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“I momentarily doubted my ears.”

I thought my Kien language skills had deteriorated during my time at headquarters, leading me to misunderstand.

But I was wrong.

“Hey, did I just mishear? Didn’t you just say conscription?”

“No, you heard correctly. But as far as I know, your daughter hasn’t graduated from the Academy yet.”

Whispers from the information officers filled the air, and I started digging through documents to understand the information agent’s family ties.

Name: Vasiliy Vladimirovich Karachev

Gender: Male

Family: One spouse (female, housewife), one child (female, currently attending the Imperial Academy of Magic)

Residence: Petrogard, Apartment 3-25, Ulytsa Street

Occupation: Policy Advisor to a Member of Parliament (third-term member of the Imperial Central Party, secretary of the Defense Committee)

Classification: Local Agent

Like the military officers peering into the interrogation room, the chief of staff couldn’t hide his confusion either.

— “I understand your child is currently a student at the Academy. Is that correct, Mr. Vasiliy?”

— “Yes. She’s a third-year student in the Magic Department of the Imperial Academy.”

— “I’ve heard there are cases where magical abilities manifest late, leading adults to enter the Academy. Could it be that your daughter is such a case?”

— “No. My daughter has legally become an adult this year.”

— “I see. But to think someone with a heart condition has been conscripted, is that really… believable?”

Even the person speaking seemed shocked, trailing off mid-sentence. Unlike the bewildered chief of staff, the policy advisor nodded knowingly.

Suddenly, he sighed and lowered his head.

— “I recognize it sounds absurd. But what can we do about the reality of it…”

— “Could you share what happened?”

The information agent began to recall the past.

— “It wasn’t that long ago.”

—

Episode 10 – Turn Northwest

—

It was a shameful time.

The dispute with the Magic Kingdom had surpassed three years and was now approaching four, rapidly nearing the fifth year.

Under the state of emergency, with curfews and information control in effect, the general public remained unaware of the events unfolding in the North, and even soldiers dispatched there were only hearing whispers through their peers and juniors.

Then a command was issued from the Imperial Family.

“The military must urgently prepare measures regarding the northern border situation.”

It was an order issued in the name of the Crown Prince.

Despite the military authority being in the hands of the Emperor in the Kien Empire, the Crown Prince commanding the military was undoubtedly an overreach; however, no one in the Empire had the gall to speak carelessly about the internal affairs of the Imperial Family.

Thus, the staff surmised that the Crown Prince had commenced the succession process of receiving military authority under the Emperor’s tacit approval.

The Crown Prince’s orders were promptly conveyed to the military.

The military generals scrambled to devise the best strategies to resolve the Empire-Magic Kingdom conflict.

“It seems we will need to deploy additional standing divisions from the southern, eastern, and western military regions to gain the upper hand and stabilize the occupation areas in the battles taking place in the North.”

“We need to send equipment, materials, and workers to repair the destroyed road networks due to the demonic forces and some renegades.”

“Moreover, to effectively carry out the stabilization operation, a cooperative system between the military, government, and civilians must be established.”

“However, realistically considering the situation, there are voices suggesting that we need a unified command system under the Military Government Headquarters. It might be an embarrassing topic, but the Duke, who has dedicated a century to the Empire and the North…”

But, as with all plans, an unexpected problem arose.

The Imperial Ministry of Finance expressed opposition, saying that at this rate, the national treasury might run dry, and sourcing businesses and civilians to repair the roads and railways in the North was proving challenging.

Most importantly, the units stationed in the southern, eastern, and western regions had to be prepared for foreign invasions, leading to widespread dissent even within the military.

“What if we conduct a massive recruitment drive? By passing a bill through the standing committee that grants benefits for serving a certain period in conflict zones?”

“The Ministry of Finance would love that idea. With the state of affairs about pensions, where could we find the money to provide benefits?”

“Then how about additional conscription?”

“Aren’t we already recruiting troops from the minority groups within the Empire? Conducting nationwide conscription would likely lead to backlash; maintaining the current recruitment situation seems preferable.”

At that moment, a certain general presented a marvelous suggestion.

“Why not mobilize the magicians?”

“…Magicians? The military’s magicians have all been sent to the North. The only ones left are those who have already been discharged; why would they willingly go north?”

