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“시그노리 여러분, 오늘의 특별강연에 오신 것을 환영합니다!”

As the dawn entwines with the dark sky, my eyelids naturally lift to greet the day.

Clack. Clack.

Sitting on the outdoor terrace, I drop a sugar cube into the coffee provided by the hotel. The brown-tinted sky holds a certain charm of its own.

Swoosh. The sea water crashes onto the beach. The white foamy waves bubble up, washing away every trace imprinted in the sand from the night before.

The bitterness of the coffee could not be masked even by the sweet sugar. Just a warm sip left a dull taste lingering in my mouth.

Placing the coffee cup down, I pinched a cigarette between my fingers. At that moment, I heard a familiar voice.

“You’re up early.”

It was Francesca. She emerged on the neighboring terrace, draped in a white robe.

Perhaps just finished from a bath, the tips of her hair were still damp, contrasting beautifully with her pale skin against the dim sky.

While tightening her robe and taking in the surrounding view, she nonchalantly dropped a line in her usual tone.

“Didn’t you sleep in a bit longer?”

I glanced at her, then pulled out my lighter.

“Weren’t you sulking?”

“Not at all.”

She chuckled as I flicked the lighter on.

As the flint scraped, sparks leapt and kissed the oil-laden wick, transforming into a tiny flame. I drew in a breath, lighting it before sticking the still-warm lighter into my pocket, exhaling a cloud of smoke laden with that lingering dullness.

“I slept enough. What time do we leave?”

“The professor has his lecture in the afternoon, so you can meet him in the morning. I also contacted him yesterday to arrange it at the Magic Tower.”

Right then, I nodded, confirming I understood.

“I’ll call for the vehicle in time.”

Francesca turned back towards her room.

Once she departed, silence crept back into the space. On this sparse street with few passing vehicles, only the symphony of crashing waves echoed around.

Taking a sip of my lukewarm coffee, I admired the ocean view, once boasted by the staff.

The waves breaking apart and the white froth surging.

A beautiful stretch of white sand without a single footprint.

With such a picturesque scene akin to a masterpiece, I set my coffee down and slipped a cigarette between my lips.

“…Hoo.”

It was a landscape so beautiful it justified the costly accommodation.

Being free, it felt twice as beautiful.

—

Episode 13 – There is No Country for Magicians

The overseas trip I was pushed into had reached its second day. I only found out about the visa clearance on the day of my leave, so this trip was, in essence, an unplanned venture.

Yet now, I had crafted a plan of my own.

“What’s on today’s schedule?”

“I’m meeting with the professor for a brief meal and greetings. He’s a busy person, so he won’t have much time. He sent me an invitation, and after we eat, I’ll attend the lecture before heading back to the hotel.”

As I retrieved my suit, I inquired to Francesca.

“Who will be attending the special lecture?”

“The university president, part-time professors, officials from the Ministry of Magic in Patalia, and attendees from various societies, I presume. Since he’s quite famous, more may come.”

“Then let’s proceed accordingly.”

We went down to the first floor and boarded the taxi I had reserved through the hotel.

“Signore e signori, where may I take you?”

“To Galbria University.”

Our destination was Galbria University, where the professor who gifted Francesca the elixir was giving the special lecture.

The drive from the Meraviglia Hotel to the university took about 20 minutes. The driver skillfully navigated through Galbria’s roads, crossing the grand bridge spanning the sea and dropping us off near the university.

There, we encountered an elderly professor known as a prominent scholar of the Ivory Tower.

“How have you been, Professor?”

“Ah, who is this? Miss Ranieri!”

Francesca and the old professor exchanged friendly greetings.

Wearing the symbol of a magician, her cape, she slightly bowed towards the professor, who placed his right hand over his heart and bowed in return.

“May peace rest with the descendants of the great prophet and his companions.”

With a warm smile, the old professor said, “I am Niazi of the Ivory Tower. I have been waiting for you.”

—

Niazi bin Mukhtar Al-Kamara. This was the name of the old professor who introduced himself as ‘Niazi.’

As this world borrowed elements from reality, it was clear from his background that he hailed from a nation inspired by the Middle-Eastern region of the Mauritania Continent, indicating he taught students at one of the top universities on Earth.

I briefly recalled the information I had been educated about while working in the Middle East.

Typically, names in Arabic convey various meanings. ‘Bin Mukhtar’ means ‘son of Mukhtar,’ so the professor’s father’s name must have been Mukhtar.

