If Ries could describe her current job, it would be hell. Not because of the constant busy noise from outside her office, but because she is buried under mountains upon mountains of paperwork. They just keep coming by the minute!
She had expected bureaucracy; she had even mentally prepared herself for it. But she didn’t anticipate the overwhelming deluge of documents to review, reports to sign, and requests to process. It was relentless. Requests for building permits, permission to organize public events, amendments, authorizations, permits for this, that, and those. Her head could explode.
She isn’t the only one working, of course. She had Clarissa beside her and the hundreds of clerks toiling away in their own office space typing furiously in the typewriters, sharing her workload. She was barely keeping her head above the water.
Her head started to spin, thanks to the alcohol she had consumed earlier in the morning. She rubbed her eyes and grabbed another paper, trying to focus. The words blurred momentarily. She groaned and facepalmed into the desk.
“Clarissa,” she weakly called out to her assistant, who, weirdly enough, did not seem burdened by the paperwork. Rather, she seemed to be enjoying it.
“Humans are weird.”
“Yes?” Clarissa looked up to face the tired and lifeless Ries, who was leaning against her desk amongst stacks of paper.
“Bring me coffee…” Ries lazily demanded, burying her face in the desk.
Clarissa nodded and stood up. “Very well. What type of coffee do you want?”
“Whatever can bring me back to life. Please.”
Clarissa’s nod went unnoticed by Ries as she left the office to fetch the coffee.
After the door closed with a click, Ries groaned, rubbing her eyes, and looked around her office. The once clean, sparkling, and well-decorated private office was now littered with papers everywhere.
As she waited, Ries closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself a brief respite. The office was quiet, save for the distant clacking of typewriters.
It is for the umpteenth time that she realized she is definitely NOT fit for this job AT ALL. Everybody here seemed lifeless, their soul has been drained from their body as if it’s the grim reaper’s doing, or sucked by a vampire. Either way it’s the same.
She carefully picked up the blue orb from her suit and channeled her mana into it. The orb glowed softly, and within moments, Azazel’s face appeared, her expression as stoic as ever.
“Ries, didn’t expect you to call so soon.” Azazel said curtly. “Any progress?”
Ries sighed. “I haven’t had the time to even take a break, and I’m barely keeping up with the paperwork here.”
“Hmm,” She hums. “I suppose that’s reasonable given your tired face. You should get used to it. I remembered I dislike doing paperwork for the same reason you’re experiencing.”
“Because it’s endless and soul-crushing? Because it drains your lifeforce away like a Vampire?” Ries guessed.
“Exactly,” Azazel said, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips, “That, and I prefer being free in nature.”
“So, any advice on how to survive this hell?" Ries asked.
“Well do your best,” She offered nothing of valuable.
“Ughh…”
“Look,” Azazel thought for a moment, “Meet me during your break. I’ll wait at a corner restaurant named La’Delicaza.”
Ries perked up a bit, "La’Delicaza? Got it. I’ll be there."
Azazel nodded, "Good. See you then."
The orb’s glow faded, and Ries placed it back in her suit. She glanced at the stack of paperwork towering on her desk and took a deep breath. One step at a time, she reminded herself.
The door opened again just in time for Clarissa to bring her coffee. "Here. It’s black coffee," she said, setting the steaming cup on Ries' desk.
Ries took a sip, wincing at the bitterness, "Thanks, Clarissa. I needed this." She asked for a wake-up call, she certainly got one.
Clarissa smiled sympathetically and fixed her glasses, "Is there anything else you need?"
Ries shook her head, “No, this will do for now.”
Clarissa nodded and returned to her own desk, leaving Ries to her mountain of documents. To which the colors are already drained from her face.
Hours passed as she slogged through report after report, occasionally taking a bitter sip of her coffee. The monotony was only broken when she glanced at the clock and realized it was almost time for her break. She quickly finished up the last document of the God knows how much pile.
The walk to La’Delicaza was brisk, and the fresh air helped clear her mind. It was a few blocks away according to the directions provided by the guard. The bustling streets of the capital were filled with people going about their daily business, she could spot some Elves, Dwarves, and other Beastmen among the crowd.
