Flames were bursting out of the door of their house. Klancy couldn't believe his eyes.

"No, no no… NOOOOOO"

Klancy rushed towards his crimson red house. But he was quickly stopped by a firefighter who wrapped his arms from behind him.

"What are you doing?" yelled the firefighter

"Elina! Reimond! They are still there!" cried Klancy.

"You can't, do you want to die?" yelled the firefighter.

"Let me go, you scoundrel." grunted Klancy.

Klancy kicked the man's foot but another person came to subdue him before he could break out.

"Let me go, you bastards!"

Tears started to fall down his cheeks. He cried loudly for help. The fire was still burning ever so brightly.

*******

Klancy opened his eyes. He lifted his body off of the bed, put his clothes on and opened the door that connects to the kitchen. After making and eating breakfast, he returned to the bedroom and used the other door to enter his office.

He walked casually and sat on his office chair. Klancy took a deep breath as he looked at the files scattered messily on his table. He lifted the most recent file that was on top. The trial recording of Nile Nelson and Hori Sushihara. Nile, a kidnapper. Hori, the victim of that kidnapping and the murderer of her own father.

He grabbed certain files from the binders and exited the room to enter the detective department section of the building.

Fushichin, Hellen, Galtomor and Salim had already arrived at the department and were working on the computers at their own desks.

"Morning boss." said Fushichin.

"Morning. You're all done with your personal reports, right?" asked Klancy.

"I'm finishing it up." said Galtomor.

"Good, send it to me for review." said Klancy.

"Still, don't you guys think it's crazy that Hori actually got sentenced for execution?" said Fushichin while stretching.

"It's crazy only if you never read the law. Homicides are punished by 40 years in prison to execution." said Salim blankly as he worked.

"Right. I don't think the Judge made a verdict that contradicted the law. And we testified everything that happened as is. Without any lies or cover ups." said Klancy calmly.

“Contradict? There is always a contradiction! Laws are always stupid because there are a bunch of different rules, so many different rules and thoughts that contradict one another. Depending on how you spin it, which rules you focus on or neglect, you can give Hori a variety of different sentences.” grumbled Fusichin with an irritated smile.

Klancy further said “The sentence was handed out by Leopald Sentinson. He is an old, very famous judge. There are things that I would have done differently if I was the judge, but speaking of such matters is pointless. Leopald is an experienced judge. I believe he knew what he was doing.”

“Tch, as if being old has any value.” grumbled Fushichin.

"Older people have more experience. That's why a lot of politicians are old." said Salim.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"The older you get, the more senile you become. You get burdened by knowledge and the so called experiences. Experience is experience. You may be advantageous in having it but attachment to it proves to be a bad habit" said Fushichin.

Fushichin sighed, read the files and said "Plus it's not like experience matters when you become forgetful. If I hadn't been so forgetful even I would be able to access the wit and wisdom of the beyond"

"What? Don't say you've started to forget about the time when you were in the police academy." said Galtomor with a snarky tone.

"I wasn't talking about that dipshit. I was talking about memories of my past life. Not just that. An intelligence that comes from an empty mind." said Fushichin somberly.

"Past life? Empty mind? What are you talking about?" inquired Hellen.

"Yeah, it would be pretty cool to know my past life memories. But more than that it would be nice to be free from all these thoughts clouding my eyes. Being thoughtless sounds freaky but it’s so relaxing when it happens" said Fushichin.

"You seriously believe in nonsense like that?" asked Salim.

Fushichin couldn’t hold his laughter and said "Bro, shut up! You believe in a dictator god named Hinokaiser and a crappy book called 'order of Domurhaul’. You’re the one to ta-"

"Don't insult my religion in front of me again." yelled Salim and jumped off from his chair.

"What? Too scared that your repressed anger is gonna pop out if I insult it? Or feeling like you're gonna break down and cry?" taunted Fushichin.

"Shut up." cried Salim.

"It's not polite to bash other people's religions and beliefs." said Klancy.

"And it's not right to sit silent knowing others are on the wrong path." said Fushichin getting up from his chair.

“Hey, calm down you two.” said Galtomor.

Fushichin smirked towards Salim sarcastically. Klancy and Salim frowned at him.

"Oh, so you're the one who knows what's right and what's wrong? I follow the path of the godflame! You spew whatever random bullshit that comes to your mind and live like a mad man." raged Salim.

"I live as nature intended me to. Unconditioned and unslaved. You live your life following in the footsteps of a cult. Unable to think for yourself." said Fushichin.

"I learn from what my elders have left me. I walk the path accepted and practiced by many." said Salim, wagging his finger.

"How can you ever know yourself if you follow others? How can dozens of rule-abiding scripture worshiping fools realize the truth?" asked Fushichin.

"Why you-"

Salim walked towards him, Fushichin smiled slyly.

"You love your gods so much because it gives you an excuse to get violent and fight against others. I bet your religious extremists felt so good when they massacred the scientists at Kialsham." taunted Fushichin with a smirk.

"Don't bring up the past sins committed by some dogmatic mad men." grunted Salim.

“And how are you that different? The only reason you're outright not killing me is because you can't get away with it. I bet one less non-believer in this world would make you very happy” said Fushichin.

"Oh, so you're accusing me of-" raged Salim but Klancy interrupted.

"Enough of your squabbles. Honestly, I'm starting to get sick of your attitudes. If you can't work as a team then maybe it's better to separate you people into different squads and demote you back to police officers." scolded Klancy.

"Hey, haven't you heard? Talking it out and butting heads beforehand makes the team work more competent in the long run?" said Fushichi happily.

"Fushichin, shut up. As the head detective, I'm warning you!" said Klancy.

Fushichin closed his mouth, mused, sat on his chair and looked back to his computer and started quietly typing.

“Hey, Salim, could you bring Juniper here?” asked Klancy.

“Ugh, sure” said Salim and exited the detective office. He soon brought Juniper from downstairs.

“Hello, sir.” said Juniper calmly.

“Good morning. Have you received the results of your interview from Captain Maksym?” asked Klancy with a smile.

“Yes, I did. He congratulated me for passing and told me that I was qualified to become a detective.” said Juniper happily.

“Wow, really? That’s great news. It’ll be nice to have someone new. How old are you again?” asked Galtomor.

Juniper frowned and put her hand on her hip and said “Asking a woman’s age is rude, don’t you know?”

Galtomor grimaced in which Juniper giggled and said “I’m 26.”

Galtomor’s eyes shot up. He pondered and claimed “Wow, that does make you the youngest detective in this squad. Hellen is 27. But I heard that she did become a detective at the age of 25. You’re the youngest detective here but not the youngest ever.”

“You all need to stop paying attention to these kinds of things. You’ve become a police officer to hold up justice. Even if you do a job as a police officer for the rest of your life, it’s a respectable job, take pride in it!” said Klancy boldly towards the two.

“Is that why you’ve still remained as a detective until now?” asked Fushichin.

Klancy nodded and said “Yeah, it is a skill based and helpful job. I didn’t find any reason to leave it. I have many years of experience and am helping the world be a better place through solving these crim-”

“Are you tho? Is any of us helping anyone?” mumbled Hellen with deadpan eyes.