chapter_0067

66 – Rising Infamy

66 – Rising Infamy

Thanks to Hartmann’s consideration, I returned to my accommodation and rested, and the next morning I headed to the headquarters.

The clear weather with not a cloud in sight and the cool breeze lifted my spirits, but as soon as I entered the headquarters, all that good feeling vanished.

Everyone I encountered in the hallway treated me like some kind of ghost.

Those of lower rank stiffly saluted me, while even the higher-ups hurriedly returned my salute without making eye contact.

I wondered why this was happening, and while stopping by the break room for coffee, I was able to grasp the situation.

The personnel officers were gathered, discussing me.

“Did you hear? Operation Officer Daniel Steiner. He pretended to go on leave while carrying out a mission for Her Highness the Princess.”

“I heard he even visited Duke Belvar’s mansion? Along with Lieutenant Colonel Hartmann, who is in charge of the Princess’s personal security.”

“Now that he’s become a war hero, he probably intends to enter politics. Anyway, let’s not give Daniel Steiner any reason to hold a grudge against us. We can’t afford to get caught in the crossfire. And…”

The lieutenant colonel from the personnel planning department noticed me and trailed off.

The startled lieutenant colonel suddenly gave me an awkward smile.

Then he whispered something to his colleagues.

At the lieutenant colonel’s strange behavior, the officers who had been chatting turned to glance at me and cleared their throats awkwardly.

The lowest-ranking among them, a major, spoke to me.

“G-Good morning, Major Daniel.”

After taking a sip of my coffee, I replied.

“Yes. Good morning. It’s a nice day to talk about others.”

At my words, everyone began to look around nervously, discarded their coffee, and hurriedly walked away.

“Now that I think about it, I have urgent matters to attend to…”

“Oh. I also need to see the department head, so I should be going.”

They all muttered excuses and lined up to leave the break room.

I let out a low sigh as I quietly observed them.

Given the strange rumors circulating in the headquarters, it seemed I had somehow established myself as “the closest aide to Her Highness the Princess.”

However, I couldn’t blame those spreading the rumors.

“I would think the same if I were in their shoes.”

From the circumstances alone, it would be odd not to consider me the Princess’s closest aide.

But from my perspective, which had no intention of being that, it was quite a headache.

“How did things end up like this…”

I had merely gone back to my hometown to enjoy my vacation, but after unintentionally apprehending the Prince’s private organization there, things had spiraled out of control.

“I wonder what His Majesty the Emperor thinks of me…”

When I had met His Majesty before, he had clearly stated that “soldiers must maintain political neutrality,” yet here I was, continuing down a distinctly political path.

“He surely doesn’t think highly of me.”

It’s common knowledge that earning the Emperor’s ire is not a good thing.

Though worry loomed over me, it was a bad habit to dwell on things that hadn’t even happened yet.

Finishing the last of my coffee, I crumpled the paper cup and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

After grabbing my briefcase, I left the break room and climbed the stairs to my private office.

Upon opening the door to my office, I saw Lucy, who was working as usual.

Lucy sensed my presence, looked up, and immediately stood to salute.

“Major, you’re in early today.”

“I couldn’t sleep for some reason. By the way, you don’t need to worry about the Security Agency anymore.”

“…Did you resolve it?”

Nodding, I started to walk toward my desk but hesitated.

There was a box on my desk, carefully wrapped with a ribbon.

Feeling puzzled, I approached and tapped the box.

“What’s this? It looks highly suspicious.”

“It’s apple strudel. I thought you would like it, so I brought it.”

“Hmm? Do they sell this at the dessert shop? It’s southern cuisine, so it’s not something you’d find around here.”

Lucy hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“I made it myself.”

“…You made it?”

Lucy nodded with an expressionless face.

Thanks to that, I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.

“Is this an assassination attempt?”

A sudden chill ran through me, but I quickly regained my composure.

“They wouldn’t try to kill me here in the headquarters… especially not in a space where it would be easy to identify the culprit.”

Lucy wouldn’t be unaware of that, so it was hard to believe she would prepare food for an assassination.

“Then it means she made me dessert out of pure goodwill.”

Not knowing the reason, I stood still for a moment before a slight realization dawned on me.

“Could it be that she thinks I protected her from the Security Agency?”

In reality, I had acted solely for self-preservation, but it seemed I had instilled a strange misconception in Lucy.

Since there was no need to clarify, I simply nodded and untied the ribbon on the box.

As I untied the ribbon, the box opened like a blooming flower, revealing the apple strudel baked in a delicious shape.

“It looks delicious.”

I picked up the utensils included in the box, sliced a piece of the apple strudel, and put it in my mouth.

After chewing a few times, I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“This is… amazing.”

