Choose the Lesser Evil, Not the Worst
Choose the Lesser Evil, Not the Worst
The atmosphere froze cold.
Just as Lowell hesitated, unable to offer any rebuttal, Daniel took a step back.
"Oh my. I had merely intended to have a light chat before getting into the formal talks, but I believe things may have gotten a bit overheated. How about we sit down and proceed with the negotiations?"
Lowell nodded, tense.
After all, he hadn't come here to fight Daniel Steiner.
Lowell straightened his attire once and settled himself on the sofa.
Seeing that, Daniel also took his seat and placed a briefcase on his lap.
With a casual gesture, Daniel unzipped the briefcase and rummaged inside.
"Then I shall now present the Empire's proposal. So... Ah. Here it is."
Daniel pulled out a few documents and handed them to Lowell.
"I would like you to read through them carefully and then decide. If you have any objections, please state them immediately."
Daniel, smiling as he handed over the documents, was utterly detestable.
Lowell, who had been staring at Daniel with a displeased look, snatched the documents away.
Even so, Daniel merely waited with his hands folded, showing no sign of taking offense.
'...I can't figure out what the hell he's thinking.'
His attitude was courteous, yet the feeling that he was in some way looking down on him was impossible to shake.
Lowell, keeping his guard up against Daniel, read through the documents once.
The contents of the documents seemed simple at a glance.
They demanded an official statement taking responsibility for failing to stop the terrorists, requested a more detailed investigation to uncover the truth, and discussed reparations.
Up to this point, it was a proposal Lowell could also understand and accept.
However, the problem lay in the articles that followed.
'Elimination of tariffs on Imperial trade, permission for the Imperial Army to be stationed in the port city of Tentarbahém, cooperation in the construction of a military base, the permanent opening of the border?'
Even this much was absurd, but the bigger problem was the final article.
『We request that an Anti-Terrorism Act be enacted, requiring that detailed information on certain high-ranking public officials and military generals be delivered to the Empire upon their appointment. The Empire will need to be able to conduct inspection and oversight as necessary to prevent the recurrence of terrorism after scrutinizing this information closely.』
They were dressing it up as an Anti-Terrorism Act, but ultimately it was a declaration of intent to interfere in internal affairs.
No matter how one looked at it, this was closer to a demand made of a defeated nation than one made of a neutral state.
Dumbfounded, Lowell flung the documents onto the table.
"What exactly are you trying to pull!? Did you bring this garbage here calling it a proposal?"
"...Is something wrong?"
"What's wrong, you ask? Are you seriously in your right mind!? Bellanos is a neutral state! We have agreed not to participate in international disputes or wars, I tell you! And yet, if Bellanos were to accept the Empire's military and submit to interference in its internal affairs, do you think it could maintain its status as a neutral state!"
Lowell raised his hand and pointed a finger accusingly at Daniel.
"Daniel Steiner! This is a clear act of violating our sovereignty! The international community will never tolerate this stunt! Furthermore, handing over this proposal of yours was an extremely rude act! I shall lodge a formal protest with the Imperial Foreign Ministry in the name of the Cabinet Minister!"
Daniel, who had been listening, suddenly let out a low sigh.
"Protest to the Imperial Foreign Ministry, you say? Did you not hear what I just said? I believe I clearly stated that, as far as this place is concerned, I am the Empire itself."
Lowell's eyes narrowed.
Just as he wondered what on earth he meant, Daniel shrugged his shoulders once.
"Very well. Since the Cabinet Minister is taking such a hard line, I shall also speak the truth. Did you just say the international community would never tolerate the violation of Bellanos's sovereignty? Well, I wouldn't be so sure. The way I see it, they might just tolerate it."
"What on earth do you......"
"As everyone knows, it was none other than the Bellanos Navy that opened the path for the terrorist who sank the Imperial diplomatic vessel. You will not deny this, will you? Then who is behind it? Do you, Cabinet Minister, know who the culprit is?"
Lowell swallowed dryly.
"According to Colonel Edbol, they received a bribe from the Allied Nations......"
"Yes. We are also aware of that. Since the Bellanos government directly sent a telegraph to the Imperial government, that is. But do you have proof of this? Proof that they took a bribe from the Allied Nations, that is."
Lowell opened his mouth to answer, only to be forced to close it again.
Because there was no proof.
"In that case, the Empire might also interpret it this way. Ah! Bellanos attacked the Empire's diplomatic vessel and is now trying to pin the blame on the Allied Nations. The culprit is Bellanos's......"
Daniel leaned his upper body forward and stared intently at Lowell.