Given the Middle-Eastern inspiration, the ‘Al’ in ‘Al-Kamara’ refers to the Arabic definite article, ‘ال’, and it’s customary to list the family name after the father’s name in Arabic naming conventions. Thus, it naturally inferred he belonged to the ‘Kamar’ family.

In other words, the professor named Niazi is a descendant of Mukhtar of the Kamar family.

While the professor, after what seemed like a warm reunion with Francesca, maintained his smile and politely gestured toward me.

“By the way, who is this gentleman?”

I greeted him in accordance with the Mauritania customs.

“Peace be upon the student from the Prophet’s temple. I am Frederick Nostrim, a companion of Miss Francesca.”

The ‘Prophet’s temple’ is a term used by alchemists in the red desert to describe the Ivory Tower. This association ties back to Sulaiman, the Archmage from the Mauritania Continent, who played a role in the wars against the cult.

While on the continent, they refer to 17 mages who made significant contributions as archmages, the Mauritania natives do not consider Sulaiman an archmage but rather a ‘prophet’ or ‘seer.’

The reasoning is simple.

Sulaiman was a faithful priest of Al-Yabd himself.

His birth into a family of priests from the Mauritania Continent, along with remarkable magical talents and deep faith, led to his being hailed as a priest receiving divine revelations in the region ruled by his family.

In response to this news, the Inquisition dispatched an expedition to wage war against Sulaiman’s family, resulting in numerous casualties.

This conflict is known as the ‘Sarax War,’ a precursor to the eventual Magic Tower’s War of Independence.

Consumed by anger upon witnessing his family’s destruction, Sulaiman sought out the great religious figure known as ‘the Priest,’ one of the 17 archmages. This episode became the catalyst for unveiling the mystique of magic to the world.

What transpired afterward is well-known historical fact.

The uprising of mages against the cult led to a long war, ultimately culminating in the establishment of the Magic Tower.

After returning from the war, Sulaiman erected a tower in the charred remains of his territory and named it the ‘Ivory Tower.’ For millennia, the nations of the Mauritania Continent that had been politically and religiously at odds with the cult celebrated Sulaiman as a great prophet who had triumphed over the heretics.

Thus, the Ivory Tower is not merely a structure housing the mages of the Mauritania Continent; it stands as a massive temple where religion and magic intertwine.

Hence, another name for the Ivory Tower is ‘the Prophet’s Temple.’

For those well-versed in history or possessing top grades in world history, it’s a tale they might have come across. However, despite the pride with which Mauritania natives regard the Ivory Tower, most citizens of other continents show little interest.

Perhaps due to this, Professor Niazi appeared quite moved. With a bright beaming smile, he extended his hand and sought a handshake.

“Oh…. It’s rare to meet someone who knows that expression. You are indeed knowledgeable, sir.”

“It’s nothing worth bragging about.”

“Frederick Nostrim, I thought the name sounded familiar, yet I didn’t realize you were such a kind gentleman. Haha.”

While the information agency trains recruits in methods to win others’ fondness, in reality, gaining approval isn’t all that complex.

Attending to cultural etiquette and speaking the lingua franca of the region would set one halfway there. After all, everyone loathes rude and ignorant people, regardless of race, nationality, or religion.

Just like how senior citizens favor polite foreigners who masterfully speak Korean and show respect.

“I heard Miss Francesca would be conversing with you. Should I make way for you?”

“While I appreciate the thought, hearing the stories of the world from the youth is always a joy for an old man. As my body grows older, it becomes challenging to roam the world, and I’ve taken to solitary research in my lab. If it’s alright with you, I’d love to join.”

“Feel free as you wish.”

—

The meal with the professor was quite agreeable.

Just the fact that he didn’t pry for details like some embassy diplomats, foreign agency agents, or journalists built a sense of affinity toward the professor.

With the innocence of a scholar, Professor Niazi began a deep conversation about alchemy with Francesca. Being an artsy type, I could hardly latch onto their topics and sat there, blankly chewing on my meat and recording the dialogue.

He seemed delighted by the restaurant recommended by the staff at the Abas Embassy in Patalia.

We finished our early lunch at the restaurant and proceeded to the university, where the special lecture was set to take place.

As Francesca had anticipated, the event hall was bursting with people even before the lecture began. The black sedans with both the flags of the Republic of Patalia and their own parked there indicated that foreign ambassadors had also arrived for the lecture.

I muttered to myself while surveying the area outside the lecture hall,

“With diplomats, civil servants, scholars, and students… Professor Niazi’s fame seems truly remarkable.”

“It seems you weren’t aware that the Kamar family is one of the leading powers in the Ivory Tower.”

