This Is a Bad Person
This Is a Bad Person
All the soldiers who saw Lucy's red eyes threw down their weapons and surrendered.
She wasn't as famous as Frien, who was called the Witch of the Empire, but Lucy, too, was notorious for massacring the control room soldiers during the capture of Lakedrapol.
Lucy, having accepted the surrender, led the Republic soldiers back to City Hall.
Thanks to that, Daniel ended up being saddled with the stigma (?) of being the Occupation Zone Commander who had swept up the remaining Republic resistance forces in one stroke—even though he hadn't done anything.
Upon hearing this, Liaison Officer Rimshel reported to General Staff Headquarters that the company-sized force, which had methodically planned an assassination, had been entirely captured in less than two days.
As his reputation crept up yet again, Daniel publicly announced that he would permit assemblies and nighttime passage.
From the perspective of the citizens, who had assumed security would intensify even further now that the company plotting the assassination had been captured, bewilderment was inevitable.
─ Has Daniel Steiner gone mad? He's allowing assemblies and nighttime passage?
─ They even say he consulted with personnel and said it was alright to hold a festival.
─ Huh. A festival? I thought this year's festival was a lost cause. I don't know what he's plotting, but it's not bad news.
The citizens, while offering all sorts of speculations about Daniel Steiner, threw themselves into preparing for the festival.
They brightened the streets with petroleum lamps, brought in large blocks of ice and began carving them industriously, and hung small bells around the plaza to boost the festive mood.
They were citizens who ordinarily complained about the Imperial Army, but at the prospect of enjoying the festival, they set such matters aside for the time being.
And so, as a fortnight passed and the festival was about to begin, the city grew animated.
To the extent that it hardly resembled a city under military administration.
The sound of children laughing and the idle chatter of housewives could even be heard from the City Hall office.
Daniel observed the scene from the window and opened his mouth.
"......Are there no signs of protest being raised against the Imperial Army?"
Pelf, who had been standing behind Daniel, nodded his head.
"That is correct. Discontent has not yet ceased, but they appear not to be paying it much mind, perhaps because we permitted them to hold the festival. There will likely be no particular conflicts during the festival period."
Daniel sighed inwardly.
'How could there not be a single protest....'
As expected, the fact that he had swept up the Republic company right before easing the restrictions on nighttime passage and assembly must have played a significant role.
The odds were high that they considered staging a protest against Daniel Steiner—who had captured the Republic company in just two days—to be a life-risking endeavor.
It was also a miscalculation on Daniel's part, thinking the citizens would prioritize protests over the festival.
Daniel, thinking he had failed this time as well, paused mid-sigh.
Because a giant ice sculpture shaped like a cat was visible in the far-off plaza.
'After working on it for days, they must have finished it today.'
Now intrigued, Daniel spoke while keeping his eyes fixed on the cat sculpture.
"Intelligence Staff. What exactly is that cat statue?"
"A cat statue? Ahh. You are referring to the Divine Cat Statue."
"The Divine Cat Statue?"
"Yess. It is a form of totemism. I looked into it for investigation purposes, and there is a legend in this city that says during the festival, a god descends in the guise of a pure white animal, bestowing blessings upon the people before departing."
Perhaps because it was also Pelf's first time seeing the Divine Cat Statue, he continued speaking as if he found it interesting.
"Therefore, animals with pure white fur tend to be regarded as sacred during the festival period. They say they even open cafes where they gather white cats and puppies around this time of year."
The fingertips of Daniel's hands, which had been clasped behind his back, trembled faintly.
Because upon hearing the story, he had suddenly wanted to visit such a place.
"I heard that you can touch cats and puppies to your heart's content if you pay a small fee. Of course, Major General Daniel would not have much interest in such things, but still."
In Pelf's mind, Daniel was an iron-blooded soldier who strictly adhered to principles.
The image of him spending leisure time stroking puppies and cats was simply unimaginable.
It was a remark made with that in mind, but Daniel's true feelings were different.
'I want to go. A place teeming with puppies and kittens....'
To Daniel, who loved animals, it was a place no different from heaven.
But naturally, even if he visited in his capacity as the Occupation Zone Commander, no one would welcome him.
