Ch.164Episode 9 – Old Fashioned

# Bribery.

Intelligence agencies and bribery have an inseparable relationship. They simply cannot be separated. Why are bribery and intelligence agencies so inseparable? This stems from the unique nature of intelligence work.

Fundamentally, the work of all intelligence and counterintelligence agencies inherently involves illegality. From the small-scale collection of information to create intelligence, to large-scale covert operations such as assassinations, kidnappings, sabotage, and coup orchestrations carried out under presidential orders.

Intelligence agencies are destined to cross the boundaries between legality and illegality, whether they like it or not, and therefore all intelligence activities are strictly predicated on national interest.

In other words, they don’t care about breaking laws as long as it benefits national interests.

The same applies to bribery.

When a citizen bribes a public official of their own country, it’s corruption, graft, and deplorable misconduct that should be punished severely. But when a foreigner bribes a local official, it’s simply goodwill based on friendship.

Slipping a few rubles between the pages of your passport for the aggressive police officer demanding to see your documents at a tourist site,

Loading a suitcase full of dollars into the trunk of a local commander’s car who insists that this is his territory and no NGO activities can be conducted without his permission,

Pretending to shake hands with a church police officer who waves you away from a crime scene while actually passing him a few bills,

Depositing several years’ worth of salary into a newly created overseas account for an imperial warrant officer who claims to be protecting his integrity by refusing to hand over top-secret information…

In this way, a kind, gentle foreigner with suspiciously good command of the local language tends to be well-received wherever they go, and if they happen to be carrying plenty of cash, they can accomplish almost anything.

This true principle was common sense in this neighborhood as well. After all, this was a place where you had to make a “donation” just to receive healing from a priest. They called it a donation, but it was essentially a bribe. Of course, if you dared to say that out loud, you’d be visited not by religious people who save lives, but by those who take them, so nobody went around talking about it.

Anyway, nothing in this world is free, and even God’s benevolence comes at a price. That’s the common sense in this neighborhood.

But today…

“You’re telling me to just receive treatment first?”

“Yes. Please lie down on the bed.”

Today is different.

## Episode 9 – Old-Fashioned

According to the church’s scripture, when God created humans, He modeled them after His own image, but unlike His omnipotent self, He shaped humans in an imperfect form.

Swayed by evil, tempted by desire.

In my view, this is purely God’s lack of ability and a complete blunder, but the church clergy claim they can see divine providence even in these flaws.

That providence is freedom.

Whether one escapes evil and returns to God’s embrace, or struggles with desire before answering God’s call and awakening to repentance—all of this is God’s gift. It’s divine providence that’s difficult to comprehend with the human mind.

As an atheist who lived through the 21st century, I thought there was one more freedom.

That is the freedom to collect donations.

They take money from everyone who attends mass, and also when they give baptismal names, offer prayers, or provide healing. The same applies when expanding buildings. Unlike regular donations, money used for such special purposes is collected under the name of “special offerings.”

And one of the church’s biggest sources of income was the donations received in exchange for healing.

They say these are voluntary donations, but except in exceptional circumstances, the atmosphere becomes extremely hostile the moment you say you want to receive healing without paying.

This was a custom and rule that had continued for hundreds of years, a yoke that even numerous political and business figures, as well as notables from each continent, could not escape. Of course, being a high-ranking person didn’t entitle you to any discount, so they had to pay a high price to summon a priest. Skilled healers commanded a premium.

The Prime Minister of Abas, the President of Fatalia, the Chancellor of the Kiyen Empire—even the Emperor himself would make large donations under the name of “charity for the poor” to summon a cardinal for the sake of appearances. This was one of the open secrets in diplomatic circles. No wonder there was a saying that only a phantom thief or the Pope could empty the Emperor’s pockets and get away with it.

But Lucia didn’t demand money from me.

I knew that Lucia wasn’t the type to be greedy for money or stingy like other religious people (especially those whose names start with “Ve”). But after encountering priests who immediately demand money just for offering a prayer, meeting Lucia who told me to receive treatment first gave me a strange feeling.

“Please lie down on the bed. It’s better if you take off your coat.”

“Can’t I sit?”

