chapter_0072

71 – The Empire Wants a Turnaround

71 – The Empire Wants a Turnaround

Selvia’s gaze felt more burdensome than ever before.

Flustered, Daniel fell silent for a moment before finally speaking up with difficulty.

“…Your Highness? The speech regarding the issuance of war bonds is a matter of great importance to the state. Therefore, it would be wise to seek someone with more experience and eloquence than I.”

Though he tried to speak as calmly as possible, Daniel’s insides were burning with anxiety.

Since the speech was related to war bonds, Selvia would surely gather a multitude of citizens.

If it were just the citizens attending, it wouldn’t matter, but it was certain that foreign journalists and politicians from the National Assembly would also be vying for seats.

And that wasn’t all. There would also be radio broadcasts across the Empire to ensure that the speaker’s voice could be heard throughout the land.

This meant that the name of Daniel Steiner would be imprinted across the Empire and even spread to distant foreign lands.

For Daniel, who did not wish to be more famous than he already was, this felt like a bolt from the blue.

‘So I must somehow change Selvia’s mind.’

Swallowing hard, Daniel forced an awkward smile.

“Furthermore, I am an operations officer belonging to the Imperial General Staff. As Your Highness knows, there are many tasks that need to be handled at the General Staff.”

“Hmm. And?”

“If I were to be absent to prepare for the speech, the personnel in the General Staff would have to take on that heavy workload. Out of conscience, I cannot impose such a burden on them.”

Selvia leaned back, looking at Daniel with a suspicious gaze.

“You cannot impose a burden on the personnel in the General Staff? While I understand that you do not wish to inconvenience Colonel Daniel, I find it hard to comprehend.”

“…What part do you not understand?”

“It’s just a simple question. Why does Colonel Daniel prioritize the personnel in the General Staff over my request, when I am to be the future ruler of the Empire?”

Her tone was gentle, but to Daniel, it sounded like a kind of threat.

“Must I issue a command for you to comply with my wishes?”

It was not just a threat; it was indeed a threat.

Was she truly born of the blood of a ruler?

Though she spoke playfully, the unique pressure she exerted was palpable to Daniel.

Realizing he could no longer refuse, Daniel lightly bowed his head.

“I misspoke. I had momentarily forgotten that the hardships of the personnel in the General Staff pale in comparison to the burdens borne by Your Highness, who governs the state.”

Selvia smiled with satisfaction at Daniel’s polite apology.

“Then I shall take it that you have accepted my proposal. A public relations officer from the National Propaganda Department will explain the detailed schedule and speech format, so please pay close attention.”

“…”

“Oh, and I will personally relay the message to the General Staff, so you need not worry about any disruptions to your work. For the time being, you can focus solely on preparing for the speech.”

Thanks to Selvia’s smooth and prepared words, Daniel was certain.

‘She intended to make me the speaker from the very beginning.’

From the moment he stepped into the indoor garden, everything had been decided.

Thinking he had been played, Daniel secretly smiled and looked at Selvia.

“Your Highness, if it’s not too much trouble, may I ask you one thing?”

“Normally, I do not entertain questions, but for you, Colonel Daniel, I will make an exception. What are you curious about?”

“I simply wonder… why you called for me. If you had given orders through someone else, I would not have been able to refuse.”

It was a sharp observation.

No matter how much of a war hero he was, a mere colonel could not defy the orders of a princess.

Yet, Daniel was asking why she had insisted on speaking to him directly.

That question felt somewhat uncomfortable for Selvia.

‘Is he really that oblivious? Or is he pretending to be?’

Selvia had saved Daniel’s life twice.

The first time was not particularly dangerous, but that didn’t matter much.

What was important was that Daniel had risked his life to save her.

Moreover, this time, Daniel had personally taken action to apprehend the prince’s secret organization.

Naturally, Selvia felt affection for Daniel.

But what about Daniel? He was acting stiffly, as if he were always addressing a superior.

‘…Could it be that Daniel doesn’t realize I have feelings for him?’

In disbelief, Selvia stared at Daniel and let out a low sigh.

“Think slowly about what the reason might be.”

With that, Selvia slowly rose from her seat.

As she was about to leave, she suddenly turned back to Daniel as if a thought had struck her.

“Colonel Daniel? If the speech goes well… I hope we can meet again often in the future.”

With a faint smile, Selvia turned and walked away, her red cloak billowing behind her.

Daniel, who watched her retreating figure in a daze, suddenly wore a serious expression and stroked his chin.

‘What on earth does that mean? Is she saying she wants to use me as her spokesperson?’

There was no doubt they were on completely different wavelengths.

–

The request of the princess, who was acting as regent, was essentially no different from an order from the Emperor.

The final approval for the princess’s governance was given by Emperor Berthem.

