A Dark Fantasy Spy

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“…Recently, we received intelligence from local informants. It’s information regarding individuals suspected of being directly linked to the main suspect who provided dark magic used in the department store terrorist attack.”

As she carefully tucked the crumpled paper between the pages of the Bible, Priest Rebecca quietly gathered her scriptures.

The sentences written on the paper are straightforward.

I sat in the long chair of the cathedral, facing forward, and began to speak.

“‘In the deep night, seek out the inquisitor wandering in a desolate place.’ This phrase is written in the classical prose style, the common language of the Mauritania Continent.”

Priest Rebecca, who had been scrutinizing the paper, closed the Bible and asked a question.

“Is this reliable information? Could it possibly be a metaphor?”

“I had the same doubt and confirmed it again, but they said it is as written.”

“…….”

Priest Rebecca, perched on the cathedral’s chair, quietly closed her eyes and sank into silence.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

“…It seems rather suspicious that we would receive information about a monk related to dark magic while tracking down a heretic. Even if we want to dismiss it as coincidence, it feels too coincidental.”

“It’s probably a coincidence, Priestess.”

The answer came from Priest Rebecca, who still had her eyes closed.

“I can only hope so.”

Episode 12 – The Most Powerful Magician

Based on Hormoz’s intel, the investigation commenced, and I brought the Inquisition into the fold by sharing intelligence.

This investigation into the terrorist incident is being conducted internationally.

The Cult, which has always been cautious of dark magic, the Kingdom of Abas, which is a victim of the terror, and the Kien Empire, the homeland of a substantial number of terrorists, have joined forces.

Additionally, since this is a terrorist incident occurring in a developed country, there are nations eager to provide assistance.

On the surface, it may appear to be a coalition formed under the banner of peace, but upon closer inspection, the story is a bit different.

“I still don’t understand a single thing.”

Counter-terrorism is a distinctly independent field that lies somewhat apart from security intelligence or counterintelligence investigations.

Counter-terrorism collects intelligence from the outset under a separate name, counter-terrorism intelligence, and this takes place across various regions, both domestically and internationally.

The problem arises when an individual has not undergone any separate job training or continuing education, making this field seem unfamiliar.

“Jake! Have you found any materials related to dark magic from the Mauritania Continent?”

“No. Pippin, we don’t have the minutes from the 15th department store terrorist incident meeting. Should we request this again?”

“Ugh…! It’s not possible to access documents with Charnoy’s authority! There are mountains of undiscovered materials, and this is clearly a problem!”

That’s why Pippin, Jake, and Charnoy were buried under paperwork thus far.

In the accommodations assigned by the Military Government Headquarters, the information officers from the Military Intelligence Agency were frantically checking the materials sent by the domestic department.

It had been a while since they were assigned this, yet they still couldn’t get a grasp on it.

“Manager, have you arrived?”

“Ugh.”

I stepped into the room greeted by Jake, who had a dry piece of bread stuffed in his mouth for lunch.

All over the table, sofa, and bed were materials related to counter-terrorism operations from the Abas investigative agencies, and on the cluttered business conference table, several security terminals were glowing ominously.

I approached Charnoy, who was grunting off to the side after setting down a coffee cup at the end of the table.

“Step aside, Charnoy. Let me try my code.”

I began entering the access code assigned to me on the keyboard.

The moment I hit the last input button, I successfully accessed the joint investigation materials sent from the Magic Department without any problem.

“How convenient…! As a token of appreciation, Charnoy shall bestow upon you a honey candy!”

Charnoy handed over a honey candy while focusing on confirming the data.

Sitting in a chair, I reluctantly forced the dry bread into my mouth, while shoving in the candy given by the nymph, I let out a groan.

“Ugh…”

My joints are aching.

Running two operations at once has left me in tatters. While circumstances have improved compared to the past, my fatigue feels almost doubled, if not tripled.

“Sigh. In the old days, I could move for twelve hours in a wetsuit in the desert and still be sprightly. Have I finally aged?”

