I Won't Forgive the Press That Slandered Me
I Won't Forgive the Press That Slandered Me
3rd floor, Imperial Daily HQ.
The office of Editor-in-Chief Manrad.
"Why haven't I heard anything? The Security Bureau Chief clearly said he would contact us?"
Manrad, who had been pacing around the office, looked to the side without hiding his anxiety.
"Deputy Editor. Am I wrong?"
Ledens, the Deputy Editor, avoided Manrad's gaze as he opened his mouth to speak.
"No, you are not. From what I've heard, the Security Bureau Chief has left the Central Security Office. As you said, he should have contacted us by now, but..."
"Don't tell me he's intentionally ignoring our calls?"
"Regrettably, that is the case."
Manrad stopped in his tracks, frowned, and let out a groan.
'Could he have betrayed us? Otto Whitmore! You spineless, bat-like bastard...!'
Originally, Otto, the Security Bureau Chief, had promised to help the Imperial Daily.
Because a few days ago, when Manrad met Otto, he had asked him to persuade Daniel Steiner and help the Imperial Daily survive.
It was an open secret that the request had come with a considerable amount of gold coins.
But Otto Whitmore hadn't kept his promise.
If he had succeeded in persuading Daniel Steiner, Otto would have normally contacted them.
'Judging by his current behavior of deliberately avoiding contact...'
It was clear he had failed.
'Not just a simple failure to persuade...'
There was also the possibility that Otto had confessed everything to Daniel Steiner, saying, 'The Editor-in-Chief of the Imperial Daily gave me a bribe to persuade you, the Emergency Security Chief.'
While it might be uncertain with others, it was a very plausible assumption for Otto Whitmore, who always acted as a lapdog to those in power.
If that were true, the Imperial Daily was likely in a hopeless situation now.
Manrad, who had been futilely clutching his own neck, swallowed hard and spoke.
"...Deputy Editor. Go to the Security Bureau immediately."
"Pardon? The Security Bureau?"
"Yes! If they won't answer our calls, shouldn't we go in person and at least hear the reason?"
"But whether the Security Bureau will permit entry...."
"So you're saying we should just sit here and wait until we die!? Are you going to just blink until you're boiled alive like a frog in a beaker!"
Ledens flinched and bowed his head at Manrad's shouting.
"No, sir! I will go right now and find out the cause!"
Ledens, having answered as such, opened the office door and hurriedly moved his feet.
The journalists at their desks watched Ledens walk away, sweating, their faces full of worry.
This was because everyone had heard the Editor-in-Chief, Manrad, shouting inside the office.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know. Things don't seem to be going well..."
"Then what should we do now...."
Amidst the journalists' muttering, Ledens, briefcase packed, made his way through multiple departments to the exit.
After opening the door, Ledens went down the stairs and stepped outside the building. He was about to head toward the Security Bureau when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Because military vehicles were lining up in front of the Imperial Daily headquarters.
'No way....'
While Ledens froze, his ominous premonition growing, the military vehicles came to a halt one by one in front of the Imperial Daily HQ.
As they stopped, doors opened all at once and soldiers with robust physiques poured out.
The soldiers, with grenade emblems embroidered on the shoulders of their uniforms, glared at Ledens with sharp eyes.
Ledens felt his breath quicken.
'They're Grenadiers.'
The arrival of the elite infantrymen called Grenadiers meant one thing.
It meant that Colonel Daniel Steiner, the Emergency Security Chief, had decided to raid the Imperial Daily.
Kiiiik─
A military jeep that stopped a beat later had its driver's side door open, and a soldier stepped out.
The soldier rushed over and opened the back door of the jeep.
Then Daniel Steiner, sitting in the back seat, came into view.
Having adjusted his sleeves while seated, Daniel straightened his tie and stepped out of the vehicle.
After thanking the soldier, Daniel looked around and made eye contact with Ledens.
Daniel, with a faint smile, approached Ledens.
"Good day. I am Colonel Daniel Steiner, appointed to the post of Emergency Security Chief. And you are?"
"Ah. I am...."
Ledens answered, barely managing to suppress the tremor in his voice.
"Ledens, the Deputy Editor of the Imperial Daily."
"Aha! So you are the Deputy Editor. What a timely coincidence. If possible, I'd like to meet the Editor-in-Chief. Would you guide me?"
He had to answer, but the words wouldn't come.
As Ledens panted like someone who had just finished an intense workout, Daniel shrugged.
