I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

Chapter 81

A cool breeze from the sea swept through Daniel's hair, swirling lightly before dissipating.

Standing motionless on the white sands, Daniel let out a soft, ironic chuckle.

"Unbelievable..."

Clicking his tongue, he found himself recalling the past—all the desperate attempts he'd made to escape the Empire.

Fate seemed to take perverse pleasure in thwarting him. Every scheme had ended in failure, and the harder he struggled to break free, the higher he climbed the ranks and the more infamous he became.

Having endured so many absurd situations in succession, Daniel had half given up.

He’d resigned himself to the idea that escaping the Empire was impossible.

"But…!"

As the saying goes, even when the sky falls, there’s always a way out.

Now, Daniel Steiner had been handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

For the first time, he could erase his past and start anew.

As the realization sank in, the bitterness of being attacked by enemies began to fade.

Feeling a renewed lightness in his chest, Daniel walked toward the nearby hut.

Though wearing his uniform and encountering someone risked exposing his identity, he wasn’t worried.

He had reason to believe the risk was minimal.

"The fishing boat near the hut is rusted, with moss growing on it. That means it hasn’t been maintained for quite some time. The hut’s probably abandoned too."

Even if someone was inside, he could improvise a story and leave before it became a problem.

Kicking up sand as he made his way to the hut, Daniel knocked lightly on the worn wooden door with the back of his hand.

"Is anyone there?"

No answer.

He knocked again.

"I was shipwrecked and need help. Is anyone inside?"

Still, there was no response.

Now convinced it was an abandoned hut, Daniel gripped the doorknob and pushed it open.

The hinges creaked loudly, and the door swung inward.

Narrowing his eyes, Daniel cautiously surveyed the interior.

The hut was cluttered with boxes and random junk, but there was no sign of anyone.

After stepping inside and scanning the surroundings to confirm he was alone, Daniel relaxed.

He began rifling through the items in one of the boxes.

"Worn-out clothes, old shoes... and broken appliances."

It seemed the hut was used as a storage space for discarded belongings.

To Daniel, however, it was nothing short of a treasure trove—exactly what he needed to hide his identity.

Chuckling softly, he rummaged through the boxes until he found something useful.

After about thirty minutes, Daniel unearthed a relatively intact cotton shirt and a pair of shoes.

Though the clothes showed signs of repair, they were good enough to wear.

Satisfied, Daniel quickly removed his uniform, dried himself off, and changed into the old clothes.

From the pile of junk, he also found a pair of worn sunglasses and a fedora, which he put on.

Without a mirror, Daniel checked his appearance in the window’s reflection and smiled in satisfaction.

"Perfect. No one will recognize me now."

Even if someone did, he could always claim it was a coincidence and talk his way out of trouble.

"Too bad for them. Daniel Steiner is dead."

As of today, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner of the General Staff Operations was no more.

Taking a moment to silently bid farewell to his old name, Daniel stood still in a brief gesture of mourning.

When his moment of reflection ended, he adjusted his sleeves and stepped outside the hut.

The sun, perched at the boundary between day and evening, painted the sea with a warm, orange glow.

In the distance, lights began to flicker on in the tightly packed buildings, blending with the sunset to create a dreamy, picturesque scene.

"For now, that’s where I’ll go. The most important thing is securing money to establish a new identity."

Resolving his next move, Daniel began walking slowly.

Wearing plain shoes instead of boots, he made his way across the sandy shore, inhaling deeply.

The fresh air filled his lungs, and the sensation was almost intoxicating.

Looking up at the reddish sky, Daniel suddenly spread his arms and let out a triumphant laugh.

"After all my struggles, sweet, idyllic freedom has finally found me!"

He hadn’t realized how exhilarating it would be to cast off the chains of oppression and control.

"From now on, misfortune doesn’t exist for me—only happiness remains!"

Speaking theatrically, like the protagonist of a grand play, Daniel strode lightly forward.

His destination was the port city of Tentarbachem in Vellanos.

There, he planned to secure the funds necessary for his new life.

*****

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Imperial Palace.

