chapter_0115

114 – Confession

114 – Confession

Daniel’s growling presence left Kemble speechless, as if he had become a mute.

The fear that he might lose his life at the moment he crossed the temper of Daniel Steiner, who had come leading troops, washed over him.

As Kemble stood there in shock, Daniel suddenly burst into laughter.

“I’m just joking. The leader has every right not to comply with my demands.”

Daniel placed the uniform cap he was holding on his head.

“Of course, in that case…”

Fixing the position of the cap neatly, Daniel slipped his hand into his coat.

He pulled out a piece of paper from his coat and lightly unfolded it towards Kemble.

“You’ll have to bear the consequences if you deny that I have been granted temporary inspection authority by Her Highness the princess, who is acting as regent.”

Kemble swallowed hard as he looked at the contents of the paper.

──────────

The royal family temporarily grants Daniel Steiner the authority to inspect suspected collaborators who are believed to have aided the enemy in order to maintain military order and establish justice.

The inspection authority granted to Daniel Steiner is limited to those suspected of collaboration and permits him to deploy troops as necessary.

Anyone who does not cooperate with Daniel Steiner’s investigation will be considered to be insulting the dignity of the royal family and will be punished.

The term of the granted inspection authority is until the coronation ceremony, and Daniel Steiner is ordered to diligently carry out this mission for the honor of the royal family and the stability of the empire.

──────────

At the bottom of the paper was the elegant signature of Princess Selvia.

Knowing well that it was an officially issued appointment letter, Kemble had no choice but to raise the white flag.

“…I think I may have overreacted. I will cooperate with the investigation.”

Hearing the expected response, Daniel nodded and turned around.

“Conduct the search.”

The troops, upon receiving the command, saluted sharply and began to file into Kemble’s residence.

Some carried wooden and metal boxes as they moved.

Once all the soldiers had entered Kemble’s residence, Daniel also took a step forward.

Inside the house, Daniel could see the soldiers scattered throughout, hurriedly stuffing suspicious items into the boxes.

Leaning back with his hands clasped behind him, he leisurely observed the scene when Kemble entered with military officers.

Daniel did not cast a glance at Kemble but instead examined the surrounding decor.

Seeing the luxurious interior, Daniel exclaimed in admiration.

“There are many pieces of furniture made from cherry and mahogany! Just one of those pieces must easily surpass the annual income of an ordinary citizen. And that statue… it looks like it’s made of ebony, am I right?”

Even as the leader of a political party, he questioned whether it was too extravagant for a politician.

“Moreover, most of it is in the expensive Art Nouveau style. It’s a pleasure to see furniture here that is rarely found even in the Imperial Palace. Don’t you think?”

Kemble could not respond.

It was akin to a veiled threat, subtly asking him to reveal who was funding him.

Since Daniel had not expected an answer, he casually walked into the living room.

As Kemble followed him, the noise from the soldiers rummaging through various items made him tense.

In the midst of this, Daniel pulled out a chair from the dining table and sat down.

He placed his uniform cap on the table and nodded as if satisfied.

“I think it would be good to have our conversation here.”

Interpreting this as an invitation to sit, Kemble walked to the opposite side of the table.

As Kemble pulled out a chair and sat down, Daniel spoke with a smile.

“I apologize for the sudden visit and for having to conduct a search. Of course, once the investigation is over, all items will be returned, so there’s no need for you to worry.”

As Kemble nodded reluctantly, Daniel playfully tapped the table.

“To be honest, I would like to return the items relatively quickly. Prolonging this won’t benefit either the leader or me, will it?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I mean exactly that. If you provide honest answers to my questions, the investigation will conclude quickly, won’t it? Then I can return the seized items relatively soon.”

Daniel calmly conveyed his words, raising his hand and nodding his fingers.

At that moment, one of the officers waiting behind approached and placed a small tape recorder on the table before stepping back.

“Now then. From this point on, I intend to conduct a sort of interrogation. If you speak only the truth, we can part amicably. Do you understand?”

Kemble stared at Daniel for a moment.

He couldn’t discern what scheme was brewing behind that smiling face.

Yet, unable to refuse, Kemble nodded with tension.

“Very well. Then I will start the recording now.”

