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미호동중리작호(無虎洞中狸作虎): In a den without a tiger, the fox plays king.

This proverb holds many meanings.

When there is no one of high status, a trivial person struts around, and such a person inevitably turns into a tyrant the moment they wear even the smallest insignia on their arm.

A person’s true worth emerges the moment they grasp power. Perhaps it may be an unrevealed talent or a true nature hidden behind a mask.

Therefore, one must always know their place.

Clothes that don’t fit the body and shoes that don’t fit the feet are burdens that cannot be carried.

However, what people misunderstand is this:

No matter how much a fox tries to draw lines on its face,

A fox is ultimately just a fox and can never become a tiger.

Absolutely.

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Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History

The northern regions of the Kien Empire are rife with conflicts that are almost tantamount to war.

Numerous nations have united to combat the demon tribes and monsters that have flooded in from the frozen land.

The main force in the northern conflict is undoubtedly the Imperial Army of the Kien Empire. After years of confrontation with the Demon Kings, the Empire declared martial law in the north, granting the military countless powers.

Thus, it is neither the Inquisition of the cult nor the armed forces of the Magic Tower leading the northern conflict, but the Imperial Ministry of Defense of the Kien Empire.

Among them is the Military Government Headquarters, which is responsible for the martial law command.

I headed to find the head of the Military Government Headquarters.

“Commander Mikhail, we have a guest. Colonel Frederick Nostrim, the Defense Attaché from the homeland.”

As the suited secretary knocked with precise motions to announce my visit, a slight pause followed before a response came from the inside.

The secretary spoke again.

“You may enter, Colonel Nostrim.”

“cпасибо (Thank you)”

I stepped through the door the secretary had opened. Upon entering the office, I thought it was smaller than I expected.

The office felt significantly cramped compared to previously observed spaces—whether due to the papers awaiting approval in one corner or the actual size of the room, it was quite an intimate setting for a general.

I turned my head to inspect the office. Executives, neatly gathered, held file binders and piles of unapproved documents stretched out behind them. Through the small window in the office, the gloomy northern sky was visible.

And there sat the general, scribbling notes at his desk, with his back turned to the bleak northern sky.

I placed my briefcase down and greeted the general.

“Здравствуйте, Командир Михаи́л (Hello, Commander Mikhail)”

The old man’s gaze lingered on me for a moment.

After holding my gaze for about two seconds in silence, Commander Mikhail suddenly spoke up.

“Рад встрече.Фредериквоенный атташе (Nice to meet you, Colonel Frederick)”

Commander Mikhail glanced at the Imperial Army executives.

“You all can leave. There’s something I need to discuss.”

*

It had been five days since the wizards of the Magic Tower, disguised as ordinary citizens, stepped into the black market. To exert pressure on Hormoz, the wizards aimed to remove the stone lodged in their path, only to ironically find themselves in a tricky situation caused by smaller pebbles instead of the boulder.

Intimidation, extortion, robbery, violence…

The wizards of the Magic Tower received a warm welcome from the northern crime organizations (if one could even call them that). While most of the encounters ended with mere threats and extortion, criminals employing actual violence were beginning to emerge.

From my experience, it is best to nip these troubles in the bud before they bloom into chaos.

They may seem like common bullies lurking in the alleys now, but they could very well evolve into a cohesive and hierarchical international crime organization later on.

However, I lacked the authority to eradicate crime organizations in the north. This wasn’t Abas; it was Kien.

Yet, I knew the person who held the power to deal with the criminals on my behalf.

Commander Mikhail pointed silently to a long table occupying one corner of the office. It was a sign to sit down.

I walked over and took a seat, while Commander Mikhail positioned himself at the head of the table.

“It has been a while, Colonel Frederick.”

Seated at the head of the table, Commander Mikhail greeted me in a deep voice that lacked significant fluctuations. His command of the Abas language was fluent.

Despite the distinctive Kien accent seeping through, his proficiency in Abas was notably high as per the internal evaluation compiled by the Military Intelligence Agency.

For reference, Senior Lyudmila, who handled Kien translations, wasn’t present. She had not received permission to attend. I assumed Commander Mikhail spoke in Abas as a courtesy to me.

