A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

“What do you mean by that?”

“Listening data. Who leaked it?”

“Umm…?”

The administrator blinked, tilting his head as if asking what I meant.

“I know you’re close with my sister.”

“….”

“The person who passed on that call content is someone you have a rough idea about, right?”

The alchemist gave a faint smile. Pressing her lips together, squinting her eyes, and curling the corners of her mouth into that smile.

It looked like she was smiling, but also not. A smile like that.

In response, I lifted my glass with a blank face.

The strong scent of alcohol pierced my nose.

“What’s with that? I work for the Information Department.”

“…?”

“I can tell who the scenario belongs to, just by looking at it.”

—

Episode 6 – An All-Knowing Spy’s Perspective

—

“…What are you saying?”

“Why are you still asking after you already know? You’ve pretty much blown your cover. What? Are you hoping to take away some leftovers?”

There’s a term known as informational superiority.

It refers to the gap between an information officer, who manipulates and controls informants from behind the scenes, and the informants, who are under that officer’s control.

The information officer knows everything about the informants, whereas informants know ‘almost’ nothing about the officer.

To simplify, this is how it goes.

“Veronica doesn’t know who I’m on the phone with, when I’m getting off work, or even where I’m going after.”

“…….”

The information officer must know everything, while the informant must know nothing.

The only thing the informant needs to know is the information they have to collect.

Countless intelligence agencies adhere to this principle.

The National Intelligence Service did, and so did the Intelligence Agency. The Defense Security Command and the police were no different. They also collect information related to North Korea, not just domestic intelligence.

Not to mention intelligence agencies like the CIA, SIS, DGSE, BND, MSS, SVR, and Mossad. The basics of modern operational techniques and information science all came from the intelligence agencies leading the field of information warfare.

Of course, not everyone started out like that.

During the Cold War, when effective human intelligence operations weren’t established, many intelligence officers suffered because they failed to keep this principle. Some had to see their informants die, others were captured by hostile nations and forced to reveal what they knew, and some even lost their lives.

Intelligence agencies exchanged knowledge, experimented directly, and refined the methods left by their predecessors.

That’s how it was solidified. Everyone did it that way.

So.

“But how could that lady give you my call content?”

“…….”

“All she knows is my hotel room number.”

It was pure nonsense that Veronica leaked my call content to Francesca Ranieri.

I would never act that way.

Absolutely not.

“So that means a person who knows me very well is the one who leaked the information….”

“…….”

“Who could that be?”

There was no one from the Information Management Office or Defense Attaché Office who knew me. Although my colleague was working here, he had moved to the headquarters’ desk due to rotation.

Similarly, no one in the Magic Tower knew me. At best, it would be Dmitri or Sophia. But Dmitri is a resource managed by Sophia, and Sophia is a long-time acquaintance working for the National Security Agency. In fact, the target of surveillance is the woman sitting right in front of me.

So it’s neither Dmitri nor Sophia.

Could it be from a third country?

No. I’ve only worked in the local area for three years, so aside from Sophia, I don’t have any deep connections with any agency officials.

Of course, Francesca Ranieri had been abroad for a short time. But that was in the Empire. The region where I was operating.

Typically, intelligence agencies do not establish connections with agents from the country they are working in. Therefore, I only became friends with Sophia, who is affiliated with the Patalia Intelligence Agency in the Empire. If I had been responsible for Patalia instead of the Empire, I wouldn’t have had the chance to become friends with Sophia or anyone from the National Security Agency.

By similar logic, even though I’ve had drinks with a Wang sister in China a few times, I’ve never drunk with a communist. I remember briefly greeting a woman who joined the Polish Communist Party. Anyway.

Perhaps my information might be in the Royal Guard HQ’s archive. But if Francesca Ranieri came into contact with a Royal Guard HQ agent, Sophia would have noticed. And—

“I just knew you would do that. You revolutionary betrayer!”

“What? No way!”

“Administrator, please think a little bigger in politics!”

“Ugh.”

…That’s how it would go. Of course, if Sophia had the right temperament, she might have concealed it as murder by robbery instead.

In any case, it’s not from the Empire either.

Then who could it be?

“…Hmm.”

Realistically, the people who know me best, and have the authority to know information about me in the Magic Tower, are just three.

One is Jake, who came from the Abas Special Forces and entered the Military Intelligence Agency, and the other is Pippin, who worked in the Navy analysis team before being recommended to the Military Intelligence Agency.

And the last one is.

“…Wow.”

“…….”

“You’re working during golden holidays.”

Someone I know well.

—

“So, did you suspect me?”

“Yes.”

“That’s some crazy talk.”

Leoni smiled nonchalantly, mocking me.

