I Was Mistaken for a Great General of War

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United Nations Security Council Edria.

Count Kaledra’s Office.

“Hmm…”

Count Kaledra sat at his desk, furrowing his brow as he read through the contents written in the report.

In front of Kaledra stood Deputy Director Beck of the Central Intelligence Agency, standing stiff with tension.

No one knew what kind of reaction Kaledra might have after reading the report.

The ticking sound from the wall clock echoed loudly in the eerie silence.

After meticulously reviewing the report, Kaledra closed his eyes and spoke up.

“Deputy Director. Is everything written in the report true?”

His cold voice sent shivers down Beck’s spine.

Taking a deep breath, Beck replied in the most neutral tone possible.

“This document has been fact-checked. I believe there are no falsehoods.”

Upon hearing Beck’s words, Kaledra clenched his teeth and let out a low growl.

The situation was not looking good.

The report detailed ‘Changes in the Empire Following Captain Daniel Steiner’s Total War Speech.’

As expected, all the figures in the Empire, including the military industry, were on the rise.

When he first heard Daniel’s total war speech, he had expected this outcome, but seeing the data now made his head spin.

‘I underestimated that guy…’

When he heard about the perfect success of the Nordian invasion and how Daniel had utterly defeated the foreign minister of the Eldreshia Kingdom during negotiations, he thought it was just a case of a brilliant staff officer emerging in the Empire.

But seeing Daniel put an end to the succession struggle brewing beneath the surface and succeed with the total war speech made Kaledra feel a strange sense of dread.

‘…Daniel Steiner intends to control the Empire.’

From Kaledra’s perspective, it seemed Daniel was laying the groundwork to grip the Empire in his hand and manipulate it as he pleased.

Thinking that way, he even felt a sense of kinship.

After all, the steps Kaledra took to seize Edria were strikingly similar.

‘However…’

Daniel, unlike Kaledra, was achieving remarkable progress without any funds or background, just relying on his sheer determination and wisdom.

That was almost impossible unless one possessed will and insight beyond human capacity.

‘This is dangerous.’

Kaledra couldn’t overlook Daniel’s growth, especially as he was swelling in stature now more than ever.

‘The moment he becomes the one and only in the Empire…’

It was clear that he would become a rival even more troublesome than the Emperor.

Having made all his judgments, Kaledra slowly opened his eyes.

“Deputy Director. From now on, elevate Daniel Steiner’s risk level among the core leadership.”

“Elevating it among the core leadership means… are you suggesting we designate him a government-head-level dangerous person?”

“Do you have any objections?”

Beck hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“While Daniel has accumulated numerous achievements and caused a political ripple in the Empire with this total war speech, he is still just a Colonel. I don’t see the need for such excessive caution towards him…”

Beck trailed off, realizing Kaledra was staring at him with a frigid gaze.

That look conveyed a silent pressure that told him not to challenge.

At that moment, Beck realized he had crossed a line and quickly lowered his head.

“I will relay your wishes to the Central Intelligence Agency and all government departments.”

With narrowed eyes, Kaledra observed Beck, suppressing his anger as he spoke quietly.

“…Also, convey this to Lucy, who is infiltrating as Daniel Steiner’s aide.”

Beck, sweating coldly, shifted his gaze hesitantly.

“What are you saying?”

Kaledra had lowered his arms on the desk, as if caught in a net, slowly lifted his hands and clasped them together as he began to speak.

“I’m saying it’s time to make a decision.”

*

Late evening.

As Daniel emerged from the General Staff Headquarters after his shift, he relished the cool breeze.

Having spent the day cooped up in his office to avoid any encounters, stepping outside felt oddly liberating.

“Refreshing.”

As Daniel smiled contentedly, Lucy, who had followed him, let out a chilly breath.

The breath that escaped her lips turned into a faint chill, vanishing like a wisp of smoke.

“…Isn’t it a bit cold rather than refreshing?”

“It does feel cold when I hear my aide’s words. After all, winter is coming.”

“Winter…”

Rolling her red eyes to survey the trees around the General Staff Headquarters, Lucy could only nod.

The leaves clinging to the branches had nearly all fallen, leaving the trees bare.

“So, it’s as you say, Colonel. Winter is indeed approaching.”

