A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

As soon as I entered the building, there was no camera flash blinding me, nor was there a wave of enthusiastic welcoming crowds or praises from high-ranking officials.

Likewise, the unnecessary, tiresome gestures of thanking someone for their long journey were smoothly brushed aside.

I had no desire for such hollow formalities. Nor had I expected them.

Thus, my first impression of the Military Government Headquarters wasn’t particularly awful.

However,

“…It’s cold?”

The inside of the building was colder than I’d expected. No, more accurately, it was quite chilly.

Of course, I wasn’t wearing any warming magic clothing, and considering it was winter, that wasn’t too surprising. Still, it would be normal to feel warm if they had turned on the heating, so why was it chillier than expected?

As I tilted my head in puzzlement, Lucia, who had been tending to the people around us, approached me.

“It seems you get cold easily. Are you very cold?”

“It’s not that cold, but I do have a constitution that makes me sensitive to the cold.”

“I see. Here, have this.”

Lucia handed me a bottle she was holding. It was a glass bottle, and despite the chilly weather, it seemed to have been magically kept warm.

I took a moment to warm myself with the hot tea.

Not long after, a man in a suit, who seemed to be an employee, came out to guide us deeper into the building, and in no time, we arrived in front of the commanders of the Military Government.

And,

“Welcome to the Northern Regions.”

A senior general with a stern face greeted us.

“I am Commander Mikhail.”

—

Episode 11 – No Issues at the Northern Front

“Thank you for your long journey. Please, have a seat.”

Commander Mikhail, who introduced himself as the commander of the Military Government, politely gestured for us to sit.

The room we arrived in was a conference room.

Due to the blackout regulations, the room was darker than expected. Commander Mikhail sat at the high seat in the dimly lit room, and to his right, many Empire Army officials lined up in their seats.

As the people settled around the long table, Commander Mikhail glanced at his watch and, with an expressionless face, announced the beginning of the meeting.

“On behalf of the Northern Military District, I sincerely thank everyone for attending today.”

Commander Mikhail threw out a typical opening remark, followed by silence.

It was quite modest for a general, especially one of noble birth, to express himself in such a way to those who were much younger than him, but,

He was too businesslike for anyone to call it friendly.

After finishing his brief greeting, Commander Mikhail immediately moved onto the main topic.

“We need your assistance.”

As the commander gestured, soldiers standing in the back approached and placed documents on the table.

Documents were handed out not only to Camila, Lucia, and Francesca, but also to the leaders of the Knights Order, the Magic Battalion, the foreign troop commanders, and myself.

Some people visibly flinched at the suddenly handed documents. However, Commander Mikhail, as if anticipating such reactions, added,

“I know this may be bewildering. But considering the fatigue experienced by everyone who has come across the Empire, and the urgency of the situation, I would like to proceed with the meeting rather quickly.”

Sitting in the closest position to the commander on his left, Lucia spoke up.

“I understand, Commander.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Saint.”

As Lucia and Commander Mikhail exchanged words, the previously startled attendees suddenly fell silent.

After all, who would object when a Saint and an emergency commander suggested they should get on with the meeting in order to rest for the night? It was wiser not to resist, or they’d end up hit by a holy scripture from the captain of the Knights Order.

In the midst of that, someone obliviously praised the Saint’s generosity and kindness, but upon receiving a sharp glance from Commander Mikhail, they quickly hushed.

With just one look, Commander Mikhail suppressed the distractions and continued the meeting in a businesslike tone.

“I believe that everyone is somewhat aware, but let me briefly explain the situation regarding the disturbances caused by the demon race.”

—

The explanation was shorter than expected. Whether it was due to hesitance to disclose too much about the Northern situation or simply because time was pressing, Commander Mikhail summarized the current situation as briefly as possible.

“Four years ago, we received the first report of an attack from the demon race at a border outpost. Initially, we believed it was a regular raid attempt, but the number of demons reported was confirmed to be significantly higher than in previous instances.”

The demons were gradually pushing southward from the border regions.

“After the Border Guard’s report, villages and cities close to the border began to be attacked one after another. Our military initiated defenses according to our plans, but we were forced to struggle against an enemy stronger than anticipated. Now, our forces are engaged in combat with the demons near the Naroda Mountain Range.”

The defensive line of the Empire Army stretched across the mountain range.

“Currently, while a significant portion of the Northern Regions is under the control of the Military Government, areas beyond the Naroda Mountain Range remain unrecovered. Furthermore, even as we speak, the demons and monsters in the frozen lands are continuing their invasion along the mountain range.”

