About ten days later, Daniel’s leave request was officially approved by the higher-ups.

Considering the ongoing war and the complicated procedures involved in processing leave, the approval had come through relatively quickly.

With the official papers in hand, Daniel boarded the first-class carriage of the luxury train known as the Royal Express.

Normally, even officers wouldn’t be given first-class tickets on such a prestigious train. However, the General Staff had made an exception for Daniel in recognition of his numerous military achievements.

‘Let’s see... Which compartment am I in?’

Walking down a corridor lined with red carpeting, Daniel stopped in front of a door marked CA8.

After confirming that it matched the room number printed on his ticket, he opened the door.

Sunlight poured in through the large windows, illuminating the outside scenery.

Impressed, Daniel stepped inside and immediately noticed the plush beds arranged on either side of the compartment.

In the center, a luxurious table with matching chairs was set, and atop the table rested an assortment of expensive refreshments, befitting the train’s reputation.

Placing his luggage against the wall, Daniel approached the table, pulled out a chair, and took a seat.

Setting his uniform cap down on the table, he felt the train jolt softly as it began to move.

Straightening his uniform one last time, Daniel leaned back against the chair and gazed out the window, taking in the ever-changing landscape.

Although the scenery shifted with the train’s movement, the brilliance of the leaves and the fields remained constant.

It was an endless stretch of idyllic, peaceful beauty.

A faint smile appeared on Daniel’s lips.

‘Yeah. This is what I wanted.’

A peaceful life, free from worries or complications.

Enough money to live comfortably without excess.

And just enough power to avoid being disregarded by others.

Hadn’t that been the reason he’d enrolled in the Imperial Military Academy in the first place?

‘But...’

Ever since he began regaining memories of his past life, his plans had spiraled out of control.

If someone were to summarize Daniel’s life now, it would be like this:

An unstable existence, constantly worrying about assassination attempts and trying to survive on the battlefield.

More money than he could reasonably handle, thanks to the countless rewards he had received for his victories.

And not just enough power to avoid being ignored, but enough to inspire fear in others.

It was a far cry from the quiet and steady life Daniel had originally aimed for.

Despite his frustrations, today he allowed himself to laugh it off.

‘Because I’m on leave.’

For the next month, he wouldn’t have to deal with his adjutant—an Allied spy—and their suffocating work routine.

He also wouldn’t have to worry about being dragged into the Imperial succession struggle between the princess and the prince.

Nor would he have to anxiously await orders for another operation from the General Staff.

‘This feels almost too good. Am I allowed to be this happy?’

Letting out a soft chuckle, Daniel closed his eyes briefly and basked in the sunlight streaming through the window.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been nearly two years since I last visited home.’

The last time he’d returned to the south was during a brief break while he was still a cadet at the Military Academy.

‘I wonder how the abbot is doing. I sent a letter ahead, but will it reach him in time? He might be shocked if I just show up unannounced.’

Given how secluded the monastery was, Daniel worried whether his letter had been delivered properly.

As he sifted through memories of his hometown, the sliding door to his compartment suddenly opened.

With a soft scraping sound, a tall Black man stepped inside.

Noticing Daniel, the man removed his fedora and pressed it respectfully to his chest.

“My apologies. I didn’t realize the compartment was occupied. I should’ve knocked first.”

Daniel rose from his seat with a polite smile and extended his hand.

“No need to apologize. It’s a shared compartment, after all. No need to be so formal. My name’s Daniel Steiner.”

“Ah! Major Daniel Steiner. I’ve heard a lot about you. My name’s Hamthal. I’m from Nordia.”

The man, Hamthal, was in fact the leader of the secret organization Black Crow.

Of course, Daniel had no way of knowing that.

“Nordia, huh? What a coincidence. I was stationed there as the garrison commander.”

“I’ve heard Nordia became a much better place to live thanks to you. But first, why don’t we sit down and continue this conversation?”

Nodding agreeably, Daniel sat back down, and Hamthal took the seat across from him, adjusting his tie.

Then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, Hamthal casually asked,

“By the way, Major Steiner, I heard you implemented some rather radical urban plans in Nordia. Was there any particular reason for that?”

It was a probing question—an attempt to gauge Daniel’s intentions.

Hamthal wanted to know whether Daniel had acted purely for the Empire’s benefit or out of a genuine desire to create a better world.

Daniel paused for a moment before shrugging.

“To be honest, I thought both the General Staff and the citizens of Nordia would give me hell for it. The results just happened to turn out better than expected.”

Hamthal couldn’t help but admire him.

‘He pushed forward despite knowing he might face backlash from both the Empire and the locals?’

That kind of determination was no different from that of a true visionary.

