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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Meeting a Fellow Countryman
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To meet a fellow countryman in such a place!
The next day.
After work at the General Staff Headquarters, Ernst and I went straight to a hair salon.
Honestly, I didn't want to, but Ernst insisted that since we were attending an imperial invitation, we should at least be presentable. I had no choice but to agree.
There, I got a slicked-back hairstyle, the latest trend in the Empire, and then we took Ernst's car to the Imperial Banquet Manor.
A 'Banquet Manor,' can you believe it?
I can't even imagine how much money they must have to build a separate manor just for banquets.
As I walked, taking in the magnificent sight of the manor, the attendant checking names at the entrance spoke.
"A beautiful evening to you, gentlemen. May I trouble you for your names?"
Before I could even open my mouth, Ernst replied.
"My name is Ernst Bark. And this handsome young man beside me is..."
"Ah! Captain Daniel Steiner, isn't it? You're a celebrity, how could I not know you!"
"A celebrity, huh."
Ernst turned to me with a playful smile.
It seemed he meant I was more than qualified to be invited and should be confident, but honestly, it felt like a burden.
"Colonel Ernst Bark, Deputy Chief of Operations at the General Staff Headquarters. And Captain Daniel Steiner, Operations Staff Officer. Your identities have been confirmed. We hope you have a pleasant time."
The attendant stepped aside and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you. Keep up the good work."
Ernst, after exchanging greetings, entered the banquet hall, and I followed beside him.
Upon entering the manor, waiters were busily moving about in the small hall on the first floor.
"Let's go quickly."
We ascended the red-carpeted staircase directly ahead, and upon entering the second floor, the Great Hall unfolded before us.
The enormous hall, which must have been at least several hundred square meters, was filled with countless people, each engaged in their own conversations.
One peculiar thing was that most of the men, like Ernst and me, were wearing military uniforms.
Presumably, serving in the military during wartime was considered a great honor in the Empire, so everyone was eager to show it off.
On the other hand, there were also those dressed in suits or adorned in expensive silk clothing; they were likely wealthy patrons funding the Imperial army or members of the nobility.
As I walked, scanning the crowd, a general officer recognized Ernst and approached him.
The man, with a scarred, wrinkled face, was someone I knew well.
Commander of the 1st Arcane Mobile Army Operations Command, Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt.
He was someone I'd encountered when I awakened my past life's memories, so I couldn't *not* know him, even if I wanted to.
"Colonel Ernst! So you were invited too! And beside you is..."
My counterpart was a commander leading a brigade and a Brigadier General. Tense, I quickly saluted.
"It is an honor to meet you again, Your Excellency, Commander. Captain Daniel Steiner."
"Oh ho. Your rank has jumped up another notch since I last saw you, hasn't it? Though, considering your achievements, it's only natural. Wouldn't you agree, Adjutant?"
Captain Philip, who had been standing like a shadow a step behind Heinrich, nodded.
"Indeed, Captain Daniel Steiner. I'd even go so far as to say I'm glad you're an Imperial soldier. Had we met as enemies, you would have been a formidable opponent."
"You flatter me."
It truly was high praise, no exaggeration.
Most of my achievements were unintentional, after all.
However, Heinrich, perhaps taking my attitude for humility, simply smiled, pleased.
"I felt it the first time too, but you're such an outstanding talent that I'd like to have you as my subordinate. The Imperial army is about to advance north for an expansion war anyway... No. I should tell you this later. Colonel Ernst?"
What? Why stop mid-sentence?
Feeling somewhat uneasy, Ernst took Heinrich's cue.
"Yes, please speak."
"I need to discuss the future of the Empire with the Deputy Chief of Staff, but before that, I'd like to ask for your opinion. If it's alright, I'd prefer to discuss it somewhere quiet."
"Oh, my. If the Commander wishes, I'd be glad to."
The two, seemingly already acquainted, laughed as they walked away.
Philip, too, was about to follow Heinrich but paused and looked back at me.
"Captain Daniel? It seems this is your first time at a banquet. Just look around and grab a bite to eat to pass the time. The main event will start a little later, so try to bear with it until then, even if it's boring."
I was quite touched by his words, spoken out of concern for me.
Was Captain Philip an angel? As I nodded, Philip gave a brief smile and then followed Heinrich.
Left alone, I looked around.
'For now...'
It seemed best to sit at one of the many banquet tables and pass the time.
Everyone was chatting quietly, and I didn't want to stand out by just loitering alone.
Excessive attention was something I wanted to avoid.
Thinking so, I slowly made my way toward the banquet tables.
'Oh.'
Conveniently, there was one empty seat left opposite someone already dining.
*
Allistair, an intelligence agent from the Kingdom of Eldresia, pretended to eat while surveying her surroundings.