When I was in intel, even as a captain, I commanded six or so employees and didn’t feel fatigued even when performing under combat conditions in a wetsuit under civilian clothes.

It seems I’m not what I used to be.

While grumbling about my body that doesn’t move as I want it to, a blonde, sun-kissed youth nearby made a sharp remark.

“Wow, manager, when you’re like this, you really come off as an old man.”

“Shut up, brat…”

As I drooped along helplessly, Pippin, who was gathering data while holding a pen, reprimanded Jake.

“Hey, what’s with that way of speaking?”

“Well, he just looks like an old man.”

“Still, saying that directly to his face lacks courtesy.”

“Better off cursing, you brat…”

Pippin and Jake chuckled at my pitiful state.

“I’m sorry for laughing, manager.”

“Stop your nonsense and get back to work…”

“Yes.”

Although our work has increased, obtaining Hormoz’s information represented a tangible achievement. The Abas information agencies, including the Military Intelligence Agency, prepared a list of suspects based on my report.

This offered a new target for the counter-terrorism investigation, which had stagnated after eliminating the terrorists and uncovering their homeland, motives, and methods without casualties. Energized by this new goal, the agencies are now intensely pursuing the masterminds behind the attack.

It seems that the Abas government decided not to share specific details with other countries due to two reasons. First, they believe that the reliability of the intelligence is still insufficient. Hence, in addition to the joint investigation team linked with foreign intelligence agencies, the Abas Intelligence Agency has started its verification process.

The second reason pertains to the impact of the intelligence.

Even though I brought in the information, the idea that a cleric from the Cult is related to dark magic left me wondering, ‘Is this for real?’

For now, I reported it because it was better than nothing, and since the Abas government didn’t have a better method, they decided to investigate, even if it seemed dubious.

The problem is,

“If this turns out to be true, it could be quite serious.”

If Hormoz’s intel proves accurate, the Cult would find itself in a very awkward position. It would mean that a cleric helped facilitate a terror attack against civilians, and furthermore, Lucia, among the victims, was harmed.

Naturally, the capabilities of the Inquisition would also come under scrutiny. They’d be criticized externally for failing to maintain internal discipline, and would face internal criticisms accusing the Inquisition of not fulfilling its responsibilities relative to its authority.

With bombings, assassination attempts, and murders of foreign soldiers and officials, plus the support of terrorism on their necks now, this could quickly lead to the new Inquisition Director facing inquiries on their very first day of office.

“Thankfully, the Director has advocated strongly for this, or we’d be in real trouble. For now, the Inquisition is self-investigating offenders. And…”

“I know. The last attack had nothing to do with the Cult.”

“Yes. Thank you for your understanding.”

“Not at all.”

After all, I was there too.

It may be a bit ambiguous to call myself a victim since I was busy killing terrorists, but nevertheless, I was among those in the area during the terrorist incident.

“Still, it’s a relief that nobody in your party including the Saint got hurt. The terrorists’ motives seemed political rather than religious, and there was no trace of religion to be found. I completely understand the positions of those who protested internally. By the way, have you found any leads on the investigation I mentioned?”

“We’re currently tracing the clerics dispatched to this location and the clerics from the diocese primarily concerning the monk you mentioned…”

Priest Rebecca trailed off, her tone somber, suggesting things weren’t going smoothly.

“It isn’t easy. We haven’t had any tangible results.”

“Is that so….”

It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park to find an unknown monk in the vast northern region, comparable to many countries.

Hormoz is gathering intelligence through the Palm Tree Trade Guild, but it appears they haven’t provided any usable information after the Military Government Headquarters’ operation to root them out.

What can I do? This is also my fate.

“I understand for now. If you receive any new information, please contact me anytime.”

“Be safe.”

In a blink of an eye, the New Year was approaching.

With the New Year drawing near, a sense of vitality started to emerge in the northern regions.

