Could it be... Captain, were you aiming for this?
This woman before her, she was dangerous.
For in her eyes, which seemed to pierce through one's very soul, there was a certain madness.
But Lucy did not lose her composure.
What would change if she were suspected? Nothing.
"Be clear about what you're trying to say, Cadet Frien. Are you implying that I've committed a crime? Or that I'm lying?"
Frien's pupils trembled once.
She had probed half-heartedly, but she hadn't expected Lucy to respond with such composure.
Frien stood up, offering an awkward smile.
"Lieutenant? I was merely sharing my experiences. According to my experiences..."
"Indeed. Gaining experience is crucial in all matters. It provides a basis for judgment. But where, pray tell, did you learn the 'experience' of suspecting others without any basis or evidence?"
The words were polite, yet thorny.
Lucy was now asking if her disrespectful attitude toward a superior officer was also a result of Frien's 'experience'.
That was tantamount to insulting the family that had educated Frien, and looking down upon Frien's very character.
Frien, too, was not oblivious to Lucy's intentions.
Consequently, one of Frien's eyebrows twitched, despite her smile.
Tick-tock—
In the renewed silence, the hollow ticking of a clock echoed.
In the chilling atmosphere, where nothing would seem out of place, familiar footsteps clicked closer.
The moment Frien instinctively turned, the office door opened, and Daniel entered.
"Captain!"
"You've arrived."
Frien saluted, her face brightening, and Lucy also rose to attention and saluted.
Daniel, returning the salute, paused as he was about to convey the Chief of Staff's words.
'What is this?'
The air inside the office felt inexplicably heavy.
'Is it just my imagination?'
It felt slightly unsettling, but it wasn't important right now, so I decided to let it go.
"Cadet Frien. I've discussed your situation with the Chief of Staff. Normally, cadets are not permitted to go to the front lines, but this once, they're making an exception as part of your training."
Frien didn't seem particularly surprised.
From the start, the HR department had already given its confirmation, so she had calculated that the Chief of Staff above them would naturally grant permission.
Still, hearing the confirmation from Daniel's own mouth wasn't a bad thing.
"I'll work hard, Captain Daniel!"
Daniel, who had been looking at the triumphant Frien with a wry expression, turned his gaze towards Lucy.
"And Lieutenant Lucy. It's also been confirmed that you will join the Northern Front Army as my adjutant. So, both of you, pack your bags and prepare to head north. We'll depart as soon as the personnel are assembled."
The two saluted Daniel, indicating their understanding.
As Daniel returned the salute, Frien slowly turned her gaze to Lucy.
"How coincidental that we'll be spending time together for a while, Lieutenant Lucy."
Lucy, too, did not avoid Frien's gaze, narrowing her eyes sharply.
"Indeed. How truly coincidental."
In that chilling atmosphere, Daniel couldn't help but secretly break out in a cold sweat.
'What on earth is wrong with you two?'
I couldn't understand in the slightest why they were baring their teeth and snarling at each other.
—
As soon as the company assembled at the General Staff Headquarters, I gave a brief speech, introduced myself to the junior officers who would be my subordinates, and we departed immediately.
I'd wondered what I'd do if Lucy and Frien started fighting on the way to the Northern Front Army, but fortunately, they didn't directly clash.
Of course, minor frictions occurred occasionally, but each time I intervened with a look, so the war of nerves didn't escalate into a firearm incident.
The problem was that even after mediating countless times during the month-long march to the northern outpost, the embers of discord showed no sign of dying out.
"If you're tired, why don't you get some rest, Lieutenant Lucy? I can perfectly handle your duties."
"It's quite commendable for a wagtail to try to imitate a stork, isn't it?"
Sitting in the passenger seat of the officer's vehicle, I observed Lucy and Frien through the rearview mirror.
Despite their thorny words, both wore calm expressions.
Frien even had a benevolent smile on her face.
But listening in on their conversation was stifling.
Even the driver beside me, his face clearly showing 'Why are they fighting?', subtly glanced into the rearview mirror.
'This is hopeless.'
Mediating their quarrels was now becoming tiresome.
Sighing, I looked out the window and noticed the sun was already setting.
"Stop here."
At my words, the driver pressed the brakes and spoke.
"Are we camping here tonight?"
"Yes."
The officer's vehicle slowly decelerated and came to a complete stop.
Opening the door and stepping out, I surveyed the surroundings.
Amidst the dense, skeletal trees, I found a clearing large enough for about 200 soldiers to lie down.
There was also water nearby, making it suitable for water supply.
More than that, the cool wind seemed to pierce right through my officer's winter coat.
I exhaled a frosty breath and frowned.
'It's summer, but this place is hardly different from winter.'
