I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy Chapter 59

EP.59

Two months had passed since the war with Czechoslovakia ended.

The officers and soldiers of the Jaeger Battalion, including me, thoroughly enjoyed the short time we had after returning to the capital of the Reich Empire.

To be precise, after entering the capital, our unit was ordered to take a complete rest, so we were exempted not only from guard duty but also from on-duty duty.

Free drinking and company dinners were allowed from morning until night, except on days when there were very important events such as military inspection ceremonies.

Officers from the cadre often took their soldiers to Changgwan to relieve their fatigue.

However, the officers who graduated from the academy did not maintain their dignity while having fun, but rather went to more expensive and luxurious places and enjoyed nightlife.

On the other hand, I didn’t even think about going because I was worried that something unnecessarily would happen if an unmarried person went to such a place.

Instead, I worked with Laura to roughly handle the chores that other officers had to do at night.

Even if it’s just a chore, the roll call log says, ‘The soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers are well-rested and living healthy lives.’ Since it is at the writing level, it can be completed in an hour.

Just like that today, while the officers were drinking and making a fuss to the point where you couldn’t tell if they were soldiers or local gangsters, an administrator dressed in luxurious clothes appeared at our battalion headquarters.

Judging by the fact that he came all the way here, he may be of lower rank than me, but given the circumstances, he must have brought a document containing the Emperor’s meritorious work award.

“All of the battalion. Salute to the magistrate!”

Then, a few seconds ago, they were officers who looked like gangsters from the village of Gojumangtae, but as a result of their training, they immediately sharpened their angles like swords and saluted.

“This is Helmut von Groger, a director attached to the military department. “I have come here after receiving orders to deliver merit awards to each unit that has made outstanding achievements at 12:00 PM today.”

As the director of the Imperial Military Department, he is too high-ranking to read documents related to merit awards and hand them over in person. I think so.

After all, if he were a director, he would be equivalent to a brigadier general in terms of military rank.

So the officers adjusted their posture so thoroughly that they thought they might get cut if they brushed against each other, as they were already at an angle.

Of course, I, the battalion commander, froze like a tree man in front of the majesty of one star.

The high director came up to me with a nonchalant look on his face, as if he was familiar with this kind of scene.

“Major Peter Jaeger, commander of the Jaeger Battalion, please come forward and accept the award order issued by His Majesty the Emperor.”

At those words, I got down on one knee in front of the director and bowed my head as if I were the emperor.

Now the director opened the scroll with a crackling sound and read it loud enough for everyone here to hear.

“Emperor Fernando von Reich of the Reich Empire is deeply moved by the performance and loyalty of the Jaeger Battalion, and as your monarch, he intends to reward them generously, befitting their dedication.”

To be honest, this is always the case when the emperor gives a reward not 1 gold but 1 copper (worth about 1/10000 of gold).

Without any exaggeration, the scale of our unit’s achievements would be similar to that of a division with 8,000 men. Wouldn’t it be at least 16 times the size of the unit?

“First, 4 gold will be given to each soldier in the Jaeger Battalion, and an additional 4 gold will be given to soldiers in the detachment or pursuit unit. “If you served in both units, I will pay you 8 more gold.”

If 1 gold is a year’s worth of living expenses for a family of 4 to 6 serfs, then 4 gold is a lot of money that can buy enough land to support the entire family with just the harvest, assuming citizenship.

Considering that for 12 gold, you can, without exaggeration, buy enough land to live comfortably in a corner of the countryside.

It’s such a big reward that you wonder if the emperor is crazy because he really wants to give it to us.

“Non-commissioned officers will be paid 2 gold more than soldiers, and an allowance of 6 gold will be applied. “Everyone will be promoted to the first rank, and non-commissioned officers of sergeant or higher will be eligible to enter the executive officer academy.”

Usually, just attending the officer academy is a huge step up in status for non-commissioned officers, most of whom are commoners or wealthy citizens.

Even if there are units that have made great contributions, most of them are not given qualifications for admission, but are only given preferential treatment in the admission review process.

Moreover, these rewards are tight for the soldiers at the bottom, and the higher you go, the more generous they become.

What will be the rewards given to officers who are classified as true nobles?

Maybe that’s why the officers in my unit just don’t speak, but pinch their thighs to hold back the cheering that threatens to burst out.

