I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander-Chapter 80

Ten Days Later, Western Empire

Port City of Lost Bellemont

"Is the ship ready?"

Ham Tal, leader of the secret Black Swan Society, asked, his voice low. The man in a tightly drawn robe nodded in response.

"Yes. I’ve concluded negotiations with the captain of the trade ship. Since the immigration checks aren’t too stringent, as long as we properly prepare the bribes for the officials, they said we can bring about thirty people onboard under false identities."

"Thirty, you say. The number is smaller than I anticipated—bring only the elite."

"Understood."

The man, obediently acknowledging the order, turned his gaze toward the coastline.

Today, the clear weather bathed the sea in warm, brilliant sunlight.

As the man admired the various ships anchored on the shimmering water, he spoke again.

"Do you think Lieutenant Colonel Daniel has already arrived in Vellanos by now?"

At the question, Ham Tal shook his head.

"He left yesterday evening. By now, he should be entering Vellanos’ territorial waters. Considering the short distance from Lost Bellemont to Vellanos, he should arrive soon."

"I see. Do you think there won’t be any trouble before he gets there?"

This time, Ham Tal remained silent, unable to give a definitive answer.

‘Something feels off…’

After hearing about Daniel’s appointment as a diplomatic envoy to Vellanos, Ham Tal had arrived in this city several days ago to assess the situation.

He was concerned that someone might attempt to assassinate Daniel outside the Empire’s capital.

Although there were no visible signs of any assassination plots here, Ham Tal couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling he’d had ever since inspecting the vessel assigned to transport Daniel.

‘There was no escort ship.’

While it was customary not to provide escorts for diplomatic vessels heading to Vellanos due to the short distance, Ham Tal couldn’t help but feel the arrangement was overly lax—especially given that the Empire’s hero was onboard.

‘It’s almost as if they’re inviting an attack…’

As his thoughts spiraled, Ham Tal shook his head, chastising himself for the excessive leap in logic.

Even so, the unease in his heart refused to dissipate.

‘I wish I could guard Lieutenant Colonel Daniel myself…’

But diplomatic ships were strictly reserved for government personnel or officially invited guests.

If only he had more time to prepare, he could have assumed a false identity to board the ship. But having learned of Daniel’s appointment only a few days ago, Ham Tal had no choice but to step back.

‘At least…’

Fortunately, securing a deal with the captain of a trade ship bound for Vellanos allowed him to pursue Daniel’s vessel quickly.

The trade ship was set to depart today, and with luck, Ham Tal would catch up to Daniel Steiner before long.

Once there, he planned to protect Daniel, just as he had in the Empire’s southern regions.

‘So please…’

Ham Tal silently prayed that nothing would happen to the diplomatic vessel carrying Daniel.

*****

Meanwhile, Daniel stood on the deck, holding onto the railing as he savored the ocean breeze.

The salty, refreshing air brushed against his face, bringing an involuntary smile to his lips.

He felt so lighthearted that he almost wanted to wave at the dolphins playfully following the ship.

‘Good weather, nice breeze, no adjutant—today is perfect.’

Who would have thought the absence of an adjutant plotting to kill him could bring such peace of mind?

On top of that, there was no Selvia with her inscrutable motives, no emperor keeping him under scrutiny, and no noisy nobles or perpetually dissatisfied politicians.

To Daniel, it was nothing short of paradise.

‘I don’t know how long I’ll be staying in Vellanos, but I’ll make the most of this peace while it lasts.’

Although he was officially dispatched as a diplomatic envoy, it was rare to begin work immediately upon arrival.

After the formal welcome, the Vellanos government typically allowed a day or two for rest, leaving Daniel ample time for sightseeing.

‘Should I check out that famous dessert shop first? I heard Vellanos is renowned for its trifles.’

The layered dessert of custard, fruit, and cream was one of Daniel’s personal cravings.

‘Sure, there are places in the Empire that try to mimic trifles, but the taste of the original has to be different.’

As he licked his lips and admired the vast ocean, Daniel froze.

In the distance, something was rising near the surface of the water.

At first, he thought it might be a whale, but whales didn’t move so deliberately.

