chapter_0085

84 – The Enlightenment that Blooms Amidst Loss

84 – The Enlightenment that Blooms Amidst Loss

Lucy, who had just left the headquarters, activated her optical camouflage in a sparsely populated alleyway.

Continuing her steps, Lucy was able to arrive at the textile factory located on the outskirts of the Imperial City.

As she entered through the entrance, she saw workers diligently engaged in their tasks.

‘No…’

It would be more accurate to call them spies disguised as laborers.

As Lucy surveyed them, she deactivated her optical camouflage.

The spies moving about the factory could only stop in surprise.

One of them, who hesitated for a moment, pulled out a handgun hidden in his coat and aimed it at Lucy.

It was only natural for them to be on guard, as it was bewildering enough for a person to appear in a space that had been empty, especially one dressed in an imperial officer’s uniform.

“Identify yourself! How did you get here!?”

At the shout of the man at the front, Lucy opened her mouth as if annoyed.

“The eagle soaring high in the sky knows nothing of the affairs below the ground.”

This was a code used within the Allied Nations’ intelligence agency.

Realizing that she was an ally, the man lowered his handgun.

“…What brings you here? I haven’t heard anything about a report at this hour.”

“I have business with the branch chief. Please guide me.”

“Don’t say such nonsense… Do you think the branch chief is someone who will see you just because you want to?”

With a low sigh, Lucy opened her crimson eyes slightly.

“Please inform him that Hongsa has come. Then he will grant me permission.”

At the mention of Hongsa, the man swallowed hard in surprise.

As far as he knew, there was only one woman who used the codename Hongsa in the Allied Nations.

‘She is a legend who has carried out numerous assassination orders and is known to be a confidante of Count Caledra…’

It was hard to believe that such a figure had come, and the man took out a radio from his pocket.

“Wait a moment.”

Thinking he needed to verify her identity, the man spoke into the radio.

During the conversation, he seemed a bit startled and bowed his head to the unseen counterpart.

“Yes. Understood.”

After responding respectfully to the person on the other end of the radio, the man turned back to Lucy.

With a dazed expression, he blinked several times, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“The branch chief has instructed you to enter. I will guide you.”

As Lucy nodded, the man walked toward the fabric dyeing machine.

There, he manipulated a few buttons, and when he pulled down a lever, a loud ‘thud’ echoed.

Then, the sound of a winding mechanism grew loud as the fabric dyeing machine was pushed aside.

Once the machine was completely moved, a staircase leading down to the underground was revealed.

“You can go down through here.”

Replacing her greeting with a slight bow, Lucy descended the stairs.

Upon opening the iron door at the bottom of the stairs and stepping inside, a concrete wall unfolded before her.

In the massive bunker-like space, the first thing visible was a map of the Imperial City hanging on one wall.

On either side of the map were radar screens and surveillance equipment lined up, in front of which numerous spies were operating electronic devices.

‘This is the Palentia branch…’

She had known that they operated by establishing a base in the heart of the Empire, but this was her first time visiting in person.

As she looked around at the larger-than-expected scale, she noticed a man approaching from a distance, accompanied by a secretary.

Feeling his presence, Lucy turned her gaze and recognized the man’s identity.

He was Theobalt Berno, the head of the Palentia branch of the Allied Nations’ intelligence agency.

Although this was her first visit to the branch, she had encountered Theobalt several times on business before.

However, she did not want to acknowledge him.

As Lucy stood quietly waiting, Theobalt approached and stopped in front of her.

“Lucy Emilia. What brings you here? I don’t have time, so just get to the point.”

His businesslike tone stripped away any semblance of familiarity.

Thinking that pleasantries were unnecessary, Lucy got straight to the point.

“I came to ask a question. Was it the Allied Nations that attacked the diplomatic vessel that Daniel Steiner was on?”

Theobalt fell silent for a moment.

He was contemplating whether it was appropriate to disclose this information to Lucy.

After some thought, Theobalt nodded, believing that it was only a matter of time before Lucy discovered the details of the incident.

“Yes. It was deemed a necessary action by the Allied Nations, and we executed it.”

Lucy’s hands trembled slightly upon hearing the confirmation.

In the midst of unprecedented emotions, Lucy met Theobalt’s gaze.

“…Is it really a necessary action for the Allied Nations to sink a vessel carrying civilians? Furthermore, I cannot understand why the headquarters has concealed all of this from me.”

The subtle anger underlying Lucy’s words irritated Theobalt.

He frowned openly.

“If you had eliminated Daniel Steiner sooner, this unfortunate incident wouldn’t have occurred. And why should the headquarters inform you of everything? Just because you’re under the protection of Count Caledra, do you think you’re someone important?”

Lucy clenched her fists tightly.

