I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander-Chapter 126

Having ascended to the throne, Emperor Selvia delivered her official address, outlining her vision and policy stance. Following that, she began acknowledging the contributions of key political and military figures.

Her intent was clear—to solidify her authority by publicly recognizing those who were truly aligned with her rule.

Naturally, Daniel Steiner was among those honored.

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner, Operations Officer of the General Staff, step forward.”

Selvia had informed him in advance, so it was no surprise.

Adjusting his uniform, Daniel stepped onto the red carpet and knelt on one knee.

From her throne, Selvia looked down at him and began speaking in a measured tone.

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner. You have not only led numerous battles to victory, but you have also demonstrated outstanding diplomatic ability in negotiations with the Kingdom of Eldresia and the neutral state of Belanos, securing immense benefits for the Empire and the Imperial Family.”

Daniel lowered his head deeply.

“Your Majesty, you overpraise me.”

At his humble response, Selvia gave a faint smile.

“It is no exaggeration. Recently, you turned the Kingdom of Belmore’s surprise attack to our advantage, capturing their Crown Prince as a prisoner. As a result, through a prisoner exchange, the Empire was able to secure valuable strategic resources while safely reclaiming the engineers held captive by the enemy.”

She deliberately omitted any mention of his role in exposing traitors.

Not all nobles were hostile to Selvia, but there were plenty in attendance who harbored resentment toward her. There was no need to stir unnecessary controversy.

“Such accomplishments deserve due recognition. Therefore, on this occasion, I hereby promote Daniel Steiner.”

No sooner had Selvia finished speaking than Johannes, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, approached carrying a box wrapped in the national flag.

“Rise.”

At Selvia’s command, Daniel nodded and stood.

Johannes solemnly unfurled the flag and retrieved a Colonel’s insignia from the box.

As he affixed the new rank to Daniel’s uniform with practiced ease, he muttered in a voice so low that only Daniel could hear:

“...You may deceive the Emperor, but you won’t deceive me.”

A chill ran down Daniel’s spine.

He instinctively turned to look at Johannes.

But Johannes, wearing a neutral expression, merely completed the insignia adjustment and stepped back—as if he had never spoken at all.

The whole thing left Daniel momentarily dumbfounded.

‘What the hell does he think I’ve lied about?’

What kind of misunderstanding was this man operating under?

‘Did he hear something suspicious from the former emperor, Bertham...?’

Daniel wanted to clarify the situation, but now was hardly the time.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

With no other choice, he knelt once more.

After all, this was a formal ceremony, and he could hardly act out of turn while conversing with the Emperor.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Colonel Daniel Steiner.”

Selvia’s voice was calm but firm.

“With your new rank, I expect your loyalty to the Empire and the Imperial Family to grow even stronger. Furthermore, regarding your new assignment...”

A subtle smile played on Daniel’s lips.

He had anticipated this moment and was hoping for an appointment as Chief of Operations Staff.

However, the words that followed shattered his expectations.

“In recognition of your unwavering dedication to the Empire, you will be assigned as the Chief of Staff for the 7th Division, a Headquarters Direct-Attachment Unit.”

Daniel’s shoulders tensed involuntarily.

‘If it’s a Headquarters Direct-Attachment Division...’

That meant he would still be deployed to the front lines for combat operations and strategic missions.

‘They’re sending someone who barely survived the battlefield... right back into it?’

Unable to comprehend the reasoning, Daniel slowly lifted his gaze toward Selvia.

However, she merely returned a gentle, composed smile.

From her perspective, it was only logical.

Daniel had refused the offer to join the Imperial Guard, which was effectively a desk job. That could only mean he wanted to continue proving his worth on the battlefield.

Moreover, even the Chief of the General Staff had recommended that Daniel be assigned as a field commander rather than remain in a purely strategic role.

Thus, this was a completely justified order.

To Daniel, however, it felt like a trap closing in on him.

He had worked meticulously to manipulate the media, crafting a position of influence—but before he could fully seize it, he was being pushed back into the battlefield.

Yet, defying the Emperor’s decree was not an option.

Suppressing his frustration, Daniel bowed his head.

“I am deeply honored by Your Majesty’s grace.”

****

Following the coronation, Emperor Selvia embarked on a grand procession through the capital.

The purpose of this was to publicly announce her ascension to the people.

Meanwhile, the dignitaries invited to the coronation were escorted to the Imperial Banquet Hall, which had been meticulously prepared by the palace.

Skipping the banquet was considered an insult to the Emperor, so no one dared to leave.

Among those attending was Daniel Steiner, who arrived with Ernst, exchanging light conversation.

“Already a Colonel! I swear, when I first met you, you were just a Second Lieutenant!”

Ernst exclaimed with exaggerated admiration, clearly pleased.

However, Daniel remained expressionless.

Praise for a promotion he had no interest in meant nothing to him.

If anything, this new rank only guaranteed his deployment to the battlefield, making it a death sentence rather than an honor.

