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A lazy cat sprawled out and lifted its head. With sapphire-colored eyes that seemed to draw you in, it blinked once and licked its tongue.

“…Did that cat just talk?”

Camila appeared to be in shock, her lips moving but her eyes glued to the cat.

Unable to tear her gaze away from the feline, Camila muttered in astonishment.

“This is amazing….”

As if in response to her, the cat lifted its head and meowed.

Just when Camila, bending down, was about to approach the cat, suddenly—

“Kyaaaaaaah—!”

I screamed and snatched Camila up, making a dash for the Ministry of Defense building.

“What’s going on all of a sudden?!”

“That’s a monster! It’s a monster!”

“???”

With Camila flailing in my arms and me shrieking, we bolted toward the Ministry like crazed lunatics.

After the commotion died down, the lone cat, left behind, turned its head and leaped off the rock.

“Meow.”

—

Episode 10 – Change Course to the Northwest

After the uproar, things quickly settled down.

I burst into the Ministry of Defense with Camila in tow, and Kien, the Chief of Military Defense, soon sent someone over to investigate.

“So, you saw a talking cat near the Ministry?”

“Yes.”

The elder officer nodded while scribbling with a pen.

He wore a uniform that indicated he was a Colonel, and the insignia on his chest showed he was part of the intelligence unit.

With a serious expression, he took notes as I described the cat.

“Are you certain it was a talking cat?”

“Absolutely.”

“Can you describe the cat’s features?”

I listed the characteristics of the cat I had just seen: fluffy white fur and sapphire-like blue eyes. It was quite large, and it had a necklace that appeared to be made of jewels around its neck. I also mentioned it was first spotted on a tree.

“Can you recall how big the cat was?”

“Oh, initially, Camila picked it up under her armpit. The overall length seemed to be from its neck to its waist.”

The Colonel diligently wrote down everything I explained. Next to him, a civil servant from the Magic Department was flipping through a floating encyclopedia, while soldiers and other civil servants were shuffling around, making calls.

Although from different departments, they all wore serious expressions.

I crossed my arms and bit my lip, anxiously waiting.

“Thank you for the information. Both of you may need to visit the Magic Department for a brief examination. We’ll contact the Colonel and, um, the Hero through the embassy.”

“Understood.”

“Thanks for your cooperation. As you know, for a smooth investigation, we hope you’ll keep this matter under wraps.”

“Yes, I’ll refrain from discussing it as much as possible.”

“Thank you.”

The Colonel expressed his gratitude repeatedly, even bowing his head, earnestly asking us to keep the sighting of the talking cat a secret.

As this seemingly esteemed man bowed his head, even the novice Camila seemed to sense something troubling in the air. Sitting on the coziest sofa in the office, munching on snacks, she whispered to me.

“What on earth is happening? What did that talking cat say that we shouldn’t discuss?”

I glanced around and quietly responded.

“A talking cat isn’t an ordinary cat. No matter how many magicians inhabit this area, talking animals do not exist.”

“Um….”

Camila, a current magician, rested her hand on her cheek, lost in thought.

Not fully grasping the seriousness of the situation, it seemed she couldn’t understand the gravity.

“If talking cats don’t exist, could a magician have transformed themselves? You see that kind of thing often in fantasy movies, right? Magicians turning into animals.”

“Exactly, and that’s the issue.”

Even in a world where magic exists, talking animals are nonexistent. After living here for 28 years, I knew such creatures absolutely do not exist.

In other words, that isn’t just an animal. It means there’s something with an appearance of a cat that is something else entirely.

“In this area, transformation magic is strictly prohibited. While such magic exists, it is legally impossible to use, and if caught, the magician faces severe punishment.”

“What kind of punishment?”

“Life imprisonment without parole, and exile.”

Typically, prison sentences allow for parole. If a convict demonstrates good behavior, their sentence might be reduced. However, a magician caught using transformation magic cannot be paroled.

In fact, magicians affiliated with the Magic Tower are often exiled. This exile, akin to a death sentence for a magician, is reserved for those who have committed unforgivable crimes, such as first-degree murder or terrorism.

