Chapter 45: ‘Death’ Files

Alisiya pushed open the heavy oak door to the archive room.

The only things that greeted her were rows of iron cabinets, exuding a mixed smell of rust and old paper.

Several of the magic lights overhead had burned out, and the remaining ones flickered dimly.

She walked straight to the cabinet at the very back.

Sector C, Row 7, Shelf 3.

That was where the Empire’s military records of deceased officers were stored.

She had already checked the index before coming.

If the intelligence from the Federation was correct, and a man named “Valerius Vox” had truly served in the Imperial Army for twenty years, then some record of him had to be here.

The Federation’s negotiation documents had been sitting on her desk for days.

That organization called the “Dark Crown Alliance” was plundering military supplies, assassinating Merchant Guild escorts, and even attempting to provoke war between the two nations.

And the mastermind behind it all was likely an Imperial soldier.

Alisiya had originally only intended to do a routine records check.

But the name ‘Valerius’ felt familiar.

She was sure she had seen it somewhere before.

It was a long time ago.

Back when she was still a squire, flipping through old battle reports in her spare time.

She pulled open the drawer on the third shelf, running her finger along the labels one by one.

Baker, Crawford, Drake—

‘Drake?’

She pulled a thin file from the drawer.

The cover bore the Imperial Army’s eagle emblem, and below it were several lines of neat print:

> Name: Valerius Drake

> Rank: Major

> Status: Deceased

“Deceased.”

Alisiya untied the string binding the file.

Inside, there were only a few thin pages.

An officer who had served for twenty years shouldn’t have a file this thin.

The first page had only basic information.

Age, birthplace, service record, medals awarded.

Imperial Eagle Medal, Eastern Front Cross.

These were not medals just anyone could earn.

Especially the Imperial Eagle Medal.

Counting both active and retired personnel in the entire Imperial Army, no more than fifty people had ever received it.

She turned to the second page.

> Disappeared fifteen years ago during the execution of “Operation Bedrock”.

Officially declared deceased three months later by the military.

“Operation Bedrock?”

Alisiya stared at the words for a moment.

She had never heard of this operation.

She had been in the Knight Order for years and had read countless battle reports and classified mission records, but that codename had never appeared in any document.

She flipped to the next page.

It was a photograph.

A black-and-white photo was glued to the upper right corner of the inner page, its edges already yellowed.

The man in the photo wore the uniform of an Imperial Army Major.

His expression was stern, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes were sharp enough to seem like they could pierce through the paper.

It was a photo from twenty years ago.

Alisiya stared at those eyes, trying to superimpose them onto the description from the Federation’s intelligence.

But the Federation had no portrait, only some simple text descriptions.

No one knew what he looked like twenty years later.

She turned to the last page, and her brow furrowed.

Large portions of the mission record had been blacked out.

There were even completely blank pages.

No mission objective, no location, no list of personnel involved.

At the very bottom of the page, there was only a single line of small text:

“This mission record has been sealed in accordance with Article 47 of the Imperial Military Code.”

Article 47 of the Imperial Military Code.

She knew that regulation well.

It authorized the military to seal the records of specific operations when “national security” was involved.

However, this regulation was rarely invoked.

At least, she had never seen it used during her tenure.

An operation invoking Article 47.

A Major marked as ‘deceased’ whose body was never found.

A ‘dead man’ appearing in the Federation fifteen years later, organizing bandits to plunder military supplies.

Alisiya closed the file and held it tightly in her hand.

This wasn’t something she could handle alone.

Wilhelm sat in his study, looking at the file Alisiya had placed on the table.

In his aged eyes, there was an expression Alisiya had never seen before.

It was as if a long-held suspicion had finally been confirmed.

“Uncle, do you know about ‘Operation Bedrock’?”

Wilhelm was silent for a long time.

“Mn… I’ve heard the name. But that’s all.”

“What does that mean?”

“I thought the high command had completely destroyed this operation.”

He paused.

“Fifteen years ago, I was still on the Eastern Front. There was a rumor going around the army that an elite squad had been sent to carry out a special mission. The mission succeeded, but the squad… was completely wiped out.”

“And then?”

“Then no one mentioned it again. No one investigated. The soldiers’ families received their pensions, and the matter was swept under the rug.”

Wilhelm’s voice was low.

“I tried to inquire about it once, but the answer I got, even as a Marshal of my rank, was: ‘That operation has been sealed. You do not have the clearance to access it.’”

Alisiya’s fingers tightened on the edge of the file.

“So you don’t know what ‘Operation Bedrock’ actually was either?”

“No.”

Wilhelm opened his eyes, his gaze falling on her face.

