Plip-Plop— Plip-Plop—
At midnight at the cafe. By the tranquil window where rainwater settled, Elise faced someone.
"Have you arrived-?”
He greeted Elise with a sly smile, and she held out a small envelope towards him.
“Check it out.”
The journalist snatched the envelope and peeked inside.
“...3 million. You've chosen installment payments."
A smile spread across his lips. Elise raised an eyebrow.
“It will be paid out annually. Whether you leave a nominee account or continue to receive it in cash like this, it’s up to you.”
She had made her decision.
It would surely be difficult, terribly painful, but it was a choice she would never regret
"You won't regret this- dear customer.”
The journalist chuckled as he stuffed the envelope into his coat.
Elise, with her arms crossed, inquired.
"What did father say?”
"What could he say? He seemed to already know."
“...What do you mean?"
Elise's brow furrowed. The journalist sipped his coffee.
"Why is the communication between father and daughter so poor? Look, would there have been a journalist like me? It’s election season, there should have been at least 2 or 3.”
Elise silently looked at him.
"But those dumbasses went to Ken Petra first and ended their lives, while I went to you, Elise, and survived. Haha."
Father doesn't let journalists who dare to negotiate go unpunished. Yet, this man is unharmed.
Perhaps, it means that Ken is waiting for her own decision.
“The source?”
"Here.”
The journalist handed over a USB.
"This is a recording ofthe witness's direct testimony. Of course, it's a copy, and I have the original.”
"No. Not this.”
Elise shook her head.
“I mean the ‘person’.”
At her question, the journalist wore an ambiguous expression.
He asked back with a noticeably stiff tone.
“...You want them dead?”
Right now, the journalist must be thinking.
After all, the evidence is in his hands. So whether the witness lives or dies, it doesn't matter anymore. In fact, if the witness dies, it only makes the Petra family's weakness greater-
Elise smiled faintly.
“I’m sure you know that.”
Okay. I’ll let you know.”
The journalist responded with a pleased smile.
The next morning, Elise arrived at the coordinates provided by the journalist.
[Internal Medicine Clinic]
A small internal medicine clinic in the area of Getto, west of Edsilla.
Elise opened the door to the clinic. The first thing that spread was the faint smell of disinfectant. Small children sat with their mothers.
"Hello."
Elise approached the counter. A nurse looked at her, tilting her head slightly in confusion.
It was probably because of Elise's attire. A black dress and sunglasses were uncommon in this countryside.
"Excuse me, are you Eri?”
Elise asked her.
"Yes? Oh, yes..."
Eri answered. Eri Fonte. She was indeed the person from the USB the journalist had handed over.
Elise quietly lowered her sunglasses.
"You know who I am, right?"
Eri’s face turned pale. Her pupils dilated, and her fingertips trembled.
Quite a wild reaction.
Elise put a finger to her lips and smiled reassuringly.
"Shh. There's no need to worry.”
She showed her palm to the nurse. On the bare skin, there was a small message written.
“I’m here for a little abduction. Please follow me quietly.”
“...Haah, haah.”
Eri gasped as if she was about to lose her breath.
"The lady has arrived at the location.”
Ken nodded at his secretary's words.
"The documents?"
“They’ve been verified."
Journalists have always been prone to delusions, both in the past and now. They mistakenly think that the Senator is vulnerable during election season. That’s why these pests cling to us only during elections, but the strength ofthe Senator comes from the ‘family’ name.
Whether it’s election season or not, if the family name is strong enough, it won’t be shaken by a few pesky flies.
"Elise is."
"She's gone somewhere with the nurse.”
Elise will make a decision one way or another.
"The situation?”
“It seems she intends to... handle it.”
The secretary relayed Elise’s situation.
She had quietly abducted the nurse, and now they were heading to an abandoned factory.
"If Elise stirs up trouble, deal with the journalist.”
"Yes. Recovery is already complete."
They had already figured out all the safety measures of that bug-like journalist.
Several laptops connected to his heartbeat, documents stored in a bank safety deposit box, even the will, everything.
