Chapter 405: Book Encryption
Descending the stairs from the command center, Charles felt a growing sense of crisis.
As the Commander-in-Chief of France, Joffre had the authority to deploy troops, and the military’s emphasis on following orders inherently posed potential dangers to Charles’ future.
Today, Charles might have relied on the Italian army to navigate the situation, but what would happen if Joffre issued a similar order again in the future? It seemed that Joffre had lost patience and intended to put Charles in a precarious position.
To prevent such a scenario, there appeared to be only one solution.
With this thought in mind, Charles unconsciously headed toward the officers' club. As he neared, he suddenly realized it was still quite early; the sky was still light.
He was about to turn back when he heard someone inside the club call out, “General, are you here to see Lucia?”
The club door opened, and a woman dressed as a bartender appeared before Charles.
Charles recognized her as Garrel, Lucia’s colleague and friend. Lucia occasionally mentioned her.
“Yes,” Charles nodded. “I can come back later.”
“General,” Garrel replied, “Lucia is off today, but I can call her here immediately.”
“If she’s resting, I can come another day…”
“No, no, General,” Garrel quickly explained, “Lucia would be thrilled to know you came looking for her. She wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity, I assure you.”
Charles paused, then smiled.
Well done, Lucia. You’ve completely fooled Garrel, who believes in your romance without question.
...
Entering the club, Charles chose a chair by the window rather than his usual seat and slowly sipped the coffee Garrel brought him.
When the cup was nearly empty, Lucia rushed through the command center gate. She appeared flustered, her makeup minimal, just a touch of lipstick. She paused before entering, smoothing her hair and steadying her breathing as if not wanting Charles to see her in such a state. Then, quickly pulling out a small mirror from her handbag for a final check, she stepped inside.
However, when she saw Charles sitting by the window, she felt a wave of awkwardness.
Lucia hesitated before sitting across from him, thinking to herself, "This guy must be feeling smug, knowing how much I care about him."
To her surprise, Charles leaned in and whispered, “Next time, you don’t have to rush. I usually come for something that isn’t urgent, though it might be important.”
Lucia was stunned. Did this guy really think she hurried because of work?
“Understood, General,” Lucia replied coolly. “What are your orders?”
Charles leaned in closer and asked, “Any updates on Grevy?”
Lucia shook her head slightly. “There’s been some progress, but we’ve hit a snag.”
Hearing Garrel’s footsteps behind them, Lucia casually shifted the topic. “Are you free this weekend? I’d prefer not to meet here every time.”
“You know how it is,” Charles replied with a helpless shrug. “I’m too busy, Lucia. I have many responsibilities.”
His performance was a little stiff, but fortunately, Garrel didn’t notice. She handed Lucia a cup of coffee, smiled at both of them, and walked away.
Lucia returned to the earlier topic. “We’ve intercepted Grevy’s telegrams, but they’re encoded using ‘book encryption.’”
“Book encryption?” Charles asked, unfamiliar with the term.
“Yes,” Lucia explained. “A specific book is chosen, and the telegram conveys the page, line, and column numbers.”
Charles nodded in understanding.
This encryption method was simple to use yet difficult to decipher because it followed no predictable pattern. The key lay in knowing which book was being used.
“We even infiltrated Grevy’s household staff, but found nothing,” Lucia said, frowning. “The codebook is likely kept in his safe.”
Charles pondered for a moment and said, “He’s likely planning an operation soon.”
Lucia caught on immediately. This meant Charles intended to bait Grevy into action.
However, without the codebook, even if the “fish” took the bait, it would be useless—they would only watch it slip away.
Lucia felt a pang of guilt. “We’ll come up with something soon…”
“I believe there’s someone we can use,” Charles interrupted.
“Who?” Lucia asked.
“Harley.”
Lucia’s eyes widened. “That spy?”
Charles nodded.
“But she’s a German spy. How could we possibly use her?” Lucia asked, puzzled.
“It’s simple,” Charles replied calmly. “We know her secret. We can blackmail her into becoming our spy.”
Lucia slowly nodded, her eyes reflecting a hint of astonishment, but then she shook her head. “But Grevy isn’t interested in women…”
“Armand,” Charles interjected, cutting her off. “HaveHarleyy get close to Armand.”
Lucia immediately understood. Armand’s notorious womanizing made him an easy target. WithHarleyy’s skills, she could likely extract every secret he knew.
“We’ll give it a try,” Lucia agreed, then glanced at Charles, concern evident in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”
Previously, Charles had shown little interest in Grevy’s affairs, giving the "Lady in White" ample time for her investigations.
Now, his sudden urgency suggested he was facing new challenges.
“It’s nothing,” Charles replied. “Just minor issues.”
In reality, it wasn’t minor at all. It concerned Charles’ future—even his survival.
To suppress Joffre’s authority and prevent him from issuing orders against Charles, support from either Schneider or Parliament was essential.
For Charles to wield influence in Parliament, he needed to win over the right-wing factions.
Grevy stood as a major obstacle between Charles and the right-wing. He was intelligent, cautious, and, most importantly, principled.
Such a man couldn’t be swayed by money. Charles had no choice but to consider eliminating him.
As for Armand, his talent for public speaking made him a valuable ally, someone to be won over.
“Also,” Charles added before leaving, “I need intelligence on the Cambrai area, possibly with personnel support.”
Lucia’s eyes lit up. “Toward Belgium?”
Cambrai was near the Franco-Belgian border. A move toward Belgium would mean an offensive to reclaim lost territory.
Charles nodded slightly. There was no reason to hide this; he had to trust the “Lady in White” completely.
Lucia, barely containing her excitement, impulsively kissed Charles on the cheek. Holding his face in her hands, she said with heartfelt gratitude, “Thank you, General. Thank you so much! We’ve waited for this day for so long!”
Charles chuckled. “So, all those times you said it wasn’t just about Belgium, that was a lie?”
Lucia smiled. “No, General, it wasn’t a lie. But if we can also help Belgium in the process, that would be perfect!”