The assassination of Admiral Terzen, Commander of the Navy’s Southern Fleet.
A job a little too heavy for a mere headsman like me.
But heavy or not, it has to be done.
「The documents are certainly well prepared」
While Second Lieutenant Crimine was apparently giving Captain Yugi a makeover, I sat in my office going through the files.
The Battalion Commander had prepared three sets of materials:
First, Admiral Terzen’s personal information.
Second, the size and capability of the Southern Fleet.
Lastly, the geography of Zerlan Bay, the fleet’s base.
Admiral Terzen was a noble officer, but his family were minor lords of the South, of low rank. In other words, an upstart.
He steadily built up achievements through pirate suppression and smuggling crackdowns, then won the Navy’s internal faction wars, securing his admiral’s chair.
…Or so the official story goes.
「‘The greatest factor in Admiral Terzen’s factional victory is presumed to be his abundant financial resources’… huh. That would be the money from smuggling」
So, while cracking down on smuggling, he was smuggling himself, profiting on both ends—eliminating competitors and racking up military merit. A cunning bastard.
His Southern Fleet now focused on patrolling sea lanes and suppressing island rebellions. Because of that, the fleet was divided into smaller squadrons and rotated across regions. Standard peacetime deployment.
「Now, Zerlan Bay’s geography… even down to precise figures, huh」
I read, then checked the source section—a habit from my previous life.
「Internal documents from the Army Survey Bureau’s Port Administration Division?」
Well, the Ceremonial Battalion is Army, so of course. Asking the Navy Survey Bureau would risk the info reaching Admiral Terzen.
Still, to have pulled classified materials like this… our Battalion Commander is terrifying.
「Hmm…」
I folded my arms, uneasy.
Army versus Navy.
Survey data.
「Something here doesn’t sit right」
Just then, a knock—and the door opened without waiting.
「Entering, Second Lieutenant Fonkt」
「You already entered… ugh」
I turned, and my voice caught.
Because—what else could I do? In this drab place full of people shuffling around in black uniforms, suddenly a beautiful dancer in a Chinese-style dress descended.
「This is really Captain Yugi?」
「Can’t you tell from my voice?」
「I can, but the impression is just… too different」
Her eyes and lips were accentuated with makeup, giving her an even more sensual look than usual.
Her long black hair was pinned up, and she wore a slit Chinese dress that bared plenty of skin. Seems like no matter the world, this kind of outfit emerges—someone always likes it. I’m one of them.
The dress was constructed to emphasize her cleavage almost unnaturally, dragging the gaze down along her waistline to the obscene slit, then to her thigh.
…Yes, very deliberate visual guidance.
「Second Lieutenant, your jaw’s about to hit the floor」
From behind her, Crimine peeked out, wearing a look both smug and faintly annoyed. What kind of expression is that?
「Crimine, you really did this?」
「Yes. Once I left my family home, I had to handle my own cosmetics. You learn naturally」
I’d heard nobles left even bathing and dressing to their maids. But as a soldier, Crimine couldn’t.
「Oh, but I don’t usually style hair like this, so I just copied what I’ve seen. I’ll practice more. As for the costume, it’s Captain Yugi’s private property, not my fault」
「No, it’s excellent. Truly…」
I almost said “eye candy,” but I’m a man with self-control and shut my mouth quickly.
Still, Captain Yugi was… abundant. Hard not to stare, but this is for the mission, so I observed properly.
She swayed her hips with a smile.
「As Second Lieutenant Fonkt has noticed, this outfit is designed to guide the eyes from chest to legs. When their gaze drops fully, an attack launched then can be a frontal surprise. And though I look unarmed, I’m concealing multiple weapons even in this state」
「I see」
I barely heard her explanation. My gaze really had been dragged down all the way.
Forcing my eyes upward, I replied with a straight face.
「Then the target will drop his guard. As a disguise, it’s perfect」
「I’m relieved you think so」
She smiled seductively. Crimine also smiled, and the two nodded at each other.
「Well then, from here on it’s the fun part」
What… does that mean? This job is feeling unreal today, my thoughts lagging behind.
Then Crimine seized my left arm.
「Now let’s disguise you as a slave trader」
「Me? But…」
Did we really need to?
I’d disguised as civilians plenty. More important than the look was gathering actual knowledge of slave traders.
But then Captain Yugi took my right arm.
「If your superior has gone this far, Second Lieutenant Fonkt, then you must steel yourself as well」
Having my dominant arm seized by a martial arts master meant no escape. I’d been thrown around by her enough times to know resistance was useless.
「Now change into this」
She spread open a cloth bundle on the desk.
＊ ＊
「Do I really have to wear this?」
I stared at my reflection, bewildered.
In the mirror stood a suspicious “Oriental” looking man, no matter how you cut it.
Round sunglasses, a black pao robe—and to top it off, embroidered with dragons. Where the hell do you even buy something like this?
Captain Yugi grinned.
「That is the national costume of the Great Dynasty of Shao」
「I see」
But honest citizens don’t wear this, right?
I pinched the robe’s hem and sighed. Orders from a direct superior—no disobeying.
「Our hair color and features resemble Shao people, so let’s claim we came all the way from there. To Imperial eyes, this disguise is enough」
So, this world has an Oriental land too. Not Japanese-style, more Chinese-style.
「But Second Lieutenant Fonkt, your face looks far too kind. That’s what the black glasses are for」
「No other way?」
「It works—you look like a villain」
Not exactly the praise I wanted.
But Captain Yugi and Crimine looked delighted.
「See? Second Lieutenant suits this look」
「Truly, it suits him perfectly」
…No, it does not.
「Here, take this as well」
She handed me a fan. I flicked it open with a snap, covering my lower face. Something in me, maybe a remnant of my past life, always compels me to perform a bit when handed a prop.
「How do I look?」
「Oh… that works too well…」
Crimine reeled back, pressing her forehead. Captain Yugi, on the other hand, looked intrigued.
「Imperial men never use fans, regardless of class. You seem strangely skilled at it?」
「A simple matter of imitation, nothing more」
I dodged smoothly. In the Legitimate Empire, only noble ladies used fans, so the gesture was unmistakably feminine.
But now I knew—this world had Eastern culture, and Captain Yugi knew it well. I wanted to ask more.
「Captain, if we’re disguising, let’s do it thoroughly. Tell me more about the Great Dynasty of Shao」
「Of course. Still, I’m surprised at your enthusiasm. Serious as you are, I expected—no, feared—you’d resist」
What did she just say?
Is she making a toy out of me?
Crimine giggled.
「Could it be you’ve grown fond of the outfit?」
Not exactly.
I shot a sly smile over the fan at my cheeky junior.
「Perhaps I should sell you off as well?」
「H-huh… y-yes…」
It was only a joke, but she lowered her head, voice barely audible.
Damn. In a country where illegal human trafficking was real, that crossed the line. I’d gone too far.
I glanced back—Captain Yugi was smiling wryly.
「You really are a wicked man」
「My apologies, I was careless. I’ll refrain from such jokes」
「Oh, no need to refrain. Just do it to me as well」
I had no idea what she was even saying.
I hid the lower half of my face behind the fan and asked:
「By the way, Captain」
「Yes?」
「Something about this mission concerns me. I’d like to conduct a light investigation under my ‘public face’」
「Oh my, then I’ll prepare more props for you」
Captain Yugi nodded brightly, smiling far too much.