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The public perception of magicians is quite complicated.

To the older generation, magicians are akin to free-spirited rebels, independence fighters, and revolutionaries. Having witnessed the Cult-Magic Tower War in their childhood or hearing tales from their parents has left them with a positive impression.

The same goes for the middle-aged group. Over the past century, society has made remarkable advancements thanks to science and magic.

They experienced that era firsthand and benefited from the economic growth, so it’s natural for them to have a favorable view of magicians.

On the contrary, those in their 20s and 30s tend to view magicians or magic itself somewhat negatively.

Doomers, Tangpingers, the N-Generation.

Or perhaps like the South American illegal immigrants crossing the Mexico border and Indian science and engineering graduates settling in Canada on work visas, etc.

Today, the perception of magicians is somewhat between “talented individuals idling away their lives” and “job thieves sneaking in to exploit the wage gap between developed and developing countries.”

It’s not just empty talk; it’s genuinely how it is.

Even Francesca, a high-ranking official from the Raniere family and the Magic Tower, has had to endure slander during numerous defense contracts, labeled as “foreign businessmen threatening national defense” (which her company believes is propaganda cooked up by the defense industry).

One contributing factor is that magicians have gotten into enough trouble that they’ve firmly established the image of “quirky oddballs.”

But there’s one exception.

A figure who receives overwhelmingly positive evaluations across generations and nationalities: the “Archmage.”

Why is it that despite the negative shift in perception of magicians, Archmages are seen as an exception? It’s entirely because Archmages have proven themselves to be exceptional individuals.

There’s an old saying: applause only sounds when the hands meet. How can one compare the legendary Archmages who have sat on their thrones for a century to mere mortals?

They are inherently incomparable, so there’s no point in slandering them.

However, there is a misconception held by people:

“Yes, this is Kien Empire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. How may I assist you?”

“Switch me to the Deputy Minister.”

That’s right! The 120-year-old nagging old man may indeed be a kind grandmother who doesn’t throw tantrums!

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Episode 20 – Who threatened with a knife?

In the heart of Shizuya, the capital of Ashtistan, lies the “Embassy of the Kien Empire to the Republic of Ashtistan,” renowned for its exquisite cuisine.

Compared to Petrogard, the cost of living here is overwhelmingly cheaper; maintaining an embassy here costs much less than the over 300 million won spent by embassies in other countries.

Just look at the costs associated with hosting receptions or replacing old facilities.

When other countries rent hotels or hire dozens of chefs for regular events, they spend over 60 million won, but in Ashtistan, even hiring the most expensive five-star hotel and chefs wouldn’t need more than 30 million won.

Moreover, the rent for the building and land, which is key to maintaining the embassy, is astonishingly cheap. With nearly 150 employees commuting from external accommodations to an 8-story new building, the budget shows no signs of running dry.

Not just the budget—expenses for lodging, dining, and other needs are the same as well.

Even if foreign businessmen, expatriates, and wealthy Ashtistani families enroll all four of their children in private schools and enjoy quality family time at a fine restaurant every Sunday, their bank assets remain intact. In fact, their wealth has probably increased compared to when they worked in the Kingdom of Abas.

Furthermore, Ashtistan is an ally that resembles blood ties.

While they’re busy, it’s a paradise compared to maintaining a delicate hostile relationship with other countries.

For employees of the Kien Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shizuya is well known as a “perfect place to loaf around.”

“…Uh.”

In that honeyed workplace. The minister overseeing the embassy, enjoying the sweet life, could only blink his eyes in disbelief.

With a feeling of being rewarded for his past efforts, he entered each day blissfully until he was met with this unexpected turn of events.

Lazily propping his feet on the desk, he held the receiver to his ear and stared blankly at the air.

Though he looked a bit foolish, there was a reason for his actions.

“Sorry, I think I might’ve dozed off… Could you repeat that?”

From the other end, the senior secretary of the Kien Empire’s embassy in Ashtistan shouted in terror.

“—What?! They installed a listening device in the hotel?!”

For the record, he wasn’t a foreign ministry employee. He was an information officer disguised as a senior secretary, sent from the Imperial Guard HQ.

Of course, this was a well-known secret among everyone involved—the headquarters, the foreign ministry, and even the ambassador knew this. After all, the ambassador was also the head of the Imperial Guard HQ’s Shizuya branch.

