Ch.28Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent

# The Lobbyist Requested a Meeting

I declined the interview request from the counter-espionage agent, and the Foreign Ministry sent back the envoy.

The Military Intelligence Bureau didn’t even attempt contact. They’re currently fired up about catching spies, and if I went there, I’d never get a response.

Both countries have even expelled each other’s ambassadors.

In other words, the diplomatic channels between the Empire and the Kingdom have been severed.

For such a critical matter, they couldn’t entrust it to just anyone. The Emperor must have selected someone trustworthy, sworn them to secrecy, and sent them.

But we told them to fuck off.

Agents wouldn’t work. Diplomats wouldn’t work.

So who was left?

Although they weren’t trained for this kind of task specifically.

As it happened, there was an appropriate person available.

## Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent

I looked at the woman sitting across from me.

Tall stature. Long, slender limbs. Jet-black long hair. Dark eyes. A beauty mark.

She smiled strangely.

“Why are you staring like that? You’re making me shy.”

“Hmm…”

I scanned Veronica up and down.

Leather jacket. Jeans. Earrings. Sneakers.

Something. Something…

“What? Different from what you expected?”

She looks like a delinquent.

She’s even holding a coffee in her hand.

“Are… are you really the Holy Maiden?”

“Yes!”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

This is the Holy Maiden? She’s nothing like what I imagined.

“What, just because I’m a Holy Maiden, I can’t dress comfortably?”

“Ah… yes.”

“Why are you looking at me like some old fogey?”

Old fogey, she says.

How many people in the world can call a cardinal an old fogey? This is insane.

I rubbed my face with my hand and finally spoke.

“Why exactly did you want to meet?”

“Hmm… patient check-up?”

“You’re not a doctor.”

“Do you need a license to heal? Priests only read scriptures.”

That’s her roundabout way of saying priests are blockheads and fanatics.

Since Veronica never had even a speck of faith to begin with, it’s not surprising she would say such things.

“Fine, let’s say that’s the case. Why did you save me?”

“Because you’re someone I need.”

“Me? You need me?”

Veronica nodded.

She saved me because she needs me. I roughly understand what she means. The Emperor probably wants to express somehow that he’s not the terrorist.

But it’s a bit annoying.

“For someone who claims to be checking on a patient, you’re an hour late for our appointment.”

“Come on… you know why.”

“What?”

“You know, right?”

Bang bang.

She makes gun sounds with her mouth while wiggling her fingers. She even throws in a wink.

She really seems crazy, but I understand her meaning.

She was late because she was checking if she was being followed.

In other words, Veronica knows I’m an intelligence agent.

“Not particularly surprising.”

“I have my own sources of information.”

Sources, she says.

“The Imperial Guard?”

“Oh my, you knew?”

“They made you the Holy Maiden, didn’t they? Throwing money around.”

“Wow… Major, you’re good. How did you find out about a Level 1 classified operation?”

“I have my own sources of information.”

At my words, Veronica doubled over with laughter. I wonder what’s so funny.

She seems a bit detached from reality, somewhat… unhinged.

“Let’s not waste energy from the start and get to the point…”

“Is there no ending after the beginning?”

“…”

I stand corrected.

She’s completely insane.

*

It was raining. It seemed like a shower at first, but the way it poured down like a downpour felt somehow ominous.

While the noisy sound of rain came down, and Veronica was talking, drumming, and doing headspins all by herself.

I tried to maintain my mental state. Looking at my watch, it was 2:57.

She arrived an hour late and has been rambling for 52 minutes.

She’s insane.

“Look, stop chattering and get to the point.”

“Ah… but I was just getting to the interesting part.”

“I don’t care, let’s deal with your business quickly.”

Veronica rested her arm on the bench and tossed a small piece of ice into her mouth.

Water trickled down her jawline. She wiped it roughly with the back of her hand and began speaking.

“I hear you’ve been investigating me lately?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I heard you’ve been collecting information about what I’ve been saying. You, Major.”

Have I been caught?

I didn’t get too deeply involved in the Holy Maiden election issue. Even though there shouldn’t be any problems, admitting it is quite awkward.

After all, it means I’ve been investigating someone.

And not just anyone—the Holy Maiden of the Church.

“Well, I don’t mind. Whether you investigate me or not.”

“You don’t get along with Sister Lucia?”

“No, we get along fine.”

What nonsense is this?

“We meet occasionally for coffee, drinks, and even smoke together.”

“…Pardon?”

“Ah, this is a secret, but…”

Veronica made a face like she’d made a mistake. Wait, Lucia smokes?

