Chapter 56

About ten days later, upper command approved Daniel’s requested vacation. Considering how tedious and complicated the approval process was during wartime, it came through relatively fast. With his leave pass in hand, Daniel boarded the first-class carriage of the luxurious ‘Royal Express’ train.

Normally, even officers aren’t given tickets for the first-class section of fancy trains, but due to Daniel’s numerous military achievements, the General Staff Headquarters made an exception for him. “Let’s see… my cabin is…” Walking down the red-carpeted corridor, Daniel stopped in front of room CA8. Confirming that the number matched his ticket, he opened the door.

Inside, a large window showcased stunning views outside. As Daniel entered, admiring the scenery, two plush beds were visible on either side of the cabin. In the center stood a luxurious table with chairs, where expensive pastries were already laid out—definitely worth the name. Setting his luggage near the wall, Daniel approached the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. After removing his cap and placing it on the table, the train began moving with a gentle jolt.

Straightening his uniform, Daniel leaned back into the chair, relaxing as he gazed at the ever-changing landscape through the window. Despite the changing views, the shimmering light reflecting off tree leaves and fields remained constant—a truly pastoral and peaceful scene. A smile naturally crept onto Daniel’s face. “Yeah, this is what I wanted.”

A worry-free, peaceful life. Just enough money to maintain comfort without excess. And just enough power so others wouldn’t look down on him. Wasn’t that why he enrolled in the Military Academy in the first place?

But ever since regaining memories from his past life, everything spiraled out of control. His current life could be summarized like this: worrying about assassination attempts while strategizing not to die on the battlefield; receiving excessive amounts of reward money due to consecutive military exploits; gaining authority that now inspires fear rather than respect. It was far removed from the long, quiet existence Daniel had always aimed for.

Though sigh-worthy, today he could afford to laugh it off lightly. “It’s vacation time after all.” For the next month, he wouldn’t have to deal with the United Nations’ spy aide-de-camp or stressful daily tasks. No need to worry about getting dragged into succession struggles between princesses and princes. Nor would he fret over whether the General Staff Headquarters might send another operations support request.

“Troublesome. Is it really okay for me to feel this happy?” Chuckling softly, Daniel basked in the sunlight streaming through the window. “Come to think of it, hasn’t it been almost two years since I last visited home?” Since regularly visiting during his Military Academy cadet days, this would be his first trip south since then.

“I wonder if the Abbot is doing well. I did write a letter ahead of time, but I’m worried it might not have reached him properly considering how secluded the place is.” While reminiscing about childhood memories, the sliding door suddenly opened, revealing a black person.

“Oh! My apologies, sir. I should’ve knocked.” The man tipped his fedora upon noticing Daniel. Rising from his seat, Daniel smiled and extended his hand. “No problem. We’re sharing the cabin anyway, so you don’t need to tiptoe around me. I’m Daniel Steiner.”

“Ah! Captain Daniel Steiner! I’ve heard much about you. I’m Hamtal, from Nordia.” Little did Daniel know, Hamtal was actually the leader of the secret society Black Crow.

Of course, there was no way Daniel could’ve known that. “From Nordia? What a coincidence! I used to serve as the Garrison Commander there.”

“Thanks to you, Nordia has become much more prosperous. But why don’t we sit down and chat?” Nodding cheerfully, Daniel took his seat again, while Hamtal adjusted his tie before sitting opposite him. Then, seemingly remembering something, he casually asked:

“By the way, Captain Steiner, I heard you implemented radical urban planning in Nordia. Was there any special reason behind that?”

He was subtly probing Daniel one last time, wanting to discern whether Daniel acted for the Empire’s benefit or purely out of idealism to create a better world.

After a brief silence, Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. “Honestly, I thought both the General Staff Headquarters and Nordia citizens might criticize me, but the results turned out better than expected by accident.”

Impressed internally, Hamtal thought: ‘To push through despite knowing there might be backlash from both sides…’ That was practically the mark of a true visionary.

“Did you also speak up for us colored people…”

“To speak up? That’s only natural. Racial discrimination? That’s nothing but absurd elitism. All I did was tell some mentally deranged folks not to act so crazy.”

Daniel’s sincere tone carried genuine conviction. Seeing this, Hamtal finally dispelled any lingering doubts within himself.

