I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy - Chapter 173
EP.173
As is the case with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Majesty’s expectant expression is even more burdensome.
Moreover, the person who used to have a political calculation on his face when dealing with all his subjects is now looking happy, which is even scary.
what? Why is he smiling as if he would give it to his own daughter?
“Besides that, what I thought was that Your Highness should focus his efforts on selecting competent junior officers and administrators from common people. Although I was active on the Rhineland front and caught your attention, if you had not pushed and pulled me from then until now. “I would never have been able to be where I am today.”
He may have risen to a level where he was promoted much faster than other noble officers, but he would not have been able to hit the mark as he did so far.
Because, as an orphan from a commoner background, there is no way that a suitable opportunity would be given so easily.
“With your abilities, you would have been able to overcome the limitations of your status as a commoner and rise to this position someday. But it will take at least 10 more years to reach lieutenant general.”
“Thank you for your high opinion of me, Your Majesty. If so, please think about it. Even at this moment, among the commoners who graduated from the Academy, there are probably those who are at a slight disadvantage even though their abilities are superior to those of noble officers. “If His Majesty continues to select such people based on their abilities, there will be more excellent commanders in the imperial army.”
“Although nobles above the count may be a little displeased, it is true that even the viscounts and barons who have the right to vote in the emperor election are slightly behind in promotion compared to the highest-ranking nobles above the count. So, while commoners are hired based on their abilities, I will try to join the crown prince, thinking how much better treatment and opportunities I will receive.”
As Your Majesty said, humans have this kind of psychology.
‘That bastard who is worse than me also has a girlfriend, so there is no reason for me to live as a mother-in-law. If I do what that guy does, I will have a prettier girlfriend. ‘The reason I’m a parent is not because I can’t do it, but because I don’t do it.’
When they see commoners being chosen like that, the heads of the knightly families and the Baron and Viscount families, which are lower-ranking nobles, will probably think the same thing.
You will wonder whether to change the faction you support for the future of your family and your children’s success.
The Emperor nodded at what I said and then asked in a questioning voice.
“But if the crown prince selects commoners and comforts the bereaved family, wouldn’t the other princes follow suit?”
“It will not be harmful to the empire if your highnesses follow suit. Additionally, if you look for talent among the far more numerous commoners and lower-ranking nobles, you will soon be able to find a commander who surpasses me. And anyway, isn’t His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who first tried all of this the one that will remain in everyone’s memory the most?”
“… When I asked you to come up with a plan to increase the crown prince’s position, you even came up with a plan that would help the development of the empire. “That’s amazing.”
Well, that’s natural.
That’s because I’m a soldier and a commoner, so I don’t know who I have to bribe and who I have to tie up with certain nobles through political marriages to increase my status.
I can only think that what I think is the best strategy for winning the emperor election shows how much help it can be for the empire.
However, these alone cannot overturn the assessment that His Majesty lacks lethal military capabilities.
“But these alone are not enough. Because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who will become the next emperor, must prove his military capabilities.”
The Emperor seemed to have been waiting for me to say just this, as he lifted his back from his chair and looked at me, his eyes flashing.
“Do you have any thoughts? If a suitable location is chosen, I will definitely appoint you as second-in-command in the crown prince’s next war.”
Although he is only a second-in-command, he actually has the same level of authority and responsibility as the commander-in-chief.
What I want to climb the most now and what I have always wanted to obtain is now within my reach.
I can feel my heart pounding, but at times like this, I need to remain calm.
“From a grand strategic perspective that will determine the future of the Reich Empire, the place the empire should attack next is the Grand Duchy of Austria.”
“It’s the Grand Duchy of Austria. “I thought they would suggest places like the François Republic or Belgium Morenzia, but I was surprised.”
“If the Francois Republic were intact, it would be best to attack and occupy Morenzia. However, if we leave the current Francois Republic just a little longer, a civil war will break out. So, Belgium is targeting the Francois Republic, and Morenzia is keeping Belgium in check, creating a complete balance between them.”
The Francois Republic could not escape the aftermath of the last war, in which we lost a huge amount of territory.
No, the wounds we inflicted have rotted away, and the cabinet and parliament have already completely split.
As the two parties fight each other, according to a report from the Ministry of Information, members of the National Assembly often request murder by contract.
The target they are trying to kill is, of course, a noble member of the opposing faction.
In such a situation, if we attack or do something to change the surrounding environment, we could use that as an opportunity to unite, so why attack the surrounding area?
“Meanwhile, one day, the three countries of Austria, Warsaw, and Czechoslovakia will form a coalition and attempt to attack the Empire. Therefore, the empire must first attack Austria, which could become the main axis of its power, to eliminate its central point.”
If you look at the area of the country, Warsaw is overwhelmingly larger, but the Grand Duchy of Austria supports a large population with very large plains and the food that comes from them.
Of the three countries, Austria has the largest population and the largest military.
“Obviously, those three countries can’t unite right now because the Warsaw guys are at war with the Velask Kaunas guys. What if Warsaw someday negotiates peace with the two countries… It’s scary to think about it. “It is a crisis of the empire.”
“Doesn’t the picture come out okay, Your Majesty? His Majesty the Crown Prince personally conquered Austria, which could become a major crisis point for the empire in the future. “This is the situation.”
