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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: I Don't Want to Get Close
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Why was I sharing an office with an enemy spy?
If it were up to me, I'd have told the Chief of Operations that this woman was a spy, but without proof, I'd just sound like a madman.
So, for now, I had no choice but to act naturally.
Taking a deep breath to calm my chaotic mind, I opened the office door.
Then, I shrugged once at Lucy, who was looking at me strangely.
"Did you hear that too? The door hinge sounds strange. I'll have to call a repairman soon."
My opening and closing the door was merely to check the hinge's condition.
For a hastily concocted excuse, it was reasonably plausible. I walked to my desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"So, what's your name?"
After placing the bread bag on the desk and settling in, Lucy gave a crisp salute.
"Second Lieutenant Lucy Emilia, assigned as the adjutant to the Chief of Operations at Staff Headquarters, effective today. I consider it a great honor to serve as adjutant to the busy Chief of Operations. I am prepared to faithfully carry out my assigned duties so that this honor does not fade."
It was a concise and impeccable deployment report.
More importantly, she was using her real name.
Indeed, only a handful of people in the Allied Nations knew Lucy's real name, so perhaps she saw no need for an alias.
Whatever the reason, the owner of this stunning beauty before my eyes was a spy for the Allied Nations.
Of course, her being a spy in the Empire didn't bother me much.
It wasn't as if I had any patriotism for the Empire anyway.
The problem was that the person who would someday be known as the Empire's nightmare was now my adjutant and a spy.
I wasn't patient enough to have a ticking time bomb as my adjutant.
'So, I have to get rid of her.'
I had to somehow make sure the higher-ups deemed Lucy Emilia unsuitable as the Chief of Operations' adjutant.
'Then I need to create a pretext...'
As I tapped my desk with a suddenly serious expression, an idea bulb lit up above my head.
'Wait a minute. Come to think of it, when I went outside, a human rights organization was preparing an anti-war demonstration in front of Staff Headquarters.'
If I played this right, I might be able to get Lucy away from me.
Smiling faintly to myself, I returned Lucy's salute.
Immediately after, I looked at Lucy, who had adopted the parade rest position, and spoke with a somewhat stern tone.
"Very good, Second Lieutenant Lucy Emilia. Did you just say you would faithfully carry out your assigned duties?"
"Yes, sir."
"A bold answer. In that case, to assess your suitability as my adjutant, I'll give you a mission. Go outside and suppress the demonstrators, then return."
Perhaps surprised, Lucy hesitated for a moment before replying.
"...The demonstrators, sir?"
"Yes. To be precise, they are lawbreakers conducting an illegal demonstration without reporting it to the Imperial Palace. We initially left them alone because their numbers were small, but recently, their momentum has become quite alarming."
"I'm aware, sir, but isn't that the military police's jurisdiction?"
"Demonstrations occurring in front of Staff Headquarters are also our jurisdiction. According to the Wartime Public Order Act, Imperial officers have the authority to punish subversive elements within their jurisdiction."
Lucy nodded as if she understood.
"You are correct, sir. I will obey the order."
"Good. Now, go and carry out your mission. Report back once you've completed it."
"Understood, sir. But may I make one request?"
"What request?"
Lucy raised her hand and pointed at me with her index finger.
"Bread."
…What was that? Was she implying she'd shoot me dead?
As I tensed up at her inexplicable action, Lucy blinked once and continued.
"Didn't you say you'd hand out bread when you first came in? If the Captain permits, I'd like to take a piece of bread."
Ah. *That* bread.
"Yes. Take one."
I subtly pushed the bread bag on the desk towards her, and Lucy came closer to take out a croissant.
She then gave me a slight bow, turned, and left the office.
Watching her go, I let out a low breath and leaned back in my chair.
As the tension eased, my body felt weary.
'For now…'
I had laid the groundwork for my pretext.
To suppress the demonstrators alone—even I thought it was an impossible mission.
How could she possibly suppress those angry citizens by herself?
So, I would comfortably wait here, and when Lucy returned having failed her mission, I would use that as an excuse to declare her unsuitable.
Of course, things wouldn't be resolved in one go, but building up a case slowly was important.
Relieved that things were going according to plan, I took out some documents from a drawer and began reviewing them.
I couldn't just sit idle until Lucy returned.
It was while I was reviewing a few more documents.
Bang—!
My shoulders flinched at the gunshot from outside.
Terrorism? No. If it were a terrorist attack, the gunshots wouldn't be so sporadic.
Besides, the direction of the gunshots was close.
As if they were coming from right in front of Staff Headquarters—
Bang!
Another gunshot rang out, paralyzing my thoughts.
'No way…'
Did Lucy fire a gun?
The thought struck me, and I quickly stood up.
This was no time to be doing office work.
*
"You've arrested all five of the demonstration leaders. You've worked hard."
Sergeant Vendelin, an interrogator with the Military Police, stared blankly at the woman before him.
Vendelin swallowed hard and recounted what had happened just minutes earlier.
