A Dark Fantasy Spy

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When living life under the constant pressure of time, there are moments where one finishes the day without even looking up.

This isn’t due to some insurmountable distance between the sky and humans, but because we lack even the briefest moment to spare for gazing upwards.

Thus, a gloomy sky is not at fault.

The sorrow stems from the harshness and exhaustion concealed behind dark clouds, born from a breathless struggle to grasp even a few seconds of time.

Beneath the gray-tinted sky and city, shadows reflected in puddles merge with the city in the background, blending into a gray haze.

I hurriedly adjusted my suit while plugged into my in-ear and rushed along.

—

Episode 19 – HELLDIVERS

As the chaotic political landscape of the Jamria Federation began to stabilize, the numerous injuries obtained from the Mauritania Continent gradually faded.

However, while injuries may dull, they never fully vanish, lingering as faint symbols that settle into every nook of body and soul.

With a month of investigation dribbling away, I was given a bit of time.

Although this had caused quite a stir, making it hard for me to continue working as a Defense Attaché for a while, it was also a signal that I would soon be going abroad again in some form. One might as well see it as a kind of vacation.

I unexpectedly stepped into the street.

The city, now in the midst of a holy season, was alive with energy.

Foreigners who looked like tourists and citizens enjoying the bustling streets.

Shops were busy luring customers in, while merchants used snippets of foreign languages to attract tourists.

There were even some capturing the exotic scenery with magic cameras as a keepsake. However, thankfully, no one was broadcasting on TikTok or Instagram Live.

No matter where I went, the sight of tourists lingering in the bustling streets with selfie sticks had always made my blood boil. I had had far too many headaches thanks to those idiots broadcasting others’ faces without any mosaics.

With the absence of such people, this side of town felt relatively livable. That was precisely why I had jumped into the streets without a care.

As I pushed my way through the crowd, various sounds echoed around me. The bustling voices calling for someone, the hurried rustling of stalls, and the sporadic snippets of foreign languages.

I couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of excitement and disappointment as my gaze wandered over the faces of passersby, hoping to find someone familiar. When I locked eyes with a foreigner who had been staring at me, they politely apologized in broken Abas language, “I’m sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”

From that simple apology, I sensed a strangely familiar tone. Since it was a language I had recently learned, I naturally opened my mouth to respond.

“Tú no te preocupes. (It’s alright.)”

I waved my hand to the foreigner. Quickly swept away by the crowd, they vanished from sight.

Leaving that brief meeting behind, I scanned the surroundings in search of the now-gone tourist. Near the historical train station, there were vehicles, magic control devices, and road mirrors scattered all about.

After briefly skim over the various perspectives offered by the third eyes, I stepped back into the crowd. A wave of locals and foreigners poured down the steps of the arriving train, allowing me to rest for a moment on a bench in the plaza.

“…….”

Though it was just a fleeting moment, my rest lasted longer than expected. Every time the automatic doors opened, countless eyes lingered on the people coming and going, and the shouts of those who found their companions echoed clearly from afar.

Between the side mirrors and roadside reflections, I gazed at the crowd lined up at the station entrance, before rolling my eyes left and right and getting up from the bench to walk down an alley.

Amid the sounds of my footsteps, splashes from puddles mixed in with the rhythm. Occasionally, I heard footsteps that seemed out of sync, but I didn’t bother to question them.

The not-so-short alley was eerily quiet compared to the plaza beyond a couple of buildings.

Is that why?

My footsteps felt unusually loud.

“Hm.”

I subtly rolled my eyes as I rounded the corner and moved deeper inside.

Following footsteps in sneakers behind me.

—

As I turned the corner, the dim magic lights flickered on.

My footsteps splashed through the water puddle, creating ripples, but suddenly halted.

The alley was shrouded in darkness.

Clouds tinted with pastel twilight were sparsely visible between the tall and short buildings. The shadows of the shoulder-to-shoulder buildings loomed heavily over the alley.

With irregular external structures scattered about, the darkness thickened, just as it did in the alley.

“…….”

The halted sneakers remained motionless. They stood frozen in place as if nailed down.

Just when a pair of eyes darted around, searching the surroundings.

-Squish.

A sharp, hard object poked gently at my side.

In the shadowy urban sprawl, a short voice whispered in my ear just after.

“This is a rib.”

