Chapter 51

I returned to the waiting room and reported to the colonel.

"The letter could not be delivered."

"Then it's likely that our intentions were conveyed."

What does that mean?

I was puzzled, but after a moment of thought, I began to understand.

"Could it be that the contents of the letter aren't important?"

"Exactly, that's right. You have a sharp insight, indeed."

He seemed pleased.

The colonel leaned back into the sofa... or rather, he tried to lean back, but it didn't quite work because he was too light. Nevertheless, he relaxed and smiled.

"The contents of the letter are a dummy. The secret lies in the wax seal. The tilt and the offset form a code. Only those around the main line of the Five Royal Families would know this, not even the nobles, let alone the commoners."

"I see."

Come to think of it, the colonel is the legitimate son of the previous head of the Medilen family, though not the heir. He must have learned this from his father.

Still, it's a clever method.

The more important a letter is, the more it can cause trouble if it falls into enemy hands. Therefore, one must use various methods to ensure that the information is only conveyed to allies and not detected by the enemy.

So, the letter's text has no meaning, and the information is embedded in the wax seal.

This way, even if the letter falls into enemy hands, ordinary people won't understand it. Even if the content is discovered, one can pretend, "There's no way the wax seal could have such a meaning."

It's almost like a ninja technique.

The colonel glanced at me.

"The matter of the wax seal is treated as an extreme secret within the household. I've never even told my closest friends or hereditary retainers. This time, I'm placing special trust in you."

"I am honored. Of course, I won't tell anyone."

"Hmm... You could be a bit more pleased, you know?"

"I am very pleased."

The colonel looked somewhat dissatisfied. What kind of expression should I have?

Let's change the topic.

"Then, sir, what did you tell Duke Zihiteberg?"

"I advised him to cooperate with the Mildor family. They have evidence that Duke Litreju is colluding with the Duchy of Bruges. If the Zihiteberg family shares information, the political operations will progress significantly."

I see, so the plan is to gather anti-Litreju forces without moving himself.

"Sir, you intend to remain as Duke Litreju's pawn, don't you?"

"Yes. She has few allies. As long as I show a cooperative attitude, she won't openly oppose me. She's calculating and easy to read."

The colonel said this and smiled again.

"The hardest to read are those who take risks for reasons other than calculation. You are the prime example."

"Ha, you flatter me. I am a bundle of calculations."

But the colonel kept smiling.

"To smear Duke Litreju's face in front of the emperor, a commoner? Your calculations are on such a large scale that I find them hard to understand."

I can't argue with that. Indeed, that was a rash move.

"Duke Litreju isn't foolish enough to harm me, but you are now clearly recognized as a target for elimination. You are more capable than Duke Litreju imagines and uncontrollable. She won't tolerate the existence of such a person. Be careful in the future."

The colonel's words are reasonable, so I nodded sincerely.

"I will. How should I proceed specifically?"

"Stay by my side until we return to the regiment headquarters. Duke Litreju will avoid involving me."

For Duke Litreju, killing Colonel Altsa here would not be a wise move.

He is a renowned general who led the only surviving unit from the Battle of Jarakud and an important link to the Medilen family, which maintains political neutrality. Killing the colonel would not be tolerated by the Medilen family, as the current head is his aunt.

"Then, I will stay by your side... but—"

"What?"

"I can't accompany you to the bedroom."

"It's an emergency, don't worry about it."

I do worry about it!

The colonel probably thinks that, with his childlike appearance, he won't be attacked by men. But he is still a woman of a certain age. I can't ask her to go that far for my sake.

The colonel glared at me.

"There's no need to be hesitant."

"No, I will be hesitant."

"Then it's an order. Sleep in the same room with me."

"Is that really necessary?"

In the end, I ended up sleeping in the colonel's guest room. The VIP guest room had a living room, a study, and even a game room, with plenty of bedrooms.

That night, I clearly heard the colonel mutter as she went to her bedroom.

"Stiff..."

I pretended not to hear and covered myself with a blanket on the sofa.

I like the colonel, but I'm not sure if it's as a woman.

Next to the living room is a waiting room for attendants, where all the regiment soldiers sleep.

As an officer, I had a private room on a different floor, which was quite nice, but I decided to give it up this time.

However, this sofa is still more luxurious than the barracks bed...

* * *

That night, I had a dream.

I was on a train. Was it the commuter train from my previous life? I couldn't remember the details, but the scenery outside the window was definitely different. It was a pitch-black darkness with flickering flames like human souls.

