Chapter 69 - 7
Two days before the annihilation operation was set to commence, the Military Police and the inspectors met for the first time. Due to the top-secret nature of the mission, this meeting was officially held as a “gathering for representatives of the Military Police and Inspectorate to exchange opinions on current kingdom security issues and deepen mutual friendship.”
However, there was absolutely no friendly sense of ‘camaraderie’ among those who had gathered. While the inspectors were one thing, the Military Police’s dislike of them was extreme, to the point that it could be called a military tradition.
To begin with, the two organizations were vastly different in character.
The Military Police had a relatively large number of members who had worked their way up from the bottom. It was a large household with a hodgepodge of ranks. Being part of the military, its organizational structure was complex, and it was a strict body with rigid rules and hierarchies.
On the other hand, the inspectors were an elite group. Under the Inspector General, only those who cleared rigorous exams and personality assessments that covered the finest details could join.
It was also a special agency with only the King, Prime Minister, and other Ministers standing above the Inspector General. This was a world apart from the difficult position of the Military Police, who were influenced by the military’s internal class structure even during investigations.
For this reason, there was a certain incompatibility between them. In fact, it seemed there had been no verbal exchange between the two sides until Gerald, who was to command the joint force, arrived.
When Gerald and Ritz, who had been appointed his second-in-command, entered the room, they could feel a strange atmosphere swirling with suspicion.
Sensing this keenly, Gerald cast a troubled glance at Ritz, who was behind him. It certainly wasn't an easy situation. But there were only two days left until the operation. Bickering now would get them nowhere.
Upon noticing Gerald, everyone stood and greeted the two with respect.
"Thank you all for coming. Please, be seated."
After bowing to Gerald, who spoke calmly, everyone took their seats. The meeting began once Gerald and Ritz sat in the central chairs.
Ritz was not in disguise at all this time. It was the first time he had entered the royal palace as himself since leaving Sears thirty-five years ago. He wore a military uniform, but it bore no markings indicating his affiliation or rank. The casual way he wore it, with the collar clasp undone, gave a slightly strange impression. No one would be able to guess who he was.
The moment they saw Ritz, bitter expressions appeared on the faces of the Military Police. As the branch with the strictest discipline, they must have thought him some insolent young upstart for wearing his uniform so sloppily.
But with his appointment coming directly from the King and a Minister, they, who existed in a society of ranks, had no grounds to complain.
At Gerald's and Ritz’s request, only the thirty people directly participating in the operation were present. They had decided that having the feuding Inspector Generals attend would only complicate matters further.
Ritz was unfamiliar with the Military Police, but he saw that on the inspector’s side, all but a few were acquaintances of his.
This was to be expected, as Kenny’s squad, who had traveled with Ritz and the others from Faldina to the capital, was still investigating the attempted assassination of the King.
"I know you're all busy, but we have only two days until the operation. Today, I want you all to re-examine the plans of both the Military Police and the Inspectorate and frankly exchange your opinions so that we can operate as a single unit."
Though Gerald made this declaration, he seemed unused to meetings and at a loss for how to proceed, turning to look at Ritz beside him. He was clearly asking for help.
Ritz wanted to avoid standing out too much from the start, but simply letting time pass in silence would be a waste. It couldn't be helped. For now, Ritz would have to take the lead.
Besides, the Military Police members had been looking at Ritz with suspicion from the beginning, so he had to do something about that as well. To ensure a smooth operation, the most important thing, no matter the situation, was for everyone to get to know each other.
Ritz stood up, surveyed the room, and opened his mouth with a smile.
"Before we exchange opinions, how about we all introduce ourselves?"
At this lighthearted proposal, so unsuited to the heavy atmosphere, a Military Police squad leader in his forties with a fitting mustache stood up and showed his anger toward Ritz.
"Introduce ourselves? What nonsense is this! This isn't a social gathering for women and children!"
