Chapter 262: To Move Forward (2)
Zerpha Royal Palace.
Gonzalo Pascal. Ricardo Sala. Paco Murillo. Teo Cano.
For their contribution to rooting out the Republican Faction’s agents, the four Rangers were to receive medals directly from Crown Prince Alonso.
“Thanks to your loyalty and resourcefulness, we learned of the Republican Faction’s claws reaching all the way into the very heart of the Kingdom’s Army.”
He spoke as he personally pinned the medal to Gonzalo’s chest.
“Even while wanted and pursued, you protected the people of the kingdom to the very end. That is the true face of the Kingdom’s Army. The kingdom owes you a great debt today.”
“──It is an honor!”
All four snapped to attention and saluted as one.
The blond Crown Prince was known as the ‘Scale of Zerpha’ for his extraordinary diplomatic ability. After the victory at Gandela, his prestige had soared to the sky. No wonder even a medal bestowed by him seemed to carry a different weight……
After the award ceremony.
They gathered in their hotel room and checked their reward envelopes.
“F-fifty million Zent!”
The youngest, Teo, squeaked. That was a staggering five or six years’ worth of salary!
“Khup!”
“With this kind of money, I could even send my little brother to study in the Empire?!”
“Boss!”
“Get over here!”
They threw their arms around one another’s shoulders and went round and round and round in the same spot.
“Hey, hey. Now sit down, sit down.”
Gonzalo grinned and pulled one more document from beneath the reward envelope.
“There’s still more……”
It was a Genealogy Certificate. The page, newly reissued because the old one had gotten soaked, bore a stamp that read—
「Quasi-Bloodline – I」
“……!”
“Whoa!”
Among foreigners, this bloodline status made one virtually indistinguishable from an Imperial citizen. The very tier they had envied while talking about the truffle father and son was now stamped beneath their own names.
“Get up!”
Once again, they threw their arms around one another’s shoulders and went round and round and round.
─Bang!
The door suddenly flew open. The four immediately sprang apart.
“Gonzalo Pascal?”
A soldier wearing the Imperial insignia entered with an interpreter. Gonzalo scratched the back of his neck and dipped his head.
“Yes. That’s me, but……”
“Good to meet you. I am Brigadier General Klose of the Imperial Regular Army.”
“Ah, yes!”
All of them hurriedly saluted.
Brigadier General Klose gave a small smile and gestured.
“At ease.”
“Yes, sir!”
Klose naturally took the seat of honor, while the interpreter stood beside him.
Gonzalo asked in a distinctly nervous tone.
“May I ask what brings you here……”
“I’ll get straight to the point. An entirely new special forces unit will be established in Zerpha in honor of the deep friendship between the Empire and the kingdom.”
Gonzalo’s squad listened carefully, though they still had no idea why he was telling them this.
“It will be a special operations unit that falls under neither Zerpha’s nor the Empire’s chain of command, but instead carries out orders from ‘That Person’.”
Brigadier General Klose slid a document across the table.
“I would like you to take command of it.”
The atmosphere in the room changed in an instant. The sheer scale of the situation suddenly expanded beyond anything they had imagined.
Gonzalo stared blankly and asked again.
“You mean…… I’m to command…… an entire unit?”
“That’s right.”
“B-but I’m just a Sergeant……”
Gonzalo stammered with a dumbfounded expression.
Klose chuckled and shook his head.
“There is someone who thinks highly of a Sergeant like you. That Person wants you.”
‘That Person.’
A person whose very name even an Imperial general scarcely dared utter.
Gonzalo’s heart rate shot upward.
“Refusal will not be accepted unless you leave the service entirely, and as of today, you are a Captain. Choosing the members of your unit will also be your responsibility.”
“Unit members……”
Without realizing it, Gonzalo looked around the room.
Brigadier General Klose noticed his gaze and asked.
“Would you like to choose some right here?”
The situation was unfolding so rapidly that Gonzalo nearly lost his bearings, but he quickly pointed to his subordinates.
“These three…… and I think one or two Yaken would be useful.”
“And?”
“Would it be all right if I chose the rest gradually?”
“Haha. Of course. There is still plenty of time. You will need to undergo command training yourself, after all.”
He hated studying, but if That Person truly thought highly of him……
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
Gonzalo still could not forget the sensation of ‘That Person’ touching his shoulder.
……
“Captain Bernhardt!”
A name rang across the drill field.
Bernhardt had once belonged to the Imperial Regular Army’s 7th Armored Grenadier Brigade and had nearly been framed through Lieutenant Colonel Eaton’s machinations, only to survive thanks to Maximilian’s intervention.
“Captain Adel!”
Another man stood beside him.
When the two stood side by side before the platform, an officer from the Personnel Bureau read aloud the order.
“The aforementioned two officers. Effective today, you are hereby promoted to Major. In the name of the Empire!”
