Ch.142Episode 8 – Say Hello To My Little Friend

“Why are you leaning your weight into the fire when you’re lighting it? You almost burned your face.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ah, I’m going to lose my mind.”

Veronica apologized with a face that didn’t look sorry at all. To be more precise, her expression suggested she was messing with me.

There’s no accident-prone person quite like her. At least with Camilla, I can make predictions, but with Veronica, even that’s impossible. She always pops up unexpectedly and causes trouble. That’s the kind of person Veronica is. The root of all evil.

I’ve managed to deal with it so far, but now I’m genuinely curious about what’s going on in her head.

“Why on earth do you live like this?”

“You’re asking why I live this way?”

Veronica, with her eyes gently slanted as usual, prattled on.

“Because it’s fun.”

Episode 8 – Say Hello To My Little Friend

I led Lucia and Veronica inside. Unfortunately, I couldn’t even light the cigar because of Veronica’s prank.

“I didn’t know you were a smoker, Major. Have you been hiding it all this time?”

“I’m trying to quit.”

“Quit smoking?”

Veronica glanced at me with an incredulous look.

“You don’t drink, you don’t smoke. You don’t date women either, and you’re not into gambling or drugs. What do you live for?”

“And what kind of mindset are you living with…?”

“I’m always in my right mind.”

Today too, Veronica was normal. Which means she was slightly off her rocker.

Anyway.

Both Lucia, who had arrived this morning, and Veronica, who had just returned from the embassy, were dressed in outdoor clothes. Unlike the two of them in their outdoor attire, I was wearing sleepwear.

After greeting guests as soon as I woke up and dealing with various trivial matters, I had forgotten to change clothes.

“Major, you look hilarious. Stripes, really?”

“Be quiet and go wash up.”

I provided towels for the guests, including Lucia and Veronica.

“I’ll be preparing a meal, so why don’t you head to the shower first?”

“That’s a hassle… I’m tired from coming all the way here from the embassy. Plus, I have things to discuss about our schedule.”

“If it’s not urgent, can’t it wait until later?”

I handed Veronica her towel and forcibly sent her to the shower. Unlike Veronica with her unnecessary chatter, Francesca headed to the shower without a word.

“Excuse me, where is the shower?”

“It’s upstairs. I’ll show you to your room and escort you there.”

I grabbed the travel bag and guided Lucia. Camilla said she would join us and followed along.

So the three of us went up to the second floor. By the way, Lucia’s room is the very same room I used last night.

“The bedding hasn’t been arranged yet, but I’ll take care of it before you go to sleep.”

“That’s fine. I can arrange the bedding myself. Oh, and please let me take care of the cigar. I’ll keep it for you.”

Cigars need to be stored in a humidor to maintain their taste and aroma, as they can change depending on humidity and temperature. However, since I wasn’t a smoker, I didn’t have such an item.

Fortunately, Lucia had a travel humidor, so I decided to entrust the cigar to her. I couldn’t afford to buy one right now anyway.

“You can just take it back if you want. It wasn’t mine to begin with.”

“No, please consider it a gift. And if you ever get more cigars, I’ll store them for you.”

“That sounds good. Thank you, Saint.”

Lucia gave a slight bow and headed to the shower. I watched her retreating figure and fell into thought for a moment.

Hmm.

As I was lost in thought for quite some time, Camilla, who had been watching from the side, asked me with a puzzled expression.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Well, a ‘blonde, blue-eyed’ ‘white person’ entering a ‘shower room.’ It feels a bit strange.”

“…”

The British girl blinked with an expression that suggested I was talking nonsense.

Soon after, Camilla’s face turned bright red, and she slapped my back with her palm.

“What kind of Holocaust joke is that…!”

It hurt more than I expected.

*

After showering, we gathered in the living room. Lucia, Camilla, and Francesca were chatting on the large sofa.

I was sitting slightly apart from Veronica and the three of them.

From the looks of it, it seemed like I was an older person who couldn’t mix with the group and was left out.

“Did you have any problems getting here?”

“Fortunately, nothing happened.”

Veronica sat in a single-person sofa, swinging her legs.

After looking around the interior once, she casually started the conversation.

“Nice house. Do you live here, Major?”

“It’s not my house. I’m a soldier, so I live in military quarters.”

“Oh my. You still live in military quarters? Even as a field officer?”

