Ch.613Episode 22 – The Kazinsky Test

Order is a towering edifice, an intricately assembled machine, a carefully balanced deck of cards.

And madness?

It is merely a finger that lightly touches something.

Episode 22 – The Kajiski Test

The safe house arrived under cover of night. Inside, scruffy-looking beastfolk, one werewolf, and a small beastfolk child the werewolf kept with her were all holding their breath.

These were terrorists.

To be precise, they were fugitives who had attempted to participate in terrorism but backed out, and since they hadn’t actually carried out any attacks, they should be called would-be criminals.

However, for these types of crimes, even joining an organization or merely discussing plans is punishable by law. So legally and practically, they were undeniably “members of a terrorist organization.”

That’s why I was sitting with a crooked posture, staring at the werewolf “Emily” in front of me while tapping on the wooden table.

“……”

I don’t know her clan surname. I only heard the name Emily.

Black hair. Eyes mixed with blue and brown. Skin closer to bronze than brown.

Physical characteristics include freckles. They’re lightly spread across her forehead, both cheeks, jaw, and the bridge of her nose.

There have been countless news reports of werewolves who had hidden their identities and lived among Abas society being discovered, only to escape unscathed after directly taking submachine gun fire from police special forces and Level 5 high-risk magic. Yet it seems that even the remarkable healing abilities of werewolves were helplessly ineffective against ultraviolet rays.

Even dark elves crossing deserts are afraid of freckles and diligently apply sunscreen. Or they could use magical tools that block sunlight, if only to splurge.

The werewolf remained silent with her head bowed.

More precisely, she had been staring at the floor continuously since before I entered.

It was such a timid attitude that it was hard to believe she belonged to the same species as the werewolves who had boldly killed several civilians and sent us a warning.

Timid? No. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say her strength had waned.

You know that type, right? Like in dramas, a patient who doesn’t respond when called and just stares out the window endlessly. The werewolf’s appearance was exactly like that.

-Stroke. Stroke.

She was holding the beastfolk child in her arms and stroking them.

But the way she moved her arms reflexively, mechanically, with a slightly vacant expression, didn’t seem right at all.

The contrast between the brightly smiling beastfolk child and the expressionless face of the werewolf made it look even more so.

Could she have some mental issue? Or had she been tortured by Camilla or Veronica?

Whatever it was, everything sounded like nonsense right now.

Yes.

It was a story that made no sense.

-Tap. Tap. Tap.

“…Ms. Emily, so to summarize your testimony.”

Breaking the silence, I stopped my finger that had been tapping on the table.

“The leader of your werewolves was there that day. At the scene near the resort where a family was murdered, along with other werewolves.”

“……”

“And he tried to stop his own kind from killing civilians alone, but was killed along with the family by his own kind. Is that what you’re saying?”

I asked with a skeptical voice.

Are you seriously expecting me to believe that?

“Why would werewolves kill one of their own kind? Even if they did, the actions of this so-called leader are hard to understand.”

From your perspective, what difference does it make if seven humans die or seventy?

Why would you try to stop another werewolf from killing humans? And why would a werewolf kill another werewolf?

I couldn’t readily understand this part.

They’re not even human, are they?

There are surprisingly many philanthropists in human society who advocate for equal rights for all species. And the number of radical species egalitarians is by no means small.

For instance, a civic group mage attacking a “beastfolk farm” and smashing the owner’s head, or someone who would have been a knight if born 100 years ago beating to death a CEO who exploits insurance money under unfavorable conditions for minority species while shouting “oppose minority species exploitation.”

The aspect of humans trying to embrace all species, even if it means attacking other humans, was a phenomenon that occasionally appeared throughout the world.

But if you asked me whether a “demon race” like werewolves would show “pure goodwill” to other species to the extent of enduring fratricide, well…

I think there’s a higher probability that Lucia would beat a priest or grand duke with a mace out of pure curiosity.

