I Was Mistaken for a Great General of War

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Just when Lucy was starting to be honest with herself, Daniel was enjoying a leisurely time at a cocktail bar, guided by his client, Ref.

“I seriously thought you had lost your mind back then!”

Ref, sitting at the bar table, couldn’t hide his excitement as he spoke. “Seeing you with that No Pair and shouting All In made me think, is this crazy guy just toying with my money? But that was just my paranoia. In the blink of an eye, that trash hand morphed into a royal straight flush!”

Ahaha! Tears welled up in Ref’s eyes from laughter.

“The cherry on top was that the scoundrel was too scared to even make a counter-argument. What an idiot. It felt so liberating. Like a decade-old block just lifted off!”

Ref pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the tears from laughing so much.

“Hah. Living in this dump, I hadn’t had any fun for ages. Thanks to you, I haven’t laughed like this in forever. At first, I thought you were some lunatic, but now I feel like I made the right call giving you the job.”

Daniel, listening to all this beside Ref, smiled faintly.

“I’m glad to hear you’re satisfied.”

Ref, looking at Daniel meaningfully, squinted his eyes.

“…But it’s strange. I can’t believe I wouldn’t know a talented player like you. You don’t seem like a local from Tentarvahem, am I right?”

“You’re spot on. I’m an outsider,” Daniel replied.

“Just what I thought! Here, anyone with skin as pale as yours is either a noble or a foreigner. Nobles usually have zero manners, but you seem to be packed with them, so I figured you weren’t local!”

Daniel thought he might be asked where he was from, so he considered some fake hometown stories, but it seemed Ref wasn’t particularly interested in that.

“So, can you tell me a bit about your past?”

Ref was curious about Daniel’s past, not his origins.

“I love hearing the backstories of people from outside. It’s like traveling just listening to different tales. So, what exactly brought you to this dump?”

Honestly speaking, he had been dispatched as the envoy to Belanos and sank while riding the diplomatic vessel, but he couldn’t spill that. Not wanting to be suspected for staying silent, Daniel decided to share his basic reason for coming here.

“I can’t go into details, but to put it simply, it’s because I fled from the women in my home country.”

“Women?”

Was he a Casanova caught cheating? With interest glinting in his eyes, Ref was all ears as Daniel said self-deprecatingly.

“There were three women. One trying to kill me, one trying to use me, and another who seemed a bit off her rocker, blindly worshiping me. I felt suffocated, couldn’t breathe!”

Three? Ref’s eyes widened in surprise.

“…You were really a bad guy, huh?”

What was that supposed to mean? Daniel blinked in confusion.

“Bad guy? Are you hearing me right? They wanted to either kill me or use me!”

“Are you an idiot? Which woman would want to kill or use a guy she has no interest in? It’s basic human feelings, they’re expressing affection in a messed-up way!”

“No…”

Feeling a misunderstanding brewing, he almost started to explain his situation in detail but opted against it. He had no confidence in convincing this rambunctious young lady who probably learned about relationships from romance novels.

As Daniel sighed, the bartender approached with a cocktail.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s the Bloody Mary you ordered.”

The cocktail in a slender glass was a striking red.

With the tomato base, its color was impressively deep.

As Daniel stared at the cocktail, Lucy came naturally to mind.

The aide who had even redder and more beautiful eyes than this cocktail.

‘By now, she probably heard that the ship sank…’

Daniel wondered how Lucy would react to the news.

‘Maybe she’d be glad?’

She wouldn’t be sad since her assassination target was dead. Unless there was a guilt to feel.

‘Also…’

If the Allied Nations did sink the ship, that would mean Lucy might have had prior knowledge about it.

‘She wouldn’t have proceeded without telling Lucy. Then…’

Was that Christmas promise of sharing Stollen just an act too?

Thinking that brought a bittersweet smile to his face for some unknown reason.

Observing Daniel’s demeanor, Ref felt her heart race.

His wistful smile while gazing at the cocktail reminded her of someone reminiscing about an old lover.

‘What kind of story does he have?’

For Ref, whose only source of joy was listening to outsiders’ stories, Daniel’s current state was more than intriguing.

“Hey, did you say your name was Libelad?”

As he was called by the alias, Daniel nodded naturally.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Great! I’m interested in you; why don’t you come to my manor? I’d love to treat you to a meal and hear more about you.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good.”

It was a straightforward rejection.

“My personal rule is to not build relationships with clients. So, it’s best if we turn back into strangers after we leave this place…”

“Didn’t you say you needed money?”

At the mention of money, Daniel fell silent.

Indeed, even with a solid money laundering plan to open a bakery, the current funds were laughably insufficient.

Ref, having caught onto Daniel’s financial struggles, wore a playful smile.

“If you accept my invitation, I can offer you much more than what you just received. Plus, I’m not saying you need to come right now. I’ll officially invite you in a few days, so just come then. There’s nothing to lose here, just gains, right? Will you still refuse?”

“Of course…”

After a brief pause, Daniel looked at Ref.

“I’ll accept the invitation.”

It was too much money to turn down.

*

The next morning.

Southern Empire, Church of the Glorious Sanctity.

“Did you hear the news? The diplomatic vessel got sunk.”

“Could it be the Allies’ doing? Even during a war, attacking civilians…”

The congregants gathered in the great chapel buzzed about the recent ship sinking incident.

Seated at the front, Prien was letting the chatter roll off her ears.

Or rather, to be precise, she was in no state to pay attention to the voices around her.

‘Why?’

Why did among all those people, it had to be Daniel Steiner who should die?

