WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 305: Greek Islands (5)

──────

“If you become company commander, will your rank stay the same? Or will you become a Captain?”

There was no ambition in Yura’s curiosity.

“It will be a position-based promotion.”

Gyeoul answered, and Yura looked puzzled.

“Is that really necessary? Right now it’s an independent company, so it’s higher in status than a normal company. But once it becomes an Independent Battalion, this company will just be one of several companies under it anyway…… Would there be any reason for it to be special? I mean, I think it would be fine for me to take command of the company while staying a Lieutenant.”

She did not say it outright, but this was consideration for Jin-seok. The implication was that even if Yura became company commander, if her rank stayed the same, she and Jin-seok would still be promotion peers, and his resentment might ease a little. Yura knew how Jin-seok felt. But Gyeoul did not accept it.

“No. This company needs to keep its high status.”

“Why?”

“Lieutenant Lee Yura said it herself earlier. If we become one unit with refugees from many different nationalities, it will be important for everyone to fit in together.”

“Yes, I did say that…….”

“And for that, I think it’s also important to prevent friction ahead of time. We establish your position as senior company commander clearly. From the other company commanders’ perspective, if you’re all the same rank, wouldn’t it be easy for them to set aside seniority and pick fights over one thing or another?”

Of course, the possibility was low, given their circumstances. But even if they kept quiet because they were at a disadvantage, the amount of resentment they kept inside would depend on the other party’s rank. The difference between 「Still just a Lieutenant.」 and 「What can you do? Rank wins.」

This was even more true for Chinese people, who placed great importance on face.

It would have been far less of a concern if refugee-born officers from other countries had absorbed the U.S. military’s own culture. But that was a lot to expect from Lieutenants who had served for less than a year and had simply been selected out of necessity. It would help if the Department of Defense selected and sent officers born on the mainland from second-generation immigrant backgrounds, especially those familiar with their parents’ languages, but that was unrealistic too.

Gyeoul continued.

“And we need to prepare for contingencies.”

“Contingencies?”

“For example, if the commander is incapacitated.”

“…….”

“Don’t make that face. I’m only giving an example. Anyway, if I’m dead or injured and can’t command, and on top of that battalion headquarters gets wiped out or communications are cut, the senior company commander needs to seize command authority immediately. In that situation, it would be better for the chain of command to be clear.”

“You’re right, but-”

Yura, convinced, sighed.

“This is hard……. That would make it feel too much like I’m Little Captain’s successor?…… That sounds a little strange. Replacement? Second-in-command?…… Something like that.”

Since she would be taking over the company Gyeoul had commanded, many people would likely see it that way.

Yura made a new suggestion.

“Could you somehow promote Lieutenant Park Jin-seok and me together?”

“Together?”

“Yes. Give Jin-seok the company commander position, and give me some other role…… Hmm, I’d like it to be a position that looks less important than company commander, but would still let me step in and stop things or mediate if something happens. Is there anything like that?”

“I’m not sure. The battalion staff appointments are more or less already decided.”

The company staff, led by Captain Singh, had been selected from the start with the battalion command structure in mind. If a place were made for her at headquarters, the only remaining options would be unassigned posts like personnel officer or logistics officer, but it was questionable whether they would suit Yura, who had no administrative experience. It would also be awkward to give her a position-based promotion.

On top of that, the Independent Battalion would be responsible for overseeing Fort Roberts. As Gyeoul thought it over, the management chain ought to be left to experienced personnel. Higher command would send people like that too.

‘Should I just split the company?’

If they accepted the burden of losing labor and created another company filled entirely with Korean personnel, they could consider dividing the original company’s troops and forming two incomplete companies. The unit would not be committed to combat immediately anyway.

Of course, whether higher command would accept such a proposal, and even if they did, whether that would soften Jin-seok’s competitiveness, were separate questions. Gyeoul nodded slowly.

“Anyway, I understand your opinion. I’ll need to think about this more.”

Yura sighed again.

“I hate that you have to worry because of us.”

“That’s how it goes. Let’s go. Our company needs to wash up before meal time.”

Gyeoul checked the time and picked up the gear he had set down. Since the dining hall and shower facilities were shared by multiple units, it would be a little troublesome if they missed their assigned time. Officers would still be able to wash and eat one way or another, but it was better to avoid the awkwardness of being stuck among people they were not close to. Even if those people would not dislike them.

‘There’s also a broadcast I can’t miss.’

