chapter_0088

87 – Most of Life is Not Smooth Sailing

87 – Most of Life is Not Smooth Sailing

After finishing a trifle at the dessert shop, Daniel began his sightseeing in earnest.

He strolled leisurely through the port city of Tentarbahim, visiting tourist attractions, tasting the famous grilled squid, and buying fresh oysters.

As he was fully enjoying such a peaceful life, a man in a tailcoat approached him.

“Are you Lord Libelard?”

Curious about who it was, Daniel stared at the middle-aged man, who placed his hand on his chest and spoke politely.

“I am the butler, Banbresh, serving Lord Leff. I have come to escort you as I heard you were invited to Lord Leff’s dinner. Is that correct?”

“Oh. Yes, that’s right.”

As Daniel confirmed, Banbresh smiled and took out an eye mask from his pocket.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you please wear this?”

“The eye mask?”

“Yes. Lord Leff’s mansion requires a high level of security, so access for the general public is extremely restricted. I appreciate your understanding.”

Though Daniel found it absurd, he decided to understand, knowing that there were many eccentric people among the nobility.

Nodding, Daniel took off his sunglasses and put on the eye mask, and Banbresh took hold of Daniel’s hand.

“Just follow me.”

With no reason to refuse, Daniel moved along with Banbresh.

Before long, the sound of a car door opening was heard.

“Please get in.”

Nodding, Daniel entered the back seat, and the car moved with a smooth exhaust sound.

About thirty minutes later, as Daniel leaned back in the back seat, trying to gauge the car’s route, his nerves sharpened.

‘We’re just going in circles. To disorient the passenger’s sense of direction.’

Why was there such a focus on security?

As curiosity turned into a certain unease, he began to feel anxious.

However, since he was already in the car, he couldn’t just get out at will.

Deciding to wait and see how long this would go on, the vehicle finally moved to a certain location.

Then, the sound of a metal gate opening was heard, and the car entered slowly, coming to a stop.

After a brief wait, the car door opened, and someone took his hand.

“I will guide you to the dining room.”

Hearing the voice, it was Banbresh.

Did they not want to show him the mansion?

It was almost laughable, but Daniel followed Banbresh without a word.

After walking through the corridor of the mansion for a while, Banbresh stopped in front of a door.

Adjusting his attire, Banbresh knocked lightly on the door.

“Lord Leff, I have brought the person you met at the tavern the other day.”

“Got it, just open it quickly.”

After receiving permission, Banbresh opened the door and gently pushed Daniel’s back.

“You may enter and remove the eye mask.”

Following Banbresh’s instructions, Daniel walked into the room and raised his hand to lower the eye mask.

What appeared before him was a long table filled with a feast of delicacies.

Amidst the softly glowing candles placed on a splendid candlestick, Leff sat at the head of the table, wearing a black dress with a red brooch around her neck.

One strange thing was that despite it being a dinner, there was no one else present except for Leff.

Seemingly pleased to see Daniel again, Leff raised her hand in greeting.

“Libelard! I thought all the food would get cold! Come here quickly.”

Though somewhat taken aback, Daniel approached Leff.

Pulling out a chair, Daniel sat down and glanced around before looking at Leff.

“This is unexpected. I thought there would be family members dining with you since it’s a dinner.”

At the mention of family, Leff’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“I’m surprised too. I didn’t think you’d be looking for my family. It’s not like you and I are getting married, so what’s the point of seeing family?”

“I didn’t mean it that way…”

“Forget it, just continue with your past story. That’s why I called you here today. If the story is satisfactory, I’ll give you as much money as you want.”

It was suspicious how she was changing the subject.

Thinking he couldn’t just let it slide, Daniel frowned.

“This is unpleasant. I came here as an invited guest. Yet, you not only had your butler blindfold me but are also unilaterally forcing me to talk.”

“…So?”

“If you truly consider me an equal guest, shouldn’t you at least tell me who you are and what your family does?”

As Daniel took a firm stance, Leff seemed a bit remorseful, as if her conscience was pricked.

It was true that she had acted arrogantly after inviting him as a guest.

After a moment of contemplation, Leff sighed softly, as if she had made a decision.

“Fine. Even if I reveal my identity to you, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Even if you were to disclose my identity, no one would believe the words of an illegal immigrant like you.”

Upon hearing the term illegal immigrant, Daniel had a slight realization.

