Through the rearview mirror, Daniel’s gaze was as sharp as a predator that had locked onto its prey.
As a result, Freyen’s grip on the steering wheel instinctively tightened, and her heartbeat quickened.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
From her perspective, as someone who already admired Daniel, seeing him actively build his own power base made him appear even more radiant.
Of course, Daniel himself was merely struggling to survive the situation at hand—but Freyen had no way of knowing that.
Continuing to drive with a faint smile on her lips, Freyen suddenly voiced a thought that had crossed her mind.
“...But Lieutenant Colonel Daniel? Isn’t Melverton Newspaper an independent press that doesn’t receive government support or corporate advertising? They’re famous for their slogan about reporting only the truth.”
“That’s right.”
“Then won’t it be difficult to bring them to your side? I can’t imagine they’d be willing to print biased articles.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable point.
However, from Daniel’s perspective, Melverton Newspaper wasn’t a media outlet fueled by some noble sense of duty.
“Lieutenant Freyen. Do you know that Melverton Newspaper once supported anti-war protests?”
Freyen shook her head.
“I don’t read newspapers much. I wasn’t aware they spewed such nonsense.”
“They did. Supporting anti-war protests, in itself, was an understandable stance. The war had dragged on into a prolonged conflict, and the people were exhausted. But after I gave my total war speech, Melverton Newspaper retracted its stance.”
A question mark seemed to hover over Freyen’s head.
“And why was that?”
“Because they lost a massive number of subscribers. Since they don’t receive government or corporate funding, they rely entirely on public donations. But they published an article that went against public sentiment—so naturally, people canceled their subscriptions.”
One thing became clear at that moment.
Melverton Newspaper’s so-called principles were ultimately tied to money.
It was only natural.
After all, printing presses, ink, and paper weren’t given away for free.
Without money, even the truth couldn’t be published.
Yet, in the name of independence and neutrality, Melverton Newspaper had refused all government and corporate sponsorship.
No—more accurately, they had become too insignificant to even receive such support.
At this rate, Melverton Newspaper was doomed to bankruptcy.
And Daniel intended to exploit that fact to put a leash on them.
“Which is why…”
Daniel whispered softly as he turned his gaze toward Freyen, who was focused on driving.
“Freyen. I need your help with something
****
Bolverferk Street No. 11.
Melverton Newspaper Headquarters.
“Hah…”
Sitting behind the desk in the editor-in-chief’s office, Woelrm let out a deep sigh.
The ever-declining number of subscribers was giving him a serious headache.
At this rate, we won’t even be able to afford printing costs—let alone maintain distribution…
What was the point of a newspaper that couldn’t print newspapers?
Filing for bankruptcy wasn’t an option either—the thought of his loyal employees and the family waiting for him at home made his chest tighten.
What am I supposed to do…?
As he wracked his brain for ways to increase subscriptions, someone knocked on the door.
Thinking it was one of his subordinates, Woelrm frowned.
“Tom! I told you I need time to think! Unless you’ve come up with a solution, don’t you dare shove that stupid face of yours in here—”
Woelrm trailed off mid-sentence.
Because the person stepping through the door wasn’t Tom.
It was an officer of the Empire.
And not just any officer—Daniel Steiner himself, the so-called hero of the Empire.
Accompanying him was Freyen, infamous for her mastery of dark magic.
Woelrm froze, wondering if he was dreaming. Meanwhile, Daniel offered him a faint smile.
“I’m here to discuss solutions, so I assume I won’t be asked to leave.”
Hearing Daniel’s voice snapped Woelrm out of his stupor, and he scrambled to his feet.
“L-Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner! What brings you to this humble newspaper…?”
His question was one of genuine confusion—he had no idea why Daniel would visit a struggling publication like his.
Daniel stepped closer, pulled out the chair in front of the desk, and sat down.
“Didn’t I just say? I came to discuss solutions.”
“Solutions…?”
“A way for Melverton Newspaper to escape its financial crisis. But first, why don’t you take a seat?”
Cautiously, Woelrm nodded and sat back down.
Daniel observed the tension on Woelrm’s face for a moment before finally speaking.
“From what I’ve gathered, Melverton Newspaper is on the verge of bankruptcy. Is that correct?”
After a brief pause, Woelrm nodded.
There was no point in hiding the truth.
“You’re absolutely right. The number of subscribers keeps dwindling, and we’re barely able to cover printing costs.”
“I see. Then, would you be open to accepting my help?”
“…Help? What exactly do you mean by that?”
At Woelrm’s question, Daniel raised his hand and gestured toward Freyen, who stood behind him.
“I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Lieutenant Freyen’s father is the head pastor of the Glorious Sacred Flame Cathedral. The congregation is quite sizable.”
Daniel lowered his hand, intertwining his fingers as he continued.
“I will ask Lieutenant Freyen to ensure that the cathedral’s followers subscribe to Melverton Newspaper. That should at least put out the immediate fire, don’t you think?”
