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Mikhail’s claim as the Military Governor was incredibly straightforward.

“The exact cause of the current outbreak of patients has not been determined.”

He stated this in a monotonous tone.

“I am aware that this foul energy has contaminated the area, but even the Imperial Ministry of Magic doesn’t know precisely how this energy affects the human body, or why additional patients are emerging. Even the Magic Tower and the Cult have not proposed any methods to treat these patients.”

Commander Mikhail fixed me with a dry gaze.

“There’s no treatment, and we don’t know the source of the patients. This may be contagious, contrary to what the Inquisition has estimated. More importantly, we have no idea when this situation will end.”

You think so too, right?

Though I didn’t say it out loud, the implication was clear. After a brief, silent stare, the Commander continued in a businesslike manner.

“Fortunately, we have previously experienced something similar to this biological warfare. Infectious disease outbreaks occurred in cities attacked by demons. We will respond to the current situation using the guidelines we created back then. In fact, we are already doing so.”

“So you plan to keep the city under lockdown?”

“We can’t just sit back and pray, can we?”

He added calmly.

“While the residents of the sealed city are important, I also have a duty to ensure the safety of residents in other cities.”

“….”

“The currently sealed city is connected by roads to two others. Those two cities have a massive river and railways crisscrossing the northern regions. If additional patients emerge due to infection, it won’t take long for the northern region to be overrun by cases.”

A city reporting symptoms of an unknown illness, along with two other cities. Then there are many cities behind them.

It’s not a difficult calculation.

“There’s no need to gamble with the lives of millions.”

“….”

“Isn’t that right?”

Episode 12 – The Ultimate Wizard

The Military Government Headquarters’ judgment was exceedingly rational. While the measure of rationality varies from person to person, in some respects, Commander Mikhail’s decision could be seen as utilitarian.

However, decisions aligning with theory and logic aren’t always correct, nor can they satisfy everyone.

“This is insane.”

Camila was the person who exemplified this perfectly.

“You’re isolating a city of 330,000 just because of a potential contagion that might not even exist?”

Her anger erupted at the Military Government Headquarters’ decision to seal off the city. It was rare to see her so furious, which caught me a bit off guard.

“Five years ago, there were 330,000 people living in the city, but who knows how many are there now? It could be over 330,000 or less.”

“Population surveys were halted after the conflict broke out.”

“The issue is that there are cities nearby with populations of 430,000 and 590,000, and those cities are crossed by railways and a river as large as the Thames.”

Assuming the data from five years ago is still valid.

I nudged the statistics stuck to the hardboard, emphasizing my point. The yellow-brown board was cluttered with various statistical data, newspaper articles, maps, and notes that Camila had gathered herself.

Veronica, Lucia, and Francesca took great care that all information related to demons didn’t reach Camila, but unfortunately, she was well aware of the situation in the northern regions.

Because I told her.

“If it is contagious, the infection could spread across the northern regions, and even if it isn’t, we can’t control the situation anyway since there’s no city capable of accommodating 330,000 people.”

Pointing to the railway and river passing through the city and the saturated nearby cities, Camila raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

“It hardly seems like that justifies isolating a city and leaving 330,000 people in need stranded.”

“The biggest reason for sealing off the city is that a treatment method hasn’t been discovered yet. Honestly, priests and doctors have been sitting on their hands, haven’t they?”

Of course, they had attempted treatment. However, because they didn’t know the exact treatment, they only provided something akin to life-support by hooking up IVs to patients who were vomiting blood.

“It would be great if the Inquisition could find out anything. Francesca was looking into materials from the Magic Tower, and I hope she finds something.”

“Shouldn’t we figure out how to lift the lockdown first? We can look for a treatment later, but people need to survive for that to happen. How will the patients survive in a sealed city? Even healthy people are freezing to death out there.”

“When you mention a sealed city, it reminds me of the Shanghai lockdown. Have you played Battlefield? Back when I stayed at Bagram, I often played with the Americans.”

“Don’t joke around. This is really not the time for that.”

Camila, with a visibly displeased expression, gnawed at the corners of her lips.

“This is really crazy. It’ll end up killing everyone.”

“That is a rather extreme expression, but I agree—at least partially.”

To save 1,130,000 citizens, they seal off a city of 330,000. They control all traffic routes and block anyone except military personnel from entering.

The Military Government Headquarters’ decision is rational but simultaneously irrational.

