Mistaken for a War Hero

Chapter 70
Too Dangerous. Time to Lie Low

『 Translator – Divinity 』

Half a month later.

Despite being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, my work hadn’t changed much.

Except for having access to more classified information, my role as Operations Staff Officer remained the same.

This was a relief, as I had been worried about getting caught up in some strange incident.

Relieved by the continuation of my peaceful daily life, I thought to myself that I should lie low for the time being.

However, as if to defy my resolution, I received a message from the Imperial family.

More precisely, it was from Sylvia, the future Empress.

『Please visit the palace when you have time.』

It was written in a letter delivered by a maid from the Imperial Household at the end of the workday.

I was dumbfounded, but it seemed like she had something urgent to discuss, so I informed her that I would visit now and followed the maid.

Leaving the General Staff Headquarters, I saw a luxury sedan parked outside.

It was a car from the Imperial family, sent by Sylvia, who knew I couldn’t refuse.

I chuckled and got into the sedan, and it headed towards the palace.

Arriving at the palace and getting out of the sedan, I followed the maid into the detached palace. It was a building as large as the main palace, so I had no choice but to follow the maid’s guidance.

After navigating through several hallways, we arrived at a vast indoor garden.

Warm air filled the garden, where potted plants and flowers bloomed in a kaleidoscope of colors, and herbs like lavender and rosemary emitted a subtle fragrance.

It was practically a paradise on earth, created with an abundance of manpower and money.

As I marveled at the sheer power of the Imperial family and walked further into the garden, I paused.

I saw Sylvia kneeling in the open space, playing with a dog.

“Good boy. Well done.”

Sylvia gently stroked the head of the dog, which was staring intently with sharp eyes.

It was a Doberman Pinscher, with its shiny black fur and sturdy physique.

I didn’t know Sylvia had a dog. As I approached, the Doberman turned its head.

Grrr—

It bared its teeth and growled at me cautiously.

Sylvia, glancing to the side, noticed me.

With a faint smile, she stroked the Doberman’s head and said,

“Don’t be alarmed. He’s my friend.”

As if understanding her words, the Doberman stopped growling.

I, finding it quite fascinating, spoke up,

“He’s very obedient, isn’t he?”

“They’re a very loyal breed. And compared to other dogs, they’re intelligent, agile, and have a handsome appearance, so they’re quite popular these days. That’s why I brought one here.”

Sylvia chuckled softly and gently pinched the Doberman’s cheek.

“He probably doesn’t mind being brought to the Imperial Palace. He has plenty of food and is pampered by countless maids every day. And his owner is the future Emperor, so he should consider himself lucky.”

Sylvia let go of the Doberman’s cheek, stood up, and turned slightly.

This allowed me to see the red cape draped over her left shoulder.

The luxurious fabric of the cape was embroidered with a golden eagle, showcasing its presence.

This shoulder cape was a ceremonial garment bestowed upon the future Emperor, a symbol of power.

Sylvia, noticing my gaze, narrowed her eyes gently.

“What do you think, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel?”

“…About what, Your Highness?”

“I’m asking if you think this Doberman is content with his situation.”

I felt that Sylvia was subtly testing me with her question.

‘Like father, like daughter…’

Sensing a similar attitude to the Emperor’s, I replied with a hesitant tone,

“I think it depends on the Doberman’s personality and what he seeks in life.”

Sylvia remained silent for a moment at my cryptic answer, then nodded.

She then pointed to a nearby table.

On the table were two cups of hot coffee and some expensive-looking pastries.

“Let’s put the dog aside for now and have some coffee, shall we?”

“I’d be glad to.”

I placed a hand on my chest to express my gratitude and walked towards the table with Sylvia.

Sylvia sat down first, and then I took the seat across from her.

I adjusted my clothes and looked at Sylvia’s face.

‘She’s wearing makeup…’

It was very light makeup, barely noticeable, but I could see the difference.

‘Well, now that the regency has begun, she has to attend various public events…’

It would be better for her to wear light makeup.

