Chapter 99 - Count Caledra Is Confused
『 TL – Divinity 』
『 PR – Vein 』
Daniel silently held Lucy in his arms as she sobbed like a child.
He let her pour out all the pent-up emotions in her heart.
After crying for a long time, Lucy finally calmed down.
Seeing life return to her eyes, Daniel gently raised his hand.
Holding her carefully, he suggested that she take a bath and clear her head.
Lucy, realizing that she must look a mess, nodded slightly.
She managed to utter an apology, and then turned to leave.
After gathering some clothes from her room and thanking him for his consideration, Lucy entered the bathroom.
Left alone, Daniel started cooking in the kitchen.
Judging from her appearance, she hadn't been eating properly, so he wanted to make her something simple.
As he was cutting carrots into large chunks with a kitchen knife, he suddenly touched his neck.
'I was startled when she suddenly grabbed my tie...'
He was so surprised that he wondered if she was finally revealing her true colors.
But after hearing her sobs, he couldn't help but change his mind.
She was crying.
And very sadly.
No matter how he looked at it, it wasn't something an assassin would do in front of their target.
'What was that all about? Was she really that happy to see me back?'
No, it was more than just tears of joy.
'It was like...'
...she was crying to release past grievances.
Recalling her unusual behavior, Daniel finished cutting the carrots and put down the knife.
He gathered the carrots and put them into a large pot of boiling water. The pot was filled with various ingredients and chicken. Satisfied with the preparations, he lowered the heat on the stove.
'Alright, all I have to do now is let it simmer.'
Pleased with his cooking, he looked around and paused. The door to Lucy's room was open.
'If I take a look inside her room...'
...he might be able to obtain some useful information.
There was no movement from the bathroom, so he had plenty of time.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel cautiously entered Lucy's room.
Although she was a spy, he felt a bit nervous about entering a lady's room, but once he was inside, he was overcome with a sense of disappointment.
"It's incredibly tidy..."
The bed, the desk, the wardrobe, the curtains.
That was it.
This gave Daniel a strange feeling.
Usually, a room was a space where one expressed their personality.
But there was no trace of Lucy's personality in this room.
Without even a doll or a poster, the empty room felt devoid of human warmth.
It was so empty that he couldn’t that someone believe lived here.
'...Does she have no hobbies?'
Or was she never given the chance to have any?
As Daniel felt a pang of sympathy for Lucy, his eyes fell upon the desk, and he was startled.
'What's this?'
There were books on the desk.
'Well, it's not unusual to have books.'
But the titles were the problem.
【How to Become a Fox and Seduce a Wolf-like Man!】
【Love is Like War! How to Win on the Love Front!】
【34 Ways to Steal a Man's Heart!】
There were three books about how to seduce someone.
And they were just sitting there in this empty room with nothing but basic necessities.
These were the books Lucy had bought when she received the order to seduce Daniel Steiner, but they looked brand new, as if they had been carefully preserved.
Daniel was momentarily flustered, but he quickly regained his composure.
'...Does Lucy have a boyfriend?'
As far as he knew, she didn't.
In the first place, Lucy didn't open her heart to anyone, regardless of gender.
'Then could it be that she was trying to seduce me?'
It was a reasonable assumption.
And that assumption led to another.
'...A honey trap?'
Honey trapping was a common tactic used by spies in this era, especially those confident in their looks.
It wasn't impossible for Lucy, who was objectively beautiful.
'Then her behavior at the front door...'
Daniel, suspicious of Lucy, shook his head.
'No way... that can't be.'
If that was all an act, then Lucy should quit being a spy and become an actress.
There was no way her sorrowful sobbing like a child could have been fake.
Then what was the meaning behind those tears?
Just as Daniel was starting to suspect that it might be related to Lucy's past,
Shhhhhhh—
He heard the sound of water hitting the floor from the shower.
Realizing that Lucy had finished her bath and was washing up, Daniel hurriedly left the room.
He went to the kitchen and prepared some tea. Shortly after the sound of the shower stopped, Lucy came out of the bathroom.
He turned his head and saw her walking out, wrapped in a bathrobe.
Her damp silver hair seemed to shine even brighter than usual.
As Lucy approached, Daniel poured tea into a mug and handed it to her.
"It's chamomile tea. You look like you haven't been sleeping well, and chamomile tea is known for relieving insomnia and stress, so it should help."
Lucy stared at him blankly for a moment, then took the mug with both hands.
