Train Travel Isn't Easy
Train Travel Isn't Easy
After the Palentia branch was rounded up, the Imperial Security Bureau was racking up unprecedented successes in capturing enemy spies.
There were several reasons for this, but the main one was that the arrest of the Palentia branch had allowed them to secure the encrypted communication system used by the Allied Nations' spies.
Having gotten their hands on the communication system, the Security Bureau naturally began tracing back, and the Allied spies whose tails had been stepped on were either arrested or shot dead by Security Bureau police who burst in at unpredictable moments.
As some of the captured spies divulged more information to save their skins, the Imperial Security Bureau achieved the brilliant feat of dismantling and scouring the Allied Nations' vast espionage network.
From the perspective of the Allied spies, something akin to a nightmare was unfolding.
"Ah, fuck!"
In the basement of a tavern in the small city of Erestiom, a man wearing a wool beret shouted, unable to contain his fury.
"HQ has cut off contact! How's that any different from saying they've abandoned us!"
At the man's words, roughly thirty spies groaned or gave self-deprecating remarks.
Just when no one could refute the man's claim, a man wearing a fedora interjected.
"It's only natural for HQ to cut off contact. When the Palentia branch was taken down, not only our primary frequencies but all our cipher codes were completely blown. They must be monitoring us by now. Trying to contact HQ in this state would be no different from advertising to the Imperial bastards to come arrest us."
The man in the beret looked down at the man sitting in the chair in front of the table.
He had been about to snap at him because the casual tone needlessly provoked his anger, but when he saw the scar etched across one of the man's eyes, he had no choice but to shut his mouth.
Because he was Tempret, who went by the code name Red Baron.
The man in the beret knew all too well that Tempret was infamous for leaving nothing but bloodstains wherever he passed.
Tempret picked up a glass filled with spirits and swirled it lightly.
"So about thirty comrades managed to reach this place while evading the Security Bureau. Well then. I won't bother explaining again, since I'm sure everyone's aware our situation is completely fucked."
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed back the spirits and set the glass down.
"Tch. Unfortunately, we're talents who will soon be caught by the Security Bureau and either tortured or shot. Of course, if you run, you could live like cockroaches. But if you were the sort who wanted to live like that in the first place, you wouldn't have gathered here, would you?"
Letting out a low laugh, Tempret leaned back in his chair and propped both feet up on the table.
It was an insolent attitude, but nobody here called Tempret out on his behavior.
"In that case, the conclusion is singular. Let's fight until we die. And while we're at it, how about we kill at least one more enemy of our great Allied Nations? That way, later on the Allied Nations might at least treat us as martyrs, wouldn't they?"
At Tempret's chatter, quiet laughter rippled out among the spies.
The man in the beret didn't care for this atmosphere but couldn't bring himself to argue.
Letting out a sigh, the man pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at Tempret with displeasure.
"So? Do you even have a plan to convince us all?"
Tempret, who had been watching the man—who, at some point, had switched to formal speech—as though he found him amusing, let out a short scoffing laugh.
"Why do you think I called you lost puppies here? To give you the chance to become the hounds that will tear into a beast."
"By beast, you mean?"
"Daniel Steiner. In a few days, that ferocious wolf..."
Having named the beast, Tempret smiled a radiant smile that bared his teeth.
"I've received word that he will be passing through Erestiom."
*
The day Daniel was appointed Chief of Staff, Eastern Front 7th Division.
"Riding a train with you, Colonel. It makes my heart flutter, as if we're going on a trip."
Inside the military train compartment, Frien had been displaying her trademark bright smile.
Lucy, who sat beside her, remained expressionless the entire time, creating a strange contrast.
Daniel, who had been sitting across from Frien, spoke in an exasperated tone.
"You're doing a fine job of making it sound like a trip. We're heading to the front lines, you know."
"Naturally, I know that. I haven't neglected my training either, so don't worry."
"...Training? What training are you talking about?"
"Oh come on. You're pretending not to know, aren't you? You told me to hone my healing magic."
"I remember that, but in what way..."
Daniel trailed off and shut his mouth.
Because he saw a subtle darkness settle across Frien's smiling face.
"Do you really want to know?"
The low tone, as if hiding a secret, was the finishing touch.
Lacking the confidence to face Frien's darkness, Daniel shook his head.
Seeing that, Frien flashed a mischievous smile and rose from her seat.
"I'll stop by the restroom for a moment."
Once Frien left the compartment, Daniel, momentarily relieved, turned to Lucy.
The sunlight filtering through the window fell naturally across Lucy's silver hair, and her red eyes blinked slowly, filled with life amid their listlessness.
