Became an Academy Spearman

863. [Western Front] – Shiffrin’s Proposal (139)

***

“Before that, make a promise to me.”

At the words that followed, Cheonseong’s gaze slightly wavered.

‘I don’t know.’

I really don’t know that either.

I wonder why this woman is doing this to me right now, and what on earth she wants from me when she gestures with her hands that give me such a strange feeling.

So I thought I had to face it in person.

“Is it only by appointment that I can hear it? “You said you could help me, but isn’t it important to first know what kind of help I can provide?”

Even though he spoke a little provocatively, he made eye contact.

“Is that true too? “Then I want to promise in my name first and then tell you, but you don’t like that, do you?”

“yes. “I don’t like it.”

While answering promptly, it reduces even the slightest delusion in the mind.

I decided to be honest with her.

Anyway, no matter what I do or what attitude I show, I felt it intuitively. It’s virtually impossible for me to gain the upper hand through conversation with this woman named Shiffrin.

‘No matter what kind of negotiation I try to do, I have little experience.’

The position between her and me, who was trusted by the emperor and was in charge of the intelligence department, was worlds apart.

Therefore, I grasped reality more objectively and let go of myself. I have to treat her the best I can.

Then I have no choice but to treat it as the ‘truth’.

In order to put strength into my words… … .

“Hmm, I still think I have a pretty big name. Still, you’re saying you don’t like it?”

“… … yes. “There’s a lot at stake for me to make a hasty promise.”

“I understand. Still, it’s a little disappointing. I wanted to go a little easy, but I guess I tried to eat it too raw. Then, I will speak frankly. “I want to promise you, Ensign Han Tiansheng, because I like you.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

I didn’t take what she said literally. Now that she knows that she’s trying to tempt me in a strange way, as if she’s playing a joke, she dismisses it and asks again.

“Rather than any meaning, it’s just a purely literal meaning. As I said yesterday, the reason I came to the Western Front was to more accurately elevate the achievements of outstanding officers, and there was also a special purpose for Major Anastasia, who played the most active role.”

A calm voice rings out.

During that time, our gazes never diverged even an inch.

Maybe that’s why I felt bigger.

‘really… … .’

This woman isn’t easy.

Of all the people I’ve ever met, I thought this woman named Shiffrin was the most difficult to deal with.

Beyond not knowing what’s in her mind, I can’t even guess what she wants from me right now.

Even with eye contact like this, it was difficult to tell whether what he was saying was true or not.

“But then, Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong, you suddenly appeared in my eyes. Originally, I didn’t plan on meeting you in any significant way in my plans. “Even though I had heard rumors floating around the empire, it wasn’t something I was interested in.”

Speaking directly, she didn’t seem to think much of it.

So to me, her appearance seemed more like the truth.

The words spoken to me are true without even a single lie.

“But when I saw it for the first time yesterday, I felt a lot of curiosity. “I intuitively felt that a man like you was too good to pass up lightly, so maybe that’s why I was attracted to him.”

Tuk.

And when I flick my hand again, her fingers touch the back of my hand and then disappear.

It was strange.

… … Every tone of voice and every light action strangely seduces the opposite s*x.

But it wasn’t temptation in the true sense.

A small trick that seemed like it was a joke and was trying to shake my heart.

“… … .”

I know all that, but I couldn’t stop talking for a moment.

‘… If I didn’t know, I would have passed on like this.’

If I hadn’t known about the woman named Shiffrin in the story, I thought I would have believed almost everything she said.

That’s how small the woman Shiffrin’s actions and expressions are, and even the calm words that sound simple. Everything felt natural.

Then, without realizing it, a laugh escaped me.

“You really are a great person.”

“… “Are you suddenly saying something like that?”

As I watched her blink, I thought that purely.

What a great woman.

“You asked me to promise you first. What I’m saying is that I want to help. And I said I would hear it first before I even made an appointment with Shiffrin. however… … “Is what Shiffrin just said to me a promise?”

Even as I said what I felt, my tension was completely relieved.

“Well, strictly speaking, it’s not a promise.”

This woman who spoke so calmly was so shameless.

They force me to make a promise, but they don’t tell me what the promise actually is. After that, everything she said seemed like nonsense.

He naturally muddied the issue by saying that he liked me, that I was interested in him, and that I was attracted to him.

‘They actually overlooked the promise they made to help.’

So it felt even more evil.

I felt like he was playing with me.

“Foot… … .”

For a moment, she burst into laughter, and I frowned without realizing it.

I honestly didn’t want to get caught up in her pace.

So, now that I was speaking with all my sincerity, I felt like I was being played by her.

But getting out of it is not as easy as it seems.

“… … .”

“Don’t feel so bad. “I really meant what I said. The reason I like Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong is because he is sincere without any lies.”

“I don’t like puns.”

“I really mean it… … Well, let’s talk about promises again. Well then, let me be blunt. I think Second Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong played an active role in relation to the nine apostles, and therefore Sekhmet. That too was a huge success. That’s why Anastasia is trying to protect Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong.”

Stop.

