Ch.158Episode 9 – Old Fashioned

## Three Taboos in Intelligence Agencies

There are three taboos in intelligence agencies.

Alcohol,

Gambling,

Romance.

Despite intelligence agencies constantly walking the tightrope between legal and illegal activities and engaging in risky love triangles as routinely as eating meals, even company people tend to avoid these three things.

Honestly, except for gambling, the company doesn’t really care much if you date or drink. But socially inappropriate romantic relationships (like affairs) or excessive drinking tend to attract disapproving glances. During operations, you always have to be careful—if you’re caught openly drinking or dating foreigners while abroad, there’s a high chance of serious consequences.

That’s why I generally stayed away from gambling and romance.

Drinking and smoking were exceptions, of course.

Especially cigarettes. In my ten-plus years at the intelligence agency, I’ve seen people quit gambling, but never anyone who successfully quit smoking. I know because I failed myself. Though I’ve succeeded now.

Fortunately, intelligence agencies in this area tend to have many married people, and due to cultural differences, they’re relatively lenient about drinking and romance issues. In that sense, I could be considered an oddball.

I rarely drink, don’t smoke, and don’t date, let alone get married. Even Klevins, who usually doesn’t touch on personal matters, occasionally asks, “Do you have any plans to get married?” That says it all.

Anyway.

I tended to stay away from drinking, smoking, gambling, and romance. I quit cigarettes completely and only drink occasionally now.

The problem is…

“Saint, why are you filling up with so much liquor?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Just shut up and drink!”

“Please, have some dignity…”

“Drink up!”

People around me keep trying to make me drink.

## Episode 9 – Old Fashioned

Following Veronica’s suggestion, a party was held to celebrate my discharge from the hospital.

Though it could hardly be called a party with only five participants, looking at who was attending would quickly silence any such complaints.

The Saint of the Church, a high-ranking civil servant from the Secretariat known as a power player in the Magic Tower, a precious guest from Earth, and a spy.

It was quite an unusual combination, but no one dared comment on it.

“Here’s to the Major’s health!”

Veronica raised her on-the-rocks glass high and shouted. It was an old-fashioned glass with a thick bottom and thin walls.

After downing the dark brown rum like a shot of soju, Veronica let out an exclamation.

“Drink up. Come on, drink!”

“But I’m a patient…”

I looked down at my glass with a sour expression. The rum swirled with my shaking hand, leaving traces like lingering notes on the glass walls.

I instinctively knew this rum was very strong. I didn’t even need to smell it—I could tell just by the color.

In the past I might have handled it, but now that I stay away from alcohol, this rum was a bit much for me. Besides, I never particularly liked rum anyway.

Still, I needed to at least wet my lips for the first glass out of courtesy. Just as I was about to put the glass down after barely tasting it…

Veronica, giving off a faint alcoholic scent, approached and whispered in my ear.

“Don’t ruin the mood and drink up quickly.”

“…”

“This isn’t a friendly request.”

Giggling as she approached, Veronica poked my side repeatedly, openly pressuring me.

It’s my first time being threatened by an intelligence officer. I knew she was crazy, but Veronica was far more unhinged and unpredictable than I had imagined.

Normally I would have shouted asking what she thought she was doing, but there were too many eyes watching. Following Veronica’s signal, everyone had already downed their drinks and was now staring blankly at me, waiting for me to drink mine.

In the end, I had no choice but to reluctantly tilt my glass.

“Ugh…”

As expected, the rum was extremely strong.

The powerful alcoholic aroma seized my nostrils. The moment the rum touched my tongue, my entire mouth—including the roof and both cheeks—dried up instantly.

After the moisture evaporated in an instant, a stinging sensation followed, along with woody notes and a burnt smell that assaulted my olfactory cells. I couldn’t even taste the alcohol before I had to grimace.

“Ugh…”

“Pfft!”

Veronica, her cheeks puffed out, couldn’t hold back her laughter. Her eyes, which had been gently curved like crescent moons, were now filled with the desperate struggle to contain her erupting laughter.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh out of sheer disbelief. But Veronica, ignoring this, continued laughing for quite some time before wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes and grabbing the bottle.

“Haa… Sorry. Your reaction was just too funny.”

“Please, maintain some dignity…”

“Alright, alright. Come on! Bring your glass over!”

And that’s how the real party began.

