9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 140 - Choice and Focus (2)

It’s been nearly two weeks since Etrastan fell.

There was nothing special about the Schufaben army’s secret to victory.

Merciless bombardment pouring out massive quantities, and advances that happened in the blink of an eye.

Carriages and trains, dragons, airships.

Supply lines were established using every possible means and method, and wherever we went, we first seized control of railway lines, roads, and telegraph networks.

Then, based on reinforcements pouring in from the homeland, we steamrolled everything like a massive roller.

That bastard Kruger is definitely a god of war.

Ah, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic.

But Kruger’s cunning in grasping the battlefield from brief reports alone and issuing optimal commands is truly…

My head is throbbing.

Kruger’s way of conducting war perfectly resembles Schufaben’s strictness and meticulousness.

If I were a Kruger supporter, I would have shouted this to the enemy,

“This is what organized administrative power looks like, you idiots! Hahahahahaha!”

Supply officers send exactly what’s needed at precisely the right time, not a single dud is mixed in among the new recruits, advances are fast and nimble, and battles always end in victory.

At this level, it would be strange not to praise the Supreme Leader. The atmosphere among the soldiers was actually very good.

I’m the only one shouldering all the mental anguish.

“Damn it…”

I jolted awake from another nightmare.

Nightmares are never anything special.

It’s just that all the battlefields I’ve been through, all the fucking bastards, and all my weaknesses that make my heart ache just thinking about them get molded together like clay and appear before my eyes.

In a spinning world, I see the ruined Cortana royal palace, then the capital Donel of West Etrastan wrapped in artillery fire, then the boy king Edvart trying to kill me, then Kruger roaring with laughter, then Erika sobbing over her father’s death.

But I don’t scream “It’s not my fault!” or thrash around.

It is my fault, and these are things that happened because of my choices. That’s what makes it even more fucked up.

“Ugh, my joints are aching.”

I wiped my drenched face and stretched long.

No matter how much I toss and turn, no matter how terrible the nightmares I suffer, doing my assigned work properly is what makes an excellent member of society, right?

I drew back the curtains with a swoosh, and through the barracks window I could see the dawn mist and the lake glowing blue.

Just as Schufaben and Cortana are divided by the Colt mountain range, Etrastan and the Pontinell Kingdom were separated by that Kudmil Lake.

And we were taking a brief moment for reorganization before crossing that lake to advance into Pontinell.

Resupplying, giving the soldiers rest time, and getting some work done.

“Hm hm— Let’s see— where did my socks go—”

Humming while picking up clothes to put on, I applied cosmetics to my pale face in front of the mirror and arranged my hair.

Today was the day for an interview with journalists from the homeland.

***

The profession of war correspondent exists in this world too.

Looking at Schufaben alone you wouldn’t particularly believe it, but media formation in this world was very rapid, and journalists have been running around battlefields and disaster zones for hundreds of years, reporting news.

Of course, you can’t expect such righteous journalists from the axis of evil, Schufaben. Just look at how they’re only accepting war correspondents now, when they’ve already swallowed about half the continent.

Until now, when I sent reports, only facts that suited Kruger’s taste were announced, and based on those, countless “nationalist” articles kept pouring out.

‘Ugh, disgusting.’

It makes me sick, but what can I do?

After eating breakfast, receiving a brief report from Deputy Commander Eisler, conducting a review, and taking a light stroll around the lake with Colin, Captain Himmel called for me.

“Commander. The interview preparations are complete. The journalists are waiting in front of your office.”

“Thank you, Captain Himmel. I’ll go see them now. You’ll need to do very well. There might be assassins mixed in among the journalists targeting me.”

“……”

“Haha, you don’t even respond to jokes anymore!”

Tsk, no fun.

I wiped my sweat with the towel Captain Himmel handed me and walked in the cool breeze.

Show the journalists a very natural side of me.

In front of my barracks, on the sandy area where tents were set up facing the lake, about ten journalists had gathered.

