Chapter 94
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
Chapter 94
The Medal of Honor. The Silver Star Medal. The Bronze Star Medal. And even though it’s Elven, the Legion of Honor.
What do they all have in common? They’re all military medals! Ta-da!!
I didn’t expect to create a bulletproof vest out of medals on my chest, not even in the vodka-loving north.
[PR/N: Is that a fookin Russia reference?!💀]
But I’ve been through hell in war, so I thought, okay, I can understand getting medals for military-related achievements.
“We received news from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sergeant Karl Adelheit. It seems they want to award you the Highest Order of Merit.”
…I never thought I’d be wearing a diplomatic medal instead of a military one on my chest.
“The Highest Order of Merit, you say?”
“Yes. It’s a medal given to those who have made outstanding contributions to the Empire’s diplomatic relations. For your reference, no one has received this medal in the last few years.”
You want me to wear more? I’m not joking, it’s seriously starting to get heavy.
Can’t we just say “thank you, you’ve done a great job” and be done with it?
If not, can’t we replace it with a plaque or a certificate? Anything would be better.
I asked the person who delivered the news with a truly desperate look, but the answer I got wasn’t very satisfactory.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already invited you, Sergeant. The Imperial Palace has also added your name to the list of recipients of the Highest Order of Merit.”
I was hoping my brother-in-law, the Crown Prince, would stop this, but it seems it was impossible.
Well, I guess it’s impossible not to give it to me after I found the relic of the Radiant Church.
Still, I thought it would take at least a month of discussion, but they finished it in three days.
“We’ll depart now, Young ma—no, Lord.”
So, I ended up going to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a few members of my family.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had arrived earlier and was waiting for me, quickly shook my hand with a bright smile as I got out of the carriage.
“Congratulations, Lord.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“It’s truly a joyous occasion. From a Medal of Honor recipient to the Highest Order of Merit. You’re an exemplary figure, both as a soldier protecting the Empire and as a noble fulfilling your duties.”
An exemplary figure. No matter how you look at it, I don’t think swinging a greatsword should make a relic pop out.
As soon as I arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I received the medal once again with applause.
“In recognition of your hard work and for bringing honor to our nation’s name, we hereby certify this fact in the name of the Empire and the Imperial Family. On behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
I almost saluted out of habit. Maybe it’s because I’ve been saluting every time I receive a medal.
Fortunately, the minister offered a handshake before I could do that.
At this point, I’m wondering if I should buy a display case for all these medals.
“So, it’s come to this, Karl Adelheit. Ah, should I call you Lord now?”
“You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with, Minister.”
“Then I’ll just call you Karl. You seem to prefer that.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, whom I had met recently due to the negotiations with Hyzens, burst into laughter.
“I didn’t expect you to receive the medal so soon.”
“The way you’re speaking, it seems like you were expecting me to receive a medal soon?”
“Of course, Karl. You’re the one who received the Legion of Honor from the elves. Did you think it would end there after doing something like that? Heroes, no matter where they go or what they do, eventually make a big impact.”
“…”
“And in the end, didn’t you find the relic of the Radiant Church?”
Is it just my imagination, or does the minister’s words sound like ‘I knew you’d cause another huge incident’?
“Now I’m curious. After the elves and the Radiant Church, where to next? Avileshti? Or Lasker?”
“Please, I’m begging you, don’t do that. I’m worried I’ll get involved in something with someone again.”
“I think others would wish for it. Once you get involved, things tend to tilt in a very favorable direction for the Empire.”
“That’s why it’s a burden for me…”
After finishing the schedule and chatting with the minister for a while, the atmosphere at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seems a bit hectic.
Not in a bad way, but how should I put it? It feels like I’m not the main event of the day. They’re busy preparing something after quickly clearing up my part.
“Minister, is there anything else happening today?”
“Hmm? Oh. Ah, come to think of it, you wouldn’t know, Karl. They sent such a small group that it wouldn’t have been widely publicized.”
What is it? What kind of news requires a small group and is kept quiet?
“People from the Lasker Kingdom are coming.”