“I wasn’t a major until a few months ago, you know?”

“Ah! You got promoted.”

Veronica nodded her head and grinned. I looked at her with a disapproving gaze, filled with emotion.

“Saint. What kind of trouble are you planning to cause by coming all the way here?”

“Come on… what trouble? I just came to hang out with the kids.”

“Just when I’m on vacation?”

“I came because you’re on vacation.”

“Haah…”

I sighed deeply enough to make the ground sink. Now, whenever I talk to Veronica, a sigh naturally comes out first.

But sighing doesn’t change anything. Veronica had brought the three people to Abas, and I had welcomed them as guests.

The water was already spilled. I couldn’t push them back to the magic tower either. I just gave up.

It’s easier when you surrender.

“So what are you planning to do now? You must have something in mind.”

“Hmm…”

When asked about her plans, Veronica hummed thoughtfully.

“First, why don’t we go out? It doesn’t seem right to just stay at home during your precious vacation.”

“Where to?”

“What do you think, Major?”

Veronica rested her chin on her hand and casually threw the question at me.

“Isn’t there anywhere you want to go?”

“No. I just want to rest at home.”

“…Wow. You really live a boring life.”

She frowned as if disgusted.

Veronica slowly rubbed her snow-white cheek with her finger and continued.

“Honestly, wouldn’t anywhere be fine? There’s a lot to see in the capital.”

“It would be troublesome if we’re noticed by people.”

“What about a local resort?”

Local, huh. I thought carefully about which areas in Abas might be good for sightseeing.

“There are a few places we could go… but with the upcoming holiday, famous spots will likely be crowded with people.”

“How long is your vacation this time, Major?”

“One month.”

“That’s plenty. Then let’s take our time looking around. But.”

Veronica pointed her finger at me accusingly.

“Why are you carrying a gun at home?”

“A gun? Oh, this?”

I pulled out the pistol that had been tucked at my waist all along. It’s an automatic pistol used by the Abas military police.

It’s not a gun I bought with a license; it’s just a self-defense weapon that the Military Intelligence Agency distributes to its employees.

“It’s for self-defense. Well.”

“You carry a gun during vacation?”

“It’s an intelligence unit, so.”

Intelligence agencies are generally sensitive about safety. While some don’t provide self-defense weapons, many intelligence officers carry self-defense items whether they’re domestic or abroad, if only for peace of mind.

Unfortunately, I was one of those people. In the past, I could travel around the world without my identity being revealed, but now my real name and face have been exposed in newspapers.

Hearing this, Veronica narrowed her eyes and said:

“If that’s the case, you should carry something bigger. What’s the point of a pistol?”

“What do I need a rifle for to protect myself? A pistol is enough.”

“What if you encounter a spy or terrorist?”

“A pistol is sufficient for terrorists. It might be a bit tricky if they’re a magician.”

While terrorists in the global community might carry cheap automatic rifles and military explosives indiscriminately, in this neighborhood, they typically only have revolvers or hunting rifles that have been around in the Mauritania region.

Of course, there are cases of illegal replication of military rifles, but weapons are harder to make properly than one might think. They require systematic processes and quality control implemented by developers using their technical expertise. Terrorists can hardly do that.

“Besides, terrorists aren’t just lying around on the streets. And intelligence officers usually only carry pistols.”

“Why? The people from the Guardian Office carry them.”

“Because they’re heavy and bulky. Cumbersome items like rifles and submachine guns aren’t usually carried unless you’re planning to assassinate someone or are prepared for a fight.”

That’s why even most North Korean spies in the 70s and 80s only carried subcompact pistols like Tokarevs or Baby Brownings. Bulky guns are more likely to be caught in random checks. Only armed spies who came down with thorough preparation carried submachine guns or rifles. In other words, paramilitary operatives.

Of course, paramilitary operatives often deliberately remove lot numbers engraved on guns to avoid nationality identification, mix ammunition from various countries, and even remove tags from clothes or shoes (which can be used to track where they were bought), but North Korean armed spies crossing the DMZ don’t do that.

After all, in South Korea, anyone using Eastern Bloc firearms is most likely a spy from North Korea.

In regions with restricted gun ownership like South Korea or Abas, intelligence agencies also need to prepare a lot if they want to use firearms like rifles. And using a gun essentially means they have no intention of hiding their background.

