I Just Needed Someone to Hate - Episode 8.4

“It’s about the response to the proposal that Chairman Rex sent to our boss through Mr. Kinear.”

“……”

“It’s best to start by saying that our boss has no interest in politics.”

Ludwig ‘s expression soured at those words. Icarus placed the whiskey back on the table.

“I seem to be saying this a lot lately. Many people are curious.”

“Well. What you heard through my aide must have been an offer you wouldn’t want to refuse.”

Ludwig didn’t even lift his whiskey glass as he fiercely scanned Icarus.

“Is that so?”

Icarus replied smoothly, despite the other man’s threatening demeanor.

“The opposition party is bound to lose, so how can you say that? It seems like it will be at least six more years before Chairman Rex’s world comes.”

“Ah, I thought I heard that your boss had no interest in politics.”

“He doesn’t.”

“……”

“It’s just that he has many good friends who are interested in politics.”

He was the only one smiling.

❖ ❖ ❖

Three months later.

“Everything matches.”

Recalling his subordinate’s voice, the Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency walked down the corridor of the Prime Minister’s residence with a slightly tense expression.

“A black fur coat with a reddish tint, abundant fur around the collar. Crochet lace gloves. About this tall. On the thin side. Fair complexion. The alley near the villa where she stayed. Headed towards Mirabolta Street in a car with a well-built man. The car seems to be from right after the Continental War. Around three or four in the morning. All testimonies consistently point to Miss Mergoville.”

Arriving at the room where the Prime Minister was staying, the man leading the way told him to wait a moment, knocked, and entered the room. He quickly came back out, opened the door, and nodded. The Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency took a deep breath and entered the room.

The Prime Minister, sitting at the table, turned his gaze to the Director.

“What about what I asked you to look into regarding Miss Mergoville? Any progress?”

News about Miss Mergoville, which had only been whispered about in the cheapest tabloids, was now being covered in the social sections of reputable daily newspapers.

At first, it was just a rumor circulating due to a lack of evidence. But around the villa where she had been staying with an agent, testimonies began to emerge one by one, saying they had seen her heading somewhere with someone from Mirabolta Street in the early morning.

The consistent testimonies proved that they were telling the truth. Even the Speaker of the House of Lords, who had initially denied the facts at all costs, was pleased and remained silent as his interest shifted from his second son to Vivianne.

The Director of Intelligence also took an interest, but all that was circulating in the press were abstract guesses about her identity, not any concrete evidence, so he couldn’t rashly arrest her. He was even more cautious because she was a daughter of a noble family with a long history.

The Director of Intelligence opened his mouth in a tense atmosphere.

“…I’m sorry, Prime Minister, but the reason I came to see you like this is not about Miss Mergoville, but to deliver these directly.”

The Prime Minister glanced at his Chief Aide, who took the file that the Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency handed over and gave it to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister took out the front pages of the newspapers organized in the file and slowly flipped through them one by one, examining the faces plastered across them. They all resembled his son. But it wasn’t his son himself. He would definitely recognize his sore spot, who was always holed up in his uncle’s territory, doing who knows what.

These were solo shots of an agent disguised with his son’s face.

The Prime Minister’s gaze, which had been scanning the headlines in order, went straight up and swept over the Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency. The Director opened his mouth.

“It’s been about three months. Miss Mergoville also went home, and our agent also sent a telegram saying that he had completed his mission. Along with the opinion that he had found out who the mastermind of the underworld boss was. But the agent didn’t return, and the press became heated, saying that Miss Mergoville was actually the mastermind and then this.”

“……”

“Of course, public opinion is good, and most of it is favorable to your cabinet. But we had no intention of releasing classified information to the world, and these photos were strange.”

The Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency’s gaze turned to the photos on the front page of the newspaper on the desk, and the Prime Minister and his Chief Aide’s gazes also turned in that direction.

“Who took them?”

The Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency said in the silence. As if it were a rhetorical question, he soon continued.

“It’s not like an enthusiastic reporter took them, the lens doesn’t seem to have captured a hunting target, does it? It seems that these photos were not originally intended for news photos.”

“……”

“Prime Minister, is the man in these photos our agent?”

“I read the newspaper too, isn’t that an intelligence agent in disguise, not my son? If it wasn’t, I would have looked for you first.”

The Prime Minister replied with a face that showed he was displeased with being asked such a question in the first place. The Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency’s follow-up question followed.

“Then why aren’t there any photos of him with Miss Mergoville among these? I heard that there were many reporters stationed in front of the Salenner Hotel that day.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Would you like to see these?”

Soon, checks were placed on the Prime Minister’s wooden table.

“These are the checks I recovered from the bank. The signature handwriting is indeed that of our agent, but it has been elaborately forged.”

“……”

“It seems to be deeply related to the reason why the agent did not return.”

While the Prime Minister was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door. It was just when he was about to order a full investigation into the involvement of this force. The door opened and a young voice interjected.