“Why did they do it? You said you were at the scene, so you must know the situation.”

“…It was an accident.”

The werewolf who had fled from her own kind began speaking in a gloomy voice, sitting in a small room.

She moved her lips with an extremely pale complexion.

Nevertheless, it was hard to believe that until just a moment ago, she had been sitting quietly in a daze.

“Wolfgang was always a leader who believed that we… that Lycans should live quietly. Wherever we were. Quietly, without causing trouble. He believed that was the only way to ensure the path to our ancestors’ homeland.”

The ancestors’ homeland.

That referred to the land where the werewolves of the eastern Moritani continent were said to have originated.

It’s territory currently occupied by the Ashtistan Republic. Strictly speaking, it had belonged to that territory since the monarchy, and it would be correct to say that werewolves lived there in ancient times.

“We always wandered around the goddess’s warm spots. In your language, that’s the uninhabited areas. But after the republic was established in our ancestors’ homeland, it became difficult to live around there… We fled here to escape the war.”

“The refugee problem caused by the conflict between Ashtistan and neighboring countries isn’t just the werewolves’ pain. From there alone, 4.6 million humans were displaced, and if you add beastfolk, orcs, goblins, and dark elves, it would easily exceed 10 million.”

“…I suppose so. We heard rumors that not long after the revolution ended, war broke out with neighboring countries.”

The werewolves gradually began to flee during that chaos. Of course, they didn’t immediately decide to emigrate, she said.

At first, they tried to negotiate to be allowed to return to their ancestral land. With the war spreading to the uninhabited areas, the situation had naturally become urgent for the werewolves.

Negotiations that had been closely conducted with the Kingdom of Ashtistan, centered around their leader Wolfgang, were briefly discussed by the revolutionary government but fell apart due to various diplomatic issues.

But as if heaven helped, the war ended just as negotiations were reaching their final stages, and they barely managed to catch their breath, she said.

The problem started after that.

“The republic began sending hunting parties to search for places where we might be. They never found us, so there was never a problem, but everyone had to live in fear. The elders said we needed to go further north to shake off the pursuit… but that area was frequented by human nomads, so it was dangerous for us.”

“But you went anyway.”

“We had no choice.”

The werewolves moved north, further north, to escape the Ashtistan Republic’s pursuit.

They moved farther from their ancestral lands, and encounters with humans increased each time, but there was no other option.

“Once, we almost had our identity discovered by human nomads. It was a full moon night. If we hadn’t hurried to leave, the entire clan might have been in danger.”

The werewolf stroked her forearm with melancholic eyes and continued speaking calmly.

“But then one day, the many humans disappeared, and we only felt an ominous energy. Until a huge shadow we’d never seen before covered our campsite… We couldn’t imagine it would continue for months.”

The red sandstorm filled with Mother Earth’s wrath. A mystery observed only in the northern part of the Moritani continent.

Therefore, the rest of the story was something I could guess without having to hear it.

The sandstorm that hit the werewolves’ camp continued for months, sweeping through the red desert. How could werewolves who had just seen nature’s fury for the first time handle what even highly developed science, magic, and theology couldn’t withstand?

Quite a few were buried, she said.

“After that day, Wolfgang, who had rescued us from the storm, persuaded us. To cross the sea. To survive.”

“So, did you cross easily?”

I asked casually. To this, the werewolf answered with what might have been a self-deprecating smile.

“…How could we know how to cross the sea when we didn’t even know about the sandstorms in the north? We went through countless trials and errors. It was a difficult time for everyone until we figured out how to cross little by little with the help of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance.”

Suddenly, I noticed her gaze shift toward the small beastfolk child as she mentioned the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance and difficult times.

I had read a document that Camilla had written while sharing snacks with the child a few days ago.

It seems the werewolf and the child met around the time they were attempting to illegally enter the Lushan Federation. Coincidentally, some kind of connection had formed between the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance and the werewolf clan around that time.

