Chapter 123
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Listening device. Who passed it on?”
“Uh…?”
The administrator blinked and tilted his head as if trying to understand.
“I know you’re close to my sister.”
“…….”
“Isn’t it obvious you have a rough idea about who passed that information to you, Colonel?”
The alchemist smiled lightly. He pressed his lips together, squinted his eyes, and formed a sly grin.
It was a smile that seemed to mean both yes and no at the same time.
In response, I raised my glass with a blank expression.
The strong scent of alcohol pierced my nose.
“Why are you acting like this? I’m with the Information Department.”
“……?”
“I can tell just by looking at the script whose work it is.”
—
Episode 6 – A Spy’s Perspective
—
“…What do you mean?”
“Why are you asking so many questions when you already know? You’ve pretty much run out of options. What, are you hoping to gather some leftover crumbs?”
There’s a term called information superiority.
It refers to the gap between an information officer who controls and manipulates informants from behind the scenes, and the informants under that officer’s control.
The information officer knows everything about the informants, while, conversely, the informants know almost nothing about the information officer.
To put it simply…
“Veronica doesn’t know with whom I’m speaking, when I get off work, or even where I’m going afterward.”
“…….”
The information officer must know everything, while the informant should know nothing.
The informants should only know what information they must gather.
Countless intelligence agencies uphold this principle.
The National Intelligence Service did, and so did the intelligence departments. The Military Intelligence Corps and the police followed suit. They not only gather domestic information but also target defectors to collect intelligence on North Korea.
Not to mention intelligence agencies like the CIA, SIS, DGSE, BND, MSS, and Mossad, where modern operational tactics, technologies, and the fundamentals of intelligence studies all originate.
Of course, not everyone was like this from the start.
During the Cold War, when no proper human intelligence operations were established, numerous information officers suffered as a result of failing to maintain this principle. Some had to watch their informants die, while others were captured by enemy nations and forced to disclose the information they knew; some even lost their lives.
Exchanging ideas between agencies, conducting firsthand operations, and refining what senior officers left behind—all of that contributed to establishing the current state of affairs.
So,
“Then how could that woman have passed my call information to you?”
“…….”
“She only knows my hotel room number.”
It was pure nonsense to think Veronica passed my call information to Francesca Ranieri.
I would never act that way.
Never.
“Well, it means that someone who knows me extremely well passed the information….”
“…….”
“Who could that be?”
There’s no one with any connection to me in the Information Management Office or the Defense Attaché Office. Although my colleague works here, he’s been assigned to the headquarters desk due to rotation.
Likewise, there’s no one at the Magic Tower who knows me. At most, Dr. Dmitri and Sophia would be aware. But Dmitri is part of Sophia’s management assets, and Sophia has been a longtime acquaintance working for the National Security Agency. In fact, the one under surveillance is the lady sitting right in front of me.
So it isn’t Dmitri or Sophia.
Could it be a third-party country?
No. I’ve only been working in this area for three years, so aside from Sophia, I don’t have deep connections with other agency personnel.
Of course, Francesca Ranieri did spend some time abroad, but that was in the Empire—the place where I conducted my operations.
Typically, intelligence agencies don’t socialize with agents from the country they’re operating in. That’s how I became acquainted with Sophia, who is part of the Patalia intelligence agency. Had I been in charge of the Empire rather than Patalia, I wouldn’t have had any opportunity to get to know Sophia or the National Security Agency agents.
Similarly, although I’ve had a few drinks with my “sister” in China, I never drank with any communists. I recall having a brief encounter with a woman who joined the Polish Communist Party. Anyway…
Perhaps there could be some records of me in the Imperial Guard’s archives. But if Francesca Ranieri had contact with the Imperial Guard, Sophia would have noticed. And—
“I knew you would do something like this. You revolution’s traitor!”
“What?!”
“Administrator, please think a bit more broadly about politics!”
“Ugh.”
…It would have gone downhill like that. Of course, if it’s Sophia’s nature, she’d cover it up as a murder disguised as robbery.
In any case, it isn’t the Empire either.
So who could it be?
“…Hmm.”
Realistically, there are only three people in the Magic Tower who know me well enough and have the authority to gather information about me.
One is Jake, who came from the Special Forces of Abas and entered the Military Intelligence Agency. The other is Pippin, who used to work in the Naval Analysis Unit and was recommended to the Military Intelligence Agency.
And the last one is—
“…Wow.”
“…….”
“What a golden vacation to be working on.”
It’s someone I know well too.
*
“So you suspected me?”
“Yes.”
“Must be a bumper crop of nonsense.”
Leoni snickered while ridiculing me casually.