"So, are you saying that the Total War speech, which provoked not only the Allied Nations but also other great powers, was the right thing to do? Is that the official stance of the Central National Party?"
"I never claimed it was the 'right thing to do.' How can you twist the interpretation of the Total War speech to call it a provocation? Stop distorting the speech and focus on its essence!"

The long, rectangular table in the grand hall was filled with party leaders, locked in heated debate, their voices sharp as they attacked each other.

The loudest among them were Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, and Elcar, the leader of the Central National Party.

The argument typically followed a pattern: Campbell would criticize Daniel Steiner’s Total War speech, and Elcar would promptly counter his points.

"You’re the one missing the point! Yes, the speech rallied the people, but the overall war situation remains dire! You know as well as I do that the Allied Nations aren’t the only country we’ll have to face in the future!"
"And that’s precisely why Daniel Steiner’s speech matters! I agree that his speech was bold and even aggressive, but given the Empire’s current situation, it wasn’t wrong!"

Elcar, one of the younger voices among the gathered party leaders, raised his voice further.

"Besides, it seems to me that the leader of the Liberal Social Party is determined to paint Daniel Steiner as someone acting for personal gain. Am I wrong?"
"Ha! Paint him that way? Use your head! Who benefits the most from the Total War speech? None other than Daniel Steiner himself!"
"A man seeking personal gain volunteers for a dead-end post as a diplomatic envoy to Vellanos? Doesn’t that strike you as contradictory?"

Sitting at the head of the room, Crown Princess Selvia let out a quiet sigh.

‘It’s unfolding exactly as Deputy Chief Cedric predicted...’

Cedric had warned her that appointing Daniel as the diplomatic envoy to Vellanos would spark factional disputes, and he had been right.

Earlier that day, the leaders of the parliamentary parties had approached Selvia, requesting an urgent audience.

She had granted them the grand hall to discuss their concerns, only for Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, to propose drafting legislation to limit Daniel Steiner’s power. That suggestion had set off the current chaos.

What had started as a civil exchange of ideas had escalated over time, with voices growing louder until it was little more than a shouting match.

Selvia was far from pleased.

What displeased her even more was Campbell himself, who kept insisting on constraining Daniel within the bounds of the law.

‘Why does that old man keep badmouthing Daniel?’

Compared to the countless benefits Daniel had brought to the Empire, Campbell’s accomplishments amounted to little more than leveraging his connections and bloodline to secure his position as party leader and dominate the parliament.

She had heard that the Speaker of Parliament was also from the Liberal Social Party, which explained why Campbell could raise his voice so boldly in this setting.

‘I need to say something.’

Her father had always advised her to listen patiently, as parliamentary members represent the voice of the people. But Selvia felt she could no longer hold back.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak—

"Your Highness!"

The grand hall’s doors burst open, and Hartmann, chief guard of the Imperial Guard, rushed in.

Ignoring court etiquette, Hartmann sprinted toward Selvia as soon as he spotted her.

His behavior was brazen enough to warrant a reprimand, but Selvia was only alarmed.

If Hartmann was breaking protocol, it meant there was a significant reason.

Panting heavily, Hartmann dropped to one knee before her.

"Your Highness! Please forgive my rudeness. I came urgently to deliver critical news."

Critical news? Selvia’s eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, "What’s happened? Has my father’s health worsened?"
"No, Your Highness. The urgent news concerns the diplomatic envoy dispatched to Vellanos. I regret to inform you…"

Hartmann hesitated, lowering his head.

"The diplomatic vessel bound for Vellanos… has been sunk by enemy torpedoes."

The shocking revelation silenced the entire hall.

The members who had been passionately arguing moments ago now sat in stunned silence.

Selvia was no exception.

Her expression frozen, she parted her lips to speak, her voice faint and trembling.

"Are you… saying…"

Hartmann, visibly troubled, let out a short sigh.

Selvia, her breathing shallow, forced herself to continue speaking, though her words carried no strength.

"That can’t be…"

Her voice, as if denying reality itself, sounded hollow.

Understanding her turmoil, Hartmann could only bow his head further in silence.