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The Abas Information Agency and the Patalia Information Agency have a cooperative relationship in various aspects.

High-level meetings between officials, overseas training for agents, commissioned education, joint operations, you name it.

One of these is the ‘Information Sharing Agreement.’

Just like the EU’s agreement with the United States regarding the transfer of passenger reservation information to the US Department of Homeland Security (Passenger Name Record, PNR Agreement) and the EU’s agreement with the United States on processing and transferring financial messaging data for the purposes of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP).

South Korea has also signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with 34 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and Japan.

Countries with a decent relationship set up such agreements to exchange all sorts of information.

Of course, they might selectively withhold critical information or hide some details entirely.

Anyway.

The Abas Information Agency has a cooperative relationship with the Patalia Information Agency and often shares information through both official and unofficial channels, just like now.

“Did you arrive? Merlo?”

Sofia from the National Security Agency waved from leaning against a vehicle.

“Where are you now?”

“Seems like you have a lot of questions.”

Sofia opened the vehicle door and smiled brightly.

“Get in for now.”

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Episode 6 – The Omniscient Spy Perspective

A public servant from the Magic Tower contacted an executive from a Private Enterprise of Abas. And lo and behold, Francesca Ranieri is in the mix!

That was the only intel Sofia had given me.

As soon as I finished the call, I dashed out of Saint Veronica’s villa, using the forged passport I had prepared in advance to leave the country. I mobilized every line I had to figure things out before passing through the departure checkpoint and crossing the Warp Gate.

First up, the Magic Tower.

Having spent about a month there and made some acquaintances among the public servants, I located Francesca Ranieri’s workplace, her role, and where she currently was. They had a rough idea but didn’t know specifics, especially the whereabouts of the alchemist.

Next, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After fully activating both official and unofficial lines connecting to the Abas Kingdom’s diplomatic mission in the Kien Empire, I succeeded in identifying the private enterprise executive’s identity and intentions.

The Abas citizen was an executive from a mid-sized company within Abas. The purpose of the visit was an overseas business trip to finalize a contract. This meeting was officially acknowledged by the government, specifically by the department in the Ministry of Finance responsible for trade.

However, Francesca’s name was notably absent from the list of public servants scheduled to meet this executive.

Lastly, the Intelligence Department.

Using the Military Intelligence Agency’s network, I investigated the identity of the private executive and their company’s name. If it were a front company set up by the Military Intelligence Agency or the Royal Intelligence Department, this could indicate contact for “overseas operations.”

Thankfully, neither the mid-sized company nor the executive belonged to the Intelligence Department. They were just regular civilians.

It took me about 20 minutes to uncover all this information. Reviewing all the data to determine whether the contact was dangerous took another 30 minutes. But there was one piece of information I couldn’t uncover.

The reason.

Why was Francesca Ranieri contacting a private enterprise executive?

Why had Francesca left the hotel and not returned?

Why was Francesca in the Empire instead of the Magic Tower?

There were no certainties. I felt I needed more information to make sense of things. Like trying to determine an elephant’s form by touch while blindfolded, I had to roll my brain around to come up with something plausible.

I needed to do what I had to do. I needed information.

So, I made contact with Sofia.

“Here we are.”

A sedan smoothly slipped through an alley into the parking lot. Located in the southern region of the Kien Empire near Nastasia city, we arrived at a certain building among towering skyscrapers.

“Seems like you’ve been doing well. You suddenly vanished without a trace.”

“I had some backup from the support department. You can get out now.”

I got out of the sedan and followed Sofia’s guidance.

What a lavish place it was! We passed through the parking lot and crossed the yard to enter the front door.

I glanced around the National Security Agency’s locale and casually opened the conversation.

There was no need for pleasantries between us.

“But isn’t it inappropriate to just casually share this information? I mean, Ranieri is quite a big deal.”

“Exactly because it’s Ranieri I’m sharing it casually.”

The National Security Agency investigator said with a calm smile.

“Looking at it another way, this is basically civilian surveillance. It’s better to leave minimal records of such things, right?”

Of course, that was the façade; the content was something else entirely.

“Weren’t you in the middle of an investigation? Something about a public security offense, right?”

“The incitement investigation was concluded long ago. What we’re doing now is monitoring.”

“Oh wow… impressive.”

“Anyway, we can’t officially pass on information about Ranieri either. Unless it’s something really urgent, we’d prefer to keep this off record due to diplomatic and legal concerns…”

I quickly summarized her words.

“Because the information documents have to be disclosed over time, could you cooperate to ensure no records are kept?”

“That’s right, Merlo.”

She confirmed that.

“And if any documents were to leak, it would be troublesome for you too, right? Since you and Ranieri are colleagues, it would mean one colleague spying on another.”

The implication was clear: if records were kept, I could also be at risk if anything ever got leaked.

While it was unlikely for National Security Agency documents to be leaked, the unpredictability of life was always a factor.

“If you put it that way, I can’t just refuse to cooperate.”

“Thanks, Merlo.”

Sofia smiled and led the way, while I quietly followed her, adjusting my wig to match the photo on the forged passport.

She took off her clothes.

“So… what did you call me for to show me?”

At that question, Sophia, who was walking ahead, turned around and grinned.

