An Induced Misunderstanding
An Induced Misunderstanding
A heavy silence hung between Daniel and Magref.
It was so quiet that the sound of the wall clock's hour hand turning was clearly audible.
Within the artificially formed stillness, the two merely held each other's gaze in silence.
Magref appeared still, but countless thoughts were swirling furiously in his head.
'Tell him the identity of the Imperial collaborator? Then the one who gave information to the Kingdom of Belmore isn't a double agent.'
Daniel's words had confirmed he was an ally, so he could not be handed over easily.
Because that man had to stay alive to continue providing useful information in the future.
'But...'
If he didn't tell the truth, he had no idea what Daniel Steiner might do.
Right now, it was Daniel Steiner—who held the Crown Prince's life in his hands—who had the upper hand at this negotiation table.
'Even so, there's no way Daniel Steiner would kill His Highness the Crown Prince...'
From the Empire's perspective, Crown Prince Blef was a special human resource who could yield countless advantages in negotiations with the Kingdom of Belmore.
Magref wanted to believe that Daniel Steiner would never kill the Crown Prince, but meeting those inscrutable black eyes sent chills down his spine.
'What should I do...'
Noticing that Magref was agonizing over the decision, Daniel suddenly smiled.
Leaning back against the sofa, Daniel spoke as if addressing a friend.
"Major General Magref. Are you aware that I previously conducted ceasefire negotiations with the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Eldreshia?"
Magref nodded.
It was a famous anecdote that no military official would be unaware of, after all.
"I know. That you successfully concluded the ceasefire negotiations, and that Nordia, along with Begenheim, was ceded as well."
"I'm glad you know, it makes things easier. Then, do you also recall what the Eldreshian Foreign Minister called me during those negotiations?"
Magref hesitated to answer.
Because he didn't think it was something one should say in a negotiation venue.
But Daniel merely waved his hand dismissively, as if telling him not to mind.
"It's fine. It's become so famous that there's practically no one who doesn't know it."
He couldn't remain silent when the other party was speaking so frankly.
Swallowing hard, Magref studied Daniel's reaction and opened his mouth.
"...He said you were the child of Satan wearing a human mask."
Upon hearing the answer, Daniel nodded in satisfaction.
"Indeed. The child of Satan. Honestly speaking, as a devout believer serving God, it's not a pleasant thing to hear. But interpreting it another way, it wasn't really that bad. Why might that be?"
The persistent questions were a form of pressure.
Just as Magref, unable to grasp the intent, was hesitating, Daniel straightened up from where he had been leaning against the sofa.
"Because the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Eldreshia judged that my way of handling matters had deviated from the human spectrum."
Leaning forward slightly, Daniel continued, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"Just as he believed he could not deal with me, someone who defied common expectations... Is that not the highest compliment a staff officer can receive?"
Magref broke out in a cold sweat.
Daniel's words seemed like self-praise on the surface, but the underlying implication was, 'Do not assume I will not kill the Crown Prince.'
Magref's rational mind insisted that he should not believe those words, but his emotions were already shaken.
Seeing that Magref's breathing was growing ragged, Daniel quietly posed his question.
"Good. Then I'll ask one last time. Who is the Imperial rat who cooperated with Major General Magref?"
Daniel asked again, but Magref did not open his mouth this time either.
The wall of reason had not yet collapsed under the surging emotional turmoil.
Thinking he shouldn't give him time to deliberate, Daniel picked up the radio and pressed the transmit button.
"All troops, move to firing positions. As I said before, it's a 100-round volley this time. Be ready to commence fire the moment I signal—"
"Stop!"
Magref's shout reverberated inside the reception room before fading.
As if he couldn't stand it any longer, Magref let out a groan and, after wrestling with himself, opened his mouth.
"I will tell you. I will tell you, so cease such atrocious acts."
Daniel, who had been quietly observing Magref, pressed the transmit button.
"All units, hold at your firing positions. Fire will be ceased unless I issue further orders."
Having cancelled the firing order, Daniel set the radio down on the table.
Seeing that, Magref drew a deep breath and confessed the truth.
"...The one cooperating with the Kingdom of Belmore is the Empire's Kembal."
Daniel's brow furrowed upon hearing Magref's words.
'If it's Kembal...'
He was the leader of the Liberal Society Party and a politician from a noble family.
While his political skills weren't particularly great, rumors were rampant that he had risen to the party leader position with the backing of several high-ranking nobles.
'Why would Kembal join hands with the Kingdom of Belmore to attack me?'
Daniel racked his brain to find the reason, then soon shook his head.
