A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

A lazy cat sprawled out, lifted its head. With sapphire-like eyes that seemed to pull you in, it blinked and licked its tongue.

“…Did the cat just speak?”

Camila seemed shocked, her lips trembling. She spoke to me, but her eyes were fixed on the cat.

Unable to tear her gaze away, Camila muttered with a vacant expression.

“This is amazing….”

In response to her words, the cat lifted its head and let out a ‘meow.’

As Camila bent down to pick up the cat, slowly approaching it—

“Meowwwww—!”

I screamed and began to flee, carrying Camila toward the Ministry of Defense.

“What’s going on all of a sudden!?”

“It’s a monster! It’s a monster!”

“???”

Camila, flailing around, and I sprinted away, dodging and weaving amidst the mud and the thumping sound of our footsteps.

We bolted toward the Ministry of Defense like a couple of madmen.

Once the commotion settled down—

The cat, left behind, swiftly turned its head and hopped off the rock.

“Meow.”

—

Episode 10 – Change Course to Northwest

After the ruckus, things quickly calmed down.

I rushed into the Ministry of Defense carrying Camila, and the Kien Empire’s Ministry of Defense quickly dispatched personnel to investigate the case.

“So, you saw a talking cat near the Ministry of Defense?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged officer nodded while jotting with a pen.

Dressed in a uniform, he looked to be a Colonel based on the insignia on his collar, and the badge on his chest indicated he was an information officer.

As he took down the statement in his notebook, a serious expression crossed his face.

“Are you certain it was a talking cat?”

“Absolutely.”

“Can you describe the cat’s features?”

I began listing off the characteristics of the cat I had just seen.

Fluffy white fur, sapphire-like blue eyes, and a fairly large size. Around its neck was an ornate necklace presumed to be jewelry. I also noted it was first sighted atop a tree.

“Do you remember how large the cat was?”

“Ah, initially, Camila lifted it by its armpits, and its overall length seemed to be from the neck to the waist.”

The Colonel meticulously recorded what I had described. Next to him, a civilian worker from the Magic Department flipped through an encyclopedia hovering in mid-air, and soldiers and civilians were bustling about making calls.

Despite being from different agencies, they all wore serious expressions.

I crossed my arms, biting my lip in anxious wait.

“Thank you for your report. Both of you may need to head to the Magic Department for a brief inspection. Is that alright? We’ll contact the Colonel and the Hero on your behalf.”

“Sure.”

“Thank you for your cooperation. As you know, for the sake of a smooth investigation, we would appreciate it if you can refrain from discussing this incident with others.”

“Yes, I won’t speak of it if I can help it.”

“Thank you.”

The Colonel repeatedly thanked us, even bowing his head as he earnestly requested we keep the sighting of the talking cat under wraps.

Seeing an elder gentleman bow his head sent a chill through Camila, who seemed to sense something was off. While sitting on the most comfortable sofa in the office, munching on snacks, she whispered in my ear.

“What on earth is happening? Why is everyone so worried about a talking cat?”

I glanced around and answered in a hushed voice,

“A talking cat isn’t just any ordinary cat. No matter how many magicians there are in this area, talking animals do not exist.”

“Hmm….”

Camila, a current magician, cupped her cheek as she pondered.

Seemingly oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, she speculated.

“What if it was a magician who transformed? You know how those fantasy movies have magicians that turn into animals.”

“That’s precisely the problem.”

Though magic exists in this world, talking animals do not. Based on my 28 years of living here, such creatures simply do not exist.

Which meant it wasn’t just an animal—it was something else taking on the form of a cat.

“Transformation magic is strictly prohibited in this area. Such magic may exist, but legally, it cannot be used, and anyone caught using it will face punishment.”

“What sort of punishment?”

“Life imprisonment without parole, and deportation.”

Typically, imprisonment comes with the possibility of parole. A criminal can be released early for good behavior, but a magician caught using transformation magic does not get that privilege.

Moreover, magicians affiliated with the Magic Tower may even face outright expulsion. A deportation order is akin to a death sentence for magicians. It’s only given to those who commit unspeakable crimes, like first-degree murder or terrorism.

When I explained that they would spend their lives in prison, Camila was taken aback.

“Life without parole? Not even a murder, and they’ll be punished that severely?”

“Because it’s dangerous. It’s dangerous.”

