War God Daniel Steiner
War God Daniel Steiner
The chief of staff and the other staff officers were showing their loyalty, their eyes reddened, but Daniel was merely uncomfortable.
He had only acted for his own private interests, but the people before him apparently didn't see it that way.
From their perspective, though, it was only natural.
It would have been strange if a division commander willing to shoulder all the blame alone hadn't appeared noble.
Daniel, who had hesitated, wondering how to react, received a salute.
Thereupon, the chief of staff, at the head of the group, and all the staff officers bowed their heads to Daniel, then turned and walked out.
As Daniel watched them leave, he called out and stopped one of the staff officers.
"Intelligence staff officer."
Intelligence Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Pelf paused momentarily at Daniel's call.
"Yes. You called, sir."
Only after confirming that all the staff officers had gone outside did Daniel whisper quietly.
"Did you perhaps orchestrate this? That I should share the blame with the division commander."
Pelf, who had been blinking his eyes blankly, suddenly let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
"No, that's not it. The first to insist on collective responsibility was the chief of staff. The other staff officers also agreed without a moment's hesitation, as if they had been waiting for the chief of staff to suggest it."
"......Why? I wouldn't have thought it would be a good thing if you all ended up being dismissed."
"Doesn't that just mean everyone has that level of resolve? More importantly, are you really planning to take the disciplinary action alone? I don't know what General Staff Headquarters might decide, but it could be dangerous."
It was precisely because he was hoping for that danger that he wasn't the slightest bit afraid.
"Does it seem like you can change my mind?"
When Daniel replied resolutely, Pelf bowed his head as if he had no other choice.
"How could that be? It seems I was just offering unsolicited advice."
Having said that, Pelf, like the other staff officers, turned and walked away.
As Pelf opened the office door and left, Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.
It would have been problematic if the staff officers had stubbornly insisted on sharing the punishment to the very end, so he was relieved they had immediately backed down.
With his mind somewhat eased, Daniel picked up the winter coat he had left on the work desk and put it on.
Seeing this, Lucy's red eyes blinked twice.
"......Where are you going?"
Daniel nodded.
"I'm planning to go to the field to check if the city is being properly controlled."
This was, in all respects, an excuse.
He was trying to run away because he thought Lucy might interrogate him about 'what happened when he went for a walk with Frien.'
There was no way he could tell her that they had kissed under a streetlamp.
But Lucy was no fool.
Lucy, who had noticed Daniel's intent, didn't hide her suspicion, her eyes half-opening.
"Then I will go as well."
"I won't stop you, but can you just abandon your paperwork and go?"
When the division commander is absent, the adjutant must review documents as his proxy.
It might have been fine during peacetime, but right now, in the early stages of the city's occupation, documents needing processing were piled up like a mountain.
Realizing this, Daniel had said it to pin Lucy down in the office.
"The work......."
Unable to argue, Lucy let out a sigh.
"You're not wrong. There are many documents to review today, after all."
"Is that so? Then please bear with it just a little longer. On my way back from the field, I will buy you dessert and a drink."
"......Understood. But would you wait just a moment."
Lucy rose from her seat.
'Is she trying to continue the interrogation before I step out of the office?'
Just as Daniel was tensing up, Lucy stepped forward, her shoes going tok-tok.
Drawing close to Daniel, Lucy raised a hand and brushed the snowflakes off the shoulder of his winter coat with a tap-tap.
Next, she straightened his collar and pushed back the stray bangs on Daniel's forehead.
The action was so natural that Daniel couldn't help but entrust himself to her without realizing it.
Lucy, who had been slowly blinking her red eyes while checking the state of Daniel's attire, finally grabbed his tie.
After adjusting its position correctly, Lucy gently pulled the tie upward.
During that moment, Lucy's and Daniel's gazes naturally met.
"......."
"......."
A strangely awkward air formed between them.
Lucy, who had been looking up at Daniel, whose gaze was uncharacteristically unsteady as if he had something on his conscience, suddenly sensed something strange.
Daniel's winter coat smelled faintly of Frien's scent.
Others might not have noticed, but Lucy, whose five senses had been sharpened by her life as a test subject, recognized it immediately.
'This is.......'
It was a scent that could only transfer if Daniel and Frien had embraced each other.
That fact irritated her nerves.
It likely wasn't intentional, but she didn't like that Frien had left her personal scent on Daniel.
The reason was simple.
Because she loved Daniel.
And so, this scent right now was unacceptable.
Knowing full well it wasn't a rational judgment, Lucy moved her body on instinct.
"......Adjutant?"
She lightly embraced Daniel, who was taken aback.
Their bodies pressed close enough to hear each other's breathing, but Lucy did not release her embrace.
Daniel, who had been staring at Lucy in slight wonder, let out a low laugh.
"This is a rare occurrence. It's been a while since you acted this spoiled. Have you regressed to your childhood or something?"
He was referring to the prim and proper young lady from his memories, the Lucy he once knew.
Finding it oddly embarrassing, Lucy's face flushed subtly.
Thinking it was done, Lucy released Daniel and took a step back.
