chapter_0099

98 – Reunion

98 – Reunion

The next day.

Daniel, who arrived at the headquarters, was taken aback when he stopped by the operations command room for a mission report.

“I’ve been waiting! Operations Chief!”

“Colonel Daniel Steiner! Congratulations on your survival!”

“I heard about the results of the meeting! As expected, it’s Colonel Daniel!”

The staff members, upon spotting Daniel, paused their work and showered him with applause and compliments.

However, the praise felt more like flattery than genuine admiration.

‘It feels like they’re lining up to curry favor with a future power holder…’

Thinking from their perspective, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

The war hero, thought to be dead, not only survived but also successfully concluded a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bellanos.

And he had a private audience with His Majesty the Emperor right after returning? It was only natural to think of him as the rising divine figure of the current empire, which was in a transition of power.

In reality, Daniel was in a position of having come back from the dead during his audience with the Emperor, but he couldn’t voice that, so he merely nodded.

As they exchanged greetings, the door to the chief of operations office opened.

Ernst, who emerged from the office, broke into a broad smile upon seeing Daniel.

“Daniel Steiner!”

Ernst called out his name and approached him.

“Welcome back! Do you know how much I worried about you? I’m truly grateful you returned safely!”

“Ah, Chief of Operations.”

Daniel attempted to salute, but Ernst waved his hand dismissively.

“What’s with the salute between us! That’s enough; you can head back now.”

“…Head back?”

“Orders from above came down that as soon as you report mission completion, you’re guaranteed a rest. So take it easy today.”

Whether it was the Emperor’s influence or Selvia’s, it was clear they intended to grant him some convenience.

It felt a bit strange to go home right after arriving at work, but he couldn’t refuse the order from above, nor was there any need to.

Just as Daniel was about to nod, Ernst added.

“Oh, and tomorrow, you’re to report to the Imperial Palace, not the headquarters.”

“To the Imperial Palace? Could it be that His Majesty the Emperor has summoned me again?”

“Huh? No, this time it’s Her Highness the Princess who wishes to see you. She probably has some questions regarding the Bellanos meeting.”

Hearing it was the Princess and not the Emperor was a relief.

‘It’s better to meet Selvia, who is somewhat friendly towards me, rather than the Emperor, who is on high alert against me…’

Of course, it was true that due to their social status, meeting either of them was burdensome.

Still, meeting Princess Selvia was several times better than meeting Emperor Bertham.

“I’ll keep that in mind. But…”

Looking around, Daniel asked curiously.

“I don’t see my aide. Is she working in my personal office?”

“Aide? Ah…”

Ernst hesitated for a moment as if he had forgotten, then cleared his throat.

“Actually, your aide is currently on leave.”

“On leave?”

“Yes. After the ship sinking incident, she seemed quite shaken, so I suggested she take a long leave. I figured she’d need some rest after the death of her direct superior. Of course, she’s alive and well now!”

Ernst playfully patted Daniel on the waist to lighten the mood.

However, Daniel’s expression remained serious, causing Ernst to lose his cheer.

“Well… she’s probably resting at her lodging now. So, I was thinking, wouldn’t it be good for you to check on her condition yourself?”

Daniel frowned at Ernst’s subtle suggestion.

‘You want me to visit the lodging of the woman who tried to assassinate me?’

It was a perilous act akin to putting one’s head into the jaws of a crocodile.

Daniel, who absolutely did not want to do that, hesitated to refuse.

‘…There are too many eyes watching.’

If he were to show concern for an aide who was holed up in her lodging after being traumatized, it would be obvious that his reputation would plummet.

Especially since the Emperor was already on high alert, looking for any flaws on this side, he couldn’t afford to provide them with more talking points.

In the end, Daniel clenched his teeth and forced a strained smile.

“Thank you for the advice. I will take your opinion into account and visit my aide’s lodging.”

Having no choice was more painful than he had expected.

“Indeed! Our empire’s hero, Colonel Daniel, has a generous heart! What are you all doing? No applause?”

Having a clueless superior was equally painful.

–

Meanwhile, at Lucy Emilia’s lodging.

“…”

In a room where light was blocked by blackout curtains, Lucy sat curled up on the bed, staring blankly downwards.

Her hair was unkempt from days without washing, her eyes lacked vitality, and dried tear stains were clearly visible on her cheeks.

Since her leave was approved, she had holed up here without stepping outside, and her appearance was far from presentable.

But Lucy couldn’t care less about any of that.

Her mind was filled with guilt and regret.

‘Because of me…’

Lucy’s consciousness drifted back to the distant past.

Specifically, to the horrific memories of the past.

─ What’s your name? My name is Subject 96. That’s what everyone here calls me.

For Lucy, the first memory was always Subject 96.

That girl was the only colorful presence in Lucy’s otherwise colorless childhood.

The friendly girl managed to befriend the cold Lucy, and little by little, as Lucy opened her heart, they eventually became friends.

The girl would often say that once they successfully escaped this place, they would definitely eat something delicious together.

In a laboratory devoid of dreams and hopes, Lucy gradually grew fond of that girl.

However, the trivial dream they made by pinky-swearing would never come true.

─ Subject 96 has been disposed of. If you don’t want to be disposed of as well, do your best.

