I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

The next day.

After leaving the General Staff Headquarters, I accompanied Ernst to a hair salon.

Truthfully, I didn’t want to, but since Ernst insisted that we should at least groom ourselves properly after receiving the Imperial Court’s invitation, I had no choice but to comply.

There, I got the latest Imperial hairstyle, a sleek all-white look, and then rode in Ernst’s vehicle to the Imperial Court’s banquet residence.

Can you believe there’s such a thing as a ‘banquet residence’?

Just how wealthy did one have to be to have a separate residence solely for hosting banquets? It was beyond comprehension.

As we approached the imposing residence, the attendant responsible for verifying the guest list spoke up at the entrance.

“Good evening, gentlemen. May I have your names, please?”

Before I could open my mouth, Ernst responded.

“My name is Ernst Barcke. And this handsome young man beside me is…”
“Ah! First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, is it not? A famous figure, how could I not recognize you!”
“A famous figure, huh?”

Ernst turned to me with a playful smile, as if implying I was certainly qualified to receive an invitation and should have more confidence.

Honestly, I found it rather burdensome.

“General Staff Headquarters Chief of Operational Planning, Colonel Ernst Barcke. And Operational Planning Officer, First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. Identities confirmed. I hope you have an enjoyable time.”

The attendant stepped aside and respectfully bowed his head.

“Thank you. Keep up the good work.”

After greeting him, Ernst entered the banquet hall, and I followed closely behind.

Inside the residence, waiters were bustling about in the small foyer on the first floor.

“Let’s proceed.”

We ascended the stairs with a red carpet leading to the upper level, where the great hall unfolded before us.

In the vast hall, likely spanning several hundred square meters, numerous people had gathered, engaged in various conversations.

One peculiarity was that most of the men, like Ernst and me, were dressed in military uniforms.

Presumably, being part of the military during wartime was a great honor in the Empire, prompting them to proudly flaunt their affiliations.

In contrast, some wore formal attire or expensive silk garments, likely wealthy patrons or nobles who funded the Imperial forces.

As we walked past them, a field-grade officer seemed to recognize Ernst and approached us.

The man’s wrinkled face bore a striking scar, and he was someone I was all too familiar with.

Commander of the 1st Aerial Mage Corps Operations Command, Lieutenant General Heinrich Schmidt.

Having awakened my past life’s memories, I couldn’t help but recognize him.

“Colonel Ernst! You too were invited, I see! And this young man beside you…”

Facing a commanding officer who led an entire division, I felt compelled to salute him despite the tension.

“It’s an honor to see you again, Your Excellency. First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner.”
“Oho. In the short time since we last met, you’ve advanced another rank, haven’t you? Then again, considering your accumulated merits, it’s only natural. Isn’t that right, Aide?”

Standing like a shadow behind Heinrich, First Lieutenant Philip nodded in affirmation.

“Indeed. First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. I’m fortunate you’re an Imperial soldier. Had we met as enemies, you would have been a formidable adversary.”
“You’re too kind.”

And it truly was an overstatement.

Most of my ‘merits’ had been unintentional occurrences.

However, Heinrich seemed to interpret my demeanor as humility, offering an appreciative smile.

“I felt it from the start – you’re such an exceptional talent that I’d like to have you serve under my command. And as the Imperial forces are about to embark on a campaign of territorial expansion northward… No, I should discuss this later. Colonel Ernst?”

What’s going on? Why did he trail off?

Amid my growing unease, Ernst responded to Heinrich’s remark.

“Yes. Please go on.”
“I need to discuss the Empire’s future with the Vice Chief of Staff, but before that, I’d like to hear your opinion first. If possible, I’d appreciate discussing it in a quieter setting.”
“Why, if His Excellency desires it, I’ll gladly oblige.”

The two seemed to share a close rapport, exchanging smiles as they walked away.

Philip, who had been following Heinrich, glanced back at me before departing.

“First Lieutenant Daniel? It seems this is your first banquet, so feel free to wander around and pass the time until the main event begins shortly. Even if it becomes dull, try to endure until then.”

I was quite touched by his considerate words.

Nodding, I received a smile from Philip before he followed after Heinrich.

Left alone, I surveyed my surroundings.

‘For now…’

It seemed best to take a seat at one of the banquet tables and pass the time.

Everyone was engaged in casual conversation, so standing idly by myself would only draw unnecessary attention.

Excessive attention was something I wanted to avoid.

With that thought, I slowly made my way towards the banquet tables.

‘Oh.’

Conveniently, there was an empty seat across from someone who had started eating early.

Alastair, an intelligence agent from the Kingdom of Eldresia, pretended to eat while surveying his surroundings.

Given that this was an Imperial Court banquet, countless high-ranking figures were visibly gathered.

