A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

The sun was setting beyond the mountains, and darkness crept in. The city, shrouded in dusk, had a dim atmosphere.

A voice came through the mobile phone provided by the Military Intelligence Agency.

“…Are the two of you together now? Got it. I’ll be there shortly, so just wait for me.”

Frederick turned off the phone and looked up at the sky.

As he sat quietly in his chair, gazing out the window, a diplomat approached him—an Information Officer dispatched from the Royal Intelligence Department.

“Colonel, the vehicle is ready.”

“…What about the advisor and family?”

“They’re all on board. The other employees are ready as well.”

“……”

Frederick, with his eyes closed, took a deep breath as he looked out at the darkness engulfing Petrogard.

“Let’s go.”

—

Episode 10 – Head Northwest

—

It was a gloomy night. Whether it was due to the freezing winds blowing from the frozen ground or the suffocating surveillance and control, the nights in the Kien Empire always felt this way.

Ekaterina glanced at her watch.

It was now well past quitting time. People were swarming together like bees, and traffic was starting to become congested.

“Any news?”

The technician guarding the surveillance equipment shook his head. Having removed his headset after hours of use, tufts of flattened hair revealed themselves.

The technician hastily brushed his hair back and threw a water bottle into the trash can. Inside, similarly branded bottles jostled against one another, making distinctive sounds.

“No signals detected. For now, we’re collecting encrypted communications, but we can’t analyze those here; they need to be taken back to the headquarters.”

“So, it can be decrypted?”

“Well, we can’t guarantee that. The Abas security technicians are simply too skilled…”

Ekaterina nodded and acknowledged.

The technician who had been dozing off got up and sat in front of the surveillance equipment, while another technician who had tidied up his hair settled on the floor to catch some sleep.

Meanwhile, the team leaders from the intelligence department held a brief meeting with Ekaterina.

“Any new information?”

“No, none.”

The team leaders looked troubled at Ekaterina’s response.

They spoke while glancing at a wall filled with papers, photographs, and hard cardboard obtained from somewhere.

“It should be time for them to leave the embassy soon. What are they thinking? Do they have an invisibility cloak or maybe a potion to become invisible?”

In reply to the local intelligence officer’s mumbling, an investigator spoke up.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent us the registered list of magical tools from the embassy, and there’s nothing like that.”

“Then, what if they smuggled something?”

“If someone was caught using unregistered magical tools from another country, would the royal family just sit idly by? If such an incident were to occur, the Inquisition from the cult would definitely protest to the Abas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Using registered magical tools in diplomatic facilities is not illegal.

However, unregistered magical tools are illegal.

For mages or regular citizens in this area, possessing unregistered magical tools is no different from secretly hiding unregistered firearms on Earth.

“To be honest, it feels no different than hiding several firearms in the embassy. There’s no way the Abas embassy doesn’t have unregistered magical tools, right?”

“Who knows? But it’s obvious they would know we’re keeping an eye on them. If they were to get caught using unregistered magical tools here, there would surely be issues even if their exile succeeded…”

“True, even with Abas, taking such a risk wouldn’t be easy.”

While the local intelligence officer and investigator chatted, Ekaterina huddled with her colleague.

Her colleague read aloud an official document sent from the Imperial Guard HQ.

“The headquarters has issued directives to strengthen checkpoints along the border. They’ve relayed the personal details of the advisor and his family to the Border Guard and are mobilizing branch employees to crack down on illegal entry.”

As a world where magic, divinity, and mysteries exist, the Imperial Guard HQ is mobilizing all means necessary to prevent exile.

The Border Guard began scrutinizing people, vehicles, and even livestock departing from the Empire, and local divisions of the Imperial Guard HQ sought “cooperation” from smuggler and illegal immigration operatives.

Ekaterina looked at the map that detailed all territories of the Kien Empire.

“The nearest exile routes from Petrogard are the western port area and the eastern border with Latuan.”

She pointed to the Kien-Latuan border formed by the ports and rivers closest to the Empire’s capital.