“…Pardon?”
“Do you happen to know the situation in the Lasker Kingdom?”
The situation in Lasker… Ah, is he talking about that?
The Crown Prince collapsing due to illness? And then the Second and Fourth Princesses fighting tooth and nail over the succession, turning the kingdom into a battlefield?
When I asked if I was right, the Minister said, ‘Exactly,’ and continued.
“The Crown Prince’s illness has worsened, and even the King of Lasker has declared that ‘it’s become difficult to expect anything from the Crown Prince as the next king of this country,’ and that he will seek a new heir to the throne. As a result, the Second and Fourth Princess factions, who had been engaged in a silent struggle, clashed directly, and the Fourth Princess faction was eventually pushed back, with the Second Princess becoming the new heir apparent.”
“Oh.”
Lasker. The kingdom of knights. I thought it was full of madmen shouting about justice and honor.
But seeing them fight over the throne, forming alliances, and determining winners and losers, it seems like people are the same everywhere, even in the kingdom of knights.
“Then, the ousted Fourth Princess and her faction…”
“Although their mothers are different, they all share the blood of the Lasker royal family. So, the Second Princess didn’t take the Fourth Princess’s life, but there was a massive purge of her followers. Naturally, the Fourth Princess was exiled to the outskirts of the kingdom.”
“That’s cruel.”
“That’s the scary thing about politics, Karl. If I don’t sit in that seat, the only place for me is in the midst of death.”
I know. I know it too well, so I’ve been grateful that I have an older sister above me, and that she cares for me deeply.
I’ve avoided politics and social circles to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
“Anyway, in the process, not only those who subtly supported the Fourth Princess but also those who remained neutral were targeted for purging.”
“Even the neutral ones? Isn’t that a bit extreme?”
“It might be, but from the Second Princess’s perspective, it seems she judged that those who didn’t side with her until the very last moment were no different from enemies. It’s not entirely incomprehensible. Neutrality doesn’t exist in diplomacy. On the surface, it may seem so, but in the end, you’re either shaking hands with someone or stabbing them in the back. Those who don’t are seen as dangerous as enemies.”
“…”
Honestly, I don’t know much about politics or diplomacy.
So, I don’t really get the whole thing about targeting neutral parties. In the military, as long as they weren’t enemies, anything was fine.
“As a result, the Fifth Princess, who remained neutral, was also expelled from the kingdom. Officially, it’s for the improvement of relations between the kingdom and the Empire, but anyone can see it’s just a way to get rid of her.”
Suddenly, a bad feeling washes over me. My instincts, which have saved my life many times on the battlefield, are screaming at me to get out of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“That Fifth Princess entered the Empire today. She’ll stop by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a brief procedure and then head straight to the Imperial Academy.”
“The academy is where the Fifth Princess is going?”
“Yes, Karl. She’ll probably be your junior next semester. Hahaha.”
This is even more ominous. Why another princess? It’s enough with the former executioner elf, the sharpshooter sergeant, the quartet who messed up their scores, the heroine who graduated with top honors and is going to grad school, and the crazy guy who made a bulletproof vest out of medals!
“Minister, I’ll be taking my leave now.”
“Now? The Fifth Princess of the Lasker Kingdom will be arriving soon, so—”
“No, I’ll leave right now. Please.”
If I stay here, I’ll get entangled. I need to escape before that happens. Shouting that, I got into the carriage to return to my family.
Fortunately, I didn’t encounter the princess from Lasker before leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Or rather, I thought I didn’t.
That is, until I noticed the strange stiffness in the movement of the carriage coming from ahead.
And as soon as I saw the carriage’s axle twisting in my sight, I thought, ‘Whoever’s inside is in danger!’ and ran towards it.
* * *
“Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince, who was dedicating himself to the Empire as usual, received a document.
“…Hmm.”
After checking the contents, the Crown Prince tilted his head.
Am I seeing this wrong?
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Requesting review for additional awarding of the Highest Order of Merit to Karl Adelheit, Heir of Count Friedrich. –
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
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