You know what? She didn’t feel like walking to the restaurant. As the guard said, it was a few blocks away from her current location. So she decided to take the tram, which to her knowledge is free to use by everyone. Not that she ever used them before, but she should try new things, right?
She made her way to the nearest tram stop on the side of the street, the bustling noise of the city surrounding her. The tram arrived with a gentle hum, and Ries stepped inside, finding a seat by the window. As the tram glided smoothly along its tracks, she watched the city pass by, taking in the sights and sounds she rarely had the chance to enjoy.
Or rather, she never had the time to enjoy.
She was too busy doing quests and running around the Empire that she didn’t exactly have free time. Her routine back then consisted of waking up, sometimes shower, take on some quests on the requests board, drink, then sleep.
Repetitive as it is, it’s less boring than her current ‘job’. Something to be proud of is her reaching C-rank in a matter of months. Something that few people could do solo.
The tram ride was short, and soon she arrived at her stop. Stepping off, she followed the directions the guard had given her and found herself standing in front of La’Delicaza. The restaurant had a charming exterior, with ivy-covered walls and a welcoming sign.
Pushing the door open, she was greeted by the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant. The aroma of freshly baked bread and rich coffee filled the air, instantly making her feel at ease. She spotted Azazel sitting at a table by the window, her eyes scanning the street outside. She made her way to Azazel, who greeted her with a nod.
"Hey," Ries said as she slid into the seat across from Azazel.
"Hello," Azazel replied, she sips her coffee, "How’s the paperwork?"
“Dreadful.” Ries sighs, “I wasn’t prepared for this…”
“You never were, actually,” Azazel replied curtly, “It was Anise’s role.”
Ries frowned, “Yeah, I know. Why do you want to meet me now? I still haven’t checked the Registry Office.”
Azazel set her cup of coffee down, “Well then do it right now.”
Ries raised an eyebrow, “Right now? I’m technically still on break, you know? I can’t just run off and not do my work.”
“That would be troublesome if you’re a pleb. Currently, you are…” Azazel leaned in.
“… someone important…” Ries completed her sentence.
Azazel laid back, satisfied with her answer, “There you go. Just tell your superior you had something to take care of.” She pointed at a telephone booth just across the street, “Start there.”
Ries glanced at the direction at where Azazel pointed, “Really?” She looked back at her, “you’re telling me to fuck off?”
Azazel looked unamused, but her eyes had a glint of amusement, “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Regardless, that’s your starting point. Use it.”
Ries took a deep breath, trying to curb her frustration, “How do I even know where to look for her files? Aren’t the Registry Office holds most of the information in the Empire?”
“All, all of the information, actually,” Azazel corrected her, “It’s the CENTRAL Registry Office. All of the files and documents from across the empire is there in that building.”
“Hold on,” Ries paused, processing the information, “So, you’re telling me that every single document, from birth records to classified state secrets, is kept in one place? Just like that?”
Azazel nodded. “That’s right. It’s heavily guarded and very well organized, err, that might be an understatement. You should see for yourself, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can find almost anything. Anise’s records will be there.”
“How do you know all this? You’re not Imperial, you’re western.” Ries questioned.
“I had a lot of business in the empire. Spent most of my time here too, adventurer and mercenary work, that is.” She leaned back, “Truth is, I wanted to find Anise is because she owes me money.”
Ries blinked, “She owes you? Owes you what?” her eyebrows furrowing at her statement.
“Money. Duh,” She took a sip, “But on a serious note, she asked me to gather high-grade alchemy materials. For what purpose? Not that I care back then, but now, I’ve realized.” She set the cup on the table and looked at Ries.
“… What did she make?” Ries slowly spoke, her eyes focusing on Azazel’s.
“There is a hyperactive drug whose effects are potent, but also deadly,” She stated matter-of-factly, “I’m afraid that’s what she made.”
“But why?” Ries was unsure whether or not to be shocked or surprised, “Why would she make it?”
Azazel let’s out a tired sigh, “The drug has effects that can induce hyperactivity in the brain, which leads to an expanded capacity for cognitive functions—at least temporarily,” She stated, “People using it can solve complex problems, process information at incredible speeds, and think more creatively than ever before. But the side effects...” She trailed.
