chapter_0027

26 – Police and Spies of the Security Bureau

26 – Police and Spies of the Security Bureau

I swallowed hard and adjusted the position of my uniform tie.

‘For now…’

It would be best to act as naturally as possible.

I cleared my throat and walked towards Lucy.

“I didn’t expect to meet anyone in a place like this, so I was a bit surprised. By the way, there’s blood on your coat. Did something happen here?”

Lucy paused for a moment before casually replying.

“There was a commotion.”

“…A commotion, you say?”

“Yes. To explain, I’m an emergency medicine specialist and a surgeon working at the Central Hospital. After work, while walking down the street, I came across a citizen bleeding from a robbery and ended up getting blood on my coat while performing emergency first aid.”

Her tone was surprisingly calm and straightforward.

Moreover, it was astonishing how she spun such a plausible excuse in less than thirty seconds after our eyes met and I asked her a question.

‘Is this what it means to be a spy?’

As I approached with admiration, this time Lucy posed a question.

“May I ask why you are here, Officer?”

Unlike Lucy, I had no need to lie.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I heard there’s a new dessert shop on the outskirts of the Imperial City, and I got lost while trying to take a shortcut.”

“…A dessert shop, you say?”

Lucy asked back, seemingly in disbelief, and I felt a strange sense of shame.

From her reaction, it seemed that in this era, it wasn’t considered normal for a man to go to a dessert shop alone.

However, I couldn’t give up what I liked just because of others’ opinions.

“Is there a problem with that?”

After a brief hesitation, Lucy shook her head.

“No, I was just a bit surprised. It’s hard to imagine Captain Daniel Steiner, known for being devoid of blood or tears, indulging in something that seems fit for children.”

That stung a bit.

“Please choose your words carefully. Desserts are not junk food.”

“…I apologize. If you’re lost, I can guide you.”

Guiding me? It felt a bit uneasy, but if it was just while leaving the alley, I didn’t mind.

“Refusing the goodwill of a citizen wouldn’t be a virtue for an officer. I’ll gladly accept your help. As you may already know, I am Captain Daniel Steiner from the General Staff Headquarters.”

“I am Myrin Seabrith, a surgeon from the Central Hospital.”

After exchanging light handshakes with Lucy, we walked down the alley.

I followed her a step behind and took a glance at her.

Perhaps thinking that discarding her coat in front of me would raise suspicion, Lucy flipped it inside out to hide the bloodstains and draped it over her arm.

She had a shoulder bag slung over her shoulder, and it looked like she was carrying a gun and other assassination tools in there.

‘…I must ensure she never opens that shoulder bag.’

The moment she does, who knows what kind of tragedy could unfold.

Lucy Emilia’s strength far exceeded what one would expect from a mere spy.

Though she might not realize it yet, if she fully utilized her abilities, she could wipe out a small battalion on her own.

So I wanted to avoid running into her as much as possible, but now she was not only my aide but also pretending to be a doctor in front of me, which was quite a headache.

One fortunate thing was that Lucy would likely feel uncomfortable being with me, so once we exited the alley, we could part ways cleanly.

“Here we are.”

As we emerged from the alley, a street with a tram passing by unfolded before us.

It seemed to have turned into a full evening, as all the streetlights were lit.

A cool breeze mixed with the chatter of passersby.

As I enjoyed the pleasant scenery, I opened my mouth to say goodbye to Lucy but hesitated.

“Oh! Captain Daniel? Is that you, Captain Daniel?”

A pedestrian in a police uniform walking on the sidewalk recognized me.

The person, who had been observing me closely, soon exclaimed in admiration.

“Ah! It really is Captain Daniel! My goodness! To see the hero of the Empire on the street!”

I hadn’t expected anyone to recognize me, but it felt off to run into a police officer while I was with disguised Lucy.

‘Moreover…’

That navy blue police uniform was something only those from the Security Agency could wear, as far as I knew.

If he was from the Security Agency, he was commonly referred to as “secret police” or “thought police.”

They were trained solely for counterintelligence.

Lucy seemed to realize this too, as she adopted a slightly tense demeanor.

Of course, the pedestrian, unaware of our circumstances, smiled and extended his hand to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain Daniel. I’m Chief Inspector Kartman Schultz from the Security Agency.”

Since he was offering a handshake, I couldn’t ignore it, so I smiled and took his hand.

“I’m Captain Daniel Steiner from the General Staff Headquarters. It’s rare to meet someone from the Security Agency on the street.”

“Haha. This area isn’t under my jurisdiction, but I made a reservation at a nearby restaurant. Coincidentally, it coincided with my off-duty time, so I came here in uniform.”

After the handshake, Kartman snapped his fingers as if he had a good idea.