—Are you still having such dreams?

The one speaking to me was a figure in black. He wore a hood, and his face was hidden. There were no other passengers.

Come to think of it, this guy always appears in my dreams. No matter where the light source is, his face is never visible.

I see him frequently in my dreams, but I forget about him when I wake up.

I want to remember this time, but I probably won't.

I replied to the vaguely death-like figure.

'Of course, you're the one showing me such dreams. It's a nightmare even when I wake up. Reincarnation is a real pain.'

The figure's shoulders trembled slightly. He was laughing.

—A nightmare, huh? But you seem to be enjoying it quite a bit, don't you?

I was about to say that I wasn't enjoying it, but then I realized that I've been feeling fulfilled lately.

The wars are endless and depressing, but being with the colonel, Hanna, and Roz makes me want to keep trying.

However, the figure laughed softly.

—But be careful. A second life means a second death. When it comes is up to you.

'Your advice is useless. Life is just a fleeting state. The carbon and hydrogen that make up my body have spent far more time drifting in the universe and the sea. Death is inevitable.'

I replied dismissively, and the figure shrugged skillfully.

—You have a point. You with your views on life and death are the toughest. Plus, you know how to use your life wisely.

This guy is so noisy.

I've always wondered who he is.

Is he some supernatural being that reincarnated me into this world? Or something like a Grim Reaper?

Or is he just a figment of my subconscious, a dream character?

I can't judge, but as someone who respects science, I'd rather avoid occult theories.

However, the fact that I was reincarnated into this world and gained strange precognitive abilities is real.

So I don't know what he is.

'Who are you? Why do you follow me?'

The figure stopped laughing, straightened his back, and faced me directly.

His face was hidden by the hood.

But I feel like I know him very well.

He put his hand on the hood and slowly took it off while saying:

—I will answer your question. It is...

* * *

I suddenly woke up. The room was pitch black.

I had a dream, but I couldn't remember what it was. I felt like I met a nasty person, but it was probably just a dream about my former boss. No need to remember it.

Fortunately, the 'Scythe of the Grim Reaper' didn't issue any warnings. It seems there's no immediate danger to my life. Probably.

But just to be safe, I slid off the sofa and arranged the blanket and cushions to look like I was sleeping.

Then I quietly drew my saber, leaving the scabbard on the sofa with the tip peeking out from under the blanket. From a distance, it should look like I'm sleeping with the saber. I hope so...

I'm the only one in this living room.

The VIP guest room is designed for security and espionage prevention. Most of the windows are fixed with glass grilles, and the few that open have iron-reinforced shutters and are locked with latches.

On the other hand, the door can be opened with a key. If an intruder comes, it will probably be through the door.

As I was thinking this, I heard a 'click' from the door. It was the sound of a lock being picked. The intruder used a key, so there were no extra noises.

I was on guard, thinking it might be an assassin, but the 'Scythe of the Grim Reaper' didn't react. I'm not sure if there's any danger, but it seems there isn't. Really?

This precognitive ability has saved my life many times, but it might fail me someday. I went into a defensive stance.

I hid behind a large bookshelf and held the saber in front of my chest. I adopted a thrusting stance, with my right shoulder forward and the tip of the saber pointing in the attack direction. I couldn't swing the saber in the corner.

Soon, I heard a 'click' from the door's keyhole.

After a few seconds... or maybe just a few seconds, the door opened silently.

Assassins usually come in groups. I need to kill the first one for sure.

A musket would be perfect for this, but I don't have one at hand.

I can't show mercy to anyone who sneaks into someone else's room in the middle of the night.

Moreover, this is a room where members of the Five Royal Families stay. In this case, the legal response is to "eliminate without hesitation."

Compliance is important, so it's better to kill them.

But what's concerning is that the 'Scythe of the Grim Reaper' isn't reacting. It's problematic to have no warning in this situation.

Fortunately, I have a dummy set up on the sofa. I can wait and see what happens.

A few seconds after the door opened, someone entered the room.

If I were to kill, now would be the time. I could take them out for sure.

But this is the emperor's palace... a reckless stabbing could cause a political issue.

I held my breath and watched to see what the intruder would do next.

* Today, the second volume of "The Lady Strategist ~The War of the Bastards~" is being released. The book title is

"Reversal Life of a Frontier Low-Ranking Noble 2: My Adorable Younger Siblings Are Important to Me, So I Will Eliminate All Obstacles Using the Power Given by a Witch and Modern Knowledge"

... The label is Kadokawa BOOKS.