“No, not those magicians. I mean the ones who haven’t enlisted yet.”

He was suggesting to send magicians who are attending the Academy or university to the North.

To put it more directly, he was implying we send freshly turned adults, college students, and high school students to the battlefield.

Understandably, outcries for such insanity erupted, but as the battlefield situation began to worsen, the military grew desperate.

The military compiled various proposals, including that nonsensical idea, and sent them up to the Imperial Family for review. The Imperial Family commanded the Defense Committee, their relevant standing committee, to determine which laws should be applied.

After rummaging through the conscription laws, they successfully found the legal basis to summon undergraduate and Academy magic students.

—

— “…According to the Empire’s conscription laws, magicians can be summoned at any time. Similarly, in the laws of Abas and Patalia, magicians are included in the draft targets during wartime.”

The secretary of the Defense Committee remarked.

— “No matter how extreme the hardliners in the military are, drafting minors is legally impossible; however, those over 18 can be conscripted. This means we can draft third-year Academy students, who are legally adults.”

— “Is that really feasible? There might be ethical controversies following this.”

— “I’ve been involved in national defense policy for over a decade since I worked at the Ministry of Defense.”

The advisor began to explain the Empire’s military system.

— “Magicians are an incredibly valuable national asset. Especially since our military has recognized the military utility of magic for over a century and has been devoted to training combat magicians for decades. One tangible outcome is the field training evaluation process for students in the Academy’s Magic Department.”

Field training evaluation.

It’s a system that evaluates the magicians enrolled in the Academy.

Dealing with low-risk monsters, crafting potions for patients in clinics or hospitals.

Students provide needed assistance while the Academy assesses their abilities.

Students can secure scores necessary for college admission through this process, with scholarships awarded to those with outstanding performance.

Additionally, they can receive some money as compensation for their services, which is particularly appealing to students in the Magic Department from economically strained backgrounds or those wanting to attend university.

Of course, the requesting side also finds merit in being able to summon magicians at a “cheap price.”

It’s worth noting that the Ministry of Defense is the organization that makes the most use of the field training evaluation.

— “While there may be differences from one country to another, formally training minors in military discipline within the Empire’s curriculum is a recognized educational process. It’s common for the Academy to establish partnerships with military bases and regularly dispatch students.”

— “I understand, as Abas has a similar situation.”

The chief military officer pinpointed the crux.

— “So, the Ministry of Defense aims to contract with legally adult third-year students from the Magic Department and send them to the North, correct?”

The advisor nodded bitterly.

— “The military base is the easiest place to score well in field training evaluations. A few hours of education and some training will quickly accumulate points. They even provide funds punctually and offer scholarships to outstanding students.”

— “Then, what does conscription entail?”

— “The military plans to establish a quota system based on the number of personnel. Even if someone doesn’t want to go, they could be forcibly recruited.”

As mentioned earlier, those who are most desperate for field training evaluations are typically those without money or those wishing to attend college.

The Ministry of Defense could either utilize the existing system to send students to the North or create separate contracts to encourage enlistment.

But to say they’d forcibly draft if they fell short of numbers? That sounded ridiculous even to my ears.

At this point, a military officer in active duty questioned the advisor.

— “But isn’t the North a place where bullets fly? No matter the legal adult status, sending students into such places…”

— “It’s clearly inefficient and poses significant ethical issues. I understand, and the military does too.”

Yet, as crazy as the Imperial military was, it didn’t mean every single one was devoid of sanity.

And the hardliners, though fervent in their desire to eradicate demons, were not a group reckless enough to send freshly turned adults into a war zone.

— “The students being sent to the North will not be on the front lines but will operate in the rear. They will assist in repairing railways and roads, concoct potions in field hospitals, and occasionally face monsters that break through defensive lines heading south.”

— “….”

— “Think of it as a role supporting the military, not as those leading the war.”

What an incredibly pathetic excuse.

To push nineteen or twenty-year-olds into the battlefield and offer the justification that they would be “safe in the rear” felt incredibly disingenuous.

Witnessing blatant absurdity in my life had become somewhat of a specialty, yet this moment left me utterly speechless.

The chief military officer, along with the other information officers, felt the same way.

