NOVEL WEB Chapter 56
About ten days passed when the higher-ups finally approved Daniel’s leave request.
Given that it’s a country at war, the procedure for vacation approval is notoriously complicated and tedious, so getting a quick approval was a bit surprising.
Having received his leave certificate, Daniel boarded the luxurious ‘Royal Express’ train in first class at the train station.
Even though officers typically don’t get to board first class on a luxury train, the General Staff Headquarters made an exception for Daniel, considering his numerous military achievements.
“Let’s see. The room I’ll be staying in…”
Daniel walked down the corridor, carpeted in red, stopping in front of the room marked CA8.
Confirming it matched the one on his ticket, he opened the door.
Upon entry, a large window revealed a bright view of the outside scenery.
Amazed, he stepped inside and saw plush beds on either side of the room.
In the center was a luxurious table and chairs, and an array of expensive snacks laid atop it, so it felt like they were worth their price.
Setting his luggage down against a nearby wall, Daniel moved to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
After placing his military cap on the table, the train jolted to life, beginning its journey.
After adjusting his attire, Daniel leaned comfortably against the chair’s backrest, taking in the scenery outside.
As the train moved, the changing landscapes flitted by, yet the glow of the leaves on the trees and the fields remained unchanged no matter where the train ran.
What a pastoral and peaceful scene it was!
A smile crept onto Daniel’s lips.
“Yes. This is what I wanted.”
A life where he wouldn’t have to worry about anything, free from troubles.
A moderately good amount of money to maintain a comfortable existence.
Plus a bit of power, just enough so he wouldn’t be looked down upon.
After all, wasn’t that why he entered the magic academy? To achieve the trifecta of a citizen’s ultimate life?
“But…”
Ever since he began to awaken the memories of his past life, his life had taken a chaotic turn.
If he were to summarize Daniel’s current life, it would be as follows:
A fluctuating existence where he has to worry about being assassinated while struggling not to die on the battlefield.
An overwhelming amount of money received from various military honors that had become burdensome.
A power that not only kept him from being scorned but also instilled fear in others.
He had strayed far from the slender, long life he sought.
It was a situation worthy of a sigh, yet for today, he could laugh it off lightly.
“Because it’s my vacation.”
For the next month, he wouldn’t have to endure the suffocating routine of his Aide-de-Camp, a spy for the Allied Nations.
No worries about being caught up in the struggle for the throne between the princess and prince, and no need to fret over what kind of operations support the General Staff Headquarters might send him next.
“Is it wrong to be this happy?”
Chuckling softly, Daniel basked in the sunlight streaming through the window.
“Speaking of which, I’ll be returning to my hometown after almost two years.”
This was his first trip back south since using his regular leave during his time as a cadet at the magic academy.
“I wonder how the Monastery Head is doing. I wrote a letter just in case that I’d be stopping by unexpectedly… but I wonder if it arrived properly, considering how isolated it is.”
As Daniel mused, memories from his hometown filled his mind.
Suddenly—
Creak—
The sliding door of his room opened, revealing a Black person.
Upon spotting Daniel, he took off his fedora and held it over his heart.
“Oh! I didn’t realize we had a guest. I should’ve knocked.”
Daniel rose from his seat, smiling as he extended his hand.
“It’s alright. You don’t need to mind me since it’s a shared room. I’m Daniel Steiner.”
“Oh! You’re Captain Daniel Steiner! I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Hamtal, from Nordia.”
The Black man’s true identity was Hamtal, the leader of the secret society, the Black Crow.
Of course, Daniel had no way of knowing that.
“From Nordia? What a remarkable coincidence! I used to be the Garrison Commander there.”
“Thanks to you, I’ve heard Nordia has become a much better place. But first, why don’t we sit down and chat?”
Nodding pleasantly, Daniel took a seat.
Hamtal sat down across from him, adjusting his tie before casually starting the conversation.
“By the way, Captain Daniel. I’ve heard that radical urban planning was implemented in Nordia. Was there a special reason for that?”
He was testing the waters to see if Daniel had made those changes for the Empire’s benefit or purely to create a more ideal world.
After a brief silence, Daniel shrugged.
“Honestly, I thought I might get criticized by the General Staff and the citizens of Nordia, but it turned out for the best.”
Hamtal was secretly amazed by Daniel’s words.
‘He pushed through despite knowing there might be backlash from both the Empire and the citizens?’
That was akin to being a true prophet.
“Was it perhaps that you also raised your voice for us colored people…?”
“Raise my voice? That’s only natural. Racial discrimination is just a horrible belief in superiority, isn’t it? I simply told those deranged humans not to act crazily.”