“By any chance, was your support for Black and other minority groups also intentional?”

“Support? It’s just common sense. Racial discrimination? That’s nothing but ridiculous arrogance. All I did was tell some lunatics not to act like lunatics.”

The sincerity in Daniel’s voice left no room for doubt.

Seeing this, Hamthal abandoned the last remnants of suspicion he had been harboring.

‘Daniel Steiner truly is someone worthy of our allegiance.’

Rising from his seat, Hamthal excused himself.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I need to step out for a moment.”

When Daniel nodded, Hamthal put his fedora back on and exited into the corridor.

After walking a short distance, he pulled out a radio and pressed the transmit button.

“Report any suspicious activity in your sectors.”

Replies came back almost immediately.

“Dining car—clear. Continuing observation.”
“Lounge car—no issues.”
“All connection points—secure.”

Members of Black Crow had infiltrated the entire Royal Express.

After all, this was the perfect time for an attack on Daniel Steiner—traveling alone, without his troops, while on leave.

To prevent this, Hamthal had brought along numerous agents to protect Daniel in secret.

Just then, a report from the VIP car caught his attention.

“We’ve spotted a suspicious individual. They’re communicating via a wristwatch radio.”

Hamthal’s eyes narrowed as he responded.

“Maintain surveillance. Follow them when they disembark and determine their destination.”

Acknowledgments came through the radio, and Hamthal stowed it away.

‘If anyone dares to harm Daniel Steiner...’

He was prepared to unleash every skill he had honed over the last ten years to utterly crush them.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of any of this, Daniel continued to enjoy the passing scenery from the comfort of his compartment.

*****

Meanwhile, at Saint Michael Monastery.

“These weeds... Just give me a moment.”

In the monastery’s cloister garden, enclosed by stone walls, the abbot, Hieroni, was busy pulling out weeds and placing them into a basket beside him.

As he worked, the monastery’s vice-abbot, dressed in pristine clerical robes, approached.

“Abbot, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Hearing the voice from behind, Hieroni paused his work, stood up, and turned around.

“Ah, Vice-Abbot. What brings you here?”
“Well... It’s about Daniel. He’s supposed to arrive tomorrow, isn’t he?”
“Yes, that’s right. Such a commendable young man. He sent a letter letting us know he’d be visiting during his leave. But why do you look so concerned? Aren’t you happy to see him?”

The vice-abbot quickly shook his head.

“It’s not that. It’s just... I’ve been hearing some curious rumors.”
“Rumors? What kind of rumors?”
“Surely you’ve heard of Major Daniel Steiner?”
“Of course! The Empire’s hero. What about him?”
“Well, I can’t help but wonder... Could our Daniel and Major Steiner be the same person?”

The monastery strictly prohibited the introduction of external items.

Even newspapers and simple magazines were not allowed within its walls.

As a place devoted to serving God, the monastery upheld strict rules to avoid worldly influences.

Yet, even in such a secluded environment, the name Major Daniel Steiner had become well-known.

Wealthy donors and politicians who visited the orphanage operated by the monastery often shared stories about the outside world.

Because of this, some, like the vice-abbot, began to speculate whether their Daniel could be the famed Major Steiner.

Hieroni, however, found the idea amusing.

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s just a coincidence? Have you already forgotten what our Daniel was like?”
“Of course not. Daniel was certainly... a kind and gentle boy.”
“Yes, exactly. He enjoyed quiet reflection and drawing. He even helped us bake bread—such a mature and responsible child.”

Hieroni snapped his fingers as if recalling something.

“And don’t forget about this. When the puppy we raised here fell ill and died, Daniel cried for three days and nights. Afterward, he built a grave for it with his own hands and placed a flower on it every day.”

The vice-abbot nodded instinctively as he listened.

“That’s true. Though Daniel sometimes surprised us with moments of sharp decisiveness, he was fundamentally a sweet-natured child and a beloved servant of God.”
“Exactly. So how could someone like that lead the invasion of Nordia and force a kingdom to surrender? It’s absurd.”

Hieroni chuckled softly.

“Besides, Daniel’s only been commissioned as an officer for nine months. A major already? Does that even make sense?”

The vice-abbot let out an embarrassed laugh and nodded.

“You’re right. I suppose I let my imagination run wild. I’ll take my leave now. I should probably bake some of Daniel’s favorite bread for when he arrives tomorrow.”

Hieroni smiled and gave a slight nod as the vice-abbot turned and walked away.

Returning to his knees, Hieroni resumed pulling weeds. But before long, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

“Our Daniel? The Empire’s hero?”

The vice-abbot’s imagination really did get the better of him sometimes.

Anyone with common sense would know such a thing was impossible.