I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy - Chapter 204
EP.204
Northern Army Headquarters Banquet Room.
In normal times, it is a place where banquets are held free of charge for officers of the Northern Army on holidays, anniversaries, or special occasions for ministerial-level officers (generals).
Now, here, rank-and-file officers belonging to the Northern Army and chieftains from more than 100 tribes are gathering to enjoy food and a banquet.
In such a situation, it would be nice if the officers and chiefs above the rank of lieutenant get along naturally and get along well… Perhaps
because their relationship is still uneasy, chiefs are gathered together with chiefs and officers are chatting with each other.
“It’s been difficult these days because the Kingdom of Sweden and Stockholm keep putting pressure on us. “Since Lieutenant General Ha Yeager has come, from now on, life will open up and we will feel more comfortable.”
“Honestly, I might not trust any other general in the empire, but I can trust Vice Admiral Yeager. “Because you personally killed Ludvik with a sword and mediated well with the empire.”
“I’ve been worrying a lot these days, so how can I get better? “It’s a great day because you can eat the empire’s expensive food for free and you won’t have to worry too much.”
First of all, looking around, I noticed that although there was no ‘close relationship’ between the officers and the chieftains, the atmosphere itself was not bad.
Since Anya knows many chieftains, she wears the uniform of an imperial army officer and chats intimately among the chieftains.
“How many years has it been, Mr. Viata? “Is Dita married now?”
“Don’t even talk. These days, I’m trying to connect with an imperial girl from a decent family. They say that if you want to get married, you have to graduate from the academy first. “I will be 26 when I graduate, but it is not easy.”
“We, northerners, are subject to special treatment, so please have us study a bit and get a senior officer position first. Then, there is a system that provides a diploma in two years.”
“As expected, you know a lot since you are a colonel. “Ha, when you were young, you and Dita…”
“About that… the lieutenant general might be nearby.”
At those words, the chief named Viata turned around and as soon as our eyes met, his face turned pale.
He spoke hurriedly, waving his hands left and right.
“Lieutenant General, it’s not that, I’m just happy to see the daughter of Kergit, a guy I used to be close with…”
Anyhow, Anya is my wife, and that guy named Viata probably just said that out of happiness, so I don’t plan on saying anything. does not exist.
However, I think I can use this to ask something honestly.
“Did you say Viata? “He is the chief of a tribe.”
“I am the chief of the Swedenmori tribe, Lieutenant General.”
“It’s the Swedenmori tribe… They defected fifteen days after the Kergit tribe defected, right? Nice to meet you. “As you may already know, this is Lieutenant General Peter Yeager, the new commander of the Northern Army.”
After saying that and holding out my hand, Viata bent down and reached out both hands to take my hand and say hello.
“Before I give my inauguration speech, I want to ask you something. Is that okay?”
“Ask anything, Lieutenant General. “I must answer whatever the Lieutenant General, who killed Khan and liberated us, asks.”
“What is it like living in a fortress? Is there anything that makes you uncomfortable or really bothers you? “Please speak without any pressure.”
When Viata heard those words, a look of fear appeared on her face.
I think they’re worried that a repeat of what happened was when ordinary commanders only pretended to look outwardly, but actually complained of inconvenience and ended up in huge trouble.
I quickly showed the royal decree with His Majesty’s seal in my arms and said,
“Your Majesty already knows that damned Ishtaven tried to instigate the 60 tribes under his command to go over to the Kingdom of Stockholm. And as a result of analyzing the cause at the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was determined that the reason was that your lives were difficult. So, His Majesty ordered us to listen directly to your grievances and resolve them.”
In fact, there was a process like this before receiving this royal decree.
After receiving the letter of appointment as commander of the Northern Army, Anya and I discussed the problems the Northerners were experiencing, and I compiled the contents into a report.
Next, I submitted it to my father-in-law, the head of the Chiefs of Staff, and he analyzed the expected problems based on the report handed over by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and prepared almost all countermeasures.
