I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander - Chapter 2

Imperial General Staff Headquarters.
Office of the Mage Mobile Corps Commander.

Flip –

Heinrich, seated in front of an elegant mahogany desk, flips through the pages of a file.

The information written on the papers was none other than Daniel Steiner’s personal details.

[Name: Daniel Steiner]
[Birthplace: Pianmari Village, Betargen County, Southern Empire]
[Special Notes: Confirmed to have been abandoned by parents and raised in an orphanage. Later recognized for his magical talents by a visiting conscription inspector and enrolled in the Imperial Mage Academy, graduating at the top of his class.]

After reading the special notes, Heinrich put a pipe in his mouth.

‘Graduated at the top of the Mage Academy…’

This was not particularly surprising.

Only those with exceptional abilities could enter the Imperial General Staff Headquarters.

However, Daniel’s orphan background left Heinrich with a distinct impression.

‘So he put forth his instinctual opinion without a family to rely on.’

It was not uncommon for enthusiastic youngsters to pierce through the icy atmosphere of the conference room and voice their opinions.

But the courage displayed by those young men was always backed by the reputation of their families.

They harbored an underlying assurance that their families would not abandon them, even if their words led to trouble.

‘But…’

Daniel Steiner, this newly commissioned officer of orphan origins, had no family to support him.

If his opinion caused harm to the military, the consequences would not end with a mere discharge.

Yet Daniel persisted despite being aware of this.

And his opinion ultimately proved valid and reasonable.

The large-scale reconnaissance mission revealed that the enemy was preparing an ambush near the foothills.

‘Does he have an eye that sees through the battlefield?’

Of course, it could be a stretch. It might have been a mere coincidence.

Still, it was clear that Daniel’s insight had prevented damage.

In an era where a single minor current could shift the tide of war, Daniel’s keen observation was like a rain shower in the desert.

From Heinrich’s perspective, Daniel was a talent deserving of commendation.

Knock, knock –

The knocking broke Heinrich from his reverie.

He set aside the file, placing it on the edge of his desk.

“Your Excellency! I’ve come to attend to official matters with Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner!”

Removing the pipe from his mouth, Heinrich exhaled smoke and spoke.

“Enter.”

The office door opened, and Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner entered with his adjutant, the captain.

Tall, with black hair and black eyes. Although his appearance seemed haggard, his spirit remained indomitable.

The two men reached the center of the office and snapped crisp salutes, as if by prior agreement.

After Heinrich returned a casual salute, the captain stepped aside.

This allowed Daniel to assume the “attention” stance, waiting for Heinrich’s address.

“Hmm.”

His posture was that of an exemplary soldier.

It was difficult to find any deviation from the textbook “attention” stance.

Feeling a sense of admiration, Heinrich spoke.

“Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. As my adjutant has likely informed you, thanks to your efforts, our military could prevent damage in advance. This is an undeniable merit.”

Daniel maintained his motionless stance.

He upheld the exemplary conduct of a soldier, keeping his mouth shut until addressed by his superior.

Even after achieving such merit, he remained composed, not overstepping his bounds in excitement.

Of course, this was merely Heinrich’s impression.

Within, Daniel’s mind was a cauldron of turmoil.

‘My nonsense turned out to be right? Why?’

Unable to comprehend, he gritted his teeth as Heinrich continued.

“Merit deserves due commendation. Thus, I intend to put your name up for an early promotion review next quarter. What do you think?”

Daniel’s shoulders flinched.

To him, promotion meant inching closer to death.

Taking a deep breath, Daniel composed himself and offered an excuse.

“Your Excellency. I am deeply grateful for your gracious words. However, I do not wish to receive special treatment simply for a single merit.”
“Oh? You call it ‘just a single merit’?”
“Yes. As an officer sworn to protect the Holy Vaiern Empire, I merely did my duty. So I implore you to reconsider including my name in the promotion review.”

Heinrich blinked dumbfoundedly.

He had seen countless war-mongers thirsty for promotion but never someone who stubbornly refused it when offered.