Daniel, who had been repeatedly agonizing over the issue, made up his mind to take a kind of 'vacation.'
Just as he had once concealed his identity and enjoyed a holiday in the Imperial Capital, he intended to do the same this time.
'It should be possible. Not many citizens of Lakedrapol know my face.'
Still, just to be safe, it would be better to cover his face as he had done in the capital.
'Now the problem is....'
The issue was that he had to shake off Lucy and Pelf, who were always at his side.
Because if those two followed him under the pretense of field reporting and escort duties, no matter how much he disguised himself as someone else, it would be useless.
So what should he do? After racking his brain for a moment, Daniel opened his mouth.
"Intelligence Staff."
"Yes. Division Commander."
"Now is the prime time for crime, while everyone is distracted by the festival. There may be unknown subversive elements. Take the battalion troops and my adjutant and patrol the city outskirts."
If Pelf and Lucy were drawn out to the outskirts, he would be able to freely enjoy the festival.
Pelf, who could not have known that, accepted Daniel's suggestion and nodded his head.
"Yes. I will follow your orders."
Having heard the answer, a smile bloomed at the corner of Daniel's mouth.
His mood had improved at the thought of being able to touch cats and puppies as much as he wanted.
However, Pelf, who had been observing Daniel from behind, felt a chill run through his entire body.
'As I thought. He must be devising yet another plan that a mediocrity like me cannot understand.'
That was utterly untrue.
*
When evening came, Lucy and Pelf led the troops and headed for the outskirts according to Daniel's orders.
Having seen that, Daniel took off his uniform, donned civilian clothes, put on sunglasses and a fedora, and then leisurely slipped out of City Hall.
Because he had timed his exit to coincide with the guard shift change, he didn't run into any soldiers on his way out of City Hall.
Daniel prided himself on it being the perfect crime, but there was one flaw.
'Daniel Steiner......! You have finally come out of City Hall alone.'
It was because Company Commander Daegen, who had lost all his subordinates in two days, was tailing him.
When he had visited the inspection facility a fortnight ago to check, all his troops had vanished—a fact that still bewildered him to think about.
Since then, Daegen had been loitering near City Hall for a fortnight, waiting to catch Daniel venturing out alone.
Perhaps heaven had recognized his efforts, for Daniel Steiner had finally come out of City Hall alone, making this moment nothing short of a golden opportunity.
'This time, I'll finish you off for good.'
Daegen, who had been quietly tailing Daniel, soon came to an abrupt halt.
Because, after stopping to ask citizens something on the street, Daniel had entered a cafe teeming with animals.
Wondering why in the world he would enter a place like that, Daegen, though doubtful, still followed Daniel into the cafe.
"Welcome. Are you a party of one?"
Then, a clerk stepped forward to greet Daegen.
When Daegen nodded with an awkward look, the clerk guided him to a window seat.
Daegen, who had quietly taken a seat by the window, shifted his gaze to find where Daniel was.
At the same time, he was seized by a strange shock.
"Just who is it that made you this cute? That's right. Come here. I'll pet you to my heart's content."
Daniel Steiner, who was called the Iron-Blooded or the Demon, was smiling brightly while petting puppies and cats.
Not only that, he was playing with two puppies and three cats simultaneously using exceedingly dazzling hand movements.
The cats and puppies also seemed highly satisfied, clinging to Daniel and clamoring to be petted without cease.
'What in the world is going on......? Is this really the Daniel Steiner I know?'
Could he have followed the wrong person? That thought made him hesitate to pull out the pistol he had stuffed into his coat.
In the midst of this, Daniel, who had been playfully stroking a puppy's chest, shifted his gaze.
When their eyes inadvertently met, Daegen's hand flinched, but Daniel simply flashed a good-natured smile.
"You've been staring over this way for a while now...."
Had he been caught? Just as Daegen began to break out in a cold sweat, Daniel rose from his seat and approached closer.
"I understand. It happens sometimes. People come to a place like this because they like animals, but when they actually try to touch them, they get self-conscious about others watching them, right?"
It was an absurd remark, but Daegen decided to play along for now.
