“I understand Admiral William’s judgment. A dangerous bastard like this has to be cut down at the root as soon as possible. For the United Kingdom, and for Her Majesty the Queen.”
Wellesley turned his head and looked at the man sitting in the darkness.
“Are you ready, Arthur?”
Major Arthur emerged from the dark. He was an expert in the United Kingdom’s vaunted black ops. Rather than glittering military decorations, his career consisted of traces where his name had been erased from countless classified documents.
“Just give the order, Director. I will personally uncover the true nature of that bastard.”
Arthur’s voice was as dry as a machine’s. Wellesley slid an encrypted file toward him.
“Your mission is not assassination. Assassination is something amateurs do. Kill a hero and he becomes a legend, but turn him into a corrupt traitor and he becomes trash.”
Wellesley’s eyes narrowed.
“Can you do it? You must turn this man called Max Jaeger not into a noble hero, but into an ugly warmonger who exploits war for personal gain.”
“Operation Frame, then.”
“Exactly. There’s no such thing as a man who doesn’t shed a speck of dust when shaken.”
Lieutenant Colonel Sterling added,
“He is currently being promoted at extraordinary speed. There are plenty within the Empire who envy and resent him. Make good use of that.”
“I’ll keep it in mind. I will make those Imperial bastards distrust one another and destroy themselves.”
“Good. You may go.”
*
Back in the Empire, near Soissons on the Western Front.
Inside the command vehicle heading toward the rear railway base.
“Achoo!”
I sneezed loudly and sniffled.
“Lieutenant Colonel, are you sure you don’t have a cold? Your complexion looks strangely pale.”
Hanna placed her hand on my forehead. At the touch of that cool sensation, the heat seemed to subside a little.
But, out of instinctive unease, I scanned outside the window.
‘Status Analysis.’
Even after sweeping my gaze around and checking the minimap, there were no particular red dots. And yet, ever since earlier, my back had felt oddly cold.
‘Is it just my imagination?’
I tapped the leather bag at my feet. A faint, heavy metallic sound rang out. Inside was a portion of the gold coins I had scraped together in Soissons, packed in a hurry.
I’d definitely taken a hefty amount, but for some reason I felt uneasy.
“I suppose it’s just weighing on my heart to leave our comrades behind while we depart on our own.”
At my shameless lie, Hanna smiled faintly.
“The battle group is reorganizing in Soissons, and you, Lieutenant Colonel, have been summoned by His Majesty the Emperor. It is only your rightful privilege.”
“Right. A privilege.”
The order from Imperial Headquarters had been concise.
[The Jaeger Battle Group is to hold its current position. However, Lieutenant Colonel Max Jaeger, commander, and key meritorious personnel are to return to the imperial capital immediately and report on the war situation.]
In other words, it meant the “poster boys” should come receive medals and pose for propaganda photos. Thanks to that, I had been temporarily freed from the headache of managing the unit and would be taking a comfortable train bound for the capital.
“Hanna. Bring me the list of adjutant officers accompanying me to the imperial capital again.”
“Here it is. Since we had to pull them in urgently, we received recommendations from headquarters company. In particular, this man called Lieutenant Aiden Hunt has a very clean record.”
Hanna handed me a document.
“He was recommended by Division Commander Falkenheim. He has no history of receiving decorations, but he is said to be discreet and outstanding in administrative work and protocol. They said he would be well suited to managing your ‘personal baggage,’ Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Aiden Hunt…”
It was a name I felt like I’d heard somewhere before. I flipped through the document without thinking much of it.
“Good name.”
I glanced at the ID photo attached to the document. He had an amiable impression, even looking a little guileless.
“Looks like he’d be good at his job, too.”
I smiled with deliberate ease. I liked him.
“Tell him to come straight to my car once we reach the rendezvous point. I’ll have to entrust my bags to him first.”
“Understood.”
The command vehicle rattled forward through the rain.
In the distance, the black military train that would carry us to the imperial capital was waiting, spewing steam.
*
The VIP platform of the Imperial military transport train.
The smell of rain-soaked tracks mingled with the stench of coal smoke.
“Reporting in. Lieutenant Aiden Hunt of the 7th Infantry Brigade Headquarters Company. As of today, I have been assigned to the post of adjutant officer to the commander of the Jaeger Battle Group.”
Neatly combed blond hair, affable eyes, and an impeccable uniform.
The young man standing before me looked like the very model of a “competent administrative officer.” He was someone Falkenheim might well have recommended.
“So you’re the paperwork demon?”
I asked lightly, activating my skill out of habit.
‘Status Analysis.’
Ding—
A translucent information window appeared before my eyes. And I had to clench my molars to keep my expression under control.
[Name: Arthur]
[Affiliation: Royal Intelligence Bureau of the Victoria United Kingdom]
[Rank: Major]
[Status: Nervous, flawless acting]
‘…What the hell is this?’