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty!”
Their epaulets changed.
From Lieutenant all the way to Major, and while still only in their mid-twenties.
Such an extraordinary promotion was probably thanks to a certain rumor circulating within the military. That ‘That Person’ held them in high regard.
“Serve the Empire with loyalty, and do not bring shame upon the epaulets you wear!”
In the not-so-distant past, an immense shock had shaken the Imperial Regular Army.
It was an incident spoken of by nearly every soldier on the continent, not merely those of the Empire, as though it were something half out of legend. Yet precisely because it had been real, because it had truly happened, the massacre of soldiers at the eastern frontier that day was all the more brutal and terrifying.
The wholesale corruption of Brigadier General Jouken and Lieutenant Colonel Eaton, and the hundreds of collaborators who had aided them or taken their money—all of them executed by firing squad and buried……
「The Purge of Roer Fields」.
Adel and Bernhardt had been the greatest beneficiaries of that day.
“Hmm~ So you two are the ones?”
Immediately after the promotion ceremony, the two were shown into a general’s office.
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty!”
“Good to meet you.”
He gave a small smile and gestured. The two Majors lowered their arms.
“I am Lieutenant General Maut.”
That too was a very famous name. Maut, the Corps Commander who had been promoted to Lieutenant General during the latest round of regular personnel changes.
He was a living witness to the historic 「Genen Suppression Incident」, but was even more famous for his connection to That Person.
“I hear discipline in the east was restored thanks to you two.”
Bernhardt swallowed hard.
“……I-it wasn’t only us. Major Joakim and Lieutenant Colonel Goetz-”
“They are a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel now, respectively.”
“Ah.”
They had been promoted as well. They had received the treatment they deserved.
“In any case.”
Maut looked at the two and continued.
“‘That Person’ is watching the two of you.”
Bernhardt and Adel straightened their backs.
“Exceptional ability. A character that does not bend before corruption or pressure. The talent to train and command a powerful army…… Those were That Person’s own words about you.”
Each sentence drove itself into their hearts.
Lieutenant General Maut handed them an elegantly sealed envelope resembling an invitation.
“The Imperial Regiment Banquet. You know of it, I assume?”
Their eyes widened.
It was an annual year-end gathering for the core figures of the Imperial Regular Army. A table reserved only for generals, staff officers, and those entrusted with planning the future of the Imperial military.
“I invite the two of you to attend.”
Bernhardt and Adel’s hearts began pounding furiously.
Merely earning a seat at that table was practically a mark of rank in itself……
Bernhardt suddenly thought of his father in the west. His father had once been a soldier himself. How proud would he be when he heard this news?
Adel thought of his family back home. It won’t be long now before I’ve saved enough money to bring them to the Imperial center-
“But remember this.”
Maut’s voice sank heavily.
“Someday, you will be sent to the battlefield. Understand the duty carried upon those epaulets, and internalize the values of the Empire.”
“Of course!”
“Loyalty─!”
The two saluted. Their fingertips pressed to their brows trembled faintly as they struggled to contain the emotions surging inside them.
……And so, throughout the Empire, preparations to move forward were being put in place, one by one.
***
A Black Agent of Highland. Her name was ‘Jane Blake’. Codename, Black Nine.
After arriving in the Empire, she first headed to the initial contact point.
A traditional market in the Imperial Central 17th District. In one corner stood a stall selling sandwiches.
“One smoked herring sandwich on rye. No mustard. Double the pickled onions.”
“……Herring only comes in on Tuesdays.”
“Then give me some from last Tuesday.”
Blake placed a thick bundle of Imperial Dollars on the counter, and shortly afterward received a paper bag containing the sandwich.
Sitting on a bench in an alley behind the market, she ate the sandwich, then unfolded what had been tucked inside the paper bag and spread it over her knees.
──「Genealogy Certificate」──
Name : Anne Keller
Birthplace : Western Highland, Brenz Region.
Occupation : Trade Brokerage (Textiles & General Goods)
──────
According to the cover story, she had been born in western Highland, was half-Imperial, and held Quasi-Bloodline status. She had brought along the Genealogy Certificate belonging to her Imperial mother.
This should be enough. Pretending to be an Aran would actually be far too risky.
For one thing, anyone without Golden Eyes and blond hair would arouse suspicion for that alone. In reality, forty percent of Imperials had both blond hair and Golden Eyes, while more than half had Golden Eyes at the very least.
And using lenses or a wig was out of the question. The instant either was discovered would be the instant she faced a firing squad.
‘Better to keep the disguise one tier lower. Make the documents flawless. Keep my existence indistinct.’
Blake folded the Genealogy Certificate and slipped it inside her clothes before rising.
Her target was ‘Ilyich’.
