limitations of the times.
According to a professor who once appeared on YouTube during a special lecture on Yi Sun-sin, in one naval battle, 20 times as many soldiers died from infectious diseases as the number who died during the battle
… If you lose, hundreds or thousands of people may fall behind without even being able to fight. When I was working at the Chief of Staff, it was incorporated into the rules of hygiene management, and its effectiveness has been proven for a long time. I can’t believe that such basic things are still not observed. If you were to grade the unit’s management status, it would be about 30 points out of 100. In normal times and not on the front line, it is not a very bad situation. However, considering that it will be used in actual combat in Farosia in the future, it will not be possible to maintain it in this state. “It’s not enough.”
While thinking about this, I walked towards the commander’s office.
On the way, I changed my epaulet hat and the decorations on my collar into ones that fit the formality of a four-star general, and before I knew it, I had arrived in front of the commander’s office door.
“This is Captain Peter Jaeger, who has been appointed as commander of the Farosian Cities Union District Army as of today. “Can I come in, Lieutenant General Eckert?”
As soon as I finished speaking, the door opened and the lieutenant general got up from his desk and saluted me.
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty.”
After accepting the salute, I naturally sat down at the desk of the Commander of the Defense Forces, and Lieutenant General Eckert stood in front of me with a perfectly still posture.
“Please sit comfortably on the sofa in front of you.”
As soon as the lieutenant general heard my words, he stood upright in a more angular posture.
“no! “I feel more comfortable this way.”
“is it? “I don’t have a long story to tell, so I’ll keep it short.”
Was it because my voice and expression contained displeasure?
Lieutenant General Eckert’s expression looked full of worry and worry.
It’s unfortunate for him, but the lieutenant general’s uneasy premonition is likely to be correct.
I said with a sigh.
“I, Captain Peter Jaeger, am disappointed in the Faroesia Union Army Headquarters.”
Even in the Reich Empire, when you become a company commander, that is, an officer of the rank of captain or higher, the words you often use, and the meaning and weight of them change as you rise in rank.
This is because, unlike Korea, the Reich Empire was a class-based society based on strict ranks and titles.
For example, when a captain is disappointed, it ends with a group admonishment or a bit of a scolding, but the moment an officer higher than a colonel expresses disappointment, an officer’s position is changed, or a terrible scolding begins with the regiment commander.
But what if I, who gave 4 stars, used the word ‘disappointed’?
Due to the pressure from the local army commander, officers and soldiers voluntarily save up vacation time for a month, and are unable to properly rest even for personal maintenance, and must constantly perform daily tasks such as cleaning units and weapons.
And what about the friend who was the direct target of the craving? During that month, you will be under such mental pressure that you might think it would be better to die.
So, I have been a captain for about three years, and I am well aware of the repercussions of the word ‘disappointment’ coming out of his mouth, so I have only used that word less than 10 times in total.
“It’s me, Lieutenant General. I received His Majesty’s permission and came a little earlier than I was supposed to, so I wasn’t expecting a grand parade or anything like that. “You know how I feel, right?”
As soon as the lieutenant general heard me, the color disappeared from his face.
“Yes yes it is!”
“by the way. The unit management is a bit shit. The importance of cleaning toilets has already been suggested since I was a brigadier general, and since it was introduced by the Chief of Staff, it has been proven to play a significant role in reducing infectious diseases. The bathroom here must have not been cleaned for a few days and was giving off a terrible smell to the surrounding area. Moreover, it is a weapon used by front-line troops, and even though it is not rusted, I saw with my own eyes that its management was in complete disrepair. “It is truly a pity.”
As the words of regret were added, the lieutenant general began to break into a cold sweat.
“You know what’s even more absurd? No, I was interrogated at the guard post, saying I had transferred here as a company commander under the pseudonym Peter Drime. But shockingly, they let a captain named Peter Drime in without even checking whether he was actually transferred here or not. Haha, if I were an assassin, you would be dead. No, I could have cut off 200 people like I did in Lichen and left.”
The lieutenant general shed cold sweat like rain.
There was anguish and worry in his eyes that made him think that it would be better to die.
“You know that I am somewhat close to Your Majesty, right?”
“yes! “I know that you risked your life for your majesty on the Swiss front and fought honorably on the Litzen Hill!”
“What do you think will happen if I report to Your Majesty that the Faroesia-area army managed by the Lieutenant General is in shambles? Well, it’s not like the family will be divided. “Wouldn’t there be obstacles in various ways when you are discharged from the military?”
The management of the unit is not a complete mess, so there is a possibility that there will be no direct punishment, but all kinds of dishonor will follow when you are discharged.
If that happens, the future of those serving as soldiers belonging to their own family becomes very dark.
Well, problems can arise such as promotion to major being delayed by 4-5 years or meeting the conditions for promotion to lieutenant colonel but being overtaken by a junior with one year less service for mysterious reasons.
And the person who caused this problem will have to live through a time of great pain as they become the target of gossip in many ways in the Reich Empire, where honor is more important than life.
The lieutenant general, imagining such a future, suddenly began to tremble as if he had chills.
However, since he is a general who has been in service for decades, let’s take his achievements into account and just issue a strong corrective order.
“Ah, if I still have some good news for you. Since this visit is unofficial, the Chief of Staff will not acknowledge it if I write a report. That means you will not be disciplined.”
“Thank you persimmon! “If you tell me what to fix, I will fix anything!”
“… Is it possible for me to officially move in here in a week?”
“Even if I make my officers stay up all night for a week! “You will never be disappointed again!”
I waved my hand to stop him.
“And then mistakes become more frequent. So just roll with it and do it in moderation. Then, three days later, the 7th Guards Division will be assigned to this unit. The 7th Guards Division is scheduled to fight a mock battle with a division belonging to the Faroesia Army in two months. So be aware and prepare. When you come back a week later, you will do it as long as you don’t disappoint me. “Let’s just go.”
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty.”
When I returned to the Perosian Army a week later, I was not disappointed.
I didn’t say what kind of downfall there was in the process, but something terrible must have happened…
And two months later, I nominated the 18th Division of the Faroesia Army as the target for the 7th Guards Division’s mock battle.
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