Chapter 13

I clenched my teeth and pressed the accelerator to the floor.

If I stop, I'll die. That thought was all that filled my mind.

I tried to steady my increasingly ragged breathing and grabbed the radio while still driving.

"This is Kingfisher! Enemy attack! I repeat, this is Kingfisher! Enemy attack! Approximately 42 km from Mabracika village! Request immediate support!"

After finishing my transmission, I quickly changed the frequency and addressed my platoon members.

"This is the platoon commander! Respond! Damn it, say something, anything!"

When I released the transmission button, a trembling voice came through from the other end.

─ L-Lieutenant? We don't understand what's happening. For now, we've taken a detour. But because of the gunfire, we went down a side path opposite yours!

It was Freien's voice.

I would have preferred someone calmer to man the radio, but this wasn't the time to be picky.

"Good. Drive as far as you can, and once you feel you've put some distance between you and the enemy, dismount and scatter! After that, assess the enemy's numbers while waiting for reinforcements from the forward base. If you determine the enemy can be subdued...!"

Boom─!

A sudden impact shook the vehicle violently, causing me to lose grip of the radio.

As Selvia groaned in pain, my vision blurred and flashed erratically.

In the chaotic situation, I clung desperately to the steering wheel.

'The tire's blown. I can't tell if it was intentional or a stray bullet...'

What mattered now was that the gunfire was growing distant.

We had managed to create some distance, buying us a bit of time.

But it was still too early to relax—we had to get out of their line of sight completely.

Just then, a sharp curve appeared ahead.

To throw them off as much as possible, I released the accelerator and slammed on the brakes.

Screeech─

The tires screeched as they skidded against the ground, and I turned the steering wheel sharply.

The jeep spun halfway around, tilting precariously.

Just as it was about to tip over, I stomped on the accelerator.

The tires spun rapidly, propelling the vehicle forward.

The jeep, which had been on the verge of flipping, regained its balance and settled back onto all four wheels.

With a thud, Selvia let out a piercing scream.

It was such a pitiful sound that I felt like apologizing, but now was not the time to concern myself with such matters.

I shifted gears and pressed the accelerator again.

Could this jeep really move so fast? The thought crossed my mind for a fleeting moment before my vision blurred.

'Damn it…!'

The bullet-pierced tire had lost all its air and could no longer function properly.

Panicking, I slammed on the brakes, but the situation only worsened.

The tires screeched loudly against the ground as the vehicle spun out of control.

With a crash, a massive impact reverberated through the vehicle.

"Ugh!"

I steadied myself from the jarring blow and slowly raised my head to see the bonnet embedded in a tree trunk.

Smoke was seeping out, a clear sign that the vehicle was utterly wrecked.

"Ugh... Ugh…"

A faint groan came from near my thigh.

Finally looking down at Selvia, I asked with concern in my voice, "Are you alright?"

She couldn't possibly be fine, but I asked out of courtesy.

Selvia seemed to understand this, glaring at me once before sitting up.

"I'm not okay, but I can move. More importantly, how did they know our route?"

It was unexpected. I thought she'd cry in fear or succumb to terror.

But then again, this girl was destined to become an empress someday, commanding the most powerful army in the world.

If she had panicked in a situation like this, she wouldn't have earned the title of the Ironblood.

"There must be a spy at the forward base feeding information to the enemy. It's a common occurrence in wartime."

As I spoke, I grabbed the handle of the driver's door. The twisted frame wouldn't budge.

After a few forceful tugs, I turned and kicked it with my foot.

A couple of hard stomps with my military boot, and the door finally gave way and fell off with a loud clunk.

I climbed out through the open door and extended a hand toward Selvia.

"Get out for now. We need to put more distance between us before the pursuit catches up."

"Yes, that's probably for the best."

Selvia grabbed my hand without hesitation and climbed out of the jeep.

Once outside, she took a deep breath, but her shoulders trembled slightly.

Though she was trying to remain composed, she was still a young girl after all.

I chuckled softly and began leading her into the forest.

Selvia, following close behind, seemed to notice my laughter and blushed faintly.

"You drive like a maniac, Lieutenant Daniel."

