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The prevention was successfully concluded.

The meeting ended on a warm note, and the journalists transformed today’s event into a heartwarming story.

Of course, there were some minor protests from those who couldn’t accept it, but it didn’t make the news.

Thanks to the consideration of the Magic Tower, I returned to the hotel without crossing paths with the journalists. Camila and Lucia were with me.

Once back at the hotel, while Camila and Lucia went to rest, I grabbed the items I had prepared in advance and changed into my well-pressed suit.

Now, my act as a Defense Attaché was over.

“Manager, everything is ready. And Room 51 has arrived.”

“Tell them I’m on my way.”

It was time to return as an Operative.

—

Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

Fabio Verati.

Formerly, an Information Officer in the Overseas Counterintelligence Division of the Patalia National Security Agency.

Currently, the Manager of the Talent Development Department at the Magic Tower’s representative office.

A man in his 50s. Both parents are alive, and he has a wife and four children.

He doesn’t drink or smoke and has no criminal record.

He worked in Mauritania for 20 years. Quickly achieved results and became a Manager in his early 40s as an elite Information Officer. His career path was guaranteed, but he submitted his resignation just two years after becoming Manager. The reason for his resignation is unknown. Neither his colleagues in the operational department nor those in the advisory department have any idea.

His appearance is that of someone you might find on the street. If I had to describe him, I’d say he looks kind and approachable.

According to the evaluations from his colleagues at the National Security Agency, his personality is that of a pleasant and agreeable person who’s not particularly abrasive.

From what I’ve observed, Fabio Verati seems to be just that—an utterly ordinary person. Someone who has endlessly tried to appear common and ultimately changed himself to fit that image.

Given that he worked in the dangerously risky region of Mauritania and became a Manager in his early 40s, one could easily infer how fierce of a person Fabio Verati truly is.

He is definitely not someone to underestimate, that’s my overall assessment.

I hadn’t realized this from the photos the analysis department had gathered.

“……”

When I met him in the bustling café, he looked remarkably worn out.

“…Nice to meet you. I’m Fabio Verati, working at the representative office.”

Fabio Verati handed me a slightly crumpled business card with a tired expression.

Usually, people in information agencies don’t carry business cards, but he had one with his name and affiliation on it.

I took a moment to examine the card he handed me, delaying my response for a bit before replying.

“I’m Colonel Frederick Nostrim, currently serving as the Defense Attaché at the Abas representative office. Unfortunately, I don’t have a business card to give you yet.”

“No problem at all.”

Fabio Verati and I exchanged pleasantries. But the situation wasn’t exactly conducive to a friendly chat, especially with so many watchful eyes around.

Outside the café, a Suit Man was guarding the door, and at the next table, another Suit Man pretended to drink coffee while sneaking glances at me.

Chances are, they weren’t intelligence agents.

As I stared at them, the worn-out Fabio Verati spoke up.

“…They’re my colleagues. Please don’t misunderstand. They just came along out of concern.”

“I see.”

I couldn’t tell if they genuinely followed him out of concern or were there for surveillance. What was clear, however, was that they were keeping an eye on us.

This was somewhat expected, so I didn’t think much of it and decided to get straight to the point.

“I heard from the police officer in charge about your daughter. It seems she’s involved in an incident I witnessed.”

“…Yes. If it’s not too much trouble…”

“Of course, I’ll help.”

I calmly expressed my willingness, and Fabio Verati lightly bowed his head, murmuring his thanks.

“It’s unfortunate. I should have found her sooner, but my schedule has been delayed…”

“…No, there’s no need for you to apologize, Colonel. I’m just grateful for your help.”

I smiled faintly and nodded.

“Before I explain the circumstances, can we move to a more suitable location? This setting seems inappropriate for such a heavy topic.”

“…Ah, I’m fine. Please feel free to do as you wish.”

“Then, excuse me for a moment.”

I sought the understanding of Fabio Verati and his colleagues before moving to the hotel.

