Chapter 407 - The Path to the End
When they left Anastasia Union Headquarters, it was already dusk.
There’s no need to rush like the others who are going to storm the place.
"Yukari, do you want to stop by anywhere else?"
Gradena, who was holding the steering wheel, said with a sleepy face.
They had been busy all day, from fighting undead in the daylight to visiting both the church and Anastasia Union Headquarters, discussing various matters. It wasn’t particularly tiring, but they were all a bit fatigued from the lack of sleep and the day’s activities. Hunger was also creeping in, and it was about time to call it a night.
"Let’s go back to the hotel. We can call Valeria and the others and order some room service?"
"Sure, why not? Let’s go all out this time. We might as well invite Heidi and the others too; they don’t have any urgent work to do, right?"
The Intelligence Bureau members were keeping an eye on the underground movements in Beltoria, focusing on the actions of those from outside the continent and the Empire, as these could provide valuable insights for the future. However, they weren’t directly involved in securing Beltoria.
Anastasia Union was reportedly planning to raid the Empire’s hideout, but watching a one-sided battle from afar wasn’t very meaningful. This was a good opportunity to give everyone a break.
"...That’s true. We haven’t had a chance to do this in a while, so let’s get everyone together."
"Alright, then I’ll gather everyone."
Gradena immediately started calling the others. This would be a welcome change of pace for everyone, and it was especially good to force Layla and Heidi to take a break. They all worked too much, and today was a good day to let loose and ensure everyone was off duty the next day as well. There wouldn’t be any issues unless there was an urgent call.
On the way back, they bought only alcohol and snacks, leaving the rest to the hotel to prepare.
When they returned, just as the sun was setting, everyone was already gathered.
"Onee-sama!"
"President, Third Seat, welcome back."
"You must have had a tough day. Thank you for your hard work."
"I’ll take those, thank you!"
The large amount of alcohol and snacks they carried was immediately taken and placed on the table.
Everyone was in high spirits. It had been a long time since they all gathered like this, and the atmosphere was lively.
"Phew, I’m starving. Is the food ready yet?"
"It should be here soon. By the way, Sigurdnaught was eating bread before dinner,"
"Roberta! You didn’t have to say that, did you?"
"But she ate five whole loaves!"
"Valeria too!"
Eating five loaves of bread before dinner was indeed a lot. Valeria didn’t usually eat that much, but if she could maintain her figure, it wasn’t a problem.
While discussing this trivial but heartwarming matter, the food started arriving one by one.
Since it wasn’t a formal banquet, everyone ate and drank freely. It was a relaxed dining experience.
"Did Layla and the others finish up their tasks properly?"
"Third Seat called for everyone to gather immediately. They were in the middle of seizing newly arrived contraband."
"It’s fine. It was probably just to cause trouble, and we didn’t really want any of it."
"Well, Layla-san managed to take the good stuff with her."
"And she destroyed the rest. That’s more than enough for causing trouble, isn’t it?"
As usual, they gathered information, harassed the enemy, and made a bit of money all at once. It was typical of their members to do so much while enjoying themselves, and it was reassuring.
"What did you do today, Onee-sama?"
"I practiced with the Magic Dolls in the morning and visited the Central Church in Berliza in the afternoon. There were so many people that I could only observe from a distance."
"Yeah, it’s a big place, and it’s always crowded, especially after a major announcement."
Roberta, who had accompanied her, chimed in with a bit of a sour expression.
"There were many expensive cars parked on the large grounds, and it was off-limits to the general public. There were a lot of people surrounding the grounds, so it was quite a challenge just to get through."
"Onee-sama, there are rumors that the Wicked Princess is there too."
"That princess is a hero of justice. She won’t stay quiet, I’m sure. It would be nice if she could help with the undead."
"If she did, the church’s reputation would be tarnished. It’s possible that Berliza is anticipating this and is putting the Fourth Princess at the forefront to minimize the church’s impact. The Wicked Princess and her companions are few, but if their contributions are highlighted, it could reduce the church’s influence."
Violante, with her serious expression, shared her thoughts, which seemed quite plausible.
However, discussing work-related matters during such a gathering could dampen the mood. It was time for some lighthearted, enjoyable conversation.
"I’m looking forward to the Wicked Princess’s contributions. Valeria, can you pass me that fried fish? The seafood here is delicious, as you’d expect from a coastal city."
"Sure, the seasoning is different from Rigaheim’s, but it’s still very good. Should I order more?"
"That’s a good idea. If anyone else wants more, order whatever you like."
