Ch.77Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

Sophia’s words far exceeded my expectations.

Fabio Verati.

The mastermind behind infiltrating a sorcerer spy into the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute. And the missing Giada Bianchi. A figure presumed to be connected to both.

I had long judged Fabio Verati to be an informant and handler affiliated with the Magic Tower delegation.

That’s why he was the first target of this operation.

And then,

“What are you talking about?”

“Fabio Verati is our retiree, so don’t touch him.”

The National Security Agency claimed our target was their man.

Episode 5 – Journalist, Diplomat, Soldier, Spy

To summarize Sophia’s claim:

1. Fabio Verati of the Magic Tower delegation is actually from the National Security Agency, Fatalia’s intelligence agency.

2. He is a retired agent who now works as a diplomat at the Magic Tower.

3. Although retired, he is someone who knows confidential information that could threaten Fatalia’s security.

Conclusion: If he falls into the hands of the Military Intelligence Service and the Royal Intelligence Department, it could cause a major crisis for Fatalia.

So.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we handle it?”

Sophia concisely restated her argument.

“I don’t know why the Military Intelligence Service and the Royal Intelligence Department are tracking Fabio, but he’s from the National Security Agency. He’s our employee. Shouldn’t we take responsibility for him, whether it turns out well or not? He’s a workplace colleague.”

At this point, I chuckled and joked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who is Fabio Verati? And why are the Military Intelligence Service and Royal Intelligence Department involved here?”

Sophia tilted her head with a deflated expression.

“…You don’t know?”

I tilted my head back and asked.

“Why should I know?”

The reason I was playing the unfunny clown was simple. I had to hide the fact that I was tracking Fabio Verati.

Security is crucial in operations. No one should know that I and other Military Intelligence Service employees were tracking Fabio Verati, especially not the National Security Agency that had intervened to protect him.

It doesn’t matter how the National Security Agency realized we were after Fabio Verati.

Jake had already reported to me that “allied intelligence agencies refused to share information.”

Fabio Verati is from Fatalia, so to track his past, we needed the help of Fatalia’s intelligence agencies. Naturally, during the process of sending official documents, there was a high possibility that who was investigating whom had already been leaked. The Royal Intelligence Department probably tried to steal our operation by contacting the National Security Agency.

Anyway.

The National Security Agency was aware that the Military Intelligence Service and Royal Intelligence Department were digging into Fabio Verati’s background.

The important thing is,

They still don’t know that I am that background investigator.

So I put on a poker face.

“Okay. I don’t know what this is about, but you’re saying our side is chasing your retiree?”

“…Yeah.”

“What did he do? Or rather, what did he do here that has two agencies after him?”

“Can’t tell you.”

It’s classified, she says.

“Then I can’t help you either.”

“…What?”

“Look.”

I tried my best to make my nonsense sound plausible.

“You said the Military Intelligence Service and Royal Intelligence Department are tracking this Fabio person. You’re asking me to stop that, right? By reporting up the chain.”

“That’s right.”

“Then I need at least something to explain. Right? Do you think the director or prime minister will listen to whatever I say? I’m just a major.”

“You’re a hero’s comrade.”

“Does that make me a hero?”

“Well, you are.”

Officially, I was a defense attaché and a comrade of the hero. Incidentally, I was also an intelligence agent acquainted with Sophia.

In other words, the National Security Agency wanted to resolve the situation softly and indirectly through connections, instead of sending official documents and starting a fight. That was my prediction.

Why would the National Security Agency want to protect Fabio Verati?

“Let’s first understand the reason. Why are the intelligence agencies after him? I don’t know, so please explain.”

“It was in the official document, something about leaking military secrets.”

“What does that mean? You said he’s a Magic Tower delegation employee?”

“Ah, I don’t know. It says he leaked your military secrets. We’re still figuring out the details since they weren’t in the document.”

I don’t know if they’re still figuring it out or if they already know and are covering it up.

One thing is certain: the National Security Agency knows their retiree has caused a major incident.

So there are two possibilities.

One is “we don’t know what incident he caused, but we’ll take responsibility and handle it quietly to avoid public controversy,” and the other is “let’s arrest this bastard quickly and clean up his mess.”

They sound similar but have different nuances.

Sophia didn’t seem to be hiding information from me. At the very least, she knows Fabio Verati caused an incident, but doesn’t seem to know exactly what he did or how serious it is.

I stroked my chin and hummed.

“Hmm…”

Nothing is certain.

I don’t know if the Royal Intelligence Department is really trying to steal our operation behind the scenes, or if the National Security Agency is trying to cover up what Fabio Verati did.

What matters is that Fabio Verati is the cause of this whole situation.

The root of all evil, indeed.

“……”

Nothing is certain.

I can’t make a judgment.

I need information.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, a smile automatically spread across my face.

Right now, only one thing is certain:

“Okay, I understand. I’ll report it and discuss it.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“But first, let me understand the situation better. So…”

Before these guys,

“Tell me everything you know.”

I need to catch Fabio Verati.

*

In response to my demand for information, Sophia briefly called someone who appeared to be her superior. After arguing for quite some time, she trudged back to her seat and showed me a document.

“Look.”

“What’s this?”

“What you asked for.”

Sophia thrust the terminal screen in my face.

Squinting my eyes after creating a bit of distance, I could make out the information on the screen.

“It’s a personnel record?”

Most of it was redacted with black marks, so it didn’t contain much substantial information, but as an internal document from a national intelligence agency, it held considerable value.

I slowly read aloud the information on the screen.

“Magic Tower information officer from the National Security Agency’s Foreign Counterintelligence Office. Final rank: Grade 4 Section Chief. One spouse. Four children. Retired nine years ago… But there’s no reason for retirement?”

