As You Can See, Mr. Protagonist - Part 1
After parting ways with the leader of the organization, Pavel still had one task left to complete. Since there was still some time before the main event officially began, slipping away to briefly meet the star of the evening wasn't particularly difficult under the guise of a security guard. Delis, wearing an off-the-shoulder blue dress, came into Pavel's view. No doubt, her amber eyes were reflecting his own image, dressed in a suit that closely resembled a tailcoat.
"Ah, I knew you'd be here. I know you, Lady Yerina, and the rest of the syndicate have prepared so much for this, but I still can't help but tremble."
"It's only natural to be nervous. How could you not be?" Pavel could clearly see her ebony hair trembling slightly. It was a tremor that had traveled all the way from her shivering body.
"What about you?" Her voice, too, carried a hint of agitation.
"Hmm...?"
"How do you feel, Pavel?"
The Chief of Security for the Northern Covenant Syndicate had resolved to always tell the truth to the Chief of Intelligence. Since they were already in the same boat, there was practically nothing left to hide anyway. But his vow went beyond merely not lying; he had resolved never to conceal the truth from her again. This determination to show such raw sincerity was a relatively recent decision.
"I am no exception. But unlike the young lady, my concerns lie elsewhere."
"Oh? Elsewhere?"
"I am not particularly worried about the organization committing all its forces. We have always done so in the past, and we will continue to do so in the future." Pavel did not particularly care for the phrase do your best and leave the rest to heaven. To do what is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate? What an incredibly convenient way of thinking. If things went well, it was one's own doing; if they failed, it was heaven's fault? As much as he despised the Soviet commies, he had to admit that systematically drilling atheism into people's heads was a rational move. Everything, from start to finish, ought to be governed by human hands. The young lady had once said it herself: The right to carve out one's destiny belongs solely to oneself.
Delis asked, "Then what are you worried about?"
"It is a deeply personal concern. I am simply worried that someone precious to me is in danger, though I try not to show it."
"My, the moment you confessed that to me so honestly, you ended up showing it anyway."
"It would be a lie to say I am not worried, but I am confident that we can overcome it, no matter how easy or difficult it may be." Hearing his answer, Delis let out a relieved laugh.
"That's a relief. I never knew having someone beside me who gives such unconditional trust could be this comforting."
"I am glad you feel that way. It puts my mind at ease." In the end, it was a moment that allowed them to reaffirm each other's resolve. Delis had to fight back a sudden, powerful urge to bury her face in Pavel's chest and cling to him, completely disregarding whether it would ruin her makeup.
While attempting to usher our "friend" out of the ballroom, I stole a few glances at Pavel and Delis conversing in the distance. I was secretly worried they were standing a bit too close, but their conversation didn't drag on long enough to arouse suspicion. If anyone asked, they would naturally roll out the cover story they had agreed upon beforehand: that she was merely asking how the ballroom's security was being handled.
Since Delis was one of the key figures of the ball, it was perfectly natural for her to inquire about the security status from a guard. Anyone overhearing or learning of this would simply assume she was a meticulous person who prioritized safety above all else, even in a setting like this.
Leaving them to their devices, I resumed my task of ushering out our prospective witness ahead of schedule.
"Is this information from a reliable source? With the Vice-Minister and the Minister himself, Lord Dunhaven, on standby, who on earth would have the audacity to try anything?" It was certainly hard-to-believe news. The ball was being held at the Dunhaven Marquis Mansion. Because of this, Lord Dunhaven, the Minister of Magic, would undoubtedly be able to arrive at the venue in an instant should any emergency arise. Based on the blueprints our organization had acquired beforehand, he would likely arrive within ten minutes at the latest. If he spared no magic, it would be even faster. But in times like this, what I needed was sheer confidence.
"If I didn't believe it myself, I wouldn't have come to tell you, would I? Of course, whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you, W."
"Hmm..." He still looked skeptical. Pulling my face away from his ear, I continued.
"It's just that when I go to the pub for my next interim report, I'd rather not see some other American sitting in your place. Believe it or not, I'm actually quite a shy person." This wasn't exactly a lie either. I had put so much effort into making Matthew W. Lewis look upon me favorably; what would I do if a new handler suddenly popped up? Warming up a new American negotiator to my side would undoubtedly cost an immense amount of time and effort. All things considered, I suppose this anxiety could be poetically wrapped up in the word "shy."
Our silent standoff was brief. He seemed to conclude that I had nothing to gain by lying to him. "Since you put it that way, Varez... I suppose it wouldn't hurt to trust you this once. Though, I wonder if I should inform the Marquis or the Vice-Minister as well."
That was the real problem. Getting the American to back off was one thing, but if the truth leaked to Lord Dunhaven or Benjamin Ashford himself, it would ruin everything. Benjamin, blinded by booze and sex, could probably be brushed off. He was the type of bastard who would snort and say, "Let them try!" even if he heard a terrorist attack was planned for his own ball. But Lord Dunhaven was a different story. If that old man contacted the rest of the Ministry's forces or the British government, our plan to swallow the Ministry of Magic in one fell swoop would go up in smoke. Suppressing the urge to grind my teeth, I replied.
