Ch.645Episode 23 – The Spy Who Returned from the Cold Country

# Episode 23 – The Spy Who Returned from a Cold Country

The sky was filled with thick gray clouds.

The evening glow settled over Petrograd’s airspace, scattering a chilly wind, while the reddened clouds surged violently upward.

Silence flowed through the closed doors. Inside a space furnished like a reception room, Camilla carefully scanned the desolate view of the hospital ward.

“……”

With one hand tightly clenched into a fist held near her chest, and the other gripping her wrist while twirling her fist.

She closed her eyelids for a moment and began to sink into memories.

“…Camilla. I’m truly sorry, but I have a favor to ask.”

A few days ago, Fredrick knocked on her door and spoke with a gloomy voice.

A faint smell of tobacco brushed her nose as he rubbed his tired eyes without even wearing a tie.

“A favor? What kind of favor are you asking for?”

“It’s about the Petrograd business. Shall we go inside to talk?”

“……”

“It seems Elizaveta will take action soon. And… though it may be premature to conclude, she will be suppressed by Valery.”

As the subtle colors of a sound-blocking spell tinged the room, he calmly predicted the future of the Kiyen Empire.

It might have sounded like a common fortune-teller’s prediction, but it wasn’t entirely far-fetched.

Camilla was already well aware that disrespectful movements were being detected within the Smirnov Imperial Family. She also knew that the Crown Prince Valery and Princess Elizaveta, who held a succession rank nearly as high as his, were at odds with each other. And that she had ordered the assassination of Princess Margarita and shifted all responsibility to innocent civilians through her subordinates.

Therefore, Camilla could naturally understand.

The prospect that Elizaveta would soon take “action.”

To be more precise, it could be called a conjecture based on circumstances.

However, there was a clear difference between her conjecture and Fredrick’s explanation. After all, he was an active intelligence officer in the military intelligence agency.

In other words.

This was no longer a matter of estimation or judgment, but a reality right before their eyes.

“…Has there been contact?”

“Yes. I heard directly from Elizaveta, and headquarters has also tracked the movements of their personnel.”

The execution date was said to be the last official event.

On the day when the Crown Prince would address the parliament, Elizaveta had finally declared that she would bare her teeth toward her own kin.

Fredrick’s expression didn’t seem very bright as he spoke of treason. Perhaps it was because it was the middle of the night, but his voice was strangely subdued, creating a gloomy atmosphere.

“Headquarters is confident that Elizaveta’s plan will not succeed. To be precise, they will make sure it doesn’t succeed.”

“How?”

“Our company’s executives have warned the intelligence department here. The Petrograd branch managers are already moving, and if necessary, I’ll have to move too.”

“Surely, it’s not something dangerous?”

“……”

“…Fredrick?”

“There won’t be any issues with my safety. However, I’m a bit worried about the Grand Duke.”

As if there was nothing more to hide, he lowered his gaze with a faint sigh.

According to his explanation, Elizaveta’s treason was clearly destined to fail.

The priest who should have been a strong supporter to uphold the princess’s legitimacy and abilities had refused to join, and the Kingdom of Abbas also wanted her rebellion to be suppressed.

However, as with all worldly matters, variables remained.

“We can’t know how Crown Prince Valery will move at this point. Security has become so tight after the assassination attempt that even the main house can’t gather information. For now, our side believes Valery will attempt to arrest Elizaveta…”

“You don’t seem certain. Whether he’ll succeed or fail in the arrest.”

“…Yes.”

Valery was a powerful figure who commanded two of the five security agencies. He was also a commander who could direct military operations throughout Petrograd.

As long as he was the official successor appointed by Nicholas VI, if the truth that Elizaveta was committing treason beneath the surface was exposed, the tide would clearly turn in Valery’s favor.

Nevertheless,

The Abbas intelligence agencies, which believed Elizaveta’s rebellion would fail, couldn’t help but remain concerned.

“In all power struggles, the one who holds military authority has an overwhelmingly high probability of victory. As you know, Camilla, whether one has a military group that can move is a very important factor. The problem is that Elizaveta also possesses a similar armed group.”

“……”

“The best scenario would be for the Crown Prince to successfully arrest the rebel forces as easily as eating cake. Once the main instigators are captured, it won’t escalate to a civil war.”

“Then what’s the worst scenario?”

“…A situation where Elizaveta successfully escapes, gathers her forces, and then advances on Petrograd.”

