I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

Upon hearing my order, Sergeant Glendy relayed the command to the soldiers with a face full of loyalty, even adding nonsense about the company commander displaying remarkable foresight.

While the soldiers grimly prepared for battle, I climbed a nearby hill with First Lieutenant Mecalla to verify his report.

“As expected of you, Captain Daniel. There’s always a plan behind your every action.”

…For some reason, I didn’t stop Prien from following, though.

Ignoring Prien’s chatter, I reached the hilltop and received a telescope from Mecalla.

“Over there, Company Commander.”

Looking through the telescope in the direction Mecalla pointed, I spotted a clearing not too far away.

In that clearing, soldiers in Kingdom uniforms were diligently setting up camp.

After zooming in, I surveyed the surroundings.

Several transport vehicles piled high with various supplies were visible.

Inside were rations, fuel, ammunition, medical and military equipment, not to mention radios, batteries, barbed wire, sandbags, mines, and concrete for constructing defensive lines.

‘…It’s a supply unit, all right.’

The soldiers numbered over 300, indicating a battalion-sized force.

‘But…’

Such a large quantity of supplies would be sufficient for at least a regiment, if not a division.

As far as I knew, the only Kingdom force of that scale concentrated in this area was the armored division defending a coastal city.

However, that city was already under an Imperial siege. So how could they be receiving supplies?

While perplexed, that wasn’t the main concern right now.

Lowering the telescope, I turned towards Mecalla.

“They don’t seem very experienced in combat. Am I right?”
“Yes. Judging by their ranks, most are fresh recruits. The veterans must have been sent to the front lines or perished, leaving the Kingdom no choice.”
“Then this should be an easy operation. Cadet Prien?”

Prien looked at me with shining eyes. Honestly, it was a bit unnerving.

“…You said you used to sing in choir?”
“Yes. I was part of the church choir as a child and was even selected as a soloist.”

A soloist would possess exceptional singing skills and technique within the choir.

Given that the future Prien would wield the ability to imbue her singing with magic to empower soldiers, it was unsurprising.

Of course, I couldn’t request such a feat from the current Prien.

She herself was likely unaware of the full extent of her abilities.

If an unavoidable battle lay ahead, I had to utilize what was readily available to gain an advantage.

‘If fighting is inevitable, minimizing allied casualties would be best.’

It would directly impact my own survival, after all.

Running through the calculations in my mind, I gripped Prien’s shoulder.

“Cadet Prien. Your role in this ambush will be crucial. So, can you trust me from now on?”

There was no better talent for deception than Prien.

Prien briefly looked dazed before flashing a bright smile.

“Yes! I will gladly do so for your sake, Captain!”

○

At dawn.

Taliaam, a Kingdom soldier on sentry duty with his comrades, paused mid-yawn.

A faint singing voice could be heard from the direction of the forest.

At first, he thought he had misheard, but the singing gradually grew louder, approaching them.

Perplexed, Taliaam stared in the direction of the singing and quickly raised his rifle.

“It’s the Imperials!”

At Taliaam’s shout, the other sentries also raised their weapons.

However, they did not open fire.

“…What?”
“She’s alone? And unarmed, too…”

The woman approaching with her eyes closed, singing, was clearly wearing an Imperial uniform.

There was no doubt she was an Imperial soldier.

However, her uniform was covered in dirt and its hems were torn.

“A deserter?”
“Hard to say. But damn, she can really sing.”

It was Prien, singing an aria.

With each step Prien took closer, her beautiful voice praising the divine resonated all around.

For soldiers deprived of entertainment, it was quite a stimulating experience.

Before they knew it, the soldiers had lowered their rifle barrels and begun appreciating Prien’s singing.

Some had even set down their weapons and folded their arms.

It was hardly appropriate behavior for sentries, but no one pointed it out.

After all, the enemy was just a frail, unarmed woman.

Moreover, she appeared to be a deserter.

Deeming her no threat, the sentries chatted and giggled among themselves.

“Brings back memories. Whenever I went to church with my parents as a kid, hymns like this would always be sung.”
“Yeah. I wish this war would end soon so we could return home. Damn those Imperial bastards…”
“But what about that woman? Seeing as she walked here on her own, is she seeking asylum or something?”
“Who knows? Maybe we should have a taste before reporting her to the battalion commander? She’s quite a looker.”

