A War Hero With No Regrets

32 – Postwar Summit (2)

“Huh, huh, huh huh~.”

“Is there Ensign Karin? Karin? Hey Karin! Karin Maven!”

“Huh!? Who, who… ?! Oh, what is it? Was it Headquarters Commander John Hobbs?”

Carin Maven, who had no idea that someone had entered her room, said in surprise.

It was a schedule of 6 nights and 7 days.

I was busy packing my things.

“Really… Now I’m starting to wonder if this is the Karin Maven I know. “She even hums.”

Captain John Hobbs bursts into laughter at that sight.

Unlike the others, it was John Hobbs who had known Karin Maven for quite some time.

Immediately after the fall of Emerald Lake Fortress, the only person who took care of her as she locked herself in her room and did not come out.

She was Karin and did not know that fact.

So, with the help of Director Werner Grime, her condition improved little by little, and she was able to joke around and joke around.

“Is it that good?”

“… “Well, what is it!”

“Going on a trip with the director.”

“It’s not a trip, it’s definitely a mission! “It is also an extremely important mission to be carried out by His Excellency the President.”

Karin answered, trying hard to hide her emotions.

But John Hobbes just smiled.

In order to properly hide your emotions, even the corners of your mouth must stop twitching.

“Yes, yes, a mission to go to the capital and then to the Republic of Bostania, right? “I have never even traveled domestically, let alone overseas.”

“It’s not like the two of us are going…” .”

“On paper, yes. Do you think our poor head of the Weapons Department will notice Karin? Just looking at him, Edward must be a sack of barley, and he must be really lonely.”

“This, profit… ! “Stop playing around!”

Karin pushes the headquarters commander, who is laughing with a playful face, out of the room.

“Whoa, calm down, Karin! “I even brought you a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Now, you know that female soldiers in the Imperial Army are discharged immediately when they become pregnant, right?”

What John Hobbes hid behind his hands was none other than a condom.

When Karin confirmed the identity of the gift, her face instantly turned red.

“Headquarters Commander!!!!!!”

“hahahaha! “You and the director should stay at Forbidden Lake for a long time, right?”

John Hobbes burst out laughing and left Karin’s room.

It was just an ordinary Forbidden Lake daily life, no different from any other time.

***

The helicopter carrying Lieutenant Edward Roman, Ensign Karin Maven, and Lieutenant Colonel Werner Greim arrived at the Supreme Command located in the capital.

“Welcome. “Is this your first time seeing you at headquarters?”

After receiving a welcome from Supreme Commander Arthur Phileas, they unpacked in their separately assigned lodgings.

It was only natural that we had to immediately complete our schedule of 2 days and 1 night in the capital.

As soon as they had unpacked all their luggage, they returned to the uniform they had prepared for the Security Bureau and moved to the President’s residence.

Because the schedule in the capital was a ‘banquet’ in addition to a conversation with the President.

Before departing for the Republic of Bostania for the post-war summit, he said he would gather his entourage at the official residence and spend time socializing with them.

For Werner, who does not like this type of event, this whole process was just a hassle.

Karin, who was new to everything about the capital, Hohenvaren, could not take her eyes off the huge city unfolding before her eyes.

“Wow….”

Capital Hohenvaren.

It was largely unaffected by the war, making it the only region that retains not only its skyscrapers but also what the imperial metropolis looked like before the war.

Compared to Hohenbaren, Branberg in the Eastern Military District was no different from an underdeveloped countryside.

The only high-rise building there was the Eastern Army Headquarters.

Although it was cute and had an old-fashioned charm that came from traditional buildings, it did not have the same impact on Karin Maven as a building so tall that it blocks the sky.

Edward, who was looking at Karin like that, smiled and opened his mouth.

“There was a time when I dreamed of buying a house in Hohenvaren.”

“You did that?”

“The first place I was assigned to was the Capital Corps. “Because I’m from the countryside.”

She probably had a similar expression as Karin does now.

Ordnance Chief Edward added, recalling his memories from the time of his first enlistment.

“Whether it was then or now, it still overwhelms people. By the way, Director… “I’m sure you’ve seen it a lot without even having to ask.”

“That’s right.”

Werner Grime gave a short answer.

It’s not something I’ve seen a lot.

Just in the last episode, didn’t he become the general manager of the Supreme Command located in Hohenvaren?

Of course it failed.

There was a time when he entered the President’s residence alone and plunged a sword into his heart.

That too failed and had to return.

“I don’t have any particularly good memories.”

If you think about it, it was true.

Tall skyscrapers seemed like nothing more than a passing background to Werner.

If you go to the mountains, there are trees, and if you go to the capital, there are high-rise buildings.

It is just that level of appreciation and perception.