“Are you really going to believe the words of someone you’ve known for less than a month?”
“That woman didn’t say anything. To be honest, I never believed her. I just trusted my judgment.”
A former operative of the Military Intelligence Agency’s Imperial Division.
A former Chief of the Imperial Division of the Military Intelligence Agency.
A former Chief of the Lushan Federal Kingdom Division of the Military Intelligence Agency.
And the current Secretary of the National Operations Division of the Royal Intelligence Department, Leoni, nodded.
“I thought you’d be overwhelmed handling domestic affairs after all this time spent as an advisor overseas. You still seem sharp. Youth must have its perks. I figured you’d have lost your touch after working under that Clevenz fellow.”
“Please choose your words carefully. Even if he’s a junior colleague, he’s still a department head.”
“What? Trying to play the snitch?”
I shrugged.
“Please answer me first.”
“Etiquette…”
The senior officer chastised the rude junior. Even if it’s not the Military Intelligence Agency, Leoni had already been active in the military while I was studying at the Academy; he’s hardly just a senior.
Set all that aside, though; Leoni isn’t just any military senior; he’s the head of the Royal Intelligence Department. To put it in South Korean terms, he’s not just with Military Intelligence; he’s from the National Intelligence Service. I’m not sure what kind of treatment that means since he’s not a long-term assignment, but it distinguishes him from a special recruitment position.
“So did the Secretary send Francesca Ranieri?”
The head of the Royal Intelligence Department replied.
“Yeah, I think I recall meeting that person. Is that enough?”
“…….”
As expected, the person who sent Francesca Ranieri was Leoni, not Veronica.
It’s not the best answer, but at least my question had been resolved—for now.
However, more questions lingered in my mind.
“Why did you do it?”
In response to my question, Leoni answered.
“There’s a project we plan to launch from the Magic Tower. We need her help with that.”
“What kind of project?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. After all, won’t you rush to Clevenz and ask him about it?”
“…….”
Point taken.
I nodded in agreement with her response and shifted to a more productive question.
“If you’re undertaking a project at the Magic Tower, the Empire won’t simply sit on its hands. And Patalia won’t do so either.”
“That’s none of your concern. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if I make a mess of things at the Magic Tower or not.”
“I’m saying this because I’ve been dispatched to the Magic Tower.”
“Hmph.”
Leoni scoffed dismissively. It was more of a derisive laugh than a jest.
Leoni paused for a moment, only to suddenly throw out an unexpected comment.
“You’re quite capable. It’s your fourth year in the field now, right?”
“…….”
“While you might have lacked experience immediately after trying your hand at intelligence work, you shot up the ranks in no time. You caught a spy and got into the Intelligence Agency right away. Before long, you were stationed abroad, promoted to the rank of captain within just three years. Is that correct?”
“Why are you asking if you already know the answer?”
“I was curious. It’s impressive how quickly you’ve been thriving since you just joined the team. Speaking of which, it’s promotion season, isn’t it? While others in your cohort are just now securing their captain ranks, you’ve already made it to major. That’s quite something.”
Leoni casually mused.
“Hmm.”
As he sat in silence, pondering something, Leoni changed the topic back to Francesca Ranieri.
“That woman is perfect as an informant.”
“…….”
“She belongs to both Patalia and the Magic Tower, yet she has no real place in either. Just like those people beyond the border.”
What Leoni was referencing wasn’t material—it was psychological.
“On one hand, she questions ideologies, while on the other, she fears betrayal.”
“Are you saying her motivating factor for defection is revenge?”
“That’s too simplistic a viewpoint. Can you really reduce a person’s psyche to just that?”
The motivation for defection is multifaceted.
An operative spoke about the human psyche.
What drives people are their beliefs represented by ideologies, the values that have seeped into their lives over time. Utilizing that is both her profession and mine, so it was worth pondering.
“Francesca Ranieri is under surveillance by the National Security Agency, right?”
“I know.”
The Ranieri family is regarded as a symbol of the fraternity between Patalia and the Magic Tower, claiming descent from the father of their nation, a wizard from Patalia. Thus, Patalia and the Magic Tower frequently supported each other’s national projects.
Urban development projects.
Establishment of educational institutions.
Export and import of magic.
Import of raw materials and export of goods.
Patalia-Magic Tower academic exchanges.
Joint development of weapon systems, and much more.
The problem is,
“Then you’re also aware that the Magic Tower has turned their back on the Ranieri family.”
“…….”
The Magic Tower essentially forsook the Ranieri family.
More precisely, after the Ranieri family expressed resentment towards the Patalia Republic government, which had confiscated their rights, both governments feared that it could escalate into a diplomatic issue.
