Ch.556Episode 20 – Who Threatened You with a Knife?

# “The Security Committee wiretapped the hero and you. As you know, the Security Committee is Ashtistan’s counterintelligence agency.”

The police officer said.

“Of course, Mr. Frederick is an official from a hostile country, and relations between the two nations have recently frozen. Perhaps the sensitive ‘Labdari’ people made a rash move…”

The Ashtistan official expressed his confusion.

“Even so, why was the hero also under Labdari’s surveillance? This remains an unresolved question.”

The middle-aged local man casually remarked with a light smile.

“Surely the hero isn’t being suspected of espionage as well?”

“……”

“I’m joking.”

## Episode 20 – Who Threatened You with a Knife

The wiretapping incident by the Ashtistan Security Committee is a major diplomatic issue in itself.

The counterintelligence agency of the Ashtistan Republic, which prides itself on being a blood ally, stabbed the Kiyen Empire in the back by wiretapping the Grand Duchess.

But the core issue wasn’t the wiretapping—it was the bribe.

Commonly known as Labdari, the executive of the Ashtistan Republic’s Security Committee brazenly demanded a bribe from me.

The Security Committee’s inspection department learned of this through some channel and swiftly disciplined the executive. It seems they were aware of his corruption long before we reported it, but the final blow was the incident where he demanded a bribe from me.

The executive, believing his corruption was exposed because of me, came to find me and threatened me to “leave Ashtistan.” Yama then sent a letter of complaint to the Security Committee along with Camilla, who was with me.

The agency that received the report was the Inspection Committee under the Security Committee.

The very department that caused controversy with this wiretapping incident.

“…Sip.”

I tilted my teacup slightly and slowly turned my thoughts over.

Would it be beneficial to reveal that Camilla was involved in this commotion?

From an information standpoint, the fact that she, a 100% civilian, was entangled in a disturbance caused by a counterintelligence agency was “noteworthy.” More specifically, it would be “suspicious.”

Being involved with a counterintelligence or intelligence agency as a mere civilian suggests one is not an ordinary person in some way.

It’s not good for Camilla’s position, nor for mine, who moved with her.

Whether police or counterintelligence agency, the Ashtistan Republic shouldn’t suspect Camilla, and I shouldn’t give them reason to.

The problem is,

“Well, isn’t suspecting everyone the basic principle of counterintelligence? As a police officer yourself, you would know.”

The person conducting this inquiry is from the investigation department.

“I suppose so. A kind of occupational hazard.”

“Terminal cases of suspicion disease.”

“I’d say we’re just more cautious and inquisitive than others.”

The middle-aged man who introduced himself as a police officer muttered in an interested tone, as if finding the topic amusing.

With his gaze fixed on me as I took out a cigarette.

“With that much inquisitiveness, you’d turn underwear inside out for inspection.”

I muttered meaningless words to myself and fell into deep thought.

I wasn’t sure if he was really from the police or from another intelligence agency. But it was certain that the man before me was a “member of the investigation department.”

And in my judgment, having watched Klevins since my days as counterintelligence director, it would be insane to lie here under the pretext of protecting Camilla.

Anyone investigating the Security Committee would eventually learn the inside story of the incident.

That the Labdari executive demanded a bribe from me, that a complaint was filed with the inspection department in the process, and that Camilla was the one who wrote the complaint. If they’re investigating an intelligence agency, they would have received at least this much information.

From an investigative perspective, if I lie to shield Camilla, that creates its own problem.

It would mean a foreign official suspected of espionage protected a civilian involved in the case.

From the investigative agency’s perspective, this would be impossible not to suspect.

“……”

Tap tap. I hit the top of the cigarette pack with my palm, and a yellow filter popped out.

I bit the topmost cigarette with my front teeth, then extended the protruding cigarette toward the other person.

“Care for a smoke?”

The middle-aged local official gently waved his hand in refusal.

It was a gentle but firm rejection.

“I quit smoking.”

“I see.”

There was no need to insist further.

I lit the cigarette and began speaking through a haze of smoke.

