WeTried Translations

Translator: Botanica

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◈ I Became the Slit-Eyed Henchman of the Evil Boss

Chapter 022

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Blasphemia Branch (2)

Blasphemia has quite a few different branch types.

From the ordinary form of setting up a shell company and running business, to disguising as logistics warehouses where storing various supplies would not raise suspicion, storing various weapons and confiscated prohibited items.

A bit unusual type is the traveling troupe. To easily access rumors in the underworld, they also wear the mask of a bar or a city’s fixer guild, or in other words, a contract workers' union.

Among these, I preferred the logistics warehouse type branch.

Because they’re easy to clean out. When I was being chased around, tearing down a warehouse could keep me going for about a week.

However, the ‘branch’ that Niobe guided me to was on a different level from the branches I knew.

“Is this really the place?”

“Yeah! Just wait here.”

It had already been three days since we left Etna City. I was at a station on an abandoned railway line with no sign of people.

Trains powered by mana engines using mana cores and mana stones held a significant position in this world’s large-scale logistics transportation. The biggest reason was, of course, the extradimensional mana.

Extradimensional mana erodes beings that cannot shroud themselves with some kind of esper field including mana or Qi.

Even beings with an esper field are eroded by the extradimensional if they exhaust all their ability. However, even with the recovery rate of a freshly awakened primal mage, one can last a week outside the city.

In unusual situations, that is, high-risk areas where the boundary with the extradimensional has grown faint, the story is somewhat different.

In such neighborhoods, it’s common to see mad fools charging to kill every murderous squirrel or pebble eroded by the extradimensional.

What is installed in cities to prevent such situations where inanimate objects or animals run rampant is the Magic Tower.

Magic Towers purify the extradimensional mana and convert it into a power source, while also spreading a mana field to prevent contamination inside the city.

Therefore, Magic Towers are essentially humanity’s lifeline, and movement between cities fundamentally requires multiple mages to travel together.

It was the same reason that most members of the Bikada Traveling Troupe were mages, even if only primitively. Because those who cannot resist the extradimensional mana seeping into their bodies end up becoming mindless mutants.

Here arises a problem. Except for some rare items made of special materials, how should industrial products that do not themselves possess mana be protected from contamination?

Special packaging each item using mana stones? Have mages enchant them? Neither option is remotely cost-effective.

Thus, the invention that emerged was the mana-engine train. A train that uses the same mana core used in Magic Towers as its power source. In terms of function alone, it could be called a moving Magic Tower.

The idea: if miniaturizing the mana core is difficult, why not just create a massive transportation vehicle for large-scale transport from the start?

Even though it should be an unused track, the noise of a train approaching from afar can be heard.

“Look, there it is!”

Niobe was undeniably pointing her finger at the approaching mana-engine train.

‘These bastards.’

They still have plenty of money. Even though I cleaned them out so many times.

I felt deep envy toward Blasphemia, who, despite being a secret organization, lived a lavish life backed by powerful patrons.

***

Nardanit, the person in charge of Blasphemia’s mobile branch, the mana-engine train Charlotte, narrowed their eyes.

“A returnee.”

The train’s CCTV shows a man beside Charlotte. Whether some interference phenomenon occurred because he was draped in artifacts, the figure on the screen was somewhat blurry.

A suspicious report transmitted by K17, who had returned from her mission. A notification that she had found a straggler agent from the previous generation.

A straggler. That was nonsense.

A few years ago, during Blasphemia’s decisive battle with their greatest enemy, most elite agents were summoned. If they were only returning now, they clearly either lacked the ability to join that war, or were cowards who hid in fear.

Though it was current Blasphemia policy to accept even those who apply for return under various excuses, it was still absurd.

The incompetent and the cowardly. And, with very low probability, the unfortunate who had experienced exactly what was written in the report.

Nardanit hoped it was not the third of those three categories. Because a loyalist who comes to return to Blasphemia even after over a decade was nothing but a hindrance.

***

Upon boarding the train, a green light swept over my entire body. A procedure to check whether the muscle tissue had undergone Blasphemia’s unique modification.

Whether Divius’s skill was perfect, there was no red light flashing with a warning sound.

‘A mobile branch in the form of a train. I knew about it before, but they really must have a lot of money.’

It made some sense, though.

If large-scale supplies can be transported, it means people can also be transported in large numbers. They could dispatch personnel quickly or distribute supplies.