The issue was the bizarre words that spilled out of that officer’s mouth.

Having returned to the embassy after an event hosted by the neighbors (another embassy) around 1:10 a.m., the ambassador had no choice but to jump from his seat.

“From where?”

“Who do you think? Those Rabdari guys!”

“…The Security Committee?”

With a hopeless expression, the ambassador sighed. Ah, I’ve got another hassle on my hands.

It seems Ashtistani folks have been caught monitoring an Abas official with that device. What do I do about this?

Quickly piecing the situation together, the imperial ambassador prepared to intervene.

“I’ll explain to the Duke, so the Abas officials can sort out their misunderstandings with those Rabdari lads.”

The senior secretary interrupted the ambassador.

In an irritated tone, almost dripping with exasperation.

“—No! They put the listening device in your room, not the official’s! Those bastards…!”

“The place where the device was found wasn’t the official’s room, but the Duke’s? The Security Committee was eavesdropping on the Duke, and the Duke discovered it themselves?”

“Yes!”

“…”

Blink. Blink.

The ambassador of the Kien Empire to the Republic of Ashtistan.

Former ambassador to the Jamria Federation.

Having endured countless slanders while scrambling from Jamria to Ashtistan, the diplomat gazed blankly into space and muttered.

“…Could this be a dream?”

Denial of reality.

—

*

Rewind the time to when the ambassador of the Kien Empire was on the phone with the senior secretary, exclaiming, “I can’t work under these filthy conditions!”

In a five-star hotel in Shizuya, the capital of Ashtistan, a minor commotion was brewing.

It all started with this very premise.

“I can’t remember the last time I visited this place. I’m sure it was once nothing but vacant land, but the world has changed so much!”

“Professor, how many years are you talking about? According to a report from the Ashtistan National Development Committee, this street was established 45 years ago.”

“As of 45 years ago, it was a slum. During the monarchy, persecuted Ashtistani shamans gathered here and built makeshift homes. That gradually expanded until the republic was established and the area was developed into a city.”

“I see!”

Duke Alexandra Petrovna took us on a visit to Shizuya’s “Shaman Street.”

Renowned as the birthplace of sorcery and astrology, the Mauritania Continent—among them, Shizuya, which was a trading hub for the East and West, has always been both a merchant’s corridor and a mecca of magic.

“Shaman Street” was a must-visit for a magician like the Duke.

But they didn’t come just for sightseeing.

“I bought some stunning crafts, so it’s time to return the favor. Buy whatever you like—carpets, jewels, anything!”

“Wow! You’re the best, Professor!”

The Duke generously spent her personal fortune on gifts for us.

High-quality carpets and jewels from the Mauritania Continent are prized even in the Ivory Tower, and the taxes on top-tier magical tools nearly rival a 1:1 ratio, making it a huge extravagance.

For the Duke, taxes like that are a joke, so Camila and I could indulge in rare items freely.

However, the moment we returned to the hotel, a small issue arose.

“Hm?”

As usual, the Duke opened the door and waved her fur coat away with magic, only to sense an unusual current in the hallway.

It was an ordinary hotel, yet a strange magic lingered somewhere.

The Duke, leaving her coat behind, followed the faint magic trail. Moments later, when she reached out, a fluttering article of clothing snagged onto her.

“Isn’t this your dress?”

“Wha…?!”

Camila, munching on some bread, looked perplexedly at the dress the Duke presented to her.

The unwrapped dress was the one she had sent to the laundry before they went out.

Gulping down the last bite of bread, the disciple nodded while the mentor scrutinized the garment suspiciously. The Archmage’s hands retrieved a tiny mechanical device from within.

The Archmage’s keen senses pierced through the mechanism’s identity.

“Oho.”

Duke Alexandra Petrovna began laughing as if she had witnessed something amusing.

“Look at this…”

Unable to suppress my curiosity, I asked what was going on.

“What’s up?”

“I’ll tell you later. Just wait here for a moment.”

“…?”

Camila and I exchanged bewildered glances.

Regardless of our confusion, the Duke vanished without a word, and a moment later—

“Craaack!! Masood! Nasim! Team Leader Garzi! Molhodaya!”

“???”

A bureaucrat with a twisted arm appeared.

