The Empire's Desserts Are the Best in the World
The Empire's Desserts Are the Best in the World
Upon hearing the dreadful news that he had attracted attention from higher-ups, Daniel resolved that this time, he absolutely had to go to a dessert shop and get some healing.
'Looking after one's mental health during a demanding work life was only sensible.'
Thus, Daniel took a shortcut the moment he got off work and found himself in front of a newly opened shop on the outskirts of the capital: the Golden Rose Patisserie.
The scent of cookies and bread was already drifting out, so the chances that it was a proper dessert shop were high.
Daniel was quite satisfied by that.
Satisfied enough that he might have hummed a tune—if a strange woman hadn't been standing beside him.
"This is the place. The one you said we should go to, Captain."
As Lucy spoke, looking up at the patisserie's sign, Daniel secretly let out a sigh.
'...Why on earth had she followed me?'
To rewind a little: as he was leaving General Headquarters after work, Lucy had addressed him, so Daniel had answered in a businesslike manner.
In the course of that exchange, the topic of a dessert shop had come up, and Daniel had merely hinted, purely out of politeness, that Lucy could come along if she wanted.
He had naturally expected her to refuse, but Lucy had accepted, saying she wouldn't turn down a favor offered by a superior.
That made Daniel deeply uncomfortable.
'Was she trying to keep an eye on me?'
Lucy's intention was obvious, but Daniel didn't let on and simply nodded.
"Let's go."
Daniel moved his feet, opened the door of the patisserie, and stepped inside; Lucy followed.
At the appearance of the two of them, the employee seated at the counter quickly smiled and rose from their seat.
"Welcome! We are Golden Rose Patisserie, bringing happiness to everyone! How many..."
The employee stopped speaking and closed their mouth.
Not only had two soldiers in military officer uniforms walked in, but they were looking at them with piercing eyes, which hit with immense pressure.
In reality, both were simply expressionless, but the employee had no way of knowing that.
'This is terrifying...!'
The employee, who had burst into tears inwardly, barely composed themselves and forced an awkward smile.
"Two of you, then. Do you have a menu in mind, perhaps?"
"Ah. Yes, we do."
Daniel, who had removed his uniform cap and tucked it under his arm, answered with a gentle smile.
"I heard that a dessert called Dream Parfait is famous here. Even though it's only just opened, so many people have been coming to eat it—it must be delicious. Two, please."
"Ah..."
When they were expressionless, they had been frightening, but now that they were smiling and speaking gently, there was a subtly captivating charm.
Was this an unexpected side to them? The employee, momentarily dazed, soon nodded.
"Ah, I'll prepare it right away! If it's all right, please take a seat by the window!"
Daniel answered with a slight nod and made his way to an empty seat by the window, where he sat down.
Lucy sat across from Daniel and placed her briefcase on the empty chair beside her.
And then, she carefully observed Daniel.
He was looking around the dessert shop with a languid expression, as if he was quite familiar with the place.
'...So the story about going to a dessert shop yesterday hadn't been a lie?'
If it had been a lie, then Daniel would have known her identity from the beginning and tracked her.
He would have fabricated the fictional hobby of "going to a dessert shop" to cover his tracks.
But his manner was far too natural. He looked as though he had been to similar shops several times before.
'Had it really been just a coincidence?'
Lucy, who had been running through various deductions in her head, suddenly found herself meeting Daniel's eyes.
"...Why are you staring so intently? Is there something on my face?"
Oh dear. She had failed to manage her gaze while she was lost in thought.
It was the moment when Lucy, after coughing awkwardly, began to open her mouth to make an excuse.
"Two Dream Parfaits, as ordered!"
The employee, calling out cheerfully, brought the two parfaits and placed them in front of Lucy and Daniel.
"Well then, I hope you have a delicious day!"
Having said that, the employee bowed their head and returned to the counter.
Daniel, who had naturally lifted his spoon to eat the parfait, stopped.
Because Lucy was quite literally glaring at the parfait set in front of her.
"..."
And well she might; Lucy had never seen a dessert like a parfait in her life.
From birth until this very moment, Lucy had eaten nothing but military and research institute rations.
When she had first joined as Daniel's adjutant, she had inwardly marveled after eating a freshly baked croissant.
Even a croissant had affected her like that, so such an elaborate dessert was utterly unfamiliar to Lucy.
The sight of ice cream, cookies, fruit, cream, and chocolate syrup chaotically combined and stacked in layers in a tall glass felt almost majestic at first glance.
'...How on earth was she supposed to eat it?'
