My Platoon is F**king Hopeless

Rex, the corporal, was transferred to the military police, and Lunaia and I were called to the battalion commander’s office.

After all, we were the main parties involved in this entire commotion.

And the first thing we heard upon entering the battalion commander’s office was:

“I’m sorry, Enok, the platoon leader. I should have looked more carefully.”

This was Commander Lockhart’s sincere apology. It was somewhat unexpected; I thought he would at least scold us. But to accept it so quickly…

I don’t know if this is because the colonel looks favorably on me or because he considered this matter very seriously.

However, the fact that Rex was transferred to the military police for proper handling remained unchanged, so I respectfully thanked Commander Lockhart.

“No, Commander. I also did not expect Rex to act so recklessly. However… I did use magic on an unarmed soldier, so I will humbly accept any punishment.”

“Punishment? What are you talking about? This was something that had to be done. And…”

Commander Lockhart’s gaze shifted to Lunaia. Standing next to me, she assumed a rigid posture like a soldier.

“You must have had a tough time, Sergeant Lunaia. Keep it up like this.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Just like this.”

Although these words were not appropriate for someone who has been persistently bullied.

Lunaia did not show any reaction or say anything. She only bowed her head to Commander Lockhart.

“We’ll make sure Rex never sets foot here again. The military police will handle it properly without needing any pressure from me.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Right?”

When I responded, Commander Lockhart twitched his mustache as he spoke.

“If something like this happens again, please make sure to tell me directly. Both of you understand what I mean, right?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

“Good, good.”

In the end, it came down to this.

I sighed bitterly. In other words, he was grateful that I told him before direct action was taken by a higher command.

Well,

If Lockhart only said, “You must have had a tough time,” then he probably didn’t know what kind of bullying Lunaia was facing.

The personnel officer or platoon leader who should have reported to the middle management hadn’t fulfilled their roles.

But if I was still considered a low-ranking platoon leader by Lockhart, or if Lunaia had bypassed the chain of command and reported this directly to Lockhart,

It was uncertain whether the same result would have occurred.

At the very least, they would have punished Rex, but it’s unclear if it would have ended so cleanly without any complications.

And Lunaia, the victim, would feel this keenly as well.

“Then, Lunaia, you can go back.”

“Are you referring to Sergeant Lunaia?”

“Yes, there’s someone who wants to meet with the platoon leader.”

As Commander Lockhart said this, he turned his eyes towards the pantry connected to the office.

“Greetings, Lieutenant Enok Revendale, the platoon leader.”

A tall man emerged from inside and spoke. I hadn’t noticed anyone in the pantry due to my angle of vision.

Unlike the standard military uniform of a mage soldier, which is primarily white with a black coat, his attire was entirely black and red.

On the right side of his chest, there was a silver medal, and on his shoulder, embroidered with gold thread, was a chrysanthemum.

“I am Lieutenant Colonel Lannister Kael of the Northern Division, First Military Police Regiment of the National Military Police.”

“Honor to the Motherland! Lieutenant Enok Revendale, Fifth Platoon Leader.”

His sharp gaze and the imposing presence felt from the military police uniform were considerable.

While it is true that military police organizations are expected to appear rough due to their nature of dealing with other soldiers,

Lieutenant Colonel Lannister was not only physically imposing but also had the most menacing face among those I had seen.

This was the first time I’ve seen someone more intimidating than Sergeant Claude.

He gracefully returned my salute and gave Lunaia a slight nod.

“Can you step aside for a moment, Sergeant?”

“Oh…! Yes, understood.”

Lunaia, who seemed surprised by the sudden appearance of a military police officer, quickly left the battalion commander’s office. Lieutenant Colonel Lannister sat beside Commander Lockhart and spoke.

“Platoon Leader, please sit down.”

“What’s this?”

Lieutenant Colonel Lannister’s reason for pointing at me was unclear, but it was obvious that it wasn’t related to Rex.

A single soldier’s actions shouldn’t warrant the attention of such a high-ranking military police official, nor should it require sending Lunaia away.

In this case, rather than looking for simple witnesses,

It was clear that he wanted me for something else.

“I heard that you played a significant role in the capture of Belgorod Fortress recently.”

“There’s no need to overstate it.”

“I see. You fought alongside Sergeant Blüe, who just left, during the engagement.”

Now, I could confirm it.

Lieutenant Colonel Lannister’s purpose for coming to the 3rd Battalion was not to follow up on Rex’s case. He was clearly here to question me about the assault on Belgorod Fortress.

I answered his questions honestly, except for the part about Lunaia’s desertion.

“An excellent measure indeed. Thanks to this, our national military police could discern that it wasn’t merely an attack by common thieves.”

Commander Lockhart chimed in cheerfully, but Lieutenant Colonel Lannister simply stared at me silently.

“Let me ask you one thing. Platoon Leader Enok, why do you think I came here?”

This was a sudden question.

But it was easy to answer, given how obvious Lieutenant Colonel Lannister’s intentions were.

