A Dark Fantasy Spy

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The armies gathered from all over the world spread into the northern regions, each engaging in activities assigned to them.

Most were elite troops or security forces sent from pro-Empire dictatorial states, but the Empire government focused heavily on publicizing that “nations across the world sent reinforcements to assist His Majesty the Emperor.”

However, the attention of correspondents from various countries was not on the Knights Order of the Cult, the Magic Battalion of the Magic Tower, or the dispatches from the dictatorial states, but rather on a single person.

Although they were acting individually rather than as a group under orders, special status drew all sorts of spotlight toward them.

Camila, Lucia, and Francesca.

These three are currently the most noteworthy figures receiving significant attention in the North.

—

Episode 11 – The Northern Front Is All Clear

Camila, Lucia, and Francesca were each undertaking missions of their own choosing in different territories.

First, Lucia dedicated herself to caring for refugees and the wounded.

Using her experience as a healing priestess in military service, she worked tirelessly to reconstruct the entire medical system in the North, dealing with diseases and injuries. Lucia left her lodgings before sunrise to knock on the doors of refugee shelters, returning only after conducting mass for devoted believers struggling to maintain their faith after tending patients in the hospital until nightfall.

Leading the knights of the Relief Order and healing priests who followed her, her actions lived up to the name of a saint of the religion, and it was a path she had chosen for herself.

Next, Francesca focused on restoring infrastructure.

Applying her knowledge of alchemy and other magical skills, she aimed to restore the road traffic networks. Alongside a handful of mages drafted from her battalion, Francesca repaired roads and railways throughout the North. The roads, which had turned into mud from repeated thawing and freezing, were neatly leveled by spirits summoned by the mages, and the railroads, which were at risk of derailment due to being solidly frozen, were melted with flames and trains moved before the water could freeze again.

Although Francesca lacked the ability to attract others like Lucia, the authority of the Secretariat was enough to command people’s obedience. Even if she was a lofty mage from the Magic Tower.

Indeed, she was living up to the reputation of the renowned Ranieri family in the magical world.

And lastly, Camila.

Camila was involved in efforts to eliminate the coniferous forests, which posed the greatest threat in the North. More precisely, she had been assigned such a operation.

The Military Government Headquarters coveted Camila’s abilities but also expressed concern about involving a civilian (who was officially known as an ordinary university student) in military operations. They worried that a civilian like Camila, who didn’t even know the basic rules, might accidentally take a wrong turn.

But, to their surprise, Camila faithfully executed her assigned role.

Camila burned parts of the coniferous forests that had been terrorizing the Imperial Army in the North, providing a crucial breakthrough to an issue the Military Government Headquarters had been struggling with for years.

As a result, the Military Government Headquarters was now placing immense trust in Camila. It’s worth noting that this too was a path she chose for herself.

So, what was Camila doing now?

“……”

Slurp!

“Kya!”

“……”

“Oh? Did you come?”

Camila, wrapped in a military blanket, peeked out with a waving hand. From its stiff material, it looked like the blanket had just been unpacked as an A-grade, and the mug in her hand was not military, but a priestly one.

Having just returned from burning coniferous forests, Camila seemed to be taking a break.

I had stumbled upon her in the duty office of the division headquarters. She was hiding inside the blanket, sipping something.

Slurp!

“Isn’t it cold outside? Come in and sit down. There’s a heater here, so it’s warm.”

“Uh, Camila, what are you drinking?”

“Oh, this?”

Camila raised the mug she was sipping from and smiled brightly. The contents looked black and resembled coffee, but smelling the sweet aroma wafting up, it turned out to be cocoa.

I glanced at the packaging lying around the duty office table.

Imperial Army combat rations. Breakfast menu. Lunch menu. Dinner menu. The packaging for the three main meals was all opened, and leftover wrappers for candy, snacks, honey, and sugar were scattered about.

I had seen these several times since being assigned to the Imperial Military Intelligence Agency.

Just to clarify, this was meant to be consumed over an entire day.

So, it’s not one meal’s worth but rather to be divided into three—well, something like that.

Just looking at the packaging, it clearly stated ‘Breakfast Menu’, ‘Lunch Menu’, and ‘Dinner Menu’ in large letters. Now I noticed that a bag of priestly potato chips had also been opened.

