A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Humanity’s desire for flight runs deep throughout history.

The yearning and passion to soar through the vast blue sky can be glimpsed in the myths of Icarus from ancient Greek-Roman tales and the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.

Since the Wright brothers succeeded in their first flight, aviation technology has made rapid advancements through the world wars and skyrocketed with the US-Soviet space race.

The fact that humans, without wings, have long dreamed of flying in the sky and space might stem from our innate desire for freedom.

However, contrasting the illustrious development of the aerospace industry in the global village, the state of the aerospace industry in this neighborhood was quite the opposite.

The sky and space were regarded as realms governed by the gods, not humans.

Religions across different cultures interpreted the sky and universe as domains presided over by divine beings.

In other words, from a religious perspective, flying was akin to directly challenging the authority of the gods; at least, that was how it appeared to devout followers.

Such faith and belief among these religious zealots transformed into obsession and madness, leading to the suppression of countless scientists, mages, and technicians who dreamed of flight for thousands of years.

Thanks to this, up until a few decades ago, there was no proper aerospace technology in this region—not even a decently made fixed-wing aircraft or rotorcraft.

But what sort of creature is human?

We are beings that would deceive Thor for a sip of marrow, capture Zeus’s attention, and bellow to the heavens about our impending destruction. The authority and violence of religion could not suppress human desire. It’s only natural to want to do what one is told not to do.

Thus, before being sentenced to the gallows, those craving to fly began twisting their bodies in search of a way out.

And they found it.

“…What are we going to ride?”

“A flying ship.”

A flying ship.

The crystallization of the desires soaked in the blood, sweat, and tears of the dreamers.

Episode 10 – Turn the Course Northwest

After Camila, Lucia, and Francesca officially entered Abas and joined me, we prepared to depart for the Kien Empire. More precisely, we planned to stop by the Magic Tower for a bit before returning to grab our pre-packed luggage.

Considering that just a month ago, I was having fun with these people in a southeastern resort, it was quite the ridiculous situation, but as with all international events, appearance matters.

We pretended to gather in Abas for a presentation that would make the foreign ministries of various countries look good. It was a pre-agreed plan, and we had even rehearsed it in advance.

So, on the first day heading towards the Empire, the Imperial government sent specially prepared gifts for Camila, Lucia, and Francesca.

“Wow….”

“Oh….”

As soon as we boarded the flying ship, gasps of amazement erupted.

Honestly, without exaggeration, this was not a flying ship but a hotel. Its setup was far more luxurious than the train we had used to return to Abas from the Cult previously.

So it was no wonder that Camila and Lucia were gobsmacked, like country folk just stepped into a big city.

Camila and Lucia, oblivious to their gaping mouths, began to tour the interior of the flying ship.

“Is this your first time on a flying ship?”

“Yes.”

Camila slowly answered while exploring the ship.

“I’ve been on planes many times, but never a flying ship. I’ve seen them roaming around as advertisements, though.”

“I’m the same. I don’t even know what a plane is.”

I chuckled as I packed the diplomatic bag. While I was used to flying for education or assignments, it seemed new and exciting for Camila and Lucia.

Especially Lucia.

Although not as prominent as before, many clergy still perceive flying as a challenge against the divine and religious authority. Given that Lucia grew up within the cult, it was very likely she had never encountered flying at all. After all, in this part of the world, flight is an experience typically reserved for mages, soldiers, reputable nobles, or the wealthy.

Thus, in this situation, there were only two sane individuals.

One was me, fretting about jet lag the moment I landed at Incheon Airport, and the other was Francesca, the magician.

She stood comfortably, admiring the décor.

“It’s a familiar flying ship. I guess it was sent by the royal family.”

“Oh, how did you know?”

The flying ship we boarded was a means of transportation provided by the Imperial government, specifically from the royal family.

After the rumors of Camila getting sick with headaches and vomiting from using the Magic Tower Warp Gate surfaced, the Imperial royal family had specially prepared a solution for her.

As far as I knew, the suggestion had come abruptly while negotiations were still underway. Initially, they had planned to use a train or ship, but suddenly the Imperial ambassador visited the Abas foreign minister and subtly asked if they would be interested in using a flying ship.

But how did she know that?

I was puzzled for a moment, but the mystery unfolded quickly.

Francesca, a senior civil servant from the Magic Tower Secretariat, smiled and responded.

“I rode one when I was little. That’s why it felt familiar.”

“You’ve been on this flying ship? It belongs to the royal family?”

“The royal family of the Empire is related to one of the founding fathers. They were very close relations.”

“Oh….”

That meant her ancestor was friends with the Empire’s Archmage. Thanks to that bond, she had even been able to ride a flying ship owned by the royal family.

It was something I was already aware of, but I pretended to be surprised. Showing that I knew about her family would come off as a bit creepy.

“I couldn’t ride it whenever I wanted, but if that person permitted it, I could use the flying ship.”

“Truly, a family of mages.”

