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“Politicians and information officers share a commonality: they can’t take vacations abroad.”

In the tightly knit European political landscape, where everything is encircled by the EU, it’s a different story for politicians from other countries. Although elected with public support, they often find themselves entangled in various scandals, requiring them to be cautious even on vacation.

Of course, there are some politicians who take the opportunity to travel abroad to broaden their horizons, but if they do, they risk being scrutinized with comments like, ‘Isn’t that guy just going abroad to play?’ or ‘That’s creating a sense of discord.’ Especially during times when travel bans are in effect, like during COVID, they might find their faces plastered all over internet news, garnering public outrage.

Politicians, mostly parliament members, feeling the burden of fractured congratulatory remarks from citizens, often make their way abroad under the guise of ‘business trips.’

After all, a business trip is for ‘official duties,’ not ‘vacation.’ At least they can defend it with that reasoning.

Information officers aren’t much different.

With constant surveillance from counterintelligence agencies, even during vacations, information officers must tread carefully. From that perspective, traveling abroad is rather a risky venture.

But no matter how dire the situation, there’s always a loophole.

Training, education, exchanges, trips, visits, and so on.

Watching the fiery determination of career politicians, information officers began to venture on overseas trips masked as official duties.

It’s so common that rumors circulate within the intelligence agency about how agents sent to favorable Europe or North America often spend their time golfing. Of course, I too had my fair share of fun during a supposed ‘business trip’ to Hawaii (the U.S. Pacific Fleet Command is based in Hawaii), so I can’t say much…

Regardless, being an information officer makes overseas travel quite the challenge. They rarely grant permissions unless it’s a honeymoon and even then, they hesitate to go out. Moreover, given the nature of their job, it’s difficult to make a swift return if emergencies arise while they’re far away.

So I preferred to take my leave without any disturbances—whether domestically or internationally. Just a day away from work to rest comfortably was good enough for me.

But then…

“Good day, Colonel. Is the Administrator inside by any chance?”

“I’m the first-class secretary working at the embassy. I have urgent matters to discuss with the two Saints…”

“It’s a letter and gifts from the home country.”

“I have documents that need to be signed…”

“Letters sent by foreign ambassadors addressed to the Hero…”

“Items you requested directly…”

Is this supposed to be a vacation?

Episode 9 – Old-Fashioned

Camila, Veronica, Lucia, and Francesca were currently on vacation.

Though an unexpected incident involving terror had cropped up, the foreign ministries of various countries quieted it down to avoid conflict with Abas. Nothing like last time would occur to spoil the four’s vacation.

Of course, it wasn’t so much that the cult or the magic tower wanted to avoid a diplomatic crisis, but rather my heart-wrenching efforts and the quick follow-up actions from the Government of Abas softened their views considerably.

Ultimately, good news was good news, and with no casualties, everyone settled for mild protests and inquiries. Most importantly, the Government of Abas repeatedly promised to pay attention to safety and security.

The Government of Abas proposed that the four of them visit a vacation spot owned by the Ministry of Defense. The southeast region was famous for being a tourist attraction, so the group, especially Veronica, readily accepted.

It was a picturesque place for eating and playing, allowing the four to relax, while entry controls being easier at a military vacation site meant the government could focus on security without worry. With the fleet headquarters stationed nearby, complete with marines and special forces ready to spring into action, both the cult and the magic tower felt at ease. It wasn’t a bad choice either for diplomats who had to regularly check on the two Saints and the Administrator.

Except for me.

“Haah…”

I sprawled on the sofa, letting out a deep sigh. I was exhausting myself from just hosting the first-class secretary from the cult’s embassy.

While the diplomat might have been visiting for the first time, I had hosted countless diplomats long ago. Just today alone, an abundance of people from the magic tower’s representative office hung around all morning. Last night, someone came from the cult’s embassy as well.

The reason they were visiting was due to the higher-ups’ orders to check on how well Veronica, Lucia, and Francesca were doing. But they wouldn’t be here merely for official business.

The problem lay with those on vacation.

Veronica, Lucia, and Francesca were all public officials.

While Lucia hadn’t been canonized yet and kept a considerable distance from central politics, she was more of a semi-outcast. But the stories of Veronica and Francesca were different.

Veronica was a politician. Once an information agent for the Imperial Guard HQ and a lobbyist for the Empire, she balanced interests between the cult and the Empire, having stirred the political scene for over a decade and forming factions.