Combining the calories from the three main dishes and the accompanying side dishes would roughly total in the four digits. I couldn’t even see the leading digit. My gaze was drawn to it, but I couldn’t bring myself to want to read it.

“Camila. That cocoa…”

“Yes?”

“Did you take it from here?”

“Yes.”

Camila answered cheerfully. Only after hearing that response did I notice two cocoa sticks rolling around under the packaging.

I trembled and asked one final question for confirmation.

“Did you eat all of this?”

“Yes!”

“……”

I grabbed Camila’s cheek and applied pressure with my fingers.

As her pure white cheeks elongated, Camila, who had been lazily sprawled in her blanket, shot straight up.

It felt like witnessing a miracle as a beggar rose to their feet at the terminal.

“Hey, what kind of pig… Do you know how many calories this is? Huh?! This is meant for the combat units working hard on missions, and you gobbled it all up in one sitting!”

“Gyaaaaaah…!”

“Oh gosh, I’m losing my mind here.”

I sighed deeply after releasing Camila’s cheeks.

I truly couldn’t take it anymore.

—

“How was today?”

“There were no major issues.”

It’s already been three days since we arrived in the North. On the first day, we held a brief meeting and rested at the lodging, so we’ve only really been operational for just about two days.

That said, that doesn’t diminish the significance of the group’s efforts.

“I heard the speed of burning the coniferous forests in the North is much faster than expected. I was worried since you couldn’t use flying magic, but it seems the fire spread far better than I thought.”

“Well, that’s indeed a relief.”

Camila had burned down a considerable area of coniferous forest. An area previously assigned to an Imperial Army infantry battalion had turned to ash in just two days.

Saying it like this might make it sound trivial, but the important factor is the terrain. The area Camila cleared of flames led to a broad plain stretching beyond the rugged terrain of the Naroda Mountains, and besides a small river, there were no obstacles whatsoever.

In other words, the moment that opens, whether it’s demons or monsters, they can directly charge through the plain into the densely populated areas.

No one knows whether they’ll head to the major city packed with refugees or to the headquarters, but the fact remains that the major cities in the North would be left defenseless—ultimately, there’s hardly a difference.

However, today, Camila cleared that area.

The coniferous forest that once concealed the demons turned to ash, and with the disappearance of the terrain that allowed for cover, the demons would have no reason to linger in that region. Most importantly, they could now set up a post on the high ground and monitor enemy movements. Just that alone meant Camila had done her job sufficiently.

For reference, the Military Government Headquarters had initially expected it would take Camila at least a week to clear that area.

“But I finished it in just a day.”

“That took two days.”

“Come on!”

She argued, jumping up in protest, claiming that the previous day she had been adjusting to the North, and today was indeed the first time she was properly active. Technically, that was correct.

Yet, the fact remains it did take two days…

“Uh, fine! Let’s just drop it.”

“Camila, just be honest. It’s not that you’re upset about not getting acknowledgment for achievement; you’re mad because I took your food, right?”

“Who would get mad about food being taken from them…?!”

You would.

Of course, saying that would probably earn me a slap, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

After a brief commotion, we settled down together for a quiet conversation.

“What are Lucia and Francesca up to?”

“Working, I suppose.”

“That’s not what I was asking….”

Lucia and Francesca were traveling across the North, performing their respective roles.

Lucia, who took the lead in aiding the poor and refugees, was going around shelters and hospitals with the knights and priests of the Relief Order, treating the people.

Typically, when conflict arises, people have a tendency to flee to safe regions, leading most of the refugees to flock toward major cities. Places with armies, where security is maintained, where food is available, where medicines can be found, etc.

And as the population increases, so does the probability of an outbreak of disease. Although it isn’t an ironclad rule, generally speaking, it tends to hold true.

Especially in situations like now, where people are unable to eat and their immune systems are compromised, and the medical infrastructure has collapsed.

That place is Lucia’s battlefield.

“Lucia is currently overwhelmed taking care of patients. I heard from the priests over there that some sort of epidemic has broken out, which is causing quite a mess.”

“An epidemic? Something like influenza?”

I nodded. Seasonal epidemics were floating around the North.

