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A lobbyist requested a meeting.

I rejected the request for an interview with the counterintelligence agent, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent the envoy back.

The Military Intelligence Agency didn’t even attempt to make contact. They were currently busy catching spies, and heading there would be a sure way to get lost.

In fact, both countries even expelled their ambassadors.

In other words, the diplomatic line between the Empire and the Kingdom had been severed.

This significant issue couldn’t just be left to anyone. The Emperor would have carefully selected a trustworthy person, gagged them, and sent them off.

But we shot back with a “screw off.”

Not even an agent. Not even a diplomat.

So, who is left?

Even though this wasn’t what they were groomed for.

A suitable figure just happened to remain.

—

Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent

I looked at the woman sitting across from me.

Tall stature, long limbs, pitch-black hair, dark eyes, a tear mark.

She smiled in a peculiar way.

“What are you staring at? How embarrassing.”

“Um…”

I scanned Veronica up and down.

Leather jacket, jeans, earrings, sneakers.

Something… something…

“What’s wrong? Is it different from what you expected?”

She looked like a punk.

She was even holding a coffee.

“Hey… you’re a saint, right?”

“Yes!”

Oh, great.

Is this really a saint? She looks nothing like I imagined.

“If I’m a saint, can’t I dress comfortably?”

“Ah… yes.”

“Why are you looking at me like an old fogey?”

An old fogey.

How many people in the world could call a cardinal an old fogey? I must be going crazy.

I rubbed my face and finally opened my mouth.

“Why on earth did you want to meet?”

“Um… to check on your condition?”

“You’re not a doctor.”

“Do you need a license to treat? Priests only read scriptures.”

She just indirectly called priests idiots and zealots.

Since Veronica had no faith whatsoever, it’s not surprising she’d say such things.

“Well, let’s say that’s true. Why did you save me?”

“Because you’re a necessary person.”

“Me? To you?”

Veronica nodded.

You saved me because you needed me. I could guess what that meant. Maybe the Emperor just wants to convey that he’s not involved with the terrorists, no matter what.

But that’s a bit annoying.

“The person who claims to check on my condition arrives an hour late?”

“Hey… you know why I’m late.”

“Why’s that?”

“You know?”

Bang bang.

She made gun noises with her mouth while wiggling her fingers. She even winked.

She really is insane, but I understood what she meant.

She must have been late checking whether she was being followed or not.

In other words, Veronica knows I’m a spy.

“That’s not surprising at all.”

“I have my own information sources.”

Information sources, huh.

“People from the Imperial Guard HQ?”

“Oh my, you knew?”

“The Imperial Guard HQ is the one that made you a saint, throwing around money.”

“Wow… Colonel, you’ve got great ability. How did you find out?”

“I have my own information sources too.”

At my words, Veronica burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. I’m curious what the joke is here.

She lives in a reality slightly disconnected from the norm; she’s a bit… crazy.

“Let’s cut to the chase instead of wasting time….”

“Isn’t it too early to cut to the chase?”

“….”

Correction.

She’s really insane.

—

It rained. It seemed like a shower at first, but the downpour was something else entirely.

The loud sound of rain filled the air while Veronica soloed her own concert, drumming and spinning around.

I tried to keep my mental state intact. When I checked the time, it was 02:57.

She arrived an hour late and has been talking for 52 minutes now.

What a lunatic.

“Can you stop rambling and get to the point?”

“Ah… I was just getting to the interesting part.”

“I’m not interested, so let’s quickly get to the matter at hand.”

Veronica rested her arms on the bench and popped a tiny piece of ice into her mouth.

Water dripped down along her jawline. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and finally spoke.

“I heard you’ve been doing background checks on me lately?”

“…What do you mean?”

“They say you’re gathering information on what I overshare. Colonel.”

Have I been discovered?

I haven’t really dived too deeply into the saint election issues. It wouldn’t be a problem anyway, but admitting it feels uncomfortable.

It means I’m snooping on someone else.

And on the saint of the cult, no less.

“Well, I don’t mind. You can dig around as much as you want.”

“I hear you might not be on good terms with Priest Lucia?”

“No, we’re fine.”

What nonsense is this?

“We occasionally meet for coffee, drink alcohol, and even smoke together.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Oh, that’s a secret….”

Veronica made a face that suggested she’d just slipped up. Wait, Lucia smokes?

Damn, they say you can’t trust anyone.

Imagining saints and saint candidates sitting together, drinking soju and smoking only darkens the future of the continent.