—

To summarize, the mechanical device extracted from Camila’s clothing was a listening device.

The entity that installed the listening device was the Security Committee of the Republic of Ashtistan, specifically employees from the Supervisory Division.

Why did they put a listening device in Camila’s clothing? To answer that question, we need to move the clock forward a bit.

“Now that they’ve begun monitoring even the hotel, they’ll soon initiate a full-blown surveillance operation.”

On the day the listening device was found, I sat Frederick and Camila down to explain the precautions.

“The phones have probably been tapped since we entered the country. From now on, they’ll keep a close watch on my activities both inside and outside the hotel. Of course, the Security Committee will be watching you too, Camila.”

“I expected that. I’m one of the witnesses involved in this incident.”

“Don’t use the landline inside the hotel or the magic communication devices. You shouldn’t divulge sensitive information even in face-to-face conversations. Always keep in mind that we’re being eavesdropped on.”

“And?”

“When we’re physically apart, contact me using secure communication devices. It’s outfitted with AES-256 level encryption technology, frequency hopping, and waterproof wireless communication, so there shouldn’t be any issues using it around here.”

“Oh wow.”

“I’ll teach you how to use it in due time… But when chatting with the group or talking to me like usual, just feel free to speak. It’s important to be cautious, but overthinking it might give away our intent.”

The two had a simple plan.

To distinguish between risk zones, where eavesdropping takes place, and safe zones, where eavesdropping does not. They would deliberately leak information in eavesdrop-prone areas while discussing analyses and strategies in safe spaces.

“I’ll contact the company and prepare a bait. Depending on what the Ashtistan Information Agency bites, we could end up with various options. I could hide the fact I’m a spy, or if necessary, we could mislead them about the start date or contents of an operation. Perhaps even find the pipe hidden in the company.”

“Pipe?”

“Double agent.”

“Oh, like the Cambridge Five? Just hearing about it is so exciting.”

“It’s purely theoretical, though. I mean, how common are double agents…?”

“In any case, let’s hit the fishing grounds now!”

Frederick and Camila stepped into the previously scouted danger zones to leak information.

The information about the Duke being so pleased by the gifts from the artisan market that she would personally take her disciple to Shaman Street flowed into the listening device installed among the hotel lights, and was directly transmitted to the van positioned near the hotel for eavesdropping and surveillance.

“…Scheduled to explore Shaman Street on Jerushcom Avenue 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow.”

“All three of them?”

“Including the Duke, the two surveillance targets are coming along.”

“Excellent. Just excellent.”

The team leader of the Security Committee’s oversight department, Mustafa Garzi, nodded while stroking his chin. This is a fortunate development.

The reserved room at the Eurodivy Hotel Shizuya by the Kien Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the royal suite, typically reserved for dignitaries visiting Ashtistan.

Long ago, an empire thriving in the hotel industry installed special reserved rooms for emperors and authorized delegates visiting abroad. Even today, with distinct executive floors or buildings receiving royalty, prime ministers, presidents, and CEOs, the Kien-affiliated hotels still prioritize royal reservations.

“……”

Team leader Mustafa Garzi held out the blueprints, assessing the layout with sharp eyes.

Figuring out where to install listening devices to capture every sound inside the room and where to place surveillance equipment to maximize the field of vision, and so forth.

“The installation must be discreet; we must ensure the Imperial Duke does not notice. Otherwise, this could stir up the Foreign Ministry.”

“Let’s switch out the magic imaging equipment for optical monitoring devices. For now, here, here, and here for the listening devices, and once we get the surveillance gear set up here…”

They were well aware of the Archmage’s keen detection abilities. Thus, for devices to be placed inside the lounge, they opted for expensive equipment that uses minimal magic.

Taking advantage of the moment when the three left, they broke into the room using keys bribed from hotel staff, swiftly installing listening devices and optical equipment before retreating.

The suspicious individuals moving through the hallway and lobby were fully captured by the hotel’s security magic imaging devices, but one security employee wiped the recordings while his colleague was in the restroom. The footage of them entering, as well as exiting, was erased.

“What about the internal hotel footage?”

“The security team nearby deleted it.”

The employees of the Security Committee who set up the surveillance equipment tried to eschew detection as they prepared to withdraw from the scene when…

One of the information agents planted in the hotel contacted them just as a guest was about to head out, mentioning they had left some laundry behind.

