chapter_0173

172 – Divine Authority

172 – Divine Authority

At the same time, in the indoor garden of the Imperial Palace.

“Good. Now you’re listening well.”

Sunlight filtered through the glass dome ceiling, gently enveloping the entire garden.

In the garden, where fully bloomed flowers were falling one by one, replaced by vibrant green leaves, Daniel was happily spending time with the Doberman that had started to follow him.

He lightly patted the Doberman, which was panting with its belly exposed.

“Who do you take after to be this pretty? Huh? Who do you resemble, you little rascal?”

Selvia, sitting at a nearby table, was gazing at Daniel with a distant look.

‘I allowed this, and I knew Daniel liked dogs, but…’

Watching Daniel play with the puppy without tiring, a strange jealousy arose within her.

‘He’s never shown me any affection…’

Selvia knew.

She knew that Daniel Steiner liked her.

After all, if he didn’t like her, he wouldn’t have said, “I would give up everything for you,” after saving her multiple times.

So when she called Daniel to the indoor garden today, she had some troubling thoughts.

What if Daniel confessed or made a bold move?

However, Selvia’s anxious expectations flew away the moment they met.

Upon entering the indoor garden and politely greeting her, Daniel spotted the Doberman and immediately asked, “May I play with it for a moment?”

Not wanting to refuse, she allowed it, and he was already petting the Doberman for ten minutes.

‘And it seems he’s having so much fun…’

It was the first time Selvia saw Daniel, who always maintained his composure, smile so happily.

With a sulky expression, she alternated her gaze between Daniel and the Doberman, thinking to herself.

The affection Daniel was showing the Doberman should be directed at me.

Suddenly, Selvia blushed and cleared her throat.

‘…What a foolish thought.’

She felt embarrassed even thinking it.

Just as Selvia, unable to restrain her emotions, was getting flustered, Daniel turned his head.

“Your Majesty. If you have any leftover treats…”

Daniel stopped mid-sentence.

Selvia, whose eyes met his, hurriedly averted her gaze and fumbled.

As if she had been caught in a mischievous thought.

“…Your Majesty?”

To hide her flushed face, Selvia spoke in a small voice while holding a cup of black tea.

“I don’t have any treats. I’ve heard you shouldn’t give them often.”

“Is that so? But are you alright? You seem a bit flushed—”

“More importantly!”

Selvia interrupted Daniel’s words with a small shout, calming her heart as much as she could.

“Is there any progress in apprehending the collaborators lurking in the Imperial City?”

To hide her embarrassment, changing the subject was the best option.

Though it was a bit sudden, Daniel thought it was natural for Selvia to be curious.

He nodded.

“It’s proceeding smoothly. Although Duke Belvar isn’t speaking, there are various ways to approach it. I intend to find and judge the remnants of the nobility by any means necessary.”

“Thank you for saying that. Then what do you plan to do afterward?”

The position of Chief of Security that Daniel Steiner held was merely temporary.

Once all the collaborators in the Imperial City were apprehended, Daniel would have to return to his status as a soldier under orders from above.

In preparation for that time, Selvia was subtly asking if Daniel had a desired position.

Knowing Selvia’s intentions, Daniel pondered for a moment.

‘It would be ideal to occupy a key position in the Imperial City, but…’

If he did that, rumors might spread that Daniel Steiner was above the Emperor.

Even if he controlled the media, it would be clear that if he didn’t gain public support, things would not end well.

Right now, the citizens of the Imperial City were excited about the name Daniel Steiner, but if he wielded power as he pleased, there would surely be those who would think, ‘Isn’t he a bit strange?’

The moment they even consider becoming part of the resistance, it would become uncontrollable.

Thus, asking Selvia for a key position was practically akin to setting a trap for himself.

Thinking it best to take a step back, Daniel stood up and placed his hand on his chest.

“Your Majesty. Please retract your words. I am merely a soldier. A soldier is a sword wielded by Your Majesty and a shield to protect the people. A tool should not have thoughts of its own.”