“Please keep it a secret, okay?”

“What good would it do to tell?”

How on earth did they become such good friends?

It’s common knowledge among most people in the cult that Veronica’s plotting against others. Well, at least among those in the established circles.

Considering Lucia’s narrow social circle, it’s possible she might not know about Veronica’s schemes.

Then, Veronica’s a malicious piece of work. A burning trash that can’t even be utilized.

Unless Lucia knows Veronica’s plotting and still chooses to be friends with her.

Could that be?

Anything’s possible. I don’t have complete knowledge of the game, and knowledge about the game doesn’t always fit.

After all, I was the hero’s ally. There are no spy allies in the game. The story is already deviating, bit by bit. Perhaps irreversibly so.

My head hurts.

I just don’t want to think about it. What they do—whether they’re drinking together or throwing punches—is none of my business.

I need to give Petrus a nudge. I have to ensure their private lives don’t leak out.

A hero’s ally and a saint of the cult are chain smokers.

From Lucia’s perspective, it would ruin her image as the healing priest.

“Um… it seems like you and I are on the same wavelength?”

“Is that so?”

“Then, I’ll get to the point you want me to.”

Finally, we’re getting down to the main topic.

Let’s see what absurd thing the Emperor might say.

“Go ahead.”

“First of all, the Imperial Family has nothing to do with the terrorists. To be specific, we didn’t plan any terrorism.”

“Ah, okay.”

“And there’s one more thing.”

That doesn’t surprise me.

I’ve been hearing that repeatedly. The relation between the Imperial Family and the terror will be determined by the Intelligence Agency. I only have to deal with the people who set off the bomb. The rest is something the Colonel can handle.

Negotiating with the Emperor is the politician’s domain.

And I’m a spy.

So, I listened carefully to Veronica.

“Please continue.”

“Currently, if I apply for asylum in the Kingdom, will they accept me?”

“Who?”

“Me.”

“You?”

“What do you mean? Yes.”

She’s gone mad.

—

My mind went blank.

I felt like my head had been smashed with a hammer.

“What did you say…? Asylum?”

Veronica nodded. Her face was playful, but judging by her actions, it seemed sincere.

“Why on earth would a saint want asylum?”

“Um… when you break it down, it’s more like protection.”

“Wait a second. You’re a lobbyist, right? A lobbyist for the Kien Empire.”

“Oh, you know that, huh? Then explaining will be easier!”

She leaned back against the bench, tidied her flowing hair with her hands, flipped it behind her, and began to explain.

“You know I’m from the Kien Empire, right?”

“I heard you’re from a baron family.”

“I assume you know I was an orphan.”

After recalling a long-lost memory, Veronica closed her eyes.

“My parents passed away early, and I was left at a convent.”

“Yeah.”

“I was six or seven? They did a Divine Power test, and my score was way above average for my age.”

I could see where this was headed.

If an orphan has a high Divine Power, the funding increases. More precisely, the person adopting them pays a hefty sum.

“The person who bought me for the highest price was His Majesty the Emperor.”

The Emperor.

The living God of the Kien Empire.

Veronica grinned.

“So, you can guess what happened next, right?”

“….”

The Emperor took her in. At the moment he saw her, he must have sketched a big picture.

Transform a pure noble girl into the saint of the cult.

He must have set the Imperial Guard HQ in motion. Somehow securing the funds to pour into it. Money meant to be used for shady deals. Probably embezzling or collecting donations from nobles.

There’s ‘value’ in the title of a saint.

What does it mean for such a saint to ask for asylum?

“Why would a saint created by the Empire speak of asylum?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I haven’t signed the contract yet.”

She is the saint made by the Empire.

The amount of influence she holds is reflected by how she sent people from the cult to the Empire-demonic conflict area.

I don’t know what she’s been doing before, but I know she was helping companies associated with the Empire. Even playing a quasi-diplomatic role.

Such people are usually called lobbyists.

People who influence legislation and administration for the sake of specific groups.

She says, “So, will you accept me?”

“I can’t decide that.”

“Come on, Colonel, just make a bridge for me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t verify the goods.”

I shouldn’t show my teeth to a lobbyist half-heartedly.

In words, there are no price tags. Nobody knows if what she is offering is a blank check or just a piece of paper.

“Can’t you just build the bridge first?”

“The immigration inspection checks the purpose of stay. Am I just going to haphazardly apply for asylum?”

“You’re so strict….”

She lifted both hands in surrender.