“Do you believe the words of someone you haven’t met for even a month?”

“She didn’t say much. I didn’t believe it in the first place. I just trusted my judgment.”

A former operative of the Military Intelligence Agency.

The former chief of the Military Intelligence Agency’s Imperial Branch.

The former head of the Military Intelligence Agency’s Lushan Federal Kingdom branch.

And currently, the second director of the Royal Intelligence Department, Leoni, nodded.

“I thought you might be overwhelmed with duties just serving in the domestic sector, but it seems your mind is still sharp. Must be because you’re young? I thought you might have lost your touch serving under that Colonel Clevenz.”

“Watch your language, please. No matter how much a junior in the army, saying ‘that guy’ is out of line.”

“What, you planning to report me?”

I shrugged.

“Please answer me first.”

“Your attitude….”

The military senior scolded the rude junior. Even without being in the intelligence agency, Leoni had already been active in the military while I was studying at the Academy, so he wasn’t simply a senior.

Of course, aside from that, Leoni was not just a military senior but the head of the Royal Intelligence Department. In terms of South Korea, he would be someone operational but not working under the NIS. It’s unclear what kind of status he holds due to the long deployment rather than being a skilled recruit.

“So, did you send Francesca Ranieri?”

The Royal Intelligence Department head answered.

“Yeah, I think I’ve met that person. Is that enough?”

“…….”

As expected, the person who sent Francesca Ranieri was not Veronica but Leoni.

It was an unsatisfactory answer, but at least my question was resolved. For the time being.

However, questions still lingered, swirling in my mind.

“Why did you do it?”

In response to my question, Leoni answered.

“I’m planning to start a project at the Magic Tower. I need her help for it.”

“What kind of project?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. You’re probably going to run to Clevenz and ask about it anyway, right?”

“…….”

That hit the nail on the head.

I accepted her response and posed a more productive question.

“If you’re starting a project at the Magic Tower, the Empire won’t just sit by and watch. Patalia won’t sit still either.”

“That’s none of your concern. To be blunt, I could do whatever I want at the Magic Tower; what does it have to do with you?”

“I’m saying this because I’ve been dispatched to the Magic Tower.”

“Hmph.”

Leoni scoffed at my reply, not really mockingly but rather dismissively.

After a brief pause, Leoni suddenly spouted an unexpected comment.

“You’re quite capable. Has it been four years since you’ve been in the field for three years now?”

“…….”

“After catching a spy and entering the Intelligence Agency, you get dispatched to the Empire right after joining. You got promoted to Captain faster than your peers after three years of field work. Am I right?”

“Why ask if you know?”

“I’m just curious. A newcomer who just joined was tumbling around all kinds of places immediately after being assigned practical duties. Come to think of it, isn’t it promotion time now? Your peers who fell behind are becoming Captains, while you’ve already made it to Major, huh?”

Leoni let out an audible sigh.

“Umm.”

Leoni, who was silent for a moment as if pondering something, switched the topic back to Francesca Ranieri.

“She’s perfect as an informant.”

“…….”

“Patalia and the Magic Tower. She belongs to both but never settled in either, drifting like people beyond that border.”

What Leoni spoke of was not material issues.

It was about psychology.

“On one side, she doubts ideologies, and on the other side, fears betrayal. It’s understandable.”

“Does that mean her motivation for cooperation is revenge?”

“It’s not something to be seen that straightforwardly. Human emotions are rarely simple.”

It meant that her motivation for cooperation was complex.

The operative spoke about human psychology.

What drives people are beliefs represented by ideologies and ideas, as well as the values ingrained throughout their lives. Utilizing that is both her job and mine, which made it a lesson worth listening to.

“Francesca Ranieri is under the scrutiny of the National Security Agency as the child of a public security offender. Am I wrong?”

“I know.”

The Ranieri family has claimed the founding father of the Magic Tower as its ancestor, symbolizing the bond between Patalia and the Magic Tower. That ancestor was originally a wizard from Patalia, you see. Therefore, both Patalia and the Magic Tower often share national policy projects with a spirit of “We’re one family!”

Urban development projects.

Founding educational institutions.

Importing and exporting magic.

Importing raw materials and exporting goods.

Patalia-Magic Tower scholar exchanges.

Joint development of weapon systems, and so on.

The problem is,

“So you know that the Magic Tower has abandoned the Ranieri family?”

“…….”

The Magic Tower has abandoned the Ranieri family.

To be exact, the Ranieri family harbored resentment towards the Patalia Republic government, which had confiscated their interests, and started blabbering nonsense, leading both governments to fear diplomatic issues.