Until now, everyone had respected him as a Minister, but once the disguise was off, this was the result. Ritz felt a sense of delight at this unfiltered emotion being directed at him after so long.
"What's wrong with it? The official reason for this meeting is a social gathering, after all."
The Military Police grew incensed at Ritz’s unflinching demeanor.
"Are you messing with us, you brat?!"
The air froze at the squad leader’s furious words. Even the man who said it looked startled. The Military Police captain’s face clearly read, What have I done… going against His Majesty the King's personnel choice…
Oh, dear. He doesn't seem to feel sorry for offending me, though. Just as Ritz was smiling wryly, Kenny shot to his feet.
"Don't be so rude! This man is—"
Sensing things were heading in a direction different from what he intended, Ritz grew flustered.
"Kenny, calm down. It's fine."
"But…"
"It's fine. Sit down."
"Yes, sir…"
Spoken to so firmly by Ritz, Kenny’s shoulders slumped as he sat down. A mutter from the Military Police side reached Ritz’s ears.
"So he's connected to the Inspectorate…"
Damn, this is getting complicated. He'd have to handle this himself before things got out of hand.
"I don't belong to any organization. I just happened to meet Kenny during a little incident."
Ritz offered a genuine smile to the still-suspicious Military Police. Distrust could destroy teamwork. He had to get them to trust each other somehow.
"I'm Ritz. I don't have a rank or anything, so just call me by name. It's a bit confusing since I have the same name as a relative of the Minister, but I'm not a soldier. I'm a friend of His Highness, and until recently, I was a mercenary captain on the battlefields of Tarnien. I just happened to be back in Yuresla when His Majesty the King requested I serve as His Highness's guard and strategist. I'm a mercenary with no rank or title, so feel free to say whatever you want. That's all."
Everyone stared at Ritz in confusion as he suddenly began explaining himself without any preamble. But Ritz didn't flinch at all.
"What you all probably want to know most is who this young brat you've never seen before is, right? Well, I'm not actually that young, though."
His last words came out as a mumble. It didn't matter if they heard that part or not. The Military Police surely wanted to know who he was in a literal sense, and Kenny and the others likely wanted to know what cover story he was using for this operation. So, in that sense, his words weren't wrong.
"Anyway, I was the one who suggested introductions, so I figured I'd go first."
With that said, Ritz calmly looked back and forth between the Military Police captain and Kenny.
"It'll be easier to coordinate and even to argue if we know each other's names, right? So, Captain, please introduce your subordinates. Well?"
The Military Police captain remained silent, apparently still not convinced, though Ritz had steered the conversation in an unavoidable direction. He was said to be a meritocrat who had worked his way up. He was probably still debating whether to trust a man who had suddenly appeared as a friend of royalty.
In the end, it was Gerald's resolute words that convinced the captain.
"This is my first time commanding a military force. Though it's a small group for this top-secret mission, it is a great responsibility, and to be honest, I'm not entirely confident. I imagine you are all quite anxious as well."
As everyone remained silent, Gerald slowly looked around the room. Ritz saw in his eyes a will to judge for himself. His words continued.
"But as long as I am carrying out this operation with you, I want to properly know the names of everyone whose lives I am entrusted with. Is it wrong for a commander to think this way, First Platoon Leader of the Military Police Third Division?"
"You are correct, Your Highness…"
Those quiet, gentle, yet heavy words, tinged with determination, resonated in the chests of everyone present. They all reflected on the tense atmosphere up to that point and straightened their posture.
Ritz clasped his hands behind his head and lightly closed his eyes. For a commander to utter those words before heading into battle scores highly on my scale. The only regret is that if he had said them from the start, the meeting could have begun without any issue and without me having to step in.
At any rate, Ritz was now convinced that Gerald was not entirely unsuited for the role of commander.
"Now then, I'd like the Military Police to state their affiliations and names."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The rest of the meeting proceeded relatively smoothly. Everyone had, for the time being, put the conflict between the two organizations on the back burner.
