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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“Again?”
“…Having more physical contact with another infected person, with the owner of a slightly different kind of virus. Anyway, if a different kind of bacteria comes in, the virus in your body will also become more vigilant…”
What does that mean?
No, more than that, ‘another,’ ‘different.’
Cassandra had once said that my and Camilla’s virus were almost identical. That meant…
“Don’t tell me?”
“…W-well, if you two are like that every night… even for Cassandra… i-if you don’t want to, then it can’t be helped. We don’t have to go ‘that far.’ But, w-well, so…”
The fact that she couldn’t sleep at night, and the door made a slight sound, was it because she was peeking? But there was no time to hear the answer.
“Ca-Cassandra is leaving now!”
Because she had stood up and had gone up to her room.
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The cell phone alarm rang. Virginia checked who had sent it and put it down. And she spent her day just like any other.
There were many things to take care of.
The entire nation of Elza would soon enter a state of quasi-war. Therefore, there was no longer a need to maintain martial law.
However, the existing administrative organizations had neither the ability to overcome this situation nor the legal preparations, so the central government had issued an instruction to the local governments to form a new emergency government system ‘in cooperation with the local military.’
It was called an emergency government, but in fact, it was no different from telling each region to fend for itself.
Even in this situation, there were more than enough people who wanted to secure a position. In particular, more gifts and business cards than usual flew to Virginia. They were sent by people who wanted to get on her good side, a noble of Römer and a member of a powerful family.
Virginia lined up their business cards on her desk. And she meticulously wrote down their names and the scale of their wealth on a list and attended the ‘Committee for the Establishment of a New Government.’
“What are your thoughts, Committee Member Virginia?”
In a situation where even the chairman was watching her reaction. Virginia willingly took the podium.
“I have selected individuals who are fit to become the chief aide and core members of the committee. Here is their list.”
Virginia waved the list she had picked. Even from a glance, the names were all notorious. The chairman asked with a dumbfounded expression.
“Then as for the mayor…”
“Someone who is clean and innocent, who knows politics well but has no connection to the military would be good. I wonder if there is such a person among the scholars.”
‘She means to put up a good-natured scarecrow and then have everything her own way from below,’ the committee members understood.
They were very distressed and uncomfortable, thinking that Virginia was no different than a snob, but they did not dare to go against her.
The committee members found a smart and naive person and put him in the mayor’s seat.
Virginia put the corrupt, greedy, and wealthy individuals in the positions of administrators under the mayor.
And then she froze all their assets.
“H-how could you do this!”
Those who had rushed to protest to Virginia, foaming at the mouth, were arrested on the spot for ‘illegally entering a military facility.’
The more sensible people, that is, those who had called in advance or had made an appointment, were invited to the conference room.
As soon as they entered, the reporters’ flashes went off, and they were all dazed. Virginia had called a press conference.
“Everyone. These are the true patriots of Elza.”
Virginia exclaimed sonorously. Someone held up a piece of paper that said, ‘This is being broadcast live nationwide.’
“These individuals have expressed their intention to donate all their assets. It was to protect their beloved country and neighbors.”
First, she takes our money, and now she’s trying to package it as a ‘donation.’ Flashes went off in the protesters’ minds. But Virginia’s words were not over.
“But while we are grateful for their loyalty, we cautiously decline the donation of their assets. The fight against the zombies is a very long and painful thing.
We must also leave room and strength for recovery. There is no foolish farmer who eats all the seed potatoes because he is hungry. Therefore, the assets of these individuals should not be used now, but for the future.”
What nonsense is she talking about, after tying up our assets, the protesters felt like they were going to burst into tears. But they couldn’t cry, seeing the flashes that were close to malice, and the rifle muzzles aimed between those flashes.
If something were to happen, they would shout, ‘It’s an infected person!’ and shoot. The National Gendarmerie were a very competent group in this kind of ‘post-reporting.’
“Therefore, the Hampton Emergency Government has decided to issue war bonds.
Even if the emergency government is dissolved, the central government is set to take them over, so there is no risk of bankruptcy.
Here, the new members of the Hampton Emergency Government are the first prospective buyers of the war bonds. Please take a good look at these glorious faces. Patriotism must be guaranteed. The nation will not forget your loyalty.”
In the end, the protesters had to return forlornly with ‘bonds that had no risk of bankruptcy because they were guaranteed by the state.’ Virginia was more vicious than they had thought.
“She should have just taken it! If you say you’ll return it if we listen well, who the hell is going to be a patriot!”
The ones who had become patriots wailed at home, but that was it. Because no one wanted to be found as a zombie with an ‘acute infection.’
“That’s quite something.”
General Kamio Minto was very pleased.
Virginia even smiled as she expressed her thanks.
“It’s all thanks to you, General.”
“What modesty! How on earth have you been holding back such a talent? Your interview skills were quite something. The PDs were thanking me, you know? They said they were getting beautiful shots left and right! By the way, I heard that the central broadcasting station is doing a solo interview with you next week. Did you hear?”
“I will prepare thoroughly.”
General Minto was very pleased. He was planning to submit his discharge application soon. It was because the path to enter the central political world had opened up.
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Virginia took care of all the complicated work and returned home. To her own house, which had no furniture, but where the air was as heavy as furniture. But today, she had bought a bottle of ‘The Tears of Elza’ wine.