"Oh my. You don't look well. If it's because of me, I apologize. You seem to feel guilty, as if guiding me to the Editor-in-Chief would be an act of betrayal. Then, allow me to relieve you of that guilt, Deputy Editor."
Daniel, dropping his smile, stared blankly at Ledens.
"Guide me to the Editor-in-Chief. Right now."
*
Inside the office, Manrad, who had been looking outside through the full-length glass window, saw Ledens returning.
When a terrified-looking Ledens entered the 3rd floor, Manrad couldn't contain his anger and rose from his seat.
He intended to shout at him for not doing as he was told, but Manrad's yelling never came to pass.
Because armed soldiers had begun to storm in behind Ledens.
"Kyaaak!"
"What is this!? Why are soldiers here...!"
"I'm sorry! I didn't do anything!"
While the flustered employees screamed, the soldiers easily occupied the 3rd floor of the Imperial Daily.
Just as they were subduing the employees with cold stares, the sound of boots echoed from the stairs.
The employees and Manrad turned their gazes toward the sound and saw Daniel Steiner enter through the open door.
The Golden Cross Medal and the National Medal, now joined by the White Dragon Medal of Military Merit, densely adorned his chest.
Ddok─
It was a leisurely stride, as if proclaiming himself to be the real power of the Empire.
Daniel passed through the silent crowd, approached the Editor-in-Chief's office, and knocked lightly on the door.
"This is Colonel Daniel Steiner, executing a mission under His Majesty the Emperor's special orders. I have urgent matters to discuss; kindly open the door."
Manrad, who was in no position to refuse, opened the door.
Daniel gave a single nod of thanks before entering.
After confirming Daniel had entered, Manrad closed the door.
Within the awkward atmosphere, Daniel walked over to the display stand in the Editor-in-Chief's office.
"Wow. You've received a lot of awards. From Journalist of the Year to the Investigative Reporting Award! You were even selected as an Outstanding Wartime Reporting Press Organization. Is this what they call the Imperial Daily's prestige?"
Daniel, taking a certificate of appreciation from the display stand and examining it, let out a low chuckle.
"Though I wonder what meaning these hold now...."
Daniel's words and actions pressed on him with an eerie weight.
Manrad, struggling to maintain his composure, opened his mouth to speak.
"Colonel Daniel Steiner. Do you even realize what you've just done? You have attacked the press. And the Empire's largest newspaper, no less."
"Is that so."
As if he didn't care at all, Daniel returned the certificate of appreciation to its original place with a nonchalant touch.
"Consider the other side. At some point, Editor-in-Chief, you dedicated considerable time to printing negative articles about me. And about the Empire's war hero, no less."
He lightly swept his hand over the certificate that had returned to its spot.
"That war hero led his troops back, arrested collaborators, and became the Emergency Security Chief executing the Emperor's special orders. So I find it difficult to understand."
Daniel withdrew his hand and clasped them behind his back.
"Why can't this fool grasp his own position?"
He meant the situation had reversed so thoroughly that even groveling on the ground wouldn't suffice, yet he was acting defiant, which made the whole thing absurd.
But Manrad knew.
That groveling wouldn't improve the situation.
Resisting was the right call to buy even a little time.
"Even if you say that...."
Manrad, clenching his fist to draw courage, continued.
"You won't find anything here. Furthermore, while it's true the Imperial Daily has long received sponsorships from the nobility, all of those were conducted through legal procedures."
Manrad, having stated that all of the Imperial Daily's actions were within the law, took a deep breath.
"Therefore, I earnestly implore you, Colonel Daniel Steiner. Please, stop this act of suppressing the press by force. We, the Imperial Daily, within the boundaries free of legal issues-"
"Who decides that."
Daniel's words made him shut his mouth.
As Manrad remained silent, Daniel asked again.
"I asked who decides that your actions do not violate the law."
Manrad did not answer this time either.
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he couldn't.
It was because he felt the atmosphere Daniel gave off was far from normal.
"Why don't you answer? Does my question sound like a joke?"
Daniel slowly turned around and looked at Manrad.
The overwhelming pressure emanating from his emotionless eyes choked the breath from him.
"Or perhaps...."
Daniel, who had drawn closer to Manrad, continued in a chilling tone.
"Have you finally realized your place?"
His shoulders flinched.
Manrad, thinking he could no longer make excuses, quietly bowed his head.
Manrad, trembling, crushed by fear, could tell.
'Daniel Steiner is....'
A far greater monster than what was publicly known.