chapter_0031

30 – The Returned Saintess

30 – The Returned Saintess

Two weeks later.

“No! I was collecting stamps as a hobby, and then my wife heard some strange rumors and got angry, telling me not to waste money on things like this! It’s absurd!”

I was listening to Ernst’s complaints as I strolled in front of the headquarters building after lunch, just like any other day.

For reference, my aide, Lucy, had also joined in, somewhat bewildered, listening to Ernst’s family troubles.

“I only have two hobbies: fishing and stamp collecting! Do you think it makes sense to stop me from one of those two?”

As I listened, I felt that it was a bit too much, so I nodded.

“It does seem like your wife is being unreasonable. You’re not neglecting your family; you go straight home after work.”

“Exactly! You understand me, Captain Daniel! The personnel director scolded me for spending too much on stamp collecting, and I was dumbfounded! Is there any hobby in this world that doesn’t cost money?”

…Something feels off.

“Director? May I ask what stamp you recently purchased?”

“Hmm? Ah, I did spend a bit because a limited edition stamp from the Berkhauzen Art Museum came up for sale.”

A limited edition stamp from the Berkhauzen Art Museum? Even I, who have no particular interest in stamps, knew that it was notoriously expensive.

“I think the selling price was around 100,000 won.”

Considering that a worker’s monthly salary in this era ranges from 30,000 to 60,000 won, it was indeed a significant expense.

I understood why Ernst’s wife was angry, but I decided to remain silent.

There’s a saying that silence is golden.

“I didn’t even touch my emergency funds; I just saved up my allowance to buy it. How can she complain about that? This woman…”

As I listened to Ernst’s complaints with one ear and let them flow out the other, I suddenly noticed something strange.

‘What is it?’

I saw unfamiliar junior officers and non-commissioned officers passing in front of the staff headquarters.

It’s easier to see senior officers than junior ones at the staff headquarters.

Seeing second lieutenants and lieutenants I had never seen before bustling about was an unusual sight.

“Um, Director?”

Ernst, who had been continuing his tirade about his wife, turned to me.

“Hmm? Do you have something to say?”

“Well… isn’t there an unusually large number of officers coming and going at the staff headquarters today? They all look like unfamiliar faces.”

“Unfamiliar faces? Ah, I heard that the personnel department called in officers going to provide operational support for the Northern Army Group today. It seems they’ve just arrived.”

Operational support for the Northern Army Group? My curiosity piqued, I asked.

“The Northern Expansion War isn’t going smoothly right now, is it? I heard that aside from a few areas, the Eldresia Kingdom is collapsing helplessly.”

“It’s those few areas that are the problem. As you know, if we can’t push the kingdom down before winter, there’s a high chance it’ll turn into a long-term war. That’s why we’re sending support.”

I tilted my head in confusion as I took a sip of coffee from the paper cup in my hand.

“Given the ranks of the officers, it seems the unit providing operational support is at the company level, but I don’t think the situation will change much if a company joins a battlefield where a corps is moving.”

Ernst chuckled softly at my words.

“That’s not it. The company is merely a escort unit to protect capable staff officers. They shouldn’t be exposed to enemy guerrilla attacks on their way to join the Northern Army Group.”

“Oh. That makes sense.”

It seemed that the staff headquarters’ plan was to deploy capable staff officers into the field to tilt the war’s dynamics slightly in favor of the Empire.

‘Are they planning to borrow even a cat’s paw…?’

From the Empire’s perspective, the best strategy was to quickly occupy the relatively weak Eldresia Kingdom and focus on the eastern front.

Once the winter cold sets in, supply and advance will be hindered, leading to a war of attrition, so they must be eager to end the war before summer is over, even if it means pushing themselves.

In any case, it was none of my business.

“I don’t know which staff officer is going for operational support, but they’re going to have a tough time.”

Poor guy. I felt a twinge of sympathy.

Being reassigned from the warm and safe rear to the front lines would make anyone shed tears, unless they were a war fanatic.

But what could be done? That was their karma.

“…Captain Daniel?”

While I was chuckling to myself, Ernst awkwardly scratched his cheek.

Wondering what was going on, I stared at him, and he cleared his throat softly.

“Sorry about this. I’ve been so busy lately that I seem to have forgotten to tell you. The staff officer going for operational support in the Northern Army Group is none other than you.”

What? My mind froze for a moment.

