# Ep33. Interwar Period
The Intelligence Command is fundamentally competent. In fact, it remains almost the only competent department among all government agencies in this country. (All departments more competent than them were "Kalioned" during the last coup. That means they were torn to pieces.)
And quite naturally, a competent department is fundamentally busy. Except for a few special leaders like Alexandr, no reasonable administrator would ever leave a competent department idle.
Therefore, the Intelligence Command has always suffered from a shortage of talent regardless of seasons, time, or the passage of years. They're in a situation where they burn through people, outsource work, and still need to grease palms to supplement their intelligence network.
So, they can't discharge an agent who's lost his legs. If his arms are intact and he can hear, speak, and write, couldn't he at least handle desk work? (They wouldn't have discharged him even if he'd lost both legs and one arm.)
Besides, reemploying disabled veterans counts as remarkably excellent universal welfare by Krasilov standards.
As a result, Dmitri was still an "active" agent.
"Colonel, let me make you some tea."
Having become an absolute authority (a full colonel) who could order Colonel Pavel around with just a nod of his chin.
"My legs are like this, you see."
Smiling mischievously from his wheelchair.
"So where were we? Ah, right. I was telling you about how I saved one of our agents with my astonishing physical prowess and then took a brief rest after getting pinned under that damn branch?"
Ivan nodded silently. He had come to hear about the Kalion situation after he'd passed out, but Dmitri had immediately launched into tales of his own heroics from when they were still fighting.
Even if a comrade who had been dragged into a completely unrelated battle and risked his life fighting alongside him repeated the same self-praise five times, Ivan was too gentle a person to say, "Cut the crap and get to the point." (That's the truth.)
He quietly sipped his tea and decided to humor Dmitri. The night was long anyway, and Pavel was handling the work.
"I didn't come back to see this kind of mess."
Pavel exhaled a deep sigh as he was buried under piles of documents. Being born a military officer and originally from the Royal Guard with no connection to intelligence work, he had to pull another all-nighter today to process his workload.
"Do you really have no respect for hierarchy? How can you think of dumping work on your senior?"
"Among the Royal Guard, the only senior I have is Senior Ivan."
"You punk, aren't you a soldier? Shouldn't seniority be determined by enlistment date?"
"Ah, I'm from the administrative branch, not the military. The Intelligence Command has been under administrative jurisdiction since its days as the War Intelligence Bureau."
Dmitri, who had been spinning around in front of him while sipping tea, pointed at his legs with a grin.
"If it bothers you... you know?"
At the question of whether he'd like to cut off his legs and receive a medal, Pavel clutched his chest and whimpered.
Dmitri was promoted to colonel upon his appointment as the commander of the Intelligence Command. It was a promotion based more on Elizabeta's goodwill for rescuing Ivan than on his past achievements.
"Now that I'm a colonel like our senior, shall I order some tea?"
"Dmitri."
"Yes, senior?"
"I didn't come here to rest."
"Oh, you didn't? I thought you were escaping because our Majesty was squeezing you too hard."
Despite Dmitri's disrespectful remarks, Ivan just sipped his tea without comment. Lately, Dmitri had been making "married man" jokes, but these were completely disconnected from objective reality.
He was not married, had no intention to marry, and had no plans to do so.
Elizabeta would clutch her chest in frustration, sob, and sentence him to life imprisonment if she heard this, but it was the truth.
Not only did he lack confidence in making someone happy, but his goal had always been consistent.
Even though he had half-given up on it now, there was only one reason he had risked his life all this time.
To return home.
The image of his homeland had mostly faded. Only vague colors remained, like fumbling through the descriptions in a book of folk tales.
But regardless of whether it was what he truly wanted or not, the goal he had built up over many years had become a kind of truth embedded in his life, beyond just being a purpose.
As a truth he had given up on, failed at, but never forgotten.
Even setting that aside, if everything went according to his plan and he ended up receiving all the Seven Dragon Lords' curses, what kind of state would he be in?