"Do as you please. Though I highly doubt those arrogant nobles would ever cancel their grand event and risk losing face." His dilemma was probably as deep as mine. Should I tell them? If so, under what pretext? Will they even listen to me? Such thoughts would inevitably pile up in his head. And the more he hesitated, the slower their response would be.
I offered W some refreshments this time, locking eyes with him. Naturally, my passive Charm activated. Although its potency was heavily dampened by his wizardly mental barriers, the alcohol in his system acted as a perfect catalyst.
"My. It seems it would be wiser for me to review the data and make a judgment in a more relaxed environment. Thank you for the warning, Varez." Fortunately for me, the American's thoughts swayed exactly in the direction I desired. I smiled and replied.
"You should head out first. Unlike you, W, I have to change my clothes and take care of a few other things." I confirmed that Matthew W. Lewis left the mansion shortly after. Feeling a thrill of satisfaction, I set about executing the main phase of our plan.
The main stage of the ball... well, from a spectator's perspective, it was incredibly boring. What was so great about watching couples spin around in a waltz? The only thing worth watching was Delis's clever maneuvering. Despite a barrage of entitled men asking her to dance, she rejected every single request, claiming she would soon have a partner. In my eyes, it was a highly rational decision. Who would dare make a move on a woman claimed by Benjamin Ashford, the host of the event? No matter how deeply ingrained the Western tradition of waltzing with anyone was, the mood of our spoiled heir to the marquisate took absolute precedence.
As a pathetic contrast to Delis, the sole direct heir of the Ashford family was busy grabbing any noble lady he could find to waltz with. The man simply loved women. Of course, this meant that Delis would eventually have to take the stage with him at the very end of the event. It was merely delaying the inevitable. For Delis, who utterly loathed Benjamin Ashford, even this temporary delay was agonizing. Why would she want anything to do with a man who had been throwing wild orgies just a few weeks ago? Especially when she already had a devoted, faithful lover who was his polar opposite. Therefore, what came next was a problem for me, Pavel, and the rest of our syndicate members to solve.
Disguised as Ministry of Magic security guards, my subordinates had already slipped out of the ballroom and scattered throughout the mansion. Each of these loyal agents carried out their assigned tasks: cutting the power supply, destroying evidence, and neutralizing key targets. Without them, preparing for today's grand operation would have been an impossible dream.
Since a large number of security guards had suddenly vanished, it was only a matter of time before someone noticed. We couldn't afford to drag this out. Standing at one end of the ballroom, I anxiously observed the unfolding situation—sometimes monitoring the movements of the mansion's actual servants, and other times keeping track of the overall flow of the party.
Finally, the climax arrived. Grinning like an idiot for reasons only he knew, Benjamin Ashford approached Delis, who was waiting in the center of the hall.
Ugh... Putting Delis's own feelings aside, I had to start this immediately just to save myself from having to watch this eyesore. I counted down in my head and, at the perfect moment, issued the command to all my subordinates at once.
"...Now!" My voice was transmitted simultaneously through the miniature transceiver hidden in my sleeve, and in that exact instant, absolute darkness swallowed the entire ballroom.
"What? A blackout?" "Is this part of the show?" "Ah, to set the mood, perhaps?" The foolish murmurs of the clueless aristocrats only intensified as the emergency generators kicked in.
Hum— A crimson indirect light bathed the entire hall. Perhaps because of its high saturation, it didn't feel like a subtle, mood-setting glow; instead, it looked like the garish, blood-red lighting of a cheap motel.
"Oh? It really is part of the show!" "I'd only heard rumors, but it seems they were true." Of course, these sheltered nobles didn't know a damn thing.
The real panic only began to brew after even the emergency lights completely died. The commotion escalated as the security guards—though in reality, at least a quarter of them were my subordinates—began rushing frantically through the dark hall.
Setting aside the presence of my agents, this situation was highly reminiscent of our raid on the British Museum. Back then, Pavel and the others had destroyed the generators first, paving the way for me to make my move.
My syndicate members moved fluidly through the chaos. Shifting from their randomly assigned posts, they closed in on my position, ready to assist me at a moment's notice.
To the outsiders, there was no way to perceive this shift. They had no idea that the guards were all converging on a mere maid—And even if they did, what could they possibly do about it? If they had the power to stop us, they would have done so long ago. Fools like those in the Ministry of Magic were a hundred times better off being swallowed up and erased by me.
The opening moments of our operation were the most critical. It was the pivotal juncture that would determine our success or failure. Neither side had adapted to the darkness yet. The pitch-black hall was dotted with the glaring beams of the guards' flashlights, resembling squid-fishing boats at sea, which only delayed their eyes from adjusting to the dark.
But this, too, was well within my calculations. I had entrusted the key to our victory to Delis. The struggle that would soon unfold in the center of the ballroom was my golden opportunity. Focusing my mana into my wizard's eyes, I locked onto two souls glowing vividly in the middle of the stage.