Alarmed, Daniel scrutinized the shadow beneath the waves and began to sweat.

‘No way…’

The thought crossed his mind—it might be an enemy submarine.

‘If my suspicion isn’t just paranoia…’

A submarine floating close to the surface often indicated preparation to fire a torpedo.

Due to the technical limitations of this era’s torpedo systems, submarines needed to ascend near the surface to attack enemy ships.

‘But…’

Would they really attack a diplomatic vessel bound for a neutral country?

The thought didn’t make sense, but Daniel couldn’t stand idly by. He released the railing and quickly turned toward the captain’s quarters.

If it was indeed a submarine, he needed to inform the captain immediately.

As Daniel rushed toward the captain’s quarters, a dull thud resounded through the ship.

Moments later, the vessel shook violently, throwing Daniel off balance.

As his suspicion turned to certainty, a loud warning siren echoed throughout the ship.

Wheeeeooo!

Panic erupted among the passengers on deck.

Some screamed, others froze in shock, unsure of what to do.

Clicking his tongue, Daniel approached them.

"This is an attack! Stay calm! Women and children, hold onto the railings and brace yourselves. Men, follow me to fetch life jackets and prepare the lifeboats—"

Before he could finish, another torpedo struck the ship.

Boom!

The deafening explosion was far louder than the first, and flames burst into the air.

As the ship swayed violently, Daniel lost his footing and fell backward.

In the blink of an eye, he was thrown over the railing, staring blankly at the ship tilting amidst the flames.

‘Ah.’

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The next moment—

Splash!

Daniel is being swept away by the ocean current.

*****

Hours Later.

On a desolate coastline, waves gently rolled onto the shore, breaking softly against the sand.

At the boundary where the tides repeatedly met the land, Daniel lay collapsed, his body still. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.

As he regained consciousness, he reflexively coughed, expelling seawater from his mouth before he could even take in his surroundings.

With one arm, he painstakingly pushed himself upright, leaning over the white sand as he coughed and retched repeatedly.

After several minutes of emptying his stomach, Daniel, his gaze unfocused, finally glanced around.

Apart from fragments of machinery and shards of metal scattered along the shoreline, there were no other people in sight.

Grasping his throbbing head, he lifted his eyes to scan farther into the distance.

He spotted an abandoned fishing boat and a small hut.

Extending his view even further, he could barely make out clusters of buildings on the horizon, so small they looked like they could fit beneath his thumbnail.

‘…It’s not an uninhabited island.’

It seemed he’d been carried ashore to Vellanos by the waves.

Relieved at the realization, Daniel’s expression abruptly hardened as he clenched his fists.

‘That lunatic…! Attacking a diplomatic vessel just to kill me?’

To Daniel, there was only one obvious culprit behind this act: Count Kalendra.

The man was infamous for his ruthlessness and willingness to employ any means necessary to achieve his goals.

Considering Lucy’s recent assassination attempt, it wasn’t difficult for Daniel to deduce that this too was Kalendra’s doing.

Grinding his teeth in anger, Daniel forced himself to his feet.

‘I’ll make you regret not finishing me off. There won’t be a second chance.’

Narrowing his eyes sharply, Daniel ran a hand through his damp hair, pushing it back.

Then, shrugging off his waterlogged officer’s coat, he began trudging forward.

Knowing he was in Vellanos gave him a clear sense of purpose and direction.

‘I’ll need to go to the nearest city hall, identify myself as a diplomatic envoy, and borrow their communications. The Empire doesn’t know I’m alive, so I’ll have to inform them myself. That way, I can request reinforcements more easily….’

Mid-thought, Daniel’s expression cracked.

‘…The Empire doesn’t know I’m alive?’

Logically speaking, it would be difficult for anyone to assume there were survivors from a ship that had taken two direct torpedo hits and sunk.

As the realization hit him, Daniel stopped in his tracks, standing still on the sandy shore.

His face went blank for a moment, his mind racing.

Whoosh—

The soothing sound of waves filled the air as Daniel felt his heart pound with a quiet epiphany.

‘Wait a minute. This….’

Had he just succeeded in escaping the Empire?