A Dark Fantasy Spy

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The first thing I suspected upon hearing the investigator’s words was the National Security Agency.

Sofia had bluntly revealed that she was in charge of “investigating” matters, warning the Military Intelligence Agency and the Royal Intelligence Department to stay clear of the Fabio Verati issue.

From the start, all relatives associated with Fabio Verati were Patalian, and since he himself was from the National Security Agency, it naturally concluded that the group monitoring the youngest daughter was also from the Patalian National Security Agency.

However,

What’s this about?

“What did you say?”

– “Uh, well, here’s the thing.”

It seems like there’s no such thing as absolute certainty in this world.

– “It seems like the Empire Information Agency is currently raiding House 51.”

“…I’ll head there immediately.”

—

Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

After asking for understanding from Lucia and the inquisitorial staff, I quickly left the restaurant.

I grabbed a taxi and went to the area indicated by the secure line, keeping a watchful eye around before heading inside the building.

I arrived at an office.

This was a disguised base for the Military Intelligence Agency employees involved in the operation.

I was able to hear the situation report there.

“Here are the photographs of the handlers captured while in contact with the occupants of House 51.”

The Counterintelligence Team Leader spread several photos across the table. There was the target, a schoolgirl in uniform, men in suits loading her into a car, and four handlers keeping an eye on that vehicle.

The investigator began explaining while tapping a greatly enlarged photo.

“See here. Do you see the handler in the passenger seat holding the radio?”

“Yes.”

The man in the passenger seat of the SUV, which resembled a jeep or UAZ, was watching Fabio Verati’s youngest daughter with binoculars and a radio.

“This radio is a locally produced item.”

The Special Activities Department operative added to the explanation.

“It’s a short-range work radio primarily used by police command and field personnel, with a few units also operated by the military. It’s mostly favored by the Counterintelligence Command.”

“……”

So it’s a civilian radio.

Considering the technology here, it’s likely an analog radio. Although digital radios have recently come out, such communication devices are taken immediately to the frontline military bases as they’re too expensive for production levels.

In short, it meant that the radio featured no encryption capabilities. Put simply, as long as the line is synchronized, eavesdropping on communications is possible.

“If it’s a civilian product, it definitely lacks a secure communication feature, right?”

“That’s correct. After trying to intercept communications via vehicle radio frequencies on-site, we managed to record about nine seconds of communication. We’re preparing to play it back, so please wait a moment.”

“Understood.”

I examined the other photos. Most were of Fabio Verati’s youngest daughter, large men suspected to be her bodyguards, and surrounding handlers.

As I reviewed the photos for a while, the operative from the Special Activities Department pointed to one.

“Look at these bodyguards. They all seem to have military experience.”

“…Are they military personnel?”

“The security protocols share similarities with certain special forces regulations. There are no blind spots in their protection. And above all,”

The operative pointed out their clothing and vehicle.

“The clothing and vehicles are all uniform. In most paramilitary organizations, it’s hard to find uniformity in gear and equipment, but well-trained small units will ensure everything from attire to gear is standardized—be it at the squad or fireteam level.”

“That seems like a weak basis for argument.”

“Look at the vehicles. Dark tinting, additional mirrors, and extra tires and jerrycans in the trunk. Where on earth would a nanny take such a vehicle? Unless they’re adventurers, perhaps.”

“……”

“Moreover, the occupant of House 51 is a civil servant. Their child is already attending an academy and preparing for university. It’s strange to attach two muscular men as bodyguards for such a child. Of course, overall, the security in the Magic Tower is a bit unstable, but the movements of the monitoring subject are in an area away from hotspots, a relatively safe middle-class residential area. It’s not common for parents living in such places to hire bodyguards for their children, even in the Magic Tower.”

The information was quite specific. It sounded as if they had firsthand experience.

“You seem to know quite a lot about the Magic Tower?”

“My first assignment was at the Magic Tower. I have acquaintances doing security work here after their military service.”

They must be talking about acquaintances from the Special Forces.

Typically, personnel from the Military Intelligence Agency’s Special Activities Department find employment under security firms or the Royal Intelligence Department and the Cabinet Security Office, so it’s likely they’re former military special forces.

Regardless, the information provided by the operative was of significant value. Words from a veteran with rich experience were more credible than any intel delivered by an ordinary informant. An example of this would be Veronica.

“From a similar context, it’s likely that the handlers are military as well.”

“From the Imperial Army?”

“A staff member on standby found cigarette butts left behind by the handlers, and they were all military-issued cigarettes supplied to the Imperial Army.”

As I conversed with the operative, the investigator sorting through photos handed me an envelope. Inside were a couple of cigarette butts, a brand so familiar from my time in the Empire that the name popped into my head automatically.

“Ah, Ahktanyak.”

“You know it?”

“Yes. I had some acquaintances who were military personnel, and there was a heavy smoker among them, so I remember. He smoked only this.”

There was no way I wouldn’t recognize a cigarette smoked by an informant. I’d often gone to buy it for him whenever he ran out of his supply.

At this point, I didn’t need further investigation.

“Connect me to headquarters.”

It was certain that the Empire was surveilling Fabio Verati’s youngest daughter.

—

– “So, it’s the Empire, huh?”

“Yes, indeed.”

In the disguise office of the Military Intelligence Agency.