Of course, this came with some sort of political agreement. The Magic Tower guaranteed the legitimacy of the newly formed Patalia government’s authority, while Patalia maintained cooperation with the Magic Tower as agreed upon by the former dictatorial government. They couldn’t just throw away an alliance for the sake of protecting one family, and thus, they compromised the symbol of friendship to strengthen their bond. As such, the Ranieri family lost all power under the control of the National Security Agency and has remained as mere symbols for the last twenty years.

Thus, the Ranieri family became the betrayers of the revolution.

The only one who managed to escape that icy blade was the alchemist who fled to the Magic Tower and became a public servant.

“What else is there?”

“Before coming to study at the Magic Tower, she personally signed documents of the National Security Agency, agreeing to remain silent during her studies at the Magic Tower.”

Of course, there was never going to be a loosening of surveillance from the National Security Agency.

Because it is an intelligence agency.

“Contacting family, be it physical or through communication, was prohibited. Of course, entering politics was too. Whether she was going to work as a bureaucrat or manage a business, the National Security Agency wouldn’t care; however, if she were to step into the legislature or sit on the Oracle, it’d be a disaster, wouldn’t it?”

“…When did she come to study?”

“About ten years after entering the Secretariat; it has to be close to twelve years since she came here for college.”

Francesca Ranieri is in her late twenties. The scrutiny started twenty years ago when her father was suspected of inciting rebellion, which is like saying she has had a red mark on her record since she entered elementary school in terms of the human world.

With rough calculations, it seemed somewhat consistent.

“She lived away from her family since she was a minor. Is there really a reason to keep that tight of surveillance?”

“The family that claims the founding father to be its ancestor still significantly influences the wizarding society. If she were to take power and start inciting, it wouldn’t just lead to deteriorating diplomatic relations, but civil war. The Patalia Republic Army might shoot wizards, and Patalian wizards could burn the Republic Army to death. Or, like the Empire, they might conduct preemptive arrests to capture everyone, or the president might go crazy and run tanks through the square.”

“…….”

“If you were in my position, would you sit back and watch such a threat?”

The pride of the nation and the people, or being regarded as a subversive element because of being the child of a public security offender in Patalia?

Descendants of the old revolutionaries or the Magic Tower, which had tossed the entire family for fear of deteriorating relations with Patalia.

Who is the real traitor of the revolution?

Patalia, who doesn’t want to lose political legitimacy and cooperation with the Magic Tower?

The Magic Tower, which calculated its relationship with the biggest ally and a family established by the founding father?

Ranieri, which was labeled a public security offender just for running its mouth?

It’s not an easy question to answer. Therefore, no one is interested in such small, political, and philosophical issues.

After all, it’s not my concern.

However, for young Francesca Ranieri, that would have likely been her only question.

The fear of the future.

Surveillance that follows her when stepping out the door.

The listening device that automatically turns on when she picks up the receiver.

The humiliation felt while being labeled a family that only relies on its name.

The frustration faced when her future was blocked not by her abilities, but by her lineage.

That frustration had planted a bomb in her heart for her emotions to sprout. Knowing that feeling well, I found myself at a loss for words.

Yet, one question came to mind.

Who will pull the trigger?

I don’t know.

“…….”

I’m neither Francesca Ranieri nor Leoni, so I can’t tell who will help express that anger.

But I do know how Francesca Ranieri’s ending will come.

“Well, it seems you’re thinking of making me some kind of operative. You must be at retirement age by now…”

“Is that a taunt for my youth?”

“Because you’re that seasoned and experienced, that’s all I meant.”

“Damn… the way you put it…”

The head of the Royal Intelligence Department spat out, irritation oozing from her words.

“Of course, thanks to you, things have gone more smoothly. So much so that I know your head is still attached to your body.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Was it Sophia? The officer who was watching the administrator. Ever since you appeared, she’s been absent often to meet you.”

“…….”

“Because of that, it has been much easier. I never expected to be able to sit here and receive help from you.”

Leoni expressed her gratitude in a roundabout way from the perspective of operations.

“Whatever motivation the administrator has to become an operative, that doesn’t matter. Who she is becoming an operative for, that is what matters.”

For normal people, it’s a judgment that would be labeled as madness, but unfortunately, this is what she does as naturally as eating.

Operatives are not James Bond, running through enemy lines with guns, but rather puppeteers, weaving the threads in human limbs.

“What the administrator is looking for is someone to put a knife in her hand. And I want it to be Abas.”

As he stood up, the operative handed over a file.

“Take it.”

So you can control and supervise her.

“This is a gift I’m giving you.”

“…….”

Leoni spoke as if Francesca Ranieri were not a person but a mere object. While an ordinary person might curse her for being twisted, I understand her well.

