Ch.391Episode 15 – Life is Beautiful (End)

# Episode 15 – Life is Beautiful

My father, who was known as a manager at Seojo Industries, was actually a North Korean operations officer for the intelligence agency.

Sometimes when I would stare at him looking tired, he would always smile and say:

Crisis and opportunity.

These two things have the power to make even ordinary people desperate.

# Episode 15 – Life is Beautiful

It was an ordinary day.

Sitting at my desk wrestling with documents, getting chewed out by my boss in his office. Eating a quick lunch, catching a few winks, finishing up the accounting, then packing up to go home.

After more than a decade in intelligence work, this unremarkable routine had become part of my life. Perhaps not just a part, but the entirety of it.

Maybe that’s why.

Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit off.

The snacks I share with my subordinates around the table taste bland. The TV shows I watch with my family are just so-so.

Nothing I do feels fun anymore, and nothing I eat tastes particularly good. So it was only natural that I would start thinking this way.

“Life is boring,” I muttered, holding my mobile phone.

From the other end of the line came Camilla’s voice.

-“You must be calling because you’re bored.”

“I see you’re still awake.”

-“Hmm. I just had a feeling that some important news would come today.”

Camilla and I often exchanged calls in the evening like this.

Although there was a considerable time and space difference between the Kiyen Empire and the Abas Kingdom, extremely advanced magical engineering had overcome the limitations of time and space to connect people.

Thanks to that, I could end what might otherwise be a tedious day on a fairly good note.

-“I felt like I shouldn’t go to bed early tonight.”

“You sound proud about oversleeping.”

-“Come on, it’s not like this is anything new! Besides, there’s nobody here who scolds me for sleeping in.”

Camilla’s light laughter traveled through the magical wavelength and tickled my ear.

-“The food is delicious, I can sleep well! Oh, and studying magic is fun too. I could live here forever.”

“Why are you so excited? Did something fun happen?”

-“Yesterday, a professor from the Imperial Magic University let me ride a king lizard. The professor warned me not to ride it because I might fall off, but you know what? It wasn’t dangerous at all!”

“Professor” was what she called Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova.

When I asked why she called the Grand Duchess, who wasn’t even an educator, “Professor,” she replied that she found “Professor” easier to say than “Grand Duchess.” Something about how calling her Professor made her feel like she was properly learning magic.

Since the Grand Duchess didn’t object, it seemed that Camilla’s way of addressing her had already become established. I once asked Francesca about Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova’s situation, and she told me that the Grand Duchess actually seemed to prefer being called Professor by Camilla.

Well, both Camilla and the Grand Duchess certainly had their quirks…

-“In the guidebooks they look really terrifying, but when you see them in person, they’re more cute than scary. They’re gentle too, staying calm even with someone riding on their back.”

“If she told you not to ride it, why did you?”

-“Well… because it’s fun?”

I just can’t with her. I chuckled while holding the phone.

Despite the hardships of living abroad, her laughter remained unchanged. Compared to the mischievous Veronica, Camilla was incomparably innocent, but sometimes that innocence could catch people off guard.

The Grand Duchess must have her hands full. But what can she do? She took on this disciple willingly. She’ll just have to tough it out.

Camilla, in her usual playful voice, piqued my curiosity.

-“By the way, has something bad happened lately?”

“Not really.”

-“Then what’s the problem?”

After a moment’s hesitation, I opened up.

“I don’t know if I’d call it boredom or frustration. Lately things haven’t been going my way.”

-“Tell me more.”

“Well…”

It took about three minutes to explain what had happened today.

From finding a new colleague to planning an overseas trip, and how that plan was rejected by Leoni.

After listening quietly to my situation, Camilla finally spoke.

-“Ah. So that’s the problem.”

She sounded like she understood.

I imagined that if she were in front of me right now, she’d probably be crossing her arms and nodding her head. As that thought crossed my mind, Camilla continued speaking.