To reiterate, talking animals do not exist in this area. What we encountered moments ago was not an animal, but an intelligent being disguised as one. And transformation magic is prohibited in this region.

“Transformation magic is a form of magic that changes beings or objects into other forms. The complexity of the magic itself is quite high, and extensive preparations along with various materials are required.”

I took a breath and continued.

“The problem is that using this magic is inherently difficult. The high difficulty, the time and resources needed for casting. Thus, magicians often end up in unfortunate accidents when attempting transformation magic.”

“For example?”

“Trying to turn into a dog, but only the head transforms while the body turns into a lion; or the transformation succeeds, but their body gets fused with the surrounding terrain. Ugh, and there are cases where they lose consciousness while preparing the magic or draw the wrong sigils, never being able to revert to their original form.”

These were just a few potential outcomes.

Magicians who end up living as animals or become vegetable-like beings fall into a somewhat fortunate category. Yet there were also instances of magicians transforming into monsters and losing their sanity, harming people, or getting limbs stuck in walls and dying as a result.

The last case also occurs as a side effect of teleportation magic, but I heard that things have improved somewhat these days.

Still, I couldn’t help but think about how occasionally magicians teleport randomly and end up dying in the ground or underwater.

Regardless, due to these side effects, transformation magic is strictly banned.

“But it seems effective. If you transform into an animal, your family won’t even recognize you. Doesn’t it provide an amazing disguise?”

I shook my head as I looked at Camila.

“And that’s exactly why it’s prohibited. There’s a high chance it could be misused.”

Imagine a serial killer using transformation magic. Unless highly skilled investigators are placed in every alley, they wouldn’t catch him.

What if a terrorist or a spy employed transformation magic? It would tear apart the counterintelligence agency. No amount of Clevenz’s forces could stop it. In fact, a hundred years ago, during the war between the cult and the Magic Tower, magicians frequently utilized transformation magic. The Inquisition employed every strategy imaginable to capture those who turned into animals, only achieving results when they exterminated all transformed animals.

At least one fortunate aspect is that there are currently no magicians using transformation magic.

To clarify, after the war between the cult and the Magic Tower, the Tower, fearing the side effects and misuse, burned all books related to transformation magic. Consequently, no magician can perform transformation magic, and there is no concrete information on it.

At least, no human magician is known to wield transformation magic.

After saying all this, I sensed that Camila might have pieced something together as she cocked her head.

“By limiting it to human magicians, does that imply non-human magicians might be able to use it?”

That is correct.

“As you mentioned, non-human magicians can indeed utilize transformation magic. They aren’t bound by the restrictions of the Magic Tower. The issue is that they are uncontrolled because the Magic Tower has no influence over them.”

For races like demons or elves. Those that reject human authority and build their own societies.

Such races use transformation magic.

And demons and elves are humanity’s quintessential foes.

So, the Empire is understandably in a state of frenzy.

“If they decide to utilize transformation magic for terrorism, it becomes unmanageable. While there are few known cases of this among non-humans, they certainly aren’t nonexistent.”

“Ah….”

The situation was tangled with a variety of layers.

Just when Camila, Lucia, and Francesca entered the country, a cat suspected of utilizing transformation magic was discovered near the Ministry of Defense.

Traditionally, the Ministry of Defense building is one of the high-value targets. Even the Israeli Air Force, during the bombing of Lebanon, first targeted areas with the Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Defense.

With this in mind, Camila’s expression turned gravely serious. It seemed she had recognized how dire things were, given her background in conflict studies.

“We need to locate it quickly.”

“We certainly do.”

The Colonel, who was speaking with someone on the receiver, strode over.

“Thank you for your cooperation in the investigation. Both of you should move to the Magic Department for inspection before heading home.”

“Understood.”

“Also, please take this.”

The Colonel handed me a small piece of paper.

I took it and asked, “What’s this?”

“It’s my business card.”

I read the card the Colonel handed me.

– Ministry of Defense, Counterintelligence Command, Security Information Section 4, Manager.

A person who catches spies, huh?

—

After undergoing several inspections at the Magic Department, I returned to the embassy. Since I had left my work without notice, I expected to be reprimanded, but surprisingly, the embassy didn’t seem to make an issue out of it.

There were greater woes at hand.

