I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy

Count Peter Yaeger’s mansion, the reception room.

The Empire’s 4th Princess, Louise von Reich, was waiting for someone here.

At the same time, she was having a casual conversation with Charlotte, General Yaeger’s exclusive maid, whose face she recognized from the times she often followed him to the palace, and with whom she had developed a close relationship as part of the Princess’s meticulous plan.

“The aroma and flavor of the tea are excellent, and the cookies are also perfectly sweet, savory, and have a great texture. I think the General would like it very much. Does he have this every day?”

“Ah, yes. I can only serve him tea on the battlefield, but I serve him every day otherwise. I also bake cookies for him daily.”

“General Yaeger is really fortunate. To be able to have such delicious cookies and tea every day. In terms of taste and aroma, it’s almost indistinguishable from what’s served in the palace.”

Princess Louise was quite serious about cookies and tea, so even flattery would not make her say that tasteless cookies or tea were delicious.

However, even by her strict standards, the cookies and tea baked by Charlotte were definitely up to par.

It was as if she could open a cafe selling cookies and tea in the capital right now, and it would be quite popular.

Charlotte, sincerely complimented, remembered the times General Yaeger praised the taste of her tea and cookies, and her face turned slightly red as she spoke.

“When I was trained as an exclusive maid, I learned how to bake cookies, and after being assigned to serve the General, I’ve continued to study and bake whenever I had the chance.”

“If you weren’t exclusively serving the General, I’d want to take you to the palace as a pâtissier. That’s how good it is.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. But today, General Yaeger has gone into the palace and will return late…”

“I know. The people I want to meet today are Lieutenant Colonel Kerzhit and Lieutenant Colonel Laura, so it’s fine. But until they arrive, could you possibly share the story about the General that bards often sing?”

If Laura or Anastasia were here, they would have noticed that Louise’s friendly attitude towards Charlotte was more than just simple kindness.

However, Charlotte was only trained in the skills necessary for handling affairs and satisfying the general she served as an exclusive maid, day and night.

With very little political or social knowledge and experience, she did not doubt the Princess’s kindness one bit.

Moreover, Louise, anticipating her marriage to General Yaeger, pretended to be a naive lady in front of Charlotte when sending letters to the 7th Guard Division to ensure a smooth marital relationship in the future.

“Yes, Your Highness. That was after the General had just been promoted to Major General, and he visited our house after comforting the families of soldiers who had died or been injured…”

“Is that so? The General not only acts on the battlefield but also personally takes care of his subordinates after the war ends. He’s like a knight from the stories.”

Thus, Louise and Charlotte conversed in a manner that, to any observer, would seem like friends engrossed in a story about their loved ones.

Not long after, the door opened, and Laura von Benner and Anastasia Kerzhit arrived.

“Your Highness, what brings you to such a humble place without prior arrangement…?”

“It’s nothing else. I wanted to meet with Mrs. Laura and Baroness Kerzhit personally. I have something important to discuss with you both.”

Upon hearing this, Laura signaled for Charlotte to leave, but Louise said with a smile,

“While it’s a political matter, it’s also something Charlotte needs to hear. Just a moment…”

After saying that, Louise took out a letter sealed by the Emperor from the small bag she carried and handed it to both of them.

“It hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s a decree that will be officially announced soon. Please read it, and then we can start our discussion in earnest.”

Laura and Anya began reading the letter sealed by the Emperor, and Louise started drinking the remaining tea in her cup with a relaxed expression.

By the time the Princess finished her tea, Laura cautiously began to speak.

“My husband, General Peter Yaeger, already has me as a wife. But are you, as a member of the Imperial Family, okay with becoming my husband’s second wife?”

To anyone listening, it was an obvious statement.

While it might seem like she was concerned for the Princess based on what was said, in reality, it stemmed from jealousy and a desire to remain the only woman loved by Peter Yaeger, not wanting to lose that status.

The Princess pondered upon hearing this.

She wondered whether to honestly confess her love for General Yaeger, similar to hers, or to slowly persuade her by revealing the harsh reality.

