Chapter 21
The next day.
After leaving work at General Staff Headquarters, I went straight to a hair salon with Ernst.
Honestly, I hadn’t wanted to, but Ernst insisted that since we were attending at the Imperial Household’s invitation, it was only proper to make at least a minimal effort with our appearance, so I had no say in the matter.
After getting my hair styled in the slicked-back style that was the latest Imperial fashion, I rode in Ernst’s car to the Imperial banquet mansion.
Can you believe there’s such a thing as a “banquet mansion”?
I couldn’t even imagine how much money one would have to possess to build a separate mansion just for holding banquets.
As we walked, taking in the mansion’s imposing appearance, the attendant checking the guest list at the entrance spoke up.
“It’s a beautiful night, gentlemen. If you don’t mind, may I have your names?”
Before I could say anything, Ernst answered.
“My name is Ernst Wark. And this handsome young man beside me is…….”
“Ah! Aren’t you Captain Daniel Steiner? You’re a celebrity—I could hardly fail to recognize you!”
“A celebrity, am I?”
Ernst turned to me with a playful smile.
I suppose he meant that someone of my stature was more than qualified to receive an invitation and that I should be confident, but honestly, it was a burden.
“Colonel Ernst Wark, Chief of the Operations Staff at General Staff Headquarters. And Captain Daniel Steiner, Operations Staff officer. Your identities have been confirmed. I hope you enjoy yourselves.”
The attendant stepped aside and bowed deeply.
“Thank you. Carry on.”
After greeting the attendant, Ernst entered the banquet hall, and I followed close beside him.
Inside the mansion, waiters were bustling around the small hall on the first floor.
“Let’s go in.”
We climbed the red-carpeted staircase directly ahead of us, and when we entered the second floor, the Great Hall spread out before us.
In the enormous hall, which must have been at least several hundred square meters, countless people had gathered and were chatting among themselves.
One unusual thing was that most of the men were wearing military uniforms, just like Ernst and me.
I suppose that in the wartime Empire, serving in the military was practically a great honor, so everyone was eager to show it off.
On the other hand, there were also people dressed in suits or decked out in expensive silk garments. They were probably wealthy magnates who funded the Imperial Army or people from aristocratic families.
As I looked around at them, a general officer recognized Ernst and walked over.
The scarred man with a wrinkled face was someone I knew well.
Brigadier General Heinrich Schmidt, commander of the Operations Command of the 1st Magitek Mobile Army.
I had met him when I awakened the memories of my past life, so I couldn’t have failed to know him even if I wanted to.
“Colonel Ernst! So you were invited too! And beside you is…….”
He was a brigadier general and the commander of a brigade. Tensing up, I hurriedly saluted.
“It’s an honor to see you again, Your Excellency. Captain Daniel Steiner.”
“Oh-ho. You’ve gone up another rank since I last saw you? Then again, considering the accomplishments you’ve amassed, I suppose it’s only natural. Isn’t that right, adjutant?”
Captain Philip, who had been standing one step behind Heinrich like a shadow, nodded.
“Indeed. Captain Daniel Steiner, I consider it fortunate that you’re a soldier of the Empire. Had we met as enemies, you would have been a formidable opponent.”
“You flatter me.”
It really was excessive praise.
Most of the accomplishments I had earned had happened unintentionally, after all.
But perhaps Heinrich took my attitude for humility, because he merely smiled with clear approval.
“I felt it from the beginning, but you’re an exceptional talent—so much so that I’d like to have you serve under me. As it happens, the Imperial Army will soon be marching north for a war of expansion, but…… No. It would be better to tell you about that later. Colonel Ernst?”
What was it? Why had he stopped in the middle of what he was saying?
While I was feeling vaguely uneasy, Ernst picked up where Heinrich had left off.
“Yes? Please, go on.”
“I believe I need to discuss the Empire’s future with the Deputy Chief of Staff, but before that, I’d like to hear your opinion. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to discuss it somewhere quiet.”
“Oh, my. If that’s what you wish, Commander, I’d be happy to.”
The two of them must have already been acquainted, because they walked away together, laughing.
Philip also started to follow Heinrich, but stopped and looked back at me.
“Captain Daniel? This seems to be your first banquet, so just look around and spend some time grabbing a bite to eat. The main event will begin shortly, so even if you’re bored, try to endure it until then.”
I was rather touched by his concern.
Was Captain Philip an angel? When I nodded, Philip gave me a brief smile before following Heinrich.
Thanks to that, I was left alone and looked around.
‘For now…….’
It seemed best to sit at one of the banquet tables and pass the time.
Everyone was engaged in small talk, and if I stood around by myself looking lost, I would probably attract unnecessary attention.
I wanted to avoid too much attention.
With that in mind, I slowly made my way toward the banquet tables.
‘Oh.’
As luck would have it, there was an empty seat across from someone who was already eating.
*
Alisteair, an intelligence agent from the Kingdom of Eldresia, looked around while pretending to eat.
