Those Who Collapsed

On November 11, a single order was given to the many Polia Kingdom intelligence agents scattered and deployed across the continent. The moment the order to move to each of their assigned locations was given, a large-scale movement took place.

The intelligence bureaus of each country, who noticed these movements, could not help but strengthen their surveillance, wondering what was going on. Although there was such a large-scale movement by the intelligence bureau, the Mauter, no one could know what they were doing this for.

Some people suspected that it might be related to King Ian, who had suddenly disappeared from the palace rather recently. Like that, the Mauter agents who had moved as if scattering across the continent were able to complete their movement to their assigned locations on November 20.

They were waiting for orders from above, and at that moment, a single order was given.

「This is to inform all agents. The locations of the enemy secret organization’s major facilities have been revealed. All agents are to do their utmost and, together with their comrades carrying out the operation, destroy everything belonging to the enemy!」

On this day, November 28, the Mauter agents immediately began attacks on the facilities assigned to them. In reality, if they asked for help from the intelligence bureaus of other countries, the damage would be reduced and they could secure means to destroy them more certainly, but there was a weakness that the enemy might find out, so they carried out an independent operation.

Like that, according to the Mauter’s unilateral attacks, sabotage was carried out day after day across the Old Continent.

「Magnia Empire, Trubia Pharmaceutical Company’s secret biological weapon mass-production laboratory exploded, with mass killings.」

「Noma Empire, Daimus Munitions Company’s weapons development factory exploded, with mass killings.」

「Moria Empire, Bianc Shipping Company’s leadership abducted and killed.」

「Doicheun Empire, Frian Shipyard chairman and all key personnel successfully abducted.」

「Siren Kingdom, Entique Trading Company chairman successfully assassinated.」

「Iris Kingdom, Jolbon Pharmaceutical Company’s secret biological weapon mass-production facility successfully destroyed!」

「Jermia Kingdom, Baern Grain Company’s secret ledgers successfully seized.」

「Norman Kingdom, Ichita Mineral Company’s secret ledgers successfully seized.」

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Because of the successive incidents and accidents, the entire world was overturned. Even looking at each one individually, they were fairly serious matters, and since such phenomena had happened simultaneously, it was in some ways only natural that everything had been overturned. And they could not help but consider the possibility that the one who had carried out this work was none other than the Polia Kingdom’s intelligence bureau, the Mauter.

The governments of each country strongly protested to the Polia Kingdom over what had happened within their own countries. They even revealed their displeasure and began pouring out hardline remarks, asking just what they had done and saying that if they did not explain properly, a serious diplomatic dispute would occur.

In response to such diplomatic voices, the Polia Kingdom finally issued the statement it had prepared.

[The Polia Kingdom was able to coincidentally acquire information on the major facilities of an organization that had hidden its identity while committing all kinds of evil deeds around the world. The operation, which was carried out secretly, has now achieved great success, and we were able to capture and kill those who had been secretly conducting human experimentation and operating as their agents. We will distribute overall evidence materials regarding this, and we hope each country will carry out arrest operations against the remaining remnants who may still exist.]

Along with this announcement, the Polia Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs moved to distribute evidence materials through each country’s embassy, and the countries that immediately examined this evidence could not help but lose their words. Companies and people they had never expected were revealed to be deeply connected to the secret organization.

In reality, not only companies but also famous figures were included, and they could not help but be shocked as they examined the accurately recorded details of their activities. At the same time, they hurriedly began operations to subjugate the remaining remnants, but on the other hand, they had no choice but to express regret toward the Polia Kingdom for carrying out such a thing without saying a word.

Hearing such regret, the Polia Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed the excuse that if even a little information had leaked, they could have missed them. At this excuse, everyone had no choice but to find it difficult to express regret easily. They too knew that it was true.

In reality, through this incident, it was revealed that there were people inside their own intelligence bureaus who had been colluding with the secret organization. If the Polia Kingdom’s intelligence bureau had sent this information, it was certain that the information would have leaked immediately.

Because of this fact, the imperial families and royal families of each country, who had been showing a hardline stance, had no choice but to stop raising their voices. Meanwhile, Emperor Jedic of the Magnia Empire, who was full of anger at this fact, ordered a large-scale internal investigation.

