chapter_0160

159 – I Have Returned

159 – I Have Returned

Daniel Steiner’s words were conveyed to Belvar through Deputy Director Pelliston of the Intelligence Agency.

Seeing Pelliston relay Daniel’s words with a face filled with fear, Belvar calmed him down with the words, “I have everything planned,” before sending him back.

However, contrary to what he had told Pelliston, Belvar had no such plans.

He could never have imagined that Daniel Steiner would persuade the Guards Division’s Armored Regiment to join him.

The tangled threads had now transformed into an unresolvable knot.

“……It’s devastating.”

Belvar sat at his desk in the mansion’s office, slowly pouring wine into an exquisite glass.

The red wine glimmered in the moonlight, its color as deep as blood.

“Where did it all go wrong……?”

Belvar slowly closed his eyes, lost in thought.

In the past, once Selvia was confirmed as the Emperor’s heir, Belvar had rallied all the dissatisfied nobles.

Having formed a noble alliance, Belvar proposed that they weaken Daniel Steiner’s power, claiming it threatened the authority of the imperial family.

Since the majority of the nobles agreed, Belvar immediately took action.

He was the one who commanded Kemble, the leader of the Liberty Socialist Party at the time, to inform the Kingdom of Belmore about Daniel Steiner’s position.

However, it seemed that Daniel Steiner was aware that his position had been exposed, as he vacated the outpost on the very day the Kingdom of Belmore launched its attack.

Crown Prince Bleff, unaware of this fact, ordered an advance and suffered a significant blow, ending up captured by Daniel Steiner’s ambush.

“Perhaps Kemble, the leader of the Liberty Socialist Party, discovered that he was a traitor.”

Though he did not know the full details, it was clear that he must have obtained information in exchange for releasing the Crown Prince.

After returning to the Imperial City, Daniel obtained the authority to investigate from Selvia and began actively hunting for traitors.

As if to warn the noble alliance.

If that had been the end of it, Belvar could have united the noble alliance.

If he could sacrifice just the lowly Kemble to solidify the alliance, it would have been a profitable trade.

He could have certainly mocked Daniel Steiner’s impatience and moved on to the next step.

But Daniel Steiner did not move as expected.

Even though he must have extracted information from Kemble, he did not continue the investigation.

When Belvar began to sense that something was amiss, a newspaper published an exclusive report stating, “The collaborator who aided traitor Kemble is Baron Hendleim.”

That was not information that a mere newspaper could uncover.

It was likely that Daniel Steiner had turned a newspaper into a propaganda outlet to disseminate information.

As he wondered why Daniel would do such a thing, Daniel publicly defended Baron Hendleim at an official event, stating, “He is not that kind of person.”

At that moment, Belvar understood.

Daniel Steiner wanted the noble alliance to fracture.

Belvar had seen through Daniel Steiner’s intentions, but the noble alliance was not a singular entity.

They openly discussed the possibility that Baron Hendleim had sided with Daniel Steiner.

Sensing that the moment their unity broke, the alliance would inevitably collapse, Belvar ordered the execution of Baron Hendleim.

While he could prevent the collapse of the alliance with Hendleim’s death, within the alliance, there was an unspoken fear that Duke Belvar held their lives and deaths in his hands.

Once fear manifests as discontent, it becomes uncontrollable.

If even a few disgruntled nobles sided with Daniel Steiner, Belvar’s position would plummet in an instant.

Thus, Belvar acted as soon as the late Emperor passed away.

He believed he needed to act quickly before Daniel Steiner devoured his power.

To ensure the operation was flawless, Belvar even allied with Count Caledra, the de facto leader of the Allied Nations.

“But I could not kill Daniel Steiner.”

Instead, he had not only failed to achieve his goals but had also suffered a setback, albeit minimizing his losses.

If his forces had significantly diminished, he could have somehow managed to hold them off, but thanks to Daniel, who had sensed something was off and secured an escape route in advance, the 7th Armored Division still maintained a formidable size.

He was beyond a hero; he was akin to a master strategist.

“Even this time……”

He had even managed to persuade the Guards Division’s Armored Regiment, which he had thrown out as bait under the pretext of forming a suppression force, to join him, leaving Belvar with no options left.

