Translator: Roshi
‘I can do it. I graduated from the Academy with top grades, and I’ve made a strong backing for myself. I can do this.’
James muttered to himself as he looked down the gloomy gray corridor.
His shirt, buttoned up tight to the last, was uncomfortable, but James had no mind to care about that.
Today was the day of the long-awaited Intelligence Agency interview.
What kind of place was the Intelligence Agency? It was a gathering of geniuses among geniuses from across the continent. Its existence was so secretive that only a very few knew about it.
Not just anyone could enter the Intelligence Agency. One had to graduate from the Academy with top grades or achieve a feat that would make one’s name known across the continent to be eligible to apply.
And that was not the end of it. One had to pass a thorough background check, and a practical exam that was close to real work. It was a miracle that he had made it to the interview. And James wanted to grasp this miracle tightly.
“Fuck, seriously.”
Then, a crude curse was heard. Looking up, he saw a man with black hair sitting across from him.
With his uniform unbuttoned and a slouching posture, his face full of irritation – he looked thoroughly displeased.
To James at that moment, only the man’s uniform was visible.
‘…The Intelligence Agency agent!’
It was his first time seeing an Intelligence Agency agent.
The Intelligence Agency was an organization shrouded in secrecy. In fact, he hadn’t encountered a single person in the process of coming to the interview.
He seemed to be about James’s age, yet already an Intelligence Agency agent – James’s eyes sparkled instinctively.
“Do you have business with me?”
The man asked in an annoyed voice.
“Ah… No! You just looked cool!”
James quickly stood at attention and replied. This person might become James’s senior if he passed.
“Taking out my anger on a chick… That’s the worst.”
The man squinted his eyes and took out a cigarette.
“Do you want one? It’s good.”
“No, thank you!”
The man didn’t offer twice. A red flame flickered above the man’s fingers.
“…A mage!”
James’s eyes widened. A mage and an Intelligence Agency agent!
“Is it your first time seeing a mage?”
Instead of answering, James snapped his fingers. Small sparks flew around James’s fingers.
“A junior, I see.”
“Please take care of me, senior!”
The man clicked his tongue slightly. Grey smoke wafted from the corners of the man’s mouth. His expression as he looked at James was ambiguous.
“Why choose the Intelligence Agency over the easier path?”
The man’s question was valid.
Normally, graduating as a mage meant entering the Magic Tower. If not, one would serve under a noble-.
Mages were more suited for research and development rather than combat. In fact, the money and honor one could earn in that field were overwhelmingly greater.
James had received many invitations from the Magic Tower. The reason he had declined them and applied to the Intelligence Agency was-.
“I want to dedicate my life to the glorious Empire!”
Since it was a question expected in the interview, James answered without hesitation. The man squinted his eyes. Was this not it?
“…Your mana leaks a bit. The compression process is somewhat weak.”
“Compression?”
“Like this.”
The man snapped his fingers again. Sparks flew from his fingers. At a glance, it seemed similar to James, but James could recognize the finesse.
“You can achieve the same efficiency with less mana!”
“Yes, the Academy doesn’t teach you that. Those who’ve only touched books think mana efficiency isn’t necessary. But in actual combat, efficiency is more important. How long does it take to replenish your mana?”
“About three days.”
“That’s too long.”
“…Yes?”
James’s eyes widened. It was fast compared to his peers.
“Don’t just thoughtlessly replenish your mana, calculate the concentration when storing it. It takes three days because you’re storing it mindlessly, like breathing.”
‘Calculate the concentration when storing mana?’
Calculating formulas when using magic already seemed like it would crack my head open, but now to calculate the concentration of mana too-? Could that even make sense? James just nodded for the moment.
“If you calculate and remember the mana concentration in advance, you can use just the right amount of mana needed. Then, something like this becomes possible too.”
The man flicked his fingers consecutively. Sparks occurred in succession. Initially, there was only one, but in an instant, it exploded and formed a small flower shape.