The captain observing this scene was equally astonished.

‘Truly an exceptional one.’

Chuckling, Heinrich set down his pipe.

“Lieutenant, you seem to be under a misunderstanding. Your achievement is not ‘just a single merit’ – it is tantamount to saving hundreds of our compatriots’ lives. Thus, I cannot accept your request.”
“Your Excellency, I simply…”
“Enough. Are you unaware that rewarding merit and punishing demerit is one of the Imperial military’s core principles? If you continue to refuse, I shall take it as a denial of the Empire’s ideals.”

In other words, he would promote Daniel regardless of his refusal, deeming it a rejection of Imperial principles.

As the commander-in-chief, if Heinrich insisted, a mere second lieutenant could not argue further.

Ultimately, Daniel had no choice but to accept begrudgingly.

“…I shall accept this honor far beyond my worth.”

Observing Daniel intently, Heinrich nodded.

“Good. Then it shall be so. You are dismissed.”

Upon being dismissed, Daniel offered a stiff salute.

After Heinrich returned it, Daniel turned and left the office.

As the footsteps faded, Heinrich let out a low chuckle once he confirmed Daniel’s departure.

“A rare breed of youth these days, wouldn’t you say, Captain?”

The captain, who had been staring blankly at the door Daniel exited, turned his head.

“Indeed. It’s usually people who would do anything to improve their evaluations, but he’s the first I’ve seen trying to lower his.”
“He’s no mere soldier in uniform. He truly seeks to protect the Empire and crush the Allied Nations. An extraordinary individual has joined our ranks.”

It was as if he were seeing his own youthful self.

With a satisfied smile, Heinrich added in passing:

“The military needs talents like him. Especially now, as the Allied Forces’ power continues to grow.”

Picking up the pipe he had set down, Heinrich chuckled with seeming delight.

“I look forward to seeing how far he can rise.”

“This is bullshit! Seriously!”

Having returned to my private quarters, I raised my voice in exasperation.

The situation was only worsening, after all.

“An early promotion…”

This wasn’t a simple matter of going from second lieutenant to first lieutenant with an additional diamond on my epaulet.

An early promotion in the elite Imperial General Staff meant being recognized as an elite among elites.

Even if my assignment changed later, the label of being an ‘elite who earned an early promotion from the General Staff’ would forever follow me.

It was the highest honor and the surest path for a junior officer.

In other words, I had moved one step closer to becoming part of the Empire’s core leadership.

Essentially, my chances of losing my head increased as the Empire’s inevitable defeat drew nearer.

Sitting on the bed, I wiped my face and lifted my head.

In the full-length mirror before me, I saw a man with faint dark circles under his eyes.

I distinctly remembered cheering aloud when I confirmed my initial assignment was at the General Staff. But after regaining my past life’s memories, this place had become a living hell.

After staring at my reflection for a while, I sighed and stood up.

Opening the window, I saw senior officers trickle in for work one by one.

Yes, this was a place teeming with high-ranking officers, as common as roadside pebbles.

As such, it was optimized for scoring points for a comfortable military life, but conversely, it was also optimized for losing points.

‘Things have gotten a bit complicated… but nothing has changed.’

All I needed was to demonstrate incompetence and depravity surpassing my merits.

Loosening the stifling necktie of my uniform, I exhaled softly.

‘Your Excellency, I thank you for your trust. However, I do not wish for an early promotion – at least, not in the Empire.’

So to cancel the promotion and hasten my dishonorable discharge, I needed to thoroughly embrace the role of a scoundrel.

Conveniently, the perfect material for playing the scoundrel was within the General Staff itself.

That material was none other than my direct superior, Operational Planning Staff Officer Major Karl Heinrich.

A man devoid of character, who began his workday tormenting me and ended it by denigrating me.

If I used Major Karl Heinrich, my direct superior, an opportunity for a dishonorable discharge might still remain.

‘So watch me, Your Excellency.’

For I will escape this Empire, no matter what.