“I got a text from the laundromat. They say the laundry has come out of the room.”

“Is it men’s clothing?”

“No, it’s women’s clothes. Looks like a hero from the red hair. What should we do?”

“If we have any spare listening devices, tell them to hide it in the clothes.”

The hotel laundromat, previously bribed in advance, had received dozens of listening devices from the Security Committee employees. Of course, the staff had no idea they were affiliated with a spy agency; they just assumed it was for some photo shoot for a magazine.

Using a phone registered under a pseudonym, the Security Committee employee crafted a message to send to the hotel laundromat. If they had any extra devices, they should tuck them into the clothes, and they would receive a bonus of one-third of the promised payment.

“But, Team Leader, this listening device runs on magic power. Is that okay?”

“As long as it’s sent to the hero’s private room and not the Royal Suite, it won’t matter. The Duke of the Empire has never visited the hero’s room.”

Nodding to the team leader’s orders, the subordinate pressed the ‘send’ button.

At the same time, the hotel laundromat, holding up their mobile phone, checked the message from the ‘magazine paparazzi’ and tucked the listening device inside the fabric.

They were puzzled about how a photo agency could possibly have so much money, but as they stuffed the device into a guest’s clothing, they considered it a good day’s work, earning two months’ salary.

“♪~”

Excited by the prospect of easy money, the hotel laundromat skipped over to the room.

Passing by the executive room where Camila stayed, they headed towards the ‘Royal Suite.’

Once they hung the clothes in a visible spot, the laundromat dusted off any residue on the plastic packaging with a handkerchief, humming a cheerful tune as they left the room.

And now, a few hours later…

“So, you were hiding here.”

“AAAAAH!! Masud! Nasim! Team Leader Garji! Molhodaya!”

The ruthless Reverse-Authority action of the Archmage had begun to strike against the employees of the Security Committee, who had hidden two blocks down!

*

Chasing after the suspicious magical energy, the Duke, having effortlessly crossed two blocks with an unauthorized teleport (a legal term saying, ‘illegal flying within the city by magic’), reached the van where the Security Committee employees were hiding and crushed the arm of one who was checking the audio quality.

“How dare you? To think that you would hide a listening device in a lady’s clothing.”

“Grrr….”

“Who sent you?”

The Duke thoroughly shook down the suspicious henchman without missing a single beat. Meanwhile, one of the subordinates, who had gone out to check on a lost colleague’s status, reported back to the team leader, causing Mustafa Garji, who was overseeing the surveillance task, to be left speechless by the absurdity of the situation.

Of course, the person even more taken aback than the head of the Security Committee was the diplomat from the Kien Empire, who had recently assumed the role of ambassador to the Republic of Ashtistan.

-‘Are you out of your mind? The ambassador had no clue about the listening device that the local information agency had placed in the Duke’s room!’

“I’m sorry, Deputy Minister. I have no words even if I had ten mouths….”

The ambassador, barely having survived a party held at the nearby embassy, was feeling like death. Not because of the sleepiness that was creeping in, but because he was being fiercely scolded by the Deputy Minister.

As the clock approached 2 AM, a senior member from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called him, hurling harsh words in a torrent. This was heightened because, due to the time difference, it was evening in the Kien Empire, so the Deputy Minister was firing on all cylinders, but there was another critical reason.

-‘Do you have any idea what unspeakable embarrassment I have suffered in front of the Minister? Huh?!’

“….”

Indeed, the Deputy Minister of the Kien Empire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had just been summoned to the Minister’s office and had come back reeling.

Why was the Foreign Minister being reprimanded by the Chancellor? Well, you could probably guess that by taking a look at Archduke Alexandra Petrovna’s diligent call records.

“Yes, Your Grace. What brings you to call?”

-‘I found a listening device in my room. It was the work of ‘Rabdalari.’

“…Are you still in Shizuya?”

-‘No.’

“I will call the Foreign Minister to get to the bottom of this and hold them accountable. I will report back to you in thirty minutes.”

-‘Do so promptly, but carefully.’

Thus began a flame-like wave of reprimands originating from Emperor Nikolai VI, the second-in-command of the Kien Empire, striking down upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Reprimands fell in succession from Minister to Deputy Minister to Ambassador!

