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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Let's Get Friendly
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Daniel, having received interrogation permission through Ernst, headed to the military police station near headquarters after work.
He informed the administrative clerks of his interrogation authorization. As he entered the interrogation room, the interrogator, who had been holding a cigarette in his mouth, was startled and immediately stood to attention.
"Ah! C-Captain Daniel! I've been waiting for you!"
Sergeant Wendelin, the interrogator, quickly put out his cigarette and saluted.
His posture was somewhat awkward, but Sergeant Wendelin's body was stiff, making Daniel tilt his head in question.
"Why are you so tense...?"
From Wendelin's perspective, he couldn't help but be tense.
Who was Captain Daniel Steiner, standing before him? A monster who had received two special promotions less than half a year after commissioning.
Two special promotions from General Staff Headquarters was practically a guaranteed promotion to field officer rank.
Therefore, Wendelin, a mere sergeant, was showing loyalty to a future field officer.
However, to Daniel, his posture was so rigid it seemed excessive.
Feeling as though he were looking at a recruit in basic training, Daniel shook his head slightly.
"It's fine. You can lower your hand."
"Understood!"
Wendelin, now in an attention stance, took a disciplined step to the side.
It meant he was yielding the interrogator's position, as Daniel had received permission to enter the interrogation room.
Daniel, looking at Wendelin with a slightly puzzled expression, turned his gaze forward.
Through the one-way glass designed for security, he saw the prisoner, handcuffed and seated at a table in the interrogation room.
The man, with a gaunt appearance and old spectacles, was named Reginald Harrington.
He belonged to the Allied Nations and was such an elite that he had worked in intelligence during his time as a junior officer.
'Which means...'
...he knew how to contact the Allied Nations even from within the Empire.
So, Daniel's plan was as follows:
1. Build a rapport with Reginald Harrington to break down his wall of suspicion.
2. Once a certain level of rapport is established, convey his desire to leave the Empire and defect to the Allied Nations.
3. Contact the Imperial informants Reginald knows to plan an escape route.
4. Arrive in the Allied Nations with Reginald, receive a suitable welcome, and live a happy life.
It was truly a perfect escape plan.
Daniel, nodding confidently, turned to Wendelin and spoke.
"Sergeant Wendelin. Any progress?"
"Sir? Ah. He's a tight-lipped one; he won't answer anything I ask. It's difficult because he keeps his mouth shut even with persuasion or threats."
"I see. May I try interrogating him?"
Wendelin nodded.
"Yes. You have permission, so there's no reason not to. I'll open the door for you."
Wendelin took a key from his belt and opened the steel door to the interrogation room.
Daniel, nodding once in thanks, stepped into the interrogation room.
After confirming Daniel had entered, Wendelin closed the interrogation room door. Hearing the sound, Reginald Harrington slowly raised his head.
Reginald's eyes widened when he realized it was Daniel who had entered the room.
"You... you son of a bitch!"
*Clang!* Reginald thrashed his upper body as if trying to break free from the handcuffs on the chair, but Daniel merely brought a calm finger to his lips.
Then he pulled out a chair and sat down at the table opposite Reginald.
Aware of Wendelin watching them through the glass, Daniel took a file from the briefcase he had brought.
The file contained Reginald's personal information provided by the intelligence department.
"Name: Reginald Harrington. Rank: Major. Commander of the Allied Liberation Front's 107th Assault Battalion. From the Kingdom of Eldresia, hometown is the Vambaril region in the southern part of the kingdom. Correct?"
Reginald merely glared at Daniel and did not reply.
Seeing this, Daniel shrugged once and extended his hand.
"Alright. Then, from now on, I'll interrogate you my way."
Daniel, deliberately emphasizing "my way," turned off the power to the microphone on the desk.
Normally, one shouldn't turn off the microphone during an interrogation, but since he'd emphasized a different approach, Wendelin wouldn't come in to protest.
"Good. I've turned off the microphone, so our conversation won't be overheard from outside. So, why don't we talk more comfortably, without worrying about information leaking?"
"...You want to talk comfortably while I'm handcuffed? Is this how the Empire makes jokes?"
As expected, it was impossible to have a friendly conversation right away.
