Chapter 151: Breaking the Egg
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Breaking the Egg
The Arken Empire Crisis Response Headquarters.
This was a body convened only during dire emergencies to handle matters of grave importance—issues that shook the very foundations of the Empire. It consisted of five High Councilors who conducted "Post Mortem" proceedings to analyze the flow of events and identify those responsible after the fact.
The capital of the Arken Empire remained peaceful, untouched by the conflict. This was only because the advancing monster army had been wiped out in a single stroke. Consequently, many likely viewed the incident as nothing more than a minor disturbance.
In reality, however, an entire legion had been annihilated.
Alexander had attempted to send reinforcements, but the situation had spiraled out of control due to those seeking to evade responsibility. In response, Alexander ensured that those who feigned illness to avoid their duties truly suffered. On the grounds that they had invited a plague into the Empire, he had not only the officials but their entire families beheaded and their bodies cremated on the spot.
Well, I suppose they didn't suffer for very long.
Regardless, Alexander was backed into a corner. It was clear that this blunder stemmed not from an overwhelming difference in power during a fierce battle, but from pure ignorance. The blame and responsibility were inescapable.
Ferda had been summoned to the inquiry as a witness to the event.
"Crown Prince Alexander is in a tight spot," Isabella remarked.
"I doubt it," Ferda replied reflexively.
Isabella tilted her head in confusion. The meeting was clearly intended to hold Alexander accountable, so why did he say otherwise?
"What do you mean by that?"
"It’s highly likely that this is a trap set for me."
"A trap for you, Regent?"
Ferda began to explain their ulterior motives.
"At first, they’ll talk about Alexander. They’ll act as if they’re trying to determine the facts—how this happened and who is at fault."
"And then?"
"Then, they’ll suddenly claim the responsibility lies with someone else. And who would be the most likely candidate for that blame?"
"A negligent tactical advisor, or..." Isabella’s eyes shifted toward Ferda. "You, Regent."
"That’s likely how it will go."
The higher the rank of the person being held accountable, the more frequently this happened. Since Alexander was the Crown Prince, he was beyond reproach in their eyes. Ferda had dealt with this several times before.
At first, the conversation would seem to flow smoothly. Then, they would start talking as if the real culprit was someone else, eventually pivoting to point the finger directly at him. In the past, he had tried to respond with logic, but the heated atmosphere of the room would inevitably pile all the blame onto him.
And what was the result back then?
I started by taking the head of the man leading the charge.
The room had fallen silent instantly. At that time, Ferda had just suppressed the Imperial Mage Captain and was in a position to act recklessly. Aside from the man who had been screaming at him, no one else was willing to stake their life on the argument.
It would be nice if I could just kill them like I did then.
He lamented the fact that he couldn't use such a simple solution this time.
Isabella pondered Ferda’s words carefully. "I know Valdrova’s development has been shockingly fast, but even so, you are the Regent of an Archduchy and the partner of a Red Dragon. Would they really be audacious enough to pull a stunt like that?"
"Even if it’s not intentional, that’s likely how the momentum will shift."
The Empire viewed Valdrova as an easy target. They had used that perception to toss them a title, dump a 'useless' fiancé on them as an excuse, and treat them like a guard dog. Now that Ferda was turning that wasteland into a goldmine, they couldn't help but feel spiteful. The Arken Empire desired strong central authority and could not tolerate the prosperity of the provinces.
"And the answer is right here."
"...Ah."
Ferda pointed to the list of the convened Emergency Council. One name stood out:
Erdes Roton, President of the Serdes Magic Society.
The continent's most powerful magical organization was meddling in the Empire's affairs. Isabella nodded as if she finally understood.
"For Lady Erdes to involve herself in such a tedious affair... she must really despise you."
"Tell me about it."
He had wondered by what right she was interfering, but it turned out she was the one who had wiped out the monsters advancing on the capital. Erdes Roton, a 7th Circle Archmage, had succeeded in annihilating the army of 20,000 monsters by raining down a meteor shower from the sky. That alone gave her more than enough right to speak.
She might not have absolute influence, but they certainly can't ignore her.
Knowing that Erdes was involved and intended to ruin him, Ferda couldn't just sit idly by.
I need a countermeasure.
And what was required for that?
Information and strategy.
Information was the weapon; strategy was the martial art. The two were reciprocal, and when balanced, they could produce dramatic results.
Is there anyone among us who can handle this?
