4
A ‘shadow organization’ is a group whose very existence is not publicly acknowledged.
They are the outliers of the world, living in the shade, but in truth, they exert a massive influence on mainstream society.
Premeditated murder is a daily occurrence for them.
They facilitate the flow of illicit money, and much of the domestic trafficking of weapons, magic tools, and drugs—all of which are banned from private ownership—is done at their behest.
On top of that, there’s human trafficking, slavery, and organ harvesting. It’s said that the three great shadow organizations are involved in most of the illegal activities that violate Imperial law.
And that… is connected to the recent encounter between the Provisional Elite Corps and the bandits.
“The bandits you all subjugated in the Dyrst region… they were a splinter group of ‘Red Broad,’ one of the three great shadow organizations. And behind them… are the influential nobles leading the anti-Princess faction.”
“Yep! And just so you know, I’m the one who dug all that up! Praise me!”
Fadi puffed out his chest, looking proud.
As someone who’d just watched his comrades die, I couldn’t share his cheerful attitude, but there was no doubt the information was valuable.
“The shadow organizations again… Sending bandits at us… I guess that proves how dangerous they are.”
That battle was inevitable. And it’s guaranteed to happen again.
“We have to come up with a counter-plan, or this will get bad…”
“Exactly. But we lack the means to fight back.”
We have the Provisional Elite Corps as a conventional fighting force, but no other cards to play.
Right now, Fadi is the only one who can counter the shadow organizations, but there’s a limit to what he can do alone.
“…I see. ‘Fight poison with poison.’ You’re saying the best way to seal the movements of one shadow organization is to sic another one on them.”
Flegel, looking thoughtful, let out a long sigh and looked at Princess Valtrune.
“That’s right. We need to forge our own connections to the underworld, to ensure the anti-Princess nobles can’t interfere with the corps’ movements.”
“So, if we don’t take this risk, we’ll be crushed eventually. That’s the ‘agonizing decision’ you were talking about.”
“It’s not exactly a noble strategy, but we don’t have a choice.”
Princess Valtrune had probably been planning to use Fadi as her primary countermeasure against the underworld. But the recent attack on the corps must have shown her the limits of that approach, forcing her to commit to a full-scale reinforcement.
“The ‘White Smoke Lizards’ used to be tight with Marquis Rigel, but ever since I switched sides to Princess Valtrune, the whole organization cut ties with the anti-Princess nobles. Right now, they aren’t allied with anyone, so if we’re gonna bring ’em in, now’s the perfect time!”
“Plus, Fadi is the former leader. That should, in theory, make negotiations a little easier.”
“Ehehe! You should all be super-duper grateful to me!”
He had a smug look on his face, as if he were the star of the show.
I really wish Fadi would take this more seriously.
“We can’t let our guard down. We have no idea what they’ll think of you, Fadi, now that you’ve left.”
“Aldia’s right. Nothing is guaranteed.”
By preparing for the worst, we can better handle the unexpected. For all we know, we could walk into their headquarters and be met with a bloodbath.
“We should be prepared for a fight, just in case.”
“Of course. That’s exactly why you and I are going in person.”
Princess Valtrune’s fingers lightly brushed mine.
“—This is a top-secret mission that only the four of us can know about. It would be pathetic to have all our plans fall apart just because we lost a fight, wouldn’t it?”
“So, Rune-sama and I are the muscle…”
“And Fadi and Flegel will handle the negotiations. We’ll have to protect them, won’t we?”
Me and Princess Valtrune… on protection duty.
We’re more than capable as fighters, but as her personal knight, the idea of her being on the front lines makes me incredibly uneasy.
“With all due respect, Rune-sama, I’m not comfortable with you personally entering such a dangerous place. If we’re talking combat, General Ritziareite or Petra would be more suitable…”
“Al.”
“—!”
“I told you, this is not a noble strategy. I cannot, in good conscience, drag Ritziareite, with her strong sense of justice, or your precious friends into this mess.”
I could see the iron will in her blue eyes.
“This involvement with the underworld cannot become public. It would be too cruel to order them to ‘keep this dark secret forever.'”
She was right.
We four are united by the singular goal of winning the war, and we’re prepared to face whatever that entails. Fadi, as a former member, would have no problem dealing with his old organization. And Flegel, for the sake of his former fiancée, has the grit to push through anything.
“This is the right team. The four of us have the combat strength and the negotiating skills.”
