Four days after the Christmas banquet.
Deputy Chief of Operations Cedric’s office.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner."
Cedric skimmed through the documents in his hands as he spoke.
"Thanks to the approval of both His Majesty and Her Highness, the upper command has accepted your request. You'll be deployed to the eastern front this time."
Daniel stood at ease, quietly listening.
"The location is near the border with the Kingdom of Belmore, one of the Allied Nations. It’s practically barren. Since it’s a basin surrounded by mountains, it holds no strategic or military significance, so only a small company is stationed there."
It was a reconnaissance unit, meant to detect any movement should Belmore attempt an advance through the mountains.
Of course, as long as the Kingdom of Belmore had any sense, they wouldn’t attempt such a thing.
Marching an army through treacherous mountain terrain was nothing short of suicide.
"You will be leading a battalion-sized unit under direct headquarters command. Upon arrival, you’ll merge with the stationed company and take over command. Your mission will commence after that."
"And what is the mission?"
"Rescue an Imperial engineering technician currently held captive near the border. Specifically, Hans Zernmehart. He possesses critical classified information on Imperial technology."
Understanding the assignment, Daniel saluted.
"I will carry out my orders."
Cedric nodded and returned the salute.
As he was about to dismiss Daniel, he suddenly added,
"Oh, one more thing—there's no need to risk your life for this mission. The upper command values your survival more than the success of the operation. Frankly, breaking through border defenses and extracting a prisoner with just a battalion is no easy feat."
Now that was music to Daniel’s ears.
That was as good as saying they wouldn’t hold him accountable even if he failed.
Daniel had been worried that the Emperor might use a failed mission as an excuse to tighten his leash, but this effectively removed that concern.
"I understand. But I will still do my best to complete the mission."
"Good. If there are no further objections, you’re dismissed."
"Understood."
With a firm response, Daniel turned and exited Cedric’s office.
As he walked down the corridor, he let out a silent cheer.
Yes!
Things were going better than expected.
I was worried that asking to be deployed would land me in the middle of some hellish battlefield...
But it seemed the higher-ups had decided that keeping Daniel Steiner alive was in the Empire’s best interest.
They were sending him to the front, but to a relatively safe location.
And they even threw in a considerate little message—"You don’t actually have to complete the mission."
It was practically an invitation to go on a work trip under the pretense of combat deployment.
Now I just need to stay in the field under the excuse of ongoing missions...
And when Emperor Bertham eventually transferred full power to Selvia and stepped down, Daniel would return to the capital.
Judging by Selvia’s attitude yesterday, she doesn’t seem interested in keeping me in check.
That meant once she became Emperor, he could finally live in peace in the capital.
Of course...
That wasn’t his ultimate goal.
Though the Empire had grown stronger after subjugating Eldresia and Vellanos, the best option was still to escape.
Once winter’s frost thawed and spring arrived, the great powers would inevitably declare war on the Empire.
Reports indicated that both the Federation and the Republic were steadily amassing troops.
The frequency of meetings between the Allied Nations and Caledra, their de facto leader, was increasing.
A world war was on the horizon.
And the only way to avoid being consumed by that fire was to escape the Empire.
But...
Could he really leave Selvia behind in that fire?
Unlike the Emperor, Selvia was at least favorable toward him.
She understood the importance of public sentiment, but she was not well-versed in politics.
She would almost certainly fall along with the Empire.
That thought made his head ache.
As he descended the stairs, lost in thought, he came across a familiar figure.
A woman with disheveled silver hair and blood-red eyes.
Lucy.
"Lieutenant?"
Wondering why she had come from the offices, Daniel asked.
Blinking her crimson eyes, Lucy replied,
"Ah. A senior officer from the headquarters battalion wishes to meet with you, Lieutenant Colonel. I was looking for you to deliver the message."
"...From headquarters?"
He could already guess who it was.
With a reluctant nod, Daniel walked with Lucy toward his personal office.
Once they arrived, Daniel took a deep breath before grasping the doorknob and opening it.
The first thing he saw was a woman with long, light brown hair cascading past her waist.
On her shoulder was a newly minted second lieutenant insignia.
Sensing movement behind her, the woman turned around, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Daniel.
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Clasping her hands together, she exclaimed,
"Ahh, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner! You have no idea how long I’ve awaited this moment. To be able to serve at the side of the saint himself, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner—I give thanks to the heavens for this blessing. I solemnly vow to dedicate my life to slaughtering the Allied Nations’ beasts in the name of—"
Thud!
Daniel closed the door.
The truly disturbing part was that even after he shut the door, he could still hear Freen’s voice coming through as if the barrier meant nothing.