For reference, the two also had family connections.

The child’s biological father from the alliance had helped the clan’s illegal entry several times. When he was reported missing after a maritime accident a few years ago, the werewolf woman who knew him took in the beastfolk child.

I continued with careful questions while reading the annotations Camilla had added.

“What was the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance’s purpose in helping your illegal entry?”

“Because we were fellow non-humans. At least, that’s how the alliance leader saw it, I suppose.”

The werewolf who was continuing her explanation suddenly made a sad expression.

“They helped us a lot… but now I don’t know what’s happened to the alliance leader.”

“Please continue.”

“Following Wolfgang, our clan abandoned our ancestors’ homeland and came here, but not everyone wanted that. Fenrikh’s opposition was the most severe, as I recall.”

“Fenrikh?”

“…The Lycan who took Wolfgang’s life. His son… he was.”

“Ah.”

So he’s the werewolf leader.

“…It’s true that Fenrikh didn’t follow Wolfgang’s will from the beginning, but taking Wolfgang’s life was clearly an accident. I… I clearly saw him momentarily regret when he saw Wolfgang fall, even as he raised his claws like fierce flames.”

The Lycan who had fled from her own kind recited in a low voice with her eyes tightly closed.

More precisely, she was in agony.

“I don’t know what changed him… He wasn’t the kind of Lycan who would take his father’s life, nor one who hated humans enough to kill them…”

“Did it seem like he changed suddenly?”

“Yes…!”

After staring at the hunched werewolf, I turned my gaze to the side and began to stare at Veronica.

Our eyes met briefly. Without saying anything, she took out a communication crystal and went outside.

“Hmm…”

A person changed drastically, huh.

Stroking my chin, I carefully asked the werewolf.

When did this werewolf named Fenrikh start showing strange signs?

The woman replied that it was “not long ago.”

“The talk about Fenrikh being strange started… about two months ago.”

“Was there anything special that happened then? Did someone visit him, did he meet someone, or anything else?”

“I don’t know. I can’t know Fenrikh’s personal affairs.”

…But.

The werewolf who had begun speaking brushed back her tangled hair with a moist voice.

“…I saw him start keeping an unidentified egg of unknown origin in his room from that time. Saying it would change the world.”

I removed my hand from my chin.

“Did he say how it would change the world?”

The werewolf answered.

It was a very concise answer.

In fact, it wasn’t difficult to understand.

“He said when the egg hatches, the world will freeze over.”

*

Though disorganized and with many parts of the context omitted, if I were to refine the story told by the werewolf, the outline would be roughly as follows:

1. There was a leadership change within the werewolf pack.

Originally, an elderly werewolf named Wolfgang had been guiding the pack. But Wolfgang’s son, a young werewolf named Fenrikh, physically eliminated his father a few days ago and ascended as the new leader.

Circumstantially, this Fenrikh seems to have been plotting something for months. There’s testimony that he had been hiding a suspicious egg in his room.

Why did he kill his own father? Even the escaped werewolf doesn’t know.

Perhaps, like humans, he coveted his father’s power as a leader, or like someone who touched a hungry frost hound, he lost his mind.

What’s certain is that Fenrikh took over the entire pack within days and then rose to become the leader of an armed group that encourages assassination and terrorism.

He succeeded in binding the clan to chaos and madness with just a few followers.

There was no resistance from the werewolves.

After all, life forms with physically broken necks typically can’t voice their opinions.

2. The werewolf pack and the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance are organizations with information barriers between them.

Over the past few years since illegally entering the Lushan Federation from the Moritani continent, the werewolves have been using the human network of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance, as revealed by Camilla and Veronica’s investigation.

It wasn’t a full-scale alliance between organizations. Rather, the dog beastfolk known as the leader of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance felt sorry for the werewolves’ situation and provided personal help in various ways.

Through this process, the werewolves were able to seek cooperation for illegal entry routes, forged identity production routes, and job placement that the beastfolk had established.

