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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: An Unavoidable Fight
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At the same time, Liberal Social Party Headquarters.
The Party Leader's private office.
"…Daniel Steiner turned the Kingdom of Belmore's surprise attack to his advantage and won? Not only did he win, but he even captured the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Belmore as a prisoner?"
To the question of Cambell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, Platt, Baron Handriem's informant who had come disguised as a civilian petitioner, nodded.
"Using the captured Crown Prince, prisoner exchange negotiations with the Kingdom of Belmore are reportedly underway."
At the outrageous news, Cambell slammed his desk in a fit of rage.
"What incompetent fools! Not only did they fail in their surprise attack even after ascertaining Daniel Steiner's location, but they were also captured as prisoners!"
Though Cambell was enraged, Platt, the informant, spoke without batting an eye.
"It cannot be simply seen as a mistake by the Kingdom of Belmore. There are indications that Daniel Steiner had detected the Kingdom of Belmore's surprise attack in advance and acted accordingly."
"What? How on earth did Daniel Steiner know that?"
"We are currently investigating that as well. The most plausible assumption is that there's a traitor among us who has sided with Daniel Steiner…"
Platt's hollow eyes landed on Cambell.
Cambell, thinking he was being suspected, hastily opened his mouth.
"If you're suspecting me, cease at once! I have lived my entire life swearing loyalty to His Excellency the Baron. Me, of all people, siding with an orphan like Daniel Steiner? Do you think that makes sense?"
Seeing Cambell sweating profusely, Platt couldn't help but withdraw his suspicion.
Cambell's fervent denial wasn't what convinced him.
It was simply the thought that someone who would cower at such a simple suspicion couldn't possibly have dared to betray them.
"I apologize for the suspicion. Now, I shall explain the purpose of my visit here."
"…Purpose, you say?"
"Baron Handriem said, 'Cambell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, is to cease all external activities and political and military actions for the time being.'"
In essence, it was a command to live like a mouse for a while.
Cambell, who couldn't understand this, carefully posed a question.
"Is there a need to go that far? No matter how many military achievements Daniel Steiner has amassed, he's still just a mere officer, isn't he?"
"Someone who has the trust of Her Imperial Highness the Princess and is called a hero of the Empire cannot be dismissed as a mere officer. It would be better to be cautious, just in case."
What he heard wasn't wrong, so Cambell inwardly agreed.
Cambell, who had been silent for a moment, swallowed hard and looked at Platt.
"But it will truly be alright, won't it? If Daniel Steiner were to find out who leaked the information to the Kingdom, then I…"
"You have no need to worry."
Platt's reply was firm.
"No matter how skilled a negotiator Daniel Steiner is, he wouldn't be able to extract Party Leader Cambell's name from Major General Magref. There's absolutely no reason for Major General Magref to tell Daniel Steiner the Party Leader's name, no matter how you look at it."
Normally, bribing an official from an enemy nation or training and embedding a spy in an enemy nation takes a long time and astronomical sums of money.
However, the one who conveyed classified information from within the Empire without any conditions was none other than Cambell.
Therefore, it would be a normal judgment to keep him hidden and exploit him further.
Thus, it was generally accepted that Major General Magref would never have sold Cambell's name to Daniel Steiner.
Cambell also couldn't deny Platt's opinion, so he felt inwardly relieved.
"In that case, that's a relief. So, all I need to do is lay low for a while, feigning illness?"
"That is correct. Even if Daniel Steiner suspects you, do not worry. Because Daniel Steiner has no authority to investigate you."
Cambell, exhaling slowly, nodded.
"I understand. All of this is for…"
As Cambell was about to bid farewell, Platt made a fist and placed it over his chest.
The two men, narrowing their eyes seriously, spoke almost simultaneously.
"For the greater cause."
To eliminate Daniel Steiner, who was disturbing the legitimacy of the Imperial Family and attempting to engulf the Empire.
That was the greater cause they pursued.
*
"Why the hell are you doing this to me?! What did I do wrong, you bastards!"
In his office at the brigade headquarters, Daniel, who had been drinking whiskey alone, suddenly let out a yell.
The unfolding situation was beyond ridiculous; he was starting to get angry.
Daniel, his hand lightly trembling as he held the whiskey glass, recalled the past.
