chapter_0022

21 – I Can’t Believe I Would Meet Someone from My Hometown in a Place Like This!

21 – I Can’t Believe I Would Meet Someone from My Hometown in a Place Like This!

The next day.

After leaving the General Staff Headquarters, I went straight to the hair salon with Ernst.

Frankly, I didn’t want to, but Ernst insisted that since I was going to the Imperial Palace at the invitation of the Imperial Family, I should at least dress up a bit, so I had no veto power.

After getting the latest Imperial hairstyle, an all-back, I arrived at the Imperial banquet mansion in Ernst’s car.

Can you believe it? A ‘banquet mansion’?

I can’t imagine how much money they have to have a separate mansion built just for banquets.

As I walked, taking in the magnificent sight of the mansion, the person in charge of checking the list at the entrance opened his mouth.

“Beautiful night, gentlemen. May I have your names, please?”

Before I could open my mouth, Ernst replied.

“My name is Ernst Bark. And this handsome young man next to me…”

“Ah! Captain Daniel Steiner, isn’t it? You’re a famous person, how could I not know you!”

“A famous person.”

Ernst looked back at me with a playful smile.

It seemed to mean that I was qualified enough to be invited, so I could be confident, but to be honest, it was a burden.

“Colonel Ernst Bark, Chief of the Operations Staff of the General Staff Headquarters. And Captain Daniel Steiner, Operations Staff Officer. Your identities have been confirmed. I hope you have a pleasant time.”

The person in charge stepped aside and bowed politely.

“Thank you. Keep up the good work.”

Ernst, after greeting, entered the banquet hall, and I followed him.

Entering the mansion, waiters were busily moving around in a small hall on the first floor.

“Let’s go.”

We went up the stairs covered with red carpet in front of us and entered the second floor, where the Great Hall unfolded.

In the huge hall, which seemed to be at least hundreds of square meters, many people were gathered and talking to each other.

One peculiar thing was that most of the men were wearing military uniforms like Ernst and I.

Perhaps serving in the military in the wartime Empire was a great honor, so everyone was eager to show it off.

On the other hand, there were also those who wore suits or adorned themselves with expensive silk clothes, and they were probably wealthy or aristocratic people who funded the Imperial Army.

As I was walking, scanning them, a general-level Officer recognized Ernst and walked over.

The man with the wrinkled face and impressive scars was someone I knew well.

Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt, Commander of the 1st Magic Mobile Corps Operations Command.

He was the person I encountered when I awakened my memories of my past life, so I couldn’t not know him even if I wanted to.

“Colonel Ernst! So you were invited too! And next to you…”

The other party was a commander and brigadier general who led a brigade. I, tense, quickly saluted.

“It’s an honor to see you again, Commander. Captain Daniel Steiner.”

“Oh ho. Your rank has jumped up another level in the short time I haven’t seen you? Well, considering the achievements you’ve made, it’s only natural. Isn’t that right, Adjutant?”

Captain Phillip, who was standing like a shadow one step behind Heinrich, nodded.

“That’s right. Captain Daniel Steiner. I even think I’m lucky that you’re a soldier of the Empire. If I had met you as an enemy, it wouldn’t have been easy.”

“You flatter me.”

It wasn’t just flattery, it was real flattery.

Most of the achievements I had made were unintentional.

But Heinrich seemed to think of my attitude as humility, and he was just smiling with satisfaction.

“I felt it from the beginning, but you’re such an outstanding talent that I’d like to have you as my subordinate. The Imperial Army will soon be advancing north for the expansion war… No. It would be better to tell you later. Colonel Ernst?”

What is it? Why did you stop talking?

Amidst an inexplicable sense of unease, Ernst took Heinrich’s words.

“Yes. Please speak.”

“I need to talk to the Vice Chief of Staff about the future of the Empire, but before that, I wanted to ask you for your opinion first. If it’s okay, I’d like to share my thoughts in a quiet place.”

“Oh my. If the Commander wishes, I’d be happy to.”

The two smiled and moved their steps, as if they had been friends before.

Phillip also turned around to look at me before following Heinrich.

“Captain Daniel? It seems like it’s your first time at a banquet, so just look around and spend some time eating. The main event will start a little later, so please bear with it until then, even if it’s boring.”

I was quite touched by his words of concern for me.

Is Captain Phillip an angel? When I nodded, Phillip smiled once and then followed Heinrich.

Thanks to him, I was left alone and looked around.

‘First of all…’

It seemed good to sit at one of the banquet tables and spend some time.

Everyone was having small conversations, and if I stood there alone, I would attract attention for no reason.

I don’t want excessive attention.

Thinking so, I slowly moved towards the banquet table.

‘Oh.’

There was one empty seat opposite the person who was eating first.

