A Dark Fantasy Spy

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“I’m saying that a cleric killed him.”

The first death of an Imperial Army Combat Magician has been reported.

“We got a divine response. We placed the testing strip on the stab wound left on the corpse, and that’s the result we got.”

“…Damn it. Who verified this?”

“Sir Martinez conducted the inspection personally. Everyone confirmed it.”

Francesca continued to explain in a monotonous voice.

“On our side, three magicians participated, including myself and Sir Martinez, drawn from the Elemental School, the Sorcery School, and the Secretariat. From the cult’s side, Sir Pereyti and a healing cleric were present, along with an Inquisition Officer as observers.”

“Does the Imperial Army know?”

“Of course. Their executives were all watching the autopsy.”

A sudden attack by monstrous creatures.

Combat magicians dispatched from the division to support the rift.

However, they were found dead in a secluded valley before reaching their destination.

The suspect is a cleric. Coincidentally, priests from the cult happen to be nearby at the rift.

Now, no one knows what will happen next. Everything feels dark.

One thing is certain.

“…Where is everyone?”

The days of comfort are gone.

—

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician of All Time

When a person is filled with rage to the brim, they often become calm instead.

Instead of a roaring bonfire, a person becomes like burning charcoal, quietly suppressing their anger rather than raising their voice.

Only when they reach their boiling point, like a volcano, do they finally erupt with all their pent-up emotions.

The scene gathered around the autopsy was not far from what I expected.

“…….”

“…….”

The crowd was neatly divided into three groups.

Clerics in black robes, soldiers of the Kien Empire in uniforms, and magicians from the Magic Tower in cloaks. Each group huddled together according to their affiliations.

Perhaps it was due to the red insignia associated with the imperial army or the expressionless faces, but today, the red of the uniforms felt particularly intense.

Black clerical attire and red uniforms.

A stark contrast of red and black.

After dropping into this town, I had once thought about becoming a cleric or a soldier, inspired by a book gifted to me by a French friend.

Yet, as I regained my senses, I found myself in my old role as an Information Officer.

It seems my old habits are hard to break.

“You’re all here.”

“…….”

I felt as if I were crawling into a battlefield as I squeezed my way through the three groups.

Francesca, who had come to inform me of the news, along with Lucia and Camila, also moved alongside me.

The high-ranking officials from the Magic Tower and the cult had made their appearances, so the people from both factions maintained decorum, but their gazes towards the opposing higher-ups were far from friendly.

I quietly whispered to Lucia and Francesca.

“The situation is not looking good; it might be best to keep some distance. I can stand here as a foreigner, but the two of you standing together might cause issues.”

“…I understand.”

“Indeed.”

The two naturally created distance, returning to their respective positions.

Francesca, accustomed to such environments, managed to maintain her composure, but Lucia’s expression was frozen in a way that screamed discomfort.

The faces of the cult members and Tower magicians darkened further, and the imperial soldiers stepped back to gauge the atmosphere.

If things continued in this manner, someone was bound to get hurt, so I resolved to take the initiative before the situation deteriorated further.

“It seems this discussion may take a while, but given the circumstances, it might not be the best time for a conversation.”

I opened my mouth, feeling like I was tightrope walking on a power line.

“Shall we change venues?”

—

In resolving conflicts in this part of the world, two main methods are typically employed.

One is through constructive dialogue to narrow differences, and the other is beating the opponent’s head until only one opinion remains.

The latter is commonly termed a duel.

While dueling is legally prohibited in most nations, it is not uncommon in private matters, where the dispute is decided behind the scenes. This usually occurs with people embroiled in romantic entanglements.

However, fighting over public matters is impossible. Especially if it’s related to diplomacy.

Thus, I suggested a civilized and gentlemanly exchange of opinions.

Regardless of how angry one gets, fighting in foreign territory—especially a military facility—is a significant diplomatic faux pas.

Whether clerics, magicians, or anyone else, would they dare to shed blood in the presence of imperial soldiers? The soldiers are akin to the landlords, while the clerics and magicians are merely guests.

