I Was Mistaken for a Great General of War

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Having received murder threats indirectly through CCTV, I headed to my office and ordered Lucy to cease her work.

After finishing lunch with Lucy and learning about the facilities available for executives at the General Staff Headquarters, I returned to my office.

Throughout the afternoon, I handled most of the tasks myself.

The reason was simple.

I thought that if I piled more work onto Lucy, she might genuinely kill me.

Although it was unlikely, what if Lucy, overwhelmed by a heavy workload, pulled out her revolver and shot me?

That would be a disaster.

So, I decided to proceed with the work while avoiding provoking Lucy as much as possible.

“Captain.”

Just as I wrapped up my afternoon duties, Lucy organized the documents and looked at me.

“It’s time to clock out.”

Has it already come to that time?

Looking up at the wall clock, I saw the hands pointing to 6 PM, just as Lucy had said.

I wished I could leave the General Staff Headquarters humming a tune, but I refused to leave with Lucy. Who knew what would happen to me?

“Go ahead. I’ll stay back to do some additional reviews…”

“In that case, I’ll stay to help you, Captain.”

“…I think it would be better for you to clock out too. Let’s go.”

Clearing my throat, I stood up, draped my officer’s coat over my arm, and grabbed my briefcase.

Lucy also got up, finishing her preparations to leave.

As we opened the office door and stepped into the corridor, Lucy naturally fell into step beside me.

Carrying her own briefcase, Lucy suddenly tilted her head with a look of confusion.

“Captain? You don’t look well. Is something wrong?”

It’s because of you, you crazy woman!

That phrase nearly spilled out but I managed to hold it back with superhuman patience.

“I’m just feeling a little under the weather. No need to worry about it.”

With that said, I maintained my silence and stepped outside the General Staff Headquarters.

I walked slowly to the overhang and paused.

It was raining. Not a downpour, just a soft drizzle.

Thanks to that, Lucy, who had approached me, remarked with a hint of concern.

“It’s raining. The weather service said it would be clear all day…”

“Pathetic.”

Even the weather service in a distant future sometimes makes mistakes in forecasting, so believing the current one and not bringing an umbrella was foolish.

“Imperial officers must always be prepared for adverse weather.”

I took out a foldable umbrella from my briefcase.

After pondering for a moment, I offered the umbrella to Lucy.

“Take it. I would prefer not to see my direct subordinate leaving work soaking wet.”

“What? But…”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Maintaining a formal relationship while extending a proper courtesy was the quickest route to extend my life.

Lucy looked at me with surprise, then raised her hands to accept the umbrella.

“I’ll use it gratefully. But are you really okay? If I take the umbrella, you’ll have to go out in the rain.”

“There are spare ones in the office. I can just go grab one.”

Actually, there weren’t any spare ones.

But I lied to avoid the image of walking around with a spy-like umbrella.

With a meaningful look, Lucy nodded, then opened the umbrella.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With a slight bow, Lucy began to walk away.

As I watched her retreating figure, I let out a sigh of relief.

‘I survived.’

Sharing an office with a spy who could kill me any moment was incredibly taxing.

‘By the way…’

Now I had no choice but to remain stuck at the headquarters until the rain stopped.

Just when I thought I might as well tackle tomorrow’s tasks ahead of time, a steam-powered vehicle with a long bonnet and slim body approached in the distance.

It resembled a Dobel Model E, an outdated vehicle that had come out over 20 years ago, regarded as old-fashioned even in this era.

Riding around in something like that at a time when internal combustion engines were becoming mainstream was something only an old person or a miser would do.

And as far as I knew, the owner of that vehicle possessed both of those traits.

Screeeech—

The vehicle pulled up neatly to the entrance of the building.

The driver was none other than my superior, Colonel Ernst.

Ernst exited the car and, upon spotting me, beamed with a bright smile.

“Oh! Captain Daniel! What a wonderful coincidence to find you here!”

“…You were looking for me?”

“Indeed. Didn’t I mention I was coming from a meeting with royal officials? They’ve made a splendid proposition! You’ll be glad to hear it.”

I already began to feel anxious.

Sweating under pressure, I asked, “What sort of proposition?”