As someone who wasn't even half the man Maximillian was, he could confidently declare that day would likely be his end.
So, he couldn't give Elizabeta false hope with a body that had an expiration date. That would be too cruel.
"Anyway, there was this idiot just standing there about to get crushed to death, and before I knew it, my body just moved. You know? That dedication? Loyalty? The commitment to bring the nation's sons back to their homeland? With that feeling, my body suddenly lunged forward and..."
During the battle with Senasgeor, outside the Eternal Palace, the Annihilation Squad survivors and the Sword Angle warriors were risking their lives to draw the enemy's attention.
At that time, there were only three survivors from the Annihilation Squad, including Dmitri. To save one of them, Dmitri took the falling attack in his place and collapsed.
Pushing that stupid junior away with his shoulder, getting pinned under a branch as massive as a building, losing both legs.
Gritting his teeth through the pain and barely managing to hold his sword.
"I could see you getting beaten up in the distance, and that nasty elf queen was floating in the sky, mocking you as a country bumpkin with no weapon or manners!"
"Your narrative should be more objective."
"It wasn't exactly wrong, but as your junior, I was so furious that I shouted. You heard me, right?"
The Annihilation Squad is a legion even when standing alone.
Dmitri laughed loudly and threw his sword with all his might. Just as he had aimed, Ivan caught the flying sword and was able to continue the battle.
Ivan nodded, remembering that moment, and said with gratitude:
"Can we move on to the conclusion now?"
"I feel really hurt and upset, my legs are throbbing. Oh, I don't have legs. How strange."
"Phantom pain can be physically treated."
"Shall I get to the point? In Annihilation Squad style, following the five Ws and one H."
Dmitri quickly adjusted his uncomfortable posture, gulped down his tea, and continued.
"So, you passed out after magnificently executing that bastard Alexandr? I cut off his wrist, did a magical diagnosis, burned the body, and scattered the ashes in the sea."
"Hmm."
"Afterward, Lord Coenwulf stood up in the Privy Council and shouted 'Hands!' at the troublemakers, then killed exactly three elves who were trying to start something!"
"Hmm."
"Then, the old Privy Council Chairman roughly handled the situation, and I stepped in as a plenipotentiary ambassador, secured a non-aggression treaty, and in return, officially agreed to keep silent about what happened in Kalion..."
The fall of Kalion was beyond a scale that could be hidden. How could anyone conceal the Seven Dragon Lords crushing a national capital?
Moreover, Kalion is the center of maritime trade. It's impossible to force silence on every trading vessel crossing the sea.
So when rumors spread and the elves' weakening becomes widely known, those with different thoughts might emerge.
For instance, realizing that the "inland" elves who had been acting arrogantly no longer have backing.
Or paying "taxes" with "cannons" to elves who claim you've crossed maritime boundaries while simply navigating coastal waters.
Or considering creating better international ports instead of using expensive Kalion as a trade intermediary.
Or perhaps controlling resources heading to Kalion after shooting down all airships, causing Kalion to simply wither away.
Among these, the last option would be the most fatal to Kalion's Privy Council.
"I told them that dwarven grand cannons would be installed throughout Tilles' ports."
Dmitri said with a smirk.
"It's not like they can verify that right now, can they? Tilles' national defense is mostly running on debt to us, and the dwarf princess happens to be right there."
Rundis's very existence serves as evidence of Krasilov's alliance with the dwarves.
Even during wartime, dwarves had records of shooting down airships. While Krasilov was already well-known for operating large-scale artillery, the dwarves were on a different level entirely.
Those dwarves are crazy warmongers who operate military factories the size of cities. And Krasilov was famous for being crazy warmongers even before the Great War.
With the common traits of being crazy warmongers and gunpowder enthusiasts, the Krasilov-dwarf alliance must have appeared to the elves like...
"The peace of our age is right here."
