Go Ahead, Try
Go Ahead, Try
After leaving the office, Daniel established measures for securing and maintaining public order in the city through meetings with the staff officers.
Although he had said he was foisting it onto Heinrich, he thought it was proper form to implement basic administrative measures before transferring command authority.
After stabilizing public order in the city for about a week in that manner, Daniel complied with the headquarters' order and transferred command authority of the city to Heinrich.
Heinrich sighed, but had no choice but to accept the command authority, which allowed Daniel to prepare to return to the Imperial Capital.
Having informed the troops of the news, Daniel went for a light stroll the night before his return.
Though his stroll merely consisted of walking in the front yard of the mansion.
Listening to the sound of insects on a summer night, Daniel let out a sigh of relief as he walked.
'Finally, I'm going back. By the time I arrive in the Imperial Capital, this sweltering summer will probably be at its end.'
Returning to the Imperial Capital did not mean he could rest easy, but it was clearly better than staying near the front lines.
'More than that.......'
He had been living so hectically that a year and a half had already passed since he was commissioned.
As he walked, thinking about how quickly time flew, the sound of singing came from somewhere.
A singing voice carrying a monotonous but warm tone tickled his ears.
Wondering who it was, Daniel turned his head toward the direction the song was coming from and saw Frien sitting on a bench by the pond.
Perhaps because the starlight was dimly reflected on the pond, it was quite a dreamy landscape.
Daniel walked closer as if entranced and quietly opened his mouth.
"......Frien?"
At that, the singing voice that had been flowing pleasantly stopped.
Frien looked to the side, and upon spotting Daniel, she had a slightly dazed expression for a moment before soon smiling.
"You startled me. I thought you would be sleeping...... Would you like to sit beside me first?"
There was no reason to refuse, so Daniel nodded and sat down next to Frien.
"That was quite a lovely song."
"It's a song I used to sing to comfort myself when life was hard. When I sing it, for some reason I feel my heart grow calm."
"Ah. Could it be that you still......."
As Daniel trailed off, Frien waved her hands dismissively.
"It's not like that. I sang it today for no particular reason. Since we're returning to the Imperial Capital after a victory, there's no way I'd be having a hard time, right?"
"Is that so. And thank you. You probably already received my thanks through my adjutant, but since we've met face to face, I'll say it once more. I deeply appreciate you putting so much effort into the brigade even when things must have been difficult."
"Mm......."
Frien's eyes became half-lidded.
"I think you're misunderstanding something. I didn't put in effort for the brigade. I used my ability for you, Brigade Commander. And......."
As if her feelings were hurt, Frien spoke sullenly.
"Don't you think it's too much? That you're only coming to me now to say thank you. Of course, I know that unlike me, you were incredibly busy, Brigade Commander, but you could have spared me a little time."
"That is......."
Daniel, who had been fumbling for words as if troubled, let out a low laugh.
"There's no room for excuses. I acknowledge my fault."
Frien, who had been about to press further, saw Daniel's smiling face and shook her head.
Because one could not voice complaints against a smiling face.
So she simply turned her gaze forward and looked at the pond.
A short silence passed between them.
Just as he was thinking the wind blowing across the water's surface was cool, Daniel broke the silence.
"I wish you wouldn't do that from now on. If your actions are for me and not for the brigade."
Wondering what he meant, Frien turned to look at Daniel.
Daniel continued speaking while looking at the pond.
"This is just hypothetical, but if I had lost you in that battle, I would have suffered from guilt for the rest of my life. Because even though it is natural for someone to die in war, I never wished for that to be you."
As the insects chirped, Daniel turned to look at Frien.
"I don't want to lose you."
Their gazes met.
"So remember: what is good for you is good for me."
Frien's eyes widened.
Her lips parted slightly, and her heart began pounding on its own.
An emotion slightly different from respect and faith stirred from the depths of her heart.
Without realizing it, Frien clenched her hands and hurriedly looked away.
"If you put it that way......."
Her voice trembled for no reason.
Taking a deep breath, Frien moved her lips.
"I'll forgive you. For coming to see me so late."
"I'm grateful for your leniency."
Daniel, who had spoken in a joking tone, leaned back against the bench.
