Daniel Steiner's Toy
Daniel Steiner's Toy
In life, a person occasionally encountered unexpected circumstances.
Such as thinking a store was doing great business, only to visit one day and find it had shut down.
Or a wildly popular celebrity suddenly declaring retirement.
For Daniel, a comparable situation was "arriving at work and finding Lucy not there."
Entering his private office at General Headquarters, Daniel was momentarily puzzled before shrugging it off.
'Something must have come up.'
Even someone who clocked in like clockwork couldn't be entirely free of mishaps.
'Still, Lucy being late...'
It was around the time when Daniel, thinking it odd, set down his briefcase and hung his coat on the chair.
Tok-tok-tok-tok─
The urgent sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway.
'Sounds like someone's running.'
Just as he wondered who it was, the door to his private office swung wide open.
There stood Lucy, clutching the doorknob and panting for breath.
In her hand, she held a thermos.
"S-sorry... I had a restless night...."
The sight of Lucy apologizing without even being asked was a rare and precious thing.
The way she couldn't speak properly because she was out of breath was even more precious.
Daniel thought about teasing her, but decided to hold back—it might only provoke her anger.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. It was close, but you weren't late. More importantly, it's surprising that you had a sleepless night. Did something happen yesterday?"
He subtly probed, but Lucy merely shook her head in lieu of answering.
Perhaps from rushing to avoid being late, a flush of red spread across her face.
Daniel, who had been watching Lucy carefully, pointed at the thermos.
"What's that? Did you bring tea or something?"
"Ah."
After catching her breath, Lucy approached Daniel and held out the thermos.
"I made some beet soup and brought some. It will help with your hangover."
"...You made it for me?"
"Didn't you once brew chamomile tea and cook chicken broth soup for me at my quarters? Please consider it thanks in return."
Even as she said that, Lucy's ears were subtly turning red.
Daniel, wondering if it was also due to her breathlessness, accepted the thermos.
"I'll enjoy it. But how did you know I drank yesterday?"
Lucy's shoulders flinched, but as if the question wasn't unexpected, she quickly regained her composure.
"Since you enjoy drinking, I simply assumed you would have partaken at the banquet after the coronation."
"I see."
Since pressing further would likely anger her, he decided to restrain himself.
"It seems only my adjutant thinks of me, after all. I'll eat well. Anyway...."
Daniel, who had been pondering for a moment, spoke.
"You might already know, but in two weeks I'm scheduled to be appointed chief of staff of the 7th Division on the Eastern Front. It's a direct order from His Majesty the Emperor, so I can't refuse."
"Yes. I heard."
"Then it's easier to say this. If you wish, you don't have to follow me to the Eastern Front. As you know, the Eastern Front is a dangerous place."
Even though he would mainly work at the headquarters located behind the division, it was not a place safe from enemy attacks.
No, rather, since the enemy would be devising ways to strike the headquarters, paradoxically it could be even more dangerous.
It was, literally, a perilous battlefield where one might lose their life.
Nevertheless, far from refusing, Lucy answered immediately.
"I will go."
Determination filled her red eyes.
Daniel, finding that awkward, cleared his throat.
"You could die."
"I know."
"Working at headquarters might seem safe, but do you know it could actually be more dangerous?"
"I am not unaware."
"If the situation worsens, you won't be able to get proper food, let alone dessert."
"I'm accustomed to it."
He didn't bother asking why she was accustomed to it.
Because he knew Lucy came from being a test subject.
'But why does she want to follow me? To monitor me?'
Daniel wasn't pleased, but as he couldn't unilaterally refuse her, he nodded.
"Fine. If you want it that badly, I won't stop you."
Perhaps pleased at having received permission, a glint of spirit appeared in Lucy's eyes.
Just as Lucy was about to open her mouth to express her thanks, a familiar footstep was heard from the hallway.
Wondering who it was, they looked toward the door, and soon a heavyset middle-aged man appeared.
Seemingly unable to overcome his hangover, he was pressing a hand to his forehead.
"...Chief?"
When Daniel called out in concern, Ernst raised his head.
His complexion was not good.
"Lieutenant Colonel Daniel... no, Colonel. Are you all right? I'm dying over here."
"My head aches a little, but it's not severe."
"Is that so. Being young certainly has its merits."
"It's less about being young and more that I drank in moderation... More importantly, what brings you here?"
"Huh? Ah. I just came by to have a cup of coffee with you."
