It's Not Easy to Refuse
It's Not Easy to Refuse
The news that Daniel Steiner was leading a division made the blood drain from the faces of the nobles—and from Belvar's as well.
The nobles, who had just been asserting their own interests, were now staring at one another in a silence that bordered on terror, their expressions incredulous.
Among them, a young noble mustered the courage to speak.
"...Does this make any sense? Daniel Steiner is leading the 7th Armored Division here? How on earth does he have the authority to command a division?"
Upon hearing the young noble's words, Feliston answered.
"I've heard that the commander of the 7th Armored Division was killed by enemy bombardment during the battle. Because of this, the current Chief of Staff, Daniel Steiner, is acting as the division commander."
Feliston's words stirred up a commotion inside the grand conference hall.
"The division commander died from a bombing? Just at the very moment we seized the capital?"
"Even I can't make sense of it! Isn't the timing too perfect! Could it be that Daniel Steiner...?"
"It's merely speculation, but there is a possibility that he killed the division commander to seize the army for himself and then disguised it as a death by bombardment."
The last statement was from Belvar.
Belvar had clearly framed it as 'speculation,' but few of the nobles took it as such.
Considering Daniel Steiner's notoriety, it was entirely plausible.
"...Then what must we do now?"
"Your Excellency! Daniel Steiner must not be allowed into the capital!"
"Indeed! We must stop him by any means!"
The voices of the nobles clamored through the grand conference hall, but they were not wrong.
Daniel Steiner was a war hero and, at the same time, a figure who enjoyed overwhelming support from the populace.
The moment he entered the capital and raised his voice, shouting, 'The Noble Union has betrayed us and is suppressing His Majesty the Emperor!', a civil war would be all but certain.
'And the losing side in that civil war would be...'
In all likelihood, it would be the Noble Union.
It was obvious that the advantage would lie with Daniel Steiner, who had the populace behind him.
'In that case, we must settle this before Daniel Steiner arrives in the capital...'
But that was equally difficult.
To form a suppression army to stop Daniel Steiner, they would have to contact the garrison troops in each city.
They would have to tell them to stop the traitor Daniel Steiner, who was emptying the front lines and marching back.
The garrisons receiving such contact would naturally try to investigate why Daniel Steiner was marching back.
In that process, they would learn that the Imperial Intelligence Department had deliberately sent false information to the 7th Armored Division, and in the worst case, they would figure out that the capital had been occupied by the Noble Union.
If that happened, the garrisons would sooner throw their support behind Daniel Steiner than try to stop him.
'Creating a suppression army is a losing move unless we've first completed a personnel reshuffle.'
Then they would have to use the Guards Division of the Defense Command, the only troops immediately available, to block the 7th Armored Division, but that was nearly impossible.
Not only could the capital not be completely emptied due to the nature of the Guards Division, but even if they recklessly mobilized all troops to confront the 7th Armored Division, victory was not guaranteed.
Just think about it.
It would be the 7th Armored Division, a veteran unit that had experienced countless battles on the front, clashing with the Guards Division, which had been doing clerical work in the safe capital.
On top of that, the 7th Armored Division was currently being led by the one they called a genius staff officer, Daniel Steiner.
The odds of defeat were high even in a conventional battle, but against an armored division commanded by Daniel Steiner, defeat was all but certain.
'What should I do...'
Belvar raised a hand to his forehead and let out a low groan.
Then, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
'...The reason we can't form a suppression army right now is that we lack a solid justification. If we succeed in creating one on our side, even Daniel Steiner won't be able to exert his power and will be forced to submit.'
If they could turn Daniel Steiner into a 'true traitor,' they could justify everything the Noble Union had done so far.
"Good."
Belvar, having come up with a clever scheme, raised his head.
"Deputy Director! Go to the Defense Commander right now and tell him this! Use the Guards Armored Regiment to deliver an imperial decree!"
"...An imperial decree, did you say?"
"Yes. Something like 'The traitor Daniel Steiner is to cease his advance and surrender' should suffice. Deputy Director, how do you think Daniel Steiner will react if he hears this order?"
The Deputy Director, who had been thinking for a moment, came to a quiet realization.
"I believe he will ignore the order and attack the Armored Regiment. After all, Daniel Steiner has already pulled back his forces—there is no turning back for him now either."
"And what will happen then?"
"The garrison commanders in each city who hear this news will think Daniel Steiner is truly committing treason. Furthermore, the Noble Union will appear to be the faction trying to stop it."
The Noble Union had stepped forward to protect the capital and the Emperor from Daniel Steiner.
Daniel Steiner, having caught wind of this, was enraged that things in the capital were not going his way. He had eliminated the division commander of his own unit, taken his place, and was now advancing on the capital.
'Perfect.'
