A Drive with the Princess Isn't Easy
A Drive with the Princess Isn't Easy
─ This is Kingfisher. Target eliminated. Returning to temporary forward base.
Heinz, waiting on the Drockenberg Plateau, received the radio transmission.
It meant that Heinz's prediction, grounded in rationality, had been wrong, and Daniel's gut instinct had been right.
He wanted to believe it was a lie, but Heinz knew that Daniel, who was hell-bent on racking up achievements, would never file a false report.
Having sent his acknowledgment, Heinz pulled back from the plateau and returned to the forward base, where he would see Daniel's combat results with his own eyes.
"Huh...."
Prisoners in Allied Nations uniforms knelt in a group on the open ground of the forward base.
It was an almost surreal sight: prisoners numbering more than eighty at a glance, guarded by a mere twenty-odd platoon members.
Heinz's adjutant was equally astonished by Daniel's achievement.
"......Lieutenant Daniel really did lead a platoon and subdue a whole company. How is that even possible?"
It wasn't impossible.
After all, while not common, incidents of a platoon overcoming a company weren't entirely unheard of.
If you searched the combat case files, it wasn't difficult to find a David who had slain a Goliath.
'But....'
Had there ever been a David who had taken Goliath prisoner?
Heinz simply couldn't understand how a mere twenty-man platoon had extracted a company's surrender.
What was more, the captured Allied company included five officers and seven non-commissioned officers.
There was even one field-grade officer among them.
Considering the intelligence that could be extracted through their interrogation, this was an enormous achievement.
Heinz, who had been looking down at the prisoners groaning in the snow, sensed a presence and raised his head.
Daniel had approached undetected and saluted.
"You've returned, Captain Heinz, sir."
Heinz returned the salute and spoke, feeling somewhat dazed.
"Remarkable. How in the world did you take all of them prisoner?"
"Ah. I just think I got lucky."
He meant it, but Heinz could only see it as Daniel being modest.
'There is a saying in the Empire that the humble rise high. Indeed, humility is a virtue. Had I not known his true nature, I might have been fooled as well.'
Deeply wary of Daniel, Heinz let out a dry cough.
"Drop this talk of luck. No platoon subdues a company on luck alone. The credit is all yours."
"......That is not the case."
Daniel spoke with a serious expression.
"I merely drew a conclusion based on Captain Heinz's opinion, which had the backing of the Central Intelligence Department. All credit should rightfully go to the Central Intelligence Department and Captain Heinz, sir."
Daniel was, in effect, persuading him: 'Please, for the love of God, do not report to headquarters that I did everything.' But to Heinz, Daniel's words were an advanced political maneuver for promotion.
'He's lowering himself and elevating his superior. This would soften even the most rigid superior officer. Not only is his tactical command excellent, but he has mastered internal military politics as well....'
He was nothing less than a monster obsessed with promotion.
Heinz felt goosebumps break out all over his body and gave a low murmur.
"I cannot do that. I do not file false reports with headquarters. Your combat record will go up exactly as it happened, so enjoy your victory."
At those words, one of Daniel's eyebrows twitched.
'This guy has no damn sense at all! You stubborn bastard! I'm telling you to take the credit!?'
Any other commander would have greedily snapped it up, but this straight-laced officer was being scrupulously clean, refusing to steal his subordinate's accomplishments.
It explained why Heinz's rank was low given his achievements.
Having inwardly sighed, Daniel composed his face into an expressionless mask.
"If that is the captain's decision, I shall accept it."
"Good. Then as of now, the operation is complete. Go and get some rest. I will escort the prisoners. I will also make arrangements for you to return to headquarters by noon tomorrow."
"I am grateful for your consideration."
Confirming the conversation was over, Daniel snapped off a salute.
"It was an honor to have met you. Captain Heinz Schmidt, sir."
"It was equally an honor for me to have such a capable officer under my command."
After they exchanged the greeting, Heinz returned the salute, and Daniel turned and walked toward his tent.
Watching his back, Heinz's adjutant spoke with a feeling of awe.
"The rumor going around that the platoon leader sent from GHQ is an exceptional elite was true. His operational execution is excellent, and there is nothing to fault in his manners toward a superior, either."
"That's not wrong. But you fail to see the essence."
Heinz watched Daniel's back retreat and muttered softly.
"That bastard is a monster. A monster who will one day swallow this Empire whole......."
*
The next day.
After submitting a detailed report to Heinz about the previous day's battle, I walked to the open ground of the forward base at noon.
Military jeeps and transport trucks were parked in the open ground, and the platoon members were gathered in front of them, talking.
Listening in, I found they were discussing how amazing the previous day's battle had been.
I thought I caught the occasional bit of praise directed at me, and it didn't seem to be just my imagination.
Because Frien, who had been talking with them, came over to me.
"Lieutenant Daniel, sir! A fine noon! Have you finished your report?"