However, sound judgment isn’t always right, and utilitarianism has long been criticized for justifying immoral judgments.

“When will medical volunteers be granted passage? Lucia and Francesca have so much prepared but can’t move an inch.”

“We are continuing to make requests from our side.”

Given Commander Mikhail’s obstinate thoughts, I’d have to give up on trying to persuade him directly. Instead, I decided to use a different approach by pressuring the Imperial Ministry of Defense.

“I plan to move the ambassadors through the Foreign Affairs Department to pressure the military.”

“Is that possible?”

“The discussion with Abas’s Ministry of Defense has already concluded. All letters have been circulated, and we are tracking the internal movements of the Kien Empire’s military through information agents.”

“How long will that take?”

“At least a week. It could take longer since we need solid evidence to persuade the military.”

“Sigh…”

Camila grasped her head with her hands.

“With 330,000 people trapped in the city, we have no idea what’s happening inside. Are the patients receiving treatment?”

“I tried intercepting communications, and the Military Government Headquarters ordered to redeploy medical units from the rear divisions. They’ve even pulled personnel from fire and hospital services. So it seems they aren’t entirely doing nothing.”

“Then what? Everyone is stuck here right now.”

Though I tried to vent my frustration, nothing would change at this moment.

Camila, with her red hair all awry, sighed and muttered gloomily.

“…Do you think we can persuade the Ministry of Defense?”

“Who knows.”

That was uncertain for me.

“We should at least try from now on.”

*

Though I claimed I would try, in reality, I couldn’t do anything at all. I had already tried everything I could.

The Military Intelligence Agency reported to the higher authority, the Ministry of Defense. The Defense Minister personally took the documents to the official residence to report to the Prime Minister, and shortly after a two-hour face-to-face meeting, a document with the Prime Minister’s signature was sent through the Abas Foreign Affairs Department to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Abas in the Kien Empire.

The ambassador, acting on the Prime Minister’s orders, sent a letter to the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department.

However, the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department, which had been advised by the ambassador—who had enough authority to meet Chancellor Stollipin—that “military operations are the concern of the Ministry of Defense, not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” asked the Ministry of Defense to answer instead. Nevertheless, it seemed the content of the letter found its way to the ears of the Ministry of Defense thanks to intelligence gathered by the embassy’s consul (the head of the Royal Intelligence Department).

If it had been under normal circumstances, the Abas folks wouldn’t have dared to meddle in the imperial military’s operations…

Although they might have spouted nonsense, surprisingly, the Imperial Ministry of Defense made no statement at all.

It wasn’t just Ambassador Abas who sent a letter.

“Ambassadors from the countries involved in the conflict have also sent letters. Well, some nations are keeping quiet, wary of the Empire. They’ve requested cooperation so that medical personnel can at least enter the city on humanitarian grounds.”

“That’s a principled stance, isn’t it?”

Nations with pro-Empire inclinations conveyed this basic position through their ambassadors.

Not wanting to step on toes by voicing criticism while they were dangling like a puppet for the Emperor in a conflict, it wasn’t just a matter of wanting to stay in his good graces; they surely wanted to avoid losing elite troops in a conflict with the Demon Race. After all, losing valuable troops to non-combat losses in a distant land would be a disaster, right?

Neither the dictator nor the military on that side would want to see their soldiers dying in droves.

With the Imperial Army already losing troops in the front yard, there wasn’t much they could do from afar, but fortunately, a nation stepped up, saying they’d shoulder the burden and resolve the situation.

The Cult.

“They said they’d send priests to treat the patients, so everyone ended up issuing even a basic stance. They were pondering how to send medical staff since they were short-handed, but then they stepped up to send healing priests on their behalf.”

“Are they clapping in delight because someone else is taking responsibility?”

“There’s no reason to stop someone offering to buy a meal when they don’t have money in their pockets, right?”

“Damn it. This is exactly why you shouldn’t get caught in a trap…”

Veronica, who was sitting in the office puffing on a cigarette, smiled slyly.

“I wonder if this isn’t just a good deed for others.”

“Well, who told them to send a complaint letter so blatantly?”

I pouted my lips, indicating for her to look at it.

Immediately after Ambassador Abas’s letter was delivered, the ambassador from the Cult based in the Kien Empire sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The letter requested that the city be unblocked immediately as they needed to treat the patients and capture the demons.