Princess Valtrune took a deep breath.
“And, most importantly… if I drag you four into this mess, my conscience won’t hurt at all!”
And with that last-second, brutally honest confession, she ruined the entire mood.
“…I appreciate the honesty, Your Highness. It’s actually reassuring.”
“The four of us are now accomplices, sharing the same secret. We’re a fellowship of fate, destined to fall together if we fail. Are you prepared?”
“…Kuh. So I was just your choice of a suicide partner!?”
“Don’t worry, Flegel, I’m here, too! Oh, wait, me too! Ahaha, this is awesome!”
A top-secret mission with no guarantee of success, but where failure is not an option. A trial we must overcome to write a new future. We can only rely on each other. If even one of us falls, we all fall.
“All of us survive, or all of us die. Heh. An interesting mission, indeed.”
“You’re just as nuts as Fadi… God, I want to go home.”
“If I were a normal person, I’d have run away long ago.”
I brushed off Flegel’s jab and drew my sword, staring at its polished surface.
“My life is already a tightrope walk. Might as well get used to it.”
“…You’re right. We have to take the risk sooner or later.”
From the moment I chose to side with Princess Valtrune, I knew I was in for a series of uphill battles. But I chose to stay by her side… because I wanted to live a life without regret.
No matter what predicament we find ourselves in, I want to keep swinging this sword for her.
For her, I will carry everything I hold dear and see this through to the end.
“I’m ready. I can go whenever you are.”
I sheathed my sword and said it with conviction.
Fadi, twirling a knife in one hand, smiled fearlessly.
“Well, since I’m going, there’s no way we’ll fail.”
“…Hmph. Haaa… It’d be pathetic if I was the only one hesitating. If there’s no going back, then we’ve just got to see it through.”
Flegel scratched his head, but then gave a strong nod.
“The operation begins tomorrow, at sunset. Make your preparations and meet here again!”
“””Yes!”””
A secret meeting, held in the corner of an old shed. The four of us put our hands together, a silent vow.
A critical mission that will never be recorded in memory or history.
This is our quiet resistance, born in the shadows, against the fate that awaits.
“You’re dismissed.”
We nodded silently and went our separate ways. With our minds on the coming operation, we returned, just for one more day, to our normal lives.
5
The sunset sky was slowly fading to a pale violet. The sun vanished behind the hills, and the members of the Provisional Elite Corps finished their duties, returning to their free time.
“Sir Aldia, good work today.”
“Yeah. You too.”
I gave a slight nod to the soldiers I passed, and once I’d reached an empty area, I looked around.
“…”
No one. The soldiers’ cheerful voices were already distant.
“All armed… Good to go.”
I retraced my steps and headed for yesterday’s shed. I stuck to the quietest, least-used paths, taking a bit of a detour, and finally arrived.
…No one’s here.
In the dimming light, a slightly warm breeze blew past. The rustling of leaves in the wind was loud. Conversely, it was the only sound.
“Did I get the time wrong…?”
A flicker of anxiety. But the moment I heard the sound of boots on the dirt behind me, I relaxed.
“Sorry. I’m late… Oh, just you?”
“Yeah. No one else is here yet.”
The second one to arrive was Flegel.
He was carrying the iron sword he hadn’t worn in ages, and was fully decked out in sturdy armor.
His scholarly air was gone; replaced by the face of a soldier. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Haven’t seen you dressed like that since the academy.”
“Well, I’ve mostly been assisting Lady Valtrune since I got here. Haven’t had much time to see you, either.”
“Isn’t the armor heavy?”
“Don’t tease. I still go out on bandit hunts with Mia and Ambros, you know.”
He rolled his shoulders, his lips pursed.
The gesture was so… young. I couldn’t help it; I know it’s mean, but I chuckled.
“Don’t laugh…”
“Heh. Sorry.”
“You’re not sorry at all. Tsk, whatever.”
Flegel brushed back his neatly-kept bangs and glanced around. Then he put a hand on my shoulder.
“…Let’s go inside.”
He said, and opened the shed door.
It was darker than yesterday, and with no light coming in, it was pitch black inside. When we shut the door, the air felt even dustier. I coughed, and Flegel covered his mouth with his sleeve.
“I think… I’m going to sneeze.”
“Gah… It wasn’t this dusty yesterday.”
We grumbled as we walked deeper into the shed, to the spot where we’d met.
