Ch.31Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent

In a house at the center of the Order, there lives a priest.

He has lived as a priest of the Order for nearly 20 years. Many people considered him a diligent and good person.

Having just finished his overdue overtime work, he had just lain down in bed to prepare for tomorrow’s duties.

-Knock knock.

At least until he heard the knocking sound.

The man dragged his tired body to the entrance and opened the door.

“Who is it…?”

A woman with mint-colored hair was standing at the entrance in the early dawn. Behind her were what appeared to be more than a dozen people.

“Who…?”

“Are you Basilio?”

“Yes.”

The woman took out a wallet from inside her clothes and showed it to him.

“I’m from the Inquisition.”

Please come with us.

Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent

“We’ve received a package from the Inquisition.”

Jake came in while I was taking a short nap under a blanket and delivered the good news.

I turned on the news to confirm the related facts.

It was reporting that explosives had been found in the basement of an Order official’s residence, and soon the broadcast changed to breaking news about a leaked sex video of an Imperial politician.

Everything is going according to plan.

Pulling up my blanket, I said to Jake,

“Tell them to start the operation.”

It’s time to draw the sword.

*

In the span of a week, numerous news stories shook the continent.

The flare shot up by the intelligence world had stirred up a whirlwind.

Diplomat expulsions. Spy hunts. Prosecution of anti-state organizations. Crackdowns on black magic groups. Illegal corporate funding. Capital exploitation. University professor dismissals. Industrial espionage punishments. Bribery allegations. Sex scandal controversies. Reopening of suspicious death investigations. Civil war intervention allegations. Illegal lobbying detection. Apology statements. Sex videos. Drug scandals. Voice recording controversies. Military confidential leaks. Resignation of high officials. Someone’s death. A saint in seclusion.

All kinds of allegations and incidents erupted across every sector of the continent, and the world began to go mad.

Of course, none of it was reported with any depth.

Since the intelligence department had a firm grip on the news desk. So all of this was just empty noise.

In fact, that was exactly what we were aiming for.

“Team Leader, let’s start the operation.”

-‘Yes, Duke.’

Although the plan went slightly awry, everything eventually flowed as it should.

As promised, Pedro took all the leftover members of the forces behind the bomb terror.

According to the original plan, we should have gone after the ones who took the bombs. But with big shots involved, there’s no reason to chase after small fry.

“I’ve planted some agents near Raoul’s inner circle. You’ll need to make contact with them.”

-‘I received the meeting place and time through the secure line yesterday.’

“Ah, that’s fine then. Good work, Team Leader.”

-‘I’ll see you later.’

We decided to capture someone from Raoul’s inner circle who had connections to the Empire.

Veronica pointed them out. After cross-checking the records of Raoul’s activities in the Kingdom that the Colonel had, along with the Inquisition’s data, they were determined to be the link connecting the Imperial nobility with Raoul.

So I mobilized the scary uncles. The Special Activities Division of the Intelligence Bureau.

“The uncles will bring a package, and we plan to move it to the villa.”

“Do you want us to make them talk?”

“Yes.”

“That’s our specialty.”

Once the Special Activities Division people kidnap Raoul’s associate, the technicians waiting at Safe House No. 5 will interrogate them to extract a confession.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen people from the Counterintelligence Department.”

“I’ve seen the Major beside the Colonel quite often.”

“Ah, so we’ve met before.”

These are technicians from the Counterintelligence Department. In other words, specialists in interrogation.

They’re people the Colonel specially sent.

As it turns out, they worked under the Colonel. I greeted them warmly and exchanged some light conversation.

“What is this exactly?”

“It’s a truth serum.”

“A truth drug? Does it make people spill everything when they take it?”

“Haha, that’s a common misconception. It just makes the mind foggy.”

“Does it hurt when you take this?”

“The symptoms vary depending on the type of drug.”

This was casual conversation by Intelligence Bureau standards. The counterintelligence agent’s bag was truly a new world.

“Ekaterina, was it? The Guardian Office counterintelligence agent.”

“Is there a problem with her?”

“The doctor who came with her says her health condition isn’t good.”

“Hmm, we’ve already obtained all the information anyway…”

“It might be presumptuous of me to suggest, but perhaps you could release her at this point?”

It was worth listening to someone who catches spies for a living.

