Mistaken for a War Hero

Chapter 44
Counter Violence with Violence

『 Translator – Divinity 』

Half a month later.

As usual, I arrived at my office in the headquarters and sat down, looking at Lucy.

Lucy, who was reviewing documents with her head lowered, had her silver hair cascading down.

With a familiar gesture, she tucked her hair behind her ear and focused on her work.

Seeing her high level of concentration while handling tasks, she was truly an exemplary adjutant.

If Lucy were an ordinary adjutant, I would have showered her with compliments.

‘But she’s a spy.’

The person in front of me, Lucy, could assassinate me at any moment.

That’s why I had been agonizing over this for a while.

Whether to report the research journal I found in the Kingdom’s laboratory to the higher-ups.

To be frank, I decided not to report it.

The reason was simple.

Even if I claimed that Lucy was a spy based on the journal, there was no evidence.

From Lucy’s perspective, she could simply say it was a case of mistaken identity.

The name Lucy wasn’t common, but it wasn’t rare either.

If the matter was dismissed like that, I would be the one in danger.

Lucy would think that Daniel Steiner had discovered her true identity.

‘A disaster would surely follow…’

Therefore, it was best to keep the ‘Lucy Project’ to myself until concrete evidence surfaced.

Having organized my thoughts, I cleared my throat.

Lucy, who had been reviewing documents, looked up at me.

Meeting her red eyes, I said,

“I received a message from headquarters that they’re sending a garrison commander. Do you know when they’ll arrive?”

“Yes, they departed yesterday with a minimal escort, so it should take about a week.”

“What do you mean by ‘minimal escort’?”

“A battalion-sized force. Even that was reduced by headquarters. To add, the garrison commander requested more troops for long-term occupation, but headquarters rejected the request.”

A week to arrive in Nordia even though they departed with a battalion-sized force?

It meant they were putting all the soldiers in transport vehicles and conducting a rapid march.

Was there a need to rush like that? I wondered, but it was the headquarters’ decision, so there must be a reason.

I nodded casually and said,

“How is the situation on the front lines?”

“As you already know, it’s a series of victories. We received a report that the Empire has occupied more than half of the Kingdom’s territory. The Kingdom has already lost its function as a nation.”

“Indeed. At this rate, we’ll be able to crush the Kingdom before winter, just as His Majesty envisioned.”

“Yes, that’s correct. However, the Kingdom seems to be preparing for a final stand, withdrawing its forces and concentrating all its troops on defending the capital. Thanks to this, the Imperial Army has also entered a sort of lull.”

Concentrating all troops on defending the capital? It was practically their last stand.

But even for the Imperial Army, it would be difficult to capture the Kingdom’s capital, which was like a hedgehog.

The Imperial Army, unwilling to suffer further losses, would likely propose a peace negotiation to the Kingdom.

How would the Kingdom respond to this peace negotiation, which was practically an ultimatum?

‘In the game, they ignored the Empire’s proposal and fought to the death…’

Due to my unintentional contributions, the situation had changed significantly, and I couldn’t predict the outcome.

Of course, it wasn’t something I needed to worry about.

Once the garrison commander arrived from headquarters, I would hand over my duties and return to the capital.

‘The first thing I’ll do when I get back to the capital is have a drink. Not the cheap stuff from the supply depot, but something proper.’

Just as I was imagining the comfortable and affluent life awaiting me in the capital,

—Step back! Step back!

—We don’t need scum like you in our beautiful Nordia!

The citizens’ chants and shouts made me flinch.

Wondering what was going on, I stood up and walked towards the window.

I could see at least a few hundred citizens marching down the main street in front of the headquarters, holding signs.

‘…What? Are they finally expressing their dissatisfaction with the garrison?’

As I looked down in confusion, Lucy came up next to me and said,

“It’s a protest against the privileged class. I heard there were signs of this, but I didn’t expect it to actually happen.”

“The privileged class… you mean the nobles of Nordia?”

“Yes. I heard that after you enacted the ‘Anti-Discrimination Act,’ the conflict between the citizens and the nobles intensified. It seems the citizens’ anger towards the nobles has erupted today.”

As if to confirm Lucy’s words, the citizens marched past the headquarters and headed somewhere else.

What had the nobles been doing that caused this to happen just half a month after the law was enacted?

I frowned and clenched my fists as a thought crossed my mind.

‘Isn’t this my last chance to lower my evaluation in Nordia?’

Calculating in my head, I looked at Lucy and said,

“Order all available garrison personnel. Tell them to follow the protesters.”

“…The protesters, sir?”

“Yes. Managing protests is also the role of the garrison. If any violence occurs during the protest, tell them to stop it. They may use force if necessary.”

Lucy didn’t question my order and immediately replied,

“Understood. I’ll relay your order to the garrison right away.”

After watching Lucy turn and leave, I turned my gaze back to the window and chuckled softly.