Considering the airships I had seen back when I was wandering the desert with Karisia, operating a mana-engine train was a trivial matter.

“This is quite a unique branch. Did you receive training here?”

“No? The first place I was assigned after graduating from the training ground was here. The Charlotte branch. They say it was established for ease of tracking movements, since superstition followers tend to be wanderers.”

I count the number of compartments in each train car. Since I don’t feel much presence of people, most of them must be dispatched outside.

“The deputy chief- I mean, the branch chief is in the engine room!”

So they’re in the front car. Considering they’d need to communicate with Blasphemia headquarters, the database and other storage devices are probably there too.

Without revealing my complicated feelings, I naturally follow behind Niobe.

Thump. Thump.

“Branch Chief? K17, returning from mission. Accompanied by one straggler agent.”

“Come in.”

Niobe’s figure reporting the mission with a pin-straight posture was quite different from the impression she had given so far of being just an innocent little girl.

Somewhere between a Blasphemia admission hopeful and a barely salvageable Blasphemia agent.

“…So you’re. The straggler agent Niobe brought?”

“Yes. I am called Ortes.”

I wonder what reaction they’ll show.

Before arriving at the branch, I had set two directions for the plan. Plan A: my excuses and improvisation work perfectly, I plant Arabel’s drone, and get out without any incident.

It was a plan full of wishful thinking, but not impossible. I knew quite a bit about Blasphemia from clashing with them constantly.

The codename I impersonated, L13, also belonged to an actual Blasphemia missing person. More precisely, since I had dealt with them, they were deceased.

But since it wasn’t reported to Blasphemia headquarters, the stolen identity would be treated as missing.

Plan B was simple. Either Arabel’s intrusion is discovered or my disguise is exposed, leading to an all-out battle.

In that case, to minimize the number of people who know my face, there was a high probability I would need to destroy the entire branch.

I wonder what reaction the branch chief will show.

***

Nardanit reproached Ortes with an emotionless voice.

“Indeed, a straggler as expected. Have you forgotten even the basics of Blasphemia? You should state your assigned serial number, not an alias.”

“That should have been written in Miss Niobe’s report, wouldn’t it?”

“You….”

Nardanit rose to their feet. At a glance, a slender build with a delicate impression. Their long black hair gives an androgynous look.

But Ortes knew that long hair was not grown purely for aesthetic reasons.

Though it looks like ordinary hair, its true nature is a type of biofiber that integrates with the user. It is closer to an assassination tool that can be manipulated freely.

“Get out, K17.”

“Yes?”

“Get out.”

At the low voice K17, Niobe hurriedly bowed her head and exited the engine room. As she left, she shot Ortes a look mixed with fear and worry.

Feeling the gaze, Ortes simply shrugged once.

As the door closed, Nardanit growled.

“Do you not grasp the situation, straggler? I could apply charges of treason against you right now. Answer me properly.”

“Hmm. As far as I recall, agents who have achieved sufficient results are permitted to use their names, are they not?”

It was true. Ordinary agents are called by codenames because their positions can be replaced at any time. Agents who have achieved results and secured their own positions, like branch chiefs, are allowed to use their names.

Nardanit snorted. Ha, a cold sneer filled the engine room.

“I looked up the codename L13 from the report. You’re not an agent with achievements worth being so cocky about? Show respect to your superior, straggler.”

“Of course it wouldn’t be recorded.”

Ortes’s calm retort. Nardanit’s biofiber hair rippled. Though they had not yet fully deployed magic, the charged mana was seething.

“If the personal information of a secret inspector could be viewed, would it still be a secret?”

“What?”

Ortes tilted his neck.

“You said Niobe’s codename was K17, didn’t you. Was a cult investigation mission of such low difficulty that it could be assigned solo to a rookie fresh out of training? Since when?”

Nardanit felt for a moment as if only a smile remained in the air. Within the blurry presence, only a cold smile was vivid in their vision.

Seeing Nardanit’s expression tinged with bewilderment, Ortes’s smile deepened.

***

Did I just pick any agent to impersonate?

The original owner of the codename L13 was exceptionally strong, so when I looked into it, they turned out to be an inspector.

“I wonder if mission assignments and performance evaluations in this branch are being conducted properly. I request access to the database.”

In other words, it was the identity most convenient for throwing my weight around by rank.

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