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If there’s a common culture enjoyed by the information officers, it would probably be chess.

A board game for two players. A mind sport that requires high-level strategy.

Some think chess is a simple game that ends when you capture the king, but that’s far from the truth. The essence of chess lies in moving various pieces within the established rules.

Sixty-four squares. Thirty-two pieces. Each with different openings.

Depending on the player’s choices, the possibilities are endless, and the two players constantly wrestle with their options, searching for the key to victory.

That’s why chess is a game that demands logic.

“Do you know what a gambit is?”

It’s not much different from intelligence warfare.

“I know. Isn’t it a strategy in chess?”

“Exactly. Sacrificing a lower-value piece to gain positional advantage. That’s a gambit.”

I nodded while holding a cigarette.

“Zigmund, you know, but people in intelligence agencies really love chess. Regardless of era or nationality. Back in the day, I used to play chess with foreign friends while exchanging information.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

Zigmund urged me to get to the point.

“Ugh—”

I rubbed my eyes while the bitter taste lingered in my dry mouth.

A gambit. A risky move to gain an advantageous position by sacrificing a lower-value piece.

If I were to compare it to a Chinese idiom, it would correspond to ‘cutting flesh to save bone’—this strategy has several characteristics.

First, the opponent can either accept the gambit, decline it, or propose a counter-gambit.

Second, the side proposing the gambit gains a temporary attacking advantage as compensation for sacrificing the piece.

Third, if the opponent accepts the gambit and successfully defends against all attacks, the initiative passes to the one who accepted the gambit.

Will the positional advantage gained by sacrificing pieces in the early game lead to victory? Or will they fall victim to defenses, losing pieces and unraveling the game unfavorably?

A gambit isn’t inherently advantageous for one side alone, making it a gamble that can lead to ruin if misused.

In other words,

“…I’m starting to see why that old man sacrificed you, my friend.”

—

Episode 20 – Who Threatened with a Knife?

All of this is one big game of chess.

To capture bigger pieces, to approach more vital secrets, one sacrifices their own flesh to seize the opponent’s bones.

Someone threw a delicious bait towards me. And Zigmund is that piece thrown by someone.

Frederick asserted, “Am I a pawn?”

“Yeah.”

“Ha…”

Zigmund scoffed as if he found it ridiculous.

“Neither the Royal Intelligence Department nor the Military Intelligence Agency knew. Only the higher-ups of the Imperial Guard HQ were aware of my identity.”

“……”

“Who leaked the information that only one of the two warring nation’s intelligence departments was aware of?”

It wasn’t the intelligence department.

The Royal Intelligence Department only recognized Zigmund’s betrayal right after their contact, William, was arrested. Their response was swift and precise, but it didn’t substantiate Frederick’s claim.

Zigmund continued his speculation.

“Could it be the Inquisition? That’s a possibility. There’s a precedent of friction with the Imperial Guard HQ over the matter concerning Saint Veronica, and the intelligence efforts of Lateran are based on faith. If someone within the Imperial Guard disclosed my identity based on religious belief, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible.”

Of course, the actual likelihood of that converges towards zero.

The greatest rival of the Imperial Guard HQ is the Abas Intelligence Agency, but at the same time, the Inquisition poses a significant threat to the Empire.

The fact that religious zealots are leaking secrets to the Inquisition is something all nations’ intelligence agencies have noticed. The Imperial Guard has strictly managed information concerning Zigmund so that anyone with a religious belief, regardless of status, cannot access it.

This was known to Zigmund and was also something Frederick suspected.

“I know. If the information flowed towards Lateran, the Royal Intelligence Department would have caught on. They have that level of capability, right?”

“Indeed. But why do I feel you’re telling painfully obvious lies…”

“But Zigmund, there’s one misunderstanding you have.”

A pale smoke rose.

Frederick briefly dropped the cigarette and leaned forward.

“I never said I heard you were a spy from anywhere. Moreover, I have no recollection of saying that the source was an intelligence agency.”

Zigmund twitched his eyebrows, tilting his head.

“…Then?”

“The source is Ashtistan. Not the Inquisition or any other intelligence agency.”

Zigmund’s eyes widened as he looked at Frederick.

His eyelids lifted, and deep furrows appeared on his forehead.

“That man said: ‘Canicula Holdings, Wali Al-Dadun, Timershack Park, 1 PM.’ He just handed me a note with those three items and left, so I thought it was some joke.”

