A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Bribery.

The relationship between information agencies and bribery is inseparable. You can’t tear them apart if you tried. Why are bribery and information agencies so closely linked? It stems from the unique nature of the work that information agencies undertake.

Essentially, all the activities of any information or counterintelligence agency are steeped in illegality. From the collection of intelligence to create information on a small scale, to large-scale secret operations such as assassinations, kidnappings, sabotage, and coup d’états executed at the president’s command.

Information agencies, whether they like it or not, cross the line between legal and illegal, and therefore, all their activities are thoroughly based on national interest.

This means that as long as it benefits national interest, they don’t care about committing illegal acts.

Bribery follows the same pattern.

If a citizen offers a bribe to a public official in their own country, it’s seen as graft, corruption, and must be eradicated. However, if a foreigner bribes a local official, it’s considered a mutually beneficial friendship.

A bribe slipped between the pages of a passport for the police who demand to see it while hangin’ around tourist sites, stuffing a suitcase full of dollars into the trunk of a local commander’s car demanding permission for NGO activities, or handing a few bills under the table to the cult cops at the crime scene while pretending to shake hands—

Such is the realm where the suspiciously friendly foreigner with excellent local language skills and a good amount of cash can do just about anything.

This fundamental truth is common sense around here. It’s a place where you need to ‘donate’ to a priest just to receive healing. They call it a donation, but in reality, it’s basically a bribe. Of course, saying that aloud would bring not a savior but a vengeful religious figure knocking at your door, so no one dared speak it.

In any case, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and even divine benevolence doesn’t come without a price. That’s the common understanding around here.

But…

“You mean I should just get treated first?”

“Yes. Please lie down on the bed.”

Today feels different.

—

Episode 9 – Old-Fashioned

As the scripture of the Cult states, God created humans in His own image, yet unlike His omnipotence, He fashioned humans in an imperfect form.

They are swayed by evil, tempted by desires.

In my eyes, it’s purely a lack of ability on God’s part—a complete blunder. Yet the priests of the Cult assert that they can read God’s intentions even from such flaws.

That is freedom.

Whether one escapes evil to embrace God’s grace or flounders in desires only to wake by the call of God and repent, that is a gift from God. It’s something beyond human comprehension, they say.

Having lived in the 21st century as an atheist, I believed there was one additional freedom in that regard.

That would be the freedom to extort donations.

From everyone participating in the mass to those blessed with baptism names or receiving prayers, money is collected in exchange for healing. It’s the same when it comes to constructing buildings. Unlike regular donations, money designated for special purposes is labeled as a special offering.

And one of the Cult’s primary sources of income was the donations collected in return for healing.

They call it voluntary donations, but the moment someone says they wish to receive healing without paying, the atmosphere becomes extraordinarily hostile.

This has been a tradition and law upheld for hundreds of years, a snare that even prominent figures in politics and business across continents cannot escape. Naturally, even those of high rank do not get discounts, making them pay top dollar for priests. After all, competent clerics come at a premium.

The Prime Minister of Abas, the President of Patalia, the Chancellor of the Kien Empire—even the Emperor, for the sake of appearances, labels enormous donations as “charity for the poor” and calls for Cardinals. It’s an open secret in diplomatic circles. It’s said that the only ones who could rob the Emperor blind without facing repercussions were either bandits or the Pope.

However, Lucia did not ask me for money.

I knew Lucia was not one of those religious figures who were stingy and money-hungry like those starting with ‘Be’. But seeing her tell me to receive treatment first when priests typically demand money upfront for healing gave me a strange feeling.

“Please lie down. Preferably remove your coat.”

“Can’t I just sit?”

“You may sit, but it would be more comfortable to lie down for stability. Sometimes, people experience dizziness during treatment due to internal magic energy.”

I complied with Lucia’s instructions and lay on the bed, carefully folding my suit jacket.

Lucia sanitized her hands lightly and laid a white towel over a silver basin filled with warm water.

“I’ve read the medical records sent from the hospital. You have a neurological issue?”

“Yes.”

