Corps Commander Karlpeter Is Bewildered
Corps Commander Karlpeter Is Bewildered
As soon as the negotiations ended, Daniel returned to headquarters and, by the book, reported to the corps commander.
In the process, the corps commander asked Daniel whether the negotiations had gone well, and Daniel gave him the answer that he had done his best but it was too early to predict the outcome.
After spending a day at the hotel provided by the corps, Daniel woke up early the next morning and headed to the hotel restaurant.
He had stopped by intending to eat breakfast, and despite the early hour, the place was bustling with people—the food seemed to be quite decent.
Looking over the figures conversing while they ate, most of them were field-grade officers.
There were a few non-commissioned officers and company-grade officers as well, but their numbers weren't very large.
This was because hotel lodging was only permitted to key personnel of the corps, even among the senior officers.
Compliments about how good the food was could be heard occasionally among them.
'Well, compared to field rations, even low-grade hotel food would taste like heaven....'
It felt newly obvious, but being able to eat hotel food on the battlefield was quite a luxurious thing.
After sending quiet words of consolation to the soldiers who would be suffering outside, Daniel placed a few items of food onto a buffet plate and walked over to an empty table.
Then, Sergeant Glendi and Lieutenant Mekkel, who had been eating first, turned their heads at the sound of his presence.
Spotting Daniel, both of them hastily rose from their seats.
"Major Daniel, you've arrived!"
"Good morning!"
Daniel flinched in surprise at their two shouts and looked back.
Both were directing looks of admiration his way, which he found rather burdensome.
Feeling awkward, Daniel deliberately placed his plate down at a spot a little distance away from the two.
"...Good morning. But more importantly, why do you look so excited?"
When Daniel asked, taking off his winter coat, Sergeant Glendi was the first to speak up.
"Well, weren't we originally assigned to be a subordinate unit of the corps, and here we are eating hotel food on the battlefield? It's all thanks to you, Major Daniel."
"I agree with the sergeant's words. Thanks to you, Major, we were able to build up our merits, and above all, I feel honored to have been able to serve the Empire."
Because of the two of them, rattling on with excited expressions, Daniel felt a bit sorry.
'It won't be an honor, you know? You two will probably face a military tribunal....'
Daniel's thoughts were full of his plan to escape the Empire with the help of the Kingdom.
If Daniel, the company commander, were to defect to an enemy nation, the senior officers under his command would inevitably end up standing before a court after undergoing all sorts of investigations, suspected of disloyalty.
Though he could almost see their happy smiles distorting into despair, Daniel, who was in no position to reveal his true feelings, gave a vague nod and took his seat.
Once Daniel was seated, Sergeant Glendi and Lieutenant Mekkel also sat down and continued their meal.
Daniel ate as well, forming his imperial escape plan in his head.
'Soon, the Kingdom will try to contact me in some way.'
The easiest method would be to use one of their own intelligence agents, but there was also a possibility they might not be able to move easily, thinking the headquarters' security was too tight.
'If that's the case, I'll have to wait until the 3rd Corps launches its full-scale offensive.'
Once the corps' full-scale attack began, the frontline security would partially break down.
Because all available personnel within the headquarters would be committed to the full-scale attack.
Additionally, it was safe to assume that almost no one could keep their wits about them while shells flew and tanks constantly scraped the ground.
In such a hell of chaos, spiriting away a single person was child's play.
'When that time comes....'
All he had to do was pretend to participate in the war, take the vanguard, then contact a Kingdom agent and defect.
If he succeeded in getting inside the Kingdom, everything after that would be smooth sailing.
'The Kingdom is only a stepping stone for the final defection.'
Using the bait that he held even more undisclosed secrets, the goal of this plan was to make a deal with someone from the Allied Nations inside the Kingdom and slip away secretly.
'Once I arrive in the Allied Nations through a safe route, I'll meet with high-ranking figures over there and....'
He intended to propose a deal based on the information he knew about the Empire.
In return for handing over the information, all Daniel wanted was permanent residency, a new identity, personal protection, and a bit of money, so he had no worry about the deal falling through.
'Let's see. Should I choose Edria as the country to get my permanent residency?'
Edria was a central nation of the United Nations and a permanent member state that wielded immense authority.
For the present, it could be seen as the country safest from the damage of war.
'The one who effectively rules Edria is Kaledra, a quick-witted and calculating figure.'
However, one thing that worried him was that Lucy was also originally from Edria.
He couldn't know what kind of reaction Lucy, who detested traitors, would show if she found out about his defection.