“You can sit if you prefer, but it would be more comfortable to lie down as you need to relax. Some people occasionally experience dizziness during treatment due to the mana in their bodies.”

I lay down on the bed as Lucia instructed. I took off my suit jacket and folded it neatly.

Lucia lightly disinfected her hands and placed a white towel on a silver basin filled with warm water.

“I’ve read the medical records sent from the hospital. I understand you have issues with your nerves?”

“Yes.”

After the counter-terrorism unit entered the department store and resolved the situation, I was transported to a military hospital. The rescue worker at the scene attempted emergency treatment, but my condition was too serious, so I was immediately loaded into an ambulance.

I heard I underwent several major surgeries, and at one point went into cardiac arrest, requiring the administration of cardiac stimulants. They tore my shirt apart and stuck a needle into my heart. Later I found out they had jabbed me with an enormous needle.

They used many potions and blood transfusion packs. Thanks to the efforts of skilled military doctors and chaplains, I barely survived just before crossing the River Jordan. But I was told there were critical moments afterward when I remained unconscious for hours.

My thumb, which had been bitten off by the therianthrope terrorist, couldn’t be saved. But Veronica somehow managed to resolve that issue.

Of course, I had difficulty moving my thumb because the nerves hadn’t properly reconnected. It was hard to bend, and the sensation in that finger felt quite different from my other fingers.

But now that one of the continent’s best healers had volunteered to treat my finger personally, that would soon be a thing of the past.

Lucia, wearing a benevolent smile, wrapped my hand with a towel soaked in warm water.

“Before we begin treatment, may I ask one thing? Have you ever received treatment from any priest other than me?”

“No, I haven’t.”

I shook my head as I felt the cozy warmth transmitted to my palm and the back of my hand.

Except perhaps in childhood, I had never been injured badly enough to seek out a priest, whether in the field or even while working at the Military Intelligence Agency. Apart from Veronica and Lucia, essentially no one had ever formally treated me.

At my answer, Lucia cleared her throat and spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“Ahem, then if you feel anything unusual or problematic during treatment, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“…Problem?”

“Like if you feel uncomfortable or displeased.”

“……?”

What nonsense is this?

For a moment I wondered if Lucia was trying to sexually harass me like those clergy who occasionally appear on the 9 o’clock news, but even I thought that was too far-fetched a delusion.

“Ah, yes… I understand.”

Since I urgently needed treatment, I just agreed.

*

Clergy exploiting believers wasn’t a rare occurrence in this world.

Power breeds authority, and authority leads to worship.

The more corrupt the power, the more severe this phenomenon became, which was one of the social phenomena easily observable in the global community. North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, Syria, and so on…

Power breeds authority, and authority leads to worship. And in this world, religious power was overwhelmingly more influential compared to any country on Earth.

Of course, no matter how powerful religious authorities were, the world was still ruled by elected officials, the civil service that moved according to their directives, and the conglomerates that delivered apple boxes to those in power while eagerly shaking their rattles. Religion never completely devoured the world.

Religion is protected by individual faith and belief, but the state is protected by armed forces and police. Politicians aren’t docile enough to watch religious figures take over their countries.

But even the high sun cannot illuminate dark alleys, and the state cannot maintain flawless administrative control across its entire territory. Especially in times like these, when the whole world is suffering from terrorism, conflicts, polarization, economic recession, war, and natural disasters.

As the state becomes precarious, the economy collapses. When national resources are concentrated on reviving the devastated economy, administrative gaps appear in other areas. Administrative gaps lead to gaps in the social safety net.

Public safety becomes unstable. Usually, when public safety deteriorates, the political scene becomes tumultuous or borders collapse. When national defense wavers, foreign investors withdraw their capital and flee, naturally leading to economic downturns in a vicious cycle.

And such niche markets were the perfect environment for wolves and jackals to operate.

“I’ll make you a member of the Successful Ones. How do you become successful? You must become a spiritual vessel. Academy? University? All unnecessary! For the future of our children! If you cut ties with the secular world and return to God’s embrace…”

“The time you all love most, the most joyful time has arrived. It’s time for donations. Time for donations.”

“Mother’s command has come down. You are my seed, so spread my seed. Take even married women and spread your seed like the stars in the sky, she said.”

