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Emperor Nikolai VI has developed dementia.

Upon acquiring this intelligence, I fell into deep contemplation.

“……”

Just as the National Intelligence Service monitors Kim Jong-un’s health status, intelligence agencies around the world have shown considerable interest in Emperor Nikolai VI’s well-being.

Information regarding the emperor’s health could significantly impact the situation in the Kien Empire and international relations.

In fact, various operations have been conducted to ascertain the emperor’s health status.

But all of them failed.

The Empire Information Agency has thoroughly controlled all information directly related to the emperor’s safety, and the imperial palace, guarded by the Imperial Guard, has not allowed any physical infiltration.

In the end, the only method left was to allure the chief physician or the attendants. But would the Imperial Guard HQ simply stand by and let that happen?

All the informants implanted in the palace have been eliminated, and the operation was thwarted before it even got off the ground.

Therefore, in the past few decades, information related to the emperor’s health has remained a mystery, even for the Abas Information Agency, which has the most sophisticated intelligence network.

Then suddenly, intel came in.

“……”

I found myself in serious trouble.

If this intel leaks, the Imperial Guard HQ will immediately identify the source of the leak.

The first person to come under suspicion would surely be Lucia.

As the Saint of the Cult, she is someone the Empire Information Agency cannot control. And “uncontrolled” means that it would not be strange if information leaked at any time.

It seemed off that the Imperial Guard HQ would allow Lucia to treat the emperor.

…Wait a second.

If the emperor has dementia, what could they possibly do? Decisions in the intelligence agencies are entirely at the emperor’s discretion.

Even if the Duke brought the Saint to save the emperor, the Imperial Guard HQ would find it difficult to oppose. Depending on the interpretation, this could be seen as treason against the emperor.

The emperor, who was supposed to give orders, lay incapacitated. Even if a posthumous authorization were to be given, the emperor must first regain his senses.

They might have thought that strengthening security would eliminate any problems. Or perhaps they fervently prayed that there wouldn’t be a problem.

But eventually, the incident occurred.

“…Is the condition very critical?”

“At least from my perspective, it was severe. Even the chief physician who has been with him for 30 years couldn’t recognize him. He barely recognized the Duke’s face….”

Lucia began to trail off. Her demeanor spoke volumes about how grave the emperor’s condition really was.

“…Let’s keep this under wraps.”

I decided to bury the truth.

It was a decision for Lucia, and also a decision for myself. The Imperial Guard HQ, blinded with rage, would undoubtedly slaughter everyone indiscriminately, regardless of status. For now, it had to be buried.

The truth was fed into the shredder.

I didn’t report it to the company. All related documentation was hidden away in a place only I knew.

Five months passed like that.

And today.

The veiled truth revealed itself.

—

Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man

Even after receiving the intel, Leoni didn’t speak for a long while.

She stared blankly into space. She seemed lost in thought.

I waited for the head officer to speak.

“…Is it certain?”

Breaking the silence, Leoni asked, inquiring about the credibility of the intel.

“Saint Lucia is not the type to tell lies. She’d rather keep her mouth shut than speak falsehoods.”

“……”

I revealed the source of the intel.

“Last January, during the Canonization Ceremony and Coronation Ceremony in Lateran, Duke Alexandra Petrovna and Saint Lucia had contact. It was an unofficial meeting, and it was understood that a transaction took place there.”

“What kind of transaction?”

“It was a personal transaction between the Duke and the Saint. While tracking demons in the Northern Regions, the Duke suggested that she approve the Inquisition’s forces’ actions in exchange for fulfilling a request of hers later.”

That request referred to the treatment of the emperor, who was suffering from dementia.

Deep contemplation ensued. Leoni supported her chin with her hand.

I stepped forward to persuade her.

“Head officer. You must decide carefully.”

The intel regarding Nikolai VI’s dementia possesses a ripple effect that cannot even be compared to the internet meme about the U.S. president being a dementia patient.