After putting on my sunglasses and bringing Colin, I approached the journalists.

“Nice to meet you, journalists.”

I sat in the comfortable beach chair prepared in front of the journalists, crossed my legs, and smiled.

“I’m Lucas Redan, commander of the 1st Army Headquarters. I’m twenty-eight years old, and until a few years ago I was a civil servant. Now then, if you have any questions, please ask anything.”

I looked around at the journalists from behind my sunglasses. This was my first time actually dealing with them, except for Daniel.

The journalists generally had excited expressions. They probably selected and sent people who felt pride and joy in Schufaben’s winning streak.

No, if they weren’t such people, wouldn’t it be hard to survive at a newspaper company?

Looking at the journalists with sparkling eyes really didn’t make me feel good. And among them, the young female journalist who sparkled the brightest.

‘That face looks familiar somehow.’

I slightly lifted my sunglasses and smiled.

“Oh, before that. There’s someone I know. Miss Sophia Kohl?”

“Yes, yes!”

Sophia jumped up and shouted.

“I thought so. You worked as a writer for the National Radio Broadcasting Station, right? You recruited me for the ‘People of Schufaben’ program.”

“You remember…!”

Sophia’s face was colored with emotion. The other journalists also murmured a bit, apparently remembering that broadcast.

“How could I forget after all these years? Anyway, nice to see you. Well then, if I have time I’ll guide you through every corner of how our Schufaben army lives and operates, but I have work to do. Instead, Deputy Commander here, Major General Eisler, will move with you all.

Now, let’s stop the chatter and start the interview.”

The journalists raised their hands excitedly, and questions poured out amid dazzling camera flashes.

“What do you think was the secret to occupying the continent so quickly?”

“Currently among your subordinate divisions, the 36th Infantry Division where you briefly served isn’t included—aren’t you disappointed about that?”

“Your speech in West Etrastan was truly eloquent, but there were talks that it was an independent decision. We’d like to know about the situation then!”

I answered them one by one. I could feel the gaze of Deputy Commander Eisler, who was monitoring me under the guise of assistance.

The journalists surprisingly only asked sensible questions. Maybe they’re only acting according to orders from above.

“Well, if we’ve done this much, you should have enough material for articles, right? Then—”

“Ah, wait a moment! Now that we’re only facing the Pontinell advance, when are you planning to move?”

Just as I was trying to wrap things up appropriately, Sophia Kohl called out cheerfully.

“Hmm…”

I pretended to think and glanced at Eisler. He stood motionless with his mouth shut.

‘At least he won’t interfere.’

I smiled wickedly and lowered my voice.

“Actually, this plan would be troublesome if it became known to the public, but off the record—no, since you journalists will also be moving with us, I’ll answer if you promise not to write articles about it. We plan to advance into Pontinell in ten days, on October 1st.”

***

“Aaaahhh! These fucking journalist bastards! Reactionary scum who should be torn apart!”

One week later.

Hearing my furious scream, Captain Himmel and Deputy Commander Eisler rushed into the barracks.

“What’s wrong, Commander!”

I, who had been raging, threw the torn newspaper pieces in front of them.

“Look at this! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted those journalist bastards!”

「1st Army Headquarters subordinate divisions scheduled to move in early October」

「Fateful battle approaching」

「’The enemies are base and weak’ – General Lucas Redan’s words」

「General Redan inspecting the garrison」

As expected, Schufaben media didn’t disappoint.

Soldiers in garrisons constantly searched for reading material.

Battlefields are quite boring spaces when not in combat, entertainment is severely lacking, and there’s plenty to drive you mentally insane.

Alcohol, gambling, and romance are strictly prohibited and you’re sent to the stockade the moment you’re caught, so the safest hobby is taking an interest in reading something.

Supply officers sometimes sent various newspapers, and soldiers would also ask family or friends back home to send books and magazines by letter.

Novels were popular too, but of course what most people sought were adult magazines. Those with black and white photos of naked men and women.

