A Dark Fantasy Spy

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When I stepped outside, the situation had already turned into complete chaos.

“Ambush! We’re under attack! Monsters are coming!”

“Distribute ammunition and take your positions!”

The familiar Imperial soldiers were running in all directions.

An officer was shouting, the clanking of weapons and gear echoed, and the sound of military boots stomping the ground was everywhere.

From the snippets of Imperial language I could gather, it seemed the intruders attacking the Rift were monsters.

“…”

Research on monsters is as deep-rooted as humanity’s own history.

In a world where magic, divinity, and the bizarre coexist, why should monsters be taken so seriously?

Whether they harm humans or not, we share the land with various races, and thus, the study of these non-human entities and monsters has continuously evolved.

Among scholars studying monsters, there exists a saying that is as common as the Lord’s Prayer.

“Monsters never attack humans without reason.”

It’s not entirely inaccurate.

Even ferocious beasts like tigers or lions don’t unconditionally attack their caregivers or owners.

Even the notoriously temperamental fox becomes just another animal in the hands of an expert.

Monsters are no different.

If monsters truly craved human blood and flesh, all those scholars who frequently wandered into No Man’s Land to study monster ecology and those attempting to tame them should have been wiped out long ago.

Setting aside the destruction of ecosystems due to reckless development and the instinct to defend territories, there are generally no instances where a monster attacks humans without special cause.

So, unless there’s a compelling reason, monsters simply won’t go after humans.

Like the countries of the Mauritania Continent, if we don’t provoke the monsters first.

That means,

“Let’s get out of here immediately.”

There’s no such thing as a monster that aggressively attacks without provocation.

—

Episode 11 – No Unusual Activity on the Northern Front

—

Caught in the fog surrounding the mountain range, the Rift began to be assaulted. Monsters were attacking.

It was evidently a strange situation, and given the circumstances, things were escalating quickly.

Senior Lyudmila, unable to conceal her bewilderment, began to explain.

“…It seems the Rift is under attack. There are monsters invading.”

“I see.”

Something odd was certainly unfolding.

We’d call such a situation being cornered.

When a meticulously planned operation goes awry, when a trusted information agent betrays, or when the true identities are exposed and pursued.

There are countless scenarios where one finds themselves in a corner. Like the day when an information agent claims to have obtained the required information, only for the safe house to be suddenly raided by armed investigators.

Generally, in extreme situations, a person’s abilities tend to diminish by several folds compared to usual.

And in such moments, the person who calmly navigates through problems is a true expert, for that ability displayed in turmoil speaks to genuine skill.

—

“…Of all days, today, amidst thick fog, monsters suddenly attacking the Rift while we’re trapped here.”

“……”

“The timing is quite artistic, isn’t it?”

I slowly stepped out of the barracks to assess the situation around me.

The troops defending the Rift were rushing toward the defense line. An urgent soldier dashed to the trench, dropping the ammunition cans he held, while another soldier at the stronghold began loading a machine gun with ammo.

Soldiers retrieving rifles from the arsenal were positioned at various spots along the defense line, and heavy equipment, stripped of its tarpaulin, roared to life as it advanced toward the stronghold. All personnel and equipment were moving in perfect unison under command.

Clearly, they were well-trained forces. Given their excellent armament and training, the military discipline was undoubtedly strong.

Thus, the unit protecting this area was elite among elites. That was an undeniable fact.

Having grasped the situation, I turned my head toward Camila and Francesca.

“As you can see, troops are being deployed to the defense line. It seems the unit isn’t under attack; rather, a scout unit has encountered monsters.”

The term scout refers to a unit tasked with detecting enemy attacks in advance and protecting friendly forces.

The fortified perimeter established in front of the main resistance line falls under this category, as do scouts watching over the demilitarized zone.

In essence, the monsters didn’t attack our main unit but encountered a reconnaissance group deep in the forest. At least, that’s what the soldiers’ conversations hint.

A soldier would glean the situation just from this point onward.

The problem is,

“What’s a scout?”

“What does that even mean? Are you a clueless nerd?”

“……”

Camila and Francesca stared blankly at me, their faces a mix of confusion. Unfortunately, both were civilians without military experience, so even if I explained, they wouldn’t understand.

“Just think of it as having encountered the monster guys out there.”

“Then you should’ve said that to begin with, Colonel.”

Anyhow, Camila and Francesca understood the current situation. I was grateful that they weren’t completely lost, so I decided to let it slide for now.

What was urgent wasn’t this.

“If the reconnaissance team has detected them, it means the monsters haven’t reached here yet, right?”

I nodded in response to Camila’s question.

Her fiery red hair, akin to flames, fluttered in the wind as she began to speak.

