Morten hurried out of Jack’s Restaurant, his steps quickening with growing unease.

The ominous words Daniel had left him with were seeds of anxiety, making his breaths shallow and labored.

‘He had no intention of negotiating with me. Cooperation? Daniel must have known better than anyone how absurd that idea was….’

And yet, Daniel had used some kind of veiled threat in the monastery’s dining hall, forcing Morten to approach him willingly.

What was Daniel’s true intent behind such a move?

As Morten continued speculating, mentally calculating every possibility, his steps gradually slowed.

‘He never planned to cooperate from the start. If that’s the case, then perhaps….’

His feet came to a complete stop.

‘…what if his goal was to lure me out of the Dawn’s Light headquarters?’

A chilling realization swept through him.

This was a method designed to remove the head of an organization right before its complete annihilation.

‘I’ve been outplayed…!’

Panic solidified into certainty as Morten fumbled to retrieve his radio. He quickly powered it on.

Tuning the frequency, he pressed the transmission button and spoke hastily.

“Headquarters! Do you read me?! Someone respond! This is urgent!”

No one answered.

Growing increasingly alarmed, Morten checked the frequency again and pressed the button once more.

“Headquarters! Respond! You need to evacuate immediately—”

He cut himself off.

Because, at that moment, he realized why no one was answering.

Cold sweat poured down his face as his trembling hand released the transmission button. The radio let out a faint beep.

Then, from the other end of the line, came a low, chilling laughter.

Morten froze as the laughter gradually subsided.

— Can you hear me, Morten Blackmoor?

An unfamiliar voice.

And that alone was enough to confirm that Dawn’s Light headquarters had fallen to the enemy.

— You were quite busy playing interesting games underground. Unfortunately for you, that fun is now over.

Morten’s grip on the radio weakened.

The thought of his entire headquarters being wiped out made it nearly impossible to keep his mind intact.

Even so, the voice continued.

— Morten Blackmoor. Consider this your first and final warning.

A brief silence followed before the voice resumed—calm, yet ice-cold.

— Do not ever dare to stand against Daniel Steiner.

The transmission ended with that.

Morten stared blankly at the radio, his vision spinning as a sudden wave of dizziness hit him.

His heart pounded uncontrollably, and nausea rose in his throat.

He staggered forward, clutching his chest, until he reached a nearby wall and leaned against it for support.

“Hah… hah…!”

Morten panted heavily, his eyes trembling in despair.

‘His Highness’s… my carefully laid plans….’

All of it had been crushed—no, utterly trampled—by Daniel Steiner.

“A-ah… ah…!”

A strangled sound escaped him, somewhere between a scream and a whimper, before it dissolved into a low, broken sob.

He had no choice but to admit it now.

‘I was nothing more than…’

…a pawn dancing in the palm of Daniel Steiner’s hand.

*****

After finishing his meal, Daniel did not return to his lodgings. Instead, he headed straight for the monastery.

Morten’s display of arrogance had irritated Daniel on multiple levels.

Upon reaching the monastery, Daniel immediately sought out the abbot.

He spotted Hieroni, the abbot, walking through the cloistered corridor holding a candlestick. Striding briskly, Daniel called out to him.

“Abbot!”

Hieroni flinched and turned around, surprised.

Seeing Daniel, the abbot tilted his head in confusion.

“Daniel? Weren’t you supposed to be at Jack’s Restaurant?”
“I was, but that’s not what’s important right now.”

Daniel’s expression, which carried a trace of anger, left Hieroni blinking in bewilderment.

“Did something happen at the restaurant? Why do you look so upset?”
“Something did happen. I met someone from the city council.”
“The city council?”
“Yes! An incredibly rude individual. Tell me—has the council treated you or the children here in such an overbearing manner?”

Power often stemmed from wealth, and Daniel knew full well how arrogant people intoxicated with power could become.

If the council had been harassing the monastery under the pretext of controlling donation budgets, Daniel had no intention of letting it slide.

That was why he had come to hear the full story directly from the abbot.

However, Hieroni, who had never witnessed such behavior from the council, simply looked puzzled.

“I think there’s been some misunderstanding. The city council members have always been polite and respectful. In fact, despite their recent financial difficulties, they promised not to reduce the donation budget.”
“…They promised not to cut the donation budget?”

