Paradise Hell for the Red Alliance
The Red Alliance from Paradise Hell? Targeting me? No way! How did they find out? ...
Well, the cause was obvious enough that he couldn't even say that.
"Your public debate with the Holy Kingdom's grand prophetess Iris turned out to be poison for them. The ratings spiked to 90% at one point. No one doubts the Great Sage's abilities anymore—not just in the Empire, but in other countries as well."
That was the Argos Chief's explanation.
"The fact that the Great Sage met His Majesty in secret and received a mission. Your trip to Verba. Carrying out the operation. All of it is classified and tightly controlled. But the moment you left your fortune-telling shop in Yurtel for vacation, the Red Baron was assassinated, and all the informants he managed vanished. The Red Alliance doesn't see that as coincidence."
It was a reasonable inference. And at the end of that reasonable inference, the Red Alliance had reached this conclusion.
"The Alliance's secret committee agents will target you, Great Sage. Suspicious movements have already been detected."
A declaration straight from the head of Argos that an enemy nation was dead serious about coming after him.
"Are they trying to kill me?"
"High probability. Your existence is too great a threat to the Red Alliance. They're likely to move to eliminate you, even at the cost of sacrifices."
Ahh. Damn it. Why couldn't shamans see their own futures? Not knowing if he'd be assassinated or live a normal life—it was only natural to feel anxious.
But His Majesty the Emperor was relaxed.
"Thus, I decided to turn the situation to our advantage."
He was even smiling.
"Someone who can read a person's past and future at a glance is a catastrophe in the intelligence field. They can't just leave such a being alone. Is it only the Red Alliance? Yurana and the Kingdom Alliance have planted plenty of agents in the Empire too. And they're all flocking to Yurtel."
The Argos Chief smoothly picked up His Majesty's words.
"We're going to turn Yurtel into Paradise Hell. A perfect black hole for spies. No matter how many HUMINT agents and operatives they send in, they'll all be blocked and vanish. And here's the scary part—they know it, but the enemy nations have no choice but to send agents to Yurtel."
The Chief looked thrilled, his face beaming like this was the most fun thing ever.
"It's a chance to lure in and manage a huge number of high-level spies from across the Empire, then capture them all when the time comes."
Turning crisis into opportunity, huh? The Empire had prepared its own countermeasures against the enemy movements. But how?
Yurtel was a hot spring tourist spot. Tens of thousands of people came and went every day. It was the perfect environment for spies to sneak in unnoticed.
"Yurtel sees tens of thousands of imperial citizens come and go daily. With that kind of foot traffic, how do you plan to identify the enemies one by one?"
At that, Tower Master Kalanis spoke up.
"You think enemy spies arriving in Yurtel are going to hit the hot springs or theme parks? They'll head straight for the fortune-telling shop, right?"
"Exactly."
"With their destination fixed, setting traps is easy. We're planning to cover the entire fortune-telling shop with a thought-detection magic circle."
Thought-detection magic. Of course, you couldn't just peer into people's heads willy-nilly—it came at a cost.
"Isn't that an 8th-circle precision spell? Covering the whole shop with it... that's no small feat. And the massive mana required to maintain it—how do you handle that? Elixirs aren't cheap, and you'll need mages coming and going constantly for upkeep."
Count Yurtel said it in disbelief, then let out a hollow laugh.
"It's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. If large quantities of elixirs are flowing in and out of the shop for no reason, and high-level mages keep showing up nearby, the spies will get suspicious."
He wasn't wrong. And to that, the Tower Master gave a cool, refreshing reply.
"We're building a magic tower in Yurtel."
"Pardon?"
"Even without the spy angle, Yurtel has plenty of magical research value. It's the hottest geothermal spot in the Empire—that's why it has so many hot springs. There's long been talk of it being ideal for a geothermal power plant."
"So you're saying you'll build a tower dedicated to geothermal power research right here in Yurtel?"
"That way, the tower can supply elixirs directly—no need for daily deliveries. And mages hanging around the shop to manage high-level spells? Totally normal. They can enjoy the tourism and get their fortunes read too."
The Count's eyes spun quickly.
"If we build a geothermal plant, how much power output are we talking?"
"Enough to cover all of Yurtel County and then some."
"Wonderful. Come on in. And since high-level mages will be coming and going anyway, mind if I ask for one more thing?"
"What?"
"Put a massive illusion spell right by the shop. Use dragon- and fairy-flight illusions to create a huge spectacle. That gives the tower mages a perfect excuse to be nearby for maintenance. It's a tourist city, after all."
The Argos Chief burst out laughing.
"Perfect cover. Tower Master Kalanis? Can you do it?"
"I'll install an eye-popping ultra-HD illusion circle. And tuck the thought-detection magic neatly inside it."
Something... something enormous was falling into place way too easily. But this was just the appetizer.
His Majesty turned to Mirien.
"I'd like to make a proposal to the ruler of the dark elves. How about stationing Kaien's finest warriors in Yurtel permanently?"
"You mean Kaien's top spiritists? Of course. If it doesn't inconvenience the Empire's ruler, we'd be happy to."
"I hear dark elves wield shadow spirits freely. They can exert physical force through shadows, right? Seems plenty useful for scaring people too... am I correct?"
Mirien's eyes narrowed. She instantly saw through the implication hidden in his words about using her elite for mere scares.
"Count. No plans for another theme park by the shop?"
The Count nodded with a pleased smile at Mirien's words.
"A haunted house? Something like that?"
"I'll assign you Kaien's top spiritists as staff."
"An honor, Your Majesty."
"Good. I'll select and send 30 elite spiritists and upper-grade contractors from Kaien."
