"So, you're saying I'm to serve as the acting garrison commander here in Soissons."
"That's right. For exactly one month. Until the official military administrators arrive from the homeland."
I studied Major General Falkenheim's expression as he drew deeply on his cigar.
'Analyze status.'
[Name: Wilhelm von Falkenheim]
[Emotions: Anticipation, interest, and a slight concern]
[Hidden intent: Wants to test a capable subordinate being placed on the front line of political intrigue.]
A test, huh.
"His Majesty's will is firm. So turn this city... into a 'model occupied territory' ruled by the Empire's hero."
"......"
My mind spun rapidly.
An administrative post for me, a combat officer? And they're going to stick an ace unit from the front lines in the rear?
Any ordinary officer would have thought it a demotion and flown into a rage. It was the same as being deprived of the chance to earn merit.
As if he knew that, Falkenheim continued.
"What, you don't like it? But your men are exhausted too, and haven't all your equipment broken down?"
It was a fact I had no choice but to acknowledge. From forced maneuvers, our tank engines had given out, tires had burst, and most of our vehicles had their transmissions ground to pieces.
"Rest properly for a month and reorganize. This is an order from above, and also a vacation for you."
Vacation.
That word sounded especially sweet. Falkenheim urged me on subtly.
"Wouldn't it be better to play king of a city while drinking wine in a first-rate hotel than to roll around on the front lines?"
This wily old fox. He knew exactly where to scratch my desires.
The calculator in my head started running again.
Soissons was one of the wealthiest cities in the eastern Republic. It overflowed with supplies and was famous for its wine and cuisine.
Spending a month as the garrison commander of a city like that?
'This is an opportunity.'
It was far more profitable than rolling around at the front. I could legally requisition the city's resources, and it would be easy to gather bribes from local notables trying to curry favor with me.
I saluted and said,
"I will carry out the order, Division Commander."
"Hahaha! Good! I knew I could entrust it to you."
Falkenheim laughed heartily and patted me on the shoulder.
"You will be given full authority. All powers necessary to implement military administration, including the right of summary disposition."
He gestured to his adjutant and received a document. It was my letter of appointment.
"Then I'm counting on you, Lieutenant Colonel Jaeger... no, Commander Jaeger."
And then.
Soissons City Hall, the mayor's office.
Exactly four hours after I sat my ass down here, I came to one conclusion.
"Falkenheim, you son of a bitch."
I ground my teeth as I stared at the mountain of documents piled on the desk.
[Petition: The oven at the bakery on Fourth Street collapsed due to the maneuvering of Imperial Army tanks. Requesting compensation for damages.]
[Appeal: Drinking water supply cut off in District 6 due to a ruptured water main. Concern over epidemic.]
[Report: 400 curfew violators arrested. Detention facilities at capacity.]
Vacation? A honey pot? Playing king of the city?
Bullshit.
This is just being the "head of the Soissons City Hall complaints office."
"Hanna. Where's Gunther?"
"He went to suppress signs of a riot at the food distribution center."
"Captain Elise?"
"She's been dispatched to the civilian hospital. They say it's chaos because wounded Republican soldiers and civilian patients are all mixed together."
"Erika?"
"She went out on patrol, saying she was bored to death. She's one minute away from causing an incident."
This was maddening.
I pushed aside my wineglass and picked up a pen.
"We're setting priorities. Take this down."
I was rapidly clearing through the paperwork when the office door burst open.
"Lieutenant Colonel Jaeger!"
Erika barged in, her red twin tails flying.
"You said you were going on patrol. Why are you back already?"
"Patrols aren't the problem right now! There's a gunfight near the central post office downtown! The military police were floundering, so I was about to crush them myself, but they said they needed your permission, so I came!"
"A gunfight?"
A justification to escape this tedious paperwork hell had appeared. I put on a deliberately grave expression and rose from my seat.
"Hanna, put the documents on hold for now. We're going to the scene."
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel."
With Erika in front, I climbed into a jeep and headed downtown.
The city scenery outside the window looked intact on the surface. That was because the city had fallen so abruptly, without even a proper battle.
If only city management had gone that smoothly as well.
The jeep passed the square in front of city hall and was nearing the post office when it happened.
Tat-tat-tang! Ta-tang!
Sharp gunshots struck and ricocheted off the stone exterior wall of the post office building.
"Stop."
The moment the jeep screeched to a halt, I got out. Erika, getting out from the passenger seat, reported.
"The situation is simple. They're remnants of the Republican Army. One officer took over the second floor of the post office with five of his men."
The post office window she pointed to was barricaded.
"It'd be over if we just blew away the second floor with a tank gun, but dozens of civilian employees and citizens inside have been taken hostage, so the military police can't go in."
"Hostages? Against their own country's citizens?"
At my question, Erika snorted as if dumbfounded.
"I know, right? The officer in there seems to be out of his mind. Something about, 'Reactionaries who betray the motherland and try to surrender to the Imperial Army have no right to be called citizens.'"
'A lunatic, then.'
In every age and every country, extreme fundamentalists were the problem. Unable to accept defeat, they took it out on innocent civilians.
