I was mistaken for a great war general

There's a game called Empire of Emperor.

Literally translated, it means The Emperor's Empire—a fantasy war game set in a modern era.

The main objective? Stop the militaristic Empire from conquering the world with its overwhelming power.

It wasn't a mainstream hit, but to me, it was a masterpiece. The game was alive with insanely detailed NPC interactions.

Even peasants had different mindsets depending on their region.

Soldiers didn't just follow orders blindly—they held grudges. If leadership ignored them, they'd desert. Some even staged uprisings.

Former allies could turn into enemies based on your actions—and enemies could become allies.

Every small decision could spiral into a completely different storyline. It was the best game I'd ever played.

But there was one fatal flaw:

No matter what, the Empire always fell.

You played as a protagonist from the Allied Nations, the Empire's enemy. So no matter how skilled you were, the Empire's collapse was set in stone.

The problem?

That "inevitable ending" had somehow become my reality.

"As you all know, the Allied Nations have encircled our infantry. Three kilometers from the first defensive line, five from the second. I trust no one here needs to be told—breaking this siege is our only option."

I turned toward the man speaking in that heavy, commanding voice.

Middle-aged. Scarred face. Eyes sharp as blades.

I knew him all too well.

[Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt – Commander, 1st Magic Mobile Corps HQ]

A named NPC. One of the unavoidable encounters in the game.

Which could only mean one thing—

I was inside the world of Empire of Emperor.

I wanted to deny it. But the eagle-emblazoned flag behind Heinrich, the tactical map on the table… it was all too real.

There was only one faction in the game that used that eagle.

『The Holy Bavarian Empire』

Right. I was now part of the doomed Empire.

But what was I doing here, specifically?

Digging through the fog of my memory, I recalled my name and title:

[Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner – Assistant Operations Planner, Imperial General Staff]

…What an ironic twist of fate.

If I didn't know how the story ended, I might've popped open champagne. After all, I was working in the military's brain—General Staff HQ.

But since I did know, my prestigious title meant nothing.

Garbage. Less than garbage.

Because at the end of the game…

The Empire's leadership is branded as war criminals.

All of them are executed.

And as long as I stayed on this sinking ship, I was bound to go down with it.

I had to escape.

But Imperial officers were locked into an eight-year service term.

No quitting. No resigning.

So how do I get out?

Wiping cold sweat from my palms, I clenched my fist as the idea hit me.

Dishonorable discharge.

If I was declared unfit by court-martial, I'd be booted from service.

That would sever my ties with the Empire—and set me free.

"Lieutenant?"

I flinched at the sound of Heinrich's voice.

When I looked up, the entire table was staring at me.

"You seemed lost in thought while reviewing the map. Have you come up with a plan?"

I had, all right.

A plan to get dishonorably discharged.

These old-school officers probably thought I'd offer a fresh idea.

Especially Heinrich—he was the type to listen regardless of rank.

Too bad for them.

"Commander, sir."

Time to say something completely absurd.

"With all due respect, may I ask how you plan to send reinforcements to the troops surrounded by the enemy?"

"Through the Tebaita Mountain ridges. Intelligence reports it's the least guarded route."

"The Tebaita Mountains… I see."

I paused dramatically, then said:

"In that case, I must strongly urge you to reconsider."

The room fell silent.

A low-ranking officer questioning intelligence reports and staff strategy?

I could feel their glares stabbing me—but I pushed on.

"Commander, don't you find it odd? Why is the enemy's surveillance tight everywhere except the Tebaita ridges?"

"You find that suspicious?"

"Yes. It feels like a trap. As if they want us to advance through there."

Complete nonsense.

But I had to sell it.

"They've likely set traps in the Tebaita ridges. They're waiting for us."

"Do you have any proof?"

"My instincts, sir."

Heinrich raised an eyebrow. Then, surprisingly, he chuckled.

"Name and rank?"

"Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, Assistant Operations Planner."

"You do realize you're going against the staff's recommendations?"

"Yes, sir."

"If we follow your suggestion, we'll need recon. It'll delay our advance. Are you willing to take responsibility?"

Perfect.

"If I'm wrong, I'll resign and accept discharge from the military."

Gasps. Murmurs. My superior's face turned red.

"Lieutenant Steiner! That's—"

"Enough."

Heinrich raised a hand, silencing the room.

He stared straight into my eyes.

"Very well, Daniel Steiner. I'll give you a chance.

But if your decision harms the Empire—I will see you court-martialed."

His voice was razor sharp. A real commander.

In any other world, I might have crumbled under that gaze.

But today?

"That's exactly what I want, Commander."

The Next Morning

Imperial Officer Dormitory

Knock knock—

I groaned and cracked open one eye. It wasn't even wake-up time yet.

Who the hell knocks this early?

"Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner! The Commander is summoning you!"

Wait. What?

I shot up, quickly changed into uniform, and opened the door.

An officer stood outside. Captain rank.

"…Are you Daniel Steiner?"

"Yes, sir. Why is the commander summoning me?"

I already had a good guess.

They must've deployed recon to the Tebaita ridges… found nothing… wasted resources…

And now Heinrich was ready to chew me out and sign the papers for my court-martial.

Perfect.

A little jail time? No problem.

Better than dying with this Empire.

Relieved, I prepared myself—

—until I saw the captain's expression twist into a… smile?

Why was he smiling?

"You can be proud, Lieutenant. Thanks to your instincts, we avoided a disaster. The Commander wishes to reward you personally."

…

What the hell?!