Chapter 3
After straightening my uniform and grabbing breakfast at the officers' mess, I headed to the operations staff officer's private office.
It was a routine day, just like any other.
The only difference was that a few senior officers I passed in the hallway had started recognizing me.
“Are you that famous second lieutenant? The one who supposedly screwed over the staff at the operations command post? Ah, don't misunderstand me. I mean that as a compliment.”
“Second Lieutenant. I know you're confident in your abilities, but don't show off too much in front of your superiors. If you want a long military career, that is. I'm speaking from experience.”
“Wow! I thought the General Staff was full of nothing but rigid old fogies, but I didn't expect there'd be a talent like you here. I'll be rooting for you, so keep up the good work!”
……Every time I ran into them, they stopped me and launched into long-winded lectures, leaving me dizzy.
I couldn't ignore them, so I managed to escape by liberally repeating the three magical phrases: “Understood!” “Is that so?” and “Thank you!”
The problem was that I wasted so much time being waylaid by officers that I failed to make it to work on time.
The workday started at 8:30, and it was now 8:28.
The staff offices were all on the fifth floor, so even if I walked as fast as possible, it would take four minutes.
Since Imperial officers were required to observe the damn duty to maintain decorum, I couldn't run unless I was in the field, so I was definitely going to be late.
‘Karl's going to throw another fit.’
Let me say it again: my direct superior, Major Karl Heinrich, was an irritable man with a thoroughly rotten personality who overreacted to even the tiniest mistake.
I might even have respected him if his record had been good, but his entire record consisted of hiding in the rear and trembling during the defensive war against the Allied Nations seven years ago.
How could someone like that be in the General Staff of an Empire that claimed to uphold meritocracy?
There's a saying: if you question a superior's rank and title, look to his background.
Indeed. Karl Heinrich came from a prestigious noble family, and his father served as an ambassador.
Not that anywhere was different, but even the Empire, which proclaimed meritocracy, was, beneath the surface, a tangled web of blood ties, regional connections, and school ties.
The man enjoying those privileges to the fullest was none other than my superior, Karl Heinrich.
In my assessment, he was the epitome of incompetence and a thoroughly rotten personality—a living, breathing piece of human garbage.
I had proof, too. If I had to assign shares in the dark circles beneath my eyes, Karl Heinrich would unquestionably be the majority shareholder.
Thanks to him, I wondered what kind of shit he'd pull today, but at least my heart was at peace.
‘It doesn't matter. Once I'm discharged, I'm done with him.’
Since my goal was a dishonorable discharge, I no longer had any reason to pander to Karl's whims.
Was this how an office worker felt when coming to work with a resignation letter tucked in his pocket? I was even wearing a smile.
With steps that light, I headed for the operations staff office on the fifth floor and knocked on the door.
“Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, aide to the operations staff officer. I am entering.”
After giving my rank and name, I opened the door and saw the office interior.
The first thing I saw was Karl sitting at his desk in the sunlit room, clutching his head.
It was strange to see him sweating as if he had made some grave mistake.
He didn't seem to realize I had entered, so I approached him and spoke.
“Major Karl Heinrich? You have to report to the operations staff office at nine. You should start getting ready now…….”
I stopped speaking and closed my mouth.
Karl had lifted his head at my voice, and his eyes were blazing with fury.
Was he acting like that because I'd been two minutes late? Just as I was beginning to panic, Karl sprang from his seat.
“You! Do you have any idea what the hell you've done?”
What had I done? Been two minutes late? I blinked in confusion, and Karl strode toward me.
“Who said you could voice your opinion to the commander? How dare an orphan who's nothing but a lowly second lieutenant butt into a meeting……!”
Once he got within arm's reach, Karl grabbed me by the collar and shoved me roughly.
I nearly fell, but managed to keep my balance by stumbling backward.
“You ruined all my plans! Fuck! It wasn't just that they went up in smoke—you've put my life in danger, you bastard!”
What was he talking about? He was always a pain in the ass, but he was acting strange today─
Thud!
I slammed my head into the wall and let out a low groan.
“If something happens to me, I won't let it go. I'll drag you to hell with me by any means necessary! Do you understand, you bastard!?”
……Has he really lost his mind?
Normally, I would have swallowed my anger and let it go, but not today.
“You started it, Karl.”
“What? Are you speaking informally to your superior right now…….”
Smack! I knocked Karl's hand aside and immediately drove my fist into his face.
Karl turned his head to dodge, startled, but it was already too late.
My fist slammed into his cheekbone.
“Aagh!”
