Chapter 5
In her past life, Mia had accepted her ignorance of the military system and situation as a given. In her youthful arrogance, feeling overlooked and not having had the chance to display her abilities, she didn’t even try to learn what she didn’t know.
Even so, she had done her best to express her worth, but with her skewed view of the world, misunderstandings and mistakes were frequent. Then, due to Rochefort’s absence, she even ended up occupying the position of Commander-in-Chief, making it even less necessary for her to know anything.
—Mia, you don’t need to know the circumstances of those beneath you in detail. Just focus on their usefulness. Never forget the power the name Blanchard holds in this country.
The teachings of her father, Duke Blanchard, flashed through her mind.
But this time, things had to be different. She couldn’t be lulled into the false belief that her abilities would eventually shine; she couldn’t cling to ineffective strategies. To change something, Mia had to clearly understand the internal situation of the military and be able to utilize it in her operations.
That was the only way to protect Rochefort.
“Military ranks seem a bit different from what I knew,” Mia hinted.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. So could you explain it to me?”
“…Actually, this might be information you don’t need.”
“Why wouldn’t I need it? Is it because I’m not a real soldier?”
Mia shot back.
“…”
“The structure of the Holy Corps is special, and my affiliation is ambiguous. Due to the honorary nature of my position, my practical authority is much smaller than the nominal authority. I’ve never even been informed of the limits of my authority.”
“That’s… indeed true.”
“You know very well how important that nominal authority is in times of war. In case of an emergency, I need to clearly establish my position, the scope of my actions, and the ranks I can command.”
It was a simple and fundamental statement. No one had ever imagined that Blanchard, who had never even held a sword, would take such an active role, which was why it hadn’t been stated until now.
“Your Excellency doesn’t possess Divine Power, yet you have been assigned to the Holy Corps, acknowledging the will of the goddess.”
That meant that Mia was recognized as a member of the Holy Corps, regardless of how those hostile to her perceived it.
“…But it seems you want to keep treating me as a bureaucrat.”
“It seems Your Excellency prefers it that way.”
“Well, if you’re okay with it, then let’s keep it that way. Now, let’s talk about the authority I can possess.”
“As for that… Well, as you know, Your Excellency, since you hold an honorary position and I didn’t think you were interested in actually strategizing, your practical authority is—”
“I told you to stop that. Did you really think the military would give me proper authority? I’m asking how much authority the Strategic Officer of the 1st Holy Corps actually has, not some puppet noblewoman who got lucky with an honorary title.”
Her words carried a deep self-deprecation. Etienne felt an unknown weight from what she said and unconsciously reached out to Mia.
“The Strategic Officer is generally treated as the direct aide to the Corps Commander. Although the jurisdiction differs, you can understand it as being of the same rank as a deputy commander. So, within the unit, you don’t need to bow to anyone else but me.”
“From my perspective, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Mia sharply slapped away his hand that was reaching out to her. For a moment, Etienne’s expression darkened.
“…I will strive to ensure you receive the proper treatment moving forward.”
It was clearly a fault on the military’s part.
Etienne also knew that Mia’s reputation wasn’t particularly positive, and he was working hard to protect her from negative public opinion, but in the world, things seldom go as one wishes.
Etienne vividly remembered Mia’s figure, curled up and convulsing. Thanks to his appropriate intervention, Mia had avoided sustaining irreversible injuries, but the absence of physical scars didn’t mean her heart was fine.
Etienne was filled with rage. Perhaps what he had done to Léonard wasn’t the best choice he could have made as a superior. It was necessary to intervene since it was just before violence erupted, and a bit of force might have been involved in that process.
In the end, Etienne also knew he had been overly excited.
But he didn’t want Mia to be treated that way during her military life. Mia Blanchard was a far more competent person than that label of a failed hero, and Etienne knew that well.
Etienne wanted to protect Mia from being treated unfairly. Although the war could not be remembered fondly, he hoped she wouldn’t recall this time with thoughts of suffering due to her own side.
This sentiment stemmed from his duties as her superior, but also from something more personal…
Etienne shook his head. At this moment, he was the superior of Strategic Officer Mia Blanchard. In a battlefield where lives were lost as easily as playing with dolls, there was no room for other thoughts.
“…”
Mia remained silent the entire time. Etienne couldn’t shake the impression that she seemed unusually small today.
“…Your Excellency.”
“Yes.”
“I must discuss Leonard’s punishment further. Please return to your tent for now.”
Mia nodded slightly.
“Understood.”
Etienne vowed that Leonard would receive a fitting, or better yet, an even harsher punishment.
That was the best he could do for Mia at this moment.
***
Mia decided to take this opportunity to return to her tent. Now that the healing of her wound was complete, she had no reason to stay near the commander, who seemed to be acting strangely.
As soon as she arrived, the first thing she did was meticulously examine the layout inside her tent.
Fortunately, despite many changes, her first tent remained familiar. The fact that at least one thing was the same as in her past life provided Mia with a bit of comfort.
Her room was simpler than Rochefort’s, indicating her lower rank compared to the commander. Since she had never expected such luxurious treatment on the battlefield, this was just fine with her.
However, it was not the same as a regular soldier’s tent. Given its size, the furniture arrangement clearly indicated that it was a single room.
Since the Holy Corps was a military unit, she had prepared herself for communal living, so having a private space felt like a significant concession.
As if to suggest that its occupant was nominally the Strategic Officer, a desk was placed in one corner of the tent. Although it was not of the same quality as Rochefort’s desk, its presence indicated that Mia was being afforded a special privilege—something quite extravagant for the battlefield. The bed was no different.
‘I remember the supply officer boasting about how precious these items were when delivering them…’
As she looked at the fairly plush bed, memories of her first battle began to resurface. At that time, Mia hadn’t understood the harshness of the battlefield, so she had taken the supply officer’s words lightly.
It wasn’t until after the tides of battle turned against them that she realized how difficult it was to procure these luxury items in wartime.
‘On the day we had to retreat hastily without properly securing supplies, I was just grateful to have a blanket laid on the dirt to sleep on…’
As Mia lost herself in these memories, the entrance of the tent flapped open.
“Why on earth are you here?!”
A man stood at the door, his face flushed as if he had rushed over in haste. His tense eyes scanned the inside of the tent, assessing any potential threats. His worried expression was strikingly beautiful enough to momentarily leave her in awe.
At any rate, judging by his appearance, one would never think he was a commander of the empire. Mia felt a pang of regret for Rochefort’s beauty being used for such unsuitable purposes.
As she scrutinized Rochefort, trying to gauge his intentions, Mia finally spoke up in a tone that was surprisingly irreverent, as if admonishing a superior.
“Did I need your permission to enter my own tent?”
“You were supposed to be here long ago, and I looked for you for quite a while. I checked all the places you could have been, and as you know, if Your Excellency finds yourself in danger, we need to assess the situation and, no, respond to it…”
Mia simply observed Rochefort as he rambled. The way he stuttered was a stark contrast to how calm he had remained even when faced with a severely injured patient. It seemed he was genuinely flustered.
—
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