“And the side effects?” Ries unknowingly leaned a bit on the table, “What are they?”
“Severe psychological damage as well as severe mana drains. It destroys your body from the inside, leading to insanity and more than likely, death.” Azazel said.
“…” Ries couldn’t say anything at that revelation. So Anise created a potent drug for temporary brain enhancement, if that’s what she should call it. What’s been on her mind then, after this revelation was the chance that Anise used the drug to cheat on the Imperial Examination.
“Could Anise have used this drug on herself?” Ries wondered aloud, her voice barely a whisper.
Azazel nodded slowly, “It’s possible. I don’t blame her though. From what I heard, the Imperial Examination is the hardest test in the empire.”
“Damn it,” She silently slammed the table, “and now that burden is on me.”
Azazel didn’t comment on that and sipped on her cup. She looked at her wristwatch and stood up, “I have to go.”
Without any more words exchanged, she left. Just like that.
Typical,” she muttered under her breath. “Leaving me to fend for myself.”
She took a deep breath. She needed to get inside the Records Office, find information about Anise’s disappearance, and get out without drawing too much attention. Time was ticking; it was already past noon, and she had to act quickly.
The Records Office wasn’t inside the government complex; instead, it was located near the Imperial Palace, “What are the chances I can just waltz right in?” she thought.
After taking the tram and a brisk walk later, she approached the imposing building. She noticed the steady flow of bureaucrats and officials entering and leaving the building. Perhaps blending in wouldn’t be as difficult as she initially thought. She straightened her suit, adjusted the imperial brooch on her chest, and took a deep breath before walking confidently, or so she tried to, towards the entrance.
As she reached the main door the guard barely glanced at her before waving her through. The interior of the Records Office was grand and orderly, with marble floors and the chattering of civil servants. She made her way to the front desk, where a bespectacled clerk sat.
“Good afternoon,” Ries said, trying to project authority, “I’m Deputy Minister Anise. I need access to citizen records immediately.”
The clerk looked up, adjusting his glasses as he scrutinized her, "Deputy Minister Anise, you say?"
"Yes," Ries replied, "I need access to citizen records immediately. There’s an inconsistency that needs to be addressed urgently. Oh, uhm, Minister Eden authorized this."
The clerk's gaze softened slightly at the mention of Minister Eden, "Ah, I see. Minister Eden, you say? Very well, Deputy Minister. Please follow me."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Ries exhaled discreetly, relieved that Eden's name carried weight. Hopefully he won’t mind her using his name wantonly. The clerk led her through a labyrinth of corridors, each lined with rows of filing cabinets and busy offices with rows of people queue in line for official matters.
She silently cursed before putting up a smile, “Thank you, I can manage from here.”
The clerk nodded and left her alone in the vast room. The sheer number of records was daunting, but she couldn’t afford to waste time. She made her way to the central indexing station, a massive set of drawers labeled with different categories. Pulling open the drawer marked “A” for Anise, she began her search.
They reached a stairwell that leads underground where it became less crowded and the crowd of civilians turned to steady stream of suited civil servants walking with folders in hand. The clerk led her to a hoist elevator that descended further down.
The clerk opened the gate to the elevator, “You’ll be entering the Central Records. Everything you require is in there.” She gestures for her to get in the lift.
Ries carefully stepped into the lift as it made creaking noise. The door closed behind her with a clang and startled her before it made its descent. The air grew cooler as she went deeper, the noise from above were replaced by the hum of the lift.
When it finally stopped, the door opened to reveal a monotone room made of gray stone, with drawers in each and every wall and shelves on the floors, each organized by letter, date, and classifications by the looks of it. The organization gave her a glimmer of hope. Not to mention, she wasn't alone. There were people here too—auditors, clerks, and officials—busily checking and organizing documents. The presence of others reassured her. At least she isn’t alone in this large room.
Where to begin to look for Anise’s files?
Fortunately, she saw a large sign that says ‘ACC’ in big letters. That must be where they keep the ACC files. She began to walk towards that room whilst also looking around at the well-kept and well-organized shelves.
The fact that the empire has an entire underground facility dedicated to storing documents is beyond Ries’ imagination. Her first guess was that those documents must be kept at the imperial palace or some other noble’s hands. Even if it is kept in the records office, she thought it would be more productive to store the documents above ground. But if it works, it works.