With the territories held by the Empire and those that were not, and demons and monsters infiltrating at all times,

“Our military’s goal is to stabilize the Northern situation and swiftly advance north to reclaim the unrecovered regions and restore the previous borders.”

Lastly, even the plans of the Empire’s military were laid out.

The last part was something I had heard whispered while passing through the Ministry of Defense, but it seemed to be news to the others, especially Lucia and Francesca.

Francesca probably had some hints already, but Lucia, who had little interest in political issues or social mingling, seemed to be hearing this for the first time. It appeared that even the Inquisition couldn’t acquire this information treated as state secrets. Or perhaps they knew but chose not to relay it to Lucia.

Of course, Camila already knew. I had informed her earlier.

“…….”

“…….”

Our eyes met, and Camila quietly turned her gaze forward.

Having concluded his concise explanation, Commander Mikhail paused for questions, and the translators busily moved.

Lucia and Francesca listened to the words of the Military Government Commander through the translations. Having understood the meaning earlier, I reviewed things once more while listening to the double translation by Senior Lyudmila, who was also the translator.

“Um….”

As I delved into thought, Lucia, having just finished her translation, posed a question to Commander Mikhail. Her beautiful voice, honed through years of serving Saint Veronica before becoming a priestess, resonated in the silent conference room.

“Then may I ask this, Commander? Is stabilizing the Northern Regions the Empire’s top priority?”

“At the moment, yes. Saint. Stabilizing the region is the highest priority of the operations being carried out by the Military Government.”

Commander Mikhail affirmed.

However, the way he added “at the moment” and “currently” implied that priorities could change anytime.

Nonetheless, Lucia continued, whether she was unconcerned or unable to grasp the implications.

“I understand you’re making efforts to stabilize the Northern Regions, Commander. Specifically, what assistance do you need?”

“Considering the prolonged turmoil, the recent unusual cold snap, and the shortage of supplies, we require assistance in various fields. Not just the military, but also the administrative sector cannot be an exception. Food, health, construction, industry….”

But.

Commander Mikhail continued,

“Taking the current situation into comprehensive account, the biggest help we need is for magic stone mining.”

“Magic stone mining, you say?”

“Yes.”

Magic stones are one of the crucial resources sustaining the civilization in this region. Comparable to oil on Earth, they are used in various applications, just like oil.

Fuel, materials, heat sources, etc. Many ships use magic stones as their primary resource, and even airships floating in the sky run on them. Moreover, high-quality magic stones can be processed into magical products from residual materials.

It’s no wonder I refer to them as the region’s version of oil.

These magic stones are mostly produced through mining, and the mines yielding them are referred to as “Rifts.” They are abundant on the Mauritania Continent.

Notably, in a past incident, when Veronica was active as an information agent for the Imperial Guard HQ, she risked her life to secure magic stones from a Rift. That shows how essential magic stones are as a strategic resource.

Furthermore, the northern Empire has several Rifts that yield high-quality magic stones.

At this point, Lucia slightly furrowed her brow. Though she relaxed her expression quickly, I didn’t miss that her furrows returned again.

With her brows slightly knit, Lucia spoke in a subdued voice.

“You mean Rifts? I’ve heard there are several Rifts in the Empire’s Northern Regions.”

“That’s correct, Saint.”

“But Commander, is it truly a priority to mine the magic stones, over other pressing issues?”

She was effectively asking why the magic stone mining took precedence over many other pressing matters. More bluntly, she was implying that while the magic stones were important, they shouldn’t overshadow life-or-death concerns.

I could see a look of slight alarm on the knight sitting next to me, but Lucia continued to focus solely on Commander Mikhail.

“I know there are more urgent issues at hand. If you’re concerned that the demon race’s attacks might hinder the mining, wouldn’t it be better to send troops to protect the Rifts and workers instead?”

Lucia’s stance of chastising the emergency commander would be something that ordinary people wouldn’t dare attempt, but,

Commander Mikhail simply met Lucia’s gaze with a calm expression.

“You are not wrong.”

The commander began, easing into a response.

“But due to the impact of the unusual cold wave, monsters are drawn south by the dwindling food supplies, and taking advantage of that, the demon race is intensifying its offensive. It’s difficult to divert troops stationed at the front lines for the Rift security.”

In other words, the front lines cannot be compromised.

“Of course, many people from the Empire and across the world have extended their helping hands. You are precisely that helping hand. But I judged that, considering the Northern situation as a whole, magic stone mining should be prioritized over other fields.”

“May I ask why you’ve come to that conclusion, Commander?”