Mori was a Slave Sage with the 'Library of All Things.' Since she lacked the ability to think for herself, she was a tool.
Besides, she’s not suited for this specific situation.
Mori provided objective information based on data. The logic that 45% of the credit for the recent victory belonged to Olivia hadn't worked, proving that pure logic wasn't the priority here. Ferda needed people who could monitor the situation constantly and extract information flexibly.
In that regard, he knew of an excellent organization.
Black Bandana.
Every time he had used them, they had proven their skill. They had never once failed to live up to their reputation. If there was a problem with them...
The cost will be the issue.
The price for Black Bandana’s information varied based on scale and difficulty. As skilled as they were, the cost increased exponentially as the stakes grew. This matter involved the entire Empire and required digging into its deepest secrets. They might demand an astronomical sum—enough to sell a kingdom just to save one.
If I make a half-hearted proposal, I might just end up giving them the information that I’m desperate.
Even if he stood at the edge of a cliff, he had to stand tall until the very end. That was the kind of battle Ferda had to fight.
"Why not just refuse to attend?" Ruri suggested as she handed him a cup of tea.
It was one of the methods Ferda had considered. He could simply claim he was too busy and skip the meeting. Since the target of their interrogation wouldn't be present, he thought he could buy time even if he was singled out.
"Since it's a post-mortem, it carries a lot of weight. It will be difficult to avoid it by claiming to be busy with state affairs."
"And if I lose the chance to defend myself, they’ll only bite harder."
If you don't bark when someone bites your flesh, you're nothing more than a piece of meat. To survive, one must bark, and further, bite back. One must assert themselves so forcefully that the opponent never dares to touch them again.
Just then, someone knocked on the open door.
"Regent, may I come in?"
It was Jed’s voice.
"What is it?"
"Well... Fiendteeth said she wanted to see you."
"Fiendteeth?"
"Garnet. The head of Black Bandana."
Come to think of it, Jed had called her Fiendteeth during their first meeting. It was likely a nickname earned from her snaggletooth, sharp teeth, and tanned skin.
Regardless, the timing was remarkably coincidental. She appeared just as he was thinking about his need for her. Either way, it was a good start. There was a world of difference between needing them and calling for them versus them seeking him out first.
"Tell her to come in."
Ferda prepared to receive his guest.
* * *
With Ferda’s permission, Garnet entered the room.
"Greetings to the Regent and the Administrator. My sincere congratulations on your great victory in the recent subjugation war."
Garnet bowed politely. Because Jed had called her Fiendteeth, her snaggletooth kept catching Ferda's eye.
"Are you here to talk about the post-mortem?" Ferda got straight to the point.
"I am."
"Then you must know that I’m the intended prey."
"Of course."
As the continent's premier intelligence organization, knowing that much was child's play.
"So, have you come to squeeze more money out of me?"
"While we are indeed an organization that accepts payment based on scale and depth, the purpose of this visit is quite far from business."
As she spoke, Garnet pulled out a book and placed it on the table.
"Would you be so kind as to look at this?"
Ferda picked up the document and opened it. He had to focus to suppress the shock he felt the moment he saw the first page. Though the paper was yellowed and faded in places, the content was clear.
Isabella, who was looking over it with him, asked in surprise, "Isn't this the personal information of Black Bandana’s top executives?"
It wasn't just their names and faces. It detailed exactly who they were posing as, their every move, and even clues to track them down. Garnet had exposed all of it. To call it reckless was an understatement; it was madness.
There was no need to ask if it was true or false.
Garnet spoke. "With this, the first stage is complete."
"What stage?"
"Breaking the egg."
The word 'secret' is the shell that protects a secret organization. Garnet was forcibly breaking that protective shell and exposing them to the world. Now that their inner workings were revealed, there was no turning back.
"To put it simply, Black Bandana is disbanding."
By discarding their secrets, their neutrality collapsed. And with their neutrality gone, Black Bandana’s reason for existence vanished.
"And as of today, we will reorganize as the intelligence department of the Far East, the Archduchy of Valdrova, and pledge our loyalty to you."
Ferda was taken aback by her actions. A glance at Isabella showed she was thinking the same thing. They were both wondering why these people would do such a thing.
"You’re being reckless," Ferda said, tossing the document back onto the table. "What if I refuse? What crime did the people listed here commit to deserve a death sentence?"
