chapter_0171

170 – I Will Not Forgive the Media That Humiliated Me

170 – I Will Not Forgive the Media That Humiliated Me

Imperial Daily Headquarters, 3rd floor.

Editor-in-Chief Manrad’s office.

“Why haven’t I heard back? The Security Agency Director definitely said he’d contact me, didn’t he?”

Manrad, pacing around the office, couldn’t hide his anxiety as he turned to his side.

“Deputy Editor, am I wrong?”

Deputy Editor Redens met Manrad’s gaze and opened his mouth.

“No, sir. I heard that the Security Agency Director came from the Central Security Agency. As you said, Editor, it’s normal to have heard back by now, but…”

“Are they intentionally avoiding our calls?”

“Unfortunately, it seems so.”

Manrad stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow and groaning.

‘Could he have betrayed me? Otto Whitmore! That bat-like bastard…!’

Originally, Otto, the Security Agency Director, had promised to help the Imperial Daily.

A few days ago, Manrad had met with the Security Agency Director and asked him to persuade Daniel Steiner to help the Imperial Daily survive.

It was an open secret that a considerable amount of gold coins accompanied that request.

But Otto Whitmore did not fulfill his promise.

If he had succeeded in persuading Daniel Steiner, Otto should have contacted him by now.

‘Judging from his current behavior of deliberately avoiding contact…’

It was clear that he had failed to persuade him.

‘Not just failed to persuade him, but…’

There was also the possibility that Otto had told Daniel Steiner everything, saying, “The Imperial Daily’s Editor-in-Chief bribed me to persuade the Emergency Security General.”

Anyone else might not have, but Otto Whitmore, who always acted as a dog for those in power, was more than capable of doing so.

If that were the case, the Imperial Daily was likely in an irreversible situation.

Manrad, unnecessarily touching his neck, swallowed hard and said.

“…Deputy Editor, go to the Security Agency immediately.”

“Yes? To the Security Agency, you say?”

“Yes! If they don’t answer our calls, shouldn’t we go and find out the reason, even if we have to go there ourselves!”

“But will the Security Agency even allow us in…”

“Then are you saying we should just sit here and wait to die!? Are you just going to blink like a frog in a beaker until we’re cooked alive!”

Redens, startled by Manrad’s roar, lowered his head.

“No, sir! I’ll go right now and find out what’s going on!”

With that reply, Redens opened the office door and hurried away.

The reporters at each desk watched Redens walk away, sweating, with worried expressions.

They had all heard Editor-in-Chief Manrad shouting inside the office.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. It seems like things aren’t going well…”

“Then what should we do now…”

Amidst the reporters’ murmurs, Redens, carrying his briefcase, passed through several departments and headed for the exit.

After opening the door, he went down the stairs and out of the building, Redens hesitated as he was about to head in the direction of the Security Agency.

Military vehicles were entering the Imperial Daily headquarters in a line.

‘Could it be…’

As Redens froze, feeling an ominous premonition, the military vehicles stopped one by one in front of the Imperial Daily headquarters.

At the same time as they stopped, the doors opened simultaneously, and soldiers with sturdy physiques poured out.

The soldiers, with grenade patterns embroidered on their shoulders, stared at Redens with sharp eyes.

Thanks to them, Redens felt his breathing quicken.

‘Grenadiers.’

The fact that the Grenadiers, known as elite infantry, had arrived here meant one thing.

Colonel Daniel Steiner, the Emergency Security General, had decided to raid the Imperial Daily.

Screech─

A military jeep, which had stopped a beat late, had its driver’s side door opened and a soldier got out.

The soldier hurriedly ran to open the rear door of the jeep.

Then Daniel Steiner, sitting in the back seat, could be seen.

Daniel, smoothing his sleeves while seated, adjusted his tie and got out of the vehicle.

After expressing his gratitude to the soldier, Daniel looked around and met Redens’ eyes.

Daniel, with a light smile, approached Redens.

“Hello. I am Colonel Daniel Steiner, who has been appointed as the Emergency Security General. And you are?”

“Ah. I am…”

Redens, struggling to suppress his trembling voice, replied.

“I am Redens, the Deputy Editor at the Imperial Daily.”

“Ah! The Deputy Editor. That’s fortunate. If possible, I would like to see the Editor-in-Chief. Would you mind guiding me?”

He had to answer, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

As Redens was panting like someone who had just finished a strenuous exercise, Daniel shrugged.