An efficient operative cannot regard operatives as people. If you invest emotions in a person who might die or get fired at any moment, it makes it hard to endure. That’s why intelligence agencies hire psychotherapists.

And the woman in front of me is, without a doubt, a skilled operative.

“…Once the Royal Intelligence Department or the Military Intelligence Agency takes Francesca as an asset, the National Security Agency and the Integrated Intelligence Department will raise their voices in opposition. What about the employees in the Patalia branch?”

“That’s an issue to be resolved by politicians, not operators like you. And I have plans in mind.”

Leoni dropped the file in front of me and settled back down.

“And.”

She spoke in a tone that suggested fatigue, casually blurting out.

“If you’re going to keep a saint as an informant, shouldn’t you also have an administrator of at least the level of someone mentioned as a next Oracle member?”

“…Did you keep an eye on me?”

“Did you think upper management would simply let you run free?”

The director laughed. A twisted and contorted smile.

“Consider your identity. Not just a diplomat, but also a military officer, and a colleague of a hero. Do you think Abas or any cult could handle the mess if you were expelled under the charge of espionage?”

“…….”

“Even if your identity doesn’t get exposed, once you’ve traveled abroad, you cannot remain free of surveillance. It may be different in the domestic situation. In a similar vein, the secret of the Cardinal Raul you’ve buried is the same.”

“…….”

“Why? Are you surprised that the Royal Intelligence Department knows that?”

Leoni leaned back in her chair, pressing her weight against it.

“The Royal Intelligence Department is a national intelligence agency. We can see information produced by any department, be it the Military Intelligence Agency, the Cabinet Security Office, the Special Investigation Bureau, or the Magic Department. By the way, I think I’ve mentioned before: there’s no such thing as a secret in this world.”

“…….”

“If that gets out, not only will the Inquisition also be in jeopardy, but also Cardinal Raphael, who will be getting promoted to Pope soon. The Church will fragment into five and begin a civil war, each claiming their interpretation of theology is correct.”

Suddenly, I became curious about what expression I was wearing. Looking back at my reflection in the glass, it was the same expression I always had.

The figure reflected against the dark, rainy window was all too grotesque and familiar.

And so, I sat silently in my place, looking at the dim world outside, when the director’s voice clearly reached my ears.

“In that sense, the thing you are selling… La Cardenal, right? The investigation regarding the drug business tied to the Magic Tower’s Economic Management Department. You should just let it slide.”

“Are you asking me to leave the drug issue unresolved?”

“If the Economic Management Department is involved, it will shake the entire Magic Tower. If things go wrong, the administrator will also take collateral damage. No matter how much a public security offender, she is still a citizen of Patalia. The moment she gets captured, control shifts to the National Security Agency. If she wields the knife upside down, it’ll be us that gets hurt. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“…….”

“So, leave it be. Just like with the Cardinal’s secret.”

“…Why should I?”

The question from an operative of the Military Intelligence Agency was met with ridicule by the Royal Intelligence Department head.

“Isn’t it ridiculous for someone who isn’t an operative to not want to leave it alone? If the drug issue surfaces, not only the Magic Tower but the Patalian government will collapse. Is it reasonable for an ally caught smuggling drugs to expect the governing system to remain normal?”

“From what I’ve heard, the Patalia government’s support rate is high right now.”

“The ruling party won’t care, but the opposition party will be a nuisance. Wouldn’t they make a fuss asking why so much money has been funneled into the National Security Agency while the ally is selling drugs in their own country?”

“The opposition party would definitely have a field day.”

“The Patalia is currently in election season. If that issue blows up before the elections, the ruling party will get flung out of the assembly, and once the opposition secures enough seats to amend the constitution or retake the majority, the government will change. The next local elections will undoubtedly favor the opposition as well. And then what happens in the next presidential election? If the regime changes in that area, the governments of Abas, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the Intelligence Ministry will all have a headache.”

“…….”

“Of course, it’s a complicated field like counterterrorism, industrial security, and international crime investigations. But do the citizens really care? Have they ever shown an ounce of interest in what we do? People aren’t interested in that at all. What matters is that opposition members catch one solid case and start bashing the ruling party. Especially right before the elections.”

Leoni’s tone indicated that for the sake of the Patalia government, I should let it go.

At the same time, she didn’t add any other words but ultimately implied that all of this was still for the sake of Abas.

The shift in the policy direction of Abas brought about by a change in the allied government’s regime. The continent’s wizarding society torn apart by the collapse of the Magic Tower. The shaking international situation. The Kien Empire waiting to exploit the gaps. Numerous nations pouncing like wolves. Raphael, grinning at the decaying Magic Tower, drawing the blade of the Inquisition.

The lesser evil chosen to avert the worst.