“I mean, so you met the Hero behind the smoking area at the back of the Ministry of Defense, and the Hero was trying to bring down a cat that had climbed a tree, and suddenly the cat spoke? Not a cat beastman, a cat specifically?”

“Exactly.”

“So you contacted the Counterintelligence Department without prior permission and went to the Magic Department for a physical examination?”

“That’s absolutely correct, sir.”

The embassy was in an uproar.

The guy who stepped out to smoke suddenly lost contact and ended up being dragged into an investigation by the Counterintelligence Agency before circling back to the Magic Department.

Even the reason was absurd—because of a ‘talking cat.’

The diplomat immediately reported this fact back to the home country. I had encountered an entity that might be a demon and had undergone investigations by the Counterintelligence Command and the Magic Department.

That was precisely why I was now summoned before my superior.

“What a mess. To go out for a smoke and run into a demon near the Empire’s Ministry of Defense.”

Leoni gazed at me with a lackadaisical expression while seated in her chair.

“Is it true?”

“Indeed.”

“This is just infuriating.”

Her file contained a report sent from the Ambassador of the Abas Embassy.

According to the investigation conducted by the Empire’s Magic Department, it confirmed that neither I nor Camila were under the influence of dark magic or mental contamination.

“How come you stir up trouble and end up getting summoning orders from the home country within a week?”

“I’m surprised too.”

“This isn’t a joke; keep your mouth shut.”

I promptly sealed my lips.

Even so, it wasn’t because I had caused trouble that the Military Intelligence Agency did not enact separate disciplinary measures. That was the one silver lining.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t entirely without issues.

Leoni leaned back in her chair, giving her temples a good rub.

“So, you received a business card from the Colonel of the Counterintelligence Agency?”

“Yes, I’ve registered it in the system.”

“Quick on the uptake and efficient; that’s impressive.”

Leoni’s office was located in the Military Intelligence Bureau building. After quitting her post as head of the Royal Intelligence Department, she returned to the Military Intelligence Bureau, where she had set up an actual desk.

It didn’t seem like she had fully finished her move, as her office was still cluttered. Stacks of cardboard boxes loomed like mountains, and unwrapped luggage stretched from the entrance right next to her desk.

I had to carefully tread in the office to avoid tripping over any obstacles.

Leoni perused the report briefly, closed her folder, and interlaced her fingers. The major rank insignia gleamed brightly as she shifted.

“You’ve been promoted to Major General.”

“With the restructuring of the company, existing positions have incrementally risen. Having just one star isn’t enough to advance to the position of Military Intelligence Agency Director.”

The Military Intelligence Agency usually sees promotions of Majors or Colonels for such posts. Typically, a Major serves as the Director while a Colonel acts as the Chief of Staff.

Beneath them are senior officers that oversee divisions and departments comprised of Colonels, and then various managers ranging from Lieutenant Colonels down to sergeants.

For reference, Leoni is in charge of overseas tasks. Moving forward, various ‘overseas projects’ carried out by Military Intelligence will be under her command. Naturally, she would also manage the military officers dispatched to the embassy.

I thought that once Clevenz became a Major General, he would become the Director, but now even after obtaining his star, he would not be able to.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Leoni’s exhausted voice broke the silence.

“A talking cat, huh? This is definitely not a good sign.”

“They aren’t certain whether it’s a demon or another race. If it were the work of a non-human, an elf proficient in magic is likely, but we can’t rule out the possibility of it being a demon.”

“Do elves have any reason to use such magic in the Empire? The dark ones get preferential treatment, so unless they’re bright, the probability of it being a demon is higher.”

Knock. Knock.

Leoni seemed to be in thought, tapping her desk as she pushed aside a file containing the risk report.

“Our Magic Department has determined that no human magician exists who can utilize transformation magic, and they evaluated that there have been almost no known cases of it among non-human beings. They speculate that it’s more than likely a demon.”

“Is that so?”

“Seeing that they’ve mobilized both Magic Department investigators and Counterintelligence agents, it appears the Empire is quite unnerved. Nobody knows better than the Empire just how volatile demons can be. Word has it that special forces have also been deployed.”

“…Special forces?”

A report filled with urgent information just came in from the communications room.

The detailed reports from the Empire displayed photos of soldiers clad in special operations uniforms wandering around without any military gear.

Upon recognizing the patch attached to their combat outfits, my eyes widened.