Of course, while the foreign line was being picked off one by one, the intelligence line was not merely sitting quietly.

-‘I apologize for disturbing you at such an hour, Director. The Chief is looking for you.’

“Right now?”

-‘The Chief has summoned all Directors, including yourself and Director 1. It’s urgent.’

The call had reached high-ranking individuals in the Imperial Guard HQ, who were having dinner with their families after work. Sensing something unusual in the air, the Directors switched to secure communication and quickly began screen the situation.

At the same time, one of the directors who had rushed into the headquarters upon receiving a call was about to slam the conference room door shut in frustration.

“What the hell have you all been doing for things to come to this?”

“….”

“Bring every piece of information you have regarding the Ashtistan Information Agency. The Chief will need to see it, so make sure nothing is missed.”

“…Yes.”

“Where is the branch manager right now?”

Inside the shaking vehicle. The person the director was desperately searching for was exactly there.

“Yes, Ambassador! I’m on my way back from vacation right now…!”

The branch manager of Ashtistan was bellowing into the phone from the passenger seat next to an assistant who was maneuvering the wheel with elegant skill. He had just been enjoying a vacation with his girlfriend, completely unaware of the incoming call from the agency, and had left her behind at the resort.

In true Kien Empire fashion—commanding, totalitarian, and authoritative—the swift and accurate reprimands moved from the top down through the ranks. Within two hours, the reprimands reached the branch manager.

With the comfort and safety of the royals at stake, neither the Kien Empire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Imperial Guard HQ stepped on the brake.

The Deputy Minister immediately called back the Ashtistan ambassador dispatched to Petrogard, demanding, ‘What the hell are you doing, you madmen!’ with great intensity, while the Imperial Guard also addressed the Security Committee’s act of surveillance, making their voice heard through liaison channels.

Of course, among those most anxious were not the employees caught in the act of eavesdropping or even the branch manager, who was receiving calls from his girlfriend about being abandoned in a foreign country.

“Is this not a dream…?”

“Get yourself together, Ambassador! Please!”

The ambassador of the Republic of Ashtistan, a former ambassador to the Jamria Federation under the Kien Empire, was facing his greatest crisis in life.

Just the other day, the Duke had stormed into the Kingdom of Abas embassy and had to retreat in disgrace, and now the local intelligence agency had planted a listening device in the Duke’s hotel room, resulting in reprimands from the Deputy Minister.

There was no liability on the ambassador’s part, but after already facing one incident concerning the royals, a second incident had arisen—this time, simply and undeniably due to his own failure.

“сука блять-!”

The panicking Kien Empire ambassador dashed straight to the Ashtistan government. It was well past 3 AM and though they carefully worked on deciphering the situation, there was no point in that at this moment.

With the Archmage’s rage boiling to the top, he had to be stopped before he ‘another’ raid on a government facility occurred.

Thus, the ambassador charged into the Ashtistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ready to break down the door.

“This is an issue that cannot be overlooked! How can blood allies eavesdrop on each other?!”

“Ambassador, I swear to you, the Ashtistan government had no knowledge of this… please believe me.”

“The Security Committee is no third-rate detective agency! How can the intelligence agency of this country plant a listening device without the Ministry knowing? Are you kidding me right now?!”

In the same vein, the branch manager of the Imperial Guard also called the Security Committee, unleashing a torrential stream of curses.

“Remove the person in charge immediately and issue a public apology! What? Investigation? Your staff who were eavesdropping have already been caught! How can you act like this when if we cut off our support, you wouldn’t even be able to ignite a single flame with a refined magical stone?”

The fury of people whose heads were on the line was terrifying.

Regardless of the diplomatic relations between the Kien Empire and the Republic of Ashtistan, truly, it was none of their concern. Yet the most flabbergasted and astonished individual was none other than Frederick, an official from the Kingdom of Abas.

“…Wait, where did that listening device go?”

The person who had envisioned himself as Santiago reeling in the opposing nation’s intelligence agency was at a total loss. He had left his room for nearly four hours, fully expecting tons of listening devices to be strewn about. Full of anticipation as if he were a child checking out Christmas presents.

However, upon returning, there was not a single device in sight.

As he searched every nook and cranny of the room, Frederick had no choice but to be bewildered.