"...Thank you."
Daniel nodded and pointed behind her.
"That pot simmering over there is chicken broth soup. I can make other dishes, but it seems like you haven't eaten properly for days, so I made soup. You need to get some nutrients without upsetting your stomach."
Lucy felt the warmth of the mug in her hands and turned her gaze towards the pot.
Steam rose from the pot.
"Turn off the heat and eat after about two hours. It might be a bit bland, so add pepper and salt to taste."
His nonchalant explanation felt like a warm comfort.
After a moment of hesitation, Lucy nodded, and Daniel sighed softly.
"There's a limit to turning the tables. My own adjutant ordering me around? Where's the respect?”
Lucy, feeling apologetic, lowered her gaze.
Daniel gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
Just as she braced herself for a scolding, he lowered his voice and said,
"If you care about my pride, don't starve yourself like this again. And don't get sick either. Understood?"
Lucy's eyes widened slightly, surprised by his comforting words.
Daniel patted her shoulder and withdrew his hand.
"Make sure you recover before Christmas. I don't want to be the only pathetic one in a shop full of couples."
"...By Christmas, you mean...?"
"Didn't I say we should have stollen together?"
Stollen.
Those simple words made Lucy realize once again that this wasn't a dream.
Christmas, which she thought would never come,
was now within her reach.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Seeing the faint smile on Lucy's lips, Daniel nodded.
He thought that it should be alright to leave now that she seemed to have recovered somewhat.
"Then I'll be on my way."
Daniel picked up his uniform cap from the kitchen table and put it on.
Just as he was about to pass by Lucy,
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel."
Her voice was still hoarse, but her tone was firm.
After a brief silence, Lucy spoke up, gathering her courage,
"I will repay this kindness."
Daniel chuckled softly at her words.
"Kindness, you say? Another doctor I helped said the same thing. It's a strange feeling."
He stopped laughing and said playfully,
"I'll look forward to it."
Daniel smiled faintly and left the apartment.
Lucy, alone in the apartment, hugged the mug tightly, her face flushed.
'I should buy a new dress before Christmas...'
═ ⋆★⋆ ═
Edria, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
Count Caledra's office.
『Report No. 2914645 on Bellanos Situation - 2553983512』
Caledra frowned as he read the report from the Central Intelligence Agency.
The report stated that Daniel Steiner had pressured the Prime Minister of Bellanos and successfully concluded the negotiations in favor of the Empire.
"Is this true?"
Beck, the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, nodded.
"Yes, sir. This report has been cross-verified."
Caledra closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
'It was absurd enough that he survived the sinking of the ship...'
And now, Daniel had gone one step further and used his supposed death as leverage to subdue the Prime Minister of Bellanos.
Thanks to this, the Empire was practically safe from attacks from the sea.
Since they had been granted permission to station troops, Bellanos would act as the Empire's shield and spearhead, blocking enemy attacks.
'This is troublesome.'
Originally, the Empire's downfall was certain.
Everything had been going according to plan, and there were no flaws.
'The Allied Nations' victory seemed within reach...'
But then Daniel Steiner appeared out of nowhere and started disrupting their plans one by one.
Like a hero from a story, defying his destined fate.
Caledra groaned and gritted his teeth, then slowly opened his eyes.
'No matter how capable you are...'
...a single human couldn't change the direction of the tide.
The Empire would fall, and the Allied Nations would prosper.
'I will make sure of it.'
The war situation was also in favor of the Allied Nations, so there was no need for him to worry.
'However...'
He didn't know what decision Lucy would make now that Daniel was alive.
There had even been a report from the Palentia branch in the capital that Lucy might have switched sides.
And now, with Daniel's return, it was a headache.
For Caledra, who had been planning to have Lucy take over Daniel's position, this was a disaster.
'I can't allow Lucy to change her allegiance.'
He could give up anything else, but he couldn't lose Lucy Emilia.
Feeling a sense of crisis, Caledra glared at Beck and said,
"Issue a recall order to Lucy. Now!"
Beck, realizing the gravity of the situation, nodded without a word.
As Beck turned to leave the office, Caledra raised his hand and pressed it against his forehead.
His forehead was burning hot, as if he had a fever.
The cause of this stress was, of course, Daniel Steiner.
'Emperor of the Empire, why are you just watching him?!'
Caledra couldn't understand it at all.
All the indicators were pointing towards it.
'He...'
...was a monster who would one day devour the Empire.