30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

29 – 8. Night of Counting Stars (3)

*

“When on earth is that going to return?”

“Well, who knows what thoughts are brewing in the Intelligence Agency.”

“Why is the Intelligence Agency even involved? It belongs to the Navy Headquarters!”

The elves, who had started their ordinary school life, were caught up in chaos during this period.

Even the elves with high self-esteem and immersed in national pride had their limits. They were now sharpening their edges amidst a subtle sense of empathy and the humans’ subtle disdain.

On the first day the warship floated above their heads, elf students proudly boasted.

– Look, how awesome we must be! Even with a warship floating around in human territory, everyone just stands there and watches.

The astonishing tribe that displayed a warship at the entrance ceremony began to feel a subtle unease a week later.

But even in an era where there seems to be no need for warships, is it really okay like that?

This was a fear close to survival instinct.

Well, deploying war weapons in the capital of another country is an enormous military provocation.

It’s unlikely to happen at all, but if a war breaks out at the end of that military provocation, they would instantly go from students to prisoners.

In the primitive fantasy world without the Geneva Conventions, there’s no such thing.

Of course, there’s no law openly executing prisoners in the border disputes of the Allied Kingdoms, and they wouldn’t go so far as to execute the sons and daughters of noble families who have come overseas for education.

That’s a statement that holds true in a world where ‘common sense’ prevails, at least.

So, the mere thought of a human kingdom (believed by elves to be lacking common sense) causing some kind of rampage is enough to trigger the instinct for survival.

And finally, another week passed, making it two weeks in total.

Still gazing at their proud airship hovering in the sky, the elves finally exhibited their racial characteristics.

They are at the forefront of civilization, parliamentary politics, and constitutional monarchy democracy.

Therefore, according to their racial characteristics, they finally organized a political faction. The factional fight had begun.

Elven students were now divided into the secretive Wisdom Faction and the Naval Command Faction, starting an internal conflict. (Internal conflicts are also one of their racial characteristics.)

Of course, the situation of who holds their monarchy cannot be resolved. They can’t simply congratulate a functioning warship for being elected as the first-year student council president and send it home.

Anyway.

Outside, there is the disdain and threat of humans.

Inside, there is the charming political activity among the elves.

And above, there is that warship, floating in the sky without any communication, just drifting.

In this chaotic era, which has become a vulgar joke despite its peace.

A gardener and a human nobleman found their way to the elves’ dormitory.

This is what happened the day after Dmitry cautiously handed ‘orders’ to Ivan.

*

Let’s rewind time to the day before. So, the evening when Elizabeth decided she would have to chop an axe into the neck of the elven captain.

Dmitry headed to the orphanage where he personally collected the royal treasury every year and meticulously laundered it. Elizabeth, being a shy girl by nature (his personal opinion), had kept this matter from Ivan.

In other words, Dmitry had been the biggest sponsor of this orphanage so far. He vaguely covered it up with phrases like ‘overall courtesy,’ ‘taking care of a retired lieutenant colonel without receiving military pension.’ Anyway, the hand that put in the money wasn’t his.

“Oh, right. Hello, kids.”

“…”

Dmitry walked among these eerie students, who moved so quietly that it was suspicious, and hung a friendly smile, feeling like he was walking through the corridors of the Political Prisoner Correctional Facility of the Intelligence Headquarters. Mainly because the supervisors were silently watching from a corner without making a sound.

I have no intention of meddling in the personal hobbies of my esteemed senior, but isn’t this within the scope of investigating charges of treason against the nation?”

How did you even think of collecting orphans and using them as field agents?

Dmitri walked to the director’s office, his spine tingling uncomfortably.

Thud, thud. Passing a Dronian-born soldier making suspicious noises while adjusting his laundry.

Passing a teacher wearing a strange hat turned inside out, undergoing a group lynching by the children.

“Senior, are you in?”

“I came through the door today.”

Upon opening the office door, Ivan was still visible beyond the incredibly barren interior landscape.

Ivan was rummaging through stacks of papers with a cold gaze.

“What’s going on?”

“Uh, well. There’s a guest?”

