Ch.384Side Story: Clockwork

The road to Clockwork, the capital of the Republic of Clark.

It had been a while since I’d traveled this far by carriage, so I was taking in the surrounding scenery.

From what I remembered, the Republic of Clark had a somewhat bleak and cold northern feel to it.

During this season, I used to see snow piled up with wild bears roaming around, or people cutting down bare trees to barely gather enough firewood for the day.

“There are snowmen.”

Snowmen, seemingly made by children, lined the road.

Though they were ugly, it meant that children now had enough leisure to play with snow.

Hearing my comment, Laila Besh, who was sitting across from me, turned her gaze to the window and nodded with a touched expression.

“After President Magan died, we realized how many things were abnormal. Maybe we were fools for accepting the excessively high taxes as normal.”

“Magan’s rule was quite a long history. People born into that system wouldn’t easily question it.”

“That’s true.”

A cold silence descended again.

I had no particular desire to engage in lengthy conversation with this woman named Laila Besh, so I turned my gaze back outside.

“Um, may I ask you one thing?”

Laila broke the icy silence once more.

I glanced at her briefly, indicating I didn’t mind, and she hesitated before asking frankly.

“Who exactly are you?”

“…”

“I know there are Mages who live in seclusion. But… but… your strength seems beyond common sense.”

I meet Laila’s eyes.

Fear?

Doubt?

She harbored various complex emotions, but they certainly couldn’t be considered positive.

She was worried that the person she was escorting might become another calamity for the Republic of Clark.

“Be-because you subdued Helton so easily. Other agents from the Administration Bureau couldn’t even pull their triggers before being defeated…”

A question she’d had for some time.

I made an ambiguous expression at her desire to know more about me.

In the past, I would have certainly responded coldly that there was nothing to know.

But I wanted to offer some small comfort to this woman who loved her country and fought for her belief in justice.

“You know that many people helped when President Magan died, right?”

“Yes. He was holding a banquet with key figures from neighboring countries at the time. The people at that banquet… especially under Deus Verdi’s leadership, the Republic of Clark was able to gain freedom.”

From a certain perspective, they could have been denounced as terrorists against their country’s leader.

There were certainly people who missed President Magan.

But Laila was obviously not one of those foolish types.

“I was one of the people there.”

“…!”

Was it an unexpected answer?

Laila’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“I don’t want to let that battle’s light fade away. That’s why I’m moving.”

I said this matter-of-factly, and only then did Laila’s expression show some relief.

Anyway.

The carriage heading to Clockwork continued forward without stopping.

* * *

Using magic would allow for a faster arrival, but that would attract attention.

So my method was to cast magic on the carriage itself.

It seemed like we were riding a normal carriage, but thanks to the magic I’d applied, we could arrive in Clockwork naturally in just one day.

“Blegh!”

Of course, there were some aftereffects to deal with.

“Bleeeegh!”

Laila Besh immediately got off the carriage and was vomiting in the middle of Clockwork’s street.

I heard her complaining about her insides feeling twisted, but remembering Deia who wanted to go to Norsweden, I didn’t particularly care to accommodate her.

I did at least use magic to make her vomit flow into the sewer, thinking I should clean that much up.

“C-can I go back alone on the return trip?”

“As you wish.”

I answered lightly while taking a look around Clockwork. Despite various incidents, Clockwork was maintaining its appearance.

“I’ve heard they’re gradually becoming free from foreign influence.”

I’d heard that after the deaths of many key figures at the banquet, the Han Empire, the Duchy of Valestan, and the Kingdom of Zerman were continuing to put political pressure on the Republic of Clark.

Especially, they were trying to devour the fragmented republic lands.

“Well, thanks to the Griffin Kingdom’s help, things have mostly stabilized now. Acting President Nikolai’s shrewdness in giving what needed to be given and taking what needed to be taken also helped.”

“I see.”

“But it’s not completely over. I heard that Administration Bureau employees in the capital area spend their days catching spies.”

Indeed, I could sense people whose stride and gait were far from ordinary.

In alleys, beside bakeries, under streetlights, and so on. I could feel spies scattered everywhere.

‘No need.’

