Same Bed, Different Dreams
Same Bed, Different Dreams
One week later, the Imperial Palace.
Emperor Bertram's bedchamber.
"In your view, how is His Majesty's condition?"
At the question from Imperial Guard Captain Johannes Kunz, the royal physician answered while putting away the medical equipment.
"I have done my utmost, yet His Majesty's circulatory system is presently in decline, accompanied by insufficiency of organ function. I am administering treatment to minimize the pain His Majesty endures, but beyond that I see no clear-cut remedy."
Johannes, who had been standing in silence, looked down at the royal physician and clenched his fist.
"How can there be no method? His Majesty is still...."
"That is enough."
It was Bertram, speaking from where he lay on the bed.
When the two who had been conversing fell silent, Bertram raised a hand and waved it dismissively.
"Physician, you may withdraw now. You have done your best."
The royal physician closed his medical bag, rose from his seat, and bowed his head deeply toward Bertram.
"I shall pray to God that Your Majesty makes a swift recovery."
Expressing his regret, the royal physician turned and walked out.
Johannes, who had been vacantly staring at his retreating figure, let out a sigh and sat beside Bertram.
"Your Majesty. It is times like these that you must not give up and must look after your health."
At Johannes's words, Bertram let out a dry laugh.
"Enough with the lip service. Did you not just hear what the physician said? He said he would pray to God. That is tantamount to saying only God can cure my illness."
"Your Majesty...."
"Enough with the clumsy consolation. Death is a natural thing, yet I cannot understand why everyone makes such a fuss with long faces. It is nothing but irritating."
After a brief silence, Johannes opened his mouth.
"...Wouldn't it be more grotesque and irritating if we were laughing instead of wearing long faces? I suspect everyone is simply pretending to cry because it would be troublesome if Your Majesty, in your anger, were to order an execution."
Bertram, who had been looking sideways at Johannes by rolling just his eyes, felt the corner of his mouth twitch.
Then, as if he could no longer hold it in, he burst out laughing.
He had found Johannes's joke quite to his liking.
"You are not wrong. If one does not wish to die by my hand, pretending to cry is indeed the correct course. Though of course, there would be one exception."
"When you say exception?"
"Is there not a wolf raising its stature within the General Staff Headquarters?"
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner.
As he spoke of the young officer, Bertram shifted his gaze toward the ceiling.
"Now that the topic has come up, let us cast aside this gloomy talk and discuss that fellow instead. I have heard that it was revealed the leader of the Liberal Society Party was acting as a collaborator. Is what I know correct?"
Johannes nodded.
"That is correct. As such, I am told that they are currently investigating related persons, but Daniel Steiner has not disclosed the information obtained during the investigation process to the public."
"Is that the end of it?"
"It is not. Recently, some media outlets have been publishing speculative articles claiming that the person closely associated with the Liberal Society Party leader is Baron Hendliem."
As far as Johannes knew, the first newspaper to publish such an article was the Melbaroton Newspaper.
"As the speculative article spread like wildfire, Daniel Steiner is said to have held a press conference to clear up the misunderstanding. At that press conference, Daniel Steiner reportedly made an earnest appeal, asking people to cease the one-sided criticism directed at Baron Hendliem."
Bertram blinked as if it was unexpected.
"Daniel Steiner defended a noble? Why?"
"I do not know the exact circumstances, but he reportedly said to stop the false reporting until a proper investigation result comes out. Furthermore, I have heard he made several statements advocating for Baron Hendliem."
"Daniel Steiner took the lead in shielding Baron Hendliem from the attacks aimed at him. What do you believe his ulterior motive is, as Captain of the Imperial Guard?"
"I am not well-versed in politics, but is it not that Daniel, finding himself cornered, seeks to make peace with the nobility?"
Bertram, who had been lost in thought with his eyes half-open, soon shook his head.
"From what I see, Daniel Steiner is trying to fracture the nobility. Spreading seeds of doubt everywhere. The damn bastard...."
Contrary to his words, Bertram let out a hollow laugh, as if amused.
"The more I see him, the more desirable a fellow he becomes. If only I were ten years younger, I would have made that fellow into an ally loyal to the Imperial Household...."
He had met the fellow too late.
Because now, Daniel Steiner had grown enough to easily tear out the throat of an old, sick lion.
All that the current Bertram could do was hope that Daniel held no sinister intentions toward the Imperial Household.
*
At the same time, Daniel, who had arrived for work at the General Staff Headquarters, was sipping coffee by the window of the break room.
'I might actually die at this rate....'
