chapter_0065

64 – If You’re Going to Deceive, Do It to the Best of Your Ability

64 – If You’re Going to Deceive, Do It to the Best of Your Ability

Although he didn’t show it, Duke Belvar’s breathing began to become unstable.

Daniel could see his pupils trembling slightly in the gaze they exchanged.

Thanks to that, Daniel could be certain.

‘He’s wavering.’

The expression Belvar was wearing was that of someone trying to hide their fear.

‘Good.’

If Belvar had scoffed and brushed it off, Daniel would have been the one in trouble.

‘If Belvar had thought of me as just another insignificant aide, he would have done just that.’

But Belvar was genuinely wary of Daniel.

Daniel’s assumption that Belvar was overestimating him had been correct.

‘In that case…’

Continuing to play the ‘worst-case Daniel Steiner’ that Belvar was imagining and making this negotiation a success was the best course of action for Daniel.

‘If the negotiation fails, I’ll be the one who dies.’

Daniel steeled himself, feigning composure as he took out a document from his pocket.

Seeing it, Belvar swallowed hard.

“That’s…”

Daniel nodded and said, “It’s a copy of a document collected after apprehending His Highness the Crown Prince’s private organization, the Dawn’s Twilight. As a Duke, you’ll know what this document means.”

Daniel handed over the document, implying that he should check it.

Belvar took the document and examined its contents.

Judging by the meticulous details of the operation’s date and outline, it wasn’t fabricated evidence.

As a result, Belvar’s hand trembled slightly.

“Duke Belvar.”

Daniel slowly spoke to Belvar.

“What would happen if this document were to be made public? His Highness the Crown Prince’s path to becoming Emperor would be distant, and the people of the Empire would raise their voices, demanding the death of a traitor.”

Belvar clenched his teeth.

He knew what Daniel was going to say next.

“At that time, we will inform the citizens of the Imperial City. Before punishing the traitors, we investigated and found a family connected to them. That family is…”

Daniel grabbed the top of the document Belvar was holding.

Gently pressing it down, Daniel whispered just loud enough for Belvar to hear, “The Bahatrante family, led by you, Duke Belvar.”

Belvar glared at Daniel across the document, his eyes wide.

He didn’t like the fact that a mere orphan and vagrant was threatening a noble family of the Empire.

Belvar, his face full of anger, threw the document on the table.

“You trash…! The rumors weren’t even a little bit false. I can’t even understand how someone as vulgar and cunning as you is standing by Her Highness the Princess!”

Belvar raised his voice, but Daniel simply wore a troubled expression.

“I will humbly accept whatever assessment you have of me, Duke Belvar. However, I hope you understand that this is a place for making choices, not for criticizing me.”

“Choices? What choice are you telling me to make!”

“I believe the wise Duke Belvar already knows…”

Belvar was about to shout something but stopped himself.

Judging from what Daniel had said, he seemed to know what the terms of the negotiation were.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, it is. If you withdraw from the succession battle, we will guarantee complete secrecy. Then the Bahatrante family will have no connection to this matter.”

Belvar made a low groan.

Although it was said indirectly, it was no different from betraying the Crown Prince.

However, it was a very sweet offer that he couldn’t easily refuse.

“Duke Belvar. It’s not difficult. Just nod your head once here, and you and the Bahatrante family can continue to reign honorably in the Imperial City as you do now. Why would you refuse?”

From Belvar’s point of view, who was in a disadvantageous situation, the words ‘Even if we seize power, we will not hold you accountable for your sins’ were enough to shake his heart.

As Daniel said, if he just nodded his head once, the family could survive without any problems.

‘However, since I have pledged my loyalty to His Highness the Crown Prince…’

There was no way he could be swayed by that cunning tongue.

“Don’t test my loyalty. I will never join hands with you.”

Belvar said with determination, but Daniel simply blinked impassively.

Then, he smiled and stood up from his seat.

“You won’t join hands. I respect that, but I don’t understand. Have you forgotten what I said earlier?”

Daniel casually walked past Belvar.

“I told you that if you refuse, it’s definitely not a problem that will end with just one life. Oh, you have a whiskey display case in the drawing room.”

