Chapter 408 - Pre-Battle Conference
After talking with Moore, we've decided on our next objective. Our enemy is a force from outside the continent, some group called Gulgandi, apparently named after a country. With our target set, there's no room for unnecessary thoughts. When dealing with invaders, there's no need for restraint. It’s a straightforward and simple task, and that’s a good thing.
However, the need for secrecy complicates matters. We can’t afford to draw attention, especially since we’re still outsiders in this country. If we were to cause a commotion, the authorities might impose penalties on the Kikyo Society, even if they're just for show. We need to avoid such situations until the dust settles. In any normal city, public opinion can’t be ignored.
We need to find a way to achieve our goals without drawing attention.
The information we have suggests that the Gulgandi have already established a foothold, but we should be able to get a comprehensive understanding of their hideouts once we receive the files from the Intelligence Department. In five days, we expect their main force, which consists of elite units, to arrive. If we can crush these vanguards, we might be able to force the enemy to retreat for a while.
The battle will take place in five days, which is also during the summer break. This means we can wrap up this major conflict before the break is over.
Once we finish these pesky tasks, the plan is to focus on escorting the young master and resuming our roles as instructors at the Academy. The Academy members will return to their regular school life, while Gradena, Heidi, and the others can return to Exembra. Even if some stay behind for future plans, there’s no need for everyone to stay. This will finally allow us to return to our normal routines.
It’s been a lot, but now that we can see the end, a sense of relief washes over me.
On that day, I didn’t talk about work with anyone, even after everyone returned from their activities.
The next day, we shifted from vacation mode to training mode. The early morning exercises included the kids who were on break, like Valeria and the others. The spacious grounds of the Academy, empty of other students, provided ample room for our training.
We ran sprints with super-heavy bags, pushed ourselves to the brink of mana exhaustion in magical combat training, and left everyone battered and bruised in hand-to-hand combat. Only then did we allow a break.
As my sister lay there blue in the face, I decided to tell her about the previous day’s developments.
"By the way, the Leader is coming over," I said.
"...Huh?" She seemed too exhausted to process what I was saying. I figured I could talk to her later, after the training.
Seeing this as an opportunity, I decided to push them even harder to shake off their rust.
By the time the sky was painted with a beautiful sunset, we called it a day.
The Academy members, having been away from combat for a while, were a bit out of shape.
"This is Gradena. Yukari, can you come over?" I asked through a comm device.
A moment later, a magical response came through.
"This is Shinogami. What is it?"
"A messenger from the Intelligence Department just arrived. They left a box that only you can open."
"Ah, Moore talked to me about a job yesterday. It’s probably related to that."
They must have sent the files quickly.
"That guy’s really on his game, isn’t he?"
"From what I’ve heard, it sounds like a big job," I replied.
"That’s great to hear. Should we gather everyone?"
"Sure. Everyone, finish up your tasks and meet at the hideout in the hotel. Make it after dinner, maybe. If you’re going to be significantly late, let us know. And if anyone else is out of communication range, pass the message along."
I cut the communication and looked at the girls sprawled out on the ground, feeling exasperated.
"Everyone, go back to your rooms and rest. Valeria, you too."
"...Onee-sama, I can’t move..."
"Yukari-san, Sigurdnaught’s passed out."
"Passed out? I admire your perseverance, but you’ve pushed yourself too hard."
I could commend them for completing a similar training regimen to ours.
"Alright, I’ll get everyone’s dinner. Go back to your rooms and rest."
With that, I walked towards the vehicle.
By nightfall, everyone had gathered at the hideout in the hotel. The atmosphere was a mix of tension and anticipation, likely because I mentioned it was a big job.
"Let’s open the box," I said.
I opened the box the Intelligence Department had sent, which was secured with a magical authentication key. Inside were documents. I quickly flipped through them.
"...Yeah, that’s about what I expected."
"Yukari, what’s the job about?" someone asked.
Since we were the last to arrive, I hadn’t had a chance to brief anyone yet.
"To put it simply, our job is to crush a force from outside the continent. This is the information you need."
I told them that the enemy was called Gulgandi and that the undead and the Empire’s forces would be handled by Berliza’s full strength.
