Chapter 69

I was trying to console the colonel, but when he suddenly called me a reincarnated person, I was naturally taken aback.

How did he know!?

This is bad. The Filnia Church's Rest Day Sect doesn't recognize reincarnation. If they find out I'm a reincarnated person, I'll be put on trial for heresy. I'll probably be burned at the stake.

Still, I don't think Colonel Altsar, who isn't particularly devout, would denounce me. It wouldn't benefit him in any way.

Calm down, me. This is probably... yes, it must be some kind of metaphor or a joke.

Then the colonel leaned in and asked me,

"Captain Chrombertz, did you know how coffee beans from Ethipial are matured? And the cause of that unique aroma?"

"Yes, well, I can imagine."

Colonel Altsar smiled unnaturally gently.

"The aroma of Ethipial coffee beans is one of the seven wonders of coffee traders. Even the Medilen family, who handle the imports, and the Finis merchants, don't know why that unique flavor develops. Why do you know?"

Damn.

But in my previous life, Ethiopian Mocha coffee was similar, and the name and aroma were almost identical, so I assumed the maturation method was the same too!

My thoughts were being pulled by my previous life's knowledge. If Colonel Altsar had started laughing at my middle name or something, I would have felt like I was being tripped up unexpectedly.

I have to get out of this situation.

"Well, it's just my imagination..."

"The Schwaidel people know nothing about coffee beans. Come to think of it, I don't even know whether they grow on vines or trees."

"On trees."

Damn. I couldn't resist the urge to share everything I knew.

Colonel Altsar looked like a hunter who had just caught his prey.

"You know a lot. You are very knowledgeable. You would make an excellent staff officer for me."

This is bad. This is really bad.

Colonel Altsar, who had seemed so dejected a moment ago, now approached me with a smile.

Why does he look so happy?

"So, you must be a reincarnated person with memories from your previous life, right?"

"Such things don't exist. They're just the delusions of the Filnia Church's Reincarnation Sect."

I'm, you know, a devout Rest Day Sect follower.

But of course, the colonel's relentless attack didn't stop.

"Don't underestimate me, Yui Chrombertz. From the moment you became my staff officer, I've been investigating your true identity. Your intellectual words, your gentle gaze, your shadowy profile. I didn't miss a single detail."

That sounds like a stalker. Stop it.

"Despite being a commoner who grew up on the streets, you speak with the intellect of someone who has received a higher education. Despite being exposed to countless malice and contempt, you still have a gentle gaze towards others. Your smile is open to everyone, but when you're alone, you show a shadowy side. You are a bundle of contradictions."

Oh, I didn't realize he had been observing me so closely.

"You know so much about the world, even though you've hardly left the empire. You were supposed to have grown up on the streets, yet your demeanor and thoughts are refined. You, a commoner, use the ancient knightly battlefield swordsmanship. Don't you find that strange?"

If we're talking about whether it's strange or not, of course it's strange.

"I do."

"Right?"

I gave in too easily. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a staff officer.

But this is something that would normally lead straight to a heresy trial.

However, Colonel Altsar only placed her hands on her hips and nodded contentedly.

"Finally, you've admitted it. But I'm satisfied that my long-standing doubts have been resolved. I will continue to rely on you."

What? What was the point of all that conversation?

"Sir?"

"What is it?"

"Do you not need to investigate my true identity?"

"Hmm, do you want me to?"

Colonel Altsar's mischievous smile made me flinch as her teasing gaze caught me.

She leaned back on the sofa, letting her long black hair flow over the backrest.

"I know your honesty and your abilities. I believe they will remain unchanged in the future. What more do I need to pry into?"

In other words, she is saying that no matter who I am, she trusts me and will continue to have me as her staff officer.

To be trusted so much...

Then the colonel played with her bangs and smiled a bit shyly.

"To be honest, I'm a bit afraid to know your true identity. If you were a reincarnated person, it would be fine, but I was worried you might be a real Grim Reaper. But you seem to know so much about the crossroads of life and death that I almost want to believe it."