A flower made of lightning-. James marveled at the precision of it all.
“This works well with the ladies. Try using it, and you’ll kill it.”
“…Ah, is that so.”
“Got a girlfriend?”
“I broke up before coming here.”
“To the Intelligence Agency?”
“Yes.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“What?”
The man exhaled smoke longly. A fresh lemon scent wafted through.
“Once you’re in, you can’t get married.”
“That’s alright! I plan to marry the empire!”
“Has the empire agreed to that?”
“…What?”
The man laughed as if he was coughing.
“Anyway, if you enter the Intelligence Agency, remember just one thing.”
“What would that be?”
“Close your eyes, shut your mouth. Just do as you’re told. Then you’ll rise up.”
The man squinted his eyes. At a glance, it seemed like he was smiling, but his lips were not raised.
Just then, a door on the side opened, and a woman came out. James involuntarily straightened his posture at the sight of the cold-looking beauty.
“Galahad, how many times have I told you no smoking indoors?”
“This is a mana cigarette.”
“So what?”
“It smells nice.”
The woman snickered and gestured inside with her head. The man, clicking his tongue, stood up. James blankly looked up at the man.
“Don’t get divorced and hang in there.”
“…Yes? Yeah!”
The man who patted James on the shoulder entered through the door.
James muttered the name ‘Galahad.’ Where had he heard that name…?
‘…The youngest graduate of the Academy!’
James’s mouth dropped open as he belatedly recalled the name.
Galahad was a figure recorded in the history of the Academy.
Normally, when graduating from the Academy, most mages were second-tier, and at best, third-tier. But Galahad, not only did he graduate as the youngest, but he was also fourth-tier at the time of graduation.
And then he suddenly disappeared after graduation-.
‘He went into the Intelligence Agency.’
It all made sense now. To have met such a legendary figure-. James quietly cheered, “Yay!”
It was indeed the Intelligence Agency. The Intelligence Agency, where only the geniuses among geniuses of the continent gathered to lead the empire-.
Just then, a rough voice was heard from inside.
“Fuck, are you telling me to be a stay-at-home husband now?”
At the sound of Galahad’s voice, James’s eyes widened.
James hurriedly looked up at the door. It was prominently labeled ‘Deputy Director’s Office.’
To hear such coarse swearing from the Deputy Director’s Office-.
‘Cool.’
James’s eyes sparkled.
‘I must pass!’
James clenched his fist and geared himself up.
He wanted to work under the magnificent Galahad.
****
“Galahad, how does marrying the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter equate to being a stay-at-home husband?”
The Deputy Director squinted his full eyes. Galahad took a deep breath and calmed himself.
“Isn’t that the same thing? Are you not aware of what kind of person the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter is?”
“I know, isn’t she the youngest Sword Master? She will inherit the position of the Northern Grand Duke in the future. Then, becoming the husband of the Northern Grand Duke, what exactly is the complaint?”
The Deputy Director laughed heartily. Faced with such shameless attitude, Galahad was furious from head to toe.
At the founding of the empire, the Grand Duke was truly a Grand Duke. The empire’s only duke and the next most powerful person after the emperor-.
However, the problem was the location of the North. The North bordered the territory of the demon race. The Grand Duke had to fend off the assaults of the demon race, and because of this, he was losing strength day by day.
Moreover, the ignorant northerners extremely hated mages, considering magic a by-product of the demons. The Grand Duke’s territory was the only place without a Magic Tower.
Sending Galahad, a mage and an agent of the Intelligence Agency, there was akin to sending him to his death.
However, Galahad was the card most pushed by the Deputy Director. There was no way he could reject it himself.
“Where did this come from?”
The Deputy Director, with a troubled face, pointed upwards with his finger. The Deputy Director didn’t recognize the Director of the Intelligence Agency as he was a placement from above. When such a Deputy Director pointed upwards, it meant it really came from the very top.
“It was a project pushed by your father.”
