A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Just when the priests were about to faint from being subdued by the Knights, Veronica’s antics came to an end.

Thus was born a unique holy water brewed from the relics and bones of saints (as she herself puts it).

“Well, the holy water is finally complete.”

In fact, the holy water made by Veronica wasn’t just ordinary water like any other holy water. It was holy water derived from the rock that split in two when struck by the Eastern Magus’s staff, into which relics and sacred remains were thrown, and which she blessed herself. So, in a way, this could be considered a special item that goes beyond the scope of any holy water I knew.

It’s strange that holy water made from the bones of a saint wouldn’t be special…

Without even cleaning the wildly disorganized kitchen, Veronica cradled the jar in her arms and hummed a tune.

“Now, let’s get ready to catch some demons.”

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician of All Time

Human struggles to cope with supernatural beings and phenomena boast a much longer history than one might think.

Primitive forms of sorcery and curses represented by voodoo, ancient sorcerers fought against supernatural threats while state institutions sprang up everywhere as soon as the study of magic was born.

However, there’s something that boasts an even deeper history than magic and state power: religion.

“Religion is a traditional means chosen by humans to survive disasters that cannot be understood or dealt with by shallow knowledge. Cults, Al-Yabd, Nirvana…”

The 58th saint of the cult, Veronica, wiggled her fingers and snickered.

“Well, aside from those, there are plenty of miscellaneous religions, but that’s not important, so let’s skip it. Anyway, among the existing religions, there are four groups that are particularly strong, including the cult.”

Veronica strode down the cathedral’s corridor.

Wherever she stepped, Knights from the Inquisition were placed without a gap.

“And the Inquisition of the cult is the foremost group among those dealing with and researching supernatural phenomena and mysteries. They catch demons and people alike! Of course, they get criticized for capturing innocent people all the time.”

A few clergymen passing by let out deep sighs as they bowed their heads at the openly scornful voice of the saint.

Some faces seemed oddly familiar, as if I had seen them before, so they must be from the Inquisition due to the joint investigation.

Despite openly belittling them, Veronica maintained her cheerful smile. It was as if she thought, “What can they do about it?”

“Speaking of which, isn’t there a similar agency in your country, Colonel? Something like the Special Investigation Bureau?”

“Yes.”

The Special Investigation Bureau of the Kingdom of Abas, an investigative agency under the Ministry of Justice.

With a name and tasks that made me think of the FBI, the Special Investigation Bureau focuses on addressing supernatural phenomena and events, unlike the police or prosecutor’s office.

“I heard it was all over the news when the black magic terror made Abas troubled. I’ve heard they’re working with foreign groups like the Imperial Ministry of Magic and the Inquisition. And of course, your company too.”

“Because it’s counter-terrorism work. So, how do we catch the demons? Do you have a good method?”

“First, we need to bless the weapon you have. It might be manageable if it’s a ghost, but something like a demon won’t be easy to deal with using general methods.”

Veronica decided to bless my firearm. The special holy water made from relics and sacred remains (wrist bones) and the holy water created at the cathedral was precisely what was needed for this blessing.

Thud! With a heavy sound, Veronica set down the jar and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Could you disassemble your pistol for a moment?”

“Sure.”

While disassembling the pistol, Veronica fetched a silver bowl filled with water.

Drip, drip, drip. The pure holy water, free of any impurities, filled the silver bowl. As Veronica looked at the well-maintained silver bowl, she tossed the disassembled pistol into the holy water.

Is this what they call a blessing?

As I watched the pistol submerged in holy water with an intrigued expression, Veronica, sleeves rolled up, approached.

“Even if this is a temporary measure, it should be sufficient to face a demon. We may not be able to kill it, but at least it won’t disregard your shooting like before.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

“Since we’re at it, let’s bless the bullets too. If you have any bullets, hand them over.”

I took out the magazine filled with bullets from my pocket. The magazine tightly packed with rounds plopped into the holy water along with the disassembled pistol.

“Will this work?”