As refugees gradually lost their spirits due to the aftermath of the conflict, soldiers, civil servants, and foreign military dispatched from friendly nations flocked to the streets to prepare for next year. With only a few days remaining, everyone seemed to hold a feeble hope that something would change next year.

Coincidentally, hopeful news was coming through the broadcasts as well.

[The Abas government has officially enacted a humanitarian support bill. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to inspect materials for refugee rescue while maintaining a close cooperation system with relevant authorities for swift support….]

The Abas government has officially decided to support the refugees in the northern regions of the Kien Empire.

I was able to catch up on domestic news from an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

-‘After refusing humanitarian aid from the Empire for years, they finally accepted it now. This talk has been in the air for a while, but the timing is impeccable, isn’t it? Someone could mistake it for a New Year’s gift.’

“Sister Adela, you seem really tired these days. Your voice sounds very raspy.”

-‘Can you tell?’

“Yes. You look as worn down as your face, so of course, it shows.”

-‘Do you want me to hit you?’

Having finally made a call to my family in Abas, I spoke with my father, Jerry, Adela, my mother, and Ayla, all of whom seemed to be doing well.

On the other end of the line, Adela was flamboyantly speaking while stamping out the clock as she was about to leave work.

-‘Oh, right. Ayla got me a present this time.’

“What does a bum have to do with presents?”

-‘She got a job! With her first paycheck, she bought gifts for the family. For Dad, Mom, Jerry, and me. They were quite expensive ones too.’

“What about mine?”

-‘You’re overseas, right? When you return, she’ll get you one. Or should I have her send it via courier? She has someone at the embassy, so it could be done.’

“Damn it… Tell her to at least pay me back the money I borrowed from her.”

As it was near the end of the year, my family in Abas was busy living each day to the fullest.

It was natural given their jobs as civil servants, dealing with numerous events.

From what Jerry told me, Dad’s had his promotion and job transfer coinciding, which caused his late hours; and Mom seemed unable to even come home because of royal events. It was unnecessary to say the same applied to Jerry and Adela, as civil servants.

-‘Well, there’s no changing that at year-end. How about you?’

“I’m just shuttling between the embassy and the northern region.”

-‘Are you feeling okay? You shouldn’t be getting hurt. Mom’s worried you might get the flu, so she’s sending medication. Should I send it through Adela?’

“Don’t worry about me. There are plenty of priests around here to handle medications. I sleep in hotels and go to HQ daily, so focus on your health instead.”

‘If you insist… I got it. Are you far from taking a vacation? At the very least, you should spend New Year’s at home.’

“I don’t have plans yet. Just tell Jerry to take care of my share.”

-‘I’ll set things up. Call me if you get time off.’

My family as public servants were busy, but they weren’t the only ones.

The schedule for the northern contingent, including my comrades, has been adjusted tightly to align with the military operations set up by the Empire.

“Kamilah, everything alright lately?”

“There’s a strange climate, so monster activity is ramping up. They’ve started coming down from the mountain ranges and launching attacks. We’ve been busy trying to handle that.”

“Are you alright? No injuries?”

“When they fire those fireballs, they’re startled into running away, so I just burn the entire forest. I used to search for them one by one to eliminate, but this way is way easier. Tomorrow, I’ll herd them into the nearby valley and burn them all at once.”

“Is your head perpetually filled with burning things…?”

Kamilah is leading the hunt against monsters.

While she continues to excel in her job at the defense line in the Nodor Mountains, the early cold weather this year made the monsters restless, flooding her with work.

Her active coordination with the Imperial Army is refining Kamilah’s skills day by day, even though she still has her scatterbrained moments, which I simply consider part of her charm.

“Try not to over-use your powers. We still don’t know the causes of your tendency to faint. Don’t go acting solo in case of a collapse.”

“When using fire for too long, I do feel dizzy, but I’m still fine for now. I know where my limits are.”

“Of course you do. Ugh…”

“Oh! By the way, I’ve got the roster well organized. When should I show it to you?”

“Keep it for now. It’s not the right time yet.”