As the soldiers exchanged various opinions about Prien’s treatment, giggling, the distance between them gradually closed.

Taliaam, too, engaged in the banter before suddenly sensing something amiss.

‘…Was the forest always this dark?’

The area behind the approaching woman was unnaturally dark.

Normally, one should be able to discern faint outlines, but it was as if a curtain had been drawn, concealing everything.

Finding it odd, Taliaam tapped the shoulder of the soldier in front of him.

“Hey. Doesn’t something seem off? The visibility ahead is too dark.”

However, the soldier merely let out a dismissive laugh.

“Taliaam, you worry too much, you coward. It’s just because the moon is obscured by clouds today, making it darker than usual.”

No, that couldn’t be right. This wasn’t his first time on sentry duty.

Growing uneasy, Taliaam looked around, but the other soldiers were engrossed in discussions about their hometowns and women.

By then, Prien had reached the edge of the campsite and finished her song.

Thanks to this, the chattering sentries’ attention was drawn to her.

“Kingdom soldiers allied with the Union.”

With a melodious voice, Prien flashed a smile.

“May you descend into hell.”

At that moment, Prien gathered the mana she had dispersed like a curtain behind her back.

What emerged were over two hundred Imperial soldiers.

Each of them was poised in perfect formation, their rifles aimed at the Kingdom soldiers.

“…!”

Only then did Taliaam realize the truth.

Prien had amplified her voice with magic to sing the aria, masking the footsteps of the two hundred soldiers.

However, a mistake realized too late was still a mistake.

Before Taliaam and the other stunned sentries could react, Daniel, leading the Imperial soldiers, spoke in a raspy voice.

“Fire.”

No sooner had the word left his lips than countless muzzle flashes erupted from the Imperial rifles.

○

Badang—! Bang!

At the sound of gunfire, Battalion Commander Henry Fuehr’s eyes flew open.

Unsure of the commotion but with no aide coming to report, he blinked dazedly as the gunfire continued.

“Ugh…!”

Finally regaining his senses, Henry hurriedly put on his uniform, grabbed his pistol, and rushed out of the command tent.

Hastening his steps, Henry was horrified by the scene unfolding outside.

Flames and smoke billowed heavily in all directions.

Amidst the chaos, Imperial soldiers in black uniforms had occupied the campsite.

Soldiers emerging from their tents upon hearing the gunfire were instantly cut down by Imperial fire, unable to even let out a final scream.

“Th-This can’t be…”

Had the Imperials discovered their supply route? How? Why?

The shocking situation left Henry’s thoughts in disarray.

Darting his eyes around, he spotted a man approaching the command tent.

Amid the cacophony of shouts and screams, the one striding with poise was an Imperial officer with black hair.

His appearance seemed vaguely familiar to Henry, who soon realized why upon noticing the Phoenix Order insignia on his chest.

‘Daniel Steiner…!’

The man hailed as an Imperial hero.

Gripped by fear, Henry aimed his pistol at Daniel.

“Stay back, you monster!”

Daniel stopped in his tracks.

As they faced off in silence, Daniel slowly parted his lips.

“If you wish to kill me, then shoot. I won’t stop you.”
“Like I need your permission to shoot?!”
“No. You are capable of doing so. But if you kill me, what will become of your soldiers?”

Henry’s hand trembled.

He understood what Daniel was implying.

“Imperial soldiers who have lost their chain of command are no different from unbridled colts. They will seek to slaughter every Kingdom soldier here. However, we can avert that grim future.”

Daniel’s voice came like the Devil’s temptation.

“Battalion Commander. Order your men to surrender immediately. In return, I will order my forces to cease their attack. Think of your subordinates. Consider the sorrow their families will endure.”

Make the decision while there was still a chance to save even one more life.

Entranced by that serpentine eloquence, Henry ground his teeth.

It wasn’t wrong. Stubbornly insisting on a final stand would only lead everyone to a dog’s death.

While not particularly capable, Henry was no incompetent commander either.

Letting out a low sob, Henry lowered his pistol.

He had no other choice.

“Surrender…”

Slowly opening his hand, Henry dropped his pistol and spoke.

“…I surrender.”