9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 70 - Hostile Symbiotic Relationship (2)

“Breaking news to report. A plot to overthrow the Schufaben government has been uncovered. Once again, we inform you that a plot to overthrow the Schufaben government has been uncovered.

Last night, at least ten figures from society’s leadership, including high-ranking government officials and business owners of Schufaben’s top 50 corporations, went missing. At the locations where they were last seen—their homes and offices—the symbols and messages of the rebel organization White Raven Order were left behind.

The identities of the confirmed victims are as follows: Lüdelheim Central Police Chief Dieter Rauch, arms company ‘Goeter’ Chairman Ralph Roth, Kaster City Mayor Greta Becker…”

The people in the tavern began to stir restlessly. The madam turned off the gramophone that had been playing cheerful music.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean!”

Second Lieutenant Ian Keller, who had been sipping beer, was appalled. Oscar, sitting across from him, showed a bewildered expression. Though it was all an act, of course.

“Wait, our superior’s on there too!”

Ian’s jaw dropped.

The names flowing from the radio were mostly those of famous public figures.

“Military generals, mayors, businessmen, even a deputy foreign minister… Damn, they’ve lost their minds!”

“White Raven Order? Those terrorist bastards?”

“What kind of people are they to kidnap figures of that caliber?!”

The atmosphere in the tavern, which had quietly settled down, began to heat up with commotion again. The radio kept repeating the victims’ names.

White Raven Order was familiar.

They would emerge whenever you were about to forget them and commit heinous acts. At crime scenes where someone died, was kidnapped, or buildings collapsed, their symbols appeared nine times out of ten.

Along with brief explanations of why they committed such terrorism, slogans demanding that the mad dictator Kruger step down immediately were often painted in large, eye-catching red paint.

In fact, quite a few people secretly cheered them on.

Because the victims of White Raven Order were usually those who “crossed the line.”

Those who exploited workers by straddling the boundaries between quasi-legal and illegal activities, or framed competitors, or arrested innocent people for the sake of performance.

White Raven Order diligently informed people about how viciously their victims had collaborated with Kruger.

However, no matter how satisfying it felt, those who supported White Raven Order were in the minority.

After all, weren’t they crossing the line too?

No matter what the reason, a group of madmen who went around killing people indiscriminately deserved to be rejected.

Therefore, people who heard the news cursed White Raven Order while also fearing them.

“Those things… just how far have they spread? It’s really dangerous. Lucas too, ah.”

Second Lieutenant Ian Keller awkwardly fell silent.

“It’s okay. Lucas is alive. Definitely.”

When Oscar smiled, Ian scratched his head with an apologetic expression.

“Um, yeah. He’s probably doing well.”

Oscar quietly looked down at the card in his hand. A jester was grinning back at him.

He felt both sorry and awkward toward Ian.

Because Lucas was doing too well. Out there, exploring various paths for White Raven Order’s future.

But people believed he had been captured and killed by White Raven Order. Because White Raven Order had claimed as much.

“I should head back now. If return-to-base orders come down, I could miss Elisabeth too.”

Ian got up, grabbing his coat.

“Ah, I’ll pay for the drinks. Sorry for ruining the game.”

“Well, now’s not the time to be playing cards anyway.”

They had been meeting frequently these days to drink or play card games.

Today they were in the middle of betting on drinks, but it wouldn’t be right to keep giggling in this situation.

***

The story spread rapidly.

The breaking news happened to be announced on Friday evening at 7 PM, and since it was such shocking news, it spread throughout Schufaben in less than an hour.

Georg sold more newspapers than ever before.

Later, his bag was completely empty, so he had to make another round to the newspaper companies to collect additional print runs that were being churned out. Even those sold out completely before sunset.

Richard was dragged to Ossel as a reference witness. Of course, this had been agreed upon from the beginning.

One of the victims had been Richard’s patient. Not particularly a big shot, but originally one of Bletter’s targets.

