ALL NOVEL Chapter 28
The lobbyist requested a meeting.
I turned down the request for an interview from the counterintelligence agent and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent the envoy back.
The Military Intelligence Agency didn’t even attempt any contact. They were too busy catching spies these days, and showing up there would mean disappearing without a trace.
Even the two countries expelled their ambassadors.
In other words, the diplomatic lines between the Empire and the Kingdom were severed.
Such a significant matter couldn’t be entrusted to just anyone. The Emperor must have selected someone trustworthy, gagged them, and sent them off.
But we responded with a big “Buzz off.”
Not as an agent. Not as a diplomat.
So who was left?
Although I wasn’t trained specifically for this kind of work…
Fortunately, there was a suitable individual available.
—
Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent
I looked at the woman sitting across from me.
Tall. Long limbs. Jet-black hair. Dark eyes. A tear mark.
She smiled oddly.
“What are you staring at? It’s embarrassing.”
“Um…”
I scanned Veronica up and down.
Leather jacket. Jeans. Earrings. Sneakers.
Something. Something…
“What’s wrong? Is it different than you expected?”
She looked like a punk.
She was even holding a coffee.
“Er… You’re the Saint, right?”
“Yes!”
Oh, come on.
This is the Saint? She’s nothing like I imagined.
“If I’m a Saint, can’t I wear something comfortable?”
“Ah… yes.”
“Why do you look at me like an old fogey?”
An old fogey.
How many people could say that to a Cardinal? It’s mind-boggling.
I rubbed my face with my hand and finally opened my mouth.
“Why on earth did you want to meet me?”
“Um… patient condition check?”
“You’re not a doctor.”
“Do you need a license to treat someone? Priests only read scriptures anyway.”
That’s her indirect way of saying priests are complete morons and fanatics.
Considering Veronica had zero faith, it’s not surprising she’d say something like that.
“Well, let’s say that’s true. Why did you save me?”
“Because you are needed.”
“Me? To you?”
Veronica nodded.
You saved me because I’m needed. I could guess what that meant. Perhaps the Emperor wanted to convey he wasn’t a terrorist at any cost?
But that felt a bit irritating.
“The person saying they would check my patient condition shows up an hour late?”
“Eh… You already know why, so why ask?”
“Ask what?”
“You know?”
Bam-bam!
She made a gun sound with her mouth and flicked her fingers. She even winked.
She seemed completely crazy, but I understood her meaning.
She was late because she was checking if she was being followed.
In that case, Veronica knows I’m a spy.
“Not really surprised.”
“I have my own sources, you know.”
Sources, eh.
“People from the Imperial Guard HQ?”
“Oh my, you know that?”
“You became a Saint with their backing, after all. They must have poured money into it.”
“Wow… Colonel, you’ve got skills. How did you find that out?”
“I have my own sources too.”
At my words, Veronica doubled over in laughter. I wonder what was so funny.
She seemed to live in a world slightly out of touch with reality… a bit crazy.
“Let’s not waste time and get to the point from the start…”
“Is there no end to this?”
“….”
Correction.
She’s really insane.
—
It started to rain. It seemed like a shower at first, but it poured down as if something was amiss.
The loud sound of rain filled the air while Veronica drummed and did head spins on her own.
I tried to maintain my sanity. Looking at the clock, it was 2:57 AM.
She arrived an hour late and had been talking for 52 minutes now.
She was a madwoman.
“Stop talking and get to the point already.”
“Oh… I was just getting to the interesting part.”
“I’m not interested, so let’s handle your business first.”
Veronica leaned her arms on the bench and tossed a tiny ice cube into her mouth.
Water slid down her jawline. She wiped it off with her hand and opened her mouth.
“I heard you’re investigating me these days?”
“…I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“They say you’re collecting everything I’m blabbing about. Colonel.”
Am I found out?
I haven’t meddled too deeply into the saint election issue. After all, there shouldn’t be any problems, but admitting it feels extremely awkward.
It means I’ve been snooping on someone else.
Particularly, the Cult’s Saint.
“Well, I don’t care whether you investigate me or not.”
“It seems you don’t get along well with Priest Lucia?”
“No, we actually get along.”
What kind of nonsense is this?
“We even grab coffee, drink alcohol, and smoke together sometimes.”
“…Eh?”
“Oh, this is a secret, but…”
Veronica made a face like she made a mistake. Wait, Priest Lucia smokes?
Crap, they say there’s no one to trust in this world.
