The Next Day
At dawn, every soldier in the forward outpost—except for the minimum number needed to maintain security—ascended the western mountain ridge.
This was in accordance with the order from their battalion commander, Daniel Steiner, to conduct reconnaissance and defensive position training.
Believing it to be a realistic defensive drill, the troops carried not only sandbags but also twelve mortars and four heavy machine guns up the mountain, expecting to receive new instructions from Daniel.
— Establish a defensive position, but do so in a manner that encircles the outpost.
In short, the soldiers were to assume that their own forward outpost was an enemy stronghold and conduct a siege training exercise around it.
The logic behind this was utterly baffling, but since it was their battalion commander’s first direct order, they followed it without question.
After leveling the ground, they set up mortar emplacements and mounted the heavy machine guns.
The unit’s snipers positioned themselves atop the cliffs flanking the outpost, while the Special Operations Company, which had originally been tasked with sentry duty at the base, was ordered to block off any retreat routes.
Since they were most familiar with the surrounding terrain, it was a fitting role for them.
There was nothing inherently flawed about the order, so Bernard complied. After joining forces with the General Staff’s direct unit, they dug in and concealed their positions along the escape routes.
With a standby order in place, Bernard and his men took the opportunity to rest among the trees.
Leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, Bernard exhaled a sigh and turned to the side.
Lieutenant McKell was sitting on the ground, a map spread out in front of him, practicing land navigation techniques.
“Hey.”
Hearing Bernard’s call, McKell looked up.
“You called for me, sir?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a question for you.”
Bernard scratched his head before speaking.
“What the hell is the point of this exercise? I don’t understand the logic behind encircling an enemy forward outpost.”
“Hmm. Could you elaborate?”
“A forward outpost, by definition, is supposed to be the most heavily guarded position in the area, right? So surrounding it on all sides—what sense does that make? What, are they just idiots?”
He wasn’t exactly wrong.
But McKell simply chuckled.
“If this were a standard exercise on encircling an enemy forward outpost, then yes, I would say there’s a contradiction.”
“So you think so too, huh? I expected some kind of tactical genius from this General Staff prodigy, but it looks like the rumors were overblown.”
“I’d ask you to take back those words. The rumors are not exaggerated.”
“...What?”
“Didn’t you just admit that this training scenario doesn’t make sense?”
McKell folded up the map and tucked it away.
“I said that it wouldn’t make sense if this were just an exercise.”
Bernard blinked in confusion, unable to grasp what McKell was implying.
Seeing this, McKell placed the map inside his uniform and spoke.
“I fought alongside the battalion commander during the Nordia invasion. If you knew how he captured Nordia, you wouldn’t assume this is just a simple drill.”
“...You’re saying this isn’t training?”
“Correct. He’s preparing for something.”
Bernard, still skeptical, frowned.
“If he was preparing for something, why hasn’t he told us anything? And what the hell was he doing for the past two weeks?”
“The battalion commander hates having his operations leaked through loose lips. And do you really think he’s been doing nothing these past two weeks?”
“...Wait, don’t tell me—”
McKell nodded.
“There’s a saying—A long contemplation leads to a masterstroke. From what I see, he’s merely been lying in wait, like a predator ready to pounce.”
Standing up, McKell turned his gaze toward Daniel.
A short distance away from the main force, Daniel sat with his hand resting against his chin, a deep frown on his face.
His eyes carried the weight of someone devising numerous intricate strategies at once.
Watching him, McKell muttered in admiration.
“It seems... he’s finally prepared to bare his claws.”
Of course, contrary to McKell’s assumptions, Daniel Steiner was thinking about something entirely different.
"I’ve seen that bird somewhere before... What was its name again...?"
At that moment, his focus was solely on identifying the bird preening itself on a nearby branch.
****
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Belmore
Crown Prince Blef led an elite battalion toward the forward outpost where Daniel Steiner was reportedly stationed.
He would have preferred to bring a larger force, but given the rugged mountain terrain, excessive numbers would have been difficult to manage.
Moreover, capturing Daniel Steiner before he had a chance to escape required a stealthy approach, so Blef insisted on keeping the operation at battalion strength.
Departing at dawn, Blef and his troops finally arrived at the basin where the Empire’s forward outpost was located—just as night fell.
The climb had exhausted the soldiers somewhat, but they were still in fighting condition, so Blef didn’t hesitate to give the order to attack.
Following his command, the troops advanced under cover of darkness and infiltrated the Imperial outpost.
Though a few Imperial sentries were posted, their numbers were too small to put up much of a fight, and they were quickly eliminated.