It was then, as Zigmund sat still, that Frederick released a soft gasp and stood up.

He laughed in disbelief, as if this was some joke, while wandering around as if taking a stroll.

“I hear they wanted to eliminate Commander Darius. Ah, so that’s what this means? I was worrying I might have to take someone’s head.”

“…Who? Who gave the meeting place and time?”

Frederick looked at Zigmund.

“Does it matter?”

“……”

“What matters is that man acquired the content of the agreement between you and the Imperial Guard HQ. And he handed that over to me.”

Neither Frederick nor Zigmund would know the exact circumstances that allowed him to acquire that information.

“You and the Imperial Guard’s agreement, Zigmund. To be exact, the meeting place and time were leaked. I don’t know where it slipped out from, but what’s crucial is that it reached my ears and also spread to the Royal Intelligence Department agents who were tracking you.”

What matters is solely that.

Nothing else was important.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. This isn’t really due to your incompetence, Zigmund, or the people at the Imperial Guard HQ. This is, how should I put it…”

“……”

“Let’s just say it’s a matter of unfortunate luck.”

—

The footsteps wandering inside the hideout passed by Zigmund.

Zigmund stared blankly into space without even a sideways glance.

Frederick, having reached the window, discreetly clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the city tinted in dark blue.

In the distance stood a palace against the backdrop of mountains dressed in white hats.

“Your subordinates committed the crime of espionage by providing confidential information for monetary benefits from enemy intelligence agents, while the commander illegally generated slush funds through unethical means overseas.”

“……”

“Of course, the reality is you, Zigmund, are a double agent who has cooperated with the Imperial Guard HQ for 16 years, and your ‘friends’ working in the Law Enforcement Corps and police are, strictly speaking, aiding the Empire… But who would care about that?”

After all, your official position is as a high-ranking information officer of the Royal Intelligence Department.

And you’ve been active as an intelligence officer in this place since the ‘Kingdom’ days of Ashtistan.

“No one will care. Especially the Imperial Guard HQ.”

It’s been less than a week since the incident where Alexandra Petrovna was wiretapped by the Ashtistan Republic Security Committee.

The elder of the Smirnov royal family and duke of the northern regions, a renowned archmage respected by magic users from the Imperial Ministry of Magic and around the globe, had endured such an unfortunate accident.

If Zigmund’s identity as a double agent for the Imperial Guard HQ comes to light, the Ashtistan Republic would have a pretext.

A legitimate and lawful rationale to pressure the Kien Empire diplomatically.

“From the Imperial Guard’s perspective, this will be a headache. While they will try to protect you, the information agents you’ve been holding onto won’t have any reason to care.”

“……”

“What about the Ashtistan Republic? The Law Enforcement Corps? Given that they’re currently exposing their own sordid dealings with weapon smuggling that they despise, what do you think will happen if they learn that high-ranking intelligence officers from the Royal Intelligence Department have planted informants all over Shizuya?”

Zigmund didn’t respond.

Even without explicitly voicing it, he could predict the future accurately.

The reality of the officials bribed by Abas intelligence agents had surfaced.

Zigmund’s informants had pervaded the military, security, and intelligence sectors of Shizuya’s Law Enforcement Corps, Department of Defense, and more.

This implies that the security of the Ashtistan Republic has been completely compromised by foreign entities.

If a fair investigation and trial were conducted, he might escape with his life, but significant punishment would not be avoidable.

However, the current situation is rather distant from ‘fairness.’

Investigating bodies would deem the money received from the enemy’s ‘spy’ as ‘project funds,’ and communications exchanged between them would eventually be documented in the indictment as a ‘process of plotting to overthrow the Republic.’

Even if the Imperial Guard manages to clarify the truth, the situation would not resolve quietly.

The Kien Foreign Affairs Ministry would face immediate protests from the Ashtistan Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Empire, which attempted to pressure the Republic through the wiretap incident, would likely place the blame on the Imperial Guard.

Thus, the Imperial Guard does not intervene under any circumstances.

They would extract Zigmund quietly and wait for all the truths to fade away.

And the Royal Intelligence Department will…

“…This is going to be difficult, huh?”

Zigmund.

He spoke in a calm tone.

“It must be the work of a double agent, so no one will take responsibility. If the truth comes to light, only the Imperial Guard HQ’s position will be put in jeopardy, so they might try to cover it up.”

