After a grueling journey back from the Bardenplatz Plains, I stepped out of the vehicle, my entire body radiating exhaustion.
‘I’m going to die...’
Aside from brief stops for meals and rest, I had spent nearly three days traveling non-stop.
Even back at the academy, physical endurance tests had been a nightmare for me, so this kind of forced march was practically torture.
I had hoped to avoid visiting the Eastern Front, but with the oil discovery, I had no choice but to inspect the site myself.
And in the end, the black liquid unearthed in the Bardenplatz Plains was indeed oil.
‘Well... of course it was.’
The logistics officers weren’t idiots—they could clearly tell the difference between sewage and crude oil.
Still, I had insisted on the inspection to deflect Headquarters’ attention from me, even if just a little.
Running around to verify the discovery myself would make me look more like a diligent rookie rather than someone basking in his accomplishments back at the Operations Office.
Not that it would do much to diminish the impact of this so-called achievement.
Letting out a sigh, I loosened my tie and made my way toward the main building.
As much as I wanted to collapse onto my dormitory bed, skipping a return report wasn’t an option for a soldier.
“Ah! Lieutenant Daniel Steiner! Welcome back.”
When I entered the Operations Staff Chief’s office and saluted, Ernst greeted me with his ever-benevolent smile.
I couldn’t afford to let that smile fool me. Maintaining my salute, I opened my mouth to speak.
“Reporting in, sir! After inspecting the Bardenplatz Plains at the Eastern Front rear line—”
“They found oil, didn’t they? That’s already common knowledge in Headquarters and throughout the Empire, so there’s no need for a formal report. Relax.”
Given permission, I lowered my salute and shifted to parade rest.
“These days, everyone’s singing your praises, Lieutenant. That includes the higher-ups. Discovering an oil field? That’s an achievement even I and the so-called ‘elites’ couldn’t pull off.”
“You flatter me, sir.”
And it really was flattery—I hadn’t set out to discover anything in the first place.
But Ernst seemed to think I was just being modest, letting out a soft chuckle.
“There have been a lot of suggestions to promote you again based on this discovery. I’m in favor of it myself, but things haven’t been moving as smoothly as I’d hoped.”
“...Objections, sir?”
“Yes. Officially, they claim it’s because promoting someone twice in such a short period—especially without any actual combat experience—would be excessive. But personally, I think it’s your background they’re concerned about.”
Though Ernst phrased it diplomatically, the truth was clear—some high-ranking officers were opposed to granting more authority to someone of orphan origins.
I understood their reasoning.
Even after the Kingdom of Bavaria rebranded itself as the “Holy Bavarian Empire” and abolished social class discrimination, traces of the old system remained deeply ingrained.
The majority of the Empire’s political and military leaders were still descended from noble families, and many regions continued to be referred to as baronies and counties.
In such a society, where the “anti-discrimination law” existed largely in name only, it was hardly surprising that a decorated officer with no noble lineage would face resistance.
If I hadn’t regained memories of my past life, I might have been enraged by their prejudice.
Now, however, I could only feel gratitude toward those opposing voices.
Blocking my promotion? I almost wanted to bow and thank them.
“If that’s the opinion of the higher-ups, then I’ll comply,” I said calmly, unaffected by the decision.
Ernst gave me a look of admiration, as if surprised by my composure.
“I thought you’d be upset. Impressive. Truly the model of a soldier. Now I see why Brigadier General Heinrich holds you in such high regard.”
With a chuckle, Ernst’s expression suddenly turned serious as he looked me straight in the eye.
“In a proper society, a man’s rank should match his abilities. Wouldn’t you agree, Lieutenant?”
There was something about his tone that made it impossible to disagree, so I nodded.
“Glad we’re on the same page. On that note, I want you to head to the Northern Front.”
…The Northern Front? What was he talking about?
I froze for a moment, then quickly opened my mouth.
“The Northern Front, sir?”
