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“Are you saying you’re going to kill Francesca?”

Sofia, the Information Officer of the National Security Agency, spoke.

“‘Physical removal’ isn’t a settled matter. Just think of it as one of the options available.”

All information agencies use jargon, but the form it takes varies depending on nationality. Even the terminologies used in the United States and Britain, where the study of information agencies first originated, differ.

For instance, the term used for assassination operations varies. CIA friends express assassination as “special activity abroad” or “terminate with extreme prejudice.” Conversely, SIS friends refer to the assassination operation itself as “Special political action.”

The “physical removal” that Sofia mentioned is similarly euphemistic. It was one of the phrases the Patalia information agency used to refer to assassination operations.

In other words,

“You’re saying you don’t plan to kill her.”

Sofia tilted her wine glass and replied.

“That’s right.”

She then tipped her glass, sipping the blood-red wine and added:

“At least not right now.”

Episode 13 – There Is No Land for Magicians

A heavy silence settled over the table.

The quiet was awkward, yet at the same time, uncomfortable.

“……”

I leaned back in my chair and silently gazed at Sofia.

Although I was tipsy, my heightened senses spurred my thoughts.

The thinking was swift.

The blood surging from my pounding heart supplied oxygen to my brain like never before.

My mind combined the changes surrounding Francesca and the internal affairs of Patalia. Like fitting puzzle pieces into place, a rough picture started to form in my head.

As I took a moment to organize my thoughts by gazing out at the sea, I slowly bent forward to close the distance with my friend. Then, resting my fingers on my lips, I spoke softly.

“Is it because of the Magic Tower?”

“…Whoa.”

Sofia’s eyes widened, feigning surprise. It seemed to ask how I knew.

With a wine glass in one hand, she tossed her blonde hair back. Unlike the silky golden hair of Lucia, which looked like melted gold, Sofia’s hair, mixed with other colors, appeared a dull yellow.

After tidying her appearance for a moment, she lightly smiled and nodded. It was an unspoken affirmation.

“Well, with the Magic Tower in such a state, it would be strange if something didn’t happen. It must be worrisome.”

Whether it was the Nastasia Covenant or preventive arrests, despite the Magic Tower being beaten like a punching bag, it still remained the Magic Tower.

A group that, along with the Ivory Tower built by the alchemists of the red desert, leads the magical society. It is a paradise for magicians and their only sanctuary. Due to the Ivory Tower’s inherent insularity and its focus solely on alchemy, most magicians hope to live in the Magic Tower rather than the Ivory Tower.

The problem is that the current situation at the Magic Tower is nothing short of disastrous.

First, key officials at the cabinet level were all replaced before they could even complete their terms.

The reasons were varied: embezzlement, tax evasion, abuse of power, political struggle losses, health issues, and so on.

Second, large-scale protests akin to riots erupted.

The protests organized by three factions tormented the Magic Tower for a long time, and the Magic Tower government had to muster every bit of police force to suppress them.

As a result, there was a security vacuum in other regions, leading to rampant looting, arson, robbery, and assaults.

Adding to that were the economic crisis and the imperial army’s show of force, which instigated fear in the Magic Tower. Magicians fell into a panic, gathering in the square, burning piles of spellbooks to express their distrust in the government. They also aired grievances against the Oracle.

Fortunately, as the economic crisis subsided, the protests were well resolved, but the political scene within the Magic Tower had turned into utter chaos.

That is basically the biggest problem.

“For the first time in a hundred years, the schools and magicians that had never expressed dissatisfaction openly started to express distrust toward the three major schools and the Oracle.”

Suddenly, Sofia, still holding her wine, smiled and scratched her cheek with her pinky.

“I don’t know which country had the mishap, but it’s truly heartbreaking.”

“……”

Honestly, as the person involved, I had nothing to say.

The mess made in the Magic Tower was due to Leoni, the director of the Royal Intelligence Department, and under her orders, I had assisted in the operation. The fact that the Magic Tower was in ruins implied that I bore some responsibility.

But that wasn’t only true for Sofia sitting right in front of me. The subversive actions of the Abas Information Agency couldn’t have been carried out so smoothly without the cooperation of the Patalia Information Agency.