*

Alistair, an intelligence agent of the Eldresia Kingdom, looked around while pretending to eat.

As it was a banquet hosted by the Imperial Family, there were many high-ranking officials gathered at a glance.

Alistair’s mission was to inform other agents of the list of those who attended the banquet (those who actually attended).

That way, when other agents attacked the banquet hall, they could assassinate key figures more smoothly.

For that reason, Alistair, who was constantly rolling his eyes, became nervous at the sound of footsteps nearby.

Tap, tap─

The sound of shoes slowly approached and stopped at some point.

Alistair, who secretly swallowed his saliva, looked up and saw a man with black hair and black eyes looking down at him.

He was someone Alistair knew well.

‘Captain Daniel Steiner…’

He was the monster who made the notoriously tight-lipped Reginald surrender after only one day of interrogation.

Why is that guy here? Could it be that I’ve been caught? As Alistair was secretly sweating, Daniel smiled and opened his mouth.

“Did you come alone? If you don’t have company, I’d like to sit in front of you…”

Rejecting here would only arouse suspicion. Alistair nodded in tension.

“Yes. Please sit down if you wish.”

“Thank you. My legs were a little sore anyway.”

Daniel, who joked, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Daniel, who took off his uniform hat and placed it on the table, took a low breath as if he was relieved.

“Ah. I’m late to introduce myself. My name is…”

“I know. Aren’t you Captain Daniel Steiner?”

Daniel widened his eyes as if surprised.

“Do you know me?”

“Of course I do. Who in Imperial City doesn’t know Captain Daniel is a spy.”

“Oh dear. I didn’t want to become famous…”

Daniel, who sighed, looked at the food Alistair was eating and exclaimed, “Oh!”

“Isn’t that spaetzle? And schnitzel next to it! Are you from the south?”

Alistair, who wiped his mouth with a napkin, nodded.

“Yes. I mainly ate spaetzle in my hometown.”

“You mainly ate spaetzle in your hometown… Aha! You’re from the Barony of Betargen. And the region is…”

As Alistair was about to speak, Daniel raised his hand to stop him.

“Let me guess. The place where spaetzle is the main food is the Balzach region of the Barony of Betargen. Is that right?”

Alistair, who was thinking for a moment, nodded.

He thought that saying no here would make the atmosphere strange for no reason.

“Wow! It’s amazing that you’re from the south, but you’re from the Balzach region! I’m from that area too. Do you know the village of Pianmari?”

Daniel said it because he was purely happy to meet someone from his hometown, but Alistair felt that Daniel was limiting the area and gradually tightening him.

His hands were sweating.

Alistair, who calmed his trembling heart as much as possible, smiled naturally.

“I know. Pianmari Village. Isn’t there a famous restaurant near there?”

Forming a consensus was the best way to avoid suspicion.

Daniel smiled and nodded, happy to meet someone from his hometown.

“Ah. Yes. Jack’s Restaurant. There was a pretty famous restaurant near there. It had a shabby exterior that didn’t look like a restaurant, but I used to go there often when I lived in the neighborhood. It’s really a memory.”

Daniel snapped his fingers as if he had just remembered.

“If you know Jack’s Restaurant, that means you’ve been there! Frankly, it doesn’t make sense to be from the Balzach region and not have been to Jack’s Restaurant.”

“Ah. Yes. Of course.”

“Then what menu did you like the most there?”

Since he was from the same hometown and even went to the same restaurant, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of intimacy.

Daniel’s question was to share memories, but Alistair’s psychological pressure was increasing and his breathing was getting rougher.

If he said a menu that wasn’t on the menu here… just thinking about it was terrible.

Alistair, who quickly turned the abacus in his head, thought of a food that was commonly sold in the southern part of the Empire.

“I thought the apple strudel at Jack’s Restaurant was the most delicious. I went there last year and the flavor is still unforgettable.”

“Aha! Apple strudel!”

Daniel clapped and laughed.

“It’s really delicious. I can’t forget that sweet and soft taste either. It’s even more delicious with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.”

Thanks to him, Alistair was able to feel relieved.

He was glad that he had mentioned a food that was widely known as breakfast and dessert in the southern part of the Empire.

He was about to have a proper conversation and leave the seat.

“But there’s something a little… strange.”

Strange? Not knowing what he meant, he couldn’t answer, and Daniel stroked his chin and showed a thoughtful look.

After that, Daniel slowly turned his head and stared at Alistair.

“As far as I know, apple strudel was removed from the sales list at Jack’s Restaurant three years ago. After an incident where a customer with an apple allergy ordered it by mistake and had a seizure.”

Daniel, who was purely curious, leaned his upper body forward towards Alistair.

Jet-black eyes blinked silently.

“But you said you ate apple strudel last year?”

In an instant, Alistair felt a fear that made all the blood drain from his body.