Since it was a banquet hosted by the Imperial Household, countless high-ranking figures were gathered there, as anyone could see at a glance.
Alisteair’s mission was to inform the other agents of the list of people attending the banquet (more precisely, those who had actually attended).
That way, when the other agents attacked the banquet hall, they would be able to assassinate the important figures more smoothly.
For that reason, Alisteair kept glancing around, but then he tensed at the sound of footsteps nearby.
“Click, click─”
The sound of dress shoes slowly approached, then stopped.
After secretly swallowing, Alisteair raised his head and saw a black-haired, black-eyed man looking down at him.
He was someone Alisteair knew well, too.
‘Captain Daniel Steiner…….’
He was the monster who had forced the famously tight-lipped Reginald to submit in a single day of interrogation.
Why on earth was he here? Had he been found out? As Alisteair secretly broke into a cold sweat, Daniel smiled and spoke.
“Are you here alone, by any chance? If you don’t have anyone with you, I’d like to sit across from you…….”
Refusing him would only arouse suspicion. Alisteair nodded tensely.
“Yes. If you wish, please sit.”
“Thank you. My legs were starting to hurt, anyway.”
With some light banter, Daniel pulled out a chair and sat down.
Daniel took the uniform cap from his head and placed it on the table, then let out a low sigh as if he could finally breathe again.
“Ah. I’m late introducing myself. My name is…….”
“I know. Aren’t you Captain Daniel Steiner?”
Daniel’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You know me?”
“Of course I do. Anyone in the capital who doesn’t know Captain Daniel must be a spy, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh, dear. I never wanted to become famous…….”
Daniel sighed, then looked at the food Alisteair was eating and exclaimed in surprise.
“Is that spätzle? And schnitzel on the side! You must be from the south?”
Alisteair wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin and nodded.
“That’s right. We mostly ate spätzle in my hometown.”
“You mostly ate spätzle in your hometown…… Ah-ha! You’re from the Barony of Betargen. And the region is…….”
As Alisteair was about to answer, Daniel raised a hand to stop him.
“Let me take a guess. The place where spätzle is a staple would have to be the Balsach region of the Barony of Betargen. Am I right?”
After thinking for a moment, Alisteair nodded.
Saying no would only make the atmosphere awkward.
“Good heavens! It’s amazing enough that you’re from the south, but you’re from Balsach too! I’m from there as well. Do you know the village of Pianmari?”
Daniel had spoken out of pure happiness at meeting someone from his hometown, but Alisteair felt as though Daniel was narrowing down his location and tightening the noose around him.
His palms began to sweat.
After calming his trembling nerves as much as possible, Alisteair smiled naturally.
“Of course I do. Pianmari Village. Isn’t there a famous restaurant near there?”
The best way to avoid suspicion was to establish common ground.
Delighted to meet someone from his hometown, Daniel laughed and nodded.
“Ah. Yes. There was a fairly famous restaurant called Jack’s Restaurant. Its exterior was so shabby you wouldn’t have thought it was a restaurant, though. I used to go there often when I lived in the area. It really brings back memories.”
Daniel snapped his fingers as if he had just remembered something.
“If you know Jack’s Restaurant, then you must have been there! Honestly, if you’re from Balsach and have never been to Jack’s Restaurant, that just wouldn’t make sense.”
“Ah. Yes. Of course.”
“Then what dish did you like best there?”
The fact that they came from the same hometown and had even frequented the same restaurant inevitably created a sense of familiarity.
Daniel had asked the question to share memories, but the pressure on Alisteair was growing, and his breathing was becoming increasingly ragged.
If he named a dish that wasn’t on the restaurant’s menu…… The thought alone was horrifying.
Quickly running the abacus in his head, Alisteair thought of a dish commonly sold in the southern regions of the Empire.
“I liked the apple strudel at Jack’s Restaurant best. I went there to eat it last year, too, but I still haven’t forgotten its flavor.”
“Aha! Apple strudel!”
Daniel clapped his hands and laughed.
“It really is delicious, isn’t it? I can’t forget that sweet, smooth flavor either. It’s even better with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the side.”
Thanks to that, Alisteair was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
It was fortunate that he had named a dish widely known in the southern Empire as both a breakfast item and a dessert.
Just when he thought he could chat a little longer and then leave, Daniel spoke.
“But there’s one thing that seems a little…… strange.”
Strange? Wondering what he meant, Alisteair was unable to answer, while Daniel stroked his chin and fell into thought.
Then Daniel slowly turned his head and stared at Alisteair before speaking.
“As far as I know, apple strudel was removed from Jack’s Restaurant’s menu three years ago. That was after a customer with an apple allergy mistakenly ordered it and suffered a seizure.”
Genuinely curious, Daniel leaned his upper body toward Alisteair.
His eyes, black as graphite, blinked calmly.
“But you said you ate apple strudel there last year?”
In an instant, Alisteair felt a terror so intense that it seemed all the blood had drained from his body.