Officially, they'd be haunted attraction employees. But their real mission was different.
"Yurtel's days will be handled by the Empire and Argos. For the nights... I'd like to ask Kaien and Your Majesty."
Mirien nodded at His Majesty's words.
"The more shadows at night, the better the stage for our warriors. They're experts in intelligence too—you know Kaien has its share of assassinations and betrayals. I'll pick only those with sharp eyes for spotting suspects."
The Chief's declaration of turning Yurtel into Paradise Hell was no bluff. With dark elf cooperation from Kaien and tower mages, it was already a nightmare for spies. But the Empire had no intention of stopping there.
"And Count Yurtel? Can you scout a location? We need a building with a deep, large basement—near the shop."
The Chief grinned.
"We're relocating an entire Argos branch to Yurtel. Over 100 strategic mages, master knights, and top operatives, all disguised."
The Count thought for a moment, then smiled.
"How about a department store?"
"Perfect. A big basement? Just call it warehouse space—no suspicions."
"Timing's spot on. We've had a site prepped for a department store for three years. Over 90% complete, close to the shop. Construction's on hold now."
"Why?"
"We contracted with Lumina Merchant Guild originally. But they... suddenly went bankrupt."
"Argos will fund it. Can't we just build a new one?"
At that, I cautiously raised my hand. Everyone looked at me.
"Is that really necessary?"
"What do you mean, Aiden?"
"If we're getting funding, why not from the right people? If I recall, Chairman Boyer's Wilhelm Dor Group does luxury goods and high-end department stores."
Chairman Boyer. The one who'd given me advice. His main business was heavy industry, but his sister was the queen of luxury and department stores—Marilyn Wilhelm Dor, connected to every fashion mogul, able to shift the Empire's dress code with a word.
And I knew her very well.
"Aiden, how about meeting my daughter sometime? I know I'm biased as her dad, but she's a great girl. Prepping for modeling—quite the looker."
She'd been a regular, buying five consultation tickets, always pushing matchmaking.
"It's decided. A magic tower in Yurtel. A haunted theme park. And a new department store venture. Count Yurtel, the Empire will cover the funds."
At His Majesty's words, the Count's face broke into a huge grin.
"We gladly accept, Your Majesty!"
From the Count's perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
The fortune-telling shop reopened. After a three-day "vacation" filming an unscripted spy thriller in Verba, daily life resumed.
"Don't give up on drawing. You have talent. Drawing will bring you happiness. For you... I give this Tarot card. The Poet of Dreams. Keep it close and remember my words. You're wonderful."
"Sniff... Thank you, Great Sage! It... really comforts me."
Nothing had changed. Read fortunes for ten lottery winners, sell consultation tickets, visit high-society guests at Yurtel's top hotels for sessions. Then, evenings brought Mirien slipping into my room for intimate...
"Stand it up."
"Mirien! Please! We've done it five times already!"
"I'm not satisfied yet. Touch it. Your shaft. Treat me like a sex slave."
...time before sleep. My routine spun on leisurely, peacefully.
But my surroundings changed rapidly.
The magic tower went up. In just a week. How? Dozens of 9th-circle strategic mages teamed with Yurtel's veteran builders made the impossible possible. Built near the hot spring management office not far from the shop, it featured geothermal power systems—and immediately launched massive construction at my shop.
"Yurtel's New Attraction! See the Massive Illusion Magic!"
"Dragons and fairies! Ancient mythical creatures floating over the square in front of the fortune-telling shop— a dreamlike sight!"
The illusion circle the mages created was captivating enough. I'd lost count of evenings staring out the window, mesmerized on my way home.
Naturally, it was a smash hit. Word-of-mouth and press coverage boosted tourist numbers.
But that was just the start.
[Night of the Living Shadows: The Truth Behind the Fainting Visitors?]
A chilling horror theme park opened.
"Terrifying Horror Experience by Dark Elves Themselves!"
"Night of the Living Shadows! Experience It Now—Just 10 runes per person!"
"Are You Ready to Face Your Worst Nightmares?"
"Fainting and shock-induced blackouts possible. No entry for elderly, pregnant women, or children."
The Count promoted it heavily. Curious visitors emerged pale as ghosts, souls seemingly fled. Soon, the press covered it, and Night of the Living Shadows exploded in popularity.
For some reason.
"Aaah! Honey! I'm so scared!"
"Come here. Hug me."
It became a hot spot for couples.
And the hat trick. A month later, the department store opened. A collaboration with Wilhelm Dor Group transformed the eyesore of a stalled construction site into something grander, more beautiful. Top fashion brands moved in, and with my fan Marilyn Wilhelm Dor's influence, a fashion runway was planned.
These three hits turned Yurtel into a mega-boom town. Tourists tripled overnight; revenues rocketed skyward. The Count managed the influx masterfully, steadily growing the county's income.
Yurtel became flashier, more fun.
But that was only on the surface.
"Wh-why are you doing this? I'm just a tourist! You can't—!"
"Red Balalaika. Natalia Ankanov. Your acting won't work. Follow quietly if you don't want to die."
Plain department store clerks were elite Argos agents.
"Caught a suspicious one. Interrogate him. He was assembling a pistol."
Horror park staff—top spiritists—delivered one or two suspects nightly to the store.
"Today's fourth lucky winner. Noisy thoughts—like mental static. Definitely had anti-mind magic treatment. Suspicious."
"Drag him out."
Tower mages scanned visitors' minds, passing tips to county knights.
Red Alliance and Yurana Kingdom spies swarming me like moths met their end daily. As His Majesty said, Yurtel was becoming the intelligence world's Paradise Hell.