chapter_0040

39 – Becoming the Nightmare of Nordia

39 – Becoming the Nightmare of Nordia

It was like a dream to be promoted to Major in an occupied territory.

If I were to categorize what kind of dream it was, it would be closer to a nightmare.

What’s even more horrifying is that the series of events I’m currently experiencing aren’t even nightmares.

It was reality.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Major Daniel Steiner.”

Lucy’s voice echoed emptily within the office.

“As you know, the General Staff has entrusted you with the position of temporary garrison commander. The Division Commander is leaving the city with his troops, so you will now be in charge of managing the city.”

I know. Looking down through the office window, I could see the armored division’s tanks and artillery leaving the city with the soldiers.

Heinrich, who pinned the Major’s badge on me, was also moving with his brigade.

Who knew that today would be the day to join the northern front lines.

‘Isn’t this too much? Handing over the garrison commander position on the day of departure!’

I wanted to protest, but shouting here wouldn’t reach Heinrich.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

“…How many troops did the division leave me?”

“A battalion-sized force. The total number of troops is 950.”

The only fortunate thing was that the division left behind a battalion force close to its maximum strength.

Nordia isn’t a very large city, so this many troops should be enough to maintain public order.

But that wasn’t the problem.

‘I unintentionally earned too many merits.’

Due to the impact of the merits I earned in a short period, I was specially promoted to Major.

This meant I had become a field-grade officer with far more authority than a company-grade officer.

This news would soon reach the Allied Nations, and then I would be branded as a ‘key member of the Imperial Army leadership.’

This meant that the moment the war was lost, I would be executed in a war crimes trial.

‘So, should I bet on the Empire winning?’

No. The odds were too low.

If it were a one-on-one all-out war, there would be no nation in this era that could defeat the Empire.

But war isn’t a fair competition fought in a ring with a referee.

The fact that the Allied Nations brought the kingdom into an alliance shows that.

The Empire, enraged by the kingdom’s failure to maintain neutrality, is now wielding an iron fist, but what will happen when the kingdom hit by that iron fist collapses, bleeding profusely?

The great powers will think. Is the Empire about to become a hegemonic power?

Fearing that, they will rush to support the Allied Nations.

Representative countries are the Sochialis Republic in the south and the Velleca Federation in the northeast.

The moment they jump into the war, a world war will begin to materialize.

The Empire would suddenly have to face the Republic, the Federation, and the Allied Nations on three sides, excluding the sea.

Predicting the Empire’s victory in that war situation is like a gambler betting their life on a long shot.

‘The stakes are my life. So, I have to be careful…’

Things had become complicated in many ways, but nothing had changed.

Unless the Empire experiences all sorts of luck to reverse the unfavorable war situation that will come in the future.

Realistically, the only option was to find a way to escape the Empire somehow.

‘Of course…’

Now that my name has become known, I won’t be able to defect through ordinary means.

It’s questionable whether they would accept me, and even if they did, it’s unlikely they would guarantee my safety.

But things would be different if I proposed a deal that the Allied Nations couldn’t refuse.

“Major?”

Startled, I turned around, having been lost in thought.

Lucy blinked her red eyes and looked at me.

I had momentarily forgotten that Lucy was a spy for the Allied Nations.

Now that I’ve been promoted to Major, the probability of assassination must have increased.

As I was secretly sweating from an unknown sense of unease, Lucy tilted her head.

“I apologize for interrupting your thoughts, but I think we should start planning the city soon.”

“Ah. That’s right.”

I cleared my throat and said as naturally as possible, putting my hands behind my back.

“When it comes to city planning, isn’t public order the main focus? We should strengthen patrols, focusing on the main streets where crimes occur. The administration should follow existing customs…”

I stopped talking.

I realized why Lucy had emphasized city planning.

“…Could it be that the administration has been paralyzed?”

Lucy nodded.

“Yes. Most of the civil servants have escaped by fishing boat, and all the high-ranking officials, including the mayor, have also fled to avoid the war.”

“So, we need to rebuild the administrative system.”

After a moment of thought, I said.

“It’s important to restore the minimum public services first. Release military supplies to distribute food and bring back the remaining doctors to revitalize medical services. Public order will be maintained through cooperation between the garrison and the local police. Also…”

I paused in the middle of my sentence.

Shouldn’t I avoid diligently carrying out the ‘temporary garrison commander’ mission ordered by the General Staff?

If I’m deemed to have excellent operational capabilities, I might have to continue doing this kind of work on the front lines.

I already have to endure assassination threats in the Imperial City, but conducting operations in a distant land? That’s no different from increasing the probability of death.

‘Then…’

It might be too late, but it was right to struggle to lower my performance evaluation as much as possible, even now.

Let’s think about it.

If I revive the city administration in the wrong direction, the citizens’ dissatisfaction will explode, and if the citizens’ dissatisfaction leads to protests or riots, it will be the same as revealing my incompetence.

Then, the headquarters will judge that I am not suitable for the position of garrison commander.

They will appoint a replacement garrison commander as soon as possible and send them here, which will shorten the time for me to return to the Imperial City.

I can lower my performance evaluation and return quickly, so it’s a win-win!

