A Dark Fantasy Spy

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After leaning against the wall for a moment to catch my breath, I began to search through the corpses of the dead terrorists.

I discarded the shotgun. The ammunition had run out and the stock was shattered. Instead, I confiscated a revolver from one of the terrorists.

While rifling through the bodies, I managed to find a somewhat functional radio (at least it worked), a cigarette with Arabic-like scribbles on it, a couple of lighters, and a few notebooks and pencils. Of course, I also grabbed the knife I had dropped earlier. This was my personal property after all.

Stuffing the items into my pockets, I fashioned a tourniquet from a pencil, a necktie, and some of the terrorists’ clothing to stop the bleeding from my injuries.

“Ugh….”

No matter how much I looked, there wasn’t a single uninjured spot. I was a walking first aid station.

I wished I could just throw a piece of clothing over myself and collapse into sleep, but if I fell asleep here, I might never wake up again. I had to escape if I wanted to live.

Using the railing for support, I opened the emergency stairs’ exit door.

I didn’t even have the strength to pull the handle. I squirmed my way through the slightly ajar gap and got out.

Gunshots had been fired, so my location must have been detected. I couldn’t stay here any longer. I had to go somewhere, anywhere, as that thought crossed my mind.

-Swish.

A blade pressed against my neck. A white, silver-bladed sword was hovering in front of my throat.

“…”

Realizing the situation too late, I stiffened, too scared to even breathe. In the meantime, the thug aiming the knife smoothly took the revolver I was holding.

“Turn around. Slowly.”

Carefully loosening my belt and wrapping it around my hand, I slowly turned my body as instructed by the thug. My mind was already filled with thoughts of killing the terrorist. I figured I could just knock the knife away and stab him in the throat with the knife.

However.

Upon confirming the face of the person holding the knife to my neck, I had no choice but to let go of the belt I was tightly gripping.

“…Administrator?”

“Oh, it’s you.”

The woman with purple hair tightly tied back sheathed her knife and smiled brightly. Between her softly closed eyes, her familiar violet gaze sparkled under the bright lights.

“Why are you here…?”

It was Francesca.

—

Episode 8 – Say Hello To My Little Friend

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After eliminating one terrorist in the staff hallway and six more in the emergency stairwell, I could finally catch my breath.

However, the threat was still very real, and communication with the outside was impossible.

I planned to search the department store, looking for Lucia and Francesca, checking if Camila was safe, and treating my injuries while I was at it.

Just as I completed my reset and stepped out of the emergency stairs, I ran into Francesca.

She was holding something resembling a rapier for the first time.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, yes. For now….”

“Thank goodness.”

Francesca lowered the weapon she had aimed at my neck. I stood there dumbfounded, my mouth moving but no words coming out as I stared at her in disbelief.

“Where did you get that sword…?”

“Oh, this?”

Francesca glanced at the sword she was holding as she answered.

“I bought one. The situation seemed serious.”

“In the midst of all this…?”

“I was planning to get one for practice anyway. Anyway, I heard the gunshots and thought maybe someone was in danger, so I came to check. What happened?”

“I fought with terrorists. About six of them.”

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

I lifted my uninjured right arm to point toward the emergency stairway. Francesca slightly opened the metal door, then furrowed her brows and violently shut it again.

“I don’t think we need to look closer. Did you take care of them all?”

“Well, kind of.”

“Impressive.”

“It’s just my job.”

Knowing my position, Francesca nodded as if there was no reason to ask further. She returned the revolver she had taken from me.

Holding the fully loaded revolver in my right hand, I surveyed my surroundings and started speaking.

“According to what I’ve gathered, the terrorists presumed to be from No Man’s Land have occupied the department store. Their objective and scale are unknown. However, seven have been eliminated thus far, and at least two or more terrorists remain.”

This was the conversation I had with the Beastman terrorist and the one I had over the radio. At least two terrorists were inside the department store.

“I couldn’t grasp the finer details of their plans, but it seems the remaining terrorists are attempting to take civilians hostage. Plus, due to some strange curtain, all access and communication with the outside is blocked, and the terrorists are transporting cargo inside the department store. What that cargo is, I don’t know either.”

“I’ve been roughly informed about the situation through the Hero.”

“Hero…?”

Isn’t that Camila?

I quickly grabbed Francesca by the shoulder and shot her a question.

“Have you seen Camila?”

“Yes. She’s currently with Saint Lucia.”

Instantly, my tension released.

It was a relief that all three of them were safe.

As the tension flowed away, fatigue set in. At the same time, I began to feel the pain I had been ignoring.

Still holding Francesca’s shoulder, I staggered as if about to collapse, and she supported me with her arm.

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’d be nice if it was only blood… Where are Camila and Lucia right now…?”

“First, lean on me. I’ll help you.”

With that, I borrowed Francesca’s shoulder and limped forward. Wherever those two were, it was surely the safest place.

As I brushed aside the purple hair tickling my neck with my fingers, I glanced at Francesca’s face.

Her expression, which had always exuded calmness like Veronica, now wore a distinctly anxious aura.

“Are you worried?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing serious. A few terrorists are nothing compared to a spy…”

“The problem isn’t the terrorists.”

“Pardon?”

The alchemist from the Magic Tower, who was supporting me, spoke in a serious tone while scanning the surroundings.

“The terrorist act occurring now is not a simple terrorist act.”

“No, what do you mean by that…?”

“I sense the presence of dark magic.”