chapter_0225

224 – Just Trust Namerias!

224 – Just Trust Namerias!

Having finished organizing the battlefield, Daniel took a day off and invited Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt to the mansion’s drawing room.

Heinrich readily accepted, saying there was no need to delay, and headed straight to the mansion’s drawing room.

Thanks to that, Daniel was now sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, face to face with Heinrich.

The scars etched into his wrinkled face were impressive as always.

Feeling an unconscious sense of intimidation, Daniel cleared his throat.

“Brigadier General Heinrich, it’s been a while, but I’m relieved to see you’re still in good health.”

Heinrich’s lips twitched, his expression serious.

Seemingly pleased by Daniel’s words, Heinrich soon burst into laughter.

“I’m leading the Empire’s elite troops, of course I have to be in good health! More than that, I can’t seem to get used to the stars on your epaulettes, no matter how much I look at them. I’m sure when we first met, you were just a greenhorn Second Lieutenant.”

Daniel also remembered talking to Heinrich as a Second Lieutenant last spring.

Realizing how much time had passed, Daniel gave an awkward smile.

“I’m the same, I can’t get used to it either. I may have achieved several merits, but I never thought I would rise to the rank of Brigadier General so quickly.”

“It’s certainly unprecedented. But I think your rank is justified. The Empire’s basic ideology is reward and punishment, and the military is eager for talented individuals.”

Heinrich chuckled and took out a cigarette case from his pocket.

“In this battle, we only lent our strength, and you did all the planning yourself. The enemy surrendered before we could even warm up, which was a bit anticlimactic…”

As Heinrich took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, the adjutant standing behind him approached and bowed.

The adjutant took out a lighter, lit the cigarette, and stepped back.

Heinrich exhaled smoke between his lips and shrugged.

“Originally, winning without fighting is the best way, so it’s right to see it as excellent. More than that, it seems you called me here because you have something important to discuss. Isn’t that right?”

As expected, he was quick on the uptake.

Daniel nodded, thinking there was no need to hide it.

“Yes. I would like to discuss the role of the occupation commander to administer military affairs in Penbarch.”

“What is your opinion?”

“In principle, it is right to follow the opinion of the General Staff, but I personally think that Brigadier General Heinrich is suitable for the role of occupation commander.”

Heinrich’s eyebrow twitched.

‘Is he trying to pass the position of occupation commander to me?’

As you can tell from leading the Magic Mobile Corps, Heinrich was one of the Empire’s war fanatics.

For Heinrich, who considered fighting on the battlefield to be the most honorable thing, the position of occupation commander was as good as a sinecure.

Even though it was temporary, he was unhappy that he would not be able to leave Penbarch during that period.

“…Why do you think I’m suitable?”

Heinrich pressured him with a stern expression, but Daniel answered calmly.

“Although the Imperial Army has occupied it, Penbarch is still a chaotic area. What is needed at such times is strong military rule. We must not give the resistance or remnants a chance.”

“Hmm.”

“In that respect, your presence alone has a strong deterrent effect. The citizens of the Allied Nations will not dare to revolt against the Empire’s Magic Mobile Corps.”

That wasn’t wrong.

However, Heinrich, who didn’t want to play around with piles of documents and administrative orders, still looked reluctant.

Daniel, watching Heinrich’s expression, quietly continued.

“Brigadier General Heinrich, I would like to take on the role of occupation commander if I could, but the situation is not favorable. I need to return to the Imperial City as soon as possible to report to the Emperor about the human experiments that took place in Penbarch.”

Here’s a tip.

If persuasion seems difficult, mention the Emperor.

As Daniel expected, Heinrich sighed as if he couldn’t help it.

“I’ve felt it before, but I can’t beat you with words. I understand. I will recommend to the higher-ups that I should take on the role of occupation commander.”

Daniel smiled briefly.

“Thank you for your consideration. Since the story seems to be well concluded, I will get up now. I have things to take care of before returning to the Imperial City.”

With those words, Daniel rose from his seat and bowed to Heinrich.

Heinrich nodded in agreement, and Daniel turned and walked out.

Heinrich, watching Daniel leave the drawing room, let out a hollow laugh.

‘I don’t feel bad, but for some reason…’

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been played by Daniel’s eloquence.

*

Arriving at the commander’s office in the mansion, Daniel cheered inwardly.

‘Good! I passed it on well!’

From Daniel’s point of view, who wanted to return to the Imperial City quickly rather than worrying about stabilizing the city, it was nothing short of a triumph.

‘Brigadier General Heinrich. Please don’t resent me too much. It’s just returning what you did to me in Nordia.’