It was a finger.

To elaborate, it was the index finger, precisely pinpointing between the ribs.

“This is where the lungs and heart are located. If you stab exactly here from behind, you can drop an opponent in one shot. With the right pressure, even a knife can reach the heart.”

Of course, you shouldn’t stab just once. If a blade is left in the heart while heading to the emergency room, a thoracic surgeon won’t have much trouble saving them.

To ensure a kill, you have to stab multiple times.

Only then do the organs and vessels turn to ragged bits.

Before long, they succumb to excessive bleeding.

“Beware of rear ambushes. Especially after turning a corner. A knife to the ribs or neck won’t leave even a doctor a chance.”

“…Isn’t cutting the carotid artery instant death?”

“That’s why I’m saying to be careful.”

The Information Officer poked at my soft side repeatedly before withdrawing their finger. The trainee, shivering with goosebumps, was fidgeting with her shoulders.

“Ugh, that’s brutal…”

“What are you flustered about when preparing to join the Information Agency? You’ll learn everything when you get hired.”

“No, but how can you casually mention stabbing between the ribs?!”

“Do you think it’s just the ribs? I’ll stab through the clavicle, liver, medulla, trachea, carotid artery, and even the temple. You’ll inevitably learn this when you join, so you might as well know ahead of time.”

Ugh—

She shivered as if gripped by chills, as if her iPhone rang at 7 AM without fail.

Frederick chuckled in disbelief and continued speaking with an incredulous tone.

“What’s with the fuss? You should be getting used to it by now, Camila.”

That was a playful jab.

As she rubbed her side, Camila had no choice but to raise her voice.

“I’m not used to any of this!”

“Of course you wouldn’t be. How could you?”

Frederick laughed softly, playfully returning the remark. It was a truly disarming smile.

After barely calming the boiling anger inside, Camila, with her ears tinted a bright red, spat out.

“In any case, since I’ve been found out, quickly point out the issues.”

“I intended to discuss post-action reviews anyway. Before that…”

Frederick paused momentarily, smiled gently, and greeted her.

“Nice to meet you, Camila.”

It had been a while since they last met.

—

Leaving behind the ruckus created by my stormy housemates as I went to meet a girl, I found myself in a secluded back alley with Camila.

It had been nearly a month since they last saw each other.

Directly after the minor event in the Jamria Federation, dubbed “Delivery of Democracy,” the startled Government of Abas had summoned me back, forcing us apart.

Of course, it merely meant I had been recalled to the home country, so if they wanted, my companions could have come to Abas to meet me. However, the problem arose when orders were issued prohibiting contact with outsiders during the investigation period. To be precise, this directive came from the committee.

Thus, I had remained isolated for nearly a month, undergoing investigation, only to finally regain freedom and meet my companions now.

“It’s so nice to see you! Wow, how long has it been…?”

I mumbled to myself, sipping the coffee satisfyingly. Even the bitter acidity tasted sweet; I felt genuinely happy.

“You must have had a rough time with the investigation. Judging by the lack of contact over the month, I guess you faced some confinement, right?”

“Not confinement, strictly speaking. They just limited external contact.”

“Wow… That’s seriously no joke.”

As Camila slurped a drink loaded with caramel, she chimed in.

The reason she had come this far was simple: it was for me. The instant it appeared I would get some kind of leave (not really), I contacted my team.

Since they had all returned to the home country, I thought we might as well enjoy some downtime together, but unfortunately, everyone was too busy. Hence, Camila had come as the representative to meet me.

After savoring the crema that had sunk to the bottom of my cup, I opened my mouth again.

“Are you still in Jamria?”

“Yes.”

Without wiping the foam clinging to her lips, Camila immediately continued.

“I plan to stay until the local situation stabilizes, at least.”

“So things are quite bad then?”

“Well, there’s been a coup. The unstable situation will need time to return to normal.”

As she stated, the team remained in the Jamria Federation even now. The chaos caused by the coup led by officers from the Achini tribe still lingered, causing unrest in the area.

Especially with the military government being ousted, the void of power had compounded the chaos even further.

“With Qasim and his crew gone, many political factions are currently at odds. As Frederick knows, conflicts in the Third World typically involve complex interests.”

“Fragmentation is the foundation of civil wars and conflicts in that region.”

A major tribe has come crashing down.

