chapter_0203

202 – Hidden Secrets

202 – Hidden Secrets

Five days later.

At a famous dessert shop in Penbarch.

“How is it? Did the lemon drizzle cake suit your taste?”

At an outdoor table on the second floor, Lucy nodded while wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, her plate neatly cleared.

“It was delicious. Moreover…”

Lucy turned her head in the direction of the breeze.

The evening air faintly permeated the gravel path, which glimmered softly under the moonlight.

Most of the streetlights were off due to wartime administrative measures, but the countless stars adorning the sky were lending their brightness to the ground.

From afar, the sound of street musicians playing softly could be heard in front of an old fountain in the square.

Even though it was clearly wartime and there was no sign of the war ending, for some reason, this place felt incredibly peaceful.

Lucy, pulling her gaze away from the square, looked at Daniel.

“Thank you for allowing me to spend time in such a lovely place.”

“Your gratitude makes it worthwhile to have reserved a spot for my aide.”

With a playful tone, Daniel raised his cup of black tea.

Just as he was about to take a sip of the tea, Lucy asked, “…What kind of life do you want to live after the war ends, Colonel?”

His hand, which was tilting the cup, froze.

Though a bit taken aback, Daniel soon regained his composure and savored a sip of the tea.

After enjoying the refreshing taste in his mouth, he set the cup down with a graceful gesture.

“Life after the war, huh? I didn’t expect to hear such a question from my aide.”

“I apologize if I’ve overstepped…”

“No, that’s not it. There’s nothing I can’t share.”

Daniel wiped his mouth with the handkerchief on the table.

“If the King permits, I’d like to retire for a while.”

“…Retire?”

When Lucy asked, surprised, Daniel nodded.

“Yes. I know there are quite a few who call me a war fanatic, but that’s all a misunderstanding. My lifelong goal has always been to live leisurely, just as I do now.”

Thinking that was a sufficient answer, Daniel folded the handkerchief and set it down.

“Then what about you, aide? What do you want to do after the war? It feels unfair for me to be the only one talking.”

“Ah. I…”

What do I want to do? She hadn’t really thought about it.

Moreover, Lucy had lived a life devoted to the orders of the Allied Nations.

For someone like Lucy, who had been bound for so long in a life where she was not allowed free will, envisioning the future was not an easy task.

However, being with Daniel Steiner allowed her to harbor at least a small wish in her heart.

“…If possible, I would like to learn baking in depth.”

“You want to learn baking?”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm. Is there a particular reason you’ve decided to learn baking?”

“If I had to give a reason…”

As she followed Daniel to various dessert shops, Lucy had encountered countless people.

For someone who had always heard the screams and resentments of others, seeing the people in the dessert shops laughing and exchanging stories felt like a glimpse into a world she had never experienced.

Did desserts make people happy?

If so, Lucy wanted to learn how to make them properly.

She wanted to see the joy on the faces of those who ate the desserts she made.

‘And…’

She hoped that Daniel Steiner would be among those happy people.

As she thought about this, Lucy’s face subtly flushed.

“I think it would suit me.”

Since she couldn’t speak the truth, Lucy mumbled, and Daniel nodded in understanding.

“Indeed. You have a natural talent for cooking. You’d likely do well in baking too. The taste of the dish you made for me was exquisite.”

As Daniel seemed to recall the taste of the dish Lucy had prepared with his eyes closed, he suddenly smiled.

“Alright. Then shall I return the favor from that time?”

With that, Daniel playfully pulled something out from under the table.

It was a black box beautifully wrapped with a ribbon.

Lucy blinked in confusion, not knowing what was inside the box.

“Colonel, this is…”

“According to your personal information, today is your birthday. As your direct superior, I couldn’t possibly overlook my aide’s birthday. Go ahead and open it.”

It wasn’t her real birthday.

It was merely her official birthday, but Lucy didn’t bother to mention that fact.

Daniel likely wasn’t unaware of it either.

With a mix of nervousness, Lucy accepted the first birthday gift she had ever received.

As she opened the box, a somewhat rough-looking necklace revealed itself.

A polished amber stone occupied the main spot of the jewelry.