Red lines sketched across the map. Her colleague, who had been quietly observing Ekaterina, smirked slightly.

“Ekaterina, do you know how long it takes to drive to the western port?”

“How long?”

“At least seven hours. You’d have to drive without a break to get there.”

The western port, the closest route for an escape by ship, is 562 kilometers away from Petrogard. It takes seven hours by car and approximately five to six hours by train.

Also, the eastern Kien-Latuan border takes nine hours by car and a whopping 14 hours by train with layovers included.

Of course, this doesn’t take into account road conditions or the driver’s fatigue.

“The vehicle will get caught the moment it crosses the border, and trains are pointless. Police and railway staff scrutinize people at every station.”

“What if they used a fake ID and disguised themselves?”

“Do you think a fake ID can be made in just one day?”

The possibility of crossing the border while disguised was slim to none.

Whether it was the truth or a well-meaning lie to reassure her, Ekaterina knew all too well that creating a new ID would be exceedingly difficult.

She set her pen down and reviewed her organized documents.

The spy, suspected of having contacted the advisor recently, had no external engagements scheduled for today.

While her colleagues were out attending events, mingling with the clergy, or reading magical tomes in the library, that individual remained holed up in the embassy, not moving an inch.

Ekaterina scanned through documents detailing the schedules of dignitaries. And, visibly puzzled, she spoke up.

“What? The hero, the saint, and the alchemist have no movement at all?”

It meant there had been no surveillance conducted.

At this, Ekaterina’s colleague smacked his forehead in exasperation.

“If the Intelligence Agency was caught surveilling those people, do you know what would happen? Get a grip, Ekaterina!”

“Still, they should be protected given their status…”

“That’s the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ role. You can bet they already have police escorts assigned to them.”

Ekaterina checked the schedules of the three individuals sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The new saint from the cult was set to preside over a mass today and visit a charity house and hospital, while the alchemist from the Magic Tower had a meeting scheduled with the Imperial Ministry of Magic and other magical world figures.

If the schedule was correct, the saint would surely be active in the cathedral or the charity house, while the alchemist would be working in the eastern outskirts of Petrogard.

The issue lay elsewhere.

The guest drawing the hottest attention, arriving from another world, had been wandering the library all day. Reports said he interacted with wizards to receive training or lessons, but it appeared he hadn’t gone anywhere else besides the library today.

“Why is this person always at the library? Do they love books or something?”

“I checked with friends at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and apparently, he’s a university student? What was it again… K-Kaymbr… something… that university.”

“What’s his major? Is it magic?”

“No? I don’t recall his major, but he said he came from a world without magic.”

Ekaterina paused for a moment, stunned by the revelation, then turned to her colleague.

“…There’s a world without magic?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you survive in a place that uncomfortable?”

Just then, the technician who had been monitoring the surveillance equipment jumped up from his seat.

“It’s time! A vehicle is leaving the embassy!”

The team leaders stopped their tasks and gathered by the window. Some brought binoculars to see who was emerging from the embassy’s main gate.

Meanwhile, Ekaterina was already transmitting the situation over the radio.

“A vehicle is leaving the main gate. Everyone, stay alert and confirm who’s on board.”

The intelligence officers pressed the button quickly and prepared to take photos.

And then,

“…?”

The main gate opened, and the vehicle appeared.

Vehicles!

“…What the hell?”

Cars began to pour out from the embassy.

—

—

In front of the Abas Embassy’s main gate, on a nearby building’s rooftop.

The Intelligence Officers of the Imperial Guard HQ, who had been waiting to capture images of the vehicles’ interiors, were caught off guard and momentarily pulled their eyes away from their cameras.

“Um?”

“It’s not just one car!”

Multiple vehicles sped through the main gate.

In a brief moment of confusion, more than four cars were visually confirmed. The disoriented intelligence officers began snapping pictures, but due to their panic, they were missing the focus.

