61
Even a tadpole eventually becomes a frog
The names on the invitation list were quite a sight. The guy who fought me with an axe, the one who got shot in the shoulder by me, the one who almost got his arm cut off trying to strangle me…
The most surprising thing is, how did Sebastian make this list when all these bastards’ names, including mine, should be confidential? In this world, money really can do anything. Ah, if a rich boy spends a little pocket money, he could probably get the list of secret agents worldwide right away.
Oh, looking closely, there’s a pattern. They’re either retired or have moved up to management positions where their identities are somewhat exposed. The names of those still active in the field aren’t included.
At that moment, I felt relieved.
Right? Even with money, a rich person can’t do everything.
But along with the relief came a sudden realization, ‘This is no time to be relieved!’
“Ah, this bastard really doesn’t get it…”
The names of people from Department 1 on the list are somewhat tolerable. But how can I deal with a list that includes all kinds of vicious criminals in the world? I double-checked, praying.
“It’s a lie, right?”
“It’s true.”
“Ah, why!”
Why, why, why! How could he make an invitation list like this without even telling me!
As I sat down on the floor throwing a fit, Sebastian crouched in front of me and patted my shoulder.
“Darling, your tantrum is cute, but try to remember. I clearly told you, ‘I’m sending out invitations as I see fit,’ didn’t I?”
Was that so…? Come to think of it, when I was bedridden, Sebastian was handling various things and would say to me, “I’m doing ~?” I just responded with “yeah, yeah” without really listening, not knowing it would come back to bite me like this!
God, if it was going to be like this, You should have warned me even if it meant striking me with lightning! Do You know how much I’ve donated to the church!
“These bastards didn’t say they’re coming, did they?”
I tried to hold onto hope, given that the date on the invitation was so close and most of them are probably busy with work.
“Don’t get your hopes up too much. It’s very rare for someone to decline an invitation to the engagement party of the eldest son of the Riegel Group,” Nakaban chimed in.
Ah, why! Why are they doing this to me!
Today, I finally understood why people at disaster sites sit on the ground, shaking their legs and crying. Yes, when a person faces too great a disaster, their legs give out and they can’t stand, crying like a child. Just like me now.
Waaah.
I guess Catholicism doesn’t suit me after all.
It was no longer just about enduring the anger and oppression from my father and brothers. How many of these bastards would cause trouble on the day of the engagement? I’m already tired just thinking about it. Looking at the blonde handsome man smiling brightly without knowing my feelings, my chest swelled with anger. The anger rose like an active volcano and then burst. Just as I was about to shout, “You crazy bastard!” Sebastian burst out laughing.
You’re laughing? You find this funny?
“Finally, you’ve got some life in you.”
He caressed my cheek. From his worried touch, I realized that although he hadn’t shown it, he had been concerned about me for the past few days. Of course he would be. I hadn’t tried to talk to anyone much in recent days. The longest conversation I had was when I was introduced to Anya. Sebastian looked relieved. Wanting to feel relieved too, I asked,
“By any chance, the invitations,”
“I’ve already sent them to everyone on that list. If I had known you’d become this lively, I would have told you earlier.”
“This isn’t liveliness, it’s rage!”
Even as I despaired, Sebastian just kept smiling.
After that trivial… no, not trivial but… shit, I don’t know how to describe this unprecedented incident, I got up on shaky legs and checked out the mansion that was supposed to be our newlywed home, or engagement home, or whatever it was. The meeting place was located in a room connected to the right side of the mansion in an annex.
It was a room with windows on three sides, a place you should never choose if you’re worried about snipers, but this house was practically safe from the risk of sniping. The area around this mansion is all gardens, mountains, and water, so where could a sniper possibly shoot from? From a tree? With a sniper rifle? By infiltrating this house beforehand? It’s difficult. Almost impossible, I’d say. Rather than going through all that trouble, it would be faster to plant a bomb.
A bomb…
Wasn’t that the specialty of those Canaris bastards?
“Do we have enough liquid nitrogen?” I asked Kouri, who was accompanying me. He understood immediately.
“We have plenty. The equipment will be set up in the next room, and the handling team will be on standby in the annex.”
The easiest way to disarm a bomb is not to disarm it. Freezing it with liquid nitrogen, taking it out, and then detonating it at a demolition site is the simplest, easiest, and most problem-free method. Of course, body searches will be thorough, but people who have worked in the field all understand that there’s no such thing as a perfect body search. Especially for people meeting for a conference, and even more so if they don’t get along well.