I almost dropped my paper cup as my grip loosened.

After a while of being dazed, I finally managed to speak.

“…Me?”

“Yeah. It seems the deputy chief of staff has taken a liking to you this time. He’s set the stage for you to show your skills on the battlefield. With a company size of 200 men, you could even command a small operation yourself.”

I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it.

Taking a deep breath, I asked once more.

“Really, me?”

“There’s no need to ask twice; it’s certain. Are you that happy? Seeing your expression of disbelief makes me feel good too. Hahaha! Go give it your all!”

I felt like I was going to throw up, not happy at all.

As I struggled to respond to Ernst’s encouragement, Lucy interjected.

“Congratulations. While Captain Daniel Steiner is active on the battlefield, I will take care of the office work at headquarters.”

Ernst tilted his head as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

“Huh? Of course, you, as my aide, should go up too, right?”

Lucy looked unusually flustered.

I could see her pupils shaking.

“…But, Chief of Staff? If I leave the headquarters too, the staff will be overwhelmed with work.”

“Well, that’s something you can handle with overtime. After all, we’re in a state of war. Compared to what you’ll be doing on the front lines, our struggles are nothing.”

Lucy bit her lip and broke out in a cold sweat.

Well, neither Lucy nor the Allied Nations’ intelligence department would have anticipated this situation.

Of course, I didn’t care about Lucy’s situation right now.

‘Damn…’

Things had gone awry beyond my expectations.

As I secretly let out a sigh, I froze.

A woman walking toward the staff headquarters looked strangely familiar.

With soft, light brown hair swaying gently and brown eyes glimmering, it was Frien, who would one day be called the Saint of the Empire.

‘What is she doing here?’

Shouldn’t she be attending officer classes at the military academy at this time?

Curious, I sought Ernst’s permission and approached Frien.

“Hey, cadet. Stop right there.”

Upon hearing my words, Frien turned around and soon brightened up, beaming a smile.

“Lieutenant Daniel Steiner! Oh, I’m sorry! You’re a captain now!”

Her voice rose as if she had just met someone she was delighted to see.

Of course, I didn’t feel particularly delighted, so I maintained a blank expression.

“I’m not here to exchange pleasantries, so answer my question. Why are you wandering around the staff headquarters? Isn’t it time for you to be at the military academy?”

“Ah…! I wrote a letter to the personnel department because of the operational support announcement from the staff headquarters. I think they processed it as a special case after seeing that.”

I frowned.

“A letter?”

“Yes. After seeing the announcement that Captain Daniel would be in command, I sent a letter including my application, mentioning that I had previously carried out operations with you.”

“Are you saying that the personnel officer at the staff headquarters included you in my company after reading that?”

“Yes! It’s an honor for my family to serve alongside you again, Captain Daniel!”

If it was the staff headquarters’ decision, I couldn’t argue, but it felt unsettling.

To be able to smile so brightly even before heading to the battlefield meant one of two things.

Either her loyalty to the Empire was boiling over, or she was possessed by some kind of madness.

And usually, loyalty and madness had more in common than differences.

“……Frien? I understand your feelings, but aren’t you too young to be going to support the Northern Army Group? No one would blame you if you decided to back out, so think carefully.”

I was indirectly telling her to withdraw her support, but Frien shook her head and gently placed her hand over her heart.

“I’ve already made up my mind. I want to repay the kindness I received from Captain Daniel with my life, even if it means being in the military police’s detention center. So I won’t withdraw my support.”

…Kindness? What kindness? We’ve only exchanged a few words, haven’t we?

“So I will be with you, Captain Daniel. And in the not-so-distant future, you and I will see an ideal country where all worries and concerns have vanished.”

“……An ideal country?”

“Yes. One Empire, one Emperor, one nation. We must establish a heavenly kingdom of God on this land, free from the filthy rats that are the Allied Nations.”

As Frien spoke, she wore a benevolent smile.

It was a warm smile that seemed to emerge from a process of sanctification, and I could feel it.

‘Is she insane?’

For reasons I couldn’t quite grasp, Frien had already crossed the line from loyalty into madness.

I broke out in a cold sweat and swallowed hard in fear.

‘I need to tell the deputy chief of staff. I need to ask him to remove Frien from my company.’

It seemed unlikely, but I had to at least try.

The clear-eyed lunatic in front of me genuinely frightened me.