A cool breeze from the sea swept through Daniel''s hair, swirling lightly before dissipating.

Standing motionless on the white sands, Daniel let out a soft, ironic chuckle.

"Unbelievable..."

Clicking his tongue, he found himself recalling the past—all the desperate attempts he''d made to escape the Empire.

Fate seemed to take perverse pleasure in thwarting him. Every scheme had ended in failure, and the harder he struggled to break free, the higher he climbed the ranks and the more infamous he became.

Having endured so many absurd situations in succession, Daniel had half given up.

He’d resigned himself to the idea that escaping the Empire was impossible.

"But...!"

As the saying goes, even when the sky falls, there’s always a way out.

Now, Daniel Steiner had been handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

For the first time, he could erase his past and start anew.

As the realization sank in, the bitterness of being attacked by enemies began to fade.

Feeling a renewed lightness in his chest, Daniel walked toward the nearby hut.

Though wearing his uniform and encountering someone risked exposing his identity, he wasn’t worried.

He had reason to believe the risk was minimal.

"The fishing boat near the hut is rusted, with moss growing on it. That means it hasn’t been maintained for quite some time. The hut’s probably abandoned too."

Even if someone was inside, he could improvise a story and leave before it became a problem.

Kicking up sand as he made his way to the hut, Daniel knocked lightly on the worn wooden door with the back of his hand.

"Is anyone there?"

No answer.

He knocked again.

"I was shipwrecked and need help. Is anyone inside?"

Still, there was no response.

Now convinced it was an abandoned hut, Daniel gripped the doorknob and pushed it open.

The hinges creaked loudly, and the door swung inward.

Narrowing his eyes, Daniel cautiously surveyed the interior.

The hut was cluttered with boxes and random junk, but there was no sign of anyone.

After stepping inside and scanning the surroundings to confirm he was alone, Daniel relaxed.

He began rifling through the items in one of the boxes.

"Worn-out clothes, old shoes... and broken appliances."@@@@

It seemed the hut was used as a storage space for discarded belongings.

To Daniel, however, it was nothing short of a treasure trove—exactly what he needed to hide his identity.

Chuckling softly, he rummaged through the boxes until he found something useful.

‘It’s unfolding exactly as Deputy Chief Cedric predicted...’

Cedric had warned her that appointing Daniel as the diplomatic envoy to Vellanos would spark factional disputes, and he had been right.

Earlier that day, the leaders of the parliamentary parties had approached Selvia, requesting an urgent audience.

She had granted them the grand hall to discuss their concerns, only for Campbell, the leader of the Liberal Social Party, to propose drafting legislation to limit Daniel Steiner’s power. That suggestion had set off the current chaos.

What had started as a civil exchange of ideas had escalated over time, with voices growing louder until it was little more than a shouting match.

Selvia was far from pleased.

What displeased her even more was Campbell himself, who kept insisting on constraining Daniel within the bounds of the law.

‘Why does that old man keep badmouthing Daniel?’

Compared to the countless benefits Daniel had brought to the Empire, Campbell’s accomplishments amounted to little more than leveraging his connections and bloodline to secure his position as party leader and dominate the parliament.

She had heard that the Speaker of Parliament was also from the Liberal Social Party, which explained why Campbell could raise his voice so boldly in this setting.

‘I need to say something.’

Her father had always advised her to listen patiently, as parliamentary members represent the voice of the people. But Selvia felt she could no longer hold back.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak—

"Your Highness!"

The grand hall’s doors burst open, and Hartmann, chief guard of the Imperial Guard, rushed in.

Ignoring court etiquette, Hartmann sprinted toward Selvia as soon as he spotted her.

His behavior was brazen enough to warrant a reprimand, but Selvia was only alarmed.

If Hartmann was breaking protocol, it meant there was a significant reason.

Panting heavily, Hartmann dropped to one knee before her.

"Your Highness! Please forgive my rudeness. I came urgently to deliver critical news."

Critical news? Selvia’s eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, "What’s happened? Has my father’s health worsened?"

"No, Your Highness. The urgent news concerns the diplomatic envoy dispatched to Vellanos. I regret to inform you..."

Hartmann hesitated, lowering his head.

"The diplomatic vessel bound for Vellanos... has been sunk by enemy torpedoes."

The shocking revelation silenced the entire hall.

The members who had been passionately arguing moments ago now sat in stunned silence.

Selvia was no exception.

Her expression frozen, she parted her lips to speak, her voice faint and trembling.

"Are you... saying..."

Hartmann, visibly troubled, let out a short sigh.

Selvia, her breathing shallow, forced herself to continue speaking, though her words carried no strength.

"That can’t be..."

Her voice, as if denying reality itself, sounded hollow.

Understanding her turmoil, Hartmann could only bow his head further in silence.