As Lucy fidgeted within her expressionless facade, Daniel let out a soft chuckle.
He had a rough grasp of the situation.
"Alright. Shall we give it a try?"
As if talking to himself, Daniel pressed his spoon deep into the parfait's ice cream.
Slowly lifting the spoon so that a halved strawberry and some cream came along with it, Daniel ate a spoonful.
A soft, sweet, and refreshing taste spread vividly across his mouth.
The satisfied Daniel smiled faintly and set down his spoon; Lucy followed suit.
Of course, she hadn't had high expectations.
There was no way an Imperial dessert could be delicious.
But the moment she put the spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
Lucy's eyes flew wide open.
"Heup...!"
Lucy, who had even let out a strange moan, set down her spoon and blinked vacantly.
The medley of sweet flavors mingling inside her mouth was nothing short of heavenly.
It was on a level that simply couldn't be compared to military rations.
Which was obvious; military food tended to prioritize nutrition over taste.
Having eaten nothing but such rations, and then eating a dessert that went all-in on "taste"—she was in shock.
That sight felt quite satisfying to Daniel.
'Yesterday she had dismissed it as junk food. Had she never actually tried it?'
Daniel, laughing quietly, spoke with a triumphant air.
"How is it? Does the dessert suit your taste?"
At Daniel's words, Lucy came to her senses and half-closed her eyes.
The moment she realized she had failed to manage her expression over a mere dessert, a belated shame rushed in.
And to think she had been defeated, of all things, by an Imperial dessert.
Feeling an added sense of humiliation, Lucy muttered, her face faintly reddening.
"...It's edible."
The slight tremor in her voice spoke volumes about what Lucy was feeling right now.
"I'm glad it's edible."
Having said that, Daniel pulled a cookie out of the parfait and put it in his mouth.
The crunchy texture was excellent.
Daniel, who had been savoring the taste of the parfait, gazed out the window and sank into contemplation for a moment.
'My adjutant is a spy, and nothing's been going my way lately, but...'
He ought to be grateful just for being able to serve not on the battlefield, but in such a peaceful rear area.
After all, fierce exchanges would be taking place on the front lines right now.
'On the battlefield, you couldn't even dream of a parfait.'
And so, Daniel hoped to continue serving in the rear.
Because he loathed the battlefield, where he would have to fight risking his life.
*
Meanwhile, at General Headquarters. The office of the Deputy Chief of Staff.
Sarak─
Brigadier General Cedric Bendel, surrounded by all manner of classified materials, calmly turned the pages of a newspaper.
His snake-like pupils swiftly scanned the article printed on the page.
In less than thirty seconds, Cedric had read the entire article and set the newspaper down.
'He had wiped out a mafia organization...'
The article he had just read was about Daniel annihilating a mafia organization.
'Why?'
Cedric was curious about the reason.
Captain Daniel Steiner had already achieved multiple merits, so his name was on the early promotion candidate list.
If he simply stayed out of trouble for two years like this, he would smoothly be promoted to major.
Daniel himself could hardly be unaware of that.
And yet, he had gone looking for another feat and annihilated a mafia organization.
Moreover, he had done it alone, after work hours.
Cedric, who had been blinking slowly, came to fully understand Daniel's heart.
'...So he couldn't wait two years.'
On the current battlefield, even a year passing would turn existing intelligence into a pile of trash.
From Daniel's perspective, burning with the desire to contribute to the Empire, he had no choice but to feel frustrated.
Because no matter how much of a hero of the capital he was, with only a captain's rank, the influence he could exert within the military was inevitably minimal.
That was why Daniel was sending a demonstration to his superiors by annihilating the mafia organization.
'I understand. He couldn't stand rotting away here at GHQ like this, so he's asking to be sent to the battlefield.'
Daniel had to be aiming for the fact that a special promotion to major would only be possible if he accumulated field experience—that is, achievements in combat.
Once one became a field-grade officer, their authority would increase to a degree incomparable to company-grade officers.
It was obvious that Daniel would want to be active on the Empire's front lines wielding that authority.
'He was a courageous young man. Wasn't he like a brightly burning flame?'
At a time when the country was in chaos both internally and externally—what with the succession issue and the Allied forces' offensive—talents like Daniel Steiner were worth their weight in gold.
'This is good. I had just been considering sending operational support to the Northern Front Army.'
If a capable young man wanted a special promotion, it was only right to give him a chance.
Because that would benefit the Empire in the long run.
'Very well. Captain Daniel Steiner. I shall put my faith in you, so...'
Go wild on the battlefield, just once.