On top of that, considering that the landlord has tanks, we must avoid any bloodshed.

“According to international law and diplomatic customs, this incident clearly falls under the jurisdiction of the Kien Empire. Moreover, this venue, arranged after prolonged negotiations involving diplomats from various countries, necessitates a calm atmosphere for dialogue to understand each other’s standpoints and rectify misapprehensions.”

“…….”

“Standing in the open for a discussion is inappropriate, isn’t it? Besides, we need to address the individuals lying here.”

I hinted toward not raising voices in front of the dead, and subtly urged the others to restrain themselves before someone unsheathed a blade.

Additionally, the corpses of the imperial magicians were still present at the scene. Having been placed outside temporarily for the autopsy, raising voices in front of the departed would be a disgrace in any culture.

Fortunately, it seemed my persuasion had taken effect.

The clerics and magicians, who had been ready to grab each other’s collars, each took a step back, while the imperial soldiers stated they would arrange a meeting room, asking everyone to return and wait.

Up to that point, everything was fine.

The problem was that the nobles gathered here were individuals who knew nothing of diplomacy, unlike the courteous diplomats I had been dealing with over the past few months.

And that issue became apparent as soon as the meeting began.

“The cleric definitely killed him. It’s 100% certain. There’s no further debate.”

“…….”

The voice belonged to a magician from the Magic Tower, seizing the floor with the proposal to discuss the findings of the autopsy.

This magician leaned back casually, waving a hand dismissively as if questioning the obvious.

“The testing strips developed by the Sorcery School are flawless. They’re widely used by forensic experts in the Kingdom of Abas, Republic of Patalia, and Kien Empire, as well as in Mauritania and Eastern investigative agencies. Their margin of error is minuscule, leaving no room for doubt.”

The magician, clad in a cloak adorned with the Sorcery School’s crest, looked as if they were intoxicated with pride over their faction. Yet, the statement was a definitive fact; it was indeed the strips developed by the Sorcery School being used by the investigators to detect magic or divinity at crime scenes.

However, even correct statements can become frustrating when heard too often, and the truth can become defamatory.

Bang!

Someone aggressively slammed their fist on the table from across the magician.

“It’s not forensic experts who catch criminals; it’s investigators! Just because divinity was detected from the corpse doesn’t mean a cleric from the cult is the perpetrator!”

The individual shouting was a young priest.

Despite their youth, they seemed to hold a respectable position within the cult, likely due to a high divine suitability or strong faith, to be present at this meeting.

Of course, their statement wasn’t entirely wrong.

It is the police investigators who identify criminals, not forensic experts. The forensic institute examines the scene and performs autopsies, but ultimately, it’s the police force that tracks down the offenders. So the priest was not wrong.

Right, rationally thought out, it makes sense.

However, sometimes emotion overtakes reason.

“I do empathize with that point. Nevertheless, that doesn’t excuse the clerics from being potential suspects, does it? Honestly, who else here but the clerics is proficient in handling divinity?”

“So, you claim we killed the imperial soldiers?”

“Precisely, it was the Combat Magician of the Imperial Army. Yes.”

The cleric clenched his fists tightly. Veins throbbed on the back of his hands, clearly indicating his readiness to fight.

While I wasn’t expecting an era of calm and intellectual dialogue, I certainly hadn’t anticipated it deteriorating to this level. The comments flying around would make any diplomat faint.

Noticing the situation spiraling out of control, or perhaps busy reporting back to the Military Government Headquarters, the imperial officers had left several inexperienced junior officers to sit in the meeting room and then disappeared entirely.

The newly assigned officers, sitting amid a cacophony of languages, blinked in confusion.

“Ha….”

I pressed my temples as I surveyed the chaos. Between two parties ready to tear each other apart—the clerics and magicians—stood Sir Pereyti and Sir Martinez, trying to pacify the uproar.

Under normal circumstances, Francesca and Lucia would be there to mediate, but…

“Where did they go…?”

The two had quietly left before the meeting commenced.

