Spy Classroom - Volume 7 - Chapter Ep1

Next Mission

The spy code named Insight looked down in silence at the city.

The entirety of Hurough was celebrating.

A heavy rain had fallen the morning after the Dock Road fire, putting out the flames and returning the city to a state of calm. The chaos in front of the station started dying down, and fewer and fewer people showed up to each protest. Criminal organizations had enjoyed a period of rapid growth recently, but thanks to a CIM crackdown, even they lost their steam.

Hearing that Prince Darryn’s killer had successfully been executed brought peace of mind back to the people of Hurough.

In order to preserve their national reputation, the government celebrated the reporters from the Conmerid Times and other newspapers who’d published unauthorized photos of the killer as national heroes who’d fought bravely to report the truth. It was actually the Fires of War that had been behind those articles, but with the disappearance of its all-powerful leader, the group quickly collapsed.

When faced with the rumors that the assassin had been from the Galgad Empire, high-ranking Galgad officials held a press conference to unilaterally deny the allegations. “These claims have no basis in truth,” they said. “Our administration wishes to express its deepest condolences for the crown prince’s untimely passing. We have every desire to continue fostering bonds of cooperation with the Fend Commonwealth.”

Meanwhile, antipathy toward the Empire grew stronger within the Fend populace. However, the CIM had no intention of letting the Great War’s tragedies repeat themselves, and they did everything in their power to steer the public discourse. By taking advantage of the media organizations under their control, they were able to spread anti-war sentiments alongside the Anti-Imperialist tide.

Slowly but surely, things were going back to normal in the city as it woke from its long nightmare. The greatest evil had been vanquished, and now there was nothing they needed to worry about. Their smiles said as much. The people of Hurough held photos of the cerulean-haired girl in contempt, burning them as they laughed about her pathetic suicide. Then they enjoyed lovely holidays with their friends and loved ones.

A feeling of emptiness struck Insight as they looked out at the revelers.

Monika had gone and erased herself from the world.

Sorrow lingered in Insight’s heart when they thought about the resolve that must have taken. They sighed, and a twinge ran through their shoulder. The wound there had fully healed, yet it throbbed with the memory of pain.

Insight was Lamplight’s secret weapon.

Klaus had put the plan together shortly before leaving for Fend. He put a huge amount of trust in Insight, and Insight knew they were to be a trump card that could deceive and overcome any foe. Insight carried a heavy responsibility, but their powers were far from absolute. They had no way of operating solo.

As such, they had no choice but to wait. Wait and see what Lamplight did.

Klaus and the girls’ confinement continued for three days straight.

During that time, the only event of note was Lan getting transferred to a hospital, as she’d yet to receive any sort of proper medical attention. That, and them getting word that Amelie had quietly placed the hospital room where Erna’s chest wound was being treated under protection. Annette and Grete were still being treated as well, but there were no changes to speak of there.

The five of them—Klaus, Lily, Sybilla, Thea, and Sara—could do nothing but wait. It wasn’t until three days later, in the morning, that Amelie came to visit them.

“Bonfire,” she said matter-of-factly. Her outfit was tidy and well put together. “We’ve identified the CIM traitors who were working with Green Butterfly. Furthermore, the majority of our operatives believe Flash Fire, aka Monika, to have been working for the Galgad Empire. Where the CIM was once divided between Neo-Imperialists and Anti-Imperialists, we now stand to present a united Anti-Imperialist front.” She gave him a small bow. “Thank you for your help. On behalf of Hide, we would like to extend you our sincerest gratitude.”

For her, those were all major accomplishments. Her voice brimmed with pride at a job well done.

Klaus, on the other hand, was less thrilled. Saving the Commonwealth had never ranked high on his list of priorities. “I would’ve been fine either way,” he replied. “If I had to kill you all and hijack the CIM, it wouldn’t have been any skin off my back.”

“If we had fought, both the CIM and Lamplight would have lost good people. There would be no meaning to the conflict—isn’t that what drove Monika?”

Hearing Monika’s name sent a ripple through Klaus’s heart. They still had no news about whether she’d survived. Klaus still believed she would make it back to them alive, but at the end of the day…

He pulled himself together before Amelie could notice how shaken he was.

“There was a mastermind who engineered the Commonwealth’s nightmare,” Amelie went on. “We would welcome your assistance in capturing White Spider.”

Klaus saw a hint of relief in her face. The only reason the Fend Commonwealth and Din Republic had been at odds was because Green Butterfly had been using her position in CIM leadership to spread misinformation about a Din spy having been the one to kill Prince Darryn. Now, though, Monika had pinned that crime on herself under the guise of being a Galgad spy, and on top of that, she’d personally put Green Butterfly out of commission. Now Fend and Din could finally work together in earnest, and it was all thanks to her.

However, there was still an elephant in the room.

“If that’s the case,” Klaus said, “then what’s with the blatant hostility?”

There were over a dozen agents standing at the ready behind Amelie, all staring daggers at Klaus and the girls.

“Hide’s orders,” Amelie replied with conviction. “Surely you understand? You know Serpent well, and we want to work with you. However, you’re too dangerous to be turned loose. We can’t trust you, at least not running around freely.”

There was a quiet certainty in her expression.

“The CIM is going to have to take Bonfire and Dreamspeaker into custody.”

Klaus had been prepared for this. “Flash Fire” Monika had been one of his own subordinates, and Thea had been in charge of the criminal organization the Fires of War. From the CIM’s perspective, locking them up was the only reasonable option. On this side of the world, betrayal was a constant. There was no way the CIM was ever going to give them its unconditional trust. Furthermore, resisting wasn’t an option. If he tried to refuse, it would just end up sparking another useless fight with the CIM.