He had been turning a blind eye to the truth, but now he had to acknowledge it.

Daniel Steiner was overwhelming Belvar in every aspect.

With a face marked by despair, Belvar gripped his wine glass tightly.

“I will not flee.”

Even if he tried to escape, Daniel Steiner would find him and kill him regardless.

Rather than prolonging his life in such a miserable manner, it was better to fight to the end in the Imperial City.

“And……”

He needed to buy time in the Imperial City so that his family could escape.

“Don’t think for a second that I would hand my family over to you.”

Slowly opening his eyes, Belvar raised his glass.

“Even if I die in the Imperial City……”

His eyes glimmered with resolute determination.

“My family will carry on the legacy of the great ducal house!”

Belvar shouted loudly, drinking the wine as a means of solidifying his resolve.

However, he was unaware of the listening device installed beneath the chair he was sitting in.

–

As morning broke, Daniel ordered the 7th Armored Division and the Guards Division’s Armored Regiment to advance towards the Imperial City.

The unit commanders complied with Daniel Steiner’s orders without question, leading to a long procession heading towards the Imperial City.

This procession occasionally passed through farmland or near towns, and each time, the citizens witnessing the might of the 7th Armored Division and the Guards Division’s Armored Regiment chimed in with their thoughts.

“……What is that? Is it an army?”

“Of course it’s an army, you fool. But why is the army heading towards the Imperial City?”

“Right. They’re not heading to the front lines but to the Imperial City. Is something happening there?”

“I don’t know, but don’t pretend to know. Just keep your head down and do your work.”

“Exactly. There’s no good in getting into a dispute with the military.”

One farmer, who had been watching the procession, couldn’t help but exclaim.

“But wow, it’s really impressive.”

The endless line of tanks felt like massive chunks of metal creating waves.

Each tank, with its violent exterior, moved in an orderly fashion, and the noise they made was reminiscent of a beast’s growl, sending chills down one’s spine.

Moreover, the sight of armed soldiers marching like machines, staring straight ahead, conveyed an iron will.

“I don’t know who commands that army, but they must be like a king.”

“True. Honestly, with that scale, they could probably annihilate a city, right?”

“Of course. That’s what armies are for.”

The territory through which that army passed could easily be considered as ruled by a king.

As the farmers marveled, the army continued its advance, and after several days, they finally reached the entry control line of the wartime capital of the Imperial City.

“Huh?”

Sergeant Volker, the officer in charge of the checkpoint, felt the ground tremble from the movement of the tanks and hurriedly stepped outside the post.

What he saw was a contingent of troops moving with numerous tanks.

Just by rough estimation, it was a force of nearly 20,000, leaving Volker no choice but to take a deep breath.

The soldiers were equally astonished.

“What should we do, Chief? Should we check them……?”

Coming to his senses late, Volker shouted.

“Check? What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bastard! Are you going to get shot while checking? Open the entrance immediately! Even if we don’t open it, it’s going to open anyway!”

Nodding in agreement, the soldiers quickly moved to clear the barricades and barbed wire.

As Volker grew anxious, the troops of the 7th Armored Division slowly approached, one by one entering the Imperial City.

It was an unauthorized entry, but no one stopped them, nor could they.

Just as he wondered how to report this to his superiors, a military jeep broke away from the procession and parked nearby.

As Volker approached, puzzled, the window of the jeep slowly rolled down.

At that moment, Volker almost reflexively saluted.

It was a face he could not possibly ignore.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner!”

Sitting in the back seat of the jeep was none other than Daniel Steiner.

Volker, frozen in place, glanced at Daniel, who was looking tired but focused straight ahead.

“……Do you have anything to say?”

Daniel, staring straight ahead with weary eyes, quietly opened his mouth.

“To the citizens of the Empire and His Majesty the Emperor.”

Daniel raised his hand and lightly adjusted his sleeve.

Brushing off the dust on his sleeve, Daniel turned to look at Volker.

As a result, Volker felt a suffocating sensation.

“And to the traitors lurking in the Imperial City.”

Daniel’s eyes, fixed on Volker, narrowed sharply.

“Tell them that Daniel Steiner has returned.”