This Is a Real Warning
This Is a Real Warning
Rest was an incredibly important element of human life.
Rest healed a weary mind and body, breathing vitality back into you.
Of course, no matter how much you tried to explain that, some people simply didn't grasp the importance of rest.
'Case in point: Lucy, currently wearing a highly disapproving expression right in front of me.'
Everything had been fine—he'd finished watching the movie with Frien, returned to his quarters, slept deeply, and showed up for work at General Staff Headquarters—but ever since he had arrived at his office, he couldn't shake the feeling of sitting on pins and needles.
"So, what you're telling me is......"
Lucy, a monstrous workaholic, finally spoke.
"Are you saying, Brigadier General Daniel, that while you were on leave during important work, you truly, purely by coincidence, met Lieutenant Frien, watched a movie with her, and then went home?"
The "important work" Lucy was referring to was actually a lie Daniel had told her.
He had unconsciously blurted it out, thinking that if he honestly admitted he'd taken leave alone just to have fun, Lucy would glare at him with pure contempt.
Since it felt a bit awkward to confess it was a lie now, Daniel decided to brazen it out.
"Yeah. The work involved meeting a number of people, so I was walking around the streets when I happened to run into Lieutenant Frien and joined her."
"Really."
"Of course. Why would I lie to my own adjutant?"
Lucy, who had been staring at Daniel, let out a low sigh.
She then handed him the newspaper she was holding.
"It seems it really was important work. They've already run an article on it."
"......An article?"
Wondering what she meant, Daniel took the newspaper—and couldn't help but freeze.
A photo of Daniel handing a waffle to a young boy stared back at him from the front page of a paper called Record Fear.
As he broke into a cold sweat, Lucy narrowed her eyes.
"Is buying a waffle for a small child 'important work'?"
His hands trembled.
"Uhmm. This is...... a look-alike? Strange. I don't recall visiting a shop like that."
He tried to laugh it off, but Lucy was radiating a murderous aura, so he withdrew.
"......I admit it. I took leave to pet a puppy and buy a waffle."
Even after that humiliating retreat, Lucy's anger didn't subside.
'Why?'
Unable to understand, he maintained his silence, and Lucy placed both hands on the desk, leaning her upper body toward him.
Her silver-white bobbed hair cascaded softly over her shoulders.
"Then please be honest about the rest. Did you really 'coincidentally' meet Lieutenant Frien and go watch a movie?"
Lucy's anger at this point stemmed from the fact that Daniel had lied about important work, taken leave, and then met Frien.
'So that was the problem.'
Daniel, finally grasping the situation, took a deep breath.
Since it wasn't a lie that he'd met Frien purely by chance, Daniel nodded.
"Meeting Lieutenant Frien really was a coincidence. Our leave just happened to overlap."
"You say your leave just happened to overlap......"
Lucy, repeating Daniel's words, straightened up.
'If Daniel isn't lying......'
No matter who saw it, this was clearly Frien's side noticing that Daniel had taken leave and making the first move.
'I had no idea. That Frien was pulling strings behind the scenes like this......'
She'd read it in a romance book.
That one must act proactively to win the affections of the opposite sex.
It was frustrating, but she had no choice but to admit Frien was a step ahead in that regard.
"......Understood."
Deciding what was past was past, Lucy spoke.
"More importantly, Brigadier General Daniel. His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you to the Imperial Palace."
"......Me?"
"Yes. His Majesty the Emperor intends to hold a special promotion ceremony to commend the military achievements in the occupation of Penbark. He stated that he will commend all officers who rendered distinguished service in the occupation of Penbark, yourself included, Brigadier General Daniel."
It meant they were going to publicly grant special promotions, in keeping with the Empire's foundational principle of strict reward and punishment.
A large-scale event like this would boost morale not just among the citizenry but among the soldiers as well, so there was every reason to do it.
'However......'
If they were going to commend all officers who rendered distinguished service in the occupation of Penbark, then obviously Lucy—and of course Frien—would also be attending.
He had a distinct sense that something clearly unpleasant would happen if those three women gathered in one place.
"And......"
Just as Daniel was growing uneasy, Lucy continued.
"At that special promotion ceremony, the Chief of the General Staff wishes to see you separately, Brigadier General Daniel. She said she has urgent matters to discuss regarding the war situation."
"Huh? If there's something to discuss about the war situation, couldn't it be done at General Staff Headquarters......"
A quiet realization stopped Daniel's mouth.
'This is definitely about ironing out my post-promotion assignment.'
One wrong word during the conversation with the Chief of the General Staff, and he could be sent straight back to the front lines.
Concluding this wasn't the time to worry about anyone else, Daniel let out a groan.
"This sounds like quite an important occasion."
It was a case of same bed, different dreams.
Lucy, picturing her rivals Selvia and Frien in her head, nodded.
*
Meanwhile, at Record Fear Headquarters.
"Good morning everyone...... Huh?"
Reporter Saldome, arriving at the newspaper office, blinked vacantly at the empty room.
A sense of dissonance was only natural—the office, which should have been bustling with the sound of typing, was dead quiet.
Wondering where everyone had gone, Saldome discovered the employees packed into a reception room prepared in one corner of the office.
"What's everyone doing in there?"
Curious, Saldome walked over to the reception room and opened the door.
And then he saw.
A Black man wearing a suit and a fedora.
The man, seated on the sofa with a gentle smile, was talking with Editor-in-Chief Coramin.
"We mainly handle social affairs pieces, but if you wish, military affairs as well......"
Coramin, who was mid-conversation with the man, seemed to sense someone's gaze and turned around.
Upon spotting Saldome, Coramin brightened and rose from his seat.
