"I have to do *that*?"
'He doesn't know? After establishing such a perfect occupied territory?'
Wasn't that a bit too humble?
Honestly, this place was so favorable to the occupying forces, one could easily believe it was Imperial territory, not part of the Kingdom.
Yet, seeing Daniel not boast about his achievements, Erwin couldn't help but feel impressed.
However, Daniel, unaware of Erwin's inner thoughts, merely offered an awkward smile.
"Colonel, it's cold out. Shall we go inside to talk?"
"Ah, yes, let's."
Nodding, Erwin followed Daniel into the command building.
Daniel led Erwin to a reception room inside the building and laid out all the urban plans he had implemented to hand over the garrison commander position.
To aid understanding, Lucy handed Erwin the relevant documents, and Frien served Erwin coffee made with premium beans.
After reviewing the documents and drinking coffee for a while, Erwin let out a wry chuckle.
Daniel had performed the role of garrison commander so perfectly that there was nothing to fault.
"Excellent. If I could give you a score, I'd give you full marks. My only complaint is that there's nothing for me to do. It's so perfect, all I need to do is maintain the status quo."
"You flatter me, sir."
"No flattery at all. Major Daniel Steiner! You've done an astonishingly good job. I'll make sure to convey this to General Staff Headquarters."
Daniel didn't want his evaluation score to rise further, but there was no way he could tell his superior not to.
With a resigned expression, Daniel nodded once and said,
"I appreciate your kindness, Colonel. More importantly, since the handover seems complete, I should start preparing to return to the capital."
"To the capital, you say?"
"Yes, sir. I've been out on operational support for a long time. As you know, the North is cold, and the food doesn't suit my palate, so it's been quite difficult."
Erwin chuckled understandingly at Daniel's lighthearted remark.
"It's not easy for someone born and raised in the Empire to adapt to foreign food. I, too, often found eating a chore when I was stationed on the Eastern Front."
"...I apologize for bringing up such trivial matters. Compared to the meals you had on a battlefield under constant fire, I've had quite luxurious dining."
"It's quite alright, quite alright. I didn't mean to make you feel inferior. It was merely a personal anecdote. More to the point, I'm afraid I have some rather unfortunate news for you, given your desire to return to the capital."
Unfortunate news? As Daniel looked at him puzzled, Erwin pulled a scroll from his coat and handed it over.
"It's an operational order from General Staff Headquarters, for you."
Thanks to that, Daniel couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
He thought his mission was over and he'd be going home, but a new operational order?
'What in the world is going on now?'
He wanted to rage, but an order was an order, and he had to obey.
With trembling hands, Daniel took the scroll, untied the red string, and unfurled the paper.
───────────
"Imperial General Staff Headquarters"
Order No. D-513
Date: August 14, 1944
Task: Frontline Deployment of General Staff Direct Command Unit
• Orders
1. Major Daniel Steiner, commanding the General Staff Direct Command Unit, shall detach a company-sized contingent capable of vehicular transport from the Nordia Garrison.
2. Board vehicles with the detached company personnel and proceed to the Headquarters of the 3rd Corps, currently located at the northernmost front, arriving no later than 16:00 hours on August 21, 1944.
3. Upon arrival at Corps Headquarters, remain on standby awaiting further orders. It is advised to act in accordance with the Corps Commander's subsequent directives.
You are hereby ordered to execute this mission swiftly and accurately in accordance with this order.
Imperial General Staff Headquarters.
Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Cedric Vendel.
───────────
After reading the entire order, Daniel raised a hand and ran it over his face.
'Brigadier General. Why are you doing this to me...'
It was the moment Daniel's modest wish to return to the capital and live a comfortable, prosperous life shattered into a thousand pieces.
He wished it were one of Erwin's ill-intentioned pranks, but the order bore the Chief of Staff's official seal.
Therefore, there was no way this order could be forged.
'An order has been issued, so I suppose I have to go.'
This time, the arrival date and time were clearly specified, leaving no room for procrastination.
'The one saving grace is...'
Based on the order alone, it seemed like a simple troop deployment.
If so, it meant he just had to bide his time after joining the corps.
