chapter_0167

166 – In the Same Boat

166 – In the Same Boat

After receiving the position of Emergency Security General from Selvia, Daniel requested an audience with His Majesty the Emperor as soon as the summons for the court meeting was over and headed to the reception room inside the Imperial Palace.

He couldn’t understand Selvia’s decision at all, so he intended to have another conversation face-to-face.

‘I doubt that talking will change anything…’

It was clear that she was determined to support him, especially since he had been awarded the White Dragon Medal of Honor, but convincing Selvia to change her mind now would be futile.

Sitting on the sofa in the reception room, Daniel sighed and examined the newly added White Dragon Medal of Honor on his uniform.

The white medal, embossed with a stylized dragon’s head, was surrounded by the radiant rays of the Taiyangzhi, a symbol of national prestige.

Knowing that white represents the royal family and the dragon symbolizes the protection of the empire, the White Dragon Medal of Honor essentially meant “a dragon that protects the empire.”

As one could infer from the mythical creature’s representation, receiving the White Dragon Medal of Honor was akin to the highest honor for a soldier.

Of course, for Daniel Steiner, who wanted nothing more than to take off his military uniform, it brought him no joy whatsoever.

‘Moreover…’

It was already troublesome enough to have received the medal, but Selvia had also granted him the position of Emergency Security General.

The position of Security General was typically assigned to police officers rather than military personnel.

In modern terms, it could be likened to the position of a police chief.

Thus, it was unusual for Daniel to be appointed to the position of Security General.

However, given that it was a state of emergency shortly after the outbreak of civil war, and the current Security General had recently resigned due to a sense of responsibility for the situation, everything became possible.

It was not uncommon for the military to take over police duties when the security system had collapsed.

‘Although it is a temporary appointment until the empire stabilizes…’

Selvia’s declaration that she had elevated the Central Security Agency to a direct agency of the Emperor indicated just how powerful her authority was.

Since the Central Security Agency was tasked with carrying out the Emperor’s special orders, it would not be subject to interference from other agencies.

Not being subject to interference meant that Daniel Steiner, as the Security General, could wield his authority without hesitation throughout the Imperial City.

Moreover, failing to heed the orders of Daniel Steiner, the Security General acting under the Emperor’s special mandate, would amount to treason in itself.

It was not much different from standing at the pinnacle of power.

‘The problem is…’

Daniel neither wanted this power nor was he comfortable with the idea that being the Security General of the Central Security Agency could lead to absurd misunderstandings.

‘I would surely gain many enemies.’

Consider a young officer from an orphan background who had risen to the rank of colonel in just a year, now wielding full authority as the Emergency Security General of the Central Security Agency.

One could not guarantee that there wouldn’t be those who would act with malice.

‘The remnants of the noble alliance have yet to be identified…’

The nobles gathered during the arrest of Duke Belvar were merely part of the alliance.

To apprehend all those intertwined like a spider’s web, he would need to extract a confession from Duke Belvar, which was proving to be more difficult than anticipated.

Even with Frien subjected to torture, he still refused to speak.

Thus, sitting in the position of Emergency Security General meant that, while holding power, the likelihood of being attacked by hidden enemies of the empire had significantly increased.

For Daniel, who had fought for survival until now, this was not a favorable position.

As he frowned in frustration, he heard a voice.

─ His Majesty the Emperor is entering!

At the sound of the Inner Court Chief’s announcement, the door to the reception room opened.

There, Selvia, dressed in a white uniform, walked in slowly, her long blonde hair flowing behind her.

As Daniel watched her graceful figure, he stood up and bowed his head.

“Your Majesty.”

“Colonel Daniel.”

The two exchanged light greetings and locked eyes.

After a brief silence, it was Daniel who spoke first.

“Your Majesty, this is not what we agreed upon. Why have you not dismissed me and instead awarded me the White Dragon Medal of Honor and appointed me to the position of Security General?”

“…Are you dissatisfied with the position of Security General?”

“It’s not a matter of being dissatisfied or not. If I wield full authority as Security General, there will surely be those who question Your Majesty’s authority.”