Sitting by the window and enjoying the scenery outside, she looked quite peaceful.
Daniel didn't want to disturb Lucy as she savored her leisure, but he thought now, with Frien gone, was the right moment, so he quietly addressed her.
"Adjutant. I'd like to have a brief conversation."
Having been called upon unexpectedly, Lucy turned to look at Daniel.
"...What kind of conversation do you speak of, sir?"
"You probably know I had the chance to speak with His Majesty the Emperor a few days ago. At that time, His Majesty singled you out and told me not to trust you, calling you a suspicious woman."
These were the words Selvia had given Daniel before he left his office.
At the time, Selvia's words—which seemed to hint that she had caught on to something—had sent a chill down Daniel's spine.
Because if Selvia were to completely uncover Lucy's identity, Daniel wouldn't be safe either.
So, he had meant these words as advice to be careful going forward, but Lucy felt a strange jealousy rather than gratitude.
"It seems His Majesty has fallen prey to demonic suspicion. What's more, it's baffling that he went out of his way to issue a warning to you, Colonel, instead of telling me directly. I'm concerned he may be pointlessly trying to sow discord."
"Demonic suspicion..."
Daniel was smiling, but he found it absurd.
'You *are* an Allied spy, aren't you?'
It was only natural for him to be bewildered, since she was defending herself in such a bizarre way.
To begin with, characterizing the emperor's words as 'sowing discord' was itself tantamount to blasphemy.
'Did something happen between those two? Come to think of it, even at the Christmas banquet dinner...'
It was the moment he recalled that the atmosphere between Lucy and Selvia had been unusual.
Kiii-eeeeeeik─
The friction between the wheels and rails screeched noisily as bodies pitched forward.
The seats and windows also rattled intensely, producing a cacophony.
"Goddammit!"
Grabbing the table to steady himself, Daniel brought his hand to the revolver at his waist. Lucy did the same.
The two of them drew their revolvers and caught their breath without needing to be told.
"...Colonel. Could it be a train terror attack?"
"The possibility is low. If it were a simple terror attack, the compartment would've been turned into a beehive by now."
But the possibility couldn't be ruled out entirely.
Before long, as the sound of someone sprinting reached them, Daniel aimed his revolver toward the door.
"Colonel! You must come out right now—"
The captain who had appeared before Daniel couldn't finish his sentence and gasped for breath.
He was the commander of the company entrusted with Daniel's escort.
Confirming the other party was a friendly, Daniel let out a relieved sigh and lowered his revolver.
"Company Commander. What happened?"
"...Pardon? Ah. According to the chief engineer, the railway has been blocked."
"Is that so. Let's go out and confirm it for now."
Nodding, Daniel stepped out into the corridor beyond the compartment with Lucy.
"Colonel!"
Just then, Frien, who had returned from the restroom, looked at Daniel with worried eyes.
"Are you alright? You aren't injured anywhere, are you?"
"Yeah."
Answering curtly, Daniel disembarked through the entrance of the carriage.
Then he discovered that, far down the tracks, mounds of dirt had collapsed into heaps.
'A landslide?'
As Daniel approached the problem area, the chief engineer and the conductor, who were standing with their hands clasped behind their backs, turned around and jumped in surprise.
"Colonel Daniel!"
"You've arrived!"
Looking at the two men who bowed their heads respectfully, Daniel let out a low sigh.
"Chief Engineer. Conductor. What on earth is going on here?"
"That is..."
The chief engineer spoke in a somewhat apologetic tone.
"It seems a landslide occurred recently. Judging by the way it's covered the tracks, if we work on it for a few days, we'll be able to clear it. However, the manpower is insufficient with just us..."
"I'll lend you my troops. Quite a few soldiers came along as escorts. Will that be all right?"
"Oh my! We'd be grateful if you did that. We'll be able to handle it quickly."
"Good. However, not only my troops, but the chief engineer and the railroad workers aboard the train will need a place to rest for the time being. Is there a town nearby where we can stay?"
Stroking his chin, the chief engineer nodded as if there was a perfectly suitable place.
"Not far from here is a city called Erestiom. It's a small city, but it has everything you'd need, so it would be best to contact somebody and rest there."
"It's a relief that there's a city nearby. Then for now..."
While Daniel talked with the chief engineer, Lucy carefully examined the site of the landslide.
Having pinpointed the misaligned placement of soil and rock, the abnormal state of the vegetation, the signs of fracturing, and the landslide's point of origin, Lucy's eyes narrowed sharply.
'This...'
Because it was absolutely not a natural phenomenon.