“Training kids into soldiers is something we do too…”

“Hey, is that training? They just put on a magic projector and let the kids fall asleep; I used to be in charge of operations, so I know.”

“Seriously? Now they’re dragging kids into this. What country are they expecting them to save…”

“Who in their right mind is preparing for an offensive next spring in a situation like this?”

The voices of the information officers likely wouldn’t spill into the interrogation room, but the advisor hung his head in shame.

It seemed like a striking reality check had hit hard.

In a weak voice, the advisor spoke, a confession from a disillusioned soul.

— “Nothing has been finalized yet. To be honest, just a few months ago, there was much dissent even within the military against this. Rather, the trend was to leave border defense to the Border Guard and concentrate all military forces in the North, sending only a few units.”

— “Why was that idea not adopted? As you just mentioned, sending troops to the North or mobilizing reserves seems like a more effective choice.”

— “We actually came close to mobilization. However, as the threat of war intensified, the mobilization order was canceled.”

The advisor recalled events from a few months ago.

— “When the military consulted with the Imperial Family about reviewing the mobilization order, an unfortunate incident occurred with the Cult.”

I knew well about that incident; it had happened to me.

— “After the bomb threats and assassination attempts, we received intelligence that the readiness level of the Knights Order in the Cult and the Ministry of Defense of Abas had dramatically increased.”

— “….”

— “The moderate faction in the military feared that mobilizing forces might be interpreted by the Abas military as preparations for war. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also agreed with this moderate opinion, which eventually led the Imperial Family to dismiss the mobilization order.”

The advisor managed a weak smile.

— “Honestly, I never expected to see that person here. Surviving death twice is astonishing enough, but I never thought he’d end up in the Empire…”

Returning to the main topic, he began to share what he knew about the North.

— “If a lack of troops were the only issue, this situation wouldn’t have arisen. What’s truly needed in the North right now isn’t armed soldiers, but magicians.”

— “You mean combat magicians?”

— “Any magician would do. Whether it’s one fighting on the front line or one in the rear helping with recovery, every single one is desperately needed.”

The Ministry of Defense required magicians to be sent to the North.

Whether it’s for hunting monsters, defeating demons, healing people, or repairing structures, they need them all.

— “From that perspective, the Hero’s party is an optimal choice. They include highly skilled magicians, alchemists, and healing priests.”

The Ministry of Defense needed the assistance of Camila, Lucia, and Francesca. More importantly, if they could harness their social standing and renown to gather more manpower, that would be a significant advantage.

The advisor shared everything he knew about the situation in the North.

Much of it stemmed from rumors heard from acquaintances frequenting the Ministry of Defense, but even that was valuable information for Abas.

Reports of far greater casualties than previously disclosed,

Rumors of protests arising over supply issues being forcibly suppressed by the Garrison and Military Police,

Allegations of command centers being attacked by infiltrating demon forces, resulting in the deaths of officers at the general level,

Word of civilians captured and sent back or executed for attempting to escape the North without permission,

And rumors of an organization forming around the Academy and university magic departments engaged in self-defense activities in the North, etc.

— “The last tidbit seems to be stored separately by the military’s intelligence department. That information might have swayed opinions on sending magicians and university students to the North.”

— “Is that just a rumor?”

— “Whether the existence of a self-defense organization in the North influenced the military’s decision is merely my personal opinion, but the existence of such a group and military intelligence tracking their movements is indeed factual. I remember catching a glimpse of related documents.”

Ah, suddenly the advisor seemed to recall something.

— “And there are claims that the political situation in the Magic Tower has had an impact on the military’s judgment.”

— “…The political situation in the Magic Tower? What do you mean?”

The advisor recounted what he had heard from a young officer he became friendly with during his civil service at the Ministry of Defense.

— “Hasn’t the political scene in the Magic Tower grown increasingly unstable lately? Protests have erupted, looting has become frequent, and sadly, there have been casualties.”

— “Yes, I’m aware.”

— “Before that incident, there were whispers floating around the intelligence units suggesting that the political factions in the Magic Tower were plotting separatist schemes.”

In the Empire, when referring to intelligence units, it typically means the Reconnaissance Command. Though the Abas intelligence and counterintelligence units are consolidated under the Military Intelligence Agency, the Empire has them separately.