I knew these guys.

“This was just posted on the local information network. The 35th Independent Special Operations Regiment. They’re the ones conducting counter-terrorism operations under the scout regiment.”

I’m familiar with them. I had encountered them while training analysis with Camila before.

I had assumed they weren’t heading north and were stationed in the capital, perhaps planning a coup or some clandestine military operation, but I never imagined it would be so real.

I furrowed my brow, turning to Leoni with a question.

“Does this call for such dramatic action?”

“What else would you send to deal with a sorcerer than a counter-terrorism unit?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

This side’s counter-terrorism units handle more than simple bomb threats or mass shootings. Given that those causing terror might be magicians, they often engage in large-scale magical combat.

In fact, their special operations units often include combat magicians, leading to training specifically designed for facing off against enemy special forces in emergency situations.

Of course, that’s feasible only in nations that have the economic power to support such special units, but the Empire is evidently one of those that allocate significant budget to their military.

“Speaking of, didn’t they recently confront a magician?”

“Not a magician per se, but there were dark magicians involved.”

“Those in No Man’s Land are seriously losing their minds. They’re even dabbling in dark magic. Seems like the world is spiraling out of control. Tsk….”

Leoni clicked her tongue in disdain, sounding somewhat like a traditionalist.

However, I held my tongue, as voicing any disagreement could result in a military boot flying my way.

“Let’s set aside the talking cat for now.”

As Leoni put aside the folder, dismissing the matter, she turned her attention to her sheets of papers.

“How’s the project going?”

“Yes, we have made contact with our target. We’ve also finalized the investigation into the departure route, so I think we can inform them of the methods at the next contact.”

“How about tickets?”

“I’ve secured the tickets, and we’re set to receive the payment for it at the next meeting. We’ll pay a deposit first, and when we enter Abas, we can collect the remaining balance.”

“That sounds efficient.”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

An urgent knock resounded from outside. A sub-officer walked in, saluting Leoni.

“Brigadier General, the Warp Gate closing time is approaching.”

“Ah, I see.”

Leoni nodded in acknowledgment of the officer’s report, then turned to face me.

“Make sure to catch the gate in time to return to the embassy. If you’re late, the Counterintelligence folks might start getting suspicious.”

—

Upon my return to the Military Intelligence Bureau, I found the place more desolate than expected.

Certainly, it was likely because it was after hours, but it appeared even more barren due to ongoing construction.

Following the confirmed restructuring of the Abas Information Agency, the Military Intelligence Bureau was also undergoing a revamp. And this meant not just changing the organization but also undertaking extensive renovations.

In other words, it was essentially a remodeling project.

I navigated through the stacks of paint and construction materials that had been left here and there as I exited the Military Intelligence Bureau. Aside from a few staff who were working late, the external parking area was void of vehicles.

“It’s quitting time.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work. Please take your social security card with you.”

I retrieved my social security card from the checkpoint, putting it away as I donned my coat. Though not comparably bitter as the north, the chill of Abas still bit at me.

How long until I reach the Warp Gate? It’s a place that takes over 30 minutes by car from the Military Intelligence Bureau.

“Ho.”

My breath formed visible puffs in the chilly evening air.

Just as I was about to head for the public bus, a sudden honk rang out.

Startled, I turned my head to see a black sedan parked on the side.

The window slid down smoothly, revealing Clevenz’s face popping up.

“Where are you off to?”

“Um… I was heading to catch the Warp Gate.”

“Is that so?”

Clevenz grinned as he finished his day.

“Hop on. I’ll give you a ride.”

—

On our way to the immigration office.

Thanks to Clevenz picking me up, the trip was far more convenient. It was certainly preferable to taking the bus in the middle of winter.

The new deputy, who had replaced me as an aide to the Counterintelligence chief, was at the wheel. He was the same person I had met at the bar with Camila.

“Have you returned?”

“No, not at all.”

Clevenz, who wore a friendlier smile, seemed to think that I was merely on leave.

It may have been a long time since we met, but he now seemed more aged than I remembered. When I subtly asked if he was particularly worn out, he chuckled and said to abstain from such questions.

A single star glittered on his shoulder.

I awkwardly smiled, leading the conversation back to the previous topic.

“I’m just passing through; I’ve received a summoning order from the home country.”

