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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Legion Commander Karlpeter is Baffled
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Legion Commander Karlpeter is Baffled
As soon as the negotiations concluded, Daniel returned to headquarters and reported to the Legion Commander, as was protocol.
During this, the Legion Commander asked Daniel if the negotiations had gone well. Daniel replied that he had done his best, but it was too early to predict the outcome.
Afterward, Daniel spent a day at the hotel provided by the legion, woke up early the next morning, and headed to the hotel's restaurant.
He had gone there for breakfast, and it seemed the hotel food was of decent quality, as the place was bustling with people despite the early hour.
Observing the people dining and conversing, most appeared to be field-grade officers.
There were a few non-commissioned officers and company-grade officers as well, but their numbers weren't significant.
This was because hotel accommodation was only permitted for key personnel within the legion's officer corps.
From among them, occasional praises for the delicious food could be overheard.
'Well, compared to field rations, even low-grade hotel food would taste heavenly…'
It struck him anew that being able to eat hotel food on the battlefield was quite a luxury.
Daniel, silently sending his condolences to the soldiers toiling outside, filled a buffet plate with a few items and walked towards an empty table.
As he approached, Sergeant Glendy and Lieutenant McCal, who were already eating, turned their heads at the sound of his presence.
Upon spotting Daniel, both promptly stood up.
"Major Daniel, you're here!"
"Good morning, sir!"
Startled by their exclamations, Daniel turned to look at them.
Both were gazing at him with admiration, which made him feel quite burdened.
Feeling awkward, Daniel deliberately placed his plate at a slight distance from them.
"...Good morning. But why do you two look so excited?"
As Daniel took off his winter coat and asked, Sergeant Glendy was the first to speak.
"Well, sir, we were originally assigned to a subordinate unit of the legion, yet here we are enjoying hotel meals on the battlefield, aren't we? It's all thanks to you, Major Daniel."
"I agree with the Sergeant. Thanks to you, Major, we were able to accumulate achievements, and more importantly, it feels glorious to be able to dedicate ourselves to the Empire."
Thanks to the two of them rattling on with such excited expressions, Daniel felt a pang of guilt.
'It won't be glorious at all, will it? You two will probably face a court-martial…'
Daniel was fully intent on escaping the Empire with the Kingdom's help.
If Daniel, as the company commander, defected to an enemy nation, the officers under his command would inevitably be suspected of complicity, subjected to all sorts of investigations, and ultimately face trial.
It felt as if he could see their happy smiles twisting into despair, but Daniel, unable to reveal his true thoughts, simply nodded vaguely and sat down.
Once Daniel was seated, Sergeant Glendy and Lieutenant McCal also sat down and resumed their meal.
Daniel, too, ate while mentally formulating his escape plan from the Empire.
'Soon enough, the Kingdom will try to contact me in some way or another.'
The easiest method would be for them to use their own intelligence agents, but there was also a possibility they wouldn't move easily, thinking the headquarters' security was too tight.
'In that case, I'll have to wait until the 3rd Legion launches its full-scale assault.'
Once the legion's full-scale assault begins, the front line's defenses will be partially compromised.
All available personnel within the headquarters would be deployed for the offensive.
Furthermore, it's safe to say that almost no one could maintain their sanity while shells flew and tanks constantly tore up the ground.
In such pandemonium, spiriting one person away would be as easy as pie.
'When that time comes…'
He would simply pretend to participate in the war, lead the vanguard, then contact a Kingdom agent and defect.
If he succeeded in entering the Kingdom, everything else would proceed smoothly from there.
'The Kingdom is merely a bridge for my ultimate defection.'
The goal of this plan was to use the bait of still-undisclosed secrets to negotiate with someone from the Allied nations within the Kingdom and secretly slip away.
'Once I arrive in the Allied nations via a safe route, I'll meet with their higher-ups and…'
He intended to propose a deal based on the information he possessed about the Empire.
What Daniel wanted in exchange for the information was merely permanent residency, a new identity, personal protection, and a small sum of money, so there was no fear of the deal falling through.
'Let's see. Should the country where I obtain permanent residency be Edria?'
Edria was a core member of the International Coalition and a permanent member of its Security Council, wielding immense power.
Currently, it could be considered the safest nation from the ravages of war.
