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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Wolf That Cannot Be Leashed
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Daniel's steadfast gaze exuded sincerity.
Bertrand was no fool; he knew full well that those words were directed at him.
A silence heavier than any before descended between them.
"…"
"…"
The silence stretched, yet neither of them spoke first.
Both knew that a single misstep in their words at this moment could lead to disaster.
This wasn't merely from Daniel's perspective.
Emperor Bertrand, too, was now in a position where he had to consider Daniel's reactions.
The current old and ailing Bertrand was in a period of power transition.
Had he been in his younger, more courageous days, he might have blackmailed Daniel in return and put a leash on him.
But now, the imperial power was divided, and Daniel was well aware of it.
Most of the ministers were now pledging their loyalty not to the Emperor, but to the Princess.
For if the Emperor were to pass, it would be Selvia who would rule the Empire for the next several decades.
In Selvia's coming reign, Daniel would undeniably be treated as a meritorious subject and a loyal retainer.
It was clear that, with Selvia's favor, the support of countless citizens would turn towards Daniel.
'If, in this situation, I were to persecute Daniel and curtail his authority…'
The populace would not stand idly by, and Selvia's support base would surely be shaken.
For if she neglected a loyal subject who had helped place her on the imperial throne, she would face endless criticism.
As long as she was acting as regent, Selvia couldn't even escape by claiming it was the Emperor's sole decision.
Of course, Selvia would never agree to persecute Daniel, but the sheer lack of even the slightest possibility of it left Bertrand with a strange sense of unease.
The source of his discomfort was that Daniel Steiner understood all of this and was subtly exploiting it.
'Indeed. The blood of a Blackberry flows within you.'
Daniel was avoiding the charge of lèse-majesté by stating that his words were merely "something he heard from the Abbot."
One could demand cross-verification from the Abbot who raised Daniel to confirm the facts, but it would be pointless.
If the Abbot simply responded, "I don't recall," then the past would remain unknowable.
'Even if it were truly something he heard…'
Uttering it aloud could only be seen as having a clear intention.
Either way, Daniel had used the fairy tale to reveal his true intentions.
And he did so without incurring any harm to himself.
'What a cunning fox he is…'
They say fairy tales are meant to satirize and mock reality.
Bertrand, feeling a fairy tale replaying right before his eyes, let out a hollow laugh.
"So, in a situation of mutually assured destruction, neither can attack the other. An interesting interpretation."
Hearing Bertrand's words, Daniel could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
He had been inwardly anxious about throwing such a gamble, his reason wavering under the encroaching intoxication, but seeing Bertrand laugh it off brought him peace of mind.
"I believe we've discussed enough of fairy tales. Now, let us speak of your reward."
"...A reward, Your Majesty?"
"Indeed. Did I not say that if you successfully conclude your discussions with the Prime Minister of Bellanos, I would grant you a reward, in accordance with the Empire's foundational principle of rewarding good and punishing evil?"
Daniel could not answer easily.
Those words felt like a trap.
There was no way a reward from the Emperor's mouth would come without conditions.
'If I ask for a reward, he will surely demand something of me in return.'
Bertrand had offered a reward, but he hadn't said he wouldn't mention Daniel's failure to report promptly when he was stranded in Bellanos.
Therefore, it would be troublesome if he started attaching various conditions to the reward, using the delayed report as an excuse.
After a brief moment of thought, Daniel decided to preempt him.
"Your Majesty, if I am to receive a reward, I wish only to be forgiven for unilaterally carrying out my mission when I was stranded in Bellanos. Other than that, I desire nothing."
Bertrand's eyes narrowed.
'He wants nothing?'
Bertrand would have used Daniel's request for a reward as an excuse to propose a formal inspection.
After all, conducting an inspection to verify one's eligibility for a reward, while not common, did happen occasionally.
Furthermore, Daniel had a history of delaying his report when he was stranded in Bellanos, providing a legitimate reason for such an inspection.
Moreover, it could be framed not as an inspection due to unilateral pressure, but as an "inspection for the purpose of granting a reward," thus avoiding public backlash.
