Iodor is a backstreet tavern adjacent to the palace in the capital city of Kajeif.
Before the Quernen War, it was a place where Nikolai, Lune, and I used to drink together.
Being a backstreet tavern, it had a bustling atmosphere that only those who knew about it could enjoy.
Of course, that day, Lune drank too much and ended up spilling everything out, making for a terrible ending…
That’s why it remained deeply etched in my memory.
Clang—.
As I pushed open the rough door, the landlord, with the same impression as before, greeted me.
“Welcome.”
“Did any military personnel in uniform come by yesterday or today?”
“Military uniform? I don’t remember anyone in military uniform…”
The landlord shook his head at my words. Of course, they wouldn’t have come in uniform.
If Luna reacted that way because she truly intended to ‘secretly’ convey something to me,
there would be no reason for her to come in uniform or in an eye-catching outfit.
“Oh, I see.”
“Are you looking for someone?”
“No, just bring me a beer and some dry snacks.”
I naturally sat down at the table where we had drunk together last time. Visually, there were no noticeable traces.
If I were to emphasize that she vomited, maybe on the floor…
Although I briefly thought of that, it seemed too absurd, so I quickly dismissed the idea.
Considering the possibility of being followed,
I slowly and naturally began to scan the table.
Due to its nature as a backstreet tavern, the condition of the tables was far from good. The rough wooden surfaces were scratched and scarred, and not very clean.
Why would they leave any trace here?
Even if they did, I couldn’t see them clearly with my own eyes. What meaning could scars carved roughly with a kn*fe have?
‘…scratches?’
However, at the same time, a thought flashed through my mind. Carefully placing one hand under the table, I felt around.
The cheap table bottom was rough. The sticky, hardened sensation of unknown liquids made me feel uneasy.
But,
I found distinct grooves. When I lightly ran my finger over them, sawdust-like powder fell off.
‘These are recent.’
The grooves were in a straight line. Concentrating my senses, I slowly explored the meaning of these grooves.
After examining, I realized that what was written under the table was runic script used in magic incantations.
A language used to activate advanced spells.
It was a language that only someone well-versed in magic could understand.
The content was as follows:
`D. O. N. O. T. R. U. S. T. G. N.`
`’Don’t let GN rust?’ What does that mean?`
While I managed to read it, I couldn’t fully interpret it.
Given the content, this message was likely written by Captain Nikolai Hilbert or Captain Lune Aire.
‘It might be related to these two people.’
As I pondered,
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
The landlord placed food and drinks on the table in front of me. Startled, I jumped slightly, causing the landlord to chuckle.
“Or perhaps you’re some sort of criminal? Your expression looks like you’ve seen the National Guard!”
National Guard?
Come to think of it, GN stood for the National Guard of the Pry Free Democratic State.
It felt as though a heavy weight had lifted from my chest.
“Aah… hahaha, it’s been a tough day, hasn’t it? I must have been distracted.”
I tried to brush it off with a joke directed at the landlord. The landlord snorted and added,
“These days, the capital is in turmoil. With the festival coming up, what’s happening? Today, a captain died…”
“Did you hear anything else?”
“As a simple bar owner, what could I possibly know?”
He shrugged his shoulders and left. I put a piece of dry snack in my mouth and thought,
‘GN definitely stands for National Guard.’
Gendarmerie Nationale.
National Guard.
Though it wasn’t written entirely in runes, I had my doubts. They must have used the letters of the Pry Free Democratic State for security reasons.
Of course, I could have figured it out sooner, but the landlord’s words gave me a clear hint, allowing me to realize it faster.
Now, I knew it was the National Guard,
but what about RUST?
I kept checking for any missing parts, but there were none.
It was still ‘DO NOT RUST GN’.
Hmm.
NOT RUST?
There was something strange about that part.
If even GN was written in runes, or if it wasn’t the commonly used name for the Okhraine Duchy but rather the abbreviation used by the Pry Free Democratic State, this part should be a simple trick.