For now, he could think about it after concluding this negotiation.
"Thank you for telling me. Now that the talk is over, shall we move on to the negotiation? Adjutant?"
At Daniel's call, Lucy, who had been standing by at his side, retrieved a document from her inner pocket and handed it over.
Receiving the document, Daniel scanned the contents briefly and then extended it to Magref.
"This is the draft agreement. I believe it's been drafted fairly, but if you see anything that needs amending, please don't hesitate to say so."
After shooting Daniel a glare, Magref accepted the document.
The document demanded the release of Imperial engineer Hans Jernmehat and stipulated the partial provision of several strategic resources.
As the draft agreement was reasonable, just as Daniel had claimed, Magref had no reason to refuse.
Having read the entire document, Magref extended his hand toward his aide, who took a fountain pen from his breast pocket and handed it to Magref.
Receiving the fountain pen, Magref signed both copies of the document and handed one back to Daniel.
After confirming the signature, Daniel passed the document to Lucy.
Lucy, having received the draft agreement, checked it again before carefully placing it into the briefcase.
Thinking the negotiation was now concluded, Daniel reached out to pick up his uniform cap from the table.
"Thank you for agreeing to negotiate. We have arranged a separate place for you to rest, so upon leaving the building, please follow the guidance of our personnel."
Daniel, who had put on his uniform cap and stowed the radio, stopped as he was about to rise and raised his index finger.
"Ah. You'll be staying at the Delopolo Hotel for the next two days. I hear its breakfast is quite renowned, so even if you're tired, I hope you won't sleep in and will be sure to try it."
His expression was so composed it was hard to believe he was the same man who had been issuing threats just moments ago.
Magref, displeased by this, clenched his fist and spoke.
"Daniel Steiner. I cannot fathom what you're thinking. Why are you digging your own grave?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"It's preposterous. Not only did you use prisoners as threats, but you even had some prisoners executed by firing squad at the negotiation venue! Do you truly not know this is a clear violation of international law!?"
Daniel blinked blankly, as if puzzled.
"So... you're claiming I used prisoners as threats?"
"Don't play dumb now! Not just me, but my aide as well remembers your words and actions exactly as they were."
The corner of Daniel's mouth slowly curled upward as he looked at Magref.
Then, as if he could no longer hold back, he burst into laughter.
Because of Daniel's sudden outburst, Magref and his aide were inevitably seized by a strange sense of dread.
Just as they wondered what was going on, Daniel raised a hand, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, and took out the radio.
"Ahh. My apologies. It seems you are under a serious misapprehension."
Pressing the radio's transmit button, Daniel spoke without hiding the amusement in his voice.
"Captain Varnrad? Are you listening? If you are, tell me the situation over there. Major General Magref seems to be under a misunderstanding."
─ What misunderstanding do you mean, sir?
"It seems he thinks we're using people for firing practice. Is there any such fact?"
A short while later, a flabbergasted voice came through from the other side of the radio.
─ There is no such fact! We are merely shooting at targets right now!
Hearing Varnrad's words, Daniel shrugged his shoulders.
"That's what he says."
Because of that, Magref could only freeze.
'No way...'
Because he now finally understood the reason why the delegation, which had already been granted entry, was stopped at the plaza under the pretext of a secondary inspection.
At the time, it had seemed unconnected, but judging from Daniel's current attitude, it was to imprint upon Magref the image of death row inmates being executed by firing squad in the plaza.
To superimpose the image of 'execution by firing squad' onto the 'firing practice' mentioned in the reception room, the negotiation venue.
Daniel's tardiness had also been a kind of device, simultaneously signaling that he was an erratic figure whose mind couldn't be read and making himself appear to be a person of an authoritarian and arrogant disposition.
'Looking back on it...'
Daniel Steiner had not once mentioned 'execution by firing squad.'
He had consistently called it firing practice, so it didn't even fall under the scope of a threat.
Only then did Magref, realizing he had been toyed with by Daniel Steiner, become overcome with shock.
"Major General Magref."
Daniel, who had been gazing steadily at Magref, rose from his seat.
"Considering the standing of our two nations, I shall forgive the discourtesy you have shown me."
Bidding farewell by touching the brim of his uniform cap and lowering it slightly, Daniel turned on his heel.
Staring blankly at Daniel's receding figure, Magref raised a trembling hand and clutched his forehead.
"Ah. Aah..."
Just as Magref, berating himself for falling for the devil's trick, felt dizzy, Daniel exited the reception room.
Immediately after, a shout laced with a scream came from Magref behind him, but Daniel did not look back.
There was no need to pay attention to prey already caught.