"They’re giving us an enemy to handle? The Intelligence Department sure has some nerve."
"I know, right? What do you think, Layla?"
Layla, who was an assistant in the Intelligence Bureau, had a valuable perspective. I had a good feeling about it, but if Layla or Heidi thought it was a bad idea, we might need to reconsider.
After quickly scanning the documents, Layla took a moment to think before speaking.
"I have a high regard for Moore. He’s as competent as Rosmerta-sama, if not more so."
That was a significant compliment. We all thought Moore was as ruthless and reliable as that woman. Layla’s impression was that his abilities were on par with Rosmerta’s.
We listened quietly as she chose her words carefully.
"Moore’s exact position and background remain unclear, but he’s not on Rosmerta-sama’s level. Rosmerta is like the heart of the Kingdom of Brenark, a high-ranking official, while Moore is just a member of the Intelligence Department. From what I gather, he’s probably the second or third son of a middle-ranking noble family. Despite his position, he’s nowhere near the heart of the nation."
"However, what he shares with us is the close relationship he maintains with the Kikyo Society. As you know, Berliza is one of the continent’s major powers, a superpower in its own right. Even the recently strengthened Kingdom of Brenark can’t match its might. With such a nation behind us, dealing with Gulgandi should be entirely possible without our help. Objectively speaking, our forces might not be necessary."
Hmm, if Layla says so, that must be the case.
"If that’s true, why are they offering us a reward to do the job? Is it a trap?"
"I think it’s similar to Rosmerta’s approach. In short, it’s about taking credit and protecting oneself."
"How does using us as a fighting force benefit Moore?"
"What’s the difference between using Berliza’s own forces and ours?"
"Well, we’re a cost-effective external contractor. We can complete difficult tasks at a lower cost compared to the expenses and negotiations required within Berliza. If Moore and the Intelligence Department can claim they eliminated one of the enemy forces through their own initiative, it’s a significant achievement. And the central figure in this success would be Moore himself, who has established ties with us."
True, it’s mutually beneficial. We’re doing the job because there’s something in it for us.
"I never took this as an easy job, but I have to admit we’re a good deal. So, what about the protection part?"
"The Kikyo Society serves as a shield for Moore. We’re one of the notorious Three Great Families of Exembra and are known as the most dangerous untouchables. After the war in the Medek-Legisamo Empire, few in power would underestimate the Kikyo Society’s strength. To the other nobles, our close relationship with Moore suggests he has strong backing. Additionally, having connections with an organization separate from the Anastasia Union is viewed favorably by the Intelligence Department."
I see. If anyone tries to harm him, we won’t stand idly by. Moore doesn’t mention this to us, but it’s a point in his favor. The mere perception of having ties to criminals can also serve as a deterrent to potential adversaries.
In the cutthroat world of noble politics, while I don’t know exactly what Moore is after, the presence of a violent organization as a backup is valuable. Even if it’s just Layla’s guess, it makes sense.
Considering all this, he does indeed remind me of Rosmerta in terms of political acumen.
"There’s also the fact that if we’re the ones to handle the Gulgandi, Berliza can deny any involvement if something goes wrong. It can be framed as a private conflict between shadow organizations, thus avoiding any entanglements for Berliza’s authorities."
From our perspective, the Kikyo Society is a convenient tool to use against forces from outside the continent. Plus, the enemy is a small but problematic group. A larger force might not be able to handle them effectively, and Berliza’s elite units are needed elsewhere. This is why a small, elite team like ours is ideal.
"As long as it’s not a bad deal for us, it’s fine. We’ll crush them as ordered."
"Agreed. I don’t intend to fail, but even if we do, they probably have backup plans. For now, let’s handle it as we usually do. Secretly eliminating the Gulgandi is the tricky part, but we’ll leave that to Layla and the others to figure out."
"Leave it to us."
This is a crucial job for Berliza and Moore, as well as for us, looking ahead. But there’s no need to overthink it; a routine approach should yield results.
We then delved into the specifics of the job, sharing details about the enemy and discussing the rewards.
Viola seemed to have a question.
"Excuse me, but are the eight large vehicles, the supplies on board, and the ship itself part of the reward? The ship appears to be a regular passenger liner. Is it permissible to seize a civilian ship?"
