As the sun sets and darkness approaches, I invited some outstanding officers I had been keeping an eye on to a famous restaurant in District 11 of the capital.
Every seat is in a private room, and the atmosphere is luxurious, making it the perfect place for secretive conversations.
“Alright, everyone, please sit. I’ll be covering everything today, so don’t hold back.”
“Th-thank you, Your Excellency.”
“There are various drinks available, what would you like? Coffee? Or alcohol? Tea?”
The officers hesitantly sat down, glancing around the table, seemingly overwhelmed by the spread of delicacies in front of them.
Well, I suppose that’s to be expected. They’re friends who were born into poor and impoverished families and enlisted just to make a living.
Unlike me, who gets to enjoy this kind of luxury with the star on my chest and a dedicated chef, how often do young officers like these get to experience such fine food?
In fact, it’s been years since I was stuck up north and got to indulge like this… but anyway,
“Would it be alright if I have wine?”
“I-I’d like whiskey, please…”
“Sure. For about twenty people… bring out seven bottles of Aindolf wine and three bottles of Talaran whiskey!”
Aindolf and Talaran are both renowned for their vineyards and distillation techniques, famous even before the songs were sung about them.
As a result, the wine and whiskey produced there are considered the finest in the kingdom.
It was more than enough to lavish on lower-ranking officers, but today, I decided to spend freely.
If I’m going to treat them, I should make it count, right?
Soon, the waiter brought out the drinks, and I used the bottle opener to uncork them.
Then, I personally poured a drink for everyone and handed it to them.
“Everyone, have a drink. I’ll give the toast. For the kingdom!”
“For the kingdom!!!”
The glasses clinked in the air, and the high-proof red and golden liquids passed from our lips down into our throats.
The sweetness of the grapes, the scent of malt and oak, all stimulated our individual senses of taste and smell.
With the help of alcohol to lift the mood, we began the meal in earnest.
We sliced the meat, speared a piece with our forks, and dipped the tender grilled salmon into the sauce, savoring every bite.
In this moment, we felt a sense of ease and abundance that was unattainable in the front lines or the barracks, letting our usual hardships be soothed by the pleasure of fine food.
“This is my first time here, but it’s quite good. How about you all? Do you like it?”
“Yes!”
“To think such a lavish treatment is being given to a mere lieutenant colonel… I truly appreciate it!!”
“Haha, don’t be so hard on yourself. A soldier who defends the kingdom shouldn’t be so self-deprecating.”
The tension from earlier, when we were in the presence of the mighty four-star general, had long since vanished, and a relaxed atmosphere gradually settled over the group.
Some of them, whose faces were slightly flushed from the alcohol, and others whose expressions had softened, were enjoying the moment.
‘Now’s as good a time as any to start.’
Seeing it as the right moment to bring up the main topic, I poured another round of drinks and began to speak.
“So, how’s life in the military lately? Is the work manageable?”
“Well…”
“Feel free to be honest. The person sitting in front of you is the current leader of a coup faction. Do you think criticizing your former superiors will bother me?”
These were the very men who had agreed to my invitation because they had complaints to begin with.
At first, they were taken aback when I suddenly asked them to speak ill of their former superiors.
But, as soon as they realized I was the one who had replaced those superiors and taken their positions, they started to speak up, one by one.
“To be honest, I’m not really satisfied.”
“Even though I worked hard enough to receive a performance award, I’m always skipped over in the promotion rankings. After years of that, I’ve lost the motivation to even try anymore.”
“I was getting ready to move after receiving the order for a brigade staff promotion. But then, some nobleman came along, said he wanted it for himself, and took my order. As a result, my career got completely messed up.”
These were words they would never normally speak.
But with the help of alcohol, and knowing who I was, they spoke without hesitation.
The frustrations they had always kept hidden poured out in the form of conversation.
In terms of rank, these men were my subordinates.
However, in terms of military experience, some were even a few ranks ahead of me.
Although my promotion was unusually fast, even considering that, their ranks were still much lower due to the relentless discrimination they’d faced.
I quietly listened to their grievances, which had built up over the years—some for just a few years, others for nearly twenty. Then, gently, I reassured them.
“You’ve been through a lot. I understand how you feel. I went through the same when I was younger.”
“Is that so, Your Excellency? Now that you mention it, the Roitel family is…”
“A nothing special rural noble family. The only thing notable about them is the ‘von’ in their name. They’re no different from wealthy commoners.”
When it came to our backgrounds, we were not so different after all.
I subtly reminded them of that fact, reinforcing the shared sense of identity between us.
“It pains me to see such promising talents struggling. If you’re willing, I would like to offer my personal help.”
“Help… You mean?”
“Yes. The reason you haven’t risen in ranks is because you haven’t had the chance to properly showcase your abilities and be recognized for them, right? I’ll create an opportunity for you to truly shine and make an impact. Whether it’s with the new division being formed or anywhere else, I’ll make sure you’re in the right place.”
Before I knew it, all eyes were on me.