As I spoke about lifetimes spent in prison, Camila looked stunned and responded.

“Life without parole? Just for that? That seems a bit extreme!”

“It’s dangerous. Very dangerous.”

Once again, I reiterated that in this area, a talking animal of any sort does not exist. What we just encountered is not an animal but an intelligent being that has transformed into one. And transformation magic is forbidden here.

“Transformation magic is a spell that changes a living being or object into another form. The complexity of the magic is significant, and it requires quite a bit of preparation and various materials.”

I took a breath and continued.

“The problem is that using this magic is challenging. The difficulty is high, and the time and resources required for casting are substantial. There have been many accidents involving magicians trying to use transformation magic.”

“For example?”

“There are cases where someone attempted to transform into a dog but ended up with only their head transformed while their body turned into a lion, or they succeeded in transforming, but their body fused with the surrounding landscape. There are also cases where a magician lost consciousness during the preparations and couldn’t revert back to their original form.”

These are merely a few examples.

Magicians who are forced to live their entire lives as animals or become vegetative are among the more fortunate outcomes. There are even magicians who transformed into monsters, lost control, and harmed people, or those whose limbs got stuck in walls and died there.

While the last case is also a side effect of teleportation magic, I heard things have improved over time.

Still, there are occasional accounts of magicians teleporting randomly and ending up underground or underwater and dying.

Regardless, because of these side effects, transformation magic is strictly prohibited.

“But it sounds useful. If a magician transforms into an animal, their family would never recognize them. That kind of camouflage capability is phenomenal, right?”

I shook my head as I looked at Camila.

“That’s exactly why it’s prohibited. There’s a high potential for misuse.”

Imagine if a serial killer used transformation magic. Unless skilled magic department investigators were stationed on every corner, they would never catch them.

What if a terrorist or a spy used transformation magic? The counterintelligence agency would be in shambles. Even with a hundred Clevenz, it would be absolutely impossible to stop it. In fact, during the war between the cult and the Magic Tower a hundred years ago, magicians frequently exploited transformation magic. The Inquisition exhausted every method to capture those magicians transformed into animals, but ultimately, they succeeded only after exterminating all the animals.

The fortunate thing is that in modern times, no magicians use transformation magic.

Specifically speaking, after the war between the cult and the Magic Tower, the Magic Tower burned all magical texts related to transformation magic, fearing the side effects and misuse. As a result, no magicians capable of casting transformation spells remain, and there are no concrete materials for such magic.

At least, among human magicians, no one uses transformation magic.

As I explained this, Camila seemed to catch on to something, tilting her head.

“When you say ‘human magicians,’ it means that non-human magicians can use it, right?”

That’s correct.

“Just as you said, Camila, non-human magicians can use transformation magic. They aren’t bound by the regulations of the Magic Tower. The issue, however, is that since they aren’t under the Tower’s influence, they can’t be controlled.”

Races like demons or elves—those who reject human control and build societies of their own.

Such races use transformation magic.

And demons and elves are the typical enemies of humans.

Hence why the Empire is in a frenzy.

“If they decide to use transformation magic to commit terrorism, they can’t be stopped. While there might be a few documented cases of these races using it, they’re not entirely absent.”

“Ah….”

The circumstances happen to be quite exquisite.

It’s just when Camila, Lucia, and Francesca arrived that a cat suspected to have used transformation magic was discovered near the Ministry of Defense.

Traditionally, the Ministry of Defense buildings are considered high-value targets. That’s why even the Israeli Air Force first targeted the area around the presidential palace and the Ministry of Defense during the bombing of Lebanon.

At this point, Camila’s expression grew serious. As someone who studied conflict, she seemed to have already grasped a rough idea of the situation.

“We need to find it quickly.”

“Definitely.”

The Colonel, who was on the phone with someone using the receiver, approached us swiftly.

“Thank you both for cooperating with the investigation. You will both need to go to the Magic Department, undergo their examinations, and then return home.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and please take this.”

The Colonel handed me a small card.