I pursued Karl as he staggered backward, seized him by the neck, and swept his legs out from under him.
Thud!
Karl hit the floor, his face contorting in pain as spittle sprayed from his mouth.
I straddled him and drew my fist back.
Before I struck, I gave him a brief reprieve, and Karl opened his mouth despite trembling violently.
“……You, you assaulted a superior. There'll be a court-martial. That means your military career is over. Ah, do you even realize that?”
As if I didn't know. I shrugged.
“You don't need to worry about me. I'm doing this to end my military career.”
“What? What does tha-”
Thwack! Karl's words were cut short.
I stood up, looking down at Karl, who had passed out with his jaw twisted to the side.
As I dusted off my hands, hurried footsteps approached from outside the door.
They had probably heard Karl's screams.
After waiting a moment, the door flew open and two soldiers entered.
“What on earth is all this commotion!?”
The soldier who shouted with such vigor froze when he saw the scene before him.
I understood. The operations staff officer and his aide lying unconscious on the floor? It must have been hard to figure out what was happening.
So I decided to help them out.
“Assaulting a superior. I'm the one caught red-handed, so take me away.”
Even after I kindly explained it, the soldiers merely hesitated.
Finding their hesitation pathetic, I sighed.
“Why are you just standing there? Do you need to compare my fist with Major Karl's bruises before you take me away?”
“N-no, sir!”
Only then did the soldiers move. They pulled rope restraints from their belts, approached, and began tying my wrists.
Even as they bound me, I wore a blank expression, but inwardly I smiled in relief.
‘It was an impulsive assault on a superior, so the disciplinary action won't be severe. In light of my previous military achievements, they'll probably just strip me of my uniform.’
It was, in other words, a discharge with absolutely no penalty!
I gave an inward cheer and turned my head toward the window.
Spring's bright beauty spread out before me. It was the perfect season to get discharged.
*
That evening.
Major Karl Heinrich's residence.
“Search every inch of the place.”
“Yes, Captain!”
At Captain Philip Bender's command, the aide to Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt, the soldiers scattered in every direction.
Philip strolled through the living room, lost in thought.
‘Second Lieutenant Daniel had assaulted his superior today.’
When he first heard the news, he thought he must have misheard.
Someone who had only just earned military merit had caused an incident?
Moreover, in Philip's eyes, Daniel was the very model of a soldier.
If someone like Daniel had committed assault, there had to be a reason.
Heinrich, who had reached the same conclusion as Philip, had ordered the military police unit that arrived later to take a detailed statement.
During the questioning, Karl displayed signs of anxiety and spouted nonsense about ‘the Allied Nations might kill him.’
Sensing that something was amiss, Heinrich ordered Philip to search Karl's residence, which was why Philip had now stormed in with soldiers.
“Captain! Could you come over here?”
Philip broke off his thoughts at the soldier's shout and nodded.
“I'll be right there.”
As he walked over, the soldier lightly tapped the floorboards.
Tunk, tunk─
It was unusually hollow for a wooden floor, as if there were empty space underneath.
“The sound is different only here.”
“An old-fashioned trick. Pry it up.”
“Yes, Captain!”
The soldier pried up the floorboards with an iron crowbar, revealing a small box nestled inside.
Philip knelt, picked up the box, and opened it.
Several documents and letters came into view.
“This is…….”
They were classified Imperial Army documents that must not fall into enemy hands.
The letters promised a fortune in exchange for selling information to the Allied Nations…… They even contained a recent order to lure Imperial reinforcements into advancing toward the hills.
“That piece of garbage…….”
Major Karl was a traitor to his nation. He was the slimy little eel who, blinded by money, sold secrets and sabotaged military operations.
‘Then…….’
Then Daniel must have been unable to contain his anger at this traitor to the nation and assaulted Karl for that reason.
So Daniel was not a shameless criminal who had assaulted his superior.
He was Daniel Steiner, a national hero who had saved the nation by exposing a spy.
‘So we had completely misunderstood him.’
He had to return to headquarters at once, report this fact, and clear up the misunderstanding.
Having made up his mind, Philip closed the box and stood up.
“Soldier. I'm returning to headquarters, so report to me if you find any additional information.”
“Ah. Understood. But may I ask why you're hurrying back?”
Philip smiled down at the soldier and said,
“These documents have just proven that Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner is innocent. Shouldn't we clear the name of a hero who devoted himself to the Empire as quickly as possible?”
The soldier faltered for a moment.
It was the first time he had learned that Captain Philip, known as the cold-blooded one, could smile so brightly.