As if a mere door couldn’t obstruct her relentless reverence for him.
Disgusted, Daniel turned to Lucy.
"Lieutenant."
"Yes?"
"Is there any way to return this?"
Lucy stared at him, then, for once, furrowed her brows.
"Lieutenant Colonel, you shouldn’t say things like that about a person."
"A person, huh..."
Could someone who had warped nationalism into a self-serving religion truly be considered a person?
By mental state alone, she was closer to a monster.
Daniel held back the words that threatened to spill from his mouth.
Like it or not, he would have to work with her for the time being. There was no need to say something unnecessary.
****
Meanwhile, at the border basin near the Kingdom of Belmore.
Airborne Special Forces Brigade – Special Warfare Company Command Post.
"Captain."
Bernard, the company commander, groggily opened his tired eyes.
Blinking blankly for a moment, he let out a low yawn before pulling himself up.
His uniform was disheveled beyond recognition, and his bootlaces were barely tied, but Bernard didn’t care.
After all, this was the kind of place where none of that mattered.
"What is it? Did we run out of booze?"
He asked in a dazed tone, only for the platoon leader to shake his head.
Seeing that, Bernard scratched his forehead in irritation.
"Then what is it?"
"Well... I believe it’s about time we get to work, sir."
"Work? Did you just say ‘work’?"
Bernard scoffed in disbelief.
"Get your head straight, Sergeant. We were abandoned here. It’s been over a year since we received the order to focus on border security until further instructions. Since then, the higher-ups haven’t sent us a single damn thing."
He ran a hand through his messy hair, pushing it back.
"So, all we have to do is sit tight and drink supply liquor until the war ends. Try to see the bright side of things. Yeah, this place is a godforsaken pit surrounded by mountains, but at least we’re not getting shot at, right?"
He chuckled to himself—but then stopped.
Normally, the platoon leader would have laughed along, yet today, his face was pale as a sheet.
"...What’s wrong? Don’t tell me the higher-ups actually gave us new orders?"
The platoon leader nodded.
"Yes, sir. Headquarters is sending a battalion directly under their command. We are to operate under the command of their lieutenant colonel."
"A lieutenant colonel? Ha. And what’s a battalion going to change around here? Do they think sending fewer than a thousand men will let us take on the Kingdom of Belmore or something? What kind of bullshit—Wait. Why do you look like that?"
Bernard scowled. The platoon leader looked like a deer caught in headlights, trembling in fear.
Glaring at him, Bernard silently demanded an explanation.
After taking a deep breath, the platoon leader finally spoke.
"The lieutenant colonel being deployed here is none other than..."
"None other than who?"
"...Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner."
The moment he heard the name, Bernard froze in place.
Even in this backwater basin, news from the capital still trickled in.
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner, Operations Staff Officer of the Imperial General Staff.
That was a name no Imperial soldier could not know.
"Sergeant? I don’t like jokes."
He asked, just in case, but the platoon leader didn’t waver.
"I heard it clearly. Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner is coming here."
Bernard slowly raised a trembling hand to his forehead.
"Daniel Steiner... He’s that guy, isn’t he? The one who skinned the face off an Allied Nations soldier in front of Eldresia’s Foreign Minister..."
Rumors tended to get distorted.
The further from civilization, the more exaggerated they became.
What had started as bar talk had been twisted and passed along so many times that it had turned into truth.
And the platoon leader was one of those who had fully embraced that truth.
"That’s not all. Do you know about what happened with Duke Belvar? Apparently, when the duke tried to pressure him, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner stormed into his mansion and shot a private soldier dead right in front of him."
"Dear God..."
Bernard’s eyes trembled violently.
A cold sweat formed on his back as he looked up at the platoon leader.
"If Daniel Steiner sees the state we’re in right now..."
"It’s a firing squad. No doubt about it. We’ll all be executed on the spot."
A hiccup escaped Bernard’s lips as fear gripped him.
Now fully sober, he shot to his feet and bellowed,
"Inform all personnel! Begin immediate maintenance and cleaning of all facilities! Have them inspect and polish their weapons, tidy their uniforms, and check all equipment!"
"Understood. But how should I explain this sudden change of orders to them...?"
It wasn’t just Bernard who had grown complacent over the past year.
His men had also settled into the peace of their forgotten post, spending their shifts playing poker.
But getting them to wake up from that slumber was easy.
Because Bernard had just experienced it firsthand.
"Tell them who’s coming."
Bernard swallowed dryly, his face devoid of color, before declaring,
"Tell them that Daniel Steiner... is coming."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Tell them that the Devil of the Empire is on his way."