Chapter 69 - Traitors and the Passing of Winter
"Yukari, Valeria, the upper floor’s clear."
"Amateurs who overestimated their magic—if they even had any real skill to begin with."
Gradena and Ophelia returned from upstairs. They showed no sign of fatigue. If anything, they looked refreshed, as if they’d finally gotten to cut loose after far too long.
Just then, Shelby and the others, who’d been outside, stepped in—followed by Jallens.
"Anything happen out there?"
"Anastasia Union, boss."
I see. So this area falls under the Anastasia Union’s territory.
If these armed thugs had ties to the organization, we’d have no choice but to sit down and have a proper talk. First, I needed to find out why they’d come here at all.
While we were piecing things together, the door burst open again with a bang.
"Fools daring to cause trouble in our turf?! This is Anastasia Union territory!"
Leading the group was a burly beastman youth, muscles taut beneath his skin. Behind him stood a family-like crew, heavily armed and mostly beastmen, eyes sharp and wary as they assessed our side.
Now then. If there was room for dialogue, I’d prefer not to pick a pointless fight with the Anastasia Union. But it didn’t look promising.
"That cloak… and the purple crest—Kikyo Society?!"
"Kikyo Society?! So you came looking for a fight? Bring it on!"
"Whoa… what a bunch of beauties. And strong ones too, huh?"
The beastmen had already jumped to conclusions, riled up and spoiling for a brawl. Typical of the notoriously aggressive Anastasia Union.
No chance of a calm conversation here. Looks like I’d have to knock them down first, then talk.
Still, a little spar with the infamous Anastasia Union wouldn’t be so bad. And judging by the look in Gradena’s eyes, she was ready for it too.
"Hold on—just wait a minute, all of you!"
A familiar voice cut through the tension just as I braced for impact.
Pushing past the lead beastman stepped a girl I knew all too well—the little sister, the younger sibling of the Anastasia Union’s Leader.
"Well, if it isn’t the little sister. What brings you here?"
"There’s no ‘what brings you’ about it! This is the heart of Anastasia Union territory! What on earth is going on, Yukari-san?!"
Our casual exchange seemed to deflate the beastmen’s aggression. Their fierce postures softened. Looks like a fight was off the table.
With her here, I could finally have a proper conversation. I laid out the situation clearly.
Jallens from the Commerce Guild was present too—surely that would clear up any misunderstanding.
Once I’d explained everything, the beastmen completely lowered their weapons.
Jallens himself had given the account, and the unconscious armed men lying around served as undeniable proof.
We might’ve caused a ruckus on their turf, but given the circumstances, they seemed willing to let it slide.
"Can we leave these guys’ cleanup to you?"
"Yes. It’s partly our fault for failing to detect their movements. There may even be someone within our lower ranks who aided them. Guiskard, I leave the interrogation and punishment of any traitors entirely to you."
"Yes, my Lady."
Huh. The little sister suddenly looked like a real leader.
Even as I made that slightly impolite observation, the beastmen swiftly sprang into action.
"Oh, you can access the basement through that door. But it’s a rather unpleasant scene down there—better not let the little sister see it."
"What is it? What’s down there?"
Seeming to understand my concern, the beastmen gave a brief nod. The one called Guiskard himself headed down below. Right now, only I knew what awaited down there—but there was no need to burden the Kikyo Society members with that knowledge.
As for the loan records, I’d already given up on recovering them. But now, a new opportunity had emerged.
"How about this—we leave the confiscated supplies to Jallens-san of the Commerce Guild? That way, the Anastasia Union gets to call it a favor."
"I have no objections. In truth, it’s our failure for allowing such a group to operate under our noses."
"Huh. Generous of you. Then I won’t hold back. I don’t know if it’ll cover the loan, but it helps, right, Jallens-san?"
"I’m deeply grateful. If it falls short, I’ll cover the rest. If there’s surplus, I’ll distribute it fairly. And regardless of the amount, I’ll make sure to properly thank you for this."
Jallens bowed with sincere gratitude. But he was a victim here, and we’d already received favors from him before. I didn’t expect much in return.
We hadn’t achieved our original goal, but things had settled well enough. If anything, we’d now earned a favor from the Anastasia Union.
"If you uncover any useful information from these guys, I’d appreciate it if you’d share it with us. No pressure, of course."
"Of course. I can’t promise full disclosure, but I’ll share what I can. We can talk more when I visit again."
With that, we prepared to leave.
We handed everything over to the Anastasia Union and Jallens, then parted ways.
Later, the little sister personally delivered the interrogation results.
The armed group had ties to the Retnark New Revolutionary Army.