As it was a banquet hosted by the Imperial family, a glance revealed a dense gathering of high-ranking officials.
Allistair's mission was to inform other agents of the list of attendees (those actually present) at the banquet.
This would allow other agents to carry out assassinations of key figures more smoothly when they raided the banquet hall.
For this reason, Allistair, who had been constantly scanning the room, tensed at the sound of footsteps nearby.
Click, clack—
The sound of shoes slowly approached, then stopped at a certain point.
Allistair, secretly swallowing, looked up to see a man with black hair and black eyes looking down at her.
He was someone Allistair knew well.
'Captain Daniel Steiner...'
He was the monster who broke Reginal, famous for his tight lips, in just one day of interrogation.
Why was *he* here? Could she have been discovered? As Allistair secretly broke out in a cold sweat, Daniel smiled and began to speak.
"Did you perhaps come alone? If you don't have company, I'd like to sit opposite you..."
Refusing here would only arouse suspicion. Allistair nodded, tense.
"Yes. Please, sit if you wish."
"Thank you. My legs were starting to ache anyway."
Daniel, feigning lightness, pulled out a chair and sat down.
Daniel took off the uniform cap he had been wearing, placed it on the table, and let out a low breath as if he could finally relax.
"Ah. Forgive my late introduction. My name is..."
"I know. You're Captain Daniel Steiner, aren't you?"
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise.
"You know me?"
"Of course I do. Anyone in the capital who doesn't know Captain Daniel would have to be a spy, wouldn't they?"
"Oh dear. I didn't mean to become famous..."
Daniel sighed, then looked at the food Allistair was eating and exclaimed, "Oh!"
"Isn't that Spätzle? And Schnitzel next to it! You must be from the South?"
Allistair wiped her mouth with a napkin and nodded.
"That's right. Spätzle was a staple in my hometown."
"Spätzle was a staple in your hometown, you say... Aha! You must be from the Barony of Betargen. And the region is..."
As Allistair was about to speak, Daniel raised a hand to stop her.
"Let me guess. The place where Spätzle is a staple, even within the Barony of Betargen, would be the Valzach region, wouldn't it? Am I right?"
Allistair hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
If she said no here, the atmosphere might become unnecessarily awkward.
"My goodness! It's amazing enough that you're from the South, but from the Valzach region too! I'm from there myself. Do you know a village called Fianmarie?"
Daniel had spoken purely out of joy at meeting a fellow countryman, but Allistair felt as though Daniel was narrowing down the region, slowly cornering her.
Her hands grew clammy.
Allistair, calming her trembling heart as much as possible, offered a natural smile.
"I do. Fianmarie Village. Isn't there a famous restaurant nearby?"
To avoid suspicion, establishing common ground was best.
Daniel, overjoyed to meet a fellow countryman, nodded with a smile.
"Ah, yes. There was a rather famous restaurant called Jack's Restaurant. Though it had a shabby exterior that you wouldn't think was a restaurant. I used to go there often when I lived in the area; it's truly a fond memory."
Daniel snapped his fingers, as if something just occurred to him.
"If you know Jack's Restaurant, then you must have been there! Honestly, it makes no sense for someone from the Valzach region not to have visited Jack's Restaurant."
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"Then, what was your favorite dish there?"
Meeting someone from the same hometown, who even frequented the same restaurant, naturally fostered a sense of familiarity.
Daniel's question was an attempt to share nostalgic memories, but Allistair's breathing grew increasingly ragged under the psychological pressure.
If she mentioned a dish not on the restaurant's menu here... the thought alone was dreadful.
Allistair quickly worked the abacus in her mind, recalling a dish that would commonly be sold in the southern regions of the Empire.
"At Jack's Restaurant, I found the Apple Strudel to be the most delicious. I went back last year and ate it, and its flavor is still unforgettable."
"Aha! Apple Strudel!"
Daniel clapped his hands and chuckled.
"It truly is delicious. I can't forget that sweet and soft taste either. It's even better with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the side."
Thanks to that, Allistair could finally feel relieved.
It was fortunate she had mentioned a dish widely known in the southern Empire as both breakfast and dessert.
It was just then, when she thought she could exchange a few more pleasantries and then excuse herself.
"But there's something... a bit odd."
Odd? Unable to answer, wondering what he meant, Daniel stroked his chin, appearing lost in thought.
Then, slowly, he turned his head and gazed at Allistair, speaking.
"As far as I know, Apple Strudel was removed from Jack's Restaurant's menu three years ago. That was after a customer with an apple allergy accidentally ordered it and had a seizure."
Daniel, genuinely curious, leaned his upper body forward toward Allistair.
His eyes, as black as graphite, blinked calmly.
"But, you said you ate Apple Strudel last year?"
In an instant, Allistair felt a terror as if all the blood had drained from her body.