Mistaken for a War Hero

Chapter 84 - Realization Blooming Amidst Loss

『 Translator – Divinity 』

Leaving the General Staff Headquarters, Lucy activated her optical camouflage in a deserted alleyway.

She walked on and arrived at a textile factory located on the outskirts of the capital.

Entering the factory, she saw workers diligently working.

'No...'

It would be more accurate to call them intelligence agents disguised as workers.

Lucy deactivated her optical camouflage as she observed them.

The agents, who had been moving around the factory, stopped in surprise.

One of them, after a moment of hesitation, drew a pistol hidden in his pocket and aimed it at Lucy.

It was natural for them to be wary, as a person had appeared out of thin air, dressed in an Imperial officer's uniform.

"Identify yourself! How did you get here!?"

At the shout of the man in front, Lucy replied with an annoyed tone,

"An eagle soaring high in the sky can never know what's happening on the ground."

It was a code phrase used within the Allied Intelligence Agency.

Realizing that Lucy was an ally, the man lowered his gun.

"...What brings you here? I haven't heard of any reports scheduled for this hour."

"I have business with the branch manager. Please guide me to him."

"What nonsense... Do you think you can just see the branch manager whenever you want?"

Lucy sighed softly and narrowed her red eyes.

"Tell him the Red Thread has arrived. He'll grant me permission then."

At the mention of "Red Thread," the man gulped nervously.

As far as he knew, there was only one woman in the Allied Nations who used the codename Red Thread.

'The legendary agent who carried out countless assassinations, and a close confidante of Count Caledra...'

Unable to believe that such a prominent figure had come here, the man took out his radio.

"Wait here for a moment."

Thinking he needed to confirm her identity, the man spoke into the radio.

During the conversation, he seemed surprised and bowed his head to the unseen person on the other end.

"Yes, sir. Understood."

The man replied respectfully to the person on the radio, then turned to Lucy.

Blinking his eyes in a daze, he cleared his throat and said,

"The branch manager has granted you permission to enter. I'll guide you."

Lucy nodded, and the man walked towards a textile dyeing machine.

He operated a few buttons and pulled a lever, and a loud thud echoed.

Then, the sound of gears turning filled the air as the dyeing machine moved to the side.

Behind it, a staircase leading underground was revealed.

"You can go down through here."

After bowing her head in greeting, Lucy descended the stairs.

At the end of the stairs, she opened a metal door and stepped into a concrete-walled space.

The first thing she saw in this vast, bunker-like space was a map of the capital hanging on one of the walls.

Radar screens and surveillance equipment were lined up on either side of the map, and numerous agents were operating electronic devices in front of them.

'So this is the Palentia branch...'

She knew that they were operating with a base in the heart of the Empire, but this was her first time visiting.

As she looked around, impressed by the scale of the facility, a man with his secretary approached from afar.

Lucy recognized the man instantly.

It was Theobald Verno, the head of the Palentia branch of the Allied Intelligence Agency.

Although this was her first time visiting the branch, she had met Theobald a few times before on business.

However, she didn't want to acknowledge him.

Lucy stood still and waited, and Theobald stopped as he approached.

"Lucy Emilia, what brings you here? I don't have much time, so get to the point."

His businesslike tone was devoid of any warmth.

Deciding that there was no need for pleasantries, Lucy went straight to the point.

"I came to ask a question. Was it the Allied Nations that attacked the diplomatic vessel carrying Daniel Steiner?"

Theobald fell silent for a moment.

He was contemplating whether he should reveal this to Lucy.

In the end, he nodded, thinking that it was only a matter of time before she found out anyway.

"Yes, it was. We deemed it necessary for the Allied Nations and carried it out."

Lucy's hands trembled slightly at his confirmation.

Lost in a whirlwind of emotions, she remained silent for a while, then met Theobald's gaze.

"...Was sinking a ship carrying civilians truly a necessary act for the Allied Nations? And I don't understand why the headquarters hid this from me."

The subtle anger in Lucy's voice irritated Theobald.

He frowned openly.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had eliminated Daniel Steiner earlier. And why should headquarters tell you everything? Do you think you're so important just because you're under Count Caledra's protection?"

Lucy clenched her fists.

"...I have carried out numerous assassination missions under the orders of the Allied Nations. So I thought they would trust me, at least when it comes to assassinations."