We still didn’t know who had approached whom first, but it seemed their interests had aligned with someone trying to stir up power struggles within the Commerce Guild. There might’ve been other motives or outside forces involved, but that was beyond our concern.
More importantly, the supplies seized from the group included a substantial amount of cash, valuable magic artifacts, and weapons—enough to recover a significant sum. They’d even sold off the mobile magic device used to transport the goods, turning a profit. Jallens seemed genuinely relieved.
Then there was the matter of the traitor within the Anastasia Union.
The connection to the Retnark New Revolutionary Army had been traced to a lower-level cell, and they’d already dealt with it. But I doubted that was the only one. Others were likely still out there. If anything else happened, I just hoped it stayed far away from the Kikyo Society.
Still. A traitor.
Truth be told, ever since Ortlinde—the former Blue Knight and skilled intelligence operative—had joined us, she’d been conducting an ongoing investigation into internal betrayal.
Unsurprisingly, spies had infiltrated the Kikyo Society.
Whether they’d been planted from the start or turned later varied by case. Some investigations were still ongoing.
We’d known about their existence for quite some time. But eliminating one spy wouldn’t solve anything—they’d just be replaced.
What mattered was identifying who they worked for, who they reported to, and what information they leaked. That was the real priority.
The traitors weren’t in the upper ranks—only among the regular members. A few in the Secretariat Unit, a few in the Combat Unit.
We kept critical information strictly within the leadership, and the leaders didn’t leak. So the spies couldn’t access anything truly valuable.
As suggested by the Intelligence Unit, it was actually more advantageous to leave the spies in place—feeding them a mix of true and false information to manipulate.
The spies within the Kikyo Society came in different types.
Some had been sent from other organizations from the beginning.
Some had been bribed or corrupted along the way.
Others had been coerced—blackmailed, burdened by debt, or pressured due to family troubles—forced into espionage against their will.
Those who hadn’t yet acted but were on the verge could be turned around if their problems were resolved. While spying was unforgivable, some could be flipped into double agents, serving the Kikyo Society’s interests. The Intelligence Unit handled such cases—no need for me to micromanage.
Knowledge of the Kikyo Society’s traitors was strictly limited, even among the leadership.
Since we’d decided to let the spies operate, we couldn’t let them realize we were onto them. But some members were terrible at hiding secrets—especially Gradena and the Combat Unit lot.
For now, only I, the Intelligence Unit, Vice-Commander Siegrune, and Frederica—the head of the Secretariat Unit—knew the full truth.
The Kikyo Society would keep growing. There might even be foreign spies sent from distant lands.
With me at the center, we held many secrets. So the importance of internal surveillance within the Kikyo Society would only increase. Not a pleasant thought, but a necessary one.
The aerial garden, just before dusk. Without wind, the air was no longer bitterly cold.
During free time or breaks, Kikyo Society members often gathered here.
"It’s gotten much warmer, hasn’t it?"
We were taking a break with the Secretariat Unit, sipping tea.
As Frederica said, the days were growing longer, and the chill had greatly softened.
"Snow’s rare now. The air itself feels different. Spring must be near."
Spring’s arrival. Once the snow melted, things would start moving again.
Beyond the unrest, travel would pick up. Visitors from other nations would increase. For the Kikyo Society, it was prime earning season.
Even monsters and beasts would grow more active. Adventurers, not just merchants, would find their range expanding.
A restless, bright energy was spreading through the city—a positive, vibrant hum.
Speaking of spring, it would soon be a year since we arrived in Exembra.
It felt long and short at once—brief, yet impossibly long. Nearly twelve hundred days of relentless chaos.
But unlike back then, we now had a foundation. Clear goals.
We’d grow stronger. Earn more. And live our lives with even greater amusement.
Exembra, the great metropolis of the former Kingdom of Brenark.
Now, in the aftermath of war—or perhaps still in its shadow—it stood as a singular anomaly, drawing the continent’s attention as a city of explosive growth and relentless development.
Encircled by vast, towering outer walls, it defied expectations—thriving economically despite a seemingly weak defense force, drawing in people and goods, fueling its own rapid expansion.
But this wasn’t by chance.
Monster hunts by the Vigilantes, adventurers, and mercenaries. Thief suppression. A non-aggression pact with underground factions that drastically improved security. A lenient occupation policy enacted by Retnark’s appointed Exembra leadership.
Precise policies, maintained military strength, and sustained peace—these were what drew people in, invigorated commerce, and sparked development.
Yet, eternal peace was never guaranteed.
If the balance ever broke, it could all collapse in an instant. And there would always be those who desired exactly that.
And I feel it.
It may not happen soon—but it will happen. Not so far off.
Those who wish for peace.
Those who crave chaos.
So where do I stand?
On which side am I?