-“Your project was rejected. So you called me because you’re feeling upset.”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m upset. Even the best projects get cut from above if they don’t show promise. It’s just how things work.”

-“Hmm… so you’re not angry either.”

“That’s right.”

A contemplative tone came through the phone, tickling my eardrum. Camilla let out a small sigh as she fell into deep thought.

-“Not upset, not angry. But your mind is troubled. I’ve heard enough about the situation, so there’s no need to go over it again… May I ask one fundamental question?”

A fundamental question.

I didn’t know what it might be, but there was no harm in hearing it. I gladly told her to go ahead.

After deep consideration, Camilla opened her mouth and asked me:

-“Why do you want to go abroad?”

*

“What’s the reason?”

Leoni asked.

“Why are you suddenly making such a request? Asking me to send the Major overseas.”

“Does a junior need a reason to ask a favor of their senior? Helping each other out is part of our culture.”

“Cut the nonsense. Tell me the real reason.”

“Aish…”

Clebins, showing his clear displeasure, placed his hands on his knees. Crossing one’s legs in front of a senior would be taboo in Abas’s strict hierarchical society, but no one reprimanded him.

After all, Clebins was a general in military intelligence. And Leoni despised people who lacked both respect and guts.

So Leoni didn’t scold her junior. Though his insolent attitude was annoying, Clebins had a certain boldness about him.

“I asked why Frederick needs to be sent abroad.”

“Yes.”

“Then let me ask the opposite. Why shouldn’t he be sent abroad?”

“You call that a question?”

Leoni spoke curtly.

“You worked in counterintelligence. Don’t you know what happens when an agent whose identity is known gets caught in the field?”

The operations officer replied.

“If a diplomat gets caught doing fieldwork, it’s a diplomatic disaster. Even if other white agents could quietly resolve the situation with diplomatic immunity, he can’t.”

“Because he’s the hero’s companion?”

“That’s right.”

Leoni, leaning back on the office sofa, continued. She was a successful intelligence officer who had risen through the ranks from branch director of military intelligence to director of the Royal Intelligence Department.

“It’s the same even if he works as a black agent. Has there ever been a case where an employee working under an official cover switched to an unofficial one?”

Clebins denied it outright.

“Never. The opposite might happen, but not that.”

“The Major has already transitioned to an official cover. He didn’t just work as some contract employee at an embassy; he served openly as a military attaché with his face known. Isn’t that why other intelligence agencies are watching him?”

“That’s right.”

“Weren’t you the one who suggested moving his quarters to the official residence? You’re also responsible for his family’s safety. So shouldn’t you know better than me?”

“…”

The Director of Domestic Affairs fell silent.

Seeing this, the Director of Foreign Affairs continued.

“One wrong move and he loses his head. Not figuratively—he could actually get shot and killed somewhere. And you want to deploy him on a dangerous mission like establishing an intelligence network in a civil war zone? Isn’t that basically sending him to his death?”

“…”

“Even a small mistake can sink a ship. If he gets caught, there will be irreversible consequences. In this situation, how can we send him abroad? Especially to an area tightly controlled by the Imperial Guard? Hmm?”

The logic of the Director of Foreign Affairs was solid. It was flawless.

Leoni smiled rather proudly. It was a smile full of wrinkles and a fierce impression, but not particularly vicious.

“That’s why we decided to put him in the official residence, isn’t it? That’s why the committee requested protection from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a young man who hasn’t even earned his stars yet. Is that answer enough?”

“I see you’re really protective of Frederick, senior.”

“Director Nam. Look who’s really being protective here.”

Clebins just smiled, not responding to Leoni’s words.

He picked up his teacup and moistened his throat. He said nothing more.

It was only when the fingers resting on his knee moved that the Director of Domestic Affairs emerged from his deep contemplation.

“I understand why you won’t approve the overseas assignment. But you know what?”

“What.”

“You and that Major are alike.”

The wrinkled hand that had been stroking her chin came down on the desk. Leoni leaned forward in a crooked posture.

