Why is the Imperial Princess disguising herself as a war correspondent deep within the battlefield?

Daniel felt a strong sense of unease but quickly masked it, putting on a composed expression as he extended his right hand.

“Nice to meet you. I am First Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, Acting Operations Officer of the General Staff Headquarters.”

If the princess is concealing her identity and present on the Northern Front, there must be a significant reason.

Blurting out something like, ‘Your Highness, the Princess!?’ in such a situation would only make things worse.

Selvia studied Daniel carefully before extending her hand and accepting his handshake.

“I’m Ravi Emilia, a war correspondent. Please feel free to call me Ravi.”

Daniel nodded, ended the handshake, and released her hand.

To avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion, he decided to maintain only the level of courtesy appropriate for addressing a war correspondent.

“Well then…”

Daniel turned to Heinz and spoke.

“Could you brief me on the operation?”

The words were an attempt to shift the topic, as he found the princess’s gaze too burdensome.

However, from Heinz’s perspective, Daniel asking about the mission outline before even settling in made him come across as ruthless.

‘As expected, he’s not someone to be taken lightly.’

With that thought, Heinz nodded and turned around.

“Follow me. I’ll give you a brief explanation of the mission.”

Inside the tent Heinz led them into, the first thing that caught their eyes was a table with an operation map laid out.

Against the wall, soldiers sat in front of radios, awaiting communication orders.

To the side, a blackboard displayed photographs of Allied officers, along with detailed notes on their identities and recent movements.

As Daniel studied the board, Heinz began to speak.

“He’s the adjutant of the Allied Northern Front Corps. His rank is Colonel, and his name is Jeremy Stringer. He’s the target we need to eliminate in this mission.”

Daniel shifted his gaze to Heinz with a look of doubt.

His expression seemed to question how they planned to assassinate such a high-profile target guarded by numerous escorts.

If their positions were reversed, Heinz thought, he might have worn the same expression.

Letting out a low laugh, Heinz said,

“As you’re aware, the Northern Front formed after the Kingdom of Eldresia joined the Allies. Those barbarian bastards didn’t know their place and invaded Imperial territory with three divisions.”

“But the Imperial Army did not retreat.”

“Exactly. Gloriously, we not only held our ground but also recaptured most of the lost territory, overwhelming the Allies. In the process, the enemy leadership retreated en masse, although some remained to resist.”

Heinz’s explanation boiled down to a single point.

“It’s a delaying tactic.”

At Daniel’s remark, Heinz nodded.

“I don’t want to praise the enemy, but it was a sharp move. Thanks to Colonel Jeremy Stringer’s efforts to buy time, the Allied leadership on the Northern Front managed to retreat with minimal losses. However, he’s now isolated.”

Heinz let out a low laugh.

It was closer to a sneer.

“Colonel Jeremy Stringer may be sharp, but he doesn’t seem to have much courage. Once he confirmed the leadership’s retreat, instead of making a last stand, he decided to run.”

“He’s like a rat.”

“Exactly. Just as you said, that rat recently sent two battalions into battle and then slipped away with a company-sized escort.”

The Central Intelligence Bureau had detected this movement and passed down orders to Heinz, who was operating at the front lines.

“To summarize the orders from Headquarters: Set a trap in the rat’s escape route, wait, and kill him. Understood?”

It was simple and clear—something even an idiot could grasp.

Getting straight to the point, Daniel asked,

“Then what are the expected escape routes?”

Heinz, as if waiting for this question, picked up a baton and pointed to the operation map on the table.

Several possible escape routes were marked in red.

“The first route is the Drokenberg Highlands. Its high elevation and sparse population make it ideal for avoiding pursuit. Since roads can’t be used, crossing the highlands is the fastest way back to Allied territory.”

Heinz tapped the map again, pointing to another location.

“The second expected route is through the northwestern highlands and into the snowy mountains. By bypassing Alder Lake and hiding in the jungle, aerial reconnaissance would be impossible, making it the best route for stealth.”

Heinz finished his explanation and set down the baton.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to choose one of these two routes to ambush him. If we split our forces, the chance of losing Jeremy increases.”

Heinz’s words seemed to challenge Daniel, asking which route he thought Jeremy would take.

Daniel rubbed his chin and stared at the operation map.

‘Wait a second. This...’

Isn’t this a perfect chance for a dishonorable discharge?

‘If I suggest a completely different plan and intentionally screw up the operation, my evaluation will plummet. And if I prove my incompetence in front of the princess…’

Dishonorable discharge confirmed! It felt as if fanfare was blaring inside his head.

Daniel hid his smirk, maintaining a serious demeanor as he shook his head.

“In my opinion, Colonel Jeremy Stringer won’t choose either of these routes.”

By outright rejecting Heinz’s assessment, Daniel caused silence to descend over the room.

Selvia, who had been watching their exchange, looked at Daniel with amusement.

Meanwhile, Heinz frowned, clearly puzzled.

“Can you explain exactly what you mean?”

“Yes. I believe Jeremy will escape through the Edelkrall Gorge.”

“...The Edelkrall Gorge? Don’t be ridiculous. That area was mined early in the war to block the Allied advance. Jeremy knows this.”

Daniel met Heinz’s eyes directly.

