Mistaken for a War Hero

Chapter 47
I Have to Obey Orders, But…

『 Translator – Divinity 』

Since I couldn’t disobey orders, I immediately selected a company-sized force as instructed.

Then, after bidding farewell to the citizens of Nordia, I left for Marobalk, where the 3rd Corps headquarters was located.

The weather didn’t worsen as I had feared before departure, so I arrived in Marobalk a day earlier than the time stated in the order.

Marobalk, occupied by the Imperial Army, was a larger city than Nordia, and the citizens seemed to be displeased with the military presence, giving us cold stares.

‘This is normal…’

I couldn’t understand why the citizens of Nordia were so enthusiastic about the Imperial Army.

As I blankly observed the Imperial soldiers mingling with the Kingdom citizens on the streets, the driver cautiously applied the brakes.

When the car came to a complete stop, I opened the door and stepped out.

The first thing I saw was the headquarters building with the Imperial flag hanging like a curtain.

Seeing the flag fluttering majestically against the backdrop of the starry night sky almost made me feel patriotic.

‘They hung such a large flag; the soldiers must have worked hard.’

Chuckling, I lowered my gaze and saw a Lieutenant Colonel walking out of the headquarters’ main gate with some soldiers.

I reflexively saluted, and the Lieutenant Colonel returned the salute with a hearty laugh.

“Well, if it isn’t the hero of the Empire, Daniel Steiner! I’ve been waiting for you. I’m Kalfren, the Corps Commander’s aide.”

“I’m hardly a hero. But for the aide to come and welcome me personally…”

“Ah, the Corps Commander is waiting for you.”

“…The Corps Commander is waiting for me?”

“Yes. I know it’s not proper to summon you as soon as you arrive, but as you know, we’re pressed for time. Follow me.”

Was there a reason for the Corps Commander to wait for a mere Major? Although I was puzzled, I had no choice but to follow Aide Kalfren.

After entering the headquarters and climbing several flights of stairs, I stopped in front of the Corps Commander’s office on the 5th floor.

“The Corps Commander dislikes those who hesitate to answer, so if you have any opinions, express them clearly.”

After giving me this piece of advice, Kalfren knocked on the office door.

“Corps Commander, I’ve brought Major Daniel Steiner.”

The reply came a moment later.

“Send him in.”

It was a deep and powerful voice.

As Daniel felt a surge of nervousness, Kalfren opened the door.

Beyond the door, Corps Commander Karlpeter was working at his desk.

Behind him, the Imperial eagle emblem and the Imperial flag were crossed and displayed on a table stand.

The walls were covered with various strategic maps and operation plans.

It truly felt like the office of a Lieutenant General commanding a Corps.

Lieutenant General Karlpeter Krau.

He was the highest-ranking person Daniel had ever met, excluding the princess.

Daniel took a deep breath and walked into the office, saluting.

“Corps Commander, I heard you summoned me.”

Only then did Karlpeter put down his pen and slowly raise his head.

Blue eyes glinted from beneath his thick eyebrows.

He was an imposing man with a chiseled jaw and small scars on his face.

He returned Daniel’s salute and leaned back in his chair.

“Daniel Steiner. According to the General Staff Headquarters’ data, you’re quite skilled at interrogation. You broke Major Reginald of the Kingdom Army and pressured the spy at the Imperial banquet.”

He went straight to the point without any pleasantries, making Daniel feel suffocated.

In the heavy atmosphere, Daniel gave an awkward smile.

“Sir, I was just lucky.”

“You’re too modest. Even if what you say is true, I believe luck is also a skill. Especially on the unpredictable battlefield.”

Kralpeter exhaled softly and narrowed his eyes.

“Therefore, I intend to borrow your luck and eloquence. To be frank, I’m planning to send you as the chief negotiator and envoy for the peace talks in four days.”

Daniel’s hand twitched as he stood at ease.

Kralpeter was making an absurd request.

‘…Chief negotiator? Me?’