“I don’t know much about the Mauritania Continent. I’ve never worked in that area.”

Given it wasn’t within my purview, I lacked information on that region. Compared to Francesca, who had been invited to the Ivory Tower or Veronica, who had engaged in missionary and diplomatic work there during her youth, my knowledge seemed rather paltry.

The interior was packed with everyone from students of the mage department eager to hear the lecture to attendees from various societies, institutions, and research organizations.

“…Isn’t that the chairman of Rechormati? The famous pharmaceutical company.”

“Indeed. The person next to them is the CEO of Clarecops. They developed potions named after the ‘Elixir,’ the brew from the war of independence. They’re one of the leading players in Patalia’s magical pharmaceuticals.”

“I know. They supply potions to the Patalian military.”

It felt like every individual associated with ‘alchemy’ from Patalia was gathered in one spot—pharmaceutical company heads, CEOs of defense contractors, a foreign ambassador boasting twenty years of experience, eminent academic professors…

Francesca, a high-ranking civil servant at the Magic Tower, assessed the lecture attendees calmly.

“There’s nothing surprising here. With a professor like Niazi, it’s no wonder people travel from other countries for this. Who wouldn’t want to meet a master of alchemy and a power in the Ivory Tower?”

“…That’s true. Anyone would want to come.”

I could bet even spies would be scrambling to get in. There were crumbs of opportunity scattered everywhere.

Sure enough, I noticed soldiers in military uniforms casually roaming inside the lecture hall. Alongside the officers from the Patalian Ministry of Defense, foreign attachés dressed formally were also seen. The Patalian side was ambiguous, but among the observers, some were obviously information officers dispatched from intelligence units.

As I scanned the attendees, they started whispering among themselves, casting glances at me as if questioning why I was even there.

As their stiff expressions turned to me, I instinctively sensed trouble and grabbed some snacks placed in the lecture hall.

Regardless of that, Francesca approached the cluster of attendees and greeted them.

“Long time no see. Have you been well, Chairperson?”

“Oh, Miss Francesca! It’s really great to see you! I think the last time was at the international conference held at the Magic Tower; how has it already been so long?”

“I’m also glad. I came here to greet Professor Niazi, but I didn’t expect to meet you.”

“Do you know Professor Niazi?”

“I’ve seen him a few times when I stopped by the Ivory Tower. I could attend here thanks to the invitation from the professor.”

She greeted just one person as she made her way through the crowd. The attendees who recognized Francesca took the initiative to approach and greet her, while she welcomed them with a smiling face.

Exempting her credentials as a civil servant at the Magic Tower, a descendant of the archmage, and a comrade of a hero, Francesca had been a social butterfly in the magical society from the start. It was a natural course of events. Of course, not everyone was glad to see her.

A few suit-clad figures loitering at the back recognized Francesca and began their hushed whispers.

“Isn’t that Francesca Ranieri?”

“Yeah, it’s her, Francesca Ranieri. What is she doing here?”

“Wasn’t it?”

“It seems you received an invitation from Professor Niazi. Can you call the International Cooperation Officer briefly?”

It appeared that the Suit Men were indeed civil servants. More precisely, from the Patalia Ministry of Magic. It wasn’t particularly strange for Patalia Ministry officials to attend the special lecture since it was held in Patalia.

The problem was that there were not only ministry officials here.

A representative from the Patalia Ministry of Defense, who had been conversing with a Colonel inside the lecture hall, turned his head and began to gaze at Francesca. Nearby, a civil servant in an excessively fitting suit who appeared suspiciously well-dressed also looked her way.

I realized those guys belonged to the Patalia Intelligence Service. Unlike the other officials, who stared at Francesca with curiosity, his expression had subtly hardened.

Coincidentally, there was a similar person next to me.

“Merlo.”

“Sophia.”

The Information Officer from the National Security Agency, Sophia, had sneaked in with a cup of coffee in hand.

Perhaps aware of the surrounding gaze, she sipped her coffee while looking elsewhere. I also turned my attention to other attendees inside the lecture hall, considerate of her.

Sophia spoke.

“I heard through the branch that Francesca has shown up in Galbria. But I didn’t expect you to be moving with her.”

“It just happened that way.”

It seemed my organization truly considered Francesca a threat. Sophia had started to orbit around Francesca in less than half a day. Or perhaps she never left her vicinity in the first place.

I pulled out my mobile phone and pretended to type a message.

“Just checking, have you monitored the hotel?”

The reply came almost instantly.

