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snow fell from the cloudy sky.

Gloomy sky. Was it the dark clouds that made it seem even darker?

Sipping coffee while looking out the window, I enjoyed an espresso after dinner.

Honestly, I could deal with tea, but coffee never really did it for me. During my time in the Middle East, I encountered a vast array of teas, but when it came to coffee, it was just Maxim coffee mix or franchise Americano.

My seniors from the National Intelligence Service were delighted about the bakery inside the office.

Thinking back now, I wonder if I should have applied for the NIS’s civil service exam after my military discharge.

“Do you have water and ice?”

“Yes, we do. But may I ask why you’re looking for it?”

“To mix with my coffee.”

Francesca shot me a look as if she were staring at garbage.

For a coffee enthusiast from Patalia, Americano seemed to be a grave sin.

We maintained our silence as we flew over the continent’s night sky; only the sounds of employees and stewards moving about the airship resonated softly.

I casually lit a cigarette.

“…Hoo.”

With a lit cigarette perched between my fingers, I stared vacantly into the air. The familiar bitterness lingered in my throat, and the empty smoke slipped between my lips.

It felt hollow.

As I quietly sat there, lost in thought while watching the drifting smoke, Francesca’s voice pulled me back.

“Are you worried?”

Worried?

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll be arriving in just a few hours. I was just wondering if you were feeling anxious.”

“……”

Despite her question, I showed no signs of worry.

Francesca gently closed her eyes to sip her coffee, while I silently smiled and gazed out the window.

In the distance.

The shattered waves, a familiar coastline, and the distant lights beyond the mountain peaks illuminated by the bright full moon.

“…It’s been three years.”

Looking down at the expansive coastline city of the Empire, I crushed my cigarette.

*

Episode 10 – Turn Northwest

Waking up after a night spent above the clouds, I found myself in a different country.

The Kien Empire.

I marveled at the panoramic scenery flowing beneath me.

“Wow… Nothing has changed here.”

Camila, who was dressing up, flashed a slight smile. She grinned mischievously as if a fun thought had crossed her mind.

“You sound like an old person saying that.”

“Are you calling me old?”

“Not quite that harshly…”

A fresh college student, far from filling a carton of eggs, teased a civil servant tugged down by the weight of society. Did she think she wouldn’t age? I was a student just a few years ago myself.

“C’mon…! Be honest. Are you mad because I teased you about being an elephant yesterday?”

“Shut up!”

-Tap. Tap.

Turning my head at the sensation of a touch on my left shoulder, I locked eyes with Francesca, who was pointing her finger at me.

Her expression was indecipherable, a mix of either smiling or being expressionless.

“Colonel, we’ve received word from below. They say we’re about to arrive.”

“Did someone from the embassy come out?”

“They told me it’s just a formality, but they need to confirm identities. However, I heard that diplomats of ministerial rank or higher will vouch for their identities, which will simplify the immigration process as much as possible.”

“The embassy staff must be working hard. Thank you for letting me know, Administrator.”

Francesca nodded and walked towards where the attendants assigned by the Magic Tower were. Camila was beside me, but I couldn’t see Lucia.

As I wandered around trying to find Lucia, a priest approached and whispered in my ear.

“Where’s Lucia right now?”

“She’s taking a bit longer to get ready. But she should be out soon.”

I’m relieved there were no issues.

I chatted with Camila while gazing beyond the clouds.

A cold wave swept through the overcast sky.

The grim clouds that had covered the gloomy sky parted.

“…Wow.”

Camila approached the window as if mesmerized, pressing her hands against the glass.

A forest of towering skyscrapers reaching for the sky. Roads and railways crisscrossing the city like veins. The lights of vehicles racing across the asphalt.

In the middle of the jungle-like metropolis stood a massive castle.

The gray city covered in pure white snow revealed itself before us.

*

There was no air force in this world. Only the army and navy existed.

Moreover, in this area, airships were treated like vessels rather than aircraft.

So, the place we landed at was a base managed by the Imperial Navy.

“001, enter taxiway 3. Wind direction is 060/04.”

“Slowly! Slowly!”

“We’re inserting the chocks now. I’m cutting off the magic supply.”

Seeing the navy in familiar military uniforms bustling about to land the airship along with officials in formal attire reminded me sharply that we had arrived in the Empire.

As I sat in my seat and closed my eyes momentarily, an announcement confirmed that the airship had landed safely.

Shortly afterward, the captain and co-captain (though he had introduced himself as the pilot, the title of captain seemed more fitting) came out to greet us warmly. We thanked the crew for their hard journey.

