I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander

Amid the frenzied cheers and cries engulfing the space, Daniel paradoxically felt a sense of dread.

‘I had clearly intended to provoke the anti-war activists with that speech…’

Yet when he came to his senses, he had instead swayed the anti-war activists, transforming them into war supporters.

Of course, not all the anti-war activists agreed with the content of the speech.

A few had merely risen from their seats, swept up by the atmosphere, and were still glaring at Daniel with displeased expressions.

The issue was that those who remained were so few in number that they could be described as “a few.”

Puzzled over where he had gone wrong, Daniel replayed the speech in his mind as he let out a low, disdainful chuckle.

‘Damn it. I got too immersed in playing the warmonger…’

The problem was that he had unconsciously become absorbed in the cheers from the crowd during the speech.

Additionally, Daniel had placed too much faith in the statistics.

He had assumed that since the anti-war activists were the majority, they would outright oppose his radical assertion of desiring an all-out war.

‘But…’

Instead of opposing it, they had discarded their anti-war placards and risen to their feet.

That was the scene unfolding before Daniel’s eyes.

Daniel Steiner! Daniel Steiner! Daniel Steiner!

The sight of ten thousand citizens standing and chanting a single name seemed almost surreal.

Yet, this was undeniably reality, a phenomenon Daniel had created.

Unable to refute it, Daniel could only clench his teeth and grasp the edges of the podium.

As Daniel received the citizens’ acclamations, Hans, the public relations officer from the National Propaganda Department behind the stage, let out an exclamation of delight.

“It’s done! This… This speech will go down in history!”

Exhilarated, Hans turned towards his subordinate staff.

“Contact the reporting director immediately! Have this speech covered as a news story and disseminated across the Empire! Those Imperial citizens who couldn’t hear Colonel Daniel’s speech over the radio should know about it!”
“Yes! Understood!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the subordinate picked up the telephone.

The other staff members were also noisily tapping away at the telexes set up behind the stage, reporting to their superiors.

While they remained silent, focused on their tasks, the atmosphere felt charged with excitement.

For Daniel’s speech had roused the nation’s pride to such an extent that even the meticulous Propaganda Department was swept up.

Hans, too, did not conceal his exhilaration as he clenched his fist tightly.

‘Colonel Daniel may not have read the speech manuscript we prepared, but…’

By exceeding expectations and delivering a successful speech, they could likely avoid Selvia’s, the Imperial Princess’s, reprimand.

With luck, the Propaganda Department personnel might even receive commendations.

Just as Hans had heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed.

Turning around, Hans could see Daniel descending the stage steps.

Even though Daniel had left the stage, the audience was still chanting his name.

As if his name had become a symbol of the ideology that they must fight against the Allied Nations.

‘Yet…’

Despite the successful speech, Daniel did not display any emotion.

It was common for orators who delivered successful speeches to feel joy or exhilaration, but Daniel merely observed the Propaganda Department personnel gathered behind the stage with an impassive gaze.

Daniel’s demeanor filled Hans with a sense of reverence.

He could not shake the feeling of witnessing a sage who had transcended human limitations.

Those pensive eyes seemed not to linger on the present but to gaze into the future.

Such thoughts made it difficult for Hans to casually approach him.

In contrast, Daniel was merely lost in contemplation over his own actions.

‘This is maddening…’

He could not discern how to conduct himself going forward.

As Daniel blinked dazedly, his mind in turmoil, Hans stealthily approached him.

“Um, Colonel Daniel?”

When Daniel turned with a sharp gaze, Hans flinched and forced an awkward smile.

“Ah. It seems the speech manuscript did not meet your liking. If you had let us know in advance, we could have revised it. This is entirely the Propaganda Department’s fault.”

Upon hearing Hans’s words, Daniel let out a soft sigh.

“…I’m tired and wish to return to my quarters.”
“Ah, yes! Of course! We have a vehicle waiting outside, so you can depart immediately!”

After nodding once at Hans’s words, Daniel began walking slowly away.

