<div> As Namerias watched her with suspicion in her eyes, Lucy let out a small cough.
 Because if she stayed still like this, it felt like her true feelings would be exposed.
 “I’m really fine. More importantly, were you on your way to the command post?”
 As Lucy subtly withdrew her hand and spoke, Daniel nodded.
 “Yes. I need to prepare for the upcoming battle, and there are reports I need to receive. Where are you headed, Lieutenant?”
 “Ah. As I mentioned yesterday, I’m on my way to speak with the city’s religious leaders for the civil affairs operation.”
 “To get a read on social sentiment and request cooperation, huh. Quelling internal unrest is important too. Good work. Call for support if you need it.”
 Daniel lightly tapped Lucy on the shoulder before walking off.
 As she watched Daniel’s back, Lucy felt Namerias’s gaze on her.
 Wondering why, she turned around—and saw Namerias sigh with a frustrated expression.
 “Young Lady. Be honest with me—just me. You like Brigadier General Daniel Steiner, don’t you?”
 Startled, Lucy glanced toward Daniel.
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 </div> She fidgeted, anxious that he might’ve heard. But soon, she was able to relax.
 They were a fair distance apart now.
 At this range, he definitely wouldn’t have heard.
 Lucy exhaled quietly, her eyes half-lidded, and her lips moved.
 “Yeah. I like him.”
 It was more than liking—she loved him.
 Enough to want to experience everything lovers do with him.
 If it were possible...
 She wanted to travel with him.
 
