Seduction Is Never Easy
Seduction Is Never Easy
The next day.
Daniel, who had reported to General Headquarters, entered the staff office to report on operations support and spoke with the Deputy Chief of Staff, Ernst.
Once the formal report concluded, Ernst smiled with satisfaction and informed Daniel that he could work from his own private office from now on.
The reason was that a capable talent like him had no need to mingle and share space with the personnel of the staff office.
Daniel had flatly refused, but as the decision had already come from above, Ernst stubbornly persisted, even adding the word 'order'.
Because of that, even as the workday stretched into the afternoon, Daniel found himself working in his private office.
The fact that Lucy was reviewing documents a short distance away was a bonus.
Watching Lucy seated at her desk, engrossed in her work, Daniel felt fatigue wash over him and leaned back against his chair rest.
'I did return to the capital, but...'
Regrettably, the situation was not what Daniel wanted.
Thanks to his return from the battlefield with an uncomfortable amount of military merit, the risk of being dragged into the succession struggle between the prince and princess had only grown.
He had plugged the leak with a stopgap for now, but there was no telling when their clutches would extend this far.
'On top of that, it seems His Majesty the Emperor doesn't trust me either...'
In Daniel's view, the Emperor's attitude yesterday had felt like someone was probing the other party's heart.
He didn't know what judgment had been reached in the process, but it certainly hadn't been a favorable one.
'Even the people at General Headquarters subtly seem to be avoiding me.'
Entering the staff office for his report today, Daniel had been taken aback by the awkward silence.
He had expected them to welcome him back safely, but the staff office personnel were busy gauging his reaction, looking somehow deflated and cowed.
A few people had approached and greeted him, but even those interactions had been stiff in some way.
─ M-Major Daniel, sir! We are truly relieved you have returned safely!
─ Please let us know anytime if there is anything you need, sir!
─ The Golden Cross Medal...! Th-They say His Majesty the Emperor awarded it to you personally?
A certain fear, palpable in their voices and expressions, still remained vivid.
'The rumors must have spread. That I ruthlessly threatened the enemy nation's Foreign Minister to force through the negotiations...'
It was a clear misunderstanding, but being in no position to call it one, he was simply at a loss.
He had thrashed about trying to untie one tangled knot, only to end up creating several more in the process.
Having sighed inwardly in secret, Daniel looked at Lucy with the heart of a man clutching at straws.
"Adjutant. Do I seem frightening to you as well?"
Lucy, who had looked up, blinked a few times before answering.
"I am not entirely sure of the intent of your question, but in my eyes, Major, you are not a frightening person."
Couldn't you, just for once, be a little scared of me? Daniel, having forced his true feelings down, nodded vaguely and pretended to look over his work.
At that, Lucy also looked away and resumed reviewing her documents.
Daniel, who had been watching Lucy out of the corner of his eye, flipped through a few documents before setting them down.
He simply could not concentrate on work today.
"When I get off work, I suppose I should go to the officers' club for the first time in a while..."
At Daniel's muttering to himself, Lucy's ears perked up.
'...The officers' club?'
As far as Lucy knew, the officers' club at Imperial General Headquarters was a bar-style social gathering that served drinks and cocktails.
Thinking this was a chance, Lucy glanced furtively at Daniel and slowly formulated a plan.
*
After work, Daniel headed straight for the officers' club without a shred of hesitation.
Having witnessed that, Lucy loitered nearby for about an hour before entering the officers' club.
The reason she had left an hour's gap was to give the impression that they had run into each other by coincidence.
'Good. Let's begin.'
Entering the officers' club, Lucy cast her gaze around once.
As luxurious lighting softly illuminated the interior, details like wood paneling and velvet sofas added to the classic atmosphere.
Seeing company-grade and field-grade officers mingling together and sharing drinks, it was certainly worthy of being called a place of social interaction.
'But Daniel Steiner is...'
Sweeping her gaze to find her target, Lucy discovered Daniel sitting alone in front of the bar table.
Having calmed her nerves with a deep breath, Lucy went and sat down beside Daniel.
"Major? So you were here."
She had spoken to him naturally, but no answer came from Daniel.
When she glanced sideways at him, Daniel had one hand holding his glass on the table and the other pressed against his forehead, his eyes closed.
It looked like he was lost in thought, whatever the reason.
She didn't know what he was brooding over, but Lucy, thinking she shouldn't disturb him, looked up at the bartender.
"Excuse me..."
"Hm? Ah. Young lady. What can I get for you?"
At the bartender's friendly voice, Lucy hesitated a moment before speaking.
"I'd like the same as what Major Daniel is having."
"You like Scotch whisky? And Johnnie Walker at that. It's easy to enjoy yet has a premium taste. An excellent choice."
The bartender took out a clean glass, dropped in a large ice cube, and poured the Johnnie Walker.
"Here you are."
