Chapter 34

It had been about a month since Sergeant Hanna transferred from the infantry to the artillery, and she was being rigorously trained in artillery command by Lieutenant Roz. While Roz is a good teacher, artillery involves a lot of mathematics, making it quite challenging.

"My head is already full of numbers," Hanna said with a wry smile, and Roz laughed heartily.

"Hahaha! I thought the same thing at the military academy! I was puzzled as to why arithmetic was necessary to fire a cannon."

I chuckled while grinding the coffee beans Roz brought.

"Math is necessary in the infantry too, but the math in the artillery is much more complex. I was lucky to have been assigned to the infantry."

Roz then looked surprised.

"What, what, are you finally getting married?"

"No, not at all."

He's still as sharp as a hunting dog. What a womanizer.

I opened the drawer of the coffee mill and checked the grind of the roasted beans.

"Is this good?"

"Wow, it looks great. Have you had this somewhere before?"

"You've been asking too many questions."

Hanna watched our exchange with a giggle.

"You two get along well."

"Of course we do."

"No, we don't."

Roz and I gave completely opposite answers.

I handed the coarsely ground coffee beans to Roz.

"Here, brew it with that weird contraption."

"You've definitely had it before. How else would you know what this is?"

"Since you brought the beans, I figured it was something needed to brew coffee."

I was surprised to find coffee beans in this world.

Tea isn't rare; it's cultivated in relatively warm regions like Finis and Eobenia. Of course, there's green tea too.

But coffee beans are different. They can only be grown in low-latitude regions known as the coffee belt, and the area around the Schweidel Empire is in a high-latitude region.

So, the coffee Roz is brewing must have come from quite a distance. ...Unless coffee beans can be grown in high latitudes in this world.

In any case, this world is vast, but its full extent remains a mystery.

I might as well ask my friend in front of me.

"Hey, where did you get this?"

"My wife's family gave it to me. It's apparently a trade item, but I'm not sure of the details."

Roz's wife's family is the Duke of Mildor, one of the great noble families of the 'Five Royal Houses.' They have more money and connections than they know what to do with.

Roz soon brought over a steaming cup of coffee.

"Here, it's ready. Try it, Hanna. It's so bitter it'll make you laugh."

"Is it that bitter?"

"I recommend adding sugar and milk. Plenty of it."

While listening to this conversation, I inhaled the aroma of the coffee. It was a familiar scent.

But despite being freshly roasted, ground, and brewed, the aroma was weak. My sense of smell must have weakened since my reincarnation. No wonder I don't feel stressed in this unhygienic world.

It's a shame for such a good coffee... If I add sugar and milk, I won't be able to taste it.

Since it's been twenty years since I last had coffee, I decided to savor it black.

"Hey, Yui, at least add some sugar. It's bitter."

"No problem."

I enjoyed the aroma of the hot coffee, then took a sip. The bitterness was accompanied by a faint fruity aroma and a hint of sweetness. Yes, this is definitely coffee.

But that's all.

Maybe Roz's roasting was poor, or the beans were old. In any case, it doesn't match the taste I enjoyed in my previous life.

While I was thinking about this, Roz and Hanna started whispering.

"Look, the advisor is drinking that bitter stuff as is."

"He's always been different. Especially when it comes to food and drink."

I've seen similar things in my past life, so I'm not surprised by much.

The coffee's aroma and taste are weak, but I'm grateful. It feels like my mind is clearer.

"It was good. Can I have more?"

"Sure."

Roz added plenty of sugar to his coffee, then made a face.

"I don't understand the trends in noble society. I prefer tea."

"Then give me the whole bag of coffee beans. By the way—"

I glared at Roz and Hanna.

"My private room isn't an officers' lounge."

That's right. They're intruding on my private room. I want them to leave.

But Roz is unfazed.

"There's no officers' lounge here. We can't occupy the brigade commander's office for meetings, can we?"

"That's true."

The brigade commander's office is visited by external guests, including important figures from other divisions and noble envoys. It's not a place for confidential meetings.

"Do it at your quarters. There's a guest annex in this castle, and it's quite comfortable."

"I didn't know you were the type to hold military meetings where children can hear. Besides, my wife is the Duke of Mildor's niece, and I want to keep work and personal life separate."

