9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 174 - Model Garden (1)

There had always been crimes committed by those impersonating the White Raven Order.

Since Lucas had joined hands with Fael and massively promoted the White Raven Order’s name, it was only natural.

Fake White Raven Orders would sometimes act as righteous bandits like the real thing, or kill innocent people and plunder while insisting it was justice in action.

Strictly speaking, Assad and Hannah’s Bletter borrowing the White Raven Order’s name to commit crimes didn’t make sense from the start.

The fakes appearing all over the country were both disgusting and admirable, leaving Erika with complicated feelings.

“Why are you thinking so hard about it? The more those knockoffs run wild, the better it is for us, right? The White Raven Order’s name has become a brand—no, a symbol.”

Lucas had said with a laugh.

“A very powerful symbol. Bastards who deserve to be torn apart for burning down the neighbor’s house, thugs who slash corrupt police and capitalists instead, rootless scum who even drag in elf mongrels, bastards who come running from all corners of the country to feed people bullets whenever rumors spread. Isn’t that good? Hahaha!”

He was right.

The fake White Raven Order crimes that had been steadily increasing just exploded after the war. Most were probably taking advantage of the chaos to make a quick buck.

Even if they were caught by police or Ossel, if the interrogator was skilled they’d realize it was impersonation, and if they were unskilled they’d mistake it for cells scattered across the nation.

Thus the security organizations and White Raven Order were peacefully coexisting.

“Divert people’s attention. Ten minutes will be enough.”

Following Johann’s words, if they could hold everyone’s eyes, at some point.

‘The beginning of the purge, he said.’

“There’s no hope.”

Richard, who had been trying to stop the blood gushing from the man’s throat, shook his head.

It was such an obvious fact that no objection came.

Only a middle-aged woman in an elegant dress let out a horrific scream and fainted. Probably the victim’s wife.

It was a nauseating, stomach-turning sight. Erika pushed through the people and moved.

Ossel’s plan was quite simple.

Secretly arrange to bring alcohol and drugs to the party.

One low-ranking Ossel would infiltrate disguised as a guest.

When Erika diverted attention, poison would be put in the purge target’s glass.

When commotion broke out, Ossel waiting nearby would leisurely storm in.

But White Raven Order, of all things.

The hall was already in chaos.

“Everyone freeze!!”

The moment she put her hands on the table and exhaled, a booming shout came. A huge man who had stepped onto the stage was pounding the floor.

That person was Central Police Chief Heinrich Mates, wasn’t he?

“From now on, move according to police control! Don’t damage the scene carelessly and wait until the officers come—”

Bang!

The noisy sound cut off his words.

The party hall’s massive front door opened mercilessly and in poured people in black uniforms—Ossels.

Erika recognized the person walking at the front with disciplined steps.

‘First Lieutenant Philip Decker.’

When he swept his gaze around the party hall, the people who had been frantically trying to escape instantly froze. Except for those who were laid out drunk on alcohol and drugs.

“We received a report that reactionaries committed murder. Everyone here is a suspect! Please cooperate with the investigation from now on.”

At that moment, with a heavy click, the party hall door locked.

“Wh-what!”

“The culprit obviously already escaped, so what are you going to do by cornering innocent citizens!”

When several people grumbled in protest, Philip looked at them and sneered.

“Innocent citizens?”

He walked to a nearby table and picked up a small glass bottle with liquid sloshing inside.

“What’s this? Looks like canil to me. The strategic material that Supreme Leader has strictly forbidden private trading!”

Thwack! Crash!

“Argh!”

Philip threw the bottle with his face turned red. The man who had been protesting vigorously was hit in the forehead and sat down screaming.

“I won’t say it twice. Party attendees. Staff. Employees. All are subjects of investigation. That’s all.”

“It’s a purge.”

When Johann sent Erika and Richard to the party hall, demanding they repay their debt, he had declared.

Using case investigation as an excuse to hunt down and eliminate people the Supreme Leader had ‘designated’ as enemies. That was Ossel’s job.

But what would happen if fake White Raven Order got involved there?

‘I could have predicted it.’

With fakes becoming increasingly active these days, if there was even one organization or person truly carrying on the ‘White Raven Order’s’ will—

Then they absolutely wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by.

Since it was a grand party, there would be plenty of figures to eliminate gathered together, and while everyone was distracted enjoying themselves, it would be easy both to commit crimes and hide among the crowd.

‘What would Lucas have done?’

She thought while standing in line against the wall following Ossel’s instructions. A little distance away, Chief Mates was being kicked in the shin for defying Ossel.

The words Lucas had said with a smile circled in her head.

“Use it, Erika. Use everything.”

Her eyes sparkled as they caught the chandelier’s light.

‘Let’s find the culprit.’

She had to meet them. She could use them somehow.

***

“Two murder cases occurred at Lüdelheim Comprehensive University. The victims respectively operated a food company and department store…. The Ossel quickly deployed personnel and the culprit was caught. In both cases, the perpetrators were in competition with the victims…. To disrupt the investigation, they impersonated the rebel organization White Raven Order….”

Inside the train’s first-class car, it was warm and cozy. Radio news reached my ears endlessly as I dozed on and off.

Mm, it seems Johann pulled some kind of scheme.

Both victim and perpetrator were businessmen. Obviously it was something like a purge using crime investigation as a pretext.

“The confusion from Redan Trading Company’s bankruptcy still hasn’t settled. Currently, Director Brightner, who has taken over practical affairs in place of the president and managing director, is undergoing Ossel interrogation for attending the party. Though the culprit was quickly arrested, for thorough investigation…. Therefore, the bankruptcy process of Redan Company is still uncertain….”

Huh? Erika went there?