I took it, asking a question.

“What is this?”

“It’s my business card.”

I read the card handed to me.

– Ministry of Defense Counterintelligence Command, Security Information Division 4, Manager.

Looks like it was someone who catches spies.

—

After stopping by the Magic Department for a few examinations, I returned to the embassy. I thought I would be reprimanded for leaving my post without notice, but surprisingly, the embassy didn’t seem to have a problem with it.

There were things of greater concern.

“So, you ran into the Hero while heading to the smoking area behind the Ministry, and he was trying to get a cat down from a tree, and suddenly, that cat spoke? Not a cat beastman, but a cat itself, right?”

“Yes.”

“And without prior permission, you’ve contacted the Counterintelligence Department and went to the Magic Department for a physical examination?”

“That’s correct, Ambassador.”

The embassy was thrown into chaos.

A staff member who had merely stepped out for a smoke suddenly went missing and ended up being questioned by the Counterintelligence agency and went through the Magic Department examination.

And the reason? It’s that a ‘talking cat’ was reported.

The ambassador immediately reported this fact back to the home country. I had come into contact with a creature that might be a demon, and I had been inspected by the Counterintelligence Command and the Magic Department.

That was the reason I was summoned before my superior.

“What a sight. Going for a smoke and running into a demon near the Empire’s Ministry.”

Leoni sat in her chair with a nonchalant expression, staring at me.

“Is it true?”

“Yes.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Her file contained an official document sent from the Abas embassy, confirming that the Magic Department had examined and found that neither I nor Camila had been affected by dark magic or mental contamination.

“How is it that you cause trouble and get summoned home in less than a week?”

“I’m surprised as well.”

“This is no joke, so shut it.”

I immediately sealed my lips.

Still, since I wasn’t summoned because I caused an incident, the Military Intelligence Agency didn’t impose any separate penalties. That was a relief.

However, it wasn’t without issues.

Leoni leaned back in her chair, pressing her temples.

“You received a business card from a Colonel from the Counterintelligence agency?”

“Yes. It’s registered in our system.”

“Good to see you taking action quickly.”

Leoni’s office was located in the Military Intelligence Agency building. It seemed she had really set up her desk there after returning from her position as the Director of the Royal Intelligence Department.

Her office looked far from organized; piles of cardboard boxes were stacked like mountains, and unpacked items stretched from the entrance to just beside her desk.

I had to be careful not to trip as I navigated the cluttered space.

Leoni read through the document and closed the folder, cracking her knuckles. The bright light reflected off her major’s insignia.

“You’ve been promoted to Major.”

“With the reorganization of our company, existing positions have been gradually elevated. With just one extra star, I can’t even reach the Directorate of Military Intelligence.”

The Director of the Military Intelligence Agency is typically held by a Brigadier or Major General. Usually, a Major General will be the director, while a Brigadier will serve as a staff officer.

Below them, there are Colonel-level personnel overseeing departments, while Majors down to Privates manage sections and teams.

As a side note, Leoni is in charge of overseas operations. All various ‘overseas ventures’ executed by the Military Intelligence Agency will be under her command. Unsurprisingly, the appointed military attaché at the embassy also falls under her purview.

I had initially thought Clevenz would ascend to the position of Director upon his promotion to Major General. It’s a pity he still can’t become the Director even with a new star.

Tap. Tap. Tap tap,

Leoni opened her mouth, sounding fatigued.

“A talking cat, huh? That certainly doesn’t bode well.”

“They’re uncertain whether it’s a demon or another race. If it’s the work of a different race, there’s a high likelihood it’s a proficient elven magician, but the possibility of it being a demon cannot be ruled out.”

“Would elves have any reason to use such magic in the Empire? If they’re not those shady ones, the chances are high that it’s a demon.”

Tap. Tap.

Leoni seemed lost in thought, drumming her fingers on the desk, pushing aside the file containing the investigation report.

“Our Magic Department concluded that there are no human magicians capable of utilizing transformation magic, and aside from a rare few cases, they found no verified accounts of non-human magicians. The probability of it being a demon is over fifty percent.”