'Unless it's a special operation, they wouldn't deploy a General Staff Direct Command Unit to the front lines.'
If it were a special operation, a clear path to hardship awaited him, but that was unlikely.
Currently, the Imperial forces advancing north had entered a lull.
To launch a special operation against a Kingdom advocating for a fight to the death in such a state? It was tantamount to a death sentence.
Logically, it seemed clear that he would remain with the corps on 'unit standby' until the war with the Kingdom ended, then return to the capital.
It was merely a delay of a few weeks in returning to the capital.
'But for some reason...'
Daniel's heart felt uneasy.
*
3rd Corps Headquarters.
Corps Commander's Office.
"Hmm…"
Lieutenant General Karlpeter Krau narrowed his eyes, gazing at the strategic map and operations board hanging on the wall.
'They've pulled back their lines and committed all troops to the capital's defense.'
At first glance, it appeared the Kingdom's army had panicked and fled, but to Karlpeter, it was quite a strategic maneuver.
Just because the Kingdom's army had pulled back didn't mean the Imperial forces could simply advance recklessly.
'Supply and logistics can't keep up.'
The supplies a corps consumes daily are beyond imagination.
If those supplies aren't delivered on time, not only does the corps' morale plummet, but operational command also faces disruptions.
Therefore, the Imperial forces could not advance until the supply lines were properly established.
Even now, having captured more than half of the Kingdom's territory, the supply lines were tangled, and following the enemy immediately after they pulled back would very likely sever their supply.
That's why the Imperial forces had been semi- forcibly brought to a standstill.
'The Kingdom's army will use this time gained to reorganize their forces.'
Perhaps they were requesting aid from their allied nations.
If the allied nations provided support, it would become a headache.
Even if, by some stroke of luck, the allied nations didn't provide support, it would still be a headache.
By the time the Imperial forces secured their supply lines and commenced their advance, the Kingdom's army would have already completed its reorganization.
'They will surely resist fiercely.'
The Imperial forces wouldn't be defeated, but they would have to endure tremendous casualties.
At least thousands, potentially tens of thousands, of soldiers would die a meaningless death.
It was a result tantamount to weakening the Empire's national power, which was why General Staff Headquarters and Karlpeter sought to conclude peace negotiations.
The Kingdom, too, had responded by sending their Foreign Minister, but negotiations had already broken down twice.
The reason was that the Empire's demands were utterly preposterous.
Thus, Corps Commander Karlpeter had requested His Imperial Majesty to soften the negotiation terms, but his plea was rejected.
The reason given was that mercy was unnecessary for a despicable Kingdom that had tried to tear at the Empire's flank like a hyena.
That left only one option: an all-out war to capture the capital.
However, with national power already being drained by holding the Eastern Front, was it truly right to declare an all-out war to deliver a crushing blow to the Kingdom?
As Karlpeter's worries deepened day by day, General Staff Headquarters had recommended someone.
'...Major Daniel Steiner.'
The communication stated that a talent who had achieved immense military merits in Nordia would be sent to the corps.
'That meant...'
It was tantamount to urging him to use Daniel Steiner as the lead negotiator for the peace treaty.
Understanding General Staff Headquarters' intent, Karlpeter frowned in disbelief.
This was a negotiation that had failed despite the help of numerous military advisors.
No matter how many military merits he'd accumulated, what difference would it make to place an officer who was merely a major in charge of negotiations?
'However...'
If it was a talent recommended by General Staff Headquarters, specifically by Brigadier General Cedric Vendel, the Chief of Staff, there must be a reason.
Since this was not a normal situation to begin with, perhaps a new approach was needed to find a way forward.
'This will probably be the final negotiation.'
Could he truly entrust their fate to Daniel Steiner?
Taking a deep breath with his eyes closed, Karlpeter slowly opened them.
He had decided to make a decision bordering on the eccentric.
It wasn't because he trusted Daniel Steiner, but because he trusted the astuteness of Cedric Vendel, who had devised countless operations and led the Imperial army to victory so far.
'Cedric. I'll trust this joker card you're handing me.'
The die was cast.
Now, the lives of countless individuals rested, effectively, in Daniel Steiner's hands.