Chapter 60

The next morning.

“THIS is the place that guy mentioned.”

Daniel, accompanied by police, stopped in front of a shop. Due to the confession yesterday in the chapel from the man who introduced himself as Morten – claiming he had been helping a prince instigate an uprising within the system – Daniel had come here to investigate.

Honestly, Daniel had initially dismissed it as the ramblings of a lunatic, but with reports of rebellion surfacing, an investigation was unavoidable.

So, as soon as dawn broke, Daniel requested assistance from the local police station and arrived here.

“It looks like a regular shop on the outside… but…”

Inspector Barretti tilted his head in confusion. Daniel agreed, but there was always the possibility.

“If that man really WAS the leader of a secret organization, disguising the building and his identity would be basic protocol. We can’t rule out the madman’s testimony just yet, so let’s proceed with caution.”

Inspector Barretti nodded as Daniel stepped into the shop. The door was open, but no staff were in sight to greet customers. Only bloodstains on the display shelves remained.

Upon seeing the stains, Daniel reflexively drew his revolver from its holster.

“DAMN. Looks like the guy wasn’t lying after all. Everyone, arm yourselves!”

At Daniel’s shout, Inspector Barretti and the investigative team pulled out their pistols.

In the tense atmosphere, Daniel crouched down and scanned the area.

“Footprints…”

Footsteps from boots led off in one direction. Following them, Daniel spotted a steel door leading underground, wide open. Carpets and furniture nearby had likely been used to hide it from view.

“Captain Daniel? Did you find something…?”

Inspector Barretti approached with the police, but Daniel held up a hand to stop them. After another thorough scan, Daniel stood up.

“It seems some kind of armed group invaded the basement. They were guarding it for a while before leaving recently.”

“Huh? How do YOU know that, Captain Daniel?”

“The footprints. The ones going inside are old, covered in dust, but the ones heading out are fresh.”

Taking Daniel’s advice, Inspector Barretti examined the surroundings and quietly admired his deduction.

“Indeed. So then…”

“There might be danger ahead. Request backup from HQ.”

Inspector Barretti nodded tensely and picked up the radio.

“This is Inspector Barretti. We need additional support. Please send reinforcements immediately to the red-roofed shop near the 13th district riverbank in Pianmari Village.”

An affirmative response came through the radio.

Hearing the support request accepted, Daniel moved toward the basement to investigate what had happened here. Inspector Barretti had no choice but to follow him down.

Descending a rough staircase revealed a spacious area.

“What IS this place…”

Inspector Barretti turned on his flashlight, revealing numerous desks and telegraphs. Burnt documents were scattered everywhere.

As Daniel picked up one of the nearby papers, his brow furrowed.

“Seems like the man who introduced himself as Morten wasn’t lying after all.”

The document detailed a plan to threaten politicians and journalists while inciting citizens.

Just as the certainty of treason sank in, a commotion came from somewhere.

Turning around, Daniel saw sounds emanating from a room blocked by partitions.

Silently signaling Barretti and the police with hand gestures, Daniel moved toward the room. With his finger on the revolver’s trigger, he kicked the door open…

And froze in shock.

“EHHH!?”

Several people, bound and gagged, groaned pitifully.

Some, upon seeing Daniel, recoiled like worms backing away in terror.

Inspector Barretti, catching up to the scene, looked equally baffled.

“What IS this…?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s ungag them and hear what happened.”

Inspector Barretti holstered his pistol and removed the gag from the nearest man, who screamed in fear.

“S-Save me! Captain Daniel Steiner! PLEASE save me! I won’t get involved again! I SWEAR!”

Daniel was taken aback by the man’s desperate plea.

‘Why is he begging ME for mercy?’

Inspector Barretti, equally confused, removed the gag from another person.

“Captain Daniel! PLEASE save me! I have a family to feed! Sob… forgive me!”

Another terrified individual begged Daniel for forgiveness.

Seeing this, Inspector Barretti cast a suspicious glance at Daniel.

Aware of Barretti’s gaze, Daniel wiped cold sweat from his brow.

“Inspector, I KNOW what you’re thinking, but I SWEAR on God, I didn’t do this.”

But Barretti’s suspicion didn’t fade.

Even the surrounding police started edging away from Daniel, clearly fearing him.

