Chapter 50

As soon as the negotiation ended, Daniel returned to headquarters and reported to the army commander as per protocol.

During the report, the army commander asked Daniel if the negotiation went well, to which Daniel replied that although he did his best, it was too early to predict the outcome.

Afterward, Daniel spent a day at the hotel provided by the military unit and woke up early the next morning to head to the hotel dining room for breakfast.

The dining room was bustling despite the early hour, apparently because the quality of the hotel food wasn’t bad.

Glancing around at the people chatting over their meals, most were middle-ranking officers.

There were a few non-commissioned or junior officers, but not many, since hotel accommodations were only granted to key personnel within the unit.

Occasional compliments about the delicious food could be heard from the crowd.

“Hmph. Compared to field rations, even low-grade hotel food must taste like heaven…”

It dawned on Daniel just how luxurious it was to eat hotel food amidst the battlefield.

Feeling a pang of sympathy for the soldiers suffering outside, Daniel grabbed a plate from the buffet and headed toward an empty table.

That’s when Corporal Glendi and Lieutenant McCall, who had been eating earlier, turned their heads at the sound of footsteps.

Upon spotting Daniel, both quickly stood up.

“Captain Daniel! You’ve arrived!”

“Good morning!”

At the shout, Daniel jumped slightly and turned around, only to be met with envious gazes that made him extremely uncomfortable.

In an attempt to distance himself slightly, Daniel deliberately placed his plate away from the two.

“…Good morning. Why do you look so excited?”

While Daniel removed his winter coat, Corporal Glendi spoke first.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? We, originally assigned to a lower echelon of the corps, are enjoying hotel meals right here on the battlefield—all thanks to Captain Daniel.”

“I agree with Corporal Glendi. Thanks to you, Captain, we’ve built our records, and above all, we feel honored to dedicate ourselves to the Empire.”

Their enthusiastic expressions made Daniel feel somewhat guilty.

‘Honored? You’re probably going to face a military tribunal…’

Daniel had already decided to escape the Empire with the help of the Kingdom.

If Daniel, as the commanding officer of the platoon, defected to the enemy nation, the subordinates under his command would inevitably face suspicion, investigation, and trial.

He could almost see their happy smiles twisting into despair, but Daniel couldn’t reveal his true thoughts.

Instead, he nodded vaguely and sat down.

Once Daniel took his seat, Corporal Glendi and Lieutenant McCall followed suit and continued their meal.

While eating, Daniel mentally planned his escape from the Empire.

“Sooner or later, the Kingdom will try to make contact with me.”

The easiest method would be through their own intelligence operatives, but given the tight security at headquarters, they might hesitate to act rashly.

“Then I’ll have to wait until the 3rd Corps launches its full-scale attack.”

When the full-frontal assault begins, the front lines’ defenses will weaken.

All available personnel inside headquarters will likely be deployed for the attack.

Amidst the chaos of artillery fire and tanks rumbling across the ground, maintaining composure would be nearly impossible for anyone.

Stealing one person away in such pandemonium would be as easy as pie.

“When the time comes…”

He’d pretend to participate in the war, move to the forefront, meet with Kingdom agents, and defect.

If successfully infiltrating the Kingdom, things would proceed smoothly thereafter.

“The Kingdom is merely a stepping stone for my final defection.”

Using undisclosed secrets as bait, Daniel planned to negotiate with United Nations contacts within the Kingdom to secretly slip away.

“Once I reach allied territory via a secure route, then I’ll meet with high-ranking officials…”

His plan was to offer information about the Empire in exchange for citizenship, a new identity, protection, and some money.

Given his modest demands, there was little risk of the deal falling through.

“Let’s see… Shall I choose Edria as my new home?”

Edria was a core member of the international alliance, wielding significant authority as a permanent council member.

Currently, it was the safest country unaffected by the war.

“Since Count Kaledra, who governs Edria, is sharp and calculating…”

The only concern was Lucy, also from Edria.

If Lucy, who despises traitors, found out about his defection, her reaction would be unpredictable.

“Maybe another country would be better…”

Deep in thought, Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

First, escaping the Empire was the priority; these minor concerns could be resolved later.

Even if the Kingdom betrayed him after obtaining the secrets, Daniel wasn’t worried.

“From their perspective, I’m practically a VIP who willingly handed over countless secrets without conditions—someone they’ll want to keep using in the future.”

With a peeled shrimp in his mouth, Daniel smirked.

“Perhaps Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan now regards me as an angel…”

Even ignoring image, any enemy nation’s staff officer sympathetic to their cause would naturally be coveted.

“All that’s left is time.”

Satisfied with the progress of events, Daniel continued his meal with a content smile.

—

Meanwhile, General Karl-Peter Kraus skipped breakfast and focused on paperwork.

Should the negotiations fail, a full-scale attack would commence, so he was re-examining numerous pre-planned operations from start to finish.

Though exhausting and frustrating, this was necessary to minimize casualties among the troops.

“Of course, a successful armistice negotiation would be ideal…”

Karl-Peter didn’t believe the talks would succeed.

He trusted the recommended Captain Daniel, but the Empire’s demands were absurd.

Moreover, previous negotiations with elite military advisors hadn’t succeeded either.

Pinning hopes on Daniel seemed far-fetched.

“As long as the Kingdom remains resolute in its stubborn resistance, we’ll ultimately resort to force…”

Contemplating the inevitable sacrifices brought sorrow, but it was unavoidable.

Lost in complex emotions, Karl-Peter leaned back in his chair when a knock sounded.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Colonel Kalfren, his aide, entered.

Expecting food, Karl-Peter noticed Kalfren had empty hands.

“What is it? I’m busy, so get straight to the point…”

Karl-Peter frowned irritably but stopped mid-sentence.

Something about Kalfren’s expression suggested shock.

“…Colonel?”

When no response came, Karl-Peter sighed.

“Did the Kingdom send a telegram refusing negotiations? Well, Emperor’s orders dictate we launch a full attack if they ignore our third ultimatum…”

“That’s not it.”

Karl-Peter’s eyebrow twitched.

It was unusual for Kalfren to interrupt him.

“If not that, then what? Surely not…”

Mid-conjecture, Karl-Peter wore a rare look of surprise.

“Did Daniel succeed in the negotiations?”

Swallowing hard, Kalfren nodded.

“Yes. According to this morning’s telegram from the Kingdom, they’ve agreed to all our demands. They’ve even offered to cede Bergenheim in addition to Nordia.”

What? Karl-Peter’s mouth hung open.

Not only accepting the original terms, but offering Bergenheim, a city adjacent to the Empire?

“The Kingdom that vowed ‘stubborn resistance’?”

The once fierce kingdom now seemed to submit like a tamed dog, leaving Karl-Peter baffled.

“This is nothing short of complete surrender out of sheer fear…”

Regaining his senses, Karl-Peter looked at Kalfren.

“What exactly happened during the negotiation? Do you know anything?”

“No one overheard the conversation, so details are unclear. However, Minister Ivan reportedly reflected afterward…”

Glancing at Karl-Peter nervously, Kalfren continued softly.

“It felt like negotiating with the devil incarnate…”

A heavy silence filled the room.

Karl-Peter broke out in cold sweat involuntarily upon hearing this.

“Captain Daniel… What exactly did you do there?”

Never before had success from his own side felt so terrifying.