EP.82
And a month later, in the Reich Empire military conference room.
Here, all the central generals who could be called the pillars of the imperial army, including Otto Moritz, the head of military affairs, gathered.
At this event, discussions were being held about the battles that took place in each region, which were not very major wars but involved thousands of troops.
“I would like to summarize the award as follows for the victory of the 4th regiment under Colonel Chaplin against a Czech regiment in a battle between a Czech division and a friendly division on the border of Visocia. “I will award Colonel Chaplin the Bronze Cross and 3,000 serfs from 10 villages in Visocia, and the rest will be dealt with according to the documents here.”
“Colonel Lorelai has made many contributions to the fight against the Benicia bastards. So even though I am a little younger. “I will propose to Your Majesty that I be promoted to brigadier general.”
“Colonel Elfriedel disobeyed operational orders like a fool on the front lines of the Republic of Switzerland and lost nearly 200 soldiers, so let’s dismiss him.”
In this way, the colonels who had served in the imperial army for several decades and had contributed were appropriately rewarded for their achievements.
“Now then, let’s begin the last item on today’s agenda: a speech award to Colonel Peter Yeager, commander of the 24th Regiment of the Northern Army. His exploits included fighting and annihilating over 20 tribes including Töner, completely razing the villages where they lived, and recovering over 700 men and women from the empire who had been held captive. Furthermore, we killed all 4,000 barbarian males over the age of 15 and captured over 12,000 prisoners.”
At those words, Marshal Otto Moritz and other generals whispered.
“Just inflicting a blow on that guy Töner’s army was a great feat, and the subsequent feats were also great. “It was truly a performance that exceeded expectations.”
“This is an achievement that is hard to believe that the regiment went out alone.”
“Ha~ When you look at that guy, all young people these days look like idiots. “A 23-year-old kid has things that are 20 to 30 years older than that guy…”
In particular, some older generals felt a sense of disappointment as they compared themselves with their own children, who were about 20 years older than Colonel Yeager.
Of course, those children were not crazy or incompetent.
Some of them succeeded in achieving 3 or 4 stars, but they were children who proved that they had superior abilities compared to when they were their age… but this
may be because the object of comparison was on a very different level.
On the other hand, Lieutenant General Benner has a daughter who expresses her ‘love for the Colonel’ by sending him a letter once a month.
No, Captain Benner has a genuinely happy expression on his face.
That’s because he cares so much about his daughter that he doesn’t want to lose her to anyone, but now is the time to make her a fiancé.
I came to think that if my fiancé was someone who had the ability to be promoted to marshal, one of the highest positions among the imperial soldiers and nobles, it would be okay to give him my daughter.
“Isn’t it great that the Empire has such great talent and that we can reward such people? “We should reward him generously.”
“I agree, Captain Venner. “Then what do you plan to do?”
“Marshal Moritz, Captain Laura, who serves under him, is my daughter and his banquet partner. “We’re not engaged yet.”
At those words, several generals glared at Captain Benner and gritted their teeth, while those belonging to the 2nd and 3rd prince factions rushed to shout.
“I admit it is a big credit. But he is not another rank, he is a general. So, promotion comes with just one victory, not multiple times.”
“He turns 24 in just 23 days. The average noble officer is now in his second year as a lieutenant. “It would be best not to promote him too hastily.”
“So, it would be better for you to grant territory or handle the promotion of your subordinates. “If we ask His Majesty to increase the territory by a certain amount, he will consider it, and I think it would be fair for him to promote his subordinates.”
Marshal Moritz found their intentions funny.
Because, as a general serving the empire, I was filled with envy and jealousy, but I could not bear to denigrate his achievements, so I tried to block his promotion by using expedient methods other than the expedient of giving credit to his subordinates by invoking his very young age.
However, what is slightly remarkable is that, as an aristocrat who graduated from the General Staff College, he did not go in a direction that conflicted with the interests of the country.
It is said that they tried to keep him in check while maintaining an appropriate line.