“Just know that my situation is a little precarious.”

Precarious.

She must be referring to Priest Lucia.

“Are you scared that a second saint might emerge?”

“Hey…. What’s scary about Lucia becoming a saint?”

“Don’t lie.”

“Really!”

The agent from the Kingdom said.

“If Lucia becomes a saint, you won’t be able to do active lobbying anymore, right? If the lobbyist can’t do their job, it’s obvious you’ll be discarded too. Isn’t that what really frightens you?”

To that, the Empire’s lobbyist replied.

“It’s unrelated to me if Lucia becomes a saint.”

“Then why are you scheming against her?”

“To keep her in check.”

Veronica smiled sweetly.

Keeping in check.

Who is she referring to?

The soldier asked.

“Who are you keeping in check?”

The saint answered.

“Cardinal Raul.”

—

Under Bridge 25, located at the core of the cult.

Beneath that bridge, where the torrential rain was pouring down.

Two men and women sat on a small bench facing each other.

“Ugh… the more I think about that old fogey, the more stressed I get….”

Veronica muttered as she let out a puff of cigarette smoke. The woman sitting cross-legged, casually expelling smoke, looked far from a saint.

“Why are you targeting Raul?”

“Do you know he wants to be pope?”

From a month of investigation, I’ve determined that Raul is a strong candidate for pope and has a strong thirst for power.

The saint assessed the cardinal.

“That old fogey is really power-hungry. He doesn’t care about money, but how should I put it….”

“Honor?”

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

“Becoming pope would leave his name in history, so he yearns for power?”

Veronica nodded. The ashes from her cigarette scattered in the air as she swayed.

Honestly, it wasn’t unexpected.

Raul is someone who becomes pope midway through the game, so it’s only natural that he’d be after that position.

“But right now, that old fogey can’t be pope.”

“Why’s that? His support rate is rising.”

“Raphael is holding steady.”

Raphael.

The former Inquisition Director. A cardinal who argues for a safe cult.

In comparison, it’s shown that Raphael’s faction is slightly larger than Raul’s.

“That guy gained considerable favor from the pope by capturing heretics.”

This is information I was unaware of.

Insider information available only to the elite.

“Most likely, the only strong candidate to be the next pope is Raphael….”

“That means Raul can’t become pope?”

“Of course. What vision does that old fogey have? Or a charisma?”

Vision.

A safe cult.

Charisma.

The former Inquisition Director.

What does Raul have? Nothing.

“Considering his actions, he seems slightly untrustworthy, and even the pope doesn’t seem to favor him that much. To be specific, I wouldn’t call him a political successor.”

“Then does that mean Raphael is the political successor?”

Veronica calmly nodded.

Something feels odd.

Raul undoubtedly appears as pope.

“Are you sure you’re not misunderstanding something?”

“Misunderstanding what?”

“I believe Raul is suited to be the next pope….”

“Suitable? Because you support Lucia?”

Veronica scoffed.

“You seem to be seriously mistaken, Colonel. Just because a prince receives support from the citizens doesn’t mean he can become king, right?”

“….”

“Is there such a stupid nation anywhere?”

The lobbyist laughed.

“The support that old fogey is receiving? That’s nothing.”

“….”

“There’s no such thing as a kindness without reason. I mean, it was that old fogey who Forcefully sent Lucia to the front lines as a healing priest.”

“Is that so?”

“I actually didn’t know, but Lucia already knew about it.”

“When did Raul start using Priest Lucia?”

“Lucia is nineteen this year, right?”

Lucia has just become an adult this year.

Veronica closed her eyes and counted the years.

“Two years of service, half a year of rest. Totaling two and a half years.”

“…So she went to the battlefield at seventeen.”

“I heard she was in the hospital due to her young age, but if she fainted in the corridor….”

That means she had a killer schedule.

Divine Power heals injuries, but it doesn’t cure fatigue.

“….”

This is strange.

The way Veronica treats Lucia, considering the political relations between Raul and Raphael.

Especially with the fact that Raphael holds Raul’s weaknesses, Raul can’t possibly become pope.

Furthermore, the reason Veronica keeps Lucia in check doesn’t add up. In the game, Veronica would send assassins at the slightest whim.

But now, she’s close friends with Lucia and is attacking her to keep Raul in check?

What’s the difference between the game and the present?

“What harm does Raul face from keeping Lucia in check?”

“It would show everyone that the old fogey is an idiot. That he can’t even look after the child he’s supporting.”