I didn’t have time to read such things, setting aside my dignity, so I paid no attention to them.

Instead, when I had the energy, I read newspapers daily—usually ones delivered by train.

From the garrison to Schufaben is a week’s journey by train. So I receive newspapers that are a week old.

And what I tore up was a week-old newspaper.

In the end, this means that on the very day I told the journalists information off the record, they ran to the telegraph office and transmitted the information!

“Immediately detain those reactionary bastards’ identities! Don’t let them wander around anywhere! Spreading information I clearly marked as classified like this—what is this but helping enemy nations!”

As I foamed at the mouth and raged, Eisler calmed me down.

“Please calm down, Commander. If there were problems with the articles, the homeland would have taken appropriate measures.”

“Phew, yeah, I have no choice but to believe that.”

I clutched my heart and pretended to calm down while breathing out.

Seeing that they didn’t censor it, Kruger probably didn’t think much of it. Or maybe he was confident.

I deliberately threw out bait.

If the journalists really kept it off the record or if the articles were censored, I could just let it slide, but if articles came out like this…

‘It should help Pontinell a little.’

I hoped Pontinell, which plays one of the continent’s big three roles along with Schufaben and Rubellia, would buy even a little time.

Hold out longer, drain Schufaben’s strength as much as possible.

That way Queen Marianne of Rubellia could more easily oppose Kruger.

***

“Huh, but I didn’t expect them to fight this well…”

I took my eyes off the telescope and muttered, then was startled to realize my voice was trembling and quickly shut my mouth.

After I called the journalists and put on an act of raging, the Schufaben army began its advance as scheduled.

Since we couldn’t call the navy to cross the huge lake, we went around toward the border.

And the Pontinell army we faced had already finished all their preparations.

Before reaching the first city beyond the lake, the Pontinell army with cannons at the fore was waiting for us.

Without any declarations of war, bombardment began. But immediately an anomaly was revealed.

Boom! Kaboom kaboom!

In the ear-splitting artillery fire, the stirring sounds of frontline soldiers were too faint but soon reached the upper ranks.

“Commander! The enemies have set up magic barriers and are blocking our bombardment!”

“Barriers can withstand bombardment?”

I asked back unconsciously—it was such an absurd thing to hear.

“How can they use mages so inefficiently?”

Barriers that could block such developed cannons even for a few minutes—that’s surprising enough, but how do they endure such extreme mana consumption?

“First, tell them not to stop the bombardment. They can’t hold out long anyway.”

“Yes! I’ll relay the orders!”

However, whether they invented some new formula or are rotating mages to endure, their barrier absolutely wouldn’t break.

Moreover, something even more terrifying was waiting.

“Commander, look over there.”

At Captain Alina Himmel’s words, I turned my telescope to the sky and saw a small old man with white whiskers fluttering in the wind.

Dressed in the typical mage image of billowing robes, he floated high in the sky with a protective barrier around his body.

The moment I unconsciously thought of Fael, he raised both hands and opened his mouth.

“Sel tus, irates kalium!”

His voice boomed as if he’d used an amplification spell.

Boom! Crash!

The world briefly flickered.

Light so intense it seemed it would blind me struck down from sky to earth, devastating our artillery unit’s position.

Lightning—a divine power beyond human domain—instantly turned an entire artillery battalion to ash.

“Aaaahhh! Kyaaahhh!”

“Hee, hee hee! Huuuehhh!”

Nearby soldiers who saw their comrades’ bodies explode and burn let out terrible screams.

Those actually hit by lightning couldn’t even make death cries and evaporated.

“Crazy, this was a fantasy world after all.”

The truth I’d forgotten suddenly came back to me. This place is different from my world.

“But how does he have such power…”

“Commander! Commander!”

Captain Himmel grabbed my shoulders as I stood there dazed and shook me.

“Take cover!”

“Ig— tolenm!”

The old mage shouted again. A fireball huge as the sun began spreading before our eyes.