There was no need to cross the line.

Human affairs should be resolved by humans, and I just needed to take care of the important heads.

“Let’s go right away.”

“Uh, where to?”

“The Acting President’s office.”

I started walking toward the presidential office where Acting President Nikolai was staying.

“B-but we won’t be able to enter so easily…”

Laila Besh followed behind me, flustered. But I had no intention of entering through normal means.

I didn’t want to reveal my identity in the first place, so it would be strange to meet the Acting President following procedures.

But.

“Huh?”

I encountered someone rather unexpected.

“Isn’t it brother-in-law?”

Brother-in-law?

As I turned my head slightly, a group of men rushing by noticed me and were startled.

“Huh? What brings you here, sir?”

“Is the captain well?!”

Because they were members of the junkyard crew with whom I had maintained a connection since Norsweden.

They were the ones who built the house where I was staying.

“You were here?”

“Yes! We’re founding members of the Administration Bureau, after all.”

“Haha! We’ve moved up in the world!”

“But where’s the captain? Why are you with another woman…?”

I was somewhat curious about this Administration Bureau that was established after I left.

‘So they bundled the resistance fighters and created the Administration Bureau.’

Now I understood.

I was wondering where such an organization suddenly came from, but it seems only the name and affiliation changed while the atmosphere remained similar.

They must be fighting for the republic.

“I-I-I’m Laila Besh, Level 2 Administrator of the Administration Bureau! Loyalty!”

Beside me, Laila recognized their executive badges and immediately straightened her back in a crisp salute.

“Level 2? Why is a regional administrator here?”

“Tsk, do you know that leaving your assigned area without permission is a deviation?”

“She’s really in for it now.”

The junkyard crew members gathered around and mocked Laila.

It looked like a private being surrounded and teased by officers in the military, so I decided to help her out.

“I brought her.”

Upon my calm declaration, the junkyard crew immediately lined up in front of me.

“Ah! I see! I thought she didn’t look like a bad kid!”

“At ease! Where are you looking when you should be attending to our honored guest!”

“Escort her well. By the way, have you seen a woman with white hair?”

“Huh? Ah, well, I…”

“Findenai is at home.”

When I gave them a look to talk to me instead of Laila, the junkyard crew finally let her go and lined up in front of me.

It seemed they were still maintaining strict discipline.

“Still, it’s not unpleasant to see you all doing so well.”

It feels like just yesterday when Findenai and I took them in at Norsweden.

“Haha, it feels strange to us too.”

“Honestly, I miss Norsweden sometimes. The alcohol there was delicious.”

“How is Margrave Darius doing? Thanks to the training we received then, we’re still alive and well.”

I wanted to catch up and reminisce with them, but there was no time for that now.

“I’m planning to meet the Acting President. Can you arrange it?”

“What? Acting President Nikolai?”

“You could just go and meet him… Ah, you’re not using that identity anymore.”

“We can arrange it with our authority. We have a direct hotline, so if we mention the spir— no, never mind. Anyway, if we tell him, he’ll connect right away.”

The conversation became easier.

I was planning to infiltrate secretly, but now I just needed to follow them and they would arrange the meeting for me.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes! We’ll guide you right away!”

I headed toward the Administration Bureau’s main building, receiving the attentive care of the bureau executives.

“By the way, how is the captain doing?”

“The same as always. Recently there was a commotion because she got drunk after I told her to cut down on smoking.”

“Hahaha! The captain’s a heavy smoker, so telling her to reduce tobacco is a bit cruel, isn’t it?!”

“When can we see the baby? I’m curious about the captain’s baby!”

“Kiya! If it’s a boy, he’ll be a great man, and if it’s a girl, she could be a model or something.”

“Brother-in-law is quite the specimen himself! Kheuk!”

I don’t particularly like noisy atmospheres.

But being with familiar people I hadn’t seen in a long time wasn’t so bad.

As I was answering their questions one by one, I noticed Laila Besh following behind with hunched shoulders and a lowered head, taking small steps.

“Don’t fall behind.”

“Yes! Understood!”

She immediately responded loudly to my words and caught up quickly.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but chuckle.