“Is that so?”

“Given that both Magic Department investigators and the Counterintelligence agency are involved, it seems like the Empire is sweating bullets. They know demons can be more ruthless than anyone else. I even heard rumors that special forces have been deployed.”

“…Special operations?”

A file was tossed in front of me. It was an urgent information report sent from the communication room.

The dispatch from the Empire contained a photograph of soldiers in special forces combat uniforms wandering around without their gear.

As soon as I saw the unit insignia attached to those combat uniforms, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

I recognized those guys.

“This photo just got uploaded to the local information network. From the 35th Independent Special Operations Regiment. They’re the ones executing an anti-terror operation under the Reconnaissance Office.”

I knew them. I had seen them when practicing analysis with Camila.

I had thought they were staying in the capital instead of heading to the north, possibly attempting a coup d’état or conducting some military operation, but I didn’t think it was actually true.

I tilted my head and asked Leoni.

“Is this really the situation for it?”

“Is there anyone better suited to counter a magician than an anti-terror squad?”

“Ah, that’s certainly true.”

In this neighborhood, the anti-terror units don’t simply deal with bomb threats or armed shooters. They frequently engage in magical battles, as mages are often involved in the acts of terror.

In fact, with combat magicians included in the special forces themselves, the anti-terror units are trained under the assumption that they will need to confront enemy special forces in wartime scenarios.

Of course, that’s only possible for countries with the financial capacity to support such endeavors (the special forces themselves are costly). The Empire is known for investing in their military, so that’s not an issue here.

“Speaking of which, they had an encounter with a magician recently, didn’t they?”

“They weren’t mages, but they were definitely practitioners of dark magic.”

“The No Man’s Land folks have gone completely insane, dabbling in dark magic. The world must really be going mad. Tsk…”

Leoni clicked his tongue and cursed the state of the world. He sounded a bit like an old codger.

Of course, if I voiced that out loud, I felt like a boot would come flying through the joint, so I just stayed silent.

“Let’s put the cat talk aside for now.”

Leoni closed the file and waved the dispatch away.

“How’s the operation going?”

“Yes, we’ve made contact with the objective. The investigation into the exit route is complete, and I believe we can execute the plan after informing them of the method during the next rendezvous.”

“What about the tickets?”

“I’ve secured the tickets, and I’ll collect the payment during the next meeting. I can pay the initial fee and settle the remaining balance when I enter Abas.”

“Simple and straightforward. I like it.”

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

A light knock. The aide entered the office and saluted Leoni.

“Colonel, the Warp Gate closing time is approaching.”

“Oh, right.”

Leoni nodded at the aide’s report and looked back at me.

“Make sure you catch the gate back to the embassy on time. If you’re late, the counterintelligence folks might start suspecting things for no reason.”

*

It had been a while since I last visited the Military Intelligence Agency building, and it looked more desolate than I expected.

Certainly, it was partly due to the time being after work hours, but the ongoing construction made it appear even more barren.

After the reorganization confirmed for the Abas Information Agency, the Military Intelligence Agency also entered a phase of restructuring. The process was not just a simple organizational change; it involved large-scale renovations.

In other words, it was a remodeling effort.

As I navigated through stacks of paint and building materials, I exited the Military Intelligence Agency building. The parking lot was empty, save for a few vehicles belonging to employees working late.

“Time to go home.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work. Please take your social security card with you.”

I collected the social security card that had been left at the checkpoint and put on my coat. While not as harsh as the chill in the northern Empire, Abas’s cold was still biting.

How far is it to the Warp Gate? It’s more than a 30-minute drive from the Military Intelligence Agency.

“Wow.”

My white breath spread into the air, blending into the dim evening sky.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and gingerly walked toward the public bus when suddenly—

-BANG!

A car horn blared unexpectedly.

Startled, I turned my head to see a black sedan parked on the roadside.

The window slid down smoothly, revealing Clevenz’s face popping out.

“Where are you headed?”

“Uh… I was on my way to the Warp Gate.”