I felt a sense of satisfaction as I lit a cigarette.
In my previous life in Korea, this would have been unimaginable, but here, smoking during meals is quite ordinary.
Taking a drag and exhaling the smoke, I raised a finger to signal attention.
“However, there is one condition.”
“Please, tell us! As long as it’s not asking us to become devil worshippers or anything like that, we’ll follow whatever you say!”
“If you help us, we’ll be your loyal servants for life!!”
They’re already eager to join my side. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere I wanted to create.
Well, that’s good. If their minds are already made up, convincing them will be much easier.
“It’s not difficult. Just become my people.”
“That, we can do without hesitation.”
“I don’t just mean to follow my line. What I’m asking is for you to swear loyalty to me first and foremost, and to prioritize me over the king.”
I don’t need people who are just looking to latch on for the crumbs.
Such people can be found anywhere in the military, in any department.
They’ll come running with just a little bribe tossed their way.
What I need, what the Kingdom’s Rebuilding High Council needs, are real people—those who will truly unite with us, become one with us, and won’t betray us. True, unwavering loyalists.
That’s why I’ve only selected those who showed real potential after careful investigation.
“You want us to prioritize you over the king… even though we serve in the kingdom’s army?”
“Isn’t that betraying the royal family, Your Excellency?”
“I don’t mean for you to openly oppose them. What I’m asking is that you obey the higher-ups as usual, but follow me in special circumstances.”
“Are you asking us to break the oath of loyalty we swore when we enlisted? Are you telling us to betray His Majesty—”
“The king betrayed us first!!”
I slammed my hand onto the table. Standing up and stepping on the chair with my boot, I looked down at everyone.
“Everyone here knows my background, right?! Don’t you?! I spent ten fucking years rotting in the cold north, fighting to the death with the Empire’s scum! My men from the northern army and I held onto that godforsaken vast plain, bleeding and shitting ourselves to protect it!!”
The room fell silent. I could feel the weight of their gazes on me, not just from the alcohol but from something more, my face flushed with anger.
“But that bastard, the king, abandoned us just to buy himself some trinkets! He threw away the front we had been holding for ten years, saying there was no money to protect the frontlines! If that’s not betrayal, then what is?! Huh?! Ten years, that’s enough time for rivers and mountains to change. And yet, after all that time of loyalty, he just discarded us. Is that the behavior of a rightful kingdom?!”
I pointed my finger at the man closest to me and shouted.
“And you too! You studied hard at the military academy, worked your ass off after commissioning, didn’t you? But you’re still stuck, never getting promoted, never getting a star. This is the real betrayal! Aren’t you pissed off? Look me in the eye and tell me! You came to me because you’re frustrated, because you’re tired of seeing the military fall apart, didn’t you?”
I lowered my hand and head, leaning on the table, my voice dropping low.
I gave off the impression of barely holding back my anger.
“So that’s why I decided to tear it all down and take control of this kingdom. The country doesn’t feel like a country, and the military doesn’t feel like a military! At the very least, I wanted those who worked hard and made sacrifices to receive the rewards and recognition they deserve!”
Some might criticize this as being too radical, but without radical action, society doesn’t change.
To fix this suffocating, corruption-filled country, I had no choice but to be violent.
Though I didn’t say it aloud, I knew that deep down, they understood this too, which is why they were quietly listening.
“Have you heard this? ‘The moment of revolution is brief, but its glory lasts forever.’ Tearing things down is quick, but the fruits of that will remain. That’s what I’m talking about. I won’t hoard those fruits for myself.”
I ripped the armband that symbolized the revolutionary army from my uniform and threw it onto the table.
As my words grew more heated, I calmed myself, adopting a more composed tone.
“I’m offering you all a chance to be a part of this. The fruits of this revolution will be shared, and you’ll have your place in it.”
“Take this. Follow me. Join our revolutionary army, and reclaim the dignity and positions you truly deserve. I can guarantee you that you will never regret this decision.”
A silence stretched on, feeling like an eternity. Then, someone, their voice trembling, asked me a question.
“Will you really treat us equally in the revolutionary army?”
“In the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, I will make sure to look out for you. As long as you show unwavering loyalty, you will never be left wanting.”
“Even without discrimination in promotions?”
“Yes! By the time you retire, each of you will have at least two stars. If you want, I can arrange a position in the Supreme Council for you as well. You all have the qualifications and ability for it!”
This wasn’t just about giving favor to my allies; these men truly had the potential.
If they had been born into decent families, some of them might have reached the ranks of major general, or even lieutenant general.
In a way, my proposal was about placing them on equal footing with others, allowing them to fully demonstrate their abilities.
“……Understood. I’ll trust you, Your Excellency.”
“Please, don’t betray our trust.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not some fool like Carl.”
With that, the future of the kingdom’s military was now in my hands.
And a few days later…
“Nice to meet you, Your Excellency. How about we behead the king together?”
“What kind of crazy talk is that?”
I’ve met a madwoman.