That’s why intelligence officers who operate quietly carry only pistols wherever they go around the world. And only when necessary.

But since I couldn’t explain all this in detail, I just kept my mouth shut.

“Anyway, let’s stop talking about guns. Did you notice any suspicious people on your way here? I saw something across the street earlier.”

“No? I didn’t see anyone suspicious.”

“Let’s get back to the main point. Tell me what your plan is now.”

As I tucked the pistol back into my waist, Veronica tapped the armrest with her palm and spoke.

“Let’s buy some clothes first.”

“Clothes…?”

Suddenly, what clothes?

When I asked why we were buying clothes, Veronica silently pointed somewhere. At the end of her finger were Lucia, Camilla, and Francesca huddled together, shivering.

“I want to buy them some clothes.”

I tilted my head and muttered.

“It’s not like they don’t have clothes…”

“Ah, you’re so frustrating. They don’t have suitable clothes. Suitable clothes.”

Veronica beat her chest and passionately explained how lacking the three were in fashion sense.

“Hmm… From what I can see, they don’t seem to be poorly dressed.”

“That’s just your opinion.”

“No matter how I look at it, that’s not the case…”

From my perspective, it seemed like Veronica just wanted to take the three shopping because she didn’t want to go alone, but since she was being so insistent, I nodded in agreement.

“Lucia grew up only in the monastery, so she doesn’t care what clothes she wears, Francesca is relatively okay, but the Hero doesn’t even have decent clothes.”

“That’s true.”

“And don’t you need to buy clothes too, Major?”

“Me?”

I have plenty of clothes.

“Major. Do you have any clothes to wear besides suits? Clothes for going out.”

“Uh… um…”

“Excluding supplies. You’re not planning to go out in uniform, are you?”

“…”

“…”

“…Hiking clothes?”

*

That evening, until the sun went down, I searched through all the closets in the military quarters and townhouse but couldn’t find suitable clothes to wear out. Since I hadn’t taken a proper vacation for over three years, all the clothes I had no longer fit, so I had thrown them all away.

In the end, I had no choice but to go shopping with the group as soon as the day broke.

“See? What did I tell you? I said you needed to buy clothes, didn’t I?”

“Ah, life…”

“Come on. Don’t slouch. Let’s go look at clothes quickly!”

Veronica shoved me into the passenger seat of the vehicle. At this point, it was practically an abduction.

Lucia, Camilla, and Francesca sat amicably in the back seat, while Veronica took the driver’s seat and skillfully gripped the steering wheel.

“Let’s go to the department store near the station! It’s the biggest one.”

“Please lower your voice. What if someone recognizes us…”

“Even if I appear on the news a lot, dressed like this, who would recognize me?”

Veronica was wearing a disreputable outfit for the first time in a long while. It was the same outfit she wore when she first met me outside the church.

Not just her, but everyone was dressed in styles they didn’t usually wear. Although the three weren’t well-known to the public, it was still better to be cautious.

But ironically, I was in a suit.

“Your suit looks nice. Is it not off-the-rack?”

“It’s custom-made.”

“The craftsman must be skilled. It suits you.”

“I don’t feel better just because you compliment me.”

“You’re making a fuss even when I say something nice. Anyway! Let’s go now!”

Veronica, at the wheel, put on sunglasses and drove towards the department store.

After driving for about an hour, we arrived at our destination. We parked the car after getting a parking ticket in my name.

Veronica separated from us on the way to the parking lot.

“I’ll meet with some people from the church for a moment, so take your time looking around.”

“Didn’t you meet them yesterday?”

“Yesterday I went to ask them to prepare something, and today I’m meeting them to receive it. It’s something to use for hiding identities, something you can’t easily get without the embassy.”

“It’s not illegal, is it?”

“Nope. The item itself is legal. It’s a magical item.”

“Then go ahead. Call if there’s any problem.”

It wasn’t polite for the person who brought us to leave, but it was fine since there was a valid reason.

I couldn’t tell what kind of item she was going to get, but it didn’t seem to be illegal.

Anyway.

We decided to look around the department store to buy clothes and items needed for the trip.

“Everyone go get what you need. I just need to look at clothes.”

“How about we split up?”

Francesca suggested.

“It might be awkward if we all move together and something troublesome happens. Wouldn’t it be better to move in pairs?”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

“I agree. We all have phones to contact each other anyway.”