In other words, she wasn’t a kind person wandering the slums tending to the weak, but rather a member of parliament tussling it out in Yeouido’s National Assembly.

Moreover, she was also one of the powerful figures in the cult sitting in the position of a saint, making her workload hardly singular.

Francesca was a civil servant. A high-ranking official working in the Secretariat that connects the magic tower’s Oracle to government agencies.

Though she had been marked as a public security criminal under Patalia’s surveillance, the Ranieri family was one of the prestigious families with massive influence over the magical community, and the magic tower led that community.

Thus, Francesca wasn’t just a regular civil servant; she was a figure of authority. The Secretariat was where the Oracle’s commands were relayed to both the magic tower and the entire magical administration. It wasn’t something to be compared frivolously to a local government clerk. Of course, having plenty of work was her flaw.

Anyway, Veronica and Francesca were high-ranking individuals, and they naturally had work to attend to—especially urgent matters.

So it wasn’t strange for someone from the embassy to come out cautiously offering tasks.

Fortunately, Francesca compassionately handled the documents for the pleading magic tower diplomat.

But even in this situation, there was a problem…

I lay on the sofa, poking the source of the issue.

“Saint…”

“What is it?”

“Could you please work a bit…?”

Veronica took up a spot on the sofa, raising her hand in a stop gesture. She even cheekily swept away my properly placed legs.

Suddenly displaced, I curled up awkwardly instead of relaxing on the sofa.

“You find it so unbearable for me to ask you to work? Are you an adult?”

“If I work, what will you do for me?”

“But that’s your job.”

I wanted to chastise Veronica for her blatant sabotage, but I gave up. She would ignore whatever I said anyway.

I sighed, recalling the frantic first-class secretary who had brought the special quill pen and seal from the cult, hoping for a request this time.

“Couldn’t you just use a ballpoint pen instead of demanding the quill pen and seal? What’s the reasoning behind that?”

“That’s my way of expressing I don’t want to work. I wonder if the diplomat doesn’t get that. If so, they should handle it themselves. Seriously.”

“Poor civil servants. So, why don’t you want to work?”

“Because I’m nobility! Labor is reserved for the lower class.”

“….”

Veronica confidently uttered absurdity that put even 19th-century British capitalists to shame, standing tall while placing her hands on her hips.

“Well… it’s nice to see you remain consistent.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“….”

“Wow, you’re quite dull. Smile a bit, Colonel. Don’t look at me like I’m a bug….”

And this is all your fault.

I shot a weary glance at Veronica, but she just chuckled.

It’s always like this. While I internally wept over being toyed with by Veronica’s antics, Francesca came to me to ask where I should send the unfinished work.

I told her I’d relay it and sent Francesca back.

“Thank you as always, Colonel.”

“Not at all. Since the representatives are staying nearby, they’ll come quickly if you ask them to.”

In reality, the magic tower diplomats weren’t staying nearby waiting but were fishing and golfing under the pretense of checking in on Francesca. But there was no need to let her in on that.

After all, the cult’s diplomats were roaming around similarly.

“Take it easy.”

“Yes. I hope you enjoy your rest too, Colonel.”

Francesca smiled softly, bowing respectfully before exiting.

I turned to scold Veronica while looking at Francesca’s back, dressed comfortably in an indoor dress.

“See? Look how easy it is when you do work. No need to raise your voices at each other.”

“Labor is something only the working class does….”

“Am I going crazy….”

Of course, Veronica simply disregarded my words, letting them fall on deaf ears.

When she finally took the quill pen she had left unattended on the sofa, I momentarily thought she might actually do something. But she merely teased me with the feather end instead of signing the documents.

I shook off her evil grip and said firmly.

“Don’t do that.”

“Got it.”

Veronica raised her hands in surrender, but what was so amusing for her to be smiling so playfully… seriously…

“So, if I work, what will you do for me?”

“Just tell me what you want… don’t exert unnecessary effort.”

“Anything?”

Veronica’s mouth curled into a wicked smile.

In an instant, chills ran down my spine, and my body trembled. I hurriedly backtracked on my words.

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Come on. Is that enough?”

“Saint! I’ve told you time and again, please just—”

“Okay, okay! I won’t make any weird requests, just promise to grant me something later.”

*

The vacation was now halfway through. It was supposed to be a month-long vacation, but suddenly there were only fifteen days left.

It felt like those times when I started drinking with colleagues on a Friday evening and woke up to Monday morning. As I looked at the calendar, I had a strange sense of déjà vu, thinking that if I kept going like this, I might waste the entire vacation.

