As Expected, a War Hero Is Different
As Expected, a War Hero Is Different
The following morning.
The Imperial Izenkrone Palace.
"I humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. Please guide Thy servant, who stands before Thee, to lay down the burdens of this world and enter into eternal rest. And as a mere human, not the Emperor of this Empire, receive this pitiful soul into Thy bosom and forgive his sins."
A priest quietly recited a prayer beside the Emperor's bedchamber.
In the solemn silence, the Emperor's close aides bowed their heads, and Selvia, struggling to stifle her sobs, held her father's hand tightly.
Duke Belvar, who had been watching the scene, narrowed his eyes quietly.
'So he couldn't overcome his illness after all....'
The sight of Bertram, who had seemed as though he would live forever, now lying at death's door, stirred a multitude of emotions in him.
It was Emperor Bertram who had inherited the previous generation's power, introduced progressive policies one after another, and brought a new wind to the Empire.
The Empire had seemed to be entering an era of peace and prosperity.
That is, until the war broke out.
When war erupted due to discord with the Allied Nations, Bertram could no longer focus solely on internal affairs; he personally went to the front lines to fight alongside the soldiers and encourage them.
Even at the cost of his sleep.
Because of this, Bertram's health deteriorated rapidly.
In other words, this was the end for a politician who had not taken care of his body.
The power that had seemed eternal was flickering miserably like a candle in the wind.
"...We know that the Lord intercedes for us earnestly. Therefore, please, with a generous heart, consider the hardships and wrong decisions he has endured. I fervently pray that You guide him to Heaven in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the blessings of the angels. Amen."
Having finished the prayer and made the sign of the cross, the priest stepped back.
Confirming that the prayer was over, Bertram turned his head and gazed at Selvia with eyes that could barely stay open.
"My daughter. Come here...."
Even as he exhaled ragged breaths that seemed about to cease at any moment, Bertram did not forget to give various pieces of advice to his daughter, Selvia.
Though, in Belvar's eyes, it was nothing more than useless advice.
'...Bertram's death will be the catalyst for the revolution.'
Bertram was an emperor respected both at home and abroad.
He cared for his people without ignoring the nobility, knew how to fight for his soldiers, and led numerous battles to victory.
Belvar also considered Bertram a good emperor.
'But he made one mistake.'
That was making his children fight each other over the right to succession.
It was not that he couldn't understand Bertram's heart.
Because he likely believed that a prince with high ambition but no sense of reality would bring the nation to ruin.
So, he must have wanted to hand over the throne to Selvia, who possessed good administrative skills and a heart for the people.
The proof was that he delayed and delayed the selection of a successor, and only handed over the throne when Selvia achieved a decisive victory.
The problem was that this choice caused the nobility to turn their backs on him.
'A female emperor? Did he think the nobility would just quietly obey?'
The Emperor being a woman not only violated the legitimacy of the Imperial Household but inevitably provoked the nobility's opposition.
Noble houses fundamentally bequeath all power and property to the eldest son.
The current nobility took that for granted as they occupied the position of head of the family.
Yet the Emperor, in the most noble position in the Empire, had bequeathed power and property not to his eldest son but to his daughter. It was no different from insulting all the noble houses.
Discontent soon became the driving force for unity, and with the justification that the Emperor had violated the legitimate succession of the Imperial Household, the influential nobles were able to join forces.
Belvar, who was currently leading them, had made his resolution.
To reclaim the nobility's prestige starting from the day of Bertram's passing.
'To do that....'
He needed to isolate and eliminate Daniel Steiner, who acted as the loyal hound of the current emperor, Selvia.
But how? A few days ago, as Belvar was mired in deep thought, a man had come to visit him.
The man, who identified himself as an Allied Nations spy, conveyed a message that Count Kaledra wished to extend a gesture of goodwill toward him.
Saying that if they joined hands, they could definitely kill Daniel Steiner.
After hearing Count Kaledra's plan, though half in doubt, Belvar couldn't help but smile.
'He said they planned to conduct an encirclement attack using Ethelium.'
It was a strategy that even Daniel Steiner, called a genius staff officer, could never imagine.
No, even if he imagined it, he would not think they would gamble on such low odds.
'Daniel Steiner will die on the Eastern Front. Even if he doesn't die, if he suffers a major defeat on the battlefield, we can use that as a pretext to turn him into a scarecrow. And next....'
It was around the time Belvar was slowly reviewing his plan in his head.
"Belvar. Come here...."
Bertram's utterly exhausted voice erased Belvar's idle thoughts.
After straightening his attire, Belvar went to the side of the bed where Bertram lay and knelt down.
"You called for me, Your Majesty?"