It’s both violently and destructively impactful.

“According to the Saint’s testimony, the emperor’s condition is very serious. He couldn’t even recognize those who have been by his side for thirty years.”

The reign of Nikolai VI has lasted nearly 50 years. To be precise, it’s just under that, but it’s practically the same.

This is someone who could afford to purge even his own children, not trusting them. Only a close friend from his childhood and the chief physician who has been responsible for his health for thirty years remained beside him till the end.

His closest aides. The emperor is now in such a severe state that he cannot even recognize his most trusted confidants.

Leoni’s expression mirrored the gravity of the situation.

The overseas chief of the Military Intelligence Agency broke the silence.

“Does he recognize his blood relatives? The Crown Prince? Other princes and princesses? The Duke?”

“The Duke is in a situation where he can barely recognize him. Even then, he’s mixing up memories, mumbling about celebrating his 90th birthday.”

For reference, Alexandra Petrovna has already surpassed 100 years of age. The image of the Duke in the emperor’s memory belongs to ten years ago.

“According to the examinations by the physicians, it does not rule out the chance of the emperor regaining his mental faculties. However, the frequency and duration have been found to be irregular.”

Even in a world where magic and the divine exist, brain-related diseases remain a mystery here.

If the Magic Tower had conquered dementia, the Duke wouldn’t have sought Lucia in the first place. In other words, dementia is a disease that even the Archmage cannot solve, and the chance of a complete recovery through the Saint’s powers is slim.

“There’s no way to run the state under these circumstances. The dementia has progressed to a severe level. For several years now.”

“…When did the symptoms of dementia first begin?”

“The initial symptoms were observed eight years ago, and they worsened five years ago.”

Three years is more than enough time for a patient with early dementia to transition to mid-stage.

And,

“When did the Duke go into seclusion?”

“Right after the outbreak of the Northern conflict.”

The Duke had been in seclusion even before the Northern conflict, but disappeared completely after it began.

Initially, everyone expressed concern for the Duke’s safety. After all, the Archmage is not an immortal being.

However, what if the reason for the Duke’s seclusion is due to issues concerning the emperor rather than his own health?

“The timing overlaps.”

“I suspect that he’s been searching for a miraculous remedy to alleviate the emperor’s symptoms.”

“The Duke enjoyed adventures in his youth, so he might have set aside some good medicinal herbs….”

The intel confirming the deterioration of the emperor’s health is inherently severe, but the real issue was elsewhere.

I spoke in a serious tone, presenting a possibility.

That possibility is a military coup.

“You must already know that the Crown Prince is inheriting military authority. That’s the information given by the aide of the exiled imperial councilor last year.”

The Abas government has so far believed that the Crown Prince has received military authority from the emperor. It is said to be an attempt to consolidate military power before ascending the throne.

Yet the emperor is suffering from dementia. For a whopping seven years at that.

Then who did the Crown Prince receive military authority from?

Only the Crown Prince himself knows the answer.

But predicting the situation is the specialty of an intelligence officer.

“…So he didn’t actually receive military authority.”

The Crown Prince issuing commands to the military without formally receiving authority means that the emperor didn’t suddenly regain his senses one day and resolve succession issues.

The Crown Prince is unilaterally taking control of the military.

Leoni nodded in agreement. I continued.

“If this fact leaks, the Empire will fall into chaos. A government that has lost its commander will be left to wonder whether to follow the Crown Prince’s orders or wait for the emperor to rise from his sickbed. This turmoil will undoubtedly affect both the military and the intelligence agency.”

The problem is that a military that has lost control could turn in unpredictable directions.

To put it bluntly, what if these guys decided to stage a coup, disregarding all notions of loyalty and heritage?

The dementia-stricken emperor has not been able to hand over full power to the Crown Prince, and in a dictatorship, any lack of legitimacy could lead to a change in regime.