Shit, they say there’s no one to trust in this world.

Imagining the Holy Maiden and the Holy Maiden candidate gathering to drink soju and smoke cigarettes made the future of the continent seem bleak.

“You’ll keep it a secret, right?”

“What’s the point of telling anyone about that?”

How did they become close?

Most people in the Church knew that Veronica was spreading rumors. More precisely, only those in positions of power knew.

Considering Lucia’s limited social circle, I thought she might not know that Veronica was spreading conspiracy theories.

If so, Veronica is malicious. She’s burning garbage that can’t even be used.

If not, it means Lucia is friendly with Veronica despite knowing she spreads rumors.

Could it be?

I don’t know. I didn’t have complete knowledge of the game, and my game knowledge didn’t always match reality.

Right now, I was a companion of the Hero. There was no spy companion in the game. The story was already diverging a bit. Perhaps irreversibly.

It’s giving me a headache.

I just don’t want to care. Whether they smoke together or punch each other, what’s it to me?

I should give Peter a heads-up. The private lives of the Holy Maiden and the Holy Maiden candidate must not leak out.

The Hero’s companion and the Church’s Holy Maiden being chain-smokers.

From Lucia’s perspective, it would tarnish her angelic image as a healing priest who served in the military.

“Hmm… I feel like we’re on the same wavelength, Major?”

“You think so?”

“Then, as you wish, I’ll get to the point.”

Good. Finally getting to the main point.

Let’s hear what nonsense the Emperor has to say.

“Go ahead.”

“First, the Imperial Court has nothing to do with the terrorism. More precisely, they didn’t plan the terrorism.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And there’s one more thing.”

Not particularly surprising.

I’ve heard this repeatedly. The relationship between the Imperial Court and terrorism is for the intelligence bureau to judge. I just need to take down whoever planted the bomb. The rest is for the Colonel to worry about.

Dealing with the Emperor is the politicians’ domain.

And I am an intelligence agent.

So I listened carefully to Veronica’s words.

“Go ahead.”

“If I apply for asylum in the Kingdom now, will you accept me?”

“Who?”

“Me.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

She’s insane.

*

My mind goes blank.

It feels like I’ve been hit on the head with a hammer.

“What did you say…? Asylum?”

Veronica nodded. Her face was full of mischief, but judging by her actions, she seemed serious.

“Why would the Holy Maiden seek asylum?”

“Well… it’s closer to protection than asylum.”

“Wait, aren’t you a lobbyist? A Kiyen Empire lobbyist?”

“Ah, so you know that much… Then my explanation will be easier!”

She leaned back on the bench. After tidying her flowing hair with her hand and pushing it back, she began her explanation.

“You know I’m from the Kiyen Empire, right?”

“I heard you’re from a baronial family.”

“You must also know I was an orphan.”

As if reminiscing about an old memory, Veronica slowly closed her eyes.

“My parents died early, so I was left at a convent.”

“Yes.”

“Was I six? Or seven? They tested my holy power, and it was significantly higher than my peers.”

I can guess what’s coming.

When a child with high holy power is in an orphanage, more funding comes in. More precisely, people who adopt such children pay large sums.

“The person who paid the highest price for me was none other than His Majesty the Emperor.”

The Emperor.

The living god of the Kiyen Empire.

Veronica grinned and said.

“After that, you can probably guess what happened?”

“…”

The Emperor took her in. The moment he saw Veronica, he had a grand plan.

To make a baroness orphan into the Holy Maiden of the Church.

He would have mobilized the Imperial Guard. Somehow, he would have poured in funds. Money that had to be used for shady business. He would have dipped into secret funds or collected donations from nobles.

The title of Holy Maiden has that kind of “value.”

What does it mean for such a Holy Maiden to demand asylum?

“Why would a Holy Maiden created by the Empire talk about asylum?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“I haven’t stamped the contract yet.”

She is a Holy Maiden created by the Empire.

With her influence, she sent Church people to the disputed area between the Empire and the Demon Realm.

I don’t know what she did before that, but I know she helped companies associated with the Empire. She even acted as a quasi-diplomat on the side.

People like her are usually called lobbyists.

Someone who influences legislation and administration for the benefit of a specific group.

She says.

“So, will you accept me?”

“That’s not for me to decide.”

“Come on, Major, just put in a good word for me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I haven’t verified the goods.”

You shouldn’t try to outsmart a lobbyist.

Words don’t come with price tags. No one knows if what she’s offering is a blank check or just a piece of paper.

“Can’t you put in a good word first?”