Lieutenant Altman, the first platoon leader of the Military Police’s Third Division, which handled special missions involving narcotics and spirit magic, began his explanation of the drug organization’s headquarters. Incidentally, he had worked his way up from a common soldier, having attended neither a military preparatory school nor a military academy.
"We've identified the enemy's hideout as a mansion located past the outer wall surrounding the capital, along the commoners' road. From this palace, it's about an hour's ride at a slow pace on horseback."
At Altman’s prompting, his second-in-command produced a map of the Royal Capital and its surroundings.
"From the capital, you proceed along this road by the coast. When the forest comes into view to the north, the mansion is on a cliff on the sea side… This is their base."
The indicated location was marked in red.
"I see…"
Ritz murmured, staring at the spot. There's likely a hidden dock on the sea side behind this mansion, out of sight from the highway. It's probably cleverly concealed from the sea as well, so passing ships wouldn't have noticed. They must have used it to bring the drugs to the port district by boat and transport their profits the same way…
"You found the headquarters so quickly. At the last meeting, you said you hadn't found it yet."
At Ritz’s impressed words, Altman furrowed his brow suspiciously.
"…It's our job."
Right, I'm not supposed to have been at the last meeting. The Minister was. As if nothing had happened, Ritz looked back at Altman.
"How were you able to pinpoint it in such a short time?"
At this turn of phrase, Altman replied with a somewhat reluctant expression.
"Unfortunately, the credit isn't ours. It was thanks to information from the Inspectorate. Upon reinvestigating the actions of the low-ranking noble reported at the last meeting, we found that this man, who had been struggling to make ends meet, suddenly purchased such a lavish mansion."
"I see… And have you confirmed this?"
When Ritz asked this without looking up from the map, Altman paused, fixed his gaze on Ritz's face for a moment, and then offered something close to a wry smile. It seemed he had understood that the royal's friend was not a complete amateur but someone with actual combat experience. A minimal understanding, but an understanding nonetheless.
"Despite buying such a grand mansion, this low-ranking noble has not moved in. Nevertheless, there are signs that a large number of people are currently staying there."
"So a Military Police informant confirmed the faces of the people inside, is that it?"
Ritz stayed one step ahead of what he was trying to say. Altman let out a soft chuckle and nodded.
"Exactly. It's as if you were the one who received the report, Ritz or whatever your name is."
"I'll take that as a compliment, Lieutenant Altman."
Though half-sarcastic, it was certain that he had been acknowledged, however slightly. That would be enough to carry out this operation.
"How about the Inspectorate? Any changes in your investigation status?"
When Ritz turned the conversation to Kenny, Kenny stood up. Incidentally, despite being more than ten years younger than Altman, Kenny held the rank of Major, two ranks higher. He was an elite who had graduated from both preparatory and military academies and began his career as a second lieutenant.
Herein lay one of the root causes of the conflict between the Military Police and the Inspectorate. Although it was unavoidable given the nature of their work, it was likely a source of frustration for those who had risen through the ranks.
"We haven't narrowed down the suspects. However, we have some concerning information. Please take a look at this."
At Kenny’s command, his subordinate produced a chart. The names of about ten individuals were written on it.
"This is a list of nobles and military personnel that the murdered low-ranking noble grew close to since the summer."
Gerald took the list and scowled as he read it. Ritz peered over his shoulder. Gerald let out a sigh-like murmur.
"…There are high-ranking nobles and key military figures here…"
"Yes, Your Highness. Of course, we can't say that all of them are the culprits involved in the assassination attempt. A few of them were likely just used for information gathering. But among them is someone who tried to assassinate the King."
Ritz looked at the list, but he couldn't match the names to faces. With a gap of over thirty years, that was only natural.
"Who do you think it is, Kenny?"
Ritz looked up from the list and asked.
"The most likely suspect is this person."
The name Kenny pointed to was that of a noble from an old, distinguished family.
Marquis Joseph Walter.
