I Suspect You're an Allied Spy

I Suspect You're an Allied Spy

As he looked at the Imperial soldiers surrounding them, Dick Hardman, eldest son of House Hartman, felt a fear unlike anything he had ever known. He had never imagined that, despite following his father's orders and setting out from Bahamut Town at noon,

they would disguise every member of House Hartman as an ordinary merchant caravan and choose the most concealed, difficult route, avoiding Imperial scout patrols as they led the Lineage's direct descendants toward the Victoria Kingdom.

Yet despite such a meticulous plan and such cautious actions,

just as they were about to leave Walden Territory, they were intercepted near Stone Village by an Imperial Army unit that had appeared out of nowhere.

And what plunged him into the deepest despair was that the person who had stopped them was an Imperial Mage Soldier!

Before that utterly terrifying explosive magic, let alone the ordinary soldiers he had hired as guards this time,

even an elite Allied Forces unit would not have survived a single second against her!

Had the Empire planned this all along, or was it merely a coincidence?

Just as unease churned in Dick Hardman's heart, footsteps sounded ahead. Under the anxious gazes of the caravan members, a man and a woman emerged from the terrifying ranks of Imperial soldiers and walked up to them.

The man in the lead had black hair and black eyes, with handsome features. Yet a false smile that inexplicably sent chills down one's spine lingered at the corners of his mouth.

Unlike the surrounding Imperial soldiers, he wore a golden star insignia on his shoulder. Combined with the respectful manner in which the terrifying female Imperial Mage Soldier had treated him, Dick Hardman instantly concluded that this man was the commanding officer of the Imperial troops.

At that thought, Dick suppressed the panic in his heart. He intended to put on a smile and, posing as an ordinary merchant, use his silver tongue to hoodwink the other party and muddle through.

Yet the black-haired man did not even spare him a glance. At the female Mage Soldier's signal, he walked straight to the caravan's cargo wagon and yanked off its canvas cover, revealing the gleaming gold and jewels inside.

Then a greed Dick Hardman knew all too well surfaced in his eyes.

Damn Imperial dog!

Realizing that the fortune his family had painstakingly accumulated would likely not yield a single coin back,

Dick Hardman felt as though his heart were bleeding without end. Still, he silently comforted himself. It was fine. Money could be earned again. As long as he successfully muddled through this and led his clansmen to the Victoria Kingdom,

then, once his father joined forces with that terrifying dragonkin girl to eliminate the commander sent by the Empire and complete Lord Star of Dawn's mission, House Hartman could rise again with the Allied Forces' support.

Once the Allied Forces defeated the Empire, he would sooner or later find this damned Imperial dog and make him pay today's debt.

With that thought, Dick felt much better. A trace of contempt also crept into his gaze as he looked at the black-haired man.

On the surface, however, he maintained a humble posture. Taking a cigarette from his pocket, he eagerly walked up and offered it to the man, speaking in a flattering tone:

"Respected officer, we are merely an ordinary merchant caravan hoping to do business in the Victoria Kingdom. We truly are not Allied Forces spies. Please do not misunderstand."

"Of course, I also know that the Imperial Army has been fighting the Allied Forces quite hard lately. To show my sincerity, I am willing to donate half of these valuables to the Imperial Army free of charge, proving my loyalty to the Empire. What do you think?"

Dick had assumed that after he said this, this damned Imperial dog would haggle with him, perhaps even order his soldiers to threaten him.

He could then play the victim and, after some token resistance, hand over the entire family fortune in exchange for his family's safety. Yet to Dick's surprise, after hearing him out, the young man merely glanced at him before turning his gaze back to the gold in the wagon.

Those sharp eyes and that calm demeanor—how did they look like someone blinded by wealth?

From beginning to end, his gaze remained fixed on the inscriptions and serial numbers on the gold.

It was as though he were examining the goods in the wagon, trying to uncover more detailed intelligence and identify the true identities of their group.

Something is off about this guy!

Dick's heart sank sharply, and cold sweat began to form on his forehead.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that this Imperial officer before him did not seem nearly as easy to deal with as he had expected.

Holy shit!

Holy fucking shit!

So much gold!

I'm rich! I'm fucking rich now!

As long as I get my hands on this gold, I can go straight from a broke nobody to a rich, handsome man!

Hahaha, Wendy, Wendy—you're practically the lucky star the goddess of fortune sent me!

I fucking love you to death!

John stared unblinkingly at the gold before him, so excited that he was practically about to turn into a screaming marmot!

Even in TV dramas in his previous life, he had never seen so much gold.

But now, this gold—enough to be described as walls of it—lay naked before his eyes.

The impact of such a sight was simply beyond words!

At that moment, John made up his mind. No matter what, he had to get this batch of gold.

Even if the Empire lost the war in the future and he was charged with robbery, it did not matter.

With so much gold in hand, who the hell would be afraid of a robbery charge?

What? You say this money belongs to the caravan, and taking it would be ill-gotten gains?

Bullshit. These people are obviously thieves who stole the local nobles' property amid the chaos. How could they possibly escape the keen eyes of John, champion of justice and warrant officer extraordinaire?

I'm eliminating a menace for the Allied Forces. This is a genuine act of justice. If you don't understand, don't spout nonsense!

John's heart brimmed with excitement and agitation, but aware that many people were watching, he maintained an outward appearance of complete calm.

Then, with unprecedented willpower, he barely managed to pull his gaze away from the gleaming gold.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he glanced at the caravan leader standing stiffly beside him with a forced smile. Then, as the other man's pupils contracted, he spoke calmly:

"Sir, I suspect that you are Allied Forces spies. Now, I need you to prove your identities. Otherwise, I will follow the Empire's regulations for dealing with agents and order you all shot on the spot."

(End of Chapter)