Meanwhile, the staff from the Imperial Guard HQ waiting below grabbed their radios to report. The backseat was filled with shutter sounds, but there was no time to consider that.

“The vehicles are exiting. Currently, five of them.”

Even as the radio communication continued, vehicles kept emerging. Five, six, seven…. The numbers quickly climbed to ten.

“All of the registered vehicles from the embassy have exited. What should we do?”

“…What the hell!”

Ekaterina spat out a harsh curse as she snatched her coat and rushed outside. A few team leaders from the intelligence department followed suit.

Rushing down the stairs, awkwardly slipping her arms into her overcoat, Ekaterina shouted into the radio.

“Leave just the minimum number of personnel for surveillance, and follow all the vehicles!”

After throwing the radio into the passenger seat, Ekaterina fought to start the engine.

The deputy team leader, who had been monitoring the situation nearby, got into the passenger seat, and the other team members, excluding the surveillance team, piled into the backseat.

As the deputy team leader buckled his seatbelt, he reported to Ekaterina.

“The vehicle inspection failed. The traffic police attempted to stop them, but embassy security ran out and blocked them.”

“Damn it…”

Ekaterina handed the radio to the deputy team leader.

“Request immediate reinforcements from the police. Block those bastards from escaping in their vehicles.”

“Understood.”

As the deputy team leader requested police reinforcements, Ekaterina sped down the main road.

In the distance, she spotted the convoy of vehicles from the Abas Embassy moving like wild animals.

Ekaterina grabbed the improvised Imperial Guard HQ radio installed in her vehicle, directing the other staff members.

Given the circumstances, it was highly probable that the convoy had realized about the surveillance presence, but even the Imperial Guard HQ didn’t have the authority to stop diplomatic vehicles.

So, Ekaterina intended to chase down the vehicles, forcibly reduce their speed, and ascertain the identities of the passengers.

Fortunately, the supporting teams from the Imperial Guard HQ arrived just in time, joining the line of pursuit. As the Abas Embassy cars sped ahead, the Imperial Guard HQ vehicles followed closely.

Ekaterina skillfully maneuvered through lanes, trying to see who was inside the embassy vehicles.

“…Damn. Can’t see anything.”

It was getting dark as the sun set, and the tinted windows were not making it easier to see the outlines of the occupants.

Seated in the passenger seat, the deputy team leader radioed to the officers taking photos from rooftops and ground locations.

“Did you capture anything? Identify any vehicles with multiple passengers. If the license plate isn’t visible, at least tell me the type and color.”

-‘…….’

After a slight pause, an Imperial Guard HQ officer responded.

-‘I’ve checked all the photos, and there are several vehicles with multiple passengers.’

“What? What do you mean by that?”

-‘There are several cars with individuals in the passenger or back seat. From what I can confirm, it’s well over three!’

The Imperial Guard HQ officers who had taken photos confirmed that more than one person had boarded several vehicles. Hearing this, Ekaterina frowned.

“These bastards are being blatant about it.”

“What should we do, team leader?”

“What else can we do? We need to check each one. You communicate to the surveillance team to ensure none of them escape.”

Vehicles, including Ekaterina’s, accelerated in pursuit of the convoy.

Imperial Guard HQ officers navigated through the hectic rush hour of Petrogard, holding their breath as they sought an opportunity.

And soon enough, the opportunity arose.

“…Team Leader, the signal just changed! Red light!”

“I see it too.”

As the light changed, the vehicles came to a halt. Citizens returning home, Abas Embassy vehicles, and Imperial Guard HQ vehicles all paused at the intersection.

The Abas Embassy cars stopped in the frontmost position, while the Imperial Guard HQ vehicles halted behind them.

Ekaterina monitored to see if anyone got away before the signal changed, confirming that all ten vehicles had stopped with a sigh of relief.

The sounds of engines and the occasional honk filled the air around them.

Amidst the cacophony, the radio crackled to life.

-‘I just received a message from the police traffic division. It seems there’s been a collision up ahead. The police are currently controlling the lanes.’