“Camila. There’s no listening device.”

“What? How could that be possible?”

“I don’t know either. Did you accidentally eat it or something?”

“…….”

“I’m just joking—don’t give me that look.”

The curiosity of the two, who were chatting away in a secure area, was resolved shortly thereafter.

The employees of the Imperial Guard dispatched from the Kien Empire began rummaging through the room with surveillance and optical detection equipment in hand.

“So, let me get this straight… Ashtistan’s intelligence agency installed a listening device in Ms. Camila’s clothing, and the Duke caught on and took action? Is that right, Ambassador?”

“Yes, that is correct. You’ve got it exactly, Military Attaché….”

The Kien Empire ambassador Frederick faced looked like he had aged twenty years. The expression was one that could only be described as having just chewed something bitter.

Where have I seen this person before—gazing contemplatively, Frederick suddenly recalled the face of the Empire’s ambassador he met in the Jamria Federation. It hadn’t registered when the individual looked bright, but with such a drawn face now, it wasn’t hard to pinpoint.

“Uh, were you not stationed in the Jamria Federation, Ambassador…?”

“…That was my last posting. I just arrived in Shizuya.”

“Ah, I see….”

Realizing that, Frederick let out a small sigh.

Under the unforeseen circumstances that caused two diplomats to be relieved of their duties, their eyes grew moist as they shared their grievances. Though one had been relieved due to 100% personal fault, there was really no reason to grieve about it. After all, humans tend to look for commonalities before differences, don’t they?

“Hmm. I’ll need to take a quick call….”

“Yes….”

Frederick dialed a former colleague from the Ministry of Defense he had known since his imperial days, particularly during his time in the north.

“Hello? General Mikhail? It’s Frederick Nostrim. I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask if you have any contacts over at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs….”

General Mikhail, one of the few majors at the Kien Ministry of Defense and a war hero second to none in the Empire, received Frederick’s call and mobilized his connections from academy days to relay a message to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggesting they try to cut the ambassador some slack as he’d just recently taken office.

Of course, it was easier for him to assist because both the ambassador and General Mikhail were tied by alumni connections as well as being neighbors.

Frederick’s decision to save the ambassador sparked confusion in Camila’s mind, prompting her to question his reasoning, but Frederick calmly replied.

“Why help him? There’s really no reason to.”

“Feels like a guilty consciousness I can’t shake off. I haven’t done anything wrong, but….”

“Genre shift? From ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ to ‘Saving Private Ryan.'”

Just as Camila was grinning, the guards assigned to the search found a stash of listening devices and cameras.

“Did you check everywhere?”

“We searched thoroughly, but aside from the common room and the hero’s room, no surveillance devices were found.”

“Are you sure?”

“The Duke’s room is clean. We’ve checked everything thoroughly.”

“Good. Another team is currently working on security footage and interviewing employees, so let’s withdraw as soon as we get the results. Thank you for your hard work.”

The senior officer of the Imperial Guard HQ commanded while rubbing his tired eyes.

“Hmm….”

As she watched this unfold, a brilliant idea flashed in Camila’s mind.

“Wait a second. Frederick, do you still have the listening devices we found last time?”

“Yeah, I may have them… why?”

“Hand them over.”

Camila rushed into the room clutching the listening devices.

A moment later.

“Here’s another one!”

Heads turned in unison among the assembled guards, the Empire diplomats, and hotel staff as Camila peeked her head out from the suite, waving the listening device proudly.

“Look what I found right here!”

“…….”

“There are a few more inside.”

Seeing Camila’s grin, Frederick slapped his forehead.

“I thought they checked everywhere.”

“…….”

“You go on in and see.”

An array of shocked expressions illuminated the faces of the Imperial Guard employees as they witnessed the miraculous appearance of the listening devices (fact), and fury akin to flames began retribution upon the guilty.

But what of it?

Though the plan may have gone awry, it was a victory for both Camila and Frederick, having struck back at the Security Committee.

“…Yes, Communications Security. Frederick Nostrim here. I apologize, but, um…. our operation… the bait is already concluded…. If I tell you that it can’t be used, will you lay into me? Ah, the entire department pulled an all-nighter and you’re asking what nonsense this is? Let me explain how this has come about….”

Or not.

 

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