Feigning surprise, I responded in Abas.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Commander. I didn’t know you could speak Abas.”

“I know a bit.”

With that short response, Commander Mikhail brushed aside casual conversation and opened the matter with a dry tone.

“Tea? Coffee?”

“I’ll have tea, please.”

He picked up the receiver and instructed the secretary to bring two cups of tea. When asked what type of tea, I replied that anything would be fine, so he ordered black tea.

As the refreshments prepared by the secretary were set on the table, Commander Mikhail returned to the table and began the meeting in a business-like manner.

“I received a report from the secretary. The Attaché requested to meet with me.”

“That’s correct, Commander.”

“What’s the purpose of your visit?”

Such a straightforward manner of speaking.

After I received news from Francesca regarding clashes with local crime organizations, I immediately contacted the Military Government Headquarters to schedule an appointment with Commander Mikhail.

Though I was a colleague of Camila and a foreign diplomat, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to drop in on someone of his rank without an appointment.

Fortunately, Commander Mikhail accepted my request without any issues.

“……”

It wasn’t particularly surprising when I considered that the last time I visited the Military Government Headquarters, he accepted the requests made by Lucia and Francesca without questioning or stipulating any conditions.

Whether it was due to his expansive demeanor or his straightforward disposition, I was unsure, but at least Commander Mikhail was not the type of stuffy elder that obstructs communication. Thus, it was reasonable to predict he wouldn’t refuse a meeting request.

Yet, skipping formal pleasantries and diving straight into business was somewhat unexpected for me.

From my experience, those who jump straight to the point without any small talk typically fall into one of two categories:

First, they dislike chatting and are too busy with duties to engage in lengthy discussions.

Second, they deliberately create a pressuring atmosphere to seize control of the conversation.

Usually, the people I have met belong to the latter group, particularly those like Mikhail who hold high positions and lead subordinates.

Which category does Mikhail fit into?

While I don’t have a definitive answer yet, I’d decide to uncover it slowly.

“I have something to ask, which is why I am here.”

“Do you have a request for me?”

“To be precise, it’s closer to a demand than a request.”

The distinction between a request and a demand boils down to whether the matter is absolutely necessary.

Though a nuanced difference, as a diplomat, failing to articulate one’s words cautiously could lead to serious consequences.

Thus, I explained clearly to Commander Mikhail.

“The current unpleasant incidents occurring in the northern regions of the Kien Empire have caused significant concern among those nearby. Therefore, I urgently seek your assistance in exercising jurisdiction in the north, Commander Mikhail.”

“Huh, the ‘those nearby’ you refer to, who exactly are they?”

“The ones I speak of are Saint Lucia and Administrator Raniere.”

Upon hearing the names of Lucia and Francesca, Commander Mikhail turned his gaze away, as if pondering something, and rubbed his chin.

Despite commanding administrative and judicial authority over the entire northern region and leading several legions and divisions, even Mikhail found it challenging to deal easily with the Saint of the cult and a Senior Executive of the Magic Tower who also belonged to the Raniere family. Even if they were young enough to be his daughters.

After a moment of silence, Commander Mikhail relaxed his arm, exiting his reverie. He nodded and waited, as if encouraging me to continue.

At this point, I decided to skip any further preamble.

“Commander Mikhail.”

Instead, like him, I thrust myself directly into the main topic.

“I request that you mobilize the army to eliminate the crime organizations disrupting peace in the north.”

*

Commander Mikhail’s expression hardened at the request to mobilize the army.

His pronunciation carried the distinctive accent of Kien, yet he spoke fluently in Abas.

“…You want me to mobilize the military to eliminate the crime organizations.”

“…….”

“Is that something you say as a diplomat? Or as a soldier?”

It seemed like a question at first glance, but it definitely wasn’t a question.

A diplomat is a civil servant representing their nation in foreign lands and engaging in diplomatic duties. A soldier is a civil servant who employs force to protect the state from outside invasions.

What matters is not ‘what duties they are assigned,’ but rather ‘where they derive their qualifications from.’

