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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Half-Truth
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The next morning.
Lucy, having arrived at the General Staff Headquarters for work, stood still, her hand on the doorknob of the Chief of Operations' private office.
It was clearly a normal workday, yet ever since she received the order to 'eliminate Daniel Steiner,' everything felt alien.
"…"
Lucy, who had been needlessly clutching the doorknob, took a deep breath and opened the door.
There sat Daniel, at his desk, reading a newspaper.
It was a familiar sight.
"Oh? Ah."
Daniel, seeing Lucy enter, folded his newspaper.
"You're here. You seem later than usual today."
"My apologies. I had a restless night…"
"No need to apologize. As long as you're not late, it doesn't particularly matter."
Daniel folded the newspaper once more, placed it on the edge of his desk, and opened a drawer.
"More importantly, I have good news for you today."
"…Good news?"
Daniel took a box from the drawer and placed it on the desk.
Lucy knew well the identity of the box, wrapped in the imperial flag.
As Lucy's gaze fixed on the box, Daniel playfully tapped it.
"Congratulations. It seems your contributions were recognized in the special promotion review."
Lucy showed no reaction.
After all, she was going to kill Daniel today and then leave the Empire.
So, being promoted to First Lieutenant wouldn't cause any complications.
'Well, well.'
Daniel, interpreting Lucy's impassive expression differently, secretly smiled.
'She's trying hard to act like it's fine. Even though she's probably cursing me in her head.'
Daniel knew best the sense of emptiness and anger one felt after an unwanted promotion.
Believing Lucy felt the same way he once had, Daniel rose from his seat.
"I'll change your insignia myself."
He unfurled the flag and opened the box, revealing a First Lieutenant's badge.
Carrying it, Daniel walked over to Lucy and personally replaced her badge.
With practiced movements, Daniel attached the First Lieutenant's badge to both shoulders of Lucy's uniform, then gave a satisfied smile.
"Congratulations on becoming a First Lieutenant. Continue to fulfill your duties as my adjutant in the future."
Lucy, about to answer reflexively, found herself hesitating.
Daniel would die today.
So, for Daniel, there would be no 'future.'
"…Adjutant?"
Daniel, puzzled by her hesitation, prompted her, and Lucy, regaining her composure, replied.
"It is an honor to be promoted so early. I will continue to do my best."
Daniel, gazing at Lucy, who had been slow to respond, simply nodded.
She seemed to be hiding something, but he couldn't openly question her.
***
After finishing her work for the day and leaving the office as usual, Lucy began preparations for the assassination.
She thoroughly familiarized herself with the topography around Daniel's residence using maps, and planned both her entry and escape routes.
Additionally, she changed into her combat uniform, inserted bulletproof plates, and even packed anti-magic field bullets—said to be priceless—in case Daniel Steiner counterattacked.
With all preparations complete, Lucy activated her optical camouflage and headed towards Daniel's residence, utilizing the pre-dawn hours when human presence was scarcest.
Upon arriving at Daniel's residence, Lucy grasped the doorknob and gently turned it, but, as expected, it didn't open.
Naturally, Lucy knelt on one knee, pulled out a lockpick from her pocket, and began to disengage the door's lock.
Click—
Hearing the lock disengage, Lucy turned the doorknob and gently pushed the door open.
Confirming the door was open, Lucy put the lockpick back into her pocket and stood up.
Taking a deep breath, Lucy opened the door, stepped inside, and immediately closed it behind her.
As she scanned the living room, Lucy froze.
She saw Daniel's back, seated on the sofa.
'Could it be…'
Had he noticed and stayed awake tonight?
She thought it unlikely, but her target was Daniel Steiner.
Just in case, Lucy drew her pistol and slowly approached Daniel.
As Lucy advanced, aiming her pistol at Daniel, she was soon able to relax.
From the side, Daniel was leaning back against the sofa's cushion, his eyes closed.
His breathing was even, and his head was slightly bowed, indicating he was asleep.
Lucy let out a low breath, took a silencer from her pocket, and attached it to the pistol's muzzle.
Having skillfully attached the silencer, Lucy deactivated her optical camouflage and aimed at Daniel's head.
Now, all she had to do was pull the trigger, kill Daniel, and escape the Empire.
Killing an Imperial hero would undoubtedly lead to extensive pursuit the moment his body was discovered in the morning, but that was a problem for later.
'What's important is…'
To remain loyal to the command of Count Kaledra, who had bestowed kindness upon her.
Therefore, Lucy had to kill Daniel Steiner.
Lucy placed her finger on the trigger, holding her breath for a precise aim.
