A Dark Fantasy Spy

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The way dictators maintain power is generally similar, but the methods they prefer differ from country to country.

This is entirely due to the unique circumstances of each dictator and their region, which sets them apart from other dictators or nations.

Emperor Nikolai VI of the Kien Empire utilized a secret police force.

Having inherited the rightful bloodline from the previous emperor, he held a solid legitimacy and had the justification to overthrow the regent who usurped the throne.

The youthful emperor, having regained imperial power, wished to excise the rotten elements of the empire, particularly those who had held office during the regent’s reign.

However, even the largest empires would tremble if they were to purge tens of thousands of civil servants.

A ruler of iron and blood needed a surgical scalpel instead of a butcher’s knife.

Thus, the young emperor deployed the special forces responsible for imperial army security and counter-intelligence and utilized the internal inspection agency that reviewed mail.

In time, these would be promoted to the imperial army’s counter-intelligence command and the imperial guard headquarters, directly under the emperor’s command.

Once, the military junta that ruled Patalia relied on propaganda.

The coup leaders who broke the final ties of the class system were elites of Patalia, yet they lacked the distinct legitimacy or charisma like Nikolai VI.

They were the revolutionary forces that usurped the throne from a tyrant who had lost the people’s support.

That was the essence and limit of Patalia’s military government, and these limitations gradually surfaced as the fervor of revolution cooled.

Gradually, the international community’s pressure to transfer power to civilians became stronger with each passing year, and doubts spread among citizens that a new dictator might emerge.

Feeling the crisis, the military government sought a backer to fill the legitimacy they lacked and chose the Ranieri family as their partner.

Individuals like righteous men who do not tolerate injustice, free spirits dreaming of freedom from oppression, and revolutionaries pursuing equality against persecution arose.

Even back then, the authority of the Archmage was beyond imagination.

During the era when the winds of revolution swept the globe due to the Magic Tower-Cult War, and heartwarming tales of heroes caused hearts to flutter, it was even more so.

The Archmages, victorious in battles against the Cult, were treated as national heroes, and their descendants basked in immense fame.

Thus, the “Declaration of Support for the Revolutionary Government,” officially released by the Ranieri family borrowing the authority of the Archmage, brought about an immense storm.

This fateful event transformed the destiny of Patalia.

Just as the two atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima determined the outcome of the world war, the Ranieri family’s declaration of support secured the military government’s victory.

The provisional government established by the coup forces was finally recognized as a ‘formal government supported by a national hero.’

Of course, in that process, the politics of Patalia regressed by 30 years.

Later, the civilian government that took over the regime confiscated the Ranieri family’s assets for colluding with the dictatorship.

However, no one could contest the effectiveness of the military government’s propaganda.

In contrast, the power maintenance methods of the Republic of Ashtistan had a unique aspect.

The dictatorship in this nation neither employed secret police nor propaganda. While now, both secret and religious police operate in the city, with propaganda plastered everywhere,

at the time of the revolution, there were no secret police or any form of propaganda at all.

Rather, to be precise, there was no need for such things from the start.

What was needed in the Republic of Ashtistan was not watchers or banners, but private soldiers to protect them from insurgents.

—

Episode 20 – Who Wielded the Knife for Threats?

Clink—!

Nervously setting down my cup, the lukewarm tea spilled onto the carpet. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Damn….”

Like a cat irritated by everything, Camila, who had been lounging on the silk bed, stretched her drowsy head back dramatically.

“Why the sudden outburst?”

“Because of the priest. The damn old fool.”

To request that I take care of the Law Enforcement Corps commander—does that even make sense?

As I muttered in annoyance, Camila began to look at me as if she had no idea what was going on.

“Were you in an argument with the priest? He seemed like such a wonderful person to me. He shared delicious food and told interesting stories.”

“Sure, the food was nice… but what kind of conversation did we have that led to such glowing praise?”

“Uh, it started with joking and ended with well-wishing?”

What the hell.

It seemed like I was the only one blabbering about a strange topic. Why did I have to go through this with Camila, while this insufferable magician cartel (which doesn’t even exist) was making me lose my appetite?

I sipped the half-finished tea, recounting the conversation I had with the priest.

“They told me to deal with Darius Ismailzahi, but I have no clue how to go about it.”