As if she was aware of this, Sofia suggested we stop the dull jokes.

“Anyway, let’s limit the past stories here. Now, I would really like to hear how Ranieri has been doing in the North.”

“What will I get in return for telling you that?”

“Umm…”

Sofia rolled her eyes to the left, letting out a hum.

After some time of feigned contemplation and nodding her head, she finally spoke, her tone slightly playful.

“Friendship?”

“Seriously?”

“What’s with you, Merlo? You know that friendship is reciprocated with friendship.”

“Does the friendship you’re talking about include a guarantee on loans?”

She spread her long middle finger over the table. It was a gesture saying to shove it.

As an information officer who could fly high and dive deep, she seemed unwilling to vouch for anything. I shrugged and retreated, while Sofia, asking for understanding, covered her mouth and yawned lightly. The nonsensical exchange came to a close.

“So, how are you going to tell me?”

Sofia, with tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, tossed the question out carelessly.

She was acting like a common thug, insisting that we should take a direct route without going the long way around, starting to hassle me if I didn’t give her the information.

Frustrated, I shivered, downing my cocktail.

“Damn annoying bastard…”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. So what’s your answer?”

“As I said before, I want to hear the reason first.”

“In detail?”

“In detail.”

“Um… okay. Then I’ll tell you. At least what I can share.”

*

The Magic Tower is a small nation established after a war a hundred years ago.

Officially, the international community does not recognize the Magic Tower as a ‘formal state,’ but it cannot deny that the Magic Tower possesses all three elements of a state: territory, people, and sovereignty.

However, the Kien Empire disagreed with the international community.

“The Magic Tower is located in the city of Nastasia in the southern part of the Empire. Nastasia is a large city in the south, situated near the Borysthenes River.”

The problem arises there.

“Coincidentally, the Borysthenes River flowing through Nastasia traverses numerous cities in the east and south. It crosses through the fertile agricultural lands of the east and the south, which developed magical engineering under the Magic Tower’s influence. Therefore, the Borysthenes River is essentially the lifeline of the Empire.”

The Magic Tower is situated on the banks of the Borysthenes River in Nastasia. That river connects the abundant grain-producing region with the birthplace of magical engineering.

Coincidentally, Nastasia, where the Magic Tower is located, was right at the center of the Borysthenes River. The first city the river met after winding down from the eastern mountains was Nastasia.

Sofia nodded in agreement.

“From the Emperor’s perspective, it must be bothersome. Because the fertile lands that can sustain the entire Empire and the birthplace of magical engineering fall within the Magic Tower’s sphere of influence.”

A hundred years ago, Nastasia was just an open plain, but ever since the magical revolution, the royal family developed the entire area. Thanks to that, the east and south became a treasure trove, continually feeding the Empire.

The problem is that the area is home to wizards whose rebellious tendencies are embedded in their DNA.

“A mountain range or two can be flown over with some effort, especially with the magic from the time of the War of Independence, which has firepower comparable to military magic. A skilled combat magician could attack the major cities of the east and south within three days.”

“Right, I know. That’s why they suppressed it. They were probably worried about those rebels shouting in the rear trying to behead the Emperor.”

“Exactly. Thus, the Empire has kept the Magic Tower in check for the past hundred years.”

Of course, it wasn’t just the Empire that exercised such control. The cult did too.

From what I know, after the treaty was signed, the Magic Tower sought assistance from ‘revolutionary comrades’ like Abas and Patalia, but it didn’t really change much.

For over a hundred years, the Magic Tower had been living in the shadows, cautiously watching the Emperor. Recently, however, that situation has begun to shift slightly.

The demons began invading the Empire.

The Information Officer of the National Security Agency took over the conversation.

“From the Empire’s perspective, they needed someone to fight in their place, soaking their own blood, and the Magic Tower felt it necessary to free itself from the Empire’s influence. So when the Tower Lord dispatched a magic battalion under the pretext of protecting the wizards and the Academy in the North, the commanders on the Magic Tower side welcomed it. After all, opportunities to test new weapons and gain combat experience are rare.”

