After informing Lucy of the dessert shop’s location, I left the headquarters and boarded a jeep, heading toward the munitions factory that Lieutenant McCall had reported.

Roughly 30 minutes into the drive, the driver gently pressed the brakes.

The jeep gradually slowed down before coming to a complete stop at the entrance of the ruined munitions factory.

“We’ve arrived, Commander.”

I gave the driver a nod, opened the door, and stepped outside.

Passing through the partially collapsed gate, I spotted a group of patrol soldiers gathered not far away.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the soldiers and Lieutenant McCall turned their heads toward me.

Upon recognizing me, they quickly snapped to attention and saluted.

“Commander! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Acknowledging their salute with a brief nod, I approached.

“Where’s the laboratory?”
“Ah, this way, sir.”

McCall gestured toward the ground.

Following his direction, I spotted a staircase leading underground through an open iron door.

“An underground base, huh? Those Kingdom bastards really have a thing for building underground.”
“Indeed. Must be because they’re allies of the Allied Nations—they behave just like rats.”

McCall’s joke drew faint chuckles from the surrounding soldiers.

I allowed a slight smile before turning back to McCall.

“Your sense of humor’s improved. Now, how far did you search?”
“We only made a preliminary assessment of the area. It doesn’t seem like any traps were set, so you should be able to look around freely. If you’d like, I can accompany you.”
“No, I’ll go alone. Stay here and guard the entrance with the men.”
“Yes, sir!”

After receiving his response, I descended the stairs leading underground.

With each step downward, the surroundings grew darker, so I pulled out the flashlight I had prepared in advance and switched it on.

Click—

The beam of light illuminated the passage ahead.

At the bottom of the stairs, there was another iron door, already opened—likely by McCall earlier.

I carefully stepped inside, revealing a floor coated with epoxy resin.

The polished floor gleamed under the light, lined with long tables and a variety of laboratory equipment.

Flasks, microscopes, and other instruments cluttered the area.

Some devices were so oddly shaped that I couldn’t even guess their purpose.

‘What exactly were they doing here…?’

I wanted to figure out the situation, but it seemed any samples from their research had been cleared out. Aside from the scattered tools, the lab had been wiped clean.

Surveying the dusty air, I noticed an automatic sliding door left ajar.

Beyond it stretched a wide corridor.

Both sides of the corridor were lined with iron bars, dividing the space into cell-like rooms.

Each cell had a single bed and a set of dishes.

It looked like a prison, but there were no people.

All the cell doors were open, suggesting the occupants had been taken away.

Taking a deep breath, I pressed forward.

At the end of the corridor was another iron door.

Reaching the door, I grabbed the handle and pulled.

Screech—

The door budged slightly before getting stuck.

I steadied my breathing, tightened my grip, and gave it a forceful tug.

The door swung open, releasing a cloud of ash into the air.

‘…Ash?’

Perplexed, I peered inside to find the floor covered in soot.

‘They burned something. And a lot of it.’

Given the quantity, it was likely paper—records and documents related to their research.

‘But it’s sloppy. There are signs they left in a hurry.’

They must have built this underground lab for research that couldn’t be exposed.

Logically, they should have destroyed all equipment, beds, and dishes before leaving.

The fact that they didn’t suggested they had evacuated in a panic, without enough time to clean up.

‘They never expected Imperial forces to breach the city so quickly through the supply routes.’

They likely burned the records hastily and fled without confirming whether the documents had been completely destroyed.

Scanning the area, I quickly spotted several half-burned sheets of paper.

Though their edges were scorched, the content remained legible enough to piece things together.

I picked up a few sheets, brushed off the ash, and began to read.

『…The ultimate goal is to develop an advanced combat weapon capable of turning the tide of war. By merging magic and science, we aim to create human weapons. If successful, not only could we crush the Empire’s ambitions, but the Kingdom could rise as a global power…』

Large portions of the text were burned, leaving gaps. I turned the page.

『…Although many forms of magic have been lost, some proven techniques remain effective. While most soldiers can use magic bullets and temporary physical enhancements, advanced techniques like optical camouflage and gravity field manipulation require exceptional talent.』

I flipped another page.