“…I have carried out numerous assassination missions under the orders of the Allied Nations. So, I thought the Allied Nations would trust me in matters of assassination.”

“Lucy.”

“I was the one who was supposed to assassinate Daniel Steiner. It was my judgment and my task. So why doesn’t the Allied Nations trust me?”

“Lucy Emilia.”

“Yes. Of course, considering various circumstances, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t trust me. But in that case, at the very least, you should have informed me that my mission had changed! But the Allied Nations—”

Theobalt slapped Lucy’s cheek.

Slap—

The sound of skin meeting skin echoed loudly in the enclosed space.

As Lucy exhaled a couple of times after being struck, Theobalt spoke.

“Calm down and listen. The Allied Nations are only moving forward for the greater good. So do not question it and return to a state of waiting for your mission.”

Normally, Lucy would have nodded and turned to leave, but this time she did not.

“…Did you just say not to question it?”

Lucy’s voice came out softly, almost like a whisper.

It’s for the country. It’s for the greater good. It’s for the people. It’s for the world. It’s for peace. It’s for revenge. It’s for balance.

These were the words that the Allied Nations and Count Caledra had given Lucy every time she raised a question.

Even knowing that this was not a valid reason, Lucy had accepted it without complaint.

The Allied Nations were good, and the Empire was evil.

But could the Allied Nations, who had led Daniel Steiner to his death alongside civilians, truly be defined as good?

Especially when they had not said a word to her, who had shown countless loyalties.

“How long…?”

Looking at Theobalt, Lucy bit her lip.

“Am I not allowed to question this?”

The anger that had been pent up inside her began to ignite.

She knew she shouldn’t let that anger fester, but Theobalt had nothing in particular to say to Lucy.

So, maintaining his silence, Lucy turned on her heel in frustration.

Theobalt did not stop her, and Lucy ascended the stairs and left.

As a result, Theobalt let out a low sigh and turned to his secretary beside him.

“Report to Count Caledra. The only successful specimen, Experiment 187… No.”

Looking at the spot where Lucy had just left, Theobalt felt a headache coming on.

“Lucy Emilia may have changed her mind.”

–

…Once outside the branch, Lucy walked aimlessly.

She had hoped that the Allied Nations would provide a proper explanation this time, but the emptiness in her heart grew as everything fell apart.

Rubbing her cheek where Theobalt had struck her, Lucy moved forward with dead eyes, feeling the increasing light in her vision.

She could hear the voices of citizens mixed with laughter in her ears.

Unintentionally lifting her head, Lucy realized she had crossed from the alleyway to the main street.

A cool breeze blew as Lucy’s gaze turned across the road.

[Golden Rose Bakery]

That flashy sign marked the place where Lucy had first tasted the Empire’s desserts.

As if entranced, Lucy crossed the road and walked toward the bakery.

In the meantime, raindrops began to fall one by one from the dark clouds covering the sky.

The citizens, feeling the raindrops, opened their umbrellas, but Lucy did not.

She simply moved forward as if approaching the bakery was her only goal in life.

Arriving in front of the bakery, Lucy spotted a man and woman enjoying desserts by the window.

The man was playfully laughing, while the woman hesitated but brought a parfait to her mouth.

In that scene, Lucy reflected on her past with Daniel, who had shared desserts with her here.

“…”

As the rain began to pour more heavily, Lucy’s uniform and coat started to get soaked.

Passersby looked at Lucy, who was blankly standing in the rain, with strange expressions as they walked by.

However, Lucy paid no mind to the gazes of others and continued to reflect on the past.

─ How is it? Does the dessert suit your taste?

The words Daniel had once said to her at that shop vividly resurfaced in her mind.

Recalling the taste of the parfait she had eaten then, a faint smile appeared on Lucy’s lips.

But the smile soon faded, leaving only emptiness behind.

‘Did you say we should eat Stollen on Christmas?’

He was truly a foolish and pitiful person.

Moreover, he was a bad man who made promises he couldn’t keep, not knowing when he would die.

‘And…’

He was also a grateful person who fought against the Security Agency, risking his life to protect his subordinate.

But now she could no longer see him.

He had vanished from this world along with the diplomatic vessel.

At the absurdity of the fact, Lucy let out a low laugh.

It was ridiculous that someone who seemed incapable of shedding a single drop of blood had died in an instant.

‘Foolish man…’

As Lucy mocked Daniel, her laughter suddenly turned into sobs.

With her eyes closed and biting her lower lip, tears began to well up in Lucy’s eyes.

In the pouring rain, Lucy raised her hand to wipe her eyes and exhaled a breath mixed with coldness.

Ironically, it was only in a world without Daniel Steiner that Lucy could realize.

‘I… I truly…’

That she had loved Daniel Steiner deeply.