Ch.333Episode 13 – There Is No Country for Wizards

There are no dramatic or glorious deaths.

Even if one risks their life for a noble cause, or fights desperately to uphold their beliefs in the face of death, no one acknowledges it.

The death of others is not an object of sorrow or mourning.

For someone, it’s merely an opportunity.

The vacant spaces are filled, and the world flows on like a noble river, as if nothing happened.

On a day in January when the cold north wind was blowing fiercely.

Three wizards disappeared in the North.

That was all there was to it.

Episode 13 – There Is No Country for Wizards

Time passed in an instant after Martinez’s death was confirmed. For five days, I kept a gun under my pillow and spent sleepless nights.

A lot happened during that time.

Extracting the field team from the North to avoid possible surveillance, meeting with the port administrator bribed by the pot-bellied senior analyst.

Running back and forth through military government headquarters to clean up the aftermath.

And just past midnight this morning, I completed my final report at the embassy building located in Petrograd, the capital of the Kiyen Empire.

“The operation team members’ ship made contact with the covert vessel in international waters. Based on our interception of the Western Fleet’s communications, we believe the Imperial Navy failed to detect the covert vessel’s movements.”

In the communications room, completely protected from eavesdropping assets.

The green light of the encryption device flickered in the pre-dawn darkness, spitting out Leoni’s encrypted voice.

-‘Did you secure the materials?’

“We’ve obtained copies of evidence from the necromancers’ magic tower and their accommodations, offices, and workplaces in the North.”

-‘What about the counterintelligence unit’s movements?’

“They seem to have noticed something happened, but they don’t know the details. I’ve handled it at my level.”

Immediately after the assassination operation was completed, police and counterintelligence units were dispatched to the scene following reports of gunfire.

I managed to find and remove all evidence like shell casings and bloodstains left at the scene before they could move, while Pipin and Charnoi, who remained at the hotel, shredded all documents related to the operation.

Thanks to that, the Imperial intelligence agencies couldn’t retrieve any evidence.

“All evidence connecting to the company has been disposed of.”

-‘Good. What about the materials found in the terrorists’ lodgings and offices?’

“I sent them with the operation team returning to our country. Our team completed preliminary analysis and delivered an intelligence memo to Senior Analyst Larry. They’ll compile it and report to the Director.”

-‘I heard they were copies.’

“You heard correctly.”

-‘Then where are the originals?’

“The informant is keeping them.”

-‘Francesca, you mean.’

“Yes.”

A brief silence followed. I heard the sound of paper rustling over the line.

Leoni spoke.

-‘Embassy staff say the Grand Duke didn’t make a move this time either. Have you heard anything?’

“No, sir.”

-‘I see.’

Leoni sighed as if deep in thought, then blurted out.

-‘Not much time left until your return, so keep a low profile and stay quiet. We’ll talk in detail after you get back.’

“Yes, sir.”

-‘You’re responsible for wrapping things up.’

The Director of Foreign Operations at Military Intelligence commanded.

-‘Keep the informant’s mouth shut. Minimize gossip and damage to the company. Hmm?’

It was a hint that someone might have to take the fall if things went wrong.

-‘Given our history, the Imperials probably won’t take drastic measures just because of some gunfire in their backyard, but let’s play it safe. Safe…’

Diplomatic relations with the Empire, international criticism, low-intensity conflicts in the unmanned border area, safety of overseas branches, risk of all-out war, and so on.

There were many rational reasons, but Leoni kept it brief.

-‘Do you understand me?’

I nodded.

-‘See you at the company.’

*

“…Section Chief.”

On my way out of the embassy. Jake stopped me as I was gathering my things to leave the office.

“What is it?”

“I heard from the naval attaché that the covert vessel just docked. Remember the naval quarters we stayed at before?”

“Yeah.”

“They say we should wait there and then go to headquarters for debriefing.”

The Empire’s offensive preparations were also nearing completion. The Imperial Ministry of Defense’s pride and joy—their mechanized, armored, and artillery forces, as well as combat wizards—had all been deployed to the front lines.

Since the Order and the Magic Tower were also preparing to return to their home country, I should probably start preparing to return as well.

“Alright, anything else unusual?”

“Nothing except Charnoi throwing a fit. He’s just bored with nothing to do.”

We had all left the North.

Thanks to the embassy, which had arranged some plausible busywork on Leoni’s orders.

Though called busywork, it mostly involved meeting with third-country diplomats stationed in the Kiyen Empire, so we were essentially just killing time as if on a half-vacation.

“What’s his problem now?”

“It’s about Caer, or whatever his name was—that beastkin from the operation team. Apparently they’ve been friends for 20 years, and he’s still sulking because Caer hid the fact that he joined the Royal Intelligence Service. He’s dead set on plucking out all his fur the next time they meet.”

I crossed the embassy corridor and made my way to the courtyard. Staff had mentioned there was a smoking area in the courtyard.

