I gritted my teeth and floored the accelerator.
Stopping meant death. That was the only thought racing through my mind.
Trying to calm my ragged breathing, I grabbed the radio without taking my eyes off the road.
"This is Kingfisher! Enemy ambush! I repeat—enemy ambush! Approximately 42 kilometers east of Mavrashka Village! Requesting immediate support!"
Switching channels, I called my unit.
"This is the lieutenant! Respond! Damn it, someone say something—anything!"
After a tense pause, a trembling voice finally came through.
— "L-Lieutenant? We don't know what's going on! We veered off onto a side path to avoid the gunfire… but we're heading in the opposite direction from you!"
It was Freen. Not the calmest under pressure, but this wasn't the time to be picky.
"Fine. Keep driving. Put as much distance between yourselves and the enemy as possible. Then dismount, spread out, and assess their numbers while waiting for reinforcements. If you think they can be suppressed—"
Boom!
A violent jolt rocked the vehicle. The radio slipped from my grasp.
Selvia groaned beside me as the world spun around.
I gripped the wheel tight, swearing under my breath.
'The tire's blown. Whether it was deliberate or not, it doesn't matter now...'
But at least the gunfire was fading.
We'd bought ourselves some time—but not much.
A sharp turn loomed ahead.
I slammed the brakes.
Screeeeech—
The jeep skidded hard. I yanked the wheel and forced it into a controlled spin.
It tilted dangerously—but didn't flip. At the last moment, I punched the accelerator.
The tires caught and the jeep surged forward.
Thunk!
Selvia let out a sharp scream.
Guilt tugged at me for a split second—but now wasn't the time.
I shifted gears and accelerated again.
The jeep roared to life… then wobbled.
"Damn it…!"
The tire had finally given out. Hissing loudly, it collapsed completely.
Slamming the brakes only made things worse.
The vehicle spun out of control.
Crash!
We slammed into a tree. My bones rattled from the impact.
"Ugh…"
Smoke leaked from the hood.
I glanced down—Selvia was sprawled across my leg, groaning.
"You alright?" I asked.
Of course she wasn't—but it felt polite to ask.
She glared at me, then slowly sat up.
"I'm not alright, but I can move. More importantly—how did they know where we'd be?"
That surprised me.
No panic. No tears.
Then again, this was the future Empress. The "Ironblood" of the Empire.
"Must've been a spy at the forward base. It's common in wartime."
I reached for the door handle. Jammed.
I kicked it a few times until the metal frame bent and the door popped open.
I extended my hand.
"Come on. We need to move before they catch up."
"Right," Selvia nodded, grabbing my hand.
As she stepped out, I noticed her shoulders tremble slightly.
So she was scared after all.
Suppressing a chuckle, I guided her toward the forest.
She blushed faintly.
"You're a reckless driver, Lieutenant Daniel."
Trying to change the subject, huh?
"Thanks for the compliment."
"Do you think that was a compliment?"
"If I hadn't driven recklessly, we'd be full of bullet holes. I call that heroic."
"We wouldn't have been shot. I have—"
She cut herself off.
Good. Trying to outtalk someone more experienced was a losing battle.
"Lieutenant Daniel, what do we—?"
I clamped a hand over her mouth.
Voices.
"Mm?!"
She flailed briefly, but calmed when I signaled for silence.
We ducked behind the bushes.
"...They have to be nearby. The jeep's wrecked—they couldn't have gone far."
"Damn it! I told you to hide the spike strips better!"
"Shut up, Beldom! Complaining won't fix anything!"
I peeked through the leaves.
Six of them. Allied soldiers. No reinforcements in sight.
They were getting closer.
'They're Allies… If I surrender and request asylum, they might take me in. I'm not just a grunt—I'm Imperial General Staff. Valuable.'
'If they have a spy, they probably have a smuggling route, too.'
It wasn't the escape I'd planned—but it would do.
"Miss Reporter."
I glanced at Selvia.
I couldn't surrender while she was here.
She'd kill me herself before letting me defect.
"We'll be discovered soon. One of us needs to be bait to draw them away. I'll do it."
Her eyes widened.
"No! Don't be ridiculous! You'll die!"
"If my death ensures your survival, that's enough. Soldiers exist to protect civilians."
"Lieutenant Daniel…!"
I grasped her shoulders gently.
"Please live. If peace ever returns to the Empire… I hope you'll remember me."
Her cheeks flushed, moved by the gesture.
I let go and stood.
"W-Wait! You don't have to—!"
Too late.
I sprinted away in the opposite direction.
"Hey! Over there!"
"Get him!"
Their shouts echoed behind me.
Perfect.
Everything was going according to plan.
At this rate, escaping the Empire was only a matter of time.
Selvia stared after him, stunned.
Daniel's words echoed in her mind.
'If my death ensures your survival, that's enough.'
The image of him facing death willingly burned into her thoughts.
What officer would die for a mere reporter?
'Captain Heinz was wrong.'
No respect for others? Nonsense.
Daniel Steiner had proven his worth with actions, not empty words.
The Empire couldn't afford to lose a man like him.
"Royal Guards."
At her signal, the air shimmered.
Camouflaged soldiers appeared, gas masks covering their faces.
Selvia didn't look at them as she spoke.
"Rescue Lieutenant Daniel Steiner. If he suffers so much as a scratch…"
Her voice turned cold.
"I won't forgive any of you."
The guards nodded and vanished into the trees.
Selvia stood quietly, pressing a hand to her chest.
Her heart was still racing—not from fear, but from something else.