A Dark Fantasy Spy

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There’s nothing more ironic than looking for a job while on vacation abroad, yet here I am, somehow arriving at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Abas.

“Colonel Frederick Nostrim?”

“Yes.”

“I thought it was you. Please come in for a moment.”

In the office I arrived at, courtesy of the embassy staff, I was able to collect several items.

“You must have had quite a hectic journey?”

“Everyone seems busy since the start of the year.”

“Well, since you’re here on vacation, enjoy it. Let me show you your things, starting with transportation.”

I was given a train ticket to the south, a prepaid phone activated through a local service provider, eavesdropping prevention equipment, an emergency contact list, and more.

The staff also shared some small tips about local eateries near the hotel and where to safely exchange currency.

“That’s enough. This seems sufficient.”

I gathered my items and exited the embassy.

—

Episode 13 – A Country Without Wizards

The accommodation arranged by the company, Meraviglia Hotel, is located in a city called Galbria in the southern part of Patalia.

Galbria is the second largest city representing Patalia and functions as a metropolitan area in the south, akin to Busan in South Korea.

As evident, Galbria is a region well-known for its shipping industry.

The largest port in the Republic of Patalia is also in Galbria, and the first fleet of the Patalian navy, which has been competing against the Lushan Federal Kingdom, owning the “Sun Fleet” since the monarchy era, is also based in Galbria.

So when I set foot in Galbria, the train’s final destination, the first things that welcomed me were the salty breeze, densely packed buildings, and the vast emerald sea.

“Whoa… what kind of winter weather is this….”

As I stepped off the train and was blinded by the glaring sunlight, a smile crept onto my face, contrasting my scrunched-up expression.

Just a week ago, I had been freezing in the biting cold of the northern Kien Empire, fully geared up, shivering with toes threatening to fall off.

And now, in the most enjoyable region of the continent, dressed lightly and dragging along a pathetic backpack that I could barely even call a suitcase, I could hardly help but laugh.

Here I was, pulling out my sunglasses in January, chuckling at the absurdity.

Rather than joy, it felt more like a self-deprecating chuckle.

“Haha….”

If I had known this would be the case, I should have applied to be a military attaché in Patalia. Why, oh why, did I choose the Kien Empire as my first posting?

A wave of regret hit me, but I couldn’t turn back the hands of time.

“Advanced countries really are the best….”

Smirking, I adjusted my sunglasses and slipped out of the train station, backpack slung over my shoulder.

—

Meraviglia Hotel is located slightly away from the city center.

Specifically, it sits on the boundary between a historically famous old town with century-old buildings and a modern city densely packed with commercial buildings and offices.

“It allows foreign businessmen to enjoy both work and leisure with a blend of classical beauty and modern aesthetics.”

On the terrace of the hotel’s upper floors, I leaned against the railing, gazing at the picturesque Mediterranean-style buildings and the shimmering emerald sea.

Watching the white foam rising and the people frolicking on the white sand, the days spent in the north felt like a dream.

—’Who did you hear that story from?’

“The hotel staff. It was my first time here, so he just rambled on.”

—’Sounds like someone with a lot of pride in their workplace. I wish you had a bit of that too.’

“A wage earner only needs to do his job, what more can I ask….”

—’Come on, can’t you take a joke?’

Amid Klavens’ playful ribbing over the secure line, I inhaled the smoke from my cigarette and exhaled.

Unlike the cigarettes from the Kien Empire, those from the Republic of Patalia had a somewhat bland flavor. Unique, perhaps. Not particularly potent compared to the Empire.

I took a sip of the beverage while smoking the Patalian cigarette I had purchased from a stand near the train station.

So far, this impulsive (forced) overseas trip hasn’t been too bad.

Klavens commented.

—’You called back much quicker than I expected. Did you sleep?’

“I napped plenty on the train. As soon as I checked into the hotel, I contacted you.”

—’I heard something came up on your way here.’

“Something? Ah—that tail.”

Klavens’ murmurs of agreement came through the line. I nodded.

“Right after I came out of the Warp Gate, I got tailed. From the moment I left the embassy to my time on the train, those guys were on my trail. I think I ran into about seven of them.”

Since entering the country, I had shadows following me like glimmers.

The first four handlers I encountered trailed me from the airport to the embassy and then on the train.

When a railway employee came into the carriage for ticket checking, two guys got off the train, and shortly after, a new face appeared, leaving me with three behind me. These three exited the carriage just as we approached the station and never returned to their seats.

There were also a couple of vehicles tailing me from the terminal. One with a driver in the driver’s seat and a passenger in the front. They circled around the hotel where I checked in and then drove away towards the city.