Of course, there was a political agreement involved. The Magic Tower ensured the legitimacy of the newly established Patalia government, while Patalia maintained collaborations made under the dictatorial regime with the Magic Tower.
For the sake of face, they couldn’t abandon an alliance just to protect a family, thus opting to shatter that symbolic bond. Therefore, even now, 20 years later, the Ranieri family remains under the control of the National Security Agency, stripped of all power and reduced to mere symbolism.
Thus, the Ranieri family became the traitors of the revolution.
The only one who managed to evade that icy blade was the alchemist who fled to become a civil servant in the Magic Tower.
“What else is there?”
“Before coming to the Magic Tower, that woman directly signed documents for the National Security Agency, agreeing to keep quiet during her studies there.”
Of course, the surveillance by the National Security Agency never weakened.
After all, it is an intelligence agency.
“Physical contact with her family and any communication, wired or wireless, was prohibited. Likewise, entering politics was off the table as well. Whether she became a bureaucrat or a businessperson, the National Security Agency wouldn’t interfere; however, her entering the council or sitting as an Oracle would be a disaster, wouldn’t it?”
“…When did she come to study abroad?”
“She came in just under 10 years ago, so it’s been at least 12 years since she started. She even attended university here.”
Francesca Ranieri is in her late twenties. When her father was accused of instigating a civil war and surveillance began, the timeline matches up. It’s like she had a mark on her since the age one would start elementary school.
Doing a quick calculation, it somewhat checks out.
“She lived apart from her family even as a minor. Was there really enough reason to monitor her that way?”
“The family with the father of the constitution holds substantial influence in the magical society. If she gets her hands on power and stirs trouble, it could lead to civil war rather than just a deterioration of diplomatic relations. The Patalia Republic military may shoot a wizard, and in turn, the Patalia wizards may burn the Republic troops. Or just like in the Empire, there might be a preemptive arrest where they round everyone up, or the president might go insane and roll tanks through the square.”
“…….”
“Would you let such a threat slide?”
Pride of one’s nation and race, or being treated as a subversive due to familial ties as the child of a public security criminal in Patalia.
A descendant of the old revolutionaries, or the Magic Tower that cast aside its alliance for fear of deteriorating relations with Patalia.
Who is the true traitor of the revolution?
Patalia, who wouldn’t want to lose both political legitimacy and its collaboration with the Magic Tower?
The Magic Tower, who weighs the significance of its closest ally against the family founded by the father of their nation?
The Ranieri family, who carelessly gibber and are stamped as subversive?
It’s not a question that easily resolves. That’s why no one cares about such petty, political, and philosophical matters.
It’s simply not their business.
But for young Francesca Ranieri, that was likely the only question on her mind.
Fear for the future.
Surveillance that follows her as she steps outside her front door.
A listening device that automatically activates when she picks up the receiver.
The indignity felt being pointed at for merely being a family name.
The frustration that comes from seeing a future blocked by inherent attributes rather than abilities.
That bomb planted in the corner of her heart fueled her feelings of rage.
Having experienced all that over her years of life, I had nothing else I could say.
But the question that arises here is one.
Who will pull the trigger?
I don’t know.
“…….”
Neither Francesca Ranieri nor Leoni, so I couldn’t know who would aid in expressing that rage.
But I do know how Francesca Ranieri’s fate will unfold.
“Well, maybe I’ll just make her an operative. You should be retiring soon…”
“Are you trying to provoke me because you think I’m old?”
“What I mean is, you’ve acquired quite a bit of experience—well, that’s what I meant to say.”
“You little brat… the way you talk.”
The head of the Royal Intelligence Department spat out in annoyance.
“Of course, thanks to you, things went smoother. Be thankful your head’s still attached because of that.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Was it Sophia? The information officer monitoring the administrator. Ever since you showed up, she’s been absent more frequently to meet you.”
“…….”
“I must say that made things considerably easier. I never expected you’d be the one assisting me here.”
Leoni, having indirectly expressed thanks, spoke from the perspective of operational management.
“Regardless of the motives behind the administrator’s infiltration, it’s irrelevant. What matters is who they have been brought in by.”
While it may sound like an insane idea to an ordinary person, unfortunately, this was her daily bread.
An operative isn’t James Bond, charging through enemy lines with guns blazing; they’re the puppet masters, pulling strings through a person’s limbs.
“What the administrator is looking for is someone to hand them a knife. And I hope that someone is Abas.”
The operative got up from her seat and handed me a file.
“Take it.”
Make sure to control and manipulate her.
“This is a gift for you.”
“…….”
