chapter_0119

118 – Isolating the Baron

118 – Isolating the Baron

Not understanding Lucy’s reaction, Daniel, after work, headed to the Imperial Palace’s indoor garden.

Following the Inner Court Lady’s guidance, he entered the garden and saw Selvia sitting and petting a Doberman.

The Doberman, purring under Selvia’s touch, soon sensed someone and raised its head.

Its ears perked up, and the Doberman bared its teeth and growled.

Seeing this, Selvia stood up and turned to look in the direction the Doberman was guarding.

There stood Daniel, neatly dressed in his military uniform.

Their eyes met, and Daniel placed a hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.

“Your Highness. I have come at your request.”

Selvia gave a faint smile at Daniel’s greeting.

She looked tired, as if worn out by recent events.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Please, sit down so we can talk…”

Selvia paused, tilting her head.

Daniel was staring intently at the Doberman, which was growling at him.

“…Lieutenant Colonel Daniel? Do you like dogs?”

Only then did Daniel realize he was focused on the dog and cleared his throat.

“I don’t dislike them. I used to have a retriever.”

“Really?”

Selvia pondered for a moment, then said with a playful glint in her eyes.

“Would you like to pet him?”

There was no way he would readily agree to touch a dog that was growling at him.

Selvia had intended to tease him if Daniel refused, but…

“I will.”

Without hesitation, Daniel accepted and approached the Doberman.

The growling Doberman seemed flustered as Daniel got closer and hid its teeth.

Daniel knelt on one knee in front of the Doberman and gently stroked its head.

The Doberman blinked blankly but did not reject Daniel’s touch.

“He’s a good dog. It seems he doesn’t bite people.”

Selvia, watching Daniel pet the Doberman, tilted her head.

‘I don’t remember him being this docile…’

The dog, which bared its teeth and barked at everyone except its owner, Selvia, was now wagging its tail like a lamb in front of Daniel, which she found puzzling.

“It reminds me of the old days. Our Kelly was this gentle too.”

“Kelly… is that the name of the retriever you mentioned?”

“Yes, she was a charming friend with a lovely smile.”

With that, Daniel gave the Doberman one last pat and stood up.

“More importantly…”

Daniel dusted off his hands and turned to Selvia.

“You had something to say to me, didn’t you?”

At the mention of getting down to business, Selvia pointed to the table beside her.

On the table were elegant cups and plates filled with refreshments.

“Shall we sit down and talk?”

Daniel nodded at Selvia’s suggestion.

Naturally, the two walked to the table and sat down.

Selvia then lightly picked up a teacup filled with steaming black tea and parted her delicate lips.

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel, what exactly are you up to?”

The first question was sharp.

Daniel paused for a moment, then gave an awkward smile.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

“Don’t play dumb. You’re deliberately slowing down the investigation, aren’t you? With Kemble exposed as a collaborator, what are you hesitating about?”

As expected, Selvia had already listened to Kemble’s confession that Daniel had brought.

With enough evidence secured, the next step was to target Baron Hendliem.

‘But…’

Daniel had held a press conference and said, “Nothing is certain yet,” and was only making excuses.

Daniel had even appealed for an end to the malicious reports about Baron Hendliem.

‘The coronation is not far off. That means Daniel’s authority as an inspector will soon end.’

At a time when he should be moving most actively, Daniel was dragging his feet as if he had no intention of closing the investigation.

It was an inexplicable action, and Selvia frowned as if she didn’t like it.

“Are you perhaps trying to make peace with the nobles? Now?”

She was asking if he was trying to bow his head like a coward at a time when it was clear that they had attacked him.

Daniel hesitated for a moment before answering Selvia’s question.

He needed time to think about whether he could trust Selvia.

‘The possibility that Selvia participated in the nobles’ plan to hand me over to an enemy country…’

Was probably nonexistent.

Selvia was not a figure who strongly aligned with the Imperial family’s legitimacy.

In fact, when internal strife arose over the issue of succession to the throne, most of the nobles had tried to support the prince rather than Selvia.

At that time, Selvia and the nobles had developed mutual antipathy, and they had been subtly at odds ever since, so they could not be considered on the same side.

‘It wasn’t intentional, but…’

In that they were hated by the nobles, Selvia and Daniel were in the same boat.