“Oh really?”

Clevenz, who was off work, smiled brightly.

“Hop in. I can give you a ride.”

*

On the way to the immigration office, thanks to Clevenz picking me up, the journey was far more comfortable. It was much better than taking a bus in the middle of winter.

The incoming aide had taken the wheel. It was the same person I’d met with Camila at the bar before.

“Are you back from leave?”

“No, not really.”

Clevenz wore a friendly smile as he spoke. It seemed he thought I was simply on vacation.

Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen him in a while, but I believed he looked older than I remembered. When I subtly asked if he was tired lately, he chuckled and told me not to ask such questions.

A star gleamed on his shoulder.

I awkwardly smiled and returned to the original topic of conversation.

“I stopped by briefly on my way after receiving a summons from the home country.”

“A summons? Did you get into any trouble?”

“Not at all. I’m more on the side that got caught up in a situation.”

I gradually explained the events of the day to Clevenz.

How I had met Camila while stepping out for a smoke, scolded her for using flight magic near the Defense Ministry to bring down a cat, only to learn that the cat turned out to be a magician in disguise.

Afterward, how I had a 2-on-2 meeting with information officers from the counterintelligence headquarters and a Magic Department investigator, then got summoned by the ambassador and received the summons back to the home country.

It had been quite a chaotic day indeed. Even I found myself somewhat dizzy just recounting it.

Clevenz appeared to share a similar thought, showing a slight expression of disbelief.

“You seemed to have experienced a lot. How is it that you always get caught up in incidents whenever you go abroad?”

“Haha.”

I was curious about that myself.

In the six years that passed, nothing happened, but the past six months had been far more dynamic than the entire previous period, with various incidents, too.

“Speaking of demons… come to think of it, you recently dealt with dark magic, didn’t you?”

“Not exactly demons, but there were definitely users of dark magic.”

“Seems like the No Man’s Land folks have truly lost their minds by getting into dark magic. The world really must be going crazy. Tsk…”

Clevenz sighed.

“Well, about that, they’re planning to dispatch new staff to the Empire.”

“Dispatch? Oh, you mean the task force?”

Before heading to the southern resort, I was summoned to a meeting referred to as ‘the committee’ to talk with some high-ranking officials, and I ended up being included in the task force.

I had no idea what kind of task force it was. It was said to be composed of personnel from the information department, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but I was still puzzled about what their intent was.

I hadn’t paid much attention to it until now, but it seemed the task force was finally getting off the ground.

“They’re sending a few people under diplomatic status.”

“To the empire?”

“Exactly. Isn’t their consulate severely understaffed right now?”

The joint actions by the Imperial Guard HQ caused a massive wave of diplomatic expulsions from the embassy, leaving the Embassy of Kien Abas in a staffing crisis.

To the extent that there weren’t enough people who could even drive a designated vehicle registered in the diplomatic missions. The ambassador and official vehicles were operating just fine, but the other diplomats weren’t utilizing vehicles much. Fortunately, I had received one dedicated vehicle.

As I gazed out at the urban lights filtering through the window, Clevenz suddenly started an unexpected topic.

“Do you remember that double agent?”

“Double agent? Oh, you mean the one from the Imperial Guard HQ?”

I nodded while continuing the conversation.

“I remember. You had turned someone who was active in the embassy.”

“A person who switched sides due to a mix of financial hardship and betrayal. You remember it well.”

“But why are you asking me about that all of a sudden?”

Clevenz got to the point.

“Would you like to take charge of that double agent?”

“Me? That double agent?”

Clevenz silently nodded, and I fell into a moment of contemplation.

Could I really handle a double agent?

Dealing with a double agent requires an immense amount of skill. Unlike regular information agents, the agent operates within the very intelligence agency itself.

Knowing the inner workings of the intelligence industry, deceiving them with flattery is not easy, and because they operate on behalf of the enemy country, the chances of getting caught in a net of investigation are exceedingly high. Moreover, the act of switching sides itself might be a counter-operation designed to deceive others.

