The Chancellor's Banquet
“Hmm, hmph, hm-hm-hmm~.”
“Lieutenant Maven around? Karin? Hey, Karin! Karin Maven!”
“Huh!? Wh-who…?! Oh, it’s you, sir. Lieutenant Colonel John Hobbs?”
Karin Maven startled, having been so absorbed in packing that she hadn’t noticed anyone enter her room. The schedule spanned six days and seven nights; she had been completely preoccupied with her luggage.
“Good grief… I’m starting to wonder if this is even the Karin Maven I know. Humming to herself, no less.”
John Hobbs chuckled at the sight. Unlike the others, he had known Karin for quite some time. He was the only one who had looked after her when she had shut herself away after the fall of Emerald Lake. Karin was well aware of that fact. Once her condition had begun to improve with Director Werner Grime’s help, their relationship had grown comfortable enough for light banter and teasing.
“That happy, huh.”
“…Wh-what do you mean!”
“Traveling with the Director.”
“It’s not a vacation, it’s an official mission! And an extremely important one—escorting His Excellency the Chancellor himself.”
Karin answered, doing her best to conceal her emotions. John Hobbs merely grinned. If she truly wanted to hide her feelings, she ought to have stopped her mouth from twitching at the corners.
“Sure, sure. The mission to visit the capital and then proceed to the Republic of Bostania, right? I’ve never even been on a domestic trip, let alone abroad.”
“It’s not like the two of you are going alone…”
“On paper, anyway. I doubt our poor Ordnance Chief even registers in your eyes. Edward’s going to be stuck like a sack of barley, isn’t he? Poor guy’s going to be lonely.”
“Y-you…! Stop teasing me already!”
Karin shoved the mischievous bureau chief out of her room.
“Whoa, whoa, calm down, Karin! I even brought you a present.”
“A present?”
“You know female soldiers in the Imperial Army get discharged the moment they get pregnant, right?”
What John Hobbs had been hiding behind his back was none other than a pack of condoms. Karin’s face flushed crimson the instant she recognized the gift.
“Bureau Chief!!!!!!”
“Kahaha! You and the Director better stay at Forbidden Lake together for a long, long time!”
John Hobbs burst out laughing as he fled her room. It was just another ordinary day at Forbidden Lake.
The helicopter carrying Lieutenant Edward Roman, Second Lieutenant Karin Maven, and Lieutenant Colonel Werner Grime touched down at Supreme Command in the capital.
“Welcome. First time seeing you at Command, isn’t it?”
They received a warm reception from Supreme Commander Arthur Philias and unpacked in the quarters assigned to them. They had a two-day schedule to complete even in the capital, so it was only natural. No sooner had they finished unpacking than they changed into their Security Bureau uniforms and headed for the Chancellor’s residence. Their schedule in the capital consisted of an audience with the Chancellor followed by a banquet. Before departing for the Republic of Bostania for the post-war summit, all members of the escort party were to gather at the residence for a social gathering. Werner found the entire affair nothing but troublesome; he had never been fond of such events.
Karin, for whom everything in the capital Hohenbaren was new, could not take her eyes off the vast city unfolding before her.
“Whoa…”
The capital, Hohenbaren. Having suffered almost no damage during the war, it was the only region that still retained the appearance of a pre-war imperial metropolis, complete with towering skyscrapers. Compared to Hohenbaren, Branberg in the Eastern Military District was little more than a backwater town. The only building there that could even be called a high-rise was the Eastern Army Headquarters. Though the quaint, traditional architecture possessed its own antique charm, it could not deliver the same overwhelming impact as buildings that scraped the sky.
Edward smiled faintly as he watched her reaction.
“There was a time when owning a house in Hohenbaren was my dream.”
“Really?”
“My first posting was with the Capital Corps. I’m from the countryside, after all.”
He had probably worn much the same expression as Karin did now. Edward, the Ordnance Chief, added this while recalling his hazy memories of his first enlistment.
“Even now, it still overpowers you. That said, the Director… no need to ask. You must have seen it plenty of times.”
“Something like that.”
Werner Grime answered briefly. “Plenty” was an understatement. In the previous cycle alone, he had been the overall commander of Supreme Command right here in Hohenbaren. Of course, that attempt had ended in failure. There had also been the time he stormed the Chancellor’s residence alone and drove a sword into the man’s heart. That, too, had failed, forcing another regression.
“Not particularly fond memories, though.”
