Chapter 397

EP.397

When I finished organizing and went up to the capital, I didn’t go home first, but headed straight to the imperial palace.

Normally, it would be right to go home first, see the faces of family members who were away during the war, ask how they are, and spend quality time together.

At the same time, I had to come to the imperial palace after relieving the mental and physical fatigue that had accumulated, but I just didn’t want to do that right now, so I came straight to the imperial palace.

“Marshal Jaeger, your Majesty is currently attending to official business. So, Marshal, please go home and get some rest. And please submit a formal request for an audience. We will contact you as soon as an appointment is scheduled. Please come then.”

Normally, I would have listened to the Chamberlain who is stopping me right now.

As he said, no matter how much it is I, if you want to have an audience with His Majesty, it is right to start by submitting a request for an audience a few days in advance and follow the procedures.

However, right now, my eyes are filled with the dedication of the 35,000 men and women who died at Bastion Castle, including Lieutenant Colonel Randel, and the miserable end they met.

“Chief Chamberlain.”

I called his name with a cold voice full of death. The chamberlain froze as he stood there.

“Marshal Wen?”

He is a decent man from an aristocratic family and the head of a family who participated in the war and completed his compulsory service to the rank of captain, but if I were to compare his military experience in front of me, he would not even be able to turn a new leaf.

Perhaps that’s why the effect was so outstanding.

Isn’t the gentleman who should have been stopping me all the time standing tall and trembling and not knowing what to do?

“I just returned from the hell called Bastion. It was literally a living hell. “We had to walk into hell every day and fight to stop the Allied bastards who wouldn’t be enough to kill us by dismembering our limbs.”

“Yes... that’s roughly from my records...”

“Don’t say it now. Because I’m not finished talking yet. In front of me was a newlywed couple who had just gotten married and had a child in their womb. They were a couple who fought really bravely. But was it the 20th day? “On the wall, my husband cut down four enemies and finally left, taking one enemy as his companion.”

Just thinking about that scene was truly terrifying.

I led the war, but whenever I close my eyes and fall asleep, I feel like I’ll be dreaming of that brutal siege at Bastion Castle.

No, on the way back to the imperial palace after the war, whenever I close my eyes and try to sleep, I always dream of this time.

“Isn’t this a truly brave and honorable death? And maybe 10 minutes later? Even the wife continued to fight while still carrying the child in her womb, and was finally killed when her stomach was cut to pieces by the enemy. In any other battle, this would be a story of a tragedy and an honorable warrior that would be included in the Chief of Staff and Academy veterans education textbooks. But in Bastion Castle, stories like this are so common that they are just a passing story.”

Among civilian massacres, the most horrific thing is killing women, especially pregnant women.

However, the fact that such terrible deaths were so common was so shocking to the chamberlain that he could not keep his mouth shut.

“A 5-year-old child was stabbed to death with a sword, but he cut the foot of an enemy soldier with a dagger or a stone. Everyone who fought in that castle fought fiercely, not sparing their lives.”

“We salute their dedication.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty. However, there is one thing I would like to correct.”

The emperor tilted his head when he heard those words.

“I just did the obvious thing. Therefore, I do not deserve to be called a hero or receive any privileges. “I was simply given the opportunity to command honorable men who deserve to be called heroes.”

His Majesty was very surprised and embarrassed when he saw me sincerely declining the contribution to saving the country.

But no matter how much I think about it, I think it’s them, not me, who truly deserve to be called heroes in this war, so I shouldn’t lie.

“We will reward those who have made achievements in Bastion Castle as generously as possible. The details are still being reviewed. “Once the serfs who entered Bastion and their descendants residing in the land will be exempted from taxes forever, as long as the empire lasts.”

The burden that causes the most hardship on the serfs is taxes, but once that disappears, the Bastion region will become the best place in the empire for common people to live.

No, it might even be the richest province.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

“And Lieutenant Colonel Randel. I have heard detailed information about his dedication. So, Colonel Landel, I have decided to do this. It will be assumed that he was promoted to colonel the day before he died, and after that, in accordance with the respect given to the fallen, he will be promoted two ranks and posthumously awarded the rank of major general. Without him, Bastion Castle would have fallen. Therefore, it can be said that his dedication and sacrifice saved the empire. “I think this should be remembered and known as an example to the entire imperial army.”

At those words, I quietly nodded.

“Although he was unable to cut off the Archduke’s head, I highly value his achievement in lowering the morale of the Allied Forces and saving the Empire from a difficult situation. Therefore, a statue commemorating him will be erected at the entrance of the Academy and Staff College. In addition, as a special exception, I will bestow the title of Count of the Diamond Knight’s Sword and two earldoms. “Is this enough?”

Even considering his accomplishments and dedication, this is more than enough, but still...

“I have one more request.”

“Something?”

“His spirit must be inherited forever by the 7th Guards Division as long as the empire lasts, so please give him the title of honorary division commander.”

“Of course I will.”

“thank you.”

The Emperor then looked into my eyes and asked seriously.

“Be honest, you probably didn’t come to me to ask for this. What do you want? Tell me anything. “The Empire will not suspect anything you say.”

At those words, I opened my mouth heavily.

“A million troops! This time it’s our empire’s turn to rise up. And the target of attack is the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.”

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