The refreshing and crisp taste of the apple combined with the warm and fragrant flavor of cinnamon.

Alongside it, the walnuts and almonds provided a crunchy texture, while the sugar and raisins subtly proclaimed, “We’re here!”

Moreover, the dough was perfectly baked, delivering a delightful nutty flavor.

I had eaten quite a bit of apple strudel before, but this was the best I had ever tasted.

“You could start a business with this. Do you enjoy cooking often?”

It was a purely curious question, but Lucy blinked in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected to be praised.

After a moment of silence, as if she were choosing her words, Lucy finally spoke.

“Not really. I bought a cookbook yesterday and practiced…”

Lucy trailed off, seemingly embarrassed to admit she had practiced cooking for me.

After a while of fidgeting, Lucy regained her composure and said,

“…This is a token of my gratitude for your consideration yesterday.”

With that, Lucy bowed her head slightly and sat down.

Though she resumed her work with a blank expression, she couldn’t hide the slight redness in her ears.

“Moreover…”

Perhaps due to the trial and error of practicing cooking, Lucy had a bandage on her left index finger.

“She probably cut herself while slicing the apples.”

To practice cooking for her superior and serve it to him was commendable enough to warrant excessive praise.

She truly was an exemplary aide.

“The problem is…”

That aide was currently plotting to take my life.

It was highly likely that she had made this dish to lower my guard.

Thinking that made my throat feel tight.

“I guess it would be best to deal with the remaining food…”

I thought it would be better to handle it back at my accommodation.

–

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace’s meeting room.

“What… did you just say?”

The blonde-haired Prince Arno’s eyes flickered.

The news delivered by the deputy director of the Intelligence Department, Pelliston, was simply too absurd.

Though the Prince wanted to deny reality, Pelliston repeated what he had said, even while sweating.

“…Duke Belvar has announced that he will withdraw from the heir battle. He is currently refusing all external visits and is holed up inside.”

It was truly a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

From Prince Arno’s perspective, with the Dawn of the Morning apprehended, he needed Duke Belvar’s support to continue the heir battle.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, Belvar had declared his withdrawal of support, leaving Arno dumbfounded.

“Why on earth…”

At Arno’s muttering, Pelliston answered.

“I don’t know the exact circumstances, but it seems he changed his mind after speaking with Major Daniel Steiner.”

“…Daniel Steiner? That guy again?”

Arno, who had been laughing as if liberated, suddenly shouted.

“Why the hell is that bastard interfering with me at every turn? Why!?”

From the initial northern assassination incident to now, Daniel Steiner had not only blocked Arno’s path but had also turned all his plans to dust.

Now, he had even caused Belvar to withdraw his support, utterly shattering Arno’s future.

His head throbbed.

At the same time, a rage was igniting within him.

“Deputy Director! The fight is not over yet! Right now! Bring me information to arrest Daniel Steiner! Find evidence that he used soldiers! For my sake…”

Arno’s voice gradually diminished.

The deputy director, who would usually nod with a resolute expression, was now looking around like a fool.

At that moment, the deputy director bowed his head apologetically.

“Your Highness, we also conducted a personal investigation, but we found no evidence.”

“No evidence?”

“Yes. We judged that Daniel was building a personal force and launched a large-scale investigation, but nothing was discovered.”

Cold sweat trickled down the deputy director’s forehead.

“If he could take down the Dawn of the Morning in one fell swoop, it must be a large organization. Therefore, there should be a system for sending and receiving orders. However, Daniel…”

The deputy director bowed his head even deeper.

“Major Daniel Steiner did not communicate with anyone from the organization while he was down south. The organization that attacked the Dawn of the Morning has also scattered, and we could find no trace of them.”

“What do you mean…”

“Your Highness, to be honest, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re chasing a ghost. We have no idea how Daniel Steiner is operating.”

There was a hint of fear in the deputy director’s voice.

As a result, Arno, who had been stunned, slumped into his chair.

“What on earth…”

In short, Daniel Steiner was the one who executed operations so meticulously that even the deputy director of the Empire’s Intelligence Department couldn’t find a trace.

The realization of that fact cooled the boiling anger within him.

The cold anger soon transformed into an inexplicable sense of fear.

“…What on earth is Daniel Steiner?”

The deputy director could not easily answer the Prince’s question.

He too could not properly define the figure of Daniel Steiner.

“Simply put, he is someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals…”

There was no way to explain him other than as a ghost-like existence that left no trace behind.

Author’s Note:

I’m really sorry for the delay…!

I’ve been suffering from headaches lately and ended up waking up late…

I hope the readers can forgive me with a generous heart…!

Well then, have a great weekend! Thank you so much for always reading!