There is 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 of the game is to stop the militaristic Empire, which seeks to unify the world through its overwhelming national power.
While it wasn’t particularly popular, it was my favorite game because of its incredibly rich NPC interactions.
For example, even peasants had different values depending on their region and country.
Soldiers didn’t just move mechanically—they harbored personal grievances, and if the command failed to address them, desertion and rebellion would occur.
Additionally, NPCs who were once allies could become enemies depending on the player’s actions—and vice versa.
Truly, it was a masterpiece!
Even a slight variation in gameplay could create entirely new storylines, making it the best game I had ever played.
However, there was one flaw—no matter how you played, the Empire was destined to fall.
After all, the player-controlled protagonist belonged to the Allied Nations, the Empire’s enemy, so the outcome was inevitable.
The problem was that this so-called “inevitable outcome” had somehow become my reality.
“As you all know, the Allied Nations have surrounded our infantry divisions at a distance of 3 kilometers from the first defensive line and 5 kilometers from the second. I trust no one here is unaware that breaking through this encirclement is the only way to turn the tide.”
I turned to look at the man speaking in a stern voice.
A middle-aged man with a scarred face and sharp wrinkles—someone I knew all too well.
【Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt, Commander of the 1st Magic Mobile Corps Operations Headquarters】
He was a named NPC you couldn’t avoid encountering in the game.
‘Which means...’
It was undeniable that I had somehow ended up inside the game world.
I wanted to deny it, but the tactical map spread out on the headquarters table and the proud eagle-shaped emblem displayed behind Heinrich confirmed it repeatedly.
And as far as I knew, there was only one place where that eagle emblem served as a military symbol.
『The Holy Bavarian Empire』
That’s right.
I was at the heart of an Empire fated to be destroyed by the game’s ending.
And what was I doing here in the middle of it?
Digging through my memory, I recalled my title.
【Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, Assistant Operations Planner at the Imperial General Staff】
What an ironic twist. I was an assistant planner at the Imperial Military Headquarters.
If I hadn’t known the Empire was doomed, I might have popped open champagne to celebrate my elite career path.
But knowing its inevitable downfall made my title worth less than garbage.
‘At the ending...’
The leaders of the Empire, branded as war criminals, couldn’t escape execution.
And as long as I was part of this structure, I was fated to share their fate.
That couldn’t happen. I hadn’t survived this long just to die a meaningless death.
I wanted to submit my resignation, but Imperial officers were bound by an 8-year mandatory service term.
It wasn’t a job I could just walk away from.
So how could I escape this place?
While wiping the cold sweat from my palms, I clenched my fist as a shallow realization struck me.
‘Dishonorable discharge…!’
If I was declared unfit by court-martial, I could be dishonorably discharged.
That would free me from the military’s control.
I could leave the Empire as a free man—
“Lieutenant?”
I flinched as Heinrich called out to me.
When I looked up, Heinrich and the senior officers were all staring at me.
“It seemed like you were deep in thought, looking over the map and pondering our situation. Did you come up with a plan?”
I did think of something.
A plan to escape this damned Empire.
Feeling the weight of the officers’ gazes, I cleared my throat and quickly calculated my next move.
‘…This might be my chance to get dishonorably discharged.’
Why did Heinrich ask for my opinion?
As an assistant planner, they probably thought I’d picked up something useful while observing the senior staff.
These rigid, old-fashioned officers wanted to hear a fresh perspective from a young officer brimming with enthusiasm.
Heinrich, in particular, was the type who listened to opinions regardless of rank.
But I had no intention of meeting his expectations.
I had no desire to sink with this doomed ship.
“Commander, sir.”
So I decided to say something completely wrong to ensure my dishonorable discharge.
“With all due respect, may I ask how you plan to send reinforcements to rescue our troops trapped in enemy territory?”
“Hmm. According to the staff’s recommendations, we’ll advance through the ridges of the Tebaita Mountains. Intelligence reports suggest it’s the least guarded area.”