Grim expressions spread across the girls’ faces as Amelie snapped a pair of handcuffs around Klaus’s wrists. They’d been built sturdy, so he wouldn’t be slipping out of them easily. Thea was restrained in much the same manner.

It looked as though their days in confinement would be continuing until the situation reached its conclusion.

“Teach…” “Boss…”

Behind him, he heard Lily’s and Sybilla’s voices. They sounded like they were on the verge of tears.

The nightmare Serpent had created continued.

“Forgetter” Annette had been hospitalized with a series of broken ribs.

“Daughter Dearest” Grete needed to recuperate after her prolonged imprisonment.

“Fool” Erna had been hospitalized after the CIM shot her in the side.

It was unclear whether “Glint” Monika was even still alive.

And “Bonfire” Klaus and “Dreamspeaker” Thea had been detained by the CIM.

With so many of its members out of commission, Lamplight was no longer functional. They needed to verify Monika’s status as soon as possible, but they lacked the active personnel to do even that.

It was time for a different girl’s story to begin.

Up until then, other people had always been protecting her, and during their missions, she’d been relegated to supporting roles. During their first Impossible Mission, the Abyss Doll bioweapon retrieval, she didn’t accomplish anything of note. During the Corpse mission, her participation had been minimal at best. And things had played out the exact same way during the fight against Purple Ant in Mitario, the fight against Avian in Longchon, and the fight against Belias in Fend.

She had been trying her best. However, it was impossible to deny how much her achievements paled in comparison to the other girls’. She saw herself as the weakest member on the team, and on the whole, she wasn’t wrong.

Sara quivered in the corner as Klaus and Thea got hauled away, cradling her knees with her hat pulled down low so she didn’t have to face the horrible reality of their situation. She’d been sitting like that for the entire three days. Tears had been spilling down her cheeks ever since they were brought there as she fought to endure the grief welling up in her heart.

Miss Monika…

The odds she’d survived were slim. They all knew it. Monika was a problem for Serpent, and they had no reason to spare her life.

Each time Sara thought about the fact that Monika might very well be dead, the tears started pouring all over again. Monika had been like a second teacher to her. Sara often needed specific guidance that Klaus wasn’t equipped to offer her, and Monika was always the one who’d picked up Klaus’s slack there.

At one point, Sara asked Monika why she did so much for her. “I’ve been wondering about it a lot,” she admitted embarrassedly.

“Look, you remember back when we visited Inferno’s grave and told them Lamplight was getting back together?” Monika had replied. “How one by one, everyone said they chose to stay on the team?”

Sara did remember. Everyone had given their answers without hesitating. Sybilla was in it for the money; Thea, out of admiration; Erna, for the sake of her dream; Annette, because she enjoyed being around them; Grete, out of love; and Lily, to live up to her ideals.

“You and me were the only ones who didn’t say anything.”

She was right. Sara had simply stood there in awkward silence.

Monika smiled. “I hope we both find something—some reason to stick around in the world of espionage.”

Looking back now, Sara understood. Monika had fought it. She’d found something worth fighting for, a motive so powerful she had no choice but to turn the world on its head.

Sara wished she could have talked with Monika more. She wished she could have heard Monika say it in her own words.

As soon as she recognized that wish for what it was, she wiped away her tears.

A reason to stick around in the world of espionage…

She put her strength back into her legs.

Can’t my teammates on Lamplight be that for me?

People might scold her for that and call it a cop-out. “That’s what you’re taking up arms for?” they would cry. However, that was fine. They could reprimand her all they liked. The only thing Sara wanted to hear in all the world was Monika admonishing her with that mix of exasperation and kindness in her voice.

She rose to her feet.

Monika had to be alive. This was Monika they were talking about. Sara had faith that Monika could overcome any crisis the world threw at her. Surely, she had survived and was hiding away somewhere. Klaus himself had said it, hadn’t he? “Monika’s alive. I know she is.” Those were his very words.

In order to save her, though, there was one man they were going to have no choice but to face.

The thing was, White Spider knew where Monika was.

Maybe he’d kidnapped her. Maybe she’d escaped his grasp. Either way, he was the only one who had the info. He was the architect behind Fend’s nightmare, he was Lamplight’s archnemesis who killed their brothers- and sisters-in-arms, and he was the only way they could rescue Monika.

Sara clenched her fists tightly and turned toward the entrance. The Belias agents were hauling Klaus away, and Lily and Sybilla were simply staring, helpless to do anything about it.

“BOSS!!” Sara called after him.

Klaus looked back in surprise. “Sara…?”

She knew what she was about to say was preposterous.

“Ah…”

She bit down hard on her trembling lips, then bit down again, and then again.

“I…”

The sheer lunacy of what she was proposing caused tears to well up in her eyes all over again.

“I-I’m…”

She sounded pathetic, and tears were still on her cheeks. In the end, though, she managed to get the words out firmly and clearly.

“I’m going to defeat White Spider!!”

She was going to do it. Her resolve was steeled. She and the others were going to catch a Serpent member all on their own. They were going to drag Monika’s whereabouts out of him and find her, no matter what it took. They were going to make him tell them why he killed Prince Darryn, why he destroyed Avian, and everything else they wanted to know, and in doing so, they would bring their mission there in Fend to its completion.

Right now there was only one thing Sara wanted—to get them all home to Heat Haze Palace without letting anyone else get hurt.