The best outcome would be for the higher-ups to make a judgment without Daniel’s involvement, leading him to serve in the rear.

If that happened, Daniel Steiner would be remembered not as someone who sought to seize the Empire but as a soldier who made an unavoidable choice to apprehend collaborators.

In short, Daniel had made the choice closest to survival.

However, from Selvia’s perspective, it seemed as though Daniel was looking out for her until the very end.

‘He’s asking that power not concentrate on him. That way, my authority can be revived.’

How could there be such a selfless person?

Selvia, gazing at Daniel with affectionate eyes, nodded.

After some contemplation, she thought that she could trust him.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner. I understand your feelings well. I will ensure that your words are conveyed to the headquarters. Also…”

After a brief pause, Selvia spoke.

“I have a feeling that Colonel Daniel would be allowed to know classified information.”

“Classified information? Surely…”

“Yes. I didn’t call Colonel Daniel here just to chat.”

As Selvia lightly clapped her hands, the door to the garden opened, and an elderly man walked in.

The man, who had a somewhat haggard appearance, was someone Daniel recognized.

It was Rembador, the Empire’s engineer who had been repatriated during the prisoner exchange with the Belmore Kingdom.

Though they hadn’t spoken much at the time, Daniel remembered that distinctive appearance.

“Your Majesty. And Colonel Daniel.”

As Rembador approached, he bowed politely, greeting the two.

When Selvia and Daniel returned the greeting, Rembador smiled faintly.

“It’s truly nostalgic to see the Emperor, who appointed me as an engineer, and Colonel Daniel, who allowed me to step back onto the Empire’s soil, in the same place. You have given me a new life, so to me, both the Emperor and Colonel Daniel are like parents.”

Hearing someone who looked at least three times older than him refer to him as a parent was not exactly pleasant.

On the other hand, Selvia secretly smiled.

Being associated with Daniel and being called a parent wasn’t as bad as she had thought.

Rembador looked at Selvia and confirmed once more.

“Your Majesty. May I ask if it’s alright to disclose classified matters to Colonel Daniel?”

“Of course. Colonel Daniel is a trustworthy individual and an essential talent for us. There’s no need to hesitate.”

“Understood. Then I will proceed to inform you.”

Just as Daniel was wondering what he was about to say, Rembador cleared his throat.

“First of all… I must inform you that the project is still in its early stages. It will require years of research to be used on the battlefield. So, for now, I would like you to be aware that such a project exists.”

“What project are you referring to?”

“The development of a new weapon that could change the tide of battle. It possesses destructive power far beyond that of conventional bombs. To briefly explain the principle…”

After a moment of choosing his words, Rembador spoke with a serious expression.

“You may be aware that a few years ago, the Empire proved uranium fission through experiments. When neutrons are shot at uranium, the atoms split into two, releasing enormous energy. This reaction can even occur in a chain reaction.”

Daniel’s eyes widened in surprise.

He understood what kind of new weapon Rembador was trying to create.

“Theoretically, the moment you gather this beyond the critical mass, a tremendous explosion will occur.”

Rembador raised his hand and extended his index finger.

“The firepower is at least ten thousand times that of a conventional bomb. The damage radius can reach up to 10 kilometers. It could wipe out an entire division or a small city in an instant.”

Rembador slowly lowered his hand.

“Colonel Daniel, this is no foolish joke. There are still several unresolved issues, but it is a weapon with considerable feasibility.”

He knew.

It was a weapon that had historically been realized.

Moreover, if successful in development, it could change the course of war in an instant.

“If our scientists and engineers succeed in developing this new weapon in the near future…”

In the heavy silence, Rembador’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“The Empire will be able to wield the power of the gods.”

A word from the author (Author’s Note)

Dear beloved readers, I hope you are having a great weekend!

I hope my novel contributes to your enjoyable weekend!

Thank you for always reading! I’ll see you again tomorrow!