I can read minds.
"Congratulations on your promotion, Second Lieutenant Max."
The Regimental Commander personally pinned the rank insignia on my shoulder.
What had been a single gleaming silver diamond was now two.
"The bravery and cunning you displayed in this reclamation operation have become an example for the entire Imperial Army. For that, I bestow upon you the Imperial Iron Cross Medal."
"Loyalty!"
I shouted sharply and crisply, snapping off a salute.
The moment the commendation ceremony ended, my comrades swarmed me like a hive of bees.
"Hey, Max Jaeger! You're a Lieutenant now! Doesn't that mean you owe us a proper feast?"
"From Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant in just half a year since commissioning? This is rocket-speed promotion! You're gonna be a legend, man!"
"If it weren't for that guy in the valley, we'd all be dead. Who could've guessed he'd take out a mortar position all by himself?"
All sorts of praise mixed with envy surrounded me.
My head throbbed from the endless shoulder slaps and raucous chatter.
I forced a grin and waved them off.
"Alright, alright. Next time. I'm beat, so I'm heading out first."
Escaping the noisy clamor finally brought relief to my ears.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Before I knew it, I was at my barracks.
The moment I pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside, the tension drained from my body.
I sat in the chair for a bit, fiddling with my new Lieutenant's insignia.
The cool touch of metal. I could almost hear my comrades' envy and praise echoing again.
'An example for the entire Imperial Army...'
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Example, my ass.
I closed my eyes. Five days ago, the valley mortar barrage unfolded before me once more.
Shiiieeeek-!
A shell screamed past, exploding right beside me. Dirt and rocks rained down like hail, the shockwave slamming into my body. When I came to, the lower half of the comrade next to me was gone.
My ears rang like my skull was splitting, heart pounding wildly. Panic was about to freeze me solid.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Skill 'Resilient Mind' is active. Resistance to all fear and confusion states greatly increased.
The dry system message echoed in my head. The surging terror vanished like a lie. My heartbeat steadied, reason returned.
I barely managed to stand and aimed at the mortar position.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
That's how I dismantled the mortar nest.
I slowly opened my eyes.
My fingertips still trembled faintly, but a cool sensation washed over my mind, bringing calm swiftly.
It was all thanks to this 'skill'.
Just six months ago, I was an ordinary civilian in Seoul. A contract worker crushed by abuse from superiors and endless overtime. I knew nothing of war or combat—my only experience was basic training.
How I ended up here? One game. The game I clung to escape my wretched reality.
⚔ STATUS ⚔Empire's Heart: Eagle Chronicles
A 20th-century style strategy sim where orcs, elves, and other races plus magic exist, but the focus is on trenches, barbed wire, and raining shells.
I was obsessed. Hundreds—no, thousands of hours sunk in. In reality, I was a nobody, but in the game, I was a legendary commander who won countless battles.
But vanilla got stale fast. I craved new thrills. That's when I found a weird file on some obscure foreign forum.
"Fuck... that damn mod."
Yeah, downloading that 'integration pack' was my downfall. The title was suspicious: [Harem Overlord Integration Pack].
It promised to turn the grim, blood-soaked battlefield into steamy romances with alluring female officers or some crazy shit like that.
That night, exhausted from overtime, I got home late. Scarfed down convenience store food, chugged a beer in frustration, got tipsy. On impulse, I installed the mod file.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Mod application complete. Experience a new Empire!
Eyes half-shut from fatigue, I clicked 'New Game'. That's when it happened. A flash from the monitor swallowed the world in white. My last memory.
When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in my one-room apartment. I was in a dusty field barracks, wearing unfamiliar fatigues as 'Max Jaeger', Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Army.
The price for escaping my shitty reality was brutally harsh. Forced transfer from one hellish job to an even worse one. Second stint in the military? No nightmare could top that.
'Fuck, this can't be real.'
I clutched my head. I wished it was just a dream. Wanted to chuck everything and run.
'...Should I just desert?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Skill 'Resilient Mind' is active. Resistance to all fear and confusion states greatly increased.
Irritation boiled up, but the skill steered my mind toward the most rational thinking.
'Desertion is irrational.'