"Cabinet Minister."
Lowell, who had broken out in a cold sweat, urgently shouted.
"That is an absurd leap in logic! Why on earth would Bellanos attack the Empire's diplomatic vessel! What possible benefit could there be!"
Daniel smiled a subtle smile.
"Then present your evidence. Is it not a simple matter?"
Lowell shut his mouth, even as he felt a sense of injustice.
Because the more he answered Daniel's questions, the stronger the feeling became that he was sinking into a quagmire.
"Without evidence, the Empire has no choice but to suspect Bellanos. Of course, I believe there is no way Bellanos could have attacked the Empire's diplomatic vessel. But if you, Cabinet Minister, reject this current proposal, the Empire will have no choice but to take action."
Daniel leaned back and rested comfortably against the sofa.
"The Bellanos Navy killed Imperial civilians. Is that not a sufficient justification? The Empire will declare war, and the international community will likely remain silent. Because the reason for the declaration of war is far too clear."
Daniel's low laughter settled over the silence like a fog.
"The Allied Nations will not help Bellanos either. They will express their deep regret to the Empire over the civilian casualties, but they won't be able to stop the Empire from rising up to avenge its citizens. Standing up for Bellanos at that point would be tantamount to declaring themselves an accomplice. And moreover......"
Daniel snapped his fingers and pointed at the glass that still held whiskey.
"If you're not going to drink it, would you mind giving it to me? I'm rather thirsty, you see."
Lowell, moving only his eyes, looked at the glass of whiskey.
Unable to bring himself to refuse, Lowell lifted the glass and handed it to Daniel.
Daniel, who had noticed Lowell's faintly trembling hand, lightly received the glass.
"I appreciate your consideration."
Smiling as he took the glass, Daniel took a sip of the whiskey.
As he did so, he let out an exclamation of admiration.
"Premium products really are different. They say high-end whiskey shows its difference right from the distillation process, and the flavor is truly superb. If I were unable to drink things like this from now on, life would truly become quite arduous."
Unless one were a fool, it was obvious who he was directing those words at.
Daniel, who had been rotating the whiskey glass to appreciate the color of the liquor, set it down.
"The conversation got sidetracked for a moment. Continuing on, the Empire, having declared war, would be able to land troops on Bellanos without any harm."
Currently, it was no exaggeration to say that the Imperial Army was occupying Tentarbahém, the port city of Bellanos.
As long as they were there, Bellanos could not stop the Empire's landing.
It was the same as losing the most important strategic point the moment the war began.
"The army that lands on Bellanos will advance to the capital in the blink of an eye. As you, Cabinet Minister, have surely heard, after declaring total war, the Empire conquered the Kingdom of Eldreshia before a single season had passed. So then, how long would it take for Bellanos, which is smaller in scale than Eldreshia?"
Daniel playfully raised his hand and held up two fingers.
"Two weeks. Two weeks should suffice."
The sound of Lowell's breathing grew moist.
Yet Daniel still maintained his smile.
"In less than a fortnight, the Imperial Army will be able to advance to Bellanos's capital. When that happens, the people of Bellanos will be enraged at the Empire's ruthlessness while simultaneously despising the incompetence of their government."
Daniel tapped the armrest of the sofa and spoke.
"The hatred for the government's incompetence will soon be directed at the Cabinet Minister. Perhaps a popular uprising might even occur. Then the Empire will halt its advance and recommend the Bellanos government surrender. And in the process, some information will be discreetly released."
The smile vanished from Daniel's lips.
"It is rumored that the Cabinet Minister of Bellanos has an illegitimate child."
Lowell's pupils expanded greatly.
That was because the horrifying atrocity implied by those words replayed vividly in his mind.
In the end, Lowell could not hold back and broke out into sobs.
Daniel, observing this with a look of pity, lowered his voice.
"I understand. For imagining losing everything can never be a pleasant thing. Therefore, I believe the most desirable course of action for you, Cabinet Minister, right now is to conduct yourself in a way that ensures that imagination does not become reality."
Daniel took a fountain pen from his breast pocket and offered it toward Lowell.
Lowell raised his head and glared hatefully at Daniel through his sobs.
But the situation did not change.
Because Lowell himself knew better than anyone who held the upper hand and who was the weaker in this place.
Lowell, who had lived his entire life as a caged lion, had no confidence he could defeat the wolf before him.
Having witnessed the light of resistance fading from Lowell's eyes, Daniel lightly waggled the fountain pen.
"Sign the proposal. That is the only way everything......"
His low, eerie voice continued as if a whisper.
"will become as if it never happened."