episode_0012

There was no need for it to take long for this to happen. I immediately went on a tour of the barracks with Deputy Commander Bernitz.

Even though it was a barracks inspection, there was nothing special about it. It was a process of suddenly storming into the barracks to check whether supplies had been delivered to the soldiers and whether their meals were being served properly.

When the commander of the local army suddenly arrived, the soldiers became very nervous. When I asked them to show me their gloves, the soldiers showed me the gloves they had with their hands shaking. When I asked them to eat with me, they ate their food blankly with expressions on their soulless faces, not knowing whether the food was going into their mouths or their noses.

‘okay. ‘This is a normal reaction.’

When I think about it, the pledge soldiers were overly arrogant. I felt strangely satisfied and puzzled at the same time.

‘Not only do I have gloves, but I also have a fur hat, underwear, and socks. Are you short on winter gear? ‘Who said that?’

There was no shortage of winter gear at all. Rather, it was at a generous level. All of the soldiers, from new recruits to experienced soldiers, were wearing proper winter gear, and even they were all clean and new! It was impossible to believe that the military was tainted by corruption.

“How do you feel? Did it seem like there was a big problem?”

“… ”

There wasn’t. In conclusion, there was no problem. Rather, the supply was sufficient and the combat power of the soldiers seemed sufficient. So was it really Hans’ illusion?

‘That being said, Might’s reaction was strange… ‘

Might has clearly been threatening and cajoling him not to dig further. Why on earth was that like that? There was no corruption, but you did it as a hobby for no reason?

‘I just can’t figure it out.’

I just had to come home confused.

‘… ‘

And that night.

Just before going to sleep.

“Ah!!!”

I realized a very simple principle.

“Why didn’t I think of that?”

That I had caught a very simple trick.

——

“Commander! Why on earth are you doing this! Please wait a moment until Deputy Commander Bernitz arrives!”

“Does it make sense that there are places in the barracks that the commander cannot enter? If you don’t get out of the way right now, I’ll officially hold you responsible for resisting!”

“You’re not saying you’re not going to get out of the way, are you! I’m asking you to just wait until Deputy Commander Bernitz arrives!”

“Are you going to scam me again when Deputy Commander Bernitz comes? Is this the imperial army protecting the empire, or is it Deputy Commander Bernitz’s private army? I need to see it right now, so get out of the way right now!”

I was arguing with a high-ranking officer in front of the barracks. The high-ranking officer even sobbed and tried to stop me, but when I pulled out my sword, he finally sighed and retreated.

I entered the barracks with my sword drawn. The soldiers were shocked and asked what was happening. After briefly explaining the situation to the soldiers, I led them to the barracks. However, it was not a barracks close to the headquarters we saw yesterday, but a barracks on the outskirts far away from the headquarters.

And the results were quite shocking. The situation was worse than what Hans had overheard. Unlike yesterday’s soldiers in the center who ate warm soup, soldiers in the outskirts ate hard stone bread, which was usually eaten as emergency food. It might have been fortunate if it was only food. Their shoes were all torn and in rags, and they couldn’t even dream of socks. All of the soldiers’ hands and feet were frostbitten as they were unable to use proper winter gear, and many soldiers were missing one or two fingers due to frostbite.

“Why… ”

I felt devastated, but at the same time, I had doubts.

“What is the reason you remain in the military after doing this?”

The soldiers looked around in confusion at the polite expression that came out naturally, but soon they saw my serious expression and began to respond.

“Still, it’s better here than outside… If I stay here, I can warm myself and not starve to death.”

No matter how bad it is, it’s better than outside. So it seemed like they were flocking to the military.

Come to think of it, I’ve heard of it. Which country was it? The story was that only people without money applied to the military, turning the military into a slum. The same thing was happening in the northern counties. The military was becoming a place of refuge for the poor.

“… ”

This is difficult. It is difficult from a humanitarian perspective, but it is also difficult in another sense. That was combat power. Can they do their job properly on the battlefield? Will those suffering from cold and hunger be able to receive proper training? Will those who have not been properly trained be able to do their part on the battlefield?

“How on earth was the Northern Army maintained?”

There were two powerful enemies in the North. They were Lekjit and Dorok. The Rekjit were nomads who mainly used swarm tactics, and the Doroks were a rebel group who mainly used crossbows and long spears. I don’t understand how the Northern Army was able to win against them.