'So…'
If Daniel had wanted a reward, he would have been unable to retract his words and would have had no choice but to accept the inspection proposal.
But now, Daniel was deviating from Bertrand's expectations.
Wasn't he saying that his only desire was to be pardoned for his unilateral actions?
This caused a crack to appear in Bertrand's faint smile.
It was because he felt an inexplicable awe at Daniel's rhetoric, which seemed to pierce through his opponent's intentions and deftly evade every trap.
'Are you truly just a mere officer?'
He couldn't shake the feeling that he was conversing with a seasoned politician who had weathered countless storms.
It reminded him of his meetings with Kaledra, who led the International Alliance.
He couldn't even begin to guess what dark intentions might lurk behind that expression, which feigned loyalty.
Swallowing dryly, Bertrand feigned composure and spoke.
"I ask you once more. Do you truly desire nothing else besides the pardon for your transgressions?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty. I deeply regret causing concern to Your Great Imperial Majesty, and I shall consider Your Majesty's pardon for my transgressions to be the greatest reward."
Since he was outwardly playing the role of a loyal subject, there was no way to reprimand him.
Only then did Emperor Bertrand have to admit it.
'As I am now, I cannot put a leash on him…'
Daniel Steiner was evading every trap Bertrand had laid, as if he could see them all.
Furthermore, the wolf, having avoided the traps, slowly approached and bared its fangs at Bertrand, the hunter.
It was as if he was saying, "If you try to kill me one more time, I will not stand idly by."
Bertrand, with a self-deprecating smile, nodded.
"Very well. If that is all you desire, I shall not stop you."
The wind blowing through the terrace cleared away the effects of the alcohol.
"The night wind is cold. I suppose it's time to go inside. You, too, must be tired from all the recent events; you may return now."
"I shall obey your command."
Daniel rose from his seat and bowed respectfully to Bertrand.
Before Daniel turned to leave, Bertrand spoke as if in passing.
"In your opinion, do you think my daughter can become a wise and benevolent ruler?"
Daniel paused for a moment before answering.
"She will become a person worthy of this great Empire."
Having delivered his meaningful words, Daniel bowed once more and turned to walk away.
Hearing his footsteps, the Imperial Guard soldiers opened the door, and Daniel exited into the corridor.
The Grand Chamberlain, who had been staring blankly at Daniel's retreating figure, approached Bertrand.
"Your Majesty. Did your discussion conclude well?"
Bertrand let out a dry laugh, picked up the whiskey bottle, and refilled his glass.
"If the essence of a discussion is to discern each other's true intentions, then yes, I suppose it concluded well."
Bertrand, gazing at the slowly filling glass, continued.
"Grand Chamberlain. It seems I despise Daniel Steiner."
"...Your Majesty?"
"But would you believe me if I said that he is also the one I most cherish?"
Bertrand, unable to understand his own feelings, picked up his glass and rose from his seat.
"If only that fellow were my son… Then I could be free from this accursed passion and torment."
Uttering words that were almost a soliloquy, Bertrand approached the terrace.
As the Emperor stepped onto the terrace and faced the wind, citizens enjoying the festival began to look up, one by one.
When they shouted something, the citizens collectively raised their heads and looked up at Emperor Bertrand.
Bertrand smiled at them and raised his glass high, prompting a roar of cheers.
Carried on the wind, the cries of "Long live His Imperial Majesty!" mingled with those of "Long live Daniel Steiner!"
For Bertrand, those voices couldn't be dismissed as mere cheers.
It sounded as if the Empire had two masters.
'Of course…'
This thought might simply be a suspicion arising from an oversensitive mind, unable to perceive the world objectively.
'If Daniel Steiner truly is a loyal subject unlike any other…'
The Empire would surely prosper.
A great nation would emerge, like the Empire ruled by his grandfather of old.
There, Selvia would be recorded as a wise ruler, and Daniel as a meritorious subject, for generations to come.
'But if Daniel Steiner is a wolf consumed by political ambition, hungering for power…'
This Empire would descend into a hell unlike any seen before.