Honestly, illnesses like the flu aren’t considered highly dangerous in developed countries. The same goes for the Empire with its advanced medicine.

But when an outbreak happens during wartime, the situation changes dramatically.

“The refugees’ immune systems have weakened significantly, and with influenza spreading, people are dying. Hospitals are filling up, leading shelters to create separate facilities for quarantine, but um… I think you understand without me saying much more, right?”

“I get it.”

Each shelter is implementing measures on their own, but the issue is that doing so independently is problematic.

With each being in different situations, how could a good solution emerge? In one place, filth flows across the shelter floor due to unsanitary conditions, in another, space is tight and they can’t find adequate quarantining areas, and in yet another, they’re running out of medicines and can’t even provide treatment.

Given the circumstances, people are dying every day.

Some are unaware they’re sick and end up spreading the epidemic, while others disdainfully spit in the wells to spite everyone else. There were even shelters that kicked out flu patients only for them to freeze to death outside, showing how desperate things had become.

Although military priests and medics dispatched from the army are doing their best, they’re hardly able to help any given the broke supply lines and severe cold hampering access to medical supplies from the rear.

“Not every shelter is in dire straits, but the situation is certainly poor.”

“It may be much worse than we anticipated…”

“Indeed. Probably.”

In that sense, Lucia was like a ray of hope.

She truly possessed a healing ability that could restore even the tail of a beast, healed a leg that had been broken for several years back to its original state, and could treat the nerves of fingers that had been reattached—which could only be described as miraculous.

Thanks to her, many medical systems in the North are gradually showing signs of normalization.

“As things stand, the road ahead is still long, but eventually, things will return to normal.”

“That’s great for Lucia… How’s Francesca doing? Is everything okay on her side?”

“Francesca?”

The situation with Francesca was significantly better. She was operating from the complete rear.

Unlike the northern front line, which was beset by martial law and heavy snow, the rear areas of the North still retained a great deal of functionality in their infrastructure—an example of which is the administrative capital, Novonikolaevsk. That city houses both the Military Government Headquarters and the Duke’s cathedral.

Of course, the situation being better is only relative; it doesn’t indicate that absolute numbers are good.

In other words, the place where Francesca is located is still a bit of a mess.

I took off my shoes and changed my wet socks, having unknowingly gotten snow inside.

“Recently, while checking the magical power lines for the railroad restoration, I heard someone cut the lines into kilometers and stole them.”

“Magical power lines? What’s that?”

“Oh, you can think of them as similar to electrical lines.”

Magical power lines are essentially the same concept as electrical lines. They are the black wires that hang from power poles we commonly see.

Camila, who had pulled the blanket toward her, tilted her head in confusion and continued to ask her questions.

“But why would someone cut the magical power lines?”

“You know how electrical lines contain copper, right?”

“Yes.”

“Magical power lines, just like electrical lines, also contain wires made of minerals like copper. They are wires made from minerals that have high magic conductivity. They probably cut them to sell.”

“…They cut them to sell? Is that so?”

“Yep. If you take a lot, they even fetch quite a handsome price.”

Stealing magical power lines is a serious crime. Just like electrical lines carry high-voltage current, magical power lines carry strong magical power, meaning that an ordinary person or even a fair number of mages could meet their end if they recklessly touched them.

Of course, stealing magical power lines is a major crime, and with the current emergency (given martial law is in effect), getting caught would be punishable by execution not just for theft, but for espionage. Sabotaging critical infrastructure is the responsibility of intelligence agencies and special operations forces during wartime.

Consequently, the Military Government Headquarters, realizing the gravity of the situation too late, ordered the police and military police in the jurisdiction to catch the culprits. If they do not recover the lines soon, the restoration work will be delayed.

“For now, they mentioned they would try to search for the remaining magical power lines in the Empire, but that will take some time. So right now, the effort is focused on salvaging as many of the existing lines as possible.”

“If that railroad line is restored, does that mean supply lines for goods will come through?”

“Exactly. The amount of transportation by rail is something we can’t overlook.”

The reason I was well-versed in the detailed situations of my traveling companions scattered across the North wasn’t that I had any particular reason to seek them out.

It was simply because I had people stationed to gather news for me.

I posed a question to Camila, who was wriggling inside the blanket.

“Oh, by the way, have you met Pippin?”

