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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Unexpected Fortune
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Ten days later, Western Empire.
The port city of Lost Bellemont.
"Is the ship ready?"
The man in the deeply pulled-down hood, a leader within the Black Swan secret society, nodded at Hamthal's words.
"Yes. I've finished speaking with the trade ship's captain. Since immigration checks aren't strict, he said we could bring about thirty people with disguised identities if we prepare the bribes for the officials well."
"Thirty, you say. That's fewer than I thought, so we'll take only the elite."
"Understood."
The man, who answered without complaint, turned his head to look at the coast.
Perhaps because the day was clear, the warm sunlight brightly illuminated the entire sea.
The man, who had been admiring the various ships docked on that sea, spoke.
"I wonder if Lieutenant Colonel Daniel has arrived in Bellanos by now."
Hamthal shook his head at the man's question.
"He departed yesterday evening, so he should be entering Bellanos's territorial waters by now. Considering the short distance from Lost Bellemont to Bellanos, he should arrive soon."
"I see. But there won't be any trouble until he arrives, will there?"
Hamthal remained silent, as if he couldn't give a definite answer to this question.
'Something feels off…'
Upon hearing the news that Daniel was being dispatched to Bellanos as a diplomatic envoy, Hamthal had arrived here a few days ago to assess the situation.
This was due to his concern that there might be groups attempting to assassinate Daniel once he left the capital.
Fortunately, no movements to assassinate Daniel were observed here, but after checking the ship Daniel was scheduled to board, Hamthal was seized by an inexplicable unease.
'There was definitely no escort vessel.'
Although it was common not to have escort ships when sending diplomatic vessels to Bellanos due to its short distance, Hamthal couldn't shake the feeling that it was too careless for the Empire's hero to be on board.
'As if inviting an attack…'
Hamthal, continuing his thoughts, shook his head.
Because even he thought it was a significant logical leap.
Even so, the unease that had taken root in his heart did not dissipate.
'If I had my way, I would have wanted to guard Lieutenant Colonel Daniel personally…'
Diplomatic vessels were structured so that only government officials or individuals invited by the government could board them.
If he had a little more time to prepare, he would have disguised his identity and boarded, but since he had only learned of Daniel's appointment as a diplomatic envoy a few days prior, Hamthal had no choice but to step back.
'Still…'
It was a relief, if anything, that he had managed to strike a deal with the captain of a trade ship heading for Bellanos, even if belatedly.
The trade ship was departing today, so they would be able to catch up to Daniel Steiner relatively quickly.
Then they could simply escort Daniel Steiner, just as they had done in the Empire's south.
'So please…'
Hamthal earnestly hoped that no problems would arise on the diplomatic vessel Daniel had boarded.
*
Several hours later.
Meanwhile, Daniel was on deck, holding onto the railing and savoring the sea breeze.
Feeling the cool, salty wind brush against his face, a smile naturally formed on his lips.
He felt so good that he almost wanted to greet the dolphins swimming alongside the ship.
'Good weather. Good wind. No adjutant. Everything is perfect today.'
To think he could gain such immense psychological stability just from not having an adjutant trying to take his life.
Moreover, here there was no Selvia, whose true intentions were unknown, nor an Emperor who kept Daniel in check.
There weren't even the noisy, chattering nobles or politicians who always wore disgruntled expressions.
From Daniel's perspective, this was truly an earthly paradise, heaven on earth.
'I'm not sure how long I'll stay in Bellanos, but I'll make sure to fully enjoy the peace during my time here.'
Although he was dispatched as a diplomatic envoy, work usually didn't begin on the day of arrival.
After the official welcome greetings, the Bellanos government typically gave a day or two to recover from the journey, so he would have plenty of time for sightseeing.
'Should I start with a famous dessert shop? I heard trifles are famous in Bellanos.'
Trifles, made by layering custard and fruit and then topping them with cream, were one of the desserts Daniel personally wanted to try.
'While there are shops in the Empire that try to imitate trifles, the taste in their homeland must be different.'
Daniel, licking his lips as he admired the sea view, paused.
Because he saw something rising close to the surface of the water a short distance from the ship.
