A Dark Fantasy Spy

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After staying in Lateran for four days, I went to find Abas. I had received news that the elders of the Nostrim family had come to the residence for the housewarming of my younger brother’s home and were pressuring the eldest son and daughter about the whereabouts of the absent second son.

“Oh, Fred. Where have you been until now?”

Grace Nostrim, the matriarch of the Nostrim family, finally welcomed her second son who had kept them waiting.

“I’m sorry. Something came up for a bit….”

“You seem very busy. I’m glad you’re back. Come on in.”

I handed her the gifts I had brought from the cult and the Magic Tower and stepped inside.

Inside the residence were guests awaiting me: my older brother Jerry, my older sister Adela, my father Charles Nostrim, and my mother Grace Nostrim, among others. All members of the Nostrim family were gathered in one place, except for Ayla, who was on a work trip.

Grace Nostrim, who had opened the front door first, announced my arrival to the family gathered in the living room. Jerry and Adela rushed out from around the table, and Charles Nostrim, who was surveying the residence from the sofa, followed behind. I nodded my head in greeting as I followed my mother past the entrance.

“I’m here.”

“Oh, you’re back?”

Jerry, who had come out to greet me, ushered my mother into the living room and then lowered his voice so that others couldn’t hear.

“It has been quite chaotic while you were gone. I know work is busy, but how can you be absent for almost a week without contacting anyone?”

“I had my reasons.”

“What reasons?”

“It’s confidential.”

As I shook off the dirt from my shoes, Jerry squinted at me, his expression half-exasperated.

“Of course. It’s not like anything at your company isn’t confidential. I wouldn’t be surprised if you couldn’t even disclose how much toilet paper you bought.”

“What can I say, it’s true.”

“Whatever. Hurry up and go see them. They’ve worried a lot about you while you were gone.”

He gestured for me to head inside quickly. But I didn’t even take off my coat before opening my mouth.

“I can’t stay long. I have to leave soon.”

“Again?”

“Yep.”

“Fred. Everyone is gathered. What will you do if you leave?”

I let out a deep sigh.

“What can I do? It’s about work.”

“More work? Where to this time?”

Well…

Leaning against the shoe rack and gazing at Jerry, I answered.

“The Empire.”

—

Episode 17 – The Tree That Drinks Blood

There’s a word symbolizing the Kien Empire.

Emperor.

“The Crown Prince has sent a gift in the name of His Majesty Nikolai VI.”

Duke.

“Is it Kolya?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“What ‘Your Highness’? We’re not strangers; there’s no need for formalities. Just call me grandma like before.”

“Uh, even so, that feels a bit inappropriate at my age.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

Chancellor.

The Emperor, Duke, and Chancellor are the symbols of the Kien Empire and represent its power.

The Duke, guarding the Empire from the northern demon tribes, is an archmage known throughout history and revered by all mages in the world, not just in the Empire. Furthermore, she is of noble blood, being the younger sister of the previous Emperor, so barely anyone in the Empire dares to speak to her informally except for the Emperor.

In other words, even the Chancellor, who leads the cabinet on behalf of the Emperor, cannot casually address her.

Thus, when Chancellor Stollipin was asked by the Duke to call her ‘grandma’ like they did in their childhood, he found himself in quite a predicament.

“There’s no issue, but… Your Highness, how could I dare address you as grandma?”

“Why do you speak so sadly? You used to call me that with no problem.”

“That was….”

Stollipin choked on his words.

No. How long ago was that?

It had been over 70 years since he had called Duke Alexandra Petrovna ‘grandma’ when he was a child. To be precise, he had called her that accidentally one time when he was very young.

Back then, Stollipin was just over ten years old, and Nikolai VI was preparing to ascend the throne behind the ailing previous Emperor.

Even though he was a child, due to being the heir apparent, no one approached Nikolai, who was suffering from illness and old age, so Stollipin, who was around the same age, was his only friend.

Occasionally, when they escaped the heavy reality to explore the palace together, a mysterious silver-haired lady would appear, wandering around the palace gardens with them.

The young Stollipin, seeing a woman who looked like a fairy-tale mage, spontaneously approached her and casually called her ‘sister’.

It wasn’t strange. The woman, having reached a high level of mastery in magic, looked young to anyone.

The issue was that this lady was no ordinary palace mage; she was the archmage overseeing all the palace mages and the Emperor’s sister.

Duke Alexandra Petrovna recalled her brief yet intense encounter with the young boy fondly.

“It was quite a shock. I had never been called that before. The palace mages must have been shocked as well; they all looked utterly stunned.”

The mages who witnessed the scene of a boy calling the Duke ‘sister’ were wide-eyed and nearly fainted.

Now, she was treated as a senior, but at that time, Duke Alexandra was the sister of the living former Emperor.

It was only natural for a child from a prestigious family to call the Emperor’s sister informally without any honorifics, so the shock faced by the mages assisting the Emperor was beyond words.

The mages worried that there might be repercussions from the Emperor, shaking in fear, but fortunately, the Duke deemed it a misunderstanding and covered for the boy. The Emperor laughed, thinking, ‘Sasha has reached the point where she can be called sister.’