...said the Krasilov butcher (smiling while bleeding from his freshly severed legs), causing them to feel an unfamiliar terror.
"Beyond the seas, across the inland borders... that is, not even one meter over the coastline onto land may airships be deployed. All coastal cities will be armed with anti-aircraft weapons, and at the ice-free port... Tilles' intermediate trading port, we will station Krasilov garrisons."
As long as there are no airship attacks, elves could never influence the Allied Kingdoms with military force.
"We will respond with artillery fire to any kind of military demonstration attempting to land in violation of this agreement."
"That's practically a declaration of war!"
"Would you be satisfied if I brought a declaration of war? The Krasilov-Tilles-dwarf declaration of war would never state that it's hostile to all of Kalion."
Even during wartime, the Allied Kingdoms were never "truly" unified. The differences between countries directly in contact with the front lines and those providing rear support were too stark.
Despite the obvious destruction of the civilized world if they lost, supporting countries provided military supplies relatively "leisurely." It's understandable—running an entire country like a front line engaged in total war would lead to immediate collapse.
Many small countries couldn't endure this and disappeared.
What about the countries that had the capacity to maintain the front lines? Among the four major powers, Tilles, Droan, and Krasilov, which were directly connected to the front lines inland, were not much different.
Unlike those fighting for their lives on the front lines, nobles in charge of military support in the rear were indulging in luxury and pleasure even during the war.
War is always paved with the corpses of the righteous. The righteous die, and only the selfish survive to form today's Allied Kingdoms.
And this was not much different in Kalion either.
"Indeed, would the 'great' noble lords of this country be able to sit around the round table and chat amicably as they do now?"
If war is declared, can you guarantee that 'those' elves won't target their own kind from behind?
Moreover, this is a war unrelated to extinction. Unlike the war against demons, it's merely an economic or political war within the Allied Kingdoms.
Schools that would suffer 'relatively' less damage would obviously participate with 'relatively' less enthusiasm.
"So truly, according to what our late king said."
"Peace is not something to be won with a sword, is it?"
With that, Dmitri was able to leave with a pleasant smile.
Kalion has collapsed. The elves clearly possess powerful military and economic strength, but they will never be able to control the inland as they did in the past.
The royal family that would mediate this has fallen, the milestone that promised the elves' future has disappeared, and forces to counter airships are prepared inland.
At this point, with the magical power of "civil war prohibition" guaranteed by the milestone gone.
The elf schools will no longer be able to maintain peace under the Privy Council system, if only to monopolize the remaining resources.
Therefore, we sent Oswald to the Privy Council Chairman, almost the only authority that can stop the Privy Council now. Oswald, who is engaged to the Chairman's daughter, and who is himself a son of the Privy Council.
"Unofficially, we now have an intelligence asset planted within Kalion."
"Excellent."
Ivan nodded with satisfaction. It was an impeccable measure.
As long as the elves' attention isn't turned inland, they will become one of the most powerful forces to check the demons.
After all, they were once called the strongest of the four major powers in the Allied Kingdoms.
"So now we're enjoying peace. Isn't it nice how quiet everything is?"
Dmitri smiled happily at the peace that had finally come to the continent.
Pavel, who was reviewing bloodshot intelligence reports, coughed up blood upon hearing those words.
"A Universal Council. How long has it been?"
"It's a matter worthy of one, Saintess."
"Would you please call me Dean, at least within the school?"
Patricia smiled gently as she unfolded the letter bearing the Pope's seal.
"I'll need to gather my attendants. Thank you, Brother."
"Yes, Dean. Have a good evening."
The priest bowed deeply and withdrew. As the door closed smoothly, Patricia smiled while watering the shrub on the flowerpot.
"I'll need to ask Sister Elizabeta for permission."
With a touch of regret for her friend who would currently be enjoying her honeymoon atmosphere.
"It's been a while since I've traveled, so I'm a bit excited."
With a hint of anticipation for a journey with an old friend...