As much as I wanted to go outside immediately to make the most of the next fifteen days, unfortunately, I couldn’t leave due to pending matters. Ultimately, I was destined to sulk in the hotel.

“Why the gloomy face? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, really. Don’t worry about it, just go.”

“But your expression really looks bad….”

“How about we discuss this after you finish your run? Why aren’t you starting your run already?”

Mostly, I spent my time training with Camila. To be precise, I was assisting her training while also getting rehabilitation in.

Camila’s schedule was packed with training.

Running along the coast while watching the rising sun,

Returning to the hotel to have breakfast, heading to the warehouse for shooting practice,

After lunch, practicing shooting again and studying basic theories.

Then having dinner, passing tests, and exercising or brushing up on weak points before bed.

“Don’t drop your magazine on the ground. Unless it’s a situation requiring tactical reloading, metal magazines can easily be damaged by external shocks.”

“Information reports generally classify into four types: specialized, memorandums, briefing materials, and reports. While short documents can be as few as a couple of pages, often you have to write dozens to even hundreds of pages.”

“When examining a deceased person’s body, it’s common for their blood to flow towards the ground. For forensic science, this is referred to as livor mortis. Occasionally, information officers carrying out assassination operations need to pay attention to this phenomenon. If livor mortis doesn’t align with the ground in a case of a person that fell backwards claiming suicide, it’ll undoubtedly show up during an autopsy. Therefore, disguising an assassination as suicide means tossing the target off when they’re still alive….”

“Bullets fired leave distinctive markings on the casings and projectiles. These can only be seen with a microscope and in forensic science, they’re known as striations. Understanding this helps determine which firearm was used in an assassination based on casings or projectiles found at the scene….”

As Camila’s training ramped up, I found myself busier.

She sometimes appeared to feel bad for dragging me into her queries, perhaps sensing that I was on leave, but I told her not to worry since they were essential things she needed to learn.

In fact, I wanted to teach Camila as much as possible; sadly, she wasn’t physically ready enough for me to impart everything. At the very least, as long as she got her shooting down and built her stamina, we could cover more later on.

However, Camila wasn’t merely receiving training.

“Magic is an art. As the guardian of the code… or rather, the Hero’s abilities remain shrouded, I can’t definitely say that magic is guaranteed, but it’s always beneficial to learn, so let’s start with the elemental magic that seems most similar to yours.”

“Okay.”

“The characteristics of elemental magic are….”

Although she was an alchemist, Francesca was not ignorant of other types of magic, so she was at least able to teach Camila some theory.

“Is this how it’s done?”

“You’re doing well. It’s important to maintain the form of elemental magic through visualization. Don’t just think of this flame as a simple fire…”

Even I, a complete novice at magic, could see that she was teaching quite well. I couldn’t tell if Francesca was a good teacher or if Camila was just a fast learner. Maybe it was a bit of both.

Francesca taught Camila not only magic but also various cultural, artistic, and historical knowledge about the region.

Initially, I had only planned to ask Francesca to teach magic, since it was something Camila was studying on her own. I wondered if it wasn’t too much to ask for her to teach common knowledge as well, but Francesca gladly accepted my proposal.

“I thought it was a bit much to ask, so thank you for agreeing.”

“Not at all, Colonel. I think it’s a good thing. Besides, practicing alone can be a bit boring.”

In any case, they quickly became friends, and it turned out to be a mutually beneficial time. Both seemed satisfied, which was a good outcome.

If Francesca had been an operative from some information agency or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I would have known I had to continually follow and monitor her, but since she was my information agent, I didn’t engage in such barbaric acts as tailing or surveillance. Instead, I merely set up a few listening devices in the room.

I was checking to see if the cute listening device hidden behind a painting on the wall was working properly when I looked at my wristwatch and was startled.

“It’s already this late!”

“Where are you going, Colonel?”

“I need to go get some treatment. My finger is like this.”

“Oh dear…”

Francesca looked at my stiff thumb with sympathetic eyes. She tilted her sorrowful violet eyes and gently suggested.

“I believe there’s an elixir back at your place. Might you need it…?”

“That’s not necessary. I’m fine.”

“I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you. Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

I bowed my head to Francesca and waved to Camila as I left the room.

*

The wounds I received from the recent terrorist incident had mostly healed. Thanks to the heartfelt efforts of the military doctor and military chaplain, along with Veronica’s healing, even the minor wounds had been completely cleansed.