Countless problems that the lesser evil would bring about.

The problems of the world were never simple, and they became so tangled that it reached a point where they could not be effortlessly unraveled.

The era of madness called the Cold War. The Iron Curtain crossing the world east and west, and the propaganda that echoed from radios splitting open people’s brains during that time.

The icy winds that blew then are now cast over us.

“This isn’t a law enforcement agency like the police, prosecutors, or the Magic Department, but an intelligence agency. And you are an operative.”

“…….”

“What can be done? It’s my job.”

The senior of the Military Intelligence Agency stated.

I was advised not to overstep my bounds and to act accordingly.

“You are still young and your future is bright. You may currently lack experience, but as time passes, it will resolve itself. As long as you remain in that position, eventually, you’ll rise. So, while you’re still young, don’t oversaturate yourself with fantasies of justice or anything. Just keep quiet. I’m saying this out of concern for you.”

Leoni said.

“So as the head of the Royal Intelligence Department, here is my first and last order.”

Leoni said.

“Let it go.”

I sat in silence for a long time after her words ended, staring blankly into the distance.

Leoni looked at me intently, then carelessly adjusted her glasses and began tidying up the scattered papers on her desk.

“I think I’ve worn out my welcome here. I’ve nothing more to say.”

Slowly, she got up and turned her back.

Walking toward the door, her demeanor ambiguous—whether she was fleeing or advancing.

“…….”

Just as the sound of the door being opened broke the silence, I caught the intense gaze of the director through the crack of the door.

And I heard her voice.

“Oh, by the way. Congratulations on your promotion, Major.”

Her last words seemed to hang in the air.

“I’ll see you again soon.”

—

A month passed.

Near the Magic Tower Trinity, at a hotel.

It was a five-star hotel room provided by the Magic Tower. I sat on the terrace, overlooking the urban landscape.

The streets that had once been filled with people lay deserted, cluttered with trash and broken sidewalks. Orcs and goblins clothed in environmental worker vests picked up litter with grabbers while wizards who appeared to be officials flew overhead to supervise work.

With closed eyes and straining ears, I could make out the distant sound of curfew sirens, and suddenly noticed a handful of people holding placards along the roadside. The unemployed still demanded action from the government in their desperate pleas.

I sat on the terrace for a long while, taking in the world.

“What are you thinking about, Major?”

At the sound of a voice, I turned to see Veronica popping her head out onto the terrace.

“I was just thinking for a moment.”

“Oh really?”

Veronica strolled over, stretching as she took in the view of the Magic Tower laid out before her.

“Wow, ah! The air in the Magic Tower is always refreshing. There’s a city in front, alcohol in hand, and beside me….”

“…….”

“…a big bonfire, huh?”

Veronica looked at the flames rising from a steel trash can with a scrunched-up expression. Glancing sideways, she seemed to be asking what exactly I had been burning.

“…I’m burning papers, SIM cards, and various bits and pieces.”

“Aha! I guess you’re done with everything?”

“Don’t you watch the news?”

“I’m not a news watcher; I’m the one who makes the news.”

She jested as she sat next to me, one hand holding wine while the other held two glasses. The wine was the same one we had during our stay at the villa.

“I brought it along this time since I had it all by myself last time. Can I drink it?”

“Alcohol isn’t allowed during work.”

“Oh come on. You said you were done working! Stop being a bore and let’s head over to the next room. Everyone is there.”

“It’s still work time.”

“A total of a month has passed. During that time, both the operations and the situation in the Magic Tower have somewhat stabilized. To be honest, even the cleanup has mostly been wrapped up.”

And that was a well-known fact to both me and her, the operative who participated in the operations.

Just then, the voice of an announcer filled the hotel room that had been buzzing.

[Today, the Kien Empire’s Magic Department and the Magic Tower’s Magic Department have formally concluded a contract regarding the supply of magic power. The spokesperson of the Magic Department stated that all imported magic power would primarily be supplied to national key facilities, medical facilities, public transport, and communications. Meanwhile, some have expressed concerns over the Magic Tower’s current inability to manage basic resources…]

[The National Development Department will work alongside Patalia companies to restore the wrecked infrastructure and road networks while the police and fire departments strive to uncover the causes of the fires and explosions that occurred in the underground facilities. However, due to insufficient investigative personnel, the first joint investigation team’s announcement has been delayed…]

[The International Medical Cooperation Association expressed its gratitude for the dedication of Saint Lucia, who has been preserving aid efforts for the injured during the protests and among the police injured over the past month. The chairperson praised the sacrifice and dedication of Saint Lucia, who has equally respected all lives regardless of race, age, gender, religion, or political belief…]

[The Kien Empire police declared the official lifting of the preliminary arrests initiated on the 7th. The police plan to gradually release over 300 wizards who were apprehended…]

[Only one person has resolved the issues of nuisance wildlife that have arisen from the withdrawal of private military companies across the country over the past month. According to exclusive coverage by our broadcasting company, that person is the continent’s biggest celebrity. The hero…]

[I want to drink the wine, even just a little. I want to rest my weary heart, but it’s not easy at the moment.]