Seeing his troops successfully entering the outpost, Blef waited a moment before stepping inside himself.
At that moment, he was convinced—victory was his.
The sentries had been dealt with swiftly, and they had successfully infiltrated the outpost. Now, all that remained was to massacre the sleeping Imperial soldiers and capture Daniel Steiner alive.
The thought of earning such monumental military merit sent a thrill down Blef’s spine.
Eager to claim his glory, he issued his next order:
“Kill every Imperial soldier except Daniel Steiner.”
His men spread throughout the outpost to carry out his command.
Yet, strangely enough... no gunshots were heard.
As the eerie silence stretched on for ten minutes, a growing unease crept over Blef.
He immediately summoned his officers.
Something wasn’t right. He had to get to the bottom of it.
“I distinctly remember ordering the execution of all enemy troops except Daniel Steiner. So why haven’t I heard a single shot?”
None of the officers answered.
Because they were just as clueless as he was.
As the silence stretched on, Colonel Galebalt, Blef’s closest military advisor, finally spoke, his voice trembling ever so slightly.
“Your Highness... I hesitate to say this, but...”
Blef narrowed his eyes.
Galebalt’s lips quivered as he forced out the words.
“There are no Imperial troops here.”
“...What?”
Blef’s brow furrowed deeply, as if he had just heard something completely nonsensical.
No Imperial soldiers? In an Imperial outpost?
“That’s absurd. Have you searched thoroughly?”
As Blef’s irritation grew, another officer stepped forward to respond.
"Colonel Galebalt speaks the truth. I ordered my men to conduct a thorough search..."
The battalion commander lowered his head in shame.
"But despite scouring every location—the command post, barracks, mess hall, infirmary, warehouse, communications center, latrines, maintenance facility, watchtowers, training grounds, and even the underground facilities—there is no trace of the Imperial forces."
"What...?"
A sinking feeling settled in Blef’s chest as he swallowed dryly.
"Are you telling me that the Imperial army just vanished overnight?"
"I can only report the facts as they stand, Your Highness."
There was no reason for the battalion commander to lie to him.
And yet, the reality was too absurd to accept.
"Then where the hell did they go...?"
A creeping unease crawled up his spine.
The exhilaration that had burned in his veins just moments ago had been replaced by a cold, gripping fear.
The night air suddenly felt unnaturally frigid.
Just then, a sergeant sprinted toward him.
The soldier, wearing the insignia of a staff sergeant, dropped to the ground in a deep bow before speaking.
"Your Highness! We discovered Imperial footprints leading toward the western ridge! We sent scouts to investigate, and..."
A bead of sweat dripped from the sergeant’s forehead.
"...The Imperial forces have fortified the area. They've established defensive positions armed with mortars and heavy machine guns."
The foreboding dread in Blef’s chest crystallized into certainty.
His hands trembled.
The sergeant clenched his eyes shut before delivering the final blow.
"Your Highness! I regret to report that we are... completely surrounded."
Gasps and hushed murmurs spread through the ranks.
The moment they had found the outpost empty, many had feared the worst.
Yet only now did the reality of their situation set in.
Only Blef refused to accept his failure. He turned sharply to his advisor.
"Colonel Galebalt! Is what he says true!?"
Galebalt clenched his teeth before slowly lowering his head.
"Given the circumstances... it seems undeniable. They’ve likely cut off our escape routes by now. If I were in their position, that’s exactly what I would have done."
His voice was heavy with resignation.
Hearing his chief strategist confirm their predicament, Blef shook his head violently in disbelief.
"No... No, this can’t be. Did our intelligence leak? But the informant who gave me this information was a man bought by the Allied Nations. So how...?"
His face drained of color.
"How the hell does Daniel Steiner know everything about our plan!?"
Galebalt bit down hard, then let out a quiet sigh.
"It seems the Empire has an informant within the Kingdom of Belmore. Or worse... Daniel Steiner might have come here with the sole intention of targeting Your Highness from the very start."
There was no other explanation.
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
Daniel Steiner had turned the crown prince’s own knowledge against him, laying a trap from the very beginning.
"Ah..."
The realization sent a wave of weakness through Blef’s body, causing him to stumble.
A nearby officer rushed forward to steady him, but Blef’s eyes were hollow, devoid of life.
He had been played. Completely and utterly.
A hollow breath escaped his lips.
"The hunted one..."
His voice was thin and distant, as though the words were spoken by someone else.
"...was never Daniel Steiner. It was me."
And at last, Blef understood.
A mere human could never hope to hunt a demon.