Shortly after the anti-terror unit stormed the department store to manage the situation, I was evacuated to a military hospital. The rescuers on the scene attempted emergency treatment, but my condition was so severe that they placed me directly in an ambulance.

I heard I had undergone several major surgeries, and in between, my heart had stopped, prompting the administration of strong medicine. They said they tore apart my dress shirt and injected directly into my heart. Later, I found out they had used an extraordinarily large needle.

A lot of potions were used, and many blood transfusion packs as well. Thanks to the efforts of competent military doctors and clerics, I barely avoided crossing the River Jordan. However, there were many critical moments afterwards where I remained unconscious for several hours.

I couldn’t save my thumb that the beastman terrorist bit off, but Veronica managed to help out somehow.

Of course, it was still a struggle to move that thumb due to the improper healing. Bending it was difficult, and the sensations I felt were quite different from those in my other fingers.

But now, one of the continent’s best healers was going to treat my finger, so that would soon be a thing of the past.

With a gentle smile, Lucia wrapped a warm, damp towel around my hand.

“Before we start the treatment, may I ask you one thing? Have you received treatment from any other priest aside from me?”

“No. I haven’t.”

I shook my head, feeling the cozy warmth conveyed through my palm and the back of my hand.

Perhaps in my childhood, but I had never been injured to the extent of needing to visit a priest, whether in the field or during my time at the Military Intelligence Agency. The only people who had treated me properly were essentially Veronica and Lucia.

Upon my reply, Lucia cleared her throat and opened her mouth with just a hint of embarrassment.

“Ahem, then, if something feels off or you find any issues during the treatment, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“…Issues?”

“Such as discomfort or displeasure.”

“……?”

What nonsense is this?

The thought crossed my mind that Lucia might be intending some sort of inappropriate behavior like those priests who occasionally appear in the 9 o’clock news, but I realized that was an absurd idea that crossed the line.

“Oh, um… I understand.”

Since treatment was urgent, I simply replied that I understood.

—

It was not uncommon in this world for priests to exploit their believers.

Power begets authority, and authority progresses to worship.

The more corrupt the power, the more prevalent this phenomenon—something easily observed in societies around the globe. North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, Syria, and so on…

Power breeds authority, and authority leads to worship. And in this world, the power of religion towers over all nations when compared to the global scene.

Of course, no matter how formidable religious power may be, the ones ruling the world are the elected leaders, the public administration responding to the leaders’ directives, and the chaebols delivering boxes of apples and serving as loyal followers. Thus, religion could never fully engulf the world.

The protection of religion lies in the faith and belief of individuals, but the safeguarding of a country is upheld by the military and police bearing arms. Politicians are not foolish enough to simply sit idly as a religious faction overtakes the country.

Yet even the mightiest sun cannot illuminate every dark alley, and the state cannot maintain flawless administrative power throughout its entire territory. Especially in this age marked by terrorism, conflict, polarization, economic recession, wars, and natural disasters.

As the nation becomes precarious, the economy shatters. When the government focuses its resources on salvaging a wrecked economy, a vacuum forms in other administrative areas, which in turn brings a gap in social safety nets.

Security becomes unstable. Usually, when public safety is compromised, political turmoil arises, borders crumble, and if national defense falters, foreign investors withdraw their capital and run, creating a vicious cycle that leads to economic decline.

And such gaps create a fertile ground for wolves and hyenas to thrive.

“I will make you a member of successful people. What should you do to become a success? You must become the spiritual backbone. Academy? College? No need for any of that! For the future of our children! If you sever ties with the secular world and embrace God….”

“You all have returned to your favorite and most joyful time. It’s donation time. Donation time.”

“A command has been issued by the mother. You are my seed; spread it, even if you must take a married woman. You are instructed to spread your seeds like the stars in the sky.”

“No, priest. Then why did you put your hand between the legs of a believer? You touched both male and female congregants evenly, didn’t you?”

“That is, of course, to facilitate spiritual conversations and healing….”

“Are you insane?”

