Thus the three of us steadily advanced the plan to assassinate Admiral Terzen, Commander of the Empire’s Southern Fleet.
That said, the only ones devoted solely to the task were me and Second Lieutenant Crimine, so preparations took a great deal of time. Captain Yugi had her duties as a company commander.
If too many personnel were moved, there was the risk of outside detection, and there was always the possibility of an informant within the battalion. The fewer who knew the secret, the better.
While only the two of us worked to prepare, the season shifted from early spring into early summer.
“Hey, if you don’t execute soon, the higher-ups won’t accept it.”
The Battalion Commander came to grumble, so I grumbled back.
“It cannot be helped. Since we are working around outside channels instead of using the military chain of command, every single piece of information takes many times longer to obtain.”
“My apologies. That is my own lack of power.”
The Battalion Commander admitted it frankly. This sort of thing was her good point.
“The discord between the Emperor and Admiral Terzen has become known in the Navy, and a strange atmosphere is flowing through it. The other admirals openly denounce Terzen, but among the captains of other fleets, there seem to be some who sympathize with him.”
I gave a wry smile.
“The other admirals probably just want to topple him. The Navy’s overall sentiment might actually lean toward Admiral Terzen.”
“You think so as well?”
“The Navy has been treated coldly for many years, and they have their own sense of rivalry against the Army and the Imperial Household.”
I had heard that in its early days, naval officers were often shady men who had risen from piracy. Now it was all academy-trained elites, but the atmosphere was different from the Army. To the Emperor, they were still just ‘land-people.’
The Battalion Commander put her hand on my desk. If she sat her rear on it, I would complain, so she didn’t.
Then she leaned close to me.
“So, in this situation, what will you do?”
“I will offer Captain Yugi to Admiral Terzen for free.”
“Hmm?”
For the first time I saw her glasses slip down.
“Lieutenant Fonkt, explain step by step.”
Such a hassle…
＊ ＊
“It’s starting to feel like such a hassle.”
When I muttered it without thinking, the woman beside me tilted her head.
“Did you say something?”
“No, nothing at all.”
Smiling, I picked up the wine bottle.
“Here, have a drink.”
“Wow, thank you so much!”
The young woman in a glamorous dress happily tilted her glass.
One bottle cost more than a commoner’s annual income, a rather expensive wine. The taste was indeed good, but when I thought of the price, I could not enjoy it honestly.
But I did not let such feelings show, and pressed my round sunglasses snugly.
“Since we are here, could we call over two or three more girls? They need only sit with us.”
“Wow, you’re really generous, sir!”
Honestly, without the Ceremonial Battalion’s budget this would be impossible. Just tonight alone was about equal to my monthly salary.
Of course I remained composed.
“When one plays, one must play properly. Such a fine establishment and such charming young ladies deserve greater payment.”
“Ehehe, you’re making me blush… Then I’ll go ask.”
The woman stood.
I exhaled a long sigh.
This was rough.
Looking around, I saw in the dim interior drunken customers and beauties scattered about.
I had heard that in my previous world such places existed too, but I had never gone to one. I thought I never would, and in fact I never did.
And yet, to have to come only after dying. Reincarnation was full of surprises.
Still, this was uncomfortable.
All of it was Captain Yugi’s fault.
『First we spread the scent of money around Admiral Terzen’s turf, and wait for them to make contact. Lieutenant Fonkt, since you have such a clean style of play, the rumors will spread quickly.』
『Eh!? Lieutenant, you’ve been to such places before!?』
『Of course not!? How could I, on our miserable pay!?』
『But, Lieutenant Meinen sometimes went, didn’t he?』
That bastard… But the fact he never invited me showed good judgment. He really did understand me well.
Captain Yugi gave a wry smile.
『Um, may I continue my explanation?』
『Yes, my apologies.』
『Then you should also treat Navy NCOs and officers to drinks, and become friendly with them. You are good at slipping into others’ hearts, are you not?』
If anything, I’m the type who gets shy around strangers…
『You are good at it, aren’t you?』
It was a smile that allowed no refusal.
Terrifying.
End of recollection. I did not want to remember it again.
Indeed, unlike the other customers, I had not laid a single finger on the girls. I simply appeared every night at a different tavern, paid large sums, and drank quietly.
By the way, behind me stood Second Lieutenant Crimine. Our cover was “a strange rich man from the Great Morning Kingdom of Shao, and his attendant,” going out into the night port town.