Given the nature of the Imperial Ministry of Defense, it was naturally a patently absurd request, but as the Cult and Abas took the lead in protesting, even dictatorships involved in the conflict began weakly jumping on board with requests to lift the blockade.

“Abas’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has attempted to persuade them, but honestly, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Thanks to you, it’s become much more manageable. Thank you, Veronica.”

“Colonel. You don’t mean that’s the only thing you’re grateful for, do you?”

“Ah, of course, for letting me know the opinions of the military leaders.”

Veronica had been keeping me updated on the discussions within the military. To be precise, she was monitoring the internal affairs of the Ministry of Defense on my behalf.

Some generals supported lifting the blockade, while others opposed it. Who was jealous of General Mikhail, and who was on his side, etc.

Thanks to that, planning became much easier.

“I am always grateful, Veronica.”

As I raised a glass, Veronica began to smile mischievously.

“Just with your lips?”

“Shut your mouth, Saint.”

“Can’t I even make a joke?”

“To be honest, I always think you’re most beautiful when you’re quiet. So please…”

“Alright, alright. I get it. Just return the favor later. You got that?”

“Yes.”

Of course, she wasn’t the only one working hard.

Lucia also sent a letter trying to persuade General Mikhail, and Francesca contacted her acquaintances in the Imperial Ministry of Magic and the Oracle to find ways to help the trapped residents and patients in the city.

Similarly, Camila helped assess the internal situation of the city through her connections with the Imperial Army officials.

Veronica sat at the desk, filling her fountain pen with ink and began to speak.

“The Inquisition has sent copies of ancient documents. Given the preservation magic on them, they seem to be quite old documents, and it looks like they might hold clues to resolving this situation.”

“Where are those copies?”

“They’re currently being interpreted by the Inquisition staff. They expect the results by tomorrow morning.”

I had tried every possible attempt I could. Now, all that was left was to wait for the results.

I collapsed onto the sofa and stared blankly out the window.

It was just two days until the New Year.

*

Time flowed, and the next day dawned.

This morning, Senior Lyudmila from the Military Government Headquarters came to inform me that the travel permit had been approved.

Perhaps moved by the persistent efforts of the foreign ministries and Lucia and Francesca, General Mikhail had exceptionally granted entry permission.

Camila got out of the car, stretching her body as the sunlight kissed her.

“Wow…! Finally heading into the city. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever.”

“It’s only been a day or two, right?”

“It felt long because I was uneasy. Time seemed to drag on.”

Behind the vehicle provided by the embassy was another car. Lucia and Francesca got out, escorted by an Inquisition Officer and a Combat Magician.

Behind those two vehicles lined up many other vehicles. All of them were medical personnel dispatched from the Cult, Magic Tower, and some foreign armies to help resolve this situation.

As I confirmed the condition of those who got out of the vehicle and held final checks with the staff from the Cult and Magic Tower, Senior Lyudmila trudged through the snow and approached me with news.

“Colonel, they’re going to remove the barricades soon. If you’re ready, you can enter.”

“Understood.”

I turned my gaze to the officials standing nearby.

“Let’s get ready.”

The staff from the Cult and Magic Tower dispersed, returning to their respective vehicles. Heavy crates were continuously unloaded from the trucks behind, and some of those boxes were placed in front of the vehicles they arrived in.

When I opened the trunk of the vehicle we came in, the neatly packed luggage welcomed me.

While I slowly organized the luggage to prepare to enter the city, Camila approached me briskly with a worried look.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course, I’m concerned. I should be the one going in…”

“Hold on to your worries. I won’t die here.”

As I talked with Camila, Lucia and Francesca came up to me as well. The two had just been getting reports from the staff of the Cult and Magic Tower.

The first to speak was Lucia.

Like Camila, her face was filled with worry.

“Though there shouldn’t be any problems, please have a safe journey.”

“Take care, Colonel.”

Long conversations weren’t necessary. The people from the Cult and Magic Tower, who had completed their preparations, stepped forward. Military personnel from the Empire, who were in charge of their escort, shouted out warnings.

Beyond the barricades that had been pushed aside stood the towering checkpoint. Through the slightly opened iron gates, the gray cityscape was visible.

At that moment, a playful remark from Camila, trying to lighten the tension, echoed from behind.

“If anything happens, just shout! I’ll fly over to save you in no time!”

I waved in response instead of answering.

Then I turned my body and slowly advanced toward the blocked city.

 

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