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Suddenly, the tension and anxiety surged within him like a truck without brakes. Just hours ago, he was running a humble cafe, but now he recalled a phrase from a regular customer who claimed to love reading.

BANG! CLUNK! The drawers rattled noisily.

The glass cups scattered in the wide-open cupboard and sink, while the pulled-out drawers and clothes strewn across the floor mirrored his chaotic and anxious mind.

He paced around interior that resembled a scene from a hurricane. With his dirty shoes trampling on his cherished belongings, he looked like a robber, but in reality, he was the rightful tenant of the house he had entered through a legitimate contract.

How a self-employed man running a simple shop ended up in such a state was a mystery to anyone.

All that was known was that the regular who claimed to enjoy reading had handed him a hefty fee, and without hesitation to clear his debt-ridden life, he took the money.

In an instant, he had become a fugitive, rummaging through the house like someone chased by creditors, gathering anything that seemed valuable.

Episode 13 – No Country for Magicians

DING-DONG!

The sudden sound of a bell froze the man’s hand, which had been hastily collecting the payment he had hidden away.

His mind, taut with tension and anxiety, felt like cold water washing over him, calming him momentarily.

Wiping the cold sweat from his face, he peeked through the spyhole, revealing two police officers standing at the door.

“Police. Bonasera?” One officer gently knocked on the door.

Upon hearing “police,” the man called Bonasera felt his heart drop. He trembled as if awaiting a death sentence.

“We came in regards to a report filed today. You received the contact earlier, didn’t you?”

“……”

Though the officers mumbled something, Bonasera couldn’t hear it. No, he didn’t want to hear it.

At that moment, he could have surrendered to the police. He envisioned welcoming them in, serving coffee to create a soft atmosphere, then spinning tales to clear any lingering accusations, or even sending them back when they relaxed. But, Bonasera didn’t do that.

Regaining clarity, he found himself squeezing into the narrow window of the restroom. Balancing on the thin outdoor unit, he climbed the metal ladder designed for fire escapes.

Though caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the police, his legs moved of their own accord. Scaling the ladder, with a bag full of cash slung over him, Bonasera found himself awkwardly traversing the roof and realized,

“Yeah, this was something the bookworm regular mentioned.”

“……”

In a trance-like state, his legs led him to a secluded alley near the villa. As he numbly scanned the rendezvous point, he spotted a parked car.

Two men stood around the vehicle, wearing unimpressed expressions, smoking cigarettes.

Struggling to control his steps, Bonasera approached the men, stuttering out the agreed words, “Hey, poppy….”

“……”

The gazes of the two smoking men shifted toward Bonasera. One of them looked him up and down before opening the passenger door, stating, “Get in.”

That seemed to be the signal. One man crushed his cigarette with his foot and climbed into the driver’s seat, while the one who had beckoned Bonasera took a seat directly behind the passenger.

The men spoke no further words, but it felt as though they threatened him to get in or be left behind.

Feeling uneasy with the cold welcome, Bonasera quickly scanned the surroundings to confirm no one was watching and hopped into the passenger seat. He then fixed his gaze on the driver.

Yet, the driver didn’t start the vehicle nor even turn on the ignition.

“Seatbelt.”

“Ah….”

It wasn’t until that moment that Bonasera realized he hadn’t buckled his seatbelt. Fumbling with shaking hands, repeating an amateurish mistake, he struggled for quite some time before finally fastening the belt and leaning back in relief.

Then, all at once.

“Cough…!”

The sound from the back seat was like a zipper being pulled down.

Before he knew it, the Information Officer who had snuck a thin, strong cord around Bonasera’s neck pushed the seat back, choking him. Bonasera, with wild eyes, banged on the window and kicked the glove box, but within thirty seconds, his consciousness slipped away, and he collapsed.

“……”

“…Is that it?”

“Yeah, he’s dead.”

With his colleague’s casual remark from the driver’s seat, the Information Officer finally released his grip on the cord.

He went through a simple confirmation procedure for the agent’s death. Everything that followed was as predictable as could be.

“Let’s disguise it as a mafia killing. The evidence is in the passenger seat.”

“Let’s get rid of him first.”

Retrieving the rope, the Information Officer dragged Bonasera’s body from the passenger seat.

While he concealed several pieces of forged evidence at the scene, his colleague pulled out a security device, signaling that the cleanup was complete and informing the company.

“Let’s go.”

The Information Officer took Bonasera’s spot and swiftly drove away from the site.

In the chilling morning air of the alley, when the police arrived following a resident’s report at dawn, all that remained was the lifeless body of the cafe owner.

*

It didn’t take long after waking for him to find himself alone with the villa’s owner.

“You’re awake.”

“Francesca.”

Perhaps to prove this was her residence, Francesca’s attire looked remarkably casual.

Dressed like an aristocrat in silks that seemed too delicate to be worn anywhere but a royal chamber, she looked as though even the slightest movement might send her clothing fluttering away.

Fortunately, she had draped a robe over her outfit. They say the wealthy decline but keep some remnants of their lineage. Despite her fall from grace, she retained her noble demeanor.