Her eyebrows, resembling those of a bird of prey, rose askew. Though she didn’t speak, her expression seemed to ask, “What do you mean by that?”

To this, Clebins showed a good-natured smile.

“Let me ask you one thing, senior.”

“What are you up to now.”

It was as if she was saying, go ahead and say whatever you want.

Facing Leoni, Clebins opened his mouth without erasing his smile.

“Why did you join the intelligence unit, senior?”

*

“Why do I want to go abroad?”

“Yes.”

Camilla confirmed.

“To be more precise, it’s a somewhat micro and personal question… I’m not curious about why you want to go abroad, but rather why you joined the intelligence agency? That’s what I want to ask.”

When this question with unclear intentions was thrown at me, the first emotion that came to mind was confusion.

Why I joined the intelligence agency.

I sat by the window looking outside, lost in thought.

-“Was that too random a question?”

“No, it’s not that…”

The reason I couldn’t easily answer Camilla’s question was simple. I didn’t know why I had joined the intelligence agency myself.

“It’s a question I was asked when I joined. But since then, I’ve never been asked something like this…”

I muttered, running my hand over my cheek and chin. And I thought deeply.

Why did I choose to become an intelligence officer?

To answer that question, I needed to look back on my life.

When I first found myself in this world, I wanted to survive no matter what situation unfolded.

A little safer, a little more comfortable. To maintain stability even when society was in chaos. If the state could no longer function properly and society collapsed, at least to be able to preserve my life.

That’s why I chose to become a soldier. The military is the largest armed group sanctioned by the state, and when society falls into chaos, power naturally flows to those with guns.

There was no special reason.

I talked about patriotism during my military academy interview, but to be honest, I didn’t have an ounce of patriotism. The same goes for joining military intelligence.

Who says you can’t do espionage work twice after doing it once? The experience gained from the Defense Security Command might be difficult to utilize in private companies, but it would be a valuable asset in military intelligence.

Fortunately, that decision wasn’t wrong.

The experience from the intelligence agency was more than enough to outdo mediocre new agents. The know-how acquired over a decade proved useful during overseas assignments, and the commendations and experience gained opened the path to promotion. Thanks to that, I was able to secure the position of Clebins’ aide, pushing aside formidable counterintelligence staff.

Everything was going smoothly.

Assisting a colonel who was slated for promotion to general meant my military career was as good as made. The moment Clebins became director, I would transition to an administrative position, and the moment I was promoted to field grade in counterintelligence, I would gain tremendous power comparable to a Security Command officer during the military regime.

So did I join the intelligence agency to gain power?

“…”

Logically, that would be the correct answer, but no matter how much I thought about it, power wasn’t the reason. If I had truly coveted power, I would have followed Clebins into the domestic division when he first offered me the job.

Then why did I go abroad?

I looked up at the night sky, lost in thought.

The answer that came after much deliberation was embarrassing even to me.

“…Did I just want to go abroad?”

Pfft. Laughter erupted from the other end of the phone.

-“What’s that? You had such a modest dream?”

“It’s not modest. Do you know how many people never get to go abroad in their lifetime? This isn’t Earth where people can travel abroad freely.”

-“So, were you satisfied?”

“…”

I gently shook my head.

The overseas experiences I’d had so far were worlds apart from travel or study abroad. Some assignments were so harsh that it would have been better not to go at all.

When I told her this, Camilla scolded me, asking how someone who knew this could have joined an intelligence agency.

She said:

-“I know too. How hard living abroad can be. The food is hard to adjust to, the weather is sweltering. Government officials are indifferent to any requests, and the accommodations were terrible. I even almost died while volunteering in Sudan! Rebels blocked our car and fired guns into the air to threaten us…”

“Wait. Why would you go to such a place?”

-“Because I didn’t know! No, maybe I did know?”

At her continued muttering, I looked at the phone in disbelief. What’s with her? Does she have multiple lives or something?

But Camilla didn’t care. Since we were far apart, she couldn’t see my expression anyway.