A diplomat can engage in diplomatic duties because it is sanctioned by the state. Specifically, the country that dispatched the diplomat designates that person as such, while the receiving country admits their posting.

Similarly, a soldier’s ability to wield force stems from their duty to protect the nation from external threats. Thus, the government invariably allows them to engage in military actions.

Train a regular army to prepare for emergencies. And the international community grants recognition of the right to engage in combat for each military to allow them to legally use force in times of crisis.

So, diplomats and military personnel are fundamentally individuals who are recognized by both their own country and foreign governments while they operate.

That’s why engaging in diplomacy without the qualifications of a diplomat is treated as being a fraud, and waging battles without the right to engage in combat means being labeled a terrorist.

In other words,

“Regardless of how you stated it, that remark seems open to interpretation as interference in domestic affairs.”

Asking Commander Mikhail to mobilize the army to eradicate criminal organizations could be considered interference in internal matters.

I am a soldier and diplomat of Abas, not a soldier of the Kien Empire.

However,

“It seems there has been some misunderstanding.”

I gave a hesitant smile, suggesting that was not my intention at all.

“I have no intention, using my position as a Colonel, to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kien Empire or to exert authority over Commander Mikhail. I don’t even have the right to do so.”

“……”

“All I’m doing is expressing concern over the unruly criminal activities that are disturbing public order in the North and threatening civilians.”

Commander Mikhail spoke up.

“Did you request this meeting to tell me to capture those scoundrels, Colonel Frederick?”

“I judged the matter to be serious enough.”

I took a moment to catch my breath before starting my explanation.

“As you well know, Commander Mikhail, under martial law, the Military Government Headquarters assumes administrative and judicial authority over the areas where martial law has been declared. Therefore, the administrative and judicial authority in the North, where both you and I are, lies with the Military Government Headquarters.”

The Military Government Commander nodded slightly.

“Special rules must apply to special circumstances. The empire’s government has determined that a national state of emergency has arisen due to the advance of the demon race and monsters, and they determined that it is impossible to maintain daily life and public safety in the North with just the city government and police, which is why martial law was declared.”

So,

“In a special situation like this, maintaining public order inevitably falls under the role of the Military Government Headquarters.”

My argument was simple.

Firstly, the empire’s government concluded that the police and internal troops had lost the ability to maintain public security in the North.

Secondly, the empire declared martial law, and the Military Government Headquarters has gradually inherited administrative and judicial authority over the years. For reference, while the city government nominally holds that authority, it is practically in the hands of the Archduke, who is the aunt of the current Emperor Nikolai VI.

Thirdly, because the empire’s government has determined that even the police, internal troops, and even the Archmage Archduke lack the capability to stabilize the North, they declared martial law and established the Military Government Headquarters. Therefore, it naturally falls upon the Headquarters to maintain local public order.

And the commander of that Headquarters is none other than Mikhail, who is sitting right in front of me.

“I believe it’s your duty to restore order here, Commander.”

So, mobilize the army quickly and catch the criminals. The Saint and the Administrator are also expressing their “concern,” so what are you hesitating for? I said this in a roundabout way to make it sound good.

In response, the Military Government Commander answered.

“How long have you been in the North, Colonel?”

His tone was quite business-like and ordinary. It felt absurdly out of place for such an occasion.

“About a month now.”

“I have been in the North for five years.”

“……”

“Before taking up this role as Military Government Commander, I was the division commander of the 138th Guard Mechanized Infantry Division and came here as the commander of the 43rd Corps, and then I became the Military Government Commander.”

The General spoke.

“You may not realize, but you’ll inevitably come to know things you wish you didn’t while staying here.”

Famine, disaster.

Food shortages, soil contamination, destruction of transport networks, and backline ambushes.

Epidemics, isolation, commanding officers falling in battle, and surprise attacks from the demon race.

Natural disasters, overflowing patients, hordes of refugees.

Sabotaged railroads, uprisings in the rear areas.

Followed by live ammunition firing from the military police and internal troops.

And recently, the rift attack from monster hordes and the various homicides surrounding several nations.

Commander Mikhail maintained silence without explanation, but I could hear many stories from that silence.