"......Yeah. But what were you all discussing so enjoyably?"
"We were discussing what a superb commander you are, Lieutenant! Leading your very first battle to victory without a single casualty? Against an enemy company, no less! You truly are incredible!"
Frien's brightly shining eyes were profoundly burdensome.
I frowned and spoke to Frien.
"You're spouting nonsense. It's time to return to headquarters. Get on the vehicle or something."
"Yes, understood! I'll relay that!"
Frien saluted and went back to the platoon members, relaying my words.
At that, the platoon members looked at me, snapped off a salute, and walked toward the military transport vehicle.
Weren't they too elated by their first victory? I sighed and walked toward the jeep, then stopped short.
Because a woman in a pure white blouse and coat stood waiting for me with her hands clasped behind her back.
Selvia, who had been looking around, spotted me and naturally spoke up.
"Lieutenant Daniel. Are you returning to headquarters?"
"......I am, but?"
"Then let us go together. I have business at headquarters as well."
Why are you coming with me? I was so dumbfounded that words failed me.
Having frozen for a while, I racked my brain as hard as I could and answered.
"Miss reporter. This particular military vehicle is a model that prioritizes performance, so it is far from comfortable. It is not suited for long-distance travel. Especially for a woman's body...."
"It's fine. We're at war, aren't we? I think just being able to ride in a working vehicle is a great fortune."
Even if you're fine with it, I'm not fine with it! I couldn't exactly tell the princess to drive, so I would have to drive all the way to headquarters, and I did not want to endure that fatigue.
"Lieutenant Daniel?"
But how could I refuse the princess?
I showed maximum defiance by sighing lowly, then nodded.
"If you truly insist, then please get aboard. I will drive."
Selvia nodded and got into the passenger seat.
Having muttered a few complaints inwardly, I too got into the driver's seat and started the engine.
As I stepped on the accelerator and smoothly moved forward, the transport vehicle behind us followed.
About an hour after we left the forward base, Selvia spoke.
"Lieutenant Daniel. How do you view the war's prospects?"
It came out of nowhere.
But it was also a question befitting the Empire's princess.
Because she was always surrounded by field-grade officers and generals who shouted, 'The Empire will be victorious!', now, disguised as a war correspondent, she was likely asking a junior officer for a frank opinion.
"It will not be easy."
So I could at least give her that advice.
Selvia's gaze said she didn't understand my words, though.
"Not easy, you say? The Empire has virtually achieved victory on the northern front. News of victory is coming from the eastern front as well. At this rate, the Empire will win the war against the Allied Nations."
"Yes. If no third power intervenes, that will certainly be the case."
Selvia didn't know the terror of a world war.
That was why she could say such carefree things.
"The Empire is, in name and reality, the foremost of the great powers. What do you suppose will happen if that Empire defeats the Allied Nations and claims those spoils?"
Selvia's expression grew serious as she listened.
"It will naturally emerge as the hegemon. Able to stand above all other nations...."
"Yes. If things go well, it might even lay the foundation for dreams of world unification. The problem is that the other great powers also know this fact."
The great powers feared the Empire's power growing beyond what it already was.
They also feared that the destruction of the Allied Nations could become their own future.
Fear and caution would become the embers of war and would ignite against the Empire.
The great powers, feeling the necessity of war, would rush to declare it, and that declaration's target would be none other than....
"The Empire will become the enemy of all nations."
This was precisely the reason the Empire was fated to lose to the Allied Nations.
"......."
Selvia's expression darkened gravely.
She seemed to be judging whether my words were reasonable.
Since it was a direct refutation of the field-grade officers' and generals' opinion that the Empire would absolutely win, it would be quite a shock to her.
Maybe she would label me a delusional megalomaniac and get angry.
But Selvia did not reject my opinion; she accepted it.
"I see. It is one of the possibilities that could occur. But, Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. How did you arrive at such a deduction...?"
I couldn't answer Selvia's question.
Because I had fortuitously spotted a cluster of spikes on the road ahead, glittering in the blazing sunlight.
'Spike strip...!'
My mind snapped awake. I hastily twisted the steering wheel and turned off onto a side path.
Jolt! Selvia's body lurched sideways from the sudden wrenching of the wheel.
"Urk!"
Selvia, who had fallen sideways, tried to right herself by grabbing my thigh.
At that moment, I seized Selvia's head and shoved it down.
"Ughhk!? Lieutenant Daniel! What on earth are you—"
Rat-tat-tat-tat! Gunfire erupted from all directions and bullets flew in.
One bullet slammed into the passenger-side window.
Had it not been bulletproof glass, the window would have been pierced in one shot.
Only then did Selvia grasp the situation, ceasing her attempt to lift her head and staying low.
"No way...!"
Regrettably, 'no way' was exactly what it was.
The meaning of the spike strip and multiple gunshots was one thing: an enemy ambush.