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The door opens.

A chilly draft seeps through the iron gates.

And then, a voice follows. It’s in Japanese.

‘Ah, you’re here?’

The suited man with a familiar face greets me in a monotone voice.

‘You must have had a tough time coming straight from Incheon. Aren’t you tired? How about a cup of tea?’

‘Where are you?’

‘……’

The Japanese man stares at me in silence. His lips twitch as if he wants to say something, but in the end, he leads me without uttering a word.

He walks deeper into a room situated within. Only after passing through several iron gates do I realize by the stench that this is no ordinary room.

There are two distinct smells in the air.

Formaldehyde and the stench of decay.

The Japanese man strides across the corpses without hesitation as he enters the autopsy room.

He stops in front of a body.

‘Found yesterday near home. I’d personally recommend not looking.’

‘……’

I pull back the white cloth covering the dead person’s face. My trembling fingertips can feel no warmth from the skin.

As I stand there in a daze, the monotone voice pierces my eardrums.

‘…Park Chung-won. Age 53. Second Generation Korean Resident. Executive of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan’s Osaka Branch. Discovered murdered in front of his Ikuno residence. Collected by the police after receiving a resident report. By the time we arrived on the scene, he was already deceased.’

Careful hands grip the file. The Japanese man’s gaze turns towards me.

‘And he was our informant. For your company and ours.’

‘…Who?‘

‘……‘

‘Which bastard killed him?’

As I uncover the white cloth from the body, a mutilated form is revealed. Multiple deep cuts mar the flesh. It’s a laceration and a slicing wound simultaneously.

In response to my question, the Japanese man replies.

‘Well… As you can see, these aren’t typical injuries. It’s a laceration-slicing hybrid. The weapon that could inflict such wounds in Japan…’

‘In Japan too.’

‘…Yes, nothing but a Japanese sword.’

The suited Japanese man hands me a photo pulled from the file. It’s a picture of some guy in a suit.

‘This guy had the most contact with Park Chung-won in recent years. He’s in the Yakuza, and above all, he’s a primary suspect in this murder case. I think you must have seen this guy while investigating Park Chung-won.’

The sound of the file closing interrupts his speech. The suited man sets the documents on the cold table and shoves his hand into his pocket.

Leaning against the table where the body lay, the Japanese man gazes off into the distance and continues speaking, this time in Korean.

‘In the past few months, Park Chung-won borrowed a lot of money from this guy.’

‘…For what reason?’

‘Pachinko. He borrowed money for entertainment due to a lack of budget for information. For now, our company sees it as a murder motivated by financial issues.’

I shift my gaze. He doesn’t even meet my eyes, turned away as he sits.

‘No matter how much debt he owed, do you really think the Yakuza would kill a General Association executive?’

‘…Right now, that’s the most reasonable explanation.’

‘That’s what they want it to look like.’

‘Who?’

‘In Japan, are there any bastards who could sever the head of a General Association executive besides the Reds?’

The Japanese information officer does not answer.

While maintaining his silence, he stares into the distance, shoulders slumping as he speaks weakly.

‘That must be it. Not just a General Association executive, but also an informant for both South Korean and Japanese intelligence agencies.’

‘…Did the Security Agency catch on?’

‘It could be from that side, or from Nampo-dong… I can’t be sure. But…’

The information officer lifts his heavy backside.

‘I think we should leave now.’

‘What do you mean…’

‘The Security Bureau has caught wind of it.’

The information officer said.

‘As you know, in Japan, there’s a strong sense of rivalry between companies. Particularly, interdepartmental rivalry within the men’s section. Not to mention the tension between our Security Investigation Agency, which is under the Ministry of Justice, and the internal affairs directly under the Prime Minister. The conflict between the Public Security Division and the Security Bureau, and the Public Security Division of the Prosecution Office is intense. As soon as you try to do anything, they intervene with censorship…’

‘……’

‘Unfortunately, the company has decided to stop conducting business for now. After the informant was killed, employees are quite uneasy.’

The information officer added, honestly, that he felt the same, as he trudged over and stood beside me.

He then patted my shoulder a couple of times and bid farewell in a flat voice.

‘I can’t help you anymore. The best I can do is ensure you get back to Korea safely.’

‘……’

‘I’m truly sorry about this. I sincerely mean it.’

The information officer walked out of the autopsy room with weary steps.

The faint beam of light that poured through the crack of the door gradually faded.

Darkness envelops the surroundings.

**Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History**

In the middle of the night, Lucia guided me into the woods.

Leading the way with a few knights, she stared ahead with an oddly dark expression as we navigated the forest path.

