chapter_0188

187 – A Difficult Fight

187 – A Difficult Fight

As Daniel Steiner affirmed, the confusion in Lucy’s eyes deepened.

The obvious fact that Kelly was a dog was like an unacceptable disaster to Lucy.

That was because Lucy had always thought of Kelly as ‘Daniel’s ex-girlfriend.’

She had even felt a certain jealousy towards Kelly, which said it all.

‘So…’

Lucy had not only felt jealous of ‘the dog Daniel was raising’ instead of ‘Daniel’s ex-girlfriend,’ but she had also been misunderstanding things on her own.

Lucy’s face flushed red as she realized this.

Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn’t maintain her composure.

She wanted to run away from this place immediately, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

Leaving now would be the same as confessing her misunderstanding-based sin to Daniel.

It was something Lucy, who always wanted to show Daniel only her best side, couldn’t do.

After a while of keeping her mouth shut, Lucy calmed her breathing as much as possible and opened her mouth.

“…Colonel. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask you one thing?”

Of course, there was no reason why she couldn’t.

As Daniel nodded, Lucy mustered her courage and moved her lips.

“Have you ever dated a woman, Colonel?”

It was a question she asked in the hope that Daniel would say, ‘Kelly being a dog was a joke,’ even now.

She thought that if she asked about his love life, Daniel would mention his ex-girlfriend.

However, Daniel was just perplexed in many ways.

‘She was talking about a dog, so why suddenly about his love life…’

He didn’t understand, but there was no need to hide it, so Daniel answered calmly.

“No. In the first place, it’s a war right now. Do you think dating is even possible?”

Daniel’s answer hammered the ‘Kelly = dog’ equation home.

Lucy, whose escape route was completely blocked, could only clench her teeth and close her eyes.

It felt like the sound of her pounding heart was ringing in her ears, and the world felt distant and far away.

As Lucy was groaning in embarrassment, Daniel cleared his throat.

He didn’t know why, but because the atmosphere was strange, he wanted to change the subject.

“Lieutenant. More than that, didn’t you say you had something to tell me regarding the Bellanos ambassador’s reception?”

Only then did Lucy slowly open her eyes.

Her face and ears were still flushed red, but Lucy tried to regain her composure.

She had to distinguish between public and private matters.

“…That’s right. When you were talking with the businessman Hamtal in the reception room, a call came from the Imperial Palace. They asked you to personally greet the ambassador entering the Imperial City.”

“The fact that they asked me, the Emergency Security General, to do that means they want to impress the Bellanos ambassador with how safe the Empire is, right?”

“That’s how it seems to me as well. They say they’re going to execute the collaborators on the day the Bellanos ambassador visits the Empire.”

In short, they were telling her to show the execution of the collaborators to the Bellanos ambassador and say, ‘Our Empire is safe!’

‘What is this, a death penalty execution tour guide…’

Frankly speaking, she didn’t like it, but she couldn’t disobey the Imperial Palace’s orders.

“It’s not a difficult task, so tell them I’ll do it. And…”

Lucy’s face still had a reddish tinge.

Daniel, who was looking at it with a puzzled expression, continued.

“Lieutenant? It seems like the fatigue that’s been building up from working overtime lately is finally showing. Your complexion doesn’t look normal. Why don’t you go in and rest?”

Lucy opened her mouth to say she was okay, but then closed it again.

She thought that if she stubbornly refused Daniel’s suggestion, she might make a mistake today.

It was also true that she was tired from working overtime, so Lucy nodded without complaint.

“If that’s what you say, Colonel, I’ll hurry and leave work today.”

“Yes. Get some rest. Work efficiency comes from rest.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Lucy, who bowed her head, returned the photo she was holding to Daniel and turned to walk out.

It was a little noisy outside.

Not long after Lucy left through the open door, Frien entered the reception room.

“Colonel Daniel Steiner. I heard you were here, so I came to see you. Is this a good time?”

A gentle smile spread beneath her light brown hair, which was braided up in the back.

Perhaps because there was no blood on her uniform today, she didn’t have her usual chilling aura.

The only problem was that the smell of blood was lingering on her uniform.

“…Frien. Come in.”

Frien, who heard Daniel’s permission, smiled brightly and approached.

Daniel sat down on the sofa to take a break, and Frien sat down on the opposite sofa.

Then, Frien looked down at the table and found a cup full of coffee.

“Oh my. The businessman Hamtal didn’t even take a sip of this precious coffee? How luxurious does he usually drink…”

Frien raised her eyes and looked at Daniel.

“Colonel. If it’s okay with you, can I have a taste too?”

There was no reason why she couldn’t, but he didn’t particularly want to recommend it.

“The coffee’s cold. It won’t taste the way it’s supposed to. If you want to taste the original flavor of the coffee, it would be better to go to the pantry and make a new one.”

“I don’t want to waste the ingredients. More than anything, I cherish the time I spend with you, Colonel Daniel. I just need to be able to taste the coffee.”

“Is that so? Then go ahead and drink it.”

