---

루치아 and I’s rumored romance is information that I spread.

This means it was a propaganda officially planned with the support of the Military Intelligence Agency.

As I recall, an Information Officer from the Military Intelligence Agency took a brief photo of Lucia smiling while we were walking and chatting, which they then tipped off to the media.

Some media outlets suspect that there might be some kind of exchange between Lucia and me, but in reality, calling Lucia and me friends seems a bit much. We’re the kind of acquaintances who briefly chat when we bump into each other on the street.

Lucia is a priest who grew up in the monastery and was ordained, while I’m an Information Officer who absolutely must not date a foreigner; thus, any romantic feelings could hardly sprout from the start.

Of course, I do feel sorry for having started a rumor I didn’t truly mean. But back then, I had no choice.

Lucia’s fate, and mine, as well as Camila’s, was at stake depending on whether she would become a Saint or not.

It’s a pathetic excuse, but that was the reality.

Fortunately, Lucia wasn’t swayed by the rumors, and I also never viewed Lucia as a potential romantic interest, so nothing of that sort ever happened between us. Besides, isn’t it the specialty of yellow journalism to link celebrities and create a stir?

Therefore, the leadership of the Military Intelligence Agency decided to quietly bury the issue. After all, the source of the false information was the Military Intelligence Agency itself, but even if that rumor had turned out to be true, it wouldn’t have been made a big deal.

So, I just forgot about that problem.

Until Charnoy brought it back up.

“Admit it, Information Officer…!”

“……”

“You were in a relationship with the Saint…!”

Episode 8 – Say Hello To My Little Friend

After some ups and downs, the audit at the Inspection Office has finally concluded. I acknowledged two out of the three charges they presented against me.

The Inspection Office concluded that the last charge (the relationship with Lucia) was not substantiated due to a significant lack of evidence and assessed the reliability of the information to be low, thus no criminal facts were established.

I never had any intention to violate the regulations in the first place.

“Good job! The details regarding the Disciplinary Committee meeting will be sent to you in writing later, so please wait quietly at the official residence!”

In any case, the audit was wrapped up nicely.

Now I just have to wait for the Disciplinary Committee.

*

On the day the audit was finished, I returned to the official residence with some cheap military supply beer.

Upon opening the front door, the first thing that greeted me was the stairs. The Ministry of Defense had plastered over its old, peeling paint with bright mint-colored paint, but it couldn’t conceal the faded gold engravings on the wall.

Hugging a brown paper bag, I climbed those cramped, low stairs.

I fumbled around for the key I could barely remember where I had put it, found it, turned it in the narrow keyhole, pushed the door open, and reached for the light switch.

-Click.

As the bright light filled the room, I was met with a small space of about 10 pyeong. A cramped and smelly one-room flat. The walls were stained yellow as if something had dripped down, and I caught sight of a cockroach, hiding like a rat, scuttling between the furniture.

“…Yeah. This is what the official residence should be like.”

I lamented while placing the brown bag on the floor. It was always a damn terrible official residence.

I pulled out a bottle of beer from the crumpled bag. As I slammed the beer bottle down on the table’s edge, a dull thud mixed with a crisp sound echoed lightly, and I lifted the bottle to take a big gulp.

The light clinking sound accompanied the beer as it went down. The cheap lager beer was still tasteless, and the damned residence was still a damned mess. I wondered how many people had passed through this awful place.

I set the beer bottle down and briefly surveyed my surroundings. The residence was still just as it had been since the day I moved in. The stains on the wallpaper, the peeling paint, and even the creaky door. Of course, the cockroaches I had shared those years with were still here too. The timeworn residence remained old, cramped, and bleak. It would be more fitting to call it desolate than just empty.

Much has happened over the past few months, but it seems my surroundings haven’t changed at all. Perhaps I haven’t changed much either.

So, I stood there, leaning against the sink and drinking my beer.

“……”

As the alcohol kicked in, my body flushed warmly. With the blood starting to circulate through my clogged arteries, things I had forgotten began to come into view.

The first thing that caught my eye was the mail. Packages that had been delivered while I was away were piled up carelessly at the entrance.

Utility bills, tax notification letters, non-payment notices for insurance, invoices from publishers, a letter from a friend, a letter from a certain media outlet, advertisements from a newly opened terrible place nearby, and so on. The last one seemed to be left by a scammer. How in the world did they break through the front door?

“Let’s see… what do I have to pay this time….”

