NOVEL WEB Chapter 54
The next day.
Captain Daniel Steiner arrived at the General Staff Headquarters and entered the Office of the Operations Staff to report on operations support, chatting with Colonel Ernst Bark, the head of the staff.
Once the formal report was concluded, Ernst smiled contentedly and informed Daniel that henceforth, he could conduct his duties from his private office.
The reason was that a competent talent like him didn’t need to rub shoulders with the personnel in the office.
Daniel firmly rejected this notion, but it seemed that a decision had already been made from above, as Ernst insisted by adding the word “order.”
Thanks to this, even as the afternoon wore on, Daniel found himself working in his private office.
Not far away, Lucy Emilia was reviewing documents, adding an extra twist to the day.
Watching Lucy, who was absorbed in her work while sitting at her desk, Daniel leaned back, feeling fatigued.
‘I did return to the system, but…’
Regrettably, the situation wasn’t what Daniel had hoped for.
Having amassed significant military achievements on the battlefield, he found himself entangled in the succession struggle between the prince and princess.
For now, it was only a temporary fix, but who knew how long he could fend them off?
‘Moreover, it seems Your Majesty the Emperor doesn’t trust me either…’
To Daniel, the Emperor’s demeanor yesterday felt like probing the hearts of others.
What judgment he reached during that process was uncertain, but undoubtedly, it was not in a good direction.
‘Even the people in the General Staff Headquarters seem to be subtly avoiding me.’
When Daniel entered the Office of the Operations Staff for today’s report, he couldn’t help but be flustered by the awkward silence.
He had expected a warm welcome, but the staff appeared rather intimidated, sneaking glances at him.
A few personnel approached to greet him, but even that felt unusually stiff.
– C-Captain Daniel Steiner! It’s truly a relief you returned safely!
– If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask!
– The Golden Cross Medal…! I hear His Majesty the Emperor himself conferred it upon you?
The fear that resonated in their voices and expressions was still fresh in his mind.
‘Has word spread? That I ruthlessly threatened the Foreign Minister of an enemy nation to clinch a negotiation…?’
It was an obvious misunderstanding, yet he couldn’t assert it as such, leaving him in a bind.
It was as if, in trying to untangle one knot, he had ended up making several more.
Sighing quietly, Daniel glanced at Lucy, as if clutching at straws.
“Aide-de-Camp. Do I seem intimidating to you?”
Lucy, who had lifted her head, blinked a few times before responding.
“I’m not sure of your intent behind the question, but to me, Captain, you are not a scary person.”
Would it be so hard for you to be somewhat scared of me? Trying to hide his true feelings, Daniel nodded vaguely and pretended to get back to work.
In turn, Lucy also averted her eyes and continued reviewing documents.
As he stole glances at Lucy, Daniel flipped through a few papers but ultimately set them aside.
Today, he simply couldn’t focus on his work.
“I should head to the Officer’s Club after work…”
At Daniel’s musing, Lucy’s ears perked up.
‘…The Officer’s Club?’
Lucy knew the Officer’s Club at the Imperial General Staff Headquarters was a social gathering that served drinks and cocktails.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Lucy cast a side glance at Daniel while slowly crafting a plan.
*
After work, Daniel headed to the Officer’s Club without a moment’s hesitation.
Witnessing this, Lucy wandered nearby for about an hour before entering the club.
She timed her entrance to create the impression of a chance encounter.
‘Alright, let’s get started.’
As Lucy stepped into the Officer’s Club, she quickly scanned the surroundings.
The luxurious lighting softly illuminated the interior, with wooden panels and velvet sofas adding to the classic ambiance.
There, junior and senior officers mingled, sharing drinks, truly making it a social scene.
‘But where is Daniel Steiner…?’
Searching for her target, Lucy spotted Daniel sitting alone at the bar.
Taking a deep breath to quell her nerves, she slid into the seat next to him.
“Captain? So this is where you were.”
She initiated a conversation casually, but Daniel didn’t respond.
Stealing a glance, Lucy saw Daniel clutching a glass on the table with one hand while the other rested on his forehead, eyes closed.
He appeared to be deep in thought.
Not wanting to disturb him, Lucy looked up at the bartender.
“Excuse me…”
“Hmm? Ah, Miss. What would you like?”
At the bartender’s friendly voice, Lucy hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Could you serve me the same drink as Captain Daniel?”
“You enjoy Scotch? Specifically Johnny Walker? It’s easy to enjoy while still having a refined taste. Excellent choice.”