Leoni spoke as though Francesca Ranieri was not a person but an item. While an ordinary person might think of her as a deeply troubled individual, I understood her.
An adept operative can’t view an asset as human. Investing feelings in someone whose fate is uncertain, who could be let go at any time, would be difficult to endure. There’s a reason agencies like the CIA and the National Intelligence Service employ therapists.
And the woman before my eyes is the most competent operative of them all.
“…As soon as the Royal Intelligence Department or Military Intelligence Agency considers Francesca as an asset, the National Security Agency and Integrated Intelligence Department will surely protest.”
“That’s a matter for politicians, not for operatives like you to handle. Besides, I already have a plan.”
Leoni placed the file down in front of me and took a seat.
“And.”
In a seemingly fatigued manner, he nonchalantly proclaimed,
“If we’re keeping a saint as an informant, we ought to have someone of decent standing like the administrator in her lineup, don’t you think?”
“…Were you monitoring me?”
“What, did you think I would leave you unmonitored?”
Leoni smiled. It was a twisted and distorted grin.
“Think about your position. You’re not just a diplomat but also a military officer and a comrade to a hero. If you’d be expelled for spying, do you think either Abas or the cult would be able to handle the aftermath?”
“…….”
“Even if your identity hasn’t been compromised, the moment you’re overseas, you’re not free from surveillance. Domestic matters might be different, but the moment you step outside, that’s a whole different story. In a similar vein, your buried secret involving Cardinal Raul is also fair game.”
“…….”
“Why? You’re surprised that the Royal Intelligence Department knows of that?”
Leoni leaned back, putting his weight into the chair.
“The Royal Intelligence Department is a national intelligence agency. We can view information produced by the Military Intelligence Agency, the Cabinet Security Office, the Special Investigation Bureau, and the Magic Department. By the way, didn’t I mention before that there’s no such thing as a secret in this world?”
“…….”
“If that gets out, the Inquisition might be dismantled, and the cardinal Raphael, who’s expected to rise, would have his head in the guillotine. The cult would split and engage in civil war, each disputing which theological interpretation is correct.”
At that moment, I became curious about the expression on my face. Looking back at my reflection in the glass, I looked like my usual self.
The image reflected in the rain-drenched window seemed unsettlingly familiar.
Staying silent, simply observing the dim world outside, the director’s voice echoed clearly.
“In that sense, that thing you’re selling… La Cardeñal? Investigating the drug trade in the Economy Management Department of the Magic Tower Secretariat. You should let that one slide.”
“Are you telling me to ignore the drug problem?”
“If it’s tied to the Economy Management Department, it could shake the entire Magic Tower. Mess that up, and it could eventually drag the administrator down too. No matter how much of a public security criminal she is, she’s still a Patalian citizen. The moment she’s apprehended, control shifts to the National Security Agency. If she ever grabs the knife handle, we could be the ones getting cut. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“…….”
“So that’s why you should keep it quiet. Just like with the cardinal’s secret.”
“…Why should I do that?”
The Royal Intelligence Department director scoffed at my question.
“If the drug operation comes to light, it wouldn’t spell good news for both the Magic Tower and the Patalia government. Do you really think the government could maintain a good standing when their ally is caught dealing drugs?”
“I’ve heard the Patalia government has high approval ratings right now.”
“The uproar will be from the opposition. When this alliance has poured so much money into the National Security Agency, how could they pretend they didn’t know when their ally is selling drugs on their own turf?”
“Right now, it’s election season in Patalia. If the issue arises before the elections, the ruling party would get pushed out, and if the opposition gains a two-thirds majority, the government could topple. The next local elections would likely produce a landslide victory for the opposition. Then what about the next general election? If the regime in that place changes, Abas’s government and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and agencies will have their hands full.”
“…….”
“Sure, counter-terrorism, industrial security, and international crime investigations can be complex. But do the citizens care? Have they ever shown concern about what we do? People don’t pay attention to that. What’s essential is that opposition members catch a significant charge to attack the ruling party just before general elections.”
Patalia is simply asking to be left undisturbed.
Simultaneously, though, without uttering anything further, she was also suggesting that ultimately, all of this was for Abas.
The change in governmental policy that could arise from changing alliances. The upheaval in the continent’s magical society upon the collapse of the Magic Tower. The shifting international landscape, with the Kien Empire poised to strike. The multitude of countries ready to pounce upon the decaying tower. A smirk from Raphael of the Inquisition, wielding the blade of the inquisition.
The lesser evil chosen to prevent the greater evil.
The numerous issues that outcome could bring.
The world’s problems are far from simple; they’re a convoluted mess that can’t be neatly untangled.