She said this loudly enough for everyone to hear. While there was no one in the room who would be overly shy, this was a good way to encourage everyone to enjoy themselves.
"Yay! Then I’m going to start a cake festival!"
"Me too, me too!"
"Alright, sounds good. I’m going to have a meat feast."
"You always do that, Gradena."
"Shut up! Today is going to be even more extravagant!"
Ah, this feeling was so familiar. They were back to their usual selves.
There was no avoiding this momentum.
"Alright, I’m joining the cake and meat festivals. Valeria and Onee-sama, you’re coming too!"
"Yes, Onee-sama!"
"Eh... me too?"
Today would be about having a good time and eating a lot, rather than drinking. They’d probably be too exhausted to move the next day.
Yeah, it’s good to have days like this once in a while.
The next morning, they woke up early as usual.
Despite all the chaos and heavy eating, they managed to relax and forget about the annoying tasks. Days like this were necessary from time to time.
They had gone to bed relatively early due to the accumulated fatigue and the energy spent celebrating, so they woke up early. While they could have slept in, their usual habits kicked in.
Today was a complete day off, so no early morning training. She listened to the calm breathing of the girl sleeping beside her and decided to try for some more sleep.
Indulging in this luxurious and unnecessary laziness was something she would never normally do, but it was a day off, after all.
The sound of breathing and the relaxed atmosphere quickly lured her back to sleep.
When consciousness returned, the first thing she noticed was the sound of paper being turned. She opened her eyes and turned her head slightly to see a beautiful young girl reading by the window.
Sitting straight in a chair, she was completely engrossed in her book, likely a fantasy novel.
She watched her for a moment, and the girl seemed to notice her gaze.
"Onee-sama sleeping in is unusual."
"Hmm, it’s rare, isn’t it?"
Judging by the light coming through the window, it was probably around mid-morning.
"Where is everyone? I don’t sense anyone else."
"Most of them went fishing."
Ah, yes, they had talked about that before going to bed. She had intended to have a day off, so she didn’t join. Valeria was spending the day reading, presumably to keep her company.
"Well, let’s go wash our faces and get something to eat."
She wasn’t one to laze around all day. She got out of bed, stretched, and suggested.
"Sure, let’s go."
Valeria must have also been hungry, judging by the cheerful smile on her face.
After quickly getting ready, they headed to the hotel’s lounge.
In the quiet lounge, they ordered light snacks and took their seats. Valeria struggled a bit with the large, hearty sandwich, which she found both challenging and delicious. Meanwhile, she glanced through the newspaper in her hands.
Recent events had been non-stop, and the amount of information was overwhelming. Even without reading the details, the large headline on the front page was enough to make her feel uneasy.
The first thought that came to mind was...
"...Ridiculous."
She felt deflated.
"Onee-sama?"
"Hmm, it’s delicious but a bit hard to eat. Here."
"Yes, the filling falls out, but it’s very tasty."
She didn’t want to ruin Valeria’s good mood, so she brushed it off.
The article reported another appearance of the undead, along with a detailed account of the tragic damage.
The initial report of the undead’s appearance had been impactful, but it felt more like a distant fairy tale, especially to those far from the conflict.
However, this new information, combined with the specific human cost, would likely make people who had previously thought it was someone else’s problem start to feel uneasy.
Despite this, the intentions of those behind the events were all too clear. This was nothing more than a staged drama. To those who suffered, it was a tragedy.
The church, which had been gradually declining over the years, seemed to be trying to regain its former glory by reigniting the battle against the undead. The plan was to release sealed undead and then have the well-prepared church destroy them, essentially setting a fire and then putting it out to look heroic—a classic case of setting up a problem to solve.
While most people might see through these shady plans, without concrete evidence, any accusations would be dismissed as unfounded. The church, despite its decline, remained a powerful and authoritative organization. There were likely many naive people who would believe the dubious claims. Criticizing the church could make one the target of backlash.
Moreover, political and organizational interests could lead some countries and entities to support the church’s dubious claims. Those with power, whether political, economic, or military, could shape the world to their advantage.
Even if the actions were clearly wrong, as long as the powerful acted without complaint, the powerless would be ignored. The world operated this way.
Being ridiculous didn’t matter if one had the power to enforce it.
In the battle against the undead, the church had a significant advantage by almost monopolizing information and resources.
The potential for more undead to appear was still high, and the frequency could be controlled by those who deliberately revived them.
Governments, unable to rely solely on the church, would still need to involve their own forces, however small. Newcomers or outsiders like themselves were not welcome on the main stage.