This was quite effective, creating an environment that allowed them to live in seclusion in the Lushan Federation for years without being detected by intelligence agencies.

However, no other points of contact were found between the two groups.

The “beastfolk terrorists” brought by Camilla and Veronica didn’t even know they were staying under the same roof as werewolves, and they seemed completely unaware that the alliance leader had brought the werewolf pack into the Lushan Federation.

In my personal opinion, only a few on the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance side would know about the existence of werewolves.

And those few are probably the beastfolk within the alliance who are trying to carry out terrorism in collaboration with the werewolves.

3. This murder case began spontaneously.

This was actually the most crucial part.

This case—where a family was found brutally murdered, and in the process of investigating it, an assassination threat targeting Camilla, her colleagues, and the foreign ministers of four countries was confirmed—had one question at its core:

‘Why are werewolves carrying out such a reckless attack?’

Usually, assassination is an operation that might succeed only with thorough preparation. But the werewolves’ actions had many gaps from the very beginning, almost too aggressive. There were also many aspects that didn’t make logical sense.

So when I asked what exactly had happened, well.

The eyewitness testified like this:

“…No one was trying to kill anyone. It was the first time Fenrikh took Lycans out to kill humans. He seemed like he was suffering from madness.”

“Are you saying they all went mad together?”

“Yes, in a way.”

“Why did you think they were afflicted with madness? Wasn’t it during the full moon?”

The woman who had been rocking back and forth slowly stopped.

She looked down at the beastfolk child in her arms and continued quietly.

“When the full moon rises, we always retreat to places where moonlight doesn’t reach. Just like you humans run to riverbanks to escape flames.”

“……”

“But they walked out into the moonlight. All of them, fearlessly.”

Of course, accepting this without verification would be problematic.

After all, werewolves are demon-race, and it was realistically impossible to take at face value the ramblings of a mentally unstable werewolf with hazy eyes.

Especially one who could casually talk about a son killing his father in front of a small beastfolk child.

“……”

I decided to step outside the room to clear my head and find my colleagues first. Fortunately, both of them were waiting outside the door.

“Camilla, Veronica. Did you hear the conversation in the room?”

“Yes.”

“How much am I supposed to believe the testimony of a werewolf who doesn’t even seem mentally sound?”

“But it’s confirmed information that werewolves were at the scene and someone was killed, Major.”

“Ah, that’s true, but… hah.”

Veronica responded in a monotone voice while shaking the communication crystal. I squeezed my hair in a gesture that suggested I was going crazy.

After contacting the Inquisition Office for cross-verification, an autopsy report was written today confirming that one of the victims found at the murder scene was an “unidentified werewolf.” For reference, the autopsy subject was said to be an elderly person.

…So there’s a high probability that most of the werewolf’s testimony is true.

“This has become complicated.”

As I was looking at the werewolf through the window with complex feelings, Camilla, who seemed to have noticed my mood, tugged at my sleeve to get my attention.

With her usual bright expression, she nodded toward the far end of the corridor.

“Let’s hear from the other beastfolk first and then discuss.”

*

Unlike the half-dazed werewolf, the process of interrogating the beastfolk was much faster and simpler.

While the former was the type to ramble incoherently with a somewhat hazy voice, the latter were mostly cooperative types who would answer three things you didn’t ask when you asked one thing.

Thanks to this, I was able to conduct the interrogation conveniently.

But convenience is different from comfort, so during the interrogation of the beastfolk, I had to click my ballpoint pen with an unpleasant feeling.

Even if the small beastfolk child who couldn’t discern right from wrong could be considered a regular refugee.

Honestly, don’t you think it’s too shameful for adults who know everything to make excuses now?

“Mr. Milo. You received a request from a friend you hadn’t seen in years, went to your former workplace to purchase explosives, and handed them over. Is that right?”