We filled each other’s glasses with alcohol and chatted about various things while eating snacks ordered through room service.

The atmosphere couldn’t have been more convivial.

Most of the participants were sociable, so the mood couldn’t possibly have been dull, but the person who contributed most to lifting the atmosphere was none other than Veronica.

“When he woke up in the hospital room all disheveled with barely open eyes, I showed him my finger and his eyes got this big—”

“Oh, come on!”

Veronica had a talent for making people enjoy themselves. Having frequented the Church’s political and social circles for over a decade, she commanded everyone’s attention with her clean, concise eloquence.

Most of it was at my expense, but Veronica’s rhetoric, gestures, intonation, and attitude were exemplary of speech designed to win people’s favor.

I figured Veronica’s speaking style was either taught by her family or the Imperial Guard, or something she had acquired over decades in politics. Very interesting. I wish Camilla could see and learn from this.

Of course, Veronica wasn’t the only one working hard to liven up the atmosphere.

Camilla, Lucia, and Francesca also actively participated in the conversation. Francesca, in particular, was mixing cocktails using the bottles lying around, glasses and ice brought by hotel staff, and soft drinks.

She silently filled a glass with ice and stirred it to chill it. Then she poured out the melted ice water and carefully poured carbonated water and whiskey down the side of the glass so they wouldn’t touch the ice, then gently stirred with delicate movements to prevent the carbonation from escaping.

I know what that is.

“It’s ready.”

It’s a highball.

“I can only make simple drinks since I’m not prepared… but I hope it suits your taste.”

“Wow, is this a highball?”

“Yes, would you like to try it?”

“Yes!”

Francesca quickly made five highballs and handed one to each of us. I took a sip and found it delicious.

Do alchemists these days learn how to make drinks too? What an interesting skill.

I kept sipping the highball Francesca had mixed, continuously expressing my admiration. It was so delicious I suspected she might have slipped something into it. So I asked for another.

The highball made with soda instead of carbonated water had a different taste. While the highball with carbonated water brought out the whiskey’s natural aroma, the one with soda was refreshing and crisp without compromising the whiskey’s flavor.

Sip by sip, the glass quickly revealed its bottom.

After always drinking the alcohol sold at the company, I wanted to enjoy this delicious cocktail a bit longer, but sadly, there was only one bartender for four people. Francesca was busy making highballs for the others.

In the end, I could only lick my lips regretfully while staring at my empty glass.

“…Tsk.”

I hadn’t planned on drinking today anyway, and avoiding alcohol was better for recovering from injuries, so I was about to get up and leave.

Just as I was about to leave with that slightly tipsy feeling…

Veronica, who had been quiet, approached and spoke to me.

“Major.”

“Yes.”

“Did it feel good drinking the alcohol my sister made?”

“It was delicious. But why do you ask…?”

Veronica gave a slight smile and took the empty glass from my hand.

“Surely you weren’t planning to end after just drinking this?”

*

Veronica stopped me from leaving and made me drink.

To be more precise, she poured alcohol down my throat.

She filled my glass with strong liquor and subtly pressured me to drink it. When I finally drank it after hesitating, she would refill my glass and urge me to drink more.

Camilla and Lucia, who were watching, expressed concern for my health as I had just been discharged from intensive care and advised me to stop drinking.

But I couldn’t bring myself to refuse the alcohol Veronica offered.

If it weren’t for her, I would have been discharged from service without question. If she hadn’t reattached my fingers, I probably wouldn’t have been able to continue working for the company.

That’s why I couldn’t refuse the alcohol Veronica offered.

So I tried to endure until Veronica got drunk and passed out first, but unfortunately, she was a strong drinker.

Eventually, tired of Veronica’s seemingly endless capacity for alcohol, I escaped to the terrace saying I needed some fresh air.

“Why are you following me here too?”

“Am I not allowed to use the terrace? I’m a guest, you know. Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?”

Veronica had followed me all the way to the terrace.

I sighed deeply and shook my head.

The night air in November was quite chilly. The city, waiting for the coming morning, slept quietly in the dim lights.

The warm magic of streetlights, flowing like a river, drove away the darkness and cold. Amid this, Veronica suddenly gave a slight smile.

She approached me from the side and spoke.

“How was it? Today.”

Today, huh.

“It was amazing.”

Though it had only been three or four hours rather than a full day, a lot had happened in that short time.