At Daniel’s words, Selvia narrowed her eyes as if displeased.

“Then do you wish for me to dismiss you right now?”

Daniel did not respond.

In the ensuing silence, Selvia spoke in a somewhat agitated tone.

“As you know, Colonel Daniel, I have been betrayed by those I trusted. The Duke Belvar, who claimed to be my mentor in my youth, and the commander of the Imperial Guard, Johannes, who served my father so loyally, have revealed their true colors and attacked me.”

In Selvia’s clear eyes, a mix of anger and sorrow was evident.

“I can no longer trust anyone. It feels like everyone is wearing a mask and could betray me at any moment. But in this empire, there is one person. The only one I can trust and rely on.”

That person was the man standing before her.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner. You have saved me three times, and now you have offered to give up everything for me. Think about it from my perspective. Do you think I could cast you aside?”

Daniel opened his mouth to respond but then closed it again.

‘I just wanted to take off my military uniform…’

Even if he tried to explain, he doubted she would believe him, and it was unthinkable to say in front of the Emperor, “Daniel doesn’t want this, dismiss him.”

Realizing that he could not change Selvia’s mind, Daniel ultimately raised the white flag.

Placing his hand on his chest, Daniel bowed his head slightly as a gesture of apology for his rudeness.

“I apologize. It seems I have made a reckless statement.”

Upon hearing Daniel’s apology, Selvia’s expression softened slightly, and she hesitated.

Then, turning her gaze away, she muttered.

“…It wasn’t exactly a reckless statement. I’m not unaware that you requested my dismissal for my sake. And if the position of Security General truly bothers you, there is another way.”

“Another way?”

At Daniel’s question, Selvia’s face turned slightly red.

Since that night, when she realized her feelings for Daniel were close to love, her heart had been racing uncontrollably at times, making her quite flustered.

Selvia clenched and unclenched her fists and bit her lip nervously several times before taking a deep breath.

Gathering her courage, Selvia looked at Daniel.

“Do you really want to know?”

Selvia’s voice trembled slightly.

In the strange silence, Daniel, who had been observing Selvia, felt an inexplicable chill and shook his head.

“It seems you are uncomfortable, so you don’t have to tell me.”

When Daniel calmly declined, Selvia was unusually flustered.

The Inner Court Chief and the maidservants watching from a distance wore expressions of pity.

“Huh? Ah, right. Well… it’s too early, isn’t it? I was half-joking anyway?”

Feeling her face flush for no reason, Selvia raised her hand to fan herself.

“More importantly, why is it so hot? Don’t you think so? These days, spring doesn’t feel like spring at all. Should I say summer is approaching too quickly? Hahaha…”

As Selvia rambled on, Daniel looked at her suspiciously and spoke up.

“Summer is indeed approaching quickly. As Your Majesty mentioned, it seems summer will come soon.”

Daniel turned his head to gaze out the window of the reception room.

In the pouring sunlight, the trees in the courtyard were dropping their blossoms one by one and revealing their fresh green leaves.

“We must stabilize the empire before summer arrives. Since Your Majesty has not dismissed me and appointed me to the position of Security General, I have no choice but to give it my all.”

Now, Daniel was essentially in the same boat as Selvia.

This meant that Selvia’s downfall was directly linked to Daniel’s death.

So, he had no choice but to strive for the best possible outcome in the given situation.

Seeing Daniel’s eyes narrow sharply, Selvia changed the atmosphere and asked.

“Do you have any clever plans?”

“I don’t have any clever plans, but it seems clear how we should proceed. It seems we need to stage a grand performance.”

“…A performance?”

Daniel nodded.

“The reason Duke Belvar instigated the civil war was ultimately because Your Majesty and I were underestimated. The illusion that they could win is what drove them to act. So, this time, I will make sure that everyone in the empire knows.”

In Daniel’s dark eyes, a deep abyss stirred.

“Your Majesty and…”

Daniel murmured softly, gazing not at the courtyard outside but into the distant future.

“Those who go against my will will meet a terrible end.”