-“Anyway! I understand that you went abroad because of a very modest dream. But what’s the reason you joined the intelligence agency?”

Camilla threw the question at me again.

-“You didn’t join the intelligence agency just because you wanted to go abroad, right? If you really wanted to experience foreign countries, you would have studied abroad or joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No one joins an intelligence agency just to travel abroad, right?”

“That’s true.”

-“So why did you join?”

It was a circular conversation. The question that had touched on the periphery came full circle back to the starting point.

Only then could I sink into deep thought. And after careful consideration, another answer emerged.

“To catch commies.”

I joined the intelligence agency for no other reason. I entered to take down some communists.

That’s why I applied to the Defense Security Command. It was thanks to my uncle, my father’s junior, who recommended me.

Of course, some interviewers opposed my entry, saying that overly emotional motives could cause accidents someday, but their opposition couldn’t prevent me from joining the intelligence agency.

Though it was an answer that came after careful consideration, Camilla didn’t seem satisfied. She let out a sigh and expressed her frustration.

-“Hmm…! That’s not a bad answer either… But that’s your motive for joining the Defense Security Command, not military intelligence, right?”

“…Oh.”

She was right.

While my desire to take down communists was what drove me to apply to the Defense Security Command, it wasn’t the reason I joined military intelligence.

Then what was it?

Speculation followed one after another. But no clear reason emerged.

It was something I almost knew but couldn’t quite grasp, like playing a guessing game. Feeling frustrated, I put a cigarette in my mouth, and Camilla, perhaps feeling the same frustration, changed the subject.

-“Oh my head… Let’s stop this conversation for now. It’ll be dawn at this rate. Let’s get back to the main point.”

After abandoning the conversation, the question Camilla asked was simple.

The reason I applied for the overseas assignment.

She asked me for that reason.

“It’s a dangerous area.”

It was a much simpler and easier question to answer.

“The region is on the brink of chaos, and that’s where we need to go. Rather than going in without any information, I should go first to assess the local situation.”

-“But you said it’s a dangerous area?”

“That’s exactly why I need to go. Aren’t you worried?”

-“Worried? Of course I am.”

Camilla raised her voice. As if to say, why ask something so obvious? I was relieved to hear her voice.

So she does worry like a normal person, I thought.

-“Of course I’m worried. Because it’s dangerous. But you know what’s strange?”

“What?”

-“You said you wanted to go alone. To the Moritani continent.”

“And?”

Camilla, letting out a faint sigh, opened her mouth.

-“Usually, people don’t volunteer to go alone to such dangerous places.”

*

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you pretending not to understand? Is your hearing failing with age?”

“Saying the Major is like me. What nonsense is this?”

“I’m saying there are similarities.”

Clebins continued with a smirk.

“I may not know why you joined this place, but I know what kind of person you are. We’ve been eating company meals together for almost 20 years.”

They had spent nearly 20 years together in military intelligence, and if you added the time they spent as cadets, it was close to 20 years.

So he couldn’t help but know what kind of person she was.

“You know you’re a bit of an oddball, right?”

“You disrespectful… How dare you call your senior an oddball?”

Clebins burst into laughter.

“So you don’t think so? Haha. Really.”

Forgetting even his dignity, he laughed heartily and spread his fingers. Then, as if counting numbers in his head, he recited Leoni’s career.

“Five years as an unofficial cover in the Kiyen Empire, three years in the neighboring Latuan Republic and satellite states that were imperial colonies, back to the Empire as chief for four years, two years as a branch director in the Lushan Federal Kingdom to the south… Adding all the short business trips, you spent about 15 years abroad? How many countries have you visited exactly, senior?”

“Including places I stayed for just a few days, about 80. I lost count after that.”

“You’ve traveled quite extensively.”

Including countries forgotten in Leoni’s memory, the number of countries she had visited in her lifetime might exceed 100.

Clebins began to speak slowly, resting his hand on the armrest.