“I thought I’d be stuck in the hospital and sent to the rear or discharged. But now I’m completely healed and able to return to duty. Thanks to you, Saint.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I expressed my gratitude with sincerity. After all, it was Veronica who had treated a disability that neither doctors nor priests could heal—one I would have had to live with for the rest of my life.

In my brief time in the hospital, and from meeting military doctors and chaplains in the field several times, I knew how difficult it was to treat such injuries.

So I naturally came to understand how remarkable Veronica’s abilities were.

She modestly claimed that Lucia could heal just as well as she could, but honestly, there was no denying that Veronica’s abilities were superior to Lucia’s.

That made me even more grateful.

“Sigh. Hearing words of gratitude from you… It feels strange no matter how many times I hear it… Weren’t you the type who didn’t like praising others?”

“That’s because you haven’t done anything worthy of kind words in front of me until now, Saint.”

“What do you mean? I think I’ve been decent enough… I’m trying my best to live a good life, you know.”

Veronica pouted slightly and muttered what sounded like a complaint. After a moment, she fell silent and leaned against the railing.

Silence hung in the air.

The world was quiet. It was a quiet night.

The streets once filled with people and roads busy with vehicles were now empty, almost desolate. The once vibrant city was as quiet as a mouse.

Under the gloomy night sky, a cold autumn wind blew through the vast gray city.

Veronica’s hair fluttered as she leaned against the hotel railing. Normally she would have been upset about her carefully styled hair being ruined, but Veronica showed no particular reaction and just looked up at the empty night sky.

“Major.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t get hurt.”

It was a sudden statement. An abrupt one too.

Since it came out of nowhere without any context, I looked at Veronica wondering if she was very drunk. But Veronica continued speaking calmly as if nothing was wrong.

“You might not know since you’ve been in the hospital, but everyone was really worried. My sisters and the Hero too.”

“…”

“Well, they might not show it outwardly, but how hard must it have been? You were hospitalized after fighting terrorists alone, trying to protect them.”

Unlike her usual self, Veronica continued speaking without looking at me. She just gazed down at the city with melancholic eyes.

I took in the sight of the Saint looking down at the city shrouded in darkness right beside me. Though I could only see her profile, I could clearly see her eyes filled with profound light.

“So, please be more careful from now on. Work is important, but what could be more important than your life? You need to be alive to work, right?”

“…”

“And get along well with my sisters. Got it?”

“…I understand.”

That was the extent of my response.

It was too brief compared to the Saint’s advice, but I had nothing else to say.

Veronica seemed frustrated by my response and tried to say something, but her lips only moved slightly without uttering even a short word.

Of course, she wasn’t the type to let things slide so easily.

“Is that all? I’m showing so much concern, and you should say something more.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Oh, shi—!”

She almost cursed.

Veronica, who was about to swear, bit her lip hard and muttered briefly. She raised her hand as if she wanted to hit me, but realizing it would be unreasonable to beat up a patient who had been in intensive care just hours ago, she exercised self-control and forcibly pulled back her hand that was about to lash out.

“Phew… Forget the flattery, just remember what I said. And don’t forget to treat my sisters well.”

“Lucia and Francesca seem to be getting along fine with everyone. They’re doing well on their own, so is there anything more I need to do?”

“Just be friendly to them. Do you know how hard it is for kids without proper backing to survive in the Church or Magic Tower?”

Kids without proper backing.

At first glance, it might seem like she’s referring to Lucia, whose identity is unclear except for being raised in a convent, and Francesca, who is under surveillance and check from Fatalia and the Magic Tower. But I realized Veronica herself was included in that category.

After all, she too had lost her parents and entered an orphanage. Although the Imperial family had backed her since before she became a Saint, that wasn’t what Veronica had wanted.

What young Veronica needed wasn’t backing, but family.

In that context, Veronica probably felt a sense of kinship with Lucia and Francesca, who had similar backgrounds.

The fact that she insisted on calling them sisters even in this setting, where she didn’t need to maintain appearances, made it more of a certainty than a guess.

Anyway, these people have had tough lives. I wonder how such people ended up together. And by divine oracle, no less.

She and I stood on the terrace, looking down at the city tinted gray. Veronica’s hair fluttered again in the breeze. The night air was particularly cold.

