Was Mistaken For A War Hero

The next day.

After leaving the general staff headquarters, I headed straight to a hair salon with Ernst.

Honestly, I didn't want to go, but since Ernst argued that it was appropriate to at least groom myself for entering the royal palace as his guest, I had no veto power.

After getting the latest imperial trend—a slicked-back hairstyle—I rode with Ernst in his car and arrived at the royal banquet mansion.

A mansion just for banquets—can you believe it?

How much money do you need to have to build a separate mansion just for hosting banquets? I couldn't even begin to imagine.

As I took in the grandeur of the mansion and walked towards it, the attendant in charge of verifying the guest list at the entrance spoke up.

"A beautiful evening, gentlemen. May I have your names, please?"

Before I could open my mouth, Ernst answered.

"My name is Ernst Bark. And this handsome young man next to me is…"

"Oh! Captain Daniel Steiner, isn't it? A well-known figure—I could hardly not recognize you!"

"A well-known figure, huh."

Ernst glanced back at me with a playful smile.

It seemed to imply that I was more than qualified to be invited and should have more confidence, but honestly, it was burdensome.

"Colonel Ernst Bark, Deputy Chief of Operations at the General Staff Headquarters, and Captain Daniel Steiner, Operations Staff Officer. Your identities have been confirmed. Please enjoy your evening."

The attendant stepped aside and bowed respectfully.

"Thank you. Keep up the good work," Ernst said, and stepped inside the banquet hall, with me following closely behind.

Upon entering the mansion, we found ourselves in a small hall on the first floor, bustling with waiters scurrying about.

"Let's get going," Ernst said.

We ascended the red-carpeted staircase before us to enter the second floor, where the Great Hall unfolded.

The enormous hall, easily spanning several hundred pyeong (a Korean unit of area), was filled with countless people engaged in various conversations.

What stood out was that most of the men were dressed in military uniforms, just like Ernst and me.

In a wartime empire, being part of the military was likely considered a great honor, and everyone seemed eager to flaunt it.

In contrast, there were those dressed in suits or adorned in luxurious silk garments—they were probably the wealthy or nobility who funded the empire's military.

As we walked, glancing over the attendees, a senior officer recognized Ernst and approached us.

The man, with scars marking his wrinkled face, was someone I was well-acquainted with.

Heinrich Schmidt, Brigadier General and Commander of the 1st Magic Mobile Corps.

He was someone I'd encountered when I awakened memories of my past life, so I couldn't possibly forget him even if I tried.

"Colonel Ernst! So, you've been invited too! And the one beside you…"

The man was a brigadier general and commander of a brigade. Nervous, I hastily saluted him.

"It's an honor to see you again, Commander. Captain Daniel Steiner reporting."

"Oh-ho. In the short time I haven't seen you, you've jumped a rank, eh? Though, considering your achievements, it's only natural. Isn't that right, adjutant?"

Philip, the captain who stood in Heinrich's shadow like a figure in the background, nodded.

"That's correct. Captain Daniel Steiner. I'm glad you're part of the empire's military. If we met as enemies, you wouldn't be an easy opponent."

"You flatter me."

It really was excessive praise.

Most of the achievements attributed to me were things that had happened unintentionally.

But Heinrich, perhaps taking my reaction as humility, simply smiled in approval.

"I thought so from the beginning, but you're such an exceptional talent that I'd want to have you as my subordinate. Speaking of which, the Imperial Army will soon push northward for expansion… No, I should save this for later. Colonel Ernst?"

What now? Why stop mid-sentence?

Feeling uneasy, I listened as Ernst responded to Heinrich.

"Yes, please go ahead."

"I believe we need to discuss the future of the empire with the Deputy Secretary of Staff, but I'd like to hear your opinion first. Could we speak somewhere private?"

"Of course, Commander. If you wish, I'd be happy to oblige."

The two walked off, laughing as if they were long-time friends.

Philip, too, was about to follow Heinrich, but he paused to glance back at me.

"Captain Daniel? It seems this is your first banquet. Just wander around, grab a bite to eat, and pass the time. The main event will begin shortly, so bear with it until then."

His considerate words touched me.

Was Philip a saint? I nodded, and he smiled briefly before following Heinrich.

Left alone, I surveyed my surroundings.

'For now…'

It seemed best to sit at one of the many banquet tables and pass the time.