The descendants of the Archmages who built the Magic Tower were socializing with the Archmage himself. I had nothing particularly to say about that.

It was indeed surprising for someone to have privately commandeered a flying ship owned by the royal family, but if it involved the Empire’s Archmage, then it wasn’t all that shocking.

That man was notorious for being uncontrollable, someone even the Emperor couldn’t handle.

Though I had never met him, he was famous for causing all sorts of antics, forgoing any dreams of imperial succession.

As I was contemplating that while showing understanding and admiration, Francesca, who had been smiling, suddenly remarked.

“Please don’t put me on a pedestal like that. My family isn’t that great anymore.”

It was a strange statement.

Was she mocking her family’s diminished standing compared to their past glory, or was she expressing self-mockery for running away from her declining family to the Magic Tower?

She gazed out of the window with a somewhat sad smile.

“…Um, Administrator?”

“Yes.”

“Why have you been looking at the window frame instead of out the window since a while ago?”

“…….”

Francesca looked at me with a slightly dazed expression. The usual confidence had disappeared.

She remained silent for a long time before starting to fumble through an explanation. She seemed flustered.

“I suddenly started feeling unwell.”

“Do mages get motion sickness when flying? Someone might think you have acrophobia.”

“…….”

“……?”

*

Given that the flying ship was crafted for the Emperor and the royal family, the vessel we boarded was more a luxury item than a practical means of transport.

One might say it was slightly similar to a business jet.

Though it was called a flying ship, in reality, it was a flying hotel. Naturally, the interior specifications were of the highest quality.

The officials told us that it would take a little while to reach the Empire and guided us to our rooms. I set down my luggage and surveyed the quarters. I felt as if I had fallen into a luxurious noble’s villa.

Camila seemed to have a similar thought, as she took quite a while to explore every corner of her room.

“This is unreal. I think it’s much better than the hotel we stayed in.”

“It’s designed for noble folks. Of course, today it’s meant especially for you, Camila.”

“For me?”

Camila pointed to herself in disbelief. I smiled and nodded in response.

This flying ship was the Imperial royal family’s transportation, a service for Camila after the ordeal she faced using the Warp Gate. By the way, it was the Empire that had suggested this first.

From what I heard, the Imperial ambassador had approached the Abas foreign minister expressing that, since both the train and ship would take too long — and particularly that ships could lead to motion sickness — perhaps they could consider using the relatively safe flying ship instead.

Since they were from another world, it wouldn’t be too bad to take in the natural scenery and partake in the unique experience of flying high in the sky.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a new experience for Camila, who was already used to flying across Europe, Asia, and Africa during her vacations.

However, from the perspective of this region, flying was not something easily done, so it was the utmost courtesy.

“I’m envious. The royal family sends such a luxurious flying ship.”

“Have you ever lived here and not been on a flying ship?”

I tapped the insignia attached to my ceremonial uniform. The silver emblem jingled as it swayed.

“I’ve been on military flying ships a few times during airborne training.”

“Training for what?”

“Training to use parachutes. I did it before my commission, but I wouldn’t want to do it again. It was the worst.”

The airborne training in this region could not be said to be good even as a mere compliment.

The training content didn’t even come close to what special forces schools teach, and the equipment was honestly quite poor.

Of course, I had never had airborne training since I was in ROTC, but I learned separately after joining the Information Command.

At that time, I really didn’t want to do it. Repeating the act of jumping out of a flying ship made the special forces’ training seem like a stroll in the park. I missed the Chinook and C-130 and even miss Misari.

“By the way, do you know why flying ships are used here instead of planes?”

“I believe it’s due to religious reasons. It’s thought that a wingless human flying in the sky is contrary to the natural order. However, I understand that flying ships are considered an exception.”

“Isn’t that funny? Planes fly against the natural order and challenge divine authority, yet it’s okay to fly a ship because it’s similar to setting a vessel afloat.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of that. I wondered how Lucia would have reacted if she had heard this.

As I chatted with Camila, I rummaged through the bag I had brought and placed it on the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“Just a bit of work to finish up.”

After instructing Camila to observe quietly, I unlocked the bag and opened it.

Immediately, something intricate and suspicious-looking appeared. As Camila stepped closer with curiosity, I connected some cables and flipped a switch.

A blue light began flickering rapidly.

After confirming the flashing lights, I closed the bag and stowed it away in a spot out of reach.

“All done. It’s finished.”

“What did you just do?”

Camila asked with shining eyes, seemingly having just witnessed something amazing.

“Oh, it’s nothing special. Just blocking any recording devices.”

“Recording devices? The kind I know?”

“Yes.”

I waved my index finger around the room and Camila followed suit, peering into every corner.

“When you go abroad and stay in places like hotels, the chance of being eavesdropped on is high. While they might spy to see what you’re up to, sometimes those using recording devices or cameras threaten information officers with the data collected. So you need to check if there are any listening devices when staying in a place like this.”

“Hmm. That’s an interesting story.”