The woman, who had introduced herself as 'Captain Daniel Steiner's adjutant,' glanced at the riot police confronting the demonstrators, then pulled out a revolver and fired two shots into the sky.
As the demonstrators scattered in a panic from the sudden gunshots, the woman asked the riot police for cooperation, then, with surprisingly familiar movements, subdued all five demonstration leaders.
In fact, the riot police had done little more than assist with the arrests.
This fact had left not only the riot police but also Sergeant Vendelin so flustered that they were speechless.
"What is all this commotion?"
Startled, Vendelin turned towards the voice and saw Daniel Steiner approaching.
Wearing his uniform cap low and his officer's coat billowing, his approach exuded a certain intimidating presence.
Thinking he shouldn't get on Daniel's bad side, Vendelin looked around and shouted loudly.
"What are you doing?! Attention, everyone!"
At Vendelin's shout, the thirty riot police officers positioned around them snapped to attention.
Daniel approached, sweeping his gaze over them once, then fixed Lucy with a cold stare.
"Explain the circumstances."
At the blunt order, Lucy saluted and spoke.
"As per the Chief of Operations' order, during the suppression of violent demonstrators, I fired warning shots. As a result, I dispersed the citizens engaging in illegal demonstrations and arrested five of the leaders."
Vendelin, who had been listening nearby, finally nodded as if understanding.
'It was Captain Daniel's order? Of course, that makes sense.'
There's no way a newly commissioned second lieutenant would take such bold action.
Meanwhile, Daniel's insides felt like they were burning.
'When did I ever tell her to fire warning shots?'
He wanted to ask, but according to the Wartime Public Order Act, Lucy had done nothing wrong.
So, instead of scolding Lucy, Daniel held out his hand.
Lucy immediately understood, took the revolver from her holster, and placed it in Daniel's hand.
Daniel opened the revolver's cylinder to check, and indeed, two chambers were empty.
As he let out a scoff of disbelief, Lucy began to speak.
"Captain, these are rioters who have violated not only the Assembly and Demonstration Act but also the Wartime Public Order Act. They've broken three provisions of the Wartime Public Order Act, including 'attacking a soldier dispatched for public order maintenance without just cause.' If you give the order, I will execute them on the spot."
For a moment, Daniel stared at Lucy, wondering if he had misheard.
The ones leading the anti-war demonstration—weren't they clearly on the same side?
'She's going to kill her own team? Why?'
…No. Thinking calmly, it was possible she was thoroughly siding with the Imperial army to avoid suspicion.
'This cold-blooded woman! Doesn't she feel any pity for these people?'
He wanted to give her a moral lecture, but there were too many eyes watching right now.
Besides Vendelin and the riot police, numerous citizens had come out to watch, and not far away, there were even reporters taking photos.
Here, he had no choice but to act like a true Imperial officer.
"No."
Click, thunk.
Daniel closed the revolver's cylinder, handed the revolver back to Lucy, and said.
"They're not even worth killing. Sergeant Vendelin."
Vendelin, called by name, flinched and replied.
"Yes, Captain Daniel Steiner!"
"Interrogate them and find out why they instigated the demonstration. You must uncover what disrespectful ideologies they hold that led them to insult the Imperial Palace and incite the citizens."
"Ah, understood!"
A tense Vendelin gave various orders to the soldiers.
The soldiers then moved in unison, beginning to raise the demonstration leaders.
Watching the scene unfold, Daniel secretly squeezed his eyes shut.
'Haa...'
The attempt to build a pretext had been a spectacular failure.
*
The next morning.
Waking up with my alarm, I walked to the kitchen as usual to make coffee.
I took coffee grounds from the shelf, steeped them, and poured the coffee into a mug.
Afterward, I naturally walked to the front door, picked up the newspaper that had fallen through the slot, and returned to the kitchen.
Sitting casually in a chair at the table, I took a sip of coffee from my mug.
The clean yet sophisticated taste delighted my palate.
'Morning coffee truly is the best.'
Feeling satisfied, I unfolded the newspaper and immediately froze.
My photo was plastered in black and white on the front page.
And it was a scene of me holding a revolver and checking its cylinder, standing in front of the five kneeling demonstration leaders.
Anyone looking at it would think I was contemplating whether to execute them after forcing them to their knees.
Sweating cold, I examined the headline and was aghast.
[Captain Daniel Steiner Arrests Illegal Demonstration Leaders!]
The headline was one thing, but the content was even more outrageous.
『...As a result of the military police's interrogation of the demonstration leaders, it was revealed that three of them were working for the Allied Nations, paid by them. This is the moment when the suspicion that the cornered Allied Nations are instigating anti-war demonstrations turns into certainty. In connection with this, Sergeant Vendelin mentioned that Captain Daniel Steiner provided significant assistance...』
Having read this far, I folded the newspaper and picked up my mug.
I took a deep breath, trying to remain as calm as possible, and drank my coffee, but for some reason, it no longer tasted good.
I feel dizzy, truly...