I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

The cool sea breeze swept through Daniel’s hair, caressing it before flowing away.

Standing motionless on the sandy beach, facing the sea breeze, Daniel suddenly let out a wry chuckle.

‘It’s to the point of absurdity…’

Sticking out his tongue, Daniel reminisced about the past.

All the numerous things he had done in an attempt to escape the Empire.

As if fate was playing a prank, all those efforts had ended in failure.

Moreover, the more he struggled to escape, the higher his position rose, and the more famous he became, did it not?

Having experienced such preposterous situations consecutively, Daniel had halfway resigned himself.

In other words, he believed escaping the Empire was now impossible.

‘However…!’

Even when the sky falls, there is always a way out, as the saying goes.

For Daniel Steiner, this could be considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Finally, a chance had arisen to wipe away the stains of the past and start anew.

With this thought, the unpleasantness of being attacked by the enemy vanished in an instant.

Feeling a lightness in his heart, Daniel walked towards the nearby shack.

While there was a risk of revealing his identity by meeting someone while still in uniform, Daniel was not concerned.

He had his reasons.

‘Not only is rust accumulated on the fishing boat near the shack, but moss has also grown on it. It hasn’t been maintained for a while, so the shack must have been abandoned as well.’

Even if someone happened to be there, he could simply make excuses and leave.

Trudging through the sand towards the shack, Daniel knocked on the dilapidated door with the back of his hand.

“Is anyone there?”

No response.

Daniel knocked on the door again.

“I’ve been shipwrecked and seek assistance. Is anyone there?”

Still no response.

Convinced it was an abandoned shack, Daniel grasped the doorknob and pushed inwards.

With a creaking sound from the aged hinges, the door swung open wide.

Just in case, Daniel narrowed his eyes and slowly surveyed the interior beyond the open door.

The shack was filled with various miscellaneous items and boxes, but there were no signs of human presence.

Even after entering and looking around, the situation was the same.

Only then did Daniel relax and examine the contents of the boxes.

‘Old clothes and worn-out shoes… along with broken appliances.’

Evidently, this shack served as a sort of storage for discarded items.

However, for Daniel, who needed to conceal his identity, it was akin to a treasure trove.

Letting out a low chuckle, Daniel rummaged through the boxes in search of wearable clothes.

After about thirty minutes of searching, Daniel managed to find a decent set of linen clothes and shoes.

Although they showed signs of repair, they were suitable for wearing.

Satisfied, Daniel immediately removed his uniform, dried himself, and changed into the worn clothes.

Afterward, among the miscellaneous items, he found an old pair of sunglasses and a fedora hat, which he donned.

Without a mirror, Daniel adjusted his attire while glancing at the window’s reflection and gave a satisfied smile.

‘Alright. No one should be able to recognize me now.’

Even if someone did, he could simply claim it was a mere resemblance and leave.

‘How unfortunate, for Daniel Steiner is dead.’

From this day forth, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner of the General Staff Headquarters Operations Staff was as good as dead.

Having buried his name within his heart, Daniel briefly observed a moment of silence in mourning.

Shortly after, he straightened his sleeves and stepped out of the shack.

The sun, straddling the boundary between day and evening, was painting the sea with a crimson sunset.

In the distance, the clustered buildings resembling a stack of pancakes gradually had their lights turned on, harmonizing with the sunset to create a warm, dreamlike scenery.

‘For now, I should head there. The most important task is securing funds for identity laundering.’

With his resolve firm, Daniel began walking slowly.

Instead of military boots or dress shoes, he wore ordinary footwear as he advanced across the sandy beach, taking a deep breath.

The fresh air filling his lungs felt exhilarating.

Tilting his head back to gaze at the reddish-hued sky, Daniel suddenly spread his arms wide and burst into laughter.

“After enduring countless hardships, sweet and pastoral freedom has finally come to me!”

He had never imagined breaking free from bondage and oppression could be so exhilarating.

“From now on, there shall be no misfortune, only happiness!”

Uttering the words playfully like a protagonist in a comedy, Daniel continued forward with a light gait.

His destination was Tentarbahm, the port city of Velanos.

He intended to secure funds there for identity laundering.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace’s grand council hall.