“You won’t find anyone in the entire company who worked as hard as you did. Probably few even in the entire continent, not just in Abas intelligence agencies.”

“Spare me the flattery.”

“Tsk tsk… Why did you live like that?”

When the junior asked, the senior answered.

“Is there a reason for serving one’s country? Since when did we start working with reasons in mind?”

“You just did as you were told?”

When the investigator asked, the senior answered.

“When they say jump, you jump. Isn’t that our way?”

“Ah, that’s true of course. But…”

The Director of Domestic Affairs, trailing off, stroked his chin. Rubbing his rough beard with his fingers, Clebins let out a chuckle.

“Even the most dedicated professionals don’t work that hard, you know.”

Intelligence agencies always emphasize dedication and passion, but they don’t demand dedication and passion in everything.

After all, intelligence agencies are workplaces where people go, and intelligence officers are civil servants who collect their salaries.

When routine sets in, people fall into mannerism. That’s why rookies who enter with lofty dreams transform into pot-bellied civil servants who play it safe and look forward to their pensions.

Intelligence agencies were no exception.

But occasionally, oddballs like this appear from somewhere, and that’s how the company keeps running.

“Others try to avoid going abroad, but why did you need to go so eagerly?”

“Someone had to go anyway.”

Leoni, raising her eyebrows askew, asked back.

“But is there any reason I shouldn’t go?”

“Then why didn’t you leave the field? By their 30s, everyone is desperate to move to administrative positions in the rear, but you stayed in the field even when higher-ups called for you.”

“I just feel satisfied when I handle things directly.”

“So that’s why you were on the field when dismantling the Magic Tower Secretariat, and when eliminating the dark mage in Fatalia? You’re quite peculiar.”

“Aren’t you the same? When others were moving to desk jobs, you were the one heading to the field to catch spies.”

“…”

Seeing Clebins silently smiling, Leoni chuckled.

“I can’t say much in front of my senior. Anyway, you have to admit you’re unusual.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Anyway, what I want to say is that you and Frederick have similarities. Going out and stirring up trouble without being ordered to—that’s exactly what you used to do.”

“Bullshit.”

*

I, who had been lost in thought, slowly opened my mouth.

“I have to go because it’s a dangerous area.”

-“What kind of accident do you think will happen there? Why not just talk to us?”

“How could I bring you all with me?”

I reassured Camilla over the phone. Even as she scolded me, I could see she was strangely worried.

“It’s precisely because it’s a dangerous area that I want to go alone. How could I bring you all?”

-“Ah, so you were going because you were worried about us?”

Is that how it sounds?

Anyway.

Holding the phone, I spoke without hesitation, trying to reassure Camilla.

“When I get there, there will be other staff besides me. Going abroad alone doesn’t mean I’ll be operating alone.”

-“Does that make any sense?”

But Camilla was not someone who would easily be convinced.

-“I don’t understand why your superiors rejected your report. If they rejected it, there must be a reason, right?”

“That’s true, but first, let me explain…”

-“No! Then you shouldn’t go! If you planned to move as a group but got rejected, it means that in the eyes of your superiors, it’s dangerous whether you move alone or as a group. Am I wrong?”

“Ah, no. Just a moment…”

Adjusting the phone, I stammered in confusion.

To tell the truth, everything I just told Camilla was a lie. It’s true that military intelligence has an outpost in the area, but there was no plan to cooperate with the staff stationed there.

Since the key was to handle matters “quietly,” the operation had to be conducted by me alone.

Of course, if I said that, Camilla would probably mount a broomstick and chase me all the way to Abas, so I lied first. After all, Camilla couldn’t know what was happening within military intelligence.

But she caught on.

-“Your story doesn’t add up!”

In the end, having made things worse instead of better, I had to try hard to appease Camilla. After the dispute, she finally calmed down and gave a stern warning.

-“Don’t get any foolish ideas. Going to such a place alone.”

