Knock, knock.

    Cedric looked up from his desk while eating a sandwich and reviewing documents.

    The wall clock showed the hour hand already pointing at 5 p.m.

    ‘...Then this must be Captain Daniel Steiner.’

    Earlier around noon, Daniel had requested a meeting regarding support for the Northern operations.

    Cedric had been wanting to see him anyway, so he told him to come at 5 p.m., and now Daniel had knocked right on time.

    “Come in.”

    At Cedric’s permission, Daniel opened the door to the office.

    Seeing the Deputy Chief of Operations’ office for the first time, Daniel was overwhelmed by a subtle sense of intimidation.

    The room was strangely devoid of unnecessary items.

    No matter where he looked, all he saw were a coat rack, bookshelves, a fountain pen, a telephone, a desk, and stacks of documents.

    Most people would at least have a golf ball, stamps, or some hobby-related items lying around, but there were no such traces here.

    Only the bookshelves along both walls were stuffed with files containing classified documents.

    “You’re here.”

    It was a low but sharp voice.

    Cedric, seated behind a luxurious mahogany desk, glanced briefly at Daniel and continued eating his sandwich.

    Watching this, Daniel nervously walked to the center of the office and saluted.

    “I apologize for interrupting your meal, sir. However, I came despite the discourtesy because I have something urgent to discuss.”

    Cedric finished his sandwich, took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and then looked at Daniel.

    His cold, pale eyes silently demanded him to speak.

    “...I’ll be direct, sir. I would like to request the removal of my adjutant, Second Lieutenant Lucy Emilia, and Cadet Frien from the Northern support deployment.”

    To Daniel, both of them were unsettling presences, and he wanted to keep them as far away as possible.

    However, Cedric, who had no knowledge of Daniel’s thoughts, could only find the request puzzling.

    Swallowing the last bit of his sandwich, Cedric asked,

    “Why?”

    Oh, how Daniel wished he could simply say, “Lucy is a spy, and Frien is out of her mind.”

    Suppressing a sigh, he quickly thought up a plausible excuse.

    “My adjutant and Cadet Frien are both barely adults. I cannot bring girls who still have traces of youthfulness to such a dangerous battlefield.”

    “Second Lieutenant Lucy might be one thing, but didn’t you have Cadet Frien with you even back when you were just enlisted?”

    “That was for operations to defend our own territory. Compared to the current Northern operations, which involve penetrating deep into enemy lines, those missions carried far less risk.”

    Caught off guard by the unexpected answer, Cedric blinked once.

    ‘Surprising.’

    He had assumed Daniel was so cold-blooded that he wouldn’t care about trivial matters as long as they didn’t hinder his promotion.

    Yet here he was, stepping forward to protect his subordinates—showing a surprisingly human side.

    ‘Even a hedgehog loves its own offspring.’

    Caring for subordinates was one of the most important virtues of a commander.

    Cedric found himself liking Daniel even more, but he still couldn’t grant this request.

    “I must refuse. The Empire’s ideology is based on meritocracy. It emphasizes equal opportunity above all else. Denying deployment simply because they are young women would contradict that principle.”

    It had been a long time since someone this promising had come along.

    *****

    At the same time, Frien and Lucy were gathered in Daniel’s private office.

    Lucy was there to organize documents since it was close to the end of the workday.

    As for Frien? Daniel had told her to wait in his office while he discussed matters with the deputy chief and promised to relay the results afterward.

    Rustle—

    Leaning against the wall, Frien stole a sideways glance.

    She watched Lucy, who was seated at her desk skillfully sorting through papers, and felt a twinge of envy.

    ‘I should have been Captain Daniel’s adjutant...’

    For some reason, it felt as though the position had been taken from her, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

    Sensing the gaze directed at her, Lucy paused her work and looked up.

    Their eyes met.

    “......”

    “......”

    In the heavy silence, it was Lucy who spoke first.

    “What’s weighing on your mind so deeply?”

    Her tone was professional, almost indifferent. Frien responded curtly.

    “Just wondering why you applied to be Captain Daniel’s adjutant, Lieutenant Lucy.”

    “No particular reason. If I had to give one, it would be for the glory of the Empire.”

    It was an immediate answer.

    In truth, she had applied because the role was perfect as a cover for her work as a spy. But that wasn’t something she could admit.

    Though Lucy managed to conceal her true intentions flawlessly, Frien tilted her head in suspicion.

    Something about Lucy’s words felt dishonest.

    It wasn’t logic—more of a gut feeling.

    It was Frien’s unique sense of discernment, often imprecise but remarkably accurate.

    “Lieutenant Lucy? I was raised by my father, a priest. I attended mass every day, without fail. After the service, there were always people who wanted to confess their sins. They would follow my father into the confessional booth.”

    Lucy, puzzled by the sudden topic, paused her work.

    “So as a child, I made a game out of predicting who would go in for confession. My accuracy was surprisingly high. No matter how devoutly someone prayed, if they were hiding a sin, there was always a shadow on their face.”

    Thud.

    Lucy closed the folder in front of her and fixed her gaze on Frien.

    Frien, too, did not avoid Lucy’s eyes and met her stare head-on.

    Tick—

    The sound of the clock’s second hand echoed clearly in the tense silence.

    Then, Frien walked over to Lucy’s desk and placed her hand firmly on top of it.

    “And yet, something seems strange.”

    Lowering her head slowly, Frien stared straight into Lucy’s face.

    Their emotionless eyes locked, freezing the air between them.

    In that icy tension, Frien quietly parted her lips.

    “The shadow that lingers over your face, Lieutenant.”