The Most Hated and Feared Opponent
The Most Hated and Feared Opponent
Brigadier general.
It wasn't just any rank—it was the rank of a general officer, no less.
If it were a field-grade officer rank, that would be one thing, but promotion to a general rank required the approval of the Minister of Defense and the sanction of His Majesty the Emperor.
As the demanding procedure made clear, the number of general officers was strictly limited from that point onward.
It meant they wouldn't pin a star on someone who wasn't a truly necessary talent.
'Which means....'
This was the same as the Empire pushing for Daniel Steiner with one heart and one mind.
The one problem was that the Empire was pushing Daniel Steiner not into a safe rear-echelon desk job, but as the on-site commander of a frontline unit.
To Daniel, who was desperately trying to avoid the battlefield, it felt like being shoved off a cliff.
If he had his way, he would confess that he had no desire to devote himself to the nation, but if he said something like that in front of the Chief of the General Staff, he'd be treated as less than human.
Even so, he had no intention of accepting his fate without at least struggling against it once.
Daniel, who had been choosing his words as carefully as possible, opened his mouth.
"Your Excellency the Chief of the General Staff. I understand your words and intent, but I am merely a greenhorn who has barely served a little over a year as a commissioned officer. For someone like me to ascend to the position of brigadier general is an unprecedented matter."
"Unprecedented, you say. Is it not also unprecedented for a single officer to establish achievements so weighty that they can't be counted on both hands?"
Daniel, unable to refute him at that moment, kept his mouth shut as Arman smiled faintly and took the rank insignia out of the box.
"As you know, the foundational ideology of the Empire is to reward merit and punish failure. It is a simple matter of rewarding those who achieve and punishing those who err. This ideology has only grown more entrenched since the late Emperor abolished discrimination based on status."
Arman held the rank insignia under the office lighting and examined it from various angles.
"Setting aside other fields, I believe that principle must be observed rigorously in the military. That way, the capable can rise to the top. Any fool can see that this is directly tied to the Empire's victory."
Judging the insignia to be without flaw, Arman approached Daniel.
"In that regard, you are the very embodiment of the Empire's ideology. If someone with no more standing than an orphan can rise to the position of brigadier general, who would then believe that the Empire practices discrimination based on status?"
The very figure of Daniel Steiner guaranteed the Empire's consistency and fairness.
Clear reward and punishment meant there was no discrimination, and if there was no discrimination, it meant anyone could advance according to their ability.
Given the nature of a military overwhelmingly composed of non-nobles, the more this fact became widely known, the more morale would rise.
The number of people viewing war as a chance to change their lives and volunteering for service would also increase, so it was a venture that incurred no losses and only brought gains.
"A clever man like you will understand well what I am trying to say, I think."
Arman did not view Daniel Steiner simply as a competent, capable soldier.
In Arman's eyes, Daniel was practically a figure who symbolized the Empire's ideology.
However, he had no wish for Daniel Steiner to refuse the promotion.
His refusal of a just promotion would be nothing less than a loss for the Empire.
Arman, standing before Daniel, began to replace Daniel's rank insignia with practiced hand movements.
"I hope you will continue to strive for the Empire. Not only I, but also His Majesty the Emperor holds great expectations for you."
Daniel, unable to refuse outright after being spoken to like this, answered like a man swallowing bitter medicine, tears in his eyes.
"......Understood."
"Good."
Having finished replacing the insignia, Arman patted Daniel's shoulder.
"Brigadier General Daniel Steiner. You will soon step down from the position of Emergency Security Chief and be appointed as a brigade commander. On a related note, the State Propaganda Department wishes to see you."
"The State Propaganda Department, sir?"
"Yes. I hear they plan to conduct a nationwide radio broadcast with you as the subject. I think it's not a bad idea. It will allow you to inform everyone of the capital's situation, after all."
Daniel let out a groan at the thought of receiving even more attention than he already was getting.
Seeing Daniel like that, Arman let out a low chuckle.
"I understand. The sense of responsibility must be immense. But bear in mind that all of this is for the Empire. Just as you have always done."
Arman, who had conveyed this well-wishing with the implication that he should carry on as usual, casually adjusted his attire.
"Now, I shall take my leave. As I just mentioned, my schedule is quite busy. Ah, yes. Your adjutant and Lieutenant Frien are also included on the special promotion list, so be sure to inform them well."
"Yes. Understood."
Having heard Daniel's answer, Arman nodded once and then moved to leave.