At that time, the National Security Agency intercepted communications between government officials and commanders of the magic battalion to learn about the deployment. They also thoroughly researched and categorized who supported the war and who opposed it.

I commented.

“As expected, sounds like they had some fun?”

“For the first couple of years, the Magic Tower was quite enthusiastic. They tested new weapons, experimented with magic, and revamped their tactics.”

However, once the conflict exceeded three years, dissatisfaction began to arise within the Magic Tower.

Legally, the magic battalion was not an army, so there was effectively no regular military, and these troops had almost no combat experience whatsoever.

While their individual fighting capabilities were significantly above average due to having hunted monsters, they lacked the ability to systematically break down defense lines and expand their territory like the Imperial Army.

At this point, Patalia’s military intelligence agency, the Integrated Intelligence Division’s Combat Intelligence Analysis Team, concluded that the deployment of the magical battalion was a failure. When I asked how she knew that, Sofia mentioned she had a junior there who shared that insight.

In any case,

“As the situation reached that point, it seems the Tower Lord and the Oracle began to feel the pressure. So they created a temporary organization to support the magic battalion for dispatching to the North. You know that, right?”

“Of course I do.”

I nodded and smiled slightly.

“That responsibility falls on Francesca.”

Francesca, who had stepped down from her position at the Economic Management Department of the Secretariat, officially held the title of ‘Head of the Magic Tower Delegation.’ As the name suggests, the delegation was not a military entity but a government one.

“From the mid-conflict point, the delegation took on the responsibility of providing follow-up support for the magical battalion, and since we got involved in the conflict, they ended up shouldering additional responsibilities too. Expanding medical facilities, rift security, inspecting transport networks… even fixing sewage systems.”

“Seriously? Who took that on?”

“Probably Martinez from the Secretariat. Juan Pablo Martinez.”

While the delegation itself was a temporary task force, the position of delegation head was as significant as that of the commander of the magical battalion.

Thus, considering Francesca’s skills and symbolic importance, the Oracle appointed her as the head of the delegation. It was evident that the experience she had from her time at the Secretariat was not wasted, as even while juggling two jobs (smuggling), she managed to handle life-sucking paperwork and fieldwork daily.

When I visited her again the following morning after exchanging greetings the previous night, I nearly lost my mind seeing her sit at the same spot in the same clothes, handling work.

At that moment, Sofia crossed her arms and began to lower her body slightly. Her tone dropped a notch.

“Did you know, Merlo?”

“Know what?”

“That position was originally meant for the Deputy Minister of the Magic Tower’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Sofia stated.

“However, Ranieri’s last position was just an Administrator. She had no chance of getting it, nor could she ever dream of it. Actually, even while preparing for the northern dispatch, Ranieri didn’t mention the delegation head at all. A Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs suddenly…”

“I can’t take on the role of the intermediary until I withdraw.”

“…….”

She spoke in a low voice and met my gaze.

“Of course, going to the battlefield might have been burdensome. It could be a coincidence that Raniere was appointed as the captain afterward.”

“…And?”

“And during that time, it might also be a coincidence that you, Merlo, were active in the Magic Tower.”

I smiled faintly and looked directly into Sophia’s eyes.

“Are you saying I was pulling some strings?”

“Well, not exactly. I believe you’ll keep your promise. Even if she sits in the role of delegation leader for the sake of your company’s interests, I can understand and overlook that. I don’t know what the higher-ups think, though.”

*Clink.* Sophia put her glass down with a sound.

She crossed her knees and began to admonish me, as if to warn me.

“But know this, Merlo. It’s not entirely a good thing that Raniere is sitting in that delegation leader position.”

What does that even mean?

I was about to ask but Sophia spoke first.

In a rather serious tone, she slowly started to explain.

“All political chaos arises because the existing system fails to satisfy the people. In that sense, the political turmoil the Magic Tower is experiencing right now is very significant.”

The information officer of the National Security Agency said.

“For the last hundred years, the system of the Magic Tower has seen no real change. The tower master changed, the Oracle committee was reshuffled, but the tower has strictly revolved around the three major schools.”

Most past tower masters and Oracle members came from the elemental, sorcery, or astrology schools. Sophia pointed out that very fact.

