“Let it leak?”
“Leak what?”
“Could he have meant to write ‘seduce’ but made a mistake?”
When one of the executives said this, all the surrounding executives shouted simultaneously.
“Say something that makes sense!”
“Have you forgotten what kind of person His Majesty is!”
However, the one who was refuted had something to say.
“Isn’t the order to ‘let it leak’ too random? Wouldn’t a plan to seduce the alchemist in question using the gisaeng at the establishment be more reasonable?”
“But considering what kind of person His Majesty is…”
At this somewhat reasonable argument, the surrounding executives looked intrigued.
Having risen to executive positions, they too had accumulated considerable experience and achievements. As such, operations using honeypot tactics weren’t unfamiliar to them.
Then, the executive who had first checked the orders spoke up.
“It’s not a mistake. His Majesty has ordered us to leak the manufacturing method for explosive silver. That is this operation.”
“Aha!”
Hearing this, the executives slapped their knees and exclaimed in admiration. Then they glared at their colleague who had made the ‘typo comment.’ Receiving silent rebuke, the problematic executive muttered with an embarrassed face.
“People make mistakes sometimes…”
“Tsk!”
The executives who all clicked their tongues simultaneously checked the continuing content.
- Europe is a place where mutually hostile nations are adjacent, making vertical and horizontal alliances the norm.
- Leak the manufacturing method of explosive silver to the most powerful among the hostile nations of the country that developed explosive silver.
- When calling the country that developed explosive silver ‘A’ and the hostile country ‘B,’ select country ‘C’ that simultaneously keeps both A and B in check and similarly leak the manufacturing method.
- However, limit the countries receiving this manufacturing method to those capable of self-respect and self-defense.
- Finally, the existence of the Empire and Secret Guard must not be revealed.
“…And this is the manufacturing method for explosive silver written in Latin.”
“Hmm…”
After checking even the final content, the Secret Guard executives all crossed their arms and fell into thought.
After a long silence, the executive in charge of Paris spoke up.
“Hmm… We’ll need to use a honeypot to seduce that damned alchemist.”
“The alchemist? Don’t we already have the manufacturing method for explosive silver here?”
At the other executives’ pointing out, the Paris executive explained his reasoning.
“I’m concerned about the phrase His Majesty wrote at the end. ‘The concentration and ratio of acids used in explosive silver production may differ slightly.’ If other countries, especially their archenemy England, produce explosive silver, France will immediately suspect a leak and dig both inside and out. In that process, if the ratios differ from their own explosive silver or the developer is unclear, they’ll certainly suspect someone else’s intervention. Then we’d risk being unable to keep His Majesty’s request.”
“I see…”
At the Paris executive’s words, the other executives all nodded.
After that, the executives put their heads together to coordinate the field operations for making this operation successful.
As a result of the meeting thus conducted, the future direction was decided.
- First, confirm the movements of France’s greatest enemy England and strong competitors Habsburg and Spain.
- Obtain suitable pawns who can hide the identity of the Empire and Secret Guard. However, avoid direct contact with these pawns.
- The Paris operative should recruit the alchemist in question or key craftsmen to steal the explosive silver production secrets.
- Afterward, observe the explosive silver development status of England, Spain, and Habsburg; if progress is poor, leak France’s secrets.
- If the development status of these three countries is too far behind, or if the operation in Paris fails, use pawns to spread the Empire’s manufacturing method.
“Good. Move like this.”
“Let’s do that.”
“In the shadows.”
“For the nation.”
Finishing the meeting by chanting the Secret Guard’s motto ‘Serve the Nation from the Shadows’[1], the executives quietly vanished into the darkness.
***
The Secret Guard executive who returned to Paris quietly began preparing the operation.
At ‘Red Moon (lune rouge),’ the Secret Guard’s front establishment, there were several gisaeng disguised as—no, gisaeng belonging to the Secret Guard.
The Secret Guard executive gathered those Secret Guard gisaeng and explained the operation.
“…So we need to recruit that alchemist or the craftsmen under him. Any good ideas?”
At the executive’s question, one of the gisaeng stepped forward and answered.
“If it’s that simpleton alchemist, Sara would be perfect.”
“Sara isn’t one of ours, is she?”
“But she loves money. If someone steps forward and whispers about a chance to strike it rich, she’ll immediately become our hands and feet.”
“Hmm… I see…”
At the gisaeng’s answer, the executive stroked his chin while calculating internally.
‘If I bring in a good-looking guy from another branch to use as bait, she’ll fall for it immediately. Should work.’
Having quickly thought of additional tactics, the executive moved on to the next matter.
“Good. We’ll use Sara for that part. While I was away on business, were there any incidents that must be reported?”
At the executive’s question, the gisaeng who had answered earlier stepped forward again.
“There were people approaching that simpleton and the financier.”