"...Yes. Belvar, you would know well that the Empire is currently facing an inflection point. So I need your help. Please help my daughter so that state affairs can be stabilized."
"Do not worry. I shall certainly do so."
"Right. I... you...."
As he spoke, Bertram's words trailed off as he turned his head with difficulty.
Because in the eyes of Belvar, looking down at him, there was no trace of sadness or pity to be found.
The emotion lingering in his eyes was nothing but ambition.
Seeing that, Bertram's breathing began to quicken.
"You...."
The words did not continue.
Because Bertram had been so preoccupied with when Daniel Steiner would bare his fangs, he had paid little attention to the nobles.
His rapidly deteriorating health, which made it impossible for him to fully retain his mental faculties, also played a large role.
So when Selvia ascended to the throne, he had dismissed the nobles' antagonism as a temporary phenomenon.
He had thought of it as one of the problems emperors always faced during transitions of power.
But it was not.
The nobles' antagonism was part of a thorough plan.
And he was finally able to know who their leader was.
"You...!"
Clenching his teeth, Bertram snatched at Belvar's sleeve, but there was no strength in his grip.
Looking down regretfully at the dying Bertram, Belvar reached out his hand.
"You need not worry."
Grasping Bertram's wrist, Belvar slowly peeled his hand away.
"For I shall serve His Majesty the Emperor well at your side."
Seeing the smile blooming on Belvar's lips, Bertram realized it.
'It was not Daniel Steiner who was trying to swallow the Empire....'
It was the old fox right before his eyes.
*
Daniel, who had woken up early in the morning, performed his duties as Chief of Staff as usual.
He spent his time listening to briefings on operation plans from the staff officers and predicting enemy movements based on the intelligence he had gathered.
After spending the morning like that, he patrolled the defensive line with his hands behind his back in the afternoon.
When the Chief of Staff, who should have been at headquarters, came all the way to the trenches, the resting soldiers and junior officers flinched in surprise and stood at attention, but Daniel simply smiled and nodded.
Lucy, who had been trailing behind Daniel, tilted her head.
Because Daniel's expression today looked not just peaceful, but genuinely happy.
"...Chief of Staff, sir."
At Lucy's question, Daniel, who had been encouraging a soldier in the trench, turned his gaze.
"What is it, Adjutant?"
"Did something good happen today?"
"Something good, you say."
Daniel smiled and shrugged his shoulders once.
"I don't quite know what you mean. Do you think you know?"
The soldier standing stiffly at attention in front of Daniel hastily replied.
"I don't know! But if you, Chief of Staff, say you are in a good mood, I would carefully speculate that the operation is proceeding smoothly!"
Half of it was right, and half was wrong.
Because he was simply thankful to the division commander for accepting his bullshit reasoning and issuing a search order.
'A platoon that crossed the front line to set and activate Ethelium coordinates? There's no way such a thing exists. It's even questionable whether that technology has been developed in the first place.'
So it could be called an operation infinitely close to failure.
'Seeing as the division commander seems to have a pretty nasty personality, he'll severely reprimand me when the search operation turns out to be a failure. Very good.'
If he showed some defiance there and it led to disobedience of orders, he would naturally be able to take off his uniform.
'At the very least, they'll judge me unfit as a frontline commander and I'll be assigned to the rear.'
Either way, it was good news for Daniel.
"Chief of Staff, sir!"
A familiar voice came from behind him.
Turning around, he saw it was the Intelligence Staff Officer, Major Pelf.
Thinking the division commander's patience had already run out, Daniel spoke nonchalantly.
"What is it?"
Pelf, who seemed to have run all the way here, spoke after catching his breath.
"The Division Commander is calling for you. He says to return to the headquarters immediately."
"Is that so. He must be very angry."
Thinking that what was bound to happen had happened, Daniel suppressed a smile and put on a troubled expression.
However, Pelf just placed a question mark over his head as if he couldn't understand.
"Pardon? He's very pleased. He's even brought out his hidden whiskey."
"...Pleased, you say?"
A sense of foreboding crept over Daniel, hardening his expression.
Pelf, not having noticed it, nodded his head with a bright smile.
"How could he not be pleased! Just as you, Chief of Staff, said, they searched the forest and reportedly captured an enemy platoon transporting Ethelium inside a cave!"
Because Pelf's voice was so loud, all the soldiers and junior officers in the trench turned around.
They were all looking at Daniel with feelings of awe.
"Did the Chief of Staff pull off another success?"
"I heard he was a war hero, but to produce results as soon as he arrives...."
"We believed in you! Chief of Staff!"
As one soldier shouted loudly, cheers began to spread from various places.
Amidst their cheers, Daniel quietly closed his eyes and thought.
'This fucking...'
Getting discharged was out of the question.