Thus, we disembarked under the guidance of Imperial officials.

-Waaah!

A great cheer enveloped us.

As soon as the doors opened, a wave of applause surged in, followed by the golden trumpets of the military band echoing.

Camila laughed incredulously at the sight.

“Why are you laughing?”

“I was just thinking, if there’s a budget for such an event, wouldn’t it be better to send that support to the North?”

She implied that allocating resources and manpower to the North would be much more beneficial than wasting it on such festivities.

Given the grim news of daily casualties from the North, I couldn’t argue against that.

However, with so many eyes on us, I couldn’t afford to voice any such opinions, so I merely smiled quietly. Fortunately, Camila’s words were swallowed up by the noise.

Amidst the sound of camera shutters clicking away, boys and girls dressed in Academy uniforms approached us, handing over bouquets. Even I, donning the Abas military uniform, received flowers alongside Camila, Lucia, and Francesca.

As I shook hands lightly with the academy students who handed over the flowers, Camila, who had suddenly crept closer, began whispering to me.

“What are those kids doing?”

“Camila, have you ever heard of the Pioneer from the Soviet Union?”

“Oh, the Soviet version of the Boy Scouts?”

I nodded in affirmation and replied softly.

“They’re part of an organization similar to the Pioneer called Vyacheslav. I’ll explain more later, but just know for now that they’re mobilized when high-ranking officials visit the Kien Empire.”

Camila smiled as if she understood and then added in a low voice.

“Speaking of which, you’re not going to make any Nazi jokes this time? I thought you might compare them to the Hitler Youth instead.”

“……”

“…Those kids are definitely out of the Boy Scouts, right? Not from the Hitler Youth?”

I quietly chuckled and held my tongue.

While enduring Camila’s suspicious gaze as we gathered our bouquets, Lucia and Francesca’s attendants arrived and whisked the bouquets away.

I dusted my palms off and, seeing Camila’s uneasy expression, said,

“Shall we go?”

“Uh, yeah, let’s.”

*

Due to security concerns, the time spent at the naval base was unexpectedly short. While it was a bit odd that security issues arose suddenly, our party didn’t seem to mind and exchanged pleasantries with the officials who had come to greet us.

During that time, I underwent a simple identity verification process with the help of the diplomats from the embassy. Even though I was vouched for by colleagues from the Cult and appointed as a Defense Attaché by the Ministry of Defense of Abas, principles are principles.

Then we arrived at the event venue.

The Imperial Foreign Affairs Department had rented out a hotel for a grand banquet, inviting esteemed guests one could recognize just by name.

“Ah…!”

An elderly man with a strong head of white hair suddenly collapsed to the floor to bow deeply.

At first glance, he looked like a priest, gripping Lucia’s hand with his wrinkled ones, and—

Tears welled up in my eyes as we shared a kiss.

“May the blessings from the heavens be bestowed upon the Saint.”

“May the blessings of the heavens be bestowed upon you as well. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bishop Joel.”

Lucia was meeting with the bishops of the Kien Empire.

Selected priests of bishop rank or higher had rushed over to welcome Lucia.

With a benevolent smile, Lucia placed a hand on the back of the bishop, who had knelt before her.

“Please rise, Bishop. I am fine.”

“How can I disregard the Holy Saint who has come such a long way…”

“You are a priest, not a sinner. Lift your head.”

The clerics of the cult were at a loss before Lucia. They might have seemed overly dramatic, almost fanatical, but those around them accepted it as a natural and familiar sight.

While Lucia was facing the bishops, Francesca was mingling and chatting with those who looked like magicians.

“It is an honor to meet a seeker of wisdom and truth. Have you been well, Professor?”

“Heh. What could possibly happen to an old man? I simply live by teaching my good disciples as the joys of my twilight years.”

The elderly magician, with his neatly groomed white beard, welcomed Francesca with a heartwarming laugh.

“How is your work with the Secretariat, Francesca? I’m curious about your recent news.”

“Although I find myself with less time for research, I am happily discovering pursuits that suit my interests, Professor.”

“Lack of time for research! This is a serious matter. You know time and money are the most precious resources for a magician, especially an alchemist…”

“How have you been, Professor? I seem to recall it has been quite a while since you presented a new paper at the conference.”

“Now that you mention it, it has indeed been years since I postponed my research for rest. I have found new topics, however…”

The old man’s eyes lit up with scholarly fervor as he gazed at Francesca.

“Ah! Francesca, how about we research together after a long time? Since the topic relates to alchemy, your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”

“Rather, you should tell me to go to graduate school.”