“They’ll have to save face after not realizing that security was compromised for sixteen years, but they can at least serve some crumbs to the Imperial Guard personnel operating in Shizuya.”

“The artwork is fine. Everyone knows that the Empire’s Royal Intelligence Department and the Republic’s Information Department were working against each other, right?”

“It’s a public secret. That’s why the gentry around here won’t hesitate to suspect the Imperial Guard HQ.”

Of course, the possibility of black propaganda would also be considered in Shizuya.

But regardless of Zigmund being a double agent, the fact remains that his sources leaked confidential information from the Republic of Ashtistan.

Nationality doesn’t matter. The important thing is that civil servants were guided by foreign information agents to leak confidential information to foreign intelligence agencies.

The world calls it treason.

“What’s the penalty for treason? I’m not well-versed in Ashtistan’s legal code.”

“…Death penalty.”

“Oh, right. It was probably hanging? I believe the Law Enforcement Corps handles the executions, which is rather strange now that I think about it. It’s odd that the Law Enforcement Corps would execute its own personnel.”

Frederick resumed speaking, leaning against the window.

It was a discussion they both shared about the future.

“Since they said they had informants within the Law Enforcement Corps, Darius Ismailzahi will hardly escape responsibility. As the commander of the Law Enforcement Corps, he’ll be held accountable for his subordinates’ espionage activities. If he’s lucky, he might be able to retire as a civilian, but if not, he could lose all his accumulated wealth.”

“……”

“Of course, even if he tries to shift the blame onto someone else with some brilliant political maneuvering, that bastard will still end up stripped of his position. You know the reason too.”

“…Bribery, slush funds, illicit accumulation are dishonorable acts. And in this country, dishonor is synonymous with social death.”

“In a way, it would be social execution, right? This is the place where the mayor of Shizuya was impeached just for watching girls dance and perform. If there’s a crime more disgraceful than just watching a performance, living the rest of one’s life as if all limbs were severed while merely breathing would still be insufficient.”

The informants cooperating with Zigmund would face physical execution.

Darius Ismailzahi, commander of the Law Enforcement Corps, was set to undergo social execution due to command responsibility and illicit accumulation.

The number two of the Republic of Ashtistan?

That meant absolutely nothing.

There were already others who wanted to take Darius Ismailzahi’s head.

“A commander who was blissfully unaware that his subordinates had been bribed by the enemy, living in luxury with ill-gotten foreign currency…”

I wonder where this amusing news came from, but its effect is certainly guaranteed.

As Frederick muttered, Zigmund sank deep in thought.

“……”

Who could it be? Where did the information leak from?

Who informed the Military Intelligence Agency employee?

Someone in Shizuya. Someone who wishes to eliminate Darius Ismailzahi, the political heir of the Menbashi.

…Who on earth could it be?

Frederick’s voice struck his ears.

“Things just got interesting.”

“……”

“The Imperial Guard HQ, caught off guard, is unlikely to boldly step forward fearing that the Duke, who has ties with the priest, will admonish them for ‘why did you stir up unnecessary trouble,’ and the Foreign Ministry will be in an uproar saying that the intelligence agencies have thrown a heap of muck everywhere, while the military will probably try to take this opportunity to assert control over the Guard HQ.”

“Many will find themselves in trouble.”

“Isn’t that how family feuds usually go? Well, by then, the Imperial Guard HQ won’t have the bandwidth to care about any mess happening in Shizuya. Meanwhile, the Royal Intelligence Department will be quick to take care of their business and then slip away.”

Zigmund slyly shifted his gaze over his shoulder.

The backlight cast a shadow over Frederick, but that outline was clear.

“…Did you say you wanted to eliminate Darius Ismailzahi? The one who informed you about our meeting location and time, that’s him.”

“Yes.”

“Do you truly think it can happen? I know that nutjob is spouting nonsense.”

“If you’re confident, feel free to bet with me.”

Someone might have laughed mockingly in the air.

Frederick lit a cigarette while Zigmund responded with a smile.

“Listen. It seems you’ve been blind to the fact that the Law Enforcement Corps is one of the nation’s top power institutions, rivaling even the Imperial Guard HQ of the Kien Empire and the military.”

“I know.”

“I’ve got a rough idea of who Darius Ismailzahi is. Do you even know he’s the political heir of the Menbashi?”

Zigmund explained that Commander Darius was set to lead the Republic of Ashtistan after the Menbashi.