Camila, a budding spy, nodded thoughtfully, looking quite satisfied.

She began to scour the room, peeking into the light fixtures, lifting and placing down picture frames, crouching in front of the flowerpots to play with the soil, and investigating behind the drawers.

After rummaging around for a while, she suddenly stood in the center of the room and started to close her eyes and stand still.

“Hmmm….”

“What are you doing?”

“Shh!”

The moment I opened my mouth, Camila shushed me, pressing her finger to her lips.

I stared at her antics, utterly dumbfounded.

“Surely you’re not trying to listen for the sound of recording devices, are you?”

“Actually, I am.”

“…….”

Camila declared confidently, and for a moment, I thought it was a joke as I observed her reaction, but she merely blinked her blue eyes at me.

What’s she doing?

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed deeply.

“When are you going to stop playing? The clunky recording devices that make noises have been out of operation for over twenty years.”

“Oh… really?”

“Those outdated things wouldn’t even be used if you were given them for free.”

Sometimes Camila had her peculiar quirks. I wasn’t sure if to call her naive or simply innocent. I took a seat in the chair, explaining eavesdropping and spying to her.

“There are various types of recording devices. Items that transmit eavesdropping content in real-time or ones that record conversations and send them all at once are common. The latter is typically what’s used by intelligence agencies.”

“You mean devices that record conversations and send them later?”

“Yes. They collect and store audio or signal information from the surroundings, then automatically transmit it at set times. They’re usually designed to transmit data during off-peak times like the early hours of the morning or late at night.”

As communication and science-tech advanced, the difficulty of eavesdropping decreased significantly.

During the Cold War, recording devices that could only record or transmit data in real-time were utilized, while in the 21st century, devices comprised of data collected over several days could transmit information in under a minute.

“The recording device that China’s Ministry of State Security got caught using in South Africa operated that way. Of course, that’s just one example, and I can’t say that all devices function the same way.”

“I know eavesdropping can be classified into five types. Whether someone is eavesdropping on conversations, phone calls, or browsing the internet. When it comes to phone calls, it differs based on wired and wireless, I learned.”

“Great job studying.”

“Have you ever experienced being eavesdropped on?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

It was a sudden question. I pondered for a moment, trying to remember when I had been eavesdropped on.

“Um… there’ve been so many incidents that I can’t recall clearly. It was such a long time ago. But off the top of my head, it was when I was in China.”

“China?”

Camila’s expression brightened at the mention of China. She once told me she frequently visited Hong Kong with her parents.

“Hong Kong is a nice place.”

“It was really fun. I had a great time. Have you been to Hong Kong? Where in China did you go?”

“I don’t remember much since I stayed briefly in Hong Kong… maybe it was Shanghai or Dalian. The city where the Chinese aircraft carrier is stationed, and it was chaos from day one.”

“Why? What happened?”

“We had just checked in and gone up to our hotel room when we discovered that it was bugged.”

“…….”

Camila fell silent with a peculiar expression. It seemed just a playful question had turned serious, leaving her in an awkward situation.

“Well, it was nothing serious. Countries like China and Russia bug you the moment they see any suspicious foreigners. Frankly, I was already prepared for it mentally.”

“Mental preparation?”

I nodded.

“Two days before departure, the hotel contacted me out of the blue to say they would upgrade my room. They had a much better room available than the one I reserved and asked if I would like it. By the way, I had a slight disagreement with the hotel regarding my reservation, so they intended to apologize and said it would be on the house.”

“Isn’t an upgrade a good thing? Especially for free?”

“If a recording device is planted there, it changes everything. And a camera too. There were two: one in the corner of the room and one in the TV, and I still remember their exact locations since the whole room was clearly visible.”

“So what happened?”

“What happened? Nothing. I just changed hotels after a few days’ stay. Later on, when I had gained more experience, I heard from senior colleagues that this is a tactic constantly used by countries like China and Russia.”

If an intelligence officer traveling to China or Russia experiences an unexpected room upgrade, chances are that a foreign intelligence agency has intervened, providing access to a room already prepped with recording devices and cameras through the hotel’s “cooperation.”

This tactic has been employed countless times since the Cold War against foreign visitors. For the record, the original idea came from the Soviets.

Specifically, it was used not so much on spies but for businesspeople, politicians, or diplomats, capturing compromising situations to use as blackmail. Some inexperienced officers have even found themselves ensnared in such traps. It’s a classic case of seduction.

I tapped my bag, wearing a smile.

“Still, today we have this. There shouldn’t be any issues, right? At least no one will eavesdrop on us aboard the flying ship.”

“Is there also a recording device in other rooms?”

Whether or not there truly were eavesdropping devices, I had no clue.

But being cautious is always the best policy.

“There’s nothing more important than safety, Camila. And this is just a precaution, so don’t worry too much.”

After reassuring Camila, I neatly organized my bag and stored it away properly. Now, all necessary preparations were complete.

“Camila.”

“Yes.”

“Shall we discuss work now?”