“Then what should we do now?”

“For now, we need to find a safe place.”

The decision was already made, so it was easy.

“Senior Lyudmila!”

“Yes!”

I called for Senior Lyudmila. She quickly ran over after detaining a passing officer to listen to the situation.

“Please guide these two to a safe location.”

“What about the vehicle you arrived in…?”

“Let’s ditch it. Losing one car and making a report is better than dying.”

The unit defending the Rift, being more than elite, wouldn’t fall easily to monsters. If we waited safely, the situation would resolve itself, and there should be no issue moving slowly afterward.

Of course, the opposite holds true too.
If, by some chance, the defense line collapses and the monsters reach the Rift, we must escape to the mountains below by any means necessary. And to prepare an escape route, we’d need time.

No matter the outcome, my judgment was that we needed to strategize while the defense line held. Surely, if the commanding officer had any sense, they wouldn’t leave Camila and Francesca to die here.

But what I hadn’t expected was,

“…I have a different opinion.”

The enormous idiot beside me had a different take.

—

“Why are we the ones who should run away?”

“What do you mean, Camila?”

“No!”

Camila suddenly yelled out, her face looking frustrated, possibly angry. She pointed emphatically toward the defense line.

“It doesn’t make sense to flee when the monsters haven’t breached yet!”

“So, what? You’re going to fight? You’re not even a soldier.”

“Even so, running away isn’t an option! We can’t abandon them just because trouble is brewing, and run off to a safe place.”

“Camila.”

“And more than anything.”

Her finger moved again, this time pointing to a certain building. The barrack we had just exited.

“There are kids there!”

“……”

“I don’t know who those kids are. I don’t know their names, and I’ve never seen their faces until today. But they are kids. In a situation like this, it’s not enough to protect ourselves; who’s going to look after them if we abandon them?”

Before I could utter a response, I stepped closer to Camila. Though it might have looked slightly menacing, and it appeared as if I were turning my back on reality, I didn’t mind it that much.

What’s important right now isn’t that.

“The soldiers will handle it. The Imperial Army will safely protect them.”

“What about us?”

“……”

“Isn’t it the duty of soldiers to protect people?”

To be honest, there were a lot of things I wanted to say.

As a Colonel, participating in combat within the Empire’s territory would undoubtedly stir political and diplomatic controversy.

Depending on the interpretation, it might be seen as a signal that Abas’ army would actively intervene in the conflict between the Kien Empire and their magic region.

So I couldn’t fight here. I shouldn’t fight.

Don’t you think the Empire’s military had me stationed at the rear command on purpose?

I am an Abas soldier, not a Kien soldier.

My duty is to protect the citizens of Abas as stated in the Abas constitution, not the citizens of the Kien Empire.

What would happen if you or Francesca ended up dead while I fought here?

There was plenty to say, but these thoughts didn’t leave my mouth. Camila was faster with her words.

In a passionate, emotive voice, she said to me, “Of course, foreigners might not be considered protectees. Soldiers have their own nations, after all. But no matter what nationality someone holds, life knows no borders.”

“……”

I remained silent.

Brushing off her arguments as childishness of a university student aspiring to be like James Bond would be missing the point; Camila was someone who truly lived by her words.

She had left her affluent and comfortable home to travel across Africa and the Middle East, displaying enough skill and courage to care for others.

From observing people like Camila as they traversed various continents, I thought it was no simple feat for an ordinary person.

Camila shouted, “I want to stay here for those kids, no matter what!”

“……”

There was an undeniable firmness in her tone.

The alarms signaling an incoming assault and the blaring sirens reverberated around us.

Commands and shouts filled the air.

Through the din that surrounded us, Camila’s words rang clear in my ears. In that moment, it felt as if only she and I stood in this place.

The one who shook me out of that illusion wasn’t Camila, who had been pouring her heart out, nor Senior Lyudmila, who was urgently relaying the situation.

“…It seems our opinions are clashing.”

Francesca, speaking softly, moved between Camila and me.

With a mischievous smile, she looked at me and asked, “What will you do?”

“Well, I don’t really care… I am a magician from the Magic Tower, and although I must assist in the Rift’s defense, I have no obligation to bleed and fight on Empire soil…”

“……”

“But….”

Her violet eyes shifted. Her gaze moved behind me.

Toward the direction of the barracks.

“There are kids there, and as a fellow magician, I cannot turn a blind eye to that.”

“Why?”

“Well, because….”

Francesca trailed off.

A moment of silence passed.

Finally, after the prolonged silence like a long tunnel, Francesca spoke up.

“Because I am a magician.”

“……”

“It is the duty of a magician to uphold the legacy of the previous generation and protect the future generation, Colonel.”