Dumbfounded, Daniel said after a brief silence,

“Sir? I don’t think a mere Major like myself is suitable for the position of chief negotiator. Aren’t there many other capable people in the headquarters?”

“There are. So we sent those capable people, and what was the result? The negotiations broke down.”

“But…”

Kralpeter raised his hand to stop Daniel.

“To ease your burden, I’ll tell you that neither I nor the headquarters have high expectations for you. The headquarters is currently considering an all-out war.”

He was saying that even if the negotiations failed again, they wouldn’t hold him responsible, so he should relax.

“So, will you do it or not?”

Kralpeter raised an eyebrow, gauging Daniel’s reaction.

“I…”

Unable to refuse, Daniel’s mind suddenly sparked with a brilliant idea.

He realized that this might be his chance to finally escape the Empire.

Clenching his fists, Daniel met Karlpeter’s gaze.

“I accept.”

Kralpeter’s eyes gleamed with interest as he sensed the sudden shift in Daniel’s demeanor.

“However, I have a condition. If you appoint me as the chief negotiator, grant me the authority befitting that position.”

“What kind of authority?”

“I need access to all operational and troop deployment information of the 3rd Corps. Also, I’d like you to entrust me with the personnel deployment for the third negotiation in four days.”

Kralpeter was momentarily speechless.

The Corps’ operational and troop deployment information was classified as Field Level 2 Confidential.

It wasn’t something a mere Major could request, even if he was from the General Staff Headquarters.

Of course, Daniel must have had access to some Level 2 classified information while working as an Operations Staff Officer, but that was only a small fraction of the entire Corps.

‘And he wants access to all Level 2 classified information of the Corps?’

It was beyond bold; it was absurd.

‘I understand why Cedric favors this guy.’

Cedric valued ‘reasonable unexpectedness’ in devising operations.

Unconventional tactics and strategies were often what led the enemy into a quagmire.

In that sense, Daniel Steiner was certainly an unconventional figure.

Who would dare ask the Corps Commander for access to all the Corps’ troop and operational information?

His audacity and courage were beyond imagination.

“Alright.”

Kralpeter chuckled and looked at Daniel.

“I’ll grant your request.”

If he had already bet on the joker card, he had to see it through to the end.

***

Meanwhile, Lucy was drying herself after a bath in a hotel near the headquarters.

Originally, she should have been staying in a dilapidated commercial building or school like the other junior officers, as the garrisons in Marobalk were full.

However, thanks to the “Headquarters Direct Unit” status and the reputation of the “Daniel Company” as the hero of the Empire, the headquarters had ordered the company’s officers to be accommodated in a hotel.

Although Lucy didn’t mind staying elsewhere, she was grateful to be able to bathe in a hotel with warm water.

‘This feels amazing…’

Stepping out into the hallway with her relaxed body, Lucy was drying her hair with a towel when she paused.

A flyer had been slipped under her door.

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It looked like an ordinary advertisement flyer, but Lucy noticed small braille dots printed on the upper right corner.

An intelligence agent operating nearby had inserted the flyer with a coded message to deliver orders.

Lucy walked closer, bent down, and picked up the flyer.

She placed her hand on the braille and closed her eyes, deciphering the code.

As she deciphered the code, several letters came to mind, but they were out of order.

It was a type of polyalphabetic cipher.

A codebook was needed to arrange the code in the correct order, but Lucy had memorized the entire codebook, so she could skip that step.

Rearranging the letters, Lucy read the contents of the order in her mind.

‘Daniel Steiner’s activities could pose a threat to the Allied Nations in the future. It is recommended to take measures now to exploit him by paralyzing his rational thinking…’

Lucy’s eyes slowly opened as she continued deciphering the code.

‘First, seduce Daniel Steiner and gain emotional control over him…?’

Her shoulders trembled involuntarily.

Her red eyes wavered, betraying her agitation.

For Lucy, who had no experience with men, this order was incredibly harsh.