“Even immigration checks the purpose of stay, so why would I accept an asylum application at face value?”

“You’re so strict…”

She raised both hands.

“Just know that my situation is somewhat precarious.”

Precarious.

She probably means Sister Lucia.

“Are you afraid because a second Holy Maiden might emerge?”

“Come on… why would I be afraid of Lucia becoming the Holy Maiden?”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m telling the truth!”

The Kingdom’s agent said.

“If Lucia becomes the Holy Maiden, won’t it make your current active lobbying impossible? When a lobbyist can’t fulfill their role, they’ll obviously be discarded. Isn’t that what you’re afraid of?”

To this, the Empire’s lobbyist replied.

“Lucia becoming the Holy Maiden has nothing to do with me being discarded.”

“Then why are you spreading rumors?”

“To keep someone in check.”

Veronica smiled sweetly.

Keep in check.

Who is she trying to keep in check?

The soldier asked.

“Who are you keeping in check?”

The Holy Maiden answered.

“Cardinal Raul.”

*

Bridge No. 25, located at the center of the Church district.

Under that bridge, in the pouring rain.

A man and a woman sat facing each other on a small bench.

“Ugh… thinking about that old fogey stresses me out…”

Veronica muttered, exhaling cigarette smoke. Sitting with her legs crossed, arm resting on the bench, blowing out smoke—she doesn’t look like a Holy Maiden at all.

“Why are you keeping Raul in check?”

“You know he wants to become the Pope, right?”

From my month-long investigation, Raul was a strong papal candidate with a strong desire for power.

The Holy Maiden evaluated the Cardinal.

“That old fogey craves power too much. He’s not interested in money, but what’s it called…”

“Honor?”

“Yes! That’s it!”

“He craves power because becoming Pope would leave his name in history?”

Veronica nodded. As she moved, cigarette ash scattered in the air.

Actually, it wasn’t unexpected.

Raul appears as the Pope in the middle of the game, so of course he would covet the papal seat.

“But right now, that old fogey can’t become Pope.”

“Why not? His approval rating is rising.”

“Because Raphael is holding on.”

Raphael.

Former head of the Inquisition. A cardinal who advocates for a safe Church.

From my comparison, Raphael’s faction was slightly larger than Raul’s.

“That man gained quite a bit of the Pope’s trust by catching and killing heretics.”

This is information I didn’t know.

Inside information from the Church. High-level information that only those in power would know.

“Probably the only strong candidate for the next Pope is Raphael…”

“So Raul can’t become Pope?”

“Of course not. Does that old fogey have a vision? Or charisma?”

Vision.

A safe Church.

Charisma.

Former head of the Inquisition.

Raul? He has nothing.

“Judging by his actions, he’s a bit unreliable, so even the Pope doesn’t like him that much. To be precise, he doesn’t see him as a political successor.”

“So Raphael is the political successor?”

Veronica calmly nodded.

This is strange.

Raul definitely appears as the Pope in the game.

“Aren’t you misunderstanding something?”

“What?”

“From my perspective, Raul seems suitable to become the next Pope…”

“Suitable? Because he supports Lucia?”

Veronica scoffed.

“You seem to be under a serious misunderstanding, Major. Does a prince become king just because the people support him?”

“…”

“What kind of idiotic country would that be?”

The lobbyist sneered.

“The support he’s getting now? That’s nothing.”

“…”

“Even Lucia knows he’s just using her to boost his approval ratings.”

I didn’t know that.

“Where is there kindness without reason? It was that old fogey who sent Lucia to serve as a healing priest in the military in the first place.”

“…Is that so?”

“I didn’t know either, but Lucia already knew.”

“Since when has Raul been using Sister Lucia?”

“Lucia is 19 this year, right?”

Lucia became an adult this year.

Veronica closed her eyes and spoke numbers.

“Two years in the military, half a year of rest. A total of two and a half years.”

“…So she went to the battlefield at 17.”

“They say she was in the hospital because she was young, but if she was fainting in the corridors…”

It means she had a murderous schedule.

Holy power can heal injuries, but it can’t do anything about fatigue.

“…”

This is strange.

Veronica’s attitude toward Lucia, and considering the political relationship between Raul and Raphael.

Especially considering that Raphael has leverage over Raul.

Raul is someone who can never become Pope.

Even the reason why Veronica is keeping Lucia in check doesn’t make sense. In the game, Veronica would send assassins whenever she felt like it.

But she’s friends with Lucia, and she attacked Lucia to keep Raul in check?

What’s the difference between the game and now?

