Chapter 2: A Lingering Embrace and a Decisive Strike

“Oh, Fran, you’re so adorable~”

The Silver-haired girl embraced the boy beneath her, her slender arms wrapping around his pale neck. Her legs intertwined with his as she gazed down at Fran, a smile blossoming on her face.

‘This feels wonderful…’

A blush crept across her cheeks. She gently reached out to pinch the boy’s face, but that was only the beginning. Next, her hand drifted to his chest, where she began to caress him tenderly.

“Don’t…”

Fran’s plea was barely a whisper, as faint as a mosquito’s hum. It seemed to have no effect, however; if anything, it only further ignited the Silver-haired girl’s already impulsive mind, fueled by the high-proof alcohol.

‘Damn it… why is she still going? We agreed she’d just come to my room to chat. How did talking turn into sleeping together…?’

‘And why was that red wine so strong? Teacher, are you sure it wasn’t vodka mixed with a bit of red ink?’

‘Ugh…’

Closing his eyes, Fran heard only the rapid gasps beside his ear, intertwined with intermittent, sweet moans.

‘Fine, I’ll just open my eyes!’

Fran reluctantly opened his eyes. As he registered the unusual sensations, he lifted his head, his gaze falling upon the girl’s slender waist and her fair, flat stomach.

‘Mm…’

“Fran, say something, say anything…”

Yuli’s eyes sparkled with playful delight, a blush extending all the way to the bridge of her nose. She urged her companion to join her in creating a more intimate atmosphere.

But Fran simply couldn’t. ‘It’s too embarrassing,’ he thought.

Fran swallowed, unwilling to utter a single word. Yet, seeing Yuli’s expectant gaze, he felt it would be impolite not to say anything.

“Uh… Yuli, you’re… you’re really tall…”

This was not mere flattery. Fran had already noticed it earlier, when Yuli had pulled him along the roadside: the girl, who was presumably from Teuton, stood a full 1.72 meters tall, easily half a head taller than him.

‘Oh no, saying that feels even more embarrassing…’

Yuli looked down at Fran, who was covering his eyes beneath her, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She giggled as she cupped Fran’s face in her hands.

“Fran, you’re so petite and adorable, just like a little cub. Are you waiting for someone to pamper you?”

“Perhaps the gods made a mistake with your gender? Or maybe… this is a gift from the gods to me? Hehe~ Anyway, I really like Fran. Oh, and by the way, I’m an equestrian champion~”

The girl’s movements continued relentlessly. Fran frowned. ‘Equestrian champion?’ he thought. ‘Wait, stop! Don’t go any further. Information, information…’

“Yuli, you mentioned equestrian champion? What was that about…?”

“Mhm, don’t worry about it too much. Or… if Fran makes some cute sounds, I’ll tell you~”

“Mm… no, don’t…”

“Be gentle…”

The boy let out a rather adorable whimper.

****

Opening the window, the boy took a few deep breaths of fresh air. He sighed.

The hotel room was empty save for himself. The Silver-haired girl had vanished without a trace. Aside from the rumpled sheets and a few strands of white hair on the bed, there was no other proof of her ever having been there.

Fran shook his head in distress, unable to suppress another sigh.

‘That girl, she truly is trouble.’

Unfortunately, not only had he failed to extract any information from her, but he had also, in a way, given himself away to her for the night.

He should have been filled with regret—regret over his immature interrogation skills, or his foolishness in being led by the nose.

Yet… why…?

He clutched at the corner of his clothes, recalling the girl who had seemed so poised and polite at first glance, but had been so assertive and proactive last night.

‘Why did he feel a strange sense of longing for that sensation?’

Fran sat on the bed, feeling as though everything had been a beautiful dream. He was still somewhat dazed.

In any case, no matter how much he yearned for last night, the girl had vanished without a trace. Fran had even inquired at the hotel front desk, only to be given a false name and a bogus address.

Perhaps the only silver lining was that the name the Silver-haired girl had registered at the hotel was not the same one she had told him.

‘Perhaps the name she had told him was her real one, after all.’

But where could he possibly find her? He wasn’t even certain if she was Teuton. Even if this weren’t a foreign land, searching for her solely within Paris City would be akin to sifting sand from the ocean.

‘So… we won’t meet again, will we?’

Fran picked up one of the girl’s silver hairs, gazing at it intently.

He suddenly remembered something.

‘That’s right,’ he mused. ‘Last night, just as I was drifting off to sleep, I think I heard her say…’

“We’ll meet again. I promise, I’ll come back…”

Fran let out a bitter laugh. ‘Ha, what am I thinking? It must have been a hallucination. How could it be real?’

The words from a foreign girl’s mouth wouldn’t hold much truth. Treasures, affection, a promise to return—if he genuinely believed such things, he’d wait until he turned into a ‘wife-gazing stone.’ How could he possibly trust it?

After all…

…he hadn’t told her the truth either.

****

At Purburg, the Silver-haired girl, clad in a black military uniform, pushed open the door and strode quickly into the conference hall.

A group of middle-aged men in the conference hall all turned their gazes towards the girl. Only the pale-haired girl, seated at the head of the conference table, remained engrossed in her documents. She gently set down her cigar, flicking the ash into a metal ashtray.

“Miss Gustav, why are you here? Where is the General?”

A bespectacled general beside the Pale-haired girl inquired. The girl’s military rank was far too low to attend a meeting of this level, making her presence quite unusual. However, many of the generals present seemed to recognize her.

Yuli pulled out her notepad and calmly stated, “My father is preoccupied with matters concerning the C Armored Army Group on the front lines and is unable to attend this meeting. He entrusted me to deliver the defensive layout of the enemy capital, Paris City, to the Ministry of Defense.”

“Oh?” The girl holding the cigar raised an eyebrow, a flicker of interest in her eyes. She crossed her legs and questioned Yuli.

“Major Gustav, you personally verified Paris City’s defensive layout, didn’t you? How are the conditions?”

“Yes, Leader!” Yuli stood ramrod straight and stated solemnly, “Paris City’s defenses are extremely lax. The politicians of Francis are overly reliant on the Titan Line at the border, believing the front lines could never approach the capital. They’ve gambled most of their defensive power on the lowland regions to the north.”

“So you’re saying…” The girl addressed as Leader smiled, “The plan proposed by your father and his colleagues is entirely feasible?”

“It has a certain degree of feasibility! Furthermore, if successful, we could quickly occupy Paris and cut off, surround, and annihilate the Francian forces in the lowland regions! It’s worth a try! However… it might not be as secure as the lowland plan…”

Yuli laid out both the certainties and the uncertainties of the plan. The generals in the meeting still hesitated. Although the lowland plan was likely already compromised, they were reluctant to directly support this rather audacious strategy proposed by the front-line commanders.

Just then, the Leader decisively made her call. She rose to her feet, looking at Yuli with satisfaction, and smiled.

“Good! I’ve had enough of conservative, timid military strategies and plans. It’s time for us to make a decisive move. Everyone, listen closely, and Miss Yuli Gustav, tell your father and the generals on the front lines: I approve this plan. We will strike directly at their heart!”

After speaking, the girl walked over to Yuli, patted her shoulder, and encouraged her with a soft smile.

“A daughter of generals, a woman who yields to no man.”

She turned her back and walked towards the conference hall’s door, murmuring to herself.

“Twenty years of humiliation will finally be thoroughly avenged, very soon!”