So I took Ekaterina and met with someone.

“It’s been a while. Should I call you a counterespionage agent?”

“…What do you want?”

“Let’s make a deal.”

We released Ekaterina and handed over the bodies of three Guardian Office agents found in the slums to the Empire.

It was a warning not to act up because we knew what they had done. For reference, this wasn’t something I handled on my own.

It was the result of an unofficial meeting between the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Imperial Guardian Office. That way, we covered up the Guardian Office’s mess and received a modest compensation.

“Here are the documents you requested.”

“Are these the personal details of 2nd Department agents operating within the Order?”

“More precisely, they’re reactionaries.”

I have no idea who’s actually a reactionary.

I’m not even sure if they’re really reactionaries at all.

But I have a local collaborator who can cross-verify. So I took the list and went to find Veronica.

“Do you know any of these people?”

“…No, none of them.”

“Then they’re definitely reactionaries. I’ll forward this to the higher-ups, and you should hear something soon.”

“Thank you.”

When I showed the list to Veronica, she said none of them were people she knew. I compared them with the guys who searched the inn room, and they weren’t on the list either. This means that at least none of the operatives properly managed by the Imperial Guardian Office were on the list.

It seems these are indeed the ones who ignored the recall order and tried to poison me.

Found you, you bastards.

Anyway, with the documents verified by Veronica, I went to see someone.

Inquisition Chief Pedro.

“What’s this?”

“The bastards who stuck a poison needle in my neck. Probably.”

“Are you asking me to find them or catch them?”

“Find them, please.”

“Will do.”

There was some noise within the Inquisition about a foreign soldier interfering. It was the result of discontent building up because I had been sticking too close to Pedro.

So I spread the assassination attempt documents from the cabinet to shut them up. They made the mess, so they should clean it up.

Thus, a strange triangular relationship formed between the Military Intelligence Bureau, the Inquisition, and the Imperial Guardian Office.

When everyone made small concessions to each other, everything proceeded smoothly.

The Imperial Guardian Office covered up the scandal and safely withdrew their operatives, and the prosecuted operatives were released. A bloodbath is expected within the Guardian Office for the time being.

The Inquisition burned a few fabricated black magicians, gaining momentum for their activities. As a result, Raphael’s political foundation became more solid. The Pope was pleased too.

The Military Intelligence Bureau received the masterminds behind the terror and the Imperial reactionaries. Incidentally, we also learned about the internal affairs of the Guardian Office, a long-standing wish, and even gained a high-level informant.

Surprisingly, none of these processes became known to the world.

Dozens of spies who were prosecuted and then released at the border, self-proclaimed black magicians who died in torture chambers, kidnappings and disappearances in the middle of the Order.

Who would care about such things when the news was reporting on the affair between a 60-year-old businessman and a famous singer?

Anyway, everything flowed as it should.

And then,

“Hello?”

-‘Reporting from Safe House No. 5. The technicians have received the package.’

Finally, it’s time to cut off some heads with the sword.

*

Magic mirror.

The interrogation room viewed through the one-way mirror presented a bleak scene.

Blood was splattered on the walls, and the floor was soaked with water and bloodstains.

Raoul’s associate was tied to a chair, unconscious and slumped over, while an agent moved a mop around with an expressionless face.

My impression was simple.

“This is my first time seeing something like this.”

The interrogation room I was seeing after nearly 30 years was brutal.

A counterintelligence agent sitting on the desk, cleaning his glasses, said,

“You might see it more often in the future.”

“You seem used to it.”

“It’s just work.”

The agent smiled as he wiped his glasses, which had blood splatters on them. There was also blood on his cheek, which was a bit frightening.

He looks so ordinary, but his work is anything but.

“Well, an agent’s work is what it is.”

“Were you from the Operations Department, Major?”

“Yes.”

“Of course, intelligence officers rarely see scenes like this.”

It’s definitely hard to see. The only times you’d see an interrogation room like this is if you were captured by an enemy country or accused of being a reactionary.

I slowly read through the interrogation documents handed to me by the counterintelligence agent.

“So it’s confirmed that Raoul was working with the Empire. How long did it take you to find this out?”

“About an hour, I think.”

“One hour?”

“Yes.”

I even counted on my fingers when I asked, and he confirmed it.