At that moment, Veronica hugged herself with both arms. Having taken off her coat earlier because she felt hot, her clothing was now incredibly light and thin.

“You must be cold.”

I took off my suit jacket and wrapped it around Veronica.

As my hand brushed against her, Veronica’s body flinched slightly. She pulled the coat tighter around her shoulders and began to speak.

“Um, I think I’ll go in first.”

“Okay.”

Just as Veronica turned to go back inside…

“…Huh?”

Perhaps from the alcohol, Veronica stumbled as she tried to leave the terrace. It was natural given how she had been continuously pouring that strong rum into her stomach without a break.

But she seemed more intoxicated than I thought, as she didn’t just stagger but her feet got tangled. The drunk woman lost her balance and began to fall toward the floor.

There was no time to think. I reached out and grabbed Veronica’s arm, pulling her forcefully toward me and wrapping my arms around her to prevent her from getting hurt.

Thankfully, I caught her in time, so Veronica neither hit the floor nor complained of pain from being grabbed.

However, there was one problem.

“…”

“…”

We were too close.

No matter how much lighter women are than men, and despite Veronica’s attention to weight control, she was fundamentally human. And to stop a human-weight object from falling, I needed to use force to pull her toward me.

That’s why it happened. Why Veronica and I ended up pressed together.

Our eyes met—her black eyes filled with bewilderment.

I could see the cold sweat that had flowed and dried around her neck from the alcohol, and her lips moving slightly as if wanting to say something.

Although the strong wind at this height occasionally drowned out voices, we were now close enough to hear each other’s breathing clearly.

It was a scene that would have shocked onlookers, but it was certainly not intentional. This was an accident.

“Um, Saint?”

“Y-Yes?”

“I think you need to get up…”

“…Oh.”

Veronica, who had been staring blankly at me, suddenly came to her senses. Though she finally stood up, she still seemed disoriented, with excited breaths escaping between her lips.

I stood facing Veronica and checked if she was hurt anywhere. But Veronica just stared at me with a blank expression, not letting go of my shoulder that she had grabbed when falling. After drinking so much… Her brain must be completely pickled in alcohol by now.

As a result, our distance showed no signs of increasing.

…Come to think of it, something has been touching me for a while now. I didn’t want to mention it directly because it might make future interactions with her awkward.

As we stood there in the cold wind for quite some time in an awkward posture…

-Knock! Knock!

The sound of someone knocking on the terrace door brought Veronica back to her senses.

“W-What is it?!”

“…”

Veronica jumped away like a cat dropped in a bathtub. It was quite ironic that she didn’t respond when I called her, but immediately regained her senses at a single knock.

How absurd.

Judging by her stammering and trembling shoulders, she still wasn’t completely sober. So I opened the door to let her back into the room.

Camilla stood at the door, blinking her eyes.

“Ah, Camilla. What’s the matter?”

“There was a call on the hotel phone. They said it’s from the Ministry of Defense?”

“The Ministry of Defense…?”

I peeked out to check the clock. The hour hand had already passed 3 AM and was heading toward 4.

Having a rough idea of what it might be, I excused myself from the group and moved to another room to pick up the receiver.

“This is Frederick.”

-‘Ah, I heard you were discharged?’

It was Klevins.

*

Summoned by Klevins, I headed to the company as soon as day broke, taking public transportation.

And during my journey, transferring between buses and subways, I could see how the country had been turned upside down.

Police were stationed throughout the capital. Patrol cars frequently passed on the roads, police conducted random checks in crowded places, and armed police forces at subways and terminals were checking passengers’ IDs and luggage.

It was a scene I often saw during business trips to China, but I never expected to see it in Avas.

Seeing ID checks and body searches at the subway gates, I showed my military ID to the police first and passed through the search. After skipping several complicated inspection procedures this way, I was finally able to make my way to the Military Intelligence Agency.

As I approached the checkpoint, I noticed a line of official and private vehicles. The ground parking lot of the Military Intelligence Agency was on the verge of overflowing with cars.

For reference, today is Saturday.

“Wow…”

The fact that there was no parking space in the company lot on a weekend showed how serious the aftermath of this terrorist attack was. The inside would be predictably chaotic.

After showing my social security card (similar to an ID card) at the checkpoint and entering, I saw numerous intelligence officers busy at work. The silent outcry of civil servants who had come to work on a Saturday echoed throughout the Military Intelligence Agency building.