The only difference from my previous visit to the North was that some of the snow had melted.
This is why the military high command would want to end the war before summer passes.
If the summer weather is like this, then in winter, soldiers would surely die of frostbite during the march.
'Even among my soldiers now...'
Two soldiers had almost fallen behind, unable to endure the cold.
They're fine now, though.
I subtly turned my head, and behind the military vehicles, about two hundred soldiers in Imperial Army uniforms stood halted, waiting.
The driver walked over to them and relayed my orders to the platoon leader.
The platoon leader, hearing the orders, turned and shouted loudly.
At that, the soldiers moved in unison and entered the clearing.
Once in the clearing, the soldiers put down their packs and began to take out and set up military tents.
Some were retrieving combat rations from the transport truck, which had been converted into a food storage, to prepare meals.
As I stood with my hands behind my back, observing, two platoon leaders strode towards me.
Just in time. I had something to tell them.
"Lieutenant McCall. Take two swift soldiers and scout the nearby terrain. There's a tall hill around here; climb it and survey the surroundings."
"Yes, sir! Understood!"
McCall, saluting immediately, called over two soldiers who were setting up tents, and then disappeared into the forest.
I thought I might just kill some time, but Sergeant Glendy didn't leave me alone.
"Captain. Isn't it a bit early to make camp?"
He had quite a young face, as if he'd only recently been promoted to sergeant.
To exaggerate a little, he looked so youthful that the boyishness hadn't quite worn off yet.
His face was filled with dissatisfaction, but I replied as calmly as possible.
"Sergeant. Don't you know that preserving the soldiers' stamina is paramount on the battlefield?"
"I understand that, sir... but our original estimated arrival at the outpost was five days ago. I'm not sure if we can afford to take it easy when we're five days behind schedule."
I nodded, indicating for him to continue.
The sergeant, seemingly discouraged yet clenching his fist, hesitated but then spoke.
"Why are we five days delayed? I was curious, so I used land navigation to determine our current position, and it's not a direct route to the outpost. I've concluded that you, Captain, are intentionally taking a detour."
Of course. All this time, even when there was a main road, I intentionally took detours, and even when there were shortcuts, I traveled through rough terrain.
The reason is simple.
'The later we join, the later we'll be deployed to the front lines.'
Joining quickly only means dying quickly in battle.
Don't they understand this obvious logic?
Indeed, Sergeant Glendy was a stubborn one, readily willing to sacrifice his life for the Empire.
While not as much as Frien, he was a case where his mind was somewhat tainted by nationalistic fervor.
I found that regrettable and let out a chuckle, which made Sergeant Glendy bristle.
"Captain! Is this a laughing matter? I hadn't intended to tell you this, but the soldiers are also suspicious of you! They're openly saying that you're a coward, avoiding the battlefield because you're just a pampered staff officer from headquarters!"
That was welcome news to my ears.
The lower my reputation sank, the less likely the General Staff Headquarters would be to entrust me with operational support.
Of course, I couldn't voice my true thoughts, so I decided to make a suitable excuse.
"One cannot see the forest for the trees. If someone's eyes are fixed only on the trees, they won't understand when you try to explain the forest. That is your limit, Sergeant Glendy."
"What on earth are you talking about...?"
As Sergeant Glendy looked bewildered, Lieutenant McCall returned from the other side of the forest.
He had finished scouting and returned.
But his face was flushed for some reason.
Just as I wondered what was going on, Lieutenant McCall approached me and spoke in a voice trembling with excitement.
"Captain! I-I found them! An enemy supply unit is preparing to make camp! As far as I know, even intelligence couldn't pinpoint their supply routes...! So, you were indeed aiming for this, continuously circling and searching the area!"
…What are you talking about? Why on earth is an enemy supply unit here?
As I stood dumbfounded, a sharp glint appeared in Sergeant Glendy's eyes.
"Is that true? Could it be, Captain, that you were aiming for this from the very beginning...?"
Sergeant Glendy's dissatisfied face was now filled with awe.
"I apologize! I was disrespectful!"
Watching Sergeant Glendy bow his head as if seeking forgiveness, I felt bewildered.
Just as things seemed to be taking a strange turn, I made eye contact with Frien, who was nearby.
Her gaze, filled with respect, was truly burdensome.
On top of that, both platoon leaders regarded me as some kind of genius staff officer.
It felt like I had crossed the Rubicon.
If I were to order them not to attack the enemy now, these nationalistic fanatics might just beat me up collectively...
Having no choice, I gripped the brim of my service cap.
"Relay the order to all troops."
Pulling my service cap low, I secretly sighed and spoke.
"...Tell them to prepare to wipe out the rats."