“Um, Saint Lucia. What exactly is happening…?”

“……”

Lucia didn’t respond. Not unlike her usual self, I could only assume that something serious must have occurred.

We crossed a snow-capped mountain bathed in moonlight.

After running for quite a while, we finally arrived at our destination.

“That’s…?”

“…We’ve arrived.”

Lucia walked forward slowly, as if she were forcing her legs to move.

The deep valley we reached was crowded with people. Knights holding lanterns drew their weapons and scanned the surroundings while priests, whether Inquisition Officers or healing priests, gathered in a circle and whispered among themselves.

I followed Lucia into the valley, feeling an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

This is…

What should I say…

“…It looks like a crime scene.”

“…….”

Lucia doesn’t answer again. She simply avoids eye contact, her face hardening.

Damn. Monsters showed up, and now it’s a crime scene? What kind of bad luck is this?

I mentally cursed as I strode forward.

Fortunately, there was no need for me to squeeze through the crowd of priests. They opened a path as soon as they recognized me.

At last, I reached the crime scene.

There, I met the magicians that the Imperial Army had dispatched.

“…….”

The magicians adorned in unique camouflage-patterned military uniforms only worn by special troops or units. The capes draped over their shoulders.

Young faces, perhaps just out of their teens, lay sprawled upon the icy surface flowing through the valley.

Their abdomens were torn open as if eaten by bugs, and viscera rolled over the dark red ice.

Amidst the corpses, there were corpse spiders, presumably dispatched by knights.

The Imperial Army magicians, who had responded to requests for support, were discovered as corpses in this valley, a place not often trodden by human feet.

Their bodies, in a state of severe mutilation.

“…Shit.”

In the northern snowy mountains of the Kien Empire, where the rift lies, I witnessed a murder case.

**The discovered corpses presumed to be Imperial Army magicians were collected by the priests who initially encountered them. The priests wrapped the bodies in clean cloth, and the knights protected the bodies and priests to ensure their safe passage through the night. The entire process was overseen by Commander Pereyti and High Priestess Lucia.**

Despite the corpses found wearing Imperial Army uniforms, their identities had yet to be confirmed, so I had to refrain from jumping to conclusions. Commander Pereyti and several priests ensured that those from the cult could not spread rumors recklessly.

However, it didn’t take long to realize that this was a futile effort.

“…It’s true.”

“Are you certain? Senior Lyudmila, this isn’t something to be taken lightly.”

“The Personnel Department has confirmed it multiple times. After comparing photos and serial numbers, they’ve determined the deceased magicians are indeed from the division.”

“……”

The identities of the corpses found in the valley were confirmed as combat magicians belonging to the Imperial Guard Division.

In the Kien Empire, the title of ‘Imperial Guard’ is only granted to those in the Imperial Guard Unit who protect the Emperor. However, in reality, there are more units that carry the title of ‘Imperial Guard’ than one might think, as the Emperor sometimes bestows it on units that have achieved notable feats.

In other words, if a division bears the name ‘Imperial Guard,’ it signifies that they are the elite of the elite.

Yet, these combat magicians, belonging to such an elite unit, were found dead en masse in the valley.

I suddenly took on the unfortunate task of identifying the bodies and navigating the recovery procedures, gathering useful information to understand how the magicians ended up here.

While traversing the now chaotic division, I spotted some familiar faces.

“Camila, what are you doing here?”

A woman with red hair turned in surprise at my call. The languid woman beside her, a beat behind, began to turn her head as well.

“Camila, Administrator. What were you two doing here in the early hours?”

“I woke up because the division was in an uproar. But is something wrong?”

Camila rubbed her eyes sleepily as she asked. Francesca, also roaming the division with her, yawned softly and awaited a response.

Judging by their conditions, it seemed the two were unaware of the situation. I quietly led Camila and Francesca to a place where they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Why do we have to whisper and gossip so secretively?”

“A murder has occurred.”

“…What?!.”

“Shh. Lower your voice. Is this the right time to shout it around?”

Covering Camila’s mouth with my hand, I calmly explained the situation.

While the knights were returning after exterminating the remaining corpse spiders, a priest discovered the fallen individuals in the valley. The healing priest tried to save them, but they had been dead for some time, and because of their strange military uniforms, the clergy suspected they were Imperial soldiers.

After hearing the report, Lucia woke me up and led me to the crime scene. There, I identified the identities and ranks of the Imperial soldiers found as corpses and returned to the division alongside members of the cult who collected the bodies.

“First of all, those who died were indeed part of the Imperial Army. The division just published an official report.”

Francesca, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.