However, not all injuries had healed. The nerves in my severed finger still hadn’t properly recovered.

Lucia had advised me to receive healing at least once a day, or at minimum once a week. Given that I was off duty now, I decided to make an effort to visit Lucia every day for healing.

As promised, I went to Lucia’s room at the scheduled time.

“Come in.”

Once I opened the door, the first thing I felt was a delicate fragrance. A fresh and clean scent that I had encountered a few times in the cult.

The room was not vastly different from the other hotel rooms; the only notable difference was that the furniture in the bed was a bit more upscale.

From the canopied bed, a faint silhouette bent over emerged as I entered.

It was Lucia.

“Welcome.”

“Good to see you. But what is this bed?”

I pointed at the bed and asked Lucia. However, it wasn’t Lucia who answered.

“Oh, that? It’s an old bed that belonged to the High Priest. We took it from the church and moved it here for a bit.”

“A bed that belonged to the High Priest?”

“It’s a relic. A sacred object imbued with divine power. We took it out from deep in the warehouse.”

“I see. But why is Saint Veronica coming out of there?”

Veronica, who was lying on the sofa opposite the bed, waved her hand and smiled. I came thinking I would only find Lucia here, but now I had no idea why that person was present.

“I came to watch since I heard you were getting treated, Colonel.”

“Why? Am I some kind of wild animal in a zoo?”

“Um, not exactly… I have to keep an eye on you two in case you sneak away and do something strange.”

Is she crazy?

To think she would dare touch someone who was none other than a saint. I could’ve been hit by a stone on the street for such behavior, and there would be nothing to say about it.

Even for a person like me who lives without laws, that was genuinely crossing the line. Lucia smiled awkwardly as if to apologize, but I frowned and glared at Veronica.

“That’s a dull joke.”

“Is it? It’s a joke, but actually, I’m here to help.”

“Help from a saint?”

“Yep, so hurry up and lie down on the bed. There’s still a lot to prepare.”

Veronica said as she patted the bed. Although Veronica didn’t seem trustworthy, she was skilled enough to attach my finger, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Following the last time, I took off my jacket and lay in a proper position. Veronica sauntered over and spoke.

“Just keep lying there. The sacred object will help with your recovery.”

“Sacred power, huh…?”

I muttered vacantly and asked a question.

“You said it belonged to the High Priest, didn’t you?”

“Yes, it’s a relic.”

A relic.

Objects associated with God, apostles, or canonized saints. Being something with significant religious meaning, relics are subject to specific procedures for careful preservation and management due to the high authority of religion in this world. I heard they were kept in specially crafted storage under heavy guard.

Why then is this in a hotel owned by the Ministry of Defense of Abas?

“W-Why is something like that here?”

Veronica simply replied to my question.

“Well, Lucia asked me to bring it here.”

“…Lucia?”

“She’s a saint. Even if she hasn’t been canonized, she has the authority to move relics.”

Veronica spoke as if to say, ‘It’s my item, and I placed it here; what’s the problem?’ I was so bewildered that I began stuttering.

“No, w-well, if it’s a relic… it should normally be in a safe, shouldn’t it…?”

“What’s the point of leaving it in a warehouse if it’s not going to be used? They wouldn’t have left it here just for an exhibition to earn some money. I doubt the High Priest wanted that either.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be something that can just be taken outside the church…?”

I felt a slight buffering in my brain. Until now, I thought Veronica was joking, but her expression was unendingly serious.

“Colonel. To be honest, you thought it wasn’t a relic until just now, didn’t you?”

“Really…?”

“Yes.”

“No way, come on.”

In an instant, my mind was completely clear. Even just touching a relic was considered an impious act in the religious world, which could lead to controversy. And I had laid down on it.

The stars, torches, and bonfires flashed past my eyes like a lantern parade. As I snapped back to reality, I hastily tried to get up from the bed, but Veronica pressed down on my chest with her hand, preventing me from rising.

“Hey. Just lie still. It’ll interfere with your recovery.”

“No, but this is a bit…!”

“It’s fine. As long as we don’t get caught, we’re in the clear. Just the three of us have to remain quiet.”

“Why in the world do I have to join in…!”

“It’s already too late. You won’t go to hell for using the bed a bit; just relax and lie down.”

Veronica babbled as if it was no big deal. She even climbed onto the bed and sprawled out beside me.

“Oh, so soft.”