Nodding, Lucy accepted the glass the bartender handed her.
The whisky's color, resembling a sunset glow, complemented the subtle lighting and created quite the ambiance.
Lucy gently swirled the glass that reflected her own face.
'Alcohol...'
It was a luxury item she had avoided until now, since it provided no help whatsoever to espionage activities.
However, to build rapport with Daniel and ultimately 'seduce' him, it was a luxury item she couldn't avoid.
Raising the glass, Lucy shut her eyes tight and took a sip of the whisky.
At the same time, she couldn't help but furrow her brow.
'Ugh...'
It felt like a fireball was rolling down her throat.
Furthermore, the scent of alcohol lingering in her mouth was nothing but unpleasant.
Why on earth did Daniel drink this stuff? Unable to understand, Lucy turned to look beside her, only to be flustered upon finding Daniel, whose posture hadn't changed one bit.
'Don't tell me...'
Was he asleep right now? Blinking blankly, Lucy turned to the bartender.
"Forgive me, but I have a question."
"...What question might that be?"
"Did the Major drink a lot?"
At Lucy's question, the bartender glanced at Daniel, then smiled and shrugged.
"Yes. Perhaps he had a hard day today, but he drank seven glasses in a row. What was it he said? Life is a series of sufferings? He was muttering some philosophical words, closed his eyes, and has been in this state ever since."
At that, Lucy was left dumbfounded.
"...."
She had intended to pretend to be drunk and seduce Daniel, but Daniel himself had gotten dead drunk and passed out first.
Letting out a low sigh, Lucy rose from her seat and bowed her head deeply to the bartender.
"I will apologize on behalf of the Major for any trouble he may have caused you."
"Pardon? Ah. No. Major Daniel's drinking manners are exceptionally polite. I'd rather all customers were like that, frankly."
"Thank you for saying so. As for Major Daniel..."
Looking down at Daniel, Lucy continued as if she had no choice.
"I will escort him to his quarters."
All of a sudden, she had ended up looking after her superior, a task that hadn't been in her plans at all.
*
Arriving at the quarters, Lucy unlocked the door, went inside, and laid Daniel down on the bed.
Lying on the bed, Daniel tossed and turned before murmuring quietly.
"Water..."
Veins bulged on Lucy's forehead, exhausted as she was from dragging Daniel all the way to his quarters.
'Should I just kill him.'
If an assassination order had come down in this situation, she might well have raised her gun and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Still glaring down at Daniel with displeasure, Lucy went into the kitchenette and poured water into a cup.
She thought a mere cup of water was something she could give.
Returning with the water cup, Lucy climbed onto the bed, knelt beside him, and shook his shoulder lightly.
"Major. I've brought water."
The implication was that he should get up, since drinking while lying down risked blocking his airway.
However, Daniel, already blackout drunk, showed no sign of getting up at all.
The moment Lucy, dissatisfied, shook his shoulder a little harder,
Daniel abruptly grabbed Lucy's arm and pulled her straight to him.
"...!?"
Pulled in with no time to resist, Lucy dropped the water cup.
Having reflexively shut her eyes tight, she slowly opened them to find Daniel's chest right before her eyes.
Grasping the situation in a daze, Lucy became aware that she was now held in Daniel's arms.
"...!"
Her eyes flew wide open, round like a startled cat's.
While she was frozen, not knowing what to do, Daniel held the back of Lucy's head and pulled her gently into an embrace.
"Don't go..."
A deep, weighty voice tickled her ear.
At that moment, Lucy recalled what Frien had told her.
─ Men are basically wolves.
Right. No matter how much of a cold-blooded man Daniel Steiner was, he was still a man in his prime.
'Still, of all things...'
She hadn't expected to end up in Daniel's embrace so suddenly.
At heart, she wanted to push him away, but bound by the mission, she couldn't do that.
So, just as she was tensing up, watchful, Daniel's lips twitched again.
"That way's a mud pit... You'll get scolded by the Director..."
The Director? Blinking a few times, Lucy let out a low sigh.
'It was sleep-talking.'
Having realized the truth of the matter, Lucy felt inwardly relieved. She released Daniel's arm and rose to her feet.
Casting an odd look at Daniel, who lay collapsed in sleep, Lucy snapped to her senses, got off the bed, and fled the quarters as if escaping.
Kung.
Having hurriedly closed the door to the quarters, Lucy expelled a breath as if all her strength had left her.
Having collected her scattered thoughts, Lucy clenched her fist while leaning her back against the door.
'That was dangerous...'
Even as she thought it was dangerous, Lucy couldn't properly define what exactly about it was dangerous.
Having clutched the hem of her innocent uniform skirt for no reason, Lucy flushed red.
Soon, she half-opened her eyes and bit down hard on her lower lip.
Because, for some reason, the pounding of her heart showed no signs of subsiding.