I poured some bottled water over my tormenting insides, trying to calm the situation.

“Everyone. Please, calm down and settle your tempers. Quietly. Yes, Sir Pereyti?”

Sir Pereyti, seated near the head of the table, stared down the clerics causing the ruckus. Meanwhile, Sir Martinez seated opposite him gestured to the loud magicians to keep it down.

Once the noise of the meeting room subsided, Sir Pereyti finally spoke. Always one to laugh heartily, he now set a serious tone.

“I regret meeting under these circumstances, but first, may I ask one thing?”

Sir Pereyti posed a question to Sir Martinez.

“Is the validity of that inspection truly reliable?”

The inquiry into the inspection’s credibility triggered an alteration in the sorcery school magician, who had been vocal from the start.

However, before the magician could express themselves, Sir Martinez promptly answered the question.

“Absolutely.”

He added his observations regarding the findings. The previously arrogant demeanor had vanished, and his voice turned extremely businesslike.

“The nature of magical power, like a fingerprint, leaves a unique trace determined by the user. Even among magicians of the same school, each individual’s magical attributes and forms cannot be identical. Investigators define these traces as magical remnants.”

“…….”

“I am not knowledgeable about divinity, so I cannot say if what I have mentioned applies to the current circumstances. However, the testing strips only provide a rough detection of magical and divine traces and are not refined enough to identify their precise nature and characteristics. It’s similar to comparing a microscope and a magnifying glass. There are also variables to consider.”

“What do you mean by variables?”

“There are numerous variables. The magical or divine essence left on the body might have evaporated or changed, or perhaps contaminants affected the preservation of the scene. Didn’t the healing priest who was the first on scene treat the imperial magicians as wounded?”

“That’s right.”

Sir Pereyti nodded in agreement.

“Then in the process, the magical essence left might have diluted due to colliding with the sacred essence.”

Unlike the other magicians, who had been belligerent toward the clerics, Sir Martinez maintained a professional attitude, focusing solely on the facts while excluding his personal opinions.

“Hence, to conduct a thorough investigation, it is necessary to transport the bodies to a location equipped with professional facilities….”

“Sir Martinez.”

Someone interrupted Martinez.

Feeling displeased, Martinez furrowed his brow momentarily.

“I cannot agree with your opinion.”

An old man spoke up, adorned in a magician’s cape.

“Is it really necessary to waste time on these pointless verbal brawls? No matter how loud we argue, the fact that divinity was detected from the corpse doesn’t change.”

A priest beside him interjected in protest, appearing quite formidable.

“Are you saying we are the perpetrators?”

“Who else could it be?”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard this year.”

The priest let out a hollow laugh.

Yet the magician wouldn’t back down.

“The cause and effect of this incident are glaringly clear.”

“Thinking that only clerics can handle divinity is a mere misconception.”

The cleric stared directly at the magician. From the whispered murmurs among the cult members, it seemed this was no ordinary priest but an Inquisition Officer.

A magician and an Inquisition Officer. The sinister combination of oil and water began to itch in the back of my mind.

With an air of sarcasm, the cleric addressed the magician.

“Even heretics and pagans can handle divinity. Of course, clueless individuals wouldn’t know that.”

They say that a kind word begets a kind word. Watching the Inquisition Officer mockingly sneer at the magician made me worry about how the magician would respond.

For a moment, I considered stepping in to intervene, but sadly, I was a step too late. Before I could open my mouth, someone from the Magic Tower shot at the Inquisition Officer.

“How can you guarantee that a heretic or pagan isn’t one of your own?”

At that moment, a chilling silence fell upon the meeting room.

And shortly after.

“YOU FOOL!”

The Inquisition Officer erupted in fury, veins bulging at his neck.

This outburst caught not just me off guard, but also Sir Pereyti and Sir Martinez, leaving them unable to intervene.

Surrounding clerics held back the rising Inquisition Officer, while priests and knights stepped forward to calm him, even those who had been standing at the back rushed forward, making a scene.

