---

“Why did you call me?”

In a dimly lit office of a news agency, Dmitri was being dragged away by suit men. Sophia confidently occupied the chair where Dmitri had been sitting, smiling softly.

She leaned back in the chair and replied, “You look different! Almost didn’t recognize you. Is it because of that Defense Attaché badge? You must be getting treated quite well.”

“Cut the crap and just tell me. What do you want?”

I spoke while lifting the pistol on the desk and the glass of alcohol next to it.

“Did you come here to pick a fight because I didn’t pay my dues?”

“Dues? What dues? We’re not even members of the alumni association…”

Sophia chuckled with a sarcastic tone, her self-assured attitude resembling her usual self.

“Still as annoying as ever.”

“If you keep this up, I might just cry.”

“……”

“Just kidding.”

With a lazy demeanor, Sophia rambled on.

I held the glass of alcohol to my lips, glaring at her.

A detached attitude.

That confident grin.

The alluring appearance.

“……”

On the outside, Sophia appeared to be a truly captivating woman, but knowing the nature beneath that facial skin, she was just an endlessly unsettling person.

If anything, she belonged to a similar category as Veronica.

I put the untouched glass of alcohol down and asked her, “Why are you here?”

Sophia showed me her journalist identification card.

“I came to work, you know. I’m a civil servant.”

“More like a spy.”

“Isn’t an information agency just a government agency?”

The spy sitting across from the spy smiled.

Sophia.

An overseas representative from a state-owned enterprise of the Republic of Patalia.

An international correspondent from a major news agency in the Republic of Patalia.

And,

A spy from an information agency.

“Shall we step outside for a moment?”

“……”

She was an old acquaintance of mine.

Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

State-owned enterprises and media agencies are the darlings of information agencies.

This isn’t because they provide crucial information to the agencies but rather because their identities are incredibly appealing.

To put it simply, it means that it’s easier to coordinate job cooperation in acquiring a cover identity.

Impressive and large workplaces are indeed the optimal places for spies to hide. Just look at South Korea as an example.

How long has it been since Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation cooperated with KT&G and several leading media agencies in relation to the National Intelligence Service and Information Command? The same applies abroad. Russia’s state-owned enterprise Aeroflot (privatized, but with 51% government shares, essentially state-owned) cooperates with the FSB, SVR, and GRU, and numerous American airlines assist the employees of the U.S. intelligence community in safely carrying out ‘business trips’ abroad.

In truth, it’s such a given that all counterintelligence agencies globally monitor foreign enterprises and media that are suspected of foreign intelligence activities.

However, this only applies to the individuals of interest. There is no perfect surveillance over the entirety of personnel.

It’s not like spies walk around with identification cards stuck on their foreheads. How could they monitor all those foreigners all the time?

Unless it’s a diplomatic mission.

“How’s life as a Defense Attaché?”

“Why are you asking when you already know?”

“Because I’m a journalist.”

“If you’re going to report, you should formally request an interview.”

The curt reply elicited a smirk from the spy posing as a journalist.

Holding her journalist ID against her chest, Sophia drew in a deep breath and asked, “The night air is nice, isn’t it?”

“Just don’t breathe. It’s a waste of air.”

The Defense Attaché and the journalist exchanged light banter as they strolled through the night.

Before them walked a suit man clearing the path, while another suit man followed behind, and beside them was a van trailing slowly.

I scanned the suits surrounding us with my eyes and asked Sophia, “Who are those guys?”

“My team members beneath me. They’re correspondents.”

It was a spy. More precisely, information agency agents disguised as journalists working under Sophia.

Of course, I had already figured that out, so I wasn’t particularly curious. The response was the opposite of the intent behind my question, and I knew that Sophia was well aware of it.

We weren’t that kind of people.

“Are you still working there? The Unified Intelligence Bureau?”

Sophia was an information officer from the military intelligence agency. To be precise, she was part of the Unified Intelligence Bureau under the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Patalia. The last rank I remembered was Lieutenant. I think she was a Sub Team Leader when I last saw her. We first met during a process of contact between intelligence agency agents from allied countries while operating in the Empire.

It’s been three years since I distanced myself from overseas operations. Sophia might have been promoted to Captain by now.

“No, I retired from the military.”

She said she got out.

At Sophia’s answer, my mind began racing. Military intelligence agencies are specialized information agencies. Given the nature of the intelligence industry, it’s difficult for someone to find reemployment using their skills and experience, so retirees usually rush to submit applications when new positions open up in different intelligence agencies.

In other words, Sophia was no longer working in military intelligence but in another intelligence agency.

As I made that connection, a name popped out of my mouth.

“The National Security Agency?”

“Yep.”

Sophia’s answer was immediate, but no further details followed.

Given the nature of the intelligence industry, prying into the identity of the other party is a significant faux pas. Not mentioning it and not asking is for the best. We both had to think about survival, so I simply shifted the topic.

“What are you doing here?”

“Investigating. What about you?”

“Same old, same old. Just doing my job as Defense Attaché.”

