Ch.602Episode 22 – The Kazinsky Test

Humans’ enemies are monsters and demons. This simple and straightforward proposition has been established as an unquestionable truth for thousands of years.

Then what are demons?

Giants.

Vampires.

Succubi.

Ghouls, and so on.

These are the representative demons as defined by modern society’s laws, and the enemies they are desperately trying to eliminate.

Werewolves were also one of the many races that fell into this category.

Of course, in modern society, werewolves weren’t demons that could be easily encountered.

Not only was contact with demons not something just anyone could attempt, but the werewolf species itself was in a semi-endangered state.

The official position of governments was that they weren’t completely extinct like vampires.

However, many in investigative agencies like the Department of Magic and the police, as well as academic circles, believed they would naturally die out within a few generations.

I had occasionally heard about them in the news or by word of mouth, but I had never actually seen one myself.

“…A werewolf, huh.”

“Most are false reports, you know. It’s common, right? Stories like ‘Someone was stealing blood packs regularly, so they called in an inquisitor, but when they caught the culprit, it turned out to be an embezzler.'”

“That’s right. Though sometimes real werewolves do get arrested.”

But it’s not common.

“Slurp…”

To be honest, I wasn’t certain this was the work of a werewolf. It could be the act of a bizarre serial killer, or perhaps terrorists we hadn’t yet identified.

Nevertheless, one thing I could be certain of:

The embassy was hiding something from me.

“……”

I habitually tilted my drink bottle while staring into space.

Not even realizing that the drink had already run out.

Episode 22 – The Kazinski Test

A family was found brutally murdered near the lodgings. An emergency meeting was called, and the Vice Minister and the Head of Mission, who were leading the working-level staff of the four-party talks, summoned everyone.

The Rushan Federation’s Ministry of Internal Affairs issued no official statement regarding the incident. The police under the ministry’s command were equally silent.

No news outlet had reported on the murder.

Considering that stakeouts and information gathering were the daily routine of social affairs reporters, this was a very unnatural phenomenon.

I had to suspect that the federal government might have imposed a media embargo.

“…If it’s true, why would they impose an embargo?”

Of course, it didn’t matter much to me personally.

Whether it was reported or not, it wouldn’t significantly impact my intelligence work.

The problem was that the atmosphere at the mission seemed suspicious.

“The Military Attaché and the Information Management Director would have gone to the Ambassador’s office, and since there’s nothing else in the inner corridor of the 6th floor… Then the Vice Minister who left with the Ambassador must have gone there too… Is there any reason to bring those two along other than for an intelligence briefing?”

The mission staff from each department, summoned to the security conference room, unanimously claimed:

This was not terrorism but a simple criminal case.

And there, the Ambassador reached this conclusion:

Let the host country’s government handle the investigation.

As soon as the meeting ended, he took the Vice Minister and several other attendees to his office.

I understood the meaning without much thought.

I had briefly served as a diplomat, and my sister Adela was a diplomatic civil servant.

Given the diplomats’ characteristic way of investigation, guiding others to notice things on their own, the implication was extremely simple:

‘If you’re fooled, stay put; if you’ve caught on, back off and stay out of it.’

It was a blatant hint to not get involved in this matter and focus on preparing for the talks instead.

In a way, it was a kind of work exclusion.

He moved locations so I couldn’t hear the briefing from the Information Management Director and the Military Attaché, and deliberately withheld details about the incident. It was pretty clear-cut.

Of course, I didn’t intend to blame the Ambassador.

I wasn’t in a position to rage about ‘why they hid information’ either.

Logically, who would trust someone who had been bashing rebel leaders’ heads with iron pipes in the Zamria Federation while holding the title of Military Attaché?

If the Ambassador had any sense, he wouldn’t have disclosed all information to me.

He couldn’t guarantee where I might go off if I caused trouble again.

But he couldn’t completely ignore me either, so he coordinated with the department heads, exchanged superficial agreements,

And then moved to his office to start the real meeting after making sure I lost interest, judging that would be better for his mental health.

-Rustle, rustle.

After slipping out to a convenience store outside the mission, I clutched my throbbing forehead and munched on snacks.

It was a shameless neighborhood charging the price of a Popeye’s chicken for pieces of magical moving dinosaur cookies.

But I had no other choice since I didn’t feel like eating lunch.

Yet, they tasted good.

“Munch…”

Judging by the Vice Minister’s specific mention of anti-infiltration barriers and security, they seemed to have some source of information.

But not knowing what it was frustrated me.

What did I know about werewolves in the first place?

Hunting hostile life forms was done elsewhere; it wasn’t my job.

