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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: He is a Dangerous Man
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Bellvar, who had been silent for a while, clenched his teeth so hard his jaw twisted.
The moment he took Daniel's hand, Bellvar would betray the Prince.
He would be denying the legitimacy of the Imperial Family that the Bahatrante family had upheld for generations.
For the sake of the principles his father and ancestors had defended, he could cast aside his life at any moment.
'But what about his family? What wrong had they ever done?'
For Bellvar, blood ties were as important as his principles.
It was only natural.
Before he was the head of the family, he was a father.
He knew well what dreams his grown sons harbored and what efforts they were making.
He simply couldn't destroy their bright futures just to uphold his principles.
'What should I do...'
Bellvar, feeling a headache from his repeated anguish, saw his vision tremble.
Bellvar knew. This wasn't a simple threat.
This devil before him would surely commit a massacre the moment negotiations failed.
Daniel Steiner's ruthlessness was evident in his emotionless eyes and a smile devoid of humanity.
Therefore, Bellvar had to make a choice at this very moment.
"I..."
But the words wouldn't come out readily.
The words rising up his throat were scattering before they could be uttered.
Principles and family.
Neither could be easily cast aside.
As if displeased, Daniel slowly began to speak.
"...Duke. Are you perhaps still under the impression that this is an equal trade or negotiation?"
Daniel let out a low laugh, as if dumbfounded.
"This is, after all, nothing more than a grace and favor that Her Imperial Highness and I are bestowing upon the Bahatrante family."
In Bellvar's mind, those words were interpreted as, 'And yet, you're still agonizing, unaware of your place.'
While Bellvar trembled, Daniel clicked his tongue as if in pity and shook his head.
"Even after returning to the past, you're willing to make the same mistake, so I won't stop you. In that case, Duke Bellvar of the esteemed Bahatrante family, I hope you happily await the ruin that is to come."
It was the moment Daniel, having said that, began to rise from his seat.
Bellvar suddenly leaned forward and clutched Daniel's hand.
A sense of dread that everything would become irreversible the moment Daniel left this place had overcome him.
"..."
"..."
A chilling silence fell between them.
Daniel left Bellvar's hand, which held him, untouched, neither shaking it off nor grasping it.
It was an unspoken demand for Bellvar to speak his true intentions.
"Cooperation..."
Tears welled up in Bellvar's bloodshot eyes.
Closing his eyes, feeling defeated, Bellvar said, sobbing softly.
"I will cooperate as you command..."
Having received the confirmation, Daniel finally clasped Bellvar's hand in return.
With his other hand, he lightly grasped Bellvar's shoulder.
"As expected. I knew the Duke would make a wise choice. Now that you've accepted our proposal, the Bahatrante family has no connection whatsoever to this matter."
A subtle pressure entered the hand gripping Bellvar's shoulder.
"Furthermore, the Duke has never sided with His Imperial Highness the Prince. Not until now, and not in the future. Do you understand my words?"
While clenching his teeth and sobbing, Bellvar couldn't properly open his mouth to speak.
Daniel, who had been looking at Bellvar with pity, removed his hand from his shoulder and spoke.
"If you understand, nod your head."
Overwhelmed by unprecedented emotions, Bellvar nodded, almost trembling.
Seeing that, Daniel finished the handshake with a satisfied expression and rose from his seat.
"Good. I will convey the Duke's intentions well to Her Imperial Highness."
Daniel adjusted his attire once, then turned to Hartmann, who was standing nearby.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hartmann. Our business here is concluded, so we shall take our leave. We shouldn't inconvenience the Duke by staying here any longer."
Hartmann, who had been observing everything from behind, nodded in a daze.
Only then did Daniel turn and exit the reception room.
Hartmann also followed Daniel out of the reception room and glanced around.
Confirming that no one was in the corridor, Hartmann observed Daniel's profile.
Seeing his tired complexion, the devil-like appearance from moments ago had vanished.
As if the tension had eased, Daniel let out a low sigh.
"What a relief. If Duke Bellvar had rejected the proposal, it could have been a difficult fight."
This made Hartmann feel a sense of incongruity.
Hartmann was awkward for a moment before he spoke.
"Remarkable. To be honest, I thought Duke Bellvar wouldn't agree to the proposal."
"I, too, had my doubts. It's fortunate that the act worked well."
Hartmann's brow furrowed as he listened to Daniel's words.
'An act?'
Could that truly be called an act?
In Hartmann's view, it was more appropriate to say that Daniel's hidden true nature had leaked out.
However, from Daniel's perspective, it was indeed an act.