‘So, they’ve done their homework on me.’

The reason for postponing the dinner was now clear.

‘They wanted to check if I was someone who could be invited to the mansion without causing trouble.’

The name Libelard was a pseudonym, so it wouldn’t be on the registry of the port city of Tentarbahim.

Even if there was someone with the same name, it was clear that the age and appearance wouldn’t match.

The butler must have informed Leff that he “seemed to be an illegal immigrant.”

As Leff said, no one would take the words of an illegal immigrant seriously.

‘So perhaps they thought it would be fine to invite me to the mansion, even if a secret leaked out.’

Leff’s mischievous nature likely played a part in this as well.

To Daniel, Leff seemed far from cautious.

“Though there are various complicated circumstances, to put it simply…”

Unaware of Daniel’s inner thoughts, Leff shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m a love child. You could say I’m the bloodline that my father wants to hide the most.”

At the mention of being a love child, Daniel was genuinely surprised.

But he quickly regained his composure.

‘Ah, so that’s why…’

It made sense why they maintained strict security even for a guest invited to the mansion.

“Meeting you is, in a way, a miracle. That damn father doesn’t want me wandering outside the mansion. Still, I sometimes sneak out without him knowing. That’s when I happened to meet you.”

Leff casually said this as she picked up a nearby wine glass.

Anxiety began to amplify.

In the midst of this strange tension, Daniel opened his mouth.

“Could you tell me who your father is?”

At Daniel’s question, Leff, having taken a sip of wine, set the glass down and replied.

“Well, you could say he’s a big rat at the top of this filthy country.”

Leff chuckled softly and playfully looked at Daniel.

“Lowell Tailwiss. That’s my father’s name.”

Thanks to that, Daniel could only stare in shock, mouth agape.

Lowell Tailwiss.

He was the Prime Minister who effectively ruled the neutral country of Bellanos.

–

“Damn it. When will the Allied Nations send someone?”

In the back seat of a military vehicle, Colonel Edball, the commander of the 12th District Naval Defense Command of Bellanos, bit his lip.

“Didn’t they say they would grant asylum in Edria if we opened our territorial waters to their submarines…?!”

He had opened the territorial waters, trusting Caledra’s proposal, but the Allied Nations had not sent anyone.

“I need to escape Bellanos as soon as possible…!”

With the Allied Nations dragging their feet, he felt as if he were burning inside.

Edball had heard that the Empire was conducting a large-scale search operation and had sent a notification to Bellanos to open its territorial waters, dispatching a fleet.

The moment the Empire’s fleet arrived in Bellanos, it was only a matter of time before Edball was identified as the culprit.

So he had been desperately waiting for contact from the Allied Nations, but it was in vain.

Currently, the Allied Nations remained silent, as if the terrorist incident had nothing to do with them.

As Edball sweated profusely and clenched his fists, the military jeep gradually came to a stop.

“We have arrived, Colonel.”

Looking out the window, he saw a house with a wide yard.

Thinking he needed to enter the house and organize his thoughts, Edball opened the door and got out.

“I need to pack my things. For my family too…”

He had to prepare to escape at any moment.

As he pondered what to pack, Edball opened the front door and halted.

“…Why are the lights off?”

It was strange that the lights were off when it wasn’t the time for the housekeeper to leave.

Still, he didn’t suspect anything and turned on the light switch, only to freeze in place.

Under the light that turned on, a black man in a black suit was sitting.

“Come here and sit.”

At Hamtal’s words, wearing a fedora, Edball broke into a cold sweat.

There was no way he was someone sent by the Allied Nations.

Moreover, the atmosphere Hamtal exuded was so ominous that Edball didn’t want to approach him at all.

‘I need to escape…’

Just as Edball felt a sense of crisis and took a step back.

Click—

He felt something cold and hard touch his back.

Realizing it was the muzzle of a gun, Edball turned his head to look behind him, where the soldier who had guided him here was giving him a threatening glare.

It was a member of the Black Swan disguised as a soldier.

‘W-When did they…?’

As Edball’s breath quickened, Hamtal elegantly removed his fedora and placed it on the table.

“I’m saying this to avoid misunderstandings…”

Turning to Edball, Hamtal narrowed his eyes sharply.

“Sitting is not a request; it’s an order.”

At that chilling tone, Edball realized he could not resist them.