For the week following the apprehension of Kembal, the leader of the Liberal Society Party, as a collaborator, Daniel had been working literally without rest.
Meaning that except for the handful of hours he spent napping, he had devoted himself entirely to work.
This was not because Daniel was a workaholic, but due to the anxiety that the moment he took even a brief rest, he might become prey for the media to tear apart.
Just as Daniel had foreseen, the Imperial Ilbo was running a string of articles stating that 'Daniel Steiner has begun his political maneuvering.'
'Thank God I made a massive media splash through the Melbaroton Newspaper about the fact that the Liberal Society Party leader was a collaborator....'
Had he not taken the initiative, the Imperial Ilbo would have tried to twist the truth by framing that seizure and search as a simple matter of supporting a political party's logic.
'Though that point is a relief....'
Either way, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had stepped into a swamp he couldn't easily escape from.
His mind was becoming so worn down that he found himself once again craving the cigarettes he had quit back in his cadet days.
'If only this were a game.'
If it were, he could delete his current character, be reborn in some neutral country, and enjoy a pastoral peace.
But as this was reality rather than a game, he had no choice but to navigate the immediate situation as wisely as possible.
'For now....'
Since he had made statements defending Baron Hendliem at the press conference, the other side would soon show a reaction.
Whether things would flow according to plan was an unknown, but Daniel thought that this current choice was the play with the highest odds of success.
"...."
Beyond the window, he could see the reporters swarming like ants at the entrance of the General Staff Headquarters.
Daniel, who had been silently observing them, lifted his paper cup and took a sip of coffee.
As he was enjoying the quiet of the empty break room, he suddenly slipped a hand inside his coat and pulled out a photograph.
It was a picture of a golden retriever smiling brightly.
Looking at it made him feel as though his anxiety and worries about the future were melting away.
While Daniel was receiving comfort by recalling past memories, Lucy entered the break room.
It was the moment she drew closer to convey a message to Daniel.
"Kelly. How I long to hold you."
Daniel's voice, thick with moisture, made Lucy halt in her tracks.
Unaware that Lucy had entered the break room, Daniel continued to murmur to himself.
"I miss your embrace. Rolling around while holding you tight was my greatest joy in life."
Lucy's eyes went wide like a startled cat's.
Her face subtly reddening was an added bonus.
From Lucy's perspective, no matter how she looked at it, Daniel's words implied a sexual relationship.
Hastily looking around, Lucy realized there was no one else nearby and felt inwardly relieved.
It would do no good for others to learn that Daniel was pining for a relationship with a woman who had died.
Judging that she had to stop Daniel before he made a mistake, Lucy let out a blatant, forced cough.
Only then, sensing another presence, did Daniel subtly wipe his eyes and tuck the photograph into his chest pocket.
Having composed himself, Daniel turned around and discovered Lucy gazing at him with an inexplicably flushed face.
"Adjutant?"
In answer to his unspoken question of what business she had here, Lucy parted her lips with as much calm as she could muster.
"...I came to convey the news that the Imperial Household has summoned Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner. It is Her Highness the Princess's command that you visit the Imperial Palace after leaving work today, as she wishes to discuss the inspection results."
I was wondering when they'd call. So it was today.
Daniel nodded plainly.
"Thank you for informing me. I shall stop by the Imperial Palace immediately after I finish work today."
Daniel had indicated his assent, but Lucy did not leave.
Her demeanor, as if she had something to say but was hesitating, felt puzzling.
Wondering why she was acting like that, Daniel soon came to a quiet realization.
'She must have reached the peak of exhaustion after doing nothing but work all day, following me around.'
Thinking it was only natural for grievances to have piled up, Daniel calmly opened his mouth.
"I fully understand your grievances. You must have accumulated a lot of frustration toward me lately for various reasons. It must be difficult as work is busy today, but I think it would be good for us to take a walk together and talk sometime soon."
At the word "walk," Lucy's red eyes quivered once.
To Lucy, who harbored a certain misunderstanding, Daniel's words did not sound ordinary.
Thinking she must not cross the line, Lucy barely managed to cling to the thread of her reason.
"...I am fine."
"Why? Taking a walk while conversing is—"
"Did I not say I am fine...!"
Thanks to Lucy, who uncharacteristically refused him repeatedly, Daniel was left flustered.
Unable to face Daniel properly, Lucy half-closed her eyes and averted her gaze.
With her face flushed, Lucy let out a low breath, bowed her head deeply toward Daniel, and hastily turned away.
Daniel could only watch Lucy's retreating back as she walked out of the break room in dazed bewilderment.
'Just what did I do wrong?'
Because he could not possibly understand that reaction.