The Captured Fish Is Bait to Catch a Big One
The Captured Fish Is Bait to Catch a Big One
Two days later, Kingdom of Belmore.
2nd Armored Division Headquarters, Division Commander's Office.
Tok-tok─
Hearing the knock, Division Commander Count Magref tidied up the report he was reading.
He raised a hand, took off his reading glasses, and spoke.
"Come in."
Once permission was granted, the office door opened and a man of neat appearance entered.
He was Magref's adjutant.
"Your Excellency!"
The adjutant, uncharacteristically agitated, hastily poured out his words.
"Emergency report! It is said His Highness the Crown Prince was defeated by Daniel Steiner's unit and taken hostage!"
At the adjutant's words, Magref's hand froze as he was folding his glasses.
Because it was incomprehensible.
"......What on earth do you mean? Did His Highness not ambush Daniel Steiner clearly? And he did so leading a battalion of the kingdom's elite troops."
"That is not incorrect. However, Daniel Steiner had anticipated all of it."
The adjutant bit his lip firmly, took a deep breath, and continued.
"According to reports, he had formed an encirclement, waiting for His Highness to enter the forward base. His Highness, knowing nothing, ordered the charge and just like that......"
Magref raised a hand to stop him.
Because no further explanation was needed.
"Daniel Steiner had anticipated the ambush?"
It was unbelievable, but considering an encirclement had been formed, it was a reasonable deduction.
"No. How on earth......"
Magref, who had been muttering in confusion, was soon able to understand the entire situation.
'The person who passed us Daniel Steiner's location was actually a double agent. Or perhaps a spy working for Daniel Steiner has infiltrated the kingdom......'
He was not sure which was the correct answer, but it was clear that Daniel Steiner had known all the information in advance and exploited it.
'Truly, a stratagem befitting a demon.'
He understood fully why Daniel Steiner was called the Devil of the Empire.
Magref, who had been groaning lowly, turned to his adjutant.
"Form a negotiation team immediately."
Daniel Steiner, having captured the Crown Prince, would obviously propose negotiations to the kingdom.
The kingdom could not hand the Crown Prince over to enemy hands, so they had no choice but to somehow agree to Daniel's proposal.
Therefore, it was right to act swiftly and devise a negotiation strategy.
The adjutant, having grasped Magref's intention, regained his composure and answered.
"Understood. I will issue the order promptly. However, have you decided who to send as the head of the negotiation team?"
Magref, who had let out a low breath, nodded.
"I will go personally."
"......You, the Division Commander, yourself are going?"
"Yes."
It was necessary to find out how exactly Daniel Steiner was extracting the Kingdom of Belmore's intelligence.
So rather than sending some half-baked negotiation expert or government official, he resolved to step forward himself.
After a brief silence, the adjutant, having understood Magref's intentions, bowed his head deeply.
"Understood. I shall relay your decision as such."
The adjutant, having spoken with courtesy, gave Magref a final salute and left the office.
Left alone, Magref stared out the window and sank into deep thought.
'Daniel Steiner......'
Could a person's name feel this overwhelming?
Magref, steadying his trembling hand without realizing it, narrowed his eyes and drew a breath.
'Your Highness the Crown Prince. Please hold on just a little longer.'
For I will rescue Your Highness from that treacherous villain.
*
After capturing Crown Prince Blef, Daniel verified his identity once more and then requested support from the rear units.
The mortar barrage had destroyed the forward base, and even if it hadn't, there was no space to accommodate the entire battalion—including prisoners.
Upon hearing the news that Crown Prince Blef of the Kingdom of Belmore had been captured, the rear units sent a support force to the forward base without hesitation.
After waiting one day, dozens of transport vehicles and escort troops arrived at the forward base, and Daniel ordered the prisoners to board first before finally boarding himself.
Once all personnel were aboard, the transport vehicles headed for Barheim, a small city near the eastern front.
When they arrived in Barheim, the person who came out to greet them was the brigade commander in charge of the city's defense.
Whether he genuinely wished to commend the capture of the crown prince was unclear, but the brigade commander treated Daniel's unit with the utmost hospitality.
Eager to rest, Daniel accepted without objection, and after resting for a few days he politely asked the brigade commander for a place to conduct his official duties.
The brigade commander readily agreed and gave him the largest office in the brigade building.
As a result, Daniel, now settled in the brigade building, summoned two officers today.
So now.
Standing before Daniel at his official desk were Frien, wearing a gentle smile, and Lucy, holding a file folder to her chest, her expression as emotionless as usual.