Her face, showing signs of fatigue, shifted to a serious expression as she absorbed the information.

“Could it be those magicians who were supposed to come to support us last time…?”

“From the circumstances, it seems so. Almost certainty.”

“Hmm…”

Francesca muttered softly, her gaze momentarily drifting into the air.

“I heard that the Imperial Army’s magicians, especially those from the units awarded the title of Guards, are as skilled as elite Combat Magicians from the Magic Battalion. The fact that such individuals were killed…”

A pair of violets flew toward me and landed softly.

“Are you sure about this information?”

“The exact cause of death hasn’t been confirmed yet… but have you seen a monster swinging a sword?”

“If they were killed by a sword, it would mean a person did the deed. Let’s meet with Sir Martinez.”

Francesca got up, eager to gather new intelligence. She seemed to trust me without any doubts, focusing on the notion of murder rather than considering accidental death.

As I watched the departing information agent, Camila, who had previously appeared drowsy, suddenly fixed her gaze on me, her expression now sharp. Lowering her voice, she whispered her question.

“By the way, how did you know they were murdered? For a murder case, you might learn just by observing the scene, but isn’t it hard to specify the weapon?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

I looked at Camila with a bewildered expression and added a brief explanation.

“There were cut and stab wounds on the body.”

In forensic science, injuries from sharp weapons are typically divided into three categories.

Cuts (切創) from slicing or slashing,

Stabs (刺創) from piercing or penetrating,

And wounds (割創) caused by heavy weapons striking.

Usually, when a heavy object is used to kill someone, wounds from striking are common. Things like hand axes, fire axes, military swords, machetes, or bladed weapons.

Moreover, if a heavy weapon with an exceptionally long blade is used to kill someone, it would leave not just a cut but a combination of cut and stab wounds, known as mixed wounds (割切創), on the body.

For instance, like with a katana.

“When a heavy weapon kills a person, you get wounds from being struck, but if that weapon’s blade is long, you also get slice wounds. It’s completely different from being killed by an axe.”

I curled my hands into a rectangle.

“When you kill someone with an axe, you get a rectangular-shaped wound, right? It can even cause fractures in places like the skull. But if you kill someone with a blade, you won’t get that kind of wound at all. The same goes for the Imperial Army’s magicians. Looking at the wounds, they definitely show signs of being killed by a blade.”

“How do you know this?”

“A previous informant I had in Japan was stabbed by a yakuza. I saw it with my own eyes in the autopsy room. I’ve also seen a lot of documents sent over from Japan regarding autopsies.”

Anyway, while the conversation took a turn, the important point remains.

“The murderer is a swordsman armed with a blade. Someone skilled enough to engage in close combat with Combat Magicians.”

Camila, who had been blankly staring, suddenly snapped back to reality and nodded.

“So, a professional, huh? I get it. If that assumption is correct, we can narrow down the suspects, which will help the investigation, right?”

“Probably not.”

“What do you mean?”

Camila looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“How would we find a suspect in this vast mountain? Especially with night falling so deep. And judging by the state of the bodies, they must have died at least a day ago.”

“Oh…”

“We can’t catch the murderer.”

Camila hesitantly began to speak up. She accepted the reality but seemed unable to let go of her hopes.

“Still…”

“There’s no way we can catch the murderer right now. In fact, I’m certain we can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

Her blue eyes blinked steadily, like a goldfish, as she looked at me in confusion.

Receiving that gaze, I let out a small sigh and pointed my thumb toward the people wandering around the unit.

I caught sight of a group of Knights moving quickly past us.

“A professional swordsman who knows how to fight against magicians and wields a sword skillfully. They’re right there.”

“…So, you’re saying that those Knights right now are the suspects…?”

“They probably aren’t. In fact, they likely aren’t the actual murderer either.”

I sighed deeply and turned my gaze away.

The tired glimmer in my eyes fell upon a group of people approaching the base.

“But I wonder if they think so.”

They were magicians from the Magic Tower.

“No need for any evidence in conspiracy theories.”

*

People from all walks of life began to gather at the military base, which was in an uproar over the murder case.

The Knights of the Cult were the first to arrive at the scene, discovering the bodies and recovering them.

The Imperial Army verified the identities of the deceased magicians.

The Magic Battalion returned from slaying monsters only to hear about the murder that occurred.

And there we were too.

“This is a headache…”

After meeting with the high-ranking officials of the Imperial Army and obtaining detailed information on the deceased magicians, I pressed my temples as I returned to my lodgings.

There was more than one cause for my headache.

First and foremost was the identity of the deceased.

