Daniel hummed a tune as he returned to his hotel room after finishing breakfast and completing his morning routine.

The thought of leaving behind the perilous life in the Empire lifted his spirits in more ways than one.

‘Not only will I no longer have to deal with Lucy trying to kill me, but I also won’t have to worry about being executed as a war criminal.’

On top of that, the danger of dying to a stray bullet on the battlefield would also disappear—three birds with one stone.

Wearing a soft smile, Daniel opened the refrigerator in the kitchenette and took out Roquefort cheese and ice.

A strong, distinct aroma wafted from the Roquefort, also known as blue cheese.

‘Nice. It’s aged perfectly.’

The cheese had been a gift from the citizens of Nordia, who pooled their money to buy it for him before his departure.

Since it was a luxury item with a hefty price tag, he’d been saving it. But now that he was about to leave the Empire, there was no need to hold back any longer.

Placing the cheese on the table, Daniel then took a bottle of standard-issue whiskey and a glass from the shelf.

He set the glass on the table, added a few ice cubes, and poured a modest amount of whiskey.

The amber color of the whiskey, reminiscent of a sunset, filled half the glass.

While it felt slightly wasteful to pair such expensive cheese with standard-issue whiskey, it was still a luxury by battlefield standards, so he couldn’t complain.

Pushing the whiskey bottle aside, Daniel picked up the glass and walked toward the window.

He wanted to savor a sip while looking out at the view.

‘What should I do first if I successfully defect? Should I start painting? I always wanted to be an artist….’

Lost in thought, Daniel shook his head.

‘Art won’t make money unless I become top-tier. Then baking? I helped the director back home bake bread a few times. I remember being praised for having talent back then….’

While contemplating his future plans, Daniel walked over to the window and looked down outside.

The square below the hotel was bustling with soldiers, just like any other day.

The only difference today was that, under the glow of the streetlights, the soldiers seemed unusually energetic.

‘…Did something happen?’

Curious, he kept watching as what appeared to be lower-ranking soldiers began running around, delivering messages.

After receiving reports, officers and senior soldiers exchanged a few words before suddenly erupting into cheers.

Soon, some soldiers began pointing to the seventh floor of the hotel where Daniel was staying and saluting in his direction.

What started as one or two salutes quickly spread like wildfire.

All of them were smiling as they saluted Daniel, and even a few junior officers joined in.

Caught off guard, Daniel broke into a cold sweat as hundreds of soldiers in the square honored him.

‘What the hell…?’

He didn’t understand.

No—more accurately, he didn’t want to understand.

Trying to suppress the unease bubbling within him, Daniel took a sip from his whiskey glass.

‘No way. It can’t be….’

Just as he struggled to calm his racing thoughts, there was a polite knock at the door, followed by a voice from outside.

“Major Daniel Steiner! Are you inside? It’s the Corps Commander’s aide!”

Why was it that ominous premonitions always turned out to be right?

Running a hand down his face, Daniel set the whiskey glass on the table and walked toward the door.

After taking a deep breath, he opened it to find Lieutenant Colonel Carl Fren standing there.

“…Lieutenant Colonel Fren. What brings you here at this hour?”

Daniel’s question was met with a warm smile from Carl Fren.

“I came to deliver good news. The Kingdom has accepted your proposal!”

“…My proposal?”

“They agreed to all of the Empire’s original terms, and on top of that, they’ve offered to cede Begenheim along with Nordia! It’s an incredible victory!”

Carl Fren burst into hearty laughter, but Daniel was nothing short of confused.

‘…Why?’

In the game, the Kingdom had rejected negotiations three times and fought to the bitter end. So why were they suddenly raising the white flag like frightened dogs?

‘Even after I handed over second-class classified information to give them an advantage, they surrendered?’

As his mind raced to make sense of the situation, Daniel clenched his fist without realizing it.

‘…Could it be a gap in intelligence?’

If the Kingdom’s military had failed to accurately assess the Imperial Army’s strength and resources, the classified information he provided might have come across as a veiled threat.

But for such a discrepancy to occur, it would mean the Kingdom’s intelligence network had been deliberately sabotaged and fed false information.

And the Empire had done no such thing.

Although they had intercepted the Kingdom’s communications, they hadn’t spread false reports.

The Empire’s goal was to pressure the Kingdom into accepting a ceasefire, not to provoke them into rejecting negotiations.

‘Then…’

It had to be the Allied Nations pulling the strings behind the Kingdom.

Their goal wasn’t simply the Kingdom’s defeat but to prolong the Empire’s invasion, causing as much damage as possible before letting the Kingdom collapse.

‘Damn it.’

To think the Allied Nations had manipulated the Kingdom this thoroughly and systematically.

Realizing his plan had gone off the rails, Daniel’s eyes darkened with concern.

Carl Fren, watching Daniel’s reaction, couldn’t help but be impressed.

‘Even after hearing such monumental news, he remains astonishingly composed.’

Seeing Daniel’s composed demeanor, Carl Fren felt a pang of shame.

‘Well, even though we’ve forced the Kingdom to surrender, the Empire is still at war with the Allied Nations. A commanding officer leading soldiers can’t afford to celebrate carelessly—it wouldn’t set the right example….’

Daniel Steiner truly lived up to his title as the Empire’s hero.

Clearing his throat, Carl Fren adopted a more serious tone and spoke.

“Well done, Major Daniel Steiner. Now that the mission is complete, I’ll arrange for your return to the capital.”

“…Thank you, sir.”

“No, it’s we who owe you our gratitude. Oh, and one more thing—the Emperor himself has requested an audience with you.”

Daniel looked at Carl Fren in shock.

