A Dark Fantasy Spy

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The early winter morning had dawned. The cotton candy-like fog stained the window with a hazy whiteness.

As I traced a line on the glass pane, droplets of water trickled down its surface.

Looking at the thinly spread fog, I was overcome by the illusion that I had dropped right into a cloud.

A faint breath escaped my lips, and as I opened the window with my finger removed from the glass, a silver-tinted world unfolded before my eyes.

In that moment, the sun, perched on the mountain ridge, began to unveil the fog, painting the eastern sky in a clear crimson hue.

“……”

The dissipating fog and the brightly blazing sun.

With the warm heat penetrating through the dew-laden glass, I nestled my head on the armrest of the sofa and closed my eyes.

—

Episode 14 – One Religion, One Faith, Two Saints

Time had flown by since we escaped the North.

The Naroda Mountain Range, which was several times the size of the Taebaek Mountains, had burned halfway through, and the neglected infrastructure had finally begun to regain its appearance.

Monsters that had hidden in the woods to escape the bitter cold were set ablaze, patients suffering from ailments regained their health, and the threats posed by demons and necromancers that had instilled fear in many people had vanished.

The changes surrounding the North had infused confidence into the empire’s generals.

As a result, the timeline for the offensive operation, initially scheduled for this spring, was pushed forward by several months.

That was merely a few days ago.

[The Kien Empire’s counteroffensive, prepared since last fall, has begun. The Imperial Ministry of Defense announced that the Kien Imperial Army deployed at the Naroda Mountain frontlines had launched ‘Operation Torch’ just a week after announcing the counteroffensive.]

As news from the empire streamed from the radio, Camila, who was seated at the table, took a sip of water.

“When will it end?”

“Who knows.”

While we needed to keep monitoring the situation in detail, there was no doubt that the imperial army would reclaim the North.

Camila, Lucia, and Francesca had effectively dealt with significant issues that posed obstacles to the operation (the mountain monsters, patients, traffic network, and so on).

Not to mention, we had also played a large role in capturing the demon that had been secretly lurking at the rear to create disarray.

Thanks to us taking on the problem that the Military Government Headquarters should have been concerned about, they could focus on mobilizing troops, accumulating supplies, reinforcing their strategies, and preparing for the offensive.

As a result, despite the rescheduling of the offensive date, the imperial army continued its rapid northward advance.

Anyway.

What was important to me now wasn’t the issue in the North.

I turned off the stove and swiftly retrieved a plate.

“Alright, it’s done.”

Pancakes, steaming and fluffy, were placed on the plate. The enticing aroma of maple syrup made my nose twitch.

As I cut into the layered fluffy stack, the tender, yellow interior shyly revealed itself, challenging the very notion of “softness.”

A blueberry that had precariously perched on top plopped to the plate’s surface.

Soon, the maple syrup cascaded down the sides like a waterfall, moistening both the toppings and the cake, and Camila gasped in delight.

“Wow…!”

With a joyful smile, Camila began devouring the pancakes.

Neatly and generously cut pieces disappeared into her mouth.

With a beaming smile, around her left side were bits of bacon, tomatoes, and hash browns, while on her right were piles of crumbled bread remnants.

“Ugh….”

The moment I managed to set the heaping pile of plates I had cradled in my arms down into the sink, Camila gently raised her hand.

“What do you need?”

“Could I have one more, please?”

“…Again?”

“Hehe….”

Leaving behind Camila’s sheepish smile, I went to make one more pancake. The five pancakes I’d initially made were now down to just one solitary piece.

As I placed the last pancake onto the now-empty plate, I tapped Camila on the shoulder and inquired.

“We’ve eaten six today, right?”

“I wasn’t really hungry.”

“…?”

What did she just say?

I alternated between watching Camila cut her pancake and the scattered wrappers in the kitchen.

Having seemingly polished off all the ingredients I had prepared that morning, she was casually swallowing the last pancake.

Looking at her stuffing her face like a wild boar raiding a trash can, I let out a deep sigh and covered my face with my palms.

When did I start playing maid?