“How do you plan on preparing for the next stage?”
…… This time we were caught by the Swiss and suffered a big loss.
However, the strategy they used was so damn effective that we need to learn it thoroughly and use it.
“The former majors who assisted His Highness the Crown Prince this time are not guilty of such great sins. So, I’m going to give them one chance to revive and go to Austria to carry out a double agent mission. “I plan to provide confidential information about the Reich Empire to the Austrian headquarters until the decisive moment, but after that, I plan to give them a hard slap in the back.”
The former majors who were next to His Highness the Crown Prince were graduates of the General Staff College, so they knew the basic doctrines, strategies, and tactics of the Imperial Army in detail.
In addition, although it is partial, he will also have memorized information that is classified as a level 2 imperial military secret.
If you offer up all of these, if not all of them, to the Grand Duchy of Austria, they will certainly be very happy to welcome you.
Of course, if its usefulness declines, it will be quietly purged later.
His Majesty the Emperor asked in a surprised voice.
“Of course, those guys just followed the instructions from above. There are extenuating circumstances. But is it really okay? “When the crown prince becomes emperor, it will truly increase his entourage.”
Those five former majors are people who had the right to succession to noble families, and unlike me, who is only close to Your Highness publicly, they are also very close to me in private.
Often, when His Highness jokingly asks me to go hang out at a bar with a girl, I always politely decline, but those guys are always following me around.
While my relationship lasted only about 4-5 years, those former majors were close to His Highness for nearly 20 years.
So, in a way, this is undermining my position… but the
reason I have been able to survive so far is because I put the interests of the empire first.
“I am not making this offer with the intention of gaining their gratitude and strengthening my position. “It’s a bit much to say, but the five former majors were held accountable for carrying out their duties according to His Majesty’s instructions and were severely punished.”
“yes. “It’s a pity that these talented young people have a bright future.”
“So, in a way, it is right for His Majesty to take responsibility for these people. This is to show the public that Your Majesty is giving them a second chance and helping them succeed. That means His Majesty will gain a reputation as a monarch who will take care of his close associates who followed his orders until the end, even if they lose value and fall.”
After listening to me, His Majesty looked at me blankly for a moment and then said.
“Okay, just do whatever you want. However, confidential information to be leaked during the intelligence operation will be treated as top secret, and must be reported directly to me in writing only before the operation begins.”
“I will follow your orders.”
**
After finishing the story, Emperor Fernando thought.
‘From the beginning, there was no intention of keeping Lieutenant General Jaeger, who was like a benefactor of the Empire, in check. Rather, I thought it would help me continue to spread my wings and move forward.’
However, what the emperor was thinking was simply to eliminate those around him who were clinging to political power for no reason.
No, he had no intention of doing so and was planning to keep the girl who was following him away from him.
“Baron Kergit, she may not be as smart as Vice Admiral Jaeger, but she is a very smart woman. And she is the central point in helping the empire take control of the North and maintain it. If the Northern Territory becomes prosperous in the next few decades, I will be crowned its earl. Then the North will not leave the empire even after I die.”
The emperor personally felt rather sorry about this.
Because in social circles, the only one who was insensitive to romantic situations was Lieutenant General Jaeger, who was gossiped about because he was the highest rank among the imperial nobles.
I knew very well that the reason Baron Kergit, who cared for the North more than anyone else, did not marry for political gain was purely because of his desire to have a child for a lieutenant general.
“So I had to drop it. If those two come together, the Yeager family will gain a very strong foundation. “I thought we had to keep it in check.”
Then the emperor chuckled.
This is because, when Lieutenant General Jaeger was talking about the operation to conquer Austria, he proposed sharing the position of close associate of the next emperor, which he could monopolize, with five former majors for the sake of the national interest.
Leave all interests aside and only think about the empire.
I thought it was just stupid to doubt a man who had earned the rank of major general and killed 200 enemies while standing on a limb for the Empire.
So the Emperor, who had stopped being suspicious, wanted to somehow make Lieutenant General Jaeger more obsessed with the Empire.
“Honestly, even if you take away all of the influence of the current Lieutenant General Yeager as a nobleman. Its value is equivalent to that of one duke’s family. Then it would be a good idea to bring them into the family. Moreover, according to the Imperial Household Special Act, when a princess marries a man who has a mistress, there is a law that recognizes both the princess and the mistress as equal ‘fiestas.’”
Therefore, the emperor was grateful for the law that allowed him to make Jaeger completely on his side and also saved him from having to take the position of the loyal wife of the daughter of the Marquis Vener, who was a loyalist.
“My daughter Louise is also due to get married when she turns 20 next year, and she has been thinking since she was young, ‘I want to marry someone like the knight on the white horse in the fairy tales!’ Aina is always saying the same thing and has put in all her efforts to become a woman worthy of that knight. I could make that dream come true. “I’m sure you’ll like it.”
However, there was one thing that worried the emperor.
That’s right…
“However, Lieutenant General Yeager is such a conservative guy that he has a personal maid by his side who everyone touches whenever he gets a job. Moreover, she openly signals that she is a girl in love. “The lieutenant general only thinks of her as a loyal subordinate… Will Louise be able to do well?”
See next episode