chapter_0227

226 – Suddenly, I Have This Thought

226 – Suddenly, I Have This Thought

The hallway is eerily quiet.

The guards, despite having heard, pretended not to, and the head of the Inner Court and the maids merely bowed their heads with troubled expressions.

Arno felt that the heavy silence was a warning directed at him.

It was as if everyone was saying, “There is no place for you in the Imperial Palace.”

As the flustered Arno rolled his eyes, Daniel did not avert his gaze and spoke.

“Your Highness, you should be grateful that His Majesty the Emperor considers you his sister.”

The reason you can roam freely in the Imperial Palace is thanks to the grace of His Majesty, Selvia.

Understanding what Daniel meant, Arno bit his lip and shouted in frustration.

“Sister? That monster created by my father is now my sister…!”

However, his voice did not rise to a peak.

Arno quickly closed his mouth, having sensed the atmosphere around him.

As he took a deep breath, perhaps to suppress his anger, Arno glared at Daniel.

“…I didn’t expect much. It seems that preserving my dignity is such a blow to your pride?”

“You misunderstand. I merely thought that presenting falsehoods to the citizens of the Empire would tarnish His Majesty’s honor.”

“Honor. Yes. I understand your opinion well.”

Saying this, Arno moved past Daniel.

As Arno’s footsteps faded away, Daniel let out a low sigh.

He had a feeling that Arno’s temperament would lead him to do something reckless.

But now was not the time to think deeply about Arno.

“Let us go to His Majesty.”

As Daniel walked ahead, the head of the Inner Court and the maids quietly followed.

–

The place the head of the Inner Court guided them to was the Emperor’s private library.

Upon opening the door and stepping inside, numerous bookshelves lined the walls.

Walking between the shelves while inhaling the rich scent of books, Daniel soon reached the central hall of the library.

In front of a round table in the central hall, Selvia was working alone.

Dressed in a pure white uniform and draped in a red cloak symbolizing the Emperor, she looked perfectly at ease now.

Thinking that she had become the Emperor, Daniel quietly observed as Selvia sensed his presence and slowly lifted her head.

“Who dares to enter here without permission…?”

Selvia, who was about to get angry, brightened upon seeing Daniel.

“Daniel!”

As if she had been waiting, Selvia rose from her seat and approached Daniel.

“Welcome. Was your journey difficult?”

As Selvia came closer, Daniel placed his hand on his chest and lightly bowed his head.

“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner greets Your Majesty. To answer your earlier question, I am a bit fatigued from the journey, but it was not difficult.”

“Fatigued, huh? I would love to let you rest for a few days, but… that might make things uncomfortable for both of us.”

“I understand. If a general returning from the battlefield does not report directly to Your Majesty, everyone would find it strange.”

For some reason, Selvia laughed softly and took hold of Daniel’s hand.

“Anyway, we have plenty of time, so why don’t we sit down and talk? I have a lot to tell you about the Barogov Project and the domestic and international situation. Of course, I also want to hear about your exploits firsthand.”

Nodding, Daniel was led by Selvia to sit at the table.

Selvia sat not across from him but right next to him.

Though it was too close for comfort, Daniel soon felt reassured.

There were no attendants in the Emperor’s private library, after all.

It was only natural, given that it was a ‘private’ library.

‘The fact that she called me here means…’

It could be said that he was receiving infinite trust from Selvia.

‘Should I be pleased about this or not…?’

Feeling a strange emotion, Selvia began to speak.

The Barogov Project was progressing successfully.

Based on the testimonies and evidence you provided, we will soon reveal the Allied Nations’ secrets to the world.

As a result, the Federation will lose its will to intervene and will not oppose the Empire.

We are also discussing your promotion in relation to this.

After such significant topics, various smaller discussions followed.

She mentioned a policy that seemed to be well-received by the citizens, which made her feel good.

The Doberman raised in the royal household seemed to be growing more dignified by the day.

“I invited a specialist just for you, who loves desserts. How about we taste them together?”

As Selvia continued to share her daily life, Daniel nodded along or chimed in.

