Chapter 2

Imperial General Staff Headquarters.

Commander’s Office of the Magic Mobile Army.

Swoosh—

Seated before an exquisite mahogany desk, Heinrich flipped through the pages of a document folder.

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

[Name: Daniel Steiner]

[Place of Birth: Pianmari Village, Barony of Betargen in the Southern Empire]

[Notable Points: Orphan who grew up in an orphanage after being abandoned by his parents. Later discovered to have magical talent during a conscription inspection and graduated top of his class from the Imperial Magic Military Academy.]

Having read through the notable points, Heinrich placed a pipe between his lips.

“Graduated top of his class from the Magic Military Academy… huh…”

This wasn’t exactly surprising. After all, this was the Imperial General Staff Headquarters, a place where only those with exceptional talent could enter.

However, what caught Heinrich’s attention was the fact that Daniel was an orphan.

“So, he relied purely on instinct and spoke up without any family backing him…”

It wasn’t uncommon for enthusiastic young officers to boldly voice their opinions, cutting through the icy atmosphere of meetings like a needle piercing fabric. But behind their boldness often lay the safety net of their family name—knowing full well that no matter what happened, they wouldn’t be abandoned by their families.

But Daniel Steiner, this newly appointed officer born as an orphan, had no such safety net. If his words were to cause any trouble for the army, the punishment would likely go far beyond just stripping him of his rank.

Yet Daniel pushed forward with his opinion anyway, despite surely knowing the risks. And ultimately, his opinion proved both reasonable and justified.

Thanks to the large-scale reconnaissance operation he suggested, they discovered enemy forces preparing an ambush near the hills.

“Does this guy have eyes that can pierce through the battlefield?”

Of course, it might just be a lucky coincidence. Still, thanks to Daniel, they managed to prevent potential damage—a small but crucial factor in the era of intense rivalry where even minor shifts could change the tide of war.

From Heinrich’s perspective, rewarding Daniel was inevitable. He was clearly talented.

Knock knock.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Heinrich closed the document folder and set it aside.

“Commander! Lieutenant Daniel Steiner has arrived with business!”

Heinrich removed the pipe from his mouth, exhaled a puff of smoke, and replied.

“Enter.”

The door opened, and Captain Daniel Steiner stepped in alongside his aide-de-camp. Tall, dark-haired, with black eyes, Daniel looked somewhat thin but carried himself with undeniable vigor.

Once they reached the center of the office, both saluted crisply in perfect unison.

After Heinrich gave a casual nod, the captain stepped back, leaving Daniel standing at ease while waiting to be addressed.

“Hmm.”

Daniel’s posture was impeccable, textbook-perfect. It was hard to find fault in how he stood there.

Pleased by this professionalism, Heinrich began speaking.

“Lieutenant Steiner, as my aide-de-camp has already informed you, your actions prevented potential harm to the army—an indisputable merit. This calls for appropriate recognition.”

Daniel remained motionless, adhering strictly to military protocol by not speaking until directly questioned.

Though outwardly calm, inside Daniel’s mind was chaos.

“My random guess actually worked? Why?”

Before he could dwell further, Heinrich continued.

“Merit deserves reward. I intend to nominate you for promotion in the next review cycle. What do you think?”

Daniel’s shoulders twitched slightly. To him, promotion meant getting closer to death.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to come up with a calm excuse.

“Sir, I deeply appreciate your kind words. However, I don’t wish to receive special treatment based on just one achievement.”

“Hmm? You said ‘just one achievement’?”

“Yes, sir. As an officer sworn to protect the Holy Bavarian Empire, I merely did what was required of me. Please reconsider placing my name in the promotion list.”

Heinrich blinked in surprise. He’d seen countless officers desperate for promotions, but someone outright refusing it was a first.

Even the captain watching from the side was astonished.

“What an extraordinary fellow.”

Chuckling lightly, Heinrich put down his pipe.

“Lieutenant, let me clarify something—you’ve done far more than ‘just one achievement.’ Your actions saved hundreds of our comrades. I cannot honor your request to withdraw your nomination.”

“But sir, I simply…”

“That’s enough. Are you unfamiliar with the principle of ‘rewarding merit and punishing faults,’ one of the fundamental tenets of the Imperial Army? Denying this opportunity would be akin to rejecting the very ideals of our empire.”

Translation: “You’re getting promoted whether you like it or not.”

As supreme commander, Heinrich’s word was final. A mere lieutenant couldn’t argue further.

Eventually, Daniel reluctantly accepted.

“…I will humbly accept this undeserved honor.”

Observing Daniel carefully, Heinrich nodded approvingly.

“Very well. Take note of that. You may leave now.”

Upon hearing the dismissal, Daniel saluted sharply once more before turning and exiting the office.

The sound of footsteps faded away. Confirming Daniel’s departure, Heinrich smiled faintly.

“A rare young man these days, isn’t he, Captain?”

The captain, who had been staring blankly at the door, turned around.

“Yes. Most people would do anything to inflate their performance ratings. Seeing someone try to lower them is unprecedented.”

“He’s not just a superficial soldier. There’s genuine intent here—to protect the empire and dismantle the Allied Nations. Looks like we’ve got quite the talent in our ranks.”

It reminded Heinrich of his own youth.

Smiling contentedly, Heinrich added casually,

“The army needs people like him, especially now when the Allied Nations’ influence continues to grow.”

Picking up his pipe again, Heinrich chuckled happily.

“I’m curious to see how far this guy can climb.”

* * *

“Shut up! Seriously!”

Back in my private quarters, I exploded in frustration.

This situation was spiraling out of control.

“Early promotion, huh…”

This wasn’t about simply adding another star to my insignia. Being promoted early within the elite Imperial General Staff Headquarters marked you as among the elites—even among elites.

No matter where I was reassigned afterward, the label of “elite promoted early at the General Staff Headquarters” would stick to me indefinitely.

That was the pinnacle of honor and success for junior officers—and also meant I was now one step closer to becoming part of the core leadership of the empire.

In simpler terms, if the empire fell in the future, my head would be the first to roll.

Slumping onto my bed, I wiped my face and looked up.

There I was, reflected in the mirror, dark circles under my eyes.

When I first learned I’d been assigned to the General Staff Headquarters, I cheered with joy. But after regaining memories from my past life, this place felt like hell.

Staring into the mirror for a moment, I sighed and stood up.

Opening the window, I saw high-ranking officers beginning to arrive for work.

Yes, this was a place where generals were as common as pebbles on the road. While it offered opportunities for advancement, it was equally easy to ruin your career here.

“Things got complicated, but nothing changes…”

All I had to do was commit acts so incompetent and scandalous that they outweighed my merits.

Loosening my suffocating tie, I breathed out quietly.

“Sir, I sincerely thank you for trusting me. However, I do not seek early promotion—not within the empire, at least.”

So, to cancel this promotion and hasten my dishonorable discharge, I needed to act recklessly.

Fortunately, the perfect tool for that role existed right within the General Staff Headquarters: Major Karl Heinrich, my superior officer in charge of operations planning.

A man whose daily routine involved obsessing over me in the morning and belittling me by evening—an absolute personality disorder.

Using him, there was still hope for a dishonorable discharge.

“Just wait, Sir.”

Because no matter what happens, I’m getting out of this empire.