“Because it’s such an unreasonable route, Jeremy will take it. Do you think he doesn’t understand that exploiting the Empire’s blind spot is his only chance of survival?”

His absolute confidence momentarily caused Heinz to hesitate.

But Heinz had no intention of indulging Daniel’s reckless idea.

“Lieutenant. Rationality is the principle of the Imperial Army. The Special Operations Unit isn’t idle enough to humor your gambles.”

“If that’s your decision, Captain Heinz, I will obey. But you must be prepared.”

“...Prepared for what?”

In response to Heinz’s question, Daniel didn’t blink as he replied.

“Even if I’m temporarily attached to this unit, I still command forces directly under Headquarters. If we lose Colonel Jeremy Stringer due to your judgment, I’ll have no choice but to report this to the General Staff.”

"The General Staff is watching you."

Hearing Daniel’s words, Heinz couldn’t help but feel the pressure.

Indeed, Daniel knew exactly how to wield his connections.

Suppressing a low sigh, Heinz barely managed to speak.

“Lieutenant, you mustn’t speak so lightly. What will you do if Jeremy doesn’t come through Edelkrall Gorge?”

“I will accept any disciplinary action. Furthermore...”

Daniel paused for a moment before continuing.

“Please permit me to take only my platoon and set up an ambush in Edelkrall Gorge.”

“...Are you saying you’ll take down Jeremy’s company with just a single platoon?”

“Yes. After prolonged battles on the Northern Front, Jeremy’s company is likely suffering from low morale and exhaustion. Combined with the terrain’s natural advantages, my platoon is more than capable of defeating them.”

According to Daniel’s reasoning, splitting the forces and ambushing both routes was feasible.

Heinz, staring into Daniel’s determined eyes, turned to Selvia.

Selvia, smiling with intrigue, gave a slight nod. Seeing this, Heinz furrowed his brows and reluctantly approved Daniel’s audacity.

“Fine. If you insist, I’ll authorize the operation. Take your platoon and lie in wait at Edelkrall Gorge when the time comes.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Daniel gave a crisp salute and turned to leave the tent.

Only then did it feel as though the suffocating tension in the air had eased.

‘What a snake of a man...’

As Heinz stared at the tent’s entrance where Daniel had left, Selvia spoke up nearby.

“Captain Heinz, what do you think of Daniel Steiner?”

Heinz turned and bowed slightly.

“Your Highness, in my opinion, he’s an excellent soldier. His judgment, decisiveness, and courage are exceptional. But I wouldn’t call him a good person.”

To Heinz, Daniel seemed completely devoid of respect for others.

Taking on the mission with only his platoon? It looked like he was trying to hog all the glory.

He seemed like a devil, dragging himself and his subordinates toward disaster just for promotion.

That was Heinz’s impression of him.

“Therefore, Your Highness, I urge you to reconsider aligning yourself with Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. He is a man who cannot respect others. From my experience, people like him do not meet good ends.”

Despite Heinz’s sincere advice, Selvia’s interest was only piqued further.

“Captain Heinz, there’s no dog or man in this world that can’t be tamed.”

Selvia’s gaze softened as she looked in the direction Daniel had gone.

“Besides, whether or not he’s truly incapable of respecting others—I’ll judge that for myself.”

*****

The Next Day, Edelkrall Gorge.

‘It’s freezing...’

I shivered atop the cliff of the gorge.

Even with my officer’s winter coat, it felt like the cold was seeping through the fabric.

‘I just want to botch this mission and head back to headquarters already...’

Sniffling quietly, I glanced to the side and saw Freen monitoring the gorge through binoculars. Selvia sat nearby on a fallen log.

The rest of the platoon had camouflaged themselves using snow and dry branches.

‘...But seriously, why is Selvia here?’

Still pretending to be a war correspondent, she was holding a Leica camera. Honestly, it was absurd.

What kind of war correspondent dresses that neatly? Her blouse, coat, and pants were all expensive, high-end pieces.

She probably didn’t even realize how extravagant her outfit looked since she was used to wearing such clothes.

I was thinking how out of place she seemed when our eyes suddenly met.

Seeing that she was about to speak, I quickly turned my head and cleared my throat.

“Do you see any enemy movement?”

Freen shook her head at my question.

“No, Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, sir.”

Of course, she didn’t.

This area was a position I had insisted on taking—a position chosen specifically to fail.

It was a plan to secure a dishonorable discharge.

‘Why would Jeremy come here? He’d have to be insane...’

While the gorge allowed for covert movement through shadowed areas, it also meant being trapped between two cliffs—completely vulnerable to ambush.

Moreover, Jeremy knew that the Imperial Army had mined this area. The odds of him coming here were slim to none.

In other words, my plan was destined to fail.

Not just a failure—a spectacular one. I had practically blackmailed Heinz into agreeing to this operation, so I’d be subjected to severe criticism.

‘And with the princess witnessing my incompetence firsthand, it’ll be the perfect disaster.’

They say crisis breeds opportunity. Who would’ve thought my unwanted promotion to the Northern Front would turn into a golden chance for a dishonorable discharge?

I was so pleased with myself that I couldn’t help but smile.

“L-Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, sir!”

Hearing the panicked voice, I turned to see Freen lowering her binoculars and looking up at me.

“You were right! Colonel Jeremy Stringer’s company is entering the gorge!”

...Wait, what?