Chapter 26

I swallowed hard and adjusted the position of my uniform tie.

“Hmm… first things first…”

It’s best to act as naturally as possible.

With that thought, I cleared my throat and walked over to Lucy.

“I didn’t expect to meet someone in a place like this, so I was a little surprised. More importantly, there’s blood on your coat. Did something happen here?”

Lucy paused for a moment before replying nonchalantly.

“There was an incident.”

“An… incident?”

“Yes. To explain briefly, I’m an emergency medicine specialist and surgeon working at Central Hospital. After work, while walking home, I encountered a citizen who had been mugged and was bleeding. During the emergency hemostasis process, blood got on my coat.”

Her tone was remarkably calm and matter-of-fact.

Moreover, it hadn’t even been 30 seconds since our eyes met and I asked my question, yet she delivered a plausible excuse in rapid-fire succession. It was nothing short of miraculous.

‘So this is what being a spy entails.’

As I marveled inwardly and approached her, Lucy turned the tables by asking me a question.

“May I inquire why you’re here, Officer?”

Unlike Lucy, I had no need to lie.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I heard about a new dessert shop on the outskirts of town. While trying to take a shortcut, I ended up getting lost.”

“…A dessert shop, you say?”

When Lucy responded with disbelief, I felt a strange sense of shame.

Judging from her reaction, it seemed that in this era, men going to dessert shops alone wasn’t considered normal.

However, I couldn’t give up on something I liked just because of other people’s opinions.

“Is there a problem with that?”

After hesitating for a moment, Lucy shook her head.

“No, it just surprised me. That the infamous stoic Captain Daniel Steiner enjoys sweets usually favored by children is quite unexpected.”

That stung a little.

“Watch your words. Desserts are not junk food.”

“…My apologies. By the way, if you’ve lost your way, I could guide you.”

Offering directions. Though uneasy, as long as we were only walking together until we exited the alley, it would be fine.

“Refusing the kindness of a citizen wouldn’t be proper conduct for an officer, now would it? I gladly accept your help. As you might already know, I’m Captain Daniel Steiner from General Staff Headquarters.”

“Dr. Myrin Seabrite from Central Hospital.”

After exchanging a light handshake, Lucy and I began walking down the alley.

I followed half a step behind and took a quick look at Lucy.

She must have thought that taking off her coat in front of me would raise suspicions, so she turned it inside out to hide the blood stains and draped it over her arm.

On her shoulder hung a shoulder bag that, upon closer inspection, likely contained a pistol and various assassination tools.

‘…I absolutely cannot let her open that bag.’

Who knows what kind of tragedy might ensue if she did.

Lucy Emilia isn’t just any ordinary spy; her capabilities far exceed imagination.

Though she hasn’t realized it yet, if she mobilized all her skills, she could wipe out an entire small battalion on her own.

And yet, here she is, not only assigned as my aide-de-camp but also pretending to be a doctor in front of me. It’s enough to give me a headache.

The one silver lining is that Lucy probably finds being around me uncomfortable too, so we’ll be able to part ways cleanly once we exit the alley.

“Here we are.”

As Lucy and I stepped out of the alley, a wide avenue came into view where trams were passing by.

Somehow, evening had fully descended, and all the streetlights were lit.

The gentle breeze carried the soft chatter of passersby.

As I enjoyed the pleasant cityscape, I opened my mouth to bid farewell to Lucy but stopped mid-sentence.

“Oh! Captain Daniel? Could it really be Captain Daniel?”

A pedestrian dressed in police uniform noticed me and waved.

He scrutinized me closely as he approached and soon exclaimed in amazement.

“Ah! It really is Captain Daniel! Goodness gracious! Who would’ve thought I’d run into the empire’s hero on the street!”

I had anticipated someone might recognize me, but meeting a police officer while with Lucy in disguise wasn’t ideal.

‘And…’

That navy blue police uniform can only be worn by members of the Security Bureau.

Members of the Security Bureau are commonly referred to as “secret police” or “thought police.”

They’re specifically trained for counter-espionage.

Lucy seemed to realize this too, as she adopted a slightly tense posture.

Of course, the pedestrian had no way of knowing our situation and smiled as he extended his hand.

“This is quite the surprise, Captain Daniel. I’m Chief Inspector Katman Schultz from the Security Bureau.”

Since he offered a handshake, I couldn’t ignore it, so I returned his smile and shook his hand.

“I’m Captain Daniel Steiner from General Staff Headquarters. Meeting someone from the Security Bureau on the street isn’t common.”

“Aha-ha! This isn’t actually my jurisdiction, but I made a reservation at a nearby restaurant. Unfortunately, it coincided with my shift change, so I’m still in uniform.”

After shaking hands, Katman snapped his fingers as if struck by a good idea.

“Meeting like this must be fate. How about joining me for dinner? Of course, I’ll cover the costs. If it’s alright with you, I’ll invite your friend here as well.”