"Lucy."

"I was the one who was supposed to assassinate Daniel Steiner. It was my decision to make and my mission to carry out. Why didn't the Allied Nations trust me?"

"Lucy Emilia."

"Yes, it's understandable that you wouldn't believe it, considering the circumstances. But in that case, you should have at least informed me that my mission had changed! But the Allied Nations—"

Theobald slapped Lucy across the face.

Slap—

The sound of skin hitting skin echoed loudly in the enclosed space.

After Lucy, who had been slapped, took a few breaths, Theobald said,

"Calm down and listen. The Allied Nations is moving towards a greater cause. So don't question us and return to standby for your next mission."

Normally, Lucy would have nodded and left, but not this time.

"...You're telling me not to question you?"

Lucy's voice was barely a whisper.

It's for the nation. It's for the greater cause. It's for the people. It's for the world. It's for peace. It's for revenge. It's for balance.

These were the things the Allied Nations, Count Caledra, had told her whenever she questioned them.

Even though she knew they weren't valid reasons, Lucy had always acquiesced without complaint.

Because the Allied Nations was good, and the Empire was evil.

But could she really define the Allied Nations, who had killed Daniel Steiner along with civilians, as good?

And the Allied Nations hadn't even informed her, despite her loyalty.

"Until when..."

Lucy looked at Theobald and gritted her teeth.

"Am I supposed to keep my mouth shut and not question anything?"

The anger that had been festering inside her started to burn.

Although he knew he shouldn't let her anger fester, Theobald had nothing to say to Lucy.

So he remained silent, and Lucy, in a fit of anger, turned to leave.

Theobald didn't stop her, and she climbed the stairs and left.

Theobald sighed softly and looked at his secretary.

"Report this to Count Caledra. Tell him that Experimental Subject 187, the only successful subject... no,"

Theobald, looking at the spot where Lucy had been standing, said with a headache,

"Tell him that Lucy Emilia might have switched sides."

✧✦✧✦✧

...Lucy stepped out of the branch and walked aimlessly.

She had hoped that the Allied Nations would finally give her a proper explanation, but the fact that everything had come to nothing filled her with emptiness.

Touching her cheek where Theobald had slapped her, Lucy walked on with dead eyes, and then she noticed the increasing brightness in her vision.

She could hear the cheerful chatter of citizens.

Looking up without thinking, Lucy realized that she had exited the alleyway and was now on the main street.

A cool breeze blew as Lucy's gaze drifted across the street.

[Golden Rose Bakery]

That brightly lit shop was where she first tasted an Imperial dessert.

As if in a trance, Lucy crossed the street and walked towards the bakery.

Meanwhile, raindrops began to fall from the dark clouds that had gathered in the sky.

The citizens on the street opened their umbrellas, but Lucy didn't.

She simply walked towards the bakery as if it were her only goal in life.

Arriving at the bakery, she saw a man and a woman enjoying dessert by the window.

The man was laughing playfully, and the woman, though hesitant, was eating a parfait.

Lucy saw a reflection of herself and Daniel in them, from the time they had dessert here together.

"......"

The rain started to fall harder, soaking Lucy's uniform cap and coat.

Passersby stared at her with curious gazes as she walked through the downpour.

But Lucy, oblivious to their stares, was lost in her memories.

—So, how is it? Does the dessert suit your taste?

Daniel's words from that day echoed vividly in her mind.

Recalling the taste of the parfait she had that day, a faint smile appeared on Lucy's lips.

But the smile soon faded, leaving only emptiness.

'You asked me to have stollen with you on Christmas.'

He was a foolish and pitiful man.

And a bad man who made promises he couldn't keep, unaware of his impending death.

'And...'

He was also a kind man who risked his life to protect his adjutant from the Security Bureau.

But she could no longer see him.

He had vanished from this world, along with the diplomatic vessel.

Lucy let out a hollow laugh at the absurd reality.

It was unbelievable that someone who seemed so invincible had died so suddenly.

'Foolish man...'

As she mocked Daniel, her laughter turned into sobs.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she bit her lower lip.

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand in the pouring rain, Lucy exhaled a shaky breath.

Ironically, it was only after Daniel Steiner was gone from this world that she realized…

'I……'

Loved Daniel Steiner…..with all her heart.