“That seems to only hold about twenty percent weight. So why do you sound like that’s a substantial amount?”

“Wow, you quantified that? Amazing.”

Veronica chuckled.

“Just as I have my goals in checking Raul, others have their own goals. For politicians, attention is the best reward, right?”

“So the cardinals and bishops schemed for attention? What then do you gain from revealing that Raul is an idiot?”

“If the cult members don’t trust Raul and he doesn’t become pope, I can find a way to survive in the cult.”

Something feels disturbing within the cult.

No. The fact that Veronica is talking about asylum means it’s a serious matter.

“Saint, can you just tell me plainly?”

“I said I’ll talk if you accept my asylum, right?”

“No, but the idea that you, an agent of the Empire, would want asylum….”

Wait a minute.

Something feels off.

A politically unstable person without a political foundation can’t possibly become pope.

Moreover, with such a significant weakness.

For Raul to become pope now.

He’d either need someone’s powerful help or unless a counter-candidate were to drop out or suddenly die….

“….”

“Huh? Have you figured something out?”

“….”

“Do you know why I’m seeking asylum?”

Veronica is the saint created by the Imperial Guard HQ.

That means she became the saint backed by the Empire.

Furthermore, she became a saint by removing the cardinal from the cult.

Mixed with powerful backing.

A rival faction removed.

A cardinal’s death, whether by suicide or assassination.

Interference in foreign elections.

Examples of the Imperial Guard HQ’s overseas operations.

“…Since when?”

“I don’t even know that, but it seems like it wasn’t long ago.”

“…Who is helping Raul?”

“Probably the Second Department.”

“You mean the reason you’re trying to seek asylum is—.”

The saint created by the Empire smiled.

“There can’t be two kings coexisting, can there?”

“….”

“One of them has to die.”

—

In the mid-game, Raul appears as the pope.

How could someone who lacks political clout and support become the pope?

Now, there are explosions and assassination attempts happening in the cult, causing Raphael’s popularity to drop, but in the game, there were no occurrences of terrorism or assassination attempts.

But how did he become pope?

The answer is simple.

He received assistance from the outside.

Strong backing to shape positive public opinion and push the opposing candidate out.

And now that I remember it, during my travels to complete quests in the cult’s area, the name Raphael never came up.

Nowhere at all.

—

Veronica said.

“Raul indeed received support from the Imperial Guard HQ. To be exact, it’s from the Overseas Operations Department. I received help too…”

“And?”

“It seems they cherish him more than they do for me.”

The saint crafted by the Empire says that Raul and the Imperial Guard HQ are in cahoots.

“I know that D2 conducts overseas operations. But why would the Empire be colluding with Raul?”

“It’s not the Empire; it’s the Second Department.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Of course, it’s not.”

The lobbyist flashed a cheerful smile.

“As I mentioned before, I am someone personally chosen by His Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“Then where do you suppose the operations were carried out?”

“At the Imperial Guard HQ.”

“Bingo. To be precise, the entirety of the Imperial Guard HQ assisted me.”

This is something I didn’t know.

“Why would the entire Imperial Guard HQ get involved in overseas operations?”

“Because it was the Emperor’s command.”

“Ah.”

In the Empire, the Emperor is a living God.

If the Emperor orders something, standing back and doing nothing would earn you a mouthful of curses.

Something must be done.

By the way, public servants are known for making work out of nothing.

“I met all sorts of people during that time: counterintelligence agents, operatives, reporters, even soldiers. Wow, thanks to that, I was flitting around here and there like a bat.”

A bat. I wonder where she flitted back and forth?

I thought she was just a clueless lobbyist, but contrary to my expectations, she seems to know some valuable information. She’s worth recruiting.

“You meddled in the public opinion and interfered in the elections?”

“I don’t know what they did, I just did as instructed.”

“People died, yet you casually say that?”

“Well, what can I do?”

Veronica glared at me.

“The Emperor commanded it, and the public security officials ordered it. What could an orphan do without anyone to protect them?”

“….”

“Do you think anyone wants to become a saint for fun?”

True.

She was made a saint during her childhood, which she can’t even remember.

I may know about the character Veronica, but I know nothing about the person Veronica.

“I don’t want to live like this either. I just want to live a normal life.”

“….”

“I’m sick and tired of being constantly managed by those old fogeys coming to check on me and having to even play the role of a lobbyist, which I never asked for.”

Her voice trembled, almost teary as she spoke.

“It’s possible you joined the military by choice, Colonel, but that’s not the case for me. At least, not for me.”