“So you consider provoking not only the Allied Nations but other major powers through the total war speech a wise decision? Is that the official stance of the Central Ethnic Party?”
“I did not say it was wise. But how can you interpret the total war speech as provoking the major powers? Look at the essence instead of distorting the speech!”

At the long rectangular table in the grand council hall, the party leaders (dangshu) representing each political party were engaged in heated debates, attacking one another.

Among them, the ones raising their voices the loudest were Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Society Party, and Ellcar, the leader of the Central Ethnic Party.

Primarily, Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Society Party, would criticize Daniel Steiner’s total war speech, and Ellcar, the leader of the Central Ethnic Party, would rebut him.

“The one failing to see the essence is you! While the total war speech may have rallied the citizens, the war situation remains unfavorable! Do you not understand that we will soon face more than just the Allied Nations?”
“Precisely because our adversary is not solely the Allied Nations, Daniel Steiner’s speech holds meaning! While I concede that Lieutenant Colonel Daniel’s speech may have been somewhat radical and belligerent in nature, considering the Empire’s current situation, his words were not entirely wrong!”

Ellcar, one of the relatively younger party leaders present, raised his voice.

“However, it seems to me that the leader of the Liberal Society Party has been attempting to portray Lieutenant Colonel Daniel as someone acting out of self-interest?”
“Ha! Portray him? Use your head and think about it. Who stands to benefit the most from the total war speech? None other than Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner himself!”
“You claim the one who requested the idle position of envoy to Velanos did so for personal gain? Does that not contradict itself?”

Observing their exchange from the elevated platform, Princess Celvia let out a low sigh.

‘It’s unfolding just as Deputy Chief Cedric predicted…’

As he had said, Daniel’s dispatch as the envoy to Velanos had indeed triggered factional conflicts.

Tracing back, during lunch today, the party leaders from the National Assembly had collectively visited the Princess, who was serving as regent, claiming to have urgent matters to discuss.

So Celvia had granted them the grand council hall and instructed them to voice their opinions. However, when Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Society Party, asserted the need for legislation to restrain Daniel Steiner, the chaos had erupted.

While it had initially seemed like a healthy exchange of views, tensions gradually escalated, leading to the present situation akin to a verbal brawl.

Celvia found it displeasing.

Even more displeasing was Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Society Party, who insisted on confining Daniel within the boundaries of the law.

‘Why does that old man keep disparaging Daniel?’

Compared to the numerous benefits Daniel had brought to the Empire, all Campbell had done was utilize his connections and lineage to secure the party leader position and play king within the National Assembly.

According to rumors, even the Speaker of the National Assembly hailed from the Liberal Society Party, which might explain why Campbell could boldly raise his voice before the parliamentarians.

‘I suppose I should interject.’

While her father had advised her to listen attentively to the parliamentarians, as they essentially represented the people’s voices, unless under exceptional circumstances, Celvia felt she could no longer remain silent.

Just as Celvia had resolved to speak, the moment arrived.

“Your Highness!”

The grand council hall’s door burst open, and Hartman, the Chief Imperial Guard, rushed in.

Disregarding palace etiquette by throwing the door open, Hartman spotted Celvia and hurried towards her.

It was an act of discourtesy deserving of reprimand, but Celvia could only look on in bewilderment.

For she knew Hartman had a compelling reason for disregarding protocol.

Panting heavily, Hartman knelt before Celvia on one knee.

“Your Highness! Please forgive my insolence! I was in haste to deliver an urgent report.”

An urgent report? After a brief pause, Celvia spoke.

“What is it? Has my father’s health deteriorated?”
“No, it is not that. The urgent report I must deliver concerns the envoy’s dispatch to Velanos. Regrettably, the diplomatic vessel bound for Velanos has…”

Hartman lowered his head, observing Celvia’s expression.

“…been sunk by enemy torpedo attacks.”

The shocking news caused the parliamentarians, who had been vehemently arguing moments ago, to fall silent.

Celvia was no exception.

After remaining frozen for a while, Celvia parted her lips blankly.

“You’re saying…”

With her voice trembling endlessly, Hartman swallowed hard.

Celvia held her breath as if in disbelief, forcing out the words with difficulty.

“That cannot be…”

Her words denying reality lacked conviction.

As a result, Hartman, discerning Celvia’s heart, could only lower his head further in silence.