Because while a surprise attack from behind might be one thing, launching a frontal attack against someone who possessed the neural acceleration ability was suicide.
"......Yes. It seems that's the case."
"Hmm. That won't do. In a place like this, you need to let yourself go. That's how you can spend your leisure time fruitfully."
Meow─
A single cat cried as if in agreement.
While Daegen was staring at the cat, Daniel sat down across from him.
"Since we've met like this, it must be fate—how about a drink? I'll pay."
"Ah. It's alright. I did not come here to drink a beverage. So......."
"Ahem. What did I just say?"
As if left with no choice, Daegen, who had been biting his lip, nodded his head.
"You said to let myself go."
"Exactly. Then tell me what drink you'd like, and I'll......."
Daniel halted mid-sentence and shut his mouth.
Because Daegen's appearance seemed shabby in a way he couldn't quite place.
It was only natural, after all, since he hadn't been able to wash properly for a fortnight.
Daniel, who had paused briefly, asked carefully.
"......If you haven't been able to eat a proper meal, I could treat you to one. There's a restaurant nearby."
"Thank you for the offer, but I'll decline. I have a home to return to."
"Aha. I apologize. I seem to have made a rude remark."
Daniel, who had apologized politely, leaned back against his chair.
"I thought you were a tourist like myself, but you are a local. In that case, would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?"
"......What kind of questions?"
"I want to properly enjoy the festival, but I don't know much about it. If possible, I'd like you to introduce me to some specialties of Lakedrapol that can only be enjoyed during the festival period."
Specialties of Lakedrapol that could only be enjoyed during the festival period? Daegen couldn't possibly know such things.
At the time he had been dispatched to Lakedrapol, Daegen's company had been on trench standby duty and knew nothing about the inner workings of the city.
So as he hesitated to give an answer, Daniel wore a thin smile.
"Why are you acting like that? It's not a difficult question to answer, is it?"
It was exactly as he said.
But Daegen couldn't shake the feeling that Daniel was subtly pressing him for an answer.
'......Could he have lured me here?'
In the first place, would the man called the iron-blooded Daniel Steiner really have left City Hall alone just to pet puppies and cats?
If he had used himself as bait to track down the company commander who alone survived after the company was smashed to pieces, it would make perfect sense—and then some.
He felt the air growing heavy somehow.
Desperately racking his brain to give a natural answer, Daegen opened his mouth.
"During the festival period, they usually sell apples coated in chocolate. You'd do well to try those. They are hard to find in normal times, after all."
Chocolate apples were a staple at Republic festivals.
Thinking that this wouldn't invite suspicion, Daegen regained his composure.
However, Daniel was simply staring at Daegen with an inscrutable gaze.
After a few ticks of the second hand, Daniel's smile returned.
"Chocolate apples, huh. That sounds delicious."
When Daniel raised his hand after saying that, the clerk approached.
"Do you need anything?"
Daniel looked up at the clerk and lightly tossed out a question.
"Ah. I heard that chocolate apples are famous at the Lakedrapol festival. Do you happen to know if they are sold in the shop?"
The clerk blinked blankly.
The clerk, who wore an expression as if hearing this for the first time, smiled an awkward smile.
"I don't know about other places, but they don't sell chocolate apples at the Lakedrapol festival. As you know, the White Silver Snow Night Festival is a festival that sanctifies animals, and chocolate is harmful to puppies."
"Aha."
Having heard the explanation, Daniel turned his head to look at Daegen.
Tick─
The sound of the clock's second hand moving felt slightly louder than before.
Daegen swallowed dryly, and his pupils began to tremble involuntarily.
In the midst of the deepening silence, Daniel spoke in a whisper.
"That's truly strange. The person sitting before my eyes clearly......."
The smile disappeared from the corner of Daniel's mouth.
"Said that chocolate apples are a specialty of Lakedrapol."
His expressionless face—close to a straight face—added gravity to the situation.
Daegen, whose breathing had unconsciously become ragged, felt his pupils dilating.
Daniel, who had placed his hands on the table, slowly leaned toward Daegen.
"Just why did you......."
Eventually, when their eyes met, Daniel quietly asked.
"Lie to me."
At that, Daegen felt extreme tension take command of his body.