“Though it may look shabby, it’s quite effective. I did the same when I caught a demon for the first time. Even though I was using a hunting rifle for catching pigeons instead of military or police weapons, I was still able to kill the demon.”

Veronica proudly patted her chest.

“If the holy water isn’t reliable, trust me.”

“…It’s just you as a person that makes me uneasy.”

“Oh, come on, don’t say that. You don’t have to thank me for it!”

“…….”

I was not thankful at all.

*

Immediately after the existence of the necromancer was confirmed, the Imperial Government declared a state of emergency across the northern region.

The Ministry of Magic shared the ongoing investigation situation with every department in conjunction with the Inquisition. Following the orders of the Ministry of Defense, the Military Government Headquarters began supporting the Inquisition.

A small number of personnel were dispatched to assist the Inquisition. Information collected by military governance and resources from the central government began to be gradually supplied. According to an Imperial Army executive who attended the meeting chaired by Commander Mikhail, both the headquarters and the military are keeping a close watch on the situation. The sudden appearance of an uninvited guest seems to have unsettled the generals considerably.

“Now, brothers and sisters, pay attention, everyone.”

The Inquisition forces, bolstered by substantial support, followed the orders of Veronica, who had been granted authority by the National Affairs Council.

With my help, she secured cooperation from Commander Mikhail and dispatched personnel throughout the northern regions to search for missing persons and trace any potential evidence left behind by the demon that might have fled.

“Do we have a sufficient stock of talismans?”

“Yes, Saint.”

“Then under the guidance of the soldiers, install talismans throughout the city. For regions outside the city such as plains, mountains, and rivers where talismans might not suffice, we should monitor through other means.”

Sacred relics and holy objects. The cult spared no resources.

Although the bones of Saint Balthazar, which Veronica boiled against the fierce opposition of the cathedral priests, were not used in the investigation, once they passed a detailed inspection confirming there were no issues with the holy objects, they would be reused.

“Hmm. Did you say the demon has fled? Quite the crafty one.”

“Archbishop. I won’t bother with lengthy talks. Just speak everything that comes to mind right now.”

“If it is the will of the Saint, then of course, I must tell you.”

The former exorcist and professor of theology, Archbishop Theodosius assessed that it is highly likely the demon has fled somewhere. However, he added that since it was injured, it wouldn’t be able to escape far.

While investigations such as the search for missing persons and tracking continued, Veronica decided to have Lucia, who had been in seclusion, return to work.

People interpreted this as a strong expression of her determination to quell the demon this time for sure, but the reality was that she simply felt sorry for her sister, who was holed up in her room.

Like reuniting a separated family, Veronica clung to her, asking, “Have you been well, my dear sister?” Her face buried in Veronica’s chest, Lucia’s image struggling to breathe still lingered vividly in my mind.

“Are you awake?”

“…Ah, uh, ah.”

“You seem out of it. What will you do about that, Veronica?”

“Go fetch a bucket of cold water, Colonel. A good splash will wake her right up.”

Anyway.

With this, the cult was more or less prepared to capture the demon. In addition to the Inquisition officers and Knights, two saints, and priests and monks to escort and treat the injured if necessary. The Empire was also gearing up for action. The Ministry of Defense, Magic Department, and police were reportedly planning to select personnel to send north.

Moreover, the Military Government Headquarters was deploying a large force to unearth the collapsed underground caverns. It seemed they intended to ascertain the death of the necromancer and the demon, investigate the scene, and devise more definitive countermeasures.

In particular, the moment they obtained information regarding how Muspel was ‘summoned,’ they reacted swiftly, indicating they seemed to be wary of undead or hellish monsters popping out in densely populated areas. The fact that unfamiliar executives from the Military Government Headquarters contacted me, who had been staying in the cathedral, suggested that they were genuinely pressed for time.

However, even as everyone in the north busied themselves preparing for the upcoming war, there remained some who kept quiet without a hint of reaction.

Their name was the Magicians of the Magic Tower.