“Indeed, only the sworn soldiers and the central soldiers fought properly and they were just arrows…? ”

The point was that not everyone had one serving. And while that may have worked so far, it will never work against Vinnet Franz.

“Bernitz.”

“Yes?”

“Bring in Deputy Commander Bernitz.”

“Yes!”

The soldier ran out immediately and after waiting for a while, Commander Bernitz came into the barracks.

“Commander, you are here. It seems like there are a lot of misunderstandings, but first, let’s start with the conversation… ”

Before I could hear the whole story, I punched Bernitz in the face. At that moment I could feel it. What I meant was that Bernitz followed my fist with his eyes.

But Bernitz did not dodge my punch. He hit me with my fist to the point where I could almost say it was intentional. And then he shouted like this, as if he felt unfair.

“What is this? Commander. No matter how superior you are, an act of violence can result in a court-martial!”

You’re being right on purpose and saying it well. Did he intentionally hit it when he could have avoided it in order to gain an advantageous situation?

Well, I’m sick of it. All the people in this world were nothing but snarky pythons. All of them were nothing but humanless bastards.

“Wernitz. They clearly said there was no corruption yesterday, but why don’t these soldiers have any winter gear?”

“That’s… It’s not like I know everything, right? It appears that there is still corruption in the military that I have not been able to identify. We will find the culprit and make sure he is caught.”

“Are you going to create a second Captain Chloe and make him a scapegoat?”

“… ”

Bernitz said nothing for a while. And then he sighed deeply.

“If you know that much, I have no intention of treating you like a fool anymore. I am also a central noble, and the commander is also a central noble. Broadly speaking, we are the same faction, so let’s resolve this through dialogue instead of like this. There are a lot of ears listening here, so let’s change seats first.”

The place that soon followed Bernitz was the deputy commander’s office.

—–

In the deputy commander’s office, Bernitz suddenly changed his demeanor. Before I even hugged him, he sat down and handed me a cigarette.

“Let’s smoke one. This is a high quality product from the south. My body becomes drowsy.”

“I am quitting smoking.”

“If you say so.”

Bernitz began smoking cigarettes of his own accord. A lot of cigarette smoke began to rise inside the deputy commander’s office.

“I will pretend that you hit me like it never happened. If that is an issue, we can do it, but what I want is a peaceful solution.”

“… ”

“Instead, I hope that the Commander will listen to what I say to some extent. In the eyes of the commander, I may seem like human trash who has been misappropriating soldiers’ supplies to enrich my own stomach, but in reality, I am just a victim.”

Victim. The moment I heard that, I almost lost my mind and ran away. But even if I knock him out here, I’m the one at a disadvantage. I had a duty to survive here. I don’t have time to argue with this kind of idiot.

“Ha… It looks like you don’t believe it at all. Well then, let me explain. 28 years ago, when I was assigned here, corruption in the North was worse than it is now. Even the soldiers’ weapons and armor did not work properly. It was common for soldiers going into battle to wear only rags and a club made of wood. Things are getting better now.”

“That’s your effort?”

“I will not deny it at all. In the past, soldiers were expendable, but these days, relatively many of them survive. In fact, I also hope that soldiers use high-quality winter gear and eat high-quality food. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do it on my own.”

If it is not Bernitz’s power, then whose power is it? I was dumbfounded.

“From what I heard, you are the real power here.”

“Actual power. It’s good to hear. But I am not the one who can move the Northern Army.”

What does that mean? Are you saying that there is a hidden power in the Northern Territory? But his story was different from what I expected.

“Corruption has existed in the North for a long time in the name of customs. What percent is a special sergeant, and what percent is a lieutenant. Even the amount of money brought in through corruption in this way was strictly determined. And anyone who tried to break that practice became an enemy of the North. When I first discovered this, I tried to stop the practice, but… When I tried to stop, I became invisible in the barracks. No one would listen to my orders. I was afraid. As it is, you won’t be able to get a promotion or feed your family. So I had no choice but to listen to what they said.”

“It wasn’t your will?”

“It means that no one, whether powerful or anything else, can go against the intangible power of custom!”

widely! He slammed the table. A loud sound echoed from the table.

“Bernitz.”

If I had a cigarette, I wanted to smoke it. It felt like that. But since I was literally quitting smoking, I inhaled the smoke he exhaled and spoke with the satisfaction of second-hand smoke.

“Turn off that top-of-the-line southern cigarette you’re smoking, you dirty bastard.”

The victim cosplay must be pretty good too.