Watching his departing figure, one of the staff members approached Hans and spoke.

“Remarkable. I’ve never seen someone express dissatisfaction instead of joy after delivering a successful speech. I wonder why?”
“How can we comprehend the ego of a genius? However, one thing is certain…”

Gazing at Daniel’s retreating figure, Hans smiled with a sense of reverence.

“As long as he lives, the Empire shall never fall.”

One week later, at the Imperial National Propaganda Department.
In the office of Schiller Dynes, the Minister of the National Propaganda Department.

Knock, knock.

Schiller raised his head from reviewing documents.

Seeing the wall clock above the door pointing to noon, he knew the identity of the person knocking.

It was Hans, the public relations officer.

He had instructed Hans to compile data and visit him at noon for a report.

“Come in.”

No sooner had Schiller spoken than the door opened.

Hans was carrying a bundle of documents, which he strained to bring over before plopping them down onto Schiller’s desk with a thud.

“…What is all this?”
In response to Schiller’s bewildered question, Hans wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke.

“It’s data from a comprehensive investigation into the changes within the Empire following Colonel Daniel’s speech. You instructed me to compile and deliver it, Minister. Shall we start with the most important statistics?”

Hans retrieved a statistical document from the pile and handed it to Schiller.

Upon examining the statistics, Schiller’s eyes widened.

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《Public Opinion Survey on the War》

Sampling Group: 1,000 citizens from major Imperial cities
Number of Respondents: Approximately 18,000
Question: What are your thoughts on the ongoing war waged by the Empire?

• Frequency Analysis

The war must continue – 14,166 (78.7%)

The war must stop – 2,376 (13.2%)

Unsure / No Response – 1,458 (8.1%)

────────────

More than half of the anti-war activists had changed their stance to support the war.

Now, those advocating for ending the war were merely a minority.

All within this single week.

A change that had occurred in the span of just one week after Daniel Steiner’s speech.

Dumbfounded by the tremendous impact, Schiller froze before raising his head.

“Is this real? Did so many truly change their minds?”
“Yes. Those swayed by Colonel Daniel’s all-out war speech are changing their hearts. Even now, the percentage supporting the war is rising in real-time. Moreover…”

Hans retrieved several documents and handed them to Schiller.

“As you can see from these documents, the number of military enlistments has skyrocketed following Colonel Daniel’s speech. The training camps cannot accommodate such a large influx at once, so they are deferring the enlistment dates of applicants until the year after next.”
“Goodness…”
“Additionally, military production has surged. While we’ll need to observe further, at the current pace, we’re projecting around 43% more output compared to last month.”

Schiller blinked twice before asking:

“Military production? Why?”
“Even when told they couldn’t receive overtime pay, the factory workers volunteered to work longer hours. A miracle born of patriotism. Furthermore, with various companies offering support for the military industry…”

Hans retrieved another document and handed it to Schiller.

“We’ve secured enough funds to construct at least two more major military production facilities. Thanks to this, we won’t face shortages of essential military supplies for the increased number of enlistees.”
“…And the war bonds? How many were sold?”
“The war bonds…”

After a momentary pause, Hans continued with excitement.

“They’re selling at an astonishing rate! Not only civilians but even companies are purchasing them! Within this week alone, 270 billion worth of bonds have been sold!”

270 billion was three times the initial projection of 85 billion.

In just one week, they had sold three times the target amount.

‘All this unprecedented success, the reaction to Colonel Daniel’s single speech…’

After a dazed silence, Schiller let out a wry chuckle.

“Perhaps… we are standing at a historic crossroads.”

Following Daniel’s all-out war speech, the Empire was violently awakening.

It was as if it were flapping its wings, ready to break out of its shell and face the world.

Amid the vast array of data, Schiller could envision it.

The future where the Empire would once again rise as a great nation.

Feeling the kindling of hope within, Schiller clenched his fist tightly.

‘Indeed. If it’s Daniel Steiner, he might just be able to create it…’

A new era, an eternally great Empire!