Daniel silently embraced Lucy, who was sobbing like a child.
He let her pour out all the knots of sorrow inside her.
Only after crying for a long time did Lucy finally manage to calm down.
Seeing the life return to Lucy’s eyes, Daniel raised his hand slightly.
Loosening all tension from his arms, he wrapped her in a warm embrace and spoke.
He suggested that she take a bath to clear her mind and regain her composure.
It was only then that Lucy realized her appearance must have been a mess. She gave a small nod.
Muttering a difficult “I’m sorry,” she turned away.
After gathering a few pieces of clothing from the room, Lucy expressed her gratitude for Daniel’s consideration before stepping into the bathroom.
Left alone, Daniel busied himself in the kitchen.
Judging by her state, she probably hadn’t had a proper meal, so he decided to prepare something simple.
As he used a kitchen knife to chop large chunks of carrots, Daniel instinctively reached for his throat.
"My tie nearly strangled me just now..."
She had suddenly grabbed his tie and pulled—he had been so taken aback.
For a brief moment, Daniel thought she was finally revealing her true colors. But upon hearing her sobs, he was forced to reconsider.
Lucy had been crying.
And not just crying—she was utterly devastated.
No assassin would act like that while standing before their target.
"What was that about? Was she really that happy about my return?"
No, the tears didn’t feel like they came from mere joy. There was too much dissonance.
"It was almost as if..."
They were the kind of tears that came from resolving a long-standing grievance.
Recalling Lucy’s uncharacteristic display, Daniel finished slicing the carrots and set the knife down.
Gathering the carrots into one place, he tossed them into the large pot of boiling broth.
Inside, along with various ingredients, chunks of chicken were simmering.
Feeling that the preparations were complete, Daniel lowered the heat on the stove.
"That’s done. Now, I just need to let it simmer."
Satisfied with his cooking, Daniel took a moment to glance around—and then abruptly froze.
Lucy’s room door was open.
"If I check Lucy’s room..."
He might be able to gather some useful information.
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There was no movement from the bathroom—he had plenty of time.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel carefully stepped into Lucy’s room.
Even though he was a spy, he still felt somewhat nervous about entering a lady’s private quarters. But once inside, he was only left with disappointment.
"This is... excessively neat."
A bed, a desk, a wardrobe, curtains.
That was it.
There was nothing else to be found.
Daniel felt a strange sense of dissonance.
A person’s room was supposed to reflect their individuality.
Yet there was no trace of personality in Lucy’s room.
No dolls, no posters—nothing.
The place was so empty it was hard to believe anyone actually lived here.
"...Does she have no hobbies?"
Or perhaps she had never even had the opportunity to develop any.
Unconsciously feeling a twinge of pity for Lucy, Daniel’s gaze landed on the desk.
And he flinched.
"What the...?"
There were books.
"Alright. Having books isn’t unusual."
But the problem was their titles.
【To Seduce a Wolf-like Man, Become a Fox!】
【Love is War! How to Conquer the Battlefield of Love!】
【34 Ways to Steal a Man’s Heart!】
There were three books, all guides on how to seduce men.
And they stood out starkly in a room that was otherwise devoid of any personal belongings aside from the bare essentials.
These were books Lucy had bought back when she was given orders to seduce Daniel Steiner. But since they were in pristine condition, they looked brand new.
Although momentarily taken aback, Daniel soon regained his composure.
"...Does Lucy have a man she’s seeing?"
As far as he knew, she didn’t.
Lucy rarely opened her heart to anyone, be it men or even women.
"Then... was she trying to seduce me?"
A reasonable conclusion.
And from that, another thought naturally followed.
"...A honey trap?"
Seduction was a common tactic used by spies who were confident in their looks.
Lucy was objectively beautiful, so it wasn’t impossible.
"Then... what about the way she acted at the front door?"
As Daniel was about to doubt her further, he shook his head.
"No way. That can't be it."
If that had been an act, Lucy should quit being a spy and become an actress instead.
The way she had wailed like a lost child—it was impossible to believe that had been a performance.
Then what had those tears meant?
Just as Daniel was beginning to suspect they were tied to her past—
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh—
The sound of water striking the floor came from the showerhead.
Realizing that Lucy was finishing up her bath, Daniel quickly left the room.
He casually returned to the kitchen and prepared some tea.
Shortly after the sound of running water ceased, Lucy emerged from the bathroom.
Glancing toward her, Daniel saw her step out, wrapped in a bathrobe.
Her damp silver-white hair shimmered even more brightly than usual.
As she approached, Daniel poured tea into a mug and handed it to her.
"It’s chamomile tea. Looks like you haven’t been sleeping well. Chamomile helps with insomnia and stress—it should be good for you."
Lucy, staring blankly at Daniel, took the mug with both hands.
"...Thank you."
Daniel nodded and gestured behind him.