“Ranieri’s secret?”

*

“This is a document we prepared.”

I began to read the papers Sophia handed me.

Flipping past the cover filled with Patalia’s distinctive confidential markings and notices, I revealed a typewritten document.

It was a diplomatic document.

“Typed? Aren’t most things done on devices nowadays?”

“This document was written a few years ago, so it was typewritten.”

“What’s the big deal about that? The diplomatic office in the cult still uses telegrams.”

“That’s because the cult doesn’t permit the introduction of new communication equipment.”

The documents Sophia handed over were filled with diplomatic details. The sender was the I/O stationed at the Magic Tower. The recipient was the headquarters of the National Security Agency of Patalia.

Looking closer, it seemed this wasn’t a diplomatic document but rather an intelligence document. It contained numerous pieces of information and directives exchanged between the official informant and the headquarters.

If we filtered out the key information that was dropped during the security review process, the contents of this document could be summarized into one thing:

Francesca Ranieri’s activity report.

“…”

Details of the alchemist’s work, the number of people contacted, those people’s identities, the alchemist’s workplace, lists of friendly colleagues and juniors at work, the alchemist’s financial records, immigration records, communication logs, the internal structure of her house, escape routes in case of emergency, and the locations and structures of acquaintances to rely on in dangerous situations…

From the time she studied abroad at the Magic Tower (which was practically a forced departure) up until she became a junior alchemist in a renowned workshop and then an administrator in the Secretariat—

All information regarding Francesca Ranieri was documented here. It seemed the information officer had been active for a long time. In other words, it meant she had been under observation for just as long.

For the length of time the informant had been active, the amount of intelligence gathered was quite significant. The details were also rich.

After examining the documents for a while, I bluntly blurted out, “Why are you investigating her so thoroughly? Are you planning to arrest her?”

It was a question of whether the National Security Agency was monitoring Francesca Ranieri with the intent to capture her.

In response, the investigator from the National Security Agency chuckled and shook their head.

“Why would we arrest a civilian without power? We’re just keeping an eye on her.”

In other words, if something like power were to arise for Francesca Ranieri, it meant the National Security Agency would get involved. Whether it meant entering the political realm or moving up to a higher position.

However, whether that meant arrest or assassination was unknown. Sophia hadn’t mentioned that either.

The important thing is—

That wasn’t my concern.

“Doesn’t seem like much.”

I closed the intelligence document and leaned back in my chair.

What really mattered was why Francesca Ranieri was here instead of at the Magic Tower.

“I found out on the way here, and it just looked like a regular meeting to me. The Private Enterprise of Abas requested the meeting to secure a contract to export goods to the Magic Tower.”

The Magic Tower isn’t the kind of country people generally think of. Its administrative structure is completely different from that of the U.S. or South Korea.

If we had to compare, the political system and administrative organization of the Magic Tower are similar to that of China or North Korea: a collective leadership where a single ‘party’ dominates the entire nation. In other words, it resembles a one-party dictatorship.

From that perspective, the ‘Magic Tower Secretariat’ was akin to the ‘Central Committee Secretariat of the Workers’ Party of Korea.’ Not only in name but also in actual duties, they bore similarities.

With a few exceptions, the Magic Tower’s administrative organization must negotiate with the Secretariat before reporting to the Oracle. It’s a sort of policy coordination. To break it down…

When the functional department raises a matter,

“Hey, our department is thinking of doing something next year; is that alright?”

The Secretariat’s relevant department receives it and replies,

“I think that’s possible, but this part won’t work. Revise this and send it again.”

That functional department revises the document and sends it back,

“Revised it. Can we do it now?”

The Secretariat’s relevant department reviews again.

“Looks like it can work. We’ll report it to the Oracle.”

All administrative tasks in the Magic Tower run this way.

The administrative agencies push forward policies and projects after consultations with the Secretariat’s relevant departments, while the Secretariat reports to the Oracle and receives directives to pass down to the administrative agencies.

However, there are exceptions.

The Magic Tower’s diplomatic missions and the Public Order Maintenance Agency, responsible for domestic intelligence and counterintelligence, are directly controlled by the Oracle or the Magic Tower Lord, so they don’t go through this reporting structure. In dire and urgent matters, the heads of administrative agencies can report directly too.

That’s why I’ve always thought of the Magic Tower Secretariat as something akin to the National Policy Coordination Office under the Prime Minister of South Korea, or the Secretariat under the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea in North Korea, as comparable institutions. Based on their actual duties, reporting structures, and the organization’s stature, the latter comparison seems more fitting.

The issue is why Francesca Ranieri is in the Empire instead of the Magic Tower.

That too, without notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abas.

The investigator from the National Security Agency, Sophia, pointed that part out.

“Isn’t it strange to you? Why is Ranieri, who should be at the Secretariat, here in the Empire? Without any prior discussions.”

“…You really are annoying. Don’t beat around the bush with someone who already knows; just get to the point.”

“Alright, alright.”

Sophia pulled a brown envelope from her bag and placed it in front of me.

She kept tapping the corner of the desk rhythmically with her finger. And then she said to me.

“Ranieri is earning foreign currency through an overseas private enterprise.”

“And?”

“And that’s Oracle’s slush fund.”

 

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