Those responsible for gathering overseas intelligence are precisely the Reconnaissance Command.

As a side note, the team that ambushed me during my meeting with Fabio Verati belonged to the special forces of the Reconnaissance Command.

— “By separatist schemes, you mean calls for independence. But how does drafting minors connect to that?”

— “I too am grappling with the connection…”

I might not know the specifics, but I’ve heard reports that the damage among wizards affiliated with the military and civilians is substantial, particularly among those tasked with recovery operations in the rear areas.

The advisor spoke to the defense attaché as if asking a question.

“What would happen if the Magic Battalion dispatched to the north withdrew from the front lines due to instability at the Magic Tower?”

The outcome was as obvious as a blazing fire.

If the Magic Tower Police had become so ineffective that they could do nothing, then the Magic Battalion would have packed their bags and headed back to the Tower. After all, if the police couldn’t maintain order, the Magic Battalion might need to fill that gap.

At that time, the Magic Tower Police were indeed cornered.

They had brought in police from various regions to suppress anti-government protests, but this left security in other areas in tatters. To make matters worse, both the protesters and the criminals were wizards, making arrests anything but easy.

The one who designed that mess, who had now been promoted to brigadier general, was Leoni, and I was the one who executed the plan, which made me feel a bit guilty.

I thought I might as well order a large platter of pig’s feet and a massive serving of bossam for dinner tonight. I was feeling quite down.

“Of course, as I mentioned earlier, the plan to send university and academy magic students to the north has not yet been finalized. There are opposing opinions within the military as well, and the Emperor’s approval is still pending.”

“What has the royal family responded?”

“I don’t know about that either. Honestly, I’m not sure how many people truly understand the royal family’s intentions.”

At that moment, the information officer, who had been recording and filming, signaled the defense attaché.

Checking his watch, he noticed there were only 30 minutes left.

Yet the attaché stubbornly continued to listen to the advisor’s story.

“I have many sins.”

The advisor confessed.

“I was so eager to hide the truth that I stopped other advisors and soldiers from disclosing it. If the police, military police, or the guardians’ office were to catch wind of it, it could lead to harm for those around us.”

“……”

“So I silenced those who sought to speak the truth, and even though I could have tipped off the media, I chose not to.”

This was a common occurrence. A person who is moderately capable, moderately conscious, and living an ordinary life might experience such things.

Thus, most citizens of a dictatorship live as if they haven’t seen or heard anything, even when they somewhat know what’s happening.

There are no eternal secrets in the world. They too have a rough idea of what’s going on.

They’re just scared to speak of the secrets.

“But I can’t raise my child in a country like this. At least the child is innocent. That’s why I chose exile.”

While the advisor finished his words, I was running a lie detector. Just in case the informant attempted to feign exile or, in the worst-case scenario, if the very act of fleeing was a trap laid by the counterintelligence agency.

But the lie detector indicated that he was indeed speaking the truth.

“Have you discussed this with your wife?”

“Yes.”

“What about your daughter?”

“…She doesn’t know yet.”

As the advisor spoke with a weak voice, the defense attaché sealed his lips.

He stared at the advisor for a long while, and after a considerable silence, he took off his glasses and placed them on the desk.

“Mr. Vasili.”

“Yes.”

“To be honest, seeking exile is likely to have a negative impact on your child’s life.”

The diplomat stated.

“I’ve worked as a diplomat for the past 20 years, traveling around the world and meeting countless people who sought exile. Among them were entire families escaping, just like yours.”

“……”

“Mr. Vasili, you, your wife, and daughter have lived in this Kien Empire for as long as 40 years or as little as 18 years. I want to make it clear that exile is not immigration or overseas travel.”

The information officer interjected.

“Maintaining a livelihood will be your immediate challenge upon leaving. If you come to Abas, we can provide for you and your family for several years, but both you and your daughter will eventually have to exit that safe haven and live in a new society someday.”

“……”

“Many exiles cannot adapt to a new society. They constantly reminisce about their family, friends, and lovers they left behind. They long for favored places like their old hangouts, schools, and hometowns. But once you’re on the path of exile, there’s no returning home. The moment you unlock the door of your hometown, you’ll be welcomed by counterintelligence agents instead of family.”