“Oh, it’s a friend of yours! Don’t mind me, go ahead with your work!”

“…Friend?”

Surprisingly, his senior seemed to have acquired a much younger sibling.

After staring at the energetic face of the young man for a while, Dmitri snapped his fingers. Somehow, the face seemed familiar.

“Isn’t it Karazin Kyeong! Oh, nice to see you here!”

“Kyeong, you say. I’m just an ordinary student! Feel free to speak comfortably!”

The scandal of the worst troublemaker in high society suddenly enrolling in the seminary had caused quite a stir near Frichanka.

Wasn’t he the youngest son of the Karazin Duke, who had produced a defense minister?

And that guy, who had no interest in politics, called our senior ‘brother’…?

Dmitri’s eyes sparkled sharply, and Ivan thumped the desk.

“Eugene. Leave.”

“Yes, brother! Please focus on your work! I’ll be doing volunteer activities!”

“I’m keeping an eye on how many laundries Mord has eaten.”

“Yes, brother!”

Eugene smiled like a loyal subject and quickly left the director’s office. Dmitri, who watched the scene with a blank expression, tilted his head.

“Senior’s preferences seem to have changed quite a bit. Didn’t you dislike such a guy…?”

“The kid is obedient.”

“Come to think of it, your impression seems to have improved a bit, Senior. It must be because it’s Enrique Kyeong.”

Ivan thumped the desk heavily. Anyway, his temper was quick. Dmitri sighed and pulled out a letter from his pocket.

“Colonel Kirilovna…?”

“Because she’s the Minister of the Royal Court. Anyway, um. The situation is a bit complicated. There’s only one person senior enough to help.”

Dmitri handed over the letter and stretched out on the sofa.

“I give a lot of money every year, at least use a less expensive sofa.”

Ignoring Dmitri’s comment, Ivan, who was reading the letter, raised an eyebrow.

This is quite a serious matter.

“Is it sincere?”

“Would our princess play around with something like this?”

Infiltrate the Kalion warship floating above the Jansk University airspace, and threaten the captain.

However, at the same time, minimize casualties among the ship’s crew.

“Why?”

“Oh, this is a bit complicated.”

Dmitri furrowed his brow. Where should he start explaining this?

“It seems that the ship has caused a malfunction. Even if those deaf idiots lost their minds, they wouldn’t provoke a military conflict in the capital for over two weeks. There’s no reason for it.”

“But?”

“So. I’m thinking of taking advantage of this opportunity to lure our Minister of Foreign Affairs… Prince Alexander.”

Dmitri slowly straightened his back. The face without a hint of a smile, the face of a lieutenant colonel in the Internal Inspection Division of the Intelligence Headquarters.

“The Kalion guys know our country is a mess. In the meantime, our princess personally came and ‘threatened’ them.”

If the warship is under real threat, the captain will definitely try to make a deal with the Crown Prince.

They provoked the captain with that in mind from the beginning.

“Princess needs a scene where Crown Prince contacts the elves. A scene that can be linked to a military coup through the elven warship.”

“Isn’t that too extreme?”

“That’s how our princess does things.”

“Is the goal just that?”

“Would we ever do something like that?”

Dmitri laughed sarcastically as he stood up.

“We’re going to seize the Kalion warship. While condemning those idiots who dared to aim cannons right in front of the Grand Krasylova. After declaring that we joined hands with the Crown Prince and sought rebellion, we’re already prepared to send an official protest letter to the Kalion Confidential Office.”

“To cover up Kalion as a mere captain’s escapade, and in return…”

“We’ll have to approve ‘anchoring’ the ‘completely destroyed’ warship for ‘repair’ on the outskirts of Prechencaya.”

The airborne warship is solely Kalion’s war weapon.

However, as is often the case with technology, there is always the risk of leaks.

Therefore, they disclose the military ship. After seizing it, they attempt a reverse engineering under the pretext of repairing the “destroyed” military ship.

From Calion’s perspective, it cannot be considered a total loss. Considering the cost and labor required to build a battleship like his, the number of ships that Crasiloph can maintain will never surpass Calion’s navy.