The moment Arman passed Daniel and walked out of the office with his aide, Daniel clenched his teeth.
'Dammit....'
The promotion itself wasn't bad.
Since he couldn't seem to escape the Empire anyway, what harm could a higher rank possibly do?
But the fact that he had to face the enemy and fight on the front lines struck him as something beyond mere displeasure—it felt like despair.
'You goddamn shitty Empire....'
Frankly speaking, he thought he had already done everything for the Empire so far, even if it hadn't been intentional.
Yet when they shoved him onto the battlefield and told him to do more in keeping with what he'd already done, what little patriotism he had was on the verge of vanishing.
'How the hell did things get this far....'
He had enlisted with the aim of raising seed money to open a bakery, and when he came to his senses, he had become a brigadier general.
Worse, he had been selected as a frontline commander tasked with leading a brigade to assault an enemy city.
Daniel, letting out a hollow laugh, raised a hand and rubbed his face.
'Though one fortunate thing is....'
That the Federal State had not declared its intention to join the war, and that Count Kaledra, being too busy with diplomatic relations, likely had no time to spare for minor issues.
'With the international situation in turmoil, they'll probably put aside their interest in me for the time being.'
It absolutely had to be that way.
Because Daniel did not want his life to get any harder than it was now.
*
The next day, United Nations Permanent Member State Edria.
Count Kaledra's office.
Sarak─
Kaledra was using a carving knife to whittle a wooden doll.
Before him, Deputy Director Bek of the Central Intelligence Department stood with his hands behind his back, like a criminal.
He hadn't done anything particularly wrong, but whenever he came before Count Kaledra, he grew tense and his flesh trembled for no reason.
"......They say the Republic will declare war."
The words Kaledra spoke while whittling the wooden doll sounded strangely indifferent.
Bek, gauging Kaledra's mood, answered quietly.
"That is correct. Intelligence has come in that they will declare war at noon in two days' time."
"Later than I thought. And the Federal State?"
"That is......."
Bek swallowed dryly before speaking.
"They are not giving a reply. It felt as though they were unilaterally avoiding dialogue with the Allied Nations. As of now, it is assessed that they have no intention of entering the war."
Kaledra gritted his teeth.
He was dumbfounded that they weren't moving despite all the bribes he had fed them over time.
However, he did not bother to get angry.
He knew well enough that the Federal State was playing a tug-of-war, showing opportunistic tendencies.
Having steadied his breathing, Kaledra resumed the motion of whittling the wooden doll.
"The Empire's movements?"
This, too, was a question that was not easy to answer.
Bek hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
"All collaborators have reportedly been captured. Key nobles, including Duke Belvar, have been executed, and some nobles were also put to death by Daniel Steiner's private organization, it is said."
"Is that all?"
"No. I have heard that Daniel Steiner, in recognition of his merit in punishing the collaborators, has risen to the rank of brigadier general. Rumors are circulating that he will soon lay down his post as Emergency Security Chief and return to the front lines."
Kkagak─
Kaledra's hand, which had been whittling the wooden doll, stopped for the first time.
"Brigadier general."
The corner of Kaledra's lip twitched as if in a spasm.
"A wretch who was nothing more than a lowly second lieutenant has risen to the rank of brigadier general in barely over a year."
Letting out a low laugh, Kaledra gripped the wooden doll tightly.
"That bastard is power-mad. He has high ambitions, a sharp mind, and great ability. He's the type who will do anything to raise his own worth."
Bek thought that in that respect, Daniel and Kaledra were very much alike, but he couldn't bring himself to voice the words.
"That dreadful son of a bitch is holding my daughter captive. I don't know exactly how he seduced Lucy, but he no doubt spun his deceitful silver tongue."
Kaledra, grinding his teeth as if he found it unbearable, slammed the wooden doll down onto the desk with a thud.
Bek flinched, but Kaledra paid him no mind and continued speaking.
"Deputy Director. Convey my words to the Central Intelligence Department. If there is a variable in this war, it is Daniel Steiner. Therefore, from now on, investigate Daniel Steiner's every single move and report it all to me."
Kaledra, who had risen from his seat by pushing off the desk, glared at Bek.
Kaledra's eyes were filled to the brim with rage toward Daniel Steiner, who had been dismantling all his plans one by one.
"Daniel Steiner is the symbol of the Empire. Therefore, only by killing that son of a bitch......."
Kaledra, having taken a deep breath, narrowed his eyes sharply.
"Can the Allied Nations achieve victory."