From that day forth, Stollipin occasionally referred to the Duke as ‘grandma’.

Although he had been educated, the little boy had not formed habits in the complicated royal customs, and this was a small consideration from the Duke for a child who couldn’t adapt.

That was the first meeting the Duke remembered with Stollipin.

As the Duke reminisced, a smile of kindness spread across her face.

“That memory is still so vivid. You remember it too, right?”

“How could I forget….”

That incident from 70 years ago still circulated among gossipers as a famous tale. It was the only time an ordinary nobleman called the Duke ‘grandma’, neither as a grandson nor as a descendant of an archmage.

No one held Stollipin accountable for using informal terms. After all, the former Emperor had chuckled and let it slide because he knew the Duke’s sister well. The Duke herself had allowed it, saying it was fine for him to call her ‘grandma’. Thus, no one reproached the Chancellor for this matter then or even now.

Of course, the innocent boy’s status had never commanded respect, past or present. Consequently, the Chancellor, confronted with this embarrassing recollection after so long, had to cover his face with his wrinkled hands.

“…I would appreciate it if you forgot about that, Your Highness.”

“What is there to be ashamed of? It wasn’t a bad memory.”

“This year my grandson is graduating from the Academy; comments like that are… embarrassing.”

I’m over 80; isn’t it about time to forget it? If my grandson hears it, it’ll be mortifying. The tone conveyed such nuances.

Of course, the Chancellor’s grandson was well aware of his grandfather’s youthful indiscretions.

Whenever attending royal events with his grandfather since childhood, he would often start with, “Did I ever tell you what your granddad did back in the day~?” whenever his friend vacated their seat. Even the one who would reveal his grandfather’s misdeeds was his friend, the Emperor Nikolai VI.

There was no way someone who was present at the scene could forget the story that the entire Empire’s subjects knew well, right?

As a result, the Chancellor’s grandson grew up hearing stories about his grandfather’s youthful follies from the Emperor at every opportunity.

However, just because everyone knew the truth didn’t erase the embarrassment. In fact, knowing that everyone knew made it even more embarrassing.

Stollipin continually washed his face dry with his wrinkled hands, while Alexandra Petrovna watched on, smiling with delight.

“Indeed. It feels like just yesterday when you used to call me informally. You’ve aged as well.”

“You remain as youthful as ever, Your Highness.”

“Nonsense. You are more vigorous than I. You’re living your life with more intensity than ever, are you not?”

“……”

The Chancellor’s expression hardened as he brushed his cheeks. He was not dull enough not to understand the meaning behind the Duke’s words.

The Duke began to speak in a calm and solemn manner.

“Is there any progress in treating Kolya?”

The Chancellor’s once composed demeanor turned somber as he answered in a hushed voice.

“…There has been no effect.”

Everyone present was acutely aware that Nikolai VI was bedridden with a serious illness.

The Duke was the Emperor’s aunt, and the Chancellor had been the Emperor’s closest aide for 70 years. There was no way neither of them was unaware of the Emperor’s deteriorating health.

The Duke asked.

“Is there really no sign of improvement?”

“Yes.”

The Chancellor replied with certainty.

“We have mobilized everything presumably effective for his treatment, including the eastern elixir, the bloodstone from the Mauritania continent, dragon remains housed in the Empire’s museum, and magic stones mined from the north, but we have seen no meaningful results.”

“What about that child’s divinity?”

“Saint Lucia is dedicated to his treatment, but the chief physicians’ opinions are…”

The face of the elderly man darkened ominously, unable to continue his words.

Duke Alexandra Petrovna nodded silently. Even after five months had passed, not having seen any improvement in Nikolai’s condition was something already known through the saint.

She only wished to confirm whether there might have been any slight improvement.

“So it is.”

“…I apologize.”

“Why would you apologize? No one wishes for Kolya to rise from his sickbed more than you.”

The Chancellor, who had been lowering his head, opened a document that he had brought from the Magic Department and began to speak.

“We have tried the best means presumed effective for treatment, but it’s not as if there are no other methods left. If we could acquire sunstone from the bloodstone on the Mauritania continent, healing might be possible.”

“Sunstone… I know of that item. I saw it last when a friend of mine kept it.”

“The sunstone owned by the goddess is presently managed by the Al-Yabd Alliance. Considering our relationship with the cult, immediate contact is impossible, but the Foreign Ministry is reaching out to the Ivory Tower to find a solution.”

“…Might that be enough?”

“……”

No answer came. Silence prevailed, since there was no certainty.

While waiting for the Chancellor’s response, the Duke lightly tapped her armrest and sighed softly. She then spoke slowly, directing another question.

“What is the movement within the cabinet?”

“Not good.”

Though the Kien Empire maintains a monarchical system, the Emperor doesn’t control the entire Empire. The Empire is far too vast for an individual to manage, and its interests intertwine with both domestic and foreign matters.

Thus, the Emperor gathered officials to form a cabinet that would oversee the Empire. And for the role of head of the cabinet, he placed his most trusted and wise friend.