Now, all she had to do was shoot.
But for some reason, her finger showed no sign of moving.
As the assassination was delayed by an inexplicable hesitation, Lucy became aware of something lying at the edge of her vision.
Reflexively turning her gaze, Lucy saw Daniel's officer's coat draped over the back of the sofa.
From the inside pocket of the upturned officer's coat, an old piece of paper was sticking out.
"…"
Curious about the paper's identity, Lucy first lowered her pistol and examined the coat's inner pocket.
From it, she pulled out a single piece of paper, singed and folded in half, and an old photograph.
Lucy first examined the photograph.
'This is…'
It was a photo of Daniel with the orphans from the monastery.
A younger Daniel was smiling in the center, surrounded by the orphanage children, who clung to him like burrs, playfully bickering amongst themselves.
Being popular with children inevitably meant he was a good person.
Lucy, looking at Daniel's sleeping profile, shook her head.
Whether he was a good person or not was entirely irrelevant information for carrying out her mission.
Turning the photo over, Lucy then unfolded the paper.
Feeling the rough texture unique to old paper, Lucy read through the contents, and her hand froze.
『…According to data recently provided by the Allied Nations, there is a successful experimental subject.』
'Allied Nations?'
Lucy couldn't believe that the Allied Nations had conducted biological experiments.
But what was even harder to believe was the next sentence.
『Currently, it is one of a kind, and its magical enhancement far exceeds expected parameters. Thus, our researchers pay their respects to the Allied Nations and name the code for the upcoming project after the subject: Project Lucy.』
Project Lucy.
According to the paper's contents, the name of the successful experimental subject from the Allied Nations was none other than Lucy.
This caused Lucy's hands to tremble, as if denying reality.
'That can't be.'
It was the Empire, not the Allied Nations, that conducted the experiments.
'It was Count Kaledra who saved me from the Empire's human experiments.'
Therefore, this document was a lie.
Yet, for some reason, this paper appeared quite old.
Its surface was rough, indicating it had been exposed to air for a long time.
It didn't look like a hastily fabricated document at all.
Amidst her confusion, Lucy's gaze fell upon Daniel.
She couldn't understand how Daniel possessed this paper.
Even more incomprehensible was Daniel's attitude; despite knowing the contents of the paper, he had never shown it.
While this document might not be conclusive proof to expose a spy, it was certainly enough to raise suspicion.
Yet, Daniel had treated Lucy as usual, without a hint of suspicion.
'On the contrary…'
He had even stepped forward to protect her when the Security Bureau conducted an investigation.
As Lucy recalled that memory, her breath trembled faintly.
'Even though he knew I was a spy…'
Daniel had risked his own life to confront the Security Bureau.
Why? Lucy couldn't understand it, no matter how much she thought about it.
Unable to comprehend what was happening, Lucy gripped her pistol tightly.
—Lucy. One who knows no gratitude is no different from a beast. Furthermore, everything that does not come from my mouth is a lie.
Count Kaledra's words, which he had always told her, echoed in her mind.
'The contents written on this paper are lies.'
So, all she had to do was remain loyal to Count Kaledra and the Allied Nations, as usual.
Lucy, holding the pistol to kill Daniel, steadied her ragged breathing.
All she had to do was kill Daniel here and return to the Allied Nations.
Lucy placed her finger on the trigger, her eyes narrowed sharply.
But she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger.
For some reason, Daniel's words echoed in her mind.
—Just. Your beauty seemed particularly striking today, so I gazed at you.
Her finger, poised to pull the trigger, wouldn't exert any force.
—My adjutant's skin has no odor. Rather, it's fragrant. So, don't rely on luxuries like perfume.
She bit down hard on her lower lip.
—Do not trouble my adjutant.
As confusion intensified, her breathing, which had calmed, grew ragged once more.
—If possible, I wish we could ascend to greater heights together.
Lucy silently sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut.
Her hand trembled slightly, as Lucy felt an unprecedented emotion amidst her recollections.
'Even if the contents of the paper were a lie…'
It would mean Daniel knew Lucy was a spy.
Yet, Daniel had told no one that Lucy was a spy.
On the contrary, he had risked his own life to rescue her from the Security Bureau.
Lucy owed Daniel a debt of gratitude.
And, one who knew no gratitude was no different from a beast.
Lucy was not a beast, and thus, she could not bring herself to kill Daniel.
Amidst intense inner conflict, Lucy finally lowered the pistol she held.
Her head ached as if it would split.
Breathing roughly in the silence, Lucy realized.
'The current me…'
Could never, ever kill Daniel.