Where priests pocketing donations or shamans being embroiled in sexual crimes are reported is all too common. Both the state and religion strive to clamp down on these occurrences, yet such crimes seem to occur like clockwork every year.

The military isn’t exempt either.

Incidents of priests or shamans committing sexual assault against patients or parishioners are nearly reported quarterly. I learned about a few cases while working as an advisor under Clevenz. Even when I served as a squad leader on the front lines, some kids at religious events were extorted by priests.

To be honest, when Lucia said, “If anything uncomfortable happens during the treatment, please let me know,” I couldn’t help but look at her with suspicion.

I wasn’t doubting her since I had seen her work during medical volunteer missions; still, considering the nature of her profession, I couldn’t help leaning towards thoughts of crime or illegality. It’s a sort of job-related hazard.

I looked at Lucia with a fleeting suspicious gaze and albeit hesitantly reached for her hand, yet still couldn’t shake off my doubts. Thus, under that absurd atmosphere, the treatment began.

And nothing happened.

“All done.”

“……”

After diligently massaging my hand with her holy power for over 30 minutes, Lucia wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled benevolently. Expecting her to do something strange, I blinked in surprise at her announcement that the treatment was over.

Blink.

Blink. Blink.

“Could you try moving your finger?”

“…Um, yes.”

I followed Lucia’s instructions and focused on my thumb. It seemed to bend slightly before trembling and snapping back stiff again.

“Hmmm….”

Lucia, observing the sight, sighed softly while rubbing her chin.

“It appears that progress isn’t evident after one treatment. It would be best to take a more extended period for healing.”

“What will I do then…?”

“Receiving treatment every day would be the best option, but… if your schedule is busy, it might need to be every other day, or at least once a week.”

“Once a week? Will that really be enough?”

“Better than not doing it at all.”

Lucia suggested that if my schedule permitted, I should receive treatment daily, or at least once a week.

Of course, to see meaningful results in a short period, spending considerable time every day for treatment is essential, but she seemed to think it was impractical for me to keep my schedule free for that long.

“I will try to free up some time on my end; however, if that doesn’t work, I suppose it will have to be a brief healing session over the weekend. You said you were on vacation, right?”

“Yes.”

“For the remainder of your vacation, it would be wise to focus on recuperation and rehabilitation. Since I need to prepare for tomorrow’s healing, we’ll wrap up today’s session here.”

“Prepare?”

Lucia nodded while tidying up the basin. She wrung out the damp towel before wrapping it around my right hand. Despite the long time passed, the warmth remained, making it feel quite comforting. How fascinating.

“The Cult has sent items that may aid in your recovery. There are preparations needed to use them since it will take some time.”

“Items?”

Thinking back, a representative from the Cult’s embassy once gifted me something beneficial for health. I left it unopened due to suspicion.

That representative was the Inquisition Information Officer. Later, I contacted the Military Intelligence Agency and learned that he was the commander in charge of Abas.

I began to think it might be that item, but when I asked, Lucia shook her head.

“It’s a different item. It may not be well-known, so it might be unfamiliar to you.”

Lucia smiled gently, concealing the identity of the item. Although her smile was lovely, there was something about her demeanor that felt suspicious.

“What is it? It’s not something strange, is it?”

“It’s hard to bring out, but it’s not an odd item. However, it’s difficult to share carelessly with foreigners…”

“Ah….”

“I’m sorry, but I find it difficult to disclose in advance.”

With her insistence on confidentiality, it seemed the item was somehow significant. Most likely, it carries some religious meaning. Given that it was handed over from the Cult, it might be a relic stored safely in a vault.

For such an important item, it makes sense to keep it quiet. I nodded in agreement.

In any case, receiving free treatment from a priest, let alone an incredibly rare opportunity to be treated by a saint, made the whole scenario a great deal. Good things just happen, right?

“I understand. That makes sense.”

“Thank you.”

“Um, but may I ask…?”

“Yes, feel free to speak.”

“When you mentioned something unpleasant earlier, could you clarify what you meant?”

“…….”

“Saint?”

“It’s nothing. You can forget about it.”