The age of madness bears the name of the Cold War. An iron curtain dividing the world east and west, propaganda flooding the airwaves, splitting minds asunder.
The icy winds that blew then have also cast a shadow here.
“This is not an investigative agency like the police or the judicial branch; it’s an intelligence agency. And you’re an operative.”
“…….”
“What can be done? It’s my job.”
The senior officer from the Military Intelligence Agency spoke.
Don’t overstep your bounds and mind your conduct.
“You’re still young and full of potential. You may lack experience now, but time will remedy that. Just by standing still, you’ll eventually rise high. So don’t let your idealism about justice get you all worked up, running about here and there unnecessarily. I’m saying this out of concern.”
The director spoke crisply.
“Thus, as the head of the Royal Intelligence Department,”
“I’m not giving commands for the first and last time,” Leonie said.
“Let’s wrap it up.”
I sat in silence, lost in thought, long after her words had ended.
Leonie stared at me intently, adjusted her glasses on her nose, and began to organize the scattered documents on her desk, issuing a dismissal.
“It seems like our conversation is over, so I’ll get going. I have nothing more to say.”
Slowly, I stood up and turned around.
With a demeanor that couldn’t quite tell if I was escaping or moving forward, I walked toward the door.
“…….”
Just as the door creaked open and began to close slowly, I caught a glimpse of the intense gaze of the chief behind the door.
And I heard her voice.
“Oh, by the way. Congratulations on your promotion, Colonel.”
That was her last parting remark.
“I’ll see you again soon.”
*
A month passed.
In a certain hotel near the Magic Tower Trinity.
It was a five-star hotel room provided by the Magic Tower. I sat on the terrace, overlooking the city.
The streets, once filled with bustling crowds, were now littered with trash and broken sidewalks. Orcs and goblins donned in vests of sanitation workers were picking up garbage from the street, while a wizard, looking like a civil servant, flew in the sky, supervising the cleanup.
With my eyes closed and ears attentive, I could hear the distant blaring of the curfew siren. Suddenly, I noticed a few people standing by the roadside holding signs. Those who had lost their livelihoods were still demanding the government take action.
I sat there on the terrace for a long time, gazing at the world.
“What are you thinking about, Colonel?”
Turning at the sound of the voice, I found Veronica peeking her head onto the terrace.
“I was just pondering for a moment.”
“Is that so?”
Veronica approached with quick steps, stretching as she surveyed the Magic Tower laid out before us.
“Ah, the Magic Tower air is always refreshing. In front, there’s the city, in hand, there’s wine, and beside me….”
“…….”
“…A rather large bonfire, I see.”
Veronica looked at the flames rising from a metal trash can with a frown. She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, as if asking what I had burned.
“…Just some papers and a SIM card, burning a few odds and ends.”
“I see! Finished up with work, then?”
“Don’t you check the news?”
“I’m not a news watcher; I’m one of the people featured in the news.”
She chirped cheerfully as she sat beside me, holding one hand with wine and the other with two glasses—wine that was the same as what we had last time at the villa.
“I brought this since I drank it all last time. Can I drink it here?”
“Drinking during work is not allowed.”
“Oh, come on… You’re done with work, right? Don’t be such a loser; let’s head to the next room. Everyone’s there.”
A month had passed.
During that time, the operation had wrapped up, and the situation around the Magic Tower had stabilized. In fact, the aftermath had been more or less settled.
And that was something both I and she were well aware of.
Just then, the voice of an announcer from the television in the hotel room floated through the air to my ears.
[Today, a contract regarding the mana supply project between the Kien Empire’s Ministry of Magic and Magic Tower’s Magic Department was signed. A spokesperson for the Ministry stated that they intend to prioritize supplying the mana received from this contract to national critical facilities, medical facilities, transportation, and communication public services. Meanwhile, some are debating the reality of the Magic Tower’s inability to manage basic resources, prompting discourse…]
[The Ministry of Land Development, in collaboration with Patalian companies, is restoring the ruined infrastructure and road networks while investigating the cause of the fires and explosions that occurred in the underground. However, due to a shortage of investigative personnel, the first joint investigation report has been postponed…]
[The International Medical Cooperation Committee has expressed gratitude for Saint Lucia’s dedication in providing aid to casualties from both the protesters and the police over the past month. The chairman stated that Saint Lucia’s sacrifices and dedication, respecting all life equally regardless of race, age, gender, religion, or political belief…]
[The Kien Empire Police announced the official lifting of the preliminary arrests that began on the 7th. The police have plans to sequentially release over 300 wizards…]
[In the past month, a single individual resolved the issue of the overflow of harmful creatures that arose from the withdrawal of private military companies across the country. According to our exclusive report, that person is none other than the continent’s most renowned celebrity, the Dragon…]
[Abas’ Minister of Finance appeared before the Joint Economic Committee of the upper and lower houses to respond to questions from legislators about new measures for Abas companies, including those entering international markets…]
[Cardinal Raphael officially mentioned Saint Lucia’s relief efforts during the National Affairs Council meeting. Raphael stated, ‘Only love leads to peace; we must spare no effort to heal this ailing world, plagued by disaster and war’…]
I looked at Veronica in disbelief.