The floorboards creaked. Through the thin walls, we could hear the high-pitched shriek of a bird.
“…Hey, Aldia.”
“Yeah,” I replied quietly.
Our gazes were both fixed on a large, downward-sloping staircase in the corner of the room.
“…Was this staircase here yesterday?”
“No…”
It wasn’t.
A rectangular space gaped open, as if the floor had been cut away.
Below, a darkness even deeper than the room’s spread out, leading so far down it made one hesitate to approach.
“…”
“…”
We both stood in silence.
Unnerved by the change, we both took a step back.
As we were focused on the stairs, something soft and warm bumped into my back.
“—!”
A soundless scream caught in my throat. But it wasn’t a ghost or a monster.
“Calm down. It’s me.”
“R-Rune-sama… You scared me.”
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would burst.
She looked at my pale face with concern and began to pat my head, as if to calm me.
“Hah, you jumping like that made me jump.”
“Sorry…”
Flegel was also clutching his chest, his voice sharp.
I’m used to enemy ambushes, but I’m terrible with unexplainable, supernatural-seeming stuff. I rubbed my shoulders and let out a long breath.
“You’re too jumpy… Come to think of it, you were surprised yesterday, too.”
“I… just don’t like surprises. Things popping out of nowhere.”
“Oh? That’s interesting to know.”
“Please don’t be planning any pranks…”
I put a hand to my forehead, dreading her words.
She was definitely plotting some mischief for later. I regretted, too late, revealing a weakness in front of her.
Three of the four team members were here. The only one missing was Fadi—the most critical piece of this negotiation.
“One more… When is he going to show up?”
“Huh?”
Just as Flegel grumbled, Princess Valtrune made a surprised sound. She looked thoughtful, scanning the inside of the shed.
“Rune-sama? What’s wrong?”
“Oh. I just… I assumed Fadi would be the first one here.”
She said, but… Fadi was nowhere to be seen, and we couldn’t hear anyone approaching from outside. Just a quiet, slightly chilly, empty space.
“Isn’t he just napping or something? Should I go check his room?”
Flegel, his patience worn out, started to leave, but Princess Valtrune shook her head.
“Wait.”
“But…”
“Fadi should have headed here even before me. We spoke in my office just before I finished my work. I’m sure of it.”
“If you say so…”
Flegel’s shoulders slumped, and he returned to his spot.
Still, the fact remained that Fadi wasn’t here. If she was right, that meant he’d run into trouble on the way. If so, we couldn’t rule out the possibility that it was shadow-organization-related.
“Rune-sama. If Fadi isn’t here, we should postpone. If something happened to him on the way, then, just as Flegel said, we should go look for him.”
The sun was completely gone, and we were well past the meeting time. My anxiety grew.
Princess Valtrune’s blue eyes wavered, undecided.
“…What should we do?”
“Huh? About what?”
“About whether to go get Fadi or… eh?“
That… incredibly relaxed voice.
The three of us turned. Standing behind us, his nose smudged with soot, was Fadi, looking at us as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
“Where… have you been?”
Fadi just tilted his head at Flegel’s question.
“I’ve been here the whole time.”
“No, but… huh? We didn’t see you at all…”
Even if he’d been hiding, he should have shown himself when we arrived. But… he wasn’t looking at us like he’d just enjoyed a prank; he looked genuinely confused, which was strange.
“…I’ll ask just in case. Where were you?”
Fadi pointed to the stairs we’d just found.
“In there! I was waiting waaaay down at the bottom.”
“Those stairs… Did you open them?”
“Open, or… they were just… here. Back when I was with the Lizards, I used this hidden passage all the time to sneak into the castle. You know, steal food and stuff.”
Looking closely, I could see the steps were caked in a thick layer of white dust, as if they hadn’t been used in a very long time.
“We can get outside from here without anyone seeing. Come on, come on, we’re already late!”
Fadi, completely oblivious to our worry, cheerfully herded us toward the passage, muttering, “Jeez, I was waiting forever and you guys never showed. Punctuality is, like, basic human decency, you know.”
…If he knew about a secret passage, I really wish he’d shared that information beforehand.
Following Fadi’s back, Flegel and Princess Valtrune let out huge sighs, then began to descend.
“…Well. At least nothing bad happened.”
Relieved that it was just a misunderstanding, I, too, turned my gaze into the deep, dark abyss.
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