She was sure she had entered as Daniel Steiner’s aide before spring passed.

Now, suddenly aware, she felt as if she had experienced two seasons simultaneously.

As that thought crossed her mind, Daniel spoke casually.

“In winter, there are desserts that can only be had in winter. Speaking of which, the Golden Rose Bakery is reportedly selling Stollen exclusively for Christmas.”

“…Stollen?”

Curious about what kind of dessert it might be, Lucy blinked silently.

Noticing this, Daniel thought it was time to broaden Lucy’s dessert knowledge and puffed himself up.

“It’s a sweet, delicious bread covered with sugar. The appearance of the sugar-coated bread evokes images of a snowy field, making the flavor…”

As Daniel spoke fluently, he suddenly trailed off.

Lucy’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation upon hearing about the dessert.

After pondering for a moment, Daniel cleared his throat and said,

“If you have time on Christmas, we could go together, if you want.”

“If it’s recommended by you, Colonel, I won’t refuse.”

Daniel was taken aback by Lucy’s unimpressed response.

‘She was staring at Stollen, wanting to eat it, and now she plays coy…’

Feeling an urge to tease her, he held back.

‘She might be a bit miffed since I had her upgraded recently.’

Daniel had previously persuaded Cedric, the Deputy of Operations Staff, to conduct a special promotion review based on Lucy’s competence.

He recalled she must have been angry back then, and he didn’t want to provoke her again.

Glancing at his watch, Daniel turned back to Lucy.

“By the way, it’s getting late, so you should head on first.”

“…Aren’t you coming, Colonel?”

“As you know, I’m quite the popular guy.”

Daniel pointed towards the entrance of the General Staff Headquarters.

Even though quite some time had passed, a few people still stood holding a placard saying, “War Hero Daniel Steiner!”

Daniel was giving Lucy a favor because he didn’t want her to get caught up in that crowd.

Lucy, aware of this, hesitated before nodding.

“Alright then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After exchanging farewells with Daniel, Lucy turned to leave while carrying her briefcase.

As she passed through the entrance of the General Staff Headquarters, people glanced at her but didn’t approach.

She wasn’t as famous as Daniel, but her chilly demeanor deterred them from getting too close.

This allowed Lucy to exit the General Staff Headquarters smoothly, heading towards a nearby bakery.

Before returning to her accommodation, she planned to buy a croissant or a baguette.

‘Or maybe…’

Should I try something new today?

With such thoughts, Lucy stepped onto the main street, where she saw a jester enticing passersby.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we invite you to experience the New World at the Baranfall Theater this afternoon at ten! Looking for inner reflection? Or a fantasy you won’t find anywhere else? Whatever you can imagine, we can show you more than that!”

The man in clown makeup was handing out flyers, smiling widely and raising his voice.

Seeing a few people gather with interest, Lucy shook her head.

She personally didn’t care much for such flashy marketing.

Just as she was about to pass by discreetly, the jester approached her and handed her a flyer.

“Hey there, pretty officer! Why don’t you come to our theater and brighten up the audience seats? We have a discount for soldiers, so you can come in for a cheap price!”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine. I…”

As Lucy was about to decline the jester’s invitation, she instinctively looked down at the flyer and froze.

There was a peculiar protruding part on the top right corner of the flyer.

‘Encrypted Braille…’

This was one of the methods used by the United Nations to relay orders to spies infiltrating enemy nations.

“Oh come on, I assure you, you’d be pleased if you came!”

The jester lowered his voice and leaned in closer with the flyer.

After nodding, Lucy took the flyer, and the jester laughed happily and moved on.

Noticing that the jester had successfully captured the crowd’s attention, Lucy placed her fingers over the points of the Braille.

She slowly began to read the United Nations’ orders.

‘Elevate Daniel Steiner’s status to that of a government-head-level dangerous person. Therefore, before he poses any further threat to the United Nations…’

After reading all the orders, Lucy’s eyes wavered uneasily.

With a quiet swallow, she used her trembling fingertips to inspect the orders again.

But nothing had changed.

Rooted to the spot in shock, Lucy finally read the last line of the orders after a brief moment of silence.

‘…Eliminate Daniel Steiner immediately.’

No matter how many times she read it, the order clearly stated the same thing.

 

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