He had stolen an entire anonymous Canilan account containing the Highland Intelligence Bureau’s operational funds and abruptly entered the Empire.
Recently, his whereabouts had been detected.
「Rodenbach Casino」
There were not many establishments in the Empire that welcomed foreigners, but the relatively recently opened Rodenbach was different. Even in the Empire, where foreign exchange was tightly controlled, casinos alone operated freely. Perhaps the Empire considered them places capable of drawing in foreign currency instead.
Before long, Blake reached the casino entrance.
“……Hold there a moment.”
Guards dressed in suits blocked her path.
“Do you consent to a body search?”
“Anywhere you like.”
She gave a faint smile and spread both arms to her sides. The guards patted down various parts of her body before opening the door.
“Allow me to show you through.”
One man immediately attached himself to her. He appeared to be a waiter, and he too carried himself with considerable formality.
“Security is tight.”
At Blake’s comment, the attendant smiled.
“It has to be. We have quite a number of distinguished guests here.”
Thud. Thud.
They walked down a long, wide corridor.
The guards stationed at intervals each cast a brief glance her way.
“Here we are.”
The attendant pointed ahead.
[Verification & Exchange Counter].
“There is a minimum exchange amount that effectively serves as an entrance fee. You will also need to undergo a simple identity verification procedure.”
Blake casually broached the subject.
“I have heard forged Genealogy Certificates have become common lately.”
“Haha. Yes. But you needn’t worry about that here. Recently……”
He lowered his voice for a moment.
“Knight Maximilian personally sent us someone.”
Blake’s fingertips trembled faintly.
Maximilian.
The heir to Ebenholtz, and the immense curtain surrounding the Empire.
Even for a Black Agent trained to maintain absolute control over body and mind, the weight of that name was considerable.
“He is an exceptionally skilled examiner.”
The attendant led her before the examiner.
He had an ordinary appearance. Blond hair, Golden Eyes, a protruding mouth, and deeply tanned skin.
He spoke.
“Genealogy Certificate or identification, please.”
Blake tensed without letting it show.
The people lining the walls of this hall. It felt as though every one of those eyes was watching her.
“Here.”
The man accepted Blake’s Genealogy Certificate and opened it wide.
Without using any equipment, he simply examined it by sight alone.
Rustle.
Each time he turned a page, Blake’s heartbeat slipped subtly out of rhythm.
Rustle.
“……”
Blake casually raised a hand as if adjusting her tie. The tie pin itself could serve as a weapon.
“Hmm. Everything checks out.”
……She had worried for nothing.
The examiner signed something, then pressed the casino seal onto the Genealogy Certificate with a sharp thump!
“You have passed, Ms. Anne Keller. How much would you like to exchange?”
Blake closed her eyes briefly, opened them again, and relaxed the strength in her fingertips.
“Do you take Highland currency too? At the rate listed there—”
“Of course. Ms. Anne Keller, half-Imperial Highland merchant.”
“……Thank you.”
She placed the bag she had prepared in advance onto the counter.
“Three million Zail.”
Converted, that came to two million Imperial Dollars. It was a considerable sum, but with so many VIPs around, not enough to arouse suspicion.
“Yes.”
After counting the bills, the employee handed her a suitcase filled with chips. Blake picked it up.
“Quite the high roller, I see.”
“This much? Hardly.”
As she headed toward the casino floor, the attendant called out one final warning behind her.
“Just one thing. Mana use is strictly prohibited inside. Resonance Stones capable of detecting abnormal mana activity are embedded throughout the premises.”
Almost every casino on the continent already prohibited entry to anyone trained in mana beyond a certain level.
It was meant to prevent any unsavory incidents that mana might cause before they happened.
“Of course.”
Blake stepped inside.
Light from the chandeliers poured down like a waterfall, while the whir of roulette wheels and the clatter of chips mingled through the cigarette smoke.
At every green-felt table, groans and cheers in different languages rose and fell, and chips bought with currencies from nations across the continent clattered together in a borderless space.
Somewhere in here─ was Highland’s target, ‘Ilyich’.
***
[Rodenbach Penthouse – Gewalt’s Office]
Gewalt of the Palz Family. A man from a prestigious noble family of the center who, after extensive lobbying of the Imperial Guard, had secured the operating rights to the newly opened Rodenbach.
“……Who the hell is this?”
He stared at a piece of paper, his brow furrowing sharply.
“Since last week.”
Someone who had appeared out of nowhere last week and had been sweeping up the casino’s money ever since.
The name was Anne Keller.
Blackjack, baccarat, even roulette. It made no difference what the game was.
“Fucking vermin…… What kind of scam are they pulling?”
Gewalt said as he lit a cigar.
“First, upgrade the room to a suite.”
“Yes.”
A big winner could not be allowed to leave the hotel casino.
