“Sniff… hic…”

The sound of quiet sobbing pulled me out of my sleep.

Annoyed, I turned my head and saw a girl without any rank insignia on her uniform—a recruit.

Her name was Freen, I think. I’d met her yesterday when I was thrown into the military police detention center.

Judging by her light brown hair and dark eyes, she was probably from the southern provinces.

Since we seemed to be from the same region, we’d exchanged a few words. But now, she was stuck to me like glue, making it exhausting just to sit next to her.

I considered ignoring her, but I figured she’d just keep crying if I left her alone. So I decided to speak up.

“…A soldier of the Empire shouldn’t shed tears so carelessly.”

At the sound of my voice, Freen froze and quickly stifled her sniffles.

“I’m sorry! I-I have no excuse! I just started thinking about my father back home…”
“Your father? Is he ill?”
“No, not at all… He was proud of me for enlisting in the Imperial Army, but here I am—stuck in detention before even completing my training. I feel so pathetic.”
“Did you just say ‘sir’ in your sentence?”

When I pointed it out, Freen flinched.

“Ah. S-Sorry, sir! I’ll correct myself!”

She was hopeless. I shot her a cold glance before turning away.

“You said you were sent here because you refused to fire a gun due to religious beliefs, right?”
“Yes, sir. I applied as a medic, so…”
“Even medics need to know how to shoot. What will you do if the enemy tries to kill the soldier you’re treating—just let them die?”

Freen stayed silent. Or rather, she couldn’t answer.

“This isn’t some child’s game. If you just want to play doctor, you’re better off teaching kindergarteners than being on a battlefield.”

Freen dropped her head, visibly discouraged. I sighed and added,

“Still, I think it’s admirable that you joined the military to save lives. Women aren’t subject to conscription, so enlisting voluntarily takes a strong sense of sacrifice.”
“…Thank you, sir.”

A faint smile appeared on Freen’s face as she straightened up slightly.

“Your words gave me strength, sir. I see now how immature I’ve been. For my father’s honor as a priest, I’ll make sure to work harder if I’m allowed back in training.”

She used “sir” again, but this time I decided to let it slide.

It seemed more like a habit than deliberate formality, and since I wasn’t her direct superior, there was no need to correct her.

So her father was a priest, and that’s why she hesitated to use firearms?

I suppose it made sense… or did it?

‘Wait a minute.’

A priest father?

A woman from the south, reprimanded during training?

It sounded uncomfortably similar to the backstory of an NPC I’d seen frequently in the game.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I looked at Freen.

“Recruit, what’s your full name?”
“Huh? Oh. It’s Freen. Full name—Freen Remiliart.”

Hearing her full name sent a chill down my spine.

Freen Remiliart—the so-called Saint of the Empire.

Her signature ability was chanted magic, which buffed entire battlefields and turned soldiers into literal killing machines.

Whenever she appeared on the battlefield, I’d order a retreat unless we had overwhelming numbers.

Meeting such a named NPC in the detention center was shocking, but ultimately, it had nothing to do with me.

‘Not like it matters. I’m getting discharged anyway.’

Once I left the Empire, I wouldn’t see her again—so there was no reason to care.

“That’s a pretty name.”

I gave a half-hearted response, and Freen blushed shyly.

Judging by her reaction to such a simple compliment, it was clear she had little to no experience with men.

What was she even doing here instead of enjoying her youth?

Then again, if I hadn’t regained my past-life memories at the command post, I probably would’ve thought military service was the highest honor too.

“Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner?”

A sergeant appeared at the cell door, calling my name.

I raised my hand, and after confirming my identity against the list, the sergeant unlocked the door.

“You’re being released. Follow me.”

It was time.

The higher-ups must have reviewed the situation and decided to proceed with a court-martial.

Freen, who clearly didn’t understand what was happening, blinked at me with wide, innocent eyes.

“You’re leaving already? It was an honor talking with you, sir.”

I nodded, forcing down the urge to cheer, and followed the sergeant out.

We passed through the military police offices and exited the building, where Captain Philip Bender was waiting.

He held a box that looked oddly elegant.

“Ah, there you are.”

Philip greeted me with a warm smile.

It felt… wrong.

But I saluted anyway, and he returned it casually before stepping closer.

“I wanted to get you out sooner, but it took time to process everything. You’ve worked in the General Staff, so I’m sure you understand.”

I did. The military was obsessed with paperwork and protocols.

But something about his words unsettled me.

He wanted to get me out sooner?

Before I could ask, Philip handed me the box.

“This is a reward for your service, Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner—or should I say, First Lieutenant now.”

What?

I blankly opened the box.

Inside were two diamond insignias and rank epaulets for a First Lieutenant.

I looked up at Philip, who smiled proudly.

“Your judgment was correct. Major Karl Heinrich was exposed as a spy for the Allied Nations. As a result, the upper command decided to skip the promotion process and award you a field promotion.”
“…A field promotion? For me?”
“Yes. The Empire believes in rewarding merit. Also, since the Operations Staff is temporarily vacant, you’ve been assigned as the acting Operations Officer.”

This had to be a joke.

I assaulted my superior, only to find out he was a spy—and now I was promoted?

It was completely absurd.

“At this rate, you might even outrank me someday. Congratulations!”

But Philip’s cheerful tone confirmed that this nightmare was real.

I could only force a smile, shake his hand, and praise the Empire through gritted teeth.

*****

I returned to the Imperial General Staff after using the one-week leave I received as a reward.

The moment I stepped into the Operations Office, the staff members who had been chatting turned their gazes toward me.

Before I could even process their reactions, they started gathering around me with smiles on their faces.

“Lieutenant Daniel? Our very own hero!”
“Even if he was a spy, it must’ve taken guts to attack your commanding officer. That was incredible courage!”
“Two commendations back-to-back—truly impressive! Did you know your name’s been coming up frequently in upper command discussions?”

I didn’t achieve those commendations because I wanted them, damn it.

My insides were rotting away, but these people were celebrating without knowing the full story. It was suffocating.

“Please, enough with the praise. I was only acting out of loyalty to the Empire.”

Still, I couldn’t just dismiss their goodwill, so I forced a smile and gave a humble reply.

After exchanging greetings and pleasantries for what felt like an eternity, I finally made my way to my desk—the one previously occupied by Major Karl Heinrich.

The desk had been completely cleared of Karl’s personal belongings, leaving it spotless.

On top of it were a few documents, a telephone, and a war map. But what stood out most was the nameplate.

[Acting Operations Officer / First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner]

Even if it was a temporary position, appointing a first lieutenant as an acting Operations Officer was highly unusual.

Operations Officer roles were prestigious enough to warrant private offices—positions rarely entrusted to someone of my rank.

In other words, upper command now saw me as an exceptionally valuable asset.

The fact that I had been promoted to first lieutenant just three months after my commission and then assigned as acting Operations Officer was ridiculous.

I wasn’t just an elite—I was the elite of the elites. My career path wasn’t just secure anymore; it was practically paved with roses.

And that also meant my road to dishonorable discharge had become even more treacherous.

“……”

As the sound of birds chirping drifted in through the window, I sat down and rubbed my temples.

‘Why the hell is this happening to me…?’

I genuinely felt like I was going to lose my mind.