I looked at Veronica in bewilderment.

“Love and peace? Is it about the cult?”

“That’s the most plausible speech. Older folks tend to turn in poorly crafted speeches. Raphael may know how to sell propaganda but stutters when trying to speak delicately. I helped polish it a bit.”

“That’s not really fitting for the Inquisition’s image, is it?”

“Should I, then, declare a crusade, saying ‘The Magic Tower is impotent?’”

“Were you not thinking of doing that?”

“Ugh, don’t even mention that. I barely managed to suppress those stubborn old folks who were eager to wage war.”

The “stubborn old folks” referred to those who were not secularists but fundamentalists. Not just your average intolerant fundamentalists, but the downright wicked ones—people whose blind adherence to their religion led them to interpret doctrines in their own twisted ways and end up worshipping heretical beliefs. Those who behead Westerners in a sauna tend to belong to such categories.

So perhaps it was no surprise that Veronica spoke with a tone of pride.

Of course, the reason Veronica was present in this hotel under the watchful eyes of the Magic Tower police is not just that she is a saint or a hero who prevented a war between the cult and the tower.

“Ta-da! Here’s my real passport!”

“No more showing that for the fifth time, please….”

While officially a saint of the cult, Veronica’s place of birth remains the Empire. This means she is a dual citizen, essentially.

Moreover, the Kien Empire and the Magic Tower are geographically close enough to allow visa-free entry, and Veronica took advantage of that to simply brazenly enter the tower. The reason was to see Lucia.

“When you showed up in the hotel lobby, the police must have been on the floor, huh?”

“Why are you arguing about it? They must have fainted from my beauty.”

“The saint just showed up unannounced, so of course they were shocked.”

Apparently, even the Royal Guard HQ and the Inquisition did not anticipate such a surprise on Veronica’s part, as not only the Empire’s official disguised agents but also Lucia’s aides were scrambled to handle the situation.

Even though her illegal entry using a forged passport wasn’t an issue legally, a Kien citizen showing up at the Tower was considered a diplomatic faux pas.

And it wouldn’t be feasible to send her away just because she was a saint.

After much dilemma from the Royal Guard HQ and the protests from Lucia’s aide (who was disguised as an Inquisition member), the Tower reluctantly arranged a hotel room for the suddenly appearing saint.

“Apologies for the trouble, though.”

“To hand over the final draft of the speech, there was no other way. You know that, don’t you?”

Of course, the real reason Veronica came to the Magic Tower without a visa was because of me.

I thought briefly about where the final draft of the speech she had given to me might be. I sent the original to the Intelligence Agency and burned all the copies; I couldn’t quite remember whether that was done yesterday or earlier today.

I had burned too many things.

“…….”

“Why the long face? Even if your face was never pretty to begin with, it’ll become worse if you frown too much.”

“Saint, please hold off on the cursing as much as you can, even if it’s just in front of me.”

Veronica seemed to be her usual self, but she was indeed doing something major. Precisely, she had been stopping the Inquisition’s pre-mature armed response, which had been brewing thanks to the revolutionaries seeking to create war, while I was watching the local quasi-military operatives stirring up the Magic Tower’s affairs. The speech for Raphael was also crafted by this girl.

I asked the saint, “Is Lucia okay? She’s been rushing between the emergency room and the protest site for a whole month now.”

While Veronica was suppressing internal backlash among the cult to prevent war with the Magic Tower, Lucia was busy saving lives.

She had been everywhere—the emergency room, makeshift tents, protest sites.

Treating people as she traveled around. When investigators stormed into an emergency room filled with police and protesters, she would shout at the investigators not to disturb the patients, even driving them out on occasion. She was so dedicated that she treated someone dying on the way to the hospital after they had been shot in the protests.

Everyone said, seeing that, she truly is a saint, and some non-government organizations expressed their thanks with standing ovations.

To be frank, I thought that was outright madness. More specifically, sweet madness.

“How…how do you treat people amidst riots filled with tear gas and flying magic?”

“She knows how to protect herself without a doubt.”

Veronica laughed as if proud of Lucia.

“Concerning her health worries me, but she’s not going overboard, at least.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

“I strictly reminded her before I left for Abas.”

She suddenly pounded her chest with her fist — a sudden burst of enthusiasm.

