Detective Shraider’s POV:
The morning after searching the house was spent researching Hambara’s background and recent activities.
The man was considered strong for a tier 0, being able to take silver missions on his own. His record was stellar, with 165 successful silver missions and three failed ones.
“Has never done a bronze mission… no humble beginnings, huh?” I mummbled as I read the report.
“No, sir. Upon reaching Cervita at twenty, the man immediately entered the Guild and, with his level, qualified to take silver missions.”
“So, let me get this straight.” I placed the file down. “The guy was a militia man in Outa. Through some miracle, he managed to evolve his class and then decided to migrate here, successfully do more than 100 missions, and join the Guild. What is his class exactly?”
“I-It’s Mana Blade, sir,” Bell chimmed in.
“Mana Blade, huh? Loads of bullshit. This backstory is clearly forged.”
Mana Blade wasn’t a rare class by any chance, but among the general public, gaining it without knowing its conditions firsthand was unheard of.
I tapped my desk as I fully went through the reports.
“Shamoni, send an enforcer team to Outa. I want them to look into this guy’s supposed origins further. Bell, take an enforcer and bring me this slaver… what was he called again?”
“Hama.”
“Yes, Hama. Let’s see where he found this monster.”
***
A day later, the divination branch released its report about the monster’s hair strand.
“You can’t be serious. A tierless human?! It’s that bastard Gamher, isn’t it? He didn’t allow Turik to divine for me and made some greenhorn do it, right?”
Shamoni shook his head. “Divination Branch Leader Turik wasn’t present, although Wonon did it, so the results should be precise, of course, within the margin of error.”
“That monster isn’t a tierless human! Make them divine again, and this time, ask Turik. If he refuses, tell him it’s a favour for me.”
“S-Sir, Wonon is also a tier 2 Divinator. I believe we should start considering consoling the Branch Leader. If this creature can repel that level of divination… It might be way out of our level,” Bell said.
“Remember your promise,” Shamoni added before heading out.
I… they might be… Argh! I’ll solve this case and prove that bastard wrong!
***
“I-I swear on my honour, sir, I-I’ve lost the document. P-Please, believe me,” Hama started to beg after the first slap.
They always talk after the first slap.
I slammed the investigation room’s desk, making the man flinch back. Even Bell recoiled a bit.
“Look, fat pig. Another lie, and believe me, you’ll feel pain like never before. Now! Tell me from which distributor you bought Stello, or else…”
Hama meekly gazed around. To his right, Shamoni had his hands crossed as he leaned against a wall. As usual, his face was neutral. On his left, a burly enforcer stood, whose slap was still apparent on Hama’s face as a red five-fingered mark. Behind him was Bell… well, Bell was Bell.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Gulping, the slaver seemed to finally give in.
“I-I didn’t buy the k-kid. H-Hambara brought him to me and said he w-wanted a fake slave contract. H-he forced me, I swear on the Noblesse. He said he’d kill me if I didn’t cooperate. I had no—“
“Alright, alright. Enough with the act. Momba, throw him back in the dungeon.”
“No! Please, no! I’ve done nothing! I’m innoc—“
The man’s voice quickly grew distant as Momba dragged him to his cell.
I stood up, but before heading out, I decided to give Bell some valuable advice.
“Bell.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
“Never believe human traffickers… they’re the worst.”
“Of course, sir.”
Hm… this is going to be annoying.
***
It took us three days of non-stop searching to find a Lieutenant who recognised Stello’s sketch and showed a high relevance to the case when I used [Detective’s Eye]. Throughout this time, I had to use every trick and lie I knew to prolong the investigation.
Thankfully, they’re out on a mission, or Shamoni would’ve already told Gamher.
We were currently in the War Ministry, a huge stone building reinforced with countless enchantments, and a place I hated very much. Luckily, due to being a Lieutenant, the magus’s office was somewhat acceptable by our Ministry of Interior standards, of course. For their ministry, this was considered posh.
Yallub, Human, Lv. 127
Class: Incantatio Magus. {Tier 1}
Special Points: Hidden enchantment imbued into his left eye…
Relevance to case: Significant.
“Yes, investigator. I’m certain that this kid is dead. A soldier of mine killed him in a fit of rage, but don’t worry, I deducted the kid’s price from the soldier’s salary,” Yallub, the Lieutenant responsible for transporting the 1457 batch of republican slaves, said with a thin smile.
Dead? Did the monster fake his death so he could escape enslavment?
I shared a quick look with Shamoni; he seemed to share my scepticism.
“If you don’t mind me asking, Lieutenant, are you certain? Maybe you could share the burial place… it would help.”
