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“…That concludes my status report from my perspective.”
“Good work.”

At the end of the day—strictly speaking, it was already a new date—Efrain reported what he had seen. Of course, the group’s actions were always under surveillance from the shadows, but Efrain, being the closest to the group, could observe things that might not have been noticeable from a distance.

There was no need to report every obvious detail, so he made sure to prioritize his detailed impressions instead.

In Maltgartz, not only in the cities but even in major inn towns, communication stations of a scale capable of connecting to the imperial capital were well-established. This was a testament to the pride of the empire’s prosperity and the foresight to turn it into power.

Standing in a heavy, stone-built underground chamber resembling a dungeon, Efrain was surrounded by a bluish glowing magic circle as he engaged in a distant conversation with the higher-ups in the distant imperial capital.

“Now, let’s leave the report as a guide aside. I want to hear about the man who lost his name… who is considered to be the former identity of the girl Lucella, the so-called ‘Provisional – Malienova No. 1.’ What can you, as his former friend, tell me about him?”

As if flames were welling up in the back of his throat, Efrain’s tension increased.

Just as Efrain had been gathering information about the current Lucella by observing her, the empire was also investigating the past Lucella. For the diplomatic and information departments, it was standard work. The goal was to understand her to the core and manipulate her accordingly.

The symbolic name assigned to her was ‘Provisional Malienova No. 1.’ Since her actual name was lost, it made sense to have a temporary designation, but Efrain couldn’t easily accept that an old acquaintance he knew by face and voice was referred to by a symbolic name.

“First, let me discuss the information we’ve gathered that I can share with you. Provisional Malienova No. 1, as per your reports, did indeed leave the juvenile dormitory and had various jobs afterward. The traceable information goes as far as acquiring adventurer qualifications as an adventurer manager and leaving the empire.”

Efrain thought it made sense.

■■■■■ worked as an adventurer manager, embarked on a journey with an adventurer named Giselle, and eventually ended up in Setulev. If one were to follow their footsteps, it would involve extracting information from adventurer guilds in various countries and piecing it together. However, adventurer guilds were not known for easily divulging information.

“We investigated the social connections until leaving the empire, but due to not staying in one workplace for an extended period, there didn’t seem to be any particularly close friends. Therefore, it was decided that we would ‘welcome’ her by gathering former peers from the juvenile dormitory.”

Gathering old acquaintances, hosting a party, and binding her down – it sounded like something the information and diplomatic departments would come up with, and Efrain didn’t find it surprising. He considered it a natural strategy.

However, if creating as many connections as possible under the control of the country could potentially prove useful in the future, and if it fittingly became a well-prepared maneuver as a tactic against Lucella, then it might indeed be an effective investment. The bitter taste of Efrain’s realization welled up as he recalled Lucella’s earlier words.

“Any small happening will do. Please provide names of those who had positive interactions with him. Conversely, I also want to know about those who shouldn’t be called – people who had conflicts with him or were disliked by him.”
“Understood. Just one point. As I mentioned in yesterday’s report, Lucella… Malienova No. 1, had thin connections with the people around him. Even if you gather those who had some interaction with him, it’s uncertain how much effect it will have. It might even backfire…”
“I don’t mind. The judgment is not yours to make, nor mine.”
“……”

More precisely, it was Efrain’s own hesitation. He didn’t want to weaponize the days in the juvenile dormitory. He felt that doing so would only be proving Lucella’s words correct.

“……What? What did you just say?”

A bizarre voice echoed from beyond the magic circle, startling Efrain. He thought his inner thoughts had leaked.

“What happened?”
“No, I’m not talking about you, Ambassador Kraubel.
How can that be? No… that’s… understood, grant them access! Without delay!”

A response tinged with obvious anxiety came, and then another voice sounded.

“Hey, Efrain! We haven’t talked since the appointment ceremony.”

This time, in a different sense, Efrain felt like his heart might jump out of his mouth.

“A-A-Am I talking to His Excellency the Prime Minister!?”
“That’s right. You remembered well.”

Remembering well was quite the joke. There were frequent opportunities for the general population to hear his voice. In the absence of the Emperor, who couldn’t perform governmental duties, he often appeared in public.

Above all, on the day of the appointment ceremony, he spoke to each individual, even someone like Efrain, and Efrain couldn’t forget that.

The voice calling out from the distant conversation belonged to Manuel Weaver Gantrea, the Prime Minister of the Empire, a man standing at the practical pinnacle of the power structure of this country, at least for now.

“Now, do you also remember the second of the Ten Imperial Officer Tenets?”
“Yes! ‘Regardless of one’s position or status, the duties of an officer are indispensable for the Empire’s victory!’”
“That’s correct! Therefore, every officer should not neglect or slack off their duties, faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities for the Empire’s success!”

Efrain responded with enthusiasm, like a temple school student eagerly answering the teacher’s question. He got full marks.

“You are now the best embodiment of that. The greatest tasks come to people suddenly. It’s the work of god of fate – or even a randomness beyond the gods’ foresight. But it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that you guided this situation because you took every low-ranking job seriously without neglecting it. And I believe you have the capability to fulfill your duties. …”

His heart pounded so much that he sighed involuntarily. The Prime Minister of the Empire, who was extremely busy, took the time to recognize his efforts, praise, and encourage him. Efrain thought that anyone who wouldn’t be happy about this wouldn’t be a human.

If Manuel were a heartless and ruthless ruler, he would never go to such lengths. It’s because he cared about people that he went to such lengths, breaking his own heart for each individual. Even Efrain, who was just a low-ranking bureaucrat until yesterday, knew that he was in an important position now, and that’s why Manuel came personally to offer encouragement.

“Please, continue to do your best. I am watching you.”
“Yes Sir!”

And then Manuel’s voice faded away, but Efrain still felt like he was floating in the air. To receive special words from the Prime Minister for oneself was an event that added prestige.

On the other hand, there was still a slight unease in Efrain’s heart. What if everything was orchestrated… He had such anxious —as he didn’t want to call it ‘doubt’— feelings.

It’s too audacious for someone like me to weigh the thoughts of the Prime Minister. However, if I accomplish something… Would I be allowed to ask, then, even if it’s just a single word?

Prime Minister Manuel Weaver often said, like a catchphrase, that he loved the empire and the people. Would he be allowed to inquire about the nature of that love?