Night Has Fallen, Central Security Agency, Please Look Up
Night Has Fallen, Central Security Agency, Please Look Up
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Palace of Eisenkrone.
The bedroom of Emperor Selvia.
"Hmm."
Selvia, having inherited the room that was once her father's, sat perched on the edge of the bed in her nightclothes.
'To establish the National Security Surveillance Bureau, I inevitably have to enact the enabling legislation. Then I must order the Ministry of Finance to deliberate the budget and grant organizational authorization...'
She needed to review the agenda items to be handled tomorrow, but she was so drowsy that her eyes kept closing.
She had tried to hold out as long as possible, but her body refused to obey.
Selvia, who had unconsciously succumbed to the temptation of sleep, abruptly dropped her head forward before snapping back to attention.
"...Hak!?"
The strange noise she made while trying to regain her senses echoed emptily through the bedroom.
Feeling embarrassed for no reason, Selvia glanced around the room.
Having confirmed that no one was watching, Selvia let out a sigh of relief.
Her eyes half-open, Selvia let out a self-deprecating laugh.
'Is it post-meal drowsiness? I did eat dinner late...'
Since she hadn't slept deeply in recent days, it was closer to sleep deprivation than food coma, but Selvia was stubbornly denying that fact.
After all, for someone in the position of determining the Empire's fate, the desire to sleep soundly was nothing short of a luxury.
She raised a hand and rubbed her eyes, and was just about to check the documents again.
Tok-tok─
Her concentration was broken by the knock.
Wondering who it could be at this hour, she turned her head as the door quietly opened.
In this imperial palace, there was only one person who could open the bedroom door without the Emperor's permission.
"...Mother."
Beyond the opened door, a noblewoman with golden hair and blue eyes smiled softly.
It was Mariant, Selvia's birth mother.
"My child. How are you feeling?"
As Mariant approached and asked, Selvia offered an awkward smile.
"I'm fine. The time I spent confined wasn't even that long."
"Even so, this mother was so worried she couldn't sleep. Wouldn't it be better to reduce your work a little and get some rest?"
"I'd like that too, but stabilizing the Empire is the priority."
Mariant, who had been gazing at Selvia wistfully, nodded as if she understood.
"You are growing to resemble your father. Only his good points, not his bad ones. If only he could have seen how commendably you've grown up..."
Having let slip words filled with longing, Mariant let out a low breath to shake off her melancholy thoughts.
Thinking there was no need for depressing stories, Mariant sat down beside Selvia.
Then she lightly took hold of Selvia's hand.
"My child. This mother doesn't know much about politics, but I think I understand one thing. Colonel Daniel Steiner saved you, didn't he?"
The rumor that Daniel Steiner had turned his army back to the Imperial Capital to protect His Majesty the Emperor from the collaborators lurking there had already spread like wildfire across the Empire.
Since it wasn't exactly false, Selvia nodded calmly.
"That's right. He turned the army from the Eastern Front to the capital to save me."
"In that case, he certainly has feelings for you. Though whether it's ambition, desire, or love, I'm not quite sure. Selvia, what do you think it is?"
Selvia, remembering the time she had spent with Daniel in the Golden Rest, unconsciously blushed.
Despite the considerable time that had passed, the words Daniel had spoken to her back then still made her heart race.
"It's not ambition. That day, Daniel told me he would set aside everything he had for my sake. If he were an ambitious officer, he would have proposed different terms."
"Oh my. Then you're saying it's desire? Did he say he wanted to hold you?"
"Of course not! Colonel Daniel is not that kind of person."
Neither ambition nor desire.
Then there was only one thing left.
Blinking as if surprised, Mariant spoke, unable to hide her amazement.
"Then it sounds like this young officer named Daniel is in love with you."
Feeling inexplicably embarrassed by Mariant's words, Selvia let out a dry cough.
But she did not particularly deny it.
Even from Selvia's perspective, it seemed obvious that Daniel had feelings for her.
"I suppose so? It's just that Colonel Daniel seems a bit slow when it comes to expressing his heart. He's never directly told me he loves me, after all."
"...My child. That is something that can't be helped."
"What do you mean, it can't be helped?"
"Think about it. Colonel Daniel comes from an orphanage. Do you really think it would be tolerated for someone like him to say 'I love you' to the Emperor, who is practically the sun of the Empire?"
She meant that even if Selvia tolerated it, those around her would not.
"Of course, as I've said before, I think this officer named Daniel would make a good husband. In the past, when the class system was rigid as law, it would have been an impossible love, but not now, right? Because your father abolished discrimination based on status..."