I said, “Head officer. If we leave it like this, we won’t have any means to intervene. If we delay any further, a problem that we cannot handle will definitely occur.”

The Crown Prince, striving to maintain the Empire in place of his collapsed father.

But many enemies surround him.

“How many of them are there? I heard the Emperor has nearly ten children, and aren’t they all adults by now?”

Sibling rivalry over the imperial throne.

“And what about society? The northern issue that was a headache has been resolved, but the real problem was the protests, right? With all the dictatorship, terrorism has already erupted from Abas. If it gets around that the military suppressed protests in the north with force and there were casualties, the university campuses are sure to erupt.”

Protests by civil society against dictatorship.

The fight for the imperial throne and protests are the imperial family’s bane. But now, both the imperial family and the empire have lost their master.

“Who will the military pledge loyalty to here?”

“…….”

The most ideal scenario is for the military to swear ‘absolute loyalty’ to the Crown Prince. I feel sorry to the citizens of a dictatorship, but if a civil war breaks out and the empire gets torn apart, every neighboring country will be in chaos.

Just think about what happened when Hussein was ousted in Iraq. It might be better for dictatorship to continue.

But in this world, there is no such thing as ‘absolute.’

Whether the military will recognize the Crown Prince as the legitimate heir, or if ambitious generals will side with other royal family members is anyone’s guess.

Of course, the Crown Prince is no fool.

He at least had some safety measures in place.

“I’m sure you’re aware that there are commanders in the intelligence agency loyal to the Crown Prince, Chief.”

The Empire’s Reconnaissance Command. The Empire’s intelligence agency has commanders who are aligned with the Crown Prince.

“Since last winter, Reconnaissance troops have moved into the capital. Perhaps, the Crown Prince mobilized the intelligence units that follow him to send special forces into the capital.”

I recited what had been discussed in the meeting months ago. The difference is that Leoni concluded it as the Emperor’s intention.

That conclusion was supported by both the Royal Intelligence Department and the Military Intelligence Agency. At that time, it was the most plausible hypothesis. But it is not uncommon for hypotheses in intelligence agencies to be overturned like a meal.

I flipped Leoni’s hypothesis upside down.

“Isn’t a special forces unit in a dictatorship typically deployed to suppress rebellions?”

From light infantry related to search and reconnaissance units, to the crème de la crème of special forces. All units bearing the term ‘special’ in the Empire come under the command of the Reconnaissance Command.

The commanders of Reconnaissance Command lined up behind the Crown Prince while the capital defense unit and the Imperial Guard focused on defending Petrogard and protecting members of the royal family.

The Imperial Guard has traditionally been a group loyal to the Emperor, and the capital defense unit inherited the command structure from the Ministry of Defense when the Emperor, who acted like a paranoid, was somewhat sane. Personnel changes among the lower-ranking commanders are determined by the Ministry of Defense, but commanders and key officers must be appointed directly by the Emperor.

If the military coup succeeds, how will those who pledged loyalty to the Emperor be treated? One thing is for sure, the execution grounds will be noisy for a while.

In any case, if only the capital’s armored units, artillery, special forces, and Imperial Guard obey the Crown Prince’s orders, the coup can be dealt with.

However, millions of citizens in Petrogard will be exposed to danger.

“Realistically, the coup has little chance of success in the Empire. Both the likelihood and the conditions.”

“I know. But that only applies when the Emperor is alive and holding power, right?”

And the Emperor is now a walking corpse.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the vacuum of power will inevitably stir up everyone’s desires like an open ring. Historically, there’s no group that becomes more restless than the military when a dictator dies.

I asked Leoni.

“Fine, the Reconnaissance Command has set their course. But where do the Imperial Guard HQ and Counterintelligence Command stand?”

“The Imperial Guard HQ has focused solely on intelligence work after its internal purge. They should be considered loyal to the royal family.”

To be precise, to the Emperor. But that Emperor is now out of the picture.

For now, those guys are just wallflowers.