Whirring-
An alarm went off on the secretary’s wristwatch. He looked at it and conveyed the message.
"Senator. Senator Syrimus is resigning."
Syrimus. A district Senator likely to be re-elected has fallen disgracefully.
It was because of a scandal involving his child.
To Ken, it felt strangely familiar.
Because of an entity named ‘Yael’.
A disgrace to the Petra family and Ken’s only blemish.
Of course, that bastard wasn't a monster like Syrimus’s son, but a similar kind of madman—a lunatic.
“Is that so.”
Now he had to cut off the rotting finger himself.
Before the necrosis, still at the fingertips, spread throughout the body.
"We’ll need to prepare to handle it.”
"Yes.”
They couldn’t keep him locked up in a mental hospital forever.
Like this incident, information would inevitably leak out.
[The Syrimus Senator has announced his resignation. The Edsilla Round Table will closely examine the matter...]
Operation ‘Knock the Bird Down’ was a success.
Syrimus had fallen, and Ludeniel was rapidly rising to take his place, thanks to Hannah Erent raising suspicions of a bribery scandal against him.
"The poll results are in. Ludeniel is definitely in a favorable position.”
Intelligence Agency, my private office.
I’m on the phone with Zia in a room no larger than 284 square feet.
—Yeah, I'm looking at it. It's a relief.
Ludeniel’s campaign is being supported by [Jean Consulting].
It’s not too difficult. The story of him heroically saving the miners has really caught on.
—The situation with Jesco looks serious. The forces spread across the Midwest are all converging in one place.
"Yes. They will probably start the carnage soon.”
—Yeah. It’s happening faster than imagined.
Confidence is gradually building in Zia’s voice. She’s someone who seems to be in a good mood.
"Miss, any thoughts on the Intelligence Agency?
Zia has no connections with the Intelligence Agency. It’s an organization that values seniority, so most are affiliated with Derek, Johanna, and Sherlock.
—The Intelligence Agency will have a tough time. It belongs to Brother Derek...
“Isn’t it time to elect a new team leader?"
However, I had some thoughts of my own.
—Yeah. But we don’t have our own candidate.
"No."
Someone’s name came to mind.
A wildcard, so to speak.
"We have Bell Moore.”
—...Bell Moore?
Zia’s voice rose with surprise. She’s probably tilting her head in curiosity.
"He’s one ofthe candidates for team leader.”
—He's not one of ours, is he...?
"Yes. Bell Moore probably thinks the same."
Of course, he’s not Zia’s man. In fact, Zia probably doesn't even register him on her radar.
That’s precisely why he’s the best choice.
A top-notch pawn is one who doesn't know they’re a pawn.
"What do you think about promoting Bell Moore to team leader... no, to director?”
—...Director?
"Yes."
Bell Moore, surprisingly, is a character who desires contentment.
Just living well enough.
Even before the regression, despite his notoriety, he never sought a position that was too conspicuous.
But that’s not helpful to me.
“I think we can promote Bell Moore to director. Just give it the right amount of time."
—But.. Bell Moore isn’t that kind of person.
Of course, Zia seems to have already analyzed Bell Moore as well.
"Yes. Bell Moore certainly only wants a suitable position. But conversely, he’s easily swept up by the situation.”
The current director ofthe Intelligence Agency is Gedley. Before the regression, he was the one who held the director position until I died.
He proclaims that he 'does not belong to anyone’s power,’ but he’s consumed by a lust for power and honor, always accompanied by envy, jealousy, and checks and balances.
At the same time, he’s committed all sorts of vile crimes, a despicable crime, and must be eliminated
“I’ll manipulate the situation.”
Bell Moore willingly cooperated in killing Team Leader Benedict.
The reason was simply because he suspected that 'Benedict was going to use him as cannon fodder.’
"So that Bell Moore has no choice but to aim for the director position.”
First, I’ll promote Bell Moore to team leader, then instill suspicion in the directorthat ‘Bell Moore is challenging his position.’
To Bell Moore, I’ll plant the threat that ‘the director is trying to kill him.’
It’s the blueprint ofthe design.