“His Majesty… wants to see me?”

“That’s right. Thanks to you, what could’ve turned into a drawn-out war with the Kingdom ended in its early stages. His Majesty must be very pleased.”

Carl Fren’s words were meant as congratulations, a sign that Daniel’s career was about to skyrocket. But for Daniel, it only meant trouble.

Being noticed by the Emperor could drag him into the impending battle for succession—a political quagmire he wanted no part of.

However, unable to reveal his concerns, Daniel forced an awkward smile.

“It would be a great honor.”

“That’s the spirit! You’ve worked hard—get some well-deserved rest today.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

Carl Fren gave a final nod and left, walking slowly down the stairs.

After watching him disappear, Daniel shut the door.

Still gripping the doorknob, he stood in silence for a moment before abruptly shouting.

“Why?!”

Turning around, Daniel stomped toward the table, yelling.

“Why the hell does this keep happening to me?! Why can’t I just be happy?!”

He grabbed the whiskey bottle, ready to hurl it across the room.

But with visible effort, he restrained himself and set it back down.

‘I need this drink.’

There was no point in taking out his frustration on perfectly good alcohol.

With a deep sigh, Daniel sank into a chair and downed the whiskey left in his glass.

It tasted bitter.

‘I was happy just moments ago….’

Forcing himself to bury his dreams of being a painter or a baker, Daniel poured himself another glass.

It looked like he’d be drinking a lot tonight.

*****

Meanwhile, at the same time in Edria, one of the Allied Nations—

“Count Caledra! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Count Caledra strode into the palace audience chamber with his private guards in tow.

He was even openly carrying a pistol at his waist, in blatant violation of the law prohibiting weapons in the chamber.

Yet Caledra approached the throne without so much as a flicker of hesitation.

The dull thud of his cane striking the floor echoed with each step.

Facing the king, who gripped the armrests of the throne tightly, Caledra gave a slight bow.

“Your Majesty, I beg your forgiveness for this breach of decorum. But time is of the essence, and I had no choice but to bypass formalities.”

“Caledra! Do you realize what you’re saying in front of His Majesty?!”

One of the ministers present pointed an accusatory finger at Caledra and raised his voice.

Caledra, clearly irritated, took a deep breath and turned to face the minister.

His sharp, snake-like eyes gleamed with barely veiled menace.

“Did I not make myself clear? Time is of the essence.”

The unspoken command to stay silent left the minister swallowing nervously and clenching his fists.

Having silenced the outburst, Caledra looked back at the king.

“Your Majesty, with the assistance of the Central Intelligence Department, I have uncovered and eliminated traitors plotting rebellion. I believe it is only right for you to see their vile faces for yourself.”

At Caledra’s signal, one of his guards stepped forward, carrying a box.

The guard approached the king and opened the lid.

“……!”

The king, along with the ministers present, recoiled in shock.

Inside the box was a severed head.

Not just any head, but that of a minister who had spent the entire day criticizing Caledra and pushing for the strengthening of royal authority.

This man had also secretly been preparing to assassinate Caledra under orders from the king.

Placing his hand over his chest in mock mourning, Caledra glanced at the severed head.

“What a pitiful fool. This man was conspiring against you, Your Majesty. He was secretly training soldiers behind your back.”

Everyone in the chamber knew that Caledra was lying.

No one dared to question Caledra’s words.

Savoring the heavy silence for a moment, Caledra turned back to the king.

Then, dropping his smile, he scowled fiercely.

“If anyone dares to commit such disgraceful acts again!”

Caledra slammed his cane against the floor with a thunderous crack.

While the room trembled under a wave of fear, Caledra’s voice dropped to an ominous whisper.

“…They will meet the same fate. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”

The king, chilled to the bone by Caledra’s words, slowly nodded.

Seeing this, Caledra stepped back and bowed.

His free hand extended gracefully to the side in accordance with royal court etiquette.

Yet his eyes remained cold and sharp, fixed menacingly on the king.

Finishing his bow, Caledra turned on his heel and strode out without waiting for the king’s permission.

Mud from his boots stained the pristine floor of the audience chamber with each step he took.

Leaving the hall behind, Caledra exited the palace.

A large group of soldiers trailed him as the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Department, who had been waiting at the entrance, approached.

Caledra’s sharp gaze fell on the man, who bowed deeply before speaking.

“Your Excellency. According to our latest intelligence, the Kingdom of Eldresia has accepted the Empire’s terms.”

For the first time, cracks appeared in Caledra’s otherwise icy demeanor.

“…Why?”

The deputy hesitated briefly before replying.

“It seems the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister changed his mind after meeting with Major Daniel Steiner. We don’t have detailed information about what was discussed, but…”

After gauging Caledra’s reaction, the deputy carefully continued.

“The Foreign Minister reportedly stated that Major Daniel Steiner instructed him to ‘inform the Allied Nations that Eldresia has surrendered.’”

Caledra’s grip tightened around the handle of his cane.

‘Arrogant bastard….’

But it was an arrogance backed by ability.

Somehow, Daniel reminded Caledra of his younger self.

‘Daniel Steiner… Was he an even greater force than I had anticipated?’

Lost in thought, Caledra began walking again.

“Tell Lucy to accelerate the operation. That man is sharp and meticulous. If she fails to build trust quickly, even Lucy could risk exposure.”

The deputy responded with a quick bow and stepped back.

Caledra then climbed into the back seat of the waiting sedan and let out a quiet breath.

Taking out a handkerchief, he wiped the blood splattered on his cheek and muttered under his breath.

“Daniel Steiner…”

Perhaps, just perhaps, that man might prove to be an even more troublesome adversary than the Emperor himself.