“Yes.”

“…..”

The mention of monitoring the hotel meant they were surveilling the room where Francesca was staying. It implied they were eavesdropping.

However, whether the National Security Agency only kept an eye on Francesca’s room or if they were also watching my adjoining room was a question no one could answer. Only Sophia would know.

As if reading my thoughts, Sophia chuckled and spoke reassuringly.

“I only marked Francesca. I swear.”

“Right. Since my room is next door, you wouldn’t have bothered with that.”

“Besides, you didn’t even make a call yesterday.”

“There was no need.”

It would be crazy to think that the National Security Agency was fully aware of my entry and yet I would call someone. Making a call to the company or family when security was not ensured was something an overseas information agent should never do.

Even though I was not in Patalia for work, the purpose of my visit did not matter to the National Security Agency. What was important was the fact that I was an agent from a foreign intelligence agency. That was the only thing that counted.

Knowing I was being monitored by the friendly nation’s intelligence agency didn’t make me angry. After all, Abas had been eavesdropping on government officials for quite some time. It was similar to the U.S. eavesdropping on its allied governments.

Sophia watched Francesca, now lost in the crowd, while sipping her coffee.

After observing Francesca silently for a while, she quietly set down her disposable cup and stood up, briefly locking eyes with me.

“Stay as far away as possible.”

“……”

“There’s no good to be gained from keeping her close. You understand what I mean?”

I nodded, responding.

“I’ll take your advice to heart.”

“I’m just worried.”

“That’s the same thing.”

Sophia chuckled softly and passed me, moving outside the lecture hall. I could see she had an in-ear headset plugged into her ear as she brushed past me.

Following the line she’d hidden in her clothing, there was likely a radio hidden somewhere, directing other National Security Agency agents.

I stood still for a moment, watching the direction she had vanished in.

People presumed to be officers from the National Security Agency exited the lecture hall at intervals, among them, a rookie agent who seemed a bit flustered. He was the exact same customs officer I had seen before.

“…Ugh.”

With a long sigh, I threw away the disposable cup left by Sophia into the trash.

With my hands in my pockets, I trudged towards Francesca, her voice from the staff of Galbria Municipal University rang in my ears.

“Now, the lecture by Professor Niazi is about to begin. Please take your seats!”

Shortly after, Professor Niazi’s special lecture started.

And it was successfully concluded.

*

On the way back to the hotel, the randomly chosen taxi was quiet.

The taxi driver remained focused on the road with a business-like demeanor, and with the radio off, the sounds of vehicles racing down the black road were clearly audible.

Looking out the window, I turned to Francesca.

“Shall we change hotels?”

Francesca responded.

“Are you not satisfied with the hotel?”

“Well, that’s not it.”

“Then why do you say that?”

I gazed at the back of the driver, who seemed oblivious to our conversation, fixated on the road ahead.

Lost in thought while looking at the driver’s back, I cautiously tapped my fingers on my ears.

Seeing that signal, Francesca stared blankly at my profile before shifting her gaze to the scenery outside the window.

“……”

Francesca’s reflection in the glass looked somewhat tired.

The reason she seemed worn out was probably not just from meeting countless people at the lecture today.

“Do as you please. I was only planning to stay here for one day anyway.”

“Oh right, it was a walk-in, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

She had come directly upon hearing news from the professor, without any preparation. She even asked me for hotel recommendations because she couldn’t secure a proper booking.

Of course, no one knew whether she could have rested comfortably there, even if she had managed to book a room. The National Security Agency might have known.

Francesca remained silent, gazing out the window, while I glanced out of my side of the window and spoke to her.

“Do you have somewhere to stay?”

“I do have one.”

“Where is it?”

“My villa.”

“A villa?”

“You have a villa too?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Wait, a villa in a vacation city?

“If it’s a villa in Galbria, it must be really expensive.”

“Money isn’t a problem for me.”

“Weren’t you a civil servant?”

“What do you mean? I’m not just any civil servant, you know.”

I pondered for a moment, trying to grasp what she meant, and slowly connected the dots that Francesca was not just any simple civil servant.

She was responsible for managing the slush fund of the Oracle of the Magic Tower at the Economic Management Department of the Secretariat. During that process, she must have pocketed a considerable sum. Not to mention that she was also earning a side income from ‘side jobs’, meaning Francesca certainly wasn’t your typical salaryman just scraping by.

As this realization hit me, Francesca’s expression as she gazed out the window started to resemble that of a mobster from a film. Like from “The Godfather” series or “Scarface”. She seemed like a bourgeois living comfortably, making money through illegal means.