Now that I am here, I will talk directly with them about the issue and submit a report to the Chief of Staff, and the final revised policy will be reflected based on that.
“Is that true?”
“Why would I even create a fake edict to persuade you? The reason I came here in the first place was because His Majesty ordered it. Otherwise, would His Majesty bother sending me all the way to the north?”
“It’s because I’m so moved. To be honest, I was worried that all the northerners would be caught because Ishtaven was trying to persuade them to rebel. As you know, except for those like the Khergit tribe who even donated their tribe’s home, weren’t they slightly wary of the empire?”
It wasn’t just a little bit, but in fact, the empire was quite wary of them.
It is true that the quality of life of all northerners living in the north has improved compared to before, thanks to providing food to prevent them from starving to death.
However, in return for providing food to them, they received a large amount of livestock such as horses, cows, and sheep that the tribe owned.
In addition, because the empire could not yet completely trust the northerners, it strictly restricted the military enlistment and conscription of northerners except for the chieftain’s son.
Instead, men between the ages of 18 and 54 are mobilized to work about two days a week.
Also, according to the laws of the empire, people who did not serve in the military had to pay about 20% more taxes than those who did not, so they must have strained their backs to pay taxes by buying animals with good fur, wood, and meat.
However, the reason they are not complaining now is probably because although they pay a lot of taxes, their lives are much better now than before they became citizens of the empire.
According to a report I read before taking office as commander of the Northern Army, it was said that Northerners used to have a hard time eating two meals a day.
However, after returning to the empire, eating two meals a day became the norm, and it is said that during the harvest season, one could eat all three meals.
“Maybe that’s why, but because we can’t join the military, the tribesmen are very upset because they have to pay more taxes than the imperial serfs. In fact, if we become soldiers, wouldn’t we be able to do well as archers?”
“I know well. “I know very well the power of the archer cavalry led by my wife, Colonel Kergit.”
“So, please consider that we have already shown loyalty to the empire for nearly four years and allow us to join the army and pay less taxes on an equal footing with the people of the empire.”
I expected this request to be clear, but it was also a very strange request that was difficult for me to understand as someone who has lived in Korea.
That’s because in Korea, it is thought that it is unconditionally beneficial to not serve as a soldier if possible.
Here, it was truly amazing that the tribal leader sincerely requested that he serve in the military.
Of course, this person and other nomadic peoples want to prove their worth in the military and be reborn as citizens of the empire living in the north in name and reality.
“Is there anything else?”
“Other than that, I would like you to raise the price a little when you receive things like livestock, fur, and horse wood from the empire in lieu of taxes.”
“Let me ask your Majesty. Instead, when you go to the army, you may not be able to fight as the archers you want, and you may have to shed a lot of blood in the army to be treated equally as the citizens of the empire.”
Well, in a way that forced northern soldiers into more intense front lines first than soldiers from the serfs who originally plowed the land and farmed in the empire.
In this way, I was able to talk with the chief and hear vivid stories about the current situation in the north.
Then I went to the central table of the banquet hall and shouted.
“As of today, I am Lieutenant General Peter Yeager, who has been newly appointed as Commander of the Northern Forces. The reason I’ve called you here today is to congratulate you on my inauguration. “It is also to distinguish between the bastards who dared to betray the Empire and the good northerners who are loyal to the Empire.”
At those words, the eyes and attention of the chiefs and officers all focused on me.
At that time, when I gave a signal, a cart wheel that was roughly up to my waist rolled into the banquet hall.
Unlike the officers who did not know English, the Northern chiefs began to applaud enthusiastically when they saw the wheel.
I think they do this because they think the ‘rule of the wheel’ doesn’t apply to them.
That prediction is correct.
A word from the author (author review)
Thank you, reader.
In the case of the swimsuit illustration, it seemed to have slightly different tastes among readers, so we took it off the cover.
Instead, as of 12:00 today, we plan to add Laura, who was 1st, Anya, who was 2nd, Charlotte, who was 3rd, and Louise, who was 4th, to the illustration collection at intervals of one day.
Thank you for your understanding.
See next episode