Camilla and Lucia agreed with Francesca’s idea. I also didn’t want all of us to be recognized together, so I accepted Francesca’s suggestion.

After sharing the temporary phone number created by the Military Intelligence Agency with everyone and reiterating a few precautions, we split into pairs. By the way, Camilla was the one accompanying me.

“Shall we look at clothes first?”

“Let’s do that.”

We first headed to the men’s clothing store. It wasn’t that I had said I would buy clothes first; it was just that the men’s store was the closest.

As soon as Camilla entered the store, she began looking at clothes with the guidance of a clerk. While she was discussing various clothing items with the clerk, I stepped back and looked around.

“…”

The interior of the department store was bustling with people. Not only inside the store but also outside was packed with people.

People who came alone, families who came to buy clothes for their children, friends who came during vacation, tourists moving in groups.

Some stood for a long time looking at items, some sat in chairs waiting for their ordered food, some conversed with the person across from them, and others walked briskly as if chased by time.

The races were diverse, but no non-human species were visible.

After checking the surroundings, I focused on the appearance of people, especially men between their 20s and 40s.

No one was hiding their face with masks, beards, sunglasses, or hats. No one had an abdomen that was disproportionately large or protruding compared to other parts of their body.

No one was throwing something large into a trash can, and no one was hastily leaving their bag behind.

No one was avoiding security guards, avoiding eye contact, clenching their fists, covering their scent with heavy perfume, looking around at short intervals while sweating, or ordering food but not touching it.

So far, nothing seemed particularly unusual.

“Excuse me.”

When I heard someone calling from behind, I turned around thinking it might be for me, and saw Camilla looking at me with clothes in both hands.

“What is it, Camilla?”

“I’ve been calling you, but you didn’t answer.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

It seems Camilla had been calling me, but I didn’t hear her. I scratched my head awkwardly and smiled.

“Do you not like the clothes? Or is something wrong?”

“No. I was just lost in thought and didn’t hear you. But why didn’t you call me by name…”

“Oh, that?”

Like someone who couldn’t easily answer a difficult question, Camilla gave an awkward smile.

“Well, I wasn’t sure if I should call you by your current name or your real name. I don’t know your real name. And I can’t call you by your rank either.”

So that was the reason. I thought it was something else.

“I don’t mind either way.”

“Then how about calling you by your real name?”

“Hmm…”

I stroked my chin, delaying my answer. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell Camilla my real name.

It was just that I wasn’t used to revealing my real name to foreigners. And Camilla, being British, was technically a foreigner.

“Can’t you just call me by my current name? I don’t particularly attach meaning to names.”

“It’s not that. It’s just that it feels like I’m calling you by a fake name, so I feel a bit…”

Camilla smiled awkwardly and trailed off.

Just like when she asked me to teach her tradecraft before, Camilla seems to be stubborn in strange ways.

But since I’m the same way, I didn’t find it particularly strange.

“You have quite a unique personality.”

“Haha. So, are you going to tell me your name now?”

“I’ll tell you when you succeed in losing weight. Don’t let yourself go just because you’re on vacation.”

“What! You remembered that!?”

“How could I forget something I taught directly? Since you’re here on vacation, I’ll skip the training, but you still need to work on basic fitness and weight loss. Understood?”

“I got it…”

Camilla nodded her head, looking deflated as if she had been excited but was now disappointed. I chuckled and shook my head.

After our brief conversation, we amicably looked around the store for clothes. But since I wasn’t particularly interested in clothes, and Camilla couldn’t find anything that suited me, we had no choice but to leave the store.

“There’s nothing to buy. Are there any other stores?”

“I’m sure there are if we look. Let’s first check where Lucia and Francesca are.”

“I’m hungry. Should we meet up and eat?”

“Stop eating so much.”

“Hiing…!”

I took out my mobile phone and opened the phonebook. This device, which would be considered outdated like a 2G feature phone in South Korea, was the latest mobile phone here.

Pressing the buttons firmly with my thumb, I found Francesca’s number and pressed the call button.

That’s when it happened.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

“The call isn’t connecting…?”

In my confusion, I pressed the end call button and looked at the mobile phone screen. And soon I could see why the call wasn’t connecting.

At the top right corner of the screen.

There was only the phrase “Out of Service Area” written on it.