Paris, capital of France.
Meiga Itogami lifted his head to glance at the overcast sky.
The weather wasn't too bad—at least it wasn't raining, just a bit breezy. Though slightly chilly, for a living dead like Meiga Itogami, such mild cold was hardly worth noting.
Walking through the streets of Paris, Meiga adjusted his trench coat and swept his gaze over the protestors lining the roadside, listening to their chants of "Stop delaying retirement, we demand rest," before shaking his head:
"This city has everything going for it, except for all the nonsense."
Thanks to the bus and taxi drivers joining the demonstrations, Meiga had no choice but to rely on his own two legs to reach his destination for this operation.
It wasn't that he didn't have a driver's license—it was just that the budget Natsuki Minamiya provided was too meagre to afford a car. As for the salary he received within Truth Astronomy...
What a joke. What fool would spend their hard-earned side income on company business?
Meiga Itogami wasn't stupid, so walking it was.
Fortunately, his destination wasn't too far. After less than 30 minutes, Meiga arrived at a church.
In Paris, churches were as numerous as coffee shops in Korea, convenience stores in Japan, or food delivery riders in China—simply put, they were everywhere.
Stepping inside, Meiga followed local custom by praying near the pulpit before unceremoniously tossing two 500-euro notes—the highest denomination—into the donation box.
His generous gesture didn't attract the attention of the nun on duty, but instead drew a few odd looks.
Meiga paid no mind, simply waiting quietly.
Before long, a nun slowly emerged, exchanging a few words with the one on duty.
Then, the nun approached Meiga:
"May I ask if this fellow believer has any troubles weighing on your heart?"
"Confessional booth number five." Meiga adjusted his glasses calmly.
"Please follow me." Understanding, the nun turned and led Meiga into the church's rear courtyard.
As they walked deeper into the deserted area, Meiga couldn't resist muttering:
"The two bills I threw in were counterfeit."
"This is only natural," the nun replied indifferently.
"There is no confessional booth number five in this church," Meiga added.
"This is only natural."
The nun repeated her earlier words, but this time, after responding, she paused, pressing a hand to the earphone hidden beneath her hair: "The Nun is waiting in Confessional Room 2."
"The Nun? Not Tsubame?" Meiga Itogami was puzzled but still headed to Confessional Room 2 as instructed.
After all, the previous code verification had checked out. Given the two phrases from the guiding nun, it was only natural that he received confirmation that the surroundings were safe.
Though Meiga Itogami really wanted to complain about why the code involved two counterfeit 500-euro notes plus a verbal exchange, since the SDS Intelligence Department had set these rules, he had no choice but to comply.
It was just that his previous contacts had always been Tsubame. Now it was the Nun, which left Meiga Itogami somewhat surprised.
After all, this was his first time encountering an intelligence officer codenamed "Nun."
With his prior experience, Meiga Itogami didn't take long to reach Confessional Room 2.
Through the black-curtained window, he faintly sensed the presence of a dangerous figure behind the drape.
This didn't surprise him. He merely adjusted his glasses calmly and said:
"Class B intel."
"Multiple Hero Rank members of Truth Astronomy have headed to Japan, with the Hidden Management Department as their suspected target."
Behind the curtain, Sharon frowned slightly upon hearing this before casually asking:
"Reason."
"The reason is Class A intel. Are you sure you want to hear it?" Meiga Itogami narrowed his eyes, his tone laced with amusement.
A white light shot from behind the curtain.
Meiga swiftly extended two fingers, catching the projectile aimed at his face.
Upon inspection, the white light turned out to be a Swiss bank card.
"Five million USD is in that account. Another five will follow next month—your operating funds for these two months."
Hearing this, Meiga tucked the card into his inner breast pocket before explaining:
"Truth Astronomy's upper echelons received confirmed intel that the SDS Director Luo Shu isn't a Demigod, but a Hero Rank with a Top Tier Class."
"Hmm?" Sharon's eyes widened in surprise. "How did they confirm this?"
"No idea," Meiga replied flatly. "But it's said a VIP personally verified the intel."
"Thanks to this, factions previously deterred by the Witch of the Notaria's defeat are now getting restless again."
"Especially after yesterday's early hours, when intel suddenly surfaced about the Hidden Management Department's Director possessing body parts of a high-ranking demon. They've gone mad."
"Before coming here, I heard many Demon Warlocks stuck at Hero Rank within Truth Astronomy have mobilised, targeting Luo Shu's high-ranking demon parts."
"From my private sources, these demon parts seem related to the rituals of those Hero Rank-stuck Demon Warlocks."
"Moreover, my channels suggest they believe they can seize what they want from Luo Shu precisely because he isn't a Demigod."
Sharon's frown deepened at this. A VIP personally confirmed... Was it that Demon Apostle from the Akihabara incident? Did he leak this?
Had Luo Shu's non-Demigod status been exposed during their brief contact?
With too little intel, Sharon couldn't be sure. But the idea that Luo Shu wasn't a Demigod but a Top Tier Class Hero Rank—this was something many in Truth Astronomy seemed to believe.
As a result, many Hero Rank executives from Truth Astronomy headed to Japan.
Of course, the Hidden Management Department could handle a few Hero Rank individuals, even those of Top Tier Class or Demigod level.
What concerned Sharon more was the person orchestrating things behind the scenes.
Was it that Apostle from True Hell? Or someone else?
Lost in thought, Sharon couldn't help but press further:
"Investigate that important figure's information as thoroughly as possible."
"Understood."
Meiga Itogami nodded without making any promises. Intelligence work depended too much on luck to guarantee results.
However, he did have plenty of tradable information at hand:
"While not 100% confirmed, according to my sources, there seems to be Demon Warlock involvement in the recent Paris strikes."
"Reason?" Sharon asked coolly.
Meiga replied calmly:
"I heard the word 'ritual' from a Truth Astronomy executive."
"Though unconfirmed, the strikes might be the work of a Hero Rank individual attempting to ascend to Demigod."
Sharon fell silent for a moment. Immediately cultivating a new Demigod after Aya Tokoyogi's arrest?
She marvelled at Truth Astronomy's resources while reassuring Meiga:
"Log this as A-class intelligence."
"Much obliged."
Meiga adjusted his glasses. Before standing, he added:
"Though you may not need reminding, after Aya Tokoyogi's capture, some witches from her faction have grown extreme without their core leader."
"My sources suggest loyalists are planning significant retaliation against the Hidden Management Department."
From behind the black curtain came a quiet response:
"...Noted."
Seeing this, Meiga said nothing more. He stood, bowed slightly, and departed.
After he left, Sharon frowned in the direction he'd gone, murmuring:
"Witches and Demon Warlocks..."
She had a feeling Tokyo was about to become lively again.