Instead of stopping by home after getting off work, I headed straight to the building next door.
Passing through the quiet entrance, I came across the reception desk.
Knock knock—
I tapped on the glass to wake the man who was dozing off.
“Who…? Oh? Instructor Vio? Where are you headed?”
“Sorry for waking you, Jerry. I’m planning to head to the capital.”
“If you mean the capital Kashant, you can’t go there directly from here. You’ll need to go to Marriott first.”
“I know. Can I use the gate right now?”
“Yes. Just a moment.”
After a short wait, Jerry came out holding a large staff.
“Let’s go.”
Following Jerry, after about five minutes of walking, a large circular structure with an open center came into view.
A gate.
A relic of an ancient magical civilization discovered across the world. By infusing it with mana, it activates and allows travel to another connected gate.
Jerry placed his free hand, the one not holding the staff, onto the gate, and after waiting about five more minutes, a blue energy appeared in the empty space at its center.
I took out three silver coins from my pocket as the gate fee, placed them into the basket beside it, and stepped inside.
With the familiar dizzying sensation of gate travel, my vision shifted, and I arrived in Marriott.
The gate from Marriott to the capital was scheduled to activate in 30 minutes, so after waiting, I went through the same process once more and finally reached my destination.
“Identification.”
I showed my ID to a mage in a red robe who held out his hand with a bored expression, then exited the building.
As I moved along, the atmosphere felt somewhat lively.
The shops and bars I passed, as well as the street vendors, were plentiful, and there were quite a few drunk people around.
Kashant, the capital known for its city that never sleeps….but it wasn’t usually this intense. Is it festival season?
Well, it has nothing to do with me, so I quickened my pace and arrived at my destination.
[Leon’s Bellast]
Despite it being a festival, aside from having one extra lantern compared to the surrounding shops, it was a rather plain and shabby-looking pub.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.
I lightly pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.
Glancing around briefly, it seemed quite crowded, probably because of the festival.
Two years…no, by calendar count, a full three years.
I took a seat at an empty spot at the bar, and a blue-haired bartender approached me.
“Would you like to order?”
I don’t recognize this face. Is he new?
Well, it has been quite a while.
“Bellast. One ice cube…ah, and add a slice of lime.”
“Bellast with one ice cube and a slice of lime, got it. How would you like to pay—”
“Up front, of course.”
As I spoke, I reached into my robe to take out some silver coins, but I hesitated for a moment at the pain coming from my right shoulder.
That hasn’t happened lately….maybe it’s because I’m here?
I didn’t even bring my prosthetic today, yet without thinking, I tried to use the right hand I lost long ago.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s nothing. Here.”
I took out the silver coins and placed them on the bar.
The bartender collected them and, before long, set down a metal cup in front of me, filled with a clear liquid.
He’s quite the actor.
For a moment, I was slightly worried it might have changed in the meantime, but just like before, there was a small slip of paper attached to the bottom of the cup.
[182484/20]
Coordinates for the meeting point and the time.
The location isn’t far from here, and since it’s only 20 minutes, I won’t have to wait long.
Usually, I end up waiting over 30 minutes, so the timing worked out well this time.
I crumpled the paper and stuffed it into my pocket, then squeezed the lime from the cup and downed the drink in one go.
An intense burning sensation surged down my esophagus, like it was on fire.
I always thought it tasted bitter, but maybe because it’s been a while, it feels even stronger now.
Leaving the bar, I quickened my pace and soon arrived at my destination.
[Remy’s All Blue]
A closed fish shop that was reeking strongly of fish.
My clothes will probably end up smelling like it, but that’s not important right now.
I took out my pocket watch, confirmed it was time, lightly picked the lock, and stepped inside.
Following the presence I could sense through the fishy stench, I went down to the basement where an old man with white hair sat in front of a desk piled high with documents.
He looked slightly surprised to see me.
“I heard an agent approached using the old method. I had no idea it would be you.”
“Long time no see, old man.”
“Has it been two years?”
“Three, if you count properly.”
I reached out for a handshake, feeling a slight tension from how long it had been.
Not surprising…because while he looks like a kindly old man you could find anywhere, the reality is completely different.
The Imperial Intelligence Bureau, the unseen force that supports the Beluga Empire. The invisible fangs.
And the one in charge is this old man.
“Is that so? Anyway, what brings you here? Someone who retired ages ago coming all the way to see me.”