“…I see.”

I understand. But I don’t empathize.

Regardless, I’m an agent, and she’s a lobbyist.

I look out for the Kingdom’s interests, while she looks out for the Empire’s.

We have different paths.

Thus, I sought information.

“Why does the Second Department support Raul? Or who reached out first?”

“Raul reached out first. Explaining why is a bit complicated.”

She insists she’ll explain if I agree to her asylum.

Heavy rain poured down, creating a strange hush between us.

Suddenly, a peculiar thought flickered through my mind.

Could it be? I asked.

“So is that what this is about? Political asylum?”

“…That’s right.”

“Then I’d like to ask a few questions.”

I took a device out of my pocket.

“Is it confirmed that Raul is receiving support from the Second Department?”

“That’s certain.”

That’s for me to verify. I’ll send a report to the Colonel, and they’ll ensure its accuracy later. What’s important is that he took the bomb.

“Is Raul behind the terrorism? The bomb incident, that is.”

“That’s a guess, but yes. I don’t know about the poison dart.”

That’s right.

A light begins to dawn.

“You also received support from the Imperial Guard HQ, but what changes if Raul becomes pope?”

“I won’t be needed as a lobbyist anymore.”

“To be able to deal directly without any intermediaries?”

“Yes.”

Earrings? No.

Necklace? No.

Hairpin? Neither.

“Raul receiving support—is that sanctioned by the Emperor?”

“All operations by the Imperial Guard HQ require the Emperor’s approval. However, it seems the support that used to go to them was cut off after the bombing.”

I can uncover where the support went by nabbing the bomb-lobbing bastard. Whether it’s here or there, I will make it to the source. The one who took the bomb certainly has ties to the Second Department.

“Then why is the Second Department running wild? The support was cut, didn’t they possibly start a rebellion?”

“Not the entire Second Department, just a few bad apples are causing trouble. I can fill you in on the details if you accept me.”

Bad apples, huh.

Colonel Petrus has mentioned this. Since the operation failed, there’s no reason to continue with additional operations. They should erase traces and run.

Yet, the operatives haven’t returned. They didn’t go; they chose to stay. Disobedience, mutiny.

That’s why counterintelligence agents left for overseas. With a mutiny occurring in the Second Department, sending agents after them would simply be brazen.

So, the most trusted agents entrusted by the Emperor came to catch the operatives.

If my assumptions are correct, while the counterintelligence and counter-espionage officials are hunting down the operatives, the security department stayed in the Empire to deal with the Second Department. They’re in charge of catching political criminals.

Yes. This all makes sense.

Verification will be done by the Intelligence Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For now, I need to act based on this hypothesis.

By the way, this girl spills too much information. She’s not a professional-trained operative, but a real lobbyist. In other words, she’s a civilian.

An Empire lobbyist. A creation of the Imperial Guard HQ.

…Which raises suspicion.

“The agents from the Second Department ignored their orders to return?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Huh.”

No buttons are out of place.

I checked every corner of my jacket, but there was nothing.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“Is there a civil war happening in the Imperial Guard HQ?”

“Not quite to that extent, I promise. Just accept me.”

Nothing’s wrong with her pants either.

The brightness becomes more intense lower down.

I had a suspicion, and indeed it was true.

“Don’t you have any agents around you, saint?”

“None. They withdrew a few years ago.”

“Who knows about your outing today?”

“Just the people serving me. Just ordinary folks.”

“Those sure are interesting clothes. Who picked them out for you?”

“The people serving me.”

“You seem to get along quite well with them, enough to have them choose your clothes.”

“They’re people I’ve known for a long time, ones I rely on.”

“Are they trustworthy?”

“Yes.”

The lights are flickering.

It’s the shoes.

“What the heck are you….”

“Do people you trust often hide listening devices in their shoes nowadays?”

I waved the device.

It’s a listening device detector.

There’s a listening device in her shoe.

“I can’t believe you withdrew when I have a mole right next to me.”

Counterintelligence investigations take ten years.

That means a spy operates for ten years.

Until they get caught.

“…W-Why is this here?”

“Shouldn’t you know?”

Veronica is a lobbyist created by the Empire.

She herself said that her processes were classified information.

No matter how much of a saint created by the Emperor she is, her essence is that of a civilian. Can a civilian have knowledge of classified information? Intelligence agencies do not let such people be free.

Absolutely not.

“You know too much important information.”

“….”

“You know way too much.”

 

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