“The National Military Police suspects that information has leaked from nearby units.”

In the end, the point was clear.

How did the force behind the bandits find out about the artifact in the fortress?

“A spy, surely. Someone inside is leaking information.”

Sony Chepelin and I shared the same opinion. This assault on the fortress couldn’t have happened otherwise.

Leaving the goods untouched and taking only the artifact?

It was too suspicious.

As I answered without hesitation, Lieutenant Colonel Lannister smiled faintly.

“Haha… As expected, you’re quite perceptive.”

“I’ve already had a conversation with Major Sony Chepelin.”

“It makes sense why that eccentric mage would target a lieutenant.”

He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a cooperation document. Permission has already been granted by Commander Lockhart.”

I slowly read the contents of the paper.

[Cooperation Document]

[Northern Division Military Police Unit 1st Military Police Regiment]

[Target: 3rd Magic Battalion, 2nd Company, 5th Platoon]

Not just me, but the entire 5th Platoon?

Moreover, the content written on the document was not just for simple testimony or aiding the investigation.

“As you can see, the entire city of Chernov is being targeted.”

“Yes, exactly. To be precise, all military units adjacent to Chernov City are included. Of course, the city’s own security forces are also included.”

The scale was unimaginable.

If the national-level artifact was stolen, as Sony Chepelin suggested, it might make some sense, but…

To involve an entire city?

Even for me, this was astonishing.

In the main storyline of Hearts of General, espionage and information leaks by spies and saboteurs are quite frequent.

Whether in wartime or peacetime, those damn enemy spies acted like bears, crushing our information networks and stealing all sorts of secrets.

Therefore, when preparations for a full-scale war began, it was essential to increase the military police force or establish a dedicated intelligence agency to root out spies, which often involved overturning cities or units.

But a plan like this, involving all units in the region, was unprecedented unless there were constant revolutions or coups like in the Soviev Empire.

“Hold on, no… thinking about it, this is in Okhraine, isn’t it?”

Okhraine Duchy.

A nation recognized as the weakest.

Only a country with complete military and law enforcement capabilities could operate the military police in this manner.

For a country like Okhraine, lacking manpower, resources, and time?

“It might be better to burn down the house to catch a flea.”

Precise quarantine requires control, resources, and technology.

Trying to perform a precise quarantine with insufficient capabilities would not only fail to catch the targeted flea but also spread disease.

What if the flea carried the plague?

The tragedy wouldn’t be confined to the house but would affect the entire family.

“The National Military Police acting like this must mean the king is truly pessimistic.”

I finally understood why Sony Chepelin, an independent force, gained investigative rights for this case.

Simply put, they couldn’t trust the current military.

“You seem to understand why the investigation is proceeding in this form.”

Instead of answering, I nodded silently. All the pieces were falling into place.

Why the military police commander came for the mere escort of Corporal Rex, a petty criminal.

And why they wanted to cooperate with the 3rd Battalion, especially my platoon.

This is a highly classified operation.

A secret operation known only to Major Lockhart, myself, and Lieutenant Colonel Lannister.

“The formal investigation will begin next week. Additional military police units are being dispatched from the central command as we speak.”

Lieutenant Colonel Lannister continued speaking.

“But it’s impractical to rely solely on the military police for the investigation. That’s why we requested cooperation from the 3rd Battalion.”

“Our battalion has been cleared of suspicion.”

Beside me, the battalion commander shrugged his shoulders. Despite calling the military police, he seemed pleased, and now I understood why.

“But why did Lieutenant Colonel Lannister specifically single out your platoon? When I thought about it, you engaged in combat with suspicious individuals, so I judged you suitable for this collaboration.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Not at all. It’s the truth, ha-ha-ha!”

As expected of a person with such a cheerful personality. Commander Lockhart burst into laughter.

In any case, it meant that the military police viewed our battalion favorably, which made me smile broadly.

“Of course, your contribution is acknowledged, but this is all thanks to my honest lifestyle. Isn’t that right, Colonel?”

“Yes, Commander. Of course.”

Lieutenant Colonel Lannister skillfully deflected Commander Lockhart’s antics and turned to look at me again.

“Unfortunately, Lieutenant, you have no right to refuse. We are in a state of emergency. But since this is an official duty of the National Military Police, you can expect some rewards.”

With that, I swallowed hard.

This was both an opportunity and a solid career move.

After serving in the 3rd Battalion and advancing to captain, this would be the solid foundation needed to soar high.

Just like with Sony Chepelin, as a mere new mage officer, it would be impossible for me to handle cases like this.

Currently, with all my stats maxed out, there are many constraints.

In the army, the more outstanding you are, the more various forces try to drag you down.

As a mere lieutenant, I have no choice but to accept it.

But if I can rapidly build up achievements like this, I could rise to a position where I can spread my wings before anyone can drag me down.

That way, I might have something to contribute in the grim war five years from now.

I stood up and saluted Lieutenant Colonel Lannister loudly.

“I will do my best!”

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