The imperial palace office in Noa, the capital of the Magnia Empire.

“To think that Trubia Pharmaceutical Company was in their grasp…”

“I did not know they were secretly developing and mass-producing biological weapons there. They truly existed close by.”

“Lacen, there is truly no one I can trust!”

“I did think their people were deeply embedded, but I did not know it would be to this extent.”

“That is right. The Polia Kingdom somehow managed to learn of this fact.”

“They said it was a coincidence, but it seems something had been underway.”

“…It is frustrating, but at the same time, we ended up receiving help.”

He had wanted, if possible, to avoid creating a debt to the Polia Kingdom, but because of this incident, it had become as if a debt had been created.

“Still, what is certain is that their organization must have suffered unprecedented damage. There is nothing bad about that for us.”

“You are right. They probably will not be able to exert strength for quite a long time. This means those bastards ended up properly suffering after touching my niece.”

“How did they acquire such information?”

“Perhaps while stirring things up here and there to take revenge, they literally happened to obtain it by coincidence.”

In truth, there was no other way to explain it. From the report that King Ian had not been seen for a while, he thought that perhaps Ian had moved personally. In fact, because of that, they had even tried to release intelligence agents to find King Ian, but they had not been able to find him at all.

“It will become a little easier to find ruins from now on.”

“Even so, interference from each country still remains. They will want to possess the results of the ruins too.”

The only countries that still possessed biological weapons were the Magnia Empire and the Polia Kingdom. In other words, the only places that possessed White Crystals were those two countries. As such, the movements of each country would inevitably become even more active.

Of course, it was true that most countries still had the aftereffects of the Great War remaining, so they could not act properly. In any case, he felt that it was satisfying that, through this incident, a great brake had been put on the unpleasant movements of those bastards.

“More importantly, I do not know whether we should continue this war like this.”

Just as Emperor Jedic said, the war against the Republic of Promance, a country located in the center of the Colonial Continent, was not flowing properly. Though there had not yet been a clash using large-scale troops, with the ever-rising cost of war, a concern was forming that they might accidentally end up like the countries that had experienced the Great War.

“The military strength of the Republic of Promance was unexpected.”

“Their fighter strength as well. It is not easy.”

Currently, the fighters mobilized by both countries with the mountain range between them numbered roughly six thousand. Both sides had mobilized at least about three thousand fighters. From this fact, they could know that the scale of their production facilities was far larger than expected.

“On top of that, according to continuous reconnaissance results, the troops they have mobilized are estimated to be at least one million.”

“If it is at least that many, that means they can mobilize as many more troops as they like.”

“Something is strange. No matter how much they exist inside a gigantic mountain range, can their national power really be that high?”

To begin with, their level of technology itself could only be a mystery. Inwardly, he wondered what would have happened if he had thought carefully from the beginning. Of course, he did think that, because of the pride of being an empire called the strongest nation in the first place, he would not have been able to do that.

“At this rate, only the Polia Kingdom may end up benefiting.”

“They will try to sell weapons and ammunition, just like during the last Great War.”

“Since they cannot hand weapons over to the enemy, it is not bad for us, but even so, it will remain a fact that the Polia Kingdom will grow greatly.”

Even if they dug a tunnel through the mountain range, could they really end the war all at once? They had already learned in the last war how terrible trench warfare could be. Furthermore, considering that it was inside a mountain range, there was a high possibility that they could not even mobilize tanks properly.

Considering the empire’s production capacity, they could procure weapons and ammunition on their own, but how many years would that last? In the end, there was a high possibility they would have no choice but to reach out to other countries.

Considering the lengthening time of war, the wartime boom of countries around the world, and the declining national power of the Magnia Empire, this war may have been a war they should not have started from the beginning. At the fact that they might fall into the swamp of a deep war of attrition, Emperor Jedic thought he had to make a choice even now.

“We should… stop the war, shouldn’t we?”

“Are you thinking of stopping it?”

“What else can we do? It is obvious that it will become a good thing for everyone except us. We cannot continue the war, can we?”

“There is a possibility many people will criticize you depending on Your Majesty’s decision. There are many people inside the country who want to enjoy wartime profits.”

