episode_0014

“You said you were looking for me.”

Captain Chloe looked gaunt compared to when I saw her before. This was a passage that showed how severe the mental suffering had been.

“Captain Chloe.”

“I am now a civilian, so I will not make a formal statement.”

“Then, I will also leave out Captain and call you Chloe. What do you plan to do from now on?”

Chloe thought about her plan B. She had lined up a place in the capital, Arcadia, in preparation for times like this, and her comrade was running a famous trading company. She planned to use the fact that she was the head of Arcadia Academy to join the Chamber of Commerce and work as a merchant.

“I plan to join a commercial company.”

“Failed to succeed in life, but want to live financially well?”

“You talk as if you know me well.”

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows. It was calculated that there was no need to impress the commander of the Northern Army now that he was not a soldier. As long as he took the carriage back to the central region, he was a person with whom he would no longer have anything to do with.

“Don’t be too angry. I apologize for that. Well, Chloe seems to be displeased as well, so I’d like to get straight to the point.”

As Chloe listened, she nodded as if she was glad to hear it. She was brought here without knowing why, but she didn’t want to talk about it at length.

“Ensign Mario recommended that you are a genius in military administration. Please come under me.”

“Under Commander Georges Breastmire.”

“Yes.”

A moment of silence passed. Chloe didn’t respond and just stared quietly at Georges Brestmaier. And after some time has passed.

“I don’t want to die.”

“What does that mean?”

“Commander of the Northern District Army, Georges Brestmaier. Even military prisons have listening ears. The story that the Commander gave a shout-out to Captain Might, the leader of the Covenant Corps, has already spread throughout the dungeon. Also, you recently punched Deputy Commander Bernitz. Commander, you are now a wild horse let loose. Even though the commander has the highest rank here, the actual ruler is Deputy Commander Bernitz. Most of the people in key positions in the North were appointed by Deputy Commander Bernitz. Commander, you don’t know that fact.”

Lee Si-hyeon thought. How could you not know that? I know it better than anyone else. However, this was simply done with the calculation that if corruption was not eradicated immediately, the Northern Army would continue to be weakened and that it would not be able to stop Vinnet Franz’s rebellion.

“Commander, you are the one who creates a typhoon. And that typhoon will one day engulf itself. I don’t want to be swallowed up by that typhoon. That’s why I want to decline that offer.”

“Then you want to go to the center and live as a merchant?”

“Yes. There is no better way to succeed than a soldier in difficult times… The merchant isn’t that bad either. At least you won’t have a festering stomach.”

“Of course.”

The moment Lee Si-hyeon nodded, Mario screamed.

“Commander!”

Si-hyeon Lee covered his ears for a moment. This guy, Mario, is skinny and has no joke.

“Why are you yelling? That’s all true.”

“No matter what… Aren’t you our light, Commander? Our fringe factions have gathered together in one place, trusting only you, Commander! If the commander is this weak, then who are we supposed to trust?”

Well, that’s true too… Lee Si-hyeon scratched his head. If you follow Lee Si-hyeon, there is a high possibility that you will die. Non-mainstream factions have already followed Lee Si-hyeon. Since both statements were correct, Lee Si-hyeon decided to expand what he had already accomplished.

“Chloe”

“Yes?”

“Let’s predict Chloe’s future life.”

Chloe this time looked at Georges with the eyes of a crazy person. Suddenly you want to predict your life? The absurd sound made me want to wake up, but it was also interesting. It’s your future life. How can you predict something you don’t even know about? I felt like I wanted to give it a listen.

“Chloe said she would become a merchant. Chloe will probably become a merchant quickly. There are nobles among the merchants, but fortunately, a large percentage are commoners. The free competition between commoners that you so desperately want is possible.”

“… ”

“You will quickly become successful and save a lot of money. Your name will quickly spread throughout the business community. Many women will envy you and many men will admire you.”

“… ”

It was a plausible story. That’s what would happen if Chloe’s life was going well. Of course, there was a possibility that it wouldn’t work out well. I thought that if that were really the case, there was nothing more I could ask for.

“But even if Chloe succeeds in her own way in the center, there will be something that remains unfulfilled.”

“Something that is not filled?”

“Chloe’s original goal was to succeed. That’s why I chose a career as a soldier in difficult times, which is the best career path for a commoner to succeed. In past history, there are several cases where commoners rose to high-ranking nobility through merit. He probably thought that the difficult times were his opportunity.”

There are countless such characters in the game [Age of Swords and Magic]. These were the so-called heroes. And Chloe blushed as if that prediction was correct.

“But merchants cannot become high-ranking nobles. No matter how much money you save, a merchant is ultimately a merchant. I don’t know if it’s a mercantilistic country like Batavia, but in a country that reveres nothing like the Arcadian Empire, it’s difficult for a merchant to rise to high-ranking nobility. No matter how well life goes and you live a smooth and leisurely life, you are still far from your original dream.”