“Yes. As you know, the tide there has turned in our favor. It’s the perfect time to make a name for yourself. Go there, rack up some accomplishments, and give the higher-ups the combat experience they’re demanding. Problem solved.”
Ernst was clearly implying he had gone out of his way to set this up for me, but to me, it felt more like a death sentence.
Anyone in my position—someone trying to secure a discharge—would want to scream at the prospect of being sent to the front lines.
Still, I couldn’t afford to let my panic show. Carefully, I asked,
“Is this a permanent reassignment? Am I being transferred to a Northern Front unit…?”
“Of course not. You’ll be attached as support to a unit directly under Headquarters. Just go, gain some experience, and come right back. After that, Brigadier General Heinrich and I will push for your promotion.”
Leaning forward, Ernst lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret.
“When that happens, you’ll no longer be acting as an ‘assistant’ Operations Officer. You’ll be a full Operations Officer—with an aide to handle the paperwork. It’ll make your life much easier.”
In short, he was saying he’d laid out the groundwork for my promotion, and all I had to do was endure a bit of hardship.
I wanted to shout, “Why are you making decisions for me?!” But there was a wall of rank between us that I couldn’t climb.
Still, not all hope was lost.
“Sir, may I ask how the unit will be organized?”
“Given your rank, it’ll be a platoon-sized unit.”
“In that case, would it be possible for me to select the members myself?”
Ernst blinked in surprise before clasping his hands together.
“There’s no reason you can’t. Where are you planning to recruit from?”
“Since the front lines are already struggling with manpower, I intend to recruit primarily from the rear.”
“Do you have specific individuals in mind?”
“No, sir. I plan to issue an open recruitment notice and select from the applicants. Opportunities to serve in battle should be distributed fairly.”
Ernst seemed genuinely impressed by my answer and nodded in approval.
“That’s an excellent idea. Proceed with it.”
After saluting Ernst, I returned to my desk and sat down.
Then, I pulled out a pen and began drafting the notice.
Northern Front Reinforcement Recruitment Notice
A fierce battle to defend the sacred lands of our Empire rages in the North!
I seek those who are willing to lay down their lives for the Empire!
Heed this call! Covet not the grains of the Empire in life, but become the foundation of its glory in death!
Join me! Fight until we have destroyed, crushed, and annihilated our enemies!
We desire only the deaths of our foes!
Number of Positions Available
Eligibility Requirements
Holy Bavarian Empire—General Staff Office, Northern Front Reinforcement Recruitment Center
It was a masterpiece.
Not a single word about survival—only death was emphasized!
Human nature compels people to cling to life, so who in their right mind would sign up to die for the Empire?
I even highlighted my lack of combat experience. No fool would willingly join such a unit.
The pampered soldiers in the rear would scoff at the notice, leading to abysmal recruitment numbers.
And if the few applicants who did show up weren’t good enough, I could just reject them with excuses.
That would force Ernst to cancel the deployment and, by extension, my promotion.
A win-win! After that, I could hole up in Headquarters and figure out how to engineer my dishonorable discharge.
Satisfied with my work, I grabbed the notice and headed to Personnel.
As usual, I arrived at work and began my routine when a knock sounded at the door.
Looking up, I saw the Personnel Officer approaching with a folder in hand.
“Lieutenant Daniel Steiner? About that notice you sent to the rear units yesterday…”
Seeing that he carried only a single folder, I assumed the recruitment drive had failed—or at least received minimal interest.
Smirking internally, I made sure to appear outwardly disappointed.
“I suppose there aren’t many soldiers willing to sacrifice for the Empire. A shame.”
“Huh? No, it’s the opposite.”
Before I could process what he meant, the Personnel Officer clapped his hands twice.
Suddenly, five soldiers entered, each struggling under the weight of stacks upon stacks of application forms.
“Congratulations. In just one day, you’ve received over 2,176 applications. It seems there’s no need for further recruitment.”
He smiled as if expecting praise for my “brilliant notice.”
But all I could think was—
‘Why the hell are so many people signing up for this?!’