Thus, Daniel faithfully executed Selvia’s request—if it could even be called a request—to “prepare the speech.”

For an entire week, he had been coordinating with Hans, the public relations officer from the National Propaganda Department.

Even on the day of the speech, Daniel was still discussing matters with Hans.

“As I have repeatedly mentioned, we must not provoke the anti-war sentiment. As the war drags on, the public’s fatigue has reached its peak.”

“…Is it really that serious?”

“Yes. This is the most recent data. Colonel, please take a look.”

Behind the stage of the outdoor performance venue, Hans pulled out one of the many binders he was holding and handed it to Daniel.

Receiving the binder, Daniel began to read through the survey statistics.

──────────

《War Support and Opposition Survey Statistics》

Sample: 1,000 citizens from major cities in the Empire

Number of respondents: Approximately 18,000

Question: What do you think about the ongoing war in the Empire?

• Frequency Analysis

–
The war should continue – 8,208 people (45.6%)

–
The war should stop – 8,298 people (46.1%)

–
Unsure / No response – 1,494 people (8.3%)

──────────

As Hans had said, the side advocating for the war to stop was slightly ahead.

“As you can see, the anti-war advocates have finally surpassed the war supporters this time. Of course, among those calling for peace, there are bound to be spies from the Allied Nations, but such a high percentage can also be seen as the will of the people.”

Indeed, with this level of support, it would be impossible to claim that the anti-war advocates were merely being incited by spies.

As Daniel nodded, Hans checked his wristwatch and handed him another document.

This was the speech that Daniel would deliver.

“Therefore, we must explain the reasons for continuing the war without provoking the anti-war advocates. Please keep in mind that we must not stimulate them.”

“Understood. Then…”

Checking the time like Hans, Daniel turned his gaze toward the stage.

“It seems it’s time for me to go up and deliver the speech.”

Hans nodded.

“The National Propaganda Department will place its trust solely in you, Colonel Daniel.”

Hearing Hans’s words, Daniel nodded once and walked toward the stage.

As Daniel ascended the stairs and appeared on stage, the lights turned on, and cheers erupted from all around.

Amidst the deafening cheers, Daniel turned to see the crowd filling the audience area.

‘There are so many people…’

The venue, which was said to accommodate ten thousand spectators, was completely packed.

Thanks to the National Propaganda Department’s continuous promotion over the past week, announcing that a significant speech by war hero Daniel Steiner would take place.

Though this situation was burdensome, Daniel had no choice but to fulfill the command he had received.

Walking forward amidst the cheers, Daniel tapped the microphone that had been set up in advance.

As the sound echoed through the large speakers, the cheers quickly subsided.

Smiling at the massive crowd, Daniel unfolded the document Hans had given him.

Having seen the speech several times, he glanced over it and began to speak.

“Esteemed citizens, I am Colonel Daniel Steiner, belonging to the General Staff.”

A small cheer arose from the front row.

After waiting for them to settle down, Daniel continued.

“Before I begin my formal speech, I wish to clarify my position to avoid any unnecessary confusion. I, Daniel Steiner, do not support war…”

Daniel, unable to remember the rest of his speech, glanced down at the document.

『I do not advocate for war. If I were to be categorized as an anti-war advocate, I would be one. However, I understand better than anyone why war is necessary.』

It was a statement written from a neutral perspective to satisfy both war supporters and anti-war advocates.

If he spoke this way, the speech for bond sales would achieve a lukewarm success.

‘If that happens, I will…’

It was clear he would continue to be dragged around as Selvia’s closest aide.

Then, when Selvia became the Empress, Daniel’s fame would only rise higher than it was now.

This was synonymous with the growing possibility of being assassinated without even needing to go through a war crimes trial.

For Daniel, who wished to live a long and quiet life, it was one of the most dreadful futures imaginable.

Was there no way out?

Desperately racking his brain, Daniel spotted some anti-war advocates among the audience.

Seeing them holding placards opposing the war sparked a brilliant idea in his mind.

‘If I provoke the anti-war advocates and ruin this speech on a grand scale…’

It would surely distance Selvia and the world’s attention from him.

No one would be wary or fearful of someone who couldn’t even deliver a proper speech.

Having made his decision, Daniel closed the document containing the speech.

He boldly faced the multitude of cameras flashing in front of him.

“I, Daniel Steiner, do not support war…”

Narrowing his eyes sharply, Daniel raised both hands and grasped the edge of the podium.

Then, acting like a war fanatic, he raised his right hand high.

“I demand a total war that will never be seen again in history!”

A word from the author (Author’s Note)

Dear readers, please be careful of the cold wave…

It has gotten extremely cold over the past few days, and I was feeling unwell all day yesterday…

But after a good night’s sleep, I feel better.

And thank you for always reading.

I will see you again tomorrow.