Discharge Is Really Not Easy
Discharge Is Really Not Easy
After liberating Emperor Selvia, who had been imprisoned in the Golden Rest, Daniel had spent quite a busy week.
This was because there were matters to resolve before transferring all authority back to Selvia.
The most pressing of these was the detention of collaborators linked to Duke Belvar in the special detention zone established beneath the Central Security Office.
Once all visible collaborators had been rounded up, he collected discharge applications and retirement requests from the unit commanders of the Guards Division and delivered them to Selvia.
Given the circumstances, no one dared offer the excuse that they had simply followed the Defense Commander's orders.
Because they knew that if they made excuses and incurred the wrath of Daniel Steiner or the Emperor, it would not end with merely taking off their uniforms.
Of course, in this massive personnel purge, only Colonel Telberet, commander of the armored regiment under the Guards Division, was able to retain his position with his dignity intact.
Although he had followed the Defense Commander's orders, he had recognized the gravity of the situation, sided with Daniel Steiner, and helped suppress the instigators of the rebellion, thereby earning recognition for his service.
After thus replacing all commanders except Telberet, Daniel ordered the phased withdrawal of the 7th Armored Division.
The front line could not be left empty for long, and the 7th Armored Division was not a symbol of the Emperor but a symbol of the war hero Daniel Steiner.
It was an order given out of consideration that the longer the 7th Armored Division remained intact and roamed the capital, the more Selvia's authority would diminish.
Of course, he did not send all forces of the 7th Armored Division back to the front.
Because the remnants of the Noble Union might regroup and incite another rebellion, he retained the core combat power so they could be suppressed at any time.
Having carried out all these tasks over the course of a week, Daniel smiled contentedly in the temporary office he had borrowed at the Central Security Office to conduct his affairs.
"Adjutant. Tell me one more time. What did His Majesty the Emperor say?"
At present, Lucy, Frien, and Pelf were in the office for a report, and seeing Daniel, who had recently been suffering from severe overwork, suddenly radiate a pleasant mood left them all simply bewildered.
Blinking her red eyes once with restrained curiosity, Lucy answered.
"His Majesty has summoned you, Colonel. He said that the current situation in the capital has entered a transitional period due to the various incidents, and that a decision must be made in order to establish discipline."
"A decision!"
Convinced that Selvia's decision would be 'the dismissal of Daniel Steiner,' Daniel chuckled and rose from his seat.
"If His Majesty makes a decision, as a soldier I naturally must follow it."
He had been wondering when he would be dismissed, and Selvia had summoned him at just the right time.
'If the dismissal had been delayed even a little, I would have had to work without rest on stabilizing the capital, dealing with collaborators, and rooting out the remnants. It's a tremendous relief.'
Daniel picked up his officer's coat from where it hung on the chair and slipped it on.
'I don't know who will take my place, but they're going to suffer quite a bit. Poor bastard.'
Having mentally offered his sincere condolences to the successor Selvia would select, Daniel walked toward Lucy.
Thinking this was his last day, he felt he should at least say his farewells.
To be honest, it hadn't always been nothing but good feelings, but after spending a year together, attachment had built up without him fully realizing it.
Wearing a faint smile, Daniel extended his hand toward Lucy.
"Adjutant. Even if others may not know it well, I know. That you are, in truth, a good woman. So I hope you will continue to act according to your convictions. Life is far too short to live by merely listening to what others say, is it not?"
A question mark seemed to float above Lucy's head.
She had no idea what it meant, but since Daniel was offering a handshake, she responded without complaint.
"...I will keep that in mind."
Having received a lukewarm answer from Lucy, Daniel next went to stand before Frien.
"Lieutenant Frien. The Church may regard black mana as ominous, but I consider it a blessing. Because countless lives were saved thanks to your ability. So, stop blaming yourself from now on and think more positively of yourself."
Blinking her eyes blankly, Frien grasped Daniel's hand.
"...Thank you?"
Nodding kindly, Daniel then stood before Pelf, the intelligence staff officer.
"Major Pelf. It is no exaggeration to say that the 7th Armored Division has been able to fight fiercely until now because it had a talent like Major Pelf. Soon, personnel will be reorganized and your position may change, but wherever you go, be sure to demonstrate your outstanding abilities."
Pelf, who did not entirely understand but was happy about the well-wishing, firmly grasped Daniel's hand.
"Yes! I will keep it in mind!"
Having heard the answer, Daniel patted the back of Pelf's hand a couple of times and walked toward the door.
Humming a tune, Daniel opened the door and stepped out of the room with light footsteps.