The Military Government Headquarters is responsible for managing a territory that rivals that of any considerable nation while executing military operations. And the successes and failures that arise from that all fall upon the responsibilities of the Military Government Commander.

In response, Mikhail spoke in a calm manner.

“I’m not saying that I will shirk my responsibilities and duties. However, I cannot deploy a large military force to capture the scoundrels who are acting like thugs in my yard when there are numerous problems piling up at my doorstep.”

“Why is that?”

“A significant number of internal troops have already been deployed to the front lines or are scheduled to be deployed, and the police and military police are focusing on maintaining security in the cities. However, with the influx of refugees, they have barely maintained order. Simply put, I do not have the luxury to spare troops.”

The sheer number of citizens that the police and military police must manage is overwhelming, making it impossible to handle. Since they’re barely maintaining order, the operation to root out the criminal organizations in the North is naturally off the table.

Assuming everything was normal.

“Eradicating all criminal organizations is impossible. Unfortunately, that’s the reality.”

In light of Commander Mikhail’s statement, I didn’t add any further words and asked just one question.

“Is the army you command currently an occupying force? Or a martial law army?”

The gaze of the Military Government Commander turned toward me.

“You are now not a governor or stationed army commander occupying foreign territory, but the commander of martial law. What I mean by this place is not an occupied area, but territory of the Empire.”

I took out a document bag I had brought, opened it, and placed an item on the desk.

It was a can of peaches.

I placed the can of peaches on the desk, then sat comfortably in my chair and met Commander Mikhail’s eyes.

“This can was produced by an imperial company within imperial territory. On average, you can purchase it for about three takrons at a market or store. Do you know how much it is sold for in the North?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“Sixty takrons.”

I tipped over the can of peaches and pushed it with my hand. It rolled with a loud sound for a few centimeters before suddenly stopping as if caught on a stone.

That’s understandable since the can was dented. It wasn’t a smooth circle, so it couldn’t roll much.

“A dented can is usually tossed out, yet in the North, it sells for thirty times the price. Even past its expiration date, people still buy this.”

Having frequented the black market in the North for reasons of surveillance and investigation, I could say that the black market would be safe to describe as a dumping ground for the North.

Not metaphorically, but it genuinely felt like a trash disposal site.

“Poisonous moonshine made from toxic plants, fake cigarettes made from tea leaves filled into newspapers are being sold openly. Perhaps it’s not tea leaves but hemp.”

They were selling a single fake cigarette for 250 takrons. No matter how expensive cigarettes and alcohol are in a conflict zone, charging that much for a single cigarette seems absurd. Moreover, the smell was oddly reminiscent of cannabis.

The crucial point is that the distribution of fake cigarettes that may be cannabis, toxic moonshine, and dented cans is happening.

Supply and demand is a solemn logic that explains how economies function.

This means that the existence of such items in the black market signifies that numerous citizens in the North are seeking things to endure today.

And the entity that failed to manage and supervise this mess is none other than the Military Government Headquarters.

And the one commanding that Headquarters is Mikhail.

“Commander Mikhail.”

I tapped my fingers lightly on the table.

“This is not something happening in Mauritania or a distant Eastern country. This is the reality occurring right here in the North, where you and I are present.”

“……”

“So, if you are not the commander of an occupying force, you must know better than anyone what you need to do.”

The Military Government Commander asked.

In a tone that was still business-like, flat, and dry.

“What do you want me to do?”

I calmly closed my eyes and murmured.

“Honestly… I think that rooting out all criminal organizations in the North is a shot in the dark. The territory of the North is famously more extensive even than the eastern lands of the Kien Empire, which boast vast farmland.”

“And then?”

“Instead.”

With the specific individuals I pointed out.

“Catching and punishing a few should not be a problem, right?”

“……”

“If it’s a small-scale capture operation, it won’t require the mobilization of many troops. The burden on the police and military police would be relatively lighter. Of course, public order would also improve.”

Commander Mikhail remained expressionless and gazed blankly into space.

However, his head was nodding ever so slightly up and down.

With that, I finished my words with a calm smile.

“It will set a good example.”

 

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