After revealing his identity, Daniel received the utmost protection from the Magitek Forces as he headed to the embassy.
Now that his personal safety was secured, it was an unspoken pressure to return to his original mission.
Entering the embassy felt as if he were walking into a prison, but with no other choice, Daniel unwillingly began preparations for a meeting with the Prime Minister of Vellanos.
For three days, with assistance from the deputy ambassador and the foreign affairs office, he drafted a proposal to be presented to the Vellanos government.
Knock, knock—
The sound of papers being flipped halted as a knock echoed in the quiet office.
Daniel lifted his head and glanced around.
"…Deputy Ambassador, my memory is a bit hazy, but were we expecting any visitors at this hour?"
The deputy ambassador, who had just removed his glasses, shook his head in confusion.
"I haven’t heard anything."
"Then who could it be…?"
Just as Daniel began to speculate about the visitor, another knock followed.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel? It’s me!"
The voice belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Hartmann, the chief security officer of the Imperial Guard.
Only then did Daniel feel relieved as he turned toward the door.
"Come in."
With permission granted, Hartmann opened the door and entered the office.
In his hands was a scroll wrapped in a crimson cloth.
Upon seeing it, Daniel broke into a cold sweat and immediately stood up.
"A decree…!"
It was a scroll containing an imperial edict.
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He had seen one before when Hartmann delivered his medal of honor, so there was no mistaking it.
As Daniel rose from his seat, the embassy’s diplomats and the deputy ambassador also stood up.
"This is…"
Seeing their reaction, Hartmann raised a hand and scratched his cheek.
"I didn’t mean to cause a stir. I should’ve sent word in advance."
"No, there is no need to consider the convenience of a mere staff officer when it comes to His Majesty’s orders."
On the surface, Daniel appeared to be the epitome of military discipline.
Hartmann, who had been gazing at him steadily, gave a slight nod.
"Then let’s get straight to the point. I will now deliver His Majesty’s command."
Daniel nodded and stepped forward, lowering himself onto one knee.
The deputy ambassador and the diplomats also knelt in accordance with protocol.
Hartmann loosened the golden thread binding the decree and cleared his throat before unfolding the scroll.
"Daniel Steiner, hear this! His Majesty has learned that after your ship was sunk, you miraculously survived and regained consciousness on the shores of Vellanos. Why, then, did you not report this to the Imperial Court in a timely manner?"
Something about this felt off.
As Daniel grew uneasy, Hartmann continued reading.
"You claim to have concealed your identity out of fear of enemy forces in Vellanos, yet His Majesty finds this excuse utterly ridiculous. How could someone supposedly hiding in fear of the enemy operate covertly within Vellanos and steal classified intelligence? You, yourself, must realize how contradictory your actions appear."
As expected, they were wary of him.
Sensing the situation taking a dire turn, Daniel let out a low breath.
"Therefore, His Majesty initially intended to charge you with a crime and order your immediate repatriation. However, my daughter, who is currently acting as regent, fervently pleaded your case, making me reconsider."
Selvia? That was unexpected.
"Daniel Steiner, if the intelligence you have secured proves truly valuable, then I expect you to achieve great results in the upcoming diplomatic negotiations. Should you succeed, you will not be punished but instead rewarded in accordance with the Empire’s foundational principle of meritocracy."
In short, this was a threat—an order to use the intelligence for the Empire’s benefit rather than for any personal dealings with the Prime Minister of Vellanos.
For Daniel, who had no intention of making private deals, it wasn’t an entirely unfavorable condition.
"The problem is…"
If he failed to deliver results.
Looking back at the Emperor’s nature, it was clear that he was exceptionally paranoid about anyone who could become a political threat to either himself or his daughter in the future.
"I must be a thorn in his side."
Though unintentional, Daniel had amassed far more achievements than was appropriate for a mere officer.
The Emperor undoubtedly saw him as a potential threat to imperial authority.
The moment he failed to produce results, the Emperor would seize the opportunity to make his life miserable.
"You think I’ll just sit back and take it?"
There was a limit to how much suspicion and probing a person could endure.
"They even suspected me of running a secret organization that didn’t exist back then…"
Deciding that things had gone too far, Daniel made up his mind.
He would ensure the success of this diplomatic negotiation, leaving no room for them to use anything against him.
"…I understand His Majesty’s words."
With so many eyes watching, Daniel bowed his head deeply.
"I will not bring dishonor to His Majesty’s name."
Satisfied with his response, Hartmann closed the decree.
"I will report your words to His Majesty. Do your utmost in this mission."
"Yes. I will devote myself fully to it."
With that, Hartmann turned and left the office.
Daniel slowly rose to his feet.
The deputy ambassador also stood up, dusting off his knees.
"His Majesty must be furious. Still, it’s fortunate that he’s willing to make considerations…"
The deputy ambassador trailed off as he approached Daniel.
He had caught sight of Daniel’s eyes as he watched Hartmann leave.
There was something sharp and dangerous in his gaze.
The deputy ambassador instinctively held his tongue.
Daniel turned to him.
"Deputy Ambassador, we need to make significant revisions to the proposal."
"What? But this is already the most optimal proposal… Should we lower our demands?"
