No Joke
No Joke
Had there ever been a time in his life when he had been terrified of a black man?
Malve found the situation he was in—being threatened by a black man he had always considered part of the lower working class—utterly surreal.
But the fear he felt on his skin was not a lie.
Malve, who had been looking around pointlessly, swallowed dryly.
"...What do you want from me?"
"It is simple."
The eye behind the monocle stared at Malve as if seeing right through him.
"Have the article corrected. Say that the report about Daniel Steiner's adjutant being an Allied Nations test subject is an unconfirmed rumor with no verified facts."
"If we do that, the Labor Union Party won't leave us alone."
The moment Malve finished speaking, laughter erupted from all around.
As if he were meant to hear it.
Just as those strange laughs began to feel utterly chilling, the men in suits drew their pistols.
The muzzle of a pistol touched Derren's temple.
"Ubbub!? Ugggkh!"
Derren's eyes flew wide open and his body trembled as Hamtal quietly spoke.
"Life is a series of choices. Now is no different."
He was telling him to choose between dying a miserable death right here and correcting the article.
The moment the man holding the gun put his finger on the trigger, Malve shouted urgently.
"I understand! I'll do as you say, so let my friend go!"
Having heard Malve's answer, Hamtal raised his hand and gave a single flick.
Only then did the man withdraw the pistol and shove Derren forward.
"Kh-hup!"
Derren, having fallen to his knees, began to breathe roughly.
As Derren panted, thinking he had just barely escaped death, Hamtal picked up the fedora from the table.
"It would be wise not to print any unfavorable articles about Daniel Steiner in the future. Next time, I won't stage such a childish farce."
He meant that if this warning was ignored and the same behavior was repeated, he had better brace himself.
The strength drained from Malve's legs and he slumped into a chair.
After catching his breath, Malve muttered with his eyes downcast.
"...So it was true. The talk about Daniel Steiner having a private organization."
Hamtal let out a low laugh.
"A private organization? Strictly speaking, we are not something like Daniel Steiner's private organization. He never even wished for it; we simply act of our own accord. More like, shall we say..."
Hamtal dusted off the fedora with a few pats and continued.
"A shadow, you could say."
Hamtal placed the fedora on his head and turned back to Malve.
"I'll cover the cost of the drinks. Enjoy yourself and leave in comfort."
Malve desperately wanted to escape this place immediately, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
As Malve nodded, Hamtal took his men and left the bar.
Malve, who had been listening to the sound of their heavy footsteps fading away, let out the breath he had been holding.
Then he raised a hand and pressed it to his forehead.
'...Damn.'
He had felt it in his bones that Daniel Steiner was someone you must not touch.
*
The next day, noon. The office of Elerkar, leader of the Central Nationalist Party.
"Huhh..."
Elerkar, who had been examining the newspaper issued today by the Independent News Agency Belbelbel, looked flustered.
"They've changed their stance. In just a single day."
Belbelbel, which had been attacking Daniel Steiner's adjutant just yesterday, was today calling it a 'groundless rumor' and directly refuting the content they themselves had reported the previous day.
"For something this absurd to happen surely means outside pressure was applied."
At Elerkar's question, the Secretary-General who had handed him the newspaper nodded.
"Yes. It seems Lieutenant General Daniel Steiner moved very quickly."
"Then the fact that he wanted to see us today, too..."
"It's likely not a simple coincidence. He probably intends to deliver a direct message to our party."
Elerkar, folding the newspaper, let out a low sound of contemplation.
"I'm not sure what that message might be, but I have an ominous feeling about it."
The Secretary-General felt the same way.
While they were both filled with worry, a knock sounded at the office door.
"Sir! Lieutenant General Daniel Steiner has arrived!"
Already? Elerkar, exchanging glances with the Secretary-General, set the newspaper aside and rose from his seat.
"Tell him to come in."
Before long, the door opened and Daniel Steiner entered.
What first caught the eye were the three medals pinned to the chest of Daniel Steiner's uniform.
'Three medals of a grade for which receiving just one in a lifetime would be considered a great honor...'
Furthermore, his tall stature and his sharp, composed eyes unknowingly overwhelmed the other party.
His gaze held the firmness that only one who had endured war and experienced battle could possess.
