Time to Make a Decision
Time to Make a Decision
Daniel walked for about three hours before reaching Tentarbahém, the port city of Bellanos.
As he entered the city, the streets were lined with relatively low buildings, and merchants selling food and goods from stalls were a common sight.
He wasn't sure if it was because the weather was good, or because Bellanos's climate was less affected by winter, but the conditions were generally pleasant.
'Not bad. This passes muster.'
Having favorably evaluated the weather of the country he would be spending a long time in, Daniel smiled faintly.
'If I succeed in laundering my identity, should I open a bakery here? No, a port city means Imperial citizens could come and go frequently, which is dangerous. I'd better slip inland....'
Daniel, who had been sketching out a new life, suddenly furrowed his brow.
'The problem was money.'
The 'identity laundering' that would form the foundation of his plan required quite a lot of money.
As far as Daniel knew, identity laundering did not end with simply creating a fake ID.
First, one had to secure a social security number from the government and obtain a passport document.
On top of that, a bank account had to be opened and a residence registered before one could finally be reborn with a new identity.
Obviously, such troublesome procedures required a large sum of money.
Money was naturally needed to bribe civil servants, and one also had to lobby politicians.
Paying a commission to a broker who handled all those tasks on one's behalf also played a part.
'So how was I supposed to earn money...?'
A part-time job? It would be hard to find work.
Because even in this era, they basically checked IDs.
Even if he found a job that did not check IDs, the pay would not be good.
Moreover, the possibility of getting caught up in incidents or accidents could not be excluded.
'Places that don't check IDs inevitably meant there was something shady behind them.'
It was around the time when Daniel, thinking that identity laundering would be difficult with the earnings from ordinary work, was walking while stroking his chin.
"Hey! Did I say something wrong!? That bastard is a swindler, I'm telling you!"
"No one will believe you if you throw a fit like that just because you lost money, ma'am. I warned you clearly. I told you that if you caused one more disturbance in my shop, I would throw you out."
Daniel raised his head at the altercation unfolding in front of a tavern some distance away.
A black-haired woman dressed in rather high-end casual clothes was arguing with a person who appeared to be the tavern owner.
The woman's height was on the short side even for a woman, but her sharply flaring spirit overwhelmed that of a grown man.
"Disturbance? Getting rid of a swindling bastard in your shop is a disturbance? Is it because of money? I'll pay as much as you want, so that son of a bitch...."
"Ma'am! If you at least brought some proof and accused him of being a swindler, I'd understand! But if you make a scene just because you lost at gambling without any proof, what on earth am I supposed to say to you?"
When the tavern owner countered with logic, the woman could not refute him and hesitated.
The tavern owner, who had been looking down at the woman with pity, grabbed the doorknob.
"I don't enjoy treating a customer like this either. Get some fresh air outside, and come back in once you've calmed down."
So saying, the tavern owner shut the door with a 'Kwang!'
The sight of the woman standing alone in front of the suddenly closed door was desolate beyond measure.
'Pitiful. I should help her out a bit.'
Having caught the scent of money, Daniel approached, and the woman, sensing his presence, turned her gaze.
"......What?"
The woman, who had glanced at Daniel with sharp eyes, hesitated for a moment.
Daniel looked at the woman and placed a hand on his chest.
"As for myself, you could say I'm a fixer who collects money you're owed. I unintentionally overheard your conversation with the shop owner, and it seems you've been swindled. Is that correct?"
"Uh......."
It wasn't wrong, so the woman nodded bashfully.
Thinking this was a big catch, Daniel smiled thinly, then bent his knees to meet the woman's gaze.
"In that case, how about entrusting me with a commission? If you just provide the initial funding, I will recover every last coin you've been cheated out of. However, this does not come without conditions."
"Conditions?"
"Upon success, I will only take half of the recovered amount as a commission. If I fail? I will compensate you the full amount. What do you think? It's a deal with absolutely no risk to you, isn't it?"
He'd take half? The woman was dumbfounded, but considering the full compensation upon failure, it was true that she would face no loss.
As the woman, her interest piqued, nodded slightly, Daniel smiled and extended his hand.
"My name is Rivelard. I look forward to working with you."
It was a pseudonym, of course.
*
At the same time, the Grand Conference Hall of the Imperial Palace.