“I only know one thing. Something that requires invoking Article 47…”

“Either the Emperor…”

“…or the Pope of the Empire.”

The two of them sat in silence, staring at each other.

“Uncle, what do you think…”

Alisiya chose her words carefully.

“A man marked as deceased reappears in the Federation fifteen years later and organizes the plundering of military supplies. What is he trying to do?”

Wilhelm didn’t answer immediately.

He looked out the window at the gray, rainy sky.

“I don’t know.”

“But if a man crawled back from the list of the dead, and instead of lying low, he raises this much hell… then he must have a reason. One he thinks is worth risking everything for.”

“What reason?”

“Money? Power? Revenge? It could be any of those. But we don’t know.”

He shook his head.

“Regarding this man, the actionable intelligence we have right now is far too little.”

Alisiya opened her notebook.

“The Federation’s intelligence says he’s the head of the ‘Dark Crown Alliance.’ They hijack caravans, seize military supplies, assassinate Merchant Guild Presidents. Their actions seem designed to deliberately create chaos.”

“What’s the purpose of creating chaos?”

“I don’t know.”

Wilhelm was silent for a moment.

“If it was for money, plundering caravans makes sense. But dragging relations between two countries into it… that’s no longer just about money.”

“You mean he has a bigger agenda?”

Wilhelm shook his head.

“That’s just my speculation.”

“We have too few clues. A man declared deceased fifteen years ago. A sealed mission record. An organization operating in the Federation. These pieces don’t form a coherent line.”

Alisiya closed her notebook.

“I’ll keep investigating.”

“Mn. Be very careful.”

Wilhelm’s voice dropped low.

“If this Valerius is really alive, and really doing these things… then he’s not alone. There must be someone behind him. At the very least, whoever helped him fake his death back then is still out there.”

Alisiya nodded, tucked the file into her bag.

When she left the Klein Mansion, she didn’t return to the Knight Order headquarters.

Instead, she rode to the Imperial Government Hall.

The Prime Minister’s office was on the top floor of the Government Hall.

Deep red carpets lined the corridor, and portraits of past Imperial Chancellors hung on the walls on either side.

Alisiya stood at the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

“Come in.”

Weiduoliya sat behind the desk, a stack of documents spread out in front of her.

She looked up at Alisiya, then put down her pen.

“What is it?”

Alisiya stepped forward, took the file from her bag, and placed it on the desk.

“Lady Prime Minister. Regarding the ‘Valerius Vox’ mentioned in the Federation’s negotiations, I have found some scattered clues.”

Weiduoliya didn’t open the file immediately.

She merely gestured with her eyes for Alisiya to continue.

“There is indeed an officer named Valerius in the Imperial Army. Served for twenty years, rank of Major, recipient of the Imperial Eagle Medal. He went missing fifteen years ago during the execution of ‘Operation Bedrock’ and was officially declared deceased three months later.”

“Operation Bedrock?”

“Yes. But the record of this operation has been sealed under Article 47 of the Military Code. I do not have the clearance to access it.”

Weiduoliya was silent for a moment.

Then she reached out and opened the file.

She flipped through the few thin pages, her expression completely unchanged.

Finally, her gaze rested on the young face in the photograph.

“You believe this Valerius Drake is the same person as the Valerius Vox in the Federation’s intelligence?”

“I’m not certain. But I find it highly probable. His age, years of service, and background all match.”

Alisiya paused.

“Furthermore… if a man declared deceased is actually alive, it’s reasonable for him to change his identity and live in obscurity.”

“Motive?”

Weiduoliya looked up at her.

“Why would an officer who served his country for twenty years choose to betray the Empire?”

“I don’t know.”

Alisiya said.

“That’s exactly what I want to investigate.”

Weiduoliya looked at the file.

“Don’t mention this to anyone else. I will report it to the Emperor.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Leave the file with me. I will handle the seal on ‘Operation Bedrock.’ If it can be unsealed, I will inform you.”

“Thank you, Lady Prime Minister.”

Alisiya bowed, turned, and walked to the door.

But Weiduoliya called her back.

She turned around and saw the lamplight casting half of the Prime Minister’s face in shadow, her expression unclear.

“Rex is in the North… have you received any new news from him?”

Alisiya was startled.

“I… I haven’t contacted him.”

“Alright. I understand. You may go.”

The door closed softly.

Only Weiduoliya remained in the office.

She looked down at the yellowed photograph on the desk for a long time.

Then she pulled open a drawer and placed the file inside.

There were other things in the drawer.

An old map with worn edges.

And another photograph.

The map had been folded and refolded so many times at the location of the North that it left deep creases.

And the person in that photograph…

…was Rex.