Corporal Edal showed an expression of surprise and bewilderment, but eventually smiled and nodded.
“Understood. I gratefully accept.”
“Gratitude is unnecessary. It’s a reward for your work. Be proud of your own abilities and efforts.”
“No. Still, I’m grateful to the lieutenant. I’ve never been praised before.”
“…I don’t have the right to negate the feelings you’ve held. Do as you please.”
“Yes, I’ll do as I please.”
With those parting words, Corporal Edal left.
It was the afternoon, a week after being dispatched to the northern Garna region. During training, a summons came from the operations room. The superior officers were all gathered there.
“You called for me?”
When Hazen asked, Major Gedol approached with a smile.
“I’m surprised. You’re still alive, it seems.”
“I’ve been submitting daily reports.”
Hazen replied, and the nervous-looking short man on the left side twitched his eyes. Major Gedol turned to look at him.
“Is that so? Lieutenant Mospitza.”
“He hasn’t come under my command.”
“I see. Well, you’ve been busy, after all.”
Major Gedol turned his attention back to Hazen.
“No, I’m sorry. The 8th platoon was a bunch of ruffians, and we didn’t have the right personnel to control them. But I’ve heard that you’ve been training them well, so I’ve changed my perception of you. I apologize for the rude test.”
“It’s fine.”
Hazen answered without changing his expression at all.
“Then, let me introduce your direct superior. This is Lieutenant Mospitza. He was away on a separate assignment, so this is your first meeting.”
“Yes, pleased to meet you. I’m Hazen Heim.”
“…Before the self-introduction, may I ask you a question?”
Lieutenant Mospitza fixed his sharp, nervous gaze on Hazen.
“Go ahead.”
“On the day of your assignment, you allegedly killed Sergeants Chomo and Dickett, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“But I haven’t received that report from you.”
“I wrote it in the daily report and submitted it.”
“I’m saying I didn’t receive the report.”
“So, where did you learn about the deaths of Sergeant Chomo and Sergeant Dickett?”
When Hazen asked, Lieutenant Mospitza’s eyebrows twitched.
“I heard it orally from the other subordinates. Normally, important information should be conveyed verbally, and that’s how it should be, don’t you think?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, why don’t you give an oral report?”
“Because I judged it was not important.”
“The judgment is not yours to make.”
“Well then, please look through the logbook. The report content is in there, so the lieutenant can judge whether it’s important or not.”
“…What!?”
The voice of Lieutenant Mospitza became harsher.
“If the judgment of importance is not left to the discretion of a subordinate, then do so. Giving an oral report on everything is a waste, so I think it’s most efficient for you to look through the logbook.”
“I’m not saying that!”
“Then what are you trying to say?”
Hazen had a puzzled, quizzical expression on his face. Just what was this superior officer getting so agitated and upset about? As far as Hazen was concerned, he was just answering according to military regulations.
“You should be able to feel it intuitively! No oral report either? Didn’t you even think it was serious!?”
“Yes. Intuitively and by military regulations, I judged it was not important.”
“Then your sense of things must be abnormal. You killed two subordinates, you know? It would be considered a coverup.”
“It’s not a coverup. I reported it in the logbook.”
“But I’m telling you I haven’t received it!”
Lieutenant Mospitza angrily slapped the desk.
“I wrote it a week ago. It was received by Sergeant Gabi of the 5th platoon.”
“Hoh. And what if he says he didn’t receive it?”
“I got a timestamp and signature when he received it. If he committed perjury, I’ll submit that.”
Hazen basically didn’t trust others. Although it was a hassle, he made sure to keep careful records of deliveries.
“………”
Lieutenant Mospitza fell silent, sweating on his forehead. Meanwhile, Hazen had a puzzled expression. Just what has this superior officer been trying to say this whole time?
“Even if Sergeant Gabi didn’t pass it on, it was a week ago. If you had pointed it out right away, the sergeant would have dealt with it immediately, right?”
“…I’m busy, so I read the logbook on the weekends.”
“The logbook? Do you only read the important information in that document a week later, and then report it to a superior officer?”
Hazen had a look of shock on his face, and Lieutenant Mospitza fell silent again.
“…Heh.”
Was it another officer? Stifled laughter came from the surroundings, and the anxious little man turned bright red in the face.
“The 8th platoon is on leave this month! Of course I’m reviewing the reports from the border patrol units. I only review the off-duty platoons’ logs on the weekends. It’s a matter of prioritizing importance! Obviously!”
Lieutenant Mospitza explained emphatically.
“So it was unimportant information after all.”
“What?”