In the most remote and secretive room, I had a conversation with Colonel Clevenz over the communication device.

– “I’ve listened to the recordings we received. They’re using the Empire’s language. The gear is also Imperial-made, and they belong to the Kien lineage, making it certain they’re affiliated with the Empire.”

Colonel Clevenz acknowledged the reality in a calm tone. Then he asked me,

– “What do you think their affiliation is?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

The Empire has two military intelligence agencies. One is the Counterintelligence Command, responsible for military security and domestic intelligence collection. The other is the Reconnaissance Command, which handles foreign intelligence and operations.

The issue is not knowing which of the two is tracking Fabio Verati.

This place wasn’t the Empire after all.

“I understand that both the Counterintelligence Command and the Reconnaissance Command are operating from the Magic Tower.”

– “You’re right. Both are active there.”

This stems from the political, historical, and diplomatic peculiarities that the Magic Tower holds.

The Magic Tower was established a long time ago with the Imperial family’s robust support and has been semi-autonomously defined as territory since the nation’s founding.

The problem is that the Emperor ambiguously chose not to incorporate the Magic Tower into Imperial territory nor give it independence, and then he passed away.

And the Empire was a typical hereditary dictatorship.

– “…Well, the Emperor back then is the grandfather of the current Emperor, and it’s only natural he couldn’t overturn the laws established by his own grandfather.”

“Isn’t that how it always goes for dictatorships?”

In hereditary dictatorships, reform is fundamentally difficult.

The political foundation isn’t based on the dictator but on bloodline.

Dictators who inherit power fear losing their position and, to avoid criticism after death, pass power to their children. However, what happens when the child, who has inherited power, begins to change their parent’s achievements to their liking?

The moment a child brings up the claim that their parent’s decisions were wrong, opposing factions are bound to drag the dictator’s legacy out of the grave for public execution. It’s a foregone conclusion.

This was a fact proven by Stalin and Mao Zedong. Both dictators were critiqued intensely by Khrushchev and Deng Xiaoping as soon as they were put into their coffins, right?

The same goes for the Empire. In Imperial history, nearly all emperors refrained from touching the laws and institutions established by their predecessors. There simply was no grounds to do so without facing backlash.

So all intelligence agencies in the Empire dispatch personnel to the Magic Tower, regardless of domestic or international affairs. Without legal constraints, they can operate as they see fit.

“…Hmm.”

The Chinese National Security Department even establishes specialized departments to manage Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, so why are these guys causing such a ruckus? It was entirely incomprehensible.

As I was lost in thought, Clevenz’s voice hit my ear.

– “It seems like they’re affiliated. After all, whether it’s the Counterintelligence Command or the Reconnaissance Command, it must be one of the two. At least it’s not the Imperial Guard HQ.”

His tone was unwaveringly confident. I was curious about the source of that confidence.

So I asked him.

“How are you so sure?”

– “Do you only have ears of your own? There are plenty of ears here as well.”

“What do you mean by that?”

– “About a month ago, I planted a bug in the Empire Embassy.”

He meant he had created a spy at the Empire Embassy. Or perhaps he was referring to a double agent.

“When did you do that?”

– “When the Imperial Guard HQ was messing things up, one individual voluntarily switched sides from that camp. They were the one who flew off with the Ambassador when his head was on the chopping block, but they jumped sides due to being blocked from promotion. Intelligence about the secrets of the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute also came from there.”

“…What?”

– “Eh? It’s not very important, so let’s drop this matter.”

Clevenz, who had dropped the notion of flipping an Imperial Guard HQ agent, casually changed the topic with a calm tone.

– “So what are you going to do?”

Clevenz admonished me.

Actually, it seemed more like he was expecting a course of action from me.

– “Looking at the data, it seems that the National Security Agency and the Empire are already quite ahead of us. At this rate, they’ll be the ones to obtain House 51 first.”

“…Is that so?”

– “Considering we jumped in later than them, there’s little we can do. However, you’re not the type to just sit there doing nothing, are you? So if you have any good plans, now’s the time to share.”

“……”

– “I already have a good idea of what you’re thinking.”

It seemed like he wasn’t asking for a plan but was fishing for details. I guess it comes with the job of catching spies. Clevenz seemed to already know exactly what I was thinking.

In that case,

“…Well.”

Might as well spill it.

“How about we kidnap someone?”

—

My plan was simple.

If multiple intelligence agencies are chasing the target, our best tactic to get ahead of the competition is to seize that target first.

“After all, this isn’t someone who could be easily caught. They clearly have their escape routes as well.”

However, someone from the intelligence community isn’t easy to catch.

Yet, there are other approaches.

“Then, it would be a good strategy to go after a relative they can reasonably catch. From what I can see, they seem to dote on their child quite a lot. Someone like that wouldn’t run away alone if their child was kidnapped.”

I’ve never seen a parent run away leaving their child behind. Additionally, leveraging family to threaten is an age-old method of manipulation and control.

I’ve done it multiple times, so I know it well.

“A parent that would leave their child behind is highly unlikely. If we kidnap them, they will definitely crawl back themselves to find their child.”

I asked Clevenz for his thoughts.

“What do you think?”

– “……”

“Colonel?”

His summary was straightforward.

– “…I expected this, but to hear you say it outright is just plain madness.”