'Because Khaled, who effectively governs Edria, is a quick-witted and calculating individual.'
However, one concern was that Lucy also hailed from Edria.
There was no telling how Lucy, who despised traitors, would react if she learned of his defection.
'Perhaps another country would be better…'
Daniel, pondering seriously, shrugged his shoulders.
He figured escaping the Empire was the priority for now, and such minor concerns could be resolved later.
Of course, in the worst-case scenario, the Kingdom might simply take the secrets and feign ignorance, but he wasn't worried about that.
'From the Kingdom's perspective, I'm practically a VIP who handed over numerous secrets without conditions. They'd consider my future utility to be quite significant.'
Daniel, putting a peeled shrimp into his mouth, let out a small chuckle.
'That Ivan, the Foreign Minister, he's probably treating me like an angel right about now.'
Setting aside appearances, it was only natural for them to covet and want to take in an enemy staff officer who was favorable to their nation.
'Now, everything is just a matter of time.'
Thinking that things were proceeding according to plan, Daniel continued his meal with a satisfied smile.
*
Meanwhile, Legion Commander Karlpeter Krau was attending to his duties, having skipped breakfast.
If the negotiations failed, he would have to launch a full-scale assault, so he was reviewing countless previously planned operations from beginning to end once more.
It was an exhausting and arduous task, but it was the best way to minimize casualties among the soldiers.
'Of course, it would be best if the peace negotiations succeeded…'
Karlpeter did not believe the negotiations would succeed.
It wasn't that he didn't want to trust Daniel, the individual recommended by Chief of Staff Cedric, but even Karlpeter thought the Empire's demands were preposterous.
Moreover, wasn't this a negotiation that even elite military advisors, accompanied by him, had failed to conclude?
The possibility of Daniel succeeding was too low to place any hope in him.
'As long as the Kingdom's resolve for a decisive resistance remains firm, there will be no choice but to resort to military action.'
It was regrettable to think of the countless sacrifices that would follow, but it was unavoidable.
Amidst his complex emotions, Karlpeter leaned back in his chair.
Knock, knock—
Karlpeter, raising his eyes at the knock, spoke.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Lieutenant Colonel Kalfren, his aide, entered.
Karlpeter wondered if he had brought him a meal, but Kalfren's hands were empty.
"What is it? I'm busy, so just state your business and…"
Karlpeter, who had been speaking with a frown born of irritation, fell silent.
This was because Kalfren's expression was unmistakably one of shock.
"...Aide?"
He asked what was wrong, but received no reply.
Only then did Karlpeter understand the situation, letting out a low sigh.
"It seems the Kingdom has sent a telegram refusing the negotiations. It can't be helped. His Imperial Majesty's command is to launch a full-scale assault if they don't heed the third recommendation—"
"That's not it, sir."
One of Karlpeter's eyebrows twitched.
It felt strange that Kalfren had interrupted him.
"Not it? Surely not…"
Karlpeter, continuing his conjectures, showed a rarely seen expression of surprise.
"Did Daniel succeed in the negotiations?"
Kalfren swallowed hard at Karlpeter's question and nodded.
"Yes, sir. According to the telegram sent by the Kingdom this morning, they have agreed to all of the Empire's demands. They even offered to cede not only Nordia but also Wagenheim."
What? Karlpeter's mouth hung open in a daze.
Not only accepting the existing conditions, but additionally ceding Wagenheim, a city adjacent to the Empire?
'The very Kingdom that insisted on fighting to the death?'
The Kingdom, which had been baring its teeth and snarling, was now wagging its tail like a docile dog, something Karlpeter couldn't comprehend.
'This is nothing short of completely cowering in fear and adopting a posture of submission, isn't it?'
Karlpeter, utterly dumbfounded, finally collected himself and looked at Kalfren.
"What on earth happened during the negotiations? Do you know anything?"
"No one heard the details of the conversation, so I don't know precisely. However, Ivan, the Kingdom's Foreign Minister, reportedly recounted the discussion during the negotiation, stating…"
Kalfren, gauging Karlpeter's reaction, continued in a low voice.
"...that it was like conversing with a child of Satan in human guise."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Upon hearing Kalfren's words, Karlpeter involuntarily broke into a cold sweat.
'Major Daniel… what on earth did you do in there?'
It was the first time in his life that an achievement by his own side felt so terrifying.