Captain Yugi was the “merchandise,” so she was not here. I would have liked her muscle by my side, but so be it.
When I glanced back, Second Lieutenant Crimine was glaring at me with narrow eyes.
“You’re very smooth, ‘Master.’”
The pressure was like a thousand bayonets thrust toward me. What did I do wrong?
She heaved a deliberate sigh.
“You really had never come to such a place before?”
“This is the first time. I have no interest.”
I tilted my wine glass, sipping the exquisite vintage.
“When it is expensive liquor, I prefer to drink alone. When it is cheap, then with male friends. Either way, beauties are unnecessary.”
“Then I will never be able to drink with you, ‘Master.’”
So she was aware she was a beauty. She certainly was.
I gave a wry smile.
“If it is with you, I would rather drink tea.”
Second Lieutenant Crimine’s face lit up brightly.
“Does that mean, for a lifetime togeth—”
“I hear you are a terrible drunk.”
Instantly she was back to a grim face.
“Ah yes, yes. I get clingy.”
So it was true… The Battalion Commander had said, “If you drink with Lieutenant Crimine, be prepared.”
I really did not want to drink with a clingy drunk. At my workplace in my past life, there were several seniors with bad drinking habits, and I had come to be unable to stand even the smell of alcohol.
Only after reincarnation did I overcome the trauma and regain my liking for drink.
I took another small sip of wine. Sweet, fragrant, sliding smoothly down my throat.
“Indeed, delicious.”
In this world with such poor preservation and distribution, to drink such fine wine was unthinkable. No wonder it was so expensive.
I would have liked to savor it in peace, but just then the earlier woman returned.
“I brought all the free girls—hope that’s okay?”
Four… no, five. All different ages and looks. She must have really scraped them all up.
I smiled faintly, inviting them to the sofa.
“No problem. Sit wherever you like, drink whatever you like.”
“Thank you so much!”
Ah, this reminded me of work drinking parties…
And Lieutenant Crimine, stop glaring at me.
This was all part of the plan, so forgive me.
After a while, drunk voices were heard at the tavern entrance.
“What do you mean there are no girls left!?”
“Sorry, they’re all with customers already.”
I turned. A black-clad waiter was placating some sailor-looking fellows. With knives and pistols stuck in their belts, they had a rough air.
Since the Navy hired civilian sailors as seamen while still in plain clothes, it was impossible to say if they were sailors. But to come armed even to a tavern—if not soldiers, then pirates.
Soon one of them noticed me.
“Hey, over there’s a foreigner with five… six… seven girls hanging on him.”
I think they counted Lieutenant Crimine too.
“What the hell, screw that.”
“Is that guy Shao?”
At once I called out to them.
“You lot look like sailors. Whose ship are you with?”
“Hah? With the Navy here, Navy!”
Really? Well, if they said Navy, I would treat it as such.
“Come over here and drink with us. Look, all these beauties.”
Even as an act, this sort of thing was unpleasant… but it was work.
They glanced at each other, then shuffled over.
“You’re dressed weird! You Shao?”
Their voices were loud. Occupational hazard, maybe.
“Indeed, from the land you call the Great Morning Kingdom of Shao. We Shao call it Shao Yuntasa. Call me ‘Honest Mister Wong.’”
According to Captain Yugi, Shao folk disliked the Imperial style of naming, so I deliberately corrected them.
The false name I chose had a sound similar to my usual alias “Fonkt.” In this line of work, the false names kept multiplying.
“Well, no matter. Come sit and talk with the girls. Drinks are on me.”
“Oh, mighty generous of you!”
And your voices are too loud.
I nudged down my sunglasses and gave a wry smile.
“I called as many girls as I could in the Shao Yuntasa style, but come to think of it, my ship has only one ‘cannon’ aboard.”
The sailors burst out laughing.
“Hey, with a ship like that you’ll get jumped by pirates!”
“Then what, you got two guns?”
“Idiot, but mine’s a siege cannon!”
Dirty jokes always worked…
Lieutenant Crimine looked at me in utter disgust, but I waved lightly. I couldn’t slip here. Ah, she was going to nag me later. My stomach hurt already.
I picked up a bottle of molasses rum, sailors’ favorite, and smiled.
“Then let’s drink to our ‘cannons’ thundering tonight.”
I, of course, would not be doing so.