"Saldome! There you are! Come on in!"
At Coramin's effusive welcome, Saldome awkwardly entered the reception room.
"......Editor-in-Chief? Who is that gentleman?"
"Ah! He is a famous businessman named Hamtal! It seems he's taken a liking to our newspaper and is going to bring in a large-scale investment for us!"
"Huh? Our newspaper? Why would anyone invest in an outfit like us that only speaks ill of political and financial figures......"
Shh! Coramin signaled him to be quiet, and Saldome shut his mouth.
Sending a look that clearly told him not to ruin things and to keep quiet, Coramin took Saldome by the arm and approached Hamtal.
"Mr. Hamtal. This fellow here is the ace of our newspaper. Not only does he bring in all kinds of exclusives, but he also wrote yesterday's article."
Raising his head, Hamtal looked at Saldome and offered a genial smile.
"Ah. I know Reporter Saldome well. I'm something of a fan myself. It's truly an honor to meet you."
A fan? At the unfamiliar sound of that, Saldome stood there awkwardly, and Coramin nudged his arm.
Taking Coramin's cue, Saldome cleared his throat and replied.
"Well, thank you."
A low laugh escaped Hamtal's mouth.
"You seem even more impressive in person. Ah! Seeing as meeting like this must be fate, might we talk a little—just the two of us?"
At Hamtal's words, Coramin nodded with a business smile.
"Of course! Why wouldn't that be possible? Come on! Did everyone hear that? Mr. Hamtal says he'd like to speak privately with our newspaper's ace, so let's clear out! We've got our own work to get to!"
The employees caught the editor-in-chief's drift, nodded, and filed out of the reception room.
Whispering 'Don't mess this up, do well' into Saldome's ear, Coramin left last, leaving the room empty.
A slightly awkward atmosphere settled in.
"Won't you sit?"
When Hamtal gestured to the opposite sofa, Saldome sat down without a fuss.
As he did, he felt a little strange.
'He's clearly Black, but......'
Because he exuded the noble air of some aristocrat.
When their eyes met, Hamtal lightly raised a hand.
"It may be a bit sudden, but I wasn't lying when I said I was a fan of Reporter Saldome. I've read every article you've written for Record Fear."
"Is that so."
"Yes. But how should I put this. I am a bit worried about you, Reporter."
"Worried about me?"
Hamtal nodded.
"I heard from the editor-in-chief earlier that Reporter Saldome is trying to cover Brigadier General Daniel Steiner. To find out if he's committing any misdeeds and to expose that he has a private organization."
At Hamtal's words, Saldome clenched his teeth.
'That damn editor-in-chief......'
The businessman in front of him was providing money, so he must have excitedly bragged about 'how fearless our star reporter is.'
Letting out a low sigh, Saldome shrugged.
"It's true. Though I didn't get anything in the end."
"In that case, how about giving up on tailing Brigadier General Daniel in the future? If Brigadier General Daniel Steiner truly has a private organization, they would be genuinely terrifying people."
Since it struck him as a pathetic thing to worry over, Saldome shook his head.
"I'm someone who will do whatever it takes to expose the truth. If they want to come after my life, let them try. I'm not scared at all."
"Hmm. I doubt they'd come after your life."
"......What do you mean."
Hamtal lifted his coffee cup with a light touch.
"Let's think about it from the perspective of the private organization...... Ah! Don't misunderstand. Of course, there almost certainly isn't one, but let's assume there is."
Bringing the cup to his nose, Hamtal savored the aroma as he continued.
"Where was I. Right. If they truly existed, I suspect they would go after the people around you rather than touch you directly, Reporter."
"......The people around me?"
"Yes. Humans are social animals. It's a perfectly natural phenomenon to form all kinds of bonds with those around you. And on that point, even someone who doesn't fear losing their own life wouldn't want the people they love to be thrown into despair."
In an instant, the faces of his family, friends, and lover flashed through Saldome's mind.
"The private organization would likely torment your loved ones relentlessly, Reporter. Getting them fired from their jobs, ruining their businesses. They would visit every kind of despair upon them. And then they would say: 'This is all because of Saldome.'"
The voice was gentle, but it was a sharper whisper than anything else.
Saldome broke out in an involuntary cold sweat.
"One by one, the people you hold dear will turn away from you. They might even resent you, saying you ruined their lives. Even then, could you hold fast to your convictions, Reporter?"
Saldome felt an indescribable sense of intimidation, and his hands trembled.
Taking a sip of coffee, Hamtal set his cup down.
"Of course......."
Into the heavy atmosphere, Hamtal suddenly let out a soft laugh.
But his eyes weren't laughing.
"There probably isn't any private organization under Brigadier General Daniel, though."
Dalkak─
In the silence, the small click of a coffee cup meeting its saucer echoed softly.
Setting the cup down, Hamtal adjusted his tie with a casual gesture and spoke.
"Isn't that right. Reporter Saldome."
He absolutely couldn't meet the man's gaze.
He felt as if a single wrong word here would set off something irreversible.
Saldome, finding himself bowing his head before he even realized it, answered in a voice that barely crawled out.
"......Yes. There won't be anything like a private organization."
Nodding at this, Hamtal rose from his seat and straightened his coat.
Finally picking up the fedora he had left on the table, Hamtal looked down at Saldome.
"I look forward to your continued work. After all, I am Reporter Saldome's fan."
With that, Hamtal dipped his head lightly and walked out.
Only after he heard the door open and then close a moment later was Saldome able to release the breath he'd been holding.
It was as if he'd barely escaped from a room filling with water.
His breath quavered faintly from the lingering, unshakable horror.
'That man is really a businessman?'
Saldome simply couldn't believe it.