It was like any other day at work at the bureau. As the secretary, I was tasked to head the organization and compilation of the different documents and research papers the bureau creates as well as processing paperwork that involves the bureau one way or another. All one has to do in this department is to accept and receive the documents the other bureaus give to us or what the different researchers write about and then process them all to pass up to the higher-ups. Because I can use wind magic, i can easily check through documents and sort them as soon as they're done. Not to mention the great employees benefit of working under the Imperial Government. Life sure is a breeze.
However, there was something different on this day. I was returning from my lunch break when the director for the Research and Development Bureau called me to her office. I was so nervous because I didn't do anything wrong! I was diligently doing my duties as the secretary for the bureau, all the files are properly sorted and documented! I hope this is a promotion. These were my inner thoughts as I made my way to her office.
The director's office was located just a floor above the secretarial office and I soon found myself in front of a black door with a metal signage labelling it 'The Director's Office'.
"Okay, deep breaths." I told myself to calm me down and soon knocked three times.
A voice replied from within, "Come on.".
Getting her approval, I walked inside the room and saluted at her, "Secretary Tessanya reporting in, Director!". I stood with my back straight, feet together, left hand at my side, and my right hand near my right temple, the standard Imperial Salute. The director was seated behind her desk, holding a document, but laid it down after I entered. "At ease Tessanya. Come sit.". She motioned to one of the empty seats in front of her desk.
I nodded and proceeded as instructed. I was still sweating bullets internally as I was debating whether or not to ask her why I was called here or just wait for her to bring it up back thankfully, she saved me the trouble.
"Thank you for arriving as soon as I gave out the order. This request might be a little out of your wheelhouse but I believe that you can succeed nonetheless." She picked up the document she was holding earlier, "Here's the request from the Law and Order Bureau." I accepted the pile of documents and skimmed through it. It was complaint from a great-grandson of a former member of the Research and Development Bureau who died in an experiment accident and said great-grandson was spouting nonsense about forbidden magic and other unethical experiments the R&D was doing. Not that there isn't but you didn't hear it from me.
I continued skimming and found out that the Director for L&O decided that the issue would be resolved immediately if the R&D handles the complaint by bringing him in and providing the necessary documents that details the experiments and to reassure that the accident was indeed an accident and not an assassination. I let out a deep sigh after reaching the end.
"I understand Director." I looked her in the eye, "When do I leave?". She smiled, satisfied with my agreement. "The complaint came from outside the capital city, to one of the towns near the Southern Region so you would need to travel. Of course, expenses would be paid by the Empire and that you will be given command of a L&O team throughout the duration of your mission." She reached for a different document, this time inside a folder.
"Here." She said, "This folder contains the profiles of the members of the team that will be assigned to this mission with you. You will be the Commanding Officer for the mission so do remember that." I took the folder and skimmed it again. It contained six files with meant that I would be in command of six people. They were diverse and to an extent unique. The squad leader is a middle-aged man, with his second in command being someone young enough to be his daughter. Then there were three other men and one other female who had quirks of their own. While I was mulling this over, the director spoke again.
"You'll be meeting with the entire squad once Director Lightfield briefs the team, but free up your schedule in the next three days or so to accommodate them. Afterwards you'll be leaving a week after your introductions with that team. That is all, you may leave." I nodded, stood up, and saluted, "Roger that Director!" I told her before taking my leave.
As soon as I was descending the stairs back to the Secretarial Office, I felt the weight of mission. Apprehending a person who spouts completely nonsense although close to the truth, taking command of a L&O team, and said team having their own unique profiles, and the location of the mission was too much to process all in one sitting. When I returned to the office, I asked my assistant to look after my duties over the course of this mission. They disagree to my assignment to this mission of course since without my wind magic, it'll take time to bring the documents over to the different shelves but we can't really disagree to an order from the director, much less a director from a different bureau.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
And so, I spent the rest of the day to thoroughly read through the mission report and the squad profile. The complaint was from a commoner named Lucian who hails from Auburn City near the Southern Region of the Empire, so technically the town itself is still under the Central Region. Since he was a commoner, I would assume this great-grandfather of his is one too since he claimed that he died of an experiment under the R&D. The forbidden magic he claimed we were doing were magic that defies the laws of nature such as immortality elixirs, life-prolonging medicine, etc. He also expressed concern on how the invention of the steam engine will be used by the military to conquer other countries faster than before.
"Whew, that was a lot to read." I told myself as I paused. Man, considering this guy is a commoner, he had a pretty good public education to be able to see how the steam engine can be used for deployment of troops. Even though the technology being tested for troop deployment is still under wraps, I applaud him for seeing it this early. I guess that meant he really was telling the truth about his great-grandfather being a member of the R&D. But I wonder what happened. I'll have to ask for a background check of him some other day.
I continued reading. The unethical issues was about human experimentation but the Empire has both publicly and legally allowed death penalty for criminals and since they were already sentenced to death, it was considered to be a great honor for them to sacrifice their criminal lives for the betterment and development of a better Empire. He probably thinks that the accident that claimed his great-grandfather's life is also a experiment with unethical practices or something of the like. It feels like I understand to some extent the thought process Director Lightfield came to when he passed this unto us. By providing him with the legal documents, we can convince him to stand down or if he still continues to disagree they may arrest him for causing public order to destabilize.
I stretched up my arms upwards, "Guess that does it for the complaint. Hey Julie!" I called out to my assistant secretary who came up running a minute later. "What is it Miss Tessanya?" She said after she bowed. "Can you ask the Intelligence and Communications Bureau for the records of a Lucian who resides in Auburn City. If there are multiple people named Lucian, tell them it's the individual from the L&O report. Thank you!". She bowed again and left shortly after. I craned my neck left and right and looked through the squad profile next.
The squad leader is a forty-five year old man named Cameron. He's been under the L&O enforcers for twenty five years and was just recently promoted to lead a squad five years ago. He has fire magic and is designated as the main attacker for the squad. The second-in-command is twenty-three year old woman named Melanie who's been serving for six years. He was a promising recruit and in her second year was assigned to be second-in-command of this squad. She also has fire magic and specializes as the long range attacker for the team. Next is a twenty-seven year old earth mage called Ian. He was transferred to enforcers from his old post of city knight eight years ago. He acts as the defense-oriented member of the team.
"Just from the first three members they're all pretty remarkable huh." I said out in a low voice. A veteran fire magic-user leader, a long range fire magic second, and an earth mage defender. Seems like enforcers are pretty well put together. I read the remaining three profiles. Twenty-four year old Victor is a wind magic user who acts as the reconnaissance member of the team. He joined the squad after his short tenure as an adventurer. Twenty-one year old Rona is the light-magic user assigned to this squad. She was a trained alongside a noble who shared the same wet nurse thus being able to train as a healer. Lastly, twenty year old Joran was an orphan who signed up for the capital garrison a decade ago and has no magic affinity. He acts as the secondary reconnaissance member of the team.
I let out a long sigh, "After three impressive members, the last three are pretty, lackluster." A wind magic user who used to be an adventurer, a healer who was brought up alongside a noble, and an orphan who joined the military to make ends meet. I felt exhausted just meeting this team. Truly a unique enforcer team. I looked up at the ceiling as I sat limply on my chair, "Oh by Gods I pray that this mission ends well."