I squatted down in front of the entrance, checking the delivered mail. It was so familiar that the first thing I did when I returned from assignments was to pay the overdue bills since this neighborhood lacked automated payments.

Looking through the letters, I noticed I had missed many payments during the several months away. The magazine company, the society, the newspaper company, the publishing house… Just looking at the outside, the penmen’s screams for subscription fees were clear.

Thinking I would have to pay them all, as I was skimming through the reminders, my account balance suddenly crossed my mind. The cult and research institute had deducted activity expenses from my salary. Now that I think about it, that adds up to quite a lot.

My salary did go up when I was promoted to Major, and I’d probably piled up various allowances during my assignments, but performance bonuses weren’t received immediately. The same goes for salary payments.

Sitting at the table, I pondered when the next payday would be.

As my wallet situation stood, it seemed impossible to pay off a lot of money at once. First off, I guess I’ll have to cancel the magazines. I probably won’t have any use for them anyway. The newspapers too. I’d have to think a bit about the society….

As I was going through the letters one by one, someone knocked on the door of my official residence.

-Knock knock!

Silence fell in the house filled with the sound of fluttering paper. Who could it be? There shouldn’t be anyone visiting today.

I placed the letters down and walked over to the bed. Taking out the pistol hidden between the frame and the mattress, I pressed my body against the wall near the entrance. After cautiously checking the peephole, I confirmed the visitor’s face and opened the door.

An old man with a bushy white beard stood at the door, holding a few boxes and greeted me cheerfully.

“Oh, you’ve returned to your residence? You’ve come back faster than me, huh!”

“…Uh, what brings you here, Chief?”

“I just stopped by on my way home. Come in. Put the gun away.”

It was Colonel Clevenz.

*

Alcohol consumes people and cigarettes burn lives away.

Both alcohol and cigarettes are harmful. Cigarettes damage the lungs, while alcohol undermines one’s attentiveness. They are sometimes classified as drugs due to their addictive qualities, and many end up ruining their lives due to such dependencies.

Yet, despite recognizing those dangers, it’s a fact everyone can relate to that quitting alcohol and smoking is difficult. People in pain tend to depend on something, and the easiest options are usually booze or cigarettes.

And that applies to Information Officers as well. I’ve been working in the Information Agency for over ten years, and while I’ve seen people quit gambling, I’ve never seen anyone succeed in quitting smoking or drinking.

Of course, I’m no exception.

“Were you drinking? I must be interrupting a good time, huh?”

“No, I was just drinking alone.”

I cleared the beer bottles sprawled across the table.

“There’s no shame in drinking. It’s sitting right here.”

Clevenz smiled benevolently, setting a box down. It was booze.

To be precise, it was whiskey. It was a military supply brand commonly found in stores. There were quite a variety of types.

“It’s a present.”

“Thank you. Would you like some tea?”

“No way. It’s empty here, so let’s have a drink.”

As he was likely on his way home, Clevenz was dressed in a suit instead of military uniform. I placed two glasses on the table, and while I was busy preparing snacks, Clevenz personally filled the glasses. Thus, we sat down and had a drink together.

“You must have had a hard time on your assignment, and now to be investigated by the Inspection Office, you’ve really been through a lot. Have you adapted to the time difference yet?”

“Adapting to the time difference? A day’s enough.”

Clevenz nodded and raised his glass.

He quickly downed his drink, smiling with a more relaxed face, and leaned back as he filled his glass again.

“A long time has passed, but nothing has changed here. The front door still creaks, and the paint is still cobbled. It’s been a while, but nothing seems to have changed at all.”

Clevenz surveyed the inside of the official residence with a grin.

“You lived in an official residence too, didn’t you, Chief?”

“I did back when I was a lieutenant. Now I commute from my private home.”

“I drove you to and from all the time.”

“Oh, right. I had forgotten since the aide changed. You drove the official car.”

Clevenz has bought a house near the capital. Apparently, even though his noble family had a townhouse in the capital, he bought a nearer house because it was across the Military Intelligence Agency building.

He grinned as he took in the sights of the Ministry of Defense official residence after a long time.

“It was total chaos here without soundproofing at night. Is it still bad?”

“Yep. So sometimes executives sneak in girls and they get caught.”

“Wow… Are there still people like that? That’s ridiculous.”

Although the Ministry of Defense built apartments for soldiers stationed in the capital, given the state of the world, the conditions are…

It wasn’t a house at all. It let in the wind, didn’t maintain temperature, sweltering in summer and freezing in winter.