'It's nice to have a quiet moment for the first time in a while.'
Daniel smiled contentedly at the peaceful daily life, but Frien was different.
'What was his intention in saying those things to me?'
Because her head was spinning as she tried to grasp Daniel's ulterior motives.
And so, the two, harboring similar yet different feelings, admired the beauty of the pond late into the night.
*
Daniel departed for the Imperial Capital with his troops as soon as morning broke.
After traveling without rest for about a week, Daniel arrived safely in the Imperial Capital, where huge crowds lined the streets.
Daniel was a hero of the Empire—literally a victorious general returning home—so it was only natural.
Not only did cheers erupt from all directions, but flower petals also fluttered through the sky.
It was burdensome, but by now it was a familiar sight.
Daniel waved to the citizens from inside the military jeep and headed straight for the Imperial Palace.
Because he had to report his return to His Majesty the Emperor, Selvia.
When Daniel arrived at the Imperial Palace, the Chief of the Inner Court Office, who had come out to greet him in advance, took charge of guiding him.
As he walked through the palace corridors, Daniel came to a halt.
Because a man dressed in a pure white uniform was approaching from the opposite end of the corridor.
In the Empire, the pure white uniform was something only the imperial family could wear.
Seeing him striding proudly through the palace corridors, it was not difficult to infer his identity.
'It's Prince Arno. I really didn't want to run into him.......'
From Arno's perspective, Daniel Steiner had effectively stolen his claim to the throne, so there was nothing good about encountering each other.
But contrary to Daniel's expectations, Arno smiled lightly.
"Isn't this Daniel Steiner, the hero of the Empire! I was hoping to see your face anyway, and this works out well! May we talk for a moment?"
When Daniel looked to the side, the Chief of the Inner Court Office nodded, meaning a moment was fine.
Seeing that, Daniel looked at Arno.
"I dare not refuse a request from Your Highness. What is the matter?"
"Ah. It's nothing more than this. We bared our fangs and clashed in the past, didn't we? But now I think it would be good for us to be open and cast aside those ill feelings."
"I have never harbored ill feelings toward Your Highness......."
Arno burst into laughter.
"That's just a figure of speech! A figure of speech! Anyway, I heard you performed great deeds in Penbark. Did you not also find evidence that the Allied Nations conducted human experiments?"
"You overpraise me. I merely did what I had to do."
"Drop the modesty. The current state of affairs is that those who can't properly do what they have to do are a dime a dozen. Anyway, back to the main point, I would like to strengthen our relationship......."
As if an idea had just struck him, Arno flicked his finger.
"Ah! How about this? You could say in front of the people that Prince Arno's help was significant in discovering the Allied Nations' human experimentation site."
Daniel, who had not immediately grasped his meaning, remained silent for a moment before answering.
"......Are you now ordering me to lie before the people?"
"I would like you to say it is loyalty to the Imperial Household, not a lie."
"Your Highness. How could deceiving the people be loyalty to the Imperial Household."
As Daniel indirectly refused, the smile disappeared from Arno's mouth.
Pausing as if choosing his words, Arno narrowed his eyes.
"Brigadier General Daniel. I've heard that your adjutant is a test subject of the Allied Nations. Furthermore, is it also true that she is a spy who worked for the Allied Nations?"
Given the Penbark incident, anyone who mattered would know by now.
Having no reason to deny it, Daniel nodded.
"That is correct."
"Then you should know well that refusing my proposal would not be wise. Not if you hold your adjutant dear."
At Arno's words, one of Daniel's eyebrows twitched.
"......Are you threatening me right now?"
"It's not a threat, but a deal."
"You seem to think you stand in a position where you can make a deal with me."
When Daniel came on strong, Arno faltered for a moment, but soon clenched his fist tightly.
"Watch your mouth. Don't forget that this is the Imperial Palace. By my order, you......."
"Go ahead and try it."
Daniel glanced at the palace guards standing on duty in the corridor and spoke.
"Would those soldiers obey Your Highness's command? Or......."
Turning his gaze, Daniel looked fixedly at Arno.
"Would they obey my command?"
At that chilly tone, Arno felt his body stiffen.