Chapter 112: A Wolf Cornered |
About two weeks after the negotiations were concluded, the Kingdom of Velmore sent Imperial engineers, including Hans Gernmehrt, to Barheim.
After verifying the identities of the engineers, Daniel sent the battalion personnel, including the Crown Prince, back to the Kingdom of Velmore and then requested to return to the General Staff Headquarters.
The General Staff Headquarters, unable to leave Daniel Steiner, who had successfully completed his mission, on the battlefield, accepted the return request.
Thanks to this, Daniel escorted the engineers, including Hans Gernmehrt, towards the capital, and after safely arriving in the capital, he requested an audience with Her Highness the Imperial Princess.
It wasn’t the Imperial family who summoned him, but Daniel Steiner himself who requested an audience.
It wasn’t an action that an ordinary operations staff officer or a field-grade officer could take, but if that officer’s name was Daniel Steiner, it was a different story.
The Imperial family couldn’t dare ignore Daniel Steiner’s request, so they informed the Imperial Princess, and Selvia accepted it despite her busy schedule.
“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner.”
So now, Daniel was able to meet with Selvia, who was sitting on the Imperial throne in the audience chamber.
It seemed she had gone through more than expected during the month and a half that Daniel had been away on the operation, as Selvia’s appearance was now closer to that of a lady than a girl.
Selvia, blinking her blue eyes tinged with fatigue, opened her small lips.
“You wanted to see me?”
In the audience chamber carpeted with red velvet, Daniel knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“Yes. I apologize for taking up Your Highness’s precious time when you are so busy with public and private affairs, but I judged that I needed to speak to Your Highness directly as it is an urgent matter.”
“Whether it’s something to apologize for or not, I’ll judge after hearing it. Go ahead and speak.”
“Understood. Actually…”
Daniel told Selvia everything he had experienced.
He explained that finding Crown Prince Bleff of the Kingdom of Velmore’s surprise attack suspicious, he conducted a separate investigation at the negotiation site and found out that Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, was leaking confidential information.
Selvia’s expression became serious after hearing the whole story.
She already knew that Daniel had turned Crown Prince Bleff’s surprise attack to his advantage and achieved victory.
However, it was the first time she had heard that Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, had leaked Imperial secrets.
If all this was true, it was clearly an “urgent matter” as Daniel had said.
“Is this true? Is there really not a shred of falsehood in this…”
“Yes. If you want a witness, it’s fine to call in my adjutant who is waiting outside the audience chamber right now. My adjutant was also at the negotiation site, so she can corroborate my statement.”
One of Selvia’s eyebrows twitched subtly.
She didn’t like that Daniel had mentioned his adjutant.
“I’m not asking for a witness to appear, but asking for your own thoughts, Daniel Steiner. If you’re confident in your claim, raise your head and speak.”
Daniel, raising his head, said with a serious expression.
“I’m certain.”
After being told that much, she couldn’t continue to press the issue.
‘Considering he’s willing to bring his adjutant as a witness, it doesn’t seem to be a lie…’
To begin with, Daniel Steiner wasn’t the type of person to make false reports.
Selvia, believing Daniel, raised her hand and flicked it lightly.
It meant she would believe him, so he should stand up, and Daniel nodded.
As Daniel stood up, Selvia placed her hand on the armrest of the Imperial throne.
“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel. So what do you want from me?”
At these words indicating to get to the point, Daniel opened his mouth after a brief consideration.
“I would like you to grant me temporary inspection authority to thoroughly investigate this matter.”
According to Imperial law, in case a politician posing a military threat is discovered, temporary inspection authority could be granted to military personnel under the law for eradicating collaborators until the case is resolved.
Daniel Steiner was requesting to be granted inspection authority based on this law.
It was a reasonable request, but from Selvia’s standpoint, it was a bit delicate.
“…You must know that granting you inspection authority is not such a simple matter.”
The moment Selvia empowered Daniel, there was a possibility that nobles claiming Imperial legitimacy would rise up.
It was obvious that they would object to Daniel Steiner, who was merely an orphan, inspecting a politician of noble origin.
“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel? Why don’t you reconsider? Wouldn’t it be better to hand over the inspection to the Security Bureau or the Military Police?”