Daniel’s serious tone carried genuine intent.
Witnessing this, Hamtal could dismiss any lingering doubts in his mind.
‘Indeed, Daniel Steiner is a person worthy of our loyalty.’
While harboring admiration in his heart, Hamtal rose from his seat.
“I apologize for interrupting our conversation, but I need to step into the restroom for a moment.”
As Daniel nodded in understanding, Hamtal donned his fedora again and exited into the corridor.
Having walked a few steps down the corridor, Hamtal pulled out a radio from his pocket, turned it on, and pressed the transmission button.
“Report if there are any unusual activities in each sector.”
Before long, reports began streaming in through the radio.
— No abnormalities in the dining car. I’ll keep watching.
— No issues in the onboard lounge.
— No anomalies in the connecting corridors.
Every section of the Royal Express train was infiltrated by members of the Black Crow.
Now was the perfect time for Captain Daniel Steiner to be ambushed, given he was alone on leave without any military backup.
That was why Hamtal, as the leader of the Black Crow, had brought a large number of members secretly to protect Daniel.
— We’ve found a suspicious person in the VIP room. We’ve confirmed they are communicating through a wristwatch radio.
Hamtal’s brows furrowed at the report coming from the VIP room.
Narrowing his eyes, he pressed the transmission button again.
“Keep monitoring. If they leave the train, follow them and locate them.”
Hearing an acknowledgment from the other end, Hamtal turned off the radio and tucked it away.
‘If there are forces attempting to undermine Daniel Steiner…’
He would unleash every technique honed over the last ten years to obliterate them completely.
Of course, totally unaware of any of this, Daniel continued to leisurely admire the scenery inside his cabin.
*
Meanwhile, at St. Michael Monastery.
“The weeds are just so… Hold on a moment.”
In the garden located within the enclosed courtyard, where all sides are walled in, the monastery head, Hieroni, was pulling weeds and placing them into a basket beside him.
Approaching Hieroni was the Vice Abbot, dressed neatly in his robes.
“Headmaster, may I have a moment to talk?”
Hearing the voice from behind, Hieroni paused in his weeding and turned around.
“Oh, Vice Abbot! What brings you here?”
“It’s about Daniel. He said he would be arriving tomorrow.”
“That’s right! I received a letter saying that he’s returning to visit his hometown during his leave. But why does the Vice Abbot look… unhappy? Aren’t you glad he’s coming?”
The Vice Abbot quickly shook his head.
“That’s not it. It’s just that I’m a bit puzzled by the rumors I’ve been hearing.”
“Rumors? What do you mean?”
“You know Captain Daniel, right?”
“Ah, of course! He’s the hero of the Empire. Why do you ask?”
“I suspect that the Daniel we’re talking about might be the one who graduated from our monastery…”
Monasteries had strict regulations against the importation of external items.
They prohibited even newspapers and simple magazines from entering due to the need to maintain a focus on serving God away from worldly connections.
But even so, the name Captain Daniel was well-known among the monks.
Wealthy citizens and politicians, who occasionally donated to the orphanage run by the monastery, often shared tidbits about the world outside.
No wonder many, like the Vice Abbot, had doubts about whether this Daniel was truly the one who came from their monastery.
Hieroni simply chuckled.
“I’ve told you several times that it could be a case of someone with the same name. Have you already forgotten what kind of child our Daniel was?”
“That’s not true! Daniel was undoubtedly a caring boy.”
“Yes, that’s right. He was thoughtful, enjoyed painting and drawing while being mature enough to assist us with baking.”
Listening to this, the Vice Abbot couldn’t help but nod in agreement.
“Indeed, there were times Daniel surprised us with his composure, but fundamentally, he was a charming child of God with a good heart.”
“Exactly. It’s hard to believe that such a Daniel would spearhead the invasion of Nordia and conquer the kingdom.”
Hieroni chuckled softly.
“Setting everything else aside, Daniel has only been commissioned for nine months. To be a captain at this point? It just doesn’t add up.”
That made perfect sense. The Vice Abbot smirked and nodded.
“You’re right. I suppose I spoke out of turn. I’ll be heading back now. When Daniel arrives, I should make some of the bread he loves.”
As Hieroni smiled and nodded, the Vice Abbot turned and left.
Once again kneeling down, Hieroni resumed pulling weeds, a quiet laugh escaping his lips.
“Our Daniel is that captain who’s hailed as a hero of the Empire…”
The Vice Abbot had a wild imagination from time to time.
Logically speaking, he knew something like that could never happen.