“Y-yes, I did…”

“What did you think your friend was going to use mining dynamite for when you handed it over? It’s not like it’s some kind of firework.”

“I thought he was going to use it to damage railway lines. I never imagined he was planning to bundle them together and throw them at the conference hall, the palace, the police headquarters…!”

A mole beastfolk who supplied explosives and then swore to heaven he had no idea they would be misused.

“Ms. Selina. While working as a catering service at the federal police station near the National Convention Center, how did you track the patrol shift personnel’s schedules?”

“The guard post isn’t far from the cafeteria building. I could observe it even without opening the window, so I did, whenever I had the chance…”

“And you immediately informed the alliance when patrol vehicles departed. You said you found out the patrol routes by becoming familiar with the staff. Was there any other information you passed on?”

“I listened carefully to the conversations of people who came in and out of the cafeteria while they were eating… If it seemed important, whether rumors or directives, I reported it. I also remember secretly taking notes when I saw new official documents while walking down the corridors… But they weren’t really serious pieces of information-“

A pig beastfolk who had been leaking information from the Ministry of Interior to a terrorist organization for years, yet claimed they weren’t particularly important secrets.

“Your name is, Baxter? You’ve been a member of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance for about 15 months. What specific activities did you engage in?”

“…Just. Helped the kids with their studies.”

“With your doctoral degree, you must have been the perfect candidate to entrust the future generation to. Knowledge workers are always in short supply in Lushan, whether human or beastfolk.”

“I, I don’t want to die. I just wanted to teach children, and you’re asking me to…”

A crow beastfolk who claimed to love children more than anyone, yet had sworn to assassinate the Minister of Education 13 months ago, and so on.

The more I saw, the more absurd it became.

At one point they put on a show about revolution and terrorism, and now they’re crying and making a fuss about not wanting to die? It was truly spineless behavior, but I could somewhat understand their psychology.

Who wouldn’t value their own life?

If everyone in the world sacrificed their lives to defend their beliefs, the word “hero” wouldn’t have existed in the first place. In other words, such people are extremely rare.

And this phenomenon manifested itself even among terrorists intoxicated with nationalism.

There are always amateurs who rise up because they feel the world is too unjust, but when reality hits them in the face, they get scared and try to run away.

And the future these guys face is always similar.

Usually, if they’re extremely lucky, they escape successfully like these ones and return to normal life. Otherwise, they get picked up as informants by the host country’s counter-terrorism agencies or third-country intelligence agencies, and they get tossed around.

Of course, if they fail, then there’s nothing left for them.

Either they get branded as traitors and beheaded, or they get ground up as cannon fodder on the battlefield. That’s all there is to it.

“…Hmm.”

“How is it?”

“Even though I don’t like these guys, the information is fairly useful.”

Right after the long interrogation, I met with Camilla and Veronica to share what I had found out, and briefly expressed my impression of the terrorists.

That they were just a bunch of unremarkable amateurs.

“These are people who were briefly involved after being instigated by someone. I can see their caliber right away. Camilla was right.”

“Really? I’m glad it’s as you expected.”

The fugitive beastfolk all shared characteristics that made them easy to recruit for terrorism. Particularly noticeable was that they were all gathered in the same youthful age group.

What does this mean?

In terms of non-human age composition, it means recruitment of combatants took place within a social group formed around a specific class.

“In human terms, they’re around mid-20s to late 30s. The beastfolk gathered here said that the colleagues they met, especially the beastfolk suspected of being core executives leading the terrorism, were all around their age, and they didn’t see any elderly individuals, so it’s certain.”

“Usually, in any organization, the leaders or secretaries are elderly people with gravitas. It’s certainly strange.”

“I found that suspicious too.”

“It seems that within the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance, assassination and terrorism were discussed mainly by young non-humans. Whoever allied with the werewolves must also be one of the young beastfolk.”

I had tentatively concluded that this “whoever” was a beastfolk with very radical tendencies.