“……”

“Some of the people I know have been arrested after secretly returning home despite their companies’ objections, and the majority of them were executed, whether sooner or later.”

“……”

“Of course, you and your wife might adapt to life in Abas. Many people manage to build a second life by making new acquaintances and finding new jobs. However, your daughter’s situation is different.”

The father said.

“As someone with children, I understand how sensitive an eighteen-year-old is during this period. For children, schools and universities are the closest groups compared to workplaces or society. After all, they’ve spent half their lives in school.”

“……”

“The likelihood that your daughter will adapt to a second life is quite low. Living alone in a new country without friends and seniors can be incredibly difficult. She might even resent the two of you for bringing her to such a place.”

“……”

“Even so, if you still wish to seek exile for the sake of your child, I must advise you to at least discuss it with her first. This is not a diplomatic comment from an embassy diplomat; it’s a piece of advice from one father to another.”

The defense attaché handed a packet containing three Warp Gate tickets to the advisor.

“Here are the Warp Gate tickets. They allow entry into countries with visa-free access for citizens of the Kien Empire, and one of those countries is friendly with Abas. Once you arrive, someone from the embassy will safely escort you and your family.”

“……”

“Departure is set for tomorrow at 3:40 AM. If you do not show up at the departure hall by then, we will consider it as a withdrawal from the exile plan.”

I hope you make a wise decision.

*

Although he had been advised to discuss it with his family, the outcome was obvious.

The advisor had already consulted with his wife, and given the gravity of the situation, his daughter would not be throwing a tantrum to stay in the Empire.

The advisor had secretly reached out, saying the conversation with his daughter went well. He signaled with a purple towel hung on the apartment balcony, and the information officer confirmed this and reported to the embassy.

The military intelligence agency provided an emergency contact network to the advisor, affirming he should use it if problems arose and stressing he must ensure not to get caught by the counterintelligence agency while using it.

I requested the company to check if there were doctors and hospitals capable of treating the advisor’s daughter’s heart condition. I suggested they prepare support for her adaptation to life in Abas.

Whether this will be accepted or not depends on the decision of the military intelligence agency. They returned a somewhat positive response but added it might take some time.

Meanwhile, I was diligently fulfilling my duties as a defense attaché.

With the northern dispatch only two days away, a tsunami of work inundated me.

The Imperial Ministry of Defense held emergency meetings, continuously calling me in for consultations, and once the meetings were over, paperwork requests piled up. Moreover, events I had to attend as a diplomat stretched until dawn.

Thankfully, the exile operation was nearly wrapped up. If it had been just a day later, I might have collapsed from overwork.

“Ugh….”

Returning to the diplomat’s residence, I collapsed onto the sofa. The high-quality sofa, sourced with funds from the Abas Foreign Ministry, was incredibly comfortable.

“I’m so tired.”

“Feeling worn out?”

Camila, wrapped in a blanket, peeked at me like a cute puppy.

I could barely nod my head in response, too exhausted to speak.

“It seems being a diplomat isn’t an easy job. Working until dawn and all.”

“What easy job is there in the world? This government job is no walk in the park; only job security is guaranteed.”

It had been five days since I arrived in the Kien Empire. In just two days, I would complete preparations and head north next week.

Camila, Lucia, and Francesca had long finished their preparations. However, the teams accompanying Lucia and Francesca took longer to move, which delayed their departure.

By the way, a priest named Rebecca was included in the group from the cult. She was a double agent from the military intelligence agency, having formerly served as Director Petrus’s secretary.

It appeared that Priest Rebecca had stepped down from her secretary position to exclusively support Lucia. Or perhaps Petrus had reassigned her.

Pippin and Jake were set to arrive on Sunday.

– Tap tap.

While lying there like a corpse with my eyes closed, Camila gently nudged my leg.

“…What is it?”

“I finished the assignments you gave me.”

I accepted the paper Camila handed over and began to read. It was the result of a temporary assignment aimed at training me in intelligence collection and analysis.

Analysis of the northern front, political and power structure analysis of the Kien Empire, and the relationship between political/military elites and tribalism on the Mauritania Continent.