Thinking so, Daniel sat down at his desk.

It was when Daniel, having calmed down his excitement, was thinking about what he had to do next.

Knock knock─

At the knock, he raised his head and heard a voice from beyond the door.

“Brigade Commander. This is Adjutant Lucy Emilia. May I come in?”

Thanks to that, a question mark appeared above Daniel’s head.

‘I told her to take a good rest today…’

He was embarrassed because he had ordered her to take a break for a day because she had worked hard, but she was coming to work as usual.

Daniel, who couldn’t turn her away, allowed her to come in.

Then, the door opened and Lucy came in.

Lucy was wearing casual clothes, unlike usual, and her shoulders were exposed because she was wearing a halter-neck blouse.

It was natural, but this dress was not bought by Lucy.

Namerias lent it to her, saying that she would help her seduce Brigadier General Daniel.

Daniel, who saw Lucy wearing casual clothes for the first time in a while, opened his mouth dumbfounded.

“…Casual clothes?”

“It’s a vacation after all.”

Doesn’t this woman know what a vacation is?

“Adjutant? Vacation means liberation from work.”

“I know that.”

“Then why did you bother to come to work?”

“I just stopped by on the way. I remembered some urgent work that needed to be done quickly…”

Daniel didn’t know what to say to Lucy’s excuse.

No matter how urgent the work was, it didn’t seem normal to come to work during a vacation.

Daniel, trying his best to understand Lucy, gained a small realization.

‘Is this what they call a workaholic?’

No.

Lucy just wanted to be with Daniel in casual clothes.

Daniel, who had no way of knowing that, nodded, somewhat puzzled.

“I won’t stop you if you want to. Sit down and do your work.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Lucy, who answered naturally, sat down at her desk and took out the documents from the drawer.

Lucy, who had been pretending to look at the documents for a while, recalled Namerias’s advice.

─ Young Lady! Men are creatures who get excited by a woman’s careless and defenseless exposure! So I think it would be good to tie your hair up in front of Brigadier General Daniel!

She didn’t know what the charm of tying her hair was, but she wanted to try it anyway.

The problem was that she had to get Daniel’s attention when she tied her hair.

How could she make Daniel look at her?

Lucy, who was glancing around for no reason, suddenly coughed.

“It seems very hot because it’s midsummer.”

“That’s right. I should tell them to wear field caps during peacetime as a heatstroke prevention measure.”

Unlike Lucy’s expectations, Daniel was answering without taking his eyes off the documents.

Lucy, who was hesitating, mustered up the courage and muttered.

“Ah. It’s hot. I think I need to tie my hair up because it’s hot…”

Thanks to that, Daniel raised his head and looked at Lucy.

It wasn’t because he reacted to her tying her hair.

It was because Lucy’s voice was as unnatural as reading a textbook.

Lucy, who didn’t know that, thought this was her chance and put the hair tie she had brought in her mouth in advance.

Then, she raised both hands and gathered her hair into one.

Thanks to that posture, her chest came forward and her breasts were emphasized.

Also, her armpits were exposed, so Lucy felt embarrassed without realizing it.

She wanted to put her hands down right away, but according to Namerias, this was how to seduce a man, so she endured it.

Daniel, who was staring at Lucy, thought.

‘Why is it taking so long to tie her hair?’

Daniel, who couldn’t figure out why, suddenly checked the time and got up from his seat.

It was time to have a meeting with the staff.

“Adjutant. I have work to do, so I’m going to the command post, so go back and rest when you’re done.”

“Mmm…”

A strange sound came out.

Lucy, who spat out the hair tie from her mouth, nodded with a flushed face.

“…I understand.”

She felt ashamed because she thought it didn’t work on Daniel.

Daniel, seeing that Lucy couldn’t raise her eyes, chuckled softly.

Daniel, who had organized the documents, looked back at Lucy before leaving the office.

“It’s a bit unconventional, but it suits you very well.”

Lucy, startled, raised her head, and Daniel gave a faint smile.

“I’m talking about the blouse you’re wearing.”

With those words, Daniel left the office.

Lucy, who was left alone, felt her face heat up as she recalled Daniel’s words.

Lucy, who was biting her lip for no reason, closed her eyes tightly.

‘I was trying to seduce Daniel…’

Rather, it was Lucy herself who was seduced.

‘Maybe…’

After today, she felt like she would like Daniel even more.

Author’s words (Author’s note)

Thank you to all the readers who read it today!

The weather is getting hotter, so be careful of the heat! I hope you have a cool day!

Then I’ll see you again tomorrow!