The title of head of the top power institution, along with being the political successor to the Menbashi, backed that claim up.

Then Frederick added,

“…Ah, so ‘Menbashi’ is the King here? Wow, I had no idea!”

With a bam, he burst into laughter.

Leaning against the window, he laughed so hard that tears flowed for a while.

“No wonder. I was wondering why that old man holed up in the Citadel would want to oust the commander of the Law Enforcement Corps. Ah, so there’s someone specific he wants to get rid of? Quite the intriguer he is.”

“…Citadel?”

As he turned his head slightly, Zigmund murmured in a somewhat panicked voice.

“Jainab Eskander? Al-Yabd’s priest?”

“Yeah. That old man.”

“…How did my information end up in the priest’s hands?”

“I can’t say.”

In truth, I didn’t even care.

Frederick rose from the window and added,

“Honestly, whatever the Abas government says, the people around here probably won’t care much. Even if they shove evidence that the Law Enforcement Corps illegally accumulated foreign currency in their faces, they’ll likely just think it’s enemy propaganda.”

“……”

“But if the priest himself gets personally involved, things would be different, right?”

Honestly, I’m a bit curious too.

How brilliantly will the gamble thrown by the only two living Archmages succeed?

Frederick took his hand out of his pocket and spoke in a calm voice.

“Thank you, Zigmund. Thanks to you, I can finally handle all those pesky nuisances.”

“……”

“Anyway, they’d already been clamoring for how to deal with Darius’ head in the Office of the Prime Minister. But now, it looks like I can also take care of the others.”

His eyelids felt heavy.

Zigmund sensed a weight pressing down on his eyelids.

“…You won’t ever find the rest of the information I’ve kept hidden. Of course, that includes anything related to you.”

“I don’t need it. If I can’t find it, they won’t be able to either. As long as the ownerless items buried in the desert are forgotten by everyone, isn’t that sufficient?”

“……”

A chilling sensation crept down his spine.

“You must have had an inkling. That this day might come.”

The cold wind brushed against his nape, and his fingers slipped off the firmly gripped handle.

“Were you referring to it as an aesthetic choice?”

The information officer spoke.

“I think so too.”

“……”

“But that doesn’t justify burying a knife into the backs of the colleagues you once trusted.”

“…Betrayal is betrayal.”

“Well, you know that well enough.”

“…Will that be okay? People will probably say something at the company.”

“I don’t care. As long as I report that I dealt with the double agent before he started running his mouth, it’s all good. If anyone gets super mad, resigning won’t be a problem.”

The information officer laughed.

“And you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve done the same thing before.”

“……”

“But they didn’t say anything at Headquarters.”

Now it was time.

Morning arrived in the dew-soaked city.

The information officer took out the last remaining Guluaaz Kaporal and exhaled a deep crimson sigh.

“I’m tired.”

The information officer who had been watching him spoke up in a low voice.

With a cigarette nearing his lips, the information officer grinned.

And then—

A bright light illuminated the darkness for a brief moment.

*

The information officers waiting in the hallway gathered drugs, cleaning tools, and plastic and entered inside.

As they descended near the entrance door, Matt’s face appeared. He was leaning against the door frame, smoking a cigarette.

After checking the paper box he handed, Frederick took the neatly stacked confidential documents from the Royal Intelligence Department and headed toward the back alley.

-Whack~!

A bonfire, possibly made of a discarded drum, flared up a little brighter. Frederick sighed, rummaging through his pockets while mumbling softly.

“Although this isn’t during broad daylight, reports may be delayed, but the police will be here soon.”

“I’ll wrap it up and get out in five minutes.”

“The bodies need to be found. While it’s a bit odd to have to spoon-feed them, it’s better than getting sidetracked at the last moment.”

As he stuffed clothes into the black bag and changed into new ones, Matt, who had been quietly observing, started speaking.

“What did you and Zigmund talk about? At the end, it seemed like you two were discussing something.”

“……”

Frederick, who was changing, turned his head slightly.

Morning had already dawned.

It felt a bit chilly, perhaps because it had rained overnight.

Not quite fitting with the image of a desert country.

“…Nothing much, really.”

“And?”

Frederick paused for a moment, pulling out a roll of cigarettes from his pocket.

Then, he suddenly added,

“I’m not as philosophical as that guy… I just spoke my mind as it came to me.”

 

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