“Alright, I understand…”

-“I appreciate your concern for us, but please think sensibly. Is a civil war zone a tourist destination? You’re talking like you’re going on a backpacking trip…”

I succeeded in calming Camilla down, but the problem still remained unresolved.

Soon I would have to enter the Moritani continent with my team, but we had no intelligence network and couldn’t even identify the risk factors.

Feeling frustrated, I expressed my complaints to Camilla. Asking if there wasn’t a better way.

Of course, I didn’t expect her, a civilian, to be able to help me in any way.

But Camilla surprisingly listened to my concerns with seriousness.

-“Hmm… Let’s summarize. The purpose of your overseas deployment is valid, and you’ve prepared a plan in advance. But your company won’t give permission. Why?”

“The reason is that the region is unstable.”

-“What specifically is unstable? Is it simply because it’s a civil war zone where security isn’t guaranteed?”

I shook my head.

“It’s not that, but because of other companies operating there.”

-“Ah.”

Just as the Middle East regions like Syria became playgrounds for intelligence agencies worldwide, the Moritani continent is a playground for intelligence agencies in this world. It means that various intelligence agencies are fighting over hegemony and interests in Moritani.

The biggest goal is, of course, interests. The canal that runs through the Moritani continent, abundant natural resources, resources like mana stones, and so on.

That’s why all sorts of flies are attracted. The Imperial Guard, the Inquisition, the National Security Agency, the General Intelligence Bureau… Of course, the Royal Intelligence Department is also involved.

The problem was the Imperial Guard and the Inquisition.

The Kiyen Empire has close ties with the dictatorial government on the Moritani continent and has continuously been wary of the Abas Kingdom, which boasts close relations with the local democratic government. So what happened when the Empire’s power weakened due to the northern conflict and the Church stepped in to cause trouble?

The Imperial Guard branches on the Moritani continent must be in a highly agitated state now.

We can’t know their internal affairs precisely, but the prevailing analysis is that the imperial intelligence agencies, centered around the Imperial Guard, will once again shake up the Moritani continent now that the northern issue has been resolved. Of course, this is just speculation.

After hearing this story, Camilla, who had been thinking deeply, opened her mouth.

-“Then why not eliminate the cause?”

“The cause?”

-“You said the reason your superiors are refusing the deployment is because of threats from other intelligence agencies. So why not remove that threat?”

“Are you serious… Is that even realistically possible?”

-“You don’t necessarily have to actually eliminate the threat. What’s important is what your superiors think. They’re anxious because such threats exist, so they can’t send you there, right? In case something goes wrong.”

“…”

-“Or you need a definitive reason why you must go to the Moritani continent. A reason to take action despite the risks.”

I took the phone away from my ear and fell into thought for a moment.

*

Leoni slumped against the backrest. It wasn’t so much that she was tired from age, but rather that the conversation seemed to be heading towards its conclusion.

So she had no choice but to say this:

“I’ll say it again, but we can’t send him abroad. The committee has already decided on this matter.”

At this firm rejection, the Director of Foreign Affairs watched to see how the Director of Domestic Affairs would respond.

However, the Director of Domestic Affairs merely replied with a mysterious smile:

“Senior, you still don’t understand people. Want to make a bet with me?”

“What kind of bet? I hate gambling.”

“It’s not gambling… It’s just for fun.”

Clebins gathered his things and stood up. Then, with his hands behind his back, he smiled good-naturedly.

“I guarantee that Frederick will soon come looking for you.”

“Asking for approval for overseas deployment? It’s already been rejected, would he really bring it up again?”

“That remains to be seen. Whether he’ll come or not. But if he does come again, even you won’t be able to easily refuse.”

Leoni’s sharp gaze landed on Clebins’s face.

“Sounds like you’ve heard some interesting news. Why don’t you share it with your senior?”

“What would I have heard? I don’t know anything either. Would I propose a bet if I already knew the cards?”

“The most fun gambling is when you know the other person’s cards first.”

“Isn’t that cheating?”