“I’m sorry for the intrusion. I rushed because there was something that the Director and the Prime Minister should see.”

“Bring it in, Ben.”

The man called Ben bowed and entered, handing a small letter envelope to the Director of the Criminal Intelligence Agency. The Director examined the clean front and back of the envelope before taking out what was inside. They were photos.

After checking the photos, he silently handed them to the Prime Minister’s Chief Aide. Before he could even hold them in his hand, the Prime Minister snatched them away and looked through the photos himself.

“It’s our missing intelligence agent.”

The Prime Minister seemed to have lost his words and stared at the photos for a long time. The Director’s guess was proven correct even before he could investigate it further.

Not many people knew that the person with Miss Mergoville was not the Prime Minister’s real son, but a fake. Excluding the small fry, the people who knew the truth were the Criminal Intelligence Agency, the Prime Minister’s people, and their enemies.

The ones who made the real agent like this and sent them the photos.

“We must find those who committed such barbaric acts immediately and root them out from our Daatro. We should release these photos to the press for propaganda purposes, secure justification, and use any means necessary to immediately.”

At that moment, the Prime Minister’s Chief Aide moved and whispered something in his ear as the Prime Minister tilted his head. The Director of Intelligence, who was watching the two people as the atmosphere cooled down, said.

“Prime Minister?”

“……”

“Prime Minister.”

“No.”

The Prime Minister interrupted him. His gaze turned once again to the agent in the newspaper.

Along with the suspicions about Vivianne Mergoville, what is currently the greatest hope is the Prime Minister’s intelligence operation.

If he creates unnecessary commotion and plunges that expectation to the bottom, there will be no ‘next’ for him, with only nine months left in his term. When a problem makes the front page of the newspaper and forms public opinion, it’s like a party cake. The appearance is more important than the taste. It’s not that the essence becomes important, but how it looks becomes the top priority.

The fact that a third party made this a public opinion battle was not an unexpected stroke of luck, but an attempt to tie their feet.

It seemed that their prey was more clever than they thought.

“Do you think you can catch them within nine months? Without mobilizing the military, without catching innocent citizens, and in this situation where the police officers of the Central Government Office are eating dirty money?”

“……”

“What about the leaders of neighboring countries who are rapidly expanding their power? What happens if they hear the news and join hands with their leader? I heard that they have their own distribution network. On top of that, the company’s labor unions are being controlled by them. Manufacturing and distribution. Do you know what that means on the battlefield?”

“……”

“If the agent became a hero, even if he died, he would have to be alive until the next election. At least in the hearts of the people of the Daatro Empire.”

The Prime Minister said, pointing at the newspaper on the desk with a finger that was about to break.

“I don’t know who did this damn thing, but if they were trying to tie my hands, they seem to have succeeded.”

With those words, the Prime Minister lit a cigar. Thanks to that, the Director of Intelligence had to leave the Prime Minister’s residence without any gains.

Nine months passed in such cold and tense peace.

It is said that the footsteps of the seasons are fast in Daatro. This year, winter came quickly as well.

Side Story. Movie Actor

If you drive about an hour and a half west from the capital, you will reach the Senovick Estate. Walls made of stones of various sizes and triangular roofs. It is not difficult to see the forest far away between the chimneys, which have been lowered in height.

If you ask people walking down the street with newspapers where the Duke’s mansion is, they will turn their heads and point in the same direction.

The most splendid highlight of this quiet area, called the Senovick Mansion, was a palace backing the huge forest. No one comes in, and almost no one goes out. Occasionally, the Duke’s nephew would visit and play chess with him to entertain him, but that was when the nephew was a college student.

Then, sometimes, when people living in Senovick City saw a Langston limousine on the street, they guessed that it was one of the Duke’s nephew’s rare visits.

It was not common for them to see someone of high status, so those lucky enough to spot a Langston limousine would buy a lottery ticket. There were quite a few people who bought lottery tickets this winter.

That’s because Count Edmund Hiad Colt, the Duke of Senovick’s nephew, visited quite often.

“I heard your father called.”

The man leaning back in the recliner said, folding the newspaper.

“It seems he wants to control his only son so that he doesn’t get involved in anything unnecessary since the election is coming up soon.”

As Edmund, who had brought the expensive liquor, placed it on the table and was about to sit down, a servant quickly approached and pulled the armchair back. The Duke of Senovick, nodding, glanced at the footman for a moment and said to Edmund.

“Even if you’re not used to being served by servants because you’re used to life outside the mansion, just bear with it. As your great-grandfather used to say, there’s nothing like the old ways. Sit down, sit down. Let me see your handsome face. Your appearance gets better every day, so I’m happy every time you come to greet me.”

“Have you been well?”