Just a week ago, memories of a past week flooded back to me.

—

It had been the morning of victory.

The assassination operation was a success. At the moment when the scene was cleaned up and the alibi was established, the connection between the Abas government and the assassination plot was completely severed.

As a naval vessel with the same name as a certain Abas Navy ship docked at the naval port, the Military Intelligence Agency declared the mission a success.

The operations team dispatched from the Royal Intelligence Department safely returned to the homeland, and I, who had been waiting at the embassy, began preparations to return home.

But an unexpected situation arose.

“What? Administrator Ranieri went to see the Magic Tower’s Inspector?”

-‘Yes, that’s correct.’

Francesca went to see the Magic Tower Inspector.

To be more precise, she turned herself in.

“No. Why on earth did she go there?”

-‘We don’t know the details either, but according to our informant within the Inspector’s circles, Francesca Ranieri confessed to killing wizards….’

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Francesca had gone to the Inspector with the dawn and confessed her crimes.

She claimed she had killed four necromancers who were her subordinates in the North of the Kien Empire.

As evidence, she presented the runic sword along with the magical tools used for the murders, and crucial evidence, including the belongings and documents of the necromancers in her possession, were also submitted.

Having surrendered, Francesca was arrested by the Magic Tower Inspector.

-‘They seem quite flustered due to the sudden emergence of such an event. Our branch will be keeping a watchful eye on this….’

It was a completely unforeseen situation.

To hear that an information agent had been arrested by the Inspector was no trivial matter.

Of course, Francesca wasn’t someone who welcomed her own demise, nor had she walked into her grave voluntarily. She must have had her own reasons for doing so.

But that was Francesca’s matter.

My circumstances were a different matter altogether.

“Security Office. Situation Room Chief, Colonel Frederick Nostrim from the Kien Empire here. I have something to discuss….”

“Yes, I just found out. From the Magic Tower branch….”

“Hey, it’s Sophia. Is it a good time to talk?”

“I’ll handle it according to regulations. I’ll check if there’s anything left in Francesca’s hotel room and report back if there’s anything to address. Alright.”

“Security Office….”

I was mentally caught up with the phone calls coming from my office.

Few knew my position within the Military Intelligence Agency. Even fewer were aware that Francesca was an information agent.

The issue was those who knew it were high-ranking intelligence officers.

And with someone sitting at that level, they had access to urgent intelligence reports coming from overseas branches.

Even if that were not the case, many knew Francesca and I were colleagues.

Those who only knew me as an attaché were likely worried if something had happened and began to pry into whether I possessed any information.

Thus, the people contacting me fell into two distinct categories.

Those trying to reach Colonel Frederick Nostrim, the defense attaché for the Kien Empire.

And those trying to reach me as an information officer and military intelligence officer for the Kien Empire.

The caller this time was evidently in the latter category.

“Security Office. Kien Empire Area Officer, Frederick….”

-‘Oh, it’s me.’

“Oh, Chief.”

Around the time the morning meeting was ongoing according to the Military Intelligence Agency’s standards, Clevenz had reached out to me, holding the phone while rushing around the embassy.

-‘So Francesca turned herself in?’

“Yes.”

-‘Oh boy, did you get blindsided? How badly did she mistreat you to turn herself in as an information agent? Tsk tsk….’

“That’s not….”

-‘Just kidding. I heard the details just now, I was actually meeting with the Magic Tower embassy staff.’

He shared the intelligence he had acquired from the domestic department with me. The source was human intelligence. It came from the diplomats in the Abas Embassy.

-‘The Magic Tower’s Foreign Affairs section seems completely unaware of the occurrence. The Inspector dispatched to the embassy is just as oblivious.’

The Magic Tower’s Foreign Affairs department didn’t know about Francesca’s surrender. Similarly, the Inspector information agent dispatched to the embassy had no clue about the situation back home.

Describing the situation at that time, Clevenz said it this way.

-‘When I asked why Ranieri was arrested, they all initially wondered what I was talking about. It seemed they thought our staff was joking or something…. After going out to call the ambassador and communicating with contacts back home, they returned pale-faced and said they’d get back to me soon while they all hurriedly left.’