The furious Inquisition Officer, red-faced with rage, twisted away from the grips of those trying to restrain him, his furious shouts filling the room.

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND JUST DIE!”

Despite attempts by numerous men, including knights and clerics, to restrain him, the Inquisition Officer resisted, showing a readiness to charge forward.

Shocked magicians seemed taken aback by the unexpected turn; several rose from their seats, some beginning to prepare their spells.

Confusion, fury, noise, and a tension that could snap any moment hung in the air when—

“Enough.”

Someone’s voice quelled the uproar in the meeting room.

“Saint…!”

“Back off.”

It was Lucia.

Having left even before the meeting began, she had come into the room without a sound.

The sudden presence of Lucia left the clerics of the cult and even those restraining the Inquisition Officer in awe.

With their hold loosened, the Inquisition Officer easily shook off their grasp and strode forward to kneel before Lucia.

“Saint! How dare they say those blasphemous words…!”

“I said back off. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Lucia’s firm tone stopped the Inquisition Officer in his tracks. Unable to oppose the saint, he bowed his head and withdrew.

Meeting the gazes directed her way, she spoke calmly.

“I just came from informing Saint Veronica about the events taking place here. Thankfully, the Pope and various bishops are with her, so they’ve also been informed.”

She added a brief remark directed at the clerics.

“So do not make mistakes.”

As if her words were a signal, the clerics and even the Inquisition Officer ceased their disturbances.

“Funny how it was quite raucous a moment ago, but now it seems all quiet….”

As the door opened, Francesca appeared from behind Lucia. Holding a magical communication tool, she called out to Sir Martinez with a gentle voice.

“Sir Martinez.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“An order has come down from the Oracle.”

The administrator of the Magic Tower’s Secretariat spoke to the person in charge of their dispatched personnel.

“They’ve instructed us to ensure that no one acts out impulsively for the time being. Matters outside the scene should be resolved at home without stirring unnecessary trouble. Do you understand what that implies?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Francesca smiled as if satisfied, and her gaze met mine, her playful smile taking a moment to rise to her face.

“Saint Veronica, it seems today is not our day; perhaps a moment to cool off would be wise?”

Lucia sighed softly.

“Let’s do that.”

—

As the Military Government Headquarters began reporting centrally, Lucia and Francesca each conveyed news to their respective factions.

Naturally, the Empire, the cult, and the Magic Tower were thrown into turmoil.

—”You say a magician was killed by a cleric?”

It had been over a decade since a cleric officially murdered a magician.

Aside from the heretical inquisitions conducted in the shadows, there hasn’t been any event where a cleric killed a magician or vice versa in nearly ten years.

The cult and the Magic Tower took this incident very seriously.

—”Honestly, I can’t believe it. Is this accurate? Lucia wasn’t just drunkenly rambling, was she?”

“While there’s no tangible evidence that a cleric killed him, it’s true that divinity was detected from the body.”

Divinity has been detected from the corpse of an elite imperial Combat Magician.

The death occurred near the rift, a crucial national facility. To boot, the rift was under attack by monsters. The magicians were killed while coming to assist.

Ultimately, every aspect of this situation is serious, and when combined, it becomes a nuclear bomb.

While the cult denied the allegations, the Magic Tower seemed clearly skeptical. The Empire’s stance is as unclear as ever.

—”But what about the monsters? What’s going on there?”

“I came to the rift to meet Francesca when suddenly a swarm of corpse spiders attacked us. One gigantic spider shattered our carriage, causing a ruckus, so Camila, Francesca, an imperial knight, and the Tower’s combat magicians all came to eliminate them. By the way, the deceased imperial magicians were killed while responding to the call for support.”

—”I was just at the gambling house taking advantage of a bunch of fools when suddenly the Pope and that old man stormed in, making things so annoying. Then this calamity comes crashing down on me! Even God takes a break on Sundays, yet we can’t catch a break from these incidents!”

“Wait, why is the Saint gambling?!”

Saint Veronica, who had just jumped in shock, was taken aback by Lucia’s call.

