I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander-Chapter 186

Having heard a rough outline of the mysterious businessman, Daniel headed to the reception room of the Central Security Bureau.

Opening the door and stepping inside, Daniel saw Hamthal seated on the sofa, savoring the aroma of coffee.

As he’d heard, the man was a Black man dressed neatly in a suit.

At a glance, it wasn’t an expensive suit, but neither was it cheap.

It gave off a strong impression of being worn not for luxury, but to maintain dignity.

“Hamthal, was it.”

There was something vaguely familiar about his appearance.

As Daniel approached, Hamthal, sensing a presence, set down his cup and looked up.

Wearing a faint smile, Hamthal stood and extended his hand.

“Chief Commissioner, thank you for taking the time for me. My name is Hamthal, a businessman investing here and there in the capital.”

Daniel took Hamthal’s hand.

“I heard you’re making a donation out of goodwill—of course I should make time. I also heard you made a fortune by investing heavily in the munitions industry. Is that true?”

“I earned a decent amount. With that money, I was able to participate in small-scale military supply bids, and now I operate a few transport companies. Of course, I’m still investing.”

For someone said to have made explosive profits in a short time, he was remarkably humble.

Surprised, Daniel withdrew his hand and spoke.

“You’re impressive. I don’t think I could’ve managed money like that. But...”

Studying Hamthal’s face, Daniel tilted his head.

“Haven’t we met before?”

Hamthal let out a low chuckle.

“I’m honored you remember. To be honest, we spoke once on the train. We exchanged greetings in first class on the Royal Express.”

“The Royal Express, first class...”

Searching his memory, Daniel clapped as if something came to him.

“Ah! I remember now. You introduced yourself as being from Nordia back then.”

“That’s right. At the time, you were wearing a Major’s insignia, Chief Commissioner. Now you’re a Colonel—I’d say you’ve been far more successful than me.”

“Success is too generous a word. I’ve simply done what I must for the Empire. Still, since fate has brought us together again, why not sit and talk?”

At Daniel’s invitation, Hamthal nodded and sat on the sofa.

Daniel sat across from him, smiling.

“To have crossed from Nordia and made a name for yourself as a businessman in the Empire—truly impressive. Surely you barely have time to keep your businesses running, and yet you even choose to make donations for the Empire. I can only feel a sense of admiration.”

“I’ve always held respect for you as well, Chief Commissioner, for your dedication to the Empire. Compared to the battlefield where lives are on the line, business is nothing more than a child’s game.”

“Don’t say that. I know full well that business is no different from war.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Daniel lifted his cup and took a sip of coffee.

Judging by the taste, it must have been brewed by Lucy.

Savoring the flavor in his mouth, Daniel set the cup down and spoke.

“Shall we get to the main point now?”

“The main point?”

“What do you want? I know there's no such thing as a free favor in business.”

After all, businessmen were the sort of people who would hire even a monkey if it meant profit.

So he was asking what Hamthal wanted in return for donating to the National Security Oversight Bureau.

Hamthal seemed to think for a moment, then raised his head to meet Daniel’s eyes.

“There’s not much I want. But if you insist on asking, I’d like it if news of my donation could be printed on the front page of the Imperial Daily. In times of war, patriotic donations make for effective advertising, after all.”

“That’s all?”

“I shouldn’t be asking for anything more, should I? Even if I say this, my patriotism isn’t a lie. I truly hope for a more ideal Empire to be born. And I believe that by Her Majesty’s side, leading that Empire, you will be there, Chief Commissioner.”

Hamthal was simply operating Blackbird for the sake of that future.

“When that day comes, I believe you will uproot the racial discrimination spread across the world—just as you did in Nordia, Chief Commissioner. That’s why I’d like to ask...”

Hamthal looked directly at Daniel and continued.

“Do you believe that, in the future, racial discrimination will be eliminated?”

Anyone living in this era would have hesitated to answer such a question.

To be honest, even in the Empire—where discrimination based on status was abolished and legal distinctions by race were outlawed—people still implicitly rejected each other.

In such a time, how many could confidently say the future would be different?

But Daniel could answer with certainty.

Because in his previous life, he had already seen how history would unfold.

“It won’t disappear completely.”

“I thought so...”

“But I can assure you, it will be far better than now. At the very least, people won’t suffer disadvantages just because of their race. Who knows? In the distant future, a Black man might become the leader of a great power.”

Hamthal was struck by Daniel’s final words.

A Black man... as the leader of a great power...

It was absurd.

The world Hamthal had lived in would never allow such a thing.

Yet Daniel had spoken of such an impossible future with complete ease.

