LIGHT NOVEL Chapter 80
“Ten days later, in the Empire’s west.”
The harbor city of Lost Bellemont.
“Is the ship ready?”
A man in a heavy robe nodded at Hamtal, the leader of the Secret Society Black Crow.
“Yes. I’ve finished talking with the captain of the trade ship. They said that as long as we prepare a decent bribe for the bureaucrats, we can smuggle about thirty people in disguised identities, since the immigration inspection isn’t too strict.”
“Thirty people, huh? That’s fewer than I expected; let’s just take the elite then.”
“Understood.”
The man answered without hesitation, turning his gaze to the coast.
Maybe it was because the weather was clear today, but the warm sunlight was brightly illuminating the entire sea.
While he admired the various ships docked on that sea, the man spoke up.
“I wonder if Captain Daniel Steiner has arrived in Bellanos by now.”
At the man’s question, Hamtal shook his head.
“He left yesterday evening, so he should be entering the territorial waters of Bellanos by now. Considering the short distance from Lost Bellemont to Bellanos, he’ll arrive shortly.”
“I see. But I hope nothing strange happens before he arrives?”
Hamtal didn’t seem confident enough to answer that question, maintaining his silence.
‘Something feels off…’
After hearing the news that Daniel was dispatched as a diplomatic ambassador to Bellanos, Hamtal had arrived here a few days earlier to assess the situation.
His concern was that there might be factions trying to assassinate Daniel, who had gone outside the Empire’s protection.
Thankfully, there weren’t any visible movements aiming for Daniel’s assassination here, but after confirming the ship he was scheduled to board, Hamtal couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.
‘There really was no escort ship.’
It’s common practice not to send an escort ship with diplomatic vessels on short trips, but it felt too reckless considering an Empire hero was aboard.
‘It’s almost like they’re inviting an attack…’
As Hamtal continued his thoughts, he shook his head.
Even he thought that was a bit of a logical leap.
Regardless, the unease settled in his heart refused to dissipate.
‘Honestly, I wish I could have escorted Captain Daniel myself, but…’
Diplomatic vessels operate on a structure where only government officials or those invited by the government can board.
If he had a bit more time to prepare, he would have disguised himself to get on board, but since he learned just a few days ago about Daniel’s appointment as ambassador, Hamtal had no choice but to step back.
‘Still…’
It was a relief, at least, that he was able to make a deal with the captain of a trade ship heading to Bellanos.
Since the trade ship was set to depart today, he could catch up with Daniel Steiner relatively quickly.
Then it would just be a matter of providing protection for Daniel Steiner, just like in the south of the Empire.
‘So please…’
Hamtal hoped that nothing would occur on the diplomatic vessel Daniel was on.
*
Meanwhile, Daniel was on the deck, savoring the sea breeze while gripping the railing.
The cool air mixed with salt brushed across his face, making him smile involuntarily.
Feeling good, he almost wanted to wave at the dolphins swimming alongside the ship.
‘Nice weather, good wind. No aide-de-camp. Everything is perfect today.’
Just the absence of a life-threatening aide-de-camp provided such immense psychological comfort.
On top of that, there were no hidden motives from Princess Selvia, nor was there the Emperor keeping tabs on him.
Not to mention the noisy nobles and perpetually disgruntled politicians who were usually around.
From Daniel’s perspective, it was truly a paradise, a heaven on earth.
‘I don’t know how long I’ll stay in Bellanos, but during my stay, I’ll enjoy peace to the fullest.’
Though he was dispatched as a diplomatic ambassador, typically, one doesn’t start work on the day of arrival.
After the official welcoming, the Bellanos government usually allows a day or two for guests to rest after their journey, providing ample time for sightseeing.
‘First, I think I’ll check out the famous dessert shop. I hear Bellanos is famous for trifle.’
Trifle, with layers of custard and fruit topped off with cream, was one of the desserts Daniel personally wanted to try.