Imagining Saints and Saint candidates gathering to knock back soju and smoke makes the future of the continent feel very bleak.
“You’re going to keep this a secret, right?”
“What’s the point in saying anything about it?”
How did those two get so close?
It was common knowledge that Veronica was scheming, at least among the higher-ranking members of the Cult.
Considering Lucia’s narrow social circle, one might think she wouldn’t be aware of Veronica’s scheming.
Then Veronica would be the villain. A burning piece of trash unable to be utilized.
Unless Lucia was aware of Veronica’s scheming yet chose to stay close to her.
No way?
I might not know the entirety of the game’s plot, and the knowledge I had about the game doesn’t always hold true.
After all, I was a companion of the Hero in the game. A spy ally doesn’t exist in the game. The story was already diverging slightly. Perhaps it was irrevocably so.
I have a headache.
I just want to stop caring. Whether they smoke or fistfight, what’s it to me?
I should send a heads-up to Petrus. I need to ensure the private lives of the Saint and the Saint candidate don’t get out.
The Hero’s companion and the Cult’s Saint are both smokers, huh.
It would ruin Lucia’s angelic image as a healing priest.
“Um… It seems we can communicate pretty well, Colonel?”
“Really?”
“In that case, I’ll get straight to the point as you wish.”
Yes, finally getting to the main subject.
Let’s hear what nonsense the Emperor wants to spew.
“Please go ahead.”
“First off, the Imperial Family is not involved in the terrorism. More precisely, they did not plan it.”
“Ah, yes.”
“And one more thing.”
That doesn’t surprise me at all.
I’ve heard this before. It’s up to the Intelligence Agency to determine the relationship between the Imperial Family and the terrorism. All I need to do is deal with the bombers. The rest is the Colonel’s concern.
The political negotiation with the Emperor belongs to the realm of politicians.
And I am a spy.
So I listened attentively to Veronica’s words.
“Please go ahead.”
“Now, if I apply for asylum in the Kingdom, will they accept me?”
“Who would?”
“Me.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
The crazy woman.
—
My mind went blank.
I felt like I had been hit with a hammer.
“What did you say…? Asylum?”
Veronica nodded. She looked playful, but considering her actions, she seemed serious.
“Why would the Saint seek asylum?”
“Um… If we break it down, it’s more like protection.”
“Wait a minute. Aren’t you a lobbyist? A lobbyist for the Kien Empire?”
“Oh, you know that far? This will make it easier to explain!”
She leaned back on the bench, tidied her flowing hair with her hands, and pushed it back as she began to explain.
“You know I’m from the Kien Empire, right?”
“I’ve heard you come from a baron family.”
“You probably know I’m an orphan as well.”
She seemed to be reminiscing about distant memories, closing her eyes.
“My parents died early, so I was left at an orphanage, you see.”
“Yes.”
“Was it when I was six? Seven? I took a divine power test, and my score was significantly high compared to others my age.”
I had a feeling about this.
Having high divine power in an orphanage means more support funds. More precisely, the person who adopts you must pay a hefty sum.
“The person who bought me the most expensively was none other than his Imperial Majesty.”
The Emperor.
The living god of the Kien Empire.
Veronica smiled widely.
“After that, you can guess the rough outline, right?”
“….”
The Emperor took her in. The moment he saw Veronica, the Emperor was crafting the big picture.
Transforming a child of a baron family into the Saint of the Cult.
He must have mobilized the Imperial Guard HQ. He probably had to find a way to fund it somehow, diverting slush funds or collecting donations from nobles.
The title of a Saint has that kind of “value.”
So what does it mean if that Saint seeks asylum?
“Why on earth is a Saint made by the Empire seeking asylum?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Why not?”
“I haven’t signed the contract yet.”
She is the Saint made by the Empire.
Using her influence, she sent people from the Cult to the Empire-Magical Region conflict area.
I don’t know what she did before that, but she helped firms associated with the Empire. Additionally, she can play the role of a quasi-diplomat.
Such people are generally called lobbyists.
Individuals who influence legislation and administration for the interests of specific organizations.
She said, “So, are you going to accept me?”
“It’s not something I can decide.”
“Come on, Colonel, just help me out a bit.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t verify the goods.”
You can’t let your guard down with lobbyists.
There are no price tags on words. Whether what she hands over is a blank check or mere paper is anyone’s guess.
“Can’t you put in a good word first?”
“Immigration checks also verify the purpose of residence; do I just process a request for asylum without checking that?”