“Deal with? You don’t mean to say it implies assassination, do you?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Even I find that ambiguous.

“They said to deal with the commander of the Law Enforcement Corps, but didn’t explain why or how I’m supposed to do it.”

There were no clear instructions.

“Deal with Darius Ismailzahi.” That’s all there was—just the target set.

Aside from that, no other information was provided.

“Deal. Deal…”

Camila fell deep in thought for a moment before suddenly tilting her head.

“No matter how I think about it, it sounds like a hit job. But why exactly did they ask you to do it?”

“I don’t know either. That’s what makes it more problematic.”

If what she said was true and ‘dealing with the priest’ did imply murder, then there must be other supporting information.

“They said to deal with the commander of the Law Enforcement Corps? Sure, it’s not entirely impossible. If I contact headquarters, they’ll support us with information, supplies, or manpower. The issue isn’t ‘how?’ but ‘why?’”

Why does Darius need to die?

What problems arise if Darius doesn’t die?

So, how am I supposed to remove Darius?

“I need to figure this out to plan ahead and get authorization for the assassination operation from the company…”

But the priest had provided none of that information.

In fact…

“No. Even the specific details don’t matter. But if they asked me to deal with it, they should have laid out some clear conditions. What does it mean to say ‘it’s fine if you do it or not’?”

When the priest first said, “Please deal with Darius Ismailzahi,” I asked for a ‘clear condition.’

To be more precise, I wanted clarification on whether they wanted him temporarily incapacitated or permanently incapacitated.

If the former was chosen, it would mean the priest wanted to halt the commander’s activities for the time being.

This could be interpreted as an intention to counter the Law Enforcement Corps, which had become politically powerful recently, so it would be sufficient to undermine Darius through psychological warfare or public opinion.

On the flip side, if the latter was chosen, things got complicated. Permanent incapacitation means death or something equivalent.

That would mean the priest wanted the commander of the Law Enforcement Corps dead.

In this case, the Military Intelligence Agency would analyze the situation in Ashtistan in collaboration with the Royal Intelligence Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to determine whether to pursue an assassination operation. During that process, analysts would create numerous scenarios surrounding the benefits the priest would gain from Darius’s death.

But surprisingly, the priest of Al-Yabd didn’t seem to desire either halting or assassinating.

To be precise—

“Do as you like.”

They simply told me to do whatever I want.

I thought it was absurd, so I asked again, but the reply completely baffled me.

“It doesn’t matter if you do it or not. Whether it’s Darius’s death or his resignation, it’s up to you.”

Damn it.

At this point, I couldn’t help but seriously worry about the future of the Republic of Ashtistan. And, additionally, the priest’s mental health as well.

“I can assure you that the man is either senile or bipolar.”

“Extreme changes in mood and thought are typical symptoms of bipolar disorder. You might be onto something. There’s no evidence yet besides Frederick’s testimony though.”

Camila nodded, resting her chin on her self-made pillow. It looked like a scene from Tom and Jerry.

Encouraging me, she spun around and began her analysis with a serious look.

“First of all… there’s something I need to ask before judging the priest’s intent.”

“Go ahead.”

“What is the Law Enforcement Corps?”

“…”

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, trembling, and prayed inwardly.

“Lord Jesus, Buddha, Allah.

Please allow me to become a just and kind perpetrator today as well.”

—

If you’re interested in the political situation of the Mauritania Continent, you cannot be unaware of the Law Enforcement Corps.

The Law Enforcement Corps of the Republic of Ashtistan — informally known as the Guardians of Order.

The moment I encountered this entirely new organization, I had a strangely familiar impression. While I might have had no connection with the Law Enforcement Corps, I had faced similar organizations before.

“Camila, have you heard of the IRGC?”

“Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?”

“You knew that.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran was the one in question.

“The Law Enforcement Corps is a similar organization to the IRGC that you’re familiar with.”

“Does that mean they have many similarities?”

“Not just a little similar; they’re almost identical.”

I tilted the teapot and began my tale.

“When the new government was established in Iran after the Islamic Revolution led by Khomeini in 1979, a massive game ensued. It was a game of wits between the new government and the intelligence agencies.”

There was an organization called SAVAK.

