You Can't Let Talented People Go to Waste
You Can't Let Talented People Go to Waste
Though a headache was brewing, Daniel didn't choose to run away.
Because he didn't want to be remembered as a playboy before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding. What the daughter of the Bellanos Cabinet Minister beside me said is not untrue, but there was no physical contact whatsoever. When I was staying in Bellanos, we became entangled for a certain reason and merely exchanged words."
Having said that, Daniel shot Ref a look.
It meant, no matter how much of a tomboy you are, show some manners in front of His Majesty the Emperor.
Ref, also knowing the extent of the Emperor's power, didn't do anything foolish.
Ref lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands, bowed her head to Selvia, and offered an elegant greeting.
"It is an honor to meet you. Your Majesty."
After finishing her greeting, Ref folded her hands in front of her stomach.
Looking at her like this, she was the very picture of a demure young lady.
"Daniel's words are correct. It merely ended with us discussing our mutual interests back then."
"...Mutual interests?"
To Selvia's question, Daniel answered in her stead.
"It was nothing more than casual conversation. Things like favorite foods or hobbies. You could safely say there was no cause for concern."
Daniel meant to say he upheld the dignity of an Imperial soldier, but Selvia perceived it a little differently.
It looked like a cheating man making excuses.
Selvia, who had been looking up at Daniel, clenched her fist.
"Colonel Daniel. Why have you been making excuses on this woman's behalf since earlier? Did I ask you a question?"
Her tone was even, but her words contained a cold frost.
Daniel, intuiting that he shouldn't interfere further, placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head.
"I got ahead of myself. Please, I beg your forgiveness for this rudeness."
As Daniel offered his apology, she remembered the words she had lost the chance to say.
'I wasn't trying to get angry at Daniel...'
Selvia, who had been hesitating without reason, let out a low sigh.
"Forget it. I'm fine, so Colonel Daniel, go to the study."
"You mean the study?"
"Yes. The Chief of the General Staff will be waiting for you there."
She didn't know the details, but it seemed he really did have something important to convey.
"Understood. I shall go immediately."
Daniel, having paid his respects to Selvia, set off.
Ref, who had been quietly watching Daniel's retreating figure, slowly turned her gaze.
With Selvia openly staring at her, cold sweat beaded on Ref's forehead.
They were similar in age, but the status of the Emperor was crushing Ref.
While Worain was also at a loss, Selvia quietly opened her mouth.
"To have a private conversation at a formal occasion is a lack of decorum. Regardless of your personal acquaintance, this is the Imperial Palace and the territory of the Empire. I shall forgive this discourtesy once, but bear in mind that if this happens again, it will constitute a serious diplomatic breach."
Her spirit was cowed.
But Ref couldn't understand Selvia being so sensitive over just a few exchanged words.
This incomprehension gave rise to a few conjectures.
Ref, wanting to confirm whether those conjectures were true, placed a hand on her chest and replied politely.
"I will bear that in mind. I shall act to ensure such a thing does not happen again. I suppose that, since the time I spent personally with Daniel was enjoyable, my joy at the reunion caused me to lose my sense of propriety."
A subtle crack appeared in Selvia's expression.
Selvia, who had been steadying her breath for a while, spoke.
"Was that all?"
As Ref blinked, not knowing what she meant, Selvia spoke again.
"I am asking if you were so buried in fleeting memories that you behaved so disgracefully toward a member of the Empire. I will not reproach your feelings, but were you such a close acquaintance that you had cause to be so overjoyed?"
Selvia was pretending to officially protest as the Emperor, but to Ref, she appeared to be nothing but a woman anxious that the man she loved might be stolen away.
Ref, understanding why Selvia had reacted so sensitively, bowed her head in accordance with etiquette.
"You are not mistaken. I will exercise self-restraint in the future."
"You must. Because there are more than just one or two headaches besides you. And...."
Selvia narrowed her eyes as if uncomfortable.
"From now on, use honorifics when addressing Colonel Daniel. It is a principle that harmony is achieved when both nations show respect."
