Chapter 24
Immediately after the terrorist attack at the banquet, known as the ‘Ethelium Translocation Grenade Assassination Incident,’ the Imperial Household mobilized the Imperial Household Guard and troops stationed in the capital and succeeded in killing or capturing the terrorists in the Old Town.
The surviving terrorists were handed over to the Military Police for interrogation. In the process, Deputy Chief of Staff Cedric Wendel, who had attended to gather information, heard something interesting.
“It was that bastard’s fault. The reason we failed the mission was……”
Deep beneath the Military Police headquarters, Rakal, the leader of the terrorists being tortured, suddenly opened his mouth.
His eyes were glazed over, and he did not seem to know what he was saying. What mattered was that he had finally spoken after enduring his torture in silence until then.
As the interrogators murmured among themselves, Cedric spoke.
“Interrogator. Give him some water.”
Vendelin answered with a slight bow, then brought over a cup of water, opened Rakal’s mouth, and let the water trickle in.
Rakal, who had gone several days without water, began gulping desperately the moment the water touched his tongue.
“Stop.”
At Cedric’s command, Vendelin pulled the cup away.
Rakal hurled curses at him, but with his arms and legs bound to the chair, it was nothing more than a futile act of defiance.
Cedric watched the agitated Rakal for a while, then spoke with a smile.
“I’d like to hear more detailed information. For example, who this ‘bastard’ is. If you tell me, I suppose I can give you another cup of water.”
Only then did Rakal come to his senses and stare straight ahead.
Rakal’s eyes widened as he recognized the identity of the man speaking to him.
【Deputy Chief of Staff, Imperial General Staff / Brigadier General Cedric Wendel】
A gaunt face, with eyes that nearly showed white on all four sides.
He was a major figure listed at the very top of the Kingdom’s intelligence service assassination list.
Rakal ground his teeth and his hands trembled, but a defeated agent in captivity had no power to kill his opponent.
Giving up his resistance and relaxing his body, Rakal let out a low laugh.
“Since you don’t know, I suppose this wasn’t a separately issued order. The whole thing went wrong because of one man’s suspicions? How absurd……”
His laughter was almost self-mocking.
“……Daniel Steiner. That bastard saw through our plan. So we had no choice but to change the operation. That’s why we decided to wait in the Old Town instead of attacking the banquet hall.”
Daniel Steiner. Cedric was already well acquainted with the name.
After all, Daniel had recently accomplished remarkable feats and was the man who had saved Her Highness the Imperial Princess. Even if he had wanted not to know him, he could hardly have failed to.
But who would have thought Daniel Steiner was also the first person to detect signs of the terrorist attack that would take place at the banquet hall?
What’s more, according to the terrorist leader Rakal, they had scrapped their original plan to avoid Daniel’s suspicions and launched an operation that put them at a disadvantage.
‘Remarkable.’
Combat, logistics, operations, intelligence, counterintelligence.
Cedric had seen countless young men excel in one direction.
War created heroes. Displaying one’s abilities during wartime was only natural.
But Daniel Steiner was unquestionably the first person Cedric had seen excel in every direction.
‘They say you can recognize the value of a precious gem just by looking at the raw stone.’
He would have to watch Daniel a little longer, but there was no doubting his abilities.
‘Perhaps…….’
Perhaps Daniel Steiner was the spearhead that would lead the Empire to victory.
*
After unintentionally saving the Imperial Princess, I was dragged around from place to place for an entire week.
Even when I sent polite refusals, they would summon me almost by force, leaving me no choice.
So I took photographs with all manner of politicians and dined with members of the Imperial family.
Only after greeting so many people that I could no longer tell who was who was I finally able to return to Headquarters.
I thought I might finally be able to relax, but……
“I’m looking for Captain Daniel Steiner. Do you know where he is?”
This time, a group of people wearing Imperial Household Guard uniforms stormed into the Operations Staff room.
Leading them was a man wearing the golden-wing insignia of the Chief Bodyguard on his shoulder.
He was a familiar face. He had been the first person to come rescue Selvia and me when we were at the waste collection site in the Old Town.
“I-if you mean Captain Daniel, he’s over there……”
Everyone in the Operations Staff room looked startled and flustered.
Thinking that I had caused them needless trouble, I rose from my seat and spoke.
“I’m Daniel Steiner. What can I do for you?”
Oh. The old veteran let out a playful exclamation of admiration and walked over to me.
“Nice to meet you, Captain Daniel. I don’t know whether you’re aware of me, but I’m Lieutenant Colonel Hartmann, Chief Bodyguard of the Imperial Household Guard.”
“How could I not know a legend of the battlefield? I was truly grateful to you the other day.”
“Hahaha! Grateful? That’s hardly necessary. I should be thanking you! Thanks to you, Her Highness was able to emerge unscathed.”