Like most mages, Yallub held himself in high regard. He slowly sipped tea from a porcelain cup as he dragged out the answer with no regard for our time.
Is he toying with us?
I thought that because there was a kind of rivalry between our two ministries, the Interior and the War. It wasn’t unusual if we didn’t help; we even tried to sabotage each other sometimes. It was all because of the ministers leading us, Bacalora and Denial—the first and second sons.
“Yes, yes, I’m certain, and we didn’t bury him. We left his filthy republican flesh to rot on the side of the road so that it could be a reminder for others.”
The heartlessness of the magus didn’t shock me—military personnel in the empire were all like this.
On the side of the road… that’s where Bell’s divination ended.
“Anyways, why are you asking about this kid, Investigator?”
I answered immediately, having prepared a reply beforehand.
“We believe this kid might be… a prodigy, you can say. He’s currently alive, and we would like to know more about his background so we may add him to the empire’s ranks in the future.”
At that, the magus’s eyes seemed to dilate.
“He’s alive… and is a prodigy?”
“Yes, he seems to hold rare skills. Have you seen him use any by chance?”
The Magus whispered a word I couldn’t make out.
I leaned in.
“Come again?”
“Identify!”
The magus shot up, making his seat collide against the back wall with such strength that it broke the frame of a drawing depicting Rar’ara, a Noblesse.
“It’s his fault… that bastard! Take me to this kid’s house, now!”
“Sir, with all due respect, you can’t order me around. I don’t work for you. If you want to know where he lives, I’ll tell you, but only if you help us with our investigation.”
The Lieutenant was seething with rage, but he still sat down.
A clue, and if they possibly fight, we catch that bastard red-handed. Lucky me!
***
“Using identity on Royal Guards… what could this monster be thinking of?” I asked Shamoni, back in my office.
Shamoni shrugged, visibly displeased with me.
His patience is running thin.
“So… aren’t you going to answer, Bell?” I shamelessly diverted the question to Bell.
“I thought you asked… Maybe he doesn’t know about Royal Guards?”
“Or that he’s way stronger and doesn’t care,” added Shamoni.
I stared at the silent assassin’s closed eyes as Bell seemed to get tense.
“…Yeah, that’s improbable. Royal Guards are tier 4 or 5, and as you know, that means they’re above level 1600. A creature like that is unlikely to meddle with mere mortals.”
Shamoni snorted before exiting the office.
“Bell, keep eyes on Hambara’s house and all the gates. I want to know the exact moment they enter the city, as the magus will probably launch his attack upon their arrival at the house.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
***
“They’re here!”
Goddammit! Do they have to come during my sandwich break?!
“Bell, get a team of legionnaires, then join us at their house. Shamoni, let’s go!”
I put on my grey coat; it had protection enchantments and would be stronger than regular armour. Then I strapped my Arcane Cube, which had a few attack and flee spells inscribed on it, to my belt.
“But, sir, legionnaires outrank me.”
“Tell them it’s an order from Detective Shraider.”
Shamoni casted [Patient Ignorance], and I could see the shocked faces of some new enforcers as we suddenly disappeared into thin air.
Let the fun begin!
***
Keenda’s POV:
“Argh! They have tier 2 anti-divination,” Pomus said after his tier 2 divination scroll broke into flying particles.
“Then use a tier 3 scroll,” I suggested, but that only seemed to increase the fat man’s anger.
“Use tier 3, you say! You know how much those cost, huh?!”
“I’ll give you half its price. Now, stop whinnying and do something useful for once.”
Pomus gave me an ugly look before opening his Inventory and taking out a tier 3 divination scroll.
Opening it, he carefully changed the ink letters with Mana ones. After giving it the last Mana push, the scroll changed into a map.
“They’re close to Cervita.”
“Then, let’s go and get him or her!”
***
Yallub’s POV:
“Lieutenant, the kid has reached his house. The men are awaiting further orders.”
I smiled.
I’ll get my revenge on you, bastard.
“Tell them to stand by. I want to torture him in his abode.”
***
Shraider’s POV:
Shamoni, the legionnaires, Bell, and I were hidden in plain sight, just in front of the house’s entrance.
The magus had just passed us with his face covered; He had entered the house through the front entrance—the door was opened using a skillless spell.
“They’re here,” Shamoni whispered.
They were walking leisurely, and although their armour was dented and cut, they didn’t seem to have any injuries.
No… Hambara looks to be searching for something.
As they opened the door, I saw Yallub sitting on a seat in a corridor, welcoming them.
“Close the door, gentlemen. I… have something to ask of you.”
All hell broke loose…