“Considering the foreign consulates and trading companies are concentrated in the city, I suspect they are all spies from a third country. They definitely weren’t Patalian.”

—’Hmm…’

It’s not easy to determine nationalities among the diverse racial backgrounds of the information officers.

But one thing was certain.

—’Did any of them recognize you?’

“No. I didn’t see any familiar faces.”

—’Looks like you can’t relax on your vacation.’

I smiled bitterly.

I expected as much, but what a mess starting off the new year! I’m on vacation and I can’t just tell them to back off.

The holidays are approaching; I wonder what they’re doing overseas.

Suddenly, a memory flashed of the flight to Casablanca when my mother scolded me for not visiting again during the Lunar New Year, and I felt a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Not to mention, I doubt it’s just those guys following me today.”

—’True enough.’

Arriving in the late afternoon seems to kick off the sunset, and sensing the ambiance changing, I delayed chatting for a bit.

I gulped down the drink while pulling the bottle closer, then took a strong drag from the bland cigarette before extinguishing it in the ashtray.

Once back in the hotel room away from the terrace, I began checking the eavesdropping prevention equipment on the table.

Sitting on the bed, I felt the breeze from the slightly opened door and slowly opened my mouth.

“Director.”

—’Speak up.’

“I want to know how things are going in the north.”

—

Though I asked about the situation in the north, the response I received was dismal.

They asked if I wanted to discuss work on my vacation or suggested waiting until after dinner or, at the very least, walking around the hotel neighborhood before calling back.

Klavens subtly and diplomatically dismissed my inquiries. I clung to his pant leg, but I couldn’t extract the information I wanted.

In the end, it was I who had to take a step back.

“That stubborn old man….”

As Klavens noted, I left the hotel and strolled through downtown Galbria. Since I had this break, I should at least get some proper rest.

With the hotel sitting on the boundary between the old town and the new, I pondered where to go before finally deciding to explore the historical sites in the old town first.

The binary distinction between old and new towns is a common occurrence in this area, except for newly developed or reclaimed lands.

The availability of land for humans to ‘safely’ inhabit is limited.

Thousands of years ago, groups of residents settled in the region, forming villages that evolved into cities as populations swelled, and those cities clustered to form regions and nations, almost like Lego blocks pieced together.

A fishing village next to a wharf, a wharf beside a shipyard. The tiny wharf couldn’t keep up. Let’s pave roads and expand the harbor. Not just for fishing boats but for cargo ships too. Let’s dock warships to drive away the pirates.

During that process, countless tears, sweat, and blood from slaves of various races were shed, but that’s now just a thing of the past.

Just as black slavery in Europe was once legal, so was interracial slavery on the continent.

Because of that past, goblins growing coca in hidden jungles armed to the teeth, traditional orcs producing copious amounts of marijuana to sell to the global population while clashing with government forces in the desert, and the anarchic beastmen and eco-fascist elves from Daseulrim surfacing during protests came into being, but it’s not particularly important now.

Well, perhaps it might be significant for someone like Jake.

After all, burning down those drug fields and capturing HVTs (High-Value Targets) are the jobs of the special forces dispatched from Abas. Or assassination, either one.

I hear they’ve been deployed twice. They personally took out the mid-level commander of a regional warlord. Those experiences likely helped them join the Military Intelligence Agency.

Of course, it’s an illegal act with severe consequences if caught, but no one pays it much mind. The Kien Empire folks and Patalian folks are doing the same things anyway.

Anyway.

Regardless of how dark the city’s past may be, its nightlife illuminated the nights splendidly.

“The scenery is nice.”

I wandered aimlessly through the old town of Galbria.

The cobblestone paths glowing in the sunset were beautiful. The old pebbles sparkling in the sunlight and the darkened wooden pillars with age.

Without a doubt, this place is heaven compared to the northern Empire! If there’s such a thing as the earthly paradise that the reds desperately cried about, it would surely be here. I couldn’t help but think that.

I bought a bottle of beer from a vendor trying to swindle tourists and strolled along the beach. Despite the blazing sun setting beyond the horizon, there were still many people on the beach.

There were two warning signs in sight behind everything. The warnings printed in red letters on a white background were nothing special.

[Warning! This area is one of the locations where ocean monsters are known to appear. Residents and tourists are advised to evacuate inland immediately if sirens sound and to follow military and police instructions.]

[Warning! Mines are laid in the nearby waters of this location. If you spot a mine on the beach, please report it to the relevant authorities immediately.]

Beware of monsters. Beware of mines. Typical lines you’d find everywhere.

“Even here, monsters run riot.”

No matter how strong the Patalian navy may be, they can’t root out every monster inhabiting the vast sea—just as the no man’s land along the borders is similar.