The reason for retirement was blank.

It wasn’t redacted with a black line during the security review; it was genuinely empty white space.

Sophia sat down and said:

“I don’t know the reason. Neither do superiors, subordinates, colleagues, or even the inspection and audit offices. He left without saying why.”

“How is that possible? Retiring from an intelligence agency?”

“He just said he wanted to rest comfortably. Well, we can’t pry into that, can we? It’s his private life.”

I scoffed at that.

“You people conduct surveillance, wiretap, and interrogate new recruits when you’re bored, but now you’re protecting privacy? That’s ridiculous.”

Intelligence agencies have intense internal monitoring.

They do it to prevent leaks and catch corruption, but from the perspective of those being monitored, it’s as invasive as civilian surveillance.

“You catch people gambling, having affairs, even working part-time jobs, but you don’t know the reason for retirement? That makes no sense.”

“How would I know? The inspection or audit department might know.”

“Was it a romance issue? Did he have a hidden lover at the Magic Tower and changed jobs for that? Something like that.”

“No, he’s clean in that regard. But it seems like a financial issue…”

Sophia tapped on the family relationship section on the screen.

A wife and four children. Their names were redacted with black lines.

“No matter how well intelligence agencies pay, they’re still civil servants. Unstable lifestyle, can’t even go home regularly.”

“…So he changed jobs to somewhere that pays more to support his family?”

“I don’t know if being a diplomat pays well, but judging by his family’s spending lately, he seems to be doing alright. His youngest is studying abroad at the Magic Tower. Could we afford that? We can’t even get loans to buy a house.”

“His youngest is here? Then his family is…”

“In Fatalia.”

That means they’ve been monitoring his family.

Well, it’s so obvious that I wasn’t particularly shocked.

“Financial issues…”

“He was the type to have savings accounts and insurance, but money got tight because of his children. Doesn’t seem to be involved in gambling or any crimes.”

I blurted out:

“What about the possibility of being recruited by the Magic Tower? Many people switch sides for money.”

“He doesn’t seem to be selling secrets for information.”

“He didn’t betray you?”

“That’s what we’re assuming.”

Not a double agent, she says.

In the eyes of the National Security Agency, he really just changed jobs due to financial difficulties. But Fabio Verati is definitely dealing in information.

Giada Bianchi, who was in a relationship with him, disappeared, and using her identity, a sorcerer spy infiltrated the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute.

If the spy hadn’t been caught due to sloppy communication, no one would have known. In other words, Fabio Verati is an experienced handler with considerable knowledge and experience in intelligence and operations.

Finding a new job that suits his aptitude. I’m not sure if that’s lucky or unlucky. I shouldn’t be the one to talk, since I changed workplaces without changing jobs.

Anyway.

“Have you checked what he does at the Magic Tower delegation? If it’s an important position, we might be able to find a way to back off considering diplomatic relations with the Magic Tower. After all, he’s a Magic Tower civil servant now.”

“Right. I think he was with the Talent Development Institute or something.”

“…Talent Development Institute?”

“You know, where Magic Tower diplomats give out scholarships to create scholarship students.”

“Ah.”

From her explanation, it sounded similar to how large corporations lobby the political and business circles through scholarship foundations.

I cut off my thoughts and replied with an awkward smile.

“Well, I’m not interested in the Magic Tower, so I don’t know much. Anyway, do you have any other information?”

“I have various things…”

Sophia showed me several pieces of information, but most were redacted during security review, so there wasn’t much I could actually extract.

But that wasn’t a big problem.

In a dim alley, I sat with Sophia examining the screen and listening to the information she provided, along with information transmitted through secure channels. After a long conversation, we finally reached a conclusion.

“…Okay. This should be enough.”

“Are we good?”

“Yes.”

Sophia turned off the secure terminal and put it in her pocket. Then she stretched and yawned.

“Yaaawn… Ugh. I’m exhausted.”

“Manage your retirees better. What kind of trouble did he cause to warrant all this…”

“Shut up. Anyway, we’ll handle this properly. Okay? Try to talk to your superiors. There’s no need for allies to fight and get red-faced over this.”

“Geez…”

I got up and checked my communication device. A message saying the vehicle had arrived had come 17 minutes ago.

I turned off the device, put it in my inner pocket, and patted Sophia’s shoulder.

“You’ve had a rough time. Good work.”

“This is nothing. Contact me if anything comes up. I’ll head back now.”

“Okay. I’ll give you my contact info. Go ahead first.”

“Yeah, see you soon.”

Sophia threw her half-burned magic cigarette on the ground and said to her subordinates.

“Let’s go.”

*

Sophia boarded the vehicle with her subordinates.

The black van started smoothly and sped down the straight road.

I waved goodbye until they disappeared from sight.

After a while, I leaned against a streetlamp emitting warm light and silently watched the darkness.

“……”

Just then, a vehicle I had been waiting for glided up and stopped in front of me.

Dark tinting, protruding antenna, additional rearview mirrors, and so on.

A very familiar but inconspicuous van.

The window rolled down.

“……”

“…Did it work?”

An employee wearing sunglasses looked at the tech guy in a checkered shirt sitting in the passenger seat. The tech guy, who couldn’t take his eyes off a device that looked like a rugged laptop, eventually looked up with a bright smile.

“We got it. If the encryption is in our database, we should be able to decode it by tomorrow.”

“Good.”

I opened the vehicle door. The spacious interior was filled with all kinds of eavesdropping equipment.

Squeezing myself into the cramped seat, I muttered with heavy eyelids:

“Let’s go.”

The van, which had intercepted the National Security Agency’s wireless communications, quickly moved away from the streetlight and disappeared into the darkness.