 In the spring, she wanted to go somewhere filled with tulips and make memories with just the two of them. In the summer, she wanted to talk late into the night by the beach, where the cool breeze blew.
 In the fall, she wanted to walk along paths dyed with every color of autumn leaves, holding hands tightly. And in the winter, she wanted to make a snowman while chattering away in a snowy field.
 Things that might be ordinary to someone else... would become precious memories for Lucy.
 But she knew.
 These weren’t wishes she could speak out loud just because she wanted to.
 As long as the war didn’t end, peace would never come.
 “What about Brigadier General Daniel Steiner?”
 Namerias’s words broke her reverie.
 Lucy blinked, unsure what she’d just heard. Then Namerias whispered:
 “Does the General like you too, Young Lady?”
 “That...”
 Lucy couldn’t answer right away. She sank into thought.
 Daniel had devoted himself to her—both in reality and within her memories.
 But could she really declare that he did all of that because he liked her?
 It wouldn’t be illogical to say he did it simply for his subordinate. Or because he felt sympathy.
 “...I don’t know. I really don’t.”
 She’d never asked him directly. So of course she didn’t know.
 As Lucy stood there in thought, Namerias stared at her and slowly formed a sly smile.
 “Alright. Then I think it’s time we find out how the General feels. I’ve got a few methods I’ve used before—just for you, I’ll share them. Want to hear?”
 Yes.
 When it came to love, Namerias was Lucy’s senior.
 Lucy hesitated for a moment, but in the end, her curiosity won out. She gave a small nod.
 “Yeah. I want to hear.”
 She thought—just a little couldn’t hurt.
 ****
 When Daniel entered the command post, the staff officers who had been exchanging opinions all rose from their seats in unison.
 “Brigade Commander.”
 “You’ve arrived, sir.”
 Daniel acknowledged their greetings with a nod and made his way to the head seat at the operations table set up in the command post.
 After scanning the operations map, Daniel cast his gaze toward Phelp, his intelligence officer.
 “The enemy’s provisional division still hasn’t managed to cross the river, has it?”
 “That’s correct. The destruction of the sluice gates collapsed the bridge, and the rising water level has made it impossible for them to ford the river. However, as the water level is receding, we assess that they’ll soon advance toward Fenbark.”
 “The enemy’s numbers are high, but we can respond accordingly.”
 The operations officer interjected.
 “It seems the enemy’s tank battalion, which was crossing the bridge at the time of the sluice explosion, suffered severe damage. With more than five hundred drowned and thirty tanks submerged, they’ve effectively lost a major asset.”
 Even so, though the disparity in troop numbers remained large, it wasn’t something to be overly concerned about.
 “Intelligence Officer. Have we made contact with the Magitek Mobile Brigade?”
 Phelp nodded.
 “Yes, sir. We’ve confirmed stable communications. They said they’ll be able to join us on schedule. Also, Brigadier General Heinrich asked me to relay a message to you.”
 “Hm? What message?”
 “Well...”
 Phelp hesitated for no reason, cleared his throat, and shouted in a loud voice:
 “Oh wolf of the Empire! You’ve done well tearing into the enemy commander! Now that we’ve got your back, don’t hold back—run wild! I can’t wait to see you again and swap war stories! I’ll see you on the battlefield!”
 Having delivered the flamboyant impression flawlessly, Phelp cleared his throat again.
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 </div> “...That’s what he asked me to pass on.”
 “Did he specifically request that you do the impression too?”
 “Yes, sir.”
 It was so absurd that a hollow chuckle escaped him.
 Still, it wasn’t entirely unwelcome.
 If the Magitek Mobile Brigade lends their support, we’ll crush them easily. That would put an end to the battle for Fenbark and complete the mission. And if that happens...
 He could return to the capital.
 It meant spending his days in a safe, prosperous city instead of a blood-soaked battlefield.
 Once I’m back in the capital, I’ll speak to Her Majesty. I’ll tell her—I won’t return to the battlefield again.
 He was fed up with the front lines.
 Things had turned out well and ended in victory, but the opposite scenario would’ve been a complete disaster.
 That didn’t mean he’d abandoned his intent to deal with Count Khaledra.
 He simply wanted to serve in a safe rear-line post instead of fighting at the front.
 I’ve done more than enough, haven’t I? The Chief of the General Staff wouldn’t refuse me. Even someone as devoted to the Empire’s victory as the Chief wouldn’t flatly deny a request from a decorated soldier and toss him back onto the front lines.
 Good. This will be my final battle. But to make it certain...
 As he was mentally sketching out the plan, a knock came at the door.
 — Brigadier Commander. Lieutenant Frien, medical officer. I’ve brought Mayor Kaimborete with me. He said he has something urgent to report.
 Already? When Daniel told them to come in, the door opened and Frien and Kaimborete entered.
 Kaimborete, pale and gasping for breath, was a stark contrast to Frien, who wore a merciful smile.
 Of course, to the other officers who knew what Frien had done, that smile wasn’t “merciful” in the slightest.
 Kaimborete, scanning the command post, spotted Daniel and dropped to his knees.
 “I’ll tell you everything! I’ll talk—just please, tell her to stop this madness!”
 Watching the man plead desperately, Daniel gestured toward Frien.
 As Frien approached, she blinked her eyes innocently at him.
 “What is it, sir? Is there something you’re curious about?”
 “I knew this would happen eventually—but it’s sooner than expected. Didn’t your so-called ‘confession ritual’ start just this morning?”
 “Ah. Actually, I tried a new method this time. Thanks to the improvements in my healing magic, I’m now able to use some techniques I couldn’t before.”
 “...Techniques you couldn’t use before?”
 “Brigadier Commander, are you aware that the most intense pain a person can feel is from burning?”
 Daniel decided not to ask any further.
 Curiosity killed the cat, after all.
 A strange sense of fear crept over Daniel as he looked down at Kaimborete.
 “You’re saying you’re willing to admit that Count Khaledra carried out human experimentation here in Fenbark?”
 “I admit it! It’s the truth! But...”
 Even in fear, Kaimborete looked up at Daniel.
 “...I will never forget that the Imperial Army also carried out torture on civilians.”
 “Torture, you say.”
 Daniel gave a low laugh and stepped toward Kaimborete.
 “Can you prove that we tortured you?”
 “What are you...”
 “I asked if you can prove it.”
 Kaimborete couldn’t answer easily.
 It was true that Frien had burned him.
 But there wasn’t a trace of it left on his body.
 Healing magic was not omnipotent by nature.
 Normally, even when used, recovery was slow or scars would remain.
 But Frien’s healing was advanced enough to restore the body to its original state.
 With no burn marks remaining, there was no way to prove he’d been tortured.
 “Or perhaps you have a witness?”
 Again, Kaimborete couldn’t answer.
 There hadn’t been a witness to begin with.
 It was only then that Kaimborete realized he could never escape Daniel Steiner. His hands trembled.
 In front of the trembling man, Daniel Steiner lowered himself onto one knee.
 For a moment, their eyes met.
 Daniel’s cold gaze made Kaimborete flinch instinctively.
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 </div> “Kaimborete. If you have any conscience, don’t lie. You call yourself a civilian? When hundreds of orphans died in the research lab, you stood by and did nothing—and you expect me to believe you weren’t involved in the war?”
 As Daniel growled, Kaimborete’s gaze dropped.
 “Frankly, I’d love nothing more than to crush your throat right here and now. But the only reason I’m letting you live is because you still have the slightest bit of use left. So don’t test my patience. You’ll get one warning—and this is it.”
 With that, Daniel stood.
ƒrēewebnovel.com Smiling once more, he looked down at the still-trembling Kaimborete and spoke.
 “Well then. Let me ask again, Mayor Kaimborete. Were you tortured by the Imperial Army?”
 A sob crept into Kaimborete’s breath.
 “No, sir. I... acted of my own volition...”
 Closing his eyes tightly, Kaimborete bowed his head toward Daniel.
 “...I am merely confessing the misdeeds of Count Khaledra.”
 Submission and surrender.
 That was the only way to survive under Daniel Steiner.</div>
 

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Chapter 220

As Namerias watched her with suspicion in her eyes, Lucy let out a small cough. Because if she stayed still like this, it felt like her true feelings would be exposed. “I’m really fine. More importantly, were you on your way to the command post?” As Lucy subtly withdrew her hand and spoke, Daniel nodded. “Yes. I need to prepare for the upcoming battle, and there are reports I need to receive. Where are you headed, Lieutenant?” “Ah. As I mentioned yesterday, I’m on my way to speak with the...

I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

Chapter 220

I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander - Chapter 220