The ship in question isn’t just carrying Gulgandi operatives; it’s also loaded with many ordinary passengers.
The ship is about 13,000 tons, 200 meters long, 27 meters wide, with a capacity for 580 passengers and around 300 vehicles, making it quite large.
On the day of the operation, the ship is expected to be nearly full, with only about 30 Gulgandi operatives onboard, mostly civilian passengers. Seizing such a ship with civilian casualties would likely cause problems.
"According to our information, the ship is owned by a company with ties to the Gulgandi. From the perspective of the nation under attack, a civilian ship used to infiltrate operatives is fair game. Such a ship could be legally seized or even sunk at sea without complaint."
"However, seizing it would result in the deaths of many civilians, causing significant issues. The conflict between nations is still covert. The goal is to eliminate the Gulgandi without giving the enemy a pretext. If we can prove it was a work vessel, we can ignore any complaints."
"Using the ship openly or decommissioning it would be wasteful. Since a return of the vessel is out of the question, they’re probably giving us free rein with it."
"Berliza, especially since they plan to eliminate all Gulgandi operatives, likely won’t use the ship for negotiations."
The Information Bureau members shared their insights.
I hadn’t fully realized the ship’s size until I reviewed the documents. Ships are incredibly expensive, and this one likely cost several billion Gist to build, possibly over 100 billion.
If we sold it, it might fetch around 50 billion, but it might be better to use it ourselves. However, securing a crew might be challenging. We could consult with the shipping industry in Rigaheim.
"Still, it sounds like a complicated job. When exactly do we seize the ship? The Gulgandi operatives will disembark, and the next day, the ship will take on new passengers. What should we do with the crew, especially since there’s no specific instruction?"
"The ship takes on passengers the morning after it arrives, so we need to act before then. We can hand over the crew to the Intelligence Department. While some may be innocent, they were involved in an illegal operation, and it’s not our problem if they were unaware."
"As far as Berliza’s laws are concerned, the crew of a work vessel can be executed without issue. The lack of specific instructions suggests the Intelligence Department doesn’t care."
It might be simpler to eliminate them all, but that’s not a given. It’s better to avoid unnecessary killing if possible, as it’s irreversible.
"Wait, can I ask something? The crew might have been unaware of their involvement. Some may be loyal to Berliza. If we kill them rashly, it could cause more problems."
Indeed, that’s a valid concern. Avoiding unnecessary complications is the goal, but causing more issues by acting imprudently would defeat the purpose.
"If there are casualties or people go missing, it could attract attention from the Bluecoats. The Information Department likely wants to avoid unnecessary pressure. Depending on the crew’s background, the situation could get more complicated."
"We could capture the crew discreetly, question them, and deal with the guilty parties. If they’re innocent, we could release them at an appropriate time. Even innocent crew members, if made aware of their complicity in a major crime, might avoid stirring up trouble."
"It will depend on how we handle the situation and the persuasive techniques we use. We can leave that to the Information Department. If we need to eliminate someone, we can make it look like an accident or the work of the Gulgandi. If the Intelligence Department wants the crew, we can hand them over."
The Information Department members shared their thoughts and methods. I had no objections, and my sister seemed to agree that avoiding hasty killings was the right approach.
Ultimately, whether they’re aware of their crimes or not, their actions are still criminal, especially as accomplices to the enemy vanguard. If left unchecked, they could harm many civilians through acts of terror. The world isn’t that forgiving, but helping them live might be a fair compromise.
After that, we discussed the specific actions we would take against the Gulgandi.
Our task is to engage in a covert operation, one that remains hidden from the public eye. It requires careful planning and execution.
Indeed, this is the way of the shadows.
Most people, except for a few, will never know what we do, and they won’t thank us. We won’t receive recognition for a job well done, but such is the nature of the work.
We’re not in it for thanks from ordinary people. We’re criminals, and we’ll continue to commit our share of misdeeds. Receiving gratitude would only complicate things.
We can let others take the credit for the victories.
The meeting was primarily about discussion, but I suppose that’s a good place to end the break.
The battle against Gulgandi will begin in the next chapter!