There was no need to stop her, so he gave her permission, and Frien leaned forward.

“…?”

Then, she reached out and grabbed Daniel’s cup and lifted it up.

Frien, who pulled her body back, smiled happily.

“I’ll enjoy it. Colonel Daniel.”

Frien, who said that, took a sip of the coffee.

It was as if she was performing a religious ritual rather than taking a break.

‘No. Wasn’t she going to drink what Hamtal left behind? Why the one I was drinking…’

He didn’t understand, but he decided not to ask.

As he was just watching quietly, Frien, who emptied the coffee, put down the cup.

“I enjoyed it. It tastes different because it’s a luxury item.”

“…I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“It’s because it’s coffee that Colonel Daniel gave me. Oh, by the way, did you fight with Lieutenant Lucy by any chance?”

“Fight with my adjutant? Me?”

“Yes. I passed Lieutenant Lucy on my way here earlier. I thought it was strange that she was walking with her face flushed and her teeth clenched.”

Daniel, who was at a loss for words, blinked blankly and took out the photo, thinking that might be the reason.

It was a photo of Kelly.

“That’s strange. I just showed her this.”

“What photo is it?”

“Would you like to see it?”

As Daniel handed over the photo, Frien accepted it.

Frien looked at the photo of the golden retriever smiling brightly and put her hand on one cheek.

“How cute. It’s a golden retriever, right? I remember raising one before too.”

Yes. This was the normal reaction.

‘But why was Lucy like that…’

From Daniel’s point of view, he couldn’t understand it at all.

*

Lucy, who left work early and arrived home, took a cold shower to forget her shame and changed into clothes that were easy to fall asleep in.

After that, she spent time reading books and listening to the radio, but the shame didn’t go away.

So currently.

Lucy was leaning against the headboard of her bed with her legs drawn up.

With a pillow in her arms, Lucy’s mind, with her eyes half-open, was constantly replaying her dark history.

Lucy remembered.

Daniel had told her that she was more precious to him than Kelly.

‘I was happy. Like an idiot…’

It was obvious that a person was more precious than a dog.

She felt terribly ashamed that she hadn’t realized that and had been happy on her own.

‘And…’

Lucy, who thought that Daniel and she had a special relationship, had made a ‘dog declaration’ in front of Selvia.

Since she had declared that she would replace Kelly’s position, it was no different from claiming that she would become ‘Daniel’s dog.’

Now she understood why Selvia had been so embarrassed at that time.

Her face was burning, and her heart was pounding again.

Unable to bear it, Lucy hugged the pillow tightly and breathed out lowly.

To be honest, she was so embarrassed that she wanted to die.

She would pay any price if she could turn back time.

But such a miraculous thing was unlikely to happen.

Lucy, who sighed lowly, loosened the arm that was hugging the pillow.

‘Still…’

It wasn’t like there were no gains at all.

She was able to find out that Daniel Steiner didn’t have a lover.

‘Maybe I…’

She might be able to be Daniel’s first.

*

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace’s dining hall.

“So, has there been any progress lately?”

Only Selvia and Mariant were sitting at the wide dining table, having a meal.

When Selvia didn’t answer, Mariant, who was cutting her steak with an elegant gesture, said again.

“My dear. Colonel Daniel is a good marriage prospect. There are probably other women besides you who have their eyes on him. So, wouldn’t it be better to come up with a plan from now on?”

Normally, she would have ignored it and moved on, but Selvia couldn’t do that today.

The words that Lucy had told her the other day remained as a shock, engraved in her mind.

Selvia, who was picking at her food, finally put down her utensils.

“You’re not wrong. There is a woman who likes Daniel, just like you said, Mother.”

“Oh my. A rival. Who is it?”

“Daniel Steiner’s adjutant.”

Mariant made a pitiful expression at the word adjutant.

“A person who is closest to Colonel Daniel. It won’t be easy to deal with, will it?”

“It would be fortunate if it just wasn’t easy. Daniel’s adjutant is a wicked woman who even makes statements that I can’t understand.”

“Statements that you can’t understand?”

Selvia’s face turned subtly red as she recalled Lucy’s words.

Even now, when she recalled the words that Lucy had said so confidently, it was almost impossible to think properly.

“That woman…”

Selvia, who paused for a moment, said with her eyes closed.

“She takes it for granted that she’s being treated like a dog by Colonel Daniel.”

The misunderstanding caused by the difference in information entered Mariant’s ears.

Even from Mariant’s point of view, who had used all sorts of methods to seduce the late Emperor Bertham, it was a statement that was not easy to accept.

Mariant, who put down her utensils like Selvia, lightly grabbed Selvia’s hand.

“My dear.”

A seriousness settled on Mariant’s face, which had always been playful.

“You’ve met a formidable opponent.”

Mariant was convinced.

If things continued like this, it was clear that Selvia would be pushed back by that sly woman.

‘So somehow…’

She had to help.

Author’s words (Author’s note)

Thank you to all the readers who read today!

I always hope you are happy and that only good things happen!

Then let’s meet again tomorrow!