As she tightened her collar against the chilly breeze, she stepped onto the terrace and spoke to me.

“I had no choice but to leave you to sleep since you wouldn’t wake up. Did you sleep well?”

“Thanks to you.”

“And your body?”

“Not bad….”

In truth, however, his body had long been in a quite horrible state. Even without torture, he was mentally exhausted and lacked energy due to not having food and water on time. Sleep alone wouldn’t rejuvenate his broken state.

Nonetheless, grateful for a peaceful rest after a long while, he expressed his appreciation to the homeowner.

“Thank you for looking after me.”

“Don’t mention it.”

With a calm expression, Francesca responded, but in her gaze, he caught a hint of something unusual passing through.

So, he casually tossed out a question, “Is there something you want to say?”

“……”

Francesca’s once composed demeanor cracked slightly. She hesitated as if she had missed her moment to speak and fell silent, staring blankly into space while she pondered how to begin.

“Colonel.”

“Go ahead.”

“What happened last night?”

Francesca turned her head to fix her gaze upon him.

“Miss Schneider disappeared, and you vanished as well. The cafe owner suddenly ran off and hasn’t appeared since.”

“……”

“It seems something happened that I’m unaware of, but do you have any intention of telling me about it now?”

That was an easy question to answer. So, without hesitation, he replied,

“It’s best not to know.”

As the breeze mixed with the scent of the sea gently embraced him and the warm sunlight tickled his nose, Francesca simply looked at him with an unchanging, calm expression.

When her silence finally broke…

The wind howled fiercely, snatching my luscious hair like a playful spirit and lifting it high into the sky.

“Please take a break and don’t do anything for a while. If you have something to discuss, come to the workshop at the eastern end of the second floor.”

“…….”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

As the landlord left, I silently gazed out at the sea from the terrace.

The dark blue waves undulating before me were breathtakingly beautiful, resembling descriptions from classic literature. The sky was clear and blue, as if it had unraveled fine threads.

Basking in the warm sunlight, I lifted my gaze to the high sun above.

The blazing red sun was extremely hot.

Hot enough to kill a person.

*

Although Francesca and Leoni had asked me not to do anything, unfortunately, their words held no sway over a hipster like me.

After a long nap, I threw on my neatly folded clothes that had been stuffed in my bag and headed for the Kingdom of Abas Consulate in Galbria. Since Galbria is a logistics hub with a large harbor, entering the city meant encountering various diplomatic missions set up by countries from all over.

Upon arriving at the consulate, my first task was to report to the office.

-‘…You changed accommodations?’

“Yes, that’s correct.”

-‘Thanks for telling me right away, but this is a bit…’

In the secure office where confidential communications took place, Colonel Clevenz spoke with a flustered tone.

-‘It’s not just a bit; it’s quite alarming. What’s the reason for the sudden move?’

The reason was simple.

“Well, if I don’t report to the company, wouldn’t Leoni, who pushes operations without a word, send his staff to stuff me in a van again?”

-‘…Ah.’

A small sigh came through the secure line. With an exasperated tone, Clevenz finally spoke up.

-‘Weren’t you supposed to go straight to the embassy after receiving my call?’

“I was planning to. Embassy or anywhere else.”

As expected, the reason Clevenz opened the secure line and directly called me just before the kidnapping operation began was to extract me from the scene.

I had tried to probe a little with my question, but I was surprised at how quickly he answered. Clevenz began to divulge details of the incident as if he had nothing left to hide.

-‘I had prior knowledge that an operation was to take place in Patalia. The committee ordered me to maintain security, so I didn’t mention it to you… Damn it. Why on earth did you go there? It’s hundreds of kilometers away from your vacation spot.’

I answered honestly.

“Gabi Schneider called in tears, saying that her boyfriend, Jean Marbo, suddenly went missing and asked for help to find him.”

-‘That informant of yours, the alchemist?’

“Yes.”

-‘Does Leoni know?’

“He was right there with me.”

-‘He must’ve found out before me.’

Leoni and the information officers involved in the kidnapping operation had already caught on. Clevenz also knew that Francesca was one of the informants, so it wouldn’t cause any trouble to speak about it.

I was able to hear the facts of the incident from Clevenz. Why the kidnapping operation was carried out, why it specifically targeted Patalia, and why Gabi Schneider was the target.

The answer was beyond my imagination.

“…Gabi Schneider is a terrorist?”

-‘To be precise, she’s one of the prominent suspects.’

It turned out that Gabi Schneider, who was kidnapped and tortured by the Military Intelligence Agency, was surprisingly a terrorist.

How that crying, snot-nosed person could be compared to terrorists like ISIS or the Taliban was beyond me, but Clevenz wasn’t the type to joke about such things.

-‘I can’t reveal much over communications, but she’s one of the terrorists responsible for several murders. She’s still treated as a suspect because the charges have yet to be recognized.’

“…Where does she operate?”

-‘Mauritania Continent.’

Again with Mauritania. Even the intelligence agencies treated it like a underworld realm in Africa and the Middle East, and now she was tangled up with that shady place.