Thinking back, that was true. To Werner, the lofty skyscrapers were nothing more than passing scenery. Mountains had trees; the capital had skyscrapers. That was the extent of his sentiment.
“Ah…”
“I never liked tall buildings to begin with. They’re vulnerable to Titan attacks, and they look like chicken coops built to cage people.”
“As expected, Director, you have no sense of romance. Though I must admit I don’t have particularly good memories either.”
Edward shrugged and rested his chin on the window frame with a nonchalant air. Even Karin, who had been visibly excited, stole a glance at Werner.
“…Still, the view after the war feels a little different.”
“Y-you’re right! The war is over, after all.”
“That it is. The war is over.”
Werner gave a faint smile at how quickly Karin seized the opportunity to agree. Though the Chancellor’s summons was bothersome, things were unlikely to go awry. The man clearly believed he had Werner on a leash. The recruitment of the extremist Revolutionary Front, the dissolution of the Imperial Way faction that had remained in the Eastern Military District—everything was proceeding according to plan. From the Chancellor’s perspective, this might genuinely be a form of reward. As Director of the Security Strategic Agency, Werner Grime had witnessed firsthand the reality faced by war heroes who refused to submit to the Chancellor: demotions, discharges, reductions in rank. In the worst cases, they even stood trial. Even Heinrich Rendal, the Eastern Army Commander the Chancellor had personally purged, could be called a war hero with his own distinguished record. Lutus Edan, who had achieved far greater merits than any of them, had bowed his head before the Chancellor could even act. There was ample room to view the situation favorably.
‘Besides, the Chancellor probably thinks he has a firm grip on my weakness.’
Though Arhen Orca had not intended it, her accusation itself served as leverage against Werner. Using a false identity did not erase the fact that he was actually Lutus Edan. The Chancellor could discard him whenever he wished. In that case, there was no harm in enjoying the moment without excessive caution. If it meant allowing Arhen, Leah, Charlotte, and everyone else to live happy lives, Werner was willing to join hands with the Chancellor or even the devil himself.
After racing along Hohenbaren’s main avenue, they arrived at the Chancellor’s residence. It was every bit as imposing as the dwelling of the man who had sidelined the Emperor and seized the empire. The temple-like pillars and the dome roof of glass combined pre-modern and modern architectural styles. The building would not have looked out of place as a museum or parliament. The contrast in authority was stark when compared to the Imperial Parliament, which had been reduced to a mere theater after the Chancellor took power.
While they stood lined up at the entrance, the firmly closed doors swung open and the Chancellor appeared. Chancellor of the Empire, Mikhail Bismarck. At the same moment, Werner Grime snapped a crisp salute.
“Ah! So the tireless members of the Security Strategic Agency, working day and night for the empire, have finally arrived.”
“You flatter us, Your Excellency.”
By appearance alone, he looked to be in his early forties. In reality, like Arthur Philias, he was approaching sixty, yet his sparkling eyes still held the vigor of youth and the ambition that came with it. Even Karin was surprised to find the Chancellor far more handsome and sharp-featured than she had imagined.
“Come inside, first.”
The Chancellor smiled and patted Werner’s shoulder before leading them in.
“Have you heard the detailed schedule on the way here?”
“I heard we depart by plane tomorrow evening.”
The Chancellor nodded in satisfaction at Werner’s reply.
“Correct. Therefore, I’ve arranged a lavish evening banquet for all members of the escort party today. It will be on an entirely different level from the one you saw in the Eastern Military District.”
“I’m looking forward to it as well.”
Of course, that was a lie. The issue was never whether the banquet was lavish or not. Banquets were simply something Werner could never enjoy. They were nothing more than expensive drinks and fine food laid out for the sake of socializing. Still, he could not let that show. Especially not in front of the Chancellor. No matter what he felt, he could not display it openly.
“By the way, Lieutenant Colonel Werner, have you received the list of escort members in advance?”
“No, Your Excellency. I have not.”
“Hmm, is that so? That’s a problem.”
A problem? An unpleasant premonition flashed through Werner’s mind.
“The truth is, several members of the escort party were changed at the last minute.”
The Chancellor continued as if it were nothing.
“Wasn’t the selection of escort members handled exclusively by the Secretariat?”
“That is correct, but two members who were originally scheduled to participate happened to come down with a severe case of gastroenteritis.”
“…”
“So, unfortunately, an old acquaintance of yours will be joining us instead.”
Werner felt the headache that had been dormant for several days return with a vengeance.
“Colonel Drake Brown. He’ll be accompanying us.”