"…I can't believe the Marquis would do such a thing…"
Altman muttered just that before falling silent. Walter was famous in the military for his integrity. The idea that he would plot to assassinate the King was likely unbelievable to the earnest Altman.
Marquis Walter had served as a close confidant to Prince Richard, the younger brother of the false king Stewart, during the civil war. He was the man who later saved many soldiers from the horrors of death in battle through a courageous surrender.
Naturally, he had been an enemy of Ritz and Edward. Ritz had fought him directly, but in the thirty-five years since leaving the capital, he had never once seen the man.
After the civil war, he was supposed to have worked with the then-commander of the Royal Regular Army under Edward to rebuild the military, demonstrating great skill in the Kingdom Defense Department.
He was well past seventy, and it had been ten years since he retired from the military alongside the commander of the Royal Regular Army. The story was that he was now living a quiet, retired life in a mansion on the outskirts of Sears.
"Could there be some mistake? General Walter wasn't that kind of man."
"I don't want to believe it either, sir. But there is no doubt that the murdered low-ranking noble was frequently visiting the Marquis. Moreover, the Marquis has long been retired from the military. There would be no need for him to visit for information gathering."
"But for what purpose?"
"…I don't know. But there is no doubt that he is involved in a plot to take His Majesty the King’s life and in the organization spreading the narcotic. It is most likely related to Prince Richard in some way."
A heavy atmosphere fell, and everyone fell silent. Ritz, too, was lost in thought. Having participated in the civil war, he knew the name Walter. He had fought against him, and some of his old acquaintances had been friends with Walter.
After looking at the list for a while in thought, Gerald said nothing and simply placed the list face down on the table.
"First, let's annihilate the organization. Then we'll have you thoroughly investigate that matter."
"As you wish."
"Now then, let's decide on the course of action for the operation."
With that, Gerald spread out the mansion's floor plan, which had been submitted by the Military Police.
"It's big…"
Kenny and Altman, who were peering at the floor plan along with Ritz, nodded silently at his murmur. Despite being built on a cliff, the mansion was quite large.
It had three floors above ground, and each room was quite spacious. Yet there were over twenty rooms in total. Some rooms were connected by hallways, while others were separated by doors. The layout was varied, with no two rooms having the same shape.
"It's a rather unusual building. Did the culprits build it?"
Looking up from the blueprints, Gerald asked Altman.
"No, Your Highness. It was built by a wealthy merchant. I hear it had been abandoned for a long time before the low-ranking noble purchased and repaired it."
Altman paused for a moment, let out a small sigh, and continued.
"To be honest, this floor plan is from before those repairs were made. We obtained it from the merchant who sold the house to the noble."
His words were tinged with regret and apology.
"I see. An old floor plan. So we don't know what it's like now?"
"That is correct, Your Highness. I have no excuse."
Gerald patted the apologetic Altman on the shoulder and smiled.
"It's all right, Altman. You did well to obtain even this much in such a short time."
As Altman bowed, Ritz finally looked up from the floor plan and asked.
"The exterior hasn't changed, right?"
"Apparently not. The merchant went to see it once after the repairs were finished, but he said he couldn't tell what had been fixed from the outside."
"I see…"
This wasn't much of a clue.
"Is there any information about the interior of the mansion? The basement or the attic?"
Looking up as he asked, Ritz saw Altman shake his head.
"Unfortunately, our informants couldn't get that far inside. It's too dangerous right before the operation, so we haven't exchanged information with them for the past two days. It's possible they've found something by now, though."
"Are you sure?"
"No. We won't know until we meet up with them on the day of the operation."
"I see…"
Ritz muttered the question that popped into his head as if to himself.
"Even if they didn't have the time to build a new building from scratch, did they have enough funds to extensively renovate the interior?"
It was Altman who answered his murmur.
"They were likely funding their activities with the drug money, so they probably could have managed that much. The whereabouts of most of the profits they made from the drug are still a mystery."