One day, Subject 96 disappeared.

As if she had never existed at all.

At an age when Lucy didn’t even understand what separation meant, she grasped the concept of death.

‘After that…’

Her drifting consciousness flowed a bit further into the future.

She saw a mansion.

The grand mansion of Count Caledra.

There, Lucy was able to live a new life.

Everything was abundant; there was nothing she couldn’t have, and everyone treated her kindly.

Living in a dreamlike world, Lucy discovered a maid of her age.

The maid was cheerful and talkative, allowing Lucy to quickly become friends with her.

The quiet Lucy came to understand what the outside world was like through the maid’s words and could imagine the coziness of the wheat fields at sunset and the cool breeze from the sea at noon.

After a long time, Lucy was able to open her heart again and become close to the maid.

Overjoyed to have made a close friend, Lucy had pouted to Count Caledra.

─ Father! Can I go on a trip with my friend? I think one day will be enough!

Caledra, with a gentle smile, asked for her friend’s name.

Naively, Lucy told him the name, and the maid did not come to the mansion from the next day.

Rumors circulated that she had suffered a terrible accident and had died.

From that day on, Lucy never called Caledra “Father” again.

“…”

Lucy’s eyes slowly closed.

She bit her lip.

Emotions that had nowhere to be expressed were coiling up inside her.

Feelings that surpassed reason were dominating Lucy’s heart.

As she exhaled a dying breath, Lucy thought.

Because I liked her, Subject 96 died.

Because I liked her, the maid died.

‘Because I liked her…’

Daniel Steiner died.

It is said that if coincidence happens three times in a row, it becomes fate.

Reason screamed that it wasn’t true, but her heart, consumed by emotion, was already stained black.

It was easier to deny herself than to affirm her existence.

‘If everyone I come to like ends up dying like this…’

Why should I continue living?

What glory is there in that life?

She no longer wanted to think and didn’t want to suffer.

She was now tired of doubting Count Caledra.

It was the moment Lucy, who wanted to end everything, suddenly opened her eyes.

Knock, knock—

A knock sounded from the front door.

Just as she wondered who it was, a familiar voice echoed.

“Aide! I came because I heard you were here…”

It was Daniel Steiner’s voice.

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly shook her head.

No. That can’t be. Daniel Steiner is dead.

“Aide? What are you doing leaving the door unlocked? What if a thief comes in?”

The voice she thought was an illusion grew louder.

Her breath quickened.

Lucy, thinking maybe it wasn’t true, lifted her body.

As her body, stiff from days of inactivity, suddenly tried to move, it creaked without her realizing it.

“Ugh…”

Tinnitus rang in her ears, and her vision flickered.

Her breathing became more labored, and her body wouldn’t obey her.

Nevertheless, Lucy slowly regained control of herself and ultimately succeeded in stepping out of the bed.

“Aide! If you’re not here, I’ll be heading back!”

No, she couldn’t.

Desperately shaking her head, Lucy approached the door and grasped the doorknob.

After a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped outside.

There stood Daniel Steiner.

Her superior, the foolish man who loved desserts.

“…Aide?”

Daniel, seeing Lucy’s appearance, looked puzzled.

After staring at him for a while, Lucy took a step forward.

If it were up to her, she would have wanted to run, but her body, starved for days, wouldn’t move properly.

“Daniel…”

She couldn’t even produce a proper voice.

Her voice was hoarse and cracked.

Gathering her voice, Lucy finally moved closer and looked up at Daniel from close range.

Her disheveled hair fell down, obstructing her view, but it didn’t greatly hinder her from seeing Daniel.

“Daniel Steiner…”

Calling out her superior’s name without permission, Lucy slowly raised her hand.

Her hand, which felt like it was caught in a net, slowly reached Daniel’s cheek.

Though Daniel was startled, he didn’t pull away, allowing Lucy to feel the warmth of his skin against her hand.

Daniel Steiner was not dead.

She didn’t know how it happened, but tears suddenly welled up at that realization.

She had already cried several times, thinking there wouldn’t be any tears left.

Not wanting to show her tears, Lucy lowered her head.

Her hand, like her head, also fell, grasping Daniel’s red tie.

“Colonel. The position of your tie…”

Trying to change the subject more naturally, Lucy ultimately couldn’t hold back her sobs.

A moist sound of grief escaped through the cracks between her words, echoing sadly between them.

Unable to contain herself, Lucy gently tugged on the tie and buried her face in Daniel’s chest.

Her trembling shoulders, ragged breaths, and soft sobs represented Lucy’s emotions.

Crying like a fool, Lucy mustered all her strength to speak.

“Welcome…”

In the midst of unprecedented emotions, Lucy revealed her feelings as best as she could.

“…Welcome back. I was worried about you…”

But soon, her mind went blank, as if she had spilled white paint.

Suddenly, Daniel, who had maintained silence, raised his hand and patted Lucy’s back.

Thanks to that, Lucy couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into tears.

It felt as if she had returned to her childhood, missing the moments when she should have cried.

A word from the author (Author’s note)

Thank you, Taten, for the 10 coins! I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your support!

Dear readers! The weather has suddenly turned cold again, so please dress warmly!

I want to express my gratitude for always reading, and I’ll end my note here!

See you again tomorrow!