Usually, the types who do these things are either temporarily experiencing excessive blood flow to the brain, or their brain has gone completely haywire.

Either way, they’re mostly radical extremists far outside the category of ordinary people, so it all amounts to the same thing.

Fortunately, we had already figured out who the beastfolk leader was.

This was because of a crucial tip from a mole beastfolk named Milo, who had supplied dynamite from his former workplace at a friend’s request.

“It seems a beastfolk named Quill is the central figure. He’s a ferret, and other fugitives testified that they had encountered him once or twice after joining the alliance. He must be quite a prominent figure.”

Quill, Quill. Camilla muttered to herself while rummaging through materials she had collected over several days, and quickly fished out information about Quill.

Veronica, who received the paper from her, began to recite the lines in a soft tone.

“Quill. A mid-level executive of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance. He’s been quite famous in underground activities for some time. Lives with his family in a communal apartment, with his father, wife, and one daughter. I think I saw his face on the first day of infiltration?”

“Did he seem like an important figure?”

“There’s an elderly cat person named Felasia who runs both the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance and the entire beastfolk residential district, and he was in a private meeting with her. Ah, it wasn’t private. Milo over there was also sitting next to him.”

“…So he procures large quantities of explosives through his connections, recruits combatants, and even holds information.”

Suddenly, I thought he might be the real mastermind. It definitely didn’t seem like something an ordinary hothead would do.

What had been an assumption now became an intuition close to certainty.

I flicked the photo of the ferret beastfolk.

“Perhaps he could be the one. The force within the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance that’s sympathizing with the werewolves’ terrorism.”

“A core executive?”

“Yes. At minimum, a mid-level executive connecting the two organizations, or the leader of the beastfolk terrorist group.”

“Hmm! That makes sense.”

Veronica, riding on Camilla’s back, rested her chin on Camilla’s crown and began to stare down at the photo Camilla was holding.

“Hmm… To my eyes, he looks like a gang leader. An ally within the beastfolk community who is secretly united with the werewolves’ radical movements, or a cunning hero using even the werewolves as a card to realize his own cause.”

“May I ask why you think so?”

“There’s a record that he was called in by the security agency for demanding rights for non-humans even as a student at the academy. I don’t know the details, but the federal security agency is something you would know better than me, Major, right?”

If he was being called in by security agencies since he was a minor, he must have been engaging in quite disruptive behavior.

Anyway.

The means of attack to be used in this terrorism had been narrowed down to roughly two types. One was a large quantity of explosives that had flowed into the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance through the mole beastfolk Milo, and the other was an unidentified egg presumed to be owned by the werewolf Fenrikh.

While the handling of explosives could be delegated to the federal investigative agency with jurisdiction, the rest needed to be resolved at our level as much as possible.

In particular, the arrest of the ferret beastfolk, Quill, a key executive of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance, had to be done by us.

To be precise…

“We must arrest the ferret beastfolk ourselves.”

That’s what Camilla wanted.

“If we investigate this executive named Quill, we’ll surely find a decisive clue leading to the werewolf pack.”

Tidying her disheveled hair, she added in a disgruntled voice while tapping on a piece of paper that looked like a map with X marks crossed out.

“Actually, we did try to track the werewolves. Veronica and I made an effort, but…”

“Since the werewolf woman seems to have fled from the pack some time ago, they may have already moved. We went to the places she told us about, but kept coming up empty-handed.”

Veronica, taking over from Camilla, explained with what was almost a sigh.

I see. So that’s why they both appeared with such disheveled appearances.

If I were to add a bit of exaggeration, I almost mistook them for bandits coming down from the mountains at first.

Anyway, Camilla continued her explanation, leaving behind Veronica who was covered in embarrassment.

“If our analysis is correct, Quill, as a sympathizer within the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance, is a terrorist who has the only means to contact the werewolves. He might even know where they’re hiding.”

“Have you requested support?”

