Hearing Daniel’s response, Ervin unconsciously let out a short sigh.

‘He doesn’t know? After setting up an occupation zone this perfectly?’

Wasn’t this excessive humility?

To be honest, the current state of the city was so favorable toward the occupying forces that it felt more like Imperial territory than Kingdom territory.

And yet, seeing Daniel refrain from boasting about his achievements, Ervin couldn’t help but be impressed.

However, unaware of Ervin’s inner thoughts, Daniel could only offer an awkward smile.

“Colonel, it’s cold out here. Shall we continue this conversation inside?”
“Ah, let’s do that.”

Nodding, Ervin followed Daniel into the command building.

Once inside, Daniel guided Ervin to the reception room and began outlining the urban plans he had implemented in preparation for handing over the position of garrison commander.

To assist with the explanation, Lucy handed Ervin the relevant documents, while Frien served him coffee brewed from premium beans.

After some time spent reviewing the papers and sipping coffee, Ervin let out a small laugh.

It was hard to find any faults—Daniel had fulfilled his role as garrison commander so flawlessly that there was nothing to criticize.

“This is outstanding. If I could grade you, I’d give you a perfect score. My only complaint is that there’s practically nothing left for me to do. The situation is so well-managed that I only need to maintain the status quo.”
“You flatter me.”
“It’s not flattery, Major Daniel Steiner! You’ve done an incredible job. I’ll be sure to report this to the General Staff.”

Although Daniel didn’t want his performance reviews to go any higher, it wasn’t as if he could ask his superior not to mention it.

Resigned, Daniel gave a small nod and replied.

“Thank you for your kind words, Colonel. That aside, it seems the handover process is complete, so I should probably start preparing to return to the capital.”
“To the capital?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve been out here providing operational support for quite a while now. As you know, the north is not only cold, but the food here doesn’t suit my tastes, so it’s been quite exhausting.”

Daniel’s quip drew a knowing chuckle from Ervin.

“It’s not easy for someone born and raised in the Empire to adapt to foreign cuisine. I felt the same way when I was stationed on the Eastern Front—eating the food there felt more like a chore.”
“…Now I feel a bit embarrassed for bringing it up. Compared to the rations you must have eaten under enemy fire, I suppose I’ve been having rather luxurious meals.”
“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad—just sharing an anecdote. That said, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you, considering your eagerness to return to the capital.”

Bad news?

As Daniel looked at him in confusion, Ervin pulled out a scroll from his coat and handed it over.

“This is an operational order from the General Staff, addressed to you.”

At that, Daniel couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.

A new set of orders just when he thought he was finally done and ready to go home?

‘What the hell is this?’

Though he wanted to vent his frustration, orders were orders. He had no choice but to obey.

With trembling hands, Daniel untied the red string and unfolded the scroll.

Imperial General Staff
Order No. D-513
Date: August 14, 1944
Subject: Redeployment of a Direct Command Unit

Mission Details

1. Major Daniel Steiner, commanding officer of the General Staff’s direct command unit, is ordered to select and assemble a company-sized force from the Nordia garrison that is capable of vehicle transport.

2. Accompanied by the selected troops, proceed by vehicle to the headquarters of the 3rd Corps, currently stationed on the northernmost front, and arrive no later than 16:00 hours on August 21, 1944.

3. Upon arrival at the corps headquarters, remain on standby and await further orders. You are advised to follow any directives issued by the corps commander.

By the authority of this order, you are commanded to execute your mission promptly and accurately.

Imperial General Staff
Deputy Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Cedric Vendel.

After finishing the orders, Daniel raised his hand and wiped his face.

‘Deputy Chief of Staff... Why are you doing this to me?’

In that moment, Daniel’s modest dream of returning to the capital and living a comfortable, prosperous life shattered into pieces.

He hoped it was just one of Ervin’s bad jokes, but the orders were stamped with the official seal of the Deputy Chief of Staff.

In other words, there was no chance this was a forgery.

‘Orders are orders, so I guess I have to go.’

This time, the deadline was explicitly stated, leaving no room for delays.

‘The only silver lining is...’

Judging by the contents of the orders, it seemed like a simple manpower deployment.

