Chapter 29

Captain Daniel Steiner had just heard the dreadful news that he was drawing attention from higher-ups and decided this time, he really needed to head to a dessert shop for some healing.

“Taking care of one’s mental health amidst such a hectic and stressful job is certainly desirable.”

And so, without further ado, as soon as work ended, Daniel took a shortcut and arrived in front of Golden Rose Bakery, newly opened on the outskirts of the district.

The smell of cookies and bread already wafting through the air made it pretty clear this was going to be a legit dessert spot.

Daniel was quite satisfied—well, at least until Lucy showed up. He might’ve even been humming a little tune if she hadn’t.

“Here we are. The place Captain suggested.”

As Lucy looked up at the bakery sign, Daniel inwardly groaned. *Why did she follow me?*

Reflecting back, while leaving General Staff Headquarters after work, Lucy had approached him, and Daniel had responded professionally. Somehow, the topic of dessert came up, and Daniel casually mentioned that if Lucy wanted to join, she could. He assumed she’d politely decline—but nope, she accepted with enthusiasm.

This left Daniel feeling rather awkward.

*Is she trying to spy on me or something?*

Though he didn’t show it outwardly, Daniel nodded. “Let’s go inside then.”

With that, Daniel opened the door and walked in, followed closely by Lucy.

At their entrance, an employee sitting behind the counter stood up with a smile. “Welcome! To Golden Rose Bakery, where happiness awaits! How many customers do we have…”

The employee suddenly froze mid-sentence. Two military officers in full uniform had just walked in—and they were giving off serious vibes with their intense stares.

*So intimidating…!* The employee almost teared up inside but managed to compose themselves and forced a smile. “Ah, two guests. Do you have anything in mind?”

“Yeah, I do,” Daniel replied, removing his cap and tucking it under his arm before flashing a gentle smile. “I’ve heard about your famous Dream Parfait here. Even though it’s new, there are already so many people coming—it must be delicious. Can we get two orders?”

“Huh…” While Daniel seemed terrifying when unsmiling, seeing him speak softly like this gave off an unexpectedly charming vibe. The employee blinked, surprised by this unexpected side of him, then quickly nodded.

“R-right away! If you don’t mind, please take a seat by the window!”

Daniel acknowledged with a slight nod and headed toward a vacant table near the window, sitting down. Lucy sat across from him, placing her briefcase on the empty chair beside her.

She observed Daniel carefully. He appeared relaxed, lazily glancing around the shop as if it were second nature.

*Hmm… Was what he said yesterday about heading to a dessert shop actually true?*

If it wasn’t, it would mean Daniel knew her identity all along and had been tracking her movements. Maybe he created the story about liking desserts to cover it up.

But everything felt too natural. It was like he’d visited similar places countless times before.

*Could it really have been a coincidence that we met?*

While lost in thought, Lucy accidentally locked eyes with Daniel.

“…Why are you staring at me like that? Did I get something on my face?”

Crap. Lost in thought again, forgetting to manage eye contact. Lucy cleared her throat nervously and opened her mouth to make an excuse—

“Your Dream Parfaits are ready!”

A cheerful voice interrupted as the employee brought over two parfaits and placed them in front of Lucy and Daniel.

“Wishing you a delightful day!” With that, the employee bowed slightly and returned to the counter.

Daniel instinctively picked up his spoon to dig into the parfait but paused when he noticed Lucy glaring intently—not at him, but at the parfait itself.

“…”

Of course, Lucy had never seen anything like this dessert before. Her entire life revolved around military rations and research lab food. Back when she first joined Daniel as his aide-de-camp, tasting a freshly baked croissant left her amazed. So naturally, this extravagant dessert was completely foreign to her.

The towering glass filled with layers of ice cream, pastries, fruits, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup looked almost majestic.

*How am I supposed to eat this thing?!*

Seeing Lucy struggle internally despite her stoic expression, Daniel chuckled softly. He understood now.

“Alright, let’s give it a try.” Pretending to mutter to himself, Daniel pressed his spoon firmly into the parfait, scooping up a mix of strawberry halves, cream, and ice cream. Taking a slow bite, he savored the soft, sweet, yet tangy flavors spreading across his tongue.

Satisfied, Daniel smiled faintly and set his spoon down. Lucy mimicked his actions without much expectation.

After all, how good could an empire-made dessert possibly be?

But the moment she slipped the spoonful of ice cream into her mouth…

Lucy’s eyes widened dramatically. “…!”

Even letting out a strange moan, Lucy slowly put her spoon down and blinked blankly.

Every kind of sweetness exploded in her mouth, unlike anything she’d ever tasted. Compared to the plain, nutrient-focused meals provided by the military, this was pure bliss.

It made sense. Military food prioritized nutrition over taste, so experiencing a dessert that went all-in on flavor was bound to leave an impact.

Daniel couldn’t help but feel vindicated.

*Yesterday, she dismissed this as junk food. Guess she hasn’t tried it before.*

Chuckling quietly, Daniel leaned back smugly. “So, how does it taste? Does it meet your standards?”

Realizing she’d momentarily lost control of her composure due to just one dessert, Lucy felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Worse still, she’d been defeated by imperial cuisine.

Blushing faintly, she mumbled reluctantly, “…It’s edible.”

The slight tremor in her voice betrayed her true feelings.

“Edible, huh? That’s good to hear.”

With that, Daniel picked up a pastry piece sticking out of the parfait and popped it into his mouth. The crispy texture was perfect.

Lost in thought, Daniel gazed out the window.

*My aide-de-camp may be a spy, and things haven’t been going smoothly lately… But being stationed in the rear instead of the battlefield feels like something to be grateful for.*

Right now, fierce battles were surely raging at the frontline.

*Who knows if anyone could dream of eating a parfait out there.*

Thus, Daniel hoped to stay in the rear for as long as possible. Fighting for one’s life on the battlefield wasn’t his style.

—

Meanwhile, at General Staff Headquarters…

In the Deputy of Operations Staff’s office…

General Major Cedric Wendell calmly flipped through newspapers surrounded by classified documents.

His sharp gaze scanned the article rapidly.

Within half a minute, he finished reading and set the paper down.

“Eliminated an entire mafia organization… Hmph.”

Cedric wondered why Daniel had done it.

Captain Daniel Steiner already had numerous commendations and was already on the early promotion list. Without any incidents, he’d likely become a major within two years.

Surely Daniel knew this.

Yet, here he was, hunting down achievements during his off-hours and dismantling a mafia syndicate single-handedly.

Cedric slowly blinked, understanding Daniel’s motives.

“…He can’t wait two years, can he.”

In today’s battlefield, information becomes obsolete within a year. For someone like Daniel, eager to contribute to the Empire, waiting must’ve been frustrating.

As a mere captain, his influence over the military was minimal.

Thus, Daniel was making a statement to higher-ups.

“I understand. You don’t want to rot in headquarters; you want to be sent to the frontline.”

Daniel clearly aimed to gain combat experience and credentials necessary for special promotion to major. Once promoted to field officer rank, his authority would skyrocket compared to company-grade officers.

There was no doubt Daniel wanted to use that authority to actively serve the Empire.

“Young and courageous. Like a bright flame burning brightly.”

With the throne succession issue and pressure from allied nations causing chaos both domestically and abroad, talents like Daniel Steiner were invaluable.

“Perfect timing. I was planning to send operational support to the Northern Direction Army anyway.”

If a capable young man sought advancement, it was only right to provide opportunities. After all, it benefited the Empire in the long run.

“Very well, Captain Daniel Steiner. I trust you… Now go make a name for yourself on the battlefield.”