“How on earth do you make someone talk in just one hour?”

“We have our methods.”

It took me over a month to figure out that Raoul and the Guardian Office’s 2nd Department reactionaries were working together.

But these people found out in just one hour.

Where did all my effort and time go?

Seeing my dejected expression, the counterintelligence agent laughed heartily.

“Don’t be too disheartened. The interrogation was easy thanks to the information you brought.”

“How long does it usually take?”

“Assuming we had to do what you did on our own, it would typically take several years.”

Spy investigations take 10 years.

That’s how long it takes to gather evidence to prove someone is a spy. The state has to invest time, money, and manpower to accomplish it in 10 years.

And I handled it in a month and a half. Should I be happy about that?

“We got the confession, and the evidence was obtained through a house search.”

“Yes, you found the documents?”

“The agents found them. We just got the confession.”

The counterintelligence agent put on his glasses and stood up from the desk.

He gestured toward the inside of the interrogation room.

“This is our domain. Not foreign countries.”

By now, all the bloodstains had disappeared, and only Raoul’s associate remained stained red.

The counterintelligence agents entered the interrogation room with tape and plastic.

I lowered my gaze to the documents and asked him,

“Do you think the confession and evidence will be enough to get a prison sentence in court?”

“Hmm… I think it would be difficult.”

“Why is that?”

“Since the confession carries so much weight, it will be hard to get a guilty verdict.”

He pointed at Raoul’s associate and said,

“That person was more meticulous than expected and destroyed a significant amount of related documents.”

“So you’re saying the evidence is insufficient.”

“Yes, I’m sorry, Major.”

“No, you all have done more than enough.”

I put the documents in my bag and straightened my clothes. By now, the magic mirror was covered with plastic.

The counterintelligence agent loaded live ammunition and asked me,

“Should we make the report?”

“Just leave the records. I’ll report everything this evening.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. We need to help each other.”

He smiled at my response.

I returned the smile and shook his hand.

“I’ll be going now. I’ll let the higher-ups know, so rest easy when you’re done.”

“Haha, thank you.”

“Then I’ll be off.”

“Take care.”

I walked into the corridor, escorted by the counterintelligence agent.

After a brief pause, he entered the interrogation room.

I exchanged a glance with him from the corridor and

turned my steps toward the surface.

The concrete structures felt particularly desolate.

Only the sound of military boots echoed in the silent corridor.

How long had I been walking?

As I was climbing the stairs, I heard a gunshot from far away.

-Bang.

And with that,

the counterintelligence agents’ work was done.

*

-‘Good work.’

The Colonel said briefly.

I ended the call after completing the usual daily report.

The view of the Order from the embassy terrace looks the same as always.

The sunset is falling, and the holy knights are withdrawing.

It seems the working hours are over.

The embassy guards lock the main gate and open the side door.

Diplomats who have finished negotiations return with briefcases in hand, and an undercover agent rushes over to receive them.

Everyone is doing their best in their respective positions.

The boundary between diplomat and spy is blurred, and the plainclothes agents circling the embassy look no different from the counterintelligence agents in the interrogation room.

Actually, I don’t know what’s what anymore.

Whether this is a world inside a game or reality.

Whether my memories are real or fake.

There’s no difference between my past life and my current one.

I am still a soldier.

Though my name, age, nationality, and affiliation have changed, I still wear a uniform.

As things are wrapping up, I find myself lost in thought.

So many things have happened.

I feel relieved, yet empty.

And maybe a little proud.

-Ding.

But there’s still a way to go.

“Speak.”

-‘We’ve located Cardinal Raoul and the 2nd Department fugitive agents.’

Jake said in a calm tone.

His voice sounds somewhat resolute.

So I casually replied,

“Bring the tools.”

Let’s go finish this.

*

One week later.

The Inquisition spokesperson announced that they had killed 16 black magicians who had kidnapped Cardinal Raoul.

The kidnapped Cardinal Raoul was reported dead, and the black magicians were revealed to be terrorists who had planned and carried out the recent bomb attack and assassination attempt.

Firearms, explosives, and poison were found at the scene, with the explosives and poison identified as those used in the terror attack and assassination attempt respectively. Officially, this operation was announced as a solo mission by the Inquisition.

All operations were successfully concluded.