In that case, he had no choice but to be direct.
"Reginald. I heard the Imperial Northern Front Army made you several favorable offers, but you refused them all. It seems your desire to return to the Allied Nations hasn't changed."
"You're stating the obvious."
"Alright. In that case, I can help you in many ways. If you cooperate well, you might even be able to see your wife and daughters back home."
Cold sweat beaded on Reginald's forehead.
Daniel had meant it as an offer to cooperate, but from Reginald's perspective, it looked nothing short of a threat involving his family.
Reginald took a deep breath and spoke in a trembling voice.
"...Do you know my family's whereabouts?"
Daniel nodded.
"Yes. I know where they live, what they do, and even the name of your dog. 'Archie,' isn't it? A Golden Retriever."
As he recited the information he'd heard from the Imperial Intelligence Department, Reginald's eyes widened.
"How could you know even that..."
"Don't be surprised. Just as the Allied Nations conduct espionage against the Empire, the Empire also conducts espionage against the Allied Nations."
Daniel, remembering something else, calmly added.
"Ah. One more thing, your daughter, your eldest Sophia, has started learning piano, I hear. Her dream was to become a pianist, wasn't it?"
Emulating Ernst, it seemed a good idea to talk about family to build rapport.
'It's working.'
To Daniel, Reginald seemed to be calming down and listening intently.
To make Reginald see him as friendly, Daniel spoke with a faint smile.
"Hearing about your family life, they say you were devoted to them. I wish I had a father like that too. I'm an orphan, you see. I know how arduous life without a father can be."
A stream of cold sweat trickled down Reginald's forehead.
Daniel's words, spoken without any particular ill intent, sounded to Reginald as if he were asking, 'Do you want your daughters to live a life without a father?'
And he said it with a calm smile.
"I, I..."
Reginald, groaning, raised a hand to his forehead.
Reginald, struggling to calm his rapid breathing, swallowed hard and spoke.
"Give me... give me time to think. Please."
Huh? Already? Daniel, who had wanted to build a bit more rapport, found himself in an awkward position.
Still, Reginald was scheduled to remain here for a while, so there would be plenty of time for more conversation.
Thinking he could just talk to him again later, Daniel stood up.
"Alright. Well... I'll see you next time. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
Reginald shook his head.
Seeing this, Daniel shrugged once and walked towards the door.
He heard Wendelin, who had been watching from outside, bring the key and open the door.
While waiting for the door to open, Daniel suddenly turned back to Reginald as if something had just occurred to him.
"Ah, Major Reginald? Now that I think about it, your daughters are quite pretty, just like your wife."
Daniel had spoken with purely good intentions, but upon hearing those words, Reginald was seized by extreme terror.
'My daughters... what exactly are you planning to do with them?'
Daniel's ominous words made Reginald's heart pound as if it would burst.
His heart was racing uncontrollably due to the skyrocketing tension and fear.
Daniel, oblivious to Reginald's state of mind, raised a hand and smiled.
"Then I'll see you again next time. I'll be counting on your full cooperation then."
The steel door opened before Reginald could reply.
Reginald, watching Daniel exit through the steel door, soon began trembling and hyperventilating.
'Oh, demon...'
Tears streamed from his wide-open eyes as Reginald silently screamed.
'That man is truly a demon sent by Satan!'
*
The next day.
I was eating in the officers' mess hall with Ernst as usual when I paused.
Wendelin entered the mess hall, looked around as if searching for someone, and then walked directly towards me.
Wondering what he wanted, I put down my utensils, and Wendelin saluted.
"Thank you so much! Captain Daniel Steiner!"
I was dumbfounded by the sudden expression of gratitude.
Ernst, too, seemed similarly puzzled, simply staring intently at Wendelin.
Aware of our gaze, Wendelin lowered his hand and explained the situation.
"Immediately after Captain Daniel Steiner interrogated him, Reginald Harrington said he would cooperate with the Imperial Army. He's willing to hand over all the information he knows!"
"Oh! Is that true?"
Ernst responded with a brightened expression, but I only felt my mind go blank.
'...Why?'
I distinctly remembered the atmosphere being good yesterday.
I couldn't understand it at all.