“Will you come?”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Ha! As always, Francesca, you treat your mentor’s proposal like a joke. Even when I invited you to join the alchemical school, you insisted on going to the elemental studies. I must say, I’m tempted to get the Oracle involved and have you expelled now.”

“Then I’ll dig up your grave and take the bones with me after you leave, since I’ve recently grown interested in necromancy.”

I didn’t know what kind of insane conversation this was. It sounded like the old man and Francesca knew each other as professor and university student.

Telling a professor that you would rob their grave post-mortem and raise them from the dead is nuts. Both seemed out of their minds, one suggesting grad school to a fresh public servant graduate while the other joked like this. This was exactly why one shouldn’t associate with mages.

A cleric, reacting to the word “necromancy,” shot a fierce glare at Francesca and the magicians, prompting me to discreetly back away.

I scanned the party venue, observing the main guests of the evening.

“I’d like to conduct the mass briefing quickly and focus on the relief efforts.”

“Understood, Saint.”

Lucia, the 59th Saint of the cult, was surrounded by priests, cult diplomats, and devout believers. While others enjoyed the festive atmosphere, Lucia’s heart seemed to already be in the Northern Regions.

“Do we know when the Oracle will arrive?”

“Most of the committee members have already arrived at the empire. However, Lady Eleonora is…”

“Has she disappeared again?”

“I apologize. We are currently sending someone out to search for her.”

The administrator of the Magic Tower Secretariat, Francesca, was expected to rise to a higher position soon, but she was prioritizing her tasks at the Secretariat as a civil servant.

I took a wider look at the party venue.

Employees moved busily around while journalists set up their cameras, indicating that the imperial government representatives hadn’t arrived yet. Diplomats were also bustling about, creating a palpable buzz.

Due to security concerns, the schedule had been shortened, and attendees grew restless while waiting, so their early arrival wasn’t a diplomatic faux pas. They were likely speeding over now.

In the midst of everyone’s busyness, the most composed person approached me.

“What are you doing?”

Camila.

Looking curious, she clasped her hands behind her back and approached me, quickening her pace to speak.

“I was just observing.”

“Observing? Really just observing?”

“I had nothing to do. Of course, I was also thinking about the upcoming agenda.”

The agreement for Lucia, Camila, Francesca, and me to be dispatched to the empire had long been settled.

However, practical negotiations were necessary to finalize the details.

“If this were merely a diplomatic event, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could handle it. But there are more organizations involved than I anticipated.”

“Exactly. There are the military, the police, and foreign governments involved.”

“Not to mention the Inquisition Officers, Knights, magicians, and volunteers… it’s hard to even list them all.”

The conflict between the empire and the magical realm wasn’t just a military matter. It didn’t end with sending Camila, Lucia, and Francesca to the north.

Clerics entering with Lucia, magicians accompanying Francesca, other military units supporting those stationed in the north, and volunteers or foreign journalists, along with relief supplies, all had to be accounted for.

When you factor in the personnel and administrative resources to manage everything, it required significant effort. Especially for food and medical supplies, they needed more than just delivery—they had to be allocated.

“Well, most of the coordination is nearly complete. I believe we’ll finalize the negotiations and prepare supplies and personnel within this week.”

“So we can expect to head to the north starting next week?”

I nodded.

“We’ll go in first, and as we operate in the north, support will come from the cult or the Magic Tower. Clerics and magicians have already been dispatched to the northern conflict, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes they will likely increase the scale of deployment.”

“Oh, I saw that news. The Magic Tower’s foreign affairs spokesperson announced it yesterday.”

As Camila mentioned the announcement from the Magic Tower government, she smiled brightly.

She glanced around before tiptoeing over to whisper in my ear.

“But what are you going to do once you get to the north?”

Camila wasn’t asking about what she would do.

She was asking what I would do.

So, to put it another way,

“Seems like everyone from the military to foreigners, journalists, and NGOs will gather in the north.”

“……”

“I may be going to help people, but you can’t tell me diplomats go to a conflict area just to volunteer.”

“Is saving people enjoyable for you?”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have followed my sister when she went to South Sudan. Why else would I have traveled to Syria?”

Now that I thought about it, she had a point.

I suddenly realized that Camila wasn’t quite sane either. Why are all the women around me like this?

“It’s quite unusual for a diplomat, especially a non-combatant, to go to a conflict zone.”

“You could say I’m just following my colleague.”

“This is a hostile nation, you know.”

“……”

“What are you really going for?”

I met Camila’s azure eyes.

Her straightforward yet probing demeanor made me respond with a silent smile.

And adding a meaningful smile, I declared,

“I’m just going to do what I’ve always done.”

 

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