In order to prevent monsters from crossing borders and attacking the city, the military has scattered both mines and explosives throughout fields, rivers, mountains, and seas.

While it’s a rather crude method, it proves effective.

There are issues with civilians dying when explosives float downstream or wash ashore, but.

As I strolled along the beach with a beer in hand, I bought some gelato from a nearby stand. Sitting on a bench, I slowly finished my gelato before settling on a restaurant that seemed decent among the local favorites recommended by the embassy staff.

“Welcome.”

“Good evening. I’m here alone.”

“This way, please.”

The restaurant offered nothing more than a neutral description, but the reason for my choice was that it wasn’t too expensive for a place overlooking the ocean.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Sparkling water, please. What appetizers do you have?”

Since I’d be dining alone, I decided to take my time.

Sipping on the appetizer drink, I waited for the starter to arrive, momentarily lost in thought gazing at the sea.

What first came to mind was the ongoing conflict in the northern Kien Empire. Though it was silly to think of work while on vacation, it’s amazing how ingrained a habit can be. As soon as I had a moment to relax, the thought of work popped up.

The next thought was about my family in Abas and the team scattered across various places.

“…….”

As far as I knew, Lucia had returned to her cult.

Veronica remained in the north due to the aftermath but had to be treated for injuries sustained in combat, while Lucia returned home with other injured members. I believe the seriously wounded Priest Rebecca also returned with her.

I miss them, but I honestly still don’t know what I would say when I face Lucia.

I know she has feelings for me, but human emotions can be quite fickle, making me unsure if I truly reciprocated those feelings.

I also wonder how Camila and Francesca are doing. I’ve heard they are recuperating in the Magic Tower, but I can’t help but worry whether Camila might cause some trouble.

Especially with Camila being as unpredictable as a bouncing ball, worrying about her possibly setting a mountain ablaze amplifies my concerns. Just thinking about the people who were yelling for compensation for the buildings she burned down in the Magic Tower…

“Ugh….”

I tried to calm my throbbing head, pouring sparkling water down my throat to soothe my troubled stomach.

I admit I’m genuinely concerned, but I don’t think Camila will actually cause a massive incident. I trust her sharp mind and conscience.

If she were reckless, she might have darted off toward the Magic Tower, ignoring everything else, but I figured she’d handle things well since she isn’t an indecisive teenager.

I’d be willing to forgive her as long as she managed to limit her snacking.

Though a bit of unease settled in a corner of my heart, I tried to brush it off and sipped my appetizer drink.

“Mm….”

The scenery was beautiful, the cocktail sweet, and there was no one to disturb me.

Though my thoughts about my companions drifted on for a time, ironically, the chances of meeting any of them in the near future were practically nonexistent.

Essentially, Camila, Lucia, and Francesca are not the types who can move about quietly. If even one of them enters Patalia, I’d have no way of not knowing. Especially Francesca.

She’s the child of a traitor in her home country and a public offender. Plus, Patalia is precisely where Francesca was born and raised.

The Patalian government does not favor her entering the country. The same goes for Francesca. Ever since she left for studying at the Magic Tower, she’s hardly visited her homeland. She hasn’t had any exchanges with her family either.

Even counting official business, her records of entering Patalia in the past few years have been few. And each time she did, the National Security Agency would invariably shadow her. So she can’t come even if she wanted to.

She probably has no real desire to come back, to begin with.

Just then, the door opened, and a woman entered, taking a seat behind me. It seemed the restaurant was starting to welcome guests in earnest.

I turned my gaze from the sea back to the table. Beside my half-finished appetizer drink and sparkling water, lay my passport.

A note peeking from the passport. On the folded memo was a neatly written phone number.

“…….”

Right. I’m on vacation, so out of decorum, I should at least see her face.

Pulling out the memo, I dialed the number written by the examiner. The sound of ringing echoed around me for a brief moment.

—Click.

The other party answered.

“Sophia.”

I sipped the appetizer drink while calling her name.

“I know you’ve entered, so cut the games. Do we have to do this?”

The response was silence on the other end.

No “You have the wrong number, my name isn’t Sophia,” or anything of the sort.

Instead, through the laughter laced in her voice, she fired back.

“…Did I take it a bit too far?”

The voice on the phone came from behind me.

I turned my head, and simultaneously, the woman seated behind me did the same.

Our gazes intertwined mid-air,

“Hey there, Merlo.”

With the phone pressed to my ear, I smiled playfully.

The overseas section information officer of the National Security Agency, Francesca Ranieri’s supervisor, and my friend.

As Sophia of the National Security Agency hung up the call, she greeted me.

“Isn’t it your first time seeing me in Patalia?”