Isolating the Baron
Isolating the Baron
Without understanding Lucy's reaction, Daniel left work and headed toward the Imperial Palace's indoor garden.
As he entered the garden, guided by the Head of the Inner Court Office, he saw Selvia seated and stroking a Doberman.
The Doberman, who had been groaning contentedly under Selvia's touch, soon sensed a presence and lifted its head.
The Doberman, which had been twitching its ears, soon bared its teeth and snarled.
Seeing that, Selvia rose from her seat and turned toward the direction the Doberman was staring at so warily.
There stood Daniel, neatly dressed in his military uniform.
When their eyes met, Daniel placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.
"Your Imperial Highness. I have come in answer to your summons."
At Daniel's greeting, Selvia smiled faintly.
Her complexion was tinged with fatigue, as if worn down by various matters lately.
"I was waiting for you to come. Then, let us sit and talk......."
Selvia stopped mid-sentence and tilted her head.
Daniel was staring fixedly at the Doberman that was snarling at him.
"......Lieutenant Colonel Daniel? Do you like dogs?"
Only then realizing his gaze had been fixed on the dog, Daniel let out a dry cough.
"I don't dislike them. I used to keep a retriever in the past, after all."
"Is that so?"
Selvia, who had been pondering for a moment, spoke with a hint of mischief.
"Would you like to pet him, then?"
There was no way he would readily volunteer to touch a dog that was snarling at him.
Selvia had intended to tease him when he refused, but.......
"I shall do so."
Daniel accepted without hesitation and approached the Doberman.
The snarling Doberman, as if flustered by Daniel's approach, hid its teeth.
Daniel knelt on one knee before the Doberman and lightly stroked its head.
The Doberman blinked blankly but did not reject Daniel's touch.
"You are a good dog. Seeing that you avoid biting people, I mean."
Selvia, who had been watching Daniel pet the Doberman, tilted her head.
'I was told he was originally not this gentle a child.......'
The dog, which bared its teeth and barked at everyone except its owner Selvia, was lowering its tail before Daniel like a docile lamb, which was nothing short of baffling.
"It reminds me of the old days. Our Kelly was this well-behaved too."
"Kelly...... is that the name of the retriever you just mentioned?"
"That's right. It was a charming friend, the way it smiled."
Having said that, Daniel stroked the Doberman one last time before rising from his spot.
"More importantly......."
Daniel lightly dusted off his hand and turned to Selvia.
"Do you not have something to say to me?"
At the suggestion to get to the main point, Selvia pointed to the table beside her.
Upon the table were elegant cups and refreshments laid out on dishes.
"Shall we sit and share a conversation?"
Daniel nodded at Selvia's suggestion.
Naturally, the two walked to the table and took their seats.
Then, Selvia gently took hold of a steaming cup of black tea and parted her delicate lips.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel. What in the world is your scheme?"
There was a sharp edge hidden in that very first question.
Daniel paused for a moment before putting on an awkward smile.
"It is not easy to understand what you mean."
"Don't play dumb. Right now, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel is deliberately slowing down the investigation, isn't he? Now that Kembal has been exposed as a collaborator, what on earth are you hesitating for?"
Understandably, Selvia had already listened to the recording of Kembal's confession that Daniel had brought.
Since sufficient related evidence had already been secured, the next logical step was to strike at Baron Hendliem.
'But.......'
Daniel had merely held a press conference and used the excuse that 'nothing has been confirmed yet' to evade the issue.
He had even appealed for a halt to malicious reporting concerning Baron Hendliem.
'There isn't much time left until the coronation. That's the same as saying Daniel's inspection authority will soon end.'
At the time when he should have been moving most busily, Daniel was dragging his feet as if he had no intention of closing the investigation.
Since the behavior was incomprehensible, Selvia furrowed her brow in displeasure.
"Surely you aren't trying to make peace with the nobles? Now of all times?"
She was asking if he intended to bow his head like a coward now that it had become clear they had been attacked.
Daniel hesitated for a moment before answering Selvia's question.
It was because he needed time to think about whether he could trust Selvia.
'The possibility that Selvia participated in the nobles' plan to hand me over to the enemy nation.......'
It probably didn't exist.
Selvia was not a figure who greatly aligned with the legitimacy of the Imperial Household.
In truth, when internal strife broke out over the succession rights, the majority of nobles had tried to throw their support behind the prince, not Selvia.
