Intelligence Division (Royal Army)

The Intelligence Division (情報部) was the military intelligence branch of the Royal Army of Liberl between S.1201 and S.1202. It was established as a special Operations branch of the Liberl Kingdom to gather intelligence, mainly regarding movement within Liberl's neighbors like the Erebonian Empire.

Profile
Although small, the Intelligence Division is composed of Liberl's best soldiers and service personnel. They wear predominantly-black uniforms and wield katar-like blades, heavy spears, and orbal firearms with skill that rivals that of full-fledged Bracers. Richard wields a katana, having studied the Eight Leaves One Blade form under Cassius Bright himself during his days as the latter's adjutant. Almathea uses an orbal pistol but also knows orbal arts. Leonhardt, under the alias 2nd Lt. Lorence Belgar, wields his personal sword and orbment.

The Intelligence Division has a number of patrol ships under its command, including its exclusive frigate known for its manoeuvrability. They also train packs of normal and armored hounds to help with search and pursuit operations. Their main garrison is at Leiston Fortress.

However, the division is most notable for its command of immense resources in conducting their clandestine operations. They seem to have unprecedented access within the military structure to acquire the necessary hardware and, more importantly, gather information. The extent of their resource pool is unknown, but it's safe to say it's enough to learn about the Aureole, whose knowledge was supposed to be buried along with the ancient civilization that kept it.

Background
The division was formed per suggestion of Colonel Alan Richard to Queen Alicia von Auslese II, who requested Richard was commander for the unit. Colonel Alan Richard proposed the establishment of the Intelligence Division for the purpose of gathering information as a potential safeguard against large scale invasions such as the Hundred Days War. With Liberl sandwiched between two Zemurian giants, Erebonia to the north and Calvard to the east, Colonel Richard argued that information would be Liberl's best weapon. Richard had Captain Kanone Amalthea re-assigned to his aide-de-camp.

Manipulated by Georg Weissmann, the third Anguis of Ouroboros, who was able to prey upon Richard's concerns for the defence of the country, Richard began to use the Intelligence Division as a personal recruitment tool to amass a group of senior military officials mired in corruption and illicit affairs. These actions allowed Richard to hold the heart of the Royal Army within the palm of his hand. General Morgan and other such incorruptible figures of importance, on the other hand, were forcibly bound, imprisoned, or otherwise restrained from interfering. The Royal Guard was framed for the abduction of Albert Russell with the Special Operation Unit wearing the Guard's uniforms.

The Intelligence Division was introduced in as the newly established military branch that successfully located the hideout of the Capua Sky Bandits. Later, unbeknownst to the Bracer Guild, the agents of the Intelligence division would be active all over the country carrying out preparations for the coup-d'etat, led by Lieutenant Lorence Belgar, the undercover second Enforcer of Ouroboros. This would include the recovery of the gospel, an artefact with a crucial role to play in Weissman's plan. After resolving a crisis at Ruan's lighthouse, bracer Agate Crosner would pursue and take down two members of the Intelligence Division. He was however unable to capture them after Lt. Lorence intervened. A unit operating under lt. Lorence would also take part in the Grancel martial arts tourney, making it to the finals before ultimately losing to a group led by Zin Vathek. After gaining control over a large majority of the army, Richard set his coup d'etat plan in motion. Placing Duke Dunan von Auslese on the throne of the allegedly ill Queen Alicia von Auslese II, Richard assumed control over the royal family from the shadows. His plan was to press Her Majesty to abdicate the throne by taking Her Highness, Princess Klaudia von Auslese, hostage, but the Royal Guard, led by 1st Lieutenant Julia Schwarz, saw right through the machinations.

A fierce battle ensued between the Special Operations Unit and the Royal Guard over Her Highness, the princess. However, being outnumbered, the Royal Guard's stand ended in defeat, and Princess Klaudia was taken captive. Following the incident, members of the Royal Guard were branded as terrorists, and the unit was driven underground.

Members of the Bracer Guild, however, managed to infiltrate the castle and slipped past the security of the Special Operations Unit. Moreover, they succeeded in meeting with Her Majesty, the Queen, who had been under house arrest at the time. After being apprised of the chain of events, the Bracer Guild would become a central force of opposition to the Intelligence Division.

The Bracer Guild met up with the estranged Royal Guard and set about liberating the Erbe Royal Villa through a joint operation carried out under the veil of night, and beginning with Princess Klaudia, succeeded in rescuing the hostages.

The following day around noon, a rescue team primarily made up of bracers and members of the Royal Guard pressed forward with a plan to storm the castle in a three-pronged attack from air, land, and the underground. As rangers of the Royal Army under the command of the Intelligence Division fell upon the liberating group, a deadly battle with the Special Operations Unit erupted within the halls of Grancel Castle, and continued into the Sealed Area beneath Grancel Castle.

After successfully suppressing Richard's uprising, the bracers were forced into a fight with archaism Reverie. At the last moment, Cassius Bright sped to help the group and apprehend Richard. The struggle came to an end with the safe rescue of Queen Alicia. At roughly the same time, a unit of the Royal Army that had come within sight of the castle ceased its advance after being persuaded to lay down arms by General Morgan, who had escaped from captivity and rushed to the City of Grancel.

With the failed rebellion and Richard's arrest for treason, the Intelligence Division ceased to be part of Liberl's military. Regular army units have launched a nationwide manhunt for its remnants in hiding since.

After their attempt at the coup d'etat was thwarted, Colonel Richard was placed under arrest and charged with attempting to incite a coup d'etat. Former Captain Kanone Amalthea's group had been in hiding in the abandoned Ravennue Mine. Seeing Duke Dunan von Auslese's release from house arrest as an opportunity, they rose up again and returned to the capital. Taking Duke Dunan von Auslese captive, the group started an assault on the castle.

Amalthea's force then set off and set their plan in motion by activating the Orgueille tank they had developed in secret prior to the coup d'etat. In order to use the tank in their plans, the former Intelligence Division unit needed a high-output orbal engine, such as a new model developed for the Arseille. Amalthea executed a successful plan to steal one of the new models from the harbour, and their uprising was well underway before a joint force of bracers and Royal Guard managed to avert disaster. Manipulating everything from the shadows, it is soon revealed that enforcer XV, The Angel of Slaughter had been masterminding the entire sequence of events as a form of entertainment while she tested a new an improved version of the gospel unit mounted on the Orgueille.

Following Amalthea's capture, all central coup d'etat members had now been secured. During Almathea's interrogation, Colonel Richard visited his right-hand woman one last time with permission from General Bright. Seeing the error of his ways, he declared the disbandment of the division and its integration to the Royal Army. This act of repentance effectively ended this iteration Intelligence Division, however they would make one final appearance.

During the Ouroboros's assault on Grancel, the remnants of the division were reorganized into a special operations battalion under Captain Almathea's command. Hoping to atone for their sins along with Richard, the battalion bested the enhanced jaegers and archaisms terrorizing the city thanks to their experience in hand-to-hand combat, which didn't require orbments. Ouroboros forces were forced to retreat, including four Enforcer agents leading the attack.

Organisation

 * Special Operations Unit (特務部隊) was a unit established by the Intelligence Division in order to frame the Royal Guard for treason and led by 2nd Lieutenant Lorence Belgar.

Notable Members

 * Col. Alan Richard - Division Commander (released under penal conditions)
 * Capt. Kanone Amalthea - Division Deputy Commander (released under penal conditions)
 * 2nd Lieutenant Lorence Belgar - Field Commander (revealed as Ouroboros Enforcer No. II, deceased)