“As you might know, magic stones are strategic resources. Over the past few years, the forces in the Northern Military District have deployed a vast amount of equipment for combat missions, and in the process, a lot of magic stones have been consumed.”

This was a fact. According to intelligence collected by the Royal Intelligence Department, the Empire’s stockpile of magic stones has been on a downward trajectory since the conflict with the demon race began.

The problem is,

“We cannot import magic stones.”

“What?”

The nations on the Mauritania Continent, which supplied the magic stones, have all fallen apart.

Commander Mikhail briefly summarized the Empire’s trade and industrial structure in a dutiful tone.

“Most of the Empire’s magic stones are imported from abroad. While the magic stones coming from the Northern Rifts can suffice for domestic needs, the situation during wartime is different. Fortunately, we managed to import high-quality magic stones from our allied nations. So, while the consumption of magic stones has increased since the outbreak of unrest, we were able to cope thanks to the support of our allies. Until they started facing great difficulties, that is.”

“…….”

As previously mentioned, magic stones are as important as oil—perhaps even more crucial than oil in this region.

Just imagine a wartime nation, not even a nation that produces oil, suddenly finding its oil supply cut off. It would spell disaster in no time at all.

Of course, the Empire is no fool, sending considerable support to its allied nations (dictatorships) who provided the magic stone supply. To be precise, they poured in several years’ worth of aid in a single go, promising to return once the northern situation stabilized.

But everything has since fallen apart.

As a result, the Empire found itself in a position where it absolutely needed to extract magic stones from the Northern Rifts.

“And that’s why I stressed that magic stone mining should take precedence. While it can be endured temporarily, we don’t know what the future holds.”

“…….”

“Furthermore, the Rifts are military objectives. If I were a demon, they would be my top targets for attacks, and we have indeed experienced several raids.”

Commander Mikhail spoke candidly about the precarious state of the nation. His demeanor was so calm that he appeared indifferent to whether the Empire fell apart or not.

Flipping over the documents I’d received earlier revealed a military map indicating the locations of Rifts in the northern regions. Despite it being a compiled document, it was disturbingly close to the fronts formed around the Naroda Mountain Range.

“If the supply of magic stones diminishes, everything in the North will come to a halt. Healthcare facilities and emergency shelters will cease to be heated, and supply vehicles heading to the front will also stop.”

“…….”

“Naturally, the Headquarters where you are currently is no exception. It’s quite possible that all of Novonikolaevsk will grind to a halt.”

After listening intently to the commander’s talk for a while, Francesca finally spoke up.

Though she was a civil servant of the Magic Tower, which the Empire did not recognize, no one dismissed her words lightly.

“Are you suggesting that we abandon the few for the many…?”

“To put it bluntly, yes.”

The commander said.

“Whether we divert troops from the frontlines to reinforce the Rift security, or send troops to the frontlines and relax the security, the outcome would be the same.”

Either the front breaks under the demon race’s offensive, or we run out of bullets and oil first.

Since both outcomes involve a breach of the front, the results are identical.

Lucia seemed left speechless by Commander Mikhail’s businesslike attitude.

With her lips pressed together, Lucia looked up towards the ceiling, while Francesca lowered her head with an expression that seemed somewhere between a smirk and something else entirely.

As the atmosphere turned hopeless, others also fell silent, avoiding eye contact. Whether their emotions were running high or they were just aware that stepping in their superiors’ conversation could invite ire was unclear. Of course, being a foreigner from Abas, I remained quiet as well.

“Are there any more questions?”

“Me.”

Camila raised her hand slightly.

Upon her appearance, the previously stoic-faced Commander Mikhail raised his eyebrows for the first time.

“Yes, please speak, Hero.”

“Then are we all supposed to go guard this Rift?”

“Ah, that’s not the case. While magic stone mining is prioritized, there are many areas where we need your assistance.”

Commander Mikhail cited the documents and asked us to take a look. As he turned to the page he referred to, a list of tasks needing the assistance of the cult, the tower, foreign troops, and our party appeared.

Among those, in addition to securing the Rift for magic stone mining, paying attention to two important tasks was crucial.

Treating casualties and managing public health.

Restoring destroyed buildings and transportation networks.

“The urgent issues are these two. Since we entered winter, diseases like pneumonia have been spreading, and hospitals are becoming overcrowded with patients.”

“Are there not enough hospital beds?”

“Yes, Saint. We are far from adequate. So we’ve set up separate spaces in shelters to isolate the patients.”

Hearing Commander Mikhail’s words, Lucia nodded her head with a look of concern. It seemed the situation was more dire than she had anticipated.

