After spending another day at the hospital, Daniel completed his discharge procedures and stepped outside.
Basking in the sunlight, Daniel took a deep breath and slowly raised his hand to rub his forehead.
It was the exact spot where he had been hit by a brick two days ago.
‘So it really happened…’
Yesterday, after sending off a report, Daniel was about to rest in his hospital room when an unexpected visitor arrived.
None other than Tom burst into the room, knelt down without a word, and started apologizing.
Confused, Daniel asked him to explain what had happened. To his surprise, Tom revealed that someone else had thrown a brick before him.
Which meant Daniel had been hit by a real brick, not a fake one.
‘No wonder it hurt so much and even made me bleed…’
If the brick had struck his forehead head-on, he might not even be standing here today.
‘This is ridiculous.’
Rationally speaking, there shouldn’t have been anyone in the protest group using violence.
Most of the protestors were acting under orders from the noble factions, and attacking Daniel Steiner in public would place them at a disadvantage.
Even if the brick had seriously injured Daniel and put him in a coma, it would have invoked the wrath of Selvia.
Selvia would have utilized the military in the name of investigating those responsible for attacking the war hero Daniel Steiner, which would have only further centralized her power.
’And yet…’
The fact that someone had impulsively thrown a brick was baffling.
But from Daniel’s perspective, it wasn’t all bad.
He’d heard that the person who threw the brick had been caught red-handed.
According to the records, it was an officer-grade member who had not only organized the protestors but also led them. Daniel was secretly pleased.
‘Since a trusted insider resorted to violence, the nobles can’t argue.’
They might have otherwise tried to claim it was “Daniel Steiner’s theatrics gone too far,” but the moment an insider was caught in the act, their mouths were effectively sealed.
‘If the largest newspaper in the empire stays silent…’
It would plant suspicion in the hearts of the citizens that the imperial daily, funded by the nobles, was biased in its reporting.
Even if they reported on the event in some capacity to avoid being seen as biased, it wouldn’t matter much.
Because reporting it would be the same as admitting the violent tendencies within the protest movement.
‘It’s as if they’ve lost a way of attacking me forever.’
At this thought, Daniel internally felt satisfied.
“Ah! Colonel Daniel!”
Turning at the familiar voice, Daniel saw Belaff wearing a pastor’s gown, accompanied by Prien.
Belaff approached and said with great concern,
“Upon hearing you were injured, I was so worried, but now I see you’re fine, thank God. Is there any discomfort? Please feel free to ask if there’s anything you need, Colonel.”
Belaff spoke with concern, but Daniel could see through his intentions clearly.
He was simply trying to establish an early connection with Daniel, possibly the new rising power in the empire.
While Belaff’s opportunistic nature was evident, Daniel, who didn’t expect much from him anyway, remained indifferent.
“I need nothing right now. I will soon be heading back to the city.”
“Pardon? You could rest a bit more…”
“There’s less than a week until the coronation. I have to report the investigation results to the Royal Family before then, so I can’t afford to delay here.”
Can someone who got hit on the head with a brick just two days ago really say that he can’t afford to rest?
Exhaling in frustration, Belaff looked at Daniel as if he were more than human.
Feeling uneasy under that gaze, Daniel cleared his throat and turned to Prien.
“Prien, wasn’t it you who healed me? I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly due to the lack of time…”
“It’s okay. I feel I’ve been repaid with your words just now,” Prien replied with a gentle voice.
Yet something about her felt slightly alien.
‘If only you weren’t indoctrinated with such strange ideologies… you seem like such a normal woman…’
Daniel shook his head. This era was rife with nationalists, especially among the military ranks.
While Prien was somewhat radical, Daniel didn’t feel the need to lecture her right then.
“I have a good subordinate in you. Your healing magic is so effective that it would astonish any doctor. Keep honing your skills.”
The reason Prien would later be called an imperial saint was due to this very healing ability.
Ordinary healing magic could only offer emergency-level treatments, but Prien demonstrated miraculous results, completely healing wounds.
Daniel had never been wounded until now, but seeing how quickly she managed to heal his forehead, he understood why she was called a saint.
“Colonel Daniel said so…”
Apparently delighted by the compliment, Prien smiled faintly.
“I’ll dedicate all my free time outside of work hours to studying healing magic.”
“No, you don’t have to go that far…”
“Please let me. I want to be helpful to Colonel Daniel.”
…Daniel felt he might have said something wrong.
With an awkward expression, Daniel hesitated to respond until Belaff interjected.
“Colonel Daniel, may I say a word?”
Thinking it was a good opportunity to divert the conversation, Daniel nodded, and Belaff continued,
“Now that we, the Church of the Glorious Flame, and Colonel Daniel are on the same boat, wouldn’t it be helpful if Colonel Daniel shared his purpose with us?”
Daniel paused momentarily to think.
Purpose.
Despite all the unwanted events that had dragged him into history’s storms, his original purpose hadn’t truly changed.
A cool breeze brushed against the clear sky, and Daniel closed his eyes, momentarily savoring the wind on his skin before speaking.
“Peace.”
Slowly opening his eyes and giving Belaff a faint smile,
“Leading a mundane, pastoral life under a peaceful sky is my purpose.”