Everyone else was chatting in small groups, and standing alone awkwardly might attract unnecessary attention.

Avoiding excessive scrutiny was my goal.

Thinking as much, I slowly walked toward a banquet table.

'Oh.'

There happened to be an empty seat across from someone already dining.

Alistair, an intelligence operative for the Eldresian Kingdom, discreetly surveyed his surroundings while pretending to eat.

Given that the banquet was hosted by the royal family, countless high-ranking figures were present, even at a glance.

Alistair's mission was to relay the actual attendee list to other operatives.

This way, when the operatives launched their attack on the banquet hall, they could more effectively target their assassination objectives.

As he covertly scanned the area, he became alert to the sound of footsteps.

Click, clack—

The sound of shoes approached steadily before stopping nearby.

Swallowing nervously, Alistair raised his head to see a man with black hair and eyes looking down at him.

He was a figure Alistair knew well.

'Captain Daniel Steiner…'

The man who had broken Reginald—known for being tight-lipped—within a day of interrogation.

Why was he here? Had he been discovered? As Alistair discreetly broke into a cold sweat, Daniel smiled and began to speak.

"Are you here alone? If you don't mind, may I take the seat across from you?"

Refusing would only arouse suspicion. Alistair nodded, tense.

"Yes. If you'd like to, please do."

"Thank you. My legs were starting to ache," Daniel quipped.

He pulled out the chair and sat down, placing his uniform cap on the table with a sigh of relief.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is…"

"I already know. Captain Daniel Steiner, correct?"

Daniel's eyes widened in surprise.

"You know me?"

"Of course. In the capital, not knowing Captain Steiner would make one a spy."

"This is unexpected. I never sought fame…"

Daniel sighed and then noticed what Alistair was eating, letting out an impressed sound.

"Is that spaetzle? And schnitzel on the side! You're from the south, aren't you?"

Alistair wiped his mouth with a napkin and nodded.

"Yes. Back home, spaetzle was a staple food."

"A staple in your hometown… Ah! You must be from Baron Betargen's domain, specifically the Balzach region, right?"

Alistair was about to respond when Daniel held up a hand.

"Let me take a guess. The Balzach region in Baron Betargen's domain is where spaetzle is most common. Am I correct?"

After a moment's hesitation, Alistair nodded.

Saying otherwise would only make things awkward.

"Incredible! Not only are you from the south, but from Balzach, no less! I'm from that region too. Do you know the village of Pianmari?"

Daniel's words, spoken with genuine delight at meeting someone from his region, left Alistair feeling increasingly cornered.

His palms began to sweat.

Trying to calm his nerves, Alistair forced a natural smile.

"Of course, Pianmari. Isn't there a famous restaurant there?"

To avoid suspicion, it was best to create a sense of camaraderie.

Daniel, thrilled to meet a fellow native, nodded with a smile.

"Yes, there was. Jack's Restaurant—quite famous. Its exterior didn't look much like a restaurant, though. I used to go there often when I lived in the area. Such good memories."

Daniel snapped his fingers as if something had just occurred to him.

"If you know Jack's Restaurant, you must have been there! Honestly, if you're from Balzach and haven't been, it's hard to believe."

"Oh, yes, of course."

"What was your favorite dish there?"

This question, meant to share fond memories, only added to Alistair's mounting pressure.

If he named a dish that wasn't on the menu…

Quickly calculating, Alistair recalled a dish common in the southern empire.

"I liked their apple strudel the most. I even visited last year to have some. The flavor still lingers in my memory."

"Ah! Apple strudel!"

Daniel clapped his hands and chuckled.

"Absolutely delicious. I also loved its sweet, soft flavor. Adding vanilla ice cream or whipped cream made it even better."

Alistair sighed in relief.

He had named a dish well-known in the southern empire as a breakfast or dessert.

Now, he just needed to wrap up the conversation and leave.

But then—

"There's something… strange about that."

Strange? What did he mean? Speechless, Alistair froze as Daniel, stroking his chin thoughtfully, turned his head to look directly at him.

Those pitch-black eyes blinked slowly.

"As far as I know, Jack's Restaurant stopped serving apple strudel three years ago. They replaced it with zwetschgenknödel… Do you remember that plum dumpling?"

Alistair's smile faltered.

And at that moment, Daniel's lips curved into a smirk.