“A summoning? Did you cause some sort of trouble?”

“Not quite; I was more involved in the trouble.”

I began carefully explaining everything that had transpired today to Clevenz.

After stepping out for a smoke, running into Camila, chastising her for using flying magic to pull down a cat on the tree, only to later find out it was a witch who had used transformation magic.

After that, I was dragged into a two-on-two interview with investigators from the Counterintelligence Agency and Magic Department, and then summoned by the Ambassador, ending up at the company after receiving the summons.

I had a feeling today was particularly eventful. It made me dizzy just to explain it.

Clevenz seemed to have a similar sentiment, displaying a look of disbelief.

“You’ve been through a lot. How is it that you always get entangled in trouble whenever you go abroad?”

“Haha.”

I wondered the same thing.

I had spent six years without any incident. Yet, in the past six months, I had faced significantly more dynamic situations than during those six years combined. The variety was astounding.

“Demons, huh… Come to think of it, you recently got involved with dark magic too. And now you’re caught up with demons?”

“I’d rather not get entangled with them.”

“That should ideally be the case.”

Indeed. Honestly, it felt likely that venturing north would lead me to encounter demons almost certainly.

Curious if Clevenz ever came across a demon, I inquired, only to receive a reply that he had not.

“How often does someone run into a demon in their lifetime? You may encounter an exorcist, an inquisition officer, a knight, or a magician, but a regular person will seldom meet a demon.”

“That is true.”

“Unless it’s a drunken dwarf smashing up taverns, or an orc getting caught for assaulting someone or an elf fleeing after shooting an arrow during a barren operation along with a beastman. Those kinds of encounters are far more likely.”

“Haha…”

“Oh, right! They have decided to send new personnel to the Empire.”

“Dispatch? Oh, you’re speaking of the TF.”

Before heading south to a vacation resort, I was summoned and met with high-ranking officials, after which I became part of the Task Force (TF).

They didn’t specify what this TF was. It was supposedly an organization assembled from personnel pulled from the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but I was left in the dark about their intentions and actions.

I hadn’t heard anything further until now, so it seemed the TF was finally in motion.

“They’re sending a few in as diplomats.”

“To the Empire?”

“Exactly. It’s quite understaffed at their diplomatic missions.”

Due to the upheavals caused by the absurd actions of the Imperial Guards, the Abas embassy was grappling with significant staff shortages.

To the extent that no one was left to drive the registered vehicles at the diplomatic mission, many of them remained idle. Although the cars assigned to the Ambassador and Consuls were functioning well, the other diplomats had little access to vehicles. At least this had granted me one designated car.

As I gazed out at the urban lights filtering through the window, Clevenz suddenly launched into an unexpected topic.

“Do you remember that double agent?”

“The double agent? Oh, from the Imperial Guards.”

I nodded, recalling the incident.

“I remember. You turned someone who was active in the embassy’s operations.”

“Life difficulties compounded with betrayal led them to come over easily. You remember well.”

“But why are you asking about this out of the blue?”

Clevenz drew to the point.

“I was wondering if you might want to take charge of it.”

“Me? You mean, manage that double agent?”

Clevenz silently nodded, and I fell into deep thought for a moment.

Could I really manage a double agent?

Handling a double agent requires incredible skill. Unlike typical informants who purely gather data, a double agent operates deep within intelligence agencies.

Being well-versed in the intricacies of the information industry, it wouldn’t be easy to deceive them with mere sweet talk, and the sheer act of defecting could be an artifice in itself.

I would need to ensure the informant remains undetected while bringing valuable insights and prepare for counterintelligence and counter-sabotage. In short, managing a double agent involves putting oneself at significant risk.

I mulled over it.

After thorough deliberation, I reached my conclusion.

“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think I can take on such a role.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m sure there are many able informants far more capable than I.”

Clevenz sighed.

“If you weren’t capable, our agency would have no staff left.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Still, I’m sure some people perform better than I do, right?”

“There may be many competent people, but trustworthy ones are always in short supply. You know that as well, right?”

I simply smiled, without answering.

“Well, if that’s how you feel, we’ll just pretend this conversation never happened.”

“Understood.”

“Let me know if you change your mind.”

Clevenz nodded, turning his gaze to the window.

That concluded our conversation.

The deputy pressed on the accelerator, and the official vehicle cut through the urban night scenery.