“I sometimes go hunting when the weather gets better, and I listen to the radio. I’ve been doing well quietly. I want to entrust you with this Duke’s job and rest, but your father strongly opposes it. It seems like he wants to make you a member of the House of Representatives since he couldn’t make you an officer, what an obsession. If he knew you were running around doing business or something, he would make a fuss, so I told him you’re doing well here.”

“Thank you. I’m always in your debt.”

As Edmund poured a drink into a glass and handed it to the Duke of Senovick, the footmen in the room’s expressions darkened. Just as they were about to convey their words of caution, the Duke waved his hand.

“Stop it, I have to drink the liquor that my nephew pours for me, if nothing else. I feel like I’m going to live a little thanks to you. You brought it well on a cold day. So. Is that business doing well? I know you’re doing something, but there’s never a story about exactly what it is.”

Edmund smiled silently. The Duke knew that he was trying to change the subject and changed the topic.

“It wouldn’t have gone well. Your father issued an expulsion order to the capital itself last winter, didn’t he?”

“Didn’t you say that you were planning to use an agent disguised as me to approach the Speaker of the House of Lords?”

Edmund spoke as if he didn’t know anything on purpose. The Duke, holding a whiskey glass, shook his head and corrected his words.

“No, was it a little complicated? It was the fiancé of that Speaker’s second son. Isn’t she the woman that’s being talked about in the newspapers right now? I heard that she fell in love with a barbarian… no, a foreigner who immigrated to the Empire and created the Daatro underworld like this.”

Edmund politely received and unfolded the newspaper that the Duke handed him. On the front page of the newspaper was a face that he had been trying not to look at for a long time.

Vivianne Mergoville.

“There are bruises on her body.”

“But she’s smiling, isn’t she? She abandoned her position as the Speaker of the House of Lords’ son’s wife and played around with an underworld man, so she must be feeling good.”

“……”

“Anyway, don’t pay attention to her.”

The Duke snatched the newspaper that Edmund was holding with force.

“If that woman pretends to know you later, ignore her. I don’t know what your father was thinking, making a stand-in who looks like you and trying to get him to approach that vixen. It’s better this way. You shouldn’t even go near the capital if possible.”

“Speaking of which, about that.”

“Are you going?”

“It’s not because of the woman. I’m going to visit my father on the upcoming election day, so could you please put in a good word for me?”

“Are you going to stop doing that business or something?”

“How could that be? It’s just a greeting.”

“Okay. It’s not difficult. Your paternal cousins are usually greedy. Anyway, if your father is re-elected, they’ll be flattering him from the side, saying congratulations and whatnot, so you should go and show your face too. You don’t have a woman?”

“I don’t.”

“Your cousin Kingsley, who’s much worse than you, had six that I saw, but it seems like all the women in Daatro are looking up at the sky.”

Edmund just smiled handsomely. The Duke of Senovick continued.

“Anyway, if you know your mother’s temper, you’ll know why you don’t have a woman. If you meet Alisa, give her my regards. If you ever meet a woman in the future, bring her here.”

“I’ll introduce her to my uncle first.”

“Of course, you should. As someone who lives without a son, there’s no greater joy for me than seeing you bring a woman, have sons and daughters, and live well.”

“Yes. Isn’t my uncle like my godfather?”

“Hehe, you always say things that are nice to hear. I’ll talk to your father well, so stay here for a few days while you’re here.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“I don’t know why your great-uncle was so cruel to you when he was alive. You take care of me so meticulously. You must have had a hard time coming here. Go in and rest.”

Edmund bowed and got up from his seat, heading towards the door. It was then.

“Oh, right.”

The Duke of Senovick opened his mouth.

“I smell gunpowder on you.”

“……”

Edmund’s footsteps stopped, and his head, which had been facing the floor for a moment, slowly went up.

“Is that so?”

His voice had lowered a lot before he could even realize it. The Duke of Senovick’s words continued.

“Have you taken up hunting again?”

“……”

“If that’s the case, you can ask Ronald to give you a gun and enjoy it as you please in the backyard. There are also useful horses in the stable, so you can borrow them if you can tame them.”

“It must be a perfume problem.”

Edmund said in a soft voice.

“I chose this gunpowder-smelling scent, so it’s no wonder there are no women around me.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Edmund bowed and headed towards the door.

“No matter how bored you are, don’t do horse racing. I heard that the underworld guys have played dirty tricks, so it’s not fun at all.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Edmund’s expression softened as if he were still treating his young nephew. Closing the door, he moved with a face that had turned coldly hard.

‘These kids don’t know how to have fun these days.’ The voice of his uncle talking to the servants grew farther and farther away with each step.

❖ ❖ ❖

He used people to approach Miss Mergoville. We plan to intensively report on every move for the sake of the great undertaking.

That was the content when the code was deciphered. The head maid, who handed over the paper with the Morse code written on it, said.

“It’s a poem.”

“Yes.”

That’s how it would look on the surface. Edmund put on a neat smile.

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