“If they look like they’re going to run, bury them like we’ve always done. They’re cheating anyway.”
Ssshh. He drew deeply on the cigar.
“Get them into the poker game too. The money they’ve won, the money they brought with them, every other asset they own……”
Hooo. He exhaled along with the words.
“We strip them clean.”
“Yes. I’ll make the preparations immediately.”
If they buried the mark too quickly, the profit would be too small compared to the cost of cleaning up afterward.
But the mark seemed to have quite a bit of money, so it was better business to enlarge the game and clean them out completely.
“Hey. You ready?”
He turned toward the back of the room.
A man stood there as though buried in the darkness. Someone who had come from somewhere overseas.
He had been recommended by an Ezenheim businessman from abroad who regularly funneled foreign currency to Gewalt, who had personally taken him on at the casino.
His gambling skill and deft hands were exceptional, and he quickly earned Gewalt’s trust.
“─I am.”
“Good. Dial back your presence a little. Standing like that makes you look like a mana user.”
“……”
The man drew in his shoulders, and immediately looked considerably more ordinary.
“Yeah. Good. Keep that posture. Prepare the game room.”
Gewalt put the cigar back between his lips and smiled.
……
‘He’ watched Blake from the hall.
At blackjack and baccarat, she counted cards. At roulette, she played at only one table among several. She had spotted the point where the spindle was bent ever so slightly.
Even in the occasional poker game, no opponent could match her.
A shark cleaning out the casino.
And so Blake raked in the chips.
Remarkable. Even if her eyes could track motion at a superhuman level, was this degree of observational ability simply an inborn gift?
Suddenly─ ‘he’ approached Blake.
“You’re very good.”
Blake, who had been watching the roulette table, glanced at ‘him’. A waiter in a white dress shirt and red vest, carrying a tray of champagne.
“You’ve won that much. Isn’t it time you went home?”
Blake looked at ‘him’ for a moment, then silently took a glass of champagne from the tray.
“……Thank you.”
Then she slipped a chip into the waiter’s breast pocket.
“Thank you.”
The waiter smiled and turned away, but then, thud!
He bumped into someone’s shoulder and staggered.
Yet not a drop of champagne spilled from the glasses. As his body tilted, the tray moved with him while remaining perfectly balanced.
Blake felt a faint sense that something was off about that, but……
“Good evening.”
A rather massive man stepped in front of her, stealing her attention.
“Pardon me. It’s simply that you seem to be enjoying our casino’s games very much-”
“Ah. Yes. I certainly am.”
Blake straightened her suit and responded with ease.
“At this rate, I’ll return to Highland a rich woman. The Empire is making me wealthy. Long live the Empire.”
“……I’m glad to hear it. In that case, I have a proposal for you. Our casino has a VVIP poker floor.”
A faint smile spread across Blake’s lips.
“A VVIP poker floor?”
“Yes. We gather only exceptionally skilled players there for our superiors to watch personally. If you participate in their game, we will provide you with one million Imperial Dollars’ worth of chips free of charge.”
“……Hmm~? One million?”
“That is correct.”
At last, the opportunity she had been waiting for.
Ilyich was definitely somewhere in this building. Yet if she had practically lived in the main hall for days without seeing him, that meant he had to be somewhere higher up.
Blake pretended to consider it for a moment—
“I have no reason to refuse.”
“Excellent.”
The large man asked again with a satisfied expression.
“May I have your full name?”
“Anne.”
Blake took a sip of the champagne she had received from the waiter and answered.
“Anne Keller.”
“Yes. Ms. Anne Keller, this way.”
──Thud. thud.
Their figures receded in a line toward the far end of the passage.
──Thud. thud.
‘Someone’ watched the Black Agent recede into the distance for quite a long time.
“VVIP poker floor. Sounds fun.”
Maximilian. The man who had been disguised as a waiter toyed with the chip tucked into his breast pocket and smiled faintly.
“……”
After glancing around to check whether anyone was watching, he slipped into the restroom.
He changed into neat clothes, whitened his hair, added wrinkles and age spots to his skin, donned an old-fashioned beard, and even took up a cane.
Then he stood before the VVIP passage Blake had just gone through.
“Hey, old man. Stop there.”
He handed the guards blocking his path a letter-like document.
“What’s this?”
“Read it.”
“What the……”
Their expressions changed dramatically when they saw it.
There was nothing particularly elaborate in it.
On an old-fashioned Ebenholtz document, Maximilian had written and signed a simple message:
[This man is important to me, so I ask that you extend him every courtesy.]
Maximilian asked in a deliberately aged voice.
“……I merely wished to take a look around. Might I go in?”
“Ah, yes! Yes, of course, sir! Please, go right in!”
They hurriedly cleared the way,
─Tock. Tock.
and Maximilian slowly climbed the stairs, leaning on his cane.
~~~
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