『…What if talent could be artificially created? Imagine ordinary soldiers possessing strength comparable to the Empire’s elite guards. This experiment began with that question, injecting enhancement materials into unidentified volunteers with high magical affinity…』

Another page.

『…In conclusion, all attempts have failed. Subjects exhibited abnormal magical reactions, including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, delirium, hallucinations, and self-harm. The enhancements were negligible and unsuitable for combat. Furthermore, it remains doubtful whether individuals who endured such suffering would remain loyal…』

One more page.

『…According to recent data provided by the Allied Nations, a successful specimen has been confirmed. Its magical enhancements far exceed expectations, making it the only one of its kind. In recognition of this achievement, our research team has named the upcoming project after this specimen…』

My eyes narrowed sharply as I read the final line.

“...We name it the Lucy Project.”

Lucy Project.

That’s how it was written at the bottom of the report.

*****

I collected the report, left the laboratory, and strictly instructed Lieutenant McCall to keep the discovery of the research facility classified.

Afterward, to clear my thoughts, I patrolled the surrounding area before heading to the dessert shop where I had promised to meet Lucy in the afternoon.

As I stepped into the shop, soft classical music filled the air, creating a calming atmosphere.

The gothic-style interior drew my admiration as I scanned the room. Near the window, someone raised their hand energetically.

“Major! Over here!”

I turned to see Frien.

For some reason, Lucy was sitting next to her.

Surprised by this, I approached and asked,

“Cadet Frien? I didn’t expect you to be here with my adjutant.”
“I came here for dessert and just happened to run into Lieutenant Lucy. When I heard you’d be coming too, I decided to wait. Oh, and I already ordered the menu, so you can just sit down.”
“The menu? You ordered it?”
“Yes. Lieutenant Lucy mentioned that you were practically singing praises about éclairs, so I figured I’d save you some time and ordered them in advance.”

I see. It wasn’t a bad idea, so I nodded and sat down across from Frien.

Then, I glanced at Lucy.

‘…An experimental subject? Lucy?’

Even in the game, Lucy’s past was never revealed, so this was the first time I’d learned about it.

Moreover, human weapons like Lucy never appeared in the game—not until the very end.

Well, technically, there was one exception in the enemy nation, but that person was purely gifted rather than artificially enhanced.

In other words, the enemy’s advanced weapon development project was doomed to failure even in the distant future.

‘But still…’

If Lucy had been an experimental subject of the Allied Nations, how could she remain so loyal to them?

Was there something else I didn’t know?

As questions swirled in my mind, Lucy’s gaze suddenly met mine.

Her crimson eyes, like pools of blood, felt even more unsettling today.

“Major? Do you need something?”

Scrambling for an excuse, I forced a playful grin.

“Nothing. I just thought you looked especially beautiful today.”

Unexpectedly, Lucy blinked a few times before giving a slight nod.

“…Thank you.”

Relieved that I’d dodged the issue, I let out a quiet sigh.

But then I felt Frien’s gaze burning into me.

She clearly didn’t like the compliment I had given Lucy and stared at me with visible disapproval.

Before I could ask what her problem was, a server approached our table carrying a tray.

“Thank you for waiting. Who ordered the éclair and coffee?”
“That’s me.”

I raised my hand, and the server smiled, placing the éclair and coffee in front of me.

Next, she set down mint chip ice cream in front of both Frien and Lucy.

Lucy froze for a moment, then looked at the server.

“Excuse me, I think there’s been a mistake with my order.”
“Pardon? That can’t be… Let me check.”

The server looked flustered, but Frien cut in before she could leave.

“It’s correct. You can go now.”

With Frien’s bright smile, the server awkwardly nodded and walked back toward the counter.

Once the server was out of earshot, Frien kept her cheerful expression as she explained.

“Lieutenant Lucy, you left the menu choice up to me, remember? Since you didn’t mention wanting anything specific, I thought mint chip ice cream would suit you. I figured you’d like it.”

Shouldn’t she have at least asked first?

I felt that Frien had gone too far and turned to check Lucy’s reaction—only to break out in a cold sweat.

“……”

Lucy was glaring at Frien as if she were ready to kill her.