9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 57 - Nothing Happened (4)

In my settled life, I found and took care of small but essential tasks.

Like testing Colin’s limits, for instance.

“Look, this stick-like thing is ‘ka’—and this round thing is ‘la’. Do you understand? Colin, how would you write your name?”

“Woof?”

Colin spread letter cards in front of his paws, then opened his massive snout wide and licked my hand.

“No, I told you to point at the letters.”

“Dogs can’t understand writing, brother!”

Georg, who had been sampling a sandwich nearby, shouted with exasperation.

“You never know. Didn’t we found out he was a mutant genius dog created through magical experimentation?”

Richard quietly refuted.

He was carefully reviewing the <Military Animal Development & Training Plan—Focusing on Potential as Lethal Weapons> once more.

“Ugh, you’ve got a strong stomach. Isn’t it disgusting? Just reading those descriptions makes me want to vomit. All that inhumane—”

“Oscar. Have you forgotten? I’m a surgeon. And the word ‘inhumane’ can only be applied to humans.”

“Show-off, really.”

A Saturday night in August.

The White Raven Order members gathered at the hideout were each absorbed in their own tasks.

I was wrestling with teaching Colin letters, Richard was reading reports, Georg was eating the sandwich I’d brought, Daniel was proofreading materials for typos, Oscar was cleaning parts brought from the factory, and Erika was dozing in her chair.

Music flowed from the radio in one corner.

A peaceful night that made you forget anything had ever happened.

But I felt the waves churning beneath the calm surface.

Massive waves that could rise up at any moment to swallow us whole.

‘Did I underestimate the Ossel?’

I thought I’d been overly cautious.

As a modern person whose most shocking experience was watching a horror movie as a child without knowing better, I prided myself on being more afraid of the Ossel than anyone else in this era.

But looking back, perhaps I’d been mocking and undervaluing Ossel.

I should have taken more seriously how the Lucas inside me went into a frenzy of fear and awe at the mere mention of the Ossel’s name.

Instead of scorning them as pretty trash, the right attitude would have been to investigate how they seized power and managed to maintain it.

Then I wouldn’t be so troubled now.

Even under Schufaben’s advanced administrative system—more developed than any other country—Ossel’s ability to hide such a massive battle and make it seem like ‘nothing happened’ still sends chills down my spine.

While we dealt Ossel a serious blow this time, they’ll eventually recover.

As long as they hold power.

At least Lieutenant General Kaiser among the Ossels definitely isn’t stupid.

“Lieutenant General Kaiser will be desperate to uncover the White Raven Order’s identity. He’ll probably start moving before the cover-up is even finished. I might even be assigned to hunt you down. So be careful for a while.”

That’s what Johann said at our last meeting.

“Be careful?”

“Don’t you understand? Should I teach you how to lie low and hide?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. I get it.”

Johann growled, and I laughed while raising my palms.

I truly did nothing.

I stayed out of contact with both Johann and Fael, faithfully playing only my role as tavern owner.

I reviewed our past plans over and over, checking for any loose ends.

The items used in the Ossel headquarters raid had all been destroyed long ago.

This wasn’t a world with gun registration systems, and even if there were, they were assembled smuggled weapons from back alleys, so there was no danger of discovery.

“Everyone’s being careful, right? There might be tails or surveillance, so keep all five senses sharp even on the streets.”

“Lucas, if you say that one more time, it’ll be the 500th.”

Erika rubbed her eyes and got up to look at me.

“Are you that worried?”

“Of course. We need to stay perfectly hidden from the world. Actually, I’m anxious to death about even meeting like this.”

I smiled bitterly while expressing my honest feelings.

‘I just wanted to survive.’

In each urgent situation that arose, I’d gambled to somehow save my life.

Before I knew it, I’d been pushed this far, and I was dumbfounded by how things had gotten so big.

Somehow, it seemed like the enemies threatening my life were getting bigger and bigger as time went on.

First it was Chief Clerk Emil Hoffman, then Daniel and the White Raven Order, Major Johann Werner, and now Lieutenant General Kaiser.

And above them all, Supreme Leader Friedrich Kruger.

I won’t be able to live comfortably until I catch and kill that bastard.

So I have to survive today too.

“If you’re that worried, how about moving out of the boarding house first?”

Daniel, who had been correcting text with his pen, spoke up. When everyone’s eyes turned to him, he smiled awkwardly.

“I mean we might need to consider it. The only times we might be under surveillance are during commutes. If we just live at the tavern, the danger would disappear. We’ve made good money, and Lucas and I already sleep at the tavern half the week anyway. Oscar coming out too might arouse suspicion, so we’d have to think about that.”

A brief silence filled the hideout. I couldn’t find words to refute Daniel’s point-blank argument.

I’d actually been thinking about this for a long time.

Our work is better with fewer eyes watching, and I didn’t want to put Mrs. Schmidt in unnecessary danger.

I just hadn’t abandoned the boarding house because I was afraid sudden movements might arouse suspicion, and because I couldn’t afford it.

But now I have money and sufficient justification. Actually, it would be more unnatural for someone running a tavern to go back and forth to a boarding house.

In case something happened, I’d only cleaned the hideout behind the tavern without selling it yet, so I just needed to move in there.

Rationally thinking, that made sense, but why did I feel so uneasy?

Was I getting melancholy about leaving the familiar space where I’d lived for about three years, or was my intuition sending signals to warn me of something?

While I was lost in thought, I heard Georg grumbling beside me.

