chapter_0112

111 – A Fight We Cannot Retreat From

111 – A Fight We Cannot Retreat From

At the same time, at the headquarters of the Liberty Socialist Party.

In the party leader’s personal office.

“…Are you saying that Daniel Steiner turned the surprise attack from the Belmore Kingdom to his advantage and won? Not only did he win, but he also captured the crown prince of the Belmore Kingdom?”

In response to the question from Kemble, the head of the Liberty Socialist Party, Platt, an informant disguised as a petitioner, nodded.

“They say negotiations for a prisoner exchange with the Belmore Kingdom are underway, using the captured crown prince.”

Kemble slammed his hand on the desk in frustration at the absurd news.

“What a bunch of fools! They had Daniel Steiner’s position figured out, yet they failed the surprise attack and ended up getting captured!”

While Kemble was angry, the informant Platt spoke without blinking.

“It cannot simply be seen as a mistake by the Belmore Kingdom. There are indications that Daniel Steiner anticipated their surprise operation and acted accordingly.”

“What? How on earth did Daniel Steiner know that?”

“We are currently investigating that as well. The most plausible assumption is that there is a traitor among us who has been in contact with Daniel Steiner…”

Platt’s vacant gaze met Kemble’s.

Thinking he was being suspected, Kemble hurriedly spoke up.

“If you suspect me, then stop! I have sworn loyalty to Baron Hendleim my entire life. Do you really think I would side with an orphan like Daniel Steiner?”

Seeing Kemble sweating profusely, Platt had no choice but to dismiss his suspicions.

It wasn’t that Kemble’s defense had convinced him. It was simply that he thought someone who was afraid of such a simple suspicion would never dare to betray.

“I apologize for my suspicion. Now, let me explain the purpose of my visit.”

“…Purpose?”

“Baron Hendleim has instructed that ‘Kemble, the head of the Liberty Socialist Party, should refrain from external activities for the time being and cease political and military actions.’”

In short, it was a command to live like a mouse for the time being.

Kemble, who found this hard to understand, cautiously asked.

“Is it really necessary to go that far? No matter how much credit Daniel Steiner has gained, he is still just a mere officer.”

“You cannot refer to someone who has the trust of Her Highness the Princess and is called a hero of the Empire as just a mere officer. It would be wise to be cautious.”

Hearing this, Kemble found no fault in Platt’s words and inwardly agreed.

After a moment of silence, Kemble swallowed hard and looked at Platt.

“Is it really alright? If Daniel Steiner finds out who leaked information to the kingdom, I…”

“You need not worry.”

Platt’s response was firm.

“No matter how skilled a negotiator Daniel Steiner is, he cannot extract your name from Colonel Magreff. There is no reason for Colonel Magreff to divulge your name to Daniel Steiner.”

Typically, bribing an enemy official or training a spy to infiltrate the enemy takes a long time and astronomical amounts of money.

Yet, the person who had conveyed confidential information from within the Empire without any conditions was Kemble himself.

Thus, it was only logical to think that he would want to keep it hidden for further use.

Therefore, it was a reasonable conclusion that Colonel Magreff would not have sold Kemble’s name to Daniel Steiner.

Since Kemble could not refute Platt’s opinion, he felt a sense of relief.

“Then that’s a relief. I can just lay low for a while under the pretense of being ill?”

“Indeed. Even if Daniel Steiner suspects you, do not worry. He has no authority to investigate you.”

Taking a deep breath, Kemble nodded.

“I understand. All of this…”

As Kemble was about to say his goodbyes, Platt clenched his fist and placed it over his heart.

The two men, with serious expressions, spoke almost simultaneously.

“For the greater good.”

To eliminate Daniel Steiner, who was disrupting the legitimacy of the imperial family and trying to engulf the Empire.

That was the greater good they were pursuing.

–

“Why are you doing this to me! What have I done wrong, you bastards!”

Daniel, who was drinking whiskey alone in the office of the brigade headquarters, suddenly shouted.

The situation was beyond absurd; he was starting to get angry.

As he lightly trembled his hand holding the whiskey glass, Daniel recalled the past.

‘Because of that crown prince…’

His plans to spend peaceful days at the outpost in the wilderness had gone up in smoke.