“Oh? Did you find out who?”
“At first, they appeared to be from Burgundy.”
“Burgundy…”
At the gisaeng’s answer, the executive made an expression as if he understood what was happening.
‘Are they trying to avenge their lost nation?’
Burgundy, which had dreamed of complete independence from France, had instead been annexed by France. The Duke of Burgundy’s family had all been purged by Louis XI, and nobles from influential families met the same fate.
Thanks to this, there were still quite a few Burgundians who harbored resentment about this.
‘They must be trying to get revenge by stealing those secrets and passing them to France’s enemies. If things go well, we might not even need to lift a finger.’
His expression brightening at the thought that the Secret Guard might not need to act, the executive continued his questions.
“So, are those Burgundians still meeting with the alchemist these days?”
At the executive’s question, the gisaeng shook her head.
“They haven’t been seen lately.”
“Why?”
When he asked for the reason, another gisaeng stepped forward to answer.
“I heard from other guests recently that bodies of those who appeared to be Burgundians were discovered in the Seine and back alleys. They said the guards responsible for Paris’s security were in an uproar.”
“The guards?”
“Yes.”
At the gisaeng’s answer, the executive’s face became serious.
‘Were they discovered and eliminated? As far as I know, the French king doesn’t have an organization like ours. Could there be intervention from another force?’
Considering the existence of another variable, the executive continued his questions.
“Then, are there no people meeting with that alchemist and financiers these days?”
“No, these days Italian merchants frequently come to see them.”
“Italian?”
“They appeared to be merchants from the Medici family.”
“Medici?”
“Yes. But no matter how you look at it, they seemed to be trying to take advantage under the pretense of investment.”
“Medici…”
Mulling over ‘Medici,’ the executive searched his memory.
***
Secret Guard executives and agents deployed to Europe received education about European affairs before departure.
“Europe’s great powers—England, France, Portugal, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire. These are countries where we must never let our guard down. But there’s a place we must truly be wary of. The Medici family of Florence.”
The education officer devoted the most time to education about the Medici family.
“Though merely rulers of a single city, the Medici family cannot be carelessly disregarded even by Europe’s prominent monarchs. What makes this possible is their enormous financial power. What clearly shows their financial power and influence is the war over Suez. Islam and Catholicism, mortal enemies, joined hands to wage war and are still running about frantically. This was possible because of the Medici family’s capabilities. Never underestimate the Medici family.”
The education officer emphasized the Medici family’s capabilities repeatedly, stressing the need to pay attention.
When the executives and agents showed they properly understood, the officer moved on.
“Now then, what kind of Europe does the Medici family want? His Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor, and the court ministers think this: ‘An eternal Warring States period.'”
The education officer’s subsequent words could be summarized as follows:
- The Medici family doesn’t want peace in Europe. But they don’t want endless warfare either.
- The reason is that most of Europe’s monarchs and nations owe debts to the Medici family.
- If peace continues for long, nations and monarchs will pay off all their debts to the Medici family and then, if possible, won’t incur new debts.
- But if only warfare continues, they’ll lose the ability to repay debts and bankruptcies will proliferate. That would be an even greater loss.
- To pursue their profits stably and permanently, the Medici family doesn’t want the emergence of an overwhelmingly strong nation or monarch. While the Medici family’s financial power is tremendous, their military power is not. Therefore, since they’ll certainly only be extorted, they don’t want the emergence of an overwhelmingly strong nation or monarch.
- Synthesizing everything, what the Medici family wants is for the state just before warfare breaks out to continue indefinitely. If that happens, Europe’s nations and monarchs will endlessly expand their military, and they’ll have no choice but to depend on the Medici family for necessary funds.
- And if this pre-war situation continues indefinitely, the Medici family’s safety can also be secured. The moment anyone lays hands on the Medici family, that nation’s enemies will stab them in the back, and the Medici family will tighten the purse strings.
“Huh…”
After hearing all the education officer’s stories, the executives and agents couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
“A mere merchant family…”
Hearing someone’s muttering, the education officer immediately continued.
“Lü Buwei of the Warring States period established an emperor. But the Medici family doesn’t want an emperor to be born at all. I repeat, the Europe the Medici family wants is an ‘eternal Warring States period.’ And…”
Pausing briefly, the education officer wet his throat and continued.
“One of our Secret Guard’s greatest missions is preventing people like Lü Buwei or Medici from emerging in our Empire. Don’t forget this until death. No, stake your lives on this.”
***
Recalling memories of the education he’d received before, the Paris operative muttered quietly.
“If it’s Medici, they’d have more than enough reason to eliminate Burgundians. Hmm…”
Pausing briefly to calculate variables and possibilities, the executive ordered the gisaeng.
“Next time the Medici merchants and that simpleton come, pay extra attention when serving them.”
“Yes, understood~”