This changes things. Erika hated school. When I suggested she network with alumni, she made a disgusted face.

That Erika officially attended an event? And a murder case happened to occur there?

I could tell how things were unfolding even with my eyes closed.

‘Erika must be doing well. Looks like she contacted Ossel in my place and made some kind of deal. That bastard Johann must have been quite desperate too. Is Kruger being particularly vicious?’

I chuckled drowsily, making Colin groan and rub his snout.

“Ten minutes until arrival.”

At Damier’s dry voice, I slowly opened my eyes.

“Already? I barely got any rest.”

“……”

“Alright, I get it.”

I barely managed to pull my melted body together and sat up. Outside the car window, Lüdelheim’s night view came into sight.

“First-class really is something. Getting to see sights like this too. Right?”

“……”

“Are we going to Lüdelheim Central Station?”

“Yes.”

“Just asking.”

“Yes.”

“What happens if I run the moment we get off? You’d definitely die, Damier, right?”

“It’s not dying….”

Damier, who had started to explain something, closed his mouth and answered quietly.

“That won’t happen.”

“Why? Is security that tight—ugh!”

Thunk!

He pulled out a syringe from his pocket at lightning speed and jabbed it into my hand. Along with the feeling of cold medicine flowing in, my eyelids closed.

“You could have warned me about this kind of thing….”

“Orders.”

“Colin….”

That was it.

I lost consciousness breathing in the familiar anesthetic smell.

***

When I opened my eyes again, the emotion I felt was ironically,

‘Why is this so comfortable?’

A strange sense of relief from familiar space.

In the top floor room of the aerial castle where moonlight entered, a young woman’s voice was echoing.

“Everyone, are you living well? No, are you still alive?”

It was Sophia Kohl.

Soon the voice cut off abruptly. Supreme Leader Friedrich Kruger, leaning back in his armchair, had turned off the gramophone.

I quietly got up and saluted.

“I have been apart from you, Supreme Leader.”

“Yes, it’s been almost a year. How was the battlefield? It must have been very entertaining, right? You must have been busy ruining my work.”

“Yes, it was endlessly enjoyable.”

I answered shamelessly as I approached him.

“Burning canil was quite thrilling. The unfamiliar fugitive life, living like a savage in the forest—it was all refreshing.”

“Even knowing that our people suffered several times more than planned because of it?”

“Of course, Your Excellency.”

“Ahahaha! For me, Schufaben swaying was just entertainment to you. You really are cold-blooded.”

“Entertainment, Your Excellency? I’m just a selfish person. The one enjoying entertainment is you, Your Excellency.”

I looked straight into his eyes and replied.

After nearly ten face-to-face meetings with Kruger, I could no longer avoid knowing. What emotion flickered in those chillingly pale blue eyes whenever he looked at me.

It was clear interest.

Actually, if it wasn’t that, there would be no answer. The reason he kept me alive despite rampaging like this crazy thunderbolt.

‘How do I talk my way out of this time?’

I frantically worked my brain, which was already burning hot as if it would burst.

The gramophone started again.

“Are you living well, everyone? Sending your sons and daughters to hell, dreaming of continental unification and empire—are you happy?”

“Then tell me, Lucas.”

Kruger began calling me ‘Lucas’ instead of ‘Commander Redan.’

Instantly, overwhelming pressure rose from my feet and goosebumps covered my entire body. I just blinked like I was frozen.

“Is Schufaben hell?”

When Kruger stretched his hand into the air, silver waves rippled. Defying physical laws, a sword appeared in his hand.

“Did I really make everyone suffer?”

The gold dragon lying at his feet flinched and covered its eyes with its wings.

“……”

I stood quietly with both hands clasped behind my back, looking at Kruger expressionlessly.

“Your Excellency knows better than anyone. This country is not hell. It’s your model garden, Your Excellency.”

“Aha, ahahahahaha!”

Clang!

The sword fell to the floor with a loud noise. Kruger was roaring with laughter. I don’t know what was so funny, but he even grabbed his belly and gasped.

“Model garden! Model garden! Yes, no one has ever expressed what I accomplished so accurately.”

“In other words, taxidermy, or.”

I took a step. Toward the table near the armchair. I reached for the ice bucket containing liquor bottles.

“A puppet show. Isn’t that right?”

Perfectly and precisely stacked ice. I picked up some cold ice pieces from the very top.

“Do you know this, Your Excellency? No matter how model a garden is, ant colonies can live underneath. And when the ants move.”

I raised my arm high and spread my fingers. The falling ice collided with other ice pieces.

Tick!

One more.

Tick!

One more.

Tick!

Finally, one more.

The ice that had been shaking little by little fell away one by one with tick, tick sounds and collapsed helplessly.

“The garden would instantly become nothing but empty ground.”

“And you intend to be the queen ant, I suppose.”

Kruger, who had been watching my desperate show with his chin propped up, chuckled.

“Then Lucas, what will you do? If you eventually kill me and sit in my place, what will you make instead of a model garden?”

Well.

I mocked myself inwardly.

My desire to kill Kruger isn’t to seize power like that bastard mistakenly thinks.

It’s just revenge, merely a prerequisite for me to live comfortably.

So I don’t care what happens to Schufaben. Whether it falls into hellfire and collapses, or stands tall as a great power that dominates the world.

But since I have to deceive Kruger now, I muttered in a gloomy voice.

“If it were me, I would make an amusement park.”

“An amusement park.”

“Where everyone can be happy and joyful. A world that’s always new and thrilling.”

“How is that different from now?”

Kruger’s sharp mockery hit the mark.

“It wouldn’t be different.”

I bowed my head deeply.

“That’s why I respect you, Your Excellency.”

“Ahaha! Hahahaha!”

His clear laughter echoed through the dark room.