“Since we’ve met like this, how about having a meal together? Of course, I’ll pay. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to invite your friend here as well.”

This was not good. Should I just say she’s not an acquaintance?

No. If I did that, he would question why I was coming out of the alley with someone I claimed not to know.

It was a profession of the Security Agency police to suspect everything.

So, to prevent the situation from becoming complicated, it was best to pretend she was an acquaintance while declining the dinner invitation.

As I searched for a way to decline naturally, I opened my mouth.

“I truly appreciate the invitation to dinner, but I’ve been lost on my way here and am quite tired.”

“Oh. If that’s the case, there’s no need to worry. The restaurant I’m heading to is just around the corner. Do you see it?”

Looking where Kartman pointed, the restaurant was indeed just a block away.

Thinking I could no longer refuse, I nodded.

“If you’re going that far, I won’t refuse any longer. Let’s go.”

At my words, I noticed Lucy, who seemed tense, swallow hard, but there was nothing I could do.

This was beyond my control.

–

The restaurant I entered with Kartman was an upscale establishment frequented by the upper class.

The tableware, decor, and the waitstaff’s attire were all luxurious, making it a feast for the eyes.

We were seated by the window overlooking the city, and after placing a simple order, Kartman looked at me with a soft smile.

“It’s amazing to see you in person. It’s almost touching to meet a hero I’ve only seen in newspapers and on TV.”

“Hero? That’s far from the truth.”

“There’s no need for false modesty. It’s true that there are quite a few fans of yours in our Security Agency. I’m one of them. Haha. I’ll be sure to brag about this meeting for generations to come.”

As Kartman continued the warm conversation, he glanced at Lucy sitting next to me.

His expression seemed puzzled.

“…But your friend doesn’t take off her sunglasses? There’s no need to wear them indoors.”

He wasn’t wrong. But the moment Lucy took off her sunglasses, her red eyes would be revealed.

I couldn’t predict what she might do if she realized she could no longer hide her identity.

“You’ve been silent since earlier. It’s not polite to act like that in a setting like this. If your hands are uncomfortable, I can help with your sunglasses…”

Kartman reached out his hand towards Lucy’s face.

Lucy seemed to have decided she couldn’t deceive both the Security Agency police and me at the same time, as she was moving her hands under the table to open her shoulder bag.

It was a tense situation. I was sweating cold as I quickly grabbed Kartman’s wrist.

“…Huh? Captain?”

Kartman turned to me, and I forced an awkward smile.

“Oh dear, I forgot to introduce her. This lady next to me was a military doctor on the Eastern Front. Unfortunately, she suffered an eye injury from enemy fire back then… You understand what I mean, right?”

Upon hearing my words, Kartman gasped in sympathy.

“My goodness. I had no idea such a terrible thing happened. I’m sorry. She’s wearing sunglasses to cover her injury, and I almost committed a rudeness. But the reason she’s so quiet…”

As expected, being from the Security Agency, he didn’t easily dismiss his suspicions.

After a moment of mental calculation, I spoke with a sad expression.

“She developed aphasia due to the shock from that incident. She wants to speak but is unable to.”

Kartman withdrew his hand, looking regretful as he wriggled his fingers.

“…I see now that I’ve been extremely rude. I truly apologize. My job is to suspect others. Um. I’ll take a moment to collect myself and go to the restroom.”

Kartman pushed his chair back and stood up, bowing politely to Lucy.

Afterward, Lucy turned her head towards me as she watched Kartman walk toward the restroom.

She seemed quite confused.

I cleared my throat and whispered just loud enough for Lucy to hear.

“I know. I know you’re innocent, Doctor. But the other party is a Security Agency officer. Have you heard of the special arrest authority? They can arrest you just on suspicion.”

It was crucial to extinguish the suspicion Lucy was currently harboring, ‘Does Daniel know my identity?’

“Considering he’s risen to the rank of Chief Inspector, he’s likely arrested many innocent people. There’s a saying that ‘even a normal person can come out as a spy if dragged into the Security Agency,’ right?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m just trying to help you avoid unnecessary trouble. So, Myrin Sea… what was your last name again?”

Lucy remained silent.

She seemed somewhat angry.

Seeing that, I snapped my fingers as if I had done well.

“Exactly. That’s it. You have aphasia. That’s a very good attitude. You must maintain that concept until we’re far from the Security Agency police. Do you understand?”

Lucy still didn’t respond. Growing frustrated, I spoke again.

“Respond with your actions. Actions.”

Perhaps feeling her pride hurt, Lucy turned her head away from me and merely bit her lower lip.

This was troublesome. I wanted a clear answer, so I tapped the table and said.

“Answer.”

Only then did Lucy let out a low sigh and nod slightly.

She had determined that following my lead was the safest course of action for now.