SAVAK, which represented the Iranian intelligence during the imperial era, held a significant status.

What’s important is that SAVAK operated as secret police under the rule of the Pahlavi monarchy.

“When Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ruled Iran, those intelligence agencies effectively acted as secret police. Their primary task was the oppression of dissidents.”

The coup conducted by the UK’s SIS and the CIA, known as Operation Ajax, ousted Prime Minister Mosaddegh, and the Pahlavi monarchy commenced its outright oppression while cuddling up to the British, who had succeeded in preventing oil nationalization.

Countless Iranian intelligence agencies, established by starting with SAVAK, prioritized their number-one task by suppressing any opposition to the monarchy.

“The first targets were left-wing parties. All political groups from communist-socialist factions to armed groups fell under their suppression, followed by university students, intellectuals, and eventually even Shia jurists. Ayatollah Khomeini was even arrested during that time.”

“Given the situation, which drew criticism for its radical Westernization, alliance with Western nations, and suppression of dissidents, Khomeini was imprisoned for about a year before spending almost 15 years in exile.”

The issue was the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Anti-monarchical demonstrations erupted like wildfire. The Iranian army and police resorted to brutal suppression, but the pent-up anger of the citizens exploded, and the protest escalated to revolution.

“In 1979, Iran was in utter chaos.”

The king fled to Egypt with his family and courtiers on a private plane, while the army turned to the protesters and aimed their guns at the government.

The most maddening person at that time was the last prime minister of the Iranian Empire.

“Who was that again… the one who took over from the predecessor who collapsed from a heart attack in January?”

“Shapour Bakhtiar. That was probably his name.”

“Oh, right. He was the one who served as prime minister for just over a month.”

The last prime minister of the Iranian Empire, he was ironically left in Iran with a handful of government troops, and he was a figure who had been vocal against the Pahlavi monarchy within the cabinet.

I referenced the decision made by the last prime minister of the Iranian Empire.

“I recall it was February 12. That was the day SAVAK was dissolved under Bakhtiar’s orders.”

“He held the premiership until the 11th, so that was practically his last order?”

“Something like that.”

Shapour Bakhtiar dissolved SAVAK and other intelligence agencies of the Iranian Empire.

By that time, a majority of government forces had already switched to neutral gears, and the prime minister himself had to flee to France to save his life.

The secret police also had to make their escape before it was too late.

If they didn’t want to die.

“Most of the high-ranking SAVAK officials fled. To the US, France, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia… Those who used to arrest and torture opposition figures – they must have felt terrified when those they had persecuted now turned against them with guns. So they all fled for their lives. A few were captured and killed, but that’s another story.”

I recalled the records of that past and sipped my tea.

“The new regime in Iran sought to eliminate all elements of danger who were loyal to the Pahlavi dynasty. Especially the Iranian military and the intelligence agencies. Thus, after the 1979 revolution, twelve new intelligence agencies emerged in Iran.”

But there is an interesting fact.

A considerable number of people in those newly established intelligence agencies were those who had worked in the pre-revolution intelligence agencies.

In other words, the Iranian Islamic Republic hired the intelligence personnel from the Pahlavi dynasty.

“Though they would have liked to pack all SAVAK personnel into a stadium and execute them, there was simply too much value in the overseas staff to waste. Why do you think that is?”

“…Because they were veterans?”

I nodded.

“They were active-duty personnel who had faced off against Mossad since the Middle Eastern wars.”

This is why the twelve intelligence agencies in Iran, represented by VAJA, were able to operate consistently from the Iranian Revolution through the 2020s. They absorbed the know-how and information networks of experienced personnel.

“Skills are guaranteed and vows of loyalty are okay. Given the fact that Western support was cut off and the Iraqi army was declaring war, they opted to hire them. However, there was a problem.”

“Because they were hard to trust since they operated under Pahlavi?”

The veterans within the intelligence agencies posed a troublesome presence for the Iranian government.

To trust blindly felt risky. But letting them go felt wasteful since they were seasoned experts. If by any chance they were to be co-opted by “Zionists,” Iran’s secrets would spill like water.

There was no time for establishing trust at all. A year after the revolution in 1980 marked the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War.

Camila nodded, seemingly empathizing with the complicated situation.