A press conference by the Republican Party presidential candidate was scheduled for that morning. Would he only hint around and end it again, or would he reveal something? Gyeoul expected the latter. Letting expectations swell too much would backfire. He also needed time to continue his offensive until the presidential election.

As they walked side by side, Yura suddenly brought something up, as if she had just remembered.

“By the way, Captain.”

“Yes?”

“Did something happen with So-min and Seonwoo Joseph while I was gone?”

As expected of the 1st Platoon Leader, who was treated within the company as a kind of big sister with both skill and kindness, she seemed to have noticed the strange atmosphere. With it being that obvious, it would be stranger if she had not. Gyeoul recalled the two platoon leaders growing more worn down by the day. It was not as if Jin-seok had broken his promise not to chew them out over this incident, but simply watching his mood every day had reduced them to that state.

When Gyeoul said nothing, Yura carefully added.

“They’re intimidated by Lieutenant Park Jin-seok. Mm, they were scared of him before too, but now it’s gone too far……. Unlike before, they don’t even come to me for advice. And the stranger thing is, Lieutenant Park Jin-seok seems to know what happened. Whenever he sees So-min, his face crumples like paper, so he’s obviously furious…… but he doesn’t torment them! When I ask, they just avoid me too.”

“…….”

“If there’s something, please tell me, okay? Captain. I feel bad for Seonwoo Joseph too, but So-min is someone I’ve been looking after almost from the beginning, so it really hurts to see her like that.”

Gyeoul had already been worried that some accident might happen. After hesitating a moment, he decided to tell her everything. If it was warm-hearted Yura, she might think the two junior Ensigns were pathetic, but she would still be able to mediate gently between them and Jin-seok…….

Yura’s reaction after hearing the whole story was far colder than expected.

“Ha.”

“……Excuse me, Lieutenant Lee Yura?”

“Yes.”

“I told you this because I wanted you to look after them so nothing goes wrong. Can I ask you to do that?”

“Of course. I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about those two…… any longer.”

“That sounds very double-edged…….”

Jin-seok had described Yura as a good-natured person who could not even get angry, but if he had been here now, he would have changed his mind somewhat.

With all humor gone from her face, Yura said with a displeased expression, “You can rest easy. I won’t upset you too, Captain.”

“Are you very angry?”

“Of course I am.”

This was Yura’s third sigh.

“They have no sense at all. No matter how anxious they were, how dare they test Little Captain like that? Seonwoo Joseph is a junior Jin-seok trained, so there may be sides to him I don’t know, but the fact that So-min did it too is really…… It makes me angry, ashamed, and sorry to you, Captain.”

“Why would you be sorry, Lieutenant Lee Yura?”

“I picked her. I misjudged someone. If I’d known this would happen, I should have just put Han-byul in charge.”

Yura frowned and muttered to herself, “Even when everyone but me ran away during a group project, I wasn’t this angry.” She spent the entire walk to the front of the garrison cooling her anger, and just before they parted ways, she cautiously spoke up.

“But……”

When Gyeoul looked back, Yura looked slightly downcast and was fidgeting with her fingers.

“You’re going to stay with us from now on too, right, Captain?”

After hearing about Seonwoo Joseph and Cheon So-min, the thought seemed to have crossed her mind. Gyeoul nodded and added a joke that was not really a joke.

“I won’t leave. This may sound strange, but at least until this world ends.”

“Kk. What is that supposed to mean?”

Having regained her usual warmth, Yura laughed brightly.

After glancing at her, Gyeoul stopped by his quarters, put down his gear, and gathered his hygiene items. Carrying a weapon even on the way to the shower room was standard. Other officers and soldiers carried at least pistols too, and each stall inside the shower facility had a separate weapon locker. It was there so they could immediately shoot if an infected person appeared inside the unit, however unlikely that was.

Because of that, this did not feel entirely like a joke.

「Peepers will be shot :(」

Someone had put that sign on the shower facility for female enlisted soldiers today. One of the male enlisted soldiers who saw it and started giggling raised both arms toward the female enlisted soldiers entering in light clothing with towels over their arms.

“Ladies! I will risk my life to peep!”

The female enlisted soldiers answered by raising their middle fingers.

“Fu-ck you!”

“If you don’t wanna die, come with someone better looking! We’ll spare you based on your face!”

The one who shouted last tapped the pistol at her waist, then her butt, and made a fist with her thumb turned downward. Just one month ago, these had been soldiers worn down by fatigue and sharp with stress.