I would need to ensure that the agent could gather useful information without getting caught, while also preparing for any potential counterintelligence and counteractions. In short, handling a double agent means putting the information officer’s neck on the line.

I pondered for a while.

And after much deliberation, I reached a conclusion.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think it’s a role I might struggle to handle.”

“Is that so?”

“There are likely agents with much better skills than mine.”

Clevenz sighed deeply.

“If you lack the skills, there may not be any employees left in the agency.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. But still, aren’t there plenty of capable people?”

“There are many capable individuals, but the trustworthiness is always lacking. You know that, right?”

I responded only with a smile.

“Well, if that’s what you think, we’ll consider this a conversation that never happened.”

“Understood.”

“If you change your mind, do let me know.”

Clevenz nodded as he gazed out the window.

That was the end of the conversation.

The aide stepped on the accelerator, and the official vehicle sped through the city’s night scenery.

*

After returning to the embassy, I resumed my duties. I would have to maintain my position as a military attaché for the time being, so I focused on related work as much as possible.

Meetings, meetings, meetings, briefings, meetings, social gatherings, and more meetings.

I thought I was getting adjusted to the military attaché duties, but I realized that was a misunderstanding. Unlike the cults or magic towers which possess only pseudo-military forces, the duties of the resident officer of the Kien Empire, which maintains a standing army of millions, were incredibly demanding.

Most of my days were spent meeting with imperial soldiers.

Even if the topics were mundane issues like supply logistics and communication with the embassy, not the grand directive of roles and command that included me and my team, time passed in a flash.

After surviving through heavenly administrative meetings, I finally had an opportunity for some leisurely external engagement.

“Wow, this is nice.”

I marveled as I surveyed the splendid party hall.

Today’s event was a large-scale gathering involving the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with dignitaries, members of parliament, diplomats from various countries, and civilians.

Naturally, as an officer of diplomatic status, I was expected to attend. Camila, Lucia, and Francesca were also invited to participate.

I wandered through the party hall with Camila, mingling with the people.

Being a diplomat meant I was expected to meet certain individuals, but there were so many meaningful encounters. I intended to familiarize myself with key figures for future contacts.

As I spent hours tirelessly moving around and conversing, Camila puffed out her cheeks, looking miffed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just… my legs hurt.”

“Would you like a break? I’m feeling a bit tired myself.”

We sat down for a brief respite, partaking in some food. My concentration was waning, and there was just too much information to remember, making my head spin.

To clear my mind for a moment, I exchanged trivial chit-chat with Camila. It was nothing significant, just the kind of everyday conversation you might expect.

Lucia was waking up at 4 AM every day for mass, and she seemed to be struggling to find time to eat because she was busy tending to patients.

I was learning magic from those classified as combat magicians thanks to an introduction from Francesca, but it seemed that, when it came to teaching, they were not on par with Francesca.

As we chatted about such mundane topics, Camila suddenly posed a question.

“But are you really not going to do anything?”

“Me? I’m working right now. This is my profession.”

“Not that.”

Camila flashed a big grin.

“I mean the information operation.”

She was basically asking when I would start doing spy work.

More specifically, she wanted to know when I planned to engage in some kind of covert operation straight out of a movie. Was she hoping I would want to do that?

I didn’t feel the need to answer her question. I simply smiled.

While I was playfully pushing back against Camila, someone approached and greeted me.

“Oh, there you are.”

A suit man, who looked tired as if he hadn’t slept well, approached and recognized me. He was the aide to the parliament member from the Defense Committee with whom I had exchanged business cards before.

Beside him were a woman, presumably his wife, of a similar age, and a girl who looked to be in high school.

“These are my wife and daughter.”

“I see. Nice to meet you. Does your child attend an academy? Or is she a university student?”

“She is still attending the academy. The magic department.”

After exchanging pleasantries with his wife and daughter, I looked back at the aide. He finally seemed to relax, smiling brightly as he shook my hand.

An aide to a ruling party National Assembly member with a military background.

And an information agent of the Abas Information Agency.

This guy was the asylum seeker that Leoni mentioned.

 

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