“Ah….”

“I don’t particularly like high-rise buildings in the first place. Not only is it vulnerable to titan attacks, it looks like a chicken coop made to confine people.”

“As expected, Director, you are not romantic. Well, I don’t have any good memories either.”

Edward shrugged his shoulders and rested his chin nonchalantly on his window sill.

Karin, who had an excited expression on her face, also glances at Werner.

“… Still, the scenery we see after the war is a little different.”

“Yes, that’s right! “The war is over.”

“That’s right. “The war is over.”

Werner let out a faint smile at the sight of Karin answering the question right away, not wanting to miss it.

The President’s call was uncomfortable, but it turned out to be more uneven than I thought.

It was clear that he thought he had been put on a leash.

A map of the revolutionary front’s inclusion of extremists from the revolutionary faction.

Diagram of the dissolution of the Hwangtao faction that remained in the Eastern Military District.

Everything was going according to plan.

So, this may really be a type of ‘reward’ from the President’s perspective.

As Director of the Security Strategy Bureau, Werner Greim clearly witnessed the reality of war heroes who did not choose to submit to the Führer.

Demotion, discharge, demotion.

If you are unlucky, you may actually end up in court.

Even Eastern Army Commander Heinrich Randall, whom the Führer personally purged, could be called a war hero who achieved his own achievements.

Luthers Ethan, who had contributed much more than those people, bowed his head before the Fuhrer could even move.

There was enough room to view it positively in its own way.

‘Furthermore, the President will think that he is firmly taking advantage of my weaknesses.’

Although Argentine Orca may not have intended it, her accusation itself was a card that could put pressure on Werner.

He’s just using a fake identity, but it doesn’t take away the fact that he’s actually Luthus Ethan.

If you want to throw it out, you can throw it out as much as you want.

In such a situation, it may not be a bad idea to enjoy this time itself without being too wary of the Fuhrer.

I was willing to join hands with either the Fuhrer or the devil in order to make sure that everyone, including Argen, Leah, and Charlotte, could live a happy life.

After driving along the main road of Hohenvaren, we arrived at the Presidential Residence.

It was indeed a majestic appearance, befitting the residence of a superman who had driven the emperor into a back room and taken control of the empire.

The pillars were built like a temple, and the dome-shaped roof made of glass had a pre-modern yet modern architectural style.

This is a building that could easily be called a museum or a parliament.

The difference in authority between the Imperial Council, which became half-crippled as soon as the President took power, and its location in a building that was simply a converted theater, is clear.

As they lined up at the entrance to the official residence, the tightly closed door opened wide and the President of the Republic of Korea appeared.

Mikhail Bismarck, Fuhrer of the Empire.

At the same time, Werner Grime gave a sword-like salute.

“Ah! Finally, the members of the Security Strategy Bureau, who work hard day and night for the empire, have arrived.”

“That’s too much praise, Mr. President.”

Just based on appearance, he looks like he has just entered his 40s.

In reality, like Arthur Phileas, he was approaching sixty, but his sparkling eyes still contained youth and corresponding ambition.

Even Karin was surprised to see that the President in front of her was a much more distant and sharp handsome man than she had imagined.

“Come in first.”

The Fuhrer smiled, tapped Werner on the shoulder, and brought them inside.

“Did you hear the detailed schedule on the way?”

“I heard you are leaving by plane tomorrow evening.”

The Fuhrer nodded his head in satisfaction with Werner’s answer.

“That’s right. Therefore, I have planned a luxurious evening banquet with everyone in my entourage today. “It will be on a different level from the banquets we saw in the Eastern Military District.”

“I’m looking forward to it too.”

Of course it was a lie.

In the first place, the problem is not whether it is luxurious or less luxurious.

In the first place, banquets were something that Werner could not enjoy at all.

Isn’t it more than just serving expensive alcohol and delicious food and making friends?

However, such a thing cannot be shown.

It was in front of the President and no one else, so I couldn’t show my feelings without hesitation.

“By the way, Lieutenant Colonel Werner, did you receive the list of the entourage in advance?”

“No. “I didn’t receive it, Your Excellency.”

“Hmm, is that so? “That’s a big deal.”

Big deal?

A premonition of something not very good passed through his mind.

“That’s the truth. “There were urgent changes to the number of people in this group.”

The President continues speaking as if nothing has happened.

“Wasn’t the selection of personnel for the entourage solely managed by the secretary’s office?”

“That’s right, but the two people who were originally supposed to participate in the entourage ended up suffering from serious enteritis.”

“….”

“So, inevitably, you and your friend from Gumyeon have to accompany us.”

Jikkeun.

Werner felt like a headache that had subsided for a few days was coming back.

“Colonel Drake Brown. “He decided to join.”