Alastair’s mission was to inform the other agents of the attendees’ names (those who were physically present).

This would allow the other agents to more efficiently carry out targeted assassinations when they launched their attack on the banquet hall.

For this reason, Alastair had been frequently scanning his surroundings when he heard approaching footsteps, prompting him to be on alert.

Tap, tap…

The sound of dress shoes gradually drew nearer before coming to a halt.

Swallowing hard in secret, Alastair raised his head to find a black-haired, black-eyed man looking down at him.

It was someone Alastair was all too familiar with.

‘First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner…’

The monster who had caused the notoriously tight-lipped Reginald to surrender within a single day of interrogation.

Why was he here? Had he been discovered? As Alastair broke into a cold sweat, Daniel smiled and spoke.

“By any chance, did you come alone? If you’re unaccompanied, I’d like to sit across from you…”

Refusing here would only raise suspicion. Amid the tension, Alastair nodded.

“Yes. Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you. My legs were starting to ache, anyway.”

With a slight groan, Daniel pulled out a chair and sat down.

Removing the peaked cap from his head, he placed it on the table and exhaled softly, as if relieved.

“Ah, I’m late with the introductions. My name is…”
“I know. You’re First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, are you not?”

Daniel’s eyes widened in apparent surprise.

“You know me?”
“Of course. Anyone in the capital who doesn’t know First Lieutenant Daniel must be a spy.”
“Oh dear. I didn’t intend to become famous…”

Sighing, Daniel noticed the food Alastair was eating and let out an exclamation of recognition.

“Isn’t that spätzle? And schnitzel on the side! You must be from the southern regions?”

Alastair dabbed his mouth with a napkin and nodded.

“That’s correct. My hometown primarily served spätzle.”
“Your hometown primarily served spätzle… Aha! You’re from the Baronetcy of Vetalgen. And the specific region is…”

As Alastair began to speak, Daniel raised his hand to stop him.

“Allow me to guess. The region within the Baronetcy of Vetalgen that considers spätzle a staple dish must be Valzach. Am I correct?”

After a brief contemplation, Alastair nodded.

If he had denied it, the atmosphere might have become awkward unnecessarily.

“Goodness! It’s already surprising that you’re from the southern regions, but to be from Valzach as well! I’m also from that area. Do you know the village of Pianmari?”

While Daniel’s words stemmed from genuine excitement at meeting a fellow countryman, Alastair felt as if Daniel was gradually closing in on him by narrowing down the region.

His palms grew sweaty.

Suppressing his trembling heart as much as possible, Alastair naturally smiled.

“Of course. Pianmari Village. Isn’t there a famous restaurant nearby?”

To avoid suspicion, establishing common ground was the best approach.

Delighted to have met a fellow countryman, Daniel nodded with a smile.

“Ah, yes. There was a rather famous restaurant called Jack’s. Its exterior was so humble that you wouldn’t even think it was a restaurant. I used to frequent it often when I lived in the village. Truly nostalgic.”

As if recalling something, Daniel snapped his fingers.

“If you know Jack’s Restaurant, that must mean you’ve been there too! It would be unthinkable for someone from the Valzach region to have never visited Jack’s.”
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
“Then what was your favorite dish there?”

While Daniel’s question stemmed from a desire to share nostalgic memories with a fellow countryman, Alastair felt a mounting psychological pressure, his breathing gradually becoming more labored.

If he mentioned a dish not served at the restaurant… the mere thought was terrifying.

Quickly running through the possibilities in his mind, Alastair recalled a commonly served dish in the southern regions of the Empire.

“My favorite at Jack’s Restaurant was the apple strudel. I visited and had it again last year, and the flavor is still unforgettable.”
“Aha! Apple strudel!”

Daniel clapped his hands and laughed.

“Truly delicious, isn’t it? I too can’t forget that sweet, velvety taste. It’s even better when paired with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.”

Thankfully, Alastair could breathe a sigh of relief.

He had mentioned a dish widely known as a breakfast item and dessert in the southern regions of the Empire.

Now, he thought, he could engage in some casual conversation before excusing himself from the table.

However, at that moment:

“But there’s one thing that seems… a bit odd.”

Odd? What did he mean? Unable to respond, Alastair watched as Daniel stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Then, slowly turning his head to fix Alastair with his gaze, Daniel spoke.

“From what I know, apple strudel was removed from Jack’s Restaurant’s menu three years ago. This followed an incident where a customer with an apple allergy mistakenly ordered it and suffered an attack.”

With a genuine curiosity, Daniel leaned forward towards Alastair.

His jet-black eyes blinked calmly.

“And yet, you said you had the apple strudel there last year?”

In an instant, Alastair felt a chilling terror, as if all the blood had drained from his body.