“Love and peace? The Cult, huh?”
“That was the most plausible speech they could muster. Those old-timers really struggle with crafting speeches. Raphael can play the propaganda game, but when it comes to soft-spoken words, he’s just terrible. I lent him a hand.”
“Doesn’t really fit the image of the Inquisition Director.”
“Should I cheer on the Magic Tower’s incompetence and proclaim a crusade, then?”
“Were you thinking of doing that?”
“Please, don’t even mention it. I just barely managed to prevent those stubborn old-timers from starting a war….”
By “stubborn old-timer,” she referred not to secularists but to radical fundamentalists. Not just any radicals but the vicious kind—those who twisted doctrines due to their extreme devotion and ended up worshiping a distorted faith. They often resemble terrorists, slicing throats while dressed like spa-goers.
Perhaps because of that, Veronica spoke with a sense of pride.
Of course, the reason Veronica was in this hotel, under the watchful eye of the Magic Tower Police, wasn’t because she was a saint or a savior that prevented the war between the Cult and the Magic Tower.
“Ta-da! Here’s my real passport!”
“I’ve seen it more than five times, can you please stop….”
Even if Veronica was officially a saint of the Cult, her birthplace remained strictly the Empire. In short, it meant she was a dual citizen.
And since Kien Empire and the Magic Tower were geographically close, she could enter without a visa, which she used to waltz right into the Magic Tower. The reason? To see Lucia.
“Just thinking about how the police fell over when you showed up in the lobby….”
“Why question it if they stumbled in amazement at my beauty?”
“Of course they’d tumble when the saint shows up unexpectedly.”
The Imperial Guard HQ and Inquisition apparently didn’t expect this surprise visit either, as everyone—whether official impersonators or Lucia’s attendants—came rushing in.
Of course, unlike when she used a fake passport, this entry was legally unproblematic, and it would have been a diplomatic faux pas for the Magic Tower’s government to refuse entry to an Empire citizen walking into their territory.
Yet they couldn’t just kick her out for being a saint, either.
After the protests from the Imperial Guard HQ and the attendants disguised as Inquisition agents, the Magic Tower reluctantly provided her with a room in the hotel.
“Honestly, what a nuisance.”
“I had no choice but to use that method to get the final draft of the speech. Why are you acting like you don’t know?”
As it turned out, the real reason Veronica got into the Magic Tower without a visa was because of me.
I briefly pondered where the final draft of the speech she had given me had gone. I thought I sent the original to the Information Agency, and all copies made were burned, but I couldn’t recall if I burned it yesterday or just earlier.
I burned too many things.
“…….”
“Why do you look so gloomy? You’re already starting with a not-so-good expression. If it gets worse, it’ll be a big deal.”
“Saint, please refrain from your outbursts—even in my presence.”
Veronica was as lively as ever, but it was clear she had played a significant role. More precisely, while I was keeping an eye on the Quasi-Military Operatives stirring things up at the Magic Tower, she was suppressing those within the Cult who preferred peace against the war-hungry Cardinals and Bishops. The speech by Raphael? That was her work too.
I asked the saint.
“Is Lucia doing okay? She’s been running around the hospital ER and protest sites for a month now.”
While Veronica was suppressing the internal dissent to prevent a war between the Cult and the Magic Tower, Lucia was saving people at the Magic Tower.
She visited nearly every place to heal those in need: the ER, makeshift tents, and protest sites.
She treated people even when investigators stormed the mixed crowd of police and protesters, chasing away the investigators yelling that they should not bring germs inside. She even treated people right at the protest sites when someone died in transport.
Seeing all of this, once again, proved Lucia was indeed a saint, and some non-governmental organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières even applauded her.
Honestly, I thought that was just pure madness. Specifically, it was the kind of madness that’s heartwarming.
“How… do you even heal people while tear gas is flying and magic is flying around?”
“She knows how to defend herself.”
Veronica smiled, looking proud of Lucia.
“I worry about her health; though, she isn’t pushing herself too hard.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“I definitely warned her before leaving Abas.”
Then suddenly, she started pounding her chest dramatically.
“If she ignores that, she’d be a double-crossing b*tch to her parents!”