Zia fell silent for a moment
—Be careful-
Then, she told me to be careful.
—No matter who the director is, Shion is more important to me.
Her voice was soft and sincere.
I found it a bit odd, but then again.
She’s always been this kind of person. In the future, she’ll gain a following that is almost religious in nature, devotion.
Perhaps if I had known nothing, I would have been moved by just such words and remained loyal for a lifetime.
"Yes.”
Knock-knock-
just then, there was a knock at the office door. It was probably Bell Moore.
"Coming."
I ended the call and opened the door.
"Hey. Good morning.”
As expected, it was Bell Moore. Riley was there too.
"Did you see the news?”
Bell Moore immediately showed me his smartphone. It was about Senator Syrimus' resignation being approved by the assembly.
"We cut off Vern’s fingers, we did it. So the director’s calling for us?”
He laughed with a ‘kheuheuheu,’ showing his teeth.
"Come out. We're going to report"
I stepped outside.
Bell Moore took the lead, with Riley and I following behind him.
[Director's Office]
After a long walk down the corridor, we reached the heart ofthe Intelligence Agency—the director's office.
"Hmph. Hey. Watch your attitude. You know Director Gedley, right? My role model.”
"How is he your role model?”
"He's my college senior.”
The reasons people have are indeed varied.
Knock-knock.
Bell Moore knocked on the director's office door.
—Come in.
A deep voice granted permission.
"Yes!”
Bell Moore briskly responded and opened the door.
The first thing visible was the large executive desk with the director seated behind it.
Gedley was a well-built middle-aged man. Despite his age, he was in good shape, had a thick head of hair, and wore glasses that gave him a rather intellectual appearance.
Perhaps a face even more difficult to confront than a direct descendant like Derek.
He spoke in a markedly businesslike tone.
"The item planning was a success; everyone is quite pleased with Derek's contribution. What’s the weight ofthe work?”
Weight.
In other words, he was asking about ‘merit.’
Riley and Bell Moore turned to look at me.
Was it up to me to decide?
"All three of us are equal.”
The other two looked surprised at my response.
Equal.
I was the one who fetched the item, and I held all the information, but I deliberately said so.
“If it’s equal, then who was the leader? Bell Moore, you wrote in the report that you led the operation."
Bell Moore twitched nervously. He chewed his lip, glancing at me to gauge my reaction.
In that case.
"Yes. That’s correct”
As he wished.
Bell Moore suddenly inhaled, and Riley slightly furrowed her brow.
Gedley asked again.
"What?"
"Bell Moore was the one who actively traveled between foreign countries and the underworld to gather information. Also, I have a separate report that I've prepared.”
I pulled out the report from within my coat. Gedley gestured for me to bring it over. I placed it on his executive desk.
“We’ll have the debriefing later. For now, you may leave.”
"Yes."
Bell Moore was the first to bow his head. Riley and I followed suit.
As soon as we left the director’s office.
"Hey."
Bell Moore slapped his hand onto my shoulder.
"What is it?'
I feigned ignorance in response.
"What do you mean?”
“It's all Shion’s work, isn't it?”
It was Riley speaking. She shrugged her shoulders, giving Bell Moore a sidelong glance.
"Shouldn’t someone who acts like they did everything themselves be punished?"
“. I didn’t write that I did everything, okay? I just reported what I did.”
I looked at Bell Moore. He awkwardly avoided my gaze.
It seems even this guy has a conscience.
I said to him.
"You wanted to be team leader, didn’t you?
.What?”
Bell Moore’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Is that so?”
He suddenly stroked his chin, his lips twitching.
"Well, I mean... being team leader would be great. But why are you bringing this up—”
"Bell Moore, you are my senior, aren't you?”
Bell Moore’s mouth snapped shut
I gave him a very brief reason.
"As your junior, I trust and support my senior. That's all.”
You need to become the team leader, no, the director for my sake.
Because for the strategy of killing with a borrowed knife, there's no better pawn than you.
“. What the hell? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? You weren't this kind of character before, were you?”
Bell Moore, clueless, waved his hands in a flustered manner, his face the very picture of bewilderment.
