Chapter 76

The next morning.

Lucy, who had come to the General Staff Headquarters, stopped while gripping the doorknob of the Operations Staff’s personal office.

It was definitely an ordinary workday, yet everything had felt strange since she received the order: “Eliminate Captain Daniel Steiner.”

“…”

Lucy, who had been pointlessly gripping the door handle, took a deep breath and opened it.

There sat Daniel at the desk, reading a newspaper.

It was just like any other day.

“Hm? Oh.”

Daniel folded his newspaper after noticing Lucy walk in.

“You’re here. You’re later than usual today.”

“I apologize. I didn’t sleep well last night…”

“There’s no need to apologize. As long as you’re not late, it doesn’t matter much.”

Daniel folded the newspaper again and placed it neatly on the edge of the desk before opening a drawer.

“Anyway, there’s some good news for you today.”

“…Good news?”

Daniel pulled out a box from the drawer and placed it on the desk.

Lucy already knew what was inside the box wrapped with the Empire’s flag.

As Lucy’s eyes fixed on the box, Daniel playfully tapped it.

“Congratulations! It seems your efforts have been recognized in the special promotion review.”

Lucy didn’t react.

After all, she was planning to leave the Empire after killing Daniel today.

So even if she got promoted to lieutenant, it wouldn’t affect her plans.

‘Look at this.’

Daniel smirked inwardly, misinterpreting Lucy’s indifferent expression.

‘She’s pretending to be okay… but deep down, she must be cursing me.’

Daniel understood better than anyone the feeling of despair and anger that came with an unwanted promotion.

He assumed Lucy was experiencing the same emotions as him and stood up from his seat.

“I’ll personally help you change your insignia.”

After unfolding the flag and opening the box, Daniel revealed the lieutenant badge.

He then walked over to Lucy and carefully replaced her insignia himself.

With practiced ease, Daniel pinned the lieutenant badges onto both shoulders of Lucy’s uniform and smiled contentedly.

“Congratulations on becoming a lieutenant. Continue to fulfill your duties as my aide-de-camp.”

Lucy hesitated instinctively when about to reply reflexively.

Daniel was going to die today.

Thus, there would be no “future” for him.

“…Aide-de-camp?”

When Daniel questioned her hesitation, Lucy snapped back to reality and responded.

“It’s an honor to be promoted so early. I will continue to do my best.”

Daniel nodded casually after observing Lucy’s delayed response.

Something seemed off, but he couldn’t outright ask her about it.

*

After finishing her regular duties and heading home, Lucy began preparing for the assassination.

She thoroughly studied the nearby geography of Daniel’s residence using maps, planning both entry and escape routes. She also changed into combat gear, added bulletproof plates, and even prepared half-magic-field bullets, known as “worth their weight in gold,” in case Daniel counterattacked.

Once everything was ready, Lucy used optical camouflage and headed toward Daniel’s residence during the desolate hours of dawn.

Upon arriving at Daniel’s residence, Lucy gripped the doorknob and gently turned it—but unsurprisingly, it didn’t budge.

Naturally kneeling down, Lucy pulled out a lockpick from her coat and started picking the lock.

Click—

Hearing the lock disengage, Lucy turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

Satisfied that the door was open, Lucy slipped the lockpick back into her coat and stood up.

Taking a deep breath, she entered, closed the door behind her, and scanned the living room.

She froze immediately.

There sat Daniel, his back facing her on the couch.

‘Could he…’

Did he notice and stay awake all night?

It seemed unlikely, but this was Daniel Steiner they were talking about.

Still cautious, Lucy drew her pistol and slowly approached Daniel.

Relief washed over her as she saw Daniel leaning against the backrest of the sofa, his eyes closed.

His steady breathing and slightly drooping head indicated he was asleep.

Lucy quietly exhaled and retrieved a silencer from her coat, attaching it to the gun’s barrel with practiced skill.

Deactivating her optical camouflage, Lucy aimed at Daniel’s head.

All she had to do now was pull the trigger, kill Daniel, and escape the Empire.

Though killing the Empire’s hero would undoubtedly spark a massive manhunt once his body was discovered in the morning, that was a problem for another day.