Of course, as Clevenz said, the soundproofing was terrible too, so there were nights when executives got caught sneaking their romantic interests into their rooms. It seems like they get caught whenever they’re bored.

So, most executives couldn’t stand these residences and opted to take loans to buy homes. Especially when they started families or had romantic partners, living here became unbearable.

“I’ve heard the new constructions are decent, but it seems they’re not planning to demolish this place and build anew.”

“Redevelopment is a costly business, right? The waste disposal costs must be substantial too, I imagine.”

“Are you not considering moving into newly constructed housing? I could help prioritize that.”

“I don’t really stay long enough overseas, so moving to a new place would just mean more expensive utility bills, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true.”

He snapped a piece off the chocolate that was served as a snack.

“That was a lengthy introduction, but thanks for your hard work, Frederick. The Disciplinary Committee will convene soon. There’s no need to drag it out, so let’s proceed.”

The remaining matters would be dealt with swiftly. Since Clevenz was simply relaying what had been decided from above, I just nodded.

“What’s going to happen with the disciplinary action?”

“Since you admitted to both embezzlement and violating security regulations, two separate penalties will be imposed according to the regulations. Embezzlement will be deemed a mistake due to your lack of familiarity with company policies, resulting in a reprimand, while the security violation will likely lead to a three-month salary reduction.”

“The security breach sounds quite serious.”

“Not in our case. You accessed files from another company without authorization, so there’s no escaping that.”

Two minor penalties, it seemed. Writing a report and losing a third of my salary would be the conclusion of it all.

In reality, since it was an unofficial investigation, I probably wouldn’t face any real consequences, but if it were real, it would have been quite a blow for me. A meager salary getting chopped down, and promotions would become difficult.

As I contemplated if this level of discipline would suffice, Clevenz suddenly smiled and spoke.

“It’s a mere formality, so your career won’t be adversely affected. Of course, your salary will be docked for three months and you’ll have to submit a report, but there are ways around that, so don’t worry.”

“That’s a relief. But what about the last charge? Are they really accusing me of dating a foreigner? Specifically, Saint Lucia?”

“It seems the supervising auditor may have gone a bit overboard. Nevertheless, it’s not entirely false, is it?”

“Is there any chance I might end up in a religious tribunal…?”

“With four women around you, it’s natural for suspicions to arise. If it were an ordinary civilian, it wouldn’t matter, but dating an information agent? There would definitely be critics. A few people have done it.”

“You do realize that would be a violation of the ethical code, warranting discipline, right?”

“Don’t you have a sense of humor?”

“…….”

I turned away in annoyance. His nasty tendencies were still there, even with a drink.

Anyway, that nymph is the real problem. I hope I never have to see her again.

“Oh, by the way, have you had your wound checked? It shouldn’t be left unattended for long.”

“They’ve removed the fragments, so there shouldn’t be an issue. I’m also taking antibiotics regularly.”

Clevenz nodded and loosened his tie. Seeing him slowly shift topics, it looked like we’d wrap up the disciplinary matter here.

“I’ve informed the accounting department to handle your medical expenses, but if anything goes wrong, you’d best see a priest. I also went to a priest for treatment when I suffered a serious injury before.”

“A serious injury? What kind of injury was it…?”

“Oh, did I never mention it? It wasn’t really serious, but I did get stabbed once.”

“Stabbed?! How did that happen?”

“Isn’t the job of an investigator pretty obvious?”

He meant to say he got stabbed while catching a spy. I’ve been hit by a car, stabbed, and shot, but for someone who’s been through that, Clevenz seemed oddly unruffled.

He filled his glass anew and gazed out the narrow glass window of the residence. It was a small window with the night view of Abas City faintly shimmering.

“Director of the Counterintelligence Department. I never imagined I’d end up here when I was just an investigator. You’ve climbed the ranks.”

“True. Has anything improved since you became a director?”

“A lot has changed, but nothing has gotten better, really. I can’t think of any specific improvements.”

“By the way, how’s your promotion coming along? It’s nearing the time for announcements.”

“I did get promoted.”

Clevenz deftly set his glass down with a thud. I returned the gesture and attentively filled his glass again. Since he had earned a star, it wouldn’t be remiss to say that the position of Military Intelligence Agency Chief would ideally be his.