An intelligence officer remarked that it would take some time for the signal to change in that area.

In the unfortunate turn of events, a vehicle collision had occurred right as they needed it.

Feeling relieved, Ekaterina fiddled with the steering wheel, glancing around before nudging the deputy team leader.

“Hey, deputy team leader.”

“What is it, team leader?”

“Do you see the traffic cop? Next to that signal controller?”

Following the direction of Ekaterina’s finger, the deputy team leader noticed a traffic officer controlling traffic near the road.

The officer, thickly bundled in a heavy coat, tried to start a fire with snapped fingers, seeking warmth in the cold. However, the wind had prevented the flame from igniting.

The deputy team leader instantly understood what Ekaterina was implying.

“You mean to delay the signal, right?”

“Yeah. Just delay it a bit. Show ID and ask for cooperation; they should comply.”

“Understood.”

The deputy team leader took out his ID and prepared to exit the vehicle. Ekaterina issued orders to the team members monitoring in the back seat.

“You guys, get out and check those vehicles.”

“Eh? You want us to check the vehicles?”

“Go see who’s on board. Even though we can’t inspect them, we can glance inside.”

“Ah, got it.”

Team members who had clearly shown confusion set off into the windy road.

Their fellow team members also appeared to have similar thoughts. One by one, officers began to exit their cars, heading towards the embassy-registered vehicles.

The traffic cop, witnessing the scene, blew his whistle, yelling for them to return, but he was quickly pulled back by the deputy team leader, cutting off the whistle.

As Imperial Guard HQ officers began examining the vehicles that had stopped at the back of the Abas embassy, the deputy team leader returned from his traffic police meeting.

“What’s the outcome?”

“They’re going to delay the signal now.”

The deputy team leader observed the traffic police officer, who after removing his thick gloves began blowing breath into his hands, retrieving keys to operate the traffic signal controller.

Just then, as he reached out to adjust the signal.

The signal changed.

Green light.

Before they could comprehend the situation, their hands moved first. Ekaterina shifted gears and pressed down on the accelerator, but…

She was a step too late.

The moment the signal changed, the frontmost Abas Embassy vehicles started to accelerate. Some even violated the signal, turning left and right.

Vroom! With a loud engine roar, someone shouted.

-‘They’re escaping! Catch them!’

With those words as a signal, Imperial Guard HQ officers surged forward onto the asphalt road, initiating a high-speed chase.

—

—

In the city center of Petrogard, an unexpected chase unfolded at an intersection.

Some vehicles bearing the diplomatic plates began turning left and right, disregarding the signals.

Imperial Guard HQ officers also ignored the signals and made turns of their own. By the way, the investigators who had exited their cars were now left on the road.

-‘Our following has already been exposed! Let’s sound the sirens!’

Hearing the radio, the deputy team leader placed a flashing light atop their vehicle. The siren began playing over the speakers.

In the meantime, intelligence officers continued sharing the situation via their radio nets.

Four vehicles had turned left and right, while six others continued straight.

-‘The ones that veered off are being pursued individually, so if you’re with the straight-going vehicles, just keep going!’

Ekaterina was hot on the heels of the vehicles proceeding straight ahead.

With three other Imperial Guard HQ vehicles on her tail, she pursued the six leading Abas Embassy vehicles.

The embassy cars, which had only moments earlier adhered to the signals, no longer stopped for red lights. The road was filled with sirens, shouting, and the occasional screams and curses from drivers.

With the radio clutched tightly in his hands, the deputy team leader shouted at Ekaterina.

“Reinforcements from the police are coming up on the road ahead! If we keep driving this way, we’ll run into them!”

“Are you sure!?”

“Yeah!”

Just as the deputy team leader confirmed, the radio from above echoed the warning; the police were setting up controls against speeding vehicles downtown.

Imperial Guard HQ officers sought to block the Abas Embassy vehicles from escaping while guiding them towards the police barricades.

They had chosen competent drivers to man the vehicles, and the strategy was yielding results.