The camera placement was exquisite. But if there’s even one of our agents among the Canaris guys, those cameras will definitely be picked on. If Otto Layer is a Canaris spy, these tricks won’t work. No matter how much we tease Layer for being a desk jockey, he’s a seasoned veteran in the security bureau. There’s no way he wouldn’t notice something like this. Moreover, the problem with such devices is that if they bring jamming equipment…
“Wouldn’t it be better to remove them all?”
At my words, everyone looked at me. I could read various emotions. Trouble, annoyance, bewilderment, irritation… I don’t want to be involved either. And this setup itself was really excellent. The problem is that it’s a trick that only works when dealing with ordinary people.
“If we’re going to eavesdrop, wouldn’t laser be better?”
To my suggestion of eavesdropping by detecting window vibrations from outside, Kouri shook his head.
“The security bureau wants video. They say it needs to be evidence that can be handed over to the prosecution.”
The greatest advantage of the Rotman Security Bureau and the issue that the international community always brings up, the post-facto warrant. It really works well at times like this. The fact that they want video means they want to identify specific individuals… I understand their intention, but from my position where Sebastian’s safety is at stake, everything is bothersome.
“There won’t be any problems,” Sebastian said.
It was regrettable that I couldn’t just say, “Alright.” No, the Canaris bastards have always caused problems. They’re fanatics. Guys who believe they became poor and unhappy because this country chose democracy and capitalism. Fanatics who believe that if they return to communism, all their misfortunes will end and happiness will come. Such guys can do anything. It’s not good to expose Sebastian to such dangerous bastards in the first place.
I gave Kouri a look, and he nodded slightly. Although he was moving according to his employer Sebastian’s wishes, he emotionally agreed with me.
I crossed my arms and scanned the surroundings once again. Even considering that I’m from the security bureau and know their style, it’s too obvious. And Otto Layer has been in the security bureau much longer than I have.
That crazy bastard, does he have nothing better to do than act as a Canaris spy?
“Wait.”
Hold on, Otto Layer is a spy?
Why can’t the security bureau touch him? The reason is simple. If they touch him and Canaris goes into hiding, they’ll have to play hide and seek again. So the security bureau is deliberately pushing me out while trying to avoid Layer’s suspicion and catch Canaris’s tail.
But judging from Layer’s attitude a few days ago, he’s suspicious of the security bureau’s behavior. So that low-level attempt to drive a wedge…
No, that’s not it.
“Don’t trust too much.”
How much does Layer know?
Does he know that everyone is alive? No way. If he did, he would have run away already. Then, when Layer said “Don’t trust too much,” did he mean that when he sold me out, they tried to bury me without even confirming, that those people are not to be trusted?
I know that Layer threw those words to drive a wedge between me and Sebastian, between me and the security bureau. But isn’t it possible to approach Layer using these words as an excuse?
The me he thinks of is a person burning with revenge. Moreover, he couldn’t take my father and brothers hostage, and I’m very free. He can’t take Sebastian hostage, can he? How must he be feeling now?
Isn’t he actually a little scared? If he’s anxious, coming out to that corridor holding a vending machine coffee he doesn’t even drink, trying such a futile trick, wouldn’t it be possible to use that to our advantage?
Because while I have reason to take revenge on him, I’m officially quite at odds with the security bureau. He might not know what conversations I have with the security bureau, but everyone saw me accompanying Sebastian and trampling on the director’s mood.
Layer, you say…?
I turned my head and looked alternately at Kouri and Sebastian.
“You know, an idea just popped into my head. Would you all listen to my thoughts?”
Sebastian, seeing my face, covered my mouth with his hand and said, “Let’s do it in the car.” His gaze briefly indicated the camera hidden in the screw hole. Ah, right.
We moved to the car. Sebastian didn’t let me speak until our car left the mansion. Only after we passed the iron gate of the mansion did he finally tell me to speak, and only then could I explain my plan.
Couldn’t we approach Layer?
The people who heard my thoughts were silent for a while. Did I think wrong? When I was starting to feel anxious, the first person to speak was Nakaban.
“Wow, they say a sparrow living in a school learns to speak, but I never thought Mr. Schnieke would have such thoughts. The old sayings are really never wrong!”
Then Kouri praised me in a grand voice.
“You’ve grown, Mr. Schnieke.”
It was a compliment, but I wasn’t happy at all. What do you take me for! Just as I was about to get annoyed, Sebastian laughed with a somewhat boastful tone.
“This is the level of my lover. See?”
Then I saw Nakaban and Kouri clapping and offering congratulations.
You capitalist-corrupted folks! This is why Canaris is running rampant!
Even when I got angry, no one paid attention. Hmph.