His voice was remarkably loud, befitting his physique.
Thanks to that, Ernst, who had been working in the Chief of Staff’s office, slipped outside and was startled by the commotion.
“Isn’t that Lieutenant Colonel Hartmann, Chief Bodyguard? What brings you here?”
Although Hartmann was lower in rank, Ernst was the one minding his manners.
I could understand. If the Imperial Household Guard suddenly barged into the staff room, even I would be sweating cold.
“Ah, Colonel Ernst! I have come to carry out His Majesty the Emperor’s orders.”
At the mention of His Majesty the Emperor’s orders, the color drained from Ernst’s face.
The Imperial Household Guard coming to carry out the Emperor’s orders did not sound like good news.
“Surely…… Is there someone in our General Staff who has incurred the Imperial Household’s displeasure?”
Hartmann blinked, apparently wondering what Ernst meant, then broke into hearty laughter.
“You’re hurting my feelings! It’s nothing like that. You could say it’s quite the opposite. I’ve come to award Captain Daniel the Order of National Protection on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor.”
“The Order of National Protection? For me?” I was still dumbfounded when Ernst, now at ease, nodded.
“I see. I thought you would receive it soon, but isn’t this rather early?”
“The sooner, the better. Rewarding merit and punishing demerit is the Empire’s foundational principle, isn’t it? Normally, His Majesty the Emperor would bestow it personally, but as you know, Colonel, His Majesty is very busy preparing for the northern advance these days.”
“I understand. Then please proceed.”
Ernst gave me a thumbs-up in congratulations, then stepped back.
While I was still trying to understand what was happening, Hartmann took an imperial decree from inside his uniform.
It was shaped like a cylindrical scroll and was clearly made of high-quality material at a glance.
Hartmann untied the cord with practiced ease and unfurled the decree.
“Thus speaks the master of the Empire: Captain Daniel Steiner, hear this!”
As Hartmann’s voice rang through the room, everyone inside the staff room knelt on one knee as though they had rehearsed it. I did the same.
“According to the reports of the Central Intelligence Bureau and the Military Police, you detected the spy in the banquet hall at an early stage, spoke with him, and did not abandon your suspicions. As a result, they changed their operation, thereby averting a calamity that would have befallen the Empire.”
“I did? When?”
“Furthermore, by risking your life to protect my daughter Selvia von Amberg, who is practically the radiant light of the Empire, you have proven yourself a loyal subject among loyal subjects, and your actions are worthy of praise. Therefore, I hereby order that you be awarded the second-class Gukseonjang (國仙章), an Order of National Protection.”
Hearing that I was to be awarded the Gukseonjang sent a chill down my spine.
As far as I knew, no officer in the junior officer ranks had ever been awarded the Gukseonjang.
It meant I would be the first—and that all eyes would be on me.
What’s more, even among field officers, the recipients could be counted on one hand.
That meant the Allied intelligence agents would put a higher price on my head.
I glanced at Lucy nearby. She had an impassive expression.
I was frightened, so I quickly turned my gaze away.
“Raise your head and stand, Captain Daniel Steiner.”
At Hartmann’s words, I rose from my place.
At that, one of the Imperial Guardsmen approached carrying an elegant box.
When the guardsman opened it, a medal, a service ribbon, and a gold insignia came into view.
Hartmann picked up the gold insignia, no bigger than a fingernail, and fastened it to the left breast of my uniform.
“If you wear this gold insignia in peacetime, everyone around you will know wherever you go that you are a recipient of the Gukseonjang. It is a tremendous honor, so be proud.”
I was not proud in the slightest, but I nodded for the moment.
After patting me on the shoulder a few times, Hartmann said in a casual, conspiratorial tone,
“By the way, have you ever considered joining the Imperial Household Guard? With your abilities, I think you could quickly claim the Chief Bodyguard’s post.”
The moment I joined the Imperial Household Guard, escaping the Empire would become nearly impossible.
I had absolutely no desire to join, so I gave him an awkward smile.
“I do consider the Imperial Household Guard an honorable institution, but I don’t think my place in a wartime Empire is with the Guard.”
After remaining silent for a moment, Hartmann nodded as if he understood.
“Yes. A talented young man like you belongs on the battlefield rather than in the Imperial Household Guard.”
Something had clearly been conveyed incorrectly. Just as I opened my mouth to correct him, Hartmann took a step back and chuckled.
“Congratulations, Captain Daniel Steiner, recipient of the Gukseonjang!”
When he announced that the abbreviated award ceremony was over, Ernst and the other staff officers rose from their seats and applauded me.
Cheers erupted from here and there, but I could not feel happy at all.
“……”
Because Lucy, standing among the personnel department staff, was staring silently at me. It terrified me.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘I have a feeling…….’
I felt that I needed to escape the Empire as soon as possible.