“No, Father. So why did you put your hand between the believer’s legs? I heard you touched both female and male believers quite thoroughly.”

“That was obviously for spiritual conversation and healing…”

“Is he insane?”

News of priests pocketing donations or shamans being involved in sex crimes appears periodically. Both the state and religious organizations strive diligently to control such incidents, but these types of crimes occur like annual events.

The military is no exception.

Incidents of military priests or sorcerers sexually harassing patients or believers are reported almost quarterly. I know this because I personally handled some cases as an aide under Clevins. Even during my time as a platoon leader on the front lines, there were instances where soldiers who attended religious events were extorted by priests.

Honestly, when Lucia said, “Let me know if anything unpleasant happens during treatment,” I did look at her with slightly suspicious eyes.

I wasn’t doubting her character, having observed her directly during medical volunteer work, but due to my professional nature, my thoughts inevitably leaned toward crime and illegality. It’s a kind of occupational hazard.

I briefly looked at Lucia with suspicious eyes and extended my hand hesitantly, not completely dispelling my doubts. The treatment began in such an awkward atmosphere.

And nothing happened.

“That’s all for today.”

“……”

Lucia, who had been diligently massaging my hand and infusing it with holy power for over 30 minutes, wiped away beads of sweat and smiled benevolently. I, who had been on edge wondering if she might do something strange, just blinked at her when she announced the treatment was over.

Blink.

Blink. Blink.

“Would you like to try moving your finger?”

“Oh, um, yes.”

As Lucia instructed, I applied force to my thumb. The finger seemed to bend slightly before trembling and stiffening again.

“Hmm…”

Seeing this, Lucia let out a sigh and stroked her chin.

“It seems there’s no progress with just one session. I think it would be better to heal over a longer period with more patience.”

“Then how…?”

“Daily healing would be the best option, but… if your schedule is busy, even every other day or once a week would be necessary.”

“Once a week? Would that be enough?”

“It’s better than nothing.”

Lucia’s recommendation was to receive healing every day if my schedule allowed, or at least once a week.

Of course, to show meaningful results in a short period, I would need consistent healing for a certain amount of time each day, but she seemed to think it would be impossible for me to set aside that much time in my schedule.

“I’ll try my best to make time on my end, but if that’s difficult, we’ll have to settle for brief healing sessions on weekends. You said you’re on leave, right?”

“Yes.”

“For now, I think it’s best to focus on recovery and rehabilitation during your remaining leave. Since I need to prepare in advance for tomorrow’s healing, let’s stop here for today.”

“Preparation?”

Lucia, who was tidying up the basin, nodded. She wrung out the damp towel once and wrapped it around my right hand. Despite the time that had passed, the water still felt warm. How strange.

“The church has sent something that will help with your recovery. Using it requires preparation, which takes some time.”

“Something?”

Come to think of it, a diplomat from the church embassy once gave me a gift. He said it was something beneficial for health. I found it suspicious and left it unopened.

The person who gave it to me was an information officer from the Inquisition. When I later contacted the Military Intelligence Agency, they told me he was the station chief for Abas.

Wondering if that was what she meant, I asked, but Lucia shook her head.

“It’s something different. Since it’s not widely known, you might find it unfamiliar.”

Lucia smiled gently while concealing the identity of the item. Her smile was casual, but her attitude seemed somewhat suspicious.

“What kind of item is it? Nothing strange, I hope?”

“It’s difficult to take out, but it’s not a strange item. However, it’s something that’s difficult to disclose to outsiders…”

“Ah…”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you in advance.”

Judging by how Lucia was speaking, whatever it was must be an extremely important item. It probably has religious significance. Given that it came from the church, it might be a sacred relic carefully stored in a vault.

If it’s such an important item, keeping it confidential makes sense. I nodded in understanding.

Anyway, I was getting free treatment from a clergy member—and not just any clergy, but a saint who’s difficult to meet even if you offer millions. It’s a win-win situation.

“I understand. These things happen.”

“Thank you.”

“By the way…”

“Yes, please speak freely.”

“Earlier, you mentioned something about unpleasant incidents. Could you tell me what you were referring to?”

“……”

“Saint Lucia?”

“It’s nothing. Please forget about it.”