It Has Taken the Bait
It Has Taken the Bait
Meanwhile, in the western part of the Empire.
The port city of Lost Bellemont.
"This way! We can't afford to delay, so hurry, even if it's hard!"
Peremilla, Duke Belvar's eldest son, glanced back and called out in a low voice.
Peremilla was currently leading not only his own family but also the families of his younger siblings, so the weight of responsibility was immense.
However, Duke Belvar's third son could not understand why Peremilla was in such a hurry.
"Elder brother. Aren't you rushing too much? We could go more slowly......"
"The broker noticed something suspicious and moved up the schedule. He said he felt like someone was watching him."
"Huh? Even so, why must we accommodate that lowly creature's schedule? And even without him, couldn't we just take a passenger ship or a liner to Bellanos?"
The second son, who had been looking at the third son—pampered and ignorant of the ways of the world—with pity, opened his mouth.
"You stupid son of a bitch. We are currently on the run. If we use a passenger ship or a liner, all those records will remain. Are you telling us to put up an advertisement asking to be caught by Daniel Steiner?"
"But brother......"
"Shut your mouth. There's a limit to stupidity. It's beyond me how Father left you the oil company. Anyway, brother, did you know that Father was going to start a military rebellion?"
At the second son's question, Peremilla answered even as he continued walking briskly.
"I didn't. If I had known, there's no way I would have been involved in such a thing."
Before instigating the military rebellion, Belvar, their father, had demanded funds from Peremilla, the eldest son, in the family's name.
Peremilla, knowing that his father's power lurked behind his business success, considered it repayment of interest and handed a massive sum of money to Belvar.
Belvar used that money to rally the nobles and buy off the defense commander.
"So, in the end......"
The second son continued, his face turning pale.
"Doesn't that mean you also lent your strength to the military rebellion Father started?"
Peremilla clenched his teeth.
"I didn't know! I said I didn't! As you well know, I'm a man with no interests whatsoever outside of my family and company! Do you want to think that someone like me helped Father to gain power?"
Peremilla denied it, but the second son remained suspicious.
"Brother. Even if what you say is true, it's questionable whether Daniel Steiner will believe it. In this situation where even innocence is dangerous, haven't you left clear evidence that you helped Father plan the rebellion?"
As the second son spoke in a measured tone, veins bulged on Peremilla's forehead.
"You son of a bitch! So what are you getting at? Are you suggesting we go back and confess our wrongdoings? You think Daniel Steiner would just forgive our entire family then?"
"That's not what I meant......"
"Be quiet! Time is of the essence; don't make me raise my voice over useless talk!"
There was truth to it, so the second son nodded without a word.
Peremilla, who had glared once at the now-silent second son, ended the argument with a sigh and continued leading the way.
After moving through the alleys by flashlight, Peremilla finally reached the pier.
As he exited the alley with his family, a gust of wind blew in, thick with the smell of the sea.
"Here it is."
Peremilla, relieved that he had arrived at the appointed time, let out a sigh of relief—then froze.
Under the dim glow of the pier's streetlamp, a man in a fedora was sitting on a folding chair, fishing.
Only his back was visible, but an oppressive aura emanated from him somehow.
'...Is that the broker?'
He was too relaxed for that, which made Peremilla doubt it.
It was the broker who had said he felt like he was being watched and moved up the schedule, but the man before him was sitting openly under the streetlamp as if he didn't care at all about being watched.
"Excuse me. Are you the one who came to help us?"
As Peremilla spoke, the man who had been gazing at the sea slowly raised his head.
"You're mistaken. I'm simply enjoying some night fishing, you see."
The low, resonant voice sent an inexplicable chill down his spine.
The broker who claimed to be under surveillance hadn't shown up at the meeting place, and an unknown man in black had taken his place, so it was only natural to feel uneasy.
Peremilla, who had unconsciously swallowed hard, reassured his frightened family, then spoke.
"I see. It seems we've taken a wrong turn, so we'll be heading back—"
"Fishing is truly profound. Why can't these fish distinguish between bait and food? Most fishermen disparage the intelligence of fish, but I think a little differently."
Just then, the float on the fishing rod quivered as if a fish had taken the bait.
But Hamtal didn't lift the rod.
"Perhaps the fish are so cornered that they must eat it, even knowing the bait is suspicious. Just like you, right now."
"What do you mean by......"
The moment a sweating Peremilla stepped backward, Hamtal's men, who had been holding their breath in the darkness, revealed themselves one by one.
Each of them held a rifle of unknown origin.
"I wouldn't run if I were you. The guns my subordinates are holding are no fakes."