‘There are places in the Empire that make trifle too, but the taste from the homeland will surely be different.’
Just as Daniel was salivating and enjoying the view of the sea, he suddenly stopped.
He spotted something surfacing close to the ship.
At first, he thought it might be a whale, but whales don’t usually move so steadily.
Feeling suspicious, Daniel closely observed the shadow beneath the water and broke into a cold sweat.
‘Could it be…?’
The thought crossed his mind that it might be an enemy submarine.
‘If my guess isn’t just paranoia…’
If the submarine was floating close to the surface, it was preparing to launch a torpedo.
Due to technological limitations of the era’s torpedo system, one had to be near the surface to attack enemy ships.
‘But…’
Attack a diplomatic vessel heading to a neutral nation? This didn’t make sense. Daniel froze, letting go of the railing as he quickly turned on his heel.
If that was indeed a submarine, he had to warn the captain.
Hurrying to the captain’s quarters, Daniel suddenly heard a loud “thud.”
Immediately after, the ship trembled, and Daniel stumbled.
At the moment his suspicion turned into certainty, a loud warning alarm rang out from inside the ship.
Wiiiiing─
As the emergency siren blared, those on deck watching the sea screamed in panic.
Some were so flustered they didn’t know what to do.
Staying calm, Daniel moved towards them.
“We’re under attack! Please remain calm! Children and women hold onto the railing, and gentlemen, follow me to get life jackets and life rafts…”
Before he could finish his sentence, another torpedo struck the ship.
Bang!
A deafening noise erupted, far surpassing the previous one, and flames soared into the air.
The ship shook violently, and Daniel lost his balance, falling backward.
In the blink of an eye, he was flung over the railing, staring wide-eyed.
‘Ah.’
As he fell into the sea, he caught a glimpse of the ship tilting amidst flames.
The next moment.
Splash!
Daniel’s body was engulfed by the ocean currents.
*
Hours later.
On a deserted shoreline, waves lapped softly against the ground.
Daniel, who had washed ashore from the tides, came to his senses and slowly opened his eyes.
Before he could comprehend his surroundings, he started coughing up seawater.
Struggling to lift his upper body with one arm, Daniel coughed and retched while bent over the sand.
After a few minutes of expelling the seawater, Daniel glanced around with dazed eyes.
Aside from pieces of machinery and metal debris washed up onto the shore, there was no one else in sight.
Holding his throbbing head, Daniel then looked further ahead.
He could see a rundown fishing boat and a small hut.
Widening his view, he spotted buildings in the distance that looked like tiny fingernails clustered together.
‘…This isn’t a deserted island.’
He seemed to have washed ashore in Bellanos.
As relief washed over Daniel, his fist suddenly clenched tight.
‘Those bastards…! Attacking a diplomatic vessel just to get to me?’
In Daniel’s mind, Count Kaledra was clearly the one orchestrating this whole disaster.
He was notorious for using any means necessary to achieve his aims.
Considering the recent assassination attempt on Lucy, it was easy to infer that this incident was also Kaledra’s doing.
Grinding his teeth in anger, Daniel rallied himself to stand.
‘I’ll make you regret not killing me. You won’t get a second chance.’
With narrowed eyes, Daniel raised his hand to toss his soaked officer’s coat over his shoulder.
Now that he knew he was in Bellanos, his purpose and direction were clear.
‘I need to reveal my identity as an ambassador at the nearby city hall and borrow communication. The Empire probably doesn’t know I’m alive yet, so I need to inform them directly. It’ll make requesting assistance easier…’
Just then, a crack appeared in Daniel’s stern expression.
‘…The Empire doesn’t know I’m alive?’
Logically thinking, it wouldn’t be easy to assume there were survivors from a vessel sunk by two torpedoes.
As this thought crossed his mind, Daniel froze in place, standing still on the sandy beach.
In that moment of contemplation, he could feel his heart racing to a simple realization.
‘Wait a minute. Does this mean…?’
He had succeeded in escaping the Empire!