‘To think that such an opportunity would arise with only a week left in my position as acting garrison commander.’

If this protest was fueled by anger, violence would surely follow.

If the garrison unilaterally suppressed the citizens’ violence, what would happen?

The citizens would realize that the garrison wasn’t their ally but ultimately just soldiers of the Empire.

Then, the citizens’ support for the garrison, which they had painstakingly built up, would surely plummet.

The General Staff Headquarters wouldn’t look favorably upon me for ruining all my hard work with a momentary lapse of judgment.

I would deeply disappoint the Deputy Chief of Operations, who had high hopes for me.

Then, I would be removed from operational support and be able to enjoy a comfortable life in the interior.

There, I could safely search for clues to escape the Empire.

‘Perfect.’

The garrison commander who would arrive later might have a hard time, but that wasn’t my concern.

‘I apologize in advance. But life isn’t always smooth sailing.’

With a wicked smile, I leisurely observed the procession of protesters.

***

The protesters, continuing their march, stopped in front of a large mansion.

“Step back! You parasite, eating away at Nordia!”

“Release my father now! He’s already repaid his debt to you!”

“You bastard! Do you even realize you’re ruining Nordia!?”

Taramto, the owner of the mansion, heard the commotion and came out to the front yard with his private soldiers, only to be met with a shocking sight.

Hundreds of citizens were holding signs and shouting at the top of their lungs.

Among the citizens were even some nobles who had been advocating for the abolition of racial discrimination.

Moreover, Imperial soldiers in black uniforms were lined up as if protecting the citizens, making him nervous.

“This is insane! Why are they doing this!?”

One of the soldiers answered Taramto’s question.

“Well, sir, they’re demanding that you release the people you’re keeping as slaves.”

“What? Slaves? I’m providing them with food and shelter in exchange for labor; how are they slaves!? Are these lunatics demanding that I hand over my private property? They’re no different from robbers!”

From Taramto’s perspective, the citizens were nothing more than a group of robbers trying to steal his property.

With so many people starving to death during the war, he firmly believed that he was doing the right thing by providing food and shelter, even if it was unpaid labor.

“Ungrateful bastards! Shoot them all! Once a few of them die, the rest will scatter like cockroaches!”

“Sir? But…”

“Shut up and do as I say!”

The soldier hesitated, but then raised his rifle towards the protesters.

The other soldiers also awkwardly aimed their rifles at the protesters.

“G-Guns!”

“That madman is trying to shoot us…!”

The protesters were startled and couldn’t help but step back.

Just then, Lieutenant McCael, who was leading the Imperial soldiers, raised a megaphone.

— We advise you to lay down your weapons. Acting Garrison Commander, Major Daniel Steiner, will not tolerate any violence during this protest.

Taramto’s eyebrows furrowed at this.

Before he could retort, Lieutenant McCael continued,

— If you ignore the Commander’s orders and open fire, according to the order to counter violence with violence, we cannot guarantee the safety of you or your soldiers.

Taramto gulped.

Lieutenant McCael’s words sounded to him like, “Cross the line, and we’ll kill you.”

‘Is the Imperial Army truly siding with the citizens?’

After a long moment of gritting his teeth, Taramto had no choice but to raise the white flag.

“…Lower your weapons and release their families.”

“Sir? Are you sure?”

“Yes, there’s no benefit in antagonizing the garrison.”

The hesitant soldiers lowered their weapons in unison.

They knew they had no chance of winning against the Imperial Army.

The protesting citizens erupted in cheers.

“Taramto is backing down! We can see our families now!”

“Taramto, you bastard! Now you understand! The garrison is on the citizens’ side! They’re protecting us!”

“Long live the garrison! Long live Major Daniel Steiner!”

The citizens’ cheers, with their signs held high, filled the air.

Among them was Hamtal, the leader of the Secret Society Black Swan.

‘To think he made Taramto surrender…’

Before the war, Taramto was the most prominent noble in Nordia.

His method of accumulating wealth was to lend money to people of color and then confine them to his mansion or farm as laborers under the pretense of repaying their debts.

It was virtually impossible to repay the exorbitant interest, and the law also favored the noble Taramto over the people of color, leaving them with no recourse.

Then, Daniel, the acting garrison commander, enacted the “Anti-Discrimination Act,” giving courage and strength to the citizens.

And as if to prove that he was on the citizens’ side, he had assigned the garrison as escorts for this protest, preventing Taramto’s indiscriminate shooting.

He could no longer deny it.

‘Daniel Steiner is not a conqueror.’

He was a liberator who came to save the citizens from the Kingdom’s oppression.

As the citizens cheered Daniel’s name, Hamtal took out his radio and quietly pressed the transmit button.

“All members of the Black Swan, listen carefully.”

Hamtal paused for a moment, then continued with conviction in his eyes.

“From now on, we will follow the will of Major Daniel Steiner.”

This was the moment Nordia’s hero, acknowledged by all, was born.