“Then let’s do it this way. In addition to promoting Captain Laura to major, we are also promoting all executives below captain who participated in this battle by one rank. Battalion commanders like Werner Marco are equivalent to knights if they are majors, but since they don’t have any fiefdoms, I would like to request that they be given a few villages in good places and be awarded the Cross of Swords. In addition, I will give Colonel Yeager a reward for the Northern Peaceful Medal, an appropriate territory, and additional units under his command. In addition, the level of on-site judgment authority will be raised one level.”
Let the Minister of Military Affairs present a halfway solution that can be accepted by the Crown Prince faction and those who support the Crown Prince.
The remaining generals all nodded with bitter expressions.
Then Minister of Military Affairs Otto Moritz recalled the information about Colonel Jaeger that he had heard from the President of the Bismarck Staff College a few months earlier.
He smiled and put down the plan he had written on the desk.
“In addition, this operation used to subdue the Töner tribe is virtually identical to what Colonel Jaeger conveyed through Lieutenant General Nordenburg, commander of the Northern Army. Since the results are very good, the operation to attack the Ludvik tribe in March next year will use Colonel Jaeger’s method as much as possible. In addition, I plan to leave the commander-in-chief of the war to dominate the North to you, Captain Benner.”
The other generals, specifically the 2nd and 3rd princes, and even the generals of the Crown Prince faction who were not very close to Colonel Yeager, were shocked by the story.
It was understandable that Count Benner would wear the rank of captain and lead a subjugation war, but I would never have thought that a single colonel’s operation plan could become a strategy used to move a large army of at least 50,000 people.
Moreover, what if this operation succeeds?
Colonel Yeager is promoted to brigadier general in recognition of his achievement in devising a strategy even if he achieves only acceptable results in the subjugation war.
However, his actions so far have been beyond imagination and have no origin in the history of the empire, so if he is promoted to brigadier general and is given enormous awards and titles.
It will rise to a level that could threaten the direct position of the general, one of the lowest among those here.
“This is the end of today’s discussion. Everyone, go in and rest comfortably.”
**
Regimental Commander’s Office, 24th Regiment, Northern Army.
“Loyalty! By order from His Majesty the Emperor, I, Secretary Peter von Gaines, have brought a letter praising the achievements of the 24th Regiment from the Imperial Capital and a document containing the merits and demerits of the 24th Regiment.”
“I will gather the regiment members together to read the letter, so for now, please read it first.”
Having said that, I paid my respects to the emperor’s document containing the merits and demerits.
The secretary read the contents in a very serious voice.
“Emperor Ferdinand von Reich of the Reich Empire was very satisfied with the 24th Regiment’s defeat and elimination of the Töner tribe. Accordingly, each of the officers below the deputy regiment commander and battalion commander level will be awarded the Cross of Swords and five villages and given to their estates, and Captain Laura von Wehner will be promoted to major. In addition, special promotion to the first rank is granted to officers below the rank of lieutenant.”
If that happens, Laura will become the battalion commander and the remaining officers will be promoted to the first rank.
Among them, those with vague backgrounds who graduated from military academies or academies will most likely follow me and try to follow me now that they have had a taste of this special promotion.
In particular, this time, the battalion commanders, including the vice regiment commander, have received territory and medals, so they have become nobles in name and name, and will therefore be completely on my side.
So, am I now slowly starting to have people who can be called my forces?
“Among these, Colonel Peter Jaeger, who led them, has made the most outstanding achievements, so I grant him the Chelsheim Order of Merit and grant him the Northern Peaceful Medal and permission to organize one additional cavalry battalion and one infantry battalion. In addition, in recognition of the excellent insight shown so far, we are raising our on-site judgment authority to the next level.”
If I raise my on-site judgment authority by one level and organize an additional infantry battalion, it is essentially the same as entrusting me with a brigade rather than a regiment.
And since there are usually many brigadiers in charge of the brigade, in effect, they will be treated as equivalent to one star.
With the formation of political power and this level of treatment… it’s okay.
“Please tell His Majesty that you are grateful for his grace.”
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