However, Selvia soon realized that Daniel’s responses seemed mechanical and felt disheartened, offering an awkward smile.

“Um, I feel like I’ve been talking too much about myself. Was it boring to listen to?”

It wasn’t boring for Daniel, but he was still preoccupied with the words Arno had spat out in anger.

Yet, thinking that speaking the truth might hurt Selvia, Daniel forced the conversation to shift.

“…I couldn’t take my eyes off Your Majesty’s beauty, which seems to grow more radiant by the day.”

“Oh. Huh?”

Selvia, caught off guard by the sudden compliment about her appearance, visibly blushed.

Blinking her blue eyes a few times, Selvia shyly replied.

“…Thank you?”

Though she didn’t quite understand why, she didn’t dislike hearing it.

–

After finishing his meeting with Selvia, Daniel was temporarily assigned to the headquarters a few days later.

His rank was ‘Special Staff Officer under the Chief of Staff.’

Whether it was prearranged or not, an office for Daniel had been prepared at the headquarters.

Though it was merely a temporary position to fill a gap, the Chief of Staff appointing Daniel Steiner as a special staff officer was equivalent to acknowledging his abilities.

He had taken a step closer to the long-desired rear service, but Daniel could not feel joy.

“…You say an independent newspaper wrote a negative article about me?”

Pelf, the intelligence officer, had brought Daniel the bad news.

In response to Daniel’s question, Pelf answered.

“Yes. I have the newspaper here. Would you like to see it?”

Nodding, Daniel watched as Pelf walked to the desk and handed him the newspaper.

Receiving the newspaper, Daniel read the headline that adorned the front page.

【Is Lieutenant Colonel Daniel’s aide an experimental subject of the Allied Nations? Lieutenant Colonel Daniel remains silent on the matter!】

Just from the title, it was clear who the article was attacking.

“At this point, raising such questions… Who is behind this?”

An independent newspaper would not act alone in such a manner.

There must be a group backing them, which is why he asked.

It seemed Daniel’s suspicion was correct, as Pelf answered without hesitation.

“I’ve heard that the newspaper in question, while claiming to be independent, has ties to the Labor Union Party.”

“The Labor Union Party? Isn’t that a third party?”

“Yes. Given the diminished momentum of the Liberty Socialist Party, it is safe to say that the Labor Union Party is exploiting that vacuum. Additionally, I have learned that they have been in continuous contact with His Highness Arno for the past few months.”

Upon hearing that they had been in contact with Arno, Daniel let out a hollow laugh.

‘So they thought they could threaten me by relying on the Labor Union Party.’

Daniel placed the newspaper back on the desk.

“They don’t think they can outmaneuver me, do they? What are they trying to achieve?”

“Perhaps… they believe they have a clear weakness on you and intend to use that to gain leverage. They might be suggesting that if you grant them what they want, they will stop raising questions.”

Moreover, they were likely hiding behind the independent newspaper in case things went wrong.

If Daniel Steiner refused to comply and took action, they could cut ties and claim they had no involvement.

While he knew that the political arena was a dirty place, it was exhausting to see it laid bare like this.

Beyond the exhaustion, a refined anger was rising within him.

‘Thanks to being deployed to the front lines, I risked my life to capture Penbarch and return…’

Were politicians not raising their voices for their own interests?

Letting out a low breath, Daniel leaned back in his chair.

He opened his eyes halfway, as if contemplating something.

Silence fell.

The ticking of the wall clock echoed clearly in the stillness.

Pelf, unsure of what Daniel would say, found himself unknowingly tense.

After about five minutes, Daniel quietly opened his mouth.

“Major Pelf. Is it the role of a political party to represent the opinions of the citizens rather than their own interests?”

The sudden question caught Pelf off guard, but he quickly answered.

“Yes.”

“Is that so? But if there are many parties that cannot fulfill that role…?”

A shadow fell over Daniel’s face.

He was quieter and more expressionless than before, but there was certainty in his gaze.

As Pelf instinctively clenched his fingertips in response to an unexplainable pressure, Daniel narrowed his eyes.

“Is it really necessary to have multiple political parties?”

In the thickening air, Pelf sensed that this was not a question.