The leaders of the revolt had all been captured, and the former president had fled overseas, unable to return, leaving a power vacuum that became an irresistible target for everyone.

Small tribes, who had waited for their chance, and even mid-sized tribes with substantial power must be sniffing their way into the political organizations within the Jamria Federation (including the military and warlords).

Of course, ousting the rebels wasn’t entirely negative.

“It’s fortunate they managed to catch Qasim quickly. Otherwise, the military could have seized control over the federation. If we’d been even a bit late, the government would have completely collapsed.”

Indeed.

The military government of the Jamria Federation (the second term), which had barely been birthed for a week, had failed to take control. More accurately, it was in the slow process of trying.

Why had it failed for nearly a week to take control? Because Qasim and his group were a ‘coup army that took over through rebellion’.

In a typical situation, coup forces fail to gain any support. Unless the leader runs the country into the ground and utterly ruins public sentiment, rebellion cannot claim legitimacy or support.

(In fact, some cases existed where leaders ruined their countries enough for coup forces to gain support. Ceausescu of Romania and Farouk I of Egypt are prime examples of truly incompetent leaders.)

Although the former president of the Jamria Federation was in fact a horrible dictator, as someone who had been (mis)elected, he still had at least some level of legitimacy as a leader. However, Qasim and his rebel forces were not only a rebel group that had seized capital within four hours but had no justification that could even gain public approval.

Would government officials willingly follow such idiots?

Officials simply brushed off directives to pledge loyalty with a “No way!” and the members of the National Federal Assembly, representing the legislative body, had even taken up arms, actively protesting in Congress.

There even were officers within the military, who found the coup distasteful or held bad relations with Qasim’s group, forcibly detained by the military police and subjected to illegal imprisonment.

The executive, legislative, judicial, and military branches all united in prayer to the Earth God, “Please send those armed gangsters to hell!”

Whether that fervent prayer reached the heavens, in just a week, we had stormed the Presidential Palace to expel the coup forces in a reverse military revolt.

Though some might argue that too much injury had been incurred, the citizens of the Jamria Federation were in a festival-like mood.

(Of course, opinions from international political, defense diplomacy, and security experts were that it could very well turn into a funeral.)

With a proud tone, I nodded.

“That was some impressive situational assessment!”

“Hmm…”

While sipping her drink, Camila rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner.

“I agree that the assessment was a strong point, but honestly, even now, the thought of storming the Presidential Palace seems too radical.”

“……”

I merely blinked at her negative opinion. Why was she saying that, when she had been the one making a fuss upon jumping off the train to take down the rebels?

Such a horrifyingly double standard! Like how European colonialists (the root of all evil in world history) declared war against Qing troops who disposed of opium.

“…Is the lack of shame truly a British cultural trait?”

“What?!”

“No, but seriously… you’ve enjoyed yourself, and now you’re suddenly speaking differently.”

“Do you want to see the smoke? I’ve been practicing new techniques; let’s test them out. Put on your armor and come out quickly.”

“Ah, wait a second. That’s a bit much…”

A brief, calm “debate” took place.

Finally, after managing to halt the nonsense show, we tried to restore some peace of mind. We were all in this same boat, after all. Plus, such futile banter and squabbling had been the norm for too long.

Camila gently shook her head with a delightful smile while sipping her sweet drink. After finishing my espresso in one go, I smacked my lips.

“Hmm. Anyway, we can talk about local affairs gradually.”

“Sure! Now, tell me what’s been going on with everyone quickly. Everyone’s curious about Frederick’s news.”

“I was planning to talk about it without needing a nudge, you know?”

No need to be so impatient.

Placing my empty espresso cup down, I saw Camila guzzle up her drink like it disappeared. She took me outside the café, and I pulled out my gloves to shield myself from the chilly breeze.

“It’s been a while since you’ve seen Abas, right?”

“Yes!”

Glancing at my watch, it was precisely the right time. Just the hour for a nice dinner.

I withdrew my gaze and smiled, suggesting, “Since we’re in town, why don’t we take a break and enjoy some delicious food?”

“Oh, that sounds great! Let’s talk during dinner!”

With the joy of a child, Camila bounced in excitement. Putting work aside for the moment, she suggested we rush off to eat. With a wide grin spread across her face.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Thus, I led the beaming Camila towards the bustling capital.