“If she ignores that, she’s a heartless daughter who drives a stake into the chests of her parents!”

“…Why the hell are you treating Lucia like a daughter?”

“…I raised her with love!”

Crazy girl.

In any case, Veronica was still the same. Given that only Camila was the normal one among those surrounding me, and even Lucia gave off half-crazy vibes, it felt a little lonely. Though in a somewhat positively insane way, she was still a crazy girl.

“Why is it that the only ones around me are crazies except for Camila….”

“Are you calling me crazy? You’re not exactly sane yourself, are you?”

“I’m definitely the most sane one around here.”

Confessions tinged with a near sigh elicited Veronica to swirl her pinky around her ear.

“Where’s the noise coming from…?”

“So what are they saying at the cult? Lucia is currently gaining quite a reputation at the Tower.”

“The stubborn old guards are fuming. They insist on canceling the canonization ceremony for a saint being revered by wizards. However, most people have a positive view since the image has improved somewhat.”

The 58th saint calmly assessed the 59th saint.

“Are there many supporters of Lucia in the cult?”

“Many who enjoy volunteering and that sort of thing are all supportive of her. Among the fundamentalists, some are supportive as well, and secularists are all on her side now.”

“It would definitely be something to witness should she enter the national politics and cross paths with you.”

“Eh, Lucia is still not at that level, I think. Anyway, what’s the hero up to?”

Seeming to feel uncomfortable, Veronica crossed her arms and turned the topic of conversation. After poking the subject a few times, it seemed she wanted to avoid facing any potential political conflicts with Lucia.

Of course, as Lucia had no interest in the cult’s central politics, it wouldn’t pose an issue for the time being, but people truly are unpredictable. At that thought, I settled on simply watching for now.

So I casually went along with Veronica’s lead.

“I’ve gotten into magic.”

While Lucia was healing people at the Tower, Camila was off slaying lives—and I mean literally. This isn’t a figurative expression; she had truly been hunting monsters.

“She shot fire a few times now and has become quite the magician.”

“Isn’t she adorable? After getting to know her over time, I’ve come to think she’s an interesting person.”

“Wouldn’t you soon realize that it’s not as fun confronting flames up close? I advised you not to go snooping around at all….”

“Ahahaha….”

With the police deploying all their private military companies to suppress protests, the situation was on the verge of law and order breaking down.

To be precise, it wasn’t so much that law enforcement couldn’t handle the smaller issues (you know, monsters resurrected for experimentations, homunculi formed from experimental byproducts, or zombies discarded from neglected trials), but rather it was the fact that the PMCs handling those had to bolster their ranks elsewhere.

At a glance, they seemed like mere wizarding issues, but something creeping through the sewers that could snap at a passerby was absolutely not just a trivial matter.

It’s known that wizards are often portrayed as rather mentally unstable, but the chaos at the Tower was more pronounced.

“On what planet does this place have crocodiles in the sewer system?”

“Oh, I’ve seen it. I burnt a spell into its jaws, crisping just the insides. You received the skin as a gift, right?”

“Was it 13.7m? It was surprisingly big for not even being a holy relic. If it had grown larger, it could have wielded magic too; it’s a great thing we caught it early….”

Of course, Camila swiftly dealt with that issue. Coincidentally, the PMC individuals—which, in this area, are less of a private military company and more of an adventurers’ group—handled it alongside her.

When the PMCs leftover after suppressing protests joined forces, they received a bit of help from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, with some Inquisition members tagged along, and I ventured forth with them.

So, we headed out to the mission.

“I bet we scoured practically every inch of the Magic Tower….”

“Heard you snatched all the reward funds, huh?”

Fortunately, given that the Tower was aware troubles would surface, they had placed bounties on nuisance monsters; thus, they barely managed to keep the situation from slipping fully into chaos.

As a result, Camila wound up bringing home the most rewards. She was getting a bit of hands-on experience with magic too. Though, it might have been a rough-and-tumble approach.

“The Tower government established an account for her and deposited her earnings, but I wonder if she should set up another one.”

“Do you know anyone knowledgeable about finance? Introduce me.”

“That should be up to the person to decide.”

“Okay.”

Veronica and I leaned against the terrace, exchanging a multitude of conversations. Most subjects somehow related to Camila or Lucia, or trivial matters surrounding international situations.

“Isn’t the Empire keeping quiet?”

“The bureaucrats seem clueless. The Finance Ministry reacted sensitively, but only regarding the economic aspect. So did the Magic Department.”

The Empire had not yet perceived Abas’s machinations. At least, the bureaucratic society hadn’t.

“What about the intelligence department?”

“Well, isn’t that something you, Major, would know more about?”

“True, I didn’t think of it that way.”