Though I’ve strayed from game storylines…. Well, there shouldn’t be anything major, right? Considering there’s no one else to take the position available but Clevenz.

As I pondered this, Clevenz posed a question.

“I heard you received a job offer from the Royal Intelligence Department?”

“Yes? Ah…. That’s right. Yes.”

I set down the whiskey bottle and tilted my head in confusion.

“But how did you know about that?”

“Apparently, the section chief of the Information Agency mentioned it. His junior is in the Royal Intelligence Department, and during the barren land operation, Leoni went looking for you. I just pieced it together.”

“I see.”

It wasn’t unusual for an information officer at the Military Intelligence Agency to hear news from the Royal Intelligence Department through juniors.

The National Intelligence Service turns into the Information Agency, and the Information Agency into the National Intelligence Service; the Military Police becomes the police, and the police reverts back to the National Intelligence Service.

The Military Intelligence Agency turns into the Royal Intelligence Department, and the Royal Intelligence Department back into the Military Intelligence Agency; the Cabinet Security Office goes to the Special Investigation Bureau, and the Special Investigation Bureau to the Royal Intelligence Department.

The industry was so strapped for personnel that such manpower shuffling was common, so I simply nodded.

“Why didn’t you go to the Royal Intelligence Department? Their待遇 and conditions are far better.”

“For me…. I stayed because the Military Intelligence Agency is just easier.”

“Then why did you join the Military Intelligence Agency in the first place?”

“…….”

I emptied my glass and pondered. Why did I join the Military Intelligence Agency?

After a while, my answer, which barely resembled one, finally emerged.

“I just thought it would be easier to be here.”

“The Information Agency being easier? You must be quite the oddball.”

“Well, you see…. The work there is quite easy for me…. Plus, I could get stationed in the capital.”

“Then why not transfer to the Capital Defense Unit instead? Why suffer in the Intelligence Agency? In my days, I’ve never met someone who found Intelligence Agency work easy. You should consider a visit to a mental health professional along the way. And stop drinking.”

“What kind of joke is that? To begin with, wasn’t it you who brought me into the Intelligence Agency?”

“True. I heard there was someone sharp who shot dead three armed spies, so I went to pick you up, but now it seems….”

Clevenz clicked his tongue and laughed. We emptied our glasses again, and I refilled his.

A sudden question popped into my mind. Setting my glass down, I asked Clevenz.

“By the way, are you close with Director Leoni?”

“I know him, at least. He was a senior since my cadet days… now let’s see.”

“Why bother calculating that?”

“Hey, stay still. It’s been over 20 years since I joined the Military Intelligence Agency, so it’s nearly 25 years that we’ve been around each other.”

For having lived together for 25 years, they didn’t seem particularly close. Perhaps they actually had a bad relationship. If Leoni had been a department head or a director at the overseas division of the Military Intelligence Agency, they might have argued constantly.

I couldn’t easily envision Clevenz and Leoni fighting, but I smiled softly and took another sip.

“Anyway, you’ve put in a lot of effort. Take a month off and rest before returning to work. The next assignment will require some preparation, so I may need to reach out to you soon.”

It seemed there would be new tasks. Thank goodness for the ample leave.

“Oh, I nearly forgot.”

Clevenz rummaged in his pocket and pulled out something. It was a letter.

“This is a letter addressed to you; it was kept in the Inspection Office. Since the audit is over, take it.”

“Yes? A letter? Why was it kept in the Inspection Office?”

“I’m not sure of its content, but they told me it was kept as evidence regarding the embezzlement case.”

I took the letter Clevenz handed me.

As he mentioned I could open it, I unwrapped it to see what was inside.

“What’s it about? It says it’s from a tailor on the outside.”

“It looks like some kind of receipt. I’ve never seen that store before.”

How odd. Putting aside the fact that it was from an unfamiliar store, I hadn’t ordered a new suit at all last year.

The letterhead was very luxurious, and the handwriting was exquisitely small and elegant. Under the influence of alcohol, I struggled to read the hardly legible writing.

I stared at the letter for quite a while. After finishing reading it, I finally understood what it was.

“…….”

“What is it?”

“…It’s a bill for a newly tailored suit.”

Seeing the name written on the letter and checking the amount, I poured whiskey into my mouth. The letter stated an amount of about one million won, alongside the name of a family member.

It was a familiar name.

I calmed my boiling insides and managed to speak.

“It seems my younger sister had a new suit tailored.”

 

---