That was true. At this point, they had no idea what had happened to the profits.
But Ritz knew one of the ways the funds were being used. A large sum must have been spent on the mansion and living expenses for one of the masterminds, the former Crown Prince Stewart, who was trapped in the ‘Infinite Nightmare’.
That same Stewart was now sleeping soundly in a back room of the royal palace. He would likely remain that way until he died.
But now that former Crown Prince Stewart—who had built a mansion, kept servants, and had lavish meals prepared for him—was gone, why had they increased the number of people selling the drug? Shouldn't their operating funds be at a minimum now? Or was there some other purpose behind it?
Countless questions with no answers came to mind. Something wasn't right. It felt like if he could understand just one thing, everything would become clear…
Why increase the number of peddlers now… and why gather only untrustworthy thugs from the slums? He couldn't shake the feeling that something more than just fundraising was hidden there.
A split in the organization? A desperate scramble for more funds than planned?
No, that's not it.
Something felt wrong. He just didn't know what…
"Then let's move on to the finer details of the operation. First, the Inspectorate's policy…"
Beside him, as the operational procedures for the day were being decided, Ritz simply repeated that question over and over in his mind.
Unable to shake the sense of inconsistency, a faint unease lingering within him, the days passed, and finally, the day arrived.
The day of the Drug Cartel Annihilation Operation.
Only a very small number of people had gathered to see off the ten-man joint team of Military Police and inspectors, along with Gerald and Ritz.
"Be careful. Don't get hurt, okay?"
As he stood beside his horse, Anna looked up at him with a worried expression.
"I'll be fine."
"But…"
Her gaze shifted slightly, and in its direction stood a silent Franz. Though his expression was impassive, Franz's eyes, too, held a hint of anxiety as he looked up at Ritz.
Come to think of it, since meeting Anna and starting this new journey, this was the first time he would be leaving the two of them behind.
Ritz gave a wry smile and checked his own attire. Today, he was once again in that military uniform with no rank or affiliation. To the two of them, this outfit must look strange.
According to Anna, it wasn't just that it was unfamiliar; he didn't seem like the usual Ritz.
These two had learned of the top-secret mission after inadvertently hearing the date from Greig.
"Of course I will. Who do you think I am?"
To reassure her, Ritz replied to Anna brightly with a smile.
"Because…"
Lately, for some reason, Anna had been worrying about Ritz more than necessary. In the drawing room, he would sometimes feel a gaze, and when he looked, Anna would be watching him with a pensive look, only to offer a troubled smile when their eyes met.
Until now, Anna had been attached to Ritz with an attitude befitting her appearance, but those melancholic eyes made her seem as mature as her actual age.
It was probably because she had seen a different side of him, like when she saw him drinking alone or when he was strict with Greig. Yet, unlike before, she didn't come to ask him about it directly, nor did she seem to be consulting anyone else.
Ritz himself was a little worried about what kind of change had come over Anna's heart.
Perhaps the time would come when he would have to have a proper heart-to-heart with Anna. She perceived things more accurately than Franz and held them within her heart.
Ritz was beginning to realize that.
But would that time ever come?
If he were to lose his life here, such a day would never arrive. If that happened, he hoped Franz would be able to talk properly with Anna.
He felt that Franz, too, was starting to look forward, compared to those days when he had closed off his heart.
He glanced over at Franz, and their eyes met. Franz didn't say anything in particular, just gave a small nod. He supposed he was trusted to be okay, at least.
Next to the two of them was Greig. They hadn't spoken since the recent incident, but when Ritz looked at him, the boy averted his face with a slight pout. It seemed he still didn't understand what Ritz had said. What a handful.
Just as everyone had lined up, Edward appeared. The cold, clear morning air grew even more taut with tension.
It was a strange sight.
There was no one else but these twenty-odd people, and yet here was the King, in the courtyard of a still-sleeping royal castle. The Prime Minister was even standing beside him.