My heart dropped.
They’d called him a replacement officer, but a secret agent from an enemy nation had walked in of his own accord. Those island bastards must have found me quite the thorn in their side.
My hand instinctively moved toward the pistol at my waist, then stopped.
‘Calm down, Max Jaeger.’
If I shot this bastard dead here and now?
It would be difficult to prove espionage, and the news that “the Empire’s war hero executed a subordinate officer on the platform” would make headlines everywhere. Besides, if this bastard died, the United Kingdom would just send someone even more covert and dangerous.
An enemy whose face I knew was better.
And on top of that…
[Hidden Traits: Advanced administrative processing, outstanding memory]
‘Administrative processing? Memory?’
To play spy, he must have had to perfectly maintain his cover identity, and in the process he seemed to have acquired practical abilities that put most administrators to shame.
The calculator in my head began spinning like mad.
What was the biggest headache I had right now? The 7,450 gold coins I had scraped together in Soissons. I had to move them to the imperial capital without being caught, safely launder them, and turn them into my retirement fund.
But if I entrusted them to some stupid Imperial Army administrative officer, there was a risk he might accidentally leak something to the military police.
But this bastard?
He was an “enemy spy.”
If he saw my slush fund ledger? He’d rejoice, thinking, “Perfect, a weakness of Max Jaeger!” and meticulously gather evidence. In other words, for the sake of his own mission, he would manage my money more perfectly and safely than anyone else.
He would never stab me right away. What the Royal Intelligence Bureau of the United Kingdom wanted was likely not a mere embezzler named Max Jaeger, but to bring me down by turning me into a “national traitor.”
‘An S-rank asset manager I can use for free.’
I twisted up the corner of my mouth in a smile. It was the satisfied smile of welcoming a sucker… no, a competent subordinate.
“Lieutenant Aiden.”
‘So the sucker has arrived.’
“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“I hear you’re good with numbers?”
“I graduated second in my class from the Department of Administration at the Imperial Academy. I am confident in calculations, at least.”
Arthur—no, Aiden—answered confidently. I nodded and jerked my chin toward the two heavy bags at my feet.
“Good. Then start by taking care of these. They are my ‘personal’ spoils of war.”
Aiden hurried over and tried to lift the bags.
“Gnnngh…!”
His face instantly flushed red. It was a bag packed with hundreds of gold coins. If anything, it was heavier than a lump of iron, certainly not lighter. He blinked in confusion.
“L-Lieutenant Colonel? This weight… what is inside? Are there artillery shells in here?”
“Something like that.”
I moved close to his ear and whispered covertly.
“They’re tank parts. Very precise and expensive ones. If the military police see them, they might try to nitpick, so guard them with your life. On the ledger, classify them as ‘classified spare parts’ as well.”
[Name: Arthur]
[Status: Suspicion, curiosity, certainty]
[Emotion: Convinced that something smells extremely fishy.]
His eyes gleamed. He had swallowed the bait whole.
“Understood. I will manage them responsibly. The paperwork, too… I will make it perfect.”
“Reliable. Load them onto the train and bring them to my compartment.”
Watching the back of the United Kingdom’s most elite agent as he struggled to shoulder my slush fund bags, I inwardly shouted in delight.
‘That’s right, carry them well, Major Arthur. The money you’re sweating over will later be used by me and my women to go to Hawaii… no, a southern resort and buy cocktails.’
Just then, along with the click of military boots behind me, a familiar fragrance reached me.
“Lieutenant Colonel, boarding preparations are complete.”
It was Hanna. She looked at the unfamiliar officer carrying my slush fund bags with suspicious eyes.
“Is that the newly arrived Lieutenant Aiden?”
Her [Mana Detection] might have instinctively sensed something alien about him. I naturally wrapped an arm around Hanna’s shoulder and led her toward the train.
“Yes, he seemed very easy to communicate with. I’m thinking of entrusting him with managing my ‘wallet’ from now on.”
“Your wallet… you say?”
“Yes. I think he’ll shake it out very thoroughly.”
Leaving behind a meaningful smile, I boarded the train.
Chuff-chuff—.
The steam locomotive expelled white vapor.
*
Clatter, clatter.
Along with the regular vibrations, the scenery outside the window began sliding backward.
I sank deep into the plush velvet sofa of the first-class compartment. In the seat opposite me, Hanna set down a teacup.
Clink.
“Lieutenant Colonel.”
“What is it, Hanna? You look just like a quartermaster who found defective ammunition.”
A faint wrinkle had formed between Hanna’s brows.
“This is no time for jokes. I’m talking about that lieutenant called ‘Aiden’ from earlier.”
She sat down beside me and whispered.
“I have a bad feeling about him.”
What?
About my precious asset manager?