The duties of a Defense Attaché (disguised as a military intelligence agent) involve collecting military intelligence.

My task was to trace the backers of spies, but collecting intelligence was indeed part of my job, so I wasn’t lying.

After all, we knew everything there was to know about each other. Given the familiarity, there was no need for lengthy explanations, so we didn’t continue the conversation much longer.

Thus, Sophia and I strolled along, exchanging trivial talk.

Of course, by intelligence industry standards.

“Seems like the Magic Tower is buzzing lately, right? Both diplomacy and the company. Everyone seems busy.”

“Of course it’s noisy; the Empire and the cult have been at each other’s throats. It’s not like there haven’t been any attacks like before.”

“Oh, right. The Foreign Affairs Ministry said that extremist groups were making a fuss around here.”

“Extremist groups? We haven’t heard such news.”

“A confidential message just came in. They’re planning to stage a protest soon, concerning the issue of the Saint’s entry and other matters.”

“Then we’ll probably receive an official memo soon.”

I kept chatting with Sophia, walking along.

As time passed, the path, illuminated only by streetlights, grew dimmer as the mysterious object in the sky, which might have been the sun, dwindled away.

As the world darkened, the stakes of our conversation edged precariously into dangerous territory.

“How did you find out about Dmitri?”

“We’ve met a few times in the Empire. You introduced him, remember?”

“That’s not what I’m asking. Why is it that you guys are managing our asset?”

Dmitri, the former journalist turned social department head of a Magic Tower media agency, was clearly an asset under the management of the Military Intelligence Agency. To put it simply, he was an informant.

It was entirely normal for foreign intelligence agencies to be aware of Dmitri’s existence, as it was customary for them to cooperate occasionally.

The issue was why the National Security Agency, not the Military Intelligence Agency, was managing that intelligence asset.

Sophia confidently replied, “It’s because you all couldn’t manage your asset, and we rescued Dmitri from going to prison.”

It meant that the National Security Agency was using an asset that the Military Intelligence Agency had failed to manage and left hanging.

At that, I was left speechless. Not that I had nothing to say, but I truly didn’t know what to say.

Whether the Military Intelligence Agency had realized that one of their agents had been captured was secondary. It was basically agreeing that the National Security Agency had taken Dmitri, implying that the Military Intelligence Agency had left an informant unmonitored.

Taking another organization’s asset is against the etiquette of the intelligence industry, and the National Security Agency wasn’t oblivious to this. They must have confirmed that the Military Intelligence Agency was taking no action before they moved.

“Well…”

I tried to hide the feeling of devastation.

I couldn’t even show my face properly.

I heard that the information network we had planted within the Empire collapsed after all the senior operatives were caught, but I never imagined it would be this bad.

“No wonder they were cursing like that.”

“What can you do? If they don’t even have the luxury to care for their staff, how can they manage their assets? It was the same for us.”

“The Imperial Guard HQ really did a splendid job. Absolutely.”

At least, we had the misfortune of recovering the captured operatives in exchange, so that was a bit of luck.

After the silliness of the 2nd division at the Imperial Guard HQ, the spies caught by the 1st division must have been released, so both divisions must have lost face. The biggest damage would surely be for the 2nd division, having lost a substantial part of their overseas intelligence network, but with the Empire’s secrets laid bare across the continent, many influential figures in society have risen up, meaning the 1st division wouldn’t escape responsibility either. They would conduct a preliminary sweep and likely catch everyone soon enough.

Anyway.

The streets had completely sunk into darkness. With the world shrouded in shadows, only the warm magic emanating from the street lamps standing here and there was slowly pushing back the darkness.

The number of passersby had dwindled to the point where I could count them on my fingers, and we strolled slowly through the darkened streets.

I turned the corner following Sophia and approached a small alley, tossing a question her way.

“By the way, what did you want to talk about that you called me all the way out here?”

“It’s a bit of a secret conversation. Ah, here we are.”

She unfolded a clean foldable chair that seemed out of place in the back alley and said, “Sit here.”

Her bold demeanor left me momentarily speechless.

I glanced around, scanning the signboards and checking for the suit men keeping watch at the alley’s entrance.

Inside was a narrow alley I didn’t know the layout of, and the way we came was now blocked.

“…Are you messing with me?”

“Maybe?”

“…….”

“Just sit down. I have something to say.”

*

If asked to name three famous information agencies in this town, a certain name would certainly come up.

The Imperial Guard HQ of the Kien Empire.

The Inquisition of the Cult.

The Royal Intelligence Department of the Kingdom of Abas.

There are several other outstanding information agencies, but it’s hard to find one that can match the prestige of the three mentioned above.

First off, their histories all span at least a century. The Inquisition is notoriously talked about, while the Imperial Guard HQ and the Royal Intelligence Department are leaders in modern national intelligence agencies. Naturally, their accomplishments are numerous, and they are rich in experience and know-how.

These three agencies are titans in the continent’s intelligence industry. And there are information agencies hot on their heels.

The Kien Empire’s Reconnaissance Command and Counter-Intelligence Command.