Even Hamthal, who had lived his whole life as a Black man, had never dared imagine it.

Perhaps Daniel Steiner... is more genuine than I am...

Perhaps he was truly sincere in his desire to abolish racial discrimination.

Of course, Daniel had only recalled the history he had experienced in his previous life, but there was no way for Hamthal to know that.

Moved as if standing before a prophet, Hamthal nodded with a faint smile.

“Your vision is incredibly vast, Chief Commissioner. Far beyond anything I could reach. With this, I believe I can entrust you with the documents.”

Documents? Daniel blinked in confusion.

As he wondered what Hamthal was talking about, the businessman reached into his coat.

What emerged from Hamthal’s hand was an old, worn document.

“I came across this while expanding my business—unintentionally, of course. It seems to be encrypted, but I couldn’t make any sense of it and have been quite anxious about it. I thought perhaps you might be able to read it, Chief Commissioner.”

Curious about what he meant, Daniel accepted the document from Hamthal.

Unfolding the creased paper, Daniel saw that the text was written in double encryption.

“This is...”

They were codes once used by the Allied Nations.

Having learned cipher decryption at the academy, Daniel recognized them immediately.

“These codes were discontinued due to security vulnerabilities. Which means...”

This document itself was a classified file from at least ten years ago.

While puzzling over the document and decrypting its contents, Daniel unconsciously froze.

“This is a document about the Lucy Project. More precisely, it describes the location and geographical advantages of the laboratory where the Lucy Project was conducted. A copy, perhaps?”

With his thoughts reaching that point, Daniel folded the document and looked at Hamthal.

“...Where exactly did you get this?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I acquired it unintentionally while expanding my business. If you want it, you may keep it. I have no use for it.”

Hamthal spoke in a tone that discouraged further questioning, and then stood up.

“Then I’ll be on my way. I can’t continue wasting your precious time, Chief Commissioner. I’ll send the donation-related documents later in writing.”

Bowing politely, Hamthal walked toward the reception room door.

There was something subtly suspicious about him, but Daniel couldn’t bring himself to call him back.

Soon after Hamthal exited the room, Lucy entered.

“Chief Commissioner. If your meeting is over, we need to prepare for the reception with Ambassador Vellanos—”

As Lucy stepped into the reception room, Daniel hurriedly tucked the document into his coat.

It was information she had no business knowing.

The problem was—Lucy had seen him do it.

“Chief Commissioner? Did you just... hide something?”

He’d been caught.

Breaking into a cold sweat, Daniel answered as naturally as he could.

“Hide something? I was just looking at a picture of Kelly and put it back in my coat.”

But Lucy didn’t seem convinced.

Realizing her crimson eyes were staring at him with a sharp intensity, Daniel cleared his throat and stood up.

“Lieutenant. It’s not proper to doubt your superior. If you want, I can pull the photo of Kelly out of my coat and show you. What do you say?”

At the mention of Kelly’s photo, Lucy’s expression changed completely.

Though she’d wanted to see it all this time, she never asked because she didn’t want to be a bother. Now the opportunity had finally come.

Struggling to contain her excitement, Lucy replied,

“...I would like to see it.”

Thinking the subject had been safely diverted, Daniel sighed inwardly in relief and reached into his coat.

“Very well. She’s a cute and lovely one—you’ll like her.”

Instead of the document, Daniel pulled out Kelly’s photo and handed it to Lucy.

Lucy accepted the photo with trembling hands.

“...”

And then she froze on the spot.

Because in the photo... was a Golden Retriever, smiling brightly.

Staring blankly in disbelief, Lucy slowly lifted her head.

“Colonel Daniel...? I don’t think that’s a very funny joke.”

“Joke? What are you talking about?”

“This is a puppy. Not Kelly.”

A question mark practically appeared above Daniel’s head.

He had no idea what Lucy was trying to say.

It took him a while before he finally spoke.

“I’m not sure what you mean. That is Kelly.”

Lucy’s red eyes trembled.

Confused and distressed, she barely managed to open °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° her mouth.

“...As far as I know, Colonel Daniel, you always spoke of Kelly with such longing. With such sorrow in your eyes.”

“She was my dearest friend when I was young. I was the one who insisted she be raised at the monastery in the first place—of course I have many memories of her.”

“T-Then what about when you said you wanted to embrace Kelly? That holding her and rolling around with her was the joy of your life?”

Lucy’s voice was trembling.

Daniel looked at her in surprise—Lucy was unusually emotional, unlike her usual composed self.

He didn’t know exactly what she was expecting, but he had no choice but to speak the truth.

“Well...”

After a brief silence, Daniel answered awkwardly.

“Kelly is a dog.”