Normally, whining in front of the Emperor’s orders being read would be against the law, but the director who came today is a flexible person.

I pretended not to hear and continued reading.

“The knight company commander is a former executive officer, but he is specially qualified to enter the Staff College and is given 50 gold weapons and armor. The 1st Company Commander and the Wizard Company Commander are granted qualifications for admission to the Staff College, and are given weapons and armored warhorses made at the Imperial Blacksmith Shop for 40 gold. The 2nd company commander and the 3rd company commander were awarded the Golden Cross, 35 gold, and a horse. “Each platoon leader will be awarded 10 to 30 gold depending on their promotion to the first rank and merit.”

When I heard this, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

Because in just one war, there were as many as three people in one battalion who declared that they would be awarded stars in the future.

In particular, the knight company commander, Werner, joined both the detachment and the chase team and, with a little bit of exaggeration, rolled around like a dog and achieved great achievements.

I could never have imagined that I would receive qualifications for admission to the Staff College and my fortune would blossom all at once.

Also, judging by the fact that horses were given to the 1st Company Commander and the Wizard Company Commander, they will also be officially promoted to Major after graduating from Staff College.

The rest of the guys also gained a foothold through this achievement to go one level higher than their own limits.

The company commanders and officers are so moved that they can barely suppress their tears even though the director has not finished speaking yet.

In particular, Werner is bleeding because he is biting his lip so hard.

“In the case of Lieutenant Laura, considering that she directly captured Brigadier General Mikhail of Czechia, was active in a separate unit, and made a significant contribution to the operation to behead the deputy commander, we will allow her admission to the General Staff College as a special case. Instead, we will not pay any rewards.”

Not even 1 gold reward is given to Laura… After all, she is the only daughter of Count Benner, so unlike us, money is not so urgent, so she does not give it.

It is a reward that shows the intentions of Count Benner and the head of the personnel department to send him to the General Staff College and promote him as quickly as possible.

It is mainly captains and majors who go to the Staff College, but according to the law, lieutenants can also enroll, so there is no problem with the procedure.

Since you have earned enough merit, they will promote you to captain in the first year of the General Staff College, right?

And now, when it was my turn to announce my award, the director, who was a brigadier general, suddenly added the subtitle, “Strictly solemn.”

With a very solemn expression and serious voice, he took out a scroll that was much more ornately decorated than the other scrolls and read it.

“Major Peter Yeager is promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed as a professor at the Staff College. Additionally, a reward of 3,000 gold will be given. In addition, we will bestow the three estates of Salzburg Rainer Schwarz and bestow the title of baron, recognizing him as a high-ranking noble of the Empire.”

….. What the f*ck? In Korea, this is the level of giving that would make the boss crazy.

I could explain why at a very long time, but the mandatory two-year attendance at the Staff College is advantageous for promotion since it counts as central work experience if you become a professor.

In addition, among officers, it is widely accepted that if you have experience as a professor at a staff college, you can easily rise to the rank of major general.

Moreover, if you have three fiefdoms for the title of baron, you will not be pushed out of political battles due to lack of wealth and influence even after you reach the rank of colonel and receive a star.

So it’s impossible not to say that the emperor is crazy, right?

Meanwhile, the director who told me the news of my promotion changed his posture to a sincere congratulatory attitude and spoke flattery.

“I sincerely congratulate you, Baron. You were granted the title of Baron at the age of 21. I am honored to be able to deliver this news. Please take care of me in the future.”

Within the military, ranks take precedence over titles, but when affiliations are different, titles are much more important.

So this man, who is like a star among administrators, is probably flattering me.

Having said this, the director quickly left.

Even though the Jaeger Battalion was disbanded because I, the battalion commander, had been appointed as a professor at the Staff College, everyone had smiles on their faces.

I shouted as I was about to perform my final duties as a battalion commander.

“Assemble the battalion members. I’m going to burn it down for the last time today. Rent several inns, let each company drink as much as they want, and charge me for the price! more!”

A word from the author (author’s review)

PS It was very difficult to save money in the Middle Ages. It was difficult to change the use of land and there was no surplus, so land prices were extremely cheap.

A piece of land that yields about 30 grains of rice = 30 kyeok of rice could be purchased for about 90 kyeok (Joseon standard). Likewise, in the Middle Ages,

the price of a field was very low if you went down to the countryside.

See next episode