My Platoon is F**king Hopeless

Sony Chepelin’s eyes flickered. She fell into thought for a moment before lowering her head.

“I’m sorry, Enok Revendale.”

The colonel chose to apologize cleanly instead of making excuses or becoming defensive.

Being a colonel and also holding the title of High Mage, apologizing to a just-commissioned lieutenant or sergeant requires considerable resolve.

So I decided to coolly accept it as well.

“No, I think it was a situation where misunderstanding could easily occur…”

“Gah!?”

Moving my body caused pain to shoot through me like a ghost. Damn it, when a man’s back is hurt, it’s really in trouble.

“First Platoon Leader!”

When I winced in pain, Bella Meyer hurried over to support me. The pain eased as soon as she reached out her hand.

A first-grade blue mage.

Since she handles the origin of life, water, she could use some healing magic.

“…Anyway, this proves that both Bella Meyer and I are innocent, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm, I suppose so.”

“Then, may I ask you one favor?”

“What is it?”

“Regarding Lumina’s desertion, could you please ask Colonel to understand? This friend has trauma, so it wasn’t intentional desertion from the front lines.”

“Oh, ah~ Well, I don’t mind. Deserting the front line isn’t such a big offense.”

Unexpectedly, Sony Chepelin was also lenient in this aspect. She truly is an unpredictable woman.

“But, did you actually meet mages? If so, have you seen anything like this?”

She described a round object with her hands while speaking.

“It sparkles, like a gemstone.”

Bingo.

I was sure my hypothesis was correct.

There was something special stored in Belgorod Fortress, and those mysterious mages had hired bandits to raid the fortress and steal that item.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it. But based on the circumstances, they must have taken it for sure.”

I added with a smile.

“You’re talking about the special item stored in the fortress, right?”

“Lieutenant, I can’t let that statement slide.”

Sony Chepelin’s spirit changed again. Another surge of magic stimulated my entire body.

I definitely grabbed her attention.

She seemed to be wondering how I knew about it.

“It was easy to figure out. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come all the way here just because a remote fortress was captured.”

“Keep going. I need to hear more.”

My plan was proceeding smoothly.

Now was the perfect opportunity to prove my innocence and firmly imprint my name in Sony Chepelin’s mind.

After all, I had to establish contact with this person sooner or later.

Though a bit ahead of schedule…

‘Actually, better this way.’

I began to calmly explain my hypothesis.

“When I first heard that Belgorod Fortress had been captured, I received a report from the platoon leader that an explosion had been observed.”

At that time, I hadn’t been certain it was the work of mages. I simply assumed they had brought some explosives.

“But upon encountering systematically moving bandits and a suspicious group of mages at the end, I realized it wasn’t just a simple fortress raid.”

I drove the point home.

“It wasn’t just a simple fortress raid.”

Enok Revendale’s gaze was now completely fixed on me. She nodded occasionally, showing interest.

I told her everything I had witnessed in that place.

All five were excellent mages capable of casting at least intermediate-level spells.

And I even mentioned that they used a remote return rune artifact at the end.

The colonel crossed his arms halfway through and said with a serious expression,

“Enok? You mean Lieutenant Enok, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you have any idea where they came from?”

“The Soviev Empire, for sure.”

“…”

A short exclamation.

It worked, she bought it.

Sony Chepelin tapped her foot on the floor twice, then hurriedly rushed out of the medical tent, shouting,

“Sorry, Lieutenant, I’ll be back later!”

Sony Chepelin couldn’t help but marvel.

Her insight was razor-sharp. Of course, having directly encountered the spies, she would feel more than others, but…

No one had ever seen through the mages’ true purpose—retrieving something potentially stored in the fortress, not just causing a disturbance or provocation by attacking the fortress.

Even the commander of the Novgorod Division only claimed it was a simple bandit attack.

Moreover, she correctly identified the backing nation.

She realized that Lieutenant Enok Revendale was a highly promising raw talent.

Facing her, a High Mage and colonel, he remained steadfast in his convictions and courage.

His chilling, cold demeanor exuded charisma, and his unwavering confidence in his words.

Nothing about him displeased Sony Chepelin.

Bang!

“Ah, you startled me!! Colonel! Please stop slamming doors like that!”

In a temporary office set up in a corner of the regiment headquarters building, Sony Chepelin’s subordinates from the Special Response Brigade were organizing documents.

While the division’s internal inspection department and the national guard were conducting investigations on-site, Sony Chepelin brought these people because of a special order from the co-ruler.

