NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14
The two-story annex overlooking the party.
In a suspicious area controlled by suit men, a spy met another spy.
The security officer and I sat across a small table.
“Before we get into serious conversation, I would like to inform you that the recent bomb terror has no connections to our Kien Empire’s royal family.”
“Is that so?”
“His Majesty the Emperor has personally expressed his regret over this matter.”
The Emperor expressed his regret. And the royal family claims to be unrelated to this incident.
Whether that’s true or not, I have no idea. Politicians are known to deny any responsibility whenever an accident occurs.
So I interpreted it as the Emperor showing interest in the issue.
“I would like to extend my condolences regarding the terror. Are you alright?”
“Fortunately, there are no casualties.”
“That’s good news.”
The suit man lifted his glass to his lips and tilted it conspicuously.
After smoothly downing the drink, he wiped the fingerprints off the glass with a napkin and began to speak.
“There’s a decorum in diplomacy that suggests not rushing to bring up important matters. However, considering the circumstances, let’s get straight to the point.”
“Please do.”
“Our informants indicate that a second act of terror is expected.”
Episode 2 – Heroes of the Continent
On the first day of arriving at the cult, a bomb exploded. A makeshift bomb employing industrial explosives detonated.
A total of 62 civilian casualties occurred. The most likely targets are Camila Lowell or Cardinal Raphael.
Rumors spread that it was the doing of a dark magician, a religious reform group, or even an act perpetrated by the Empire itself, and all were suppressed under the press control of the Inquisition.
Initially, suspicion fell on the Kien Empire. Specifically, I suspected the Imperial Guard HQ as being behind it because it seemed dubious. They are also enemies of traditional kingdoms, and after the terror, they started intelligence activities without any clear statement.
Perhaps it wasn’t the Empire, but rather an insider of the cult. Former Inquisition Director Raphael had many foes. Someone could have orchestrated a terror out of resentment for his indiscriminate inquisitions.
No solid information exists.
I was essentially throwing guesses out there as I conducted the investigation. It was during this that a once-silent agent from the Imperial Guard HQ approached me.
With information that a terror was going to happen.
“Thank you for the information. May I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“Please do.”
The security officer readily granted permission.
“You mentioned being dispatched to the embassy from the overseas counter-intelligence department. What exactly have you been doing to obtain terror intel?”
It wasn’t that I didn’t know what the counter-intelligence department does; their job involves preventing leaks, thwarting spying activities, and granting permission for contact with foreign agents.
What I really wanted to ask was how a ‘counter-intelligence’ agent obtained information related to a terror attack.
“If you’re asking about the source of the information, I can’t disclose that.”
The suit man seemed to catch on and quickly wriggled out of the question.
“As you know, I am obligated to protect the identities of my informants. You’re aware of the regulations, aren’t you?”
“Ah, yes. Right.”
He can’t divulge the source.
Fine. Right now, the source isn’t what’s important.
“Do you know where and how the terror will take place?”
“We don’t know that either. We can only speculate that, unlike the last time with a bomb, they might use a different method.”
The identity of the terrorists still remains unknown. Typically, after a terror occurs, the perpetrators would issue a statement claiming responsibility. Yet, so far, the terrorists have not publicly communicated any statements or demands.
In other words, the obsession with this bomb terror isn’t to spread ideology or fulfill demands; the focus is solely on assassination itself.
The suit man opened a new bottle and filled his glass.
“Do you have any guess as to who the target of the terror may be?”
“I suspect it could be either Camila Lowell or Cardinal Raphael.”
“Quite right. If either the hero or the cardinal dies, wouldn’t that benefit someone? Of course, it’s also possible that the target isn’t the hero or the cardinal at all.”
Another person could be the target.
Is he talking about me?
“By ‘another person,’ do you mean me?”
“Since you’re a colleague of the hero, you could be a target for the terror, couldn’t you?”
“…Let’s set that aside for now.”