I fiddled with the space between T and R. Unlike the other letters, which were spaced out, these two were directly connected.
‘I removed the duplicate character in the same position.’
After a brief moment of thought, I understood the sentence hidden under the table.
‘DO NOT TRUST G.N.’
“d*mn.”
There was no need for alternative interpretations. The clear expression sent a chill down my spine.
Don’t trust the National Guard.
I felt like I was sinking deeper into quicksand.
*
Bella Meyer felt dazed.
Just yesterday, her former comrade, who had been alive and well, was found this morning as a stiff—or worse, a horrifically mutilated corpse.
She was a first-class blue mage with exceptional talent in bl**d magic,
yet she couldn’t resurrect her fallen comrade. It was beyond human capability.
“…Captain.”
Bella Meyer hugged her knees tightly while crouching on her bed. She had already heard fragmented details from Major Enok Revendale.
There was going to be a coup in the capital.
During the celebration for the co-King’s birthday, the coup plotters planned to rise up, and they had to stop it.
In fact, since the end of the Quernen War, the 8th Airborne Magical Infantry Battalion, led by Major Enok Revendale, had been continuously training to prevent the coup.
From air assaults to rapid intruder elimination and hostage rescue drills in specially designed indoor facilities.
But she never imagined Captain Nikolai Hilbert would d*e.
The whole notion of a coup sounded so unrealistic that she couldn’t even comprehend the current situation.
She didn’t distrust Enok Revendale.
If she couldn’t trust the man she admired and trusted more than anyone else, then who could she trust?
It had been over a year since she last felt the effects of her lifelong amnesia.
She hadn’t received any significant treatment during that time, and her inner mindset hadn’t changed much.
Whether in the 3rd Magical Battalion under the Northern Corps or now, Bella Meyer’s behavior and lifestyle hadn’t changed significantly.
The only change in her life was the ability to envision a future with Enok Revendale, despite the despair and oblivion she once felt.
Yes,
now was not the time to hesitate.
Enok Revendale had said to act on her own.
With Captain Nikolai Hilbert attacked and Captain Lune Aire identified as a suspect,
the major event occurred just days before the celebration, making it difficult for Enok Revendale to meet Lune Aire immediately, regardless of who he was.
However, with the authority of the Meyer family, nothing was impossible.
Especially considering her position as the Deputy Minister of Finance, considered the most powerful role.
Even if it were the National Guard or the Ministry of Internal Affairs, they wouldn’t easily dismiss such a request.
Moreover, Major Enok Revendale was not only the commander of her previous unit but also one of the most famous soldiers in Okhraine, second only to Sony Chepelin.
Out of concern for public opinion, they would certainly allow her entry.
There was still plenty of time.
I don’t know why Enok’s investigation has taken so long, but I can surely find out from my father, Johann Meyer.
Bella Meyer quickly changed into her outerwear and stepped out of the room.
At that moment,
creak—.
The sound of the ground floor door opening echoed.
Has she returned? Bella Meyer looked down from the railing.
Instead of Enok Revendale, masked figures entered.
Feeling a cold sensation run down her spine, Bella Meyer quickly ducked and backed away.
She hadn’t been discovered yet.
Carefully entering her room, she grabbed the g*n on her desk and pressed herself against the door.
Thump, thump, thump.
Her heart raced wildly.
At first glance, there were about six people, suggesting additional accomplices outside.
‘Crazy bastards…! In the middle of the city, what are they planning to do here…?!’
It was clear they weren’t from the National Guard. Otherwise, they wouldn’t enter so stealthily.
Bella Meyer steadied her breath and calmed her nerves before calmly loading her g*n.
With her other hand, she opened her mana flow, ready to use magic.
“…”
creak, swish. swish.
The sound of people approaching silently outside the door was unmistakable.
Bella Meyer forced herself to ignore the suffocating feeling and placed her finger on the trigger.
“…”
swish.
swish.
They were close. Someone grabbed the handle and slowly pushed the door open.
creak—
bang!!!!
Finally, Bella’s g*n fired.