Mariant, who had been rambling on, shook her head as if she had spoken out of turn.
"I'm sorry. I've gone and meddled where I shouldn't again. Even if Daniel loves you, it doesn't matter if you don't give him your heart."
Just as Mariant, thinking it best to drop the subject, began to pull her hand away,
"...I feel the same way about him."
A very small voice slipped from Selvia's lips.
For a moment, Mariant tilted her head, thinking she had misheard. Then Selvia averted her eyes and spoke.
"I love Colonel Daniel too."
At Selvia's confession, Mariant raised a hand to cover her mouth.
She was deeply moved, in many ways, that her daughter, who had treated men like stones in every social circle she'd ever attended, was now speaking of love.
'My daughter. You are finally becoming a woman.'
Feeling both impressed and proud, Mariant smiled and opened her mouth to speak.
"Then there should be no problem. How about you be the one to convey your feelings to Daniel first? Then the two of you can move on to the next step."
"...The next step?"
"Having a child. That is the fruit of love, after all."
Selvia's eyes widened into circles.
She had thought they would at most discuss marriage, but Mariant was going even further.
"My child. Do you remember how I packed you sexy underwear and aphrodisiacs in the past? If you want them even now, I can give them to you, so don't worry. With just those two things, no matter how dense a man is, he'll be like a beast towards you..."
Mariant stopped speaking mid-sentence and closed her mouth.
Because Selvia's face had flushed a blazing red, as if it were about to burst.
Her eyes squeezed shut, Selvia took a deep breath and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Get out."
"My child? I only hoped for things to go well between you two..."
"I said get out right now."
At Selvia's repeated dismissal order, Mariant shrugged her shoulders and rose from her seat.
"Selvia. This mother will always be waiting with an open mind, so..."
Selvia, whose eyes had slowly opened, glared sharply at Mariant.
It was, in its own way, a threat from Selvia, but perhaps due to her face flushed with shame, she only looked adorable.
Still, thinking it wouldn't do to anger Selvia further, Mariant nodded.
"Very well. Then this mother shall take her leave. If you ever need advice, come find me anytime."
With those words, Mariant turned and walked away.
It was only after Mariant had exited the bedroom that Selvia steadied her breathing.
'Have a child? What kind of ridiculous nonsense...'
Of course, she had no objection to the idea that the act required to conceive a child was the fruit of love.
But such things could wait until after the war was over.
There were simply too many matters to handle to be blinded by love and share intimacy.
Having forcibly collected herself, Selvia reviewed the documents once more, but because Mariant's words had been so shocking, risqué imaginings occasionally surfaced in her mind.
'Ahhh. Honestly...!'
Selvia found herself resenting her mother for no reason.
*
The following morning.
The office of the Chief of Public Security, Central Security Office.
"It seems everyone's gathered."
Currently, Daniel had summoned all the senior officials of the Central Security Office to his office.
Also among them were the officers of the Grenadier Regiment who had decided to remain in order to root out the collaborators lurking in the Imperial Capital.
His gaze sweeping over them, Daniel steeled his resolve.
'I've secured the list from Duke Belvar, so now it's time to put it into action.'
Even for the sake of his own survival, it was essential to cleanly carve out the collaborators infesting the capital.
"You officers, listen well."
In the office packed full of military police, Daniel spoke in a low but grave voice.
"We are those who have received a special mandate from His Majesty the Emperor to purge those who betrayed the safety of the nation and our people. To root out the filthy collaborators who covet the Empire's treasury and leech off our proud race!"
All eyes focused on Daniel.
"Until now, there was no proper way to deal with these rats, but..."
Daniel raised his hand.
In that hand was a list compiled based on Duke Belvar's testimony.
"Just yesterday! The starting point for their eradication has been secured! Therefore, you men must promise to assist me in fulfilling this historic calling! I ask you. Are you prepared to accept this mission for the great Empire and His Majesty the Emperor!"
The military police shouted "Sir, yes, sir!" in unison.
In their gazes, sharp as blades, hatred for the collaborators was brimming.
They felt vaguely terrifying to Daniel, but he did not show it.
For the sake of fostering unity, he too needed to play the part of 'the Chief of Public Security enraged at the collaborators.'
Steadying his heart, Daniel examined each of their faces and opened his mouth.
"Then show the collaborators the will of the Empire! The Iron Will! Tonight...!"
Amidst the maintained silence of the military police, Daniel shouted with determination.
"We shall carry out the Blood Purge!"