If the enemy had snipers in position, the first target would be the Division Commander—and the second would be Daniel Steiner, the Chief of Staff.

“At this rate, you’ll be a general in no time! I might end up in an awkward position, having to address my former subordinate with formal respect.”

Ernst chuckled, unaware of Daniel’s true feelings.

Watching him dryly, Daniel exhaled slowly.

“Don’t worry, sir. Even if I do become a general, I won’t force you to speak formally to me.”

“Hah! I appreciate that. But who knows if we’ll even cross paths often anymore? After all, you’ll be spending most of your time as a field commander from now on.”

It was an undeniable fact.

A Headquarters Direct-Attachment Unit was meant for combat deployment, not desk work.

From now on, Daniel would be hearing gunfire more often than alarm clocks.

The thought was enough to darken his expression, his gaze turning cold.

Ernst, noticing the sudden shift in Daniel’s demeanor, instinctively took a step back.

“Uh... Well, I actually have someone to meet here at the banquet. Colonel Daniel? Enjoy yourself.”

Ah-hem. Ah-hem.

With an exaggerated cough, Ernst hurried away.

Watching him go, Daniel sighed and walked toward the lavishly set banquet table.

Worrying about the future wouldn’t change anything.

Might as well fill his stomach instead of sulking.

As he gazed down at the spread of decadent dishes, a voice suddenly called out to him.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner?”

A voice he did not recognize.

Turning his head, he saw a well-groomed man approaching with a polite smile.

In his hands, he held a bottle of whiskey.

This man was Platt, disguised as a low-ranking palace official.

“Ah! It really is Colonel Daniel Steiner! I’ve been searching for you everywhere, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to finally meet you!”

“...You were looking for me?”

“That’s right! My name is Viram, and I work for the Imperial Wardrobe Tailoring Team. I also happen to be a huge fan of yours! So, I took this chance to bring you a gift.”

Platt lifted the whiskey bottle slightly, as if presenting it.

One glance at the golden liquid inside made it clear—it was high-end liquor.

Daniel paused momentarily before giving a slight nod.

“If you insist, I won’t refuse. However, this looks quite expensive. Are you sure I should accept something like this?”

“Of course! While I enjoy drinking, my tastes are rather cheap. A luxury whiskey like this would be far more fitting for someone of your caliber, Colonel.”

“...If you put it that way.”

Daniel took the bottle from Platt as if reluctantly conceding.

After briefly inspecting it, Daniel turned and raised his hand.

“Waiter.”

A nearby server, carrying a tray of wine-filled glasses, promptly approached.

Daniel took two empty glasses from the tray and offered a faint smile.

The waiter mirrored the gesture before walking off.

Turning back, Daniel muttered idly.

“I’ve been drinking too much whiskey lately. Tonight, I feel like having wine instead. I heard this one is of excellent quality, brewed directly in a monastery.”

Setting the two glasses on the table, he continued.

“But you work for the palace, so I assume you drink fine wine all the time. Just as I’ve grown tired of whiskey, I imagine you must be bored of wine.”

Then, he picked up one of the glasses and poured its contents onto the floor.

Platt tensed but forced himself to maintain his smile.

Ignoring his reaction, Daniel set the empty glass down and uncorked the whiskey bottle.

He poured whiskey into the remaining empty glass, filling it to the brim.

After setting the bottle aside, Daniel lifted both whiskey-filled glasses—then extended one toward Platt.

“I hear this is a rare whiskey. As a courtesy, I’ll let you have the first drink.”

Platt broke out in a cold sweat.

He knew there was poison inside that glass.

Yet, refusing would be suspicious.

With his hands trembling, Platt reached out and took the glass.

As soon as he did, Daniel clinked his own glass against it with a smile.

“You said your name was Viram?”

“...That’s correct.”

“A good name. But rather unremarkable for the Empire. So instead, let’s drink to our future.”

With those words, Daniel lifted his glass and drank.

Platt's lips began to dry.

The murmur of conversations at the banquet faded into background noise.

The only thing he could hear was the sound of Daniel Steiner swallowing his wine.

Gulp—

Daniel downed the last sip, savoring the taste, before pulling the glass from his lips.

“Ahhh! This might be the finest wine I’ve ever had. Still...”

He let out a low chuckle and turned to Platt, speaking playfully.

“I doubt it’s as good as the whiskey you gave me.”

With a casual shrug, he «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» set down his empty glass.

Then, with a mockingly curious tone, he added:

“But tell me...”

He brushed off his hands as if dusting away a trivial thought.

“...Why aren’t you drinking? You said you liked alcohol, didn’t you?”

Platt’s breathing grew erratic.

Daniel’s gaze bore down on him like an unseen weight, suffocating him.

A bead of sweat dripped down his temple.

Just as he parted his lips to stammer out an excuse—

“What are you waiting for?”

After a brief silence, Daniel offered a lighthearted smile and urged him.

“Go on. Drink.”