“Even the magician of the Magic Tower I met during my fake journalism days all felt a sense of fatigue towards the system. Especially those belonging to minority schools showed this tendency markedly.”

The social reporter said.

“What would happen if the number of those who feel discontent with the system focused on the three major schools exceeded thirty percent?”

“…….”

“If my data is correct, most of the people who are dissatisfied with the current system at the Magic Tower are highly educated and younger. The age group between 20 and 29 is the largest, followed by teenagers under 20.”

“Does your company know about this?”

“Of course. It was my report that caught their interest. That’s why after returning home, I was called around for debriefing for a while.”

“…….”

“Merlo.”

Sophia called my name. Though it was a pseudonym, it was still the name I used.

The information officer of the National Security Agency, a former social reporter, and Francesca’s watcher.

She quietly locked her gaze onto mine and moved her lips.

“What the mages want is change. Right now, it may be impossible, but in a few years, those kids will grow up and enter society. Do you think these kids, who grew up witnessing this situation, will accept the system of the Magic Tower revolving around the three major schools?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Isn’t it simple? People want change. But there’s no one to bring about that change.”

The three factions leading the protests have crumbled. The unsupported protests lost their momentum, and extreme ideologies ultimately could not encompass everyone.

Suddenly, I recalled Pippin’s briefing when I first arrived at the Magic Tower. A quasi-dictatorship that was almost a dictatorship. A paradise for mages maintained by the interests of the three major schools.

The stone that had firmly endured for a hundred years had, unbeknownst to it, begun to crack.

And to break that stone, someone had wedged a nail into the crevice….

“…….”

As I continued my thoughts, I fell silent.

I couldn’t tell how Sophia interpreted that silence, but her expression remained remarkably calm.

She spoke with a voice as steady as her expression.

“Mages will need someone to bring about change. Someone to oust the revolutionary who has become a dictator and initiate a new revolution. Although there are two archmages who can prevent the monopoly of the three major schools….”

“The Duke and the Priest won’t interfere with the Magic Tower’s affairs. If they had any plans to do so, they would have done something during the signing of the Nastasia Treaty.”

“Right, that’s true. In a way, people might be looking for a political alternative.”

Revolutionary, political alternative…

There’s no need to explicitly ask who she’s referring to. Just thinking about where this conversation started brings me to the answer.

“Francesca is worried about becoming the new focal point of the Magic Tower?”

Sophia nodded in reply.

“Yes.”

It was a calm affirmation. Her demeanor seemed almost detached, which made it a bit frightening.

Suppressing a hint of anxiety, I quietly glanced around. I thought perhaps looking at the people at the neighboring table, laughing and chatting, might lift my mood a bit.

But despite looking around, there was no sign that my troubled mind would clear anytime soon.

In the end, I let out a faint sigh and reached for a cigarette.

*Hiss…!* The flame ignited. The flint was struck. The fire flared up fiercely with my breath, then dwindled, releasing hazy smoke between my lips.

I silently gathered my thoughts while taking a moment to smoke.

“…Sophia.”

“Speak.”

“It seems to me that the one who needs a vacation isn’t me, but you.”

Did I hit my head while working?

I cleverly wrapped that sentiment, which made Sophia snicker.

“Well…maybe that’s true.”

“Don’t work too hard. As long as you’re getting a paycheck, that’s enough, right?”

“But it’s still a job; I have to take it seriously.”

I took a deep breath. Sophia exaggeratedly inhaled as if she were about to burst, filling her lungs as much as she could.

The salty air filled her lungs, and just when her breath began to flow out as if it had escaped a collapsing dam, she finally succeeded in shifting her mood and started speaking to me.

“The upper echelons see Raniere as a threat, but not everyone thinks that way. Many believe that Raniere, whose entire career is in public service, will struggle to transition to politics, and some analysts predict that he will be sidelined by the descendants of other archmages. Of course, my superior is considering how to deal with him right away.”

“Oh, really?”

“But one thing is certain, Raniere is not an ‘immediate threat.'”

It seemed she was saying it wouldn’t bring harm to the Patalia government at the moment, so they’d just keep an eye on the situation.

Rephrasing, it meant that when Francesca eventually poses an ‘immediate threat’, the National Security Agency would step in.