With that, Daniel pressed the record button on the tape recorder.

Confirming that the tape was rotating at a steady speed, Daniel turned his gaze to Kemble.

“The person I am speaking with is Kemble, the leader of the Liberty Socialist Party. Am I correct?”

“…Yes.”

“Then I will now ask questions of the leader, who is suspected of collaboration. Have you ever leaked imperial secrets to assist the Belmore Kingdom?”

Kemble inhaled sharply.

It was only natural to be taken aback when the first question was essentially asking him to admit guilt.

‘Wasn’t he here to negotiate?’

As Kemble began to sweat, he realized that he had to find a way out if they could reach a suitable compromise.

In the silence, he bit his lip.

If this was not a negotiation but a threat, he decided he had no obligation to comply.

“That’s absurd. You think I leaked secrets to help the Belmore Kingdom? You should stop with such insulting remarks.”

He had suspected it, and now it was confirmed.

Daniel, thinking it was nothing particularly unusual, pressed the pause button on the tape recorder and turned around.

“It seems the search is nearing its end. Have the soldiers wait outside. Frien? You stay here and draw the curtains.”

Upon receiving the command, the officers nodded and immediately took action.

As the officers returned to the soldiers and gave the assembly order, the soldiers began to file out of the residence, each carrying boxes filled with items.

Only after the officers had exited through the front door did Frien begin to draw the curtains in the living room.

As darkness began to envelop the room, Daniel spoke up.

“I clearly asked you to speak the truth, yet you are telling lies, leader.”

With a tone of disappointment, Daniel drew the revolver he had at his waist.

Opening the chamber, Daniel took a bullet from his coat and loaded it.

Immediately after, he closed the chamber and turned it around, looking at Kemble with a serious expression.

“It seems you have decided that lying is in your best interest. Therefore, I would like to propose a game to you.”

“…A game?”

“It’s simple. Whenever there is a discrepancy between the information I possess and your answers, meaning every time you lie, I will pull the trigger.”

Is he insane? Kemble felt a wave of confusion, but Daniel maintained a calm demeanor throughout.

“Only when you realize that lying could lead to your death will you speak the truth. So I hope you will cooperate with your life on the line.”

Frien, having drawn all the curtains, approached Daniel and stopped beside him.

As Kemble looked back and forth between the two shrouded figures, he clenched his fists tightly.

‘This is an absurd threat. He wouldn’t shoot me…!’

If he were to execute someone with mere suspicions, Daniel Steiner would not escape unscathed either.

Thus, Kemble concluded that Daniel’s behavior was more bluster than anything else.

Judging that Daniel was merely posturing, Kemble frowned.

“Ha! It’s fine to suspect me, but you won’t be able to silence me. As I said just now, I have never leaked secrets to the Belmore Kingdom!”

Daniel, thinking that was a plausible response, nodded once and raised the revolver.

“You’ve lied, so you must face the consequences.”

Kemble looked at the gun pointed at him and swallowed hard.

With the barrel so close, he felt a tremor, but knowing that Daniel wouldn’t pull the trigger allowed him to maintain his composure.

‘This is just a simple threat.’

Thus, there was no reason for him to be played by Daniel Steiner.

“Daniel Steiner! You should stop this ridiculous game of threats…”

Just as Kemble was about to raise his voice.

Click—

As Daniel pulled the trigger, the chamber rotated.

Kemble’s eyes widened in shock.

‘He… pulled the trigger?’

Kemble had clearly seen Daniel load a bullet into the revolver.

Yet, without hesitation, Daniel had pulled the trigger.

It could only mean one thing.

‘He intends to kill me. This man is truly trying to kill me…!’

Cold sweat began to trickle down Kemble’s forehead.

The fear of death coursed through his spine, causing his breath to quicken.

Moreover, his mind went blank, and his body trembled intermittently.

As Kemble gasped for breath, Daniel, who had been watching him closely, placed the revolver on the table.

Pressing the record button on the tape recorder again, Daniel leaned back in his chair.

“I will ask once more. Kemble, the leader of the Liberty Socialist Party, are you in collusion with the enemy…?”

As he whispered to Kemble, who was seized by the fear of death, Daniel’s tone was almost benevolent.

“Are you the rat who betrayed the empire?”