“Indeed… it would have been hard to show them unreserved trust. That’s why the IRGC was established.”

“Exactly.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — established in 1979, a military organization and a powerful paramilitary group monitoring the Iranian military.

The IRGC is a grand organization that is loyal to ‘Rahbar’ and was created to suppress any uprising against the Iranian military, thus boasting over 200,000 troops and possessing naval, air, and ground forces including Quds Force (the IRGC’s special operations unit), effectively acting as the second Iranian army.

Of course, the US government has designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, so it is not officially recognized as a regular army in many countries.

However, the scale, equipment, and training of the IRGC are on par with those of formidable militaries.

“The original role of the IRGC was to oversee the Iranian military, and it is known as such in the media and on the internet, but in reality, the entities monitored by the IRGC include both the Iranian Army and intelligence agencies.”

“How is it possible to monitor both the military and the intelligence agency simultaneously?”

“Ordinarily, that’s not something just anyone can do. But they can pull it off. They were created for precisely that purpose.”

In the same vein, the Law Enforcement Corps does the same.

Both the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Law Enforcement Corps of Ashtistan function as private soldier organizations protecting their leaders while supervising and controlling the regular military and intelligence agencies likely to revolt.

Most importantly, it’s noteworthy that the group under their oversight includes intelligence agencies.

I pointed this out.

“In dictatorial or authoritarian states, the responsibility for supervising intelligence agencies usually falls to other intelligence agencies. This is true even in democratic countries.”

In general, subdepartment information agencies receive scrutiny from their superior agencies (the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs) or national intelligence agencies.

However, there is a slight difference in oversight in democratic nations compared to dictatorial states.

“In dictatorial states, the oversight of intelligence agencies focuses more on loyalty competition and preventing internal strife. Therefore, in their quest to unearth the secrets tightly concealed by these intelligence agencies, mutual oversight among intelligence agencies is naturally quite lively, and the IRGC and Law Enforcement Corps also carry out similar roles.”

For this very reason, the IRGC, in effect, serves a dual role as an intelligence agency.

“The IRGC even established internal intelligence and investigation agencies within its organizational structure. They’ve apprehended foreign intelligence agents infiltrating Iran and dispatched their own agents abroad. I’ve even seen it myself a couple of times.”

“Where did you see this?”

“When I was in Tehran, they executed an Israeli intelligence agent. I saw the footage of the public execution while having lunch, and ironically, it was a person my acquaintance was managing.”

“That friend of yours from Mossad?!”

Camila exclaimed, shocked, leaning in and startling me. I pushed her face away in surprise.

“No, he wasn’t with Mossad. He was with Aman, the Israeli Defense Ministry. My friend from Mossad was dispatched to Iraq, so he wasn’t in Iran.”

“What was the reason you met?”

“They asked me to look into something at the Beirut branch…”

“Oh, it must have involved Hezbollah. It’s well-known that the IRGC supports Hezbollah even now. The same goes for the Iranian-backed rebel groups in Syria and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Both the IRGC, Hezbollah, and Houthi rebels share hostility towards Israel… Am I right?”

“Exactly. That’s correct. So, uh, could you… move back a little?”

“Eek…”

In any case,

the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps boasts a long tradition and history (around 40 years), taking on the peculiar role of both a military organization and an intelligence agency.

As Camila pointed out, it also provides support to armed groups across the Middle East through its special operations unit, the Quds Force, which has caused the US government to impose sanctions on the IRGC leadership.

“Likewise, the Law Enforcement Corps isn’t much different. They engage in arms smuggling and send intelligence agents abroad.”

Of course, does that mean they solely engage in smuggling and espionage?

Not at all.

“The IRGC is directly subordinate to ‘Rahbar.’ The Law Enforcement Corps is similar. They are to follow the prime minister’s orders, yet the prime minister is essentially a puppet of the priest.”

“Rubber Stamp?”

“To be exact, he’s an agent. The agent who takes charge of external activities and the overall governance in place of the priest. However, that title is just a name; the man played a leading role during the revolution when the priest toppled the former dynasty.”

“Ah! It’s similar to the relationship between the professor and the emperor, isn’t it?”

Camila nodded enthusiastically. I looked at her with newfound admiration.