This left Belaff no choice but to laugh awkwardly.
“That, that’s good to hear.”
Because Daniel’s claim of desiring peace sounded utterly false.
‘If you don’t want to share, just say you don’t…’
Although Daniel was being truthful, Belaff couldn’t fathom that the man who delivered fiery war speeches, masterminded countless political schemes, and led numerous battles to victory could genuinely wish for peace.
*
Later that night,
At Baron Hendleymein’s manor.
“Damn it! Why won’t anyone believe me…!”
In a rage, Hendleymein opened the door of his manor.
Handing over his coat to a servant, he noticed something odd.
Normally, by now, a servant would have appeared, welcoming him back.
More curiously, the hallway lights were not even turned on.
Instead of calling for a servant foolishly, Hendleymein quietly stepped inside.
“…Someone has invaded my home.”
Yet, there were no signs that the servants had been harmed.
That suggested the intruder might know the servants personally.
‘Did someone bribe my servants to leave early? But why?’
Felling an unexplained wave of unease, Hendleymein climbed the stairs.
The creaking of the old stairs sounded eerily today.
Holding his coat over his arm and walking through the dim corridor, Hendleymein approached his room, grabbed the doorknob, and opened it.
Peering through the door’s crack, he saw a man seated at his desk, reading a newspaper.
It was Plaat, one of his informants.
Relieved, Hendleymein stepped inside.
“It’s you. If there was something urgent, you should’ve contacted me first…”
But Plaat didn’t respond, continuing to read the newspaper instead.
Though curious, since this wasn’t the first time Plaat had been insolent, Hendleymein decided not to comment.
“Anyway, what’s the reason you’re here today…”
Hanging his coat on the chair, Hendleymein paused.
On his desk was a letter written as a suicide note, in his own handwriting.
And next to it was a pistol.
Hendleymein’s eyes widened as he glanced at Plaat.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Plaat nonchalantly turned a page of the newspaper and replied.
“Exactly what you see. Commit suicide.”
Plaat’s casual demeanor left Hendleymein frozen in shock.
As if taking pity on him, Plaat added,
“The Duke has accused Baron Hendleymein of betrayal. Therefore, you must bear the responsibility.”
“But betrayal? Me? Are you fabricating nonsense?!?”
“Fabrication?”
Plaat let out a low chuckle.
“Is it still fabrication if Daniel Steiner personally stands up to defend you?”
“That… That son of a… He’s just trying to isolate me!”
“The Duke tried to interpret it that way too. He wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. But…”
Plaat folded the newspaper and threw it on the desk.
“What is this?”
Hendleymein lowered his gaze and saw the headline of the newspaper.
[Anti-war Protestors Turn Violent, Yet Colonel Daniel Steiner Extends Leniency]
Below it was a photo of Daniel Steiner holding and comforting someone from what appeared to be the protest group, blood trickling from his forehead.
As Hendleymein stared blankly at the article, Plaat spoke again.
“You were responsible for the protest group, am I correct?”
It wasn’t a false statement.
Hendleymein had secretly provided funds to the protest group.
“But violence broke out during the protest, aimed directly at Colonel Daniel Steiner.”
Hendleymein’s breath grew shaky.
Regaining as much composure as possible, he raised his head.
“So what? If this is merely another scheme by Daniel Steiner…”
“Baron, please stop.”
Interrupting Hendleymein, Plaat let out a sigh.
“The person who threw the brick was caught in the act. Turns out he’s been an officer in the protest group for a long time.”
“…”
“Not only the Duke but several other higher-ups are now questioning whether this wasn’t a coordinated effort between you and Daniel Steiner.”
Plaat scratched his head in apparent regret.
“The Duke is furious that he can no longer use the anti-war protests to attack Daniel Steiner. From the moment the group’s officer was apprehended, everything was over.”
“Wait. Let me speak…”
“Even if Daniel Steiner bribed that officer, you cannot avoid the Duke’s anger. It clearly shows how poorly you executed the task entrusted to you.”
Having said his piece, Plaat stood from his chair and straightened his clothes.
“I’ll give you plenty of time. I’ll wait outside the door. If you want to make any changes to the suicide note, let me know.”
With that, Plaat bowed slightly and walked out.
Only after hearing the door close did Hendleymein let out a defeated sigh.
“Ah…”
His trembling pupils landed on Daniel Steiner’s kind smile on the newspaper.
Ever since capturing Kemball, Daniel Steiner had isolated Hendleymein politically using media tactics.
By making other nobles suspicious and distancing them from him.
Before Hendleymein could clear those suspicions, Daniel turned up in the south, sparking violence among the protest group.
‘And…’
By bribing an officer of the protest group.
Exactly how Steiner pulled it off was unclear.
But it had worked; Steiner succeeded, leaving Hendleymein completely discredited.
“Aah…”
The body of Hendleymein, who had been pushed by an invisible yet devilish scheme of Daniel Steiner, went limp.
In the depths of despair, Hendleymein collapsed onto the floor, his teeth gritted tight, silently sobbing.
‘It was the Duke who ordered my death…’
But deep down, he cursed Daniel Steiner, the man who had driven him to this end.