“I judged the information as unimportant, and the lieutenant also didn’t prioritize the off-duty information. Despite having heard it orally from another soldier, you didn’t interview me at the time, and didn’t read the logbook. The lieutenant and I are in agreement.”
“Grr…I only judged it wasn’t urgent! I didn’t say it wasn’t important!”
“……”
Hazen wondered what could be making the lieutenant so red-faced and agitated, with bloodshot eyes and a trembling body. He had boldly stated “It’s a matter of prioritizing importance!” after all.
“At any rate, don’t you feel anything about killing two subordinates?”
“No, I don’t. As a soldier, if there’s a need to kill according to military regulations, I kill.”
“How appalling. That someone with such an abnormal sense of ethics would be a general officer carrying the empire on their shoulders.”
“Are you trying to say that I should value ethics more highly than military regulations?”
“No, I’m not saying that!”
“Then what are you trying to say?”
“Tch…”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Lieutenant Mospitza fell silent again. Observing this, Hazen sighed. What a waste of time. The military needs to make rational judgments based on its rules.
Hazen didn’t have any particular animosity towards the lieutenant. Getting angry at a superior officer would just be a hassle, and he’d already experienced enough of that before. That’s why he had taken the officer exam, so he wouldn’t have to deal with that anymore. But it seemed nothing had changed.
He just wanted to somehow get the lieutenant to calm down and work together smoothly.
As the lieutenant’s silence continued and an unpleasant atmosphere filled the room, Colonel Gedol looked at the two of them and made a proposal.
“Well, Lieutenant Hazen, I understand you have no intention of covering this up. But since Lieutenant Mospitza judged it as ‘important’, why don’t you explain it here now?”
“Very well, I’ll explain. They were plotting to poison the superior officer, so I punished them according to military regulations.”
“And the evidence?”
Lieutenant Mospitza eagerly pressed for more.
“Caught in the act. When I confronted them about the poisoned wine, Sergeant Chomo resisted and attacked me. That’s equivalent to a confession. Sergeant Dickett also confessed his guilt.”
“So you executed your subordinates, did you?”
“I considered the circumstantial evidence to be sufficient.”
“That’s your claim, isn’t it? Where is the objective evidence?”
Lieutenant Mospitza glared at him, clicking his tongue.
“Poison was found in Sergeant Chomo’s room.”
“Surely you didn’t investigate this as a party involved?”
“Lieutenant Tomas of the 6th squad was present as a witness.”
“Tsk…what about Sergeant Dickett’s room?”
“No poison was detected there. That’s likely because Sergeant Chomo was the ringleader.”
“So you executed those who may not have been the real culprit?”
“Yes. Whether they were the ringleader or not, the military code demands the death penalty.”
“But don’t you think that’s rather inhumane?”
“I don’t think so. It was in accordance with military regulations.”
At that moment, Hazen felt uneasy. Perhaps this Lieutenant Mospitza didn’t fully understand the military code.
“…However, it has resulted in the loss of two of our personnel. How do you intend to take responsibility for that?”
“In terms of the squad’s quality, it has improved. As long as the military function is fulfilled, the reduction in personnel is not a problem.”
“How will you prove that?”
“There are three options: an audit, simulated training, or performance on the battlefield. I believe demonstrating it on the actual battlefield would be the most fitting.”
“That’s quite confident of you. But that will take time. If you wanted to prove it immediately, without your subjective opinion, what objective evaluation would you offer?”
Lieutenant Mospitza said in a triumphant tone:
“Colonel Gedol.”
“Hm?”
“In your earlier discussion, who evaluated the 8th squad?”
“…It was Major Yura. I happened to see their training, and it seemed more spirited and coordinated than any other squad’s.”
“Thank you. Lieutenant Mospitza, Major Yura commands a completely separate unit under Lieutenant Colonel Lamballe, not our own squad. Wouldn’t you agree that this is an objective evaluation?”
“……”
Lieutenant Mospitza fell silent, his face growing pale. Hazen wondered why. He had provided a perfectly satisfactory explanation, with immediate responses.
Hazen had no personal experience serving in a major military, but he believed there was nothing wrong with acting according to military code and hierarchy. What could possibly be the issue here?
“Isn’t Major Yura’s testimony sufficient? Is there a problem with its credibility or quality?”
“I’m not saying that! Alright, I’ll admit it. The quality has not declined.”
“I see. Then there is no issue, is there?”
“But! But still, two lives were lost. They must have had families, didn’t they?”
“That may be true.”
“Don’t you feel any sense of guilt?”
“No.”
“No guilt towards their families?”
“None.”
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