“Did they all truly not know?”

-‘If the content I overheard is true, then yes. At any rate, they didn’t seem to be lying about it.’

One of the embassy staff, well-known for being a classmate of Francesca, tripped and fell as they were leaving their seats.

The Magic Tower diplomat, who posed as an Abas Foreign Affairs employee, promptly dashed to the embassy upon witnessing that.

-‘It’s no surprise they’d be shocked to learn an executive of the Secretariat and the descendant of an Archmage had confessed to murder. Their reactions were excessive, but they weren’t entirely unexpected.’

“Well….”

-‘In any case, it looks like there’s not much to worry about.’

Clevenz also fully conveyed the information collected from overseas.

After receiving the urgent report from the Magic Tower branch, Leoni called forth the inspectors dispatched by the Military Intelligence Agency and outside personnel. Gathering elite lawyers who’ve specialized in international law, Magic Tower protocols, and Kien Empire legislation, she instructed them to thoroughly investigate Francesca’s crimes.

Whether killing the four necromancers constituted justifiable reasons for exemption from illegality, what sort of charges the prosecutor might file if they chose to indict, and how the court might rule, among other legal analyses.

The legal elites, who pored over legal texts and various precedents, drafted a rough draft which was initially reported to Leoni. That draft was subsequently relayed to me via Clevenz.

-‘Having analyzed the Magic Tower and Kien Empire’s laws and precedents, it appears the likelihood of avoiding immediate punishment is high.’

“Is that really the case…?”

-‘Considering there’s a bounty on the necks of the elves that merely fuss around in the Great Forest, there’s no way there wouldn’t be one on the necromancers either, right?’

Since she killed necromancers who were fleeing or threatening harm, and presented evidence that supported the dead mages being necromancers, there was a strong argument for claiming self-defense or emergency evacuation, Clevenz stated.

But a problem still remained.

-‘Ultimately, it’s up to the judge to render a decision. Whether or not an indictment occurs is also in the hands of the prosecutor. Since the overseas department is sifting through the Magic Tower’s Ministry of Justice, police, and Inspector, let’s stay calm and observe the progress for now.’

“Alright, understood….”

-‘Don’t worry too much. Get some rest and I’ll reach out again.’

I placed the receiver down and lit a cigarette.

But I didn’t ignite it.

I found myself repeatedly opening and closing the cigarette case. The box, which was gradually getting crumpled in my grip, was making the distorted hinge of my lighter squeal.

Even as the saliva pooled inside brushed against the filter, the flame refused to ignite. After chewing on the damp filter for what felt like an eternity, I shoved the wet cigarette inside and departed from the embassy.

I had no predetermined destination.

I drove down the road, flinging open the windows to let out the stale air. My security mobile phone, with its battery removed, lay abandoned on the passenger seat. My personal phone faced a similar fate.

Aimlessly wandering around Petrogard until quitting time, my restless mind refused to settle.

It was around the time I arrived at the diplomatic residence.

“…Huh?”

I promptly exited the car upon recognizing the familiar silhouette of a woman loitering in front of the residence.

“What are you doing here, Lucia?”

“Oh, you’ve arrived.”

It was Lucia.

Dressed in white attire symbolizing a saint, Lucia beamed a smile. Her uniquely braided blonde hair glowed brightly in the sunset, shining vibrantly against the dying light.

With a suitcase in one hand, she greeted me. I gestured toward the baggage she held.

“Where are you going? It looks like you’ve got quite a bit of luggage.”

“Did I not mention it? Today is the day I return to the church.”

“Suddenly? I mean, why now of all times… Ah, right.”

As I spoke, it suddenly struck me that the canonization ceremony was fast approaching.

A sacred ritual blessing the birth of a new saint, to whom there had never been multiple living saints within the church’s history.

That cherished canonization ceremony, even the most devout clergy might only see once in their lifetime, was nearing. And Lucia was set to be its protagonist.

“I had completely forgotten. I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I understand you’re a busy person.”