The answer to my question about whether they had support came immediately.

From Veronica’s mouth, not Camilla’s.

“Peter said he would send someone. An outsider, he said.”

“The Director…?”

With a puzzled face, I tilted my head and asked if they knew who it was. Both of them shook their heads simultaneously and said they didn’t know.

An external support personnel sent by the Inquisition Director. There are people I can think of. Roughly 6 people.

Three of them wouldn’t be welcome by Camilla or Veronica. So the other three are more likely to come…

I’ll check that later.

“Let’s say we squeeze the ferret and link up the werewolf pack like dried pollack. What then?”

Unlike Camilla, who was full of expectation, I gently lowered my folded arms and asked her, waving one hand.

“Under international law, they are demon-race. An official investigation is underway for murder. Unofficially, investigations into assassination and terrorism are also taking place. But what do you plan to do if you find the werewolves’ hideout?”

“…I have to try to stop them.”

At the expected answer, one of my eyebrows went up crookedly.

“If problems arise while trying to dismantle a terrorist organization, things will really get complicated, and you know that.”

“Yes.”

“And yet you want to do it your way instead of calling in a counter-terrorism unit?”

Camilla smiled while leaning against the wall.

I stared at her for a moment, then asked again.

“They tried to kill you, you know?”

“They failed.”

“They might try to kill you again if you go there?”

“They won’t be able to.”

“Are you some kind of social worker for terrorists?”

“Hmm, not really…”

Camilla paused for a moment, then pushed herself off the wall.

She had no intention of getting caught up in cheap sympathy and becoming arrogant. She never wanted to play the hero.

However,

Since there was no blood in the world that should flow for Camilla.

“I’m a hero, aren’t I?”

“……”

“Shouldn’t I try my best as far as my strength allows?”

Looking at Camilla who asked with a bright smile, I could only exhale deeply without saying anything.

Yes, I had to admit it. Honestly, I hadn’t expected Camilla to go this far.

When she mentioned the Kajiski Test, I thought she would just stomp her feet in frustration due to time constraints and give up on her own. But who would have thought she would infiltrate the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance, bring back fugitives, and successfully bring back a werewolf as well?

Perhaps I had been subconsciously thinking of her as a child too.

Like a great mage who always carries their disciple wrapped in a bundle.

They’ve come this far together, so they’ll manage well enough.

So I just had to trust and leave it to them.

“Just in case, call for support in advance. I’ll somehow recover the explosives, so you and Veronica focus on that ferret.”

“Okay.”

“And whatever it is, the egg the werewolf mentioned earlier. By any means necessary, we can’t let it remain in their possession. Either destroy it or steal it, one of the two must be done.”

“What do you take us for.”

“Those are both things I’m good at, so don’t worry!”

“No, property damage and theft aren’t things to brag about, you two…”

They’re always causing trouble in pairs.

Sigh.

After letting out a faint sigh inwardly, I extended my hand toward the two.

Camilla and Veronica’s hands naturally rested on top of it.

“…Let’s meet again soon. Don’t get hurt.”

*

After Frederick left the safe house, the two headed to the inn district of the quiet city.

Befitting Lushan’s reputation for having many scenic spots, there were countless accommodations in the capital city of Bahar.

Although tourism was an extremely luxurious indulgence in an era where survival took priority, inns (旅館) were originally spaces where weary travelers (旅) could stay temporarily. Regardless of status, anyone with a wandering fate could rest there.

Therefore, the conditions for a gun-wielding saint, a fire-starting girl, a werewolf, and a beastfolk to share a room cost just 23 bills.

Basic rate for 2 humans: 10 bills. An additional adult human: 3 more bills.

However, beastfolk shed a lot of fur, requiring more drain cleaning, so 10 more bills, totaling 20 bills.

“I-I’m leaving right away…”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind at all.”

“No, I’m causing unnecessary trouble…”

The mole beastfolk, Milo, lamented the harsh reality while crumpling his beret.