“Camilla was probably wiretapped because she was involved in the incident.”

“You mean the hero?”

“I had some friction with a Security Committee employee. But as luck would have it, Camilla got dragged into it from the very first day of my entry.”

“Hmm… What kind of friction was it?”

We continued our conversation for a long time, with two lukewarm teacups and a full ashtray between us.

I explained everything that had happened without omission.

Exactly when the Security Committee executive demanded a bribe, why I received help from Camilla, what conversation I had with the Security Committee Inspection Chairman, and so on.

Of course, I mixed in some lies.

“Camilla didn’t notice she was being wiretapped. I was completely unaware too, until Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrova noticed.”

“You didn’t even anticipate being followed or monitored, if not wiretapped?”

“No. I didn’t expect it at all.”

If Ashtistan Republic’s investigative agency begins a full-scale investigation, they’ll quickly uncover objective information like facts and timelines.

But other information, like when Camilla and I anticipated and became aware of the wiretapping, is difficult even for investigative agencies to uncover.

We left the discovered bugs exactly where they were.

Knowing full well that the Security Committee was listening, we leaked information about tomorrow’s schedule, plans after our companions arrived, casual conversations with the priest, and so on. That was necessary to reassure and deceive them.

The wiretapping was exposed purely because of Grand Magician Alexandra Petrova’s magical perception, and the subsequent major diplomatic issue was also initiated by the Grand Duchess.

In other words,

“The Grand Duchess will explain the specific circumstances better than I can. After all, she’s the one who found the bugs.”

Outwardly, Camilla and I appear to be “perfect victims” in this incident.

This is a fact that could be verified by questioning the imperial embassy diplomats, intelligence officers, and Ashtistan Republic officials who were involved with the Grand Duchess at the time.

In other words, their statements could serve as evidence supporting that my claims consistently told the truth.

“To summarize, the hero was already aware of the friction between Mr. Frederick and the Security Committee official from Azadi Palace, and when the official came to threaten both of you days later, you remembered that incident and willingly helped write the complaint letter?”

The Ashtistan Republic official succinctly summarized the incident.

According to his summary, Camilla merely helped me when I was in trouble, making her an outsider with no connection to any intelligence or counterintelligence agency.

She had no need to face any suspicion or doubt. More precisely, there was nothing to be suspicious about.

And as I had expected, the middle-aged official concluded the conversation in a monotone voice.

“It’s quite an awkward incident. As you said, ‘bad luck’ is truly an apt expression for what happened. Both to Mr. Frederick and the hero.”

“……”

“I’d like to express my personal regret. As an Ashtistan public official, I feel ashamed.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

“Still, it’s right to acknowledge fault. And to apologize. That’s what honor and dignity demand.”

It was an expression befitting a resident of a neighborhood that values honor above life. It was a morally admirable statement. Morally only.

The middle-aged official quickly jotted down the results of his inquiry in his notebook. I waited, tapping my half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray.

“But you know.”

He suddenly spoke while scribbling with his pencil.

“It’s curious that all three of you left your lodgings amid such an unfortunate incident. Usually, after experiencing something like this, people would be shocked and afraid.”

“Would being shocked and afraid change anything?”

“Didn’t you consider relocating? Wouldn’t you feel safer and more peaceful in a new hotel?”

“Safety, peace. Such abstract and relative concepts.”

“Yet what everyone dreams of.”

Hiss. I crushed the cigarette in the ashtray.

As I snapped the cigarette out, I suddenly moved my lips.

“Was there ever a safe and peaceful place in Shizya?”

The man silently smiled.

No answer came.

I brushed off the ash on my clothes, and he moistened his throat with tea. His politeness, consistently shown throughout our long conversation, remained, but his sentences became noticeably shorter.

“The hero and the Grand Duchess. Where are they now?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything.”

“Mr. Frederick. Where did you just come from?”

“I just took a walk because I felt stuffy. I also had an errand from my grandmother.”

“All three parties involved in the wiretapping left the hotel within a day. Doesn’t that seem unnatural?”