I nodded.

“Well, being a politician isn’t easy.”

“If he makes a name for himself in the Northern Regions, it’ll be a different story. People love war heroes. Moreover, if that person is the descendant of a great archmage, mages would go crazy over it.”

“…….”

Without replying, I just nodded along and smiled at Sophia’s words.

She checked her phone for the time. The dessert we ordered had arrived. We decided to wrap up our unfinished conversation while savoring the sweet treat.

I asked her.

“Any news about Francesca coming to Patalia?”

“Nope. She doesn’t come often. She’s come a few times for work, but each time, she only handled business and left.”

“If Francesca returns, how should I help her?”

“No special help needed. Just keep her from contacting her family. I don’t know what’s been up lately, but the Raniere family has been trying to reach out a lot. They’re sneaking around trying to avoid us, but aside from that, our staff will take care of the rest.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

After finishing our desserts, we had an after-meal drink.

Before long, the dark city was illuminated by its dazzling night view.

Amidst the laughter and the bustling sounds of the city, I sat outside with a view of the sea, savoring some brandy made from grape pomace.

“What do you think of your experience in Patalia?”

Sophia asked.

I replied.

“It’s nice.”

“That’s a relief. I’ll treat you to dinner today.”

“Oh, is that okay?”

“Since a friend has come to visit, it’s only right to do this much. Next time when I travel to Abas, you’ll treat me to a meal. How does that sound? You’re a major now, so you must be getting paid well, right?”

I slowly shook my head. Sophia tilted her head to one side.

“Why? Is the pay at Abas low?”

“Not that. It’s just that after my promotion to major, they told me the laws changed, and all the performance bonuses I received as a captain were halved.”

“Oh.”

*

It was an outdoor area where I could hear the sound of waves. I was drinking beer and chatting with a friend when my phone rang.

“Hm?”

Thinking it might be my phone, I rummaged through my pockets, but the phone remained silent. It must have been Sophia’s phone.

“Sophia, I think you got a call.”

“Yeah…? Oh? Really?”

Startled, Sophia pulled out her phone from her pocket. It was a plain and common-looking phone from the 1990s to 2000s.

Setting the beer down, Sophia checked the number on the screen, and her expression suddenly darkened with a sigh.

“Why? Whose call is it?”

“Company. It’s my superior.”

“Oh.”

“Hold on a second.”

Sophia plugged one ear with her finger and held the phone to the other ear, trying her best to hear through the surrounding noise.

I sipped my beer, thinking the call would take a while.

But.

Something.

Felt strange.

“Ah, yes. I’m currently on an external assignment.”

-‘…….’

“I’ll be taking the first train up at 2:40 AM, arriving around 12:10 PM.”

-‘…….’

“…What? All of a sudden? No, that can’t be—”

As the conversation progressed, Sophia’s expressions changed vividly from slight gloom to confusion.

Before she knew it, she was answering the call with a serious face. Only the person on the other end from the National Security Agency was speaking.

“…Yes, understood. I’ll head over immediately.”

Sophia hung up just when the beer bottle was almost empty.

As I tossed the empty beer bottle into the trash, I nodded toward her phone.

“What was the call about that made you look so serious? Is there an emergency?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, man….”

Poor thing.

On her vacation, her friend had a sudden emergency. This was an exceptional kind of misfortune.

For Sophia to get to the National Security Agency headquarters, it would take about ten hours by train. If she set off now, she’d probably end up mixing with the employees going to work the next morning.

I sincerely conveyed my condolences to Sophia, feeling a twinge of pity for her. Of course, my lips were still curled into a smile.

While it might hurt her feelings, that wasn’t my problem.

As long as it wasn’t affecting me. That was all that mattered.

“That’s unfortunate. Call me when things settle down. We can grab a meal.”

Just as I waved my hand and tried to head to my hotel for some rest, Sophia dashed up to me, quickly whispering in my ear.

“He’s here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Raniere.”

…Huh?

“What’s that—”

I turned my head sharply to look at Sophia.

My friend said.

The information officer of the National Security Agency said.

“Raniere just showed up at the arrivals terminal.”

 

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