“Pippin? That soldier? Of course, I have.”

Two days into the northern deployment, I assigned my subordinates to each member of the group.

The nymph Charnoy, who had the similar religious essence, was assigned to Lucia, who treated her most favorably.

Jake, a special forces veteran who had been out on overseas operations many times, was paired with Francesca, so he could mingle with the mages gathered from various parts of the world.

Lastly, I matched former naval intelligence officer Pippin with Camila.

There wasn’t any grand reason, I just paired him with Camila since Pippin was the next most fluent speaker of Kien after me.

Regardless, thanks to that, I was able to keep in touch with the comings and goings of Camila, Lucia, and Francesca in real-time. I planned to visit them occasionally, though I certainly couldn’t continuously be there.

Camila, who had mentioned greeting Pippin, was beaming as she recounted their interaction, but knowing it wasn’t the type of conversation suited for indoors, we stepped out for a moment.

Having dragged out a comfortably lounging Camila, she didn’t appear to mind being pulled outside since she understood well that this kind of talk couldn’t be had indoors.

We walked through the streets where the winter wind was blowing and quietly chatted.

“He seems like a good guy. Now that I think about it, I had seen him from a distance before but only properly spoke to him yesterday.”

“Is that so? I’m glad.”

“I saw him handling a radio next to me yesterday, and it seems it has functions similar to a radio as well.”

“…Radio? Ah, that’s probably a waterproof design for frequencies. What you heard was likely not a radio broadcast, but intercepted communications from the Imperial Army. It could have been a real radio too.”

“That’s interesting.”

“Honestly, I find it more fascinating that you managed to eat a full day’s worth of combat rations all in one sitting…”

“Ugh, please…!”

—

From then on, it was just a series of ordinary days.

Camila was burning coniferous forests on the frontlines while hunting monsters, Lucia was going around the shelters and field hospitals right behind the frontlines, saving patients, and Francesca was fighting tirelessly between the rear, fixing roads and railways while dealing with local officials and thieves.

My days weren’t all that different either.

Upon waking in the morning, I would take a quick shower, put on my suit, and head out from my accommodation. According to the regulations of the Imperial Army, soldiers should wear military uniforms at all times, but I was not an Imperial soldier. So, I wore a suit instead. In ceremonial attire, it’d be clear that I was a foreign soldier, but in a suit, people thought I was just a civil servant.

While I had ample time to eat breakfast, the dreary weather and the procession of refugees would make my appetite vanish.

The first place I arrived after leaving the lodging was the Military Government Headquarters.

I drank a cup of cheap coffee mix from the Magic Tower (I wonder why this is something all military camps have, no matter where you go) and headed straight to my office.

Though I called it an office, there really wasn’t anything special about it. The Military Government Headquarters merely set me up in a small room that had been used as a storage area, with a desk and general-use terminal inside. Here, I would warm up my frozen hands and feet alongside the passing minutes until Lyudmila, the information officer, would come to tell me it was time for the meeting.

That’s how my day began.

“Um… Thank you all for showing up on time this early in the morning. Today, we’ll discuss the Naroda Mountains…”

The meeting primarily covers topics related to the activities of Camila, Lucia, and Francesca.

The most significant discussions start with Camila’s affairs, followed by varying orders of Lucia and Francesca based on the day’s situations.

Of course, not much meaningful content comes up in the meetings I attend. I’m a foreign officer, after all. The commanders in the Military Government Headquarters kept their voices low so as not to divulge any Imperial military secrets in my presence. Thus, the discussions would just skirt around the surface of things, void of any substantial content.

If ever something critical were about to surface…

“Do we have assets remaining to monitor the status of the flying demonic forces?”

“Uh, what is it… I think there’s an aerial observation station still operational somewhere in the mountains—”

“……”

“Oh, what I meant is not that….”

One officer, about to leak the position of units recently deployed to the northern front, hastily shut his mouth and retracted his words. Just as military forces around the world tend to conceal locations where aerial defenses like radars or surface-to-air missiles are stationed, the Imperial Army would like to keep similarly sensitive areas secret.

Naturally, I was officially known to officials as someone who couldn’t speak Kien, so I put on a clueless expression, blinked at Lyudmila, and simply asked:

“…Miss Lyudmila, why has the meeting halted? Is there an emergency or something?”