If that were the case, all he had to do was join the corps, wait around, and kill time.

‘They wouldn’t deploy a General Staff’s direct command unit to the frontlines unless it was a special operation.’

If it had been a special operation, he’d already be bracing himself for hell, but that didn’t seem likely.

The Imperial forces advancing north were currently in a lull.

Deploying special operations against the Kingdom, which had declared a last stand, would be equivalent to a death sentence.

Logically, he just needed to remain on standby at the corps until the war with the Kingdom ended and then return to the capital.

It was just a matter of his return being delayed by a few weeks.

‘But for some reason...’

Daniel couldn’t shake off a sense of unease.

*****

3rd Corps Headquarters

Corps Commander’s Office

“Hmm...”

Lieutenant General Carl Peter Kraus narrowed his eyes as he examined the strategic map and operational board hanging on the wall.

‘They’ve withdrawn the frontlines and concentrated all forces on defending the capital.’

At first glance, it looked like the Kingdom’s forces had panicked and retreated. However, to Carl Peter, it seemed like a calculated move.

Just because the Kingdom had pulled back didn’t mean the Imperial forces could recklessly advance.

‘Supply lines can’t keep up.’

The amount of supplies a corps consumed daily was staggering.

If those supplies weren’t delivered on time, it would not only devastate morale but also cripple command operations.

Until the supply lines were properly stabilized, advancing was impossible.

Even after seizing more than half of the Kingdom’s territory, the supply lines were still tangled and unreliable. If they tried to push forward immediately, there was a high risk of cutting themselves off from supplies.

This left the Imperial forces in a de facto state of stagnation.

‘The Kingdom will use this time to reorganize their forces.’

Perhaps they were already reaching out to their allies in the United Nations for reinforcements.

If allied reinforcements arrived, the situation would become a nightmare.

Even if the allies didn’t intervene, it would still be troublesome.

By the time the Imperial forces secured supply routes and resumed their advance, the Kingdom’s troops would have already finished reorganizing.

‘They’ll fight back fiercely.’

Still, even if the Imperial forces didn’t lose, the cost would be devastating.

At least thousands—possibly tens of thousands—of soldiers would die meaningless deaths.

Such losses would weaken the Empire’s national power, which was why both the General Staff and Carl Peter were inclined toward negotiating a peace treaty.

The Kingdom had responded by sending its foreign minister to the table, but negotiations had already broken down twice.

The reason? The Empire’s demands were far too excessive.

Carl Peter had petitioned His Majesty to relax the terms, but his request was denied.

The Emperor’s response was clear—there was no need for mercy toward a treacherous Kingdom that had tried to tear at the Empire’s flanks like a pack of hyenas.

That left only one option: a full-scale assault to capture the capital.

But was it truly the right move to launch an all-out war against the Kingdom while the Eastern Front was already draining the Empire’s resources?

As Carl Peter’s concerns grew deeper, the General Staff sent him a recommendation.

‘…Major Daniel Steiner.’

They informed him that this exceptional officer, who had achieved astounding military successes in Nordia, would be sent to his corps.

‘In other words…’

It was essentially a suggestion to use Daniel Steiner as the lead negotiator for the peace talks.

Carl Peter had furrowed his brow at the implication.

These negotiations had already failed twice, even with the support of numerous experienced military advisors.

What could possibly change by placing a mere major, no matter how decorated, in charge of such delicate negotiations?

‘However…’

If Brigadier General Cedric Vendel, the Deputy Chief of Staff, had personally recommended Daniel, then there had to be a reason.

Given the unusual circumstances, perhaps trying something unconventional was the only way to break through the impasse.

‘This will likely be the final negotiation attempt.’

Could he really entrust the fate of this war to Daniel Steiner?

Closing his eyes, Carl Peter took a deep breath before slowly opening them again.

He had made his decision—one that bordered on recklessness.

It wasn’t trust in Daniel Steiner that swayed him, but rather trust in Cedric Vendel’s brilliance—the man who had devised countless strategies that had led the Empire to victory.

‘Cedric… I’ll bet on the wild card you’ve given me.’

The dice had been cast.

Now, the lives of countless soldiers rested in the hands of Daniel Steiner.