The last topic was quite intriguing. The title itself had a compelling ring to it.

“What is this? Political and military elites of the Mauritania Continent and tribalism?”

“Literally, it’s a report investigating how deeply political and military elite groups are related to tribalism.”

Camila’s report explained just how deeply ingrained tribalism was in the minds of citizens living on the Mauritania Continent today.

Having survived as tribal collectives for thousands of years, it highlighted the significance of tribes and how elite groups, like tribal elder councils, influenced the government and military.

I flipped through the paper, intrigued by her findings.

“Hmm… How did you come by this? It must’ve been difficult to gather the materials.”

“When I asked the staff at the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department, they just lent it to me.”

“What?”

“They seemed more than willing to share information when I explained that I studied international relations at university, asking if there were similar subjects on Earth.”

It was hard to believe. What had she been up to for the past five days to get so close to the Imperial diplomats?

Wondering if she was bragging, I tossed a few questions her way, and without any sign of hesitation, Camila promptly answered.

I had always sensed that Camila wasn’t just an average intellect.

After taking a barrage of questions, she cheerily smiled and said, “Did you memorize it well? It seems you’ve grasped quite a bit for just a few days of cramming.”

“That’s certainly true.”

While Camila was happily smiling, she suddenly tilted her head in confusion.

“But you seem to know a lot about tribalism? Have you worked on the Mauritania Continent before?”

“I studied hard when I worked in the Middle East and North Africa.”

“Oh, that makes sense. The Middle East and North Africa are infamous for their tribalism, aren’t they?”

The commonality among Africa, the Middle East, and the Mauritania Continent is their tribal tendencies.

Thus, diplomats active in those areas often communicate with local governments as well as regional tribes. Intelligence officers certainly don’t need to be mentioned.

After putting the paper down, I reminisced about the past.

“Compared to China or Russia, that was a much easier time. It wasn’t cold, the food was easier to adapt to than expected, and there was no state-level surveillance… I could even cross borders in a van without being stopped in the desert.”

“…What exactly were you doing there?”

I shrugged.

“Just company work, you know.”

I read through the rest of the reports, but there was nothing to nitpick.

Originally, I should have gone to her hotel for such training…

“By the way, why did you call me here today?”

“I was eavesdropped on the last time I came here. There was also someone tailing me.”

“Is everything alright?”

“The accommodations are fine. At least safer than the hotel.”

There was a high probability of being eavesdropped upon. Hotels weren’t exactly safe either.

Fortunately, we could converse comfortably thanks to the counter-surveillance equipment that we had activated.

Camila showcased everything she had practiced until then, and I carefully examined the results of her training.

Regardless of anything else, her analysis skills had developed to match those of good recruits who trained for months. It made me wonder if the British intelligence agency put their interns through their paces.

“You did really well. It would be even better if you could trim down the annotations a bit.”

“Got it. But why are you still awake? Is it because of me?”

“Not exactly. I’m just waiting for a phone call. It’s related to the company, so I need to stay awake.”

“…Working all the way until dawn?”

What could I do? I had to do it if asked.

Fortunately, Camila didn’t pry into what the issue was. The exile operation was a topic she would likely take an interest in, but until an official report came out, I couldn’t breathe a word.

Once the advisor and his family departed and entered Abas, it was likely an article about the exile would surface within a week. Perhaps I would forever keep the remaining family members in the Empire out of the spotlight for their safety.

But I figured it would be okay to drop a hint after the operation was over. Camila wasn’t the type to blabber about.

Anyway.

While I was reviewing the analysis report for areas in need of improvement, suddenly—

-♪

“What was that sound?”

“Oh, sorry. That was a call from the company.”

It was a secure line. After asking for permission, I took the call and headed to the kitchen.

Upon seeing the number on the screen, I realized it wasn’t from the embassy but from the military intelligence agency. Checking the time, it was exactly 4:10 AM. The advisor’s family had already been in exile for a while now.

I only glanced at the time and picked up the incoming call.

“Communications Security, Defense Attaché Colonel Frederick Nostrim from the Kien Empire here.”

“—Colonel Nostrim, this is the situation room.”

“Yes. What’s going on?”

“—We have a problem.”

“…What?”

“—The exile has failed.”

 

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