I Was Mistaken as a Great War Commander-Chapter 97

In Daniel's forthright gaze, sincerity was evident.

Bertham was no fool; he knew well that the words spoken were directed at him.

A heavier silence than ever settled between the two.

"......" "......"

The silence prolonged, but neither of them opened their mouths first, aware that a wrong word could escalate into disaster.

This wasn't just about Daniel's perspective.

Emperor Bertham was now in a position where he had to be cautious of Daniel's reactions.

The aging and ill Bertham was at a juncture of transferring power.

In his younger and more vigorous days, he might have threatened Daniel to keep him under control.

However, the imperial power was now divided, and Daniel was well aware of it.

Most of the ministers were now swearing allegiance to the princess rather than the emperor.

Once the emperor passed away, it was Princess Selvia who would dominate the empire for the next several decades.

In Selvia’s reign, which was soon to commence, Daniel would undoubtedly be treated as a proven loyalist and benefactor.

It was clear that Daniel would receive the support of many citizens under Selvia's favor.

"If I were to oppress Daniel and diminish his authority in this situation..."

The citizens would not stand by idly, and Selvia's support base would be shaken.

If she were to treat a loyalist who helped secure her position as emperor negligently, she would face extensive criticism.

As the regent, Selvia could not escape by blaming the emperor’s unilateral decisions.

Of course, it was unlikely Selvia would agree to oppress Daniel, but Bertham felt an odd displeasure that there wasn't even a small chance of this happening.

The source of the displeasure was that Daniel Steiner was cleverly exploiting the situation, fully understanding all these dynamics.

"Indeed. It seems the blood of blueberries does run through your veins."

Daniel was avoiding charges of disrespect by clarifying that his comments were purely 'stories he heard from the abbot.'

He could have demanded cross-verification from the abbot who raised Daniel to confirm the truth, but that would be meaningless.

If the abbot simply said he didn't remember, there would be no way to know the past.

"Even if it truly was a story he heard..."

To mention it out loud was clearly intentional.

Either way, Daniel had used the fairy tale to reveal his intentions without incurring any damage to himself.

"Cunning like a fox..."

Is that what they say about satire and humor in fairy tales?

Feeling as though the fairy tale was being replayed right there, Bertham chuckled dryly.

"Mutually assured destruction prevents us from attacking each other, is that it? An interesting interpretation."

Hearing Bertham laugh it off, Daniel could finally relax.

His rationality had been shaken by the onrush of intoxication, and he had felt uneasy about the gamble he had taken, but since Bertham was taking it lightly, he felt reassured.

"Let’s leave the fairy tale discussion here and discuss your reward now." "Reward, Your Majesty?"

"Yes. Didn’t I say? If you successfully conclude the negotiations with the Vellanos cabinet, I promised a reward based on the empire's principle of reward and punishment."

Daniel hesitated to respond.

His words felt like a trap.

There could be no reward from the emperor without some condition attached.

"If I ask for a reward, surely he will demand something from me."

Bertham hadn't mentioned failing to report promptly when stranded in Vellanos.

Using the delay in reporting as an excuse to attach conditions to the reward would complicate matters.

After a brief moment of thought, Daniel decided to take the initiative.

"Your Majesty, if there is a reward I would desire, it would be to be forgiven for acting autonomously when I was stranded in Vellanos. Beyond that, I desire nothing else."

Bertham’s eyes narrowed.

"Nothing else you desire?"

Bertham would have used the request for a reward as a pretext to propose a formal inspection.

To verify whether Daniel was eligible for a reward, an inspection, while not common, was sometimes warranted.

Since Daniel had a history of delayed reporting when stranded in Vellanos, there was also a justification for an inspection.

Moreover, an inspection based on ‘giving a reward’ could be packaged in such a way that it wouldn't provoke public backlash.

"So..."

If Daniel had expressed a desire for a reward, he couldn't have retracted his statement and would have had to accept the proposal for an inspection.

However, now Daniel was circumventing Bertham’s expectations.

Claiming he only wished to be pardoned for his autonomous actions.

This caused a crack in the subtle smile Bertham had been maintaining.

The way Daniel skillfully navigated the conversation, as if he knew the emperor's mind, elicited an inexplicable sense of awe.

"Are you really just a mere officer?"

It felt as if he was conversing with a seasoned politician who had experienced all the vicissitudes of political life.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

It reminded him of the time he had negotiations with the leader of the International Coalition, Caledra.

The sincerity in his expression seemed to hide dark intentions that were impossible to gauge.

Bertham swallowed dryly and forced calmness as he spoke.

"Let me ask once more. Besides absolving your offenses, is there really nothing else you desire?" "That is correct. Deeply regretting having caused Your Majesty any concern, I would consider your forgiveness of my offenses the highest reward."

Outwardly playing the loyal subject, Bertham found it difficult to reprimand him.

Finally, Emperor Bertham had no choice but to acknowledge.

"I can no longer hold him on a leash..." thought Bertham, as Daniel Steiner seemed to effortlessly dodge every trap laid out for him.

Even more strikingly, like a wolf who had evaded a trap, Daniel now slowly approached the hunter Bertham, baring his teeth as he warned,

"If you try to kill me once more, I will not stand idly by."

Bertham, with a self-deprecating smile, nodded.

"Very well. If that's all you desire, I won't object."

The wind blowing through the terrace helped dissipate the effects of the alcohol.

"The night air is chilly. It's about time to head inside. You must be tired from all the recent events; you should head back as well."

"I will heed your command."

Daniel rose from his seat and bowed politely to Bertham.

Before Daniel could leave, Bertham casually remarked,

"Do you think my daughter can become a wise ruler?"

After a pause, Daniel answered,

"She will be a ruler befitting our great empire."

With those meaningful words, Daniel bowed again and turned to leave.

Hearing his footsteps, the imperial guards opened the door, and Daniel exited into the corridor.

The head of the Inner Court, who had been silently observing, approached Bertham.

"Your Majesty, has the conversation concluded satisfactorily?"

Bertham, with a dry laugh, poured himself another whiskey.

"If understanding each other's intentions is the essence of conversation, then it ended well."

As he watched the glass slowly fill, Bertham continued,

"Head of the Inner Court. It seems I both hate and love Daniel Steiner."

"Your Majesty?"

"But would you believe me if I said he is the one I care about the most?"

Bertham, struggling to understand his own feelings, picked up the glass and stood up.

"If only he had been my son... Then I could have been freed from this agonizing dilemma."

Muttering almost to himself, Bertham approached the terrace.

As the Emperor stepped out and faced the wind, citizens enjoying the festival began to look up.

Hearing shouts from below, the crowd collectively turned their heads to look up at Emperor Bertham.

Bertham, smiling at them, raised his glass high, and a cheer erupted from the crowd.

Carried on the wind, the sounds of "Long live the Emperor!" and "Long live Daniel Steiner!" intermingled.

To Bertham, these shouts were more than just cheers.

They seemed to suggest that the empire had two masters.

"Of course..."

He recognized that this thought was a suspicion arising from a hypersensitive state that misinterpreted the world around him.

"If Daniel Steiner truly is a loyal subject without equal..."

The empire would undoubtedly prosper.

It would become a great nation, as it was under his grandfather's rule.

In that future, Selvia would be recorded as a wise ruler, and Daniel as a loyal benefactor for generations.

"But if Daniel Steiner is engulfed in political ambition, a wolf lusting for power..."

Then the empire would fall into an unparalleled hell.