“I suppose I must endure that too.”

Depending on this decision, his dignity and evaluation as emperor might fall. Of course, that did not mean the emperor’s authority would disappear. Instead, there was a possibility that the absolute authority he had maintained until now would collapse.

“We must end the war and learn about them. Their exact scale, their population, and how they have developed civilization within such a foundation all this time.”

He already seemed to consider ending the war a foregone conclusion. In reality, this decision was also wise. If he thought of a future that would not end well, he had to know how to give up decisively like this.

It was the inside of a room where only one light existed. Those gathered here were currently silent. Everyone was silent, and the atmosphere itself could not help but be stiff.

Their situation could currently be called the worst. How were they supposed to accept this? If they wondered where things had gone wrong, only one conclusion came out.

At the moment when the plan to have the gargoyles attack in order to target Princess Karina of the Polia Kingdom was carried out, they had thought they were able to take proper revenge. The result had not been bad. It was something they could know just by looking at the Polia Kingdom’s reaction.

But they had not known that it would become the beginning of this situation. Who could have thought things would come this far? Deep despair, anger, and resignation could not help but sit on everyone’s faces.

At that moment, someone opened his mouth, and his voice could not help but be cracked, as if speaking of his current feelings.

“We have lost many things now… From now on, we will have to spend time in a difficult situation.”

“Let us take revenge. Let us destroy that damned Polia Kingdom entirely!”

At someone’s shout, some agreed, but most were shaking their heads. Why had what happened now happened at all? It had happened because, under the name of revenge, they had targeted Princess Karina, and the vengeful King of Polia had moved personally. If they did that again?

‘Then it could become our turn.’

‘With King Ian’s nature, he will track us to the end.’

‘I no longer have confidence that he will absolutely never find us.’

‘Even now, we must stay still, wait for the time again, and build up our strength…’

“If we do such a thing, then the very existence of our organization may be in danger. Do you truly wish for that?”

“B-But…”

“Now is the time to kill our emotions and build our strength again.”

“That is right. If we say we will take revenge again, all of us may instead be exposed to danger.”

“We must absolutely not touch the Polia Kingdom. At least not right now.”

Since the majority showed this attitude, even those who showed a hardline reaction had no choice but to accept it. At that sight, one person spoke as if regretful. Among other things, losing one particular item could be called painful.

“We have had one White Crystal taken from us. It was certainly taken by the Polia Kingdom.”

“They must have taken the thing that was there at the moment they destroyed the secret mass-production facility.”

“That, at least, was something that should never have been taken…”

Everyone regretted that one White Crystal had been taken by the Polia Kingdom. If they had at least been able to safely take that out, they would not have felt this regretful. Like that, they had no choice but to meekly accept reality. If they did not do even that, it felt as if they would die from pent-up anger.

December 10.

Ian finally arrived in the Polia Kingdom. During that time, he had gone around mainly to places where failure could not be allowed, collapsed them, and the result was a great success.

Now, the core centers of the secret faction had truly collapsed, and many parts of them had disappeared. The road to the city of Landon had truly been a succession of good fortune for Ian.

He had subordinated Wizard Oran as his own, and based on the information Oran possessed, he had been able to carry out this suppression campaign. They had trusted the wizard far too much. At the same time, they had strongly trusted the geas as well.

‘And gaining Sara was also fortunate.’

Sara had been sent to the kingdom in advance. For now, he intended to let her recover her body for a while. Because of her long life outside, she was so small that she looked young for her age, and because of that, there was a need to return her body to normal first.

At the same time, he had made her prepare to become a wizard. Naturally, the wizard who would teach her was his wizard, Oran. Since Oran already had memories and experience of raising a disciple, he had enough ability to teach her. He would probably be better than most wizards.

‘First, mana stones are needed, right?’

The price of expensive mana stones could be said to be higher than that of most warships. But with the financial power Ian possessed, they were not impossible to obtain. Since this was a matter of securing a future wizard, he thought it was something he could invest in sufficiently.

He had already placed an order, so the purchase would likely be completed soon, and he would be able to obtain them. Thinking so, he headed to the royal palace, where he ended up receiving an unexpected visitor.