At first, he thought it might be a whale, but whales don't move so statically.
Feeling that something was off, Daniel carefully observed the shadow beneath the surface, and cold sweat broke out.
'No way…'
Because he started to think it might be an enemy submarine.
'If my hunch isn't just a delusion…'
A submarine floating close to the surface was tantamount to preparing to fire a torpedo.
Because the torpedo launch systems of this era had technical limitations, requiring them to surface close to attack enemy ships.
'But…'
Attack a diplomatic vessel heading to a neutral country? Unable to comprehend, Daniel, who had been frozen, let go of the railing and quickly turned around.
Because if that was a submarine, he had to inform the captain.
As Daniel hurried towards the captain's cabin, he suddenly heard a dull 'thud'.
Following that, the ship shook, and Daniel's body swayed.
The moment his suspicion became certainty, a loud warning siren began to blare inside the ship.
*WEEEEEE-OOH—*
As the emergency siren began to wail, people on deck who had been watching the sea panicked and screamed.
Some were so terrified they didn't know what to do.
Daniel, letting out a groan, first approached them.
"It's an enemy attack! But please, calm down first! Children and women, hold onto the railing and hold on tight! Men, follow me to the life jackets and lifeboats…"
Before he could finish speaking, another torpedo struck the ship.
*CRASH!*
An incomparable roar erupted, and flames shot up.
As the ship violently shook, Daniel lost his balance and fell backward.
In the blink of an eye, Daniel was flung over the railing, his mouth agape in a daze.
'Ah.'
What Daniel saw as he fell into the sea was the ship slowly tilting amidst the flames.
The next moment.
*SPLASH!*
Daniel's body was engulfed by the ocean currents.
*
Several hours later.
On a secluded coastline, waves gently rolled onto the shore and broke.
Daniel, who had been lying at the boundary where the waves repeatedly met the sand due to the ebb and flow of the tide, slowly opened his eyes.
Daniel, regaining consciousness, vomited seawater before he could even clear his vision.
Daniel, who managed to prop himself up with one arm, repeatedly coughed and retched, his head bowed towards the white sand.
After several minutes of expelling what was inside him, Daniel looked around with a dazed expression.
There was no one else, save for the machine fragments and metal pieces that had washed ashore.
Daniel, holding his throbbing head, this time lifted his gaze to look a little further.
He saw an abandoned fishing boat and a hut.
As he broadened his view, a scene unfolded in the distance: buildings clustered together, appearing smaller than a pinky nail.
'…It's not an uninhabited island.'
It seemed he had been carried by the waves and arrived in Bellanos.
Daniel, who had been relieved by that fact, suddenly clenched his fists.
'That crazy son of a bitch…! Attacking a diplomatic vessel just to get me?'
In Daniel's opinion, the one who orchestrated this was clearly Count Khaledra.
He was known for stopping at nothing to achieve his desires.
Considering the recent assassination attempt on Lucy, it wasn't difficult to deduce that this incident was also Khaledra's doing.
Daniel, clenching his teeth in anger, put strength into his body and stood up.
'I'll make you regret not killing me. You won't get a second chance.'
Daniel, narrowing his eyes sharply, lifted a hand and swept his hair back.
Afterward, Daniel, who had shed his officer's coat heavy with water, trudged forward.
Knowing this was Bellanos, his purpose and direction were clear.
'I'll have to reveal myself as a diplomatic envoy at the nearest city hall and borrow their communication facilities. The Empire won't know I'm alive, so I'll have to inform them myself. That way, requesting support will be easier…'
A crack appeared in Daniel's frowning expression.
'…The Empire doesn't know I'm alive?'
Logically speaking, it wouldn't be easy to assume there would be survivors from a ship hit by two torpedoes and sunk.
Daniel, whose thoughts had reached that point, stopped traversing the sandy beach.
Daniel's face, as he stood stock-still, went blank for a moment.
*SWISH—*
On the white sand where the cool sound of waves could be heard, Daniel felt his heart pound with a shallow realization.
'Wait a minute. This is…'
Isn't this a successful escape from the Empire?