Judging by his expression, he genuinely doesn’t know. Did I come here on a false lead?
“I came because of a personnel transfer order. You didn’t know?”
“A personnel transfer? Oh! I did hear you were teaching kids at Sainty.”
“Yeah. But there’s been a bit of a problem.”
“A problem?”
“It started as a way to pass the time, but things seem to have gotten complicated.”
I explained the situation with the transfer order to the old man.
“I have a guess. Wait here…I’ll go check.”
After he left, about ten minutes passed before the door opened again.
“Did you find anything?”
“One of the students you taught played a major role in obtaining sap from the World Tree.”
“The World Tree’s sap? That’s a treasure of the elves.”
“It was needed to treat the Fifth Prince’s chronic illness. They managed to obtain it through negotiations with the elves of the East Great Forest, and apparently, your student played a key role in persuading them.”
“Who?”
“Olivia, was it? Leader of Ranger Team 2 on the Eastern Front. She used to be an ordinary member, but got promoted to team leader because of this.”
Hearing the name, I remembered.
She was a serious pretty-face fanatic, always pestering me with questions because she wanted to get close to handsome elves. I gave her a few tips just to get her off my back.
Haah… never thought that would come back to me like this.
“That ranger apparently said everything she knew about getting close to elves came from you. She praised you a lot, and that’s how your name reached the imperial court.”
…For a moment, I thought the old man had pulled strings to drag me back in, but this one’s on me.
“Even in retirement, Blue Mist is still impressive.”
“Cut it out. I’m being serious.”
“What’s so serious about it? It’s not like you’ve been demoted. Veliyard Academy is one of the Empire’s top three academies. It’s a promotion. You should be happy.”
The old man spoke with a sly grin. I hate that he knows exactly how I feel and still acts like this.
“I hate the capital. I like where I live now.”
I was an orphan with no one in the world.
At twelve, I left the orphanage with this old man, endured hellish training, passed the tests, and in just four years became the youngest official Black Agent.
People often call us spies, but the official title is Black Agent.
Beyond counter-intelligence work like that of a spy, we also handle anything that doesn’t surface in the open, such as covertly guarding members of the imperial family or assassinating key figures.
For ten years, I carried out all kinds of missions as a Black Agent of the Beluga Empire.
In just three years, I earned the alias Blue Mist and rose to the pinnacle of the Intelligence Bureau’s Black Agents.
Even within the organization, very few knew my identity since I was a Black Agent, but there was a general consensus that if it was Blue Mist, any mission would get done.
My salary was also second only to the old man’s.
But honestly, I don’t miss those days.
I was relatively lucky, but the average lifespan of a Black Agent is a very short three years.
Because of that, the Intelligence Bureau was always severely understaffed, and as a top-tier agent, I was often sent on another mission not long after returning from one.
Of course, since they took me in from the orphanage, fed me, and gave me a place to sleep, I carried out my missions without complaint, but I always dreamed that one day, after retiring, I would live a quiet and relaxed life in a peaceful city with clean water and fresh air.
A Black Agent can legally retire after completing 100 missions.
Unfortunately, I lost my right arm on my 100th and final mission, but I retired as planned and settled in Sainty, the southern port city where I now live.
It’s a small city near Marriott, the largest city in the southern Empire, with both sea and mountains, and the weather is excellent.
It’s a small town with a population of less than 20,000, but it has everything you need, and even a gate, so getting around isn’t inconvenient at all. It’s a really great place.
“As long as the old man wasn’t involved, fine. Then I’ll just quit.”
“You think you can just quit whenever you want?”
“Why not? I’ll just say my health’s bad and leave. I’m a certified disabled person, after all.”
When I shook my empty right sleeve, the old man frowned.
“This is a direct order from the imperial family. You really think that excuse will work? They’ll investigate it quietly, and if they find out you’re faking it…”
“What, that’s execution for deceiving the imperial family too?”
“A recommendation from the imperial family is a great honor, so just…”
“If it were money, maybe. But I’m not interested in something like honor.”
I only started working as an instructor in Sainty as a way to pass the time, not because I was after something like honor.
To be honest, I’m not exactly short on money either.
I was paid quite well as a Black Agent, and since I had no time to spend it, I saved most of it. On top of that, there were plenty of side earnings from missions, and I also receive a pension.
“Stop whining. There’s an easy way. Want me to tell you?”
“You call that advice? What is it?”