She washed up, changed into light clothes, and took a glass of The Tears of Elza with some beef jerky as a side. Only then did Virginia check her phone and make a call.
“This is Virginia.”
The other party hung up as soon as they answered. A moment later, a call came in from ‘No Caller ID.’ It would, of course, be encrypted.
– What on earth are you thinking?
The irritable old man started with a lecture.
– I told you to stay still, and yet you’re running wild like a runaway colt. You, of all people, should know best what happens to a horse that runs off the track. Do you really feel like you’ve become something?
Instead of an answer, Virginia took a sip of The Tears of Elza.
– Are you not even going to answer now!
“I am listening.”
– I told you to watch your mouth!
“I am listening, Mr. Speaker of the Senate.”
– I had no intention of interfering with whatever games you play in the land of Elza. But to think you’d go on broadcast and disgrace the family! Wasn’t the child’s play in the western country enough?
“I am only fulfilling my duty.”
– If you’re a dead woman, then live like one!
The call was disconnected. Virginia didn’t even blink an eye. The calls with her father were always on parallel lines. The Speaker of the Senate of Römer, Helford, her father, who had succeeded in being re-elected again.
But she had already finished a glass. Vzzz. Vzzz. The phone rang again.
“This is Virginia.”
– My lady. It is the butler.
A slightly gentler voice than before. Virginia gave something similar to a slight smile. If someone had seen her from the side, they wouldn’t have known if she was smiling or grimacing.
“Ah. Butler. The data I requested?”
– I will read it to you. The whale that strolls through the sky, the nightjar with its mouth torn to its ears, the fog made of human tears…
Of course, this was a code. The password for the data the butler had sent in the morning.
What the butler was slowly reading out was a passage from a poem that had been passed down in the family for generations, a cipher that could only be deciphered by someone who knew which line and stanza the passage was in.
“Right. Thank you.”
But the butler did not hang up the phone. A slightly different demeanor than usual. Virginia waited.
– The number of infected is increasing in Römer as well. And the number of infected is increasing even in the capital. Your father is also very uncomfortable.
Virginia, as if listening to someone else’s story, swirled the half-filled wine glass.
“I see.”
– The situation in the western country is also unusual. There is intelligence that they are dispatching special forces across the border and raiding the Kibele research facility.
This was discovered by the Römer agents dispatched to the western country, and Elza is not even aware of it. Because the attacks are being carried out mainly in the unprotected zones.
“Is that so?”
– So please be obedient to your father. Do you not feel sorry for him?
Click.
The call was disconnected.
Virginia shook her head once and emptied her glass. She thought about spreading out a yoga mat and stretching her body, but a sudden wave of fatigue washed over her, so she didn’t.
Instead, she accessed an app on her phone. After entering a complex command, the communication channel access program for the western country, Minsk, appeared.
But its composition was a little different from what Johan, Letitia, and the people from the Elza intelligence department used. Of course, it was because the app itself was a counterfeit made in the eastern country.
“Elza is a pig.”
A pig that is naively eaten, but then tears the predator’s belly and comes out oinking.
Neither the western country, Minsk, nor the eastern country, Römer, had been able to completely devour and digest Elza.
So the eastern country had chosen a subtle method. They had hacked the communication channel of the western country, Minsk, occupied its resources, and then packaged it as if it were made by an Elza soldier and distributed it to the people of the Elza intelligence department.
It was to find out who in the Elza intelligence department was distributing what information.
Of course, they had not yet launched a large-scale crackdown.
This kind of secret information was a sufficient asset just by holding it. Just as she had frozen the assets of the corrupt, just as she had caught the deviation of a soldier who lived by pride.
Letitia’s bizarre deviation was one of them. Of course, she could never get used to seeing her body.
The subordinate, who usually wore a uniform and carried out her duties thoroughly, going home and making such a lewd expression and even exposing her body parts… was embarrassing to watch even after drinking.
Her unfocused eyes were looking up, her tongue was slightly stuck out, and there was even saliva pooled in her half-open mouth. Why on earth had she spilled whipped cream and flour batter on her chest, and why was she sending messages like, ‘I was making a cake and spilled the whipped cream. What should I do?’
“Who on earth is she sending this to?”
The strange thing was the other party. I don’t know how she had modified the code, but the location could not be traced. The only thing that could be identified was the name ‘Caesar.’
“Latex.”
Of course, Virginia knew that Letitia was ‘that phantom thief.’ In fact, it was rare for a person to periodically buy that kind of rubber clothing.
But after realizing that Letitia’s deviation cleverly exploited the points that the National Gendarmerie and the civil defense members were missing, she did not say anything special.
This kind of training was often used in the military as well. Like counter-intelligence agents infiltrating at night and sticking a red note that said, ‘We were here,’ on the entrance of an armory or an ammo depot and running away.
“So that person named Caesar is coming soon.”
Hunting is always fun.
Not just the moment you go out with a gun, but just by imagining what kind of prey you will catch tomorrow, how that prey will resist, and how Virginia herself will deal with it, an unbearable thrill is felt.
Would cornering and catching that person named Caesar be as fun as V? Virginia became curious.
“If only there was one more person as useful as V, there would be nothing lacking in the world.”
The woman, who had lightly flicked her empty glass, muttered.
“…How about catching and taming him.”
At her own joke, Virginia burst out laughing. But her purple eyes glinted ominously.
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