After sneaking away from the eyes of her attendants to gamble mightily, she was caught by the Pope and scolded (her own expression of course) while she received the shocking news from Lucia.

The cult declared a state of emergency following the shocking revelation. The same went for the Magic Tower after being briefed by Francesca.

“The Oracle is taking this murder case very seriously. It seems they will unofficially propose a joint investigation via the embassy.”

As the Empire and the cult do not officially recognize each other as states, there was no diplomatic embassy per se.

However, both the Magic Tower and the Empire maintain unofficial diplomatic relations through a tourism administrative office—functionally serving as an embassy but lacking official titles.

In any case, it seems the Tower is aligned with a proposal for a joint investigation.

I received information from Francesca and provided her with the details she needed.

“It appears the cult is leaning toward requesting a strict investigation. They seem caught off-guard, but should the Tower propose a joint investigation to the Empire, they’re likely to change their tune.”

“I’ll take note of this, Colonel.”

With the situation escalating, the cult and the Tower, along with those present at the scene, were all on high alert.

The clergy and magicians, who used to exchange even cordial greetings, now deliberately avoided eye contact. Though both the National Affairs Council and the Oracle had commanded restraint, it seemed impossible to prevent everything from spiraling, let alone physical confrontations.

As conditions deteriorated in the Northern Regions, it was not just the cult and the Tower that were flustered; the Empire was equally concerned.

While conflict was anticipated, the sudden murder case igniting tensions between the cult and the Tower put the Empire in a precarious position.

Ultimately, to prevent an armed conflict, the Empire’s government ordered the Military Government Headquarters to coordinate operations so that the Knights Order and the Magic Battalion do not overlap in their activities. Naturally, the rift was included in this decision.

The Military Government Headquarters decided to exclude the Knights Order and the Magic Battalion from operations to eliminate the remaining monsters in the area, reallocating nearby divisions instead. They politely sent documents requesting the eviction of both the Knights Order and the Magic Battalion.

Without a word, both the Knights Order and the Magic Battalion complied with the Military Government Headquarters’ request.

Considering the atmosphere had already been tense, it was unsurprising that a murder case could break out at any moment.

Sir Martinez, leading the Magic Battalion, was the first to retreat from the rift, followed closely by Sir Pereyti, commanding the Knights Order.

Francesca and Lucia, as a matter of course, followed behind them.

While they had managed to catch up with one another at the hotel for some greetings, the atmosphere was so oppressive that they temporarily agreed to part ways for the time being.

As I witnessed the two parting in the now-empty lodging, Camila, who had somehow procured a handkerchief, dabbed at her eyes and remarked.

“It’s like Romeo and Juliet….”

I wasn’t familiar with Shakespeare, but I felt a strong urge to pick Camila up and throw her.

The situation was indeed dire, but not entirely hopeless.

“We received word from the embassy, Camila. The bodies of the Imperial Army’s magicians are to be moved for autopsy. The Magic Department investigators are on their way.”

“An autopsy will surely yield concrete evidence, right?”

“Exactly.”

The Empire decided to perform autopsies on the bodies of the Combat Magicians. They were currently being stored by the divisions defending the rift, and plans were in place to hand them over once the Magic Department investigators arrived.

With the autopsy, it would confirm the cause of death and, importantly, whether or not the magicians were indeed killed by clerics.

Thus, one of two scenarios would become clear.

Either all these concerns stemmed from misunderstandings and would culminate in a harmless incident.

Or shocking truths that would throw everyone into chaos would be unveiled.

Regardless of the outcome, someone would have to bear the burden.

“Let’s head out too. There’s no point in staying here any longer.”

“Won’t we need to help with collecting the bodies?”

“They’ve already handled everything. Let’s just go to the hotel.”

I quietly led Camila out of the rift.

One thing was certain: we would not face those results.

The Magic Department investigators escorting the imperial soldiers had been ambushed by thugs.

And the remains of the imperial magicians they were transporting had been entirely burned away.

This incident transpired on the very day the Magic Department investigators were to collect the bodies from the rift.