Though only one person had entered, it felt enough to make the entire atmosphere of the room surge.
Elerkar, too tense to even offer a greeting, saw Daniel smile.
"Ah! So you are the leader of the Central Nationalist Party! It is truly an honor to meet you."
Having said that, Daniel approached with the sound of his military boots and extended his hand.
It was a smile that somehow felt naturally nonchalant.
Elerkar, his tension somewhat relieved, took Daniel's hand.
"It is also an honor for me to meet Lieutenant General Daniel. Are you not a hero of the Empire? I am well aware of your great achievements in Penbark."
"A hero? That's far too much. Hearing such things only embarrasses me. Well, anyway, how about we sit down and talk?"
"Yes. That would be best."
Elerkar nodded and pointed to the sofa.
Daniel smiled in thanks and sat down on the sofa.
Elerkar, who sat across from him, asked a clerk to bring coffee and then looked at Daniel.
"But may I ask what business Lieutenant General Daniel has with our party?"
"Ah. I've come to have a simple talk. Though it might be a bit of a heavy story..."
Daniel shrugged his shoulders as if it couldn't be helped.
"I thought that someone had to step up for the Empire, so I shouldn't hesitate."
"...Is it a matter of great importance?"
"It won't be a small matter."
Intuiting that this would be no easy conversation, Elerkar signaled the Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General, nodding, gestured to the clerks.
The clerks nodded, set aside their work, and began to leave the room one by one.
In the meantime, the clerk who had been sent on the coffee errand placed the cups on the table in front of the sofa.
The clerk, hearing Daniel's words of thanks, bowed deeply and left the office.
Thanks to that, only Elerkar and Daniel Steiner remained in the office.
Daniel, having looked around playfully, let out a low laugh.
"There was no need to go this far, but I appreciate the consideration itself."
"I only did what was necessary. More importantly, what is this matter for the sake of the Empire?"
"I am trying to solve a certain problem. It's likely a problem you're aware of as well."
"You mean a problem I am aware of?"
"That's right. Have you never thought about it before?"
Daniel took off his uniform cap and placed it on the edge of the table.
"Why are there so many political parties in this nation?"
A moment of silence fell.
Elerkar's eyes widened in shock, but Daniel was calmly only adjusting the position of his uniform cap.
"The Empire has far too many political parties. Perhaps because it is based on a proportional representation system, dozens of parties exist. Among them are even parties that support impure ideologies, which is utterly appalling."
"Lieutenant General Daniel? Just what are you saying...?"
"I came to think that perhaps the late Emperor, in his respect for the parliament, granted more freedom than necessary. After all, isn't it abnormal to leave parties that eat away at the Empire unchecked?"
Daniel, having straightened his uniform cap neatly, dusted off his hands in satisfaction.
"So what I've been considering is a single party. I thought it would be a good thing to exclude private opinions and leave only a party that serves solely for the sake of the nation and its people. In that case, which party would be suitable as that single party?"
Daniel turned his head and looked at Elerkar.
"When I thought about it, the Central Nationalist Party, being the 1st party, seemed most suitable. Since it originally holds a large number of seats, it can have an advantage in proposing a single-party bill, and it would be much easier to persuade the public. Isn't that right?"
Elerkar could not fathom what Daniel was talking about at all.
"...Are you saying you intend to deny the parliamentary system established by the late Emperor?"
"I'm not trying to deny it. Rather, I intend to improve it in a better direction. The road ahead may be rough, but I will assist you both materially and morally. What do you say? A future where you become the leader of a single party and serve His Majesty the Emperor."
It was sweet.
But it looked like a fruit that must not be eaten.
Furthermore, he could not get a grasp on whether controlling the parliament with a single party was for His Majesty the Emperor or for Daniel Steiner.
After agonizing for a long while, Elerkar barely managed to speak.
"Lieutenant General Daniel Steiner. To be honest, I am extremely bewildered. Though I understand why you are making this request..."
Elerkar stopped mid-sentence and shut his mouth.
Because Daniel, having withdrawn his smile, was openly staring at him.
A cold sweat trickled down.
Gazing into Daniel's abyss-like eyes sent a chill down his spine.
"Elerkar."
Daniel, who had been staring at the frozen Elerkar for a while, opened his mouth.
"Do I look like I'm making a request right now?"