chapter_0137

136 – Prepare for the Storm

136 – Prepare for the Storm

After finishing his conversation with the head of the Security Agency, Daniel returned to his office and found Lucy quietly sitting at her desk, working.

“…Lieutenant?”

Calling out hesitantly, Lucy slowly lifted her head.

Her crimson eyes, reminiscent of blood, showed no signs of agitation.

As always, her expression was blank.

‘If the head of the Security Agency suspects me, then Lucy must feel the same way. If she thinks I destroyed the Palentia branch, the intelligence organization of the Allied Nations…’

Daniel swallowed hard as he looked at Lucy.

‘From Lucy’s perspective as a spy for the Allied Nations, she might be feeling anger towards me.’

It was a reasonable assumption for Daniel, who had no way of knowing what kind of relationship Lucy had built with the Palentia branch.

On the other hand, Lucy felt no particular emotion about the destruction of the Palentia branch, which had treated her as a mere tool.

In fact, she believed that Daniel had eliminated the Palentia branch for her sake, so her fondness for him was on the rise.

“Colonel?”

Lucy looked at Daniel, who seemed subtly tense, with curiosity.

“Is there something you wish to discuss?”

Her voice was calm, as if she knew nothing about the incident.

Thinking that probing would be pointless, Daniel shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

Saying this, Daniel walked over to his desk and took a seat.

He opened a drawer and pulled out a few documents, pretending to work while lost in thought.

The words the head of the Security Agency had shared with him kept swirling in his mind.

‘Duke Belvar is going to stir up a storm…’

Given the intensity of the metaphor, it seemed something was bound to happen within the Imperial City.

‘So their goal isn’t just to eliminate me.’

If eliminating Daniel Steiner was not the objective of the plan but merely a part of it, then Duke Belvar was more dangerous than he had anticipated.

‘It would be wise to prepare…’

However, having just been appointed as the chief of staff of the 7th Division on the Eastern Front, he couldn’t act recklessly.

He would soon have to leave the Imperial City, and there was no need to provoke conflict now that things had calmed down.

Moreover, Daniel had inflicted as much damage as he could on the noble alliance.

He had arrested Kemble, the leader of the Liberty Socialist Party, who had been acting as a lackey for the nobles in the National Assembly, on charges of collaboration, and had isolated Baron Hendleyem using public opinion.

Additionally, the “Brick Incident” had further solidified Daniel Steiner’s political standing.

If he were to dig into Duke Belvar’s intentions in this situation, there was a possibility of facing a worst-case scenario of mutual destruction.

By now, they would have likely erased all evidence of supporting the prince’s secret organization, so even if Daniel attacked, victory could not be guaranteed.

It was clear that it would inevitably escalate into a life-and-death struggle.

Losing one’s life in political strife was something to be avoided at all costs.

‘And…’

Right now, Daniel had more to consider than just Duke Belvar.

He was also growing suspicious of who had destroyed the Palentia branch.

‘According to the head of the Security Agency, they used a sleep paralysis gas. It’s similar to the method used when the prince’s secret organization was subdued.’

The prince’s organizations had also confessed to losing consciousness due to sleep gas during their arrests.

‘If that’s the case, it means they are the same culprits…’

He couldn’t understand what their intentions were.

‘It’s clear they’ve been using my name. Usually, people use names to cover up their misdeeds, right?’

Arresting the prince’s secret organization, which was plotting rebellion, and destroying the Palentia branch, a hideout for the enemy Allied Nations, were undeniably public services.

It was only natural to find it odd that a mysterious group would be attributing such merits to him.

‘At first, I thought it was just a coincidence…’

But if coincidences keep piling up, then it becomes inevitable.

However, Daniel couldn’t fathom the reason behind such bizarre actions.

As he pressed his brow in thought, Lucy finished organizing her documents.

Seeing this, Daniel unconsciously glanced at the wall clock and realized it was already time to leave work.

‘Has it already come to this?’

Although he hadn’t done much work today due to the head of the Security Agency’s visit, leaving work was always the right thing to do.

Thinking about going home and resting, Daniel picked up his briefcase and stood up.

“Let’s call it a day.”

“Understood.”

Hearing Daniel’s words, Lucy also stood up.

As Daniel opened the office door and stepped into the hallway, Lucy followed closely behind.

In the quiet hallway, Daniel couldn’t help but glance at Lucy, sensing something was off about her today.

‘She seems to be in a bad mood…’

Lucy usually maintained a blank expression.

She rarely showed surprise, anger, or joy.

At first, Daniel even wondered if she was devoid of emotions.

However, after spending nearly a year with Lucy, he had come to realize something.

There were subtle emotional changes even in her expressionless face.

‘For example, right now…’

Her gaze was slightly lower than usual.