After washing quickly, finishing his meal, and having a brief talk with some staff members, Gyeoul moved to his office. The TV was playing its final commercial before a broadcast scheduled ten minutes ahead of the hour.

A moment later, an announcer appeared in the center of the screen.

「Good morning to all viewers across America. Starting at 9 o’clock, Republican Party presidential candidate Edgar Kramer will hold a press conference in the reception hall of the Kramer Square Hotel. Candidate Kramer has stated that he knows the current administration’s secret shame and will soon reveal it to the public. Today, with 56 days left until the presidential election, it seems the substance of that claim will finally be unveiled. Surely he will not open a press conference only to raise suspicions and end it there again. Another basis for that expectation is the scheduled runtime announced by the host. A full two hours. It does not look like this will end with a short statement. This station will connect you to the scene as soon as the candidate himself appears at the podium.」

Gyeoul sat in his chair, propped his chin on his hand, and waited.

========== Author’s Note ==========

#Q&A

Q. UnlimitedOne: @They’re two platoon leaders who would turn out right if you mixed them together and split them in half. / Since they’re becoming an Independent Battalion and getting additional refugee personnel anyway... More than that, those Rangers getting baited into a game of chicken by provocation...

A. Then if we cut Jin-seok and Yura in half each... Hmm... King Solomon’s wisdom is inappropriate at times like this. / The alliance has actually already drawn a large number of soldiers for its size. The share of soldiers relative to the population is high. / Rangers have pride too. :)

Q. Ryujianne: @I think December 6 is report card notification day. Are you preparing...

A. I will keep my promise. I hope Qvex brings back a good report card.

Q. Calpis: @Let’s make Gyeoul TS. He can become the queen of Frozen. Long live Her Majesty the Queen!

A. Frozen is not allowed. Her Majesty Elsa is too great.

Q. LunarKarma: @Mm... Is the ending close... Then I’ll look forward to your next work too! Everyone only keeps asking for more Ossuary...

A. Thank you. But the ending is not close enough to arrive within a few months. Though that is because my release speed is slow.

Q. Starlight Nuisance: @It’s the Full Metal Jacket military chant!

A. It is not. Hehe. The part about “good for you and good for me” is the same, but it is actually a different military chant.

Q. NeoGGM: @When on earth is Ossuary volume 3 coming out...

A. The official blog said a December release. I suppose that is how it is.

Q. Guwaaak: @But was the policy of preventing users below S-rank from meeting each other in place from the early days of Afterlife Insurance? If so, what was the reason? Was it to make lower-rank users commit suicide faster? / I feel like the reason people aren’t satisfied with Virtual Reality is the lack of relationships, so wouldn’t that be solved as long as there were online functions? Most of the old folks who entered Ossuary now would be people born in the 60s and 70s who experienced normal social life, so there wouldn’t be much of a problem. It doesn’t seem like it would eat up more computational power either.

A. It was in place from the beginning. / It would be difficult to confirm the reason. / You are largely correct.

Q. Bug: @Whoa, if it’s not chapter 3... I can’t even be happy and think there’s still more left... Please keep releasing 2 to 3 chapters a week for another 2 years.

A. Two years is too long... I expect it will be within one year from now.

Q. qgegegqe: @The answers are full of ssal-bro vibes... I’m playing Mabinogi again, and I equipped a full Black Succubus set with an umbrella and a pillow. Hehe.

A. Why would you start Mabinogi again... A Nexon game... T_T Move to Steam like me. Your library will be enriched with high-class games.

Q. Munin: @Thank you for the happiness and joy I feel from discovering The Little Prince in the Ossuary this year. I hope the author, Gyeoul, and the other readers are all happy and peaceful. And is the viewer discussion I like getting close to appearing soon?

A. Since you are enjoying it, the author is happy too. I will work for the happiness of all readers. / Yes. I think one will probably come out once this chapter ends.

Q. Strawberry Munch Munch: @Since America has finalized the defense line, can we basically say it’s cleared?

A. No user below B-rank has ever reached a situation this good.

Q. fnlshsk: @I don’t know if this came up before, but I’m curious, so I’m asking. / 1. How are special mutants, especially structurally different mutants like Grumble, created? / 2. The system appeared often early on, but does it not appear these days? / 3. When will Han Gyeoul stop being a eunuch....

A. 1. Generally, mutation occurs at the fetal stage. / 2. Yes, it does not appear. The reason is different from why the Journal does not appear. Of course, it is also different from why Intermissions do not appear. / 3. Is that important?

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried