chapter_0096

95 – Returning from Vacation(?) is Always a Scary Thing

95 – Returning from Vacation(?) is Always a Scary Thing

The moment I receive that fountain pen, there will be no turning back.

Bellanos, which our ancestors have protected with their utmost effort, will effectively become a vassal of the Empire.

“But…”

The horrors that would unfold if I refused to accept the fountain pen kept flashing in my mind.

As Daniel said, the Empire had a solid justification to declare war.

If the Empire were to declare war, Bellanos would quickly turn into hell.

Countless citizens would scream, soldiers would die, the cabinet would be divided, and politicians would scramble to save themselves.

The hatred that would arise from that terrible chaos would inevitably be directed at the head of the government of Bellanos.

The uprising of the people would demand the resignation of the Prime Minister.

If news were to spread that the Prime Minister had a hidden illegitimate child, the situation would worsen uncontrollably.

“……”

A sigh escaped through my teeth.

The moment I refused to become a vassal, the Empire would surely destroy Bellanos.

‘The one who planned all of this is…’

None other than Daniel Steiner, who stood before me.

Despite surviving the diplomatic vessel sinking incident, Daniel did not inform the Empire of his survival.

If his survival were confirmed, the Empire would lose its justification to send a fleet to search for its war hero.

‘So…’

Daniel Steiner must have been waiting for the Empire to send a search fleet while disguising himself as dead.

‘In the process, he found my daughter without wasting any time.’

Afterward, Daniel intentionally approached Leff to build a rapport.

It was likely to confirm that he was the Prime Minister’s illegitimate child and secure a place to stay.

Leff acted according to Daniel’s thoughts and even made the mistake of inviting him to his mansion.

In the meantime, the secret organization that received Daniel’s orders found the culprit who opened the territorial waters to the terrorists.

It was likely to make Colonel Edball confess, making it easier to hold the government of Bellanos accountable.

When Daniel had completed all his preparations, the Empire’s fleet arrived at Tentarbahim.

The Empire’s army naturally occupied Tentarbahim for the search operation, and Daniel Steiner, who watched the scene, thought there was no need to hide any longer and revealed his identity.

And he returned to his duties as a diplomatic ambassador.

To make Bellanos a vassal of the Empire with the materials he had prepared from the beginning.

From start to finish, he had been perfectly manipulated by Daniel Steiner.

‘Daniel Steiner. Do you truly possess a human heart?’

What kind of mindset must one have to act in such a way?

The thoughts that emerged from one person’s mind were far too meticulous and calculated.

In the midst of anger and sorrow, Lowell felt a twinge of awe and slowly reached out.

Since there was no way to turn back time, he had to choose the lesser of two evils.

Receiving the fountain pen, Lowell looked down at the diplomatic proposal.

As he lowered his hand to sign, he turned to Daniel one last time.

“May I ask one thing?”

“Yes, of course.”

“……I will sign, so please ensure my daughter’s safety.”

Daniel nodded lightly.

“Of course. As long as the Prime Minister upholds the contents of the proposal, peace between our nations will never be broken.”

That statement was equivalent to saying that if the contents of the proposal were not fulfilled, safety could not be guaranteed.

What a devilish man. Gritting his teeth, Lowell resigned himself and signed the proposal.

After signing a few more times in other places, Lowell handed the document to Daniel.

Daniel received the document and carefully placed it in his briefcase.

“Very well. If we had done this from the beginning, we wouldn’t have had to embarrass each other. It’s a pity.”

After closing the briefcase, Daniel stood up and bowed his head toward Lowell.

“It seems the meeting has concluded, so I will take my leave. I wish for eternal glory to the great Bellanos.”

Lowell did not respond.

He hadn’t expected a reply, so Daniel adjusted his attire and turned to leave.

As he opened the door to the meeting room, Daniel’s gaze met that of the Director of Intelligence, who was with his aides.

Daniel’s eyes were cold.

Though they were supposed to be on equal footing, the Director of Intelligence felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation.

After a moment of hesitation, the Director of Intelligence spoke.

“……Has the meeting concluded?”

“Yes. I must return to the embassy, so please do not block my way.”

Only then did the Director of Intelligence realize that he was blocking the way with his aides.

As the Director of Intelligence stepped aside, Daniel passed through.

The sound of his shoes echoed as he walked further away.

The Director of Intelligence, who had been watching Daniel’s retreating figure in a daze, turned his gaze back to the meeting room to assist the Prime Minister.

He saw Lowell sitting on the sofa with his head down.

After a moment of hesitation, the Director of Intelligence approached Lowell.

“Your Excellency. How did the meeting go…?”

The Director of Intelligence’s steps gradually came to a halt.

Lowell’s eyes, which were cast down, were hollow and sunken.

“Director of Intelligence.”

Lowell’s voice lacked its usual strength.

“I might have… ”

His voice was laced with moisture.

After a long pause, Lowell finally squeezed out the words.

“……I might have made a deal with the devil.”

At Lowell’s self-deprecating words, the Director of Intelligence broke into a cold sweat without realizing it.

He couldn’t even fathom what Daniel Steiner had said in that room.

–

After concluding the meeting, Daniel was able to arrive at the embassy via the official vehicle.

The Deputy Ambassador and diplomats naturally asked Daniel about the meeting’s content, and he conveyed that it had been successful.

Hearing that, the Deputy Ambassador and diplomats exchanged incredulous glances, but when Daniel showed them the diplomatic proposal signed by the Prime Minister of Bellanos, they had no choice but to believe it.

The Deputy Ambassador was thrilled, saying, “It’s not just a successful meeting; it’s as if we’ve received a pledge of loyalty from the government of Bellanos,” and the diplomats felt similarly excited.

Thanks to that, the rumor that “Daniel Steiner has subdued the Prime Minister of Bellanos” spread rapidly, and soon, there was hardly anyone in the Tentarbahim port who was unaware of it.

Naturally, this shocking news reached Hartmann, the chief bodyguard of the Imperial Guard.

“Colonel Daniel! Nile-se!”

That was one of the reasons Hartmann had come to the embassy office.

After knocking on the door a few times, Daniel’s voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

Having received permission, Hartmann opened the door and entered.

Seeing Daniel seated in the diplomatic ambassador’s chair and working, Hartmann smiled.

Approaching with newspapers and desserts in his arms, Daniel looked up.

“……Colonel Hartmann? What is that?”

“I brought this because I heard you like desserts. The newspapers are from the past few days’ Imperial Daily. I thought you might be curious. But…”

Seeing Daniel buried in paperwork, Hartmann felt puzzled.

As he placed the newspapers and desserts on the desk, he asked, “Why are you still working when the meeting has ended?”

“Even though the treaty has been signed on paper, I need to request ratification from the National Assembly. I’m currently preparing the relevant documents. After that, I need to get final approval from His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Well. I don’t quite understand what that means, but I see you’re busy.”

Hartmann, who had wanted to celebrate the Empire’s decisive victory over a drink with Daniel, felt a bit disappointed.

In the meantime, Daniel finished writing the documents and turned to the newspapers.

He was curious about how the Empire had been faring while he was staying in Bellanos.

‘Especially…’

To receive the final approval of the treaty, he would need to have a private audience with Emperor Berthelm, so it would be good to know the situation in the Empire beforehand.

Daniel decided to pick up the oldest newspaper first and read just the headlines.

“Diplomatic vessel heading to Bellanos sunk!”

“Princess issues emergency summons in response to terrorist attack!”

“Imperial Defense Ministry notifies Bellanos to open its borders.”

He opened the next newspaper.

“Civilians are agitated by the hero’s death.”

“Waves of mourning for the hero arise across the Imperial City.”

“Princess states, ‘This is a great loss, and we will surely uncover the truth.'”

Feeling dizzy, he opened the next newspaper.

“Angry citizens declare the culprit who killed the Empire’s hero is the Allied Nations and protest daily.”

“Are anti-war activists the Empire’s enemies? A member of the National Assembly makes extreme remarks, causing controversy.”

“Youths enraged by the terrorists’ atrocities take to the streets, calling for an investigation into Daniel Steiner’s death.”

Taking a deep breath, Daniel opened the most recent newspaper.

“Daniel Steiner! Returns from the dead! The Empire is engulfed in a festive atmosphere!”

“Daniel Steiner, who survived the terrorist attack, is referred to by some as a miracle from God.”

“Princess expresses joy, stating that Daniel Steiner’s survival is something not only the entire nation but I have also been waiting for.”

After reading all the headlines, Daniel folded the newspaper.

With a headache, Daniel looked up at Hartmann.

“Colonel Hartmann. I have a request.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“I would like to stay here in Bellanos to monitor the local implementation of the treaty and conduct external public relations activities. I want to postpone returning to the Empire for at least a few months, so please convey this to Her Highness the Princess…”

Daniel stopped speaking, closing his mouth.

Hartmann was frowning.

“Do you think that’s possible? Her Highness wants to see you as soon as possible.”

Because of that, Daniel felt an inexplicable fear.

‘If I return to the Empire like this…’

He had no idea what might happen to him.