The moment the officer who seemed to be the ringleader briefly appeared by the window, I used my skill.
[Name: Julien Sorel]
[Rank: Second Lieutenant]
[Status: Fanatical patriotism, severe manic depression]
[Hidden desire: Wants to become the flame of the Republic through an honorable death]
'A tiresome type.'
He was not in a state where logical conversation would work. If he wanted an honorable death in battle, I could simply shoot him dead, but unfortunately, there were hostages mixed in.
If a large number of civilian casualties occurred here, it would also hinder future city management.
"Hanna, bring me the megaphone."
"Here it is, Lieutenant Colonel!"
I took the megaphone and stepped out in front of the post office. Hanna stayed by my side with a worried look.
'Charming Speech.'
[Skill 'Charming Speech (Lv.3)' is activated.]
"Second Lieutenant Julien on the second floor, can you hear me? I am Lieutenant Colonel Max Jaeger, commander of the Imperial Army's Jaeger Kampfgruppe."
The noisy interior of the building fell silent in an instant.
"I hold your courage in high regard! Even amid this chaos, with your corps' command collapsed, that spirit of refusing to put down your gun until the very end is enough to impress even me, your enemy!"
First, I had to flatter him. Stirring his sense of honor was the first step.
"But Second Lieutenant! Do you want that noble struggle of yours to be remembered as a mere 'massacre'? Is dying while using the citizens of your own motherland as shields truly the chivalry the Republic taught you?"
"Shut up, you Imperial dogs!"
A shout came from beyond the window.
"They tried to welcome you while crying out for surrender! There is no mercy for false citizens who abandoned their homeland! We will all perish together here and prove the will of the Republic!"
As expected. A complete brick wall.
"Second Lieutenant, I will show you what true honor is. I will personally enter alone."
"What...?"
"Lieutenant Colonel?!"
Erika and Hanna grabbed me at the same time. But I shook off their hands. The 3D [Minimap] vividly displayed the building's structure, the enemies' positions, and even the crude tripwire set up behind the door.
"I'll go without weapons or armor. In exchange, I have one condition. Send all the civilians down to the first floor. As commander to commander, I am requesting a final conversation."
Ding!
[Skill 'Charming Speech' stimulates Second Lieutenant Julien's hidden desire (an honorable death).]
[The target is beginning to perceive the proposal as a 'reasonable end.']
A little while later, the tightly shut front door of the post office opened. Terrified citizens poured out.
"Lieutenant Colonel, please..."
Hanna clutched my clothes tightly. I lightly patted the back of her hand, then unfastened the pistol holster at my waist and tossed it to Erika.
"Do not fire until I give the signal."
I slowly walked into the post office.
I climbed the silent stairs and stood before the office on the second floor. Beyond the door, the red dots on the minimap were waiting for me.
Creeeak.
When I opened the door, I saw the second lieutenant with eyes drenched in madness and five defeated soldiers. In their hands were grenades and old rifles.
"You really came alone, you arrogant Imperial bastard."
Second Lieutenant Julien hooked his trembling finger around the safety pin of a grenade. There were crates of gunpowder piled around him. If it exploded, the entire second floor of the building would be blown away.
"I kept my promise, Second Lieutenant. Now stop this disgrace and end it like a soldier."
I approached one step at a time. His breathing grew ragged.
"Don't come any closer! I'll kill you! We'll die together!"
Strength entered his finger. The instant before the safety pin came loose.
'Now.'
[Activating skill 'Bullet Time.']
The world slowed. Even the speed of Second Lieutenant Julien's eyelids twitching became dull enough to bore me. A world compressed to one-tenth speed. The three seconds granted to me now transformed into a generous grace period of thirty seconds.
I leisurely kicked off the floor and leaped. The dust particles floating in the air looked as if they had stopped.
First, I extended my right foot toward his wrist. The heel of my shoe, turning sluggishly, struck his hands with precision. With a dull sound, the grenade slipped from his grasp and soared into the air.
'Still 25 seconds.'
I twisted my posture in midair as I landed, then seized him by the collar. Julien's face was frozen with a stupid expression, not even yet aware that he had dropped the grenade. I completely broke his center of gravity, then slammed him to the floor.
Thud.
Even the vibration of him crashing into the floor traveled up my palm very slowly. I turned my gaze upward again. The grenade was falling while rotating slowly. I bent my knees and sprang lightly, snatching it out of the air.
The safety pin was already half out. I pressed the pin back into place with my thumb, then shoved the grenade into the holster I had taken from his waist.
'15 seconds remaining.'
I charged at the remaining soldiers. I tried to pull out all the bolts and magazines, every round, from the rifles they were holding, but there wasn't enough time left.
5... 4... 3....
I hurriedly manipulated the system window and raised the level of [Bullet Time]. This was what I had relied on when I came in alone in the first place.
[Would you like to enhance the skill 'Bullet Time'?]
'Hurry.'
Ding.
[The level of skill 'Bullet Time' has increased. (Lv.1 -> Lv.2)]
[Daily uses have increased from 1 to 2.]
2... 1....
'Again.'
[Activating skill 'Bullet Time.']
Once more, the world was swallowed by stillness.