“You’re so strict…”
She raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
“Just know that my situation is a bit precarious.”
Precarious.
It probably refers to Priest Lucia.
“Are you afraid a second Saint might appear?”
“Oh, come on… What’s so scary about Lucia becoming the Saint?”
“Don’t lie.”
“Really.”
The Kingdom’s agent spoke.
“If Lucia becomes the Saint, she won’t be able to lobby as actively as she does now, right? If a lobbyist can’t do their job, it’s obvious they’ll be out of a job.”
Veronica, the Empire’s lobbyist, replied.
“If Lucia becomes the Saint, it doesn’t relate to me losing my job.”
“Then why are you scheming?”
“To keep things in check.”
Veronica smiled sweetly.
Keeping things in check.
Who are you trying to keep in check?
The soldier asked.
“Who are you trying to keep in check?”
“The one and only, Cardinal Raul.”
—
Underneath bridge number 25, located at the heart of the Cult.
Two men and women sat facing each other beneath the pouring rain.
“Ugh… The more I think about that old coot, the more stressed I get…”
Veronica mumbled, puffing out cigarette smoke. A woman sitting with her legs crossed and arms resting while blowing out smoke did not resemble a Saint at all.
“Why are you trying to counter Raul?”
“You know that man wants to become the Pope, right?”
After investigating him for a month, I found Raul to be a prominent candidate for Pope with a strong thirst for power.
The Saint evaluated the Cardinal.
“That old coot craves power. He has no interest in money, but how should I put it…”
“Honor?”
“Yes! That’s exactly it!”
“If he becomes the Pope, it’s to leave his name in history which feeds his thirst for power?”
Veronica nodded. Ashes danced in the air with her movements.
It wasn’t unexpected.
Raul was a figure who appears as the Pope in the mid-game. Of course, he would seek that position.
“But right now, that old coot can’t become the Pope.”
“Why’s that? His approval ratings are rising.”
“Raphael is holding strong.”
Raphael.
The former Inquisition Director. A Cardinal who claims to want to create a safe Cult.
Actually, comparing the two, Raphael’s faction is slightly larger than Raul’s.
“That guy gained quite a bit of Papal trust while he was executing heretics.”
That was information I didn’t know.
From someone inside the Cult, only those in power would have access to such high-level information.
“The only real contender for the next Pope will likely be Raphael…”
“Does that mean Raul can’t become Pope?”
“Of course not. Does that old coot have a vision? Or charisma?”
Vision.
A safe Cult.
Charisma.
The former Inquisition Director.
What does Raul have? Nothing.
“The stuff he’s doing makes it a bit unsettling and makes it seem like the Pope doesn’t like him much. To be precise, it’s like he doesn’t see him as a political successor?”
“Then you’re saying that Raphael is the political successor?”
Veronica nodded calmly.
That’s strange.
Raul clearly appears as the Pope.
“Are you misunderstanding something?”
“About what?”
“I think Raul is well-suited to become the next Pope…”
“Is that because you’re supporting Lucia?”
Veronica scoffed.
“You seem to be seriously mistaken, Colonel. Does a prince become king just because the people support him?”
“….”
“Such a stupid country doesn’t exist.”
The lobbyist laughed.
“And that old coot’s support? It’s nothing at all.”
“….”
“Using Lucia to boost his approval ratings, Lucia knows that as well.”
I didn’t know that.
“There’s no such thing as kindness without reason. After all, it was that old coot who sent Lucia out as a healing priest.”
“…Is that so?”
“I honestly didn’t know either, but Lucia already knew.”
“When did Raul start using Priest Lucia?”
“Lucia is nineteen this year, right?”
Lucia turned into an adult this year.
Veronica closed her eyes and calculated the years.
“She was deployed for two years, and took a half-year break. So, two and a half years in total.”
“…She went to war at seventeen?”
“She was said to be at the hospital due to her young age, but if she fainted in the hallway, then…”
That means she carried some deadly schedules.
Divine power heals injuries, but it can’t fix fatigue.
“….”
That’s weird.
Considering Veronica’s attitude toward Lucia, combined with the political relations between Raul and Raphael, especially considering Raphael holds Raul’s weaknesses.
Raul could never become the Pope.
After all, the reason Veronica is trying to keep Lucia in check doesn’t make sense. The game version of Veronica would send assassins whenever she had the chance.
But now she’s close with Lucia and attacked her to keep Raul in check?
What exactly is the difference between the game and now?