It felt as if she was looking just below the straight ahead.

This was one of the changes Lucy exhibited when she was feeling gloomy or lost in thought.

‘Is she really concerned about the Palentia branch being destroyed?’

Not at all.

Lucy was currently preoccupied with how she could assist Daniel Steiner.

Moreover, she subconsciously wished to become someone precious to him.

However, unaware of this, Daniel could only feel anxious.

After all, she was Lucy Emilia.

With a killing machine capable of taking on a whole battalion right beside him, who could ignore that?

As Daniel descended the stairs, his hands began to sweat from his nervousness.

Thinking he needed to lighten the mood for survival’s sake, Daniel cleared his throat.

“Lieutenant, how about we have a little chat?”

Their footsteps paused on the landing of the stairs.

After quietly observing Lucy’s back, Daniel cleared his throat and spoke.

“Today, there’s something different about the atmosphere you’re giving off. If you have any worries, would you share them with me?”

Lucy’s hands trembled slightly.

Taking a deep breath amidst her swirling thoughts, Lucy turned her body.

Perhaps due to the lighting on the landing, her red irises shone beautifully beneath her white hair.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were concerned, Colonel. However, it’s a personal matter, and I don’t want to burden you.”

“That’s a rude thing to say.”

Daniel chuckled softly.

“Managing and supervising my lieutenant is also part of my duties. If I don’t know what troubles my lieutenant is harboring, can I truly call myself a proper superior?”

“But…”

“Just tell me. After all, my lieutenant and I will have to spend more time together than anyone else, so wouldn’t it be better to open our hearts to each other?”

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she was taken aback.

Daniel’s words, spoken without any particular intention, struck her heart directly.

‘He said we’ll spend more time together than anyone else…’

She hadn’t misheard.

It was indeed a statement that came from Daniel himself.

While there were other things she truly wanted to hear, this wasn’t so bad either.

Lucy gazed quietly at Daniel, who was looking at her, and then spoke softly.

“…Did you enjoy the Beet Soup?”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she shifted the topic.

Daniel thought it was a bit random but answered sincerely.

“The Beet Soup? Ah, it was quite delicious. The dessert you made before was great too; you seem to have a knack for cooking.”

“I see. Then that’s good.”

Lucy gave an enigmatic smile and nodded her head.

Then she turned and descended the stairs.

Daniel, who was staring blankly at her retreating figure, scratched his cheek in a somewhat bewildered mood.

‘What was that? Was she feeling down because I didn’t evaluate her cooking…?’

He didn’t understand the reason, but he felt relieved knowing that Lucy’s mood had improved.

–

Meanwhile, at Duke Belvar’s mansion.

“Your Grace, the head of the Security Agency has met with Daniel Steiner.”

Belvar frowned at the words of Feliston, the deputy director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, as he spent time in the wine cellar.

“That bat-like creature…”

The head of the Security Agency, Otto, was a typical opportunist who pretended to maintain neutrality while dipping his toes into groups that seemed promising.

While Otto claimed it was a way to survive long and thin, Belvar saw him as a spineless character.

‘But it’s true that he has a keen eye for people.’

The fact that Otto had decided to meet Daniel was not a trivial matter.

Otto must have judged that Daniel also had a chance of winning and was taking precautions.

‘I can’t let this drag on.’

Clenching his teeth, Belvar turned to Feliston and said.

“How is Berthem’s health?”

“According to the doctor, he won’t last beyond this month.”

“Good. Make sure to prepare thoroughly. The timing will be right when Berthem passes away and Daniel Steiner is away from the Imperial City.”

Feliston hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking.

“Your Grace, I’m worried that it might be too early. While Daniel Steiner is dangerous, is there really a need to rush like this?”

Belvar scoffed.

Feliston’s question was absurd.

“You don’t know Daniel Steiner.”

Belvar recalled the time Daniel Steiner had come to his mansion and threatened him.

Even now, thinking back to that moment sent shivers down his spine.

The sharp, wolf-like eyes that resembled an abyss were etched in his mind, never to be forgotten.

“Do you know who the great-grandfather of the current Emperor Selvia is?”

“The great-grandfather of His Majesty the Emperor…”

The Eternal Emperor, Barogof von Amberg.

He was the one who deposed the king when the empire was still a kingdom and took his place.

He was also the one who transformed the kingdom into an empire and made its status known far and wide.

Belvar, who had served that iron-blooded man from a distance in his childhood, understood.

That the spirit Daniel Steiner had shown that day was similar to Barogof’s.

Taking a deep breath, Belvar recalled the moment he faced Daniel Steiner and broke into a cold sweat.

“He is no different from Barogof. Those eyes are surely…”

The eyes of a usurper who would swallow the empire.