The Marriage Trap
“Battalion Commander, sir, it looks like you’ve got a letter from home.”
While reviewing the morning reports, a soldier delivering the mail handed a letter to Aisa.
“Thanks.”
“You don’t look so great—everything okay?”
Noticing the dark expression on Aisa’s face as she took the letter, the soldier asked cautiously.
“Just been waking up a lot at dawn lately. Fatigue’s piling up, I guess.”
“Tough break. Read that letter from home and hang in there!”
“Yeah… sure.”
Aisa managed an awkward smile at the soldier’s overflowing enthusiasm before sitting down.
What now.
Letters from her family were like a torture device that squeezed the breath out of her every time.
She wanted nothing more than to burn it, but knowing she couldn’t handle the fallout, she opened it this time too.
To my beloved Aisa,
I heard you’ve been promoted to lieutenant. It’s a shame I learned it from someone else instead of a letter from you, but congratulations all the same.
I recently spent some time at the Gowell Marquess household for war supply support, and their eldest son, Veron Gowell, is just one year older than you.
He’s serving in the military too, so I didn’t get to meet him, but I’d like to arrange a meeting.
Let me know the date you can take leave in your reply. I’ll be waiting.
And remember, your body is your greatest asset. No matter how devoted you are to the Empire, you mustn’t get hurt.
Be careful—always careful.
—Gabriel Lintun—
“Ha… haha.”
The same old script every time.
She couldn’t fathom why they were hell-bent on bleeding her dry over something like marriage.
Veron Gowell? That spoiled punk’s supposed to be a good match?
Aisa knew most of her peers from high society circles.
Dad really doesn’t even see me as a person anymore.
Just some commodity to offload quickly.
She couldn’t understand what she’d done so wrong to end up like this.
And the most repulsive part was having to reply in that obsequious tone.
To my beloved Father,
Hello. The promotion to lieutenant wasn’t a big deal, so I didn’t mention it separately—if that upset you, I’m sorry.
Leave is tricky with winter being so busy, so I can’t say for sure when. I’ll write as soon as the schedule’s set.
And about this Veron Gowell—have you mentioned him to Mother? I’ve heard some bad rumors about him a few times, so it’d be great if you could look into it.
The family’s duties matter, but as a woman, I want to meet someone good and live happily.
—Aisa Lintun—
“This should buy some time.”
Aisa knew Gabriel’s personality—he’d eventually force her to sit down with Veron.
Having the Gowell Marquess house, owners of vast granary lands, as in-laws would profit them in all sorts of ways.
If I can just climb high enough to match that guy.
Across from the operations room sat Captain Palan Oclo in the company commander’s office.
She didn’t know the details, but he was definitely the talk of the Intelligence Agency right now.
Thud.
As Aisa’s gaze lingered on the company commander’s office, the door suddenly swung open and Palan stepped out.
“Hm? Something you need to say?”
Catching her eye, he tilted his head and asked.
“Nothing, sir.”
“Alright. Well, I’ve got something to say—come in for a sec.”
“Yes, sir.”
At the sudden summons, Aisa grabbed her notepad and pen and followed him into the company commander’s office.
“You have lunch yet?”
Diving straight in felt too cold, and no matter how urgent the work, food came first.
“Had something light after morning training. Did you eat, sir?”
“Stuffed to the brim off someone else’s plate, but yeah, I ate.”
Lunch with Lieutenant Colonel Garen by his side had been more like food torture.
“With the brass, I take it.”
“Yeah, pretty much. You look kinda down though—what’s up?”
I’d heard more than once that I was good at reading people, and my instincts had been sharp lately.
She seemed fine recently.
Back when we were goblin-baiting and such.
She’d pulled some dumb stunts, but that was ancient history.
“It’s personal, sir.”
“Fair enough, won’t pry. Reason I called you in: I’ll be away for about a week starting tomorrow.”
“A whole week?”
Her eyes widened at the longer-than-expected stretch.
“Yeah. You’re acting company commander, so I’m leaving the duties to you.”
“On a mission?”
“Something like that. Can’t go into details.”
She looked disappointed, but rules were rules.
“Understood. I’ll manage the company just fine.”
“Good, I’m counting on you. Till I get back. Assuming I make it back in one piece.”