“Your Highness. The leader of a political party is acting as a collaborator. What do you think this means? It means that there are corrupt individuals not only in the Security Bureau but also in the Military Police.”
Selvia remained silent.
Daniel’s words were not wrong.
“Even if we order them to inspect, a proper investigation won’t take place. So I intend to inspect the leader of the Liberal Social Party with my own hands to see how far its roots have spread.”
“…I understand your feelings. But if you can’t secure proper evidence, even I won’t be able to protect you.”
The testimony of an enemy division commander alone wasn’t enough to prove that Campbell was a collaborator.
So Daniel inevitably had to either extract a confession from Campbell or collect evidence.
The moment he failed to secure evidence that Campbell was a traitor to the Empire during this process, Daniel would be attacked by the nobles and brought to trial.
The nobles who harbored antipathy towards Daniel would desperately try to increase the severity of the punishment, so in the worst case, even the death penalty could be imposed.
Selvia couldn’t understand why he was willing to take such a risk, but from Daniel’s perspective, there was no choice.
‘If I don’t strike a blow to them this time, it’s just a matter of dying sooner or later.’
Only by showing how far a cornered wolf could bare its teeth would they also become cautious.
“I’m not asking for protection. I simply want to dedicate myself to Your Highness and this Empire. So please grant me inspection authority. I will take all responsibility.”
Daniel, hiding his true intention of self-preservation, bowed his head as respectfully as possible.
Selvia didn’t want to accept, but she couldn’t refuse Daniel’s first request.
Finally, Selvia, deciding to trust Daniel, nodded.
“Alright. I’ll write you a letter of authorization, so conduct a proper investigation. However…”
Selvia continued, looking down at Daniel.
“The period is until before the coronation. I detest having rumors circulating during the coronation ceremony. Do you understand my words?”
It meant to handle the matter as quickly as possible and report back.
Even if he couldn’t produce results, it also meant that Selvia, who would receive full Imperial authority after the coronation, would appease the anger of the nobles by revoking the inspection authority.
It was all for Daniel’s sake, and Daniel, knowing this, placed his hand on his chest with a faint smile.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Your Highness.”
“Good. Then you may go now.”
At Selvia’s dismissal order, Daniel saluted respectfully and turned to walk out.
Seeing Daniel about to leave, the imperial guard opened the entrance door, revealing a long corridor.
Lucie was also waiting there.
“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel.”
As Daniel came out into the corridor, Lucie followed.
“Did the conversation go well?”
Daniel opened his mouth casually while walking down the corridor.
“Yes. Her Highness has agreed to write a letter of authorization, so we’ll head to Campbell’s residence as soon as day breaks tomorrow. Prepare soldiers related to this and bring one bullet without gunpowder.”
What on earth was a bullet without gunpowder for? Lucie was puzzled, but since Daniel often showed unexpected eccentricities, she didn’t bother to ask.
“Understood. I’ll prepare quickly.”
Daniel nodded at Lucie’s words and continued walking with a pensive look in his eyes.
Walking beside him and staring at Daniel, Lucie suddenly recalled how Daniel had been longing for a deceased woman in the brigade headquarters office in Barheim.
Somehow, Daniel’s current gaze felt similar to that time.
“Lieutenant Colonel Daniel.”
Although she knew it wasn’t an appropriate time to talk, Lucie, thinking she should apologize, carefully opened her mouth.
“I unintentionally overheard you muttering while looking at a photo in the brigade headquarters earlier. Since we probably won’t have time tomorrow, I wanted to apologize now.”
Daniel, who turned to look at Lucie wondering what she was talking about, soon understood.
“There’s no need to apologize for recalling old memories. It’s sad that she left me, but it’s just the past after all.”
“…From what you’re saying, it seems you were very close.”
“She was a one-of-a-kind friend. I even made a birthday present for her with my own hands for the first time in my life.”
“A present, you say?”
“Ah. It was a dog collar made of good leather. Kelly loved to go for walks wearing it.”
Lucie, who had been listening, stopped in her tracks.
‘A dog collar as a birthday present?’
Lucie, her eyes wide with surprise, unconsciously hugged the documents in her arms.
‘…And that woman loved to go for walks wearing the dog collar?’
Lucie couldn’t understand Daniel’s words at all.
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