Lucia decided to handle the casualties. Besides her identity as a Saint, with the Relief Knights coming in, and her past experience as a healing priestess in the North, it was a natural decision.

Next up was Francesca.

“What kind of help do you need regarding the facilities and road restoration, Commander?”

“First of all, we need to restore the buildings that were damaged during the monster rampages. When several cities’ shelters collapsed, it compromised the stability of accommodation for evacuees. Additionally, the transportation network is suffering from the escalating demon attacks as you get closer to the front.”

Francesca volunteered to take on the responsibility of restoring the damaged buildings and traffic networks.

Moreover,

“You mentioned needing security personnel for the Rifts?”

“Yes.”

“I will also take on that task.”

Francesca stepped up to volunteer herself for guarding the Rifts.

Her declaration stirred the conference room. Some were pleased to hear that a skilled magician would handle such a challenging task, while others were overwhelmed with concerns over what would happen to the front lines if the Magic Battalion stationed in the rear.

However, Francesca remained unfazed and calmed the trembling high-ranking soldiers.

“I’d like to address any concerns you may have, but I’ll be mobilizing golems, so it shouldn’t pose a significant problem.”

“Ah, golems…”

“If we’re talking about golems, that should indeed…”

Francesca looked confidently at the commanders, wearing a proud smile.

A sense of trust seemed to bloom in the commanders’ gazes as they looked upon her, indicating her persuasive efforts had struck a chord.

With what had initially seemed like the most difficult task resolved, the next processes flowed smoothly.

The Knights Order and the Magic Battalion would undertake combat missions as pre-agreed, while the foreign troop dispatch units would also carry out various missions. Judging from the faces of the Military Government staff, they seemed to place little expectation in the overseas troops compared to the Knights Order or the Magic Battalion.

By the way, recently, I had been informed by a bureaucrat from the Ministry of Land that they were short on manpower to rebuild the Northern infrastructure, so did Francesca plan her involvement from then?

I pondered about Francesca’s background.

“…….”

Francesca hails from the Economic Management Department of the Magic Tower Secretariat. Thanks to her family name, the Ranieri family, and her prestigious school diploma, she began her public service at the secretariat.

The Economic Management Department handles tasks related to “trade.” Exports, international cooperation, industrial development, and such.

For reference, it’s the Economic Management Department that approves the Magic Tower’s ventures outside.

Was Francesca genuinely seeking to volunteer, or was she attempting to secure a foothold in the reconstruction efforts?

Perhaps only she knows the answer, but I couldn’t shake the impression that I had made a safe guess.

“Then, Saint, should we handle this district from here?”

“This region will be taken care of by us, and the Knights will….”

“We must prioritize restoring the transportation network in the rear to ensure smooth supplies….”

While those involved were sketching out a simple roadmap, I sat absentmindedly on my chair, looking at the clock.

I didn’t think I was indifferent to the lives of foreign citizens without voting rights going into danger, but I had nothing to do.

“…Hmm.”

I was a sort of spare wheel.

As a foreign soldier, the Imperial Ministry of Defense wouldn’t assign me important tasks, and, indeed, many people had indicated in the practical meeting that I wouldn’t be given any significant responsibilities.

There was nothing particularly outstanding about me to expect major achievements. Still, given my status as an Abas national, it made seeking simple assistance a bit more challenging.

It was an awkward situation for both Kien and Abas. The Military Intelligence Agency might be excited about me being recognized, but regular soldiers wondered if I would create problems as a foreign national and cause international embarrassment.

So, unsurprisingly,

The Military Government didn’t delegate any tasks to me—

“…Colonel Frederick Nostrim?”

“Oh, yes?”

Lost in thought about how to slack off while collecting salary, I was caught off guard by someone suddenly calling my name and responded without thinking.

As I regained my senses, I noticed that a few people in the meeting room were looking my way.

Realizing what was going on, I quickly apologized and rejoined the meeting.

“Oh, sorry. What was I called for?”

The knight, who had been half rising from his chair next to me, spoke.

“Would you mind taking on the communication duties?”

“Excuse me?”

Communications?

“There’s a chance that the Hero, Saint, and Alchemist will be in locations that are not very far apart.”

“Ah, yes, that’s true.”

“We need someone in the middle to convey the news and information between them.”

“Are you asking me to do that?”

“That’s right.”

Why me?

The words nearly escaped my lips, but if I said that, I’d probably come off looking foolish, so I swallowed them along with my saliva.

Trying to hide my shock, I asked the knight commander.