However, the Abas side was no pushover either.

-‘Uh, uh, uh! That bastard is veering left!’

“Damn…!”

Some vehicles dashed through the narrow gaps between cars, while others even broke the center line.

As the pursued vehicles began to break formation, only two Imperial Guard HQ cars remained.

Meanwhile, the Abas Embassy still had four cars left.

With hands gripping the wheel tightly, Ekaterina reached the radio, instructing the others to simply keep driving straight ahead until they passed three blocks away from the police barricade.

-‘What?! You want us to just go straight?!’

“Once we get past three blocks, that’s where the police line is! You only need to go forward!”

Just then, Ekaterina spotted one vehicle veering to the right.

It was an escape vehicle from the Abas Embassy. As the headlights illuminated the side of the car, the silhouettes of four passengers could be seen.

The deputy team leader pointed a finger at the departing vehicle.

“There were four people! I just saw four on board that car!”

“I saw it too!”

As the three vehicles from the Abas Embassy traveled straight into the area with the police barricade, Ekaterina turned the wheel hard and veered into an alley.

—

—

Having long fled the city center and now entered the outskirts of Petrogard.

Just before reaching the blockade, the escape vehicles from the Abas Embassy sped away on unfamiliar roads, demonstrating the skill of someone familiar with those routes.

Even though it was her first time navigating those paths, Ekaterina gritted her teeth, fixated on her target. Meanwhile, the deputy team leader maintained radio contact to guide the police.

“When will the police arrive?!”

“They’re close, but they can’t keep up because the speed is too high!”

“Then what are we supposed to do? Tell them to take a shortcut or something!”

Sadly, there were no shortcuts available.

The construction of buildings clustered around various local old towns blurred the boundaries between towns and merged them into a cohesive city known as Petrogard.

Petrogard is a vast city, boasting over a thousand years of history, with a size more than triple that of New York. It was said to rival the entire city of Moscow in scale.

The ongoing chase now took place in one of the outskirts’ old towns; this place had charming old-style architecture that had stood for centuries.

Buildings that never exceed five stories,

Structures were preserved in their historical styles from centuries past,

A river elegantly cut through the center of the city along with beautiful churches,

And the annoying roads.

These were the reasons the police were arriving late, and it was why Ekaterina clenched her jaw.

“How on earth does that bastard know this route?!”

“Could it be a diplomat who has worked in the Empire for a long time driving?”

“Check the license plate!”

Suppressing his nausea, the deputy team leader raised binoculars to confirm the plate number.

Jostling around and becoming quite unsteady, he couldn’t get a clear view but could make out a few numbers.

Recalling the embassy vehicle’s number plates stored in his memory, the deputy team leader suddenly turned to Ekaterina.

“It’s the colonel’s vehicle!”

“What? I didn’t catch that!”

“That colonel you assigned to keep an eye on the diplomat’s home! The one that was in his garage!”

Tension filled Ekaterina’s grip on the steering wheel.

Pressing down harder on the accelerator, Ekaterina navigated through narrow alleys in pursuit of the vehicle.

Suddenly, police sirens began to draw close. The distant wailing of sirens rang clearer, piercing through the noise around her.

The vehicle, now carrying four passengers, continuously evaded capture, with the chase underway for over two hours, showing no signs of fatigue from either side.

But with a beginning, there must also be an end.

The relentless pursuit came to an abrupt halt due to a garbage collection truck that suddenly cut in front of Ekaterina’s vehicle.

“Damn—!”

BAM!

Ekaterina pounded the horn fiercely. The startled public servant collecting garbage jumped, but he raised a hand in response.

In that moment, she spotted the colonel’s car slipping past the garbage truck, slowing down just enough to make a smooth left turn down another alley.

“Move the truck, you bastard!”

In an instant, the offended public servant opened his mouth to shout something back but saw the light atop Ekaterina’s vehicle, causing him to freeze in fear.

Seeing their determined gazes, the public servant hesitated for a moment, glancing at Ekaterina and the deputy team leader before finally backing up the truck to clear the path.