“What damage does Raul suffer when you keep Lucia in check?”

“It shows everyone that the old fogey is an idiot. An idiot who can’t even take care of the child he’s supporting.”

“You were accounting for about 20% of the rumors. For what you’re saying, that’s a relatively small proportion.”

“Wow, you quantified that? Amazing.”

Veronica laughed.

“Just as I have the purpose of keeping Raul in check, others have their own purposes. Attention is the highest reward for politicians, right?”

“Cardinals and bishops spread rumors to get attention? Then what benefit do you get from showing that Raul is an idiot?”

“If people in the Church don’t trust Raul, if he doesn’t become Pope, I can find my own way to survive in the Church.”

Something ominous is happening within the Church.

No. If Veronica is talking about asylum, it must be something very serious.

“Holy Maiden. Can’t you just tell me clearly?”

“I’ll tell you if you grant me asylum.”

“Look, why would you, an Imperial puppet, seek asylum…”

Wait.

Something’s off.

Someone with poor political skills and no political foundation couldn’t possibly become Pope.

Moreover, someone with a fatal weakness.

For Raul to become Pope now.

He would need powerful help from someone, or his opponent would have to be eliminated.

Like a candidate withdrawal, or a sudden death…

“…”

“Oh? You seem to have realized something?”

“…”

“Do you understand why I’m seeking asylum?”

Veronica became the Holy Maiden with the support of the Imperial Guard.

In other words, she became the Holy Maiden with the backing of the Empire.

She even became the Holy Maiden by eliminating a cardinal of the Church.

Powerful support.

Eliminated opposition.

The death of a cardinal, whether suicide or murder.

Foreign interference in elections.

Imperial Guard overseas operation case.

“…Since when?”

“I don’t know either, but it seems recent.”

“…Who is helping Raul?”

“Probably the Second Bureau?”

“The reason you’re seeking asylum. Could it be…”

The Holy Maiden created by the Empire smiled.

“You can’t live with two kings, can you?”

“…”

“One of them has to die.”

*

In the middle of the game, Raul appears as the Pope.

How did he become Pope despite having less political influence and support than Raphael?

Now, bombs have gone off in the Church, and assassination attempts have occurred, so Raphael’s support has dropped, but in the game, there were no terrorist attacks or assassination attempts.

So how did he become Pope?

The answer is simple.

Because he received help from outside.

Powerful support that formed positive public opinion and pushed out the opposing candidate.

And, something I just remembered.

While traveling around the Church area completing quests,

The name Raphael doesn’t appear anywhere.

Nowhere at all.

*

Veronica said.

“Raul is indeed receiving help from the Imperial Guard. Specifically, the Overseas Operations Department. I received help too, but…”

“But what?”

“They seem to cherish him more than me.”

The Holy Maiden created by the Empire says.

Raul and the Imperial Guard have joined hands.

“I know that the Second Bureau handles foreign operations. But why would the Empire side with Raul when they have you?”

“It’s not the Empire, it’s the Second Bureau.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Of course not.”

The lobbyist gave a fresh smile.

“As I explained earlier, I was personally chosen by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes.”

“Then where would the operation have been conducted?”

“The Imperial Guard.”

“Bingo. To be precise, the entire Imperial Guard helped me.”

This was something I didn’t know.

“Why would the entire Imperial Guard be involved in foreign operations?”

“Because it was an imperial order.”

“Ah.”

In the Empire, the Emperor is a living god.

If the Emperor commands, you’d be a fool to stand by and do nothing.

You have to do something.

For reference, civil servants are a breed that creates work when there is none.

“I met all sorts of people back then. Counter-espionage, counterintelligence, operations, propaganda, even soldiers. Whew… thanks to that, I was like a bat, clinging here and there.”

A bat. I wonder between which places she went back and forth.

I thought she was just a hot-shot lobbyist, but contrary to expectations, she seems to know useful information. She’s worth recruiting.

“So they manipulated public opinion and interfered in the election?”

“I don’t know how they did it, I just did what I was told.”

“Someone died, and that’s all you have to say?”

“What am I supposed to do?”

Veronica glared at me.

“The Emperor commanded, and the security agents told me to do it. What could an orphan with no one to protect her do?”

“…”

“Do you think I became a Holy Maiden because I wanted to?”

That’s right.

She was made into a Holy Maiden in her early childhood, which she can’t even remember.

I knew about the character Veronica, but I knew nothing about the person Veronica.

“I don’t want to live like this either. I just, I just want to live a normal life.”