Since they had to avoid suspicion that this was a purge show, Johann and Fa-Elhar freely mixed in the original targets.

These people were clearly insufficient to be considered Supreme Leader’s inner circle, so they would serve as adequate camouflage.

“This should be sufficient. Thank you for cooperating with the investigation.”

“Not at all. I’m always grateful for your hard work.”

“You may go now.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Johann and Richard parted ways with polite farewells. The scene was filled with awkwardness for anyone to see.

Amusingly, both men considered each other ‘not particularly comfortable company.’

Lucas suddenly came to mind. He had the ability to drag anyone down to his own level, creating a strange sense of comfort.

***

“Once again, we report the victims’ identities… Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the aforementioned individuals, please report to the nearest Ossel or police station.”

“What the…!”

Lüdelheim Central Police Chief Dieter Rauch, who had been working in his mansion study, dropped his fountain pen and gaped.

His name had suddenly come flowing from the radio.

“I’ve been kidnapped by White Raven Order? What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”

He had been frantically trying to catch evidence of White Raven Order but kept falling behind the Ossel, making him increasingly anxious. What was this ridiculous fake news?

“But wait, the radio is in the Supreme Leader’s hands… could it be…”

Before he could realize what was happening, someone’s knife-hand struck his nape, and the police chief collapsed unconscious.

“What should we do? We’re a bit late.”

A masked woman spoke worriedly, and a similarly masked man shouldered the police chief’s body while reassuring her.

“It’s fine, Miss Art. This guy was on the ‘elimination’ list rather than ‘rescue’ anyway.”

“Good. Let’s hurry even now, Mr. Decker.”

“We have to. This is the last one, so let’s keep our spirits up.”

Philip and Hannah were both quick on their feet and skilled at stealth. However, because the mansion’s security befitted a police chief’s reputation, infiltration took quite a bit of time.

That’s how the absurd situation of being kidnapped after hearing news of one’s own kidnapping came about.

Hannah pulled out a spray from her jacket and drew red symbols on the wall. She also spread out a note she had prepared in advance prominently on the desk.

There was plenty to expose about the police chief’s misdeeds.

Similar events occurred throughout Schufaben, beyond Lüdelheim.

The targets mostly possessed wealth and power and were highly sensitive to terrorist threats.

However, no matter how much they struggled, they were thoroughly powerless before the state authority called Ossel.

Before they could even try anything, they were successively kidnapped by White Raven Order(?).

***

“Ugh… feels like my neck bone is broken…”

Dieter Rauch grabbed his extremely painful nape and sat up.

“Where is this…?”

“Chief Rauch, you’re finally awake!”

Before his eyes were about a dozen figures. Some faces were familiar, others he was seeing for the first time.

“Wait, President Roth, and Mayor Becker? What the hell is…”

“We’ve been kidnapped.”

“By those bastards, no less.”

“What?!”

“That’s right, Chief. We all passed out and woke up here.”

Rauch looked around.

It appeared to be an ordinary room at first glance. It seemed to be a stone building—he could feel the rough texture from the walls, and the windows were covered from outside with newspapers stuck all over them.

“This seems to be a seaside area far from Lüdelheim. I can smell the unique saltiness of the southern sea.”

“Hmm, indeed. It’s probably an isolated building on a beach where people don’t come and go.”

“While you were unconscious, Chief, we tried to escape but…”

“They’re monitoring us with magic. We got warnings not to try anything foolish from outside.”

“But how do you know they’re those bastards?”

“Because they revealed themselves. White Raven Order.”

“White Raven Order!”

At that moment, Rauch recalled a memory he had almost forgotten.

“Don’t worry everyone! Rescue teams will come soon. For figures of this caliber, the Supreme Leader will surely pay attention—”

“Listen everyone! This is a staged operation. It’s not White Raven Order at all.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Just before I lost consciousness, strange news was coming from the radio. That White Raven Order had kidnapped high-ranking figures. The list included me, you, and you too. Unless those rebels had taken over the broadcasting station, then clearly—”

“Do you know what you’re saying right now?!”