“Ah, well…”

Thus, the meetings generally proceeded in this way.

The commanding officers at the Military Government Headquarters would sit with me while they diligently inquired about the information they wanted, yet they refused to share any of the information I sought. If the person sitting in this seat was someone who couldn’t understand them, they probably wouldn’t be able to endure the frustration.

Unfortunately, I was not that person.

Because I can comprehend the Imperial language! It’d taken me three years of living as an unofficial disguise in the Empire to reach this level.

After committing the location of the air defense units to memory from the bumbling officer, I dashed back to my lodging as soon as the meeting concluded to prepare my reports. The task primarily involved transcribing what I’d overheard during the meeting.

Now, with the North access pass obtained under the name of the Minister of Defense, I needed to travel to Petrogard and deliver this to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Abas. Once I did, the Military Intelligence Agency would acquire military secrets of the Imperial Army moving about the North.

“Alright then, the schedule for heading to the Embassy in December is….”

Of course, it’s not like I’m only engaged in espionage. In fact, I was here primarily for espionage, but I was being dutiful at my primary job as an information officer.

I also worked hard in my capacity as Camila’s colleague.

“Colonel! The Saint is looking for you!”

“…Just tell her I’m not here. I don’t want to carry stuff.”

“But she’s already here…”

“What on earth are you doing hiding here?”

“Ahh! Aaaaah!”

I was summoned by Lucia to help with the delivery of relief supplies.

“Colonel. We need to establish a new communication network, but how do we go about that?”

“Why are you asking me, Mage?”

“Didn’t the army take care of this sort of thing?”

“Well, I’m a mere foot soldier… Is there no mage who’s been in the army?”

“We all haven’t served in the military. University students are exempt from conscription.”

“…So, why’re you military enthusiasts all gathered here, then?”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind. Just pass me that.”

I was summoned by Francesca to help with laying out the network and communications.

“Oh, I see why your face wasn’t in great shape then!”

“Don’t even get me started. Because of that damn magic, the lines got cut unnecessarily so many times… But Camila, do you need anything? Why did you suddenly call me?”

“Can you please help me read the map?”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t know how to navigate! This compass is spinning around, and I don’t know where North is at all!”

“You do have Pippin with you. Or there are plenty of other soldiers around.”

“Um, well, I did ask them first…”

“…And?”

“None of them seem to know how to read a map. I finally made it to high ground, but they kept insisting that this didn’t look like the right route and suggested we turn back.”

“……”

So, I was also helping Camila read the map.

I couldn’t figure out why such random tasks kept being dumped on me but decided to help her since she casually asked for assistance while I was there.

Regardless, I held my own in my position. At least, I thought I had done my fair share.

However, like in all workplaces, working hard didn’t mean my workload decreased. In fact, my tasks had multiplied compared to before.

Most involved communicating or related to the activities of the three others but…

“What is this? Minotaur horn powder, harpy bone fragments, high-grade alchemical refinement tools, magical potions, holy water from the Riene River, rosary made of silver, a chalice encrusted with amethyst, and moving dragon-shaped chocolates that I tasted from the Magic Tower… What in the world is all this?”

“These are items requested by the Hero, Saint, and Alchemist. They’ve passed customs, but to clear customs, we need the approval of the military commander exercising authority in the North.”

“So, you came to ask me to approve it?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Oh, by the way, I’ve already removed the chocolate listed at the end. If anyone asks about that, just say it was lost in transit.”

That was another addition to my workload.

To be fair, the administrative procedures of the Empire were too convoluted and cumbersome for the three foreigners, so I ended up being left holding the bag since I had at least some familiarity.

I wondered why they hadn’t brought such items earlier, nor why they hadn’t included it in the regular supplies from the Cult or Magic Tower. But I figured Lucia and Francesca would simply respond with something like, “Wouldn’t I be able to fit in a stove at the very least with the room for my stuff?”

Luckily, the Military Government Headquarters was quite laid-back about it. Who would dare refuse when the Hero, Saint, and Alchemist are asking to have materials they need brought in? It’s a war situation, and the Headquarters was all too busy as it was.