However, contrary to Daniel’s assumptions, that wasn’t the real reason why Sylvia was wearing makeup.

Pretending to savor the aroma of the coffee while observing Daniel’s face, Sylvia felt a sense of dissatisfaction.

‘I tried dressing up today, but…’

She had asked the chief lady-in-waiting to do her makeup in a style that was popular with men, and she even wore earrings to stand out, but Daniel didn’t seem to notice.

‘Well…’

The purpose of today’s meeting wasn’t to win Daniel’s romantic affection, so it didn’t particularly matter.

Sylvia took a sip of her coffee, put down the cup, and said,

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel, are you interested in international affairs?”

Daniel also took a sip of his coffee and put down the cup.

“It’s in my nature to be interested, given my profession.”

“Then you must be aware that the Republic and the Federal Republic have recently sided with the Allied Nations and are criticizing the Empire.”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

Since Count Caledra’s declaration against the Empire half a month ago, the international community had been gradually turning its back on the Empire.

It was only natural, in a way.

No country in the world wanted to see the rise of a hegemonic power that far surpassed them.

And the Empire, which had the potential to become that hegemonic power, was even in the middle of a war? They couldn’t help but think that they would be next if the Allied Nations fell.

Fear breeds war.

The major powers had no choice but to take up arms to suppress the Empire before it grew any stronger.

“The Empire won’t be able to avoid a world war.”

By now, the Empire’s military, the Imperial ministers, and the heads of various departments must have noticed the shift in the global landscape.

This wasn’t just a matter for the upper class.

Even the citizens of the capital had heard the news that the Empire was slowly becoming isolated.

Most of them were likely still reeling from the shock of having to fight a war against the world.

However, Sylvia, the future Empress, was able to maintain her composure amidst this turmoil.

This was because she knew in advance that a world war was coming, thanks to Daniel.

“Then…”

Sylvia looked at Daniel with a serious expression.

“We need to prepare for the world war now. It will be too late to prepare after the Republic and the Federal Republic join the war.”

“Do you have any specific plans?”

“Not really. But we have to do everything we can. First, we need to increase taxes to secure more funds… but we can’t raise them too much.”

As the war dragged on, the citizens were becoming increasingly weary.

If they drastically increased taxes at this point, it could lead to a rise in distrust towards the government.

In the worst case, it could even lead to riots or civil war, so they had to be extremely careful.

“There’s a limit to how much we can raise taxes, so I’m planning to issue war bonds. The problem is that it won’t be easy to get citizens to buy them.”

“Because many citizens don’t want the war to drag on any longer.”

“Exactly. So I’m thinking of appointing a speaker to explain to the citizens why we need to continue the war, along with issuing the bonds. What do you think, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel?”

Daniel nodded without any objections.

“It’s a good idea. To gain public trust, issuing bonds and giving speeches are closely related. Then choosing the right speaker will be crucial.”

“That’s what I’m worried about. Who should we put on the podium?”

“If I may offer my advice, look for someone who has recently made military or political achievements. It should be someone the citizens can easily recognize.”

Sylvia nodded.

“And?”

“Someone with a pleasing appearance would be good. I don’t mean they have to be handsome. They should have an impression that appeals to most people. People tend to rely on what they see, so they’re more likely to trust the words of someone who looks presentable.”

Sylvia leaned forward and placed her hands on the table.

“Hmm, any other conditions?”

“To utilize authority and charisma, putting forward someone from the military would be a good method. It would be even better if they have actual combat experience. Even if they embellish the truth a bit to sell the bonds, the citizens won’t think they’re lying…”

Daniel stopped mid-sentence, feeling a sense of unease.

After listing all the criteria, he realized who the most suitable person for the speaker position was.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Did Sylvia call him here with this in mind from the beginning?

Just as Daniel felt Sylvia’s gaze becoming more intense,

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel.”

Her sticky-sweet voice made him doubt his ears.

Sylvia narrowed her eyes and said with an amused expression,

“It seems to me that you fit all the criteria.”

He wanted to scream.