Daniel, who had been staring at Frien in silence, struggled to suppress his irritation as he opened his mouth.
"Lieutenant Frien."
"Yes, Battalion Commander."
"I heard that during your leisure time, you have been going to worship at a church located here in Barheim. Is the information I have correct?"
Frien nodded.
"That is correct. Is there a problem?"
Was he seriously asking that? Dumbfounded, Daniel clucked his tongue and spoke.
"If you're going to worship, just worship. Why are you going around babbling nonsense, selling my name and calling me a saint or whatever?"
"......Nonsense? I merely told the congregation the truth."
Frien blinked as if he could not understand, making Daniel feel a headache coming on.
'Please, just tone it down......'
Perhaps because Frien's nonsense carried some credibility, the resulting stress was no small matter; a few brainwashed believers had even come to the brigade building raising a ruckus about wanting to see the saint.
Yet he lacked the confidence to convince Frien that his thinking was wrong.
Daniel, who had been pressing hard on his brow in agony, let out a deep sigh.
"Just don't do it if I tell you not to. If you're going to worship, go and only worship, and don't spread strange rumors. Do you understand?"
"Understood. If that is what the Battalion Commander wishes......"
"Yes. Now that it's settled, you may leave."
Frien, smiling as he bowed his head, left the office.
Having confirmed that, Daniel turned his gaze to Lucy.
"Adjutant. Didn't you say you had something to report to me?"
Lucy, having blinked her red eyes once, nodded.
"The Kingdom of Belmore has accepted the negotiation proposal. The head of the negotiations is Major General Magref, who commands the 2nd Armored Brigade. According to the report, he has expressed his intention to come here to Barheim personally."
"What kind of person is Magref?"
"He is a general from a noble family. He has a cautious personality and, like most nobles, he values the legitimacy of the royal family."
After hearing Lucy's words, Daniel fell into thought for a moment.
'Instead of sending a diplomat or a special envoy, the commander of an enemy armored division is coming as the head of the negotiations......'
It was not impossible, but it smelled fishy.
'The Kingdom of Belmore probably thinks I acquired their intelligence through some kind of means.'
Therefore, they likely considered it best to send someone who held information of sufficient value to negotiate with Daniel Steiner.
'So that is why they sent Major General Magref.'
It was highly likely that Magref was the one who held all of the kingdom's information.
'If so, he would also know the information about the Imperial contact who leaked my location to the Crown Prince.'
When he had questioned the Crown Prince earlier, the prince only knew that someone from the Empire had told him, but not exactly who that person was.
However, Magref would certainly know exactly who that person was.
From Daniel's standpoint, his safety could only be guaranteed if he found the Empire's traitor through Magref.
Because if he failed to root the bastard out this time, they would leak secrets again and create a dangerous situation.
'How should I......'
How could he make the name of the Empire's traitor come out of Magref's mouth?
Even if he simply told him to speak on the condition of releasing the Crown Prince, he would not answer.
Because if Magref just played dumb, acting as if he did not know what he was talking about, Daniel could not dig any deeper.
Stroking his chin and repeatedly pondering over the dilemma, Daniel felt an ingenious scheme flash through his mind.
'With this......'
He might be able to extract a confession from Magref.
Having formulated the plan in his mind, Daniel raised his head to look at Lucy.
"Adjutant. On the day of the negotiations, tell them to conduct marksmanship training near the negotiation site. Also tell them to carry a radio and answer the questions I ask truthfully."
Marksmanship training? At the abrupt order, Lucy blinked vacantly.
"The negotiation site is in the city center. Are you telling them to conduct marksmanship training in the city center?"
"Yes. Also, to the Brigade Commander, regarding the route Magref will take to the negotiation site...... no. I think it would be better for me to go and tell him directly. This is surely......"
Muttering as he organized his thoughts, Daniel's eyes were filled with conviction.
Sensing an unconscious awe from his demeanor, Lucy cautiously opened her mouth to speak.
"Lieutenant Colonel, you have everything planned out."
"No. This is less of a plan and more of a......"
Daniel let out a low sigh as if he was reluctant but had no choice.
"It's closer to a damned act. Setting the stage appropriately to make the enemy fear me. Even if the substance is not actually there."
Lucy, having heard Daniel's words, harbored a sense of wonder.
'I am not sure exactly what he means, but if the result is that the enemy comes to fear Daniel......'
Could that still be considered merely an act?