“Then I won’t be able to eat Mrs. Schmidt’s sandwiches anymore. They were really delicious.”

“You can eat what I make instead. Oh, I grilled sausages today, so take a basket.”

“Thanks, brother. But you’ll need a lot more practice to catch up to Mrs. Schmidt. Last time’s pie was too salty. The kids ate it without saying anything, though.”

“R-right. Sorry about that. The sausages should be better.”

Daniel had been eagerly learning cooking from Ameli lately.

He was naturally curious and seemed to enjoy learning various things, but I thought it might be his way of dealing with anxiety.

Like how I constantly run simulations in my head when I’m anxious.

Anyway, he made food to share with his siblings and give to Georg, but his skills weren’t great yet, so it sometimes became a chore to finish.

After chuckling, I finally organized my thoughts.

“Then, since the contract renewal is coming up, I’ll mention it then and move out. Oscar can come out a bit later.”

We’d signed a one-year contract with Mrs. Schmidt, so we could naturally leave the house when September came.

“I still have a lot of time left on my contract. I’ll find an excuse by then. But it’s already sad. Mrs. Schmidt is such a good person. Adults that respectable are rare these days.”

“Good people are definitely rare. Especially in times like these.”

When I agreed, Erika nodded too.

“Then how about revealing our identity to Mrs. Schmidt and recruiting her as a comrade?”

“Are you crazy? Absolutely not.”

Richard spoke jokingly, and I responded seriously with a firm rejection.

***

“How truly peaceful.”

Johann muttered while enjoying his after-meal smoke in the quiet office.

Outside the window, people’s laughter could be heard, and the fan on the wall whirred as it blew hot air.

Such a peaceful time indeed.

Johann was still spending tedious days analyzing flyers, arresting innocent people, and writing meaningless statements under orders from the Colonel, who remained obsessed with ‘rooting out the White Raven Order.’

When the Colonel woke up in the hospital that day, he seemed half-convinced by Johann’s explanation that thieves who’d broken into the abandoned factory had caused a disturbance.

Well, no one who wasn’t truly stupid would believe such a story.

But after receiving orders from higher-ups to keep quiet about the ‘minor disturbance’ and focus on his mission, he seemed to accept it somewhat.

Johann figured Lieutenant General Kaiser knew what the Colonel was doing but was leaving him alone.

The man didn’t know anything anyway, so there was no risk of betrayal, and if he happened to capture the White Raven Order, it would be a jackpot.

At least Lieutenant General Kaiser among the Ossels wasn’t an idiot.

Knock knock, someone tapped on the door.

‘Excessive peace brings anxiety.’

Johann exhaled cigarette smoke.

“Come in.”

His adjutant, Lieutenant Philip Decker, gave a sharp salute.

“Long live the Great Supreme Leader!”

“Long live the Supreme Leader. Is this this week’s activity report?”

“Yes! That’s correct.”

Johann read through the report Philip had submitted.

It was filled with details about tailing and monitoring ‘suspicious individuals.’ All pointless work anyway.

He skimmed through the text and turned to the last page.

‘Colonel Eric Klein.’

The name of his superior, who was probably still conducting brutal torture in the basement of the District 13 Ossel office, appeared.

Of course, there wasn’t much content.

Work, home, work, home.

Nothing but information about how he diligently went to his workplace without even weekends to conduct torture—officially, interrogation.

They had to be careful about assigning surveillance to the Colonel’s commute since, being an Ossel himself, he might notice.

So Philip had long ago recruited the coachman who handled the Colonel’s carriage.

“So there’s nothing worth monitoring as expected?”

Johann muttered this without seeming particularly disappointed.

He’d been doing this since the day he was assigned to the District 13 anyway.

At first, he’d worked alone, but after getting promoted, Philip and lower-ranking Ossels took over the surveillance.

Thanks to the Colonel, who cared about nothing but torture and loyalty, he’d been able to recruit all the Ossels in the District 13.

Philip and the other Ossels all knew perfectly well this was insubordination.

But nobody cared.

Colonel Eric Klein, who just threw tantrums without looking after his subordinates.

Major Johann Werner, who generously distributed monthly bonuses and thoroughly managed complaints.

It was obvious to anyone which side was more beneficial.

The District 13 was essentially in Johann’s hands, not the Colonel’s.

With everyone around the Colonel on Johann’s side, surveillance was completely natural.

Colonel Eric Klein was in a situation similar to Lieutenant General Kaiser, who had been under the Supreme Leader’s surveillance.

The difference was that the Colonel couldn’t massacre his watchers like the lieutenant general could.

Reading through the Colonel’s meticulously recorded daily schedule, Johann paused at an unusual sentence.

“He came outside his house after work hours.”

“Yes! Just once, and he only talked with the security guards on shift duty.”

“What was the content?”

“I apologize.”

Philip bowed his head.

‘The Colonel lacks both people and information to scheme anything on his own.’

This statement Johann had boasted to Lucas was half true.

Among the District 13 Ossels, almost none were attached to the Colonel rather than Johann. At most, maybe his adjutant?

But what about outsiders who weren’t Ossels?

The Colonel had hired separate security guards due to his paranoia about ‘reactionary bastards.’

This was also why Johann continued monitoring the Colonel. If the Colonel planned anything, he might use them.

‘Probably nothing important anyway…’

After thinking briefly, Johann ordered Philip.

“We should pay attention to the security guards too. Approach them carefully.”

“Yes sir!”

Philip saluted reliably.