‘Why?’

Why hadn’t God protected Daniel Steiner?

‘Why?’

Why had God even taken away the chance for me to martyr myself in Daniel Steiner’s place?

Prien, relentlessly questioning herself, had empty eyes.

Her usually shiny light brown hair was shabby and tangled after suffering from lack of food and sleep since hearing about Daniel Steiner’s devastating news.

‘Why?’

Just as Prien repeated this question in her mind, her father and pastor, Belaf, stepped up to the church podium.

He tapped the microphone and surveyed the numerous crowd gathered in the chapel.

“Ah. Brothers and sisters, I thank you on behalf of God for gracing us with your presence to find peace in these tough, challenging times. I also want to express my gratitude to my daughter for graduating early from the military academy, enhancing our church’s reputation.”

Although her father’s gentle voice echoed throughout the church, Prien paid no attention.

All she could think about was the death of Daniel Steiner.

“In wishing for the crucial victory of the Empire, before we commence worship, my daughter will share a few words. Prien?”

Prien did not look up.

Seeing his daughter’s disinterest, Belaf cleared his throat and spoke again.

“Prien Remiliat!”

Startled by the roar, Prien lifted her head to look at her father.

Belaf glanced down at Prien with a frown and gestured for her to come forward.

Only then did Prien recall why she was there.

Graduates from the military academy receive a short vacation before being assigned to duty.

Prien, who graduated early, was no exception and had returned home for vacation.

Seeing Prien, Belaf requested that she share her thoughts before worship.

This was to elevate the family’s stature and the church’s grandeur.

“Um…”

Pushed by her father’s ambition, Prien stood up and began to walk.

Climbing the stairs to the podium, Belaf stepped aside to let her pass.

Upon reaching the podium, Prien noticed the discourse prepared on the desk.

It was a discourse written not by Prien, but by Belaf.

Prien let out a hollow laugh seeing the contents of the discourse, which looked like it was meant to be read as is.

Numerous lines detailing “I was born with Black Magic and lived a life akin to a demon” were scattered throughout it.

At the end of the text was an elaborate statement claiming that through the church’s teachings, she repented and was saved.

‘Don’t kid me.’

Prien wasn’t saved by the church’s teachings; she was saved by Daniel Steiner.

The foundation of her faith wasn’t the church’s teachings; it was Daniel Steiner himself.

With lips pressed tightly together in anger, Prien tossed the discourse aside.

As the discourse fluttered and fell to the floor, both Belaf and the congregants showed signs of shock.

Taking in the startled onlookers, Prien slowly opened her mouth.

“…I’ve come across numerous injustices in my life.”

Her voice resonated through the microphone, reaching the back of the grand church.

“I’ve received all kinds of ridicule and scorn just for being born with Black Magic. Even the most benevolent clergymen thought of me as despised.”

“What…!”

Belaf, flustered, tried to shut Prien down, but Prien shot him a fierce glare as he approached.

Feeling the pressure of her imposing demeanor, Belaf hesitated as Prien raised her head to directly face the audience.

“But Colonel Daniel was different! He didn’t shy away from me just because my magic was black! In fact, he embraced me, saying that my abilities were a blessing!”

As Prien’s voice grew stronger, she began to grasp the audience’s attention.

“And there’s more! Do you remember Acts 10:34? It states that God’s grace is granted equally to all nations and races! In that regard, Colonel Daniel fought against racial discrimination in Nordia, spreading God’s teachings beyond borders!”

Prien held the podium firmly.

“Furthermore, in a conflict that could have led to countless sacrifices in the Northern War, Colonel Daniel negotiated an early end to hostilities with the Kingdom. Think of all the lives he saved!”

With her eyes closed, Prien started to weep sorrowfully.

“Ah. He was a saint. Not just to me, but quite like a saint to all! Such an innocent life was taken by the children of Satan. But who could that be?”

Some congregants listening shouted out.

─ The Allied Nations!

Hearing that, Prien’s eyes fluttered open.

“Yes. If not for the Allies, there wouldn’t be demons attacking our saint! So, what must we do?”

Prien shook her head.

“No! Anyone who allows the demons to run rampant is no different from the demons themselves! We must spread awareness of the demons’ atrocities and ensure that Daniel Steiner’s death, the death of a hero, doesn’t go to waste! Surely, that’s what God wishes!”

Nods and murmurs of agreement began to ripple through the crowd.

“God doesn’t give us trials we cannot bear. So…”

Prien tightened her grip on the podium, elevating her voice.

“It is time to act as Colonel Daniel said! I dare to speak for God before you, the congregants! The meaning behind our saint’s death is clear! It is none other than…”

Fierce rage began to awaken in Prien’s once vacant eyes.

“A Holy War!”

The resonating word sparked a chain reaction, prompting some congregants to rise to their feet.

Amidst their already rising fury towards the Allies, Prien’s words became the ignition for action.

“Brothers and sisters! Children of God! We will never forget Daniel Steiner’s death! So rise up! We will stand together and fight!”

Standing resolutely in front of the massive cross, Prien’s fervent speech appeared sacred to the congregants.

Thanks to that, cheers erupted from all sides, accompanied by a rising applause.

Among them, a few overly passionate individuals shouted out.

─ For the Holy War!

─ Bring down God’s hammer upon the demons of the Allied Nations!

In the space where faith and fury intertwined, Prien joined her hands together in a reverent prayer.

‘Though Colonel Daniel has departed from this world…’

Surely, I shall carry on that will to the end.

 

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