'Maybe another country would be better....'
Daniel, who had been seriously agonizing, gave a shrug of his shoulders.
He figured that escaping the Empire came first, and these minor concerns could be resolved one by one later.
Of course, in the worst-case scenario, the Kingdom might take the secrets and play innocent, but he wasn't worried about that.
'From the Kingdom's perspective, I'm essentially a VIP who has handed over numerous secrets unconditionally. They'll probably consider me to have considerable value for future use as well.'
Daniel, who had put a peeled shrimp into his mouth, smirked.
'Maybe that person Ivan, the Foreign Minister, is treating me like an angel by now.'
Setting aside his image, it was only natural for them to covetously eye an enemy General Staff Headquarters officer who was favorably disposed toward their own country and want to bring him in.
'Now, everything is just a matter of time.'
Believing things were going according to plan, Daniel wore a satisfied smile and continued his meal.
*
Meanwhile, Corps Commander Karlpeter Krau was attending to his official duties, having skipped even his breakfast.
If the negotiations broke down, he would have to launch a full-scale attack, so he was once again reviewing the numerous previously planned operations from start to finish.
It was a tiring and arduous task, but this was the best way to reduce the soldiers' casualties, even if only slightly.
'Of course, it would be best if the peace negotiations succeeded....'
Karlpeter did not believe the negotiations would succeed.
It wasn't that he didn't want to trust the person named Daniel, recommended by Deputy Chief of Staff Cedric, but even Karlpeter thought the Empire's demands were absurd.
Furthermore, hadn't this been a negotiation that could not be brought to fruition even when accompanied by military advisors called elites?
The possibility was far too low to pin his hopes on Daniel.
'As long as the Kingdom's will to fight desperately remains firm, there will be no choice in the end but to resort to military force.'
It was saddening to think of the countless sacrifices that would follow, but it was an unavoidable matter.
It was around the time Karlpeter leaned back in his chair, amid these complicated emotions.
Tok-tok─
Karlpeter, who had opened his eyes wide at the sound of the knock, spoke.
"Come in."
Then the door opened and his aide, Lieutenant Colonel Kalpren, entered.
He wondered if Kalpren had brought him a meal, but Kalpren was empty-handed.
"What is it? I'm busy, so just state your business...."
Karlpeter, who had been speaking with a frown born of an irritable mood without any clear reason, closed his mouth.
Because Kalpren's expression was, for some reason, wrapped in shock.
"...Aide?"
He asked, wondering what was going on, but Kalpren remained silent.
Only then did Karlpeter, who had grasped the situation, let out a low sigh.
"It seems the Kingdom has sent a telegram saying they will not comply with the negotiations. It can't be helped. It is His Majesty the Emperor's command to carry out a full-scale attack if they do not heed even the third warning—"
"That's not it."
One of Karlpeter's eyebrows twitched.
Because it felt strange that Kalpren had cut him off.
"Not it? No way...."
Karlpeter, who had been continuing his speculation in his head, wore a rarely surprised expression.
"Did Daniel succeed in the negotiations?"
At Karlpeter's question, Kalpren, who had swallowed dryly, nodded his head.
"That's correct. According to a telegram sent from the Kingdom side this morning, they say they will comply with all of the Empire's demands. They even came forward offering to cede Begenheim in addition to Nordia."
What? Karlpeter's mouth dropped open blankly.
Not only were they accepting the existing conditions, they were also offering to hand over the city of Begenheim, adjacent to the Empire, as a bonus?
'That Kingdom, which had been insisting on a desperate resistance?'
The Kingdom that had been snarling with bared teeth was now wagging its tail like a tame dog, and Karlpeter could not comprehend it.
'Isn't this no different from being completely terrified and adopting a posture of submission?'
Karlpeter, who had been utterly dumbfounded, barely regained his senses and looked at Kalpren.
"Just what in the world happened at the negotiation table? Do you know anything?"
"No one heard the content of the conversation, so we don't know the details. However, the Kingdom's Foreign Minister, Ivan, while reminiscing and recounting the conversation during the talks...."
Kalpren, watching Karlpeter's reaction, continued in a small voice.
"...Reportedly said it was as if he had been conversing with the child of Satan wearing human skin."
A heavy silence hung between the two.
After hearing Kalpren's words, Karlpeter broke out in a cold sweat without realizing it.
'Major Daniel... just what in the world did you pull off in there?'
It was the first time in his entire life that an ally's achievement had felt so terrifying.