What could that man’s mention of war at Jack’s Restaurant possibly have meant?

Morten blinked blankly, unable to make sense of it, when the sound of footsteps echoed closer.

Instinctively turning his head, he saw the deputy abbot rounding the corner of the courtyard.

“Deputy Abbot.”

Daniel gave a slight nod, prompting the deputy abbot to let out a short laugh.

“Daniel. I wondered why someone was suddenly looking for you, and here you are. You could’ve at least let me know you were back.”
“My apologies. I had urgent matters to discuss with the abbot… But you said someone came looking for me?”

The deputy abbot nodded.

“Yes. I told them visitors aren’t allowed at this hour, but they insisted on seeing Major Daniel Steiner. They seemed desperate, so I let them in.”
“…Looking for me?”

Daniel couldn’t imagine who it might be, but since they had come all the way here, he couldn’t just refuse to meet them.

“Understood. Where are they now?”
“They’re waiting in the chapel.”

Nodding in acknowledgment, Daniel turned and made his way to the chapel.

After navigating a few corridors, he reached the chapel door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.

The scene within was silent and solemn.

Moonlight filtered in through the stained-glass windows, casting a pale glow across the room.

At the center of the chapel, a man stood staring up at the statue of God.

Noticing Daniel’s approach, the man turned toward him.

Daniel’s brow furrowed as he identified the visitor.

‘It’s that man from Jack’s Restaurant.’

Aside from looking significantly more haggard than he had just hours earlier, it was unmistakably the same person.

‘Why would he come here? Could it be… an apology?’

This was the same man who had joined his table without permission and immediately resorted to veiled threats.

Daniel hadn’t forgotten the unpleasantness of that encounter.

After a brief silence, Daniel spoke.

“You must have something to say.”

Morten flinched at the words.

Clenching and unclenching his fists anxiously, he slowly approached Daniel.

Swallowing dryly, Morten stopped within arm’s reach—and then, to Daniel’s shock, dropped to his knees.

‘Wait. This is… unexpected.’

Momentarily taken aback, Daniel hesitated to speak. But before he could, Morten began.

“…Major Daniel Steiner. This is my complete and utter defeat.”

Daniel’s confusion deepened.

Before he could ask what the man was talking about, Morten continued in a somber voice.

“You’ve won. I’ve lost everything and no longer have the strength to recover. Do with me as you see fit. But please, my family…”

Tears welled up in Morten’s eyes and streamed down his cheeks.

“I beg you—please spare my family. They’re innocent. If you let them live, I will confess everything. I’ll admit that I’ve been operating under His Highness’s orders.”

Daniel wiped the sweat forming on his brow.

‘What the hell is this nonsense?’

Showing up out of nowhere and spouting such absurdities—Daniel was completely at a loss.

Suppressing his irritation, Daniel let out a low sigh and spoke.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“What? But Major Daniel Steiner—”

Cutting Morten off with another sigh, Daniel knelt to meet him at eye level.

“Let me make this clear one more time.”

His gaze sharpened as he stared directly into Morten’s trembling eyes.

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

Hearing this, Morten’s eyes flickered.

And in that moment, he understood Daniel’s intent.

‘He’s trying to conceal the existence of his private armed forces….’

If word got out that a soldier had a personal militia, it would create endless complications.

To Morten, it seemed that Daniel was feigning ignorance to avoid external scrutiny.

The realization sent shivers down his spine.

A meticulous and calculating man—Daniel was already several steps ahead.

‘Just how far is he planning ahead?’

Eliminating Dawn’s Light, a secret organization under the prince, was likely just one piece of Daniel Steiner’s larger plan.

The warning not to oppose him suddenly felt all too real.

Overwhelmed by dread, Morten lowered his head until it touched the floor.

“Yes, sir. I understand. Major Daniel Steiner…”

Trembling with fear, Morten prostrated himself, pressing his forehead against the cold stone floor.

Tears flowed freely from his tightly shut eyes.

“You truly… know nothing at all.”

His faint sobs echoed in the quiet chapel.

And in that moment, Morten knew beyond any doubt—

This had been an unwinnable fight from the very beginning.