'Because of that Crown Prince…'
At the remote outpost, his plan to spend peaceful days had gone up in smoke.
It was already absurd that they launched a surprise attack during training and willingly got themselves surrounded, but when he declared surrender and then pulled out a hidden pistol from his coat and aimed it, Daniel truly thought his heart would drop.
It was a good thing that his improvised act of feigning composure and provoking them to shoot if they dared had worked so well; if his act hadn't worked, he might have been riddled with bullets.
'Of course, in that case, I would have sped up my reflexes, but…'
If he had dodged the bullets and stepped aside, the soldiers behind him would have been attacked instead, so even then, it would have haunted his conscience.
'That crazy bastard…'
If it hadn't been for the Crown Prince, he might have run over right then and there to punch him a few times and tell him to get a grip.
Suppressing his anger with effort, Daniel raised his glass and took a sip of whiskey.
Daniel, who had been admiring the night-shrouded streets from the window, let out a low sigh.
'The Crown Prince isn't the problem right now.'
The name 'Cambell' he heard during the negotiations put him on edge.
Because the leader of the Liberal Social Party had sold him out, and he absolutely could not stand idly by.
Daniel, who had vaguely suspected that the bastard was involved with the nobles, walked toward his desk.
His head ached so much that he wanted to sit down and rest for a moment.
Daniel placed the whiskey glass on the desk, then pulled out a photograph from his inner coat pocket.
In the faded black-and-white photograph, a Golden Retriever was smiling with a bright expression.
'Those were the good old days…'
His childhood came to mind, when he had no worries or concerns and simply enjoyed running around with his dog.
Just as Daniel was lost in his memories, Lucy arrived at Daniel's office, carrying dessert.
She knocked lightly, but Daniel, half-drunk and lost in memories, didn't hear her.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel?"
Again, there was no reply.
Lucy, blinking her red eyes a few times in confusion, gently pushed the door open.
There, sitting at his desk, was Daniel, silently gazing at a photograph.
Daniel, gazing at the photo with troubled eyes, quietly murmured.
"Kelly. I miss you…"
At this, Lucy's eyes widened in surprise.
Daniel's appearance, calling out a woman's name and saying he missed her, was unfamiliar to her.
As she watched carefully, Daniel, with eyes full of longing, formed a faint smile.
"Everything was happy when I was with you. Are you doing well in heaven?"
Upon hearing Daniel's monologue, Lucy instinctively raised a hand to cover her mouth.
No matter how she looked at it, that was the behavior of a man longing for a deceased woman.
Lucy, who had unintentionally learned of Daniel's past, felt a strange sense of kinship amidst her shock.
This was because Lucy also had memories of losing those she considered friends.
Thinking that Daniel had also experienced such painful loss, pure sympathy welled up in her heart.
'And what's more…'
Judging by his expression and tone, Daniel must have lost the woman he loved due to some accident.
She couldn't even imagine how great the pain would be of losing a loved one to death.
Lucy, looking at Daniel with a pained gaze, bit her lower lip tightly.
Thinking she shouldn't disturb Daniel, who was lost in memories, Lucy quietly closed the door and returned the way she came.
She thought offering comfort would not be too late after Daniel had composed himself.
Meanwhile, Daniel, unaware that Lucy had come and gone, was recalling his friendship with his dog.
"Because I insisted on raising you, I got scolded by the Abbot so much…"
Daniel chuckled softly, and put the photograph back into his inner coat pocket.
Then, he picked up the whiskey glass and gently raised it.
As he slowly swirled the glass, the whiskey swirled within.
That sight was reflected in Daniel's dark eyes.
'I thought my safety in the capital would be guaranteed once the coronation was over…'
Seeing that he was being attacked by politicians, it seemed he had been greatly mistaken.
'The Emperor wasn't the problem. It seems the Empire's nobles and politicians are acting and making judgments on their own.'
It was a mistake to think that if he showed no interest in politics, they would leave him out of their political struggles.
'They're finally dragging me into this dirty fight.'
He stopped the hand that was swirling the glass.
His calmed mind showed him the path forward.
'You're the ones who started this. Therefore…'
Daniel, gripping the glass so tightly that his fingertips turned pale, narrowed his eyes sharply.
'I will use every means necessary to thoroughly crush you.'