‘Good.’

After finishing my thoughts, I said with a faint smile.

“Select those without special occupations and assign them military service. A battalion-sized force alone is not enough. If we order them to help the garrison and take on odd jobs, they will understand.”

Having to do military service helping the enemy garrison? Dissatisfaction will surely explode.

Not only those who are simply doing forced labor, but also their families and acquaintances will share their dissatisfaction.

“Also, we need to re-measure the city’s tax rate. What is the existing tax rate?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps anticipating defeat, the civil servants burned all the related documents and fled while defecting. However, we can get some idea if we conduct a survey.”

“No. There’s no need for that.”

Rather, it was a good thing.

I could collect taxes as I pleased.

“From now on, impose a 30% income tax on the citizens of Nordia under the pretext of raising war funds. Impose up to 50% on high-income earners.”

Currently, the Empire’s basic income tax for workers is 22%.

Considering that it’s wartime, it’s a small amount, but considering that it was originally only 12%, it’s still a lot higher now.

Naturally, there is a little dissatisfaction flowing out even within the Imperial City due to the increased tax rate.

But to clearly differentiate from the Empire and set the basic income tax at 30%? Naturally, dissatisfaction will explode.

“In addition, post a recruitment notice to select talented individuals to fill the shortage of administrative personnel. However, select them based on the Empire’s standards, not the kingdom’s standards.”

Remove the existing customs of the kingdom from the civil servant selection process.

This was a kind of cultural suppression.

This would also be enough to trigger the dissatisfaction of the kingdom’s people.

Lucy, who had heard all my words, gave a light salute.

“I will convey the matters you mentioned immediately.”

I accepted the salute, turned around, and looked out the window again.

The Empire’s magic armored division had almost completely left the city.

I could see citizens standing on the street, watching the scene with mixed emotions.

Looking at the citizens, I felt a little sorry.

‘I’m sorry, people of the kingdom. Life will be a little more difficult in the future.’

But there was no malice.

This was all because I was trying to survive.

*

Late at night.

The Black Swan secret society council in the basement of a bar.

“As you all know, Nordia has fallen into the hands of the Empire.”

Everyone nodded gloomily at the words of the middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table.

Hamtal, the Black Swan leader with dark skin, continued in a somber atmosphere.

“It’s already been ten years since we fought for freedom and equality. We’ve been through a lot during that time, but I think losing the city due to war is a first for everyone.”

Hamtal slammed the table hard.

“But we haven’t given up on the city yet! If we eliminate that cruel Daniel Steiner, we might be able to reclaim the city! Isn’t that right!”

That’s right! Words of agreement were heard from various places in response to Hamtal’s voice.

Hamtal, who was looking at their determination with satisfaction, turned his gaze to the sound of the door bursting open.

It was Tarki, a young man who was working as an informant for the Black Swan secret society.

He was holding a bundle of documents in his hand.

“Members of the commando! The garrison side announced the city plan today!”

“That bastard finally…! Tell me about it.”

It was a given that the garrison commander would manipulate the city as he pleased.

As groans flowed out from various places, Tarki looked at the documents in his hand and opened his mouth.

“F, first of all, they say they will assign military service to the unemployed.”

“They’re telling us to work for the Empire! How absurd! What is the citizens’ reaction?”

“Uh… the reaction isn’t bad. They say they will pay the salary properly, and it’s about twice the average wage for workers when converted to the Empire’s standards. So, there are so many applicants that they’re overflowing.”

They’re paying properly? As the audience fell silent at the unexpected answer, Tarki continued.

“Next is the tax rate.”

“Ha! The tax rate! There’s no way it wouldn’t come up. How much are those trash raising the tax rate?”

“That’s… they say they will collect 30% for the basic income tax and up to 50% for high-income earners. They actually lowered the tax rate.”

Thanks to that, the commando members could only blink blankly.

The kingdom’s existing tax rate was 45% for the basic income tax and up to 70% for high-income earners.

There were also signs that it would rise further due to the war, so the citizens were practically dying.

But the garrison commander, Daniel Steiner, reduced that tax rate.

As the commando members were unable to say anything, Tarki scratched his cheek and said.

“Lastly, regarding the selection of civil servants, they say they will select them based on the Empire’s standards, not the kingdom’s.”

“He’s finally revealing his true colors! He’s saying he will only select talents who will be loyal to the Empire!?”

“Um. It’s not that, but they’ve eliminated all the unnecessary bonus points in the kingdom’s civil servant selection criteria. For example, the bonus points given to those from aristocratic backgrounds.”

So, he was saying that he would only employ talented individuals based on their abilities.

The commando members, who had heard all those words, looked at each other and swallowed hard.

Originally, this was the time when the sparks of revolution should have been ignited, but everyone was unable to open their mouths like they had eaten honey.

In the silence that had been maintained for a while, a man wearing a robe pulled down low opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I don’t know if I should say this…”

The man, who was fidgeting with his hands, turned to Hamtal.

“…Isn’t it better to live than before?”

Ironically, no one could refute the man’s words.

A word from the author (author’s afterword)

Thank you for always reading.

I hope you have a pleasant weekend!