Gerhardt's Unexpected Call

At Gerhardt's sudden summons, I headed to his study accompanied by Anna.

**Knock, knock.**

"Commander, Deputy Commander Viktor has arrived."

Anna’s voice, now omitting the word “temporary” from my title, announced my arrival.  

“Come in immediately.”  

Gerhardt’s voice came from within, as if he had been waiting for me.

**Click.**

“Come in.”

When I opened the door and entered, Gerhardt stood up to greet me. His adjutant, standing quietly behind him, gave me a slight nod.  

I approached the desk where Gerhardt had been seated.  

“Deputy Commander Viktor, reporting in. Commander, what is the matter?”  
“Hm. There’s something I’d like your opinion on.”  

Gerhardt raised his hand in acknowledgment of my salute, then opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out an envelope.  

Even at a glance, the envelope’s luxurious material was striking, but what truly caught my eye was the seal of the Imperial House of Dragonia embossed on it.  

“This is it.”  
“...”  
“When I sent a report summarizing the situation here, I inquired about Her Majesty’s intentions regarding the Kingdom of Brotan. This letter is the response I received today.”  

With a calm expression tinged with a hint of anticipation, Gerhardt handed me the envelope. The recipient field bore his name.  

“...Is this a directive from Her Majesty?”  
“If you’re asking about the contents, yes. As for my decision to share it with you... consider it my independent judgment.”  
“I see.”  

I hesitated to take the envelope immediately.  

The message was addressed to Gerhardt personally, and his decision to show it to me was a matter of his discretion. This made me more cautious.  

Was he genuinely seeking my opinion, or was there another motive behind this?  

“Is this something appropriate to disclose?”  

Carefully voicing my unease, I asked.  

“Of course. You’re the first to see it, but in a few days, its contents will be known to all.”  

Gerhardt alleviated my concerns without hesitation.  

If everyone would soon know, there was no harm in me reading it. It wouldn’t put me at a disadvantage—at least not immediately.  

Even so, the contents could change my perspective. If Gerhardt intended to hear my thoughts beforehand, this could be an advantage rather than a risk.  

“...Understood.”  

Accepting the envelope he handed me, I unfolded the letter and began to read.  

“...”  

The letter was filled with flowery language and elaborate compliments.  

Ignoring the unnecessary embellishments, I quickly focused on the main points.  

Most of the text praised the report Gerhardt had submitted and commended the soldiers for their great victory. Occasionally, my name was mentioned, but I knew Gerhardt wouldn’t summon me solely for such trivial reasons, so I didn’t dwell on it.  

When I reached the latter part of the letter, however—  

“...I see.”  

It became clear why Gerhardt had called me.  

After finishing the letter, I carefully folded it and placed it back into the envelope.  

“Have you read it all?”  
“Yes.”  

I returned the envelope to Gerhardt and glanced around. His adjutant, who had been standing behind him when I entered, had discreetly moved to the door.  

Sensing a subtle signal in this movement, I turned to Anna, who was standing behind me.  

“Anna, could you wait outside for a moment?”  

It was a bold move, one that could be seen as rude or even presumptuous if my guess was wrong.  

But considering Gerhardt’s generally favorable attitude toward me and his stated intention to seek my opinion, coupled with the letter’s contents, I was confident this was the right course of action.  

Gerhardt, who valued boldness in Friedrich and me, would likely view this move not as insolence but as a sign of confidence.  

“Understood, Deputy Commander.”  

Anna nodded without hesitation, quietly exited the room, and closed the door behind her.  

“...Impressive. Adjutant, you may also leave. I’ll call for you if needed.”  
“Yes, sir.”  

My assumption was correct. Gerhardt, letting out a small sound of approval, instructed his adjutant to leave as well.  

**Click.**

With the door shut, only Gerhardt and I remained in the study.  

“Hahaha! Sharp as ever. Shall I take that to mean you already know what I want to discuss?”  
“That’s correct.”  

He laughed heartily and moved from behind his desk to sit on a sofa in the center of the room.  

“You’ve figured out what I want to ask. This will take some time, so make yourself comfortable.”  
“Yes, sir.”  

I took a seat on the sofa opposite him and met his gaze.  

“First, let me show you this.”  

From his pocket, Gerhardt retrieved another envelope bearing the Imperial seal and handed it to me.  

No longer hesitant, I immediately took it.  

“...A formal directive.”  
“Exactly. It arrived with the letter.”  

The envelope contained an imperial decree officially delegating authority over diplomatic matters with the eastern nations, including the Kingdom of Brotan, to Gerhardt.  

“Congratulations, Commander.”  
“Hah, congratulations?”  
“Being entrusted with diplomacy with the eastern nations, including Brotan, is a testament to the trust you’ve built over time, Commander.”  
“Thank you, Deputy Commander.”  

After nodding briefly in acknowledgment of my congratulations, Gerhardt shifted his posture and regarded me with a serious expression.  

“...But, of course, I didn’t dismiss the adjutants just to receive your congratulations.”  
“Of course not.”  
“I assume you also understand why I’m asking you before anyone else.”  
“I will do my utmost.”  
“Good. Speak freely.”  

Gerhardt’s anticipation was evident, and I matched his seriousness as I began.  

“Currently, the Kingdom of Brotan has very limited options.”  

Following his request, I began confidently.  

“Limited? Explain.”  

Gerhardt smiled with interest, prompting me to elaborate.  

“The eastern region of our Dragonia Empire borders three nations: the Kingdom of Brotan, the Kingdom of Ildemar, and the Kingdom of Kaen.”  
“Correct. The authority granted to me covers diplomacy with those three nations.”  
“The Kingdom of Brotan shares borders with all three. While they maintain friendly relations with Ildemar, they recently fought a war with Kaen.”  
“I’ve heard King Guillaume II of Brotan personally led their forces to a decisive victory.”  
“Yes. The Kingdom of Kaen was pushed back across the Ar River.”  

Recognizing the importance of understanding the political landscape in diplomacy, I ensured Gerhardt knew I was well aware of these dynamics.  

“However, the Kingdom of Brotan suffered an unexpected defeat against our Empire. Having lost three critical strongholds, they are unlikely to focus on finishing off Kaen. Instead, they’ll likely seek a truce and turn to Ildemar for support to concentrate on the more immediate threat: us.”  
“Hmm...”  

This analysis, though obvious, laid the groundwork for my argument. Gerhardt nodded thoughtfully.  

“Given their inability to recover from the damages of defeat, an immediate counterattack is impossible. The initiative rests firmly with us, the Dragonia Empire.”  
“...”  
“We may face difficulties advancing without reinforcements, but our strategy for negotiations will depend on what objectives we aim to achieve. I believe there are three main options.”  
“Three. Go on.”  

Gerhardt’s mild interest hinted at anticipation, and I carefully began laying out my proposals.