Elizaveta wielded enormous influence over the Imperial Police Security Department, one of the five major security agencies.

Considering that her network extended to major administrative agencies, and that the Interior Ministry secretly supported Princess Elizaveta,

It could be said that she effectively wielded influence over the entire Imperial Police beyond just the Security Department.

Here, Camilla couldn’t help but wonder about one thing.

“…Isn’t it unrealistic to overturn the military power gap with just police forces? I don’t know much about the military, but there must be a clear difference between the forces that the regular army and police can mobilize.”

“That’s right.”

Even if the Imperial Police had hundreds of thousands of personnel comparable to a typical army, the Imperial Army was a regular military with over 5 million standing troops.

Although the Imperial Police, unlike other police organizations, was armed well enough to be called a paramilitary organization, the Imperial Army was a military organization with overwhelmingly more weapons and land, sea, and air forces than them.

Even limited to Petrograd, where Valery’s power extended, this gap remained unbridged.

The Imperial Guard, though small in number, composed of elite troops.

The Petrograd Defense Command, established with the assumption of suppressing rebellions and riots if necessary.

The Central Command, which directly or indirectly receives orders from the Emperor, and the Reconnaissance Command, which commands military combat mages and special operations units.

Realistically, it would be impossible for Elizaveta to face them even if she mobilized all the police personnel stationed in Petrograd.

This fact seemed clearly an immutable truth even to Camilla, who didn’t know much about military operations.

She didn’t need to look far. She was a mage, and having crossed the line of death several times, she clearly understood how useful mages were in combat against people.

It wasn’t difficult to infer what fate awaited Elizaveta if combat mages, trained solely for fighting against people, arrived in Petrograd.

But Fredrick seemed to think differently.

“We’re also aware of the gap between the Imperial Army and the Imperial Police. The issue is that Petrograd City is much larger than the capitals of other countries, and if expanded to Petrograd Province, it’s as large as a decent-sized nation.”

“……”

“The jurisdiction of the Petrograd Defense Command is not the ‘city’ but the ‘province.’ Because they protect a city with several division-level troops, the forces are dispersed across various garrisons. This means that effectively, only one brigade is guarding the imperial capital.”

The command defending the imperial capital had stationed one brigade in the city. One brigade-level force had been sufficient to suppress rebellions and riots that had occurred throughout history.

After all, the possibility of treason or riots occurring in Petrograd ‘City,’ where the Emperor resided, was small. Even if suspicious signs were detected, the Imperial Protection Bureau, Imperial Police, and Imperial Guard could step in to suppress them in advance.

Even if the military directly attempted a coup, the chances of success were infinitesimally low.

The major military units that might join the rebels were all stationed outside the imperial capital, and the brigades deployed in various cities throughout Petrograd ‘Province,’ which encircled Petrograd ‘City’ like a ring, all followed the Emperor’s orders.

By the time rebel forces reached the outskirts of the imperial capital, what would await them would be an iron-clad defense line and reinforcements closing in from the rear, responding to the Emperor’s call.

That’s why only one brigade effectively guards the capital.

“Of course, even one brigade is quite powerful. The brigades of the Petrograd Defense Command have been assigned far more troops and equipment than typical brigades. And even if they collapse, the Imperial Guard would remain around the Emperor.”

“So?”

“What if Elizaveta escapes Valery’s capture and manages to break through the encirclement to contact the generals who follow her?”

“……”

At that point, Fredrick handed over a new file. Information he had discovered recently, he said.

It was a document from the Abbas Ministry of Defense detailing the internal movements of the Kiyen military.

“We’ve identified naval generals who have sided with Elizaveta.”

“…Navy?”

“Naval infantry regiments under the Western Fleet. Four regiments including the 157th Guards Landing Regiment and the 118th Assault Regiment. They’re quite famous on our side. They’ve recently returned from deployment in conflict zones.”

“Is there any reason these units would suddenly side with Elizaveta? I thought she had lived a life distant from the military.”

“The princess herself kept her distance from the military to be mindful of Nicholas VI, but her family had no reason to do so. Especially if the relationships were merely formed through school or regional connections during social life.”

“…I understand the situation.”

It seemed that military personnel who had been keeping their distance from Elizaveta had successfully made contact through various connections. They too had decided to join the princess’s treason.

Logically, it was unlikely that fleeting acquaintances, especially generals who had been distant from the princess, would suddenly establish connections now.