Camilla stepped forward to comfort the beastfolk, but it didn’t seem to help much.

Judging by his drooping nose bridge with whiskers sprouting in strands, characteristic of moles, and his bright round eyes, it was particularly evident.

Even as she patted his small back and took the beastfolk out, the saint and the werewolf remained silent. The first to speak was Veronica, who was shaking her crossed leg with her arms folded.

“Are you sure the Lycans are really in this area?”

“…Yes, I saw the markings.”

The werewolf nodded slowly.

It was more of a movement of the upper body than a nod. It was a very weak-looking action, but the werewolf was busily fidgeting with her fingers while watching Veronica’s reaction.

“…Um, Saint. My child, is…”

“I’ve left them with the Relief Knight Order, so don’t worry. I swear by the Celestial, I’m a person who keeps promises like a knife.”

“…Thank you.”

The werewolf hunched her upper body dejectedly and secretly wiped the bridge of her nose with a sniff.

Veronica, turning her gaze, received an item from Camilla, placed it on the table, and gently pushed it toward the werewolf.

“It’s a listening device. I’ll hide it in your clothes, so make sure to take it with you to where the Lycans are gathered.”

“…A listening device?”

“Have you used a mobile phone or communication crystal? Think of it as something that can be heard from only one side.”

“Ah… Yes. I understand what it is. I’ve seen humans carrying them. They were expensive, so none of us could try them…”

The listening device disappeared into the fabric, and a bright white light neatly erased any traces of tampering. The werewolf, receiving her cleanly repaired clothes, fidgeted with her fingers as she said goodbye.

“When I find Fenrikh, I’ll see you again.”

“……”

“Thank you for everything.”

And so, one werewolf left the inn.

It was around the time Veronica returned to the sofa and opened her hip flask. With a click, the sound of a key turning was suddenly heard, and Camilla appeared.

“Oh, the werewolf mother has already left?”

“She just left. And it’s not werewolf but Lycan, how many times do I have to tell you, Hero?”

Swish, Veronica, who had briefly covered her eyelids with a towel, lifted it with her fingertips.

“The beastfolk has left too.”

“He contacted Quill from the public phone on the first floor. He said he’d come to pick him up around here soon. He promised to give a signal as soon as they make contact.”

After saying that, Camilla brought her hand to her side and flicked her thumb as if striking a lighter.

Despite the somewhat puzzling gesture, Veronica understood without difficulty. It meant that the mole beastfolk would activate the transmitter the moment he met with the executive of the Canine-Feline Symbiosis Alliance. Similar to the listening device she had just given to the werewolf.

For reference, both the transmitter and the listening device were items that Camilla had procured using her own money.

“I don’t understand…”

“What?”

“Why you’re doing this, even spending your own money.”

Veronica, just before taking a swig from her hip flask, looked at Camilla with what might have been an amused smile.

However, Camilla only munched on snacks she had received from the counter with an enigmatic expression, avoiding giving the answer Veronica wanted to hear.

“…Nom nom nom.”

In truth, she had invested a lot, both time and money.

She really hoped to succeed.

Even if not for grand reasons like world peace, it would be enough if people could continue to smile.

Especially children.

-…Blink.

A light flashes at her waist.

Veronica, who had bent her upper body significantly to empty her hip flask, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Camilla turned off the magical light in the room and briefly opened her mouth.

“Emily must be arriving by now?”

“From the sound of it, she seems to have successfully entered among the werewolves.”

“Good, let’s go too.”

Going round and round, they had come far, but finally arrived safely.

Some said it was an unsolvable problem, but Camilla was ultimately facing the final gate.

What remained was how much she could reduce the blood that would flow.

Therefore, the final showdown,

“Let’s not drag this out and finish before dawn.”

“You’re more feisty than you look, our hero? I like it.”

Came as quietly as the moment when the night sky transitions to dawn.