What Great Generosity
What Great Generosity
A few days later.
Inside the public affairs office of the military government at city hall.
"...You came to see the division commander?"
Public Affairs Officer Captain Millan looked at the reporter before him with a puzzled expression.
It was absurd that a reporter would show up at city hall without so much as a phone call and immediately demand to see the division commander.
Normally, Millan would have dismissed him with a curt refusal, but now he had to be cautious.
'The division commander worked hard to secure the hearts of this city.'
Under the circumstances, a careless word to a citizen could spark troublesome rumors.
After a moment of deliberation, Captain Millan studied the reporter carefully and spoke.
"Do you have any means of proving you are a reporter? I cannot send someone whose identity remains unverified up to the division commander."
The reporter nodded and, as if he had been waiting for the question, produced a small certificate from his jacket.
"I am Lethero of the Maroten Newspaper. This is the document proving my credentials. It's a certificate issued by the administrative office before you Imperial gentlemen occupied city hall. If you look below, you will see my name and affiliated newspaper written there."
After taking the certificate, Captain Millan had no choice but to accept its validity.
With the mayor's signature and seal stamped on it, it was indeed a certificate formally issued by city hall.
"Confirmed. The Maroten Newspaper is the one that recently published a favorable article about the division commander, isn't it?"
When Captain Millan returned the certificate, Lethero nodded as he took it back.
"That is correct. I wish to conduct a follow-up interview regarding that article. Would that be acceptable?"
"If you are willing to publish another favorable article, we have no reason to refuse. However, the division commander's permission must come first. It is not a matter I can decide on my own."
"Understood."
A smile tugged at Captain Millan's lips.
"Thank you for understanding. In that case, I will go up to the division commander's office and seek his permission. Could you wait in the reception room nearby?"
Lethero, having put the certificate back into his jacket, pretended to deliberate for a moment, then spoke up.
"...If possible, could I go up to the office as well? As a so-called reporter, simply sitting quietly in a reception room does not suit my disposition in the slightest."
"Pardon? It's not impossible, but you would not be able to enter the office with me. I have to go in first and ask for permission."
"That is sufficient."
Are all reporters like this? Captain Millan thought the man was a bit odd, but didn't consider it a big deal.
"Then I will guide you. Please follow me."
"Understood."
Having heard Lethero's reply, Captain Millan walked ahead.
Following behind Captain Millan, Lethero narrowed his eyes.
'A hero who saved a child? Daniel Steiner?'
It seemed most people believed that story, but Lethero did not.
'It's a story that could easily be fabricated.'
Even though there were multiple witnesses and even photographs, Lethero's suspicions were not dispelled.
Because it was not entirely impossible that Daniel Steiner had bribed Meranto to stage the whole thing.
Even those claiming to be witnesses might have been paid if one dug into their backgrounds.
'As for the photograph....'
To be honest, he wasn't sure about the photograph.
Because no matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a genuine injury from grenade fragments.
'But if it's Daniel Steiner, that too could have been staged.'
Because the well-known anecdote of Daniel Steiner having his subordinate shoot him to make the Republic's division commander drop his guard had already spread far and wide.
'If all of this is a performance to seize the hearts of the people of Lakedrapol, I will take responsibility and expose it.'
It was a thought brimming with rebellious spirit, but for Lethero this was only natural.
For Lethero firmly believed that the truth known to the common people was always manufactured by those in power.
Therefore, he was keeping in mind the possibility that this incident was also a fabricated truth.
As a single awake intellectual, was it not only too natural to verify the facts?
'Daniel Steiner. If possible, today I will strip away your true face.'
Having steeled his resolve, Lethero secretly slipped his hand into his jacket behind the oblivious Captain Millan.
And he pressed the record button on a recorder hooked onto a specially made mount inside his coat.
This was a high-quality device capable of recording conversations even through doors.
'That means I can record every slip of the tongue or even every sigh Daniel Steiner makes during the interview.'
He had already prepared several difficult questions for Daniel Steiner.
If Daniel Steiner had indeed staged the incident, he would not be able to answer properly.
Just as the fully prepared Lethero was steeling his determination, Captain Millan's footsteps halted.
Before Captain Millan stood an antique door.
"The division commander is inside. However, right now...."
As Captain Millan trailed off, voices could be heard from inside.
─ The General Staff Headquarters told you to deliver a message to me?
─ Yes, that is correct.
Captain Millan, who had overheard the conversation, shrugged.
"It seems the division commander has a prior visitor. It appears we will have to wait here a moment until the conversation ends."
*
Daniel, who had no idea that a reporter from the Republic had arrived, looked at the liaison officer Rimshel.
"It doesn't seem to be a recall order. Is it a message from the Chief of the General Staff, perhaps?"
"Yes, it is. It has not been formally announced yet, but I was told it is safe to consider it virtually confirmed."
At this, Daniel grew curious about what message was being conveyed.
"...Could you tell me what exactly has been confirmed?"
With a low laugh, Rimshel spoke, unable to hide the playfulness characteristic of someone delivering good news.
"That would be your special promotion, Major General Daniel. Congratulations! Major General Daniel! No, I shall soon have to call you Lieutenant General!"