At that time, Selvia and the nobles had grown hostile toward each other, and they had been antagonizing each other visibly and invisibly ever since, so they could not be considered on the same side.
'It wasn't intentional, but.......'
When it came to being hated by the nobles, Selvia and Daniel were in the same boat.
Thinking there was no need to hide anything, Daniel opened his mouth.
"It's not that I wish to make peace. You could rather see it as the complete opposite."
"......The opposite, you say?"
"Your Imperial Highness. Just as you said, we now have the grounds to investigate Baron Hendliem based on Kembal's testimony. But do you think any evidence remains at the Baron's mansion?"
Selvia did not answer but bit her lower lip firmly.
It was because anyone with sense would have clearly disposed of all evidence the moment Kembal was captured.
"If there is no evidence, then even if I lead troops there as an inspector and rummage through the Baron's mansion, it will only be a wasted trip. We will become the laughingstock of the nobles."
"Laughingstock, you say? As I see it, it could put pressure on them. At the very least, it could make them feel awe toward the Imperial Household."
"You are not incorrect. But pressure without substance only serves to increase their solidarity. It would also plant one certainty in them."
Daniel raised his hand and picked up his cup of black tea.
"Seeing the Princess and Daniel rush things, it seems there is no traitor within our ranks. Let us continue the operation as planned......."
Daniel, who had taken a sip of the black tea, gently set the cup down.
"In the end, we will have to be satisfied with arresting Kembal alone, a mere puppet of theirs. Meanwhile, they will cleanly resolve their internal distrust and continue their attacks on me and Your Imperial Highness."
Daniel let go of the cup and continued speaking.
"Whose victory would this be, exactly?"
Proceeding by the book would be handing the nobles a victory on a silver platter.
Selvia's expression grew serious, thinking there was merit to Daniel's words.
"So you are saying your goal is to dismantle them."
"That's right. They would be wondering how Daniel Steiner foresaw the surprise attack by the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Belmore, after all."
Who would consider that incident to be mere luck?
As if he himself found it absurd, Daniel let out a low laugh.
"How could Daniel Steiner have known of the Crown Prince's attack in advance? Continuing their deduction, they will soon fall into the delusion that 'there is a traitor within.'"
Knowing only fragmentary information, they had no choice but to conclude that an internal traitor had collaborated with Daniel Steiner.
If the investigation were forced through at this time, they would realize their reasoning was wrong and unite, but Daniel had instead delayed the investigation to allow their delusions to spread.
"Placed in a situation where no one knows who collaborated with Daniel Steiner, they will begin suspecting each other. Good heavens. As it happens, there's something newsworthy that comes out."
"Are you referring to the report that Baron Hendliem might be connected to Kembal?"
"That's right. The citizens will find it strange, but the nobles know the Baron is also a culprit. But I denied it. Saying the evidence was insufficient."
Daniel Steiner, who had clearly heard testimony from Kembal, stepped forward to shield Baron Hendliem.
Seeing that, the nobles had no choice but to suspect Baron Hendliem.
Hadn't Baron Hendliem made some kind of deal with Daniel Steiner? That was the thought.
"Suspicion will gradually turn into certainty. Whether it's the truth or a lie doesn't matter that much to them. What matters is that he is a scapegoat who will drown, hugging all that distrust."
The fastest way to boost the organization's cohesion was to execute the suspected traitor.
The leader of these nobles had not yet been exactly pinpointed, but judging by Kembal's testimony, it was someone who did not hesitate to dispose of people for their own plans.
"Therefore, Baron Hendliem will have to make a choice."
Daniel, leaning his back against the chair, shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of pity.
"Be isolated and die. Or, to survive, truly betray the organization."
He did not know which choice Baron Hendliem would make, but either outcome would not be bad for Daniel or Selvia.
Even if Baron Hendliem were to die, the seeds of discord sown among them would not easily disappear.
Selvia, who had heard all of Daniel's story, swallowed dryly.
It was because there was one puzzle piece that had not yet been fitted.
"Don't tell me—the very person who published the article that Baron Hendliem might be a collaborator......."
The beginning of the plan could only occur if there was an article stating that Baron Hendliem might be a collaborator.
Only then would Daniel Steiner deny that article and cause the nobles to start suspecting Baron Hendliem.
Upon hearing Selvia's conjecture, Daniel nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Daniel, his eyes gently narrowed, continued speaking in a dry and matter-of-fact tone.
"I gave the order."