Though, of course, it would come with the modifier, 'desperately performed to survive.'
'If I hadn't subjugated Duke Bellvar, I would have died.'
As Daniel felt inwardly relieved that things had gone well, Hartmann let out a cough.
"At any rate, you've worked hard. I'll handle reporting to Her Imperial Highness, so you should go back and rest first."
Daniel, who turned to look at Hartmann as if surprised, nodded lightly.
"Thank you for your consideration. I will do so."
Afterward, the two walked down the mansion's corridor in an awkward silence.
To be precise, Hartmann was the only one who felt awkward.
This was because Daniel Steiner, walking ahead, felt particularly frightening today.
---
After parting ways with Daniel in front of the mansion, Hartmann headed straight for the Imperial Palace.
Upon arriving at Selvia's office and knocking on the door, a voice from inside told him to enter.
As Hartmann opened the door, stepped inside, and saluted, Selvia looked up from her documents.
"...Oh? Where's Major Daniel?"
"He looked tired, so I told him to go on ahead."
"He went on ahead? So, you told him to go on ahead, and he actually left?"
As Selvia questioned persistently, Hartmann lowered his hand, somewhat puzzled.
"Your Highness? Were you perhaps waiting for Major Daniel?"
"What? Well..."
As if her true feelings had been exposed, Selvia blushed in embarrassment and suddenly let out a cough.
"How could that be? I didn't particularly want to see him. More importantly, how did the negotiations go?"
"They succeeded. In exchange for us not pursuing the Bahatrante family's crimes, they said they would withdraw their support for His Imperial Highness the Prince."
Selvia's mouth fell open in a daze as she listened to Hartmann's words.
She couldn't believe that stubborn old fox had raised the white flag after just one negotiation.
"...Is that true? Duke Bellvar bowed his head to me?"
"Indeed. It's thanks to Major Daniel's efforts."
At the news that Daniel had successfully concluded the negotiations, Selvia couldn't help but admire him inwardly.
Arresting the Prince's private organization alone was a tremendous achievement, but by subjugating Duke Bellvar this time, it was effectively putting an end to the succession struggle.
Selvia let out a low laugh, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
"My brother has suddenly lost both his arms, hasn't he? Poor brother. He's probably screaming in despair right about now."
Certain of her victory, Selvia placed the fountain pen she was holding into its case and closed it.
"So."
Selvia's sharp gaze swept over Hartmann.
"In your opinion, Lieutenant Colonel, what kind of person is Daniel Steiner?"
She wanted him to describe him, seeing as he would have observed Daniel conducting the negotiations.
This was also the most fundamental reason Selvia had assigned Daniel an escort.
As a Princess, it was only natural for her to ascertain whether it would be acceptable to keep Daniel as a close confidant.
"Daniel Steiner is one of the most capable individuals I've ever seen. However..."
Hartmann, who paused for a moment to answer Selvia's question, continued.
"...He is also an uncontrollably dangerous individual."
When evaluating the qualities of an assistant, Hartmann focused on tactics, strategy, and politics.
As a member of the Imperial Guard, operating in the capital rather than on the battlefield, Hartmann prioritized politics among the three abilities.
For one skilled in tactics cannot defeat one skilled in strategy, and one skilled in strategy cannot defeat one skilled in politics.
What about one skilled in politics? When they meet a political rival, they usually cannot exert power and instead find equilibrium.
But Daniel Steiner was different.
Hadn't he thoroughly subjugated Duke Bellvar, who might become his political rival in the future, all under the pretext of 'helping the Princess'?
'He must not tolerate it. The fact that Duke Bellvar attacked him...'
It was clear that he felt intense rage towards Duke Bellvar, who had tried to frame him for communicating with spies through the Security Bureau.
However, Daniel's rage was not a fiercely burning fire, but like a quietly flowing potent venom.
It doesn't seem powerful, but it's more dangerous than it appears, and the moment one takes even a single sip, they suffer excruciating pain.
In front of the person who has swallowed that potent venom, Daniel Steiner smiles and says,
"I have the antidote, so let's negotiate."
That was the Daniel Steiner Hartmann saw.
"Therefore, Your Highness..."
Hartmann, recalling Daniel speaking with Bellvar, said,
"You must never make an enemy of Daniel Steiner."
Hartmann bowed his head, offering sincere advice to Selvia.
And cold sweat trickled down him in a certain fear.
If.
Truly, if Daniel Steiner had sided with the Prince instead of Her Imperial Highness.
'The person who would have swallowed Daniel's potent venom today...'
Might not have been Bellvar, but Hartmann himself.