All I knew was that werewolves killed people like rabid dogs when the full moon appeared.

And that they had been designated as demons since ancient times and systematically hunted by knights and wizards due to their danger.

If I had to add anything more, it would be allegations that werewolves were used in flu-like biological experiments and military-purpose experiments…

But that was just conspiracy theory found everywhere, not particularly credible.

As a desperate measure, I investigated the Federal Land Management Ministry’s Anomalous Phenomenon Response Department, which I learned about from the secretary, but this also yielded no significant results.

The only information I discovered was that it used to be under the Ministry of Magic.

Beyond that, I couldn’t find out about their responsibilities or the identity of the department head.

To put it simply, well.

I knew absolutely nothing right now.

“…Sigh, haah.”

At this point, I became convinced again. The fact that I found nothing despite using the embassy server to investigate supported my first hypothesis.

Perhaps the mission’s information security officer had restricted the information searchable from my terminal,

Or placed high-level locks on all documents to prevent unauthorized access.

What was clear was that I had no useful information.

And that the higher-ups didn’t want me involved in this case.

What should I do?

Should I back down?

Both the Information Management Office and the Military Attaché’s Office were moving simultaneously, and the embassy had received some kind of information from the host country’s government agency dealing with anomalous phenomena.

The report would have gone up not only to the Ambassador but also to the Foreign Ministry’s Vice Minister who accompanied him to the office. So the decision-making authority had essentially been passed to a level too high for me to handle.

Probably even Clebins would be equally helpless.

No matter how much of a general he was in the Military Intelligence Agency, he didn’t have the same clout as a Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The subtle hint he left me might have just been advice to be careful.

I had slipped out of the embassy under the pretext of going out, but my complicated thoughts showed no signs of clearing.

If I caused trouble again, it might really be the end for me.

The clock hands moved forward anxiously indicating it was time to return, and just as I was clutching my phone like a lifeline,

-…Ring ring ring!

Suddenly, a ringtone sounded.

Checking the number on the screen, I opened the phone without hesitation and pressed the call button firmly.

“Hello?”

-‘Um, is this Frederick’s number?’

“Yes. You’ve dialed correctly, Camilla.”

-‘That’s a relief. I wasn’t sure since the number changed.’

A small laugh came through the encrypted line.

It was Camilla’s laugh.

-‘So what kind of help do you need this time?’

*

“A werewolf?”

Camilla, holding the phone close, seemed somewhat surprised. She hadn’t expected to hear that name here.

-‘An entire family was massacred at dawn, and the mission seems to suspect them. Perhaps the Rushan Federation’s investigative agencies do too.’

Frederick calmly listed the information he knew.

That a suspect presumed to be a werewolf had killed civilians who resembled her.

The speculation that the beast sounds heard at dawn might have been from that werewolf.

-‘For now, the investigative authority seems to have been transferred to a third party, not the police or intelligence agency. To an anomalous phenomenon response department under the Rushan Federation’s Land Management Ministry. It used to belong to the Ministry of Magic, but beyond that, almost nothing is known.’

“And?”

-‘The embassy has excluded me from the work. They gave me information properly, but took out all the substance and just gave me the shell.’

“Not exactly welcome news.”

Camilla could roughly guess what it meant that the mission had excluded him.

Currently, Frederick wasn’t a diplomat, and if he got into trouble locally, the embassy couldn’t provide him with full support due to his status.

This wasn’t a good situation for her either.

Whether the group could find out or not, most information was usually processed and distributed through Frederick’s hands.

The fact that he couldn’t access information meant the entire group was essentially flying blind.

But,

-‘I don’t think I can help for a while. Will you be okay?’

“What do you take me for?”

Camilla added confidently with a bright smile.

“Stop worrying and prepare to buy lots of delicious food when you get off work!”

-‘If only you wouldn’t say such things… Alright. Take care of yourself.’

Click!

The call ended.

Camilla gathered her mobile phone and covered her red hair with a scarf she took from her handbag.

Then she put on sunglasses, hiding her blue eyes as well.

“He definitely said werewolf.”

Camilla smiled as she pressed her sunglasses firmly with her finger.

A very fresh and radiant smile.

At that moment,

The stuffed red fox hanging in her bedroom at the England family home flashed briefly through her memories.

The desert with its swirling sand.

The city of Bahar, overlooked by a beautiful bay.

Having completed her preparations, Camilla walked out under the hot sun, and while looking down at the blue shimmering sea, she suddenly muttered:

“…I wonder if it’s harder to catch than a fox?”

A Korean has unleashed poison in the desert.