"No. Raise them."
The deputy ambassador flinched at the unexpected command.
It was unlikely Vellanos would accept harsher terms.
After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously asked,
"Are you sure about this?"
"We have no choice. Everything depends on it."
Daniel let out a slow breath, narrowing his eyes sharply.
"I will take full responsibility."
****
The Day of the Meeting, Prime Minister’s Residence Reception Room
‘The Prime Minister is just beyond this door.’
Standing in front of the reception room door, Daniel adjusted his tie with a tense expression.
His grip on the briefcase involuntarily tightened.
‘I’ve already gathered all the necessary information on the Prime Minister.’
According to the Foreign Affairs Office, he lacked political acumen but was fundamentally a warm and gentle man.
His reputation among the public was particularly high, as he was known for his kindness toward children. It was clear he would want to be remembered as a good father to his own daughter as well.
And that gave Daniel a useful card to play.
‘Because I know about the illegitimate child he’s hiding.’
Of course, Daniel had no intention of using that to blackmail the Prime Minister.
‘But…’
The one he truly had to be wary of right now wasn’t the Prime Minister—it was the Emperor.
If this meeting failed to produce results, Daniel would find himself in a difficult position.
The Emperor would latch onto any excuse to put a leash on him.
Which meant Daniel had no choice but to ensure this negotiation was a success.
And to do that, he had to be ruthless.
‘I apologize, but if I want to survive, this is the only way.’
After silently asking for the Prime Minister’s forgiveness, Daniel took a deep breath and opened the door.
Inside, Prime Minister Lowell of Vellanos was sitting on a sofa, sipping whiskey.
Beside him, his aides stood at attention, wearing suits with gun holsters strapped to their sides.
‘Drinking whiskey before the meeting even starts…’
It was clear he was trying to project an image of confidence and control.
Most likely, he was attempting to establish dominance in the conversation from the very beginning.
But to Daniel, it looked like nothing more than a scared man putting on a front.
Still, he made no show of his thoughts as he stepped forward, prompting Lowell to set down his whiskey glass and rise from his seat.
"Oh. A pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Steiner. I hear you’ve had quite the ordeal."
"It was absolute chaos because of those terrorists."
The two men exchanged handshakes with smiles on their faces.
But neither of them was truly smiling.
"It was an undeniable failure on our part that we couldn’t properly secure our territorial waters. I sincerely apologize. To make amends, we were thinking of presenting a few proposals that may favor the Empire…"
"That would be appreciated, but we have a proposal we’d like to offer first. I believe it would help in narrowing the gap between our perspectives."
"Well, do as you please."
As Daniel withdrew his hand from the handshake, he added,
"Oh, but before we begin the formal discussion, may I share an experience of mine? It might help ease the tension."
"An experience?"
"Yes, while I was stranded, I happened to meet a truly beautiful young lady."
At the mention of a young lady, Lowell’s expression cracked ever so slightly.
However, as if he had anticipated such a move, he quickly regained his composure.
"This sounds like a rather personal matter—for both of us, I’d say. Wouldn’t it be best if we dismissed the others before we continue?"
"Of course."
Lowell gave his aides a subtle signal.
The aides bowed their heads toward Lowell before promptly exiting the reception room in an orderly manner.
Once they were gone, Lowell exhaled somewhat roughly and glared at Daniel.
"Look, I know exactly what you’re getting at. But this is a negotiation between the Empire and Vellanos. Don’t drag personal matters into official discussions. Understood?"
Daniel didn’t reply. He simply smiled.
That hollow silence made Lowell uneasy.
Daniel knew very well that sometimes, silence was more powerful than any words.
The longer the silence stretched, the more restless Lowell became, until finally, he backed down.
"Fine. How about this? We’ll discuss matters regarding my daughter after the meeting. That way, we can find common ground, don’t you think?"
Daniel’s smile remained unchanged.
So the act of confidence had been nothing but a smokescreen.
Now that he knew Lowell was the one desperate in this negotiation, there was no need to hesitate.
"It seems you’re mistaken, Prime Minister. This is a matter concerning the child of a man responsible for an entire nation. It’s impossible to separate it from international relations."
"Daniel Steiner!"
Lowell, unable to hold back his emotions, shouted in anger.
"Do you think being a so-called war hero makes you anything special?! You’re nothing but a mere staff officer—a lowly diplomatic envoy! And right now, the man standing before you is the Prime Minister of Vellanos! Do you really think this is a place where you can throw your weight around?!"
Lowell had raised his voice in an attempt to intimidate Daniel.
But he had chosen the wrong opponent.
Daniel merely let out a small chuckle, as if he had just heard a particularly amusing joke.
Then, he waved his hand dismissively.
"It seems there’s a misunderstanding. The position of diplomatic envoy is not something that can be so easily dismissed with a word like lowly. A diplomatic envoy, by definition, is a person who meets with foreign leaders as a representative of the Empire."
Daniel’s amusement faded as he locked eyes with Lowell.
A terrible silence filled the space between them.
Lowell’s gaze wavered ever so slightly, pressured by the weight of Daniel’s words.
"And so, in this room—"
Daniel, staring at him without a hint of humor, continued in a firm voice.
"—I am the Empire."