While I claimed that the current location was not suitable for discussing a difficult subject, the reality was that since the kidnapper of his daughter was me, this entire situation was a comedy in itself.

As the sun sets like it’s falling towards the earth, and the moon rises just like that,

In this world, magic is merely a phenomenon, a set of rules. Thus, those who live in a world where magic is a part of daily life fail to grasp the idiomatic expression “like a magical event.”

Consequently, Camila Lowell, who is unaccustomed to magic, is adapting to the world with a bit of language awkwardness.

“…Hmm, we usually use the term ‘like magic’ when something nonsensical happens.”

“Is that so? That’s quite an interesting expression.”

Lucia smiled gently as she sat on the sofa.

If there had only been a fireplace nearby, it could easily be believed to be a scene from a movie.

“Um, by the way, you said you lived in a world without magic, right?”

“Yes. While there are movies and novels, there’s no real magic.”

“I can’t imagine that. A world without magic?”

Having lived in a world where magic is taken for granted, Lucia could hardly picture a world without it.

Listening to Camila’s stories now and then was fascinating, but there were so many things that were utterly unimaginable.

Imagination is built upon the knowledge accumulated in one’s mind, and knowledge must be felt and understood through the senses to be grasped, so conjuring something never seen before was, for Lucia, quite the challenge.

“It’s hard to imagine. Unless there are resources in the cult’s archives or the great library of the Magic Tower.”

“The great library? Ah… you mean the one located in a place called Trinity.”

Camila propped her chin up for a moment, while Lucia began flipping through the pages of a book with a finger.

“It’s a famous place. I bet you’d enjoy it if you visited in person.”

“Have you been?”

“I haven’t been myself, but I’ve heard stories from those who have.”

Lucia recited the tales shared by countless priests about the great library in a calm voice.

Books packed tightly together. From the age of myths and legends, through the dark ages, to the modern era, the knowledge preserved by magicians lay in books, sleeping within an endlessly vast archive.

The sky and the earth. A place where the concept of time fades, where the past and present intersect, and people gaze into the future. Fairies busily flitting about, organizing the books, along with tools that move on their own to transcribe.

It was undeniably a dreamlike story that could easily belong to a movie or a novel.

“What an incredible place. It makes me want to go there at least once.”

“There’s no reason you can’t go. It’s the place with the most magical books on the continent, so as long as you ask, you can enter whenever.”

At those words, Camila thought she wanted to visit there, perhaps even tomorrow.

“But who should I talk to? Should I tell the civil servants?”

“That’d be fine, but it’d be better to ask Frederick. Since he’s here as a diplomat, he can probably handle the formalities more accurately.”

“Um….”

Camila fell into silence for a moment. Then she lifted her head and asked Lucia.

“Do you know where he is right now?”

“He might be in his room… Oh, by the way, I heard he went out to meet someone earlier.”

Lucia added that she had no idea where or who he was meeting, based on a passing inquisitor’s remark.

Of course, Lucia completely missed the fact that the inquisitor was an agent of the Inquisition and that the defense attaché who had gone out was an operative of the Military Intelligence Agency.

However, that fact was irrelevant to Camila. After all, it was something neither of them knew.

“Hmm….”

Camila looked out the window at the slowly setting sun. And the sun, which painted the sky like a mirage, gazed back at her.

Lucia, watching her profile, quietly closed the book she had been resting on her knees.

“What are you thinking about?”

No answer came back.

She seemed to be lost in deep contemplation.

Not wanting to disturb her, Lucia stopped her questioning and gently opened the page she had been reading, thinking that they should have a chat together once they returned.

*

“…Hah.”

I sat on the bathroom floor, pressing my shoulder down with a towel in my hand.

A sharp pain spread from my shoulder to my chest, and when I came to my senses, my hand was already damp with blood that had dripped down.

I didn’t know whose blood it was, but my hand was red, and the blood flowing from my body had stained the towel crimson.

Even the droplets of blood on the pistol I held were a deep scarlet.

As I sat on the bathroom floor, staunching the bleeding with the towel, I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

“Shit….”

I got shot.

 

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