Stollipin had been leading the cabinet for over 50 years now. When Nikolai VI ousted the regent during a coup, the Chancellor managed to garner the support of the Foreign and Internal Ministries, positioning himself at the pinnacle while still in his 30s.

However, it seemed the Empire’s fate was approaching its end. The Chancellor donned a grim expression as he spoke.

“Senior officials from the Foreign and Internal Ministries have expressed their concerns. Especially the ministers who have requested private meetings so that His Majesty could make crucial decisions for their departments.”

“Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs have often held private meetings with Kolya. It’s natural for them to worry. What about the other departments?”

“The situation is similar in other departments. Although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is making efforts… ”

The Chancellor’s voice trailed off.

His Highness the Crown Prince was striving with all his might to fill the Emperor’s void, but matters requiring the Emperor’s approval remained things the Crown Prince couldn’t touch.

Whether it was establishing diplomatic relations with a potential rival nation that maintained a close relationship with Abas, or issues concerning the deployment of troops abroad. Since critical reports from the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry were matters that the Emperor had promised to handle personally, it would be blatant overstepping for the Crown Prince to intervene.

“The Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry are urging His Majesty for approval. We need permission to proceed to the next step, but with months gone by without any news, our officials and foreign diplomats find ourselves in a difficult position.”

The problems didn’t end there.

“The same goes for the Intelligence Department. Leaders from the Imperial Guard HQ and information agencies are seeking permission for critical operations. Although His Majesty had earlier commanded that trivial matters be dealt with at each agency’s discretion, it seems we’ve reached a point where they can no longer manage internally.”

“……”

Maintaining silence, the Duke propped her chin in her hand. Her eyes, filled with worry, began gazing into the void.

“Could we not report this to the Crown Prince?”

“Impossible. It might be different for other departments, but the Foreign, Defense, and Intelligence Ministries all require the Emperor’s authorization.”

“Then is there no way to elevate the Crown Prince to the throne?”

It was a suggestion to crown the Crown Prince in place of Nikolai VI, who lay bed-ridden.

Heavy silence began to circulate in the chamber of affairs. Neither the Chancellor nor the Duke spoke.

Regardless of the Duke being the Emperor’s aunt and the Chancellor being the Emperor’s friend, discussing succession was no light matter. If they were merely ordinary ministers or generals, neither would walk away with their heads intact.

“…Is that a possibility?”

“We cannot simply stand by and watch the Empire decline.”

The Duke cautiously began to discuss the succession.

“There have been instances in the history of the imperial family where a sick predecessor succeeded to the throne. My nephew has already decided his son to be the heir, so it wouldn’t be a problem for the boy to ascend.”

“…It is not impossible.”

The Chancellor concurred.

“However, every previous Emperor has inherited ‘the mystery’ along with the throne. The ailing predecessor, before passing the throne, transferred ‘the mystery’ to the next Emperor. Nikolai… was overthrown in a coup but received the ‘mystery’ from his predecessor. That was why he could ascend to the throne fully.”

“……”

“Yet now, the Crown Prince has not received ‘the mystery’. The Emperor is not in a condition to pass it on either. If we were to elevate him to the throne, what would happen? Surely many issues would arise.”

“Do we wait for him to awaken? Kolya?”

“…That is the best option, Your Highness.”

Heavy silence lingered between the Duke and Chancellor in that moment.

– CLANG!

Suddenly, every glass window in the chamber shattered. The unexpected explosion sent shards of glass flying, and the startled Chancellor nearly fell from his seat.

Beyond the broken windows popped up a tiny head with gleaming, luscious red hair.

“Are you okay?!”

It was Camila.

Explosion, shattered glass, flying broomsticks, and a disciple. As bits and pieces began to connect in my head — a hypothesis I hoped to avoid but instinctively raised my head to consider — the Duke’s expression began to morph into an intriguing one.

“Did I startle you? I’m sorry…”

“Child, what kind of trouble have you made this time?”

“Well, it happened while I was practicing magic….”

The Duke’s expression grew even more enigmatic. Camila, perched on her broom with a sheepish grin, scratched the back of her head. Only the Chancellor, caught off-guard, was left bewildered in this rather surreal scenario.

The Duke, standing up from her seat, approached the window. Gently brushing away the scattered shards of glass to ensure no stray wind would sweep through where shouldn’t.

And then, peering out of the window, she let out a short sigh.

“…Did you say you merely had a little accident?”

“Yes…”

“Yet I see half of the garden has vanished from my view.”

“……”

Should I mourn over half that is gone, or rejoice that half remains? It was truly a bizarre accident scene, but the Duke’s face did not cloud over.

She cast a gentle smile upon her disciple, who seemed like a child caught in the act.

“At least you weren’t hurt. You’ve improved, so consider it a stroke of luck.”

“Hehe.”

“…….”

At that, Stollipin, shaking off the glass shards from his clothing, tilted his head.

“Um, saying things like that in a situation like this….”

“Is there a problem with it? My disciple is only practicing magic; breaking a bit of glass is nothing, right?”

“Um, yes!”

“…….”

Thus, the Chancellor thought.

After seeing how things have developed, it seemed even the Duke had reached an age where she might be somewhat forgetful.