It was true—if even 10% of the congregation subscribed, the newspaper would no longer struggle to cover printing costs or maintain its distribution network.
“And in addition…”
Daniel reached into his coat, pulled out a tape recorder, and placed it on the desk.
With a click, the tape began to play, and a recorded voice echoed through the room.
—I confess. I, Campbell, leader of the Free Society Party, have leaked the Empire’s classified information to the Kingdom of Belmore.
“What…?”
The shocking revelation made Woelrm’s breath hitch, but before he could fully process it, Daniel pressed the pause button.
“The Imperial Daily isn’t even aware of this information yet. If you wish, I can let you break the story first.”
He was offering an exclusive scoop.
First, he promised a secured subscriber base—now he was offering the kind of exclusive news that could skyrocket their readership overnight. Woelrm couldn’t help but stare at Daniel in bewilderment.
“…What exactly do you want from me?”
There was no such thing as pure altruism in this world.
Woelrm instinctively knew that Daniel had come with a price, and he grew wary.
Daniel, finding his quick perception commendable, leaned back against his chair.
“It’s simple. From now on, before Melverton Newspaper publishes an article, you will submit it to me for review. If necessary, I will personally provide the editorial guidelines.”
“…Excuse me? What do you mean by that?”
At first, Woelrm thought it was a joke.
But Daniel’s expression remained eerily calm.
That realization made Woelrm’s forehead crease in irritation.
“You’re saying you want to turn Melverton into your own mouthpiece?”
“That’s one way to interpret it, albeit a bit of a leap.”
“Are you insane!? Melverton is an independent newspaper! Its very foundation was built on delivering the truth to the people!”
Daniel, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke—his voice quiet, yet piercing.
“Truth? That’s a lovely word. So, let me ask you—what is the truth?”
“The truth is news that contains no lies—”
“And who determines whether something is a lie?”
Woelrm opened his mouth to answer but found that no words came out.
The reality was simple—Melverton was nothing more than a struggling newspaper with limited access to information.
Daniel, seeing his hesitation, slowly sat forward.
“People lie all the time. And the only ones who get to decide what’s true and what isn’t are those with power and authority.”
“But…”
“Let me make this clear—you will never reach the truth. You’ll simply be a parrot, repeating fragments of information handed down to you by those above.”
Woelrm had always known, deep down.
He had seen people who had crossed the nobility, corporations, and the government simply disappear—only for the papers to later report that they had been ‘mugged’ or ‘tragically lost in an accident.’
That was the truth he could never reveal.
“I can already see your future, Editor-in-Chief. You will either live as a parrot, convinced that you are speaking the truth… or you will get too close to the truth and die for it.”
Both outcomes were grim.
“Or…”
Daniel’s voice took on a mocking edge.
“You’ll simply be crushed under the weight of your financial ruin.”
Woelrm’s hands trembled.
There was no hope in any of the futures Daniel described.
And yet, in the midst of his growing despair, the voice of the devil whispered to him.
“Let’s be honest. You don’t actually want the truth. What you really want is the power to speak the truth without being silenced. And the money to keep your family safe.”
Daniel extended his hand across the desk, resting it lightly over Woelrm’s.
“I can give you both. In return, all I ask is a single lie. Swear that you will lie for me, and…”
Woelrm slowly lifted his head, locking eyes with Daniel.
The devil’s gaze was indistinguishable from that of a man.
“…I will give you a thousand truths and a fortune that will never crumble.”
To uphold his ideals, he must abandon them.
To serve the greater good, he must make a sacrifice.
To protect his employees and his family—he must take Daniel’s hand.
Daniel’s words pressed down on his shoulders like an unbearable weight.
If he accepted this offer, there would be no turning back.
But if he refused, bankruptcy was the only thing waiting for him.
When ideals and reason collide, reason usually wins.
Woelrm exhaled deeply before finally speaking.
“…What do you need me to do?”
His voice echoed bleakly through the office.
Hearing the answer he had expected, Daniel withdrew his hand and rose from his seat.
“First, publish the exclusive I’ve given you. The Imperial Daily must not break the story before you do. The public must learn that the leader of the Free Society Party is a collaborator.”
Woelrm nodded stiffly.
Daniel straightened his uniform and turned to leave—but then, as if remembering something, he paused.
“Oh, and one more thing…”
Reaching into his coat, Daniel pulled out a half-folded sheet of paper and placed it on Woelrm’s desk.
“If you ever forget this favor and attempt to betray me, there will be consequences.”
With that, Daniel smiled—just once—before turning and walking out of the room.
The moment the door shut behind him, Woelrm finally picked up the folded paper and opened it.
“…This is…”
Written on it was the address of his family’s home.
Beneath that was a detailed list containing the names of his family members, their hobbies, and even their usual travel routes.
And at the very bottom—
A note about his son’s brief experimentation with drugs years ago, a secret that no one should have known.
Woelrm felt his vision blur as dizziness overtook him. He pressed a trembling hand to his forehead.
Daniel Steiner never intended to accept a refusal from the start.