So then why did she ask me for hotel recommendations? She could just go sleep at her villa.

I was dumbfounded and blurted out a question.

“Why are you staying at a hotel when you have a villa?”

“It’s been vacant for a long time. Cleaning it up will obviously take some time.”

“Oh…”

I nodded, understanding after hearing her answer. After all, there was no need for her to maintain the villa in pristine condition when she hardly came to Patalia.

Honestly, I was curious why she had even bought a villa that she rarely utilized, but I held back from digging deeper. I felt that the answer I would hear next wouldn’t be very positive.

Instead, I changed the subject.

This time, I brought up work.

“You mentioned you had something to tell me. Can I ask what it is?”

“Not right now. I’ll tell you later.”

There was no need to ask why. We were currently in a taxi, and the listener was right in front of us.

“Then I’ll make arrangements.”

The yellow taxi sped through the noon city. The taxi crossed a towering bridge above the sea and quickly entered the maze-like city, dropping us off in front of the hotel.

I pulled out her suitcase from the trunk. While I was paying the driver, Francesca stepped out of the taxi, and I threw her a question.

“Looks like you’ll have to stay at the hotel for a while.”

“I guess so. I’ll have to think more about changing accommodations.”

“Right. By the way, don’t you have any plans left for your schedule?”

“Well…”

Francesca trailed off as she pulled her carry-on, deep in thought about her upcoming itinerary. Her contemplation continued even while she rode the elevator up to her room.

Finally, as the elevator doors opened and we stepped onto the carpeted corridor, Francesca’s tightly closed lips finally began to part.

“I don’t have any tasks to handle, nor any appointments lined up. While spending time with the Hero after returning to the Magic Tower would be nice…”

She paused for a moment, then added quietly.

“But for the time being, I’ll be with the Colonel…”

It was then that the doorbell rang.

The sound of the bell filled the otherwise silent corridor in an instant. Interrupting her thoughts, Francesca pulled out her mobile phone from her pocket.

“What call is it?”

“I don’t know. It’s not a saved number.”

“Then don’t answer it. There’s nothing good about picking up a strange number.”

“But this is a call from the Secretariat.”

Francesca was sure that the number displayed on the screen was from the Secretariat. When I asked how she was so sure, she replied,

“The work phones from the Secretariat have the same last digits. This number ends with the same digits as my work phone.”

“Then it might be an important call. You should answer it.”

As she answered the call, I used the key received from the front desk to open my room. I turned on the lights in Francesca’s room first, then went into my room, pulling out eavesdropping and camera detection equipment from my suitcase.

Carrying the equipment in both hands, I stepped out into the corridor and saw Francesca still on the phone, her expression seemingly troubled.

“…Yes. I understand. Don’t cry. I’ll be there soon.”

-‘……’

“Can you give me the address? I’ll head there right away. Yes, wait there.”

I approached her as she hung up the call.

“What was that about?”

“It was a call from a Secretariat staff member.”

“That didn’t sound good at all. There’s nothing wrong, right?”

Francesca shook her head with a troubled expression. That meant there was indeed a problem.

Returning to my room, I hid the equipment securely, locked the door, and stepped back into the corridor.

“I don’t know where we’re going, but let’s check it out. Please tell me what’s going on along the way.”

“I don’t know exactly either. She was crying throughout the call, so it wasn’t easy to understand. But…”

“But what?”

“The caller is someone you know. A person the Colonel is familiar with.”

Someone I know? A Secretariat staff member?

I cocked my head in confusion. I could only think of two staff members I knew, including Francesca.

“Is it Martinez?”

“No, not that Martinez. It’s Gabi Schneider.”

“Gabi Schneider? Hmmm… I haven’t heard of her.”

“She’s someone you shouldn’t be unfamiliar with according to the Colonel.”

As Francesca pressed the elevator button, a perplexed expression crossed her face as she added,

“She’s the person you asked me to investigate back then. Do you remember? The list of Secretariat staff.”

With the mention of the list of Secretariat staff, a scene flashed through my mind for a moment.

The list of Secretariat employees I investigated under Leonie’s instructions during the northern deployment.

The memory suddenly resurfaced, and I turned back to Francesca.

“Is she in Patalia right now?”

“Yes.”

Francesca nodded.

“I don’t know the exact context, but Gabi Schneider was crying and pleading with me about something.”

“What was it?”

“Jean Marbo.”

The civil servant from the Magic Tower Secretariat added, “She asked us to find a missing Secretariat employee.”

 

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