No one else knew of this gathering. Originally, Edward was not scheduled to be here. That was why the Military Police Inspector General and the Inspectorate Inspector General were also absent. The King had come here on a personal matter. Just like Anna and Franz.
Ritz understood how he felt. He had taken a strong stance with his son publicly, but inwardly, he must not have been calm.
Edward quietly surveyed everyone. His gaze paused for a moment on Ritz, then settled intently on Gerald.
"Gerald, how are you feeling now?"
"Yes, Father. I am extremely tense."
The two voices echoed surprisingly loud in the cold air.
"And why are you tense?"
"Because of this position, where my decisions will determine the life and death of those present here."
After a moment of silence, Edward nodded slowly.
"Never forget that, Gerald. For now, it is a mission where thirty lives are at stake, but to protect the country is to carry the lives of all the people of Yuresla on your shoulders."
"Yes, Father."
From Gerald, who bowed his head deeply, Edward sent his gaze to Ritz.
"Ritz… I'm counting on you."
Those words, which didn't specify what he was being asked to do, were heavy.
To protect Gerald's life, and to advise Gerald so that everyone here does not lose their lives due to wrong orders. He understood that this was the role assigned to him now.
He nodded silently, and Edward, seeming to understand Ritz's answer perfectly well, nodded back.
Leaving the royal palace, the group proceeded through the silence of the city, letting their horses walk quietly. At this pace, it was expected to take nearly two hours to reach their destination.
But they wouldn't continue at this pace the whole way. The plan was to proceed slowly, as if heading for a military exercise, until they were a little way out of the capital.
Ritz looked at the pocket watch tucked casually into the pocket of his military uniform. It was something distributed to everyone as it was necessary for this mission. When splitting into several groups, synchronizing time was indispensable for such a mission.
The current time was five in the morning…
Walking and looking at the dimly lit city from horseback, before the sun had fully risen, it seemed that they, heading to the headquarters of a case involving narcotics and the attempted assassination of the king, were a terribly strange existence.
The people knew nothing. If this incident wasn't resolved without their knowledge, it would cast a dark shadow over the capital.
"Ritz, did you get any sleep?"
Gerald, who was riding beside him, asked.
"This isn't my first battle. Of course I slept."
"I see… You're right. I couldn't at all. I didn't sleep a wink."
It couldn't be helped for a first-timer. But was it okay for him not to have slept? Looking at him, there were indeed dark circles under Gerald's eyes.
"Are you all right? Today's going to be tough."
"I'm fine. I'm full of nervous energy. I won't be falling asleep at the headquarters."
Ritz felt a little relieved at Gerald's quiet smile.
"If you can joke like that, you'll be fine."
"You think so? Then maybe I will be okay."
After that, the two of them rode on in silence for a while. As they passed his house, he could see Joe and Evans standing inside the gate.
Those two had also learned about today's events and the incident, thanks to Greig barging in. When Joe noticed Ritz, he gave a light wink and a wave, and Joe waved back with a smile.
"An acquaintance?"
Gerald asked, looking puzzled. Ritz replied.
"I told you before, didn't I? Anna suddenly made a friend and is living with a kid. That's him."
Gerald's face broke into a smile.
"Then that child is my senior. He, like me, was taught by Anna how to make friends."
"Exactly."
When they reached the giant gate in the outer wall leading out of the city, Kenny called out loudly to the soldiers guarding it.
"We request you open the gate!"
Two soldiers came out from the guardhouse next to the gate.
"Do you have a permit? We can't open the gate at this hour without one."
Kenny took out the permit and handed it to the soldier.
"This is indeed an official permit. Opening of the gate is approved."
The soldier who read the permit looked up with a start. He hurriedly looked at the head of the group. The soldier confirmed the figure on horseback and then gave the most respectful salute.
"My apologies. Please pass, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Thank you."
And so, the Drug Cartel Annihilation Unit began its advance onto the early morning highway.