“…Why are you saying you’re Lucia’s parent?”
“…Because I raised her with my heart!”
Crazy girl.
Veronica was still as she always was. The only other normal person around besides her was Lucia, but even the seemingly normal Lucia was half-crazy, feeling somewhat lonely. Although, positively speaking, she’s a kind of craziness, she’s still, after all, a crazy girl.
“Why is it that there’s no one normal around me except for Camila…?”
“Are you calling me crazy? You’re not exactly normal yourself, Colonel.”
“There are no better examples of normality than me.”
As I confessed, almost like a sigh, Veronica swirled her pinky finger around her ear.
“Who’s barking like a dog…?”
“So, what’s the Cult saying? Lucia is being quite well-received at the Magic Tower.”
“The hard-headed old-timers are throwing a fit. They’re demanding the canonization ceremony for the saint who’s being supported by a wizard be canceled. But the majority is positive about it. After all, her image has improved.”
The 58th saint coolly appraised the 59th saint.
“Are there many in the Cult supporting Lucia?”
“Those who enjoy volunteering and that kind of stuff are all supportive of her. Some fundamentalists are also supporting her to some extent, while secularists are all on board with her now.”
“Talking about politics, it’d be interesting if you run against her.”
“Ah, Lucia still isn’t at that level. By the way, what’s the Hero up to?”
Seemingly perturbed, Veronica crossed her arms and shifted the conversational topic. She seemed to avoid delving into any situation entailing political conflict with Lucia.
Of course, since Lucia herself wasn’t interested in the central politics of the Cult right now, it wouldn’t present any problem, but life is inherently unpredictable. As we reached that point, I resolved to keep a close watch over her.
Thus, I casually matched Veronica’s rhythm.
“I’ve become quite enchanted with magic.”
While Lucia was out saving lives at the Magic Tower, Camila was off ending lives. I’m not being figurative; that’s quite literally what she was doing. She was hunting monsters, not people.
“After casting a few fires, now she’s practically a wizard.”
“Yet she’s still cute, right? Ever since we met, I’ve found her to be quite entertaining.”
“Didn’t you tell me to be cautious? Watching flames soar right in front of you can be quite the buzzkill. Even though I warned her not to wander into the sewers, she just—.”
“Ahahaha….”
With the Magic Tower Police having enlisted the private military companies to suppress protesters, public safety was teetering on the brink.
To be accurate, the PMC had to deal with minor problems that the public authorities couldn’t handle (like the monsters that had been released for experimentation and were now roaming freely, a horde of homunculi that resulted from experiments, and the undead discarded without a thought).
At first glance, one might think it was just a wizardly dilemma, but something that bites a passerby’s ankle while lurking in the sewers was absolutely not a trivial problem.
Wizards were infamously known for their peculiar mentalities, but this was particularly severe at the Magic Tower.
“Do crocodiles lurk in the sewers here?”
“Oh, I saw that too. I set fire to the inside of its mouth, scorching it to a crisp. You received the hide as a gift, didn’t you?”
“Wasn’t it 13.7 meters? It was huge despite not being a legendary beast. Since it was an experimental creature, it might have started to use magic if it grew larger, but thankfully, we captured it early….”
Of course, Camila dealt with all those issues. Along with the PMC members (who in this area were essentially adventurer crews) we just happened to get linked up with.
As the PMC troops remained behind not for protest suppression but for public safety, they teamed up with the police after a bit of prodding through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get them some reinforcements and then had a few Inquisition agents join the party, and off we all went.
Thus, as a group, we went on a raid.
“We probably covered the entirety of the Magic Tower….”
“I heard you got all the bounty money, thanks to the Hero?”
The Magic Tower was aware that issues would arise, so they placed bounties on harmful creatures, which helped prevent a scenario where the Tower was overtaken by monsters.
And Camila raked in the most bounty. Plus, she received practical magic lessons, albeit they were a bit unorthodox.
“The Magic Tower’s government has created an account for depositing the bounty money, but I’m wondering if I need another one.”
“I know many people in finance; I can introduce you.”
“Let’s ask the person themselves first before making a decision.”
“Sure.”
Veronica and I exchanged various conversations while gazing down at the Magic Tower city. Most of it revolved around Camila or Lucia, along with triviality regarding international affairs.
“Any word from the Empire?”
“Looks like the bureaucrats are unaware. The Ministry of Finance had a bit of a sensitive reaction, but that was only on the economic front. The Ministry of Magic also responded similarly.”
The Empire didn’t notice Abas’ covert operations—at least, not the bureaucratic level.
“What about the Intelligence Department?”