Lucia smiled gently, nodding with understanding, and then her expression turned slightly bitter as she continued.

“Given the concerns of the residents, I would have preferred to stay longer in the North… But with the offensive being moved ahead, it’s become impossible to remain, and the Cardinal and Bishops have urged me to return as soon as possible.”

“It must be a hectic preparation for the canonization ceremony, right?”

“It’s not a simple ceremony.”

In fact, the preparations for the canonization had begun the moment Lucia became a saint.

For the past few months, the high-ranking clergy of the church had been preparing both for the canonization of the new saint, Lucia, and the coronation ceremony of the newly-installed Pope Raphael.

Rumors had it that it would be hailed as the most splendid canonization and coronation ceremony in history. While I wasn’t entirely sure, it seemed that it would last at least three days.

Considering that the papal inauguration typically wrapped up within half a day, this made it clear how immense the expectations for the canonization ceremony were, both among the clergy and the general public.

In other words, if they fumbled the ceremony, it would correlate with fouling their public sentiment.

What could be done?

It’s essential to prepare vigorously to avoid any slip-ups.

“It seems challenging. Good luck with that.”

“It won’t be much trouble. Rather, the ones preparing the event will find it more taxing than I will.”

Even amidst the apparent hardship, Lucia maintained a neutral attitude, merely nodding.

“By the way, I have one favor to ask if you have time?”

“Go ahead.”

“It’s about the hero…”

Lucia cautiously opened the topic, her expression transitioning to one of worry.

“I will be busy running around for a while, and Francesca will likely be occupied with her Magic Tower matters as well. So, I’m saying this…”

Could you possibly watch over Camila for a bit?

Upon hearing her request, I paused for a moment in thought.

“……”

Fortunately, it seemed that Lucia had not yet heard the news of Francesca’s arrest.

She had approached me to ask for help with Camila, as she thought that with Francesca constantly busy performing duties in the North, the burden on her would be eased if I could take care of the homeless Camila for a while.

Lost in thought, I gazed at the sunset sky.

It didn’t take long for me to resolve my thoughts.

“…Yes, I’ll take care of her.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to impose like this.”

“No, it’s nothing. It’s part of the job, after all.”

So, I agreed to look after Camila in place of Lucia and Francesca.

And….

—

As I roused from my reverie, I found myself staring at the devastation before me, completely stunned.

I had certainly brought back a pile of groceries earlier that dawn. What on earth had happened to those?

The kitchen was littered with crumpled wrappers of the groceries I’d bought, while an enormous mountain of dishes filled the sink to the brim.

And that wasn’t all.

The table, which had been set for sharing snacks over the sofa, had long since been taken over by takeout food I’d brought from outside. Even the snacks and soda I’d covertly stashed in the cart occupied the edges of the table.

And in front of the table. Camila had claimed the most favorable spot on the cozy sofa, resting her hand upon her belly, smiling brightly.

“Ah, I feel like I’m going to burst….”

“……”

“The food in the Northern hotels was so bad that I simply couldn’t endure it. The rationing in the curfew area meant the supermarkets didn’t even open…. Honestly, it reminded me of the days I was volunteering in Africa, and it was so tough.”

I glanced down at the half-eaten pizza.

The pizza had been cut into manageable squares, resembling how the UK ripped up the African continent. Next to it lay an entirely empty pizza box, and inside was a chicken container with only the crumbs remaining.

Within reach, there lay a card I’d never seen before. It was a check card that Camila had opened in her name.

Having slain monsters in the Magic Tower and burnt down half the mountains in the Empire, she had been dining and frolicking for a week with the money she received.

“……”

Turning my head to check the time, it was now 11:22.

Camila’s breakfast, which had started at 8, had somehow dragged on for nearly three hours.

The townhouse of the Nostrim Family located in the capital of Abas.

Holding a plastic bag for recycling, I stepped into the living room and sighed deeply at the chaotic scene before me.

“Isn’t this excessive? Damn it….”

On the seventh morning since I decided to stay with Camila, I finally came to realize today that I had been quite the fool to comply with Lucia’s request.