“The Tebaita Mountains…”
After pausing, I spoke.
“In that case, I must respectfully ask you to reconsider.”
The room fell silent.
It was natural for them to be shocked—a low-ranking officer questioning the staff and intelligence reports?
I felt the pressure of the officers’ glares, but I feigned composure and continued.
“Commander, doesn’t it strike you as odd? Why is the enemy’s surveillance tight everywhere except for the Tebaita Mountain ridges?”
“You find it suspicious?”
“Yes. It feels like the enemy is luring us in—as if they’re encouraging us to advance through the Tebaita Mountains.”
It was complete nonsense.
The Intelligence Bureau’s reports were obviously more accurate than my baseless claim.
But I pushed forward because my goal was dishonorable discharge.
So I doubled down on my ridiculous argument.
“The enemy must have set traps around the Tebaita Mountain ridges, waiting for us.”
“Any evidence?”
“My instincts tell me so.”
When I responded firmly, Heinrich’s eyebrow twitched.
After a brief laugh, Heinrich tapped the table.
“Name and rank?”
“Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner, Assistant Operations Planner.”
“Very well, Daniel Steiner. You do realize you’re directly opposing the staff’s conclusions, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If we follow your suggestion, we’ll need extensive reconnaissance, delaying our advance. Are you prepared to take responsibility for the consequences?”
Exactly what I wanted.
“If my prediction proves wrong, I will gladly resign and leave the military.”
The room erupted with murmurs and sighs.
My superior officer scowled and tried to reprimand me.
“Lieutenant Steiner! How dare you speak out of turn—”
He fell silent when Heinrich raised his hand.
“Daniel Steiner, I’ll give you a chance.”
Heinrich smiled but his tone sharpened.
“But remember—words cannot be taken back. If your decision costs the Empire, I’ll have no hesitation in calling for a court-martial.”
His piercing gaze sent chills down my spine.
A true veteran who commanded authority with a single word.
In another situation, I might have backed down.
But not now.
I held his gaze and smiled faintly.
“That’s exactly what I want, Commander.”
*****
The Next Morning.
Imperial General Staff Officer Dormitory.
Knock, knock—
I slowly opened my eyes at the sound of knocking.
Turning my head, I glanced at the alarm clock. It wasn’t wake-up time yet.
Who the hell is knocking this early?
Still half-asleep, I blinked in confusion as another knock echoed through the door.
“Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner! The Commander is summoning you! Wake up immediately!”
The mention of the commander snapped me wide awake.
“Ah, understood!”
I hurriedly answered, jumped out of bed, and quickly changed into my uniform before opening the door.
Outside stood an officer, also dressed in the Imperial military uniform.
Judging by the three diamonds on his shoulder epaulet, he was a captain—my superior.
“…Are you Second Lieutenant Daniel Steiner?”
“Yes, sir. But why is the commander summoning me?”
Though I asked, I already had a pretty good idea.
After hearing my suggestion, the commander must have deployed a large reconnaissance unit to the ridges, only for them to come up empty-handed.
Wasting manpower during wartime was practically a crime, so the commander had likely called me to reprimand my incompetence.
Heinrich would label me as human garbage and immediately convene a court-martial.
Once that happened, all I had to do was plead guilty, resign, and secure my dishonorable discharge—a free pass out of this mess.
Depending on how things went, I might even end up serving a short prison sentence. But rotting in jail for a few years was infinitely better than getting executed as part of the leadership of a defeated war criminal nation.
Thinking everything was going according to plan, I felt a wave of relief—
—until I saw the captain’s lips curl into a smile.
Was he mocking me?
No, wait. Something felt… off.
“You can be proud of yourself, Lieutenant. Thanks to your accurate instincts, our forces were able to prevent a disaster in advance. The commander has summoned you to discuss a reward for your contribution.”
…What the hell?