Carefully making my way past intelligence officers running through the corridors, I arrived at my destination.

I took a small deep breath in front of the door and knocked slowly. As soon as permission was granted, I turned the doorknob.

“I’m here.”

“You’re here? Come in and sit down.”

As I opened the door and entered, the familiar smell of the office wafted over. Klevins was sitting at his desk, handling administrative work as usual.

I leaned back on the plush sofa, and Klevins approached the sofa and took the main seat.

Klevins’ face, whom I was meeting again after several days, looked brighter than before.

“Why did you call me?”

“I called to check on you after hearing you were discharged from the hospital. Are you feeling better?”

Klevins asked me in his usual voice. There was a hint of concern, but no sign of surprise.

He probably knew that Veronica had visited my hospital room.

I nodded and answered briefly.

“Yes. Fortunately, the treatment seems to have gone well.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Klevins grinned and sank into the sofa. He smiled with his wrinkled eyes, looking like someone whose tension had been released.

“I was surprised when the doctor called me while I was sleeping at dawn. I heard you could barely leave the intensive care unit, so discharge? I thought I wasn’t fully awake. Or that you had gone crazy.”

“Hahaha…”

That was certainly true.

“Next time, if you’re going to have an accident, please give me a heads-up. Do you know how hard it is to be startled at my age?”

“Well, I didn’t cause the accident…”

“Anyway, report when something happens. Would it hurt to contact the duty office from the hospital before being discharged?”

“I… guess so?”

“Tsk tsk…”

Honestly, I was too preoccupied to think about reporting, but I kept my mouth shut because I might get hit if I said that.

Just go with it. What else can I do?

“I’m glad you seem to be fine. Does it feel good to walk on two feet after lying in bed?”

“Yes, it feels great.”

“Is there anything different?”

Sitting on the sofa with a friendly smile, Klevins asked a strange question. Different, as in whether anything had come to mind after receiving treatment from Veronica.

For example, memories of the terrorist attack.

“No. I still don’t remember anything. Since I’m not fully recovered, let alone completely treated…”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Klevins nodded in understanding. He seemed to have asked without expecting a meaningful answer.

“Well. The terrorist-related matters are being formally investigated, so you focus on treatment and rehabilitation for now. We’ll talk about this issue again when your health improves.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go eat sometime when you’re free. Keep some time open.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And… how much leave do you have left?”

Klevins, who had been engaging in casual conversation, suddenly asked how much leave I had left. For reference, Klevins is the one who issued the leave order. He both gave the order and approved it.

It seemed strange that the person who granted the leave was asking about its duration, but I sensed something suspicious in his attitude as he beat around the bush with small talk.

I wondered if I had done something wrong. But nothing came to mind. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

So I just told him how many days of leave I had left. It felt unsettling, but I couldn’t think of anything else.

After hearing my answer, Klevins interlocked his fingers, then sighed and nodded as if deep in thought.

He seems to have finished his business.

“I see. Sorry for calling out a sick person on a weekend.”

“It’s fine. May I go now?”

“Yes. Get home safely, and contact me immediately if anything happens.”

“Yes.”

I buttoned up my jacket at this gentle dismissal. Just as I was about to leave the office after saying goodbye to Klevins…

“Ah, wait.”

Klevins stopped me as I was leaving the office.

“I forgot to give you this.”

Klevins handed me an envelope. It was mail that the Military Intelligence Agency delivers when necessary for work.

“What is this?”

I examined the envelope with a puzzled face, but Klevins avoided answering with a strange smile.

“Ah, check it yourself when you get outside.”

“Oh boy…”

More pranks. He’s really difficult sometimes.

I chuckled, pocketed the letter, and left the office. Then, while going down the quiet staircase, I opened the envelope and examined its contents.

And only after seeing the writing on the envelope did I understand what this letter was.

With trembling hands, I held the letter and slowly read the text.

Sender: Military Intelligence Agency Inspector Charnoi.

Recipient: Frederick Nostrum.

Content: The date for the disciplinary committee has been set. Please attend without fail.

I’m being summoned to the disciplinary committee. I had forgotten about it.

After reading the entire letter from the Inspection Office, I muttered while crumpling the edge of the letter in frustration.

“…Damn it.”

The date for the disciplinary committee was tomorrow.

Sunday.