Especially in such unsettling times.

In the file handed to her, Camilla could examine the contents of secret conversations between military personnel and Elizaveta’s closest aides.

As well as the troop deployment map of the Western Fleet and personnel evaluations of key commanders, which were attached as appendices.

And,

“…If Elizaveta isn’t arrested and manages to escape.”

Fredrick, who had approached her side at some point, began to lower his voice out of habit while surveying the surroundings.

“The princess will certainly try to seize power even if it means civil war. As you know, she has no way back.”

“…I know.”

“She’ll probably try to eliminate not just the Crown Prince but all imperial family members. They’re potential threats who might try to usurp her power at any time. Even if it’s a sibling who’s bedridden and struggling for life, unable to do anything.”

“……”

Now she understood.

Why he had said he was worried about the Grand Duke.

“If forces of four regiments simultaneously attack Petrograd, the Defense Command’s suppression forces will quickly collapse. They’ve accumulated combat experience in actual battles, and they’re equipped with the latest gear, making their combat power formidable.”

“……”

“The Reconnaissance Command will also have a hard time suppressing them. The naval infantry has combat mages too, and while special operations units are on foot, they move around with tanks and armored vehicles. If the Grand Duke and the High Priest step in for suppression, that’s another story… those two are walking strategic nuclear weapons, so let’s set them aside for now.”

“So, to conclude…”

“……”

“You think the Crown Prince’s suppression might fail?”

“Perhaps.”

Of course, all these situations were mere assumptions.

It required the premise that Elizaveta wouldn’t be captured by the Crown Prince. Both of them knew this fact, which is why Fredrick had called it the worst-case scenario.

But,

Nevertheless,

Camilla couldn’t help but ask.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Run away.”

“……”

“It would be best if you could take Margarita or the Grand Duke with you, but if armed conflicts break out between the military units on both sides, it will clearly be difficult for you to even protect yourself. Leave the aftermath to the Grand Duke and get as far away as possible. As far as possible.”

“…It seems Elizaveta is targeting me too.”

“You know she tried to use you. If things reach that point, she’ll try to take you hostage. Obviously.”

“Because I’m the professor’s disciple?”

“And also a hero. A mage viewed favorably by the military, a hero who made significant contributions to ending the northern conflict.”

“……”

“You’re an ideal figure for political exploitation. That’s the problem.”

Fredrick said.

If she fell into Elizaveta’s hands, neither he, nor Lucia, nor Francesca, nor Arcande could do anything. The same went for the Grand Duke or the High Priest.

Who knows what Elizaveta, who revealed her ambition by killing her own blood, would do?

So he told her to run away.

If things took a bad turn, run away without hesitation. If she didn’t want to be used like a puppet by the Emperor’s side, flee to the farthest place possible.

Everything was prepared, he said.

“I don’t know what the probability is, but if, even by the slightest chance, things go wrong, run as far as you can to the eastern border. You know the route we used to help the aide’s family escape before? If you can just reach near the border, our side can safely get you out of the country.”

“…What about the professor? What about Margarita? What about you, Fredrick, who will remain here?”

“……”

“No, you said defense forces are stationed on the outskirts of the capital. How can marine forces stationed in the Western Fleet, more than 500km away, come here?”

“Camilla.”

Fredrick looked at her with determined eyes.

“Have you already forgotten what kind of place this is?”

*

The TV broadcasts an ominous foreign news voice.

“…With the whereabouts of Elizaveta Nikolayev becoming mysterious, the Kiyen Ministry of Defense has declared a curfew throughout Petrograd and established defense lines-“

“Yes. I apologize for the interruption due to unstable connection. Um… While we wait to reconnect with the field, we’ll show you the statement from the Foreign Ministry spokesperson.”

“Amid the ongoing rebellion in the Kiyen Empire, analysis suggests that Kiyen’s communication network has been restricted…”

She carefully opens her eyes.

The sky is still filled with thick gray clouds.

The black sky scattering rain and wind howled with a fierce ghostly wail.

Blue-white cold light and lightning flashed as pure white parachutes streaked across the sky.

“…Long-distance teleportation.”

The distant sirens and artillery fire decorating the sky shimmer at the window. The glass vibrates with the echoes of cannon fire, seeming as if it might shatter at any moment.

Looking up at the rebel forces descending from the sky, Camilla took a deep breath and composed herself.

“…Let’s go.”