It was ridiculous enough that he had voluntarily gotten himself surrounded during a surprise attack in the middle of training, but when he pulled out the gun he had hidden in his coat after declaring he would surrender, he thought his heart would drop.

It was fortunate that his taunt to shoot if they dared had worked, but if the smoke hadn’t obscured their vision, he might have been turned into a sieve.

‘Of course, in that case, my nerves would have been on edge…’

If he had stepped aside to dodge the bullets, the soldiers behind him would have been attacked instead, so he would have been restless in that scenario as well.

‘What a madman…’

If it hadn’t been for the crown prince, he might have rushed in and slapped some sense into them.

Suppressing his anger, Daniel raised his glass and took a sip of whiskey.

As he gazed out the window at the street settling into night, he sighed softly.

‘Right now, the crown prince isn’t the problem.’

The name “Kemble,” which he heard during the negotiation process, was gnawing at him.

He could not overlook the fact that the head of the Liberty Socialist Party had betrayed him.

As he vaguely suspected that Kemble was involved with the nobles, Daniel walked over to his desk.

His head was pounding, and he wanted to sit down for a moment to rest.

Setting the whiskey glass down on the desk, Daniel pulled out a photograph from the inside pocket of his coat.

The faded black-and-white photo showed a golden retriever smiling with a bright expression.

‘Those were good times…’

He recalled a childhood spent joyfully running around with a puppy, free of any worries or troubles.

Just as Daniel was lost in his memories, Lucy arrived at his office with dessert.

She knocked lightly, but Daniel, half-drunk and lost in thought, did not hear.

“Colonel Daniel?”

Again, there was no response.

Curious, Lucy blinked her red eyes a few times and gently opened the door.

There, she saw Daniel sitting in front of his desk, quietly staring at a photograph.

With a troubled expression, Daniel murmured softly.

“Kelly. I miss you…”

This caused Lucy to widen her eyes in surprise.

It was unfamiliar to see Daniel calling out a woman’s name and expressing his longing.

As she watched cautiously, Daniel, with a gaze full of nostalgia, broke into a faint smile.

“When I was with you, everything was happy. I wonder how you are doing in heaven.”

Hearing Daniel’s soliloquy, Lucy instinctively raised her hand to cover her mouth.

No matter how she looked at it, it was the behavior of a man mourning a deceased woman.

Unintentionally learning about Daniel’s past, Lucy felt a strange sense of kinship in her shock.

She too had memories of losing those she considered friends.

Thinking that Daniel must have gone through a similar painful experience, pure sympathy blossomed in her heart.

‘Even…’

From his expression and tone, it seemed that Daniel had lost a beloved woman due to some accident.

She could not even imagine how great the pain would be to lose a loved one.

As Lucy looked at Daniel with pity, she bit her lower lip tightly.

Thinking she should not disturb Daniel, who was lost in memories, she quietly closed the door and retraced her steps.

She believed it would not be too late to offer her comfort after Daniel had gathered his emotions.

Meanwhile, Daniel was reminiscing about his friendship with the puppy, unaware that Lucy had come and gone.

“I got scolded so much by the abbot for insisting on raising you…”

Daniel chuckled softly as he tucked the photograph back inside his coat.

He then gently lifted his whiskey glass.

As he slowly swirled the glass, the whiskey sloshed around.

The reflection of that movement was visible in Daniel’s dark eyes.

‘I thought my safety in the Imperial City would be guaranteed after the coronation…’

Seeing that he was under attack from politicians, it seemed he had been greatly mistaken.

‘The emperor wasn’t the problem. The nobles and politicians of the Empire seem to be making unilateral judgments and acting on them.’

It was a mistake to think that showing disinterest in politics would lead them to leave him alone in their power struggles.

‘They are dragging me into this mud fight after all.’

He stopped the hand that was swirling the glass.

His calmed mind was showing him the path he needed to take.

‘You started this first. So…’

Daniel tightened his grip on the glass until his fingertips turned yellow. He narrowed his eyes sharply.

‘I will trample you thoroughly, using every means at my disposal.’

Author’s Note:

Thank you to the readers who read today!

I can feel the days getting warmer!

It seems that spring is slowly coming…!

I hope to see the flowers soon!

Then, I will see you again tomorrow!