Just like Kamilah, Francesca was also busy with her duties.

From one angle, Francesca might even be busier than Kamilah.

“Administrator, the railway ministry official from the Empire has contacted us to discuss railway repairs…”

“Send someone from the Secretarial Office. I don’t need to be there for the meeting, do I?”

“Administrator, a support team has arrived from the Magic Tower. They’re the combat magicians I requested earlier; where should I send them?”

“Let’s contact Sir Evangelos. All combat magicians are managed by the Magic Battalion, not the Secretarial Office.”

Though Francesca has stepped down from the position of the Secretary of the Magic Tower, she still serves as a public servant affiliated with the Secretarial Office.

Belonging to the Ranieri family, she essentially holds high-ranking privileges.

Considering that Evangelos from the Rishidike family also commands the Magic Battalion, one might presume Francesca is of a slightly lower rank, but the Secretarial Office is similar to a presidential secretary, making her irreplaceable compared to a mere public servant.

Francesca commands the majority of non-combat personnel working in the Northern region for the Magic Tower.

All non-combat mages in the North operate under her command, and even the Magic Battalion, with its independent command structure, respects her authority in a way.

However, she wasn’t just busy with her secretarial duties.

“Some of the cargo that came into the western port has hit a snag with customs. Is there any way to resolve this, Colonel? If needed, I could finesse things with the customs officers.”

“I’ve already handled that. They seemed to have an issue with the recent changes in alcohol regulations. I’ve been able to slip some cash; there shouldn’t be any problems for the time being.”

“You’re always reliable, Colonel.”

“Don’t mention it. By the way, prepare to receive humanitarian supplies soon from the mainland and tell Hormoz.”

Francesca conducts public duties and manages goods meant for the black market.

This involves swapping the paperwork of smuggling vessels that serve as intermediate stops, replacing them with new files, and repackaging them to avoid detection.

Occasionally, she sneaks out to meet customs representatives. Thanks to Victor’s introductions.

By the way, I went with her.

“Freddy! That ghastly face still looks fine. With no sign of sunburn, I take it you’ve been cooped up in the office again?”

“Try staying in the North. The sky is filled with clouds, and it’s hard to tan. Where have you been that you’re suddenly so tan?”

“I was delivering goods needed for the revolution to the warm-hearted revolutionaries.”

It wasn’t just that I had things to discuss with Victor, but Francesca still hadn’t gotten used to her act of pretending to be my girlfriend.

Acting quite casually in front of Victor, she would then pull a sulky face and sit away from me whenever he was out of sight. Yet her performance was so seamless, it hardly mattered. Her acting skills were top-notch.

“Really… I can’t seem to adapt to this no matter how long it’s been.”

“You don’t have to adjust that much… If necessary, you can start moving alone from now on. I don’t think Victor would care anymore.”

“I prefer certainty. Now hurry and get over here to hold my hand. Your friend is coming.”

It feels like my acting skills improve just from being close to Francesca.

“How’s the investigation into the terrorist incident going?”

“We haven’t seen any outcomes yet. The homeland is drawing up a new suspect list for review. It’s such a lengthy list that there’s almost no progress.”

“If you need help, just let me know. The Oracle is keeping an eye on the dark magic-related case, so just giving me results would suffice.”

“Oh, speaking of which, is there a list of dark magicians at the Magic Tower?”

“There’s no distinct list of dark magicians, but we do maintain a record of expelled mages. I’ve never seen them as it’s a different field, but Sir Evangelos is likely to know.”

“That works. Please arrange a meeting with him soon. The list would be helpful.”

Thus, as the New Year approaches, we all find ourselves getting busier.

I, who must fulfill a dual role as Kamilah’s companion while juggling two intelligence operations, have grown increasingly hectic.

Yet, whether it be Kamilah or Francesca, even I can’t dare to think of setting aside time for a relaxing rest.

Because there’s someone who’s even busier.

“Ah, Colonel.”

“Yes?”

“What is the Saint up to now?”

That would be Lucia.