“This was orchestrated by the Supreme Leader, or at least he’s involved—”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Don’t speak carelessly! This place is under surveillance!”

“Even at a time like this…”

Hannah muttered contemptuously.

As they had guessed, this was a building overlooking the southern sea, and the room had surveillance spells cast on it.

Before her stood lower-ranking Ossels, fully armed and ready in formation.

“Begin.”

At Lieutenant Colonel Johann Werner’s command, loud explosions and gunfire erupted.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-bang!

BOOM!

“See! I told you they came to rescue us!”

“We’re here! Over here!”

“You fool! It’s dangerous to go out!”

Inside the building was chaos.

People trying to break down the door and get out, people hiding in corners terrified, people half-believing Rauch’s words and not knowing what to do, people sitting down shocked by the explosions…

However, moments later, when the door burst open and figures in Ossel uniforms rushed in, most fell into ecstasy.

Very briefly, though.

Bang!

The Ossel at the front raised his gun and fired at Dieter Rauch. Before he could even react, the chief’s head exploded.

When the gunfire subsided, the room fell into eerie silence.

Johann looked around at the frozen high-ranking officials and commanded.

“The rebels who kidnapped you have all been killed. From now on, we will conduct interrogations to investigate the incident’s circumstances. Immediate execution for non-compliance. Step forward when I point to you.”

“Why, why are you doing this?”

“What’s your rank?! Do you know who I am…!”

Bang!

When the air force general’s head also exploded, no one else resisted.

***

The ‘interrogation’ conducted at the secret Ossel base on a southern uninhabited island ended after three days.

As a result of the interrogation, some were disposed of.

Their deaths were reported as unavoidable casualties during the White Raven Order suppression operation. The government held grand memorial services.

Coincidentally, they were all factory owners who produced firearms, clothing, and such, but since they had no family to inherit, the facilities became state property.

As a result of the interrogation, some survived.

They wept and expressed gratitude to the Supreme Leader who had ordered the rescue operation. Some retired, others returned to their positions.

They all commonly showed symptoms resembling nervous breakdowns, but considering the terrible ordeal they had endured, that was unavoidable.

While they hadn’t completely rooted out White Raven Order, people still cheered at the news that they had destroyed one of their strongholds.

Lieutenant General Kaiser, who received Johann’s report, headed to the aerial fortress.

The Supreme Leader graciously pardoned his crimes. With a truly angelic face.

The incident, dubbed the ‘1902 White Raven Order Scandal’ by the public, thus came to an end.

***

“Such an… incident happened?”

I looked at the brightly smiling Hannah and asked stupidly. She nodded lightly.

“Of course.”

“The situation’s already over.”

“Long ago.”

I buried my burning face in both hands.

“Oscar, Fael, Johann…! What the hell have you all been up to!”

“Haha…”

Daniel let out a hollow laugh. Erika was probably frowning slightly.

“Things took an odd turn.”

When I muttered, both agreed.

“But it’s good.”

“Absolutely!”

I gave a weak smile to Hannah, who was still grinning cheerfully.

Let’s see, so.

The entire nation’s vigilance toward White Raven Order had heightened significantly, Ossel’s power had grown, the Supreme Leader’s throne had become more solid, and Bletter had gained practical experience while eliminating trash who collaborated with the Supreme Leader.

Supreme Leader, Ossel, White Raven Order, Bletter.

It had benefited everyone.

“A symbiotic relationship was created. Where each side uses the other… a hostile symbiosis.”

“Fa-Elhar said something similar too. I guess you two have something in common.”

“Ha, ha.”

I jumped up and looked out at the garden, where snow was just beginning to melt and turn muddy.

“I need to return quickly.”

“Don’t be too hasty, Lucas.”

“By the way, how is your work going?”

“Well, you could say it’s going well. Perhaps too well…?”

Hannah’s eyes narrowed at my cryptic answer.