‘Truly, Daniel Steiner deserves our loyalty.’ Bowing respectfully in his heart, Hamtal rose from his seat. “Sorry to interrupt our conversation, but I’ll be right back from the restroom.”

With Daniel nodding approvingly, Hamtal put his fedora back on and stepped out into the corridor. Walking a few steps, he pulled out a radio, turned it on, and pressed the transmit button.

“Report on any unusual situations in each section.”

Not long after Hamtal spoke, reports came flooding in through the radio.

– Dining car: No abnormalities. We’ll keep monitoring.

– Train lounge: Everything’s fine here too.

– Connections between sections: All clear.

Currently, every corner of the Royal Express was infiltrated by members of the Black Crow. This was because the best opportunity to harm Daniel Steiner would be now, when he was alone on vacation without military backup. Thus, as the leader of the secret society, Hamtal brought along many operatives who secretly guarded Daniel.

– Suspicious activity detected in the VIP compartment. Someone wearing a wristwatch-type radio communicating with someone else was spotted.

The report from the VIP compartment furrowed Hamtal’s brow. Narrowing his eyes coldly, he pressed the transmit button again.

“Keep watching. If they disembark, follow them and find their location.”

Receiving confirmation from the other end, Hamtal turned off the radio and slipped it back into his coat. ‘If there are forces plotting against Daniel Steiner…’

He would obliterate them using every skill honed over the past decade. Meanwhile, completely oblivious to all this, Daniel remained inside the cabin, leisurely enjoying the view.

* * *

Elsewhere, at St. Michael Monastery…

“Weeds everywhere… just hold on a moment.”

In the cloister-style courtyard surrounded by walls, Hieroni, the monastery head, was pulling weeds and transferring them into a nearby basket.

Approaching him was the vice abbot, neatly dressed in priest robes.

“Father Superior, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Hearing the voice behind him, Hieroni paused mid-pull, stood up, and turned around.

“Ah, Vice Abbot. What brings you here?”

“It’s about Daniel arriving tomorrow…”

“Yes, indeed. He kindly sent a letter informing us he’d visit during his vacation. Why does your expression seem troubled? Are you displeased about Daniel coming?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… I find some rumors troubling.”

“What kind of rumors?”

“You know Captain Steiner, correct?”

“Ah, yes. The empire’s hero. So?”

“I suspect this Daniel might actually be our monastery-raised Daniel…”

Monasteries strictly prohibited bringing external items inside. Newspapers and magazines alike were banned to maintain focus solely on serving God and avoiding worldly distractions. However, even within such confines, the name “Captain Steiner” was well-known thanks to wealthy patrons and politicians visiting the orphanage operated by the monastery, occasionally sharing stories about global affairs.

This led some, like the vice abbot, to wonder if this renowned Daniel hailed from their own monastery.

Hieroni merely chuckled.

“How many times must I tell you it’s just a coincidence? Have you forgotten what kind of child Daniel was?”

“Not entirely. Daniel was certainly… a compassionate boy.”

“Exactly. Not only compassionate, but thoughtful too. He loved drawing while contemplating quietly, helped us bake bread, and displayed remarkable maturity and responsibility.”

Hieroni snapped his fingers as if remembering something.

“And remember when the monastery dog fell ill and passed away? Daniel cried day and night for three days straight. Afterwards, he personally built a grave and placed flowers there daily.”

Listening to this, the vice abbot couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

“True, though Daniel occasionally showed surprising rationality that startled even us, fundamentally he was a kind-hearted child blessed by God.”

“Exactly. How could such a Daniel lead the invasion of Nordia and subjugate the kingdom? It doesn’t make sense.”

Hieroni chuckled softly again.

“Even putting aside everything else, Daniel has only been commissioned for nine months. To reach the rank of captain so quickly… isn’t that absurd?”

That was true. The vice abbot let out a hollow laugh and nodded.

“You’re right. My apologies for jumping to conclusions. I’ll take my leave now. Perhaps I should prepare some bread Daniel used to enjoy for tomorrow.”

Smiling warmly, Hieroni gave a slight bow as the vice abbot turned to leave.

Returning to weeding, Hieroni found himself smiling unconsciously.

“Our Daniel, the empire’s celebrated captain… what a notion.”

The vice abbot sometimes got carried away with wild imaginations. Common sense clearly dictated that such a scenario was impossible.