“…”

“I’m already sick of old fogeys coming to manage me every day, and on top of that, I had to be a lobbyist when it’s not even my calling.”

She spoke with a voice tinged with emotion.

“You might have become a soldier because you wanted to. But not me. At least not me.”

“…I see.”

I understand. But I don’t empathize.

After all, I am an agent, and she is a lobbyist.

I am someone who looks after the Kingdom’s interests, and she is someone who looks after the Empire’s interests.

Our paths are different.

So I tried to get information.

“Why is the Second Bureau backing Raul? No, who reached out first?”

“Raul reached out first. The reason is complicated to explain right now.”

She says she’ll tell me if I grant her asylum.

The downpour continued, and a strange silence passed between us.

Suddenly, a strange thought crossed my mind.

So I spoke.

“So it’s political asylum after all?”

“…Yes.”

“Then let me ask a few things.”

I took out a device from my pocket.

“Are you certain that Raul is receiving support from the Second Bureau?”

“That’s certain.”

That’s for me to verify. If I send a report to the Colonel, they’ll verify it. What’s important is who took the bomb.

“Is Raul behind the terrorism? The bomb, I mean.”

“It’s speculation, but yes. I don’t know about the poison needle.”

That’s right.

The light is gradually coming in.

“You also received support from the Imperial Guard, so what changes if Raul becomes Pope?”

“A lobbyist is no longer needed.”

“Direct transactions become possible without an intermediary?”

“Yes.”

Not earrings.

Not a necklace.

Not a hairpin either.

“Is Raul’s support approved by the Emperor?”

“All operations of the Imperial Guard are approved by the Imperial Court. However, it seems that the support going to that side has been cut off since the terrorism.”

I’ll find out once I catch the bastard who took the bomb. No matter where he goes, as long as he goes to Seoul. The Church guy who took the bomb definitely has a connection to the Second Bureau.

“Then why is the Second Bureau running rampant? If the support has been cut off, has the Second Bureau staged a rebellion?”

“It’s not the entire Second Bureau, just a few dissidents causing trouble. I’ll tell you the details if you accept me.”

Dissidents.

Director Peter said. There’s no reason to continue additional operations when an operation has failed. You need to erase traces and flee.

But the operatives didn’t return. It’s not that they couldn’t go back; they chose not to. Insubordination, mutiny.

That’s why counterintelligence agents went abroad. When there’s a mutiny in the Second Bureau, sending more Second Bureau agents would be idiotic.

So the First Bureau agents, whom the Emperor trusts the most, came to catch the operatives.

If my guess is correct. While the counter-espionage and counterintelligence departments were hunting operatives in the Church, the security department remained in the Empire, cracking down on the Second Bureau. After all, it’s the security department’s job to take down political criminals.

Yes. This makes more sense.

The intelligence bureau and the foreign ministry will verify. Right now, I need to act based on my hypothesis.

By the way, this woman. She leaks too much information. She’s not a professionally trained operative but a genuine lobbyist. A civilian.

The Empire’s lobbyist. A product of the Imperial Guard.

…I’m suspicious.

“So the Second Bureau agents ignored the order to return?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Huh.”

The buttons are fine.

I checked every corner of her jacket, but still nothing.

“What are you doing?”

“Has there been a civil war in the Imperial Guard?”

“It’s not that serious, I told you. Just accept me first.”

The pants are fine too.

The light gets stronger as I go lower.

As I suspected.

“Are there no agents around the Holy Maiden?”

“No. They withdrew a few years ago.”

“Who knows about your outing today?”

“Just the people who serve me. They’re just ordinary people.”

“Your clothes are quite unique. Who chose them for you?”

“The people who serve me.”

“You must be very close. Close enough for them to choose your clothes.”

“They’re people I’ve known for a long time, people I rely on.”

“Trustworthy?”

“Yes.”

The light blinks.

It’s the shoes.

“What have you been…”

“These days, even trusted people put bugs in shoes?”

I showed her the device.

It’s a bug detector.

There’s a bug in her shoes.

“What withdrawal? There’s a spy right next to you.”

Spy investigations take 10 years.

In other words, spies operate for more than 10 years.

Until they’re caught.

“…W-why is this here.”

“You’re asking because you don’t know?”

Veronica is a lobbyist created by the Empire.

She said with her own mouth that the process is a Level 1 classified operation.

No matter how much she’s a Holy Maiden created by the Emperor’s order, her essence is that of a civilian. A civilian knows a Level 1 classified operation? Intelligence agencies would never leave such a person alone.

Never.

“You know too much important information.”

“…”

“You know far too much.”