Of course, it remains unclear whether the Imperial Royal Guards and the Intelligence Department are aware of Abas’s activities—neither Veronica nor I knew.

The Royal Intelligence Department and the Military Intelligence Agency maintained complete silence even after the operation concluded fully; unofficial masks have all returned to their nations, while official secret agents are swamped with exhaustively heavy workloads, resulting in no one left to question.

Veronica spoke up.

“At least it means the coup was a success, right?”

“…….”

As she said, the coup had succeeded. The regime hadn’t changed, but the Magic Tower’s power dynamics had undergone a few shifts.

However, as I wasn’t among those managing the operation nor the person receiving reports from the officers, I had yet to find out exactly what those changes were. All I was aware of precisely were minor details.

But.

“How do you find meeting our little sister?”

“…Well, so-so.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Why so lukewarm?”

Francesca Ranieri had become the greatest gain from the operations I’d achieved at the Magic Tower thus far.

“Well, I’ll learn more about it in due time, I suppose. Anything else?”

“Have you heard about the civil war breaking out in Mauritania? The government originally wielded influence centered around the capital; however, due to the coup, they got toppled. Do you remember that person who slashed at your wallet while you were still in the cult, trying to shove gold bars in there?”

“I don’t recall them. But how are the fortifications in that country?”

“From what I’m not an expert on warfare, the political influence of the military that instigated the coup seems to be limited to the capital. The south has been overrun with monsters while rebels roam freely, and the north operates under the grip of another warlord.”

“Are you telling me they haven’t taken the capital outright?”

“I’ve heard that while some front-line units retreated to suppress the coup in the backlines, the fortifications crumbled, allowing monsters to flood in. Civilians and military units alike got swept away.”

“Sounds like there’ve been enough civil wars happening in Mauritania lately. I’ve also heard much about monsters taking over the south.”

—

The world is a place of wonder.

“What about the aides that are with Lucia?”

“Oh, yes. Why are you asking about them?”

“It seems they’ve been following Lucia around, roping people in. Targeting those who were brought into the emergency room, be they protestors or police officers.”

“…Does Lucia know?”

“Of course she doesn’t. She shouldn’t know.”

“Then we will keep it hidden.”

—

“The Empire’s Magic Department has signed a contract with the Magic Tower for the supply of magic power, and they gave the order to a construction company from the Lushan Federal Kingdom to manufacture the relevant facilities.”

“Weren’t they saying they’d just use existing facilities?”

“To sell more, they will need bigger pipes, right?”

“It seems like the Empire is trying to stick a straw right into the Magic Tower’s wallet.”

“They’ll probably suck until it runs dry.”

—

“When is Lucia’s canonization ceremony scheduled for?”

“The preparations for a canonization ceremony typically take a few months. It should be about wrapped up now.”

“Then how long is the actual ceremony?”

“The main event will wrap up within a day, so don’t worry.”

“But what’s this ‘Fantastic Four’ thing you’ll shout, hero?”

“…I’m not sure about that either.”

We lamented over the absurdity of our world as we exchanged bits of information back and forth. With the Inquisition lurking everywhere in the shadows, we had to remain cautious, yet somehow, our conversation effectively concluded.

“Ha!”

“Thanks for your efforts.”

I quietly extinguished the remaining embers, while Veronica threw the empty wine bottle carelessly into the corner of the room. So she had drunk all of it herself under the pretext of handing it over to me.

“Time has slipped away a bit, hasn’t it? The kids will be starting to think something’s up.”

“Tell them I’ve been in the restroom. Don’t mention I was with you.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“I’m embarrassed, yes! If rumors start about a saint being in a scandal with me, I’d lose my head, wouldn’t I?”

“Isn’t it a bit absurd to use a saint as an informant? What even is this nonsense?”

Veronica pressed me, but I waved my hand dismissively.

“Not coming? There’s Francesca and Lucia waiting too.”

“I just want to be alone for now.”

“…….”

Veronica seemed to wish to say something with her flushed face, yet she mumbled softly before quietly leaving the room.

Only then did I relax into the chair, allowing myself to observe the surroundings.

A dark night.

Gazing from the terrace, the world appeared dim and devoid of color. From far away, the sounds of curfew sirens, the sounds of chaos, and the occasional detonation of magic flickered in and out of my view.

It was a dark and chaotic world.

But people are managing to survive in it.

Listening to the laughter spilling out from the neighboring room illuminated by light, I sat on the dark terrace, observing the world outside.

“…….”

A dark world.

Though it remained dark and chaotic with a massive ceiling obstructing the sky and earth.

Those glimmering starlights that drifted through the sky above were, after all, a vivid notion that shone the brightest.