“Is it natural for Ashtistan’s security agency to wiretap the Empire’s Grand Duchess who came to meet the priest of Al-Yabd?”

The Ashtistan Republic official was still looking at me with a smiling face.

As I was about to take out a new cigarette after moistening my mouth with coffee,

-♬~

A loud ringtone sounded from my pocket again.

“……”

As I pulled out the buzzing phone, the middle-aged man’s face contorted. More precisely, he looked very tired.

In fact, the phone had been ringing steadily for a while, so this was the third or fourth time.

That’s why the man had to urge me to answer with a very tired expression.

“Just answer it. Please…”

“Ah, yes.”

*

It seems he also had business to attend to. He checked his phone screen and hurriedly left.

I also moved from my seat after awkwardly apologizing.

“……”

I opened the loudly ringing phone and scanned the number with my eyes. Again, it was an unknown number, but it was the same number that had called earlier.

A company contact? I tilted my head and pressed the call button.

“Hello?”

-‘Is this Frederick?’

A familiar voice.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but ask with a puzzled expression.

“Camilla? Is that really you?”

-‘Yep.’

“No. What is this number? What happened to the phone I gave you… More importantly, where are you calling from? You said you were coming earlier. Did you take a detour or what?”

-‘That’s what I want to ask you!’

Anyway!

A familiar high-pitched squeal came through the phone, and then Camilla, who had disappeared somewhere, suddenly started asking bizarre questions.

-‘Frederick. Didn’t you say before that your sister was a magician when you were at the magic tower or somewhere?’

“Yes, I did.”

-‘But why did you leave out that she’s younger than me? I was so surprised!’

“…What are you talking about all of a sudden.”

What? Why is that brat Aila being mentioned here? This is completely out of the blue.

I seriously couldn’t help but suspect Camilla of drinking or drug use. I wondered if she was chewing some hashish rolling around in the marketplace and talking nonsense.

Just then,

-‘No! I almost used formal speech thinking she was older than me!’

“…?”

…She almost used formal speech?

What is she talking about suddenly?

Confused and dumbfounded, I listened closely to the phone. I thought I heard someone whispering softly beside Camilla.

“Camilla. I’m asking just in case, but you’re not with my sister right now, are you?”

-‘…Eh?’

“I asked if you’re with Aila.”

-‘Uh, no. That was just a slip of the tongue. I was just so bored that I said something random…’

“Then whose phone are you calling from?”

-‘Ah? That, well, my phone battery died. I borrowed it from a passerby just to check in-‘

“Where are you now? Tell me your location.”

-‘……’

No answer came.

It was right after that when the veins in my neck bulged.

“…Aila, you little-“

*

Squeeeeeal-

A soprano-rivaling high note exceeds the decibels the phone can handle, with only its tail end barely transmitted.

Hurriedly pressing the end call button, Camilla panicked and exclaimed in alarm.

“Was I not supposed to tell your brother you’re here?”

She looked at the other person with an embarrassed face, but no answer came back.

Why?

Because the mind of the person who lent the phone was entirely fixed on the loudly ringing mobile phone.

[Where are you?]

[You said you were in the Rushan Federation.]

[Hey. Answer me.]

[I said answer.]

[Should I tell Mother?]

[Hey.]

[Hey.]

[Hey.]

Tok. Tok tok. Tok.

The hand checking the messages that rushed in like an ebb tide suddenly stopped.

A short sentence without even a period was updated with a cheerful ‘ding~’ sound.

[I just tracked your location so if I catch you, you’ll be smelling incense from behind a folding screen]

“……”

The intelligence officer lifted her gaze from the mobile phone with a bewildered look.

Six months since joining the Royal Intelligence Department.

A rookie agent who was extracted from the Rushan Federation and dragged to the Ashtistan Republic.

Also, a sister who just received notification from her brother to wash her neck and wait.

“…Oh my god.”

“Kyaaaah!”

Aila Nostrum rolled over and collapsed on the floor, her eyes rolling back.