“What does keeping Lucia in check do to Raul?”
“It shows everyone that the old coot is an idiot. He can’t even take care of the kid he’s backing.”
“That holds about a 20% stakes, though. Why do you say it carries so much weight?”
“Wow, did you quantify that? Amazing.”
Veronica laughed.
“Just as I have my purpose in checking Raul, others have their own goals. For a politician, attention is the best reward, right?”
“Are the Cardinals and Bishops scheming to seek attention? So what’s the benefit you gain from showing Raul’s incompetence?”
“If the people of the Cult don’t trust Raul, if he doesn’t become Pope, I can find my own path within the Cult.”
Something strange is happening inside the Cult.
No, given that Veronica is talking about asylum, it’s quite serious.
“Saint. Can you just spill it all out?”
“I’ll tell you once I get my asylum.”
“No, originally, the Empire’s pawn you are, why would you…?”
Hold on.
Something feels off.
There’s no way a politically powerless person can become Pope.
Moreover, having deadly weaknesses.
If Raul wants to become Pope now, he must have some strong backing, or the opposing candidate must be taken out.
For instance, a candidate withdrawal or sudden death…
“….”
“Oh? Did you catch on to something?”
“….”
“You now understand why I’m seeking asylum?”
Veronica was made into a Saint by the Imperial Guard HQ.
In other words, she became a Saint with the Empire as her backing.
Moreover, she became a Saint while removing a Cardinal.
Strong backing.
An opposing faction that’s out of the game.
Unexplained death of a Cardinal.
Interference in another country’s elections.
Examples of overseas operations by the Kien Empire’s Imperial Guard HQ.
“…When did this start?”
“I don’t know, but it hasn’t been long.”
“…Who’s helping Raul?”
“Probably the Second Department?”
“You mean, your reason for seeking asylum is…?”
The Saint created by the Empire smiled.
“One king cannot coexist with another.”
“….”
“One of them has to die.”
—
In the mid-game, Raul appears as the Pope.
Considering he lacks political influence and approval ratings compared to Raphael, how was he able to become Pope?
Right now, there are bombs being blown up in the Cult, and assassination attempts are happening, so Raphael’s approval ratings are dropping, but in the game, no such terrorism or assassination attempts occurred.
But how did he become Pope?
The answer is simple.
He received assistance from the outside.
Creating positive public opinion and providing strong backing to push out the opposing candidate.
And now that I think about it, while I was completing quests around the Cult regions,
The name Raphael never appeared anywhere.
Nowhere.
—
Veronica stated.
“Yes, Raul received help from the Imperial Guard HQ. More accurately, it’s the Overseas Operations Department. I also received help but…”
“What about it?”
“It seems they treat him with more care than me.”
The Saint created by the Empire speaks.
Raul and the Imperial Guard HQ are in cahoots.
“I know the second department is doing overseas operations. But why would the Empire get close to Raul when you’re here?”
“Not the Empire, but the Second Department.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Of course, it matters.”
The lobbyist gave a bright smile.
“As I mentioned before, I’m someone directly chosen by His Majesty.”
“Yes.”
“Then where do you think the operations were held?”
“The Imperial Guard HQ.”
“Bingo. More precisely, the entire Imperial Guard HQ helped me.”
This was information I didn’t know.
“Why on earth would the entire Imperial Guard HQ jump into overseas operations?”
“Because it was commanded by the Emperor.”
“Ah.”
In the Empire, the Emperor is a living god.
If the Emperor commands, standing idly by would surely earn you a mountain of swearing.
Something must be done.
As a side note, civil servants are known to create work when there’s none.
“I met all sorts of people then. Counterintelligence, counter espionage, operations department, press department, and even military personnel. Wow… I fluttered around like a bat everywhere.”
Bats. I wonder where and between what places she flitted around.
I thought she was just a lobbyist, but surprisingly she seems to have valuable information to share. Worth ensnaring.
“You manipulated the public opinion and intervened in the elections?”
“I have no idea how they did that—I just did what I was told.”
“Someone died, and you say that?”
“What do you expect from me?”
Veronica shot me a glare.
“The Emperor commanded it, and the public security were involved. What could a poor orphan do?”
“….”
“Do you think I wanted to become a Saint?”
That’s right.
She was made a Saint in her childhood, which she probably doesn’t even remember.
I knew a character named Veronica, but I knew nothing about the person Veronica.
“I don’t want to live like this. I just want to live a normal life.”
“….”
