I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander-Chapter 181

Morning broke.

Morning breaking meant it was time for Daniel to devote himself to his duties once again.

Today, Daniel’s task was to head to the Grand Assembly Hall of the Imperial Palace and report directly to His Majesty the Emperor.

Thus, from early morning, he was already inside a military vehicle, on his way to the palace.

Seated in the back seat, Daniel let out a low breath as he watched the scenery passing by through the window.

I’ve finally returned to the capital, and yet there’s no time to rest. I feel even busier than before.

As he voiced his complaints internally, the sound of papers flipping reached his ears.

It was the sound of Lucy opening a file and reviewing documents.

After scanning the documents for a while, Lucy turned to Daniel and spoke.

"High Commissioner, how much time do you intend to allocate for the investigation and the press coverage?"

It wasn’t a question that required much thought.

"I intend to end it as quickly as possible. We’ve already extracted all the necessary information. I plan to conclude the investigation within a week and proceed with formal indictments."

"Understood. Have you decided what form the trials will take?"

"In order to reaffirm the authority of the Imperial Family, it must be public trials. We need to widely broadcast the fact that the nobles were corrupt. That way, power will naturally concentrate around His Majesty. I’m sure His Majesty will agree with this approach."

Nodding, Lucy took out a notepad from her pocket and wrote down Daniel’s words.

As Daniel Steiner’s adjutant, Lucy frequently faced a barrage of questions during official duties, and she appeared to be taking notes in preparation for answering them on his behalf.

In effect, [N O V E L I G H T] Lucy acted in Daniel’s stead in public matters, since Daniel himself disliked appearing at official events unless absolutely necessary.

She’s probably running around on my behalf in ways I don’t even know about.

Thinking that made Daniel feel a twinge of guilt.

As Lucy tucked the notepad back into her pocket and resumed reading documents, Daniel casually threw a comment her way.

"You’re commendable."

Lucy’s shoulders gave a small, startled twitch.

Watching her reaction with a playful gaze, Daniel let out a low chuckle.

"Supporting someone like me, who’s constantly entangled in incidents and accidents, can't be an easy job. And yet, you’ve never once voiced a complaint."

"...I am simply doing what I must."

"I’m sure you are. I hope you will continue to stay by my side as my adjutant, without harboring any other intentions."

In other words, even if the Allied Nations issued an assassination order, he hoped she would overlook it once.

On the other hand, to Lucy, Daniel’s words felt like an extension of the confession she had received before.

"I have never..."

Mumbling awkwardly, Lucy whispered in a barely audible voice,

"I have never harbored any other intentions."

Her expression and voice remained calm, but both of Lucy’s ears had turned a deep shade of red.

Even her breathing had grown slightly unsteady.

Wondering what was causing this reaction, Daniel looked at her with a puzzled expression, prompting Lucy to let out a small, forced cough.

"More importantly, Colonel Daniel, there’s a piece of news I must report to you."

Though Daniel found Lucy’s sudden change of subject suspicious, he chose not to point it out.

"News? What kind?"

"Vellanos, having confirmed the capital’s stabilization, has downgraded the Empire from a high-risk country. Currently, the Empire is classified as a country requiring caution, and they plan to resume diplomatic relations soon."

"Is that so? That’s good to hear."

Given the Empire’s current situation—where the acceleration of nuclear development was crucial to ending the war—the resumption of diplomacy with Vellanos was something to be welcomed with open arms.

If the war ends somehow, I might finally be able to live a peaceful, pastoral life.

As Daniel was thinking such thoughts, the military vehicle gradually slowed.

Once it came to a complete stop, a soldier got out of the driver's seat and opened the back door.

"We have arrived, High Commissioner!"

Thanking the saluting soldier, Daniel stepped out of the vehicle.

What met his eyes was the massive main palace, which looked as though several mansions had been combined together, and the palace maids from the Inner Court waiting to greet him at the entrance.

Upon seeing Daniel disembark, the maids approached and offered him a traditional bow.

"Welcome, Colonel Daniel Steiner. We will escort you to the Grand Assembly Hall."

Daniel found such lavish treatment burdensome, but since these maids were simply carrying out Selvia’s orders, it would have been impolite to refuse them.

Nodding silently, Daniel followed the maids into the main palace and, after walking down a wide corridor, arrived at the Grand Assembly Hall, whose doors were already open.

Inside, distinguished figures were seated at their respective tables, engaged in conversation.

The atmosphere was slightly different from when Daniel had stormed this place to arrest Duke Belvar.

Feeling himself growing tense without realizing it, Daniel was interrupted when the maid guiding him bowed respectfully.

"You may enter now. His Majesty will be arriving shortly."

"Ah. Thank you for the escort."

"We are the ones who should be grateful for the honor of escorting the hero of the Empire."