Before long, a voice filled with ecstasy echoed from the hallway: 'All right! I knew there couldn't be a law saying I must die!'
This was so perplexing that Frien looked at Pelf and spoke.
"Intelligence Staff Officer? Do you perhaps know why Colonel Daniel is acting that way?"
"...I'm not sure. It's clear something has put him in a good mood, though."
"I think so too, but why on earth is he in such a good mood?"
This time, Frien turned to look at Lucy.
"Lieutenant Lucy, do you know?"
There was no way she could know, and Lucy shook her head.
"No. I don't know."
Consequently, the trio gathered in the office were left simply bewildered, as if they had encountered an unsolvable riddle.
*
A short while later, the Great Hall of the Imperial Palace.
Having reclaimed her imperial authority, Selvia sat upon the throne and surveyed everyone with her gaze.
The ministers and numerous high-ranking officials who had been freed from their confinement by Daniel Steiner were presenting various opinions, but Selvia could not take them to heart.
Because the most important person in this assembly had not yet appeared.
"Is Colonel Daniel still not here?"
Wearing a white uniform and a red cape symbolizing her status as Emperor, Selvia quietly addressed the head of the Inner Court Office.
At that, the head of the Inner Court Office lowered his head while reading Selvia's expression.
"He is said to have arrived at the Imperial Palace and will be here shortly."
Nodding at the Inner Court Office head's words, Selvia decided to wait a little longer for Daniel.
Then, after several minutes had passed, Daniel appeared through the open door.
The moment Daniel, impeccably dressed in his black uniform, stepped into the Great Hall, the ministers and high-ranking officials who had been conversing among themselves all fell silent at once.
They had all tensed at the appearance of Daniel Steiner, who currently held the real power in the Empire second only to the Emperor.
Since rumors were openly circulating that Daniel Steiner might hold even greater power than the Emperor, they had no choice but to watch their behavior.
Mindful of their gazes, Daniel stepped forward along the red carpet, knelt on one knee before Selvia, and bowed his head.
"I come before the great His Majesty the Emperor."
Gazing at Daniel's figure with affectionate eyes, Selvia opened her mouth to speak.
"Raise your head. Daniel Steiner."
As Daniel raised his head, Selvia continued.
"You defeated the Magitek Armored Division at the Battle of Skeolan and returned to the homeland. That was a great loss for the Empire and a historical blunder."
A murmuring arose among the ministers.
They were all surprised, suspecting that she might actually be about to censure Daniel Steiner.
But Selvia's next words swept away the ministers' agitation.
"However, based on the fact that the Battle of Skeolan originated from an enemy surprise attack, that there was confusion in the process of conveying orders, and that although it was a defeat, the damage was kept to a minimum thanks to your efforts, the commanding officer's military merit is hereby recognized."
A tremor ran through Daniel's hand as he flinched.
This was because, from Daniel's perspective, who had been expecting dismissal, Selvia's words and actions were incomprehensible.
"In recognition of this, I shall now bestow upon you the Imperial First-Class Military Merit Medal, the White Dragon Medal of Military Merit."
She was even stepping forward to award him the White Dragon Medal of Military Merit, considered the most prestigious medal one could receive in the Empire.
Astonished, Daniel stared blankly up at Selvia.
Selvia, meeting Daniel's gaze, continued to speak.
"Everyone here will also know that the reason Colonel Daniel Steiner marched his army back was to thoroughly punish the collaborators lurking within the Empire. Therefore, I hereby command Colonel Daniel Steiner to take responsibility for and handle the current state of affairs."
Anxiety flooding over him, Daniel desperately shook his head, but it did not reach Selvia.
"As of this moment, I will elevate the Central Security Office to a special mission agency directly under the Emperor, and I intend to appoint Colonel Daniel Steiner as its head, albeit temporarily. If anyone has an objection, speak now."
This was an appointment granted by the Emperor, who had reclaimed her imperial authority, to the person who had saved her.
The ministers and high-ranking officials, who dared not raise any objection, had no choice but to bow their heads.
"If there are no objections, we shall proceed. Colonel Daniel Steiner."
Daniel felt a chill run down his spine.
He wanted to scream at her to please stop, but he could not bring himself to do so in front of everyone watching.
"From this moment on, you will assist me..."
Selvia's eyes, looking down at Daniel, gently narrowed.
"...and, as the Emergency Security Chief, establish a new order in the Empire."
At the words 'Emergency Security Chief,' Daniel's face turned deathly pale.
And so, on a sunny spring day when the flowers were beginning to bloom in full.
'...Your Majesty? Why on earth are you doing this to me.'
Daniel Steiner had requested dismissal, but His Majesty had not granted it.