The Kien Empire’s Police Information Agency.

The Military Intelligence Agency of the Kingdom of Abas.

The Total Intelligence Agency of the Lushan Federal Kingdom.

The National Security Agency of the Republic of Patalia, among others.

Though they are latecomers, they have fiercely engaged in intelligence operations, racking up accomplishments.

Some organizations have histories almost as deep as the Imperial Guard HQ and Royal Intelligence Department. Back when the Magic Tower was at war with the Cult, records exist of the Military Intelligence Agency and Reconnaissance Command supporting the army under the title of Army Intelligence. I heard about it while studying at the intelligence school.

But it bled a bit.

Many lives were lost, and many lives were taken. According to official statistics from the Military Intelligence Agency, hundreds of information agents have died in the line of duty since its creation, but counting informants, operatives, and collaborators who weren’t regular staff, the number would likely reach thousands. Perhaps even tens of thousands.

The number of deceased North Korean operatives reported in the South Korean press stands at 7,726, and I think the intelligence agencies around here might have even more.

Anyway.

Among the agencies mentioned earlier, the one with the shortest history is the National Security Agency of the Republic of Patalia. It’s been about 70 years since its establishment.

“It’s quite a decent job. They provide official residences, they pay well, and the treatment is good.”

“Ah, yes. I suppose so.”

“Want to switch jobs? Since we’re allies, it wouldn’t be a big deal for you to come over.”

“Get lost.”

“There should be a need for some back-and-forth here….”

The spy from the National Security Agency shot back with surprising cheek.

Honestly, she was one of the craziest people I’ve ever encountered. Even if I brought in Veronica, she’d pale in comparison to Sophia.

I adjusted my seating position and sighed.

“Lord. What did I do wrong to deserve this trial?”

“What? Have you suddenly found religion? But since you don’t seem to be praying to the true god, that looks more like a cult….”

“Something like that. They’re bickering over scripture interpretations in Jerusalem.”

Sophia nodded, her demeanor extremely calm.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it seemed like she was either pretending to know something or ignoring me because it was such nonsense.

“So, what is it that you want to say?”

“Is there anything urgent? You don’t have anything scheduled for today.”

“How do you know that?”

Sophia flashed her journalist ID and smiled brightly.

“Because I’m a journalist, of course.”

It seemed like someone at the diplomatic mission spilled the beans. Sure, I get it. The Defense Attaché is a diplomat, so it’s plausible. I should probably just make a call to the Inspection Office.

I had no idea who the snitch was, but I nodded and opened my mouth.

“So, there’s no hurry, so I should take my time, right? Then let me just make a quick call.”

As I took out my communication device from my pocket, one of the suit men reached out to stop me.

“Please put your phone away.”

“What? Hey. You drove here, so I need someone to come pick me up too, right? Besides, I’m an attaché. Even though I’m a diplomat, I’m still military; it’s normal to report if I’m wandering around without notice, right?”

I was already exhausted from manual labor, and their continued interruptions were making my words come out rougher than I’d like.

As I fired off a rapid retort, Sophia gestured for the suit man to stand down. In the meantime, I contacted the staff.

“Hey, it’s me. I’m just out for a bit nearby; is there any chance you can come pick me up later? Uh. No, no, it’s not far. Should be about 20 minutes. When you come, bring a van instead of a car. Just bring a big one. I want to lay down. Yeah. I’ll tell you the store name right in front; hurry up.”

Finishing the short call by giving them the name of the shop right by the alley, Sophia scratched her cheek and asked, “Are you really tired?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why don’t you sleep at the nearby lodging?”

“Are you crazy? Why would I sleep at your place when I have a hotel?”

I could spend the night in a fantastic hotel provided by the Magic Tower; there was no reason whatsoever to look for another place. I didn’t want to either. Not even for the sake of the people coming to pick me up.

As I was gathering my communication device, Sophia flashed a bright smile.

“Well then. If you’re interested, come visit sometime. Otherwise, at least treat me to a meal. If you got promoted to major, you ought to treat me properly.”

“What’s this about dining out with a soldier’s salary…. Anyway, if you have something to say, say it quickly. No beating around the bush.”

“Got it. Understood.”

Sophia leaned forward, detaching herself from the chair’s backrest.

“…Hey, you’re still with the Military Intelligence Agency, right?”

“Yeah. The Defense Attaché is attached to the Military Intelligence Agency. Formally, I’m affiliated with the diplomatic mission, but still.”

“Right. Then I have a favor to ask you.”

“Let’s hear the explanation first.”

“Of course, that’s how it should be.”

Nodding, Sophia pulled out a magic-powered pen from her pocket and smiled.

Finally, we were getting to the main topic.

“Quit your current dealings with the Military Intelligence Agency and the Royal Intelligence Department.”

“What’s that supposed to mean—?”

“Fabio Verati, employee of the Magic Tower’s representative office.”

The spy from the National Security Agency said.

Sophia warned me.

“We’re former employees, so don’t mess around and back off.”

 

---