Suddenly, his expression became cold and he started pouring out words, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat.

‘how… … !?’

Even though I was trying my best to remain calm, my heart was greatly shaken.

I thought I didn’t make such a big mistake when we had a three-way meeting yesterday, and even when we had a face-to-face meeting just the two of us today.

Although he may have revealed my feelings a little, he didn’t even mention a single word about the details.

however.

This woman was now getting to the point.

I immediately understood the relationship between me and Anastasia, as if I had vividly experienced the situation at that time.

“That’s why I want to help. Given my position and power, I am willing to adjust my words to Anastasia’s actions. However, I need an excuse to provide unconditional help, so a promise is necessary. “How do you feel? Do you have an answer now?”

As she intensely met my eyes and asked, I noticed a change as cold as frost.

I felt momentarily overwhelmed.

He showed a change in attitude to the point where I wondered if he was aiming for this and continued to push me.

and,

I was completely caught up.

“… … Yes, the answer is. “Tell me more about the terms of your promise.”

This is definitely not something I can handle on my own.

However, Shiffrin said it was a promise to me and deliberately created a situation where she could have a conversation with me alone.

That was because it was a promise made to me, not to Anastasia.

“Don’t be so nervous. “I don’t plan on forcing you to make such a heavy promise, so take a deep breath.”

Tap, tap.

Even as my gaze fell on her pure white fingers gently tapping the back of my hand, my heart continued to waver.

‘You’re playing with me.’

… … I know that.

Before and now.

But the words she said to me were so devastating that I still couldn’t refuse them.

In the process of exhaling slightly and inhaling again. I never thought my eyes would leave her. Through her black hair, I can see two sharp eyes looking at me haughtily.

The two eyes, with their unique light red color, were still staring at me. With a deep gaze that seems to engrave my image in those two eyes.

That felt like ‘momentum’ to me.

It feels like the moment I avert my gaze, my value will be diminished in an instant.

… … Her eyes seemed to say that indirectly, and I couldn’t avoid it.

“The promise I make to you is simple. He would truly devote himself to the empire, and he would actually become lovers with Anastasia. These two things. But you’ve already met two things, right?”

“… … .”

Slurp.

Her hand, which had been tapping my hand, now began to gently caress my hand.

Thin fingers walk across the back of my hand, giving me a strange feeling.

However, I was so shocked that I couldn’t even reply.

‘all… … .’

I really read everything.

I don’t understand. How on earth do you even see through all this truth?

How did I find out that Anastasia and I were not actually lovers? Was it awkward, or was it unnatural for me to think about Anastasia?

I’m not sure.

however… … .

Looking at Shiffrin’s eyes looking at me right now, I felt a strange sense of discomfort.

“I am meeting what Shiffrin said. however… … “Are you really going to take that promise from me?”

Even as I struggled to open my mouth, I felt strange.

The promise she proposed itself felt very strange.

Rather than putting a huge burden on her, it feels like she’s repeating what I’ve already done.

“yes. I guess I’ll take it as a promise. I don’t know what Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong will think of me. Do you think she is based on my reputation that has spread abroad, or do you think she is a woman with a different, sinister intention? How can I even know people’s hearts? But, I know one thing.”

“… “What is it?”

“It means that if he makes a promise to you, he will definitely keep that promise.”

“… … “Didn’t you clearly say that you don’t know my heart?”

“is it so. You don’t know people’s minds. But I know to some extent how that person will live. What meaning does he give to his actions and words, and whether he will stick to them or break them. “I have met thousands of people so far, and I have developed an eye for people.”

Sreuk!

As he spoke, he suddenly grabbed my hand, which he had been caressing, tightly, and I burst out laughing.

It’s crazy.

really… … This woman was crazy.

“I promise. I already do everything, but… … Shiffrin, I promise as you said. So I’d like to get some help.”

“Well thought out. “I wondered if they might reject me, but I didn’t know they would accept it so easily.”

“That’s because I said no…” … “Was it a promise you could refuse?”

“sure. A promise is a suggestion, not a compulsion. “If Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong had declined, I would have made the same offer to Anastasia later.”

Shiffrin, who spoke with a grin, was smiling a smile that drew people in, as if she had stopped showing a cold expression.

It’s such a beautiful, yet mysterious smile… … .

“Same offer.”

“Since I have accepted this promise, let me ask you a question. “Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong, how do you think Major Anastasia responded?”

“You would have accepted it.”

It was an immediate answer.

The Anastasia I knew wouldn’t have even thought about Shiffrin’s words.

Just like I am now.

“Hmm.”

Shiffrin, with a strange smile, did not ask me any more questions.

He just gently took my hand back and gently cupped his cheek with the hand that had touched my hand.

“You know. “Lieutenant Han Cheon-seong.”

“… yes. Mr. Shiffrin.”

“I have it. “I really meant it.”

“yes?”

“I really like Lieutenant Han Tiansheng. “Does this still sound like a lie?”

Even as I looked at her smiling strangely, I just frowned again.

still… … .

I feel like this woman is playing with me.