As Ref gave a slight nod, Selvia turned around and walked away.
Ref, who had been watching her retreating figure, raised a hand to cover her lips and gave a slender smile.
'Well, well. Things are getting interesting.'
Ref had naturally assumed that Daniel Steiner and the Emperor were locked in a power struggle.
Because from the Emperor's perspective, the war hero Daniel Steiner, who had not only accumulated countless achievements but also led an army back to the capital this time, was no different from a ticking time bomb.
But Ref's prediction was wrong.
'To think he seduced even the Emperor, relying on that decent face of his. He's a worse bastard than I thought. Does this mean he'll use any means necessary to gain power?'
Others might have condemned Daniel Steiner as a heinous villain, but Ref was different.
Her interest was solely focused on Bellanos's survival.
Because the survival of her nation was synonymous with her own survival.
'He's already executed collaborators, and his relationship with the Emperor isn't bad either. On top of that, the citizens and soldiers of the Empire are united against a common enemy. Therefore....'
The Empire might actually win this war.
'I suppose I'll have to bet my stakes on the Empire....'
After deliberation, Ref turned to Worain.
"Worain. I think it would be better to accept the Empire's proposal."
"Pardon? Weren't you originally against maintaining friendly relations with the Empire, my lady?"
"I was. But things are different now."
Ref, arms crossed, thought of Daniel Steiner and let out a low laugh.
"Because I had the thought that one person alone might just change the destiny of the Empire."
*
Daniel, who had moved to the Emperor's private study as Selvia had instructed, was able to meet the Chief of the General Staff before long.
Standing by the window where sunlight streamed in, the Chief of the General Staff, Arman, was admiring the scenery outside while an adjutant holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel stood beside him.
The adjutant spotted Daniel, approached Arman, and conveyed something.
Only then did Arman, turning around, come face to face with Daniel Steiner.
"Ah. Colonel Daniel. I've been waiting."
As soon as Arman's words ended, Daniel snapped a salute.
"It is an honor to meet you! Chief of the General Staff, sir!"
An unconscious tremor crept into Daniel's voice.
It was only natural to be nervous when personally facing the man positioned at the apex of the military.
'On top of that, Chief of the General Staff Arman is....'
It was no exaggeration to say he was the most important figure among those leading the Empire.
Even in the original work, he was notorious for obstructing the player at every turn, so his capability needed no further explanation.
Arman, a smile on his lips, accepted Daniel's salute and then spoke.
"I am also pleased to meet you. I wanted to exchange greetings when I saw you earlier at the Grand Conference Hall, but the situation wasn't favorable. I hope you won't feel slighted."
"I fully understand. The Chief of the General Staff shouldn't be wasting his personal time."
"It pleases me just hearing you say that. I'd like to make more small talk, but my schedule is busy as well. I'd like to get straight to the point, if that's alright?"
"Of course."
"Good. Then, before we speak in earnest, let's discuss the international situation. Did you hear the news that the Republic's war preparations are complete?"
It was something almost everyone knew by now, so Daniel nodded.
"That is correct. I believe the Republic's entry into the war is now in its final countdown."
"Indeed. It's bad news, but we can't judge it as purely negative. Do you know the reason?"
Under Arman's barrage of questions, Daniel arrived at a quiet realization.
'Could this be some kind of interview? The fact that the Chief of the General Staff called me might mean he intends to reassign me back to General Staff Headquarters.'
That meant working not on a battlefield where bullets and shells rained down, but in the safe capital.
If that was the case, it was only right to earn as many points as possible with Arman.
Finishing his thought, Daniel answered as confidently as he could.
"Speaking from my personal conviction, I believe it cannot be judged as purely negative because, even though the Republic's entry into the war is in its final countdown, the Federal State is showing no notable movement. The Empire can hold out somehow as long as it doesn't become a three-front war."
Arman wore a satisfied smile.
"Exactly. However, the Federal State could change its decision at any moment. What do you think this implies?"