Even the small-scale battles they had engaged in, such as the research facility raid, could become training grounds for knights, soldiers, and major guild members.
She sighed. The church was the main player in this battle, and any efforts to reduce its influence would come from the individual forces of each country.
"I need to get to the bottom of this. Valeria, let’s head back to the room."
"I’ll go too. Let’s go."
They could have enjoyed some tea after the meal, but that could wait until the afternoon.
Back at their hideout, she immediately contacted Moore.
"---So, what are we supposed to do next? I was thinking we’re done here."
"Actually, the information on the undead ‘Dromarius’ and the raid on the research facility were highly praised by the higher-ups. The plan is to use that information to handle the undead with our own forces as much as possible. We’ve already started."
"That’s good to hear. So, the promised reward is still on the table, right?"
"Expect a full or nearly full payment."
Alright, no complaints there.
"I’m glad we weren’t undervalued. I’ll leave the undead to you and the church. The Ana—Anastasia Union seems to be making a move against the Empire. Did the raid go well yesterday?"
"I’ve heard it was completely crushed. They should have secured the main hideouts the Empire owned. Anastasia Union is continuing to dismantle organizations related to the Empire, especially those tied to the Legisamo Cartel."
The cartel’s strength was not to be underestimated, and targeting its related organizations meant a long and difficult battle. But if they couldn’t be defeated, they wouldn’t still be around.
Short-term conflicts were one thing, but could the cartel’s factions manage a prolonged war effectively?
"Can the current Anastasia Union handle such a significant victory?"
"I spoke with The Matriarch. The Grand Master Granzo is coming from Exembra. If he says he’ll do it, he will."
That was unexpected.
The Grand Master usually stayed away from internal power struggles and considered the Young Master’s feelings, but now he was moving.
"A faction that was split has come together? I don’t understand these people."
"Apparently, the Young Master relinquished his position and apologized to the Grand Master and the High Command. According to The Matriarch, it seems to be a result of your actions."
"Huh? That Young Master?"
"I don’t have all the details, but The Matriarch said it’s because of you. The faction’s structure had broken down."
Ah, it must be because of the beating they took. There had been opportunities for conversations with the Young Master afterward, and his mindset might have changed.
"As long as everything is settled, that’s fine. So, are we done here? I’d like to keep a low profile for a while."
"Actually, our country wants to concentrate our forces on the church and the undead. Anastasia Union will be busy dealing with the Empire and related organizations and won’t have the resources to handle other threats."
"So, that leaves the enemies outside the continent."
The undead had drawn the public’s attention, but Beltriza was facing a covert war. They needed to handle this separately, and the situation was challenging.
"Glad to hear that. We call them the Gulgandi. We have some information, and I’m sure you’ve gathered some too, right?"
"If you’re saying that, do you want us to take care of them?"
"They’re a small but troublesome group. We need to take them out secretly to avoid unnecessary chaos. It will be a difficult task... can we count on you? If you can, in five days would be ideal. A ship with additional personnel and supplies will be arriving. Most of the enemy will be there to welcome it, so it’s a good opportunity to take them all out."
Impressive. The intelligence department of a major country was well-informed. This was a chance for them, even if they thought their role was over. A successful operation would mean another significant achievement.
"Of course, we’ll take care of it, and we expect payment."
"Normally, we would take the seized supplies, but this time, you can do as you please with the ship."
He was probably being generous because the cargo wasn’t valuable, but the idea of taking the ship was intriguing.
"Interesting. In that case, we’ll need docking permissions at the port."
"We’ll take care of that. Also, I don’t want to hear complaints later, so I’ll say this now. The number of enemy combatants on the ship isn’t large, but they are not to be underestimated. They are elite among the elite."
"Why are you emphasizing this?"
"They are planning to land in the chaos of the undead situation, and we consider them extremely dangerous. We are assigning you this task based on our judgment, and failure is not an option. You must handle this."
For Beltriza, this was a critical moment. They were pouring most of their forces into the battles against the undead and the Empire, and entrusting the remaining threats to their Kikyo Society was a bold move.
"Failure? Who are you talking to? If anything, you can rely on our Kikyo Society in the future."
"All necessary information will be sent later. Thank you for your help."
The communication ended. She had initiated the contact, but they would likely reach out if they needed to.
"Onee-sama, is it work again?"
"Yeah. This might be our final big job."
"A big job, huh? Sounds exciting."
The details were still unclear, but if Moore was emphasizing the strength of the enemy, it wouldn’t be a pushover. Strong opponents were welcome to help her cursed body get back in shape.
"Heh, bring it on!"