“You’ve heard that the royal family is hosting a banquet to celebrate the northern army’s victory, right? They’ve kindly sent invitations for both of us.”

“What? Why am I being invited to the banquet?”

I asked sincerely, but Ernst playfully poked my side as if it were a joke.

He looked exceptionally pleased, probably because he received an invitation from the royal family.

“You’ve been quite humble! Given the contributions you’ve made, there’s no way they would overlook inviting you! So don’t hesitate, and let’s attend together.”

…This is problematic. I genuinely didn’t want to go.

As far as I knew, there would likely be a terror incident at a banquet celebrating the northern army’s victory.

I wasn’t exactly sure what kind of terrorism was expected.

After all, it was merely a single line mentioned in the game’s history books.

Regardless, I wanted to avoid unknown dangers as much as possible.

However, a mere Captain couldn’t refuse an invitation from the royal family.

Was there no other way out? At my wit’s end, I looked at Ernst with a glimmer of hope.

“Sir, I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I seem to have a royal allergy. My condition worsens when I’m around noble and highborn individuals. Could I possibly decline the invitation…?”

For once, Ernst frowned, as if he were a teen facing a dad joke for the first time—he looked slightly disgusted.

“Captain Daniel.”

“Yes?”

“Please refrain from speaking nonsense.”

“…Yes.”

In this tense atmosphere, it seemed I could no longer express my desire to decline.

Thus, regrettably, my attendance at the banquet was confirmed.

*

Meanwhile, in the Empire’s Eisenkrone Palace.
On the second floor of the royal library.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

Selvia, who had been deciphering ancient documents with several books spread across her desk, lifted her head.

Standing there was Colonel Hartmann Edelstein, wearing a uniform adorned with the golden insignia of the royal family, responsible for the princess’s chief security.

Confirming the identity of the person who called her, Selvia lowered her head and turned the page of the ancient text.

“What is it?”

Her tone was cold, implying she did not want to be disturbed while engrossed in her task.

However, Hartmann couldn’t let this slide this time.

“The head maid in charge of attire asked me to relay a message. They need to prepare for tomorrow’s banquet, but since you have no interest in adornment and are always stationed in the library, it poses a problem.”

Selvia let out a low sigh.

“In that case, please tell the head maid that studying tactics and strategies is much more beneficial than worrying about appearances.”

“Your Highness.”

“Hartmann, I have no intention of being eye candy for the participants at the banquet. We merely succeeded in pushing back the allied forces in the north; celebrating now seems… pointless.”

Selvia trailed off, shaking her head in disappointment.

“If it were me, I would have diverted the funds for the banquet to the defense. What on earth is my father thinking?”

A smile crept onto Hartmann’s lips.

It was a degree of humility that seemed hard to reconcile with someone born with the blood of a leader.

Yet, her aversion to socializing could prove disadvantageous in the long run.

“Your Highness, banquets are the foundation of socializing, and socializing leads to politics. A governance, at its core, is a congregation of groups. Excessive socializing could turn the populace against you, while a complete lack of it could turn the nobility against you.”

Historically, those praised only by one faction seldom lasted long.

“To rule over others and keep them beneath your feet is the role of an Emperor. One leader controlling the mightiest military force in the world. Do you understand what I am saying?”

While Hartmann’s statement wasn’t wrong, Selvia still wasn’t inclined to agree.

In her silence, Hartmann as if reminded of something said, “Oh, by the way, I hear Captain Daniel Steiner will also be attending this banquet. You have an acquaintance in him, don’t you?”

At the mention of Daniel Steiner, Selvia’s shoulders jolted slightly.

—If my death enables the reporter to live, then that is enough. A soldier exists to protect their country’s citizens.

His words still lingered in her mind, not easily forgotten.

He was someone who wouldn’t be a bad ally to have around. If possible, she wanted to get him on her side.

Clearing her throat, Selvia shut the ancient document.

“…Fine. Please call the head maid. I suppose a trivial touch-up wouldn’t hurt.”

Although she spoke calmly, Hartmann noted her ears subtly turning red.

‘Perhaps she isn’t very adept at concealing her emotions.’

Could it be that she was so enamored by someone like Daniel Steiner?

With a gentle smile, Hartmann nodded.