Even as we headed toward the smoking area, Jake kept talking non-stop.

About how Pipin was on edge about his weight these days, how Charnoi got a cavity from honey candies, how our next posting might be on the Moritani continent, and so on.

The blond, tanned rascal didn’t stop talking even until the moment I put a cigarette in my mouth and lit it.

But once the ember glowed at the tip of the cigarette and I exhaled a puff of smoke, he began to fall uncharacteristically silent.

As I glanced at him, I spoke along with the smoke.

“Got something else to say?”

“How did you know? Your intuition is really…”

“What intuition… You’re fidgeting like a puppy that needs to pee—not exactly subtle.”

I tapped ash into the ashtray and finished with an annoyed tone.

“If you have something to say, say it quickly and go. I need to clock out.”

Only then did Jake seem to make up his mind. After glancing around, he took out a crystal ball from his pocket.

“This is the recording orb that Pipin and Charnoi were keeping. It contains video footage captured by Pigeon #3.”

I took a drag of my cigarette with an indifferent expression.

“Why do you still have that? When did I order you to hand it over to the operation team leader? Have you lost your edge after coming back to the field from special forces? That’s classified, you idiot. Did you forget about being investigated by the Inspection Office when you put classified documents in the shredder right after joining?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Why are you bringing this to me?”

“Pigeon #3 was the only one that captured the moment of Martinez’s death.”

“……”

Jake continued with an unusually serious expression.

“Pigeon #5 did record the scene from a distance, but it was too far away to identify Martinez based on #5’s footage alone. Without this crystal ball, we wouldn’t even have known Martinez was dead.”

“I’m less interested in what’s recorded there than why such important material is in your hands.”

“…The person who killed Martinez is also on the recording. The murder scene is captured vividly.”

It was a statement that required no interpretation.

So I didn’t bother to probe further.

“Give it to me.”

Jake handed over the crystal ball without further comment.

“Is this the original?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Who else knows you took the crystal ball?”

“Pipin and Charnoi know too. We discussed it together.”

So my subordinates all conspired together.

These bastards.

“I’m impressed. Do you all think security regulations are a joke?”

“A joke? That’s too small. More like a horse’s di—Ow! Section Chief! Don’t pull my hair!”

Jake screamed as I yanked his blond sideburns.

While he was rubbing his flushed tanned skin with tears in his eyes, I anxiously took a deep drag of my cigarette and immediately exhaled.

“What about copies?”

“Regulations prohibit copying company materials without permission, don’t they?”

I chuckled and blurted out.

“Do the regulations say it’s okay to ignore orders and smuggle out materials without reporting?”

“Come on, Section Chief.”

“Fine, you punk. I won’t report it.”

“I love you!”

“Get out of here, you disgusting bastard.”

“Thank you!”

After bowing at a 90-degree angle, Jake left the smoking room saying he was going to clock out. I watched his retreating figure with an exasperated look.

“…Haah.”

The crystal ball Jake had handed me sat alone in my palm.

Pipin isn’t the type to cause trouble recklessly, so he probably filed a report that made it seem like no data was missing. Whether he edited the footage or substituted other materials.

These damn fools.

“Kids these days, I swear…”

I stuffed the crystal ball into my pocket, threw my half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray, and gathered my things before leaving the smoking room.

*

The dawn in Petrograd, the capital of the Kiyen Empire, is dazzling.

The towering skyscrapers and ancient stone buildings preserve hundreds of years of the Empire’s history and future.

On the faces of people illuminated by colorful lights and bright yellow magical lamps, it was hard to find any signs of worry, concern, or anxiety.

Office workers who barely caught the last train after working late, couples whispering ticklish words and smiling on the tram, police officers looking disdainfully at citizens frying pancakes under streetlights, people gathered around stalls eating steaming hot pirogi.

Petrograd, on the eve of Army Day, one of the Empire’s biggest national holidays, was in a festive mood.

There were no long distribution lines or armed forces guarding intersections, and certainly no refugee tents occupying parks and alleys.

Unlike the North, the capital’s citizens seemed to be contemplating how to spend their New Year’s holiday, which coincided with the national holiday.

Streets filled with brilliant illumination reminiscent of neon signs.

Suddenly spotting a familiar figure passing by, I honked the horn as I drove through the streets.

“Ah! You startled me!”

I heard passersby exclaim in surprise, but I didn’t particularly care.

I swerved the car to the curb. Then, lowering the passenger window, I delivered an utterly predictable line.

“I didn’t know you were here. Running into you on my way home like this.”

“……”

“Need a ride?”

The woman walking down the street turned her gaze toward me. After staring blankly, she smiled brightly and greeted me as usual.

“Nice to see you, Military Attaché.”

A civil servant from the Magic Tower Secretariat and Kamila’s colleague.

Also an informant.

Francesca, wearing her usual smile, asked in a subtle voice.

“Surely that wasn’t a date proposal just now, was it?”

I smiled broadly and responded.

“What if it was?”