If a coup occurs, they’ll either choose a side or just suck their thumbs, hesitating.

“The Counterintelligence Command is ambiguous. Support for royal family members shifts according to internal factions. While there aren’t any outright political maniacs, there are plenty who show implicit favor.”

“And how much support does the Crown Prince hold there?”

Leoni grimaced and waved her hand.

“Almost none.”

Damn it.

The intelligence agency is loyal to the Crown Prince, but the counterintelligence agencies are not, it seems.

Considering that counterintelligence can legally intercept military communications, this is a significant loss. If the suppression forces that are loyal to the Crown Prince exchange communications, the counterintelligence agency will eavesdrop on them.

The moment they side with the rebels, it means information regarding operations will leak.

“Then, we need to check which side the imperial Counterintelligence Command has aligned with.”

First things first, we need information. Internal information from the Counterintelligence Command.

This way, even if a coup occurs, we might have something to try. After all, knowing something is better than being clueless when summoned by the Prime Minister, right?

The problem is,

“But who can bring that information?”

There isn’t anyone who can fetch the intel.

Silence ensued.

While the Military Intelligence Agency could plant double agents in the Imperial Counterintelligence Command, to find out which royal family member their associates have aligned with would at least require co-opting a general-level officer.

And in a nation that actively engages in counterintelligence, trying to co-opt a high-ranking intelligence officer is essentially madness.

“…What if, Chief?”

Here, I rolled the dice.

“What if we obtain cooperation from someone close to the Duke to monitor the military’s movements?”

“Make it realistic.”

“Since I’ve operated with the military in the north several times, I have friendships with high-ranking commanders. Including General Mikhail who led the conflicts.”

Leoni began to calculate.

“A general of that caliber is essentially a candidate for the next Chief of Staff. If it were General Mikhail, he’d have the Chief of Staff position practically guaranteed.”

“Even if it’s not General Mikhail, there are many officers below him that I know. How many of their classmates would be in the Counterintelligence Command?”

This means we could have agents within the Counterintelligence Command.

When intelligence agencies target intelligence units or counterintelligence units, they typically start with their classmates. Intelligence officers’ identities are protected, but field commanders are exposed. No matter how hard they try to hide, good friends know who went to the intelligence unit and who went to counterintelligence.

But the key point is not this.

“Being a disciple of the Duke also makes it easier to access the palace. Although approaching the Emperor would be impossible right now, what about other royal family members? They’re surely going to come to us before we even make a move.”

Contact with the royal family. This is the real crux.

Alexandra Petrovna, the Duke, is the Emperor’s aunt, making her a great-aunt to the royal family. To put it a little more friendlily, she’s like a great-aunt-grandma.

According to Francesca, when the Emperor’s children were young, they were considered like her own kids. So there’s also a route open to approach via the Duke’s connections.

“Chief, please consider it just one more time.”

“…….”

Leoni fell into deep contemplation with a serious expression.

Turning her back to the desk, she stood by the window, gazing at the outside scenery. While I couldn’t see her expression, I could easily surmise her complicated feelings just from her silhouette.

The Chief finally spoke.

“If the tail gets stepped on and either the Hero or you gets captured, the company can’t offer any help. They might attempt to assist in getting you out of prison. But everything that happens afterwards, you must bear it alone.”

“…….”

“Would you still go ahead?”

The intelligence officer asked. This intelligence officer provided the answer.

“Why are you asking such things suddenly? Didn’t I already do it before?”

Upon hearing that answer, Leoni smirked.

She walked back to her seat and sat down at her desk, saying,

“You go do your work.”

The Chief said,

“I’ll persuade the Upper and Lower Houses and the committee.”

*

Two weeks later, a message arrived at the Military Intelligence Agency’s Foreign Affairs Director’s office.

The brief message, not even 100 characters long, from the Mauritania Continent contained news that the operation supporting the warlord had been successfully concluded.

It was about a month into the operation.

 

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