Having to plunge into those cursed Gork Mountains not once but multiple times—no way to not worry about survival.
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Yeah, goddamned dangerous. Why do these trials always hit me? Sigh.”
I leaned back fully in my chair and stared at the ceiling.
Should’ve bailed on Intelligence.
No real chance, but still—should’ve tried.
And one question popped up.
Does she really wanna stay in Intelligence, watching me go through this hell?
If it were me, I’d have bolted ages ago. Her face showed no change.
Ask her?
Curiosity always got the better of me, so after a moment’s thought, I spoke up.
“So, why’d you join Intelligence? You didn’t even need to enlist.”
Aisa Lintun.
If the intel was right, she had a younger brother just a year her junior.
Come to think of it, she’s the older sis who came here.
Couldn’t help envying her family a bit.
“If you mean my little brother, he’s too frail for military service.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Tough to sympathize, honestly.
Fit or unfit for the army? You just get dragged in.
But it was their family business—not my place to judge.
“What about Intelligence then? You could’ve enlisted, served normally, and discharged without hassle.”
Her exam rank was third—plenty qualified for a safe posting.
“That’s…”
She hesitated, like it was touchy territory.
“Don’t have to say if you don’t want. Just personal curiosity.”
I was curious, but not enough to push.
“Anyway, while I’m gone…”
“I’ll tell you, sir.”
As I tried shifting topics, she opened up with a resolute expression.
That looks heavy.
Felt like something serious was coming.
“I joined Intelligence to take back my life.”
“Your life?”
Never crossed my mind.
Find your life in this madhouse? Like hunting an oasis in the desert.
As if anticipating my reaction, she elaborated.
“If I’d stayed home—or discharged normally—Father would drag me off to marry some guy from a profitable house. No say in it.”
“Ah…”
Brutally realistic—no words came easy.
“That’s why Intelligence. If I secure a position here before the war ends, I can break free from the family.”
“Makes sense.”
No marquess would tangle with the Agency unless they wanted to cross the Emperor.
“Disappointed? It’s all selfish ambition.”
“Huh? Why disappointed? It’s practical—respect that.”
“Pardon…?”
Caught off guard, her confusion was plain.
“Gotta have clear goals in a life-or-death outfit. Besides, couldn’t you claim succession after enlisting?”
Female heads were more common than we thought.
Even Aditz Empire’s Abiel Duke is a woman, other country or not.
No reason she couldn’t.
“I promised not to. Family tradition: always a man inherits.”
“Oof.”
“So I’ll prove my worth here. I don’t want to spend my life as some unknown guy’s wife just because Father says so.”
Aisa grimaced in disgust.
I tried applying it to myself.
Crack open a random box, get to the wedding and it’s an ugly asshole with trash personality… shit.
Pure hell.
“Hmm, step one to independence: official agent status. Any way to speed that up?”
As I pondered seriously, her eyes widened in surprise.
“You’ll help?”
“Duh? My only subordinate’s about to get sold off to some stranger.”
I’d help anyone in her shoes.
“From experience, merits are fastest. That why you’ve been asking how to rack up merits with me?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
She stammered, dazed.
I ignored it, brain storming hard.
Merits, huh. Something useful?
I could pass her one or two of mine—no biggie.
Racking up merits just meant more work anyway.
Problem: nothing to hand over right now.
Made me miss the good old days.
“Why didn’t you say sooner? I could’ve reported the goblin hypnosis under your name.”
“No need to go that far.”
“Helping’s its own reward. Kinda brutal, marrying a total unknown.”
I leaned my head back and gazed at the ceiling.
Aditz set up magic tools. I’m ripping them out tomorrow.
I sorted the situation mentally, hunting for her spotlight.
A few minutes passed.
Luckily, an idea sparked.
“Deputy.”
“Yes…?! ”
Aisa snapped her head up from her daze.
“Can’t spill mission details, but big picture: screwing over the Aditz Empire.”
“Yes… yes, sir.”
“Stuff like this? Cockroaches hiding in the company’ll scurry. While I’m gone that week, root ’em out.”
“Spies in the company?”
“Probably. I’m damn sure.”
Big unit of 200, fresh influx from outside.
No spies would be the real shock.