“Oh dear. You don’t look well. I apologize if it’s because of me. I suppose you feel a pang of conscience, as guiding me to the Editor-in-Chief might seem like a betrayal. In that case, I will ease your guilt, Deputy Editor.”

Daniel, his smile gone, stared intently at Redens.

“Guide me to the Editor-in-Chief. Right now.”

*

Inside the office, Manrad, looking out through the front glass window, could see Redens returning.

As Redens, with a terrified expression, entered the 3rd floor, Manrad couldn’t contain his anger and stood up from his seat.

He was about to scold him for not doing what he was told, but Manrad didn’t get a chance to shout.

Armed soldiers began to pour in behind Redens.

“Kyaa!”

“What!? Why are soldiers here…!”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t do anything!”

Amidst the screams of the panicked employees, the soldiers easily occupied the 3rd floor of the Imperial Daily.

As they pressured the employees with cold eyes, the sound of boots echoed from the stairs.

The employees and Manrad, turning their gazes in the direction of the sound, could see Daniel Steiner entering through the open door.

The White Dragon Medal of Honor, added to the Golden Cross Medal and the National Virtue Medal, filled his chest densely.

Click─

It was a relaxed gait, as if he were claiming to be the real power in the empire.

Daniel, passing through the silent people, approached the Editor-in-Chief’s office and lightly knocked on the door.

“This is Colonel Daniel Steiner, who is carrying out a mission under the Emperor’s special order. I have something urgent to discuss, so would you open the door?”

Manrad, who couldn’t possibly refuse, opened the door.

Then Daniel nodded once in gratitude and entered.

Manrad closed the door after confirming that Daniel had entered.

In the awkward atmosphere, Daniel walked to the display case in the Editor-in-Chief’s office.

“Wow. You’ve received a lot of awards. Journalist of the Year, as well as the Investigative Reporting Award! You’ve even been selected as an excellent media organization for wartime reporting. Is this truly the Imperial Daily?”

Daniel, taking out one of the plaques from the display case and examining it, chuckled softly.

“I wonder what the point of this is now…”

Daniel’s words and actions came across as a strange pressure.

Manrad, struggling to maintain his composure, opened his mouth.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner. Do you know what you’re doing right now? You’re attacking the press. And the largest newspaper company in the empire, at that.”

“Is that so.”

As if not caring at all, Daniel casually returned the plaque to its original place.

“Think about it the other way around. From a certain point on, the Editor-in-Chief has spent a lot of time putting negative articles about me in the newspaper. And that’s towards the empire’s war hero.”

He lightly brushed his hand over the plaque that had been returned to its original place.

“That war hero led the army back, arrested the collaborators, and became the Emergency Security General, carrying out the Emperor’s special order. So, I don’t understand it very well.”

Daniel, taking his hand away, put his hands behind his back.

“Why doesn’t this idiot realize his position?”

The situation had been reversed, so he should be groveling on the floor, but he was instead acting confidently, which was absurd.

But Manrad knew.

That bowing down wouldn’t improve the situation.

It was right to resist in order to buy even a little time.

“Even if you say that…”

Manrad, drawing courage by clenching his fist, continued.

“You won’t find anything here. Also, it’s true that the Imperial Daily has been receiving donations from nobles for a long time, but that was all done through legal procedures.”

Manrad, clarifying that all of the Imperial Daily’s actions did not violate the law, took a deep breath.

“So, I earnestly request Colonel Daniel Steiner. Please stop trying to suppress the press with force. Our Imperial Daily, within the limits of what is legally permissible-”

“Who decides.”

Daniel’s words made him shut his mouth.

As Manrad remained silent, Daniel asked again.

“I asked who decides that your actions do not violate the law.”

This time too, Manrad did not answer.

Or rather, he couldn’t.

He had sensed that the atmosphere Daniel was giving off was unusual.

“Why don’t you answer? Does my question sound like a joke?”

Daniel slowly turned his body to look at Manrad.

The impassive eyes gave off a sense of oppression that made it hard to breathe.

“Or…”

Daniel, approaching Manrad, continued coldly.

“Have you finally grasped the situation?”

His shoulders twitched.

Manrad, thinking that he could no longer make excuses, quietly lowered his head.

Manrad, trembling under the weight of fear, knew.

‘Daniel Steiner is…’

A monster even more so than what was known to the world.

A word from the author (Author’s Note)

Thank you for the 2 coin donation, step by step! I received your heart well! I will continue to write hard in the future! Thank you for your support!

Thank you to all the readers who read it!

I hope that your lives are always filled with happiness and joy!

Then I’ll see you again tomorrow!