Then, she took a deep breath and quietly said,

“Everyone wants to be the first in the heart of the person they love, to be the only one seen by them. Any woman would. But, Mrs. Laura, not Lieutenant Colonel, how many among the royalty and nobility truly live loved by their husbands?”

“Why do you suddenly say that?”

“You, Mrs. Laura, having received the support of Duke Benner and living as an officer equally, if not more capably than men, might not fully grasp it. Think about the other noble ladies. How they marry, bear children, and live lonely lives as they were once young girls.”

Peter Yaeger, who rose from a commoner orphan to success after enrolling in the academy, only understood this story as a custom that existed.

However, Laura, who lived as a noble lady until her mid-teens and often met with her noble lady friends from childhood in the capital afterward, realized it.

She had the ability and opportunity to succeed as an officer, despite being a woman and the only child of a military father, and was fortunate to meet and marry someone she truly loved in the process.

“My sisters often visit me in the palace and tell me this. ‘Even though he pretends to treat me well because I’m a Princess, the man who doesn’t smile in front of me smiles so well in front of his concubines. He whispers sweet nothings to them.’ Because of this, they often feel lonely even when their husband is home and say it’s sad. Have you ever felt such emotions, Mrs. Laura?”

Laura was taken aback by those words.

Because Peter Yaeger, despite other women flirting with him, only had eyes for her, truly cherished and loved her.

She had disregarded it as something completely unrelated to herself.

Louise spoke with a voice heavy with earnestness.

“You don’t, do you? I’m sure you don’t. Because even when General Yaeger visits the palace, he asks me for recommendations for gifts that his wife would like, showing his love for you. And such a wonderful person who knows how to love and respect someone. If he fits the ideal type I’ve admired all this time, I’d be willing to set aside my royal status and be the second.”

“Your Highness…”

“I think you, Mrs. Laura, would understand my words well. It’s far happier to be the second or third of someone who truly loves you than to be the first of someone who doesn’t love you at all.”

Hearing that, Laura imagined how unhappy she would have been if she were just a normal noble lady and had an arranged marriage with someone who didn’t love her, as the Princess had described.

Just thinking about it was suffocating and painful.

Therefore, she could deeply empathize with the Princess before her.

“Moreover, accepting me is also for Major General Yaeger’s sake. You know. Although he has easily overcome political purges and crises so far, he already has many enemies, and it’s uncertain when he might be impeached.”

“Yes, my father is trying his best to prevent it, but… I know there are occasionally people in the Imperial Assembly who claim the General’s loyalty and capabilities are a danger to the Empire.”

“I heard that if it weren’t for General Yaeger’s actions when Lieutenant Colonel Matthias, the former heir of the Griffin ducal family, betrayed us during the campaign in Ostarica, the damage would have been severe. But among those who assume the worst, if the General were to defect to Warsaw or another Stockholm Kingdom, undoubtedly, the North would likely follow him, who killed the Khan, leading to a disaster for the Empire.”

As the Princess mentioned, currently, not only the Emperor but also the majority of the titled nobility in the Imperial Assembly do not doubt General Yaeger’s loyalty.

Honestly, it was uncertain when that trust might be lost.

“So, my father intends to place me by General Yaeger’s side to show everyone the trust the Emperor and the Crown Prince have in him, to dispel any baseless suspicions against him. Furthermore, he intends to provide a justification and benefit for him to use his capabilities to secure the North. In that process, Lieutenant Colonel Kerzhit also needs to be by his side.”

“Do I have to agree to protect the person I love?”

“Yes.”

Hearing that, Laura nodded and then replied,

“Understood. Please tell His Majesty that Laura von Benner is convinced…”

As Laura was about to leave, Louise showed a look full of envy and sympathy at the same time and said,

“Since we’re going to be family anyway, would you listen to my story? I really envy Mrs. Laura. Because in areas where I can’t be of help to the General, you can be.”

Laura didn’t quite understand what she meant, but she listened because it was the Princess’s command.

Because she never thought she would hear words of envy from a Princess who was at the top echelon of the Empire’s power structure in her lifetime.

It was curiosity that caught her.