“Hop in!”

Swiftly, Ekaterina and the deputy team leader jumped into the car. Sirens resounded through the quiet city area as the residents peeked out from their windows to see what was happening.

“The police are right nearby! On the other side of the building!”

Hearing the deputy team leader’s update, Ekaterina drove toward where the embassy vehicle had entered the alley.

“…Oh!”

There stood vehicles halting inside the alley.

The route to the main road was blocked by two police cars flashing their lights, while the path for reversing was also cut off by Ekaterina’s vehicle.

She caught sight of a suited man stepping out of the embassy vehicle conversing with the police. Although it was dark, Ekaterina instinctively recognized that he was the colonel she had been pursuing.

As she grasped the situation, Ekaterina had already opened the car door halfway, ready to jump out.

The deputy team leader followed her lead, and the two approached the vehicle halted in the middle of the alley, weapons drawn.

The embassy plate they had examined countless times in photographs over the past week lit up clearly in their eyes.

Ekaterina flung open the rear door.

Simultaneously, the deputy team leader forcefully opened the opposite side’s door.

“Hands up!”

“Step out of the vehicle!”

And then,

Nothing happened.

“…What’s going on?”

Ekaterina muttered in shock as she peered into the empty rear seat. The deputy team leader pulled aside the seat and opened the front passenger door, but no one was there.

As she stared blankly at the vacated car and surveyed the surroundings, a diplomat walked over from the front, approaching them alongside the police.

“What’s going on here?”

Ekaterina recognized the diplomat. But more importantly, a pressing question had to be posed instead.

She closed the car door, gesturing toward Frederick just as he concluded a conversation with a police officer.

“You were caught speeding and running a red light. Why didn’t you stop?”

Frederick replied, pulled out his ID, and presented it to Ekaterina with almost casual indifference.

“Because I’m a diplomat. Police don’t require us to stop.”

Characters like diplomats often escape penalties for violations like speeding, red lights, and illegal parking. Although a few do get caught, they usually escape inquiry by invoking diplomatic immunity.

However, knowing that excuses are often used in emergencies, Ekaterina refused to back down.

“So you fled across Petrogard to get here?”

“I was busy.”

“Busy?”

Ekaterina glanced around.

This quiet outskirts neighborhood had no stretch of public offices or government agencies. It was a place no diplomat should visit.

She pressed on with her question.

“What were you doing here?”

“………”

“What sort of business warrants ignoring the sirens?”

Then, a voice from someone else intervened.

“Oh, he came to pick me up.”

Both Ekaterina and the deputy team leader turned toward the source of the sudden voice.

A woman emerged from a vintage building reminiscent of the 1800s.

Hair as dark as twilight cascaded down her shoulders, and her deep violet eyes sparkled like jewels. The unique pattern on her cape indicated that she was a mage belonging to the elemental faction.

As the officer stammered, a questioning “Who are you?” escaped their lips.

“I am Francesca Ranieri from the Magic Tower.”

Though the police were unfamiliar with the name Francesca, they certainly recognized the Ranieri family—one of the few houses boasting a powerful archmage as its ancestor.

Francesca surveyed the police officer, Ekaterina, and Frederick.

“Word reached me that my college professor was staying here, so I came to pay them a visit. I didn’t bring my attendants along and had no easy way to return, being unfamiliar with the area.”

“…….”

“Is there a problem with the colonel?”

The police officers assigned to provide reinforcements were now casting perplexed looks at Ekaterina.

However, Ekaterina merely kept quiet, alternating her gaze between Frederick and Francesca.

“…No. Have a nice day.”

With a brief farewell, Ekaterina turned and headed back to the vehicle.

She looked almost flustered, and the deputy team leader, who had quietly holstered his weapon, approached her.

“Why aren’t you asking more? Didn’t you definitely see four people back there? Should we send support to search the surrounding area?”

“No.”

Ekaterina answered tersely.