In the heavy atmosphere, Daniel exclaimed and opened the door of the whiskey display case.

Taking out a bottle of Johnnie Walker from there, Daniel looked down at the bottle and continued, “Perhaps my explanation was insufficient, so let me say it again. So, this time… it’s about the future you will experience, Duke Belvar.”

He couldn’t understand what he was trying to say.

While Belvar was sweating coldly, Daniel naturally called a nearby servant.

When the servant approached, Daniel asked him to prepare some ice.

The servant, who had been stiff, bowed his head and hurriedly left the drawing room.

After confirming that the servant had left, Daniel took out a glass from a nearby shelf.

“Let’s see. I heard that your eldest son is running the Leidshaff Company. It’s a solid company that leads our Empire’s automobile industry. It’s also famous for being the first to introduce automated assembly lines.”

Daniel, who had taken out a glass, took out a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Thanks to that, mass production became possible, and many Imperial citizens were able to buy cars at a low price. You are truly a respectable person.”

Daniel, holding the handkerchief comfortably, lightly wiped the glass.

“If you were a finger, you’d be a thumb. People always use their thumbs when expressing the best. Don’t you think so?”

Belvar didn’t answer and was looking straight ahead.

He didn’t have the courage to look back.

“I also have no objection to the fact that your eldest son is the best in the automobile industry. But I wonder if Her Highness the Princess would think so too.”

Daniel, who had finished wiping the glass, said in a worried tone.

“If Her Highness the Princess becomes Emperor, I will have no choice but to advise her to conduct a full investigation of the Leidshaff Company. Isn’t he a member of the family of the traitor Belvar?”

Belvar’s breathing became rough.

Conscious of that, Daniel continued in a soft voice.

“If, during the full investigation, evidence is found that your eldest son provided funds to the traitors, things will become complicated. It’s really terrible just to imagine it.”

Just as Daniel was clicking his tongue, the servant who had gone to the kitchen to get ice returned.

When Daniel gestured, the servant approached and put ice in the glass.

After thanking him, Daniel opened the mouth of the Johnnie Walker and poured the liquor into the glass.

Just as Daniel was holding the glass he had poured the liquor into, Belvar opened his mouth with difficulty.

“…My eldest son has nothing to do with this. Really.”

Daniel shrugged his shoulders after taking a sip of the liquor.

“Well, it seems to me that he is involved.”

“Don’t slander me! Daniel Steiner…!”

“Ah. I misspoke. It’s not that he seems to be involved…”

Daniel, who had approached the back of Belvar, lightly grabbed his shoulder.

“I’m going to make him involved.”

Belvar’s eyes widened at the chilling words.

Daniel, looking down at Belvar’s pale complexion, walked towards the seat he had been sitting in.

“Just in case, don’t expect help from the Security Agency. When that time comes, the Security Agency will also be faithful to the orders of the new Emperor.”

Daniel, who was sitting on the sofa, placed the glass on the table.

“Also, it won’t end with just your eldest son. I’m going to involve your second son, who is engaged in the electrical industry, and your third son, who is running an oil company.”

“Th, that…”

Belvar’s breathing became increasingly rough, as if he was hyperventilating.

Looking at the old fox trembling in fear, Daniel smiled kindly.

“Oh dear. You’re going to have three fingers cut off in an instant. Can you join hands with others with three fingers cut off? It seems to me that everyone will avoid you.”

Belvar, who was panting, suddenly closed his eyes tightly and let out a groan close to a scream.

“D, Duke Belvar!”

Seeing that, the servant hurriedly approached and brought him medicine and water.

The Duke hurriedly poured the medicine into his mouth and swallowed it with water.

Only then did Belvar’s hyperventilation slowly subside.

But he still had his eyes closed.

Daniel, who had been quietly watching Belvar, leaned forward and snapped his fingers.

Snap─

Startled by the dull sound, Belvar opened his eyes and could see Daniel offering him a handshake.

In Belvar’s eyes, the smile Daniel was wearing didn’t feel like it had a shred of humanity.

“What are you doing?”

Daniel lightly shook the hand he had offered.

“You’ve returned to the past, so you have to make the right choice this time.”

Grasp my hand before it’s too late.

Daniel was clearly saying that.