“First, go to Veliyard as ordered. Then just slack off in your classes.”
“Slack off?”
“If the imperial family recognized your abilities and appointed you as an instructor at Veliyard Academy, then if you teach half-heartedly and show yourself to be incompetent, you’ll be fired in no time.”
For a moment, it felt like I’d been struck on the head with a hammer.
So there was a method like that.
As expected of the old man, the head of the Intelligence Bureau, his mind really does work fast.
“So it’s hard to refuse a recommendation from the imperial family, but easy to get fired?”
“That’s right. If you’re fired instead of quitting, there’s nothing for them to take issue with, is there?”
Good. From now on, my goal is to get fired.
I’ll become the worst instructor they can’t help but dismiss.
***
Ugh, my head.
I drank a bit too much at the farewell party yesterday, and the hangover is pretty bad.
Since it’s a day off, I’d normally sleep in without a care, but I can’t do that today.
It’s the day I leave my familiar home and head to Veliyard Academy.
The new semester starts next week, but I received an official notice telling me to report a week in advance.
I washed up quickly, made some soup with ingredients I bought yesterday, and had breakfast with the bread I picked up then.
I packed my belongings into subspace storage and left the house.
Maybe it’s because I know I won’t be back for a while, but I feel a little sentimental.
Even though I plan to teach half-heartedly to get fired as quickly as possible, I’ll still have to stay in the capital for about a semester.
Since a term at Veliyard Academy lasts four months, it’ll probably be deep into winter, with heavy snow, by the time I return.
After a short walk, I arrived at the village chief’s house right next door.
I knocked, but there was no response, so I left the house key and the pouch of money I had prepared in advance tucked out of sight behind a flowerpot.
It’s a bit of a shame I couldn’t say goodbye, but I had already asked him a few days ago to look after the house.
Just as I turned to leave, I saw the village chief walking over with a plow slung over his shoulder.
Even at this early hour, it looks like he’s already been out to the fields.
“Oh, Vio. Is today the day you’re leaving?”
“Yes. I left the key behind the flowerpot by the door. I also put a little money in there.”
“I told you before, there’s no need for that. You really are something.”
“If you don’t take it, I’ll feel uneasy.”
“Alright. Don’t worry about the house. But why are you leaving so early? If you haven’t had breakfast, come eat at my place before you go.”
“I’ve already eaten. I’m planning to stop by the mountain summit before I leave.”
“The mountain at this hour? You really do like hiking.”
I brushed it off with a casual smile and quickened my pace.
Like hiking, my ass.
It’s the thing I hate most.
I spent my entire training period living in the mountains, and even during missions, I was often deployed in mountainous regions.
Thanks to that, I’ve grown completely sick of mountains. But there’s another reason, too.
After climbing for about thirty minutes, I left the trail and walked for another thirty before a large tree came into view.
When I pulled out the small dagger embedded in the base of the tree, a pit appeared beside it.
It looked like an ordinary dagger, but it was actually an artifact that distorted the surrounding environment to conceal what was there.
One of the reasons I didn’t want to leave Sainty was this place.
About two months ago, I came here for field training, and while searching for a student who had gotten lost, I happened to discover it.
Since the sun hadn’t fully risen yet, it was still a bit dark, so I used a light spell.
Various characters were engraved into the rock surface.
A language not used anywhere on either the Western or Eastern Continents.
Which meant there was a high chance that ruins of an ancient civilization lay beneath this rock.
Even if I couldn’t come every day, I made it here at least five times a week. And after receiving my reassignment, I came almost daily, chipping away at the rock with a chisel and hammer.
But I still hadn’t found the entrance.
Using tools like a pickaxe or, better yet, magic would have been much faster. But I couldn’t risk it.
If something went wrong and caused a collapse, the artifacts inside might be damaged.
I opened my subspace and took out two red spheres.
They were mana bombs left over from my time as a Black Agent.
I had avoided using them out of concern for damaging any relics, but since I failed to find the entrance yesterday, I had no choice.
After casting a soundproofing spell, I set the timers, placed both bombs on the rock, then quickly retreated and dropped to the ground.
Three, two, one.
There was no sound, but I felt a sudden wave of heat rush through the air. Once it subsided, I got back up.
Looks like the bomb was the right call.
The rock that had blocked the entrance for two months was blown to pieces, and as I cleared away the debris, I discovered a dark opening.
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