“Listen, folks… I DIDN’T do this. Believe me!”

Despite Daniel’s heartfelt appeal, the police remained unconvinced.

The ensuing silence was broken by Inspector Barretti clearing his throat.

“For the record, I’ll note that Captain Daniel knew nothing about this.”

“Inspector! I’m telling you AGAIN, I didn’t do this!”

“Of course, Captain Daniel wouldn’t have done such a thing. Rest assured.”

Inspector Barretti tipped his hat off and bowed slightly to Daniel – a gesture saying he wouldn’t harm him politically.

After all, offending someone powerful enough to orchestrate such an operation wouldn’t be wise.

Though innocent, Daniel felt deeply wronged.

Wiping his face with a hand, he sighed softly.

‘I just wanted to enjoy my vacation…’

Getting dragged into such absurd situations filled him with disdain.

*

Late night, inside the Imperial Palace office.

“They’ve got the system under control…”

Princess Selvia stared at a map of the system spread across her desk. Red X marks indicated where royalist politicians and journalists had been threatened by armed groups.

“The data collection went well, but…”

The problem was inconsistency.

If the enemy’s base was located within the system, their activity range should overlap in certain areas.

Yet, they appeared unpredictably, mocking her attempts to track them.

“Could it be… they’re operating as separate cells?”

As Selvia initially suspected, their headquarters likely wasn’t in the system but elsewhere.

“But how do I find it?”

The Empire was vast.

There was no way to search every corner.

Moreover, judging by their systematic operations, they’d likely established themselves long ago – probably setting up their base and starting activities at least three years prior.

This made locating them even harder.

Consequently, the activity radius of the royalist politicians and journalists was shrinking.

With high risks of threats or injury, they were staying cautious.

“I HAVE to find them…”

But she had no clear method.

Resting her forehead in her hand, Selvia’s eyes half-opened.

“If only HE were here…”

Daniel Steiner.

The man who ingeniously claimed Nordia.

With such talented personnel by her side, he might’ve helped uncover the prince’s secret organization.

However, Daniel had left the system after requesting an extended vacation, seemingly uninterested in the succession struggle.

Thus, Selvia couldn’t summon him.

“What IS he thinking?”

She thought he finally became hers when he showed interest during a limousine ride to the palace, but now he’d suddenly gone on leave during the crucial moment.

Just as she tapped her desk in frustration, a knock sounded.

Straightening herself, Selvia cleared her throat.

“Come in.”

The door opened, revealing Colonel Hartmann, Chief of the Imperial Guard.

“Your Highness, working so late?”

“It’s a matter of life and death. What brings you here?”

“I came despite the lateness due to urgent news.”

Selvia gestured for him to continue.

“The key figures of the secret organization supporting the prince have ALL been arrested.”

Selvia’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Is this information reliable?”

“The report came directly from the Barony of Betargen’s jurisdictional police station. Based on their documents, it’s genuine.”

Arresting them would give her an immense advantage in the succession struggle.

Overjoyed by this unexpected fortune, Selvia asked loudly.

“Who? Who accomplished such a great feat?”

“Well…”

Colonel Hartmann leaned in and whispered.

“While he denies it, circumstantial evidence points to Captain Daniel Steiner.”

Selvia was speechless.

“Daniel…?”

Hadn’t Daniel requested leave to return to his hometown?

No, come to think of it, applying for an extended vacation during such a critical time DID seem odd.

‘Given his various achievements, Daniel must want promotion.’

Would a competent staff officer hungry for advancement really take leave during a period potentially deciding the next emperor?

It was absurd.

‘So Daniel was…’

Clearly, he’d pretended to be on leave while secretly working for Selvia.

‘Recalling his past actions…’

She remembered when Daniel, disguised as a war correspondent in the north, declared through Hartmann that “the one to become emperor will be the princess, not the prince,” even surrounded by assassins.

‘His purpose for hiding from me during his “vacation”…’

Made sense now – deceiving allies to deceive enemies.

Finally understanding Daniel’s actions, a small smile graced Selvia’s lips.

‘He risked his life to protect me before…’

Now he was doing unsolicited work to make her emperor.

Unknowingly developing affection for Daniel, Selvia muttered.

“He’s truly impossible. Daniel Steiner is…”

To Selvia, Daniel was not only a capable staff officer but also a true loyalist.