I don't really want to be thought of as a Grim Reaper even by the colonel...

As I was wondering what to do, the colonel smiled weakly.

"You don't have to tell me your true identity. But if you are a Grim Reaper, I hope you'll be there for my last moments. If you take me, the journey to hell might be enjoyable."

"Why would you say such a thing..."

The colonel looked down.

"I was with the Duke of Rethreuil... Minshiana in her last moments. That wicked woman passed away happily, holding my hand. I will fall into hell someday. At least, I hope to be taken care of peacefully like that."

My chest felt heavy.

"Someone as kind-hearted as you, sir, won't go to hell. If you do, I'll accompany you. I wouldn't want to be reincarnated in a world without you."

"Reincarnation?"

I spoke about something I had sworn to keep secret since my reincarnation.

"I am a reincarnated person, born with memories from my previous life. I'm from a completely different world, a civilization that was about three hundred years more advanced."

Ah, I said it. This is a heretical confession.

Colonel Altsar looked at me with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open, which was cute. I had never seen her like this.

Just seeing this face made the risk worth it.

But the colonel's surprise was short-lived. She soon looked genuinely pleased and cleared her throat.

"I see. If that's true, all the questions are neatly resolved. It's an outlandish story, but it's logical."

"Is it okay to believe me so easily?"

The colonel blushed and replied a bit quickly.

"Because you've never lied to me. You wouldn't lie during such a serious conversation."

It's interesting to be called "you" instead of "your honor." She must be quite flustered.

Then I'll change my way of speaking too.

"I wouldn't lie to you, sir. In my previous life, I was from Japan. I learned swordsmanship and scholarship there."

The colonel, in a rare hesitant tone, asked softly,

"Your name?"

"My name?"

"Your real name. ...I want to know."

What a cute thing to say.

But I scratched my head.

"Because my memories are gradually fading, I can't remember my name. A few names like Saito or Matsui come to mind, but I can't be sure which one is mine."

This is true. The distinction between my own experiences and knowledge from books has become blurred. Since my reincarnation, the boundary between the two has been getting more and more blurred.

My real name has been buried in the list of "people I only know by name," and I can no longer distinguish it.

I smiled wryly.

"So I'm Yui. In Japan, there's a logographic writing system called kanji. In kanji, it would be written like this."

I wrote "唯名" in my notebook.

The colonel murmured,

"Those are quite square characters... If they're logographic, they're similar to Kionis script. I believe each character has its own meaning?"

"Yes, it means something like 'the only name.' This is fine, right?"

"Ah, that's perfect."

The colonel chuckled.

"So my staff officer is Yui from Japan. Knowing that doesn't change anything. I want you to stay by my side from now on."

"Yes, I will serve you with all my heart."

I saluted.

I ended up coming out at a strange time, and it was surprisingly easy. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Just as I was thinking that, Colonel Altsar suddenly remembered something and asked me.

"S-Say, Yui!"

"What is it?"

"Did you have a lover in your previous life? Or, were you married...?"

She's asking that?

I knelt and gently took the colonel's hand, smiling.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't very popular, so I never had a wife or even a lover."

"Is that so! That's a shame!"

The colonel's expression brightened. I wish she had sounded a bit more disappointed.

The colonel hummed a tune and smiled brightly, almost ready to jump for joy.

She seems to have completely perked up. I'm glad I confessed.

"If you know three hundred years' worth of knowledge and technology, your past achievements make sense. I will rely on you even more in the future, Yui."

I remained on my knees, smiled wryly, and saluted.

"I will continue to serve you faithfully, sir."

The colonel also smiled wryly.

"Thank you. But I do want you to change a bit."

"Is that so?"

If you have any complaints, please tell me.

But the colonel sighed, took off my cap, and ruffled my hair. Then she put the cap back on my head roughly.

"It's things like that."

What do you mean by that!?

This way, I gained my first companion who shared my deepest secret.

The political situation is getting more and more complicated, but I will work hard to protect this companion.