“Fuck! Really! Damn it…”
Galahad couldn’t hold back and cursed. He immediately realized how the situation had unfolded.
Galahad was the third son of an count.
Here, nobles, to prevent the weakening of their power, passed everything to the eldest son. This included cases where everyone except the eldest son was eliminated.
Reincarnated as a son of a noble, Galahad realized his situation at a young age. Thus, he desperately studied magic.
Studying wasn’t hard since he had done plenty of it in his previous life.
After all, Galahad had been admitted to a prestigious university in Korea. Compared to the tedious college entrance exam and university studies, magic had visual by-products every time he studied it. It was incomparably more interesting.
Moreover, the basic magic formulas were about the level of high school mathematics he had learned in his previous life.
Thanks to this, he graduated from the Academy as the youngest ever and also entered the Intelligence Agency. He thought he could finally live comfortably, but-.
‘Not only do they not look after me, but they also sell me off? Fucking hell.’
It was a very political arranged marriage. Galahad’s sharp mind quickly concluded that there was absolutely no way to avoid it. It was a dead end.
‘Really fucking great.’
Having finished his calculations, Galahad sat opposite the Deputy Director and took out a cigarette. The Deputy Director’s eyebrows raised, but he wasn’t his senior anymore.
“Galahad-.”
“What?”
“Give me one too.”
Galahad squinted his eyes and glared at the Deputy Director. Yeah, what wrong had the Deputy Director done? He took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to the Deputy Director.
“Light.”
“What era are we in that you can’t even perform a simple spell?”
“You’re getting old too. You know how hard it is to learn new things. Light!”
Galahad clicked his tongue and lit the Deputy Director’s cigarette.
“Being a man, what’s with the scent of lemon, huh?”
“Complaining a lot for someone who’s smoking for free.”
The two quietly smoked one cigarette after another.
The Deputy Director’s face wasn’t looking good either. Since Galahad was the card he was most pushing, it was as if the Deputy Director had become penniless.
“Speaking of which, why haven’t you married? You’re of age.”
“I married the empire.”
“Even I know how much you hate the empire.”
“Don’t you also hate your wife, Deputy Director?”
“You have a point.”
They both laughed softly.
“It won’t take long.”
The Deputy Director said with a voice full of tiredness. It was as if his hands and feet were cut off. There was no way he could call Galahad back now.
“Fine. I’ll return on my own.”
Galahad shook his head and snuffed out his cigarette.
“Anyway, you’re popular with the ladies. In fact, Jamit likes you too.”
The Deputy Director pointed at Jamit sitting next to him and laughed mischievously. Then, Jamit grimaced.
“I knew it. Sorry, Jamit, I’m not into men.”
“…Give me one too.”
Now three of them sat side by side, quietly smoking for a while. There was no conversation, but each was busy with their own thoughts.
“Buy some candies or chocolates. Women like that stuff. Seems like there won’t be any in the North.”
Jamit made a donut shape with the smoke and said.
“Candy, huh? I’ll remember that. Ah, the guy outside should be useful.”
“Outside guy?”
“The kid who looks like a carrot.”
“Carrot?”
“Sounds like he’s talking about an interviewee.”
“Oh, I see. But why do you speak informally…? It’s okay though. Considering how long we’ve worked together. Haha. So, does he seem alright?”
“Yes, said he’d marry the empire.”
“That’s what you said during the interview.”
Galahad laughed bitterly.
Did I say that? It seemed like I did. Isn’t that what everyone says during an interview? That they really love this company-, that they would lay their lives for it-. It was in that context.
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
The Deputy Director leaned back and asked. When Galahad first faced him, his eyes sparkled with justice and ambition, but now they were filled with weariness and tiredness.
Galahad looked at him for a moment before speaking.
“So, is that woman pretty?”
This time, the Deputy Director laughed out loud. He laughed until he was out of breath, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, and then nodded.
“They say she’s the most beautiful woman on the continent.”
*****
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