Chapter 9
Why on earth was the Empire’s princess pretending to be a war correspondent deep behind enemy lines?
Daniel felt a strong sense of incongruity, but quickly put on a calm expression and extended his right hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, acting operations staff officer at General Staff Headquarters.”
If the princess was hiding her identity and staying on the Northern Front, there had to be a reason.
It wouldn’t do him any good to keep blurting out, “Aren’t you Her Highness the Princess!?”
Selvia studied Daniel closely, then extended her hand in return and shook his.
“I’m war correspondent Lavi Emilia. I’d appreciate it if you’d just call me Lavi.”
Daniel nodded, ended the handshake, and released her hand.
He thought that, if only to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion, all he needed to do was show precisely the level of courtesy expected of a war correspondent.
“Then…….”
Daniel said, looking at Heinz.
“Would you explain the operation?”
He said it to change the subject because the princess’s gaze was making him uncomfortable.
However, from Heinz’s perspective, Daniel, who asked for an operation briefing before even settling in, came across as a real hard case.
‘He really isn’t someone to take lightly.’
Thinking that, Heinz nodded and turned around.
“Follow me. I’ll explain the mission, briefly.”
As he followed Heinz into the military tent, the first thing Daniel saw was a campaign table with an operations map laid out on it.
Along the wall, soldiers sat before radios, standing by for communications.
On the blackboard beside them were photographs of high-ranking Allied personnel, with each person’s personal information and recent movements written in detail beneath the photograph.
As Daniel looked at the blackboard, Heinz began to speak.
“He’s the adjutant to the Allied Nations’ Northern Front corps commander. His rank is colonel, and his name is Jeremy Stringer. He’s the enemy we’re to kill on this mission.”
Daniel turned and looked at Heinz with a doubtful expression.
His face seemed to ask how they intended to kill a big shot guarded by countless escorts.
If Heinz put himself in Daniel’s shoes, he would probably have made the same expression.
Heinz let out a low laugh and said,
“As you know, the Northern Front was formed when the Kingdom of Eldresia joined the Allied Nations. It was because those barbarian bastards who didn’t know their place invaded Imperial territory with three divisions.”
“But the Imperial Army wasn’t pushed back.”
“Indeed. To our glory, we instead overwhelmed the Allied Nations and recovered most of the territory they had taken. During that process, the enemy leadership retreated all at once, but some stayed behind and continued fighting.”
Heinz’s point here was simple.
“A delaying tactic.”
Heinz nodded at Daniel’s words.
“I don’t want to praise the enemy, but it was a shrewd choice. Thanks to Colonel Jeremy buying time, the Allied leadership on the Northern Front was able to retreat without suffering major losses. He, on the other hand, was isolated.”
Heinz let out a low laugh.
It was a laugh bordering on mockery.
“Colonel Jeremy may be clever, but he doesn’t seem brave. Once he confirmed that the leadership had escaped, he decided to retreat as well instead of making a last stand.”
“He’s nothing but a rat.”
“Exactly. As you said, the rat recently sent troops equivalent to two battalions into battle, then slipped toward the rear with a company-sized escort.”
The Central Intelligence Bureau had detected this and issued an order to Heinz, who was operating on the front lines.
“To summarize the order from above: set a mousetrap along the rat’s escape route, lie in wait, and kill him. Do you understand?”
It was simple and clear enough for even a fool to understand.
Daniel opened his mouth to get to the main point.
“Then what are his anticipated escape routes?”
As if he had been waiting for the question, Heinz picked up his baton and pointed to the operations map on the table.
Daniel could see that the most likely escape routes had been marked in red pen.
“The first route is the Drokkenberg Plateau. It’s high in elevation and sparsely populated, making it easy to avoid pursuit. Besides, unless they use the roads, crossing the plateau is the fastest way back to the Allied Nations.”
Tap. Heinz pointed to another location.
“The second expected route is over the northwestern highlands and into the snow-covered mountains. If he goes around Lake Aldera and hides in the jungle region, aerial reconnaissance will be impossible, making it the perfect place to travel unseen.”
Having finished explaining, Heinz put away his baton.
“Unfortunately, we have to choose one of the two likely routes and lie in wait. If we split up our forces, we’re highly likely to miss Jeremy.”
Which route do you think Jeremy will take? Heinz’s words and manner seemed intended to sound him out, so Daniel stroked his chin and stared intently at the operations map.
‘Wait. This is…….’
Wasn’t this an opportunity to get dishonorably discharged?
‘If I came up with an entirely different opinion and then spectacularly botched the operation, my evaluation would surely plummet. And if I proved my incompetence in front of the princess watching…….’
A fanfare seemed to explode in his head.
Daniel smiled secretly, then shook his head while pretending to be serious.
“In my opinion, Colonel Jeremy won’t choose either route.”
Silence descended over the tent because Daniel had directly contradicted his superior, Heinz.
Selvia, who had been watching the two men’s conversation nearby, looked at Daniel with interest.
Heinz, however, merely frowned in puzzlement.
“Could you explain exactly what you mean?”
“Yes. I believe Jeremy will escape through Edelcral Gorge.”
“……Edelcral Gorge? Don’t be ridiculous. That’s where we planted mines at the beginning of the war to stop the Allied advance. Jeremy knows that too.”
Daniel raised his head and looked at Heinz.
“Precisely because it’s an absurd option, Jeremy will choose Edelcral Gorge. Do you think he doesn’t know that he can survive only by exploiting the Empire’s blind spot?”