Smiling, the maid backed away respectfully.

Daniel, watching her retreat, turned and began walking toward the Assembly Hall.

As he drew closer, he could hear the discussions among the gathered senior officials.

"Colonel Daniel Steiner has ushered in the dawn of a new order. What is there to criticize about that?"

"I myself was imprisoned by them! I know well the atrocities they committed! But what value lies in an order built atop a mountain of corpses?"

"Director of Intelligence, those corpses were collaborators. Are you trying to defend the traitors who incited a civil war?"

"That’s not what I meant! I am merely saying that massacres must not become a tool of politics! It's just that you are all unaware of what happened at the abandoned station yesterday..."

Director of Intelligence Keltrack fell silent mid-sentence.

He had spotted Daniel Steiner entering the Grand Assembly Hall.

Following Keltrack’s gaze, the ministers and generals quickly caught their breath and straightened their postures.

Although everyone gathered there held higher ranks and titles than Daniel Steiner, paradoxically, they were all wary of him.

The background of being the Emergency High Commissioner and the war hero favored by the Emperor outweighed the achievements of anyone present.

In times of war, achievements were power and authority.

Thus, they all maintained their silence, careful not to offend Daniel Steiner.

Director of Intelligence Keltrack did not like the situation.

It made it seem as though Daniel Steiner was acting like the Emperor himself.

As Keltrack glared at him, Daniel casually pulled out a chair and sat down, putting on a playful air.

"Hmm? What were you all discussing? It sounded like you were talking about me..."

However, no one answered.

As the atmosphere grew awkward and Daniel fidgeted idly with his fingers, Keltrack finally opened his mouth.

"You heard correctly. We were talking about you, Colonel Daniel Steiner."

Retracting his gaze from the others, Daniel turned his eyes to Keltrack.

"I see. What were you discussing?"

"We had intended to discuss it while you weren’t here, but it doesn’t matter now. Colonel Daniel Steiner, we received information that you conducted a mass slaughter of nobles listed under Duke Belvar’s name at the abandoned station on the outskirts of the capital."

Daniel blinked blankly.

Then he shrugged once and let out a low chuckle.

"That’s the first I’m hearing of it. A mass slaughter of nobles? By me, you say?"

Daniel's laughter lengthened.

Waving his hand as if he had heard a particularly bad joke, Daniel wore a faint smile.

"I think you must be mistaken. I’m not sure where the joke begins, but should I assume the part about nobles being massacred is the fabrication?"

Speaking with nonchalance, Daniel made Keltrack break out in a cold sweat.

The ministers and generals gathered in the Assembly Hall were also watching Daniel with a variety of expressions.

Keltrack, who had not expected Daniel to respond like this, momentarily lost his words before barely regaining his composure.

"...It’s no joke. A massacre did occur at the abandoned station. And it was executed very systematically. Who else but you could have carried out something like that?"

Confirming that Keltrack’s expression was deadly serious, Daniel wiped away his smile.

"So you’re saying that I..."

Daniel raised his hand and pointed to himself.

"...am the main perpetrator of the massacre."

An indescribable sense of pressure filled the room, but Keltrack did not back down.

"Yes. Judging by the circumstances, no one else fits."

"Do you have proof?"

At Daniel’s question, Keltrack could not answer easily.

No evidence had been found at the crime scene.

"If you are accusing me without evidence, you had better be prepared."

The air in the Assembly Hall grew oppressively heavy.

"As Emergency High Commissioner, I have been tasked by His Majesty to purge the collaborators. If you interpret the word 'collaborators' broadly, it pertains to rebellion. And in the scope of rebellion, falsely accusing an innocent man is included as a crime."

Daniel paused for a moment.

He allowed Keltrack enough time to comprehend the situation he was now facing.

Only after the wall clock ticked a few times did Daniel continue.

"Director of Intelligence."

A cold voice pierced Keltrack’s ears.

"You must be aware that the position of Deputy Director of Intelligence is currently vacant."

He was referring to Deputy Director Feliston, who had been captured and imprisoned for collaborating with Duke Belvar.

"As someone who upholds the security of the Empire..."

Tapping lightly on the table, Daniel leaned back against the chair.

"I have no desire to create further chaos by leaving the position of Director of Intelligence vacant as well."

Keltrack’s eyes widened in shock.

Faced with Daniel’s threat, Keltrack swallowed dryly, his hands trembling.

Watching Keltrack closely, Daniel then smiled as if to ease the tension.

"Of course, I’m only joking. After all, Director of Intelligence, you must have simply been playing a bad joke on me. The notion that I massacred nobles at the abandoned station is surely absurd."

Letting out a low, incredulous chuckle, Daniel fixed Keltrack with a steady gaze.

As if signaling that this was his final warning, Daniel moved his lips quietly.

"Am I wrong, Director of Intelligence?"