Daniel, thinking there was no need to hide it, opened his mouth.

“I’m not trying to make peace. On the contrary, you could say it’s the opposite.”

“…The opposite?”

“Your Highness, as you said, we now have grounds to investigate Baron Hendliem based on Kemble’s testimony. But will there be any evidence left in the Baron’s mansion?”

Selvia did not answer and bit her lower lip.

If he had any sense, he would have disposed of all the evidence the moment Kemble was caught.

“If there is no evidence, even if I, as an inspector, lead troops to search the Baron’s mansion, it will only be a waste of time. I will be ridiculed by the nobles.”

“Ridicule? It seems to me that it could put pressure on them. At least it could make them have respect for the Imperial family.”

“That’s not wrong. But a hollow pressure will only increase their solidarity. It will also instill one certainty.”

Daniel raised his hand and picked up the cup of tea.

“Seeing that the Princess and Daniel are rushing things, it seems there are no traitors within us. Let’s continue to proceed as we are…”

Daniel took a sip of the tea and lightly put the cup down.

“In the end, we will have to be satisfied with arresting only Kemble, who is nothing more than one of their pawns. On the other hand, they will cleanly resolve internal distrust and continue their attacks on me and Your Highness.”

Daniel released the cup and continued.

“Whose victory is this?”

If they proceeded as usual, it would be like siding with the nobles.

Selvia’s expression became serious as she thought there was some truth in Daniel’s words.

“So, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel’s goal is to dismantle them?”

“That’s right. They must be wondering how Daniel Steiner knew in advance about the Crown Prince of Belmore’s surprise attack.”

Who would think of the incident as mere luck?

Daniel chuckled softly, perhaps because he himself thought it was absurd.

“How did Daniel Steiner know about the Crown Prince’s attack in advance? As they continue to speculate, they will soon have the delusion that ‘there is a traitor inside’.”

Those who only knew fragmentary information had no choice but to conclude that the traitor inside was cooperating with Daniel Steiner.

If the investigation was forcibly carried out at this time, they would realize that their assumptions were wrong and unite, but Daniel delayed the investigation to allow their delusions to spread widely.

“They will suspect each other in a situation where they don’t know who cooperated with Daniel Steiner. Ah, and then a news story comes out.”

“You mean the report that Baron Hendliem may be related to Kemble?”

“That’s right. The people will be puzzled, but the nobles will know that Baron Hendliem is also a criminal. But I denied it. I said there was a lack of evidence.”

Daniel Steiner, who had clearly heard the testimony from Kemble, was defending Baron Hendliem.

The nobles could not help but suspect Baron Hendliem.

Had Baron Hendliem made some kind of deal with Daniel Steiner?

“Suspicion will slowly turn into conviction. Whether it’s true or false, it doesn’t matter to them. What matters is the living sacrifice who will embrace all the distrust and drown.”

In order to increase the solidarity of the organization, the quickest way was to execute the traitor who was suspected.

It was not yet clear who the leader of these nobles was, but judging from Kemble’s testimony, he was a person who would not hesitate to dispose of people for his own plans.

“So Baron Hendliem will have to make a choice.”

Daniel leaned back in his chair and shrugged his shoulders in a pitiful way.

“Either be isolated and die. Or betray the organization to survive.”

He didn’t know which of the two Baron Hendliem would choose, but it was not a bad result for Daniel or Selvia.

Even if Baron Hendliem died, the seeds of discord sown within them would not easily disappear.

Selvia, who had heard all of Daniel’s story, swallowed hard.

There was still one puzzle piece that had not been put together.

“Could it be that the person who wrote the article that Baron Hendliem might be a collaborator…”

The beginning of the plan could only occur if there was an article that Baron Hendliem might be a collaborator.

Only then would Daniel Steiner deny the article, and the nobles would begin to suspect Baron Hendliem.

Daniel nodded calmly at Selvia’s guess.

“Yes.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes gently and continued in a dry tone.

“I ordered it.”

A word from the author (Author’s note)

Thank you for the 50 coin donation, Freshman! A somehow cool smiling emoticon…! I will take it as a meaning to write hard as you are watching! Thank you so much for your support!

Thank you to everyone who reads it!

The start of the week…! Everyone must be having a hard time, but fighting!

Wishing happiness to all readers, I will end the review now!

See you again tomorrow!