The dead magicians were combat magicians belonging to the Imperial Army’s Guards Infantry Division. It was the duty of the Imperial Ministry of Defense to determine the cause of their deaths and uncover the truth.

So far, so good.

Investigating soldiers who died while executing operations in a wartime scenario isn’t that strange. Moreover, the deceased were citizens of the Empire prior to being soldiers.

The issue arose from the fact that these people were magicians.

Setting aside the complexities of the relationship between the Empire and the Magic Tower akin to the relationship between China and Taiwan, the death of a magician holds significance that goes beyond a mere biological death; it involves the continuity of the schism and the preservation of the legacy of the forefathers.

As such, unless they were expelled as terrorists or labeled dark magicians, in the magical community, the death of a magician bears more weight than just a physical cessation.

And the magicians from the Magic Tower happened to witness the slain Imperial magicians.

“This is driving me insane…”

“Shall I brew some herbal tea for you?”

“Would you, Saint Lucia?”

As I groaned in frustration, Lucia appeared with a teapot in hand.

“This is a herbal tea made from herbs grown in our monastery. It helps alleviate fatigue and stabilize the mind.”

“Thank you very much.”

I took a sip of the tea she prepared.

The rich aroma of herbs and warmth enveloped my senses. Out of courtesy, I took only a small sip but ended up finishing more than half of it, savoring its taste as I nodded in appreciation.

“It’s excellent. So, any progress on the case?”

When I inquired about the murder case, Lucia gave a wry smile.

“I’m afraid it’s not something I can speak of lightly… my apologies.”

“I understand.”

Lucia found herself in a rather awkward position.

Magicians of the Empire had been found dead in its territories amidst ongoing conflict. Not just one, but several.

Yet, they had all been killed by swords, and interestingly, the group that first witnessed the scene was the Knights of the Cult. Moreover, the Magic Battalion was stationed there as well.

The groups directly tied to the magicians’ deaths were only the Empire, the Cult, and the Tower. If you include Abas, who was indirectly involved due to dispatching a general to the North, there were four parties in total.

So, who could so easily speak on this matter, really?

The words of a priest could never be frivolous, and the words of Lucia, a saint, hold even more weight than gold. Such is the burden carried by a figure of a religion.

Consequently, Lucia refrained from discussing the matter in my presence as best as she could. I, as a diplomat, could only respond to inquiries about this incident with “I don’t know.”

Of course, there were some who were entirely unfazed by these implications.

“The Knights don’t strike me as the murderers.”

“……”

“Uh… Did I say something wrong?”

Camila, sitting at the table and munching on snacks, appeared flustered as she noticed our gazes.

I couldn’t help but express my incredulity at her comment.

“Is that really what you’re focused on right now?”

“I have to eat to stay alive.”

“You already had breakfast.”

“But I’m still hungry…”

Swallowing a piece of the snack, Camila pushed the treats aside like a child reluctantly returning a toy to the shelf.

“Didn’t you say you were going to conduct a crime scene investigation earlier?”

“Yes, actually, it was an examination.”

The Cult and Magic Tower personnel were supposed to handle the examination of the slain Imperial Army magicians. Before the Imperial investigation team arrived, those knowledgeable in the field would conduct a preliminary investigation at the scene and provide their findings to the specialized investigative personnel upon their arrival.

It wasn’t that the Empire willingly transferred investigative rights to the Cult and Tower. The Military Government Headquarters had accepted the proposal from the Cult and Tower out of necessity to report to the higher-ups as promptly as possible.

I heard that the investigative team coming from the center was to address not just the murder case but also the sudden emergence of monsters. They were probably investigators dispatched from the Ministry of Magic.

While conversing with Camila, Lucia suddenly turned to me.

“Was Martinez the one who proposed the examination? The magician from the Magic Tower?”

“Correct. He’s the head representative from the Magic Tower Secretariat.”

“I hope there won’t be any issues. It shouldn’t be a big deal…”

Lucia’s worry was evident as she nervously fidgeted with her clasped hands. Camila smiled softly, trying to reassure her.

“Don’t worry too much. The priests and magicians checked the signs together, right? Francesca also went to observe.”

“……”

“Nothing bad will happen.”

I quietly gazed outside the tent.

It would be nice if nothing bad happened.

As I looked at the gloomy Northern sky peeking through a slight gap, I felt an inexplicable unease bubbling within me, and I sighed quietly.

As expected, my ominous premonition did not prove false.

Upon returning from observing the examination, Francesca reported:

“There was a divine reaction from the bodies.”

“……”

“It seems that the Imperial magicians were killed by a priest.”

This was the beginning of a new upheaval.

 

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