It was a fabrication from beginning to end, but if Daniel Steiner attacked the Armored Regiment that had come to deliver the Emperor's order, it would become propaganda disguised as truth.
If the story spread that far, the populace would turn against him, and a suppression army could be formed easily.
For Belvar, it was the best possible move.
"If you understand, relay my opinion to the Defense Commander."
With all the nobles' attention focused on him, Belvar continued quietly.
"Tell him to prepare a giant trap for the wolf."
*
After hearing Belvar's opinion, the Defense Commander decided there was no other option and committed the Armored Regiment to the operation.
Leaving the capital under the pretext of delivering His Majesty the Emperor's decree, the Armored Regiment traveled for several days before finally setting up camp and waiting on the plain that the 7th Armored Division was bound to cross.
The 7th Armored Division, which had been advancing rapidly toward the capital in a cloud of dust, momentarily halted its movement upon spotting the Armored Regiment of the Capital Defense Command's Guards Division on the plain.
Seeing them, the Armored Regiment sent a messenger to the 7th Armored Division, urging them, by His Majesty the Emperor's order, that 'Daniel Steiner shall immediately cease his advance and surrender.'
Upon hearing the word of the Emperor's order, the 7th Armored Division replied to the messenger, 'Give us some time to think,' and sent the messenger back.
And the next day.
'That's unbelievably massive. That's a division that's already fought two major battles?'
Lieutenant Reckella, who was on guard duty at the forward observation post, lowered his binoculars and let out a hollow sigh.
'There are about 140 tanks alone, and the armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and towed guns all look perfectly intact. That means they suffered almost no losses despite fighting two battles.'
Genuinely impressed, Reckella chuckled quietly, and a soldier approached him.
"...Platoon Leader, sir. What do you think the 7th Armored Division will do?"
At the soldier's question, Reckella gave a single shrug.
"I'm not sure. I heard that orders came down from above to prepare for a retreat in case the 7th Armored Division went on the attack. And that they barely unloaded any supplies."
"Then is it true that Lieutenant Daniel Steiner has committed treason?"
"If I knew that, would I be standing here?"
He had a point. There was no way a mere platoon leader at the very bottom of the military ladder would know the details of the incident.
The soldier, shrugging once, inadvertently glanced toward the 7th Armored Division and then froze.
It was because a military vehicle was approaching from afar, kicking up dust.
"P-platoon leader! That! Look at that! Something's coming!"
Reckella, who had turned his gaze at the soldier's fuss, raised his binoculars to check.
As the soldier said, a single vehicle was approaching at high speed.
"...What's this? A messenger?"
Since they had issued the surrender demand from their side, it was time for the other side to give an answer.
"Everyone, ready your rifles. Just in case."
As Reckella issued the warning, the soldiers, tense, tightened their grip on their rifles.
After waiting for a while, the military vehicle from the 7th Armored Division entered firing range.
While the nervous soldiers raised their rifles and shouldered them, the vehicle gradually slowed down and then stopped in front of the outpost.
Seeing that, Reckella walked toward the vehicle.
"Halt! Halt! Turn off your engine and disembark!"
Just as Reckella instructed, the driver turned off the vehicle's engine and opened the door.
As the driver stepped outside, Reckella froze on the spot.
"...Huh?"
The person who got out of the car was not a messenger.
The Golden Cross Medal and the National Medal on the black uniform the man was wearing shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
'Daniel Steiner?'
It was the traitor whom the Defense Commander had ordered to be arrested and brought in.
As Reckella stood speechless at this completely unexpected appearance, Daniel turned his head and met Reckella's eyes.
An inexplicable sense of pressure emanated from his abyss-like black pupils.
"State your rank and name."
There was no need to give his rank and name to Daniel Steiner, who was being treated as a traitor.
However, contrary to his thoughts, Reckella's mouth opened automatically.
"First Lieutenant Reckella, platoon leader currently carrying out duties at the forward observation post, sir!"
Once the platoon leader had stated his rank and name, the soldiers also lowered the rifles they had been aiming at Daniel.
They simply could not bring themselves to point a gun at Daniel Steiner, the hero of the Empire.
After looking them over once, Daniel spoke in a low voice.
"Open the outpost gate. I have something to discuss with the unit commander."
He shouldn't have done it.
According to his orders, he was supposed to bind Daniel on the spot and bring him to the regimental commander.
Yet Reckella's body did not move.
Knowing what he was supposed to do did not mean he could bring himself to do it.
Daniel glared at Reckella.
"Lieutenant. Don't make me say it twice."
The chillingly cold voice was laced with refined fury.
Exposed to that gaze, Reckella instinctively bowed his head deeply.
"Y-yes, sir, understood!"
Only after hastily answering did Reckella realize.
That he could not refuse the command of the hero standing before his eyes.