“It was quite fun when I tried it with informants.”

“You have a nasty personality no matter when I see you.”

Having finished preparing to leave, Clebins pulled at his shirt sleeve and summarized.

“Anyway, I don’t know anything either. Frederick might not come to see you, but let’s just bet for fun. I’m betting that you’ll approve the overseas deployment.”

“Did I say I’d bet?”

“Suit yourself.”

“If you lose, buy me a drink.”

“If you lose, buy me one too.”

Leoni chuckled and waved her hand dismissively. It was a gesture telling him to get out.

With the dismissal issued, there was no reason to stay any longer. Clebins turned and began to walk away.

Just as he approached the door, his senior, sprawled on the sofa, called him back.

“Hey. Who do you think will win? This bet.”

“Me, of course.”

“You think I’ll lose?”

Clebins shrugged once.

“Ah, that’s hard to say. But don’t I know the Major better than you do? After all, I’ve lived with him as his director for three years.”

“…”

“And who knows.”

Click, as he opened the door handle and left the office, he added quietly:

“What kind of trouble he might get into this time.”

*

After more than two minutes of silence, Camilla, who had been rolling around on the bed, raised her head.

She was lying on her stomach, finding a spot among the magic books and guides scattered on the bed. Her posture resembled the Sphinx that the French had looted and transferred to England.

“Hello?”

-“…Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking for a moment.”

“If you need more time to think, take your time.”

What could he be thinking about for so long? Camilla couldn’t help but tilt her head in curiosity.

Then she gently pushed a crystal on the table with her finger.

“Hmm…”

The pushed crystal slid without resistance, like a sled on ice. It was a magical tool gifted to her by the Imperial Magic Department as a thank you for resolving the northern issue.

The magical tool was made from processed mana stone. Its origin was the northern part of the Kiyen Empire. Coincidentally, it was mined from the very rift she had defended against monsters.

The Magic Department official who brought it said they used the highest purity mana stone mined from the rift mining site that had resumed operation this year. As for its use? It had a floating property that made it hover in the air no matter where it was placed.

That was its only use. In other words, it was purely decorative.

Of course, given that even a mana stone the size of a pinky fingernail sells for millions, explaining the value of a magical tool made from a mana stone slightly smaller than Camilla’s fist would be a tedious task. Moreover, didn’t they say it was the highest purity mana stone? Even if it was just decorative, the value of the mana stone would be incomparable to any jewel.

The Grand Duchess, who was present at the time, even suggested selling the mana stone if she needed quick cash. She added that she could provide mana stones anytime, so there was no need to feel burdened. This was possible because the entire northern region was essentially under the Grand Duchess’s jurisdiction.

Although there was an incident where the Deputy Minister of Magic turned pale with worry about a potential massive outflow of mana stones abroad, that didn’t matter. Even if the Minister of Magic or the Tower Master came, they couldn’t overturn a Grand Magician’s decision.

The fortunate thing was that Camilla had no intention whatsoever of selling the mana stone. She had no desire to make money by selling a mineral that looked like it belonged in the movie Avatar.

As she was tapping the mana stone with her finger and watching it float around, a voice came from the other end of the phone.

-“Camilla.”

“Yes.”

-“I have a good idea.”

*

Past midnight on Saturday, early Sunday morning.

Leoni, who was reviewing documents, received a call from her secretary to her office.

-“I’m sorry, Director. There’s an urgent matter to report.”

“What is it?”

The source of the information was the embassy in the Kiyen Empire. It was a dispatch from the newly appointed ambassador to the embassy.

The content of the dispatch was simple.

“…Who went where?”

-“Yes, the hero has just departed for the Moritani continent…”

“…”

-“I’ve already contacted each department. What should we do, Director?”

“Wake up the department heads and gather them in the 5th floor conference room.”

That dawn.

For someone resting at home, a crisis arrived, and for someone waiting in the office, an opportunity arrived.

It was truly a coincidental matter.

Episode 15 – Life is Beautiful -END-