"It is my understanding that even if the Republic enters the war, we must demonstrate that the Empire remains strong. That way, the spread of the war can be stopped with the Republic as the final participant."
"I see. If it were up to you, how would you make it known that the Empire remains strong?"
Daniel was momentarily lost in thought.
Then he recalled that a businessman named Hamtal had informed him of an Allied Nations city where the research lab conducting the Lucy Project was located.
"To prove the Empire remains strong and to damage enemy morale, it is right to occupy an enemy city by advancing, not defending. However, using the armies currently committed to defense on the northern and eastern fronts would be far too risky a gamble."
"In that case?"
"We must identify available personnel, including those from the Headquarters Direct Command Unit, and occupy a city that is symbolic to the enemy but relatively lightly defended. A prime example would be Penbark."
Penbark was the capital of Edria, a permanent member state of the Allied Nations, centuries ago.
Arman nodded as if prompting him to continue.
"Thanks to the Empire achieving more victories than the Allied Nations on the Eastern Front, we were able to push the front lines forward considerably. As a result, Penbark is now adjacent to the front lines, but its defenses are relatively weak."
"Though it was a capital in the distant past, its population has dwindled greatly now. They must have thought there was no need to desperately defend it since it's not a strategic chokepoint."
"Exactly. We must target that point and launch an attack. If after occupying the city, we conduct a massive propaganda campaign reporting that Edria's old capital has fallen...."
Arman let out a low laugh.
"We could simultaneously announce the Empire's strength and demoralize the Allied Nations. It's an excellent idea, but capturing a city won't be easy, will it?"
"Nevertheless, the probability is high. Because Penbark is bordered by mountainous terrain to its east and south, it takes a relatively long time for enemy reinforcements to arrive. In contrast, the western zone through which our troops can advance consists of plains and rivers, which is advantageous for armored movement and artillery deployment."
"That is certainly true. What about the enemy defense forces?"
"To my knowledge, it is guarded by a single infantry regiment. To maximize the propaganda effect, it seems correct to dispatch a brigade-sized force of comparable or slightly larger scale."
This was because, in terms of propaganda, it was far more effective to depict the gap in military strength as the Allied Nations being defeated and losing a city despite similar scales, rather than overwhelming them with sheer firepower.
"A brigade scale...."
Arman, who had been earnestly reviewing Daniel's words, spoke.
"In that case, we'll need a capable frontline commander. Since we can't be certain of capturing the city if we entrust a brigade to some random nobody."
"Of course. It would be appropriate to make a decision after a thorough review of the personnel list—"
"No. There seems no need to drag this out that long."
Arman, cutting off Daniel's words, clasped his hands behind his back.
"Isn't the most suitable talent to command the frontline and capture Penbark standing right here?"
Those words sent a chill down Daniel's entire body.
'No way? It can't be....'
Daniel, secretly breaking into a cold sweat, desperately protested.
"Your Excellency? As I just said, capturing Penbark requires at least a brigade-scale force. If I, a mere field-grade officer and colonel, command a brigade, chaos could easily arise in the chain of command. So please, retract your statement."
Daniel desperately signaled his refusal, but Arman merely took it as humility.
However, Daniel's point wasn't entirely without merit.
Because, except in special cases, most brigade commanders in the Empire were brigadier generals.
"Of course, I also have no intention of entrusting a brigade to a colonel. Unless we're short on capable generals, we can still hold out well enough."
That was fortunate news, hearing it in passing.
Just as Daniel was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Arman flicked his hand.
Then the adjutant, who had been listening beside him, approached carrying a box from somewhere.
The box, neatly wrapped in the national flag, was something Daniel had seen several times before.
While Daniel was appalled, Arman quietly continued.
"I have heard well of your desire to devote yourself to the nation. Colonel Daniel Steiner. No...."
As the adjutant opened the box, the insignia of a brigadier general revealed itself.
"Brigadier General Daniel Steiner."
Arman, looking steadily at Daniel who was internally screaming, gave a benevolent smile.
"I sincerely congratulate you on your return as a frontline commander."