"The pot in the back is chicken broth soup. I can make other dishes, but you look like you haven’t eaten in days, so I prepared soup. You need to get some nutrients without upsetting your stomach."
Feeling the warmth radiating from the mug in her hands, Lucy turned her gaze toward the pot.
Steam was rising in soft curls from the bubbling broth.
"In about two hours, turn off the heat and eat it. The seasoning might be a bit mild, so you can add some salt and pepper if you’d like."
Daniel’s calm explanation felt like a quiet comfort.
After hesitating for a moment, Lucy gave a small nod, and Daniel let out a quiet sigh.
"There should be a limit to putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. A subordinate making her superior run errands for her—this is doing no favors for my dignity."
Feeling guilty, Lucy lowered her eyes.
Daniel placed a light hand on her shoulder.
Just as she braced herself for a scolding, his voice dropped to a gentle tone.
"If you care about my dignity, then don’t starve yourself next time. And don’t get sick. Understood?"
Lucy, not expecting to be comforted, widened her eyes slightly.
After giving her shoulder a couple of pats, Daniel withdrew his hand.
"Make sure to regain your strength before Christmas. I don’t want to be the only miserable person sitting alone in a shop full of couples."
"...Christmas, sir?"
"Didn’t I say we should go have Stollen together?"
Stollen.
At that simple, offhanded remark, Lucy was reminded once again that this moment was real.
The Christmas she had thought would never come again.
Time had started moving forward for her once more.
"I will keep that in mind."
Seeing the faint smile form on Lucy’s lips, Daniel gave a small nod.
She seemed to have recovered enough. It was time for him to leave.
"Then, I’ll be going now."
Picking up the uniform cap he had left on the kitchen table, Daniel placed it on his head.
And as he moved past Lucy—
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel."
Her voice was still hoarse, but her tone was clear.
After a brief silence, Lucy gathered her courage and spoke again.
"I will make sure to repay this kindness."
At those words, Daniel let out a quiet chuckle.
"Kindness, huh? A doctor I once saved said the exact same thing. It’s an odd feeling."
His smile carried a teasing note as he spoke.
"I’ll be looking forward to it."
With a soft smirk, Daniel turned and left the quarters.
Left alone inside, Lucy clutched the warm mug tightly, her face faintly flushed.
"Before Christmas...."
She thought she should buy a nice outfit.
****
Permanent Member State of the United Nations, Edria.
Count Caledra’s Office.
[Report No. 2810451 – Vellanos Situation Report - 634788194]
Count Caledra furrowed his brows as he read through the intelligence report from the Central Intelligence Bureau’s espionage division.
The report detailed how Daniel Steiner had pressured the Prime Minister of Vellanos into a diplomatic agreement that overwhelmingly favored the Empire.
"Is this true?"
Deputy Director Beck of the Central Intelligence Bureau gave a firm nod.
"Yes, sir. The report has been cross-verified."
Caledra clenched his teeth, closing his eyes.
It was already absurd enough that he survived the sinking of the ship...
But Daniel had gone even further—using his supposed death as leverage to bring the Prime Minister of Vellanos to his knees.
As a result, the Empire had essentially secured its maritime defenses.
With Imperial troops now stationed in Vellanos, the nation would serve as both a breakwater and a vanguard, intercepting enemy attacks before they reached Imperial shores.
A headache.
The fall of the Empire had been a foregone conclusion.
Everything had been proceeding according to plan, without the slightest flaw.
Victory for the Allied Nations was within reach...
But then, Daniel Steiner appeared—slowly unraveling the plan, one step at a time.
Like a hero out of a story, resisting his inevitable fate.
Caledra, grinding his teeth, slowly opened his eyes.
No matter how brilliant you may be...
A mere individual could never overturn the tide of history.
The Empire would crumble. The Allied Nations would flourish.
And I will ensure that outcome.
The ongoing war already favored the Allied Nations—there was no need to let this cause undue distress.
However...
Daniel’s survival left an unpredictable factor—Lucy’s decision.
There had already been reports from the Palentia branch in the capital suggesting that Lucy might be wavering.
And now, with Daniel’s unexpected return, things had become even more complicated.
Caledra had meticulously laid the groundwork for Lucy to fill the void left by Daniel’s absence.
But now, this development was nothing short of a disaster.
Lucy’s defection must not become a certainty.
Anything else could be sacrificed, but Lucy Emilia was irreplaceable.
Feeling an urgent sense of crisis, Caledra turned to Beck, his gaze sharp.
"Send an immediate recall order to Lucy. Right now!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Beck nodded without hesitation.
As Beck turned and left the office, Caledra lifted a hand to his forehead.
His skin burned with fever, as though he had been struck by an illness.
And the cause of this stress was, without a doubt, Daniel Steiner.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire—why are you merely standing by and watching him?!"
From Caledra’s perspective, it was incomprehensible.
Every rational indicator pointed to one undeniable truth.
That man...
Was a monster destined to devour the Empire whole.