A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Despite countless doubts and demands for explanations, it’s rare for the Information Agency to actively step forward to uncover the truth.

As soon as information is revealed, spies rush in like a pack of wolves to snatch up the secrets.

Thus, the Information Agency cannot make excuses or boast.

Even if they have to endure insults calling them arrogant brats, operations must continue.

In the field of national intelligence, such actions are defined as “plausible deniability.”

However,

“Hey, Frederick. Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Director Leoni?”

“I heard that the Hero has fled to the Mauritania Continent. Did you know about it?”

“I didn’t.”

It’s not just the company that can use “plausible deniability.”

—

Episode 16 – Six Million Dollar Man

—

As the news of Camila’s sudden departure spread, the relevant authorities convened a meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having first obtained information through a diplomat, and the Royal Intelligence Department, which holds overseas intel lines.

At first glance, this event seemed unrelated to the Military Intelligence Agency responsible for military information, but the harsh reality was far from that.

“The Chief is entering!”

“Hey! Duty Officer. Where’s the Director now?”

“The Chief of the Headquarters is running a bit late. He should make it in before the meeting starts, though….”

The once quiet Sunday morning was shattered by the appearance of unexpected guests, as a duty officer dashed through the hallway while a high-ranking Information Officer repeatedly pressed the elevator button.

It was all because of Camila’s bizarre act of leaving for the Mauritania Continent without warning.

“Situation Room Chief.”

“Yes!”

“Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Intelligence Department. And connect me with the Kien Embassy immediately, hurry.”

Normally, issues like Camila’s departure would be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through daily reports. It was the same when she first went to the Magic Tower and when she secretly entered Abas.

But now, the circumstances were different.

First, the problem was that Camila’s destination was a country embroiled in civil war. Traditionally, in conflict zones, the influence of the Information Agency is stronger than that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so most issues in war-torn regions are handled by the Information Agency.

But “of all times,” Camila entered a country experiencing civil war, and the Information Agency only realized the situation after receiving official documents from the Ministry. Furthermore, it was up to the Military Intelligence Agency, to which her fellow workers belonged, to gather intel on Camila.

This was precisely why personnel from the related departments were summoned to the office early on a Sunday morning.

“What’s with the departure at this hour…? What was the Branch Manager doing?”

“What do you mean what? He didn’t even know until it reached the Ambassador’s ears. He probably went home early and is sleeping.”

“What’s happening on a Sunday? Why not just leave on Monday…?”

“By the way, where’s Colonel Nostrim? Did he not know either?”

“Don’t know. But the office lights were turned off.”

—

The Lushan Federal Kingdom, an assembly of principalities. In a single-family home in a relatively unfamiliar region.

I encountered familiar faces there.

“Fancy meeting you again, Matt.”

Dressed in a summer shirt and jeans, a middle-aged man, looking no different from a local, flicked his cigarette with his fingers to ignite it.

“You arrived early.”

“I used the Warp Gate.”

He nodded readily.

“Did you bring your stuff?”

“Sort of. I just packed what I would need on-site.”

As I pulled my luggage from the trunk, the staff sitting in the driver’s seat drove the vehicle to the garage. I followed Matt, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

Inside the safe house, the advance members of the operations team huddled together. Led by Team Leader Matt, there were about six Information Officers gathered.

I cautiously looked around the accommodation and opened my mouth.

“Is Bill still back home?”

“Of course. He’s part of the support team.”

As two men entered, the interior of the accommodation became bustling, and amidst the warm glow of the electronic devices, a Beastman peeked out and wailed.

“Meow.”

What the—

Just as I momentarily paused while setting down my luggage, Matt, who was spraying deodorizer at the entrance, began to bubble with curses.

“Kair! You damn furball! How many times do I have to tell you not to crawl between the gear?”

He scolded the team member mixed in with profanity for letting fur get into the equipment, claiming it breaks easily and that he had even provided a box for that very reason.

Kair, the Cat Beastman and member of the operations team, cast a dissatisfied glance at Team Leader Matt and left the room.

“Meow….”

As Kair’s spot was quickly cleared by the team members manipulating devices, they expertly fetched a fur-cleaning roller specifically designed for Beastmen, sweeping it across the floor and equipment.

As Kair lamented his lost home, Matt rummaged through a drawer calling for me.

“Come take a look.”

With Camila’s abrupt departure leading to departmental reprimands, Leoni approved my overseas business trip.

