chapter_0103

102 – Psychological Warfare

102 – Psychological Warfare

The atmosphere shifts abruptly.

Lucy, who has been a spy for many years, could sense it instinctively.

Selvia was wearing a playful smile, but her true intentions were cold and calculating.

‘Dangerous.’

Lucy felt a sense of crisis, as if a wrong word could cost her life.

As Lucy tensed up, Selvia slowly rose to her feet.

“I’ll be frank. I had the Intelligence Agency do a little background check on you. And some strange circumstances were discovered, you see?”

Selvia, having dropped her smile, wore a puzzled expression.

“Why hasn’t Lieutenant Lucy interacted with the residents of the nearby village? Strangely enough, the villagers don’t seem to know Lieutenant Lucy at all.”

“That’s…”

Stay calm.

If she explained as she had been taught, there would be no grounds for criticism.

“When I was a child, I was afraid of people. I was abandoned by my parents and raised by my grandfather. Moreover, my grandfather always advised me not to go outside the cabin.”

“Why?”

“Because there were many wild animals outside the cabin, and my grandfather didn’t have a good relationship with the villagers. He was very worried that the villagers might harm me as well.”

Lucy was explaining the reason naturally, without falling into the trap Selvia had prepared.

But Selvia wasn’t one to let it go so easily.

“Is that so? That’s strange. Why doesn’t what I’ve heard match what Lieutenant Lucy is saying now? Why is Lieutenant Lucy…”

Selvia’s eyes narrowed sharply as she looked down at Lucy.

“Trying to hide the truth from me?”

Lucy’s hand twitched.

She became anxious, wondering if she had really been found out.

But Selvia held the cards.

Lucy couldn’t reveal her hand at this point, so she feigned composure.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean. What am I hiding, and how?”

As Lucy probed, Selvia paused for a moment before saying, “You know that best. I’m not interrogating you right now, but giving you a chance. Remember that this is your first and last chance.”

In short, she was saying that she had evidence, so confess.

Selvia was threatening her, but Lucy found peace in those words.

‘She doesn’t have any evidence.’

If she had evidence, she wouldn’t bother advising her to confess.

She was trying to induce a confession because she didn’t have any evidence.

Lucy was familiar with this interrogation method, which was often used in the Allied Nations.

‘Of course…’

It wasn’t likely that Selvia was using this kind of threat because she had mastered the Allied Nations’ interrogation methods.

From Lucy’s perspective, Selvia seemed to be using interrogation techniques instinctively, without even realizing it.

In any case, now that Lucy knew that Selvia didn’t have any evidence, there was no need to be intimidated.

Lucy placed her hand on her chest and bowed her head in accordance with etiquette.

“Your Highness. I was born in the Empire and have decided to serve the Empire. I don’t know why you suspect me, but I have never done anything to harm the Empire in my life.”

One of Selvia’s eyebrows twitched subtly.

She sensed that her bluff had been called.

“…So you won’t confess until the end? Let me add that the Intelligence Agency is continuing its investigation into you. Keep in mind that if you don’t confess now, you won’t have another chance.”

“I am sorry, but…”

Lucy raised her head and stared intently at Selvia.

“I can’t understand what you’re talking about.”

If you can find evidence that I’m a spy for the enemy, then go ahead and try.

Selvia gritted her teeth at Lucy’s threatening behavior.

She wanted to dishonorably discharge Lucy and banish her from the Empire.

Even if there was no evidence, not many people would object to banishing an Officer who was merely a Lieutenant.

But the problem was Daniel.

Would Daniel look favorably on a Princess who banished her aide based on suspicion alone, without any evidence?

It was clear that he would view it negatively.

For Selvia, who wanted to win Daniel’s heart, it was a self-defeating move.

‘So…’

Even if Lucy acted so arrogantly, she couldn’t do much to stop her.

Lucy was also aware of Selvia’s thoughts to some extent, so she could act confidently.

It was truly a battle of spear and shield.

After glaring at Lucy for a while, Selvia eventually decided to back down.

“I see. Listening to Lieutenant Lucy, I think I was too sensitive. I’d like to apologize and have a meal with you. Would that be alright?”

“If you would give me the opportunity to have a meal with you, I would gladly accept.”

The two were smiling and facing each other, but the thoughts they held in their hearts were different.

‘Don’t think you can keep getting away with this. I’ll eventually uncover your true identity.’

‘You should give up. I have no intention of giving up.’

But neither of them had any intention of revealing their true intentions behind their masks.