She finally seemed capable of reasoning! After living a bit in the empire, she grasped that the duke and emperor were one and the same.

Thus, the DNA of colonial powers, notorious for their divisions, lives on in the 21st century.

It truly exemplified the traits of a knowledgeable individual raised in a prestigious British university (though I wouldn’t brag about it at all).

“Anyway, that means he’s not an easy target. Having to deal with the commander of such a Law Enforcement Corps is… ugh, it hurts…”

“That’s the truth.”

While the Ashtistan Information Agency might take a backseat, that’s only in company terms.

An agent like me, lacking any form of intelligence network, could easily be taken out by the police if unlucky.

But now, the priest of Al-Yabd had unguidedly sent a request for the Law Enforcement Corps commander to be dealt with.

“…Sigh…”

With a deep breath, I finished my tea.

“So, I’ve explained everything as you wanted. What do you think?”

“Huh? What about?”

“Do you have any good ideas?”

You’ve heard the explanation, so it was time to find a solution.

Wasn’t the reason I asked what the Law Enforcement Corps was precisely for that?

Thus, I sought Camila’s opinion.

And she…

“Uh…”

Caught off guard by the sudden request, Camila scratched her head and began to trail off with an uncertain tone.

“Do we really have to do this?”

“?”

“I’m not making excuses because I can’t think of anything. I’m genuinely curious… Since the priest said it’s fine to do it or not, is it necessary to undertake such a dangerous task?”

In an instant, it struck me like a bolt of enlightenment, and my eyes flew wide open!

Right! I didn’t need to comply with the priest’s request at all.

Because he himself explicitly stated that it’s fine if I do it or don’t.

And besides, I was an intelligence officer, right?

“Camila.”

“Yes?”

“You’re indeed a genius.”

A universal trait of intelligence agencies—number one on the list.

That is, they are dismissive!

—

There exists a similarity between the British, who would toss their conscience at the Thames River, and the intelligence officers who would boil theirs into a stew.

That similarity is nobody having a conscience.

Being quick to flee and initiate counterattacks is a routine skill in intelligence agencies, and this practice is part of the broader definition of being dismissive.

After all, a cut-out who gets discarded after being deemed useless is just another form of being dismissive, right?

Indeed!

National agencies around the world actively encourage civil servants to swindle foreigners if circumstances warrant!

Of course, if intelligence officers overheard this, they’d collectively raise question marks over their heads, but that was of little concern.

After all, intelligence agencies are government ministries where slandering and defaming others is a daily norm.

Whoever gets regularly malign would be able to laugh it off like Senator Cybernetic!

Alternatively, the less fortunate might find themselves reduced to fold the spines of their antagonists.

In any case!

The insight of Camila, who had unceremoniously tossed her sense of morality into the Thames, had woken up Frederick’s sleeping wisdom!

As such, the duo of spy & wannabe spy decided to brazenly dismiss even the last wish of a 120-year-old man (who still had many days left to live).

Of course, the reasoning behind this refusal wasn’t merely the abandonment of conscience.

After all, the priest himself left an ambiguous gray area, saying, “It’s fine if you do it or don’t,” and more importantly, this wasn’t an official mission from the company, was it?

I might have felt like I was stretching my excuse a little, but it was just that — merely a feeling.

“That’s right. If it’s not my duty, then there’s no need to engage.”

Frederick nodded repeatedly. This was a scene displaying the self-rationalization process at a speed faster than a centrifuge.

“What could they do if I decline? The priest would probably just expel me. Surely, he wouldn’t come after me?”

“That’s true.”

Even beside her, Camila fueled his self-justification, making it a completely natural incitement worthy of admiration from even the ancestors who delighted in quarreling with colonial tribes.

Was the Earth God miffed about this?

Did they intend to punish these condemned troublemakers who dared disgrace a heavenly priest (a foreign guest)?

The public servants of the Republic of Ashtistan began to move!

-Screechhhh…!

“?”

“?”

As a vehicle with thick skid marks appeared, the moment I faced the suit man stepping out, Frederick found himself questioning his eyesight.

“…No way. Did that guy run out of money? Why on earth is he here again?”

The best loan shark praised by the Republic of Ashtistan had arrived!

It was ‘that guy’ from the Security Committee.