‘The important thing is…’

To follow Count Kaledra’s orders and repay his kindness.

Thus, Lucy had to kill Daniel Steiner.

Placing her finger on the trigger, Lucy held her breath for precise aim.

Now all she had to do was shoot.

But for some reason, her finger refused to move.

In the midst of this inexplicable hesitation, Lucy noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

Instinctively turning her gaze, she spotted Daniel’s officer’s coat draped over the back of the sofa.

Sticking out of the coat’s inner pocket was an old piece of paper.

Curious about its contents, Lucy lowered her pistol and examined the coat’s pocket.

From it, she pulled out a singed, folded piece of paper and an old photograph.

Lucy examined the photo first.

‘This is…’

It was a picture of Daniel with orphans from a monastery, taken when he was younger. The children clung to Daniel like glue, squabbling among themselves, clearly fond of him.

Popular people tended to be good ones.

Glancing at Daniel’s sleeping profile, Lucy shook her head.

Whether he was a good person or not was irrelevant to her mission.

Flipping past the photo, Lucy unfolded the old paper.

Her hand paused mid-motion as she read the rough texture of the aged document.

“…According to recent intelligence provided by the Allied Nations, there is reportedly a successful test subject…”

“Allied Nations?”

Lucy couldn’t believe the Allied Nations conducted biological experiments.

What was even harder to believe was the next line.

“The subject is currently unique, and its magical enhancement far exceeds our expectations. In recognition of their efforts, we name our upcoming project after the subject: the Lucy Project.”

The Lucy Project.

According to the document, Lucy herself was the successful experimental subject created by the Allied Nations.

Shaking uncontrollably, Lucy struggled to deny the reality presented before her.

‘That can’t be true.’

It wasn’t the Allied Nations but the Empire that conducted experiments on her.

‘Count Kaledra saved me from the Empire’s cruel experiments.’

Thus, this document had to be fake.

However, the paper looked genuinely old.

For it to become this coarse, it must’ve been exposed to air for a long time.

It didn’t appear hastily forged.

Confused, Lucy’s gaze drifted back to Daniel.

She couldn’t understand how he’d come into possession of this document—or why he hadn’t acted on its contents.

Even though this could’ve been used as evidence against a spy, Daniel treated Lucy normally—going so far as to protect her from Security Bureau investigations.

‘Rather…’

He even intervened when the Security Bureau came snooping.

Recalling that memory, Lucy’s breathing grew shaky.

‘Even knowing I was a spy…’

Daniel risked his life to oppose the Security Bureau on her behalf.

Why? Lucy couldn’t fathom it from her perspective.

Amidst the confusion, Lucy remembered Count Kaledra’s words:

“An ungrateful person is no different from a beast. And anything outside my mouth is false.”

‘This document is a lie.’

So all she had to do was remain loyal to Count Kaledra and the Empire.

Gripping her pistol tightly, Lucy steadied her erratic breathing.

All she had to do was kill Daniel and return to the Allied Nations.

Lucy narrowed her eyes sharply, placing her finger on the trigger.

But she couldn’t pull it.

Somehow, Daniel’s words kept echoing in her mind.

“Just… You look especially beautiful today.”

The pressure in her finger failed to build.

“Your skin doesn’t smell bad. If anything, it smells nice. Don’t rely on perfume.”

She bit her lower lip hard.

“Don’t make my aide uncomfortable.”

Her breathing quickened again amidst growing confusion.

“If possible, I’d like us to climb higher together someday.”

Silently sobbing, Lucy squeezed her eyes shut.

Unprecedented emotions surged within her as memories flooded her mind.

‘Even if this document is false…’

It meant Daniel knew she was a spy.

Yet he never told anyone.

Instead, he risked his life to save her from the Security Bureau.

Lucy owed Daniel a debt of gratitude.

And an ungrateful person was no different from a beast.

Not being a beast, Lucy couldn’t bring herself to kill Daniel.

Caught in fierce internal conflict, Lucy finally lowered her gun.

Her head throbbed painfully.

Breathing heavily in the silence, Lucy realized something.

‘I can’t…’

Kill Daniel now.