Having said that, Hamtal grabbed the fishing rod and lifted it lightly.
Cheombeong─
The fish caught on the hook surfaced, slapping the water with its tail.
"Hmm. In my estimation, it's a big catch."
So muttering, Hamtal turned around.
"What do the children of Duke Belvar think?"
At Hamtal's words—as if he knew everything—Peremilla felt the strength drain from his legs.
Plop. Having collapsed right there, Peremilla thought amid the surge of despair.
'We will never......'
Be able to escape from Daniel Steiner.
*
At the same time, on the upper floors of the imperial palace.
The entrance of the Heavenly Gate Hall.
'......What's this?'
Daniel, who had led the grenadiers to the entrance of the Heavenly Gate Hall, was puzzled.
'I definitely gave the order before entering the palace: take one company with Lucy and open all the passages leading to the Golden Rest on the top floor.......'
To reach the Golden Rest on the top floor, one had to inevitably pass through the Heavenly Gate Hall, but not only was its door shut, the company's soldiers were waiting in front of the entrance.
"Ah! Colonel Daniel Steiner, sir!"
One of the soldiers guarding the place saluted him.
Daniel roughly returned the salute, approached him, and spoke.
"Why is everyone waiting here? Where is my adjutant?"
"Ah. That is......."
The soldier hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
"To explain the situation, getting this far was easy. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the imperial guards accepted our words that we had come to save His Majesty the Emperor and laid down their weapons. There's just one problem: the captain of the imperial guard."
"By captain of the imperial guard, do you mean Johannes?"
"That's correct. Even though all the soldiers have left, the captain of the imperial guard has not yielded his will and continues to hold the Heavenly Gate Hall. As such, First Lieutenant Lucy Emilia entered the Heavenly Gate Hall alone to persuade the captain, so we are waiting here."
Persuasion, huh. No matter how he looked at it, it was not going to be persuasion by words.
After hearing the whole story, Daniel nodded in understanding.
"I'll go in and check the situation, so you all continue to wait here."
It was an order given because a sudden rush of soldiers could hinder persuading Johannes.
'Since it'd be better to keep him alive and extract information than to kill him here.'
Thinking that, Daniel opened the door of the Heavenly Gate Hall and stepped inside.
Then, he saw Lucy and Johannes confronting each other.
Fortunately—thinking the fight hadn't yet begun—Daniel closed the door, secretly relieved.
Seeing that, Johannes furrowed his brow.
"Colonel Daniel Steiner. You have finally revealed your true colors."
Daniel, having closed the door, moved to stand beside Lucy.
"I'm not sure what you mean by revealing my true colors."
"Not only have you led an army to seize control of the capital, but you are now occupying the imperial palace! You damned bastard! The late emperor's words were right! You are indeed a wolf who will devour the Empire!"
At Johannes' accusation, Daniel's expression remained calm.
"I have only led an army to deal with the collaborators infesting the Empire. Once this situation is over, even if power happens to be concentrated in me, I will return all authority to His Majesty the Emperor."
"All traitors always talk so plausibly. Just like you are doing now."
"You wish to label me a traitor. If that puts your mind at ease, I understand. However, in my view, the true traitor......"
Daniel's eyes narrowed sharply.
"......would be the captain of the imperial guard, who acted on his own without even inquiring about His Majesty the Emperor's will."
Johannes's eyes widened.
Johannes, who had been clenching his teeth and trembling with rage, spoke, forcing himself to maintain his composure.
"......It was the late emperor's order to block you. As the captain of the late emperor's guard, following that order is my fate."
Sseureung! Johannes drew his sword from the scabbard he was holding.
The sharply honed blade shone with a cold, blue glint.
"Therefore, I shall kill you here and fulfill my duty."
He was mistaken. Seeing that he had lost his reason, he was past persuasion.
But Daniel was neither flustered nor anxious.
Because Lucy, standing right next to him, was glaring at Johannes with an intent to kill.
'What did the two of them talk about when I wasn't here.......'
He didn't know exactly, but Lucy was angry, judging by her expression.
It was a difficult thing for Lucy, who always treated others with apathy, to wear an angry expression.
Daniel, who had been reading Lucy's mood, looked back at Johannes.
"Imperial Guard Captain Johannes Kunz. I won't say this twice."
After a brief pause, Daniel quietly continued.
"If you value your life, throw down your weapon and surrender right now."
Johannes thought Daniel was looking down on him, but this was neither a threat nor anything of the sort.
'If you don't, you're seriously going to die......!'
It was simply heartfelt advice given out of concern for Johannes.