Wait a second.

If Gabi Schneider is a terrorist, then what about the missing Jean Marbo and the listed magicians?

“So that list is…?”

-‘Pretty much what you’re thinking.’

“…….”

Clevenz avoided providing specific answers, but that was already sufficient. The list of employees that Leoni ordered to investigate was a list of suspects believed to be terrorists active in the Mauritania Continent.

Calling them suspects might be an understatement. To go so far as to kidnap someone meant there must’ve been some evidence. No wonder the employees beat Gabi Schneider senseless.

-‘We’ll discuss the details after your vacation ends. I’ll make sure you have a place to stay.’

“Okay.”

Having achieved my intended purpose and gathered some information, my returns didn’t end there.

Just as I was about to exit the building, an information officer from the consulate approached cautiously, whispering to me about unexpected news.

“A bonus?”

“Yes. The company issued a bonus.”

It was news that the Military Intelligence Agency had issued a bonus. Given it wasn’t the season for bonuses, I was perplexed, but then a thought flashed through my mind: wasn’t this more like a consolation payment?

Typically, when something goes awry or an incident occurs, intelligence agencies would offer some kind of compensation to the affected personnel. If caught in counterintelligence and imprisoned for years, they’d be reassigned to better positions, and if serving abroad, they might receive vacations to allied countries. When I had been carried off to the military hospital after the terrorist incident in the department store, I’d received compensation in that manner.

Sure enough, the information officer succinctly concluded with one line, offering nothing further.

“It’s a bonus from the director. It’s been deposited into your account at the foreign bank in Patalia, so please retrieve it as soon as possible. And take this too.”

“What is this…?”

“It’s a potion.”

The officer handed me a military-grade potion. It was a high-performance potion supplied by Abas Pharmaceuticals to the military.

While it didn’t have any effect on illnesses, nor could it neutralize the healing of priests, it was incredible at healing wounds and recovering from trauma. I immediately consumed the potion as soon as I received it.

“Ugh….”

It tasted as bitter as foul herbal medicine, filling my mouth with an unpleasant flavor, yet contrary to my ruined taste buds, my body was quickly recovering from its injuries. The officer told me there were more if needed, but taking potions too often wasn’t good for the body, so I declined.

After leaving the consulate, I headed to the bank to find the account set up by my company.

Honestly, consolation payments or not, it felt like they were trying to buy off my ordeal with money, which didn’t sit well with me.

But then again, the amount in the bank was enormous.

“…What the hell is this.”

The consolation payment given under the guise of a bonus was far more than I had anticipated. The sum amounted to several times, no, tens of times my first salary as a colonel.

If the account had been built over three years, the amount spent on paperwork must have been significant as well. Seeing them blow the entire account just to hand over a consolation payment was quite ridiculous.

Calculating the amount displayed on the screen with my eyes, I confirmed it was equivalent to at least five years of a colonel’s salary deposited as compensation.

Although my irritation wasn’t entirely gone, the sum was substantial enough to make me consider continuing to show up for work. Furthermore, it was all under the table, untaxed money that the tax authorities were oblivious to.

As I wondered whether to throw my resignation letter in front of Leoni or not, I was momentarily dazed by the staggering sum. Slowly, however, realistic challenges began to cloud my mind.

“…How do I even carry this?”

It’s a whopping five years’ worth of salary.

Hauling around that much cash would be insane. Since the amount was too large and cumbersome to withdraw at once, I contacted Clevenz, requesting that today’s bonus be deposited into my personal account. The Military Intelligence Agency skillfully laundered the money by dividing it into accounts of foreign ghost companies with low corporate taxes before depositing it into my account under my name.

Perhaps it was the whirlwind of complicated events like kidnapping, terrorists, and whatnot occurring in such a short time, but even as I leaped with joy at the substantial consolation payment, I found myself staring blankly into space as I left the counter.

Even as I arrived at Francesca’s villa, my mind remained in a haze.

“…….”

Walking with my spirit drained, I came upon the magnificent villa of Francesca. With its red roof and white walls, the cliff-top villa looked as if it had popped out of a painting.

I couldn’t buy such a palace with just five years’ salary, but if I served for another ten years and saved up for retirement, I might be able to afford a three-story single-family house in the luxurious resort area known for its sky-high land prices in southeastern Abas.

No, I could definitely buy it. If a civil servant serves for a certain period, the taxes incurred during the buy are discounted by the government.

…Am I going to be kidnapped again?

As such foolish thoughts crossed my mind, I shook my head against the brisk ocean breeze, sending my whimsical musings scattering with the wind. No matter how I thought about it, it was an unrealistic notion.

Just as I approached the villa and was about to ring the doorbell, my phone rang unexpectedly.

Checking the number displayed on the screen, I let out a deep sigh reflexively.

“Ah, what is it.”

A slightly whimsical, playful voice came through the phone.

-‘Looks like you’re not calling me “Dear” anymore, Colonel?’

“Uh… Did you have a drink during the day or something?”

It was Veronica.

 

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