“I’m so sick of these old codgers coming by to manage me, I didn’t even want to be a lobbyist.”
She spoke with a quivering voice filled with emotions.
“You, Colonel, may have joined the army by choice, but I did not. At least, not me.”
“…I see.”
I understand now. However, I do not sympathize.
No matter what, I am an agent and she is a lobbyist.
I am someone who serves the interests of the Kingdom, while she serves the interests of the Empire.
Our priorities are different.
So I inquired about the information.
“Why is the Second Department supporting Raul? No, who reached out first?”
“Raul did.”
“Why?”
“It’s complicated to explain at the moment.”
She says she’ll tell me if I accept her asylum.
The rain poured down, and a strange silence passed between us.
Suddenly, a strange thought crossed my mind.
So this is the reason—a political asylum?
“…That’s right.”
“Then may I ask a few questions?”
I took a device out of my pocket.
“Is it certain Raul is receiving support from the Second Department?”
“That’s certain.”
That’s something I can verify myself. The Colonel will conduct a report, and they will verify over there. The important thing is the assailant who took the bomb.
“Is Raul behind the terrorism? The bomb, I mean.”
“Speculation, but yes. I don’t know about the poison needle.”
That’s right.
The lights are starting to illuminate gradually.
“You also received support from the Imperial Guard HQ, but what changes if Raul becomes Pope?”
“I won’t need a lobbyist anymore.”
“Does that mean direct transactions can occur without a middleman?”
“Yes.”
Earrings? No.
A necklace? No.
Not a hairpin either.
“Is the support Raul is receiving sanctioned by the Emperor?”
“All operations by the Imperial Guard must receive approval from the Emperor. However, it seems the support that used to go that way has been cut off after the terrorism incident.”
I can track down the bastard who took the bomb, and find out where he is. No matter where he goes, I only need to go to Seoul. The one who grabbed the bomb must have ties to the Second Department.
“Then why is the Second Department running wild? Did they suddenly start a rebellion?”
“Not the whole Second Department, just a few insurgents are acting out. I’ll tell you the details if you accept me.”
Insurgents.
Colonel Petrus said it before. If the operation fails, there’s no reason to conduct any additional operations. They need to wipe down traces and run away.
But the operatives didn’t go back. It’s not that they can’t, it’s that they didn’t want to. Disobeying orders is mutiny.
That’s why the counterintelligence agents went overseas. After the insurrection occurred in the Second Department, sending more agents would be a stupid thing to do.
That’s why the Emperor sent the most trusted agents from the First Department. To catch the operatives.
If my assumption is correct. While the Counterintelligence and Counterintelligence Divisions are busy catching operatives within the Cult, the Public Security is likely left in the Empire to deal with the Second Department. Catching political criminals is their job.
Yeah. This all starts to make sense.
The validation will be done by the Intelligence Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now, I have to act based on these hypotheses.
By the way, this woman. She’s spilling a little too many beans. She’s not a trained operative; she’s just an innocent lobbyist. So technically, a civilian.
An Empire’s lobbyist. An outcome of the Imperial Guard HQ’s efforts.
…I’m suspicious.
“The agents from the Second Department ignored the order for a full return, huh?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Hmph.”
The buttons seem fine.
I checked every corner of my jacket, but nothing seemed off.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“Has a civil war occurred in the Imperial Guard HQ?”
“It’s not to that extent. Just accept me first.”
Nothing seemed wrong with my pants.
As I moved downward, the light grew stronger.
I wondered if it was possible, and it turned out to be true.
“Are there no agents around you, Saint?”
“None. They withdrew a few years ago.”
“Who knows about your outing today?”
“Just the serving people. Just ordinary people.”
“Your clothes are quite unique, who chose them?”
“The serving people.”
“They seem to be quite close. Selecting clothes for you.”
“They’re people I’ve known for a long time and rely on.”
“Can they be trusted?”
“Yes.”
The lights flicker.
It’s the shoes.
“What the hell are you…”
“I guess these days, the people you trust have listening devices in their shoes?”
I waved the device.
It is a listening device detector.
There’s a listening device in her shoe.
“I don’t know why it’s here.”
“Don’t you know why it’s here?”
Veronica is a lobbyist created by the Empire.
She said in her own words that process is top-secret.
Even if she was a Saint created by the Emperor, her essence is that of a civilian. Can a civilian know about top secrets? Intelligence agencies would never let such a person slide.
Absolutely not.
“You know too much information.”
“….”
“You know way too much.”