Following the terrorist attack at the banquet—now referred to as the “Etherium Displacement Grenade Assassination Incident”—the Imperial forces successfully tracked down and either eliminated or captured the perpetrators in the old city.

    The surviving terrorists were handed over to the military police for interrogation. During this process, Cedric Bendel, the Deputy Chief of Operations in the Imperial General Staff, who attended to gather intelligence, overheard an interesting statement.@@@@

    “It’s because of that bastard... The reason we failed our mission...”

    Rakal, the leader of the captured terrorists, spoke abruptly while undergoing torture in the underground interrogation room.

    Judging by his dazed eyes, he didn’t seem fully aware of what he was saying. However, what mattered was that after enduring torture in complete silence, he had finally opened his mouth.

    As the interrogators murmured among themselves, Cedric spoke up.

    “Interrogator. Give him water.”

    At Cedric’s order, Bendelin nodded and brought a cup of water, pouring it into Rakal’s mouth as he sat tied to the chair.

    Deprived of water for days, Rakal greedily gulped it down the moment it touched his tongue.

    “That’s enough.”

    At Cedric’s command, Bendelin pulled the cup away.

    Rakal cursed but could do nothing more than that, bound tightly to the chair.

    Watching him silently for a moment, Cedric smiled and said,

    “I’d like to hear more details. For example, who this ‘bastard’ you mentioned is. If you tell me, another cup of water isn’t out of the question.”

    Rakal finally seemed to snap back to reality and stared directly at Cedric.

    Upon recognizing the man speaking to him, Rakal’s eyes widened.

    [Imperial General Staff Deputy Chief of Operations / Brigadier General Cedric Bendel]

    Gaunt features and almost colorless eyes.

    Cedric was a high-priority assassination target for the Allied Kingdom’s intelligence division.

    Rakal ground his teeth and trembled with rage, but as a defeated and captured agent, he no longer had the power to kill his adversary.

    Resigning himself, Rakal relaxed his body and let out a bitter laugh.

    “So you didn’t know? That means it wasn’t an official order—just someone acting on their suspicions? Ridiculous...”

    His laugh was filled with self-mockery.

    “...Daniel Steiner. That bastard figured out our plan. We had no choice but to change it. That’s why we abandoned the banquet hall and waited in the old city instead.”

    Daniel Steiner. Cedric had, of course, heard the name.

    After all, he was not only the man credited with saving the Imperial Princess but also someone who had achieved multiple military successes recently.

    But to think Daniel Steiner had been the first to detect signs of the banquet attack.

    And if Rakal’s words were to be believed, Daniel’s suspicions had forced them to abandon their original plan and take a disadvantageous approach.

    ‘Impressive.’

    Combat, logistics, strategy, intelligence, counterintelligence—

    Cedric had seen many young talents excel in one area.

    War breeds heroes, so it was natural for abilities to shine on the battlefield.

    But excelling in every domain? Daniel Steiner was the first he had seen.

    ‘They say you can recognize the value of a precious gem even in its raw form.’

    Cedric knew it was still too early to make final judgments, but he couldn’t deny Daniel’s capabilities.

    ‘Perhaps...’

    Perhaps Daniel Steiner would become the spearhead that led the Empire to victory.

    *****

    With practiced hands, Hartmann untied the ribbon and unrolled it.

    “Hear the words of the ruler of the Empire—Captain Daniel Steiner!”

    Hartmann’s booming voice echoed through the operations office.

    As if rehearsed, everyone in the room, myself included, dropped to one knee.

    “According to the reports from Central Intelligence and the Military Police, you identified a spy at the banquet and maintained suspicion despite his efforts to deceive you. As a result, the enemy was forced to alter their plans, thereby preventing disaster before it could strike.”

    When did I do that?

    “Furthermore, your act of risking your life to protect my daughter, Selvia von Amberg, the Empire’s radiant light, is a deed worthy of the highest praise and recognition. Therefore, I hereby award you the Medal of Honor for National Service, Second Class—the Gukseon Medal.”

    The moment I heard “Gukseon Medal,” a chill ran down my spine.

    To my knowledge, no officer of my rank had ever received it.

    That meant I would be the first—placing me under intense scrutiny.

    Even among senior officers, recipients of the Gukseon Medal were exceedingly rare.

    It also meant that Allied spies would see my head as an even more valuable target.

    I glanced toward Lucy, only to find her wearing an emotionless expression.

    That scared me even more, and I quickly looked away.

    “Rise, Captain Daniel Steiner.”

    At Hartmann’s command, I stood.

    One of the guards stepped forward, carrying an elegant case.

    When the case opened, it revealed a medal, a ribbon bar, and a golden badge.

    Hartmann picked up the badge, no larger than a fingernail, and affixed it to the left side of my uniform.

    “Wear this badge proudly. Wherever you go, people will recognize you as a recipient of the Gukseon Medal. It’s a tremendous honor.”

    It didn’t feel like an honor at all, but I nodded anyway.

    Hartmann patted my shoulder and leaned in slightly.

    “By the way, have you ever considered joining the Royal Guard? With your skills, I think you could rise to Chief of Security in no time.”

    The moment I joined the Royal Guard, escaping the Empire would become nearly impossible.

    I forced an awkward smile.

    “I think the Royal Guard is an honorable organization, but in times of war, I believe my place is on the front lines.”

    Hartmann paused, then nodded as if he understood.

    “I see. A capable young man like you certainly belongs on the battlefield more than in the Guard.”

    Something about that didn’t sound right, and I opened my mouth to clarify, but Hartmann had already stepped back with a grin.

    “Congratulations, Captain Daniel Steiner, recipient of the Gukseon Medal!”

    With that, the informal ceremony concluded, and the staff in the room stood and broke into applause.

    Cheers rang out from all directions, but I felt nothing resembling joy.

    “...”

    My eyes met Lucy’s across the crowd.

    Her calm, steady gaze sent a chill down my spine.

    Sweat trickled down my back.

    ‘No matter what...’

    I needed to escape the Empire as soon as possible.