Coffee. Having no reason to refuse, Daniel nodded.
"Let's go down to the break room and have a cup."
"That sounds good. In particular, today let me make it for you. I must get into the good graces of our Empire's hero, Colonel Daniel Steiner, even from now, shouldn't I?"
"An excellent attitude."
Daniel, who had responded to Ernst's banter with a joke, stopped mid-step.
Because Lucy was subtly giving him a look.
Mindful of that, Daniel picked up the thermos.
"Ah. I think I'll have some beet soup instead of coffee."
Only then did Lucy's expression soften, allowing Daniel to feel relieved.
'Just what is she thinking...?'
It was something he could not quite understand.
*
While Daniel was drinking coffee with Ernst in the break room and chatting about trivial personal matters.
"We must come up with countermeasures at once! We can't just take this lying down!"
The Palentia branch, located in the heart of the Empire, was facing an unprecedented state of emergency.
Having halted all intelligence-gathering and espionage activities, they were gathered in the conference room with branch chief Theobald at the head, engaged in heated debate.
"We have to request support from the Allied Nations immediately! If we contact His Excellency the Count directly, he will surely come up with a solution!"
"What foolishness are you spouting! Are you suggesting we inform the homeland of our incompetence? Even if we tell them we're in danger, Daniel Steiner will move before we receive any help!"
"Then are you saying we should just sit here and do nothing? We don't even know what he's trying to demand of us!"
Immediately after Hamtal's visit, the members of the Palentia branch concluded that it was Daniel Steiner who had given orders to Hamtal.
The prevailing opinion was that the turncoat Lucy had passed information to Daniel Steiner, or that an insider had colluded with him.
Since the exposure of the branch's location meant that the enemy could storm in at any moment, the agents were on edge, racing against time.
"First, we must find out what Daniel Steiner wants from us! There must be a reason why he didn't kill us when he sent that private organization, right?"
"Are you saying we should listen to Daniel Steiner now? Do you know what he might demand of us?"
"Then are you saying we should just sit and die like dogs? If you want to act foolish, do it alone! The Allied Nations won't recognize us for being stupid—"
Kwang! A man slammed his fist on the table, stood up, drew his pistol, and aimed it at his opponent.
"You son of a bitch! You're the traitor! You were colluding with Daniel Steiner!"
The man standing opposite him broke out in a cold sweat and raised his hands.
"...Calm down. This won't be solved by being unreasonable."
"Unreasonable? You're the only one here insisting we should listen to Daniel Steiner! Does this still seem unreasonable to you!? Comrade Branch Chief! Don't just watch, say something!"
Theobald, seated at the head of the conference table, let out a low sigh.
He thought the atmosphere had grown too heated because of the crisis.
"Enough. Reven has a point. We need to know what Daniel Steiner wants from us if we're to negotiate at all."
"But—"
"Shut your mouth and put the gun down. Unless you want me to add another breathing hole to your head."
At Theobald's threat, the man backed off and set down the pistol.
It was at that very moment, as Theobald watched this and racked his brains, that he frowned.
─ Branch Chief! It's the Blue Wall! He's come!
News like rain after a drought made Theobald's eyes widen.
Because the only person who knew Daniel Steiner's intentions was Platt, who had failed the assassination.
While the conference room stirred, Theobald picked up the radio and pressed the transmit button.
"Tell him to come in at once."
Theobald, thinking the clue would finally be unraveled, placed the radio on the table.
Soon after, Platt opened the conference room door and entered.
It was unclear what had happened, but his clothes were torn and caked in filth, looking like a rag.
Amid the silence, Platt, panting raggedly and looking around, spotted Theobald.
Platt slowly walked toward Theobald and then collapsed to his knees.
"...I'm sorry, Branch Chief. I failed the mission."
He already knew it had failed.
Thinking that obtaining information took priority over scolding, Theobald grasped Platt's shoulders.
"What message did Daniel Steiner have for you?"
After collecting his breath, Platt spoke.
"He told me not to pull any pathetic tricks. Also, that what suits the branch chief is whiskey laced with poison...."
At Daniel Steiner's message urging suicide, the conference room fell into silence.
Just as Theobald swallowed dryly, Platt continued in a low sob.
"Branch Chief. He's not seeking negotiations. Daniel Steiner is merely toying with us. If the branch does not submit to him...."
Platt lifted his head and looked at Theobald with a devastated expression.
"...He will kill us all."