She wore an expressionless face, but the flush on her cheeks gave away her inner feelings.
"I think that's done now. Go and come back safely."
Look at this—Lucy, pretending nothing had happened, was somehow endearing; he felt the urge to tease her.
Daniel, drawing upon his memories from his butler days, placed a hand over his chest and bowed courteously.
"Yes. I shall return shortly, Lady Lucy."
It seemed Daniel's prank had worked, as Lucy squeezed her eyes shut.
Judging by the bright flush on her face, she was definitely embarrassed.
Daniel, who had been watching Lucy, smiled and walked away.
He figured giving her some space would be better for Lucy too.
Thus, the moment Daniel left the office, Lucy crouched down and covered her face with both hands.
Given Lucy's personality, unaccustomed to expressing affection, she was overwhelmed with shame.
"You idiot. You fool......."
She only felt resentful toward her past self who had impulsively embraced Daniel.
*
Meanwhile, in the General Staff Headquarters Operations Command Control Room.
"Your Excellency the Chief of the General Staff! Emergency encrypted communication from the Northeastern 9th Corps! They report that the enemy launched a general offensive but was repelled after a war of attrition. Although cracks appeared in the defensive line due to the enemy's ferocious momentum, the damage is at a recoverable level! They successfully defended against the attack!"
The sound of telephone bells ringing incessantly in the war room and the noise of cipher machines operating filled the control room like white noise.
As if accustomed to such noises, the headquarters staff officers paid them no mind and continued their reports.
"Chief of the General Staff! The Republic's 5th Mechanized Division is attempting a river crossing at the northern bank of the Marindal River! Our friendly 17th Infantry Division is delaying them in riverside trenches with air force support, but follow-up reinforcements will likely be needed! To stop their advance, we must destroy the enemy self-propelled artillery in one strike!"
Amidst the staff officers' opinions going back and forth, Chief of the General Staff Arman listened closely to the reports from the field and made appropriate decisions.
Thanks to this, the Imperial Army's Northern Front was holding the defensive line without yielding, even though the Republic's general offensive had begun earlier than expected.
"The war situation is not bad. Tell the entire army to maintain the front lines."
Having taken a breather, Arman placed his hand on the armrest of his chair.
"But what of the Philoena Highlands? If I recall, no report has come in from there yet."
Since the Philoena Highlands were a strategic strongpoint, the entire war situation could sharply deteriorate the moment they were taken by the enemy.
That was why he had entrusted the highland defense mission to Daniel Steiner, and he couldn't help but feel frustrated that no report had come in even now, with the Republic having launched its general offensive.
In the midst of this, a liaison officer entered through the open door of the command control room.
He gave a salute toward the Chief of the General Staff and hastily opened his mouth to speak.
"Chief of the General Staff! A communication has arrived from the 14th Mixed Division tasked with the defense of the Philoena Highlands sector!"
"Finally! What is the status?"
"According to what is reported, the division commander, Daniel Steiner, personally led his forces and advanced as far as the Republic's fortress city of Lakedrapol."
Arman's eyes widened.
The staff officers gathered in the control room were also so bewildered that they were left speechless.
Only after a long silence did Arman speak.
"......Daniel Steiner ignored my orders and advanced all the way to Lakedrapol?"
"That is correct."
"Why would he do such a stupid thing!"
Kwang! Arman irritably struck the command table.
It was because he simply couldn't understand Daniel Steiner's act of insubordination.
Not only that, but to hear he had attacked Lakedrapol, known as a fortress city, made his head throb painfully.
In Arman's stead, the operations staff officer spoke up.
"Our side's casualties?"
"Our side's casualties are minor. Out of 931 casualties, the number of killed in action is merely 359."
"That is fortunate, at least. It seems they realized they were no match and retreated."
The liaison officer shook his head.
"That's not it. The 14th Mixed Division lured in the enemy division's attack, devoured their forces, and then pursued the defeated enemy troops to smash through the fortress city's defensive line. Immediately afterward, a report came in that they had occupied Lakedrapol."
The moment the liaison officer's words ended, the murmuring staff officers all fell silent at once.
Arman, who had been frowning while holding his forehead, also looked bewildered, as if he had heard something utterly preposterous.
Letting go of the hand that was on his forehead, Arman furrowed one eyebrow.
"What did you just say? They lured in the enemy division's attack, won, and then even occupied Lakedrapol?"
"That is correct. According to the report, it appears certain they have occupied Lakedrapol."
Arman's mouth dropped open blankly.
The staff officers also merely stood frozen in a daze, as if they were in shock.
It was the first time the control room had been this quiet since the Republic's general offensive began.
The operations staff officer, who had been swallowing dryly at the staggering military achievement, turned back to look at Arman.
"Although Daniel Steiner did commit insubordination, if the liaison officer's words are true......."
The operations staff officer carefully continued his sentence.
"Wouldn't it be right to give him a reward rather than a disciplinary action?"
Not only the staff officers, but even Arman, the Chief of the General Staff, could not refute the operations staff officer's words.