“Why would the Military Government ask me for such an important task…?”

“The respective military commands will report to the Empire’s military headquarters, but the reality is that there’s no proper way to communicate with each other. Instead, given the relationship between our church and the tower….”

“Ah.”

So,

The church and the tower were somewhat awkward with lingering grievances, and even though this involved Lucia and Francesca, it felt a bit delicate to communicate together, so they figured that a neutral Abas national like me might serve as a middleman.

“I heard you get along well with both of them. And of course, the same goes for you with the Hero.”

“Well, I suppose that’s true…?”

“Ultimately, it seems that the only person available to connect the three of them is you, Colonel.”

“Is that even feasible…?”

“You are comrades. Chosen by the Oracle.”

“…….”

Uh, what,

…….

Oh, for crying out loud.

I leapt to my feet and looked directly at the knight commander.

“Of course I will!”

“Thank you!”

The smiling knight commander took my hand and expressed his gratitude.

Who said that? You can’t spit on a smiling face.

That’s nonsense.

In fact, I wanted to spit in that very face right now.

“Leave it to me.”

“I believe in you!”

Damn religious folks.

This was precisely why I was reluctant about religion.

—

After the meeting, we arrived at the accommodation assigned to us.

It was an opulent, vintage hotel that originally served as temporary housing for civil servants and essential personnel who had been displaced while working in the North.

We were assigned to this very hotel. We would stay for a few days before scattering to our respective areas.

As for where the original inhabitants had gone, I had no idea. I looked around but couldn’t find a trace and wasn’t particularly interested in discovering their whereabouts.

In any case,

Having arrived at the assigned lodging, I sat on the sofa and gazed out at the darkened city.

“Words are truly frightening.”

“Why do you say so?”

“Because one word can lead to a thousand debts.”

“…Pardon?”

“No, never mind.”

I quietly clicked my tongue in discontent. Jake, who was checking the equipment he brought, prepared four radios and checked their status.

“Ah, yes.”

-‘Do you hear me?’

Through the radio, Pippin’s voice came through. If I listened carefully, I could hear Charnoy’s voice chattering nearby.

Jake was in contact with Pippin in another room while checking the radios. I called out to Jake.

“Hey, hey. If you’ve checked the radios, go bring Pippin and Charnoy.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Pippin opened the door and walked in. Apparently, she had been assigned to the adjacent room, so she wasn’t far away at all.

“You called for me?”

“Yeah. Just come in and sit down.”

I quietly gathered Pippin, Jake, and Charnoy.

After closing the door, installing devices to prevent eavesdropping, and confirming that no one was in the hallway, I finally felt safe to talk.

Sitting on the sofa, I told the subordinates who were gathered around about everything that had happened in the conference room.

“Hmm.”

Pippin, who had been focused on the story, spoke up.

“So you’re taking on the communication duties?”

“Yeah, the Knight Commander suggested it first.”

“What was the Tower’s reaction?”

“The Magic Battalion seems to be welcoming. It seems they were subtly uncomfortable with the Knights Order.”

“How about the Military Government?”

“There was no significant response.”

“What?”

Pippin and Jake asked, startled. Charnoy, who had been enjoying a honey candy, seemed momentarily shocked but then decided it wasn’t a big deal and popped another piece into her mouth.

Jake, tidying up the radio, posed a question.

“The Military Government, really? I wouldn’t have assigned you for communication duties.”

“How many do you want to get hit for that?”

“Hey, it’s just the truth.”

Pippin nodded in agreement with Jake’s words.

“I think so too. Wouldn’t it be better to appoint one of their own officers who understands foreign languages instead of assigning a foreign soldier for communication?”

“That’s definitely true.”

“What if there’s some ulterior motive behind this?”

“Well, who knows….”

We lacked detailed information on the northern front and even the internal situation of the Military Government.

The Royal Intelligence Department and Military Intelligence Agency were doing their utmost to uncover this, but we had no solid grounds to guess why the Military Government assigned me the communication duties. Of course, even if we had information, it’s dubious whether we could infer the Military Government’s judgement.

One thing was clear, though.

There were three people involved, but I was all alone.

Even if each one took turns supporting, the other two would inevitably be neglected during that time.

“Camila, Lucia, and Francesca are all operating in different regions. It’s likely their areas won’t overlap.”

“Yes.”

“But I only have one body. Right?”

“Correct?”

So, I needed someone to work in my place. Just like Francesca’s golems.

“You guys go.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I said, you all go for me.”

“…….”

“What? Why? What?”

That evening, I obtained three bio golems.