As Lucy stared blankly at the necklace, Daniel added, “I thought it would match your red eyes, so I bought it. You seem to have little interest in adornment, but I think it wouldn’t hurt to dress up occasionally.”

Lucy remained silent.

For some reason, Daniel felt uncomfortable, and he cleared his throat.

“If you don’t like it, I apologize. I suppose it would have been better to prepare a different gift than a necklace.”

As Daniel, sensing the atmosphere, tried to take the box back, Lucy hurriedly pulled it closer to herself.

‘…Isn’t it something I dislike?’

As Daniel blinked in surprise, Lucy tightened her grip on the box.

“I don’t dislike it. Quite the opposite.”

It was just that she was flustered by the situation and didn’t know what expression to wear.

With her face even redder than before, Lucy averted her gaze and muttered, “I will cherish it.”

Not knowing exactly why, but sensing that Lucy seemed satisfied, Daniel nodded in bewilderment.

“I’m glad you like it. But it seems like it’s getting late; shall we start to head out?”

Though Lucy wanted to stay just a little longer, she couldn’t find a reason to refuse.

As Lucy nodded slightly, Daniel raised his hand.

A waiter approached to settle the bill.

Daniel smiled at the waiter as he opened his wallet to take out some money.

The waiter bowed his head to Daniel and stepped back after receiving the money.

Watching this, Lucy quietly spoke up.

“…Colonel, I will definitely repay you for your kindness in celebrating my birthday.”

It was Daniel who was taken aback by this.

‘Isn’t it natural to celebrate someone’s birthday? It’s not like I don’t know you; we’ve known each other for over a year.’

However, it was unreasonable to expect common sense from someone like Lucy, who was a former test subject.

Not wanting to create unnecessary trouble, Daniel smiled and stood up.

“Then I’ll look forward to the day you repay me. For now…”

Checking the wall clock inside the shop, Daniel continued, “I think I have a prior engagement and need to leave first. I’ve ordered one more dessert, so make sure to eat that before you go.”

“An engagement?”

“Yes. It’s an urgent matter. I’m sorry about this.”

As Lucy looked up at Daniel, shaking her head, she said, “No, I’m grateful for the time you’ve given me.”

“Thank you for understanding. Then I’ll take my leave.”

With that, Daniel began to walk away.

As Lucy watched his retreating figure, she was overcome by a strange feeling.

‘What Daniel just said…’

It seemed like a lie, no matter how she looked at it.

–

After leaving the shop, Daniel arrived at a forest located on the outskirts of the city.

It was a place so neglected that there were no paths, making it difficult to pinpoint its location, but after paying close attention, Daniel was able to find a shabby cabin nestled within the woods.

‘According to the documents provided by the businessman Hamtal…’

It was said that there was a path leading to the research facility where the Lucy Project had been conducted inside the cabin.

Thinking there might be enemies inside, Daniel drew his revolver and slowly approached the cabin.

Fortunately, he felt no presence from within.

Still, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

Peering through the open door of the cabin, Daniel suddenly burst in, revolver drawn.

He kept all his senses sharp to utilize neural acceleration immediately, but it was unnecessary.

‘There’s no one here.’

The inside of the cabin was completely empty.

Only items like shovels and crowbars hung on the walls.

‘It looks like an ordinary cabin on the outside…’

He couldn’t understand where the path to the research facility could be.

Deciding to search once, Daniel wandered around the cabin and felt a strange sensation at a specific spot.

He felt a slight echo when he stepped on the floor.

Thinking it might be something, Daniel removed the rug that was lying underneath and took the crowbar hanging on the wall.

As he pried off a wooden plank, a metal floor was revealed.

‘Here it is.’

A rusty lock blocked the entrance, but it wasn’t a significant issue.

Daniel swung the crowbar down a few times, and it quickly broke.

After pushing the lock aside, Daniel knelt down and grabbed the metal entrance, pulling it open.

He saw stairs leading down, along with hastily attached telephone lines and radio cables on the walls.

Thinking he had found the path to the research facility, Daniel quietly took a breath.

‘Now…’

It was time to uncover the truth behind the Lucy Project.