Rimshel burst into hearty laughter, but Daniel's complexion was turning pale in real time.
As a result, Rimshel's laughter gradually faded and died down.
Observing Daniel's expression, Rimshel cautiously spoke.
"...Are you not pleased?"
"I'm simply taken aback. Why does the Chief of the General Staff wish to promote me? Capturing the city is a significant achievement, but I do not think it warrants a special promotion. On top of that, I have already received a medal, have I not?"
"Ah. I believe that is likely because my supplementary report reached the General Staff Headquarters."
Rimshel straightened his shoulders as he spoke.
"As a result of my personal investigation, I found that Major General Daniel, not content with merely capturing the city, also eliminated a prominent figure of the Republic. Since you had not reported this to the General Staff Headquarters, I did so in your stead. As the foundational ideology of the Empire is to reward merit and punish failure, should not merits be reported accurately as well?"
Tension corded Daniel's forehead.
'This son of a bitch....'
It was enough to spike his blood pressure, but Daniel forcibly regained his composure.
Because getting angry about a situation that naturally led to promotion would look strange.
However, Daniel was not one to just take it lying down.
"...So if I return to the capital, I will be promoted?"
"Yes. That is likely. I heard that His Majesty the Emperor himself will conduct the corps commander appointment ceremony."
"Then, if I simply do not return to the capital, I will not become a corps commander."
Wondering what he meant, Rimshel replied a beat later.
"...That is true. But why do you ask?"
"It is just that I fear it will take quite some time before I can serve as a corps commander."
"I wish to know the reason. As I understand, the Chief of the General Staff, who discussed your promotion, said she will approve the request for your recall once she confirms that the hearts of the people in the occupied zone have stabilized."
Daniel placed his hands on the desk and rose from his seat.
"That is exactly the point. Do you believe the hearts of the people in this occupied zone have stabilized?"
"Pardon? I think it is fairly stable at this point, is it not?"
"Wrong! I have not yet understood even half of the hearts of the people of Lakedrapol. It is true I saved the child, but what else have I done? To them, I am still just a soldier of an enemy nation."
Daniel let out a low sigh as if finding himself pathetic.
"As the Occupation Zone Commander, I should rightly make this city a good place to live. Only then will the citizens accept the Imperial Army and, going further, be integrated with Imperial citizens."
"Division Commander? The citizens seem to be accepting the Imperial Army already, though...."
"Lieutenant Colonel Rimshel! You see only one thing and miss the other! Do you think those outward smiles are everything? Mistrust may still be lurking deep within their hearts."
Daniel pressed his hand to his forehead.
"I am sure there are still many in Lakedrapol who distrust me. To dispel their distrust, I need to carry out governance in the truest sense. Not exploiting the superficial image of a hero who saved a child! But as a true leader of this city!"
As Daniel grew more passionate, Rimshel could not hide his bewilderment.
"...I understand your sentiment, but is that really necessary? Even if it is an occupied zone, Lakedrapol is ultimately nothing more than an enemy city."
Daniel shook his head.
"We must not become mired in the black-and-white logic of friend and foe. Wallowing in such inertia will only sicken all of humanity. As long as I am the Occupation Zone Commander, the citizens of Lakedrapol are no different from the citizens of my homeland. For they are without sin."
"Division Commander...."
"I regard each and every one of them as equal to the citizens of my homeland. Therefore, I will not budge from Lakedrapol until I have won over all of their hearts. Lieutenant Colonel Rimshel. Could you convey these feelings of mine to the General Staff Headquarters?"
Deeply moved, Rimshel snapped a salute.
"Yes, sir. I will convey to Headquarters the division commander's heartfelt care for the citizens of the occupied zone."
Seeing that, Daniel breathed an internal sigh of relief.
'Good. I'll use the excuse that the stabilization of the occupied zone isn't complete yet and stay planted here for years.'
Thinking of the Chief of the General Staff, Daniel ground his teeth.
'Chief of the General Staff. Are you planning to make me a corps commander and then send me off to some fierce battlefield this time? I'm sorry, but I am not a pushover. I mean I won't be pushed around quietly.'
The problem was, that wasn't going to be easy.
Because the stabilization of the occupied zone was proceeding smoothly, and he couldn't hold out for long.
'In that case, I'll have to intentionally ruin my reputation within the city....'
While Daniel was pondering what method to use, he recalled the conversation he had with Meranto at the banquet hall.
'He told me to be careful of the reporter Lethero from the Maroten Newspaper, didn't he? He said the guy views everything crookedly and would definitely still be suspecting me.'
If he could use that reporter to publish a negative article, that would be perfect.
Just as Daniel was thinking that, Rimshel, having finished his business, opened the door to leave the office.
And then, visible beyond the door, were the public affairs officer and someone who looked like a reporter.
It was just as Daniel was wondering who that reporter was.
"General Daniel...!"
The reporter's eyes were reddening and welling up, as if he had been inexplicably moved.
"Professor Meranto was right. It seems I have been mistaken all this time. To think you were someone with such noble thoughts!"
And with that, Daniel realized something had gone terribly wrong.