"That is precisely what it means to break the egg. If what emerges from the broken egg is an immature chick, it is destined to die. The teams of Black Bandana will have no choice but to dissolve and scatter."
Garnet spoke of that 'immature chick' as if it were someone else. They were the best among secret intelligence organizations, with a reach that spanned the entire continent. It was no exaggeration to say it was as if an entire nation was disappearing.
She must have planned this sequence of events.
If she had first said she was offering their personal information as a pledge of loyalty, Ferda’s suspicion would have been even greater. Now, he could only think that they were truly prepared for the consequences.
"Are you saying that if you disband Black Bandana, I should take you in as my vassals?"
"No. We will be loyal, but if we simply wanted cumbersome titles, we wouldn't have gone to these lengths."
"Then what?"
"Are you familiar with the Shadow Knights?"
"I am."
Knights who went beyond chivalry to protect chivalry. Unlike traditional knights who were the face of honorable wars and duels, they were shadows who engaged in assassination and sabotage. Most knights denied their existence. Many felt a deep loathing for the fact that the name 'knight' was attached to such a contradiction. A small minority understood and respected their necessity, and thus denied them out of obligation.
Ferda belonged to that minority. He knew that the honor and crowns of knights shone only because there were those who silently guarded their backs.
"When the light grows stronger, the shadows grow deeper. Beneath absolute power, there are always foul and dirty schemes in motion—that is the existence of the shadows."
"Are you saying you want to become the Shadow Knights of Valdrova?"
"Precisely."
"I find that hard to believe."
More accurately, he couldn't understand it. These people had no honor; they couldn't even properly grasp visible power, and they were the kind of existence that had to be cut off without hesitation if their tails were caught. It was a job too difficult to endure on pure responsibility alone.
If Garnet felt that responsibility, she needed to convince Ferda.
"This is the karma of my family," Garnet said. "The founder of Black Bandana was the first Director of Intelligence for the Arken Empire, Mendel Bandana. I have come here to carry out his will."
Just in case, Ferda sent a telepathic message to Mori. Even if it was a secret document, it couldn't escape her Library of All Things.
- The name Mendel Bandana is recorded prior to the founding of the Arken Empire. After that, there are no records of him in any form.
He was a real person. And the fact that he didn't grace the pages of history meant he had truly accepted his 'filth' as a point of honor.
Now, Ferda’s question moved to the next point. "And what is that will?"
Mendel Bandana had done the dirty work for the Arken Empire. Ferda was currently hoping for the Empire’s downfall, so wouldn't helping him be a betrayal of her ancestor’s work?
"The founding ideology of the Arken Empire was to create a land for humanity. My ancestor said that one day, that intent might become distorted, and it would have to be corrected."
The slogan currently attached to the Empire was an arrogant phrase: There is no land we cannot conquer.
"Just as my ancestor predicted, the Empire began to change as the generations passed. We tried to correct it several times by offering counsel and showing them the will of the people, but we failed."
The Empire grew stronger and more arrogant. In the end, weren't they now treating dragons like dogs?
"So, are you trying to get revenge on the Empire for not listening?"
"It’s not revenge; it’s help," Garnet answered clearly. "If the water inside a jar has rotted and stagnated because no hole was made to let it out, then it is only right to break the jar."
One thing was certain: their goals aligned.
Ferda found himself contemplating again. However, he could feel his heart leaning toward her more than before.
She is an information broker.
An information broker who had sworn never to sell a lie. They maintained their reputation by allowing not a single excuse. What Ferda feared most was this: if he stood beside that high reputation and it came crashing down... would he be able to maintain his composure in the aftermath?
Ferda asked one final question. "Why should I trust you?"
"Because you’ll have no choice," Garnet said firmly. "The Empire will use this incident as a pretext to interfere in the Far East in earnest, and that interference could stall your progress. Even if you’ve held out firmly until now, you won't be able to keep it up forever."
Building a nation is like stacking a stone tower. The higher you build, the more difficult it becomes, and it can collapse in an instant. Evil is easy to spread, while good is difficult to protect.
"If you can't hold out, then we die with you."
Since a neutral secret organization had abandoned its neutrality and even exposed its secrets, Ferda could use that as leverage. They were exposing their own weaknesses to make themselves a community of shared destiny, proving themselves through their skill. To that end, Garnet had boldly broken the egg.
"So," Ferda asked her. "What kind of foundation do I need to lay for the Shadow Knights?"