‘Trust cannot be placed in the existing military command, so the Special Response Brigade should conduct the investigation.’

The precious artifact, ‘Pearl of Foreknowledge,’ had been stolen.

To prevent leaks, it had been transported via security measures through Walter Tri-Countries.

Not assigning a convoy was also due to this reason. If a convoy was dispatched from the center, there was a high chance the information would leak to ‘hostile forces’ in some manner.

But just when the artifact was being briefly routed through the border fortress of Belgorod, bandits raided the fortress, and the artifact vanished.

Clearly, it was deliberate.

Even after eliminating all bandits, the Pearl of Foreknowledge was never recovered.

Therefore, Sony Chepelin was convinced that there was an ‘enemy’ within the Okhraine Army.

“Ah~ Sorry, sorry. By the way, Captain Marcel, bring all the documents related to Lieutenant Enok Revendale of the 3rd Mage Battalion and his platoon.”

“3rd Mage Battalion?”

“Yeah, just Lieutenant Enok Revendale, no one else.”

The colonel’s eyes flashed.

Perhaps, he might be the perfect fit for her Special Response Brigade.

While I was stuck in the medical tent, the situation was quickly resolved.

It wasn’t a complicated scenario.

All bandits who attacked the fortress were eliminated. Fallen soldiers’ remains were all collected, and reconstruction work at Belgorod Fortress was steadily underway.

Of course, investigations into the unknown force behind the scenes and the theft of the artifact would continue, but…

Externally, the matter was almost settled.

With our battalion’s soldiers already preparing to depart and return to their units, the sudden first battle had ended successfully.

Many had distinguished themselves during this process.

– Thanks to Lieutenant Enok’s proper handling, everything went smoothly. We genuinely appreciate it.

Lieutenant Ivan, who held the line despite being surrounded, seized this opportunity to impress higher-ranking commanders.

– I always believed in him! Our Lieutenant Enok truly did a great job!

Colonel Lockhart, who received commendations from the division commander and regimental commander, felt proud and didn’t hold back his praise.

Even when heaped with criticism, he remained resilient. Truly, a textbook opportunist.

Still, it wasn’t a bad outcome.

It made up for the troll-like act of breaking a perfectly good barracks wall.

Furthermore, the news that tracking down the culprits until the last moment had led to unraveling some clues in the case only boosted the value of myself and the entire 5th Platoon.

At least, we managed to improve our image.

If the division commander went out of his way to commend us, it meant we really did well.

I thought I had earned enough praise, achieved some merits, and could return to my unit comfortably…

Why is this happening?

“Colonel Lockhart? I’m considering transferring Lieutenant Enok Revendale from your battalion to our Special Response Brigade. Is there any problem?”

Just before the final withdrawal.

Colonel Sony Chepelin dropped a bombshell during a gathering of officers and NCOs from our battalion, including Lockhart.

“What…? No, Commander, what do you mean?”

“Just as I said. We’re urgently assigning Lieutenant Enok Revendale to our brigade.”

Colonel Lockhart’s face distorted in shock. Even I was speechless.

“Didn’t you hear? The fortress raid is concluded, but the investigation into its background continues.”

“Yes, I know.”

“We need Lieutenant Enok Revendale for the investigation. Can I take him?”

“Commander! Even so, there are procedures to follow…”

“I’ve already informed the Personnel Command. Unless he refuses personally, it won’t be processed for a few days.”

She was truly insistent.

“Enok, can you come over for a moment?”

Hearing her call my name, everyone’s eyes turned to me.

‘What the heck? Why now?’

I slowly stepped forward, despite my still-recovering back hurting.

“Enok, if you say you want to go, even the battalion commander can’t stop you. I really like you. Your records show you’ve put together a platoon without any oddballs.”

She added confidently, believing I would accept.

“It’s a newly formed combat unit under the direct control of the Central Corps. It’s practically considered elite in the entire army. Don’t you want to move up to a higher position rather than stay in a regular field unit?”

Everyone waited for my response.

Colonel Lockhart looked at me with unease, while Sony Chepelin wore a self-satisfied expression.

I glanced back at my platoon members behind me.

Lumina, Bella, and even Claude. They clearly expected me to accept.

Indeed, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As she said, the Special Response Brigade is treated as a decisive weapon in the main game of Hats of Generals, recognized as a key unit by Okhraine.

Not only could I rapidly accumulate skills, but I could also gain significant achievements, making the path to promotion wide open.

“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often, does it?”

But.

Facing the colonel, who grinned in anticipation of victory, I opened my mouth without hesitation.

“I don’t want to.”

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