As a result, I secured a degree of administrative privilege allowing limited import and export of materials to the North concerning the three of them. It was an unexpected windfall.

That same day, I promptly sent all the information I had collected to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Abas located in the capital.

Fortunately, the information arrived safely at the Embassy.

“Good job. Congratulations!”

“Thanks, Camila.”

“By the way…”

Balancing on her feet with her back against the wall, Camila’s voice quivered as she spoke to me.

“Is it okay to come down now…?”

“No, you have to keep hanging there.”

“Ugh…!”

Camila trembled, letting out a sound of despair.

For reference, she was currently serving her penalty for attempting to smuggle chocolate.

—

A day bustling with activity in the North gradually drew to a close.

In the distance, the sirens and announcements calling for a blackout could be heard.

[To our citizens, we announce that a blackout order has been issued throughout the Northern region effective from 8:00 PM. Citizens, please conform to the orders of the authorities and…..]

[The subjects of the blackout are as follows: advertisements, sign lights, streetlights, outdoor work lights, indoor lights, vehicle lights….]

Military vehicles equipped with loudspeakers moved through the city announcing the blackout. When the loudspeakers sounded, people scurried indoors like cockroaches fleeing from light.

Hospitals, police stations, homes, factories, and even the Military Government Headquarters were all plunged into complete darkness in Novonikolaevsk.

Under the cool moonlight, a military vehicle slowly crossed the desolate road.

I closed the blackout curtains I had purchased earlier in the day and minimized the indoor lighting, then climbed into bed.

The military radio I had placed beside my head picked up a signal.

-‘Citizens, have you managed to get through the day safely? In preparation for tomorrow, we bring you the day’s news….’

Having spent about five days living in the North, I had learned naturally one thing.

Either due to the high concentration of magic leaking from the Rift or some jamming from the signal intelligence units, I could not receive broadcasts from other regions in the North.

In other words, in the North, I could only listen to broadcasts aired by North’s media outlets.

And typically, when a war breaks out and martial law is declared, the military takes control of the media first. This is to prevent the enemy’s capture of broadcast facilities for spreading misinformation.

Thus, every broadcast, including the current radio transmission, is one that has gone through the scrutiny of the Military Government Headquarters.

-‘…May peace be with all subjects of His Majesty the Emperor.’

Having finished off that bland and uninspiring monologue, the MC announced they would return at the next hour—yeah, now it finally felt like I was in the Empire.

I recorded the newly received content and organized it as materials. Even if it was filled with propaganda, it could become decent material after being refined by a skilled analyst.

About two hours passed, and after I finished organizing the materials, I could finally lay back in bed. For reference, Pippin, Jake, and Charnoy had all long been asleep.

As I lay in bed, I wrapped myself in my blanket and recalled the report I received from Charnoy earlier in the day.

‘Charnoy, did you finish everything you needed to do today? Why haven’t I received any reports?’

‘Today, the priests brought me quality honey candy! It’s made from natural honey gathered from the monastery of the Cult and blessed… It’s the taste of nymph-friendly goodness!’

‘Yes, but did you do any work?’

“……”

At this point, I’m starting to think maybe Charnoy can be left behind.

I have absolutely no use for the most seemingly useless surplus staff I delegated to Lucia, and with him sticking close to her, I was seething internally.

Nevertheless, Lucia seemed to appreciate him, so thankfully he hadn’t ended up caught by the Imperial Guard or the intelligence agency.

As bedtime approached, various meaningless thoughts began popping into my head. I set my alarm for the desired wake-up time and closed my eyes again.

“……”

Just as I was beginning to drift off.

The phone rang.

Checking the number on the display, it was a call from Francesca. I wanted to know if something had happened to her, so I quickly got out of bed and answered the phone.

“Hello? Administrator? What’s going on? It’s late at night…”

-‘Colonel, do you want to see something interesting…?’

“Something interesting…? What do you mean, suddenly….?”

I wanted to ask if she was talking nonsense because she hadn’t woken up completely. Or if she had been drinking or using something.

However, the next thing Francesca said piqued my interest.

-‘Remember the bet I mentioned the other day?’

“Yes, I remember.”

-‘It seems like I won this round….’

On the other end of the phone, Francesca continued speaking.

-‘The black market. Would you like to go take a look together…?’