This wasn’t good. Should I just say we’re not acquaintances?

No, doing so would prompt questions about why two strangers were exiting an alley together.

After all, Security Bureau officers are prone to suspect everything.

Therefore, to prevent complications, the best course of action was to pretend we knew each other while politely declining the dinner invitation.

As I searched for a natural way to decline, I began speaking.

“I appreciate the invitation, but I’ve wandered quite a bit to get here and am rather exhausted.”

“Ah, but that’s no issue. The restaurant I’m headed to is just around the corner. Can you see it there?”

Following Katman’s pointed finger, I saw that the restaurant was literally just one block away.

Realizing further refusal would be impossible, I nodded reluctantly.

“If you insist, then I won’t refuse. Let’s go.”

At my words, I noticed Lucy subtly swallowing her nervousness, but there was nothing to be done.

This was beyond my control.

*

The restaurant we entered with Katman was an upscale establishment frequented by the upper class.

Everything from the tableware to the interior design and the waiters’ attire exuded luxury, treating our eyes to a feast.

We were seated by the window overlooking the city following the waiter’s polite guidance. After placing a simple order, Katman turned toward me with a gentle smile.

“Amazingly, every time I see you, it feels surreal. Being able to meet the hero I’ve only seen in newspapers and on TV right in front of me is truly touching.”

“Hero? Please, that’s an exaggeration.”

“There’s no need to be modest. Believe it or not, we have quite a few fans of yours within the Security Bureau. Me included! Haha. I’ll definitely boast about this encounter to future generations.”

As Katman continued the warm conversation, his gaze shifted to Lucy sitting beside me.

There was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

“…But why isn’t your friend removing their sunglasses? There’s no need to keep them on indoors.”

He’s not wrong. However, if Lucy removes her sunglasses, her red eyes will be exposed.

If she does that, there’s no telling what she might do after deciding that her cover has been blown.

“Also, she hasn’t said a word since we arrived. It’s impolite to remain silent during a gathering like this. If your hands are occupied, perhaps I could help remove the sunglasses…”

Katman reached out toward Lucy’s face.

Seemingly judging that she couldn’t deceive both a Security Bureau officer and me, Lucy started opening her shoulder bag under the table.

Tense situation. Breaking out in cold sweat, I quickly grabbed Katman’s wrist.

“…Huh? Captain?”

Turning to look at me, I forced an awkward smile.

“Ah, how careless of me to forget the introduction. This lady served as a military doctor on the eastern front. Unfortunately, she sustained eye injuries from enemy soldiers back then… You understand what I mean, right?”

Upon hearing my explanation, Katman emitted a sympathetic sigh.

“My goodness! I had no idea such a terrible thing happened. I apologize. She wears sunglasses to conceal the scars, and I almost committed a grave discourtesy. But why the silence…”

Indeed, this is why Security Bureau officers are so perceptive.

They don’t dismiss suspicions easily.

After contemplating for a moment, I replied with a sorrowful expression.

“The trauma from that experience left her with aphasia. She wants to speak but cannot.”

Retracting his hand, Katman fidgeted guiltily.

“…Now that I think about it, I’ve been incredibly rude. I sincerely apologize. Perhaps it’s due to my profession of doubting others. Hmm. I’ll excuse myself briefly to use the restroom and gather my thoughts.”

After pulling out his chair and standing up, Katman bowed respectfully toward Lucy before heading toward the restroom.

Once Katman was out of sight, Lucy turned her head toward me, clearly perplexed.

I cleared my throat once and whispered softly enough for only Lucy to hear.

“I know. I know the doctor is innocent. However, our companion is a Security Bureau officer. Have you heard of special arrest authority? It means they can arrest you based solely on suspicion.”

It was crucial to dispel Lucy’s current suspicion: ‘Could Daniel possibly know my true identity?’

“Considering he’s reached the rank of Chief Inspector, he’s likely arrested many innocent people. Isn’t that why there’s a saying that ‘even an innocent person becomes a spy after being taken to the Security Bureau’?”

I shrugged once.

“I merely wanted to help the doctor avoid unnecessary trouble. So, Dr. Myrin Seabrite… What was the name again?”

In response to my question, Lucy remained silent.

She seemed somewhat upset.

Seeing this, I clicked my fingers triumphantly.

“That’s right. That’s it. You have aphasia. Very good attitude. Until we distance ourselves from the Security Bureau officer, you must continue this persona. Do you understand?”

Lucy still didn’t respond. Frustrated, I spoke again.

“Answer with actions. Actions.”

Perhaps her pride was hurt, as Lucy turned her head away from me and tightly bit her lower lip.

This was problematic. Desiring a clear answer, I tapped the table lightly and said,

“Respond.”

Finally, Lucy let out a low sigh and gave a slight nod.

She judged that following my approach was safest for now.