Daniel’s utterly confident bearing made Heinz feel cowed for a moment.
But Heinz had no intention of indulging Daniel’s reckless stubbornness.
“Lieutenant. The Imperial Army values rationality. The Special Operations Task Force isn’t so idle that it can indulge your gamble.”
“If that is your order, Captain Heinz, I’ll accept it. But you should be prepared.”
“……Prepared for what?”
At Heinz’s question, Daniel replied without batting an eye,
“Even if I’m temporarily attached to the Special Operations Task Force, I’m ultimately commanding a unit directly under headquarters. If we miss Colonel Jeremy because of your judgment, Captain Heinz, I’ll have no choice but to report this to General Staff Headquarters.”
Daniel’s words told Heinz that General Staff Headquarters was watching him, and Heinz could not help but feel intimidated.
Indeed, Daniel knew how to wield his background appropriately.
Heinz let out a low groan and somehow managed to open his mouth.
“Lieutenant. You shouldn’t speak so carelessly. If he doesn’t come to Edelcral Gorge, how do you intend to take responsibility?”
“I’ll gladly accept any punishment. Also…….”
After pausing for a moment, Daniel said,
“Please allow me to lie in wait at Edelcral Gorge with only my platoon.”
“……Are you saying you’ll defeat Jeremy’s company with a mere platoon?”
“Yes. After the long fighting on the Northern Front, Jeremy’s company must have low morale and be at the limits of their endurance. Add the terrain’s characteristics, and my platoon should be more than capable of defeating them.”
If Daniel was right, they could split the force and lie in wait at both locations simultaneously.
Heinz looked at Daniel’s confident eyes, then turned to Selvia.
Selvia, who had been smiling as if intrigued, nodded. Seeing that, Heinz frowned and approved Daniel’s reckless proposal.
“Very well. If you’re that certain, I’ll authorize the operation. When the time is right, take your platoon and lie in wait at Edelcral Gorge.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Daniel gave a businesslike salute, turned, and left the tent.
Only then did the air that had been constricting his breathing seem to ease considerably.
‘What a snake…….’
As Heinz watched the entrance of the tent Daniel had left, Selvia spoke.
“Captain Heinz. What kind of person does Daniel seem to you?”
Heinz turned his gaze and bowed his head slightly.
“Your Highness. In my view, he is an excellent soldier. His independent situational judgment, as well as his decisiveness and courage, all seem exceptional. But I cannot consider him an excellent human being.”
To Heinz, Daniel seemed utterly devoid of respect for others.
To carry out the operation with only his own platoon? It looked like nothing more than a desire to monopolize the credit.
A devil who drove himself and his subordinates toward disaster solely for the sake of promotion.
That was the impression Heinz had of him, more or less.
“Therefore, Your Highness, I ask you to reconsider making Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner an ally. That man doesn’t know how to respect others. In my experience, people like that never meet a good end.”
Heinz offered his sincere advice, but it only piqued Selvia’s interest.
“Captain Heinz. There are no dogs or people in this world who cannot be tamed.”
Selvia’s eyes, fixed gently on the spot Daniel had left, narrowed.
“Besides, I’ll see for myself and decide whether he is truly devoid of respect for others.”
*
The next day, Edelcral Gorge.
‘It’s cold…….’
I shivered in the eerie cold atop the cliffs of the gorge.
Even though I was wearing an officer’s winter coat, it felt as though the chill were piercing through my clothes.
‘I want to botch this mission and get back to headquarters already…….’
I sniffed discreetly and glanced to the side, where I saw Prien watching the gorge through binoculars and Selvia sitting on a fallen log.
The rest of the platoon members were each using snow and dry branches for concealment.
‘……But why did Selvia come along?’
Apparently intending to continue playing the part of a war correspondent, she was holding a Leica camera, but honestly, it was absurd.
What war correspondent in the world walked around dressed that neatly? Not only her blouse but also her coat and trousers were all expensive designer brands.
Since she normally wore nothing but clothes like that, she probably didn’t even realize they were expensive.
As I watched her, thinking how amateurish she was, my eyes met Selvia’s.
Seeing that Selvia was about to speak to me, I hurriedly turned my head away and coughed.
“Can you see any enemy movement?”
Prien shook their head at my question.
“I cannot see anything, Lieutenant Daniel Steiner.”
Right. Of course they couldn’t see anything.
To begin with, this was an operational zone I had forced my way into.
I had come here specifically aiming for a dishonorable discharge.
‘Why would Colonel Jeremy come here? He’d have to be insane…….’
Given the nature of the gorge, it was possible to move stealthily by using the areas in shadow, but if they were ambushed from both cliffs, they would have to fight from an overwhelmingly disadvantageous position.
Besides, Colonel Jeremy knew that the Imperial Army had planted mines in the gorge, making it even less likely that he would come here.
So my operation was a perfect failure.
It wasn’t merely a failure. Since it was an operation I had obtained by half-threatening Heinz, I was bound to face harsh criticism.
‘With even the princess watching my incompetence firsthand, this will truly be a perfect failure.’
They say a crisis is an opportunity. Who would have thought I’d seize the chance for a dishonorable discharge on the Northern Front, where I’d gone for an unwanted accelerated promotion?
It was just as I was smiling at this satisfactory situation.
“L-Lieutenant Daniel Steiner!”
Wondering what all the fuss was about, I turned to the side and saw Prien looking up at me after taking their eye off the binoculars.
“Just as expected! You were right, Lieutenant! The company led by Colonel Jeremy is entering the gorge!”
……Wait, what did they say?