But Crasiloph desperately needs a few airships. Crasiloph, without a fixed position, faces a complete halt in maritime trade during the winter.

If the plan succeeds, the princess will have a tremendous pretext.

With just one conspiracy, Alexander may not completely fail, but he will be pushed into a political offensive that makes decision-making impossible, at least for a while.

Add to that the acquisition of “airship design.”

They can move the military, which had declared neutrality between the Crown Prince and the princess. Powerful war weapons would naturally belong to the military.

Strategy, pretext, and support.

They aim for three goals in one operation. Even if they don’t achieve the best results, the princess will suffer no harm.

Perhaps it was not the elves’ fault that the military ships were docked in front of the palace from the beginning.

“It’s impossible without you, senpai. All the operatives who can move are exposed, and it’s difficult to carry out the operation with undercover agents.”

Right now, the forces the princess can move in Frichekaya are only one reconnaissance headquarters.

Since Enrique does not follow the palace’s orders, Ivan is the princess’s most powerful card.

Lumberjack, slaughterer of the Seven Dragons, the king’s illegitimate son.

The “small” Ivan.

“If this goes well, senpai, you won’t need to carry out the original operation. Once the Crown Prince becomes a plant-man, there won’t be a need to protect the guests from Jansk University. If you need any other compensation… um, I was told to convey it like this. Your Highness, the Princess.”

Dmitri hesitated for a moment and spoke cautiously.

“I will offer the position of the national treasurer… or something like that.”

“Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“Uh… um. Your Highness would be hurt.”

“Convey it to Your Highness for me. Look up at the sky.”

Ivan stood up and said.

*

“Has there been any change?”

“Yes, sir! The text in the [Quest Log] has changed!”

Ivan nodded at Eugene’s words.

After Dmitri left, Eugene returned to the office and quickly wrote down the changed text in the quest log.

[“B-rank Linked Quest” Crasiloph Palace Intrigue]

“The princess aims to seize control of the palace by exploiting the Crown Prince’s weakness. Now, the fate of the Crasiloph royal family rests in your hands!”

[Objective: Prove the close relationship between Captain Callion of the Calyon Airship, following the princess’s command, and the Crown Prince.]

[Selected Objective: Ensure the survival of all airship crew members.]

[Selected Objective: Airship sabotage.]

[Selected Objective: Expose the conspiracy to Crown Prince Alexander and proceed with the next linked quest.]

[Objective Reward: ????]

[Failure Penalty: ????]

After reading the memo once, Ivan nodded.

“This time, you’re coming with me on this mission.”

“…Me? Why me?”

“We need to see how the rewards are given and how the quest progresses.”

This ‘quest’ generally gets introduced before an ‘incident’ occurs.

Naturally, that’s the way it should be. There’s no point in assigning a quest for an event that has already concluded.

Therefore, quests serve as an early warning system for events about to unfold.

The quest that appeared before Dmitry’s visit was the [Palace Intrigue]. It involved unraveling the conspiracy surrounding the airship and choosing a side between the princess and the Crown Prince to carry out the mission.

In other words, a ‘faction choice’ quest.

Though the faction choice hadn’t been completed yet, the moment Ivan heard about the princess’s plan, the quest’s content changed. It shifted to progressing the mission in the form of advancing the conspiracy.

A real-time early warning system. A very valuable resource.

Ivan looked at Eugene, who was becoming increasingly valuable, and thought.

“The possessed individuals I know are the Demon King, the Hero, and me.”

The commonality among them is that they were all beings who excelled in their respective fields.

And considering the potential this guy shows, although still immature.

“The other possessed individuals might have similar potential.”

What abilities they possess.

What stories they hold.

And what kind of ending they will face.

The Demon King is dead, the Hero has disappeared, and he still remains.

So what about the other possessed individuals? If they conclude their stories, will they die? Disappear? Or will they remain?

There was much to find out, a sure way to find out, and a reason to know.

“Tomorrow morning, persuade an elf named Oswald and Yuri, and start the operation tomorrow night.”

“What should I do then, sir?”

“Listen.”

This guy needs to be trained as an agent. Ivan nodded as he thought so.

*