The destination was a certain country on the Mauritania Continent. A civil war zone rife with warlords and intense political strife.

There was only one goal.

Camila’s safety.

While there were additional objectives, the primary reason for the deployment was Camila’s safety. If she were to be killed in a civil war area, it could jeopardize everything we were working on.

No matter how difficult the civil war area was, finding a single civilian who entered illegally isn’t too hard. Tracking down spies disguised as civilians fleeing to other countries is what the Information Agency does.

Finding someone is a fundamental task of the Information Agency; a company incapable of doing so can’t even call themselves an Information Agency.

Of course, it’s tough to locate spies who’ve thoroughly concealed their identities strategically, but with proper preparation, you can still catch a glimpse of their tail once in a while.

Thus, finding someone like Camila, who wasn’t even an Information Agent, shouldn’t be particularly difficult.

However, preparations were still necessary.

“Let’s see… You probably packed your underwear and clothes. Is there anything in particular you need?”

“No. Just give me what you have.”

“Take this.”

He handed me an identification card.

“Don’t use the passport with your name when entering Lushan. In the field, make sure to use this passport.”

The forged identification included a name unfamiliar to me as a citizen of the Lushan Federal Kingdom. The photo was one of my older ID pictures, but all other information was replaced with that of a citizen from a third country.

Matt said,

“It’s a clean passport. It’s a newly issued ID from the company.”

“Seems a bit worn for that. The issue date is four years ago.”

“Consumer electronics and magical tools are best brand new, but the newer the ID, the less valuable it is. The department struggled to avoid scratches, but you can be assured.”

The support department had just created this fresh new item. Therefore, the issue date inscribed on the identification, as well as its scratches, discolorations, and even the magic verification symbols that faded over time were all fabrications.

While the skill required to forge even the anti-counterfeit magic seals was advanced, it wasn’t particularly great work.

The truly crucial factor is how to effectively utilize the disguise.

That’s the measure that distinguishes between a hotshot Information Agency and a top-notch one.

I incinerated the identification I had and kept the one Matt handed over.

“Now let’s talk business.”

Matt smiled silently.

As azure magic began to emerge from the equipment, a blue image floated in the air.

With his hands shoved into his pockets, he dragged his slippers across the floor as he waved the image in the air. I organized my backpack while lighting a cigarette.

And soon after.

“Alright.”

The operations team leader, having identified a map and faces of a few people, spoke calmly.

“Where do you plan to start?”

—

Anyone with some experience in overseas affairs would be chilled to the bone upon hearing the three letters: “illegal entry.”

The national database, capable of recording the identities of foreign nationals residing domestically, is a blessing from a law enforcement perspective, but a disaster for the Information Agency.

What Information Agency would be pleased about having the details of their operatives visiting enemy nations stored in foreign databases? Moreover, counterintelligence agencies are notoriously known for never deleting recorded data.

Therefore, for an Information Officer, illegal entry was a threshold they had to experience at least once in their life.

Especially for personnel conducting “sketchy operations.”

In my case, the situation was similar.

Having escaped the detached housing, I boarded a cargo ship owned by a third-country shipping company, heading to the Lushan Federal Kingdom.

The company owning the vessel had nothing to do with the Information Agency, but the captain had his own petty dealings. He mainly handled smuggled goods—specifically, people.

Just as many had once yearned for the “American Dream” to cross into America for a prosperous life, people in this area dreamt of a second life in the Abas Kingdom, the Republic of Patalia, or the Kien Empire.

However, obtaining work visas was far from simple. Those who couldn’t legally enter usually opted for illegal entry to escape the watch of the Ministry of Justice.

One common method was through shipping vessels.

This method also felt familiar to me.

I had used it to bring Abas agents into the Magic Tower, and I frequently used it when sneaking into Russia. It wasn’t uncommon for me to sneak onto a fishing vessel, bribing the crew as we drifted through the Arctic and Okhotsk seas.

The ship I boarded today was no different.

The captain utilized the vessel for profit between continents, and a few executives in the company had turned a blind eye to his “side job.” The transportation of refugees back and forth across the Mauritania Continent proved to be quite profitable.

Thanks to that, it wasn’t too difficult to bribe the captain.

After agreeing to pay the standard illegal entry fee, the captain led me to a cabin without asking a single question.

Of course,

It helped that a trustworthy broker had introduced me to the captain prior.