“Well, I think you know more than me about that.”
“Now that you say that, you’re probably right.”
Of course, it was unclear whether the Imperial Guard HQ and other Information Agencies detected Abas’ activities. Neither Veronica nor I had any idea.
The Royal Intelligence Department and Military Intelligence Agency maintained silence even after the operation finished, and every unofficial impersonator had returned home, while the official impersonators were buried under a mountain of work, leaving no one to inquire about it.
Veronica spoke up.
“Well, at least the coup was successful, right?”
“…….”
Just as she said, the coup had been successfully executed. While the regime hadn’t changed, several changes had occurred within the power structure of the Magic Tower.
However, since I wasn’t the one orchestrating the operation nor the one receiving reports from the operatives, I couldn’t quite make out what changes had transpired. I only knew the trivial aspects.
But.
“How’s it been meeting our sister?”
“…Well, it’s been alright.”
“What do you mean by that? Why the lukewarm response?”
Francesca Ranieri entering as an Information Agent was the greatest gain I had achieved while at the Magic Tower.
“Well, I guess we will get to know more in time. What else?”
“You’ve heard the news about the civil war breaking out in Mauritania, right? The government there originally exercised its influence centered around the capital, but after the coup, the government has changed. Remember that guy who tried to stick gold bars into your pocket when we were in the Cult?”
“I can’t recall who that was. But what about their defenses?”
“I’m not a military expert, but it seems the political influence of the military that staged the coup is only being exerted in the capital. The south is overrun by monsters, and the northern regions are under a different warlord’s control.”
“The capital? They didn’t conquer the capital then?”
“I heard some of the forward-deployed units collapsed on their way back to suppress the coup, causing their defenses to crumble, letting monsters flood in. Civilians, as well as the deployed units, were swept away.”
“Seems like there are a lot of civil wars happening in Mauritania these days. I heard the south was taken over by monsters too.”
The world is a strange place.
“Those who are attendants next to Lucia.”
“Oh, why do you ask about them?”
“It seems they are following Lucia around, trying to gather supporters among those brought into the emergency room, both from the protesters and the police.”
“…Does Lucia know?”
“Of course, she doesn’t. She shouldn’t know.”
“Then let’s keep it under wraps.”
“The Kien Empire’s Ministry of Magic has signed a contract to export mana to the Magic Tower, and they awarded the related facility construction contracts to construction companies in the Lushan Federal Kingdom.”
“Didn’t they plan to just use the existing facilities?”
“If they want to sell more, they’ll need bigger pipes, right?”
“It seems the Empire has put a straw into the Magic Tower’s wallet.”
“They’ll keep sucking until the money runs dry, I’m guessing.”
“When’s Lucia’s canonization ceremony taking place?”
“Preparing for a canonization ceremony in the Cult generally takes several months. They’re almost done with that now.”
“Then how long does the actual ceremony take?”
“It’ll finish in a day, so don’t worry.”
“But what do you mean by ‘Fantastic Four’ that the Hero shouted?”
“…I don’t even know what that is.”
As we lamented this chaotic world, we exchanged various bits of information. With the Inquisition sitting in various corners, we had to be slightly cautious in our conversation, but somehow, we managed to conclude it well enough.
“Ha!”
“Thanks for your hard work.”
I quietly extinguished the remaining embers, while Veronica casually tossed the empty wine bottle into the corner of the room. She claimed it was for me, but she drank it all herself.
“Time has passed quite a bit, hasn’t it? The kids are bound to be suspicious.”
“I’ll tell them I was in the restroom. And don’t mention I was with you.”
“Embarrassed?”
“Stop talking nonsense; if rumors spread about a saint and me, my neck would be on the line.”
“No chance of that—how can there be rumors when you use a saint as an information agent? Stop sulking alone and hurry back.”
Veronica urged me, but I waved my hand to dismiss her.
“Not coming? There’s also Francesca and Lucia in the next room.”
“I’d like a bit of solitude.”
“…….”
Veronica opened her mouth as if to say something with a flushed face before she muttered something softly and quietly left the room.
Only then was I able to relax in my chair and take a look around.
In the dark night.
The world viewed from the terrace was dim. The distant sound of sirens announcing the curfew, with shouts of something burning, and the sporadic flashes of magic flickered before my eyes.
A dark and chaotic world.
Yet, amidst this, people were somehow managing to survive.
As I listened to the laughter filtering in from the next room along with the light spilling out, I sat in the dim terrace gazing upon the world.
“…….”
A dark world.
Although it was filled with chaos and uncertainty, with a colossal ceiling obstructing the sky and earth.
Yet the starlight flowing in that sky shone the brightest, I thought.