A clear conclusion formed under the skill's influence.
'Get caught, and it's a firing squad. Even if you escape, you're a fugitive.'
Odds of surviving Imperial Army pursuit and wartime chaos? Near zero.
The highest survival odds lay in staying, maximizing my given power—the skills. Paradoxically.
"Skills."
Sighing at the enforced logic, I called out. A hologram window only I could see appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Skill 'Resilient Mind' is active. Skill 'Minimap' is active.
Thankfully, the [Harem Overlord Integration Pack] seemed like cheat mode, granting me overpowered abilities from the start.
[Resilient Mind] and [Minimap].
My two current skills. Started with [Minimap] fixed, got [Resilient Mind] as a level-up reward for completing training well.
That's when it happened.
A clear ding- rang out, another translucent window popping up.
✨ LEVEL UP! ✨Lv. ? → Lv. 3
Promotion (Second Lieutenant → Lieutenant) confirmed.
Congratulations on your promotion!
+ New Skill Available. Select one from the list below.
1. Bullet Time
Upon activation, perceive the world (excluding yourself) at 1/10 speed for up to 3 seconds. Usable once per day. Levels increase uses.
2. Status Analysis
Analyze targets in view: [Name], [Race], [Affiliation], [Status: Fatigue, Injury, Anger], etc. Works on people, gear, facilities. Levels reveal deeper info.
'What...?'
Promotions raise levels too? My level 1 to 2 was training reward.
But promotion gave level 3. More ways to level up than I thought. No choices last time.
Anyway, I read the skill descriptions carefully. Both [Bullet Time] and [Status Analysis] looked insanely useful.
First, [Bullet Time].
Dodge bullets like a cheat. Could skyrocket my battlefield survival tomorrow. As a grunt rolling in the mud, nothing sweeter.
But...
I shifted to [Status Analysis].
Survival matters. Life's priceless. But [Bullet Time] was crisis dodge, one-shot insurance. Once a day, 3 seconds. Surviving that doesn't change the battlefield.
'...Useless against a mortar barrage anyway.'
I recalled the last battle. Shells blanketing a wide area nonstop. Even with it, survival odds low.
[Status Analysis] was different. Info superiority beyond mere survival. Persistent. Block dozens, hundreds of crises preemptively. Long-term survival? Clearly the latter.
Hesitation gone, I pointed at the floating window.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have selected Skill 'Status Analysis'. Acquiring new skill!⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Status Analysis (Lv. 1)
Newly acquired. Usage intuitive.
A ding- and skill info flowed into my mind.
Like I'd used it forever, the method felt natural.
'Let's test it.'
I looked at my uniform.
Name: Imperial Army Combat Uniform (Low Grade) Grade: Common Durability: 78/100 Status: Slight gunpowder and sweat odor. Special Effects: None
'Oh ho.'
Intuitive and detailed. Next, on myself.
Name: Max Jaeger Race: Human Affiliation: Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment Rank: Lieutenant Status: Slight fatigue, minor excitement from promotion
'Useful. Levels will show more.'
That's when it happened.
A green dot started moving on the minimap in my peripheral vision.
Minimap.
Like in strategy games. Square background, green and red dots in real-time. Green approaching meant friendly incoming.
Knock knock knock.
"Lieutenant, sir! Private First Class Erich here!"
A young voice. I smirked, activated the skill without answering. Fixed on the sturdy wooden door, info from beyond unfolded.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Using Status Analysis on 'Private First Class Erich'.Name: Erich Race: Human Affiliation: Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment Rank: Private First Class Status: Tense from errand for superior, awe and slight fear of superior
'...It shows even this?'
I swallowed hard. Didn't expect to read minds.
"What's the big commotion?"
I stood, pitching my voice low and indifferent. Opened the door to a rigid, nervous Erich.
"You need to come out right now, sir. They're looking for you."
"Me? Who?"
Erich gulped dryly.
"Captain Seraphina, sir."
'Shit, no way...!'
The new Company Commander?
I yanked on my uniform fast but precise, angles sharp. Confirmed my cap perfect, flung open the door.
I bolted down the hall. "Spoke to" was putting it mildly—full sprint.