A flawless argument. I concede.

"Fine, fine, you can use my room."

"Great."

Roz grinned, and Hanna watched with amusement. What's with this atmosphere?

But Roz's expression turned serious, and he glanced out the window before changing the subject.

"Hanna, the political situation is getting more unstable. The Mildor family is growing increasingly hostile towards the Litreille family."

Of course. The Litreille Duke's schemes caused significant damage to the Mildor family's Third Division. The large cannon I saw on the battlefield and her covert support for the Bruges Principality are undeniable.

But I can't say that to anyone, so I play dumb.

"Wasn't the Fifth Division the one that helped the Third Division?"

"On the surface, yes. But you must have noticed."

"…Yeah."

I don't want to lie to my friend. I muttered while pouring a second cup of coffee.

"The recent invasion, the Bruges army's artillery skills were too advanced. Bruges is known for its mountain rangers, but they were supposed to be weak in artillery and cavalry."

"That's true. But when I told my father-in-law, he said, 'Don't tell anyone.'"

"I see."

It seems the Mildor family is also starting to suspect. Once they have doubts, they will investigate thoroughly. They have the power to do so.

Even if they find nothing, the possibility of advanced concealment remains.

"On the surface, they are grateful for the rescue, but they are trying to find a weakness. Isn't that right?"

"Exactly. You really do have what it takes to be an advisor."

Roz chuckled and took a bite of a pastry.

Then he turned serious and looked at me directly.

"What does she plan to do next?"

She intends to trap the next target by pretending to assist the Zihitberg family. She told me so herself.

I felt it would be dangerous to say that outright, so I spoke hypothetically.

"Just a guess, but she might be planning to ensnare other families using the same method. The Litreille family makes money through trade but has been fifth in the hierarchy since the founding of the empire."

Roz nodded.

"Their rank doesn't match their power. The Mildor family, for example, is third in rank but is almost at the bottom in reality. Since the Bruges family betrayed the empire, they have lost territory and declined."

Hanna's eyes widened.

"The Bruges family!? What do you mean, betrayed the empire!?"

"Oops, my mouth slipped."

Roz laughed awkwardly.

I patted Roz's shoulder and explained to Hanna.

"The empire was originally the 'Six Royal Houses.' About fifty years ago, something happened, and the Bruges family declared independence. Until then, the imperial family wasn't part of the 'Five Fingers.'"

"Wh-what!?"

It's no wonder Hanna was surprised. The imperial family is trying to keep this a secret from the common people.

However, it's a problem if officers don't know, so they are taught this at the military academy.

I continued while sipping my lukewarm coffee.

"The Bruges family converted to the Reincarnation Sect, seized part of the Mildor territory, and declared themselves the 'Bruges Principality.' Of course, the Schweidel Empire was furious, but the intervention of Reincarnation Sect countries like the Agan Kingdom led to the failure of the Bruges family's suppression. That's how things stand now."

The state religion of the empire and surrounding countries—though it doesn't have a specific name, it's called 'Firnia' in Finis, meaning 'the teachings of God.' We'll call it Firniaism.

The 'Reincarnation Sect' is a faction of Firniaism. It seems to have incorporated Northern reincarnation beliefs during its spread, officially recognizing the rebirth of the dead.

In the Southern countries like Finis and the Schweidel Empire, where Firniaism originated, reincarnation is not recognized, and it is believed that all the dead receive eternal rest. This is also called the 'Rest Sect' and considers the Reincarnation Sect heretical.

Given this, if I were to claim I'm a reincarnated person, the Inquisition would probably come after me.

Roz continued in a hushed tone.

"The Mildor family can be said to have both Bruges and Litreille as enemies. Their only hope is the Zihitberg family, separated by a mountain range..."

Ah, that's not a good idea. The Litreille Duke's next target is the Zihitberg family.

I can't say much, but I shook my head and looked at the coffee.

"It's better not to expect too much. A darker age is coming, darker than this coffee."

A dark, hot, bitter age that will wake everyone from their slumber.

Roz stared at me for a while, then forced a smile.

"Still trying to be cool, huh? Then I'll add sugar and milk to your coffee, whether you like it or not."

What can a lieutenant in such a minor position do?