The bartender pulled out a clean glass, added a large ice cube, and poured in the Johnny Walker.
“Here you go.”
Nodding, Lucy accepted the glass from the bartender.
The whiskey’s sunset-like hue matched the soft lighting, creating a rather pleasant atmosphere.
Lucy lightly swirled the glass, watching her reflection.
‘Alcohol…’
It was a vice she had avoided thus far, as it provided no help in her espionage work.
Yet, to establish a connection with Daniel and ultimately ‘entice’ him, it was a necessary step.
Raising her glass, Lucy shut her eyes tight and took a sip of whiskey.
Instantly, she couldn’t help but wrinkle her forehead.
‘Ugh…’
It felt like a fireball sliding down her throat.
Moreover, the unpleasant alcohol scent enveloped her mouth.
Why on earth does Daniel drink this? Puzzled, Lucy turned to look at Daniel, who remained unmoved, causing her to panic.
‘No way…’
Is he actually asleep? Staring blankly, Lucy turned back to the bartender.
“Excuse me, but I have a question.”
“What kind of question?”
“Has the Captain had a lot to drink?”
The bartender, glancing at Daniel before smiling and shrugging his shoulders, responded.
“Yes. He downed seven shots in a row, possibly because he had a tough day. He keeps mumbling about life being a series of sufferings and then promptly fell into this state.”
This left Lucy utterly bemused.
“…”
She had planned to pretend to be drunk to entice Daniel, but he had already passed out before she could.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Lucy stood up and offered a slight bow to the bartender.
“I apologize for the trouble the Captain has caused.”
“Ah? Aah. No, not at all. Captain Daniel is quite polite even when he drinks. I actually wish we had more customers like him.”
“Thank you for saying that. As for Captain Daniel…”
Looking down at Daniel, who was completely out of it, Lucy continued, as if having no choice.
“I’ll see him back to his lodgings.”
In a sudden twist, she found herself in a position of having to take care of her superior.
*
Once they reached the lodgings, Lucy opened the door and laid Daniel down on the bed.
As he settled onto the bed, Daniel shifted slightly and muttered.
“Water…”
A tense vein popped out on Lucy’s forehead from the effort it took to bring Daniel to his lodgings.
‘Should I kill him?’
Had she been given an assassination mission right now, she might not have hesitated to pull the trigger.
Looking down at Daniel with a mix of annoyance, Lucy entered the kitchen and poured water into a cup.
She thought it was simple enough to bring him a glass of water.
Returning with the cup, she knelt on the bed and gently shook Daniel’s shoulder.
“Captain. I brought some water.”
It was a hint for him to sit up to avoid choking while drinking.
However, completely plastered, Daniel had no intention of moving.
Frustrated by this, at that moment she shook his shoulder a bit more vigorously.
Suddenly, Daniel grabbed Lucy’s arm, pulling her close.
“…!?”
Before Lucy could even react, she stumbled forward and dropped the cup.
Instinctively squeezing her eyes shut, she slowly opened them to find herself pressed against Daniel’s chest.
As she processed what just happened, she realized she was in Daniel’s embrace.
“…!”
Her eyes widened in shock like a startled cat.
In the midst of her fluster, Daniel held the back of Lucy’s head and gently pulled her closer.
“Don’t go…”
His deep voice sent tingles through her ears.
At that moment, Lucy recalled what Prien had told her.
– Men are basically wolves, you see.
Yeah. No matter how cold-hearted he is, Daniel Steiner is still a prime example of a man.
‘Even so…’
Lucy never imagined she would suddenly find herself in his embrace.
Though she wanted to push away, being tied to her mission prevented her from doing so.
So, while brimming with tension, she felt Daniel’s lips twitch again.
“Take care, it’s a muddy field… The headmaster will be angry with you…”
The headmaster? Blinking a few times, Lucy let out a quiet sigh.
‘Was that sleep-talking?’
Realizing the situation, Lucy felt relieved and wriggled out of Daniel’s embrace.
Looking down at Daniel, who lay sprawled out in a drunken slumber, she quickly got off the bed and nearly fled the lodgings.
Thud.
Once Lucy hastily closed the door behind her, she exhaled as if all her energy had drained away.
Organizing the chaotic thoughts in her mind, she leaned against the door and clenched her fists.
‘That was close…’
While she thought it was dangerous, she couldn’t define what precisely had been so perilous.
Subconsciously gripping the hem of her uniform, Lucy felt her face heat up.
Finally, she opened her eyes halfway and bit her lower lip.
For some reason, her heart continued to race without showing any signs of slowing down.