READ NOVEL FREE Chapter 82
Daniel was able to reach the port city of Tentarvahem in Belanos after about three hours of walking.
As he entered the city, merchants selling food and goods through stalls were commonly seen among the relatively low buildings.
Whether it was because the weather was nice or Belanos’s climate seemed to be less affected by winter, it was generally a pleasant day.
‘Not bad. This should pass the mark.’
As Daniel evaluated the weather of the country he would be spending a long time in, he wore a soft smile.
‘Should I open a bakery here once I successfully change my identity? No, being a port city, it could be dangerous with the Empire’s people frequently passing through… I should move inland…’
While planning how to live his new life, Daniel suddenly frowned.
‘The problem is money.’
Changing one’s identity requires quite a bit of cash.
As far as Daniel knew, changing one’s identity was not just about creating a fake ID. First, you need to secure a social security number from the government and obtain passport documents.
Only after opening a bank account and registering a residence can one truly be reborn with a new identity.
It goes without saying that these cumbersome processes require a fortune.
He needed money to bribe government officials, and of course, to lobby politicians.
Paying the broker who would handle all of that also adds to the costs.
‘So how should I make money…’
Part-time job? Finding work would be tough.
They still check IDs even in this day and age.
Even if he looked for jobs where IDs weren’t checked, the pay wouldn’t be good.
Not to mention, he couldn’t rule out the risk of getting involved in incidents.
‘If a place doesn’t check IDs, it’ll inevitably be shady.’
As Daniel stroked his chin while walking, he thought earning money through regular means would make changing identities impossible.
“Hey! Did I say something wrong!? That guy is definitely a scammer!”
“People who lost money causing a scene like that don’t have anyone to believe them. I clearly warned you. I said if you cause trouble in my shop again, I’ll throw you out.”
Daniel raised his head at the commotion happening in front of a tavern.
A woman in luxurious casual wear with black hair was arguing with someone who seemed to be the tavern owner.
The woman was a bit shorter than a typical woman, but her commanding presence overwhelmed even adult men.
“Causing trouble? What, saying I’ll chase out that scamming bastard is causing trouble? If it’s about money, I can give you whatever you want, just get rid of that jerk…”
“Ma’am! If you can bring me evidence to prove he’s a scammer, then I’ll understand! But if you’re just causing a ruckus because you lost in a gamble with no evidence, what should I even say to you?”
The tavern owner retorted logically, leaving the woman mumbling without a comeback.
Looking down at her with disdain, the tavern owner grabbed the doorknob.
“I don’t like treating customers this way, but maybe you should go out and cool off a bit, then come back.”
With that, the tavern owner slammed the door shut.
The sight of the woman left standing alone at the abruptly closed door was quite sorrowful.
‘What a shame. I should help her.’
Sensing the opportunity, Daniel approached, and the woman turned her gaze toward him.
“…What?”
The woman glanced at Daniel with sharp eyes, pausing briefly.
Daniel placed a hand on his chest while looking at her.
“Let’s just say I’m a fixer for recovering lost money. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with the tavern owner, and it seems like you’ve been scammed. Am I right?”
“Uh…”
Not being wrong, the woman awkwardly nodded her head.
Thinking this was a big catch, Daniel smiled faintly and knelt to meet her gaze.
“In that case, why not commission me? If you support the initial funds, I’ll ensure you get all your lost money back. But, it’s not without conditions.”
“Conditions?”
“If I succeed, I’ll only take half of the amount as my fee. If I fail? I’ll compensate you for the entire amount. What do you think? It’s a deal with no losses, right?”
Half? The woman was taken aback, but considering the full compensation in case of failure, it seemed to be without risk.
Intrigued, the woman nodded slightly, and Daniel smiled as he extended his hand.
“My name is Ribellad. Nice to meet you.”
Of course, it was a pseudonym.
*
Meanwhile, at the grand conference hall of the Imperial Palace.
“Everyone has arrived. Your Highness the Princess.”
At Hartmann’s words, Selvia, seated at the head of the table, raised her head.
On either side of the conference table, notable figures of the Empire were standing with tense expressions.
They were individuals who normally wouldn’t gather in one place, but thanks to Selvia, who had expelled the leaders of the National Assembly and issued an emergency cabinet summons, everyone was present here.
They were all cautious of the next Emperor, Selvia, especially since they spotted tear tracks on her cheeks.
This was proof that Selvia had been crying alone in this place for the three hours since the emergency cabinet was summoned.
In the icy atmosphere, Selvia slowly parted her lips.
“…Please report one by one.”
The first to speak among the observing individuals was Minister Schiller Daines.
“I ordered the heads of the press and broadcasting station to keep quiet until the facts were confirmed, but it was insufficient. We couldn’t prevent the news from spreading, resulting in the public being agitated and furious.”
Next, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency spoke up.
“Your Highness. The CIA attempted to confirm the initial target of the order immediately following the sinking of the diplomatic vessel, but it was not easy. We suspected it was the work of the United Nations, so we checked all official and unofficial departure records, but none corresponded with the incident.”
Selvia’s cold gaze landed on the CIA director.
“Are you trying to say it’s not the work of the United Nations?”
“N-no, that’s not it. I merely wanted to say there’s a high chance the submarine departed from a port other than that of the United Nations. So we shouldn’t hastily conclude it’s ‘a terror act by the United Nations.’”
The CIA director bowed his head, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
Seeing this, the Minister of Defense chimed in.
“Your Highness. What the CIA director said is not wrong. Until the situation becomes clear, it would be best not to act rashly. We can direct our anger at the United Nations once we clarify the incident, can’t we?”
Selvia’s gaze fell on the Minister of Defense.
“Clarify the incident?”
“Yes. As you know, the sinking of the diplomatic vessel occurred in Belanos’s waters. Thus, it’s highly likely that one of Belanos’s naval commanders opened the waters to unknown terrorists. We should first investigate who that is. Additionally…”
The Minister of Defense lowered his head.
“According to the naval strategy officer, we cannot rule out the possibility that Captain Daniel Steiner is still alive.”
After a brief silence, Selvia asked urgently.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Though the odds are low, considering the current of the sea at the time, it’s not impossible. If Captain Daniel Steiner was on deck instead of inside and was relatively far from the explosion point, and if he fell into the sea before the ship sank…”
The Minister of Defense raised his head.
“He might have reached one of the nearby shores of Belanos. Of course, as I mentioned before, the odds are quite low, but it’s not impossible.”
At the Minister’s words, the cabinet members began to stir.
Most felt it was nonsensical, but from Selvia’s perspective, she wanted to cling to even that slender hope.
Gripping the armrests of her seat tightly, Selvia commanded.
“Immediately form a fleet headed to Belanos. We’re launching a large-scale search operation.”
These words cast a silence over the conference hall.
Everyone there understood that the weight of Selvia’s words was anything but light.
Eventually, the Minister of Defense spoke up cautiously.
“Your Highness. While your orders are justified, this involves entering another country’s waters with our fleet. We expect a backlash from Belanos. Also, to conduct a military search operation, we’ll need Belanos’s consent; it may be better to send a negotiating team first…”
But the Minister of Defense fell silent mid-sentence.
He realized that Selvia was looking down on him.
Selvia silenced the Minister and spoke.
“What’s needed now is not negotiations but a message. So convey this to them.”
As Selvia sprang to her feet, all the ministers and heads bowed their heads in unison.
“The moment Belanos refuses to let the empire’s fleet leave to investigate the incident…”
In a cold fury, Selvia narrowed her eyes sharply.
“Belanos will be treated just like the terrorists.”