“You crazy girl… crazy girl…”

“Why are you making such a fuss when I’m just lying here nicely? If we get caught, just apologize and thank them for lending it to us, what’s the big deal…?”

Whether she was trying to reassure me or genuinely thought it was no big deal, I couldn’t tell. If Lucia had been there, I would have asked her to get Veronica out, but unfortunately, Lucia had momentarily stepped out.

In the end, I ended up lying on the bed with Veronica.

I could hardly believe what was happening.

“Surely, it doesn’t feel good to use. Is it because it’s an old bed? It’s fluffy, but it feels inferior to the silk bed brought from the East.”

“…Do you really have time to be judging that right now?”

“I’ll need to use it for fifteen days, so I need to check it… By the way, I heard you got treated by Lucia. What did she do?”

Veronica waved her hand dismissively and changed the subject. I wanted to say something in response, but I didn’t know what kind of fuss Veronica would make if I scolded her, so I decided to just go along with it.

“She kind of… massaged my hand while channeling divine power.”

“Hmmm. Was that all?”

“…What else is needed?”

“Anything else would be fine. Any unusual reactions during treatment or something that might have seemed a bit off…”

Was this some kind of joke? I glanced at Veronica. However, unlike her usual self, she was looking at me with a serious expression.

She was smiling, but her expression alone looked like she was troubled, making me feel uneasy.

“Did Lucia happen to give you any special medication or mention anything peculiar during the treatment?”

“Well, I guess… she did say something weird.”

“What did she say?”

“During the treatment, she asked me to let her know immediately if anything unpleasant happened. Right before we started.”

“Anything unpleasant? Was there anything else?”

“There wasn’t. That was everything.”

She had said to inform her if any problems or unpleasant experiences occurred, but when I asked what it was, Lucia didn’t answer. I had been curious about it, but circumstances hadn’t really allowed me to ask. I wondered if perhaps Veronica might know something.

After I relayed the story of what happened with Lucia, Veronica sank into thought for a moment, murmuring.

“Hmm… unpleasant things. Unpleasant things…”

Then, suddenly remembering something, Veronica clapped her hands and jumped up.

“Ah! I wonder if that’s it?”

“What is it? What is it? Tell me!”

I had been curious, but it didn’t seem like a serious matter, so I hadn’t thought too much about it, but seeing Veronica’s reaction made me even more intrigued.

But Veronica only chuckled to herself, offering no substantial answer.

“I think this is something you don’t need to know, Colonel. It’s just a tale exchanged among healing priests. It wouldn’t be something to tell others about.”

“What is it? Don’t tease me and just say it!”

“Ah… this really isn’t good. Hmmm…”

After a moment of hesitation, Veronica glanced around and inched closer, beginning to whisper in my ear.

She urged me not to mention it anywhere.

“It’s only for you, Colonel. You mustn’t speak of it to anyone else. It could genuinely become an issue, not just a joke.”

“…At that point, wouldn’t it be better to just live without knowing that?”

“You just asked me to tell you. Anyway, as I said earlier, this is a story that has been passed down among healing priests for centuries. You won’t find it in any books or papers. No priest you ask will know.”

It’s a story passed down orally. The fact that it’s deliberately not recorded makes it clear they don’t want it to be documented.

“You know that healing priests use their hands to heal people, right?”

“…Yes. I saw that when Lucia was volunteering in medical assistance.”

“This has been happening for a very long time, but when they encounter patients with severe injuries that threaten their lives or are challenging to treat, they have to go through obtaining permission from the bishop appointed by the Pope, consent from the patient and their family, and lastly, the healer’s own agreement. Although procedures can be simplified, it’s an extraordinarily complex task that has to get post-care approval and supervision since it tends to cause numerous issues.”

“…No, what would require a bishop’s permission for healing?”

“Just get a bit closer.”

“Okay.”

As Veronica pulled my ear closer, she lowered her voice to a whisper.

“It’s when skin is touching skin and you share a bed together.”

“…….”

“This isn’t a metaphor; you’re just sharing a bed—oh, Colonel. Why are you raising your fist?”

“Let me hit you once, Saint.”

“Why are you trying to hit me?! I was just trying to tell you…!”

Veronica fled from the bed, and I chased after her to deliver a smack. She was surprisingly good at escaping, making it hard to catch her.

Then, about five minutes later, just as I was about to catch Veronica, Lucia appeared with a basin of water and spotted us, finally allowing us to separate.

In the end, I was unable to catch or hit Veronica and had to retreat.

It was rather disappointing.

 

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