"Everyone has arrived, Your Imperial Highness."
At Hartmann's words, Selvia, who had been seated in the seat of honor, raised her head.
On both sides of the command table in the Grand Conference Hall, figures known as the Empire's leadership stood at attention, maintaining tension.
They were figures who normally found it hard to gather in one place, but all were present here because Selvia had dismissed the party leaders of the National Assembly and issued an Emergency Summons Decree for the Cabinet.
They were all trying to read the mood of Selvia, the future Emperor, especially because they had confirmed tear stains on Selvia's cheeks.
It was proof that during the three hours the Cabinet was being summoned, Selvia had swallowed her tears alone in this place.
In the space that felt like walking on thin ice, Selvia slowly parted her lips.
"......Each of you, proceed with your reports."
Among the figures trying to gauge the mood, the first to speak was the Minister of Propaganda, Schiller Daines.
"I ordered the press bureau chief and the broadcasting station chief to ensure the information did not leak until the facts were confirmed, but it was not enough. As a result of being unable to stop the news from spreading, the citizens are currently agitated and enraged."
Next, the Director of the Central Intelligence Department spoke.
"Your Highness. The Central Intelligence Department attempted to confirm where the initial command originated immediately after the diplomatic vessel sinking incident, but it was not easy. Assuming it was the act of the Allied Nations, we investigated both official and unofficial departure times, but no records matching the incident existed."
Selvia's cold gaze landed on the Director of the Central Intelligence Department.
"Are you trying to say it was not the work of the Allied Nations?"
"Th-that's not it. However, we merely wished to inform you that there is a high probability the submarine departed not from an Allied port, but from a port elsewhere. Therefore, we assess that it cannot be hastily defined as 'Allied terrorism.'"
The Director of the Central Intelligence Department bowed his head, sweating coldly.
Unable to watch this, the Minister of Defense chimed in.
"Your Highness. The Director's words are not incorrect. I believe it would be better not to act rashly until the incident becomes clearer. May we not postpone directing our anger at the Allies until after the incident is thoroughly investigated?"
Selvia's gaze reached the Minister of Defense.
"Investigate the incident?"
"Yes. As you know, the diplomatic vessel sinking incident occurred in Bellanos territorial waters. If so, it is highly likely that one of the Bellanos naval commanders opened the waters to an unknown terrorist. We must first investigate who that was. Furthermore......."
The Minister of Defense bowed his head.
"According to the navy's strategic officer, the possibility that Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner is alive cannot be excluded."
After a brief silence, Selvia hastily questioned him back.
"Is that true?"
"It is. The probability is low, but considering the ocean currents at the time, it is not impossible. If Daniel Steiner was on the deck instead of in a room, was relatively far from the torpedo's explosion point, and fell into the sea before the ship was sunk......."
The Minister of Defense raised his bowed head.
"It is said he might have reached one of the nearby Bellanos shorelines. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, the probability is extremely low, but it is not impossible."
At the Minister of Defense's words, the Cabinet members began to stir.
Voices saying it was nonsense made up the majority, but from Selvia's standpoint, she wanted to cling to even that slender thread of hope.
Selvia, gripping the armrest of her seat tightly, commanded.
"Immediately assemble a fleet to head for Bellanos. We will conduct a large-scale search operation."
Because of this, silence descended upon the Grand Conference Hall.
For everyone here knew that the weight of the words Selvia had uttered was indeed not light.
Among them, the Minister of Defense spoke with difficulty.
"Your Highness. It is a just command, but this entails entering another nation's territorial waters accompanied by a fleet. Opposition from the Bellanos side is expected. Furthermore, conducting a search operation with military forces onboard would require Bellanos's consent, so I believe sending a negotiation team first......."
The Minister of Defense trailed off and shut his mouth.
Because he realized that Selvia's gaze was looking down on him with contempt.
Having silenced the Minister, Selvia spoke.
"What is needed now is not negotiation, but a message. So tell them this."
As Selvia rose from her seat resolutely, the ministers and directors uniformly bowed their heads.
"The moment Bellanos does not open its territorial waters to the Imperial fleet departing to investigate the incident......."
Selvia, having tightened her grip on the Cabinet, narrowed her eyes sharply within the coldly burning fury.
"Bellanos shall also be treated no differently from the terrorists."