“We might have misseen it. It was dark when the vehicle turned into the alley, and neither of us saw properly.”

“……”

“Let’s first check in on what’s happening with the other teams.”

Striding over to the vehicle, Ekaterina picked up the radio to contact the other teams. Until she began her shout, there was nothing coming through the comms.

“Everyone, what’s your status? Did you find the exiles?”

The answers came in swiftly, almost as if they had been waiting for her call.

-‘Local intelligence team here! We have searched for the vehicle that initially departed but did not find the advisor.’

-‘Investigative team here! There were passengers in the vehicle, so we checked their identities. They were staff from the Abas Embassy and are just pretending to leave together on their way home.’

-‘Our team checked around and saw no sign of the advisor, wife, or daughter. All those aboard were indeed members of the embassy.’

-‘We couldn’t find any of the possible exiles either. We looked into three vehicles that had been interrogated by the police, but no one was inside.’

“……”

-‘How about you, Ekaterina? Did you find anything?’

Ekaterina threw her radio down onto the ground.

“Damn it!”

The device shattered against the hard surface. Broken pieces scattered like burst water balloons as components flew into the air.

Having just finished surveying the area where she could see the colonel and the alchemist, she noted with dismay that the cars were already rolling away in obedience to the police’s signals.

—

—

Along the banks of a vast river that ran through Petrogard, I leaned against the car door and smoked a cigarette, while Francesca rested her chin on the window to gaze at the river.

She quietly muttered, gazing into the twilight waters.

“I see you came to pick me up suddenly; I assume it’s due to that business over there.”

I inhaled and exhaled the smoke without a word, savoring the moment.

“It’s less about business and more like… I needed your help.”

Francesca’s lips curled into a subtle smile, her expression an enigmatic blend of joy and sorrow.

While I doubted she favored the smell of cigarette smoke (being a non-smoker herself), Francesca seemed to be unbothered by it, comfortably standing next to me.

The romantic river winding through Petrogard shimmered brilliantly.

The river framed the city skyline, flowing with regal grace, while the beautiful capital of the empire sparkled on the other side.

As we looked over the illuminated city, our conversation continued.

“Driving makes one quite tired, doesn’t it? It’s been over four hours, not counting the drives prior.”

“It’s indeed a tiring task. Certainly more comfortable than by carriage, however.”

“Wasn’t it inconvenient with us being alone together? You must’ve waited quite a while since I was delayed significantly.”

“Not particularly… I wasn’t uncomfortable or bored. In fact, the professor said he enjoyed it.”

Francesca added.

“Meeting someone from another world is quite rare. After a few conversations, he suggested that we should meet again next time.”

“Well, as long as he’s happy, that’s what matters. What about the administrator? Do you think you two managed to get close?”

“Who knows?”

Francesca leaned gently against the window, staring at me as she ceased all movement.

“So, what did the colonel have to say about you? Is it accurate that you two are on friendly terms? Considering that he assigned you this task, it seems you’re not on ordinary terms.”

“……”

I silently observed Francesca.

She examined me with intrigue but soon seemed to lose interest, turning her head away.

“Well, you don’t need to say anything if you don’t want to.”

“……”

“In some cases, maybe it’s better not to know.”

Having leaned against the door to admire the city view, Francesca announced that she should be heading back.

I offered to join her once more, but she declined.

Francesca stepped off to take the tram that ran through the heart of Petrogard. After ensuring she caught the right line, I parted ways with her.

As I watched the tram recede into the distance, I returned to the parking lot, only to find a familiar back.

“……”

I sighed in relief and walked toward her.

As if sensing my presence, she playfully swung her legs while sitting on the car and hopped down.

Camila waved at me with an enthusiastic greeting.

“I’m back!”

“Did you have a nice trip? Was everything alright?”

“Yep!”

Camila flashed a radiant smile. Her cheeks, flushed from the brisk air, seemed to sink in with happiness.

She set down her broom and continued, brimming with confidence.

“Everyone transitioned across the border without a hitch.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh!”

The exile was a success.