“That kind of thing… ”

she muttered. I couldn’t hear clearly, so I asked back.

“Yes?”

“I know that. But what? There is no way. Nobles, especially clan nobles, rule this country. I don’t know for sure, since Georges is from a noble family, but it’s as difficult as walking through the eye of a needle for someone who is not from a noble family to succeed! What should I do with no background?”

“You can become a subordinate of a family noble.”

Chloe looks shocked at that moment.

“It’s right in front of you. A noble family member who rose to prominence at a young age. I won’t tell you to be loyal to me. Please use me. Use it to achieve your goals and take revenge on those who trapped you. Are you going to just go back and suffer like this? The guys who fucked you are sleeping with their feet stretched out?”

“But… Commander, your faction is really weak. I don’t see any chance of winning at all. They say it’s impossible to win.”

In fact, the chase at Ather Castle was also a battle with no chance of winning. If Reinhard von Effenstein had come to his senses and fought normally, it was a fight he would inevitably lose. Nevertheless, I won. Because the enemy found an opening.

That’s why I believe it. There will be a chance to win this time too. That’s why Lee Si-hyeon told her.

“That’s why we need Chloe. Please think of a way to win. Please be my head. I will always listen to your opinions and keep you in mind.”

“But I am no longer a captain or anything, nor am I a soldier. I have no right to remain in the military.”

“Hmm, hm.”

Ensign Mario interrupted, clearing his throat.

“About that point. This is the military law of the Northern County regarding eligibility to stay in the military.”

“Soldiers, knights, and nobles with private armies permitted to stay, their valets and servants, and special technicians?”

“Yes. The point to note here is the technician. Originally, it meant warhorse managers, armor managers, etc., but in a broader sense, it could also include private teachers, etc.”

“Private teacher? But isn’t that a play on words?”

“Who decides what is a pun or not?”

“Person in power… ”

“Who is the most powerful person in the Northern District?”

“Commander!”

Captain Chloe exclaimed as if she realized.

“But the deputy commander’s faction may criticize it as an abuse of power.”

“In that regard, I will use Georges’ history. Georges was a man who had never been a soldier before being appointed commander of the Armed Forces. If a young commander from a noble family with no military experience were to ask for a private tutor from a military background, there would be talk even among the central nobles. So where on earth is the right place to learn about military administration? Even from the second-in-command’s perspective, it would be difficult to bite and fall. By taking advantage of this, Miss Chloe can legally remain in the military. In short, it is a strategy that takes advantage of Georges’ origin and Bernitz’s position.”

“Ah… ”

When Lee Si-hyeon first heard this proposal from Ensign Mario, he was impressed. I felt like I had gained a good confidant. Ensign Mario stepped back, probably sensing that the explanation was coming to an end. Lee Si-hyun extended his hand to Chloe.

“Well, if you live as a merchant in the center, you can live a wealthy life. It would be better to make money than working as a private tutor here. Instead, you will never dream of revenge or success in your life. Would you like to dream? Otherwise, do you want to beat them all up here?”

“… ”

Chloe didn’t answer. There was no answer for several minutes. It was around this time that Lee Si-hyeon was wondering if he should get off because his arm was sore.

“Give me time.”

“Time?”

“It’s unequal. Commander, you know me well, but I can’t know anything about you at the level I’ve picked up. I also need time to get to know you, Commander.”

indeed. I guess I wanted to gather information and see how well I did.

It’s unfortunate that I didn’t get a confirmation right away, but I don’t think it would be a bad idea to show that level of generosity to someone who might become your subordinate. Lee Si-hyeon nodded.

—–

A week passed, but Chloe didn’t give a definite answer. It seemed like he was trying to measure it further.

The number of my faction did not increase any further. Unfortunately, it seemed like the upper limit had been reached.

It seemed like there would have to be a special event to further increase the faction here. For example, playing an active part in the war, or uncovering Bernitz’s corruption. There is neither one nor the other right now.

“It would be better if war broke out.”

At least combat command can be accomplished to some extent using game knowledge. If I win the war under my command, my faction will increase tremendously. When you think like that…

-Dang! Dang! Dang!

An alarm bell rang. Alarm bells were like emergency bells before the invention of electricity. In short, it was a warning bell that rang when an enemy invaded.

And as soon as the alarm bell rang, dozens of cavalry began to enter the headquarters under the castle gate. I knew at a glance who they were. This is because I already had experience going to the battlefield.

“It’s a messenger, damn it… ”

It was a messenger used to convey urgent reports from the battlefield.

It seemed like a war had broken out. At that moment I regretted it. I wasn’t saying that I would rather have war break out.