*

Meanwhile, Daniel was having a conversation with Cedric.

The conversation, which had started with their favorite foods, had turned to the war situation, and Daniel, thinking that this was an opportunity, cautiously spoke up.

“Your Excellency. As you said, the Empire may seem to be in a good situation on the surface, but from a macro perspective, it is still at a disadvantage.”

“That’s right. When winter passes and spring comes, the great powers will be preparing to strike the Empire in earnest.”

“Yes. That’s why I’m saying this, but would you give me the opportunity to be active on the battlefield?”

Cedric looked at Daniel as if he was surprised.

“You want to go to the battlefield? You? Why? Her Highness the Princess wouldn’t want that, and the higher-ups wouldn’t want to send you to the battlefield either.”

The military leaders would think that it would be more beneficial to the national interest to have Daniel Steiner, a propaganda hero, active in the Imperial City.

But Daniel didn’t like being active in the Imperial City.

Because the Emperor was wary of Daniel Steiner.

‘I threatened him that if he attacked me, he would be attacked as well, but it’s too early to rest assured.’

Ironically, the desire for power reaches its peak in one’s later years.

The most wary thing for a ruler was the collapse of everything they had built like a sandcastle in front of a wave.

Daniel couldn’t even guess what the Emperor would do before he died.

So, at least until Selvia became the Emperor and inherited all the authority from Bertram, he was planning to stay away on the battlefield.

He judged that it would be more advantageous for his survival.

Daniel, who couldn’t say what he was thinking, said with a serious expression, “Even now, the soldiers of our country are dying on the front lines. But can I live a comfortable life in the Imperial City just because I’m a war hero? If I truly care about the Empire, I think I should be active on the battlefield while I’m still young.”

Cedric was inwardly impressed by Daniel’s plausible excuse.

‘Indeed. He’s willing to sacrifice his life for the Empire.’

He was truly a model soldier.

Daniel was looking to the future, not resting on his laurels.

Cedric, feeling ashamed of himself, nodded.

“Alright. I’ll pass your opinion on to the higher-ups. The Chief of the General Staff likes courageous young men, so he’ll definitely accept your opinion.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“Alright. More than that…”

Cedric glanced at the banquet table where Lucy was sitting.

Selvia was sitting at that table, having a meal with Lucy.

Thinking that the conversation was over to some extent, Cedric continued, “It seems like we’ve been away for a long time. Let’s go back.”

“Understood.”

Daniel, agreeing with Cedric’s words, headed to the banquet table.

Then he could see Selvia and Lucy smiling faintly and talking.

‘Did they become close in the meantime?’

As he approached, wondering, Selvia turned to look at Daniel.

“Ah! Lieutenant Colonel Daniel! You’ve come at the right time. I was having a meal with the Lieutenant Colonel’s aide, would you like to join us?”

Daniel, who had no reason to refuse, nodded.

“I would be honored to have a meal with Your Highness.”

As Daniel pulled out a chair and sat down, a waiter who was passing by noticed and set the table.

Seeing that, Selvia casually said, “Come to think of it, the Imperial Family still uses silverware. Do you know why?”

It was a remark aimed at Lucy, who had silver hair.

Daniel, who couldn’t have known that, answered calmly, “Silver is a metal that oxidizes easily. In the Middle Ages, nobles believed that they could detect poison by using silverware when eating poisonous food. I think that’s how it became a tradition.”

“That’s right. But do you know what?”

Selvia said, turning her gaze to Lucy, “Silverware wasn’t very helpful in detecting poison. In fact, there were many cases of people dying after eating poisoned food with silverware.”

Lucy’s eyes narrowed at Selvia’s words, which subtly criticized her.

Lucy paused for a moment before retorting, “I see. But considering that they didn’t replace silverware with goldware even though there were frequent cases of people dying from eating poison, it seems that it wasn’t completely ineffective.”

Selvia frowned as if she was dumbfounded by Lucy’s natural rebuttal.

“…….”

“…….”

At the same time, an unknown silence descended.

Daniel, sensing that there was a strange tension between the two, thought, ‘I want to go home…’

He wanted to get out of this banquet hall right now.

Author’s words (Author’s note)

Thank you to Byeolbyeolgeul for the 5 coin donation! I’m very grateful even if it’s belated! Thank you for your congratulations and donation!

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I would also like to express my gratitude to all the readers who always read my work!

Be careful not to catch a cold! You really have to be careful! The colds these days are really terrible…!

I had a cold yesterday, so I was lying down all day…!

Anyway, I hope you have a happy day today!

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