-‘Did you board the ship safely, Colonel?’

“The captain has been hitting the bottle since noon, and aside from the cabin being a bit cramped, everything’s fine.”

-‘Hmm. Just don’t look too negatively upon him. Though he seems like a wastrel, he’s a reliable operator I’ve been on good terms with for quite some time.’

The broker, Francesca, who supplied me with a safe passage, defended the captain with her charming voice.

This operation primarily focused on securing Camila’s safety.

The problem was that I needed to enter a civil war zone, so to avoid unnecessary diplomatic friction, I had to be deployed in the field under a civilian identity.

Leoni promised to hold me accountable for all responsibilities arising from this process. In other words, the company couldn’t provide direct support, so it was up to me to handle the issues myself.

In return, I received a generous budget. There’s truly nothing comparable to money when it comes to solving problems.

Fortunately, this aspect did not pose too much of a problem.

Engaging in espionage in the Third World was my specialty dating back to my time in the Intelligence Agency, and I always had informants ready to assist me.

“……”

I had undergone illegal entry more times than I could count, but the horizon viewed from the deck of a ship slicing through waves is always special.

I expressed my gratitude to the long-distance communication magical crystal.

“Thank you for securing the passage.”

-‘What are you thanking me for?’

Without the support of the company, I couldn’t utilize the Military Intelligence Agency’s networks, but Francesca was an informant capable of exerting influence even on the Mauritania Continent.

Through connections fortified by under-the-table dealings, she provided me with the conveniences I needed.

Of course, it wasn’t just her ability to secure a smuggler’s passage to the Mauritania Continent that pulled her into this operation.

-‘If you’re really grateful, could you please send something I asked for to the Hero when she’s back?’

Francesca naturally mentioned Camila.

-‘The Hero is sure to return soon, but you probably won’t have the time or leisure to pick up a souvenir, right?’

“It sounds as if Camila will be returning to the Empire soon enough.”

-‘It’s because I made that arrangement from the start. The Hero didn’t go to the Mauritania Continent of her own accord, did she?’

Indeed.

Camila hadn’t entered the Mauritania Continent independently without consulting us. To be precise, she went there at my request.

The reason being I had to undertake this overseas trip but had no suitable excuse.

So we had previously agreed to meet up locally, coordinate our plans, and then scatter. I would head into the field while Camila would return to the Empire.

Considering the time it takes to board and sneak around to find her, it would roughly take three days, so I had already advised her to enjoy herself in the meantime.

Of course, I reminded her to stay only in safe areas.

Thus, this entire incident was essentially a surprise show I had planned. It was obvious there would be an immediate investigation from the company, but as long as I wasn’t caught, there wouldn’t be any punishment.

Francesca was one of the few people aware of the intricacies behind this incident.

As a side note, the other person was Lucia.

-‘I’ve informed Victor for you. He said you could contact him at your convenience.’

“Understood.”

-‘If you happen to run into him, please send him my regards.’

Of course!

After ending the call,

I entered the cabin and finished organizing my luggage.

Since I had to leave in a hurry, I brought only a few personal items, so my belongings were minimal. Just a handful of clothes, underwear, a tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and some food.

All other items would need to be acquired on-site.

Personal weapons, vehicles, lodging, clothing, and even socks and underwear—all of it.

“The cost of lodging, vehicle rentals, information fees, greasing the civil servant’s palms… and then buying meals and clothes…”

Sigh

Another hefty expenditure looms ahead.

Of course, since this isn’t coming from my own pocket but from the budget given by the company, it isn’t a burden. However, receiving operating expenses as a civilian requires a complex procedure. Plus, it’s always better to have extra funds.

Sitting in the cabin, I adjusted the budget while gazing out the window.

The heavily armored vessel, leaving a trail of white foam in its wake, trekked toward the red continent.

Far away, toward the Mauritania Continent.

The tumultuous sea, exhaling rough breaths under the turbulent sky.

The sun was spiraling down, casting a vivid red glow on the horizon.

Accidents always come without warning.

“…What did you just say?”

On the Mauritania Continent. In the lobby of a hotel several blocks away from the Kien Empire Embassy, Camila shrieked.

“I don’t want to go back.”

“……”

“Ah, take me with you right now!”

I thought to myself.

Damn.

“…Who would’ve thought I’d be dealing with a British person.”

Those damn imperialists!