Look at her trying to change the subject out of embarrassment—she was every bit the awkward adolescent.

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Do you actually take that as a compliment?"

"If I hadn't driven like that, you and I would've been riddled with bullets by now. So yes, I consider it a compliment."

"We wouldn't have been riddled with bullets. I have…"

Selvia trailed off, mumbling something incomprehensible before falling silent.

That's better. Trying to out-talk a battle-hardened adult was ten years too soon for her.

"Lieutenant Daniel, from now on we should—"

I silenced her with a hand over her mouth.

From not far away, I could hear the voices of the enemy.

"Mmph?!"

Selvia tried to struggle, but I raised a finger to my lips to gesture for silence.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, she nodded.

I led her to a nearby bush and crouched behind it, straining my ears to listen.

"…They're around here somewhere. The car's totaled, so they couldn't have gone far."

"Damn it! I told you to hide the spike strip better!"

"Shut up, Beldom! Complaining won't fix anything!"

Peeking out cautiously, I counted six of them.

It seemed they were moving as a squad. For now, there were no other units in sight.

The problem was that they were slowly closing in on our position.

At this rate, we'd be discovered for sure… Wait a second.

'Come to think of it, aren't they from the Allied Forces?'

If so, surrendering and requesting asylum might actually work.

I was a staff officer from the Empire. Unless they were blinded by vengeance, they'd see my strategic value.

'If they've been communicating with spies, they've probably arranged a way to escape to the Allied Nations too.'

I hadn't expected to gain an opportunity to defect like this, but it was a stroke of luck nonetheless.

"…Reporter."

Of course, I couldn't apply for asylum in front of the princess.

If I did, my life would be in danger long before I reached the Allied Forces.

"We're going to be discovered soon. One of us needs to act as a decoy to distract them so the other can survive. I'll be the bait and lead them away."

Selvia's eyes widened in shock at my words.

Her face was filled with dismay.

She whispered urgently, "Stop that at once! You'll die if you do that!"

"If my death means you can survive, then so be it. A soldier's duty is to protect the citizens of their nation."

"Lieutenant Daniel…!"

I gently held her shoulders and spoke with as much sincerity as I could muster.

"Please, live on. If peace ever comes to the Empire, remember that I existed."

Her face flushed as if she were moved by my words.

My dramatic performance had likely done the trick, so I released her shoulders and stood up.

"Wait, hold on! There's no need to run away…!"

Selvia tried desperately to stop me, but the die was already cast.

I pushed off the ground and sprinted in the direction opposite where she was hiding.

"Wha—?!"

"There he is! Get him!"

I heard the soldiers of the Allied Forces shouting as they began their pursuit.

Perfect. Everything was going according to plan.

At this rate, escaping the Empire was only a matter of time!

Left behind, Selvia stared blankly at the path Daniel had run down.

His words replayed in her mind.

─ If my death means you can survive, then so be it. A soldier's duty is to protect the citizens of their nation.

His image, solemn and resolute as he chose to face death, was vivid in her mind.

To Selvia, it seemed utterly surreal.

What officer would sacrifice their life for a mere war correspondent?

'…Captain Heinz was wrong.'

He had claimed Daniel had no respect for others? Nonsense.

Daniel was willing to lay down his life for the people of the Empire.

Unlike the imperial bureaucrats who only paid lip service to sacrifice, Daniel had shown true selflessness through his actions.

He had to be saved. He must not be lost in such a meaningless place.

"Imperial Guard."

At her soft command, the air around her distorted, and soldiers wearing gas masks began to appear one by one.

They had been camouflaged near Selvia, and at the mention of "Imperial Guard," they disengaged their optical cloaking.

Without even glancing at them, Selvia spoke firmly.

"Rescue Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. If he suffers so much as a scratch…"

Her eyes narrowed sharply as she cast a cold glance at them.

"I will not forgive you."

The Imperial Guard saluted in unison and promptly vanished into the forest, each one blending into the terrain.

Selvia, watching them leave, whispered softly to herself.

"…I will never forget you."

As her whisper faded, a faint smile tugged at her lips.

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, her heart was at ease.