Reaching the ACC section, she was presented with aisles of drawers, each one marked to differentiate each other, starting with A and ending with Z. Thankfully, since Anise’s name starts with A, she didn’t need to look further. But that relieve was short-lived as Ries soon realized she had to find Anise among possible millions of names starting with ‘A’
The drawers were organized in a way where each column of drawers was labeled with different letters and went up vertically, with the lowest marked ‘AA’ to the highest marked ‘AZ.’ And so on and so forth for other letters. She had to use the ladder to reach the higher drawers, it seemed.
Sighing, she moved the ladder to the ‘AN’ column and climbed up to one of the higher drawers. She opened it and started to search for Anise’s files. The drawer was filled with neatly organized folders, each one meticulously labeled. She flipped through the files, her fingers moving quickly but carefully.
Minutes turned into what felt like hours as she worked her way through the drawer. The sheer volume of files and folders was overwhelming, and she wished she had a cup of coffee with her to stave off the fatigue. She flipped through the names: Andyn, Anna, Anor... Finally, her eyes perked up as she spotted it: "Anise!"
She felt an enormous weight was removed from her shoulders as she pulled the folder out from the drawer. She opened the folder and begin to look for any signs of Anise’s whereabouts. Surely it would be here?
Birth certificate, personal records, banking information, address—Ries carefully sifted through each document. Anise was born to a commoner family in a small town called Auldren, hence her lack of a last name. Her educational records were impressive, showing consistent excellence and repeated competition wins, which struck Ries as inconsistent with the use of the hyperactive drug. So then why?
Her eyes landed on a particularly odd record in her recent bank statements, "A large withdrawal?" It was dated no less than a week ago. A pattern of sudden financial activity might indicate a planned disappearance or urgent need. But why?The banking statement did not specify her reason or anything of note, so she looked to other documents.
Health history, dental records, licenses—wait! What if it’s connected to her address?
She lived in a modest house near a park, but she might not be there right now. However, it also details her parent’s house, which is in Auldren.
Well that’s that, she supposed. Time to get back to Azazel and report her findings.
…
…
How does one change their ACC into another person’s ACC? She’d grown to like her job. Not necessarily like, but she needed it. If Ries wants to keep her job as Deputy Minister she had to get her hands dirty, and change identity completely.
If Anise is found to be alive, it could threaten her and potentially send her to jail for impersonation.
She frowns. Anise had to be out of the picture. One way or another.
----------------------------------------
The ascent felt long. Maybe it was because of her exhaustion or maybe it was because the hoist struggled to carry around five people at once. Whatever the reason, Ries was relieved to see the sky again, albeit it’s already sunset. She carried a folder with her containing Anise’s documents, which she had copied beforehand. Intending to meet with Azazel right away, she pulled out the orb and called for her.
The orb glowed faintly in her hand, “Azazel, it’s me. I’ve got the documents, where should we meet?” Ries whispered into the orb.
After a brief moment, the orb responded with Azazel’s voice, “Really? Uh, that’s great.”
Ries could hear the sounds of monsters screaming and bushes rustling over in Azazel’s side. “Azazel, what’s going on over there?”
“Nothing I can’t handle,” Azazel replied, her voice slightly strained. A shout was heard and the clash of blades. “Just a minor... complication…”
“Are you okay? Where should I go?”
A loud growl and another clash of metal followed by gunshots echoed through the orb before Azazel answered, ”Light work, really. Mercenary work, mostly. You know what, you should go back to your work—woah damn!”
“Go back to work? What? Aren’t we supposed to meet to discuss plans?” Ries half-shouted in to the orb.
“Look, I know that I promised. But I have a quest I need to complete. So contact me ‘till then.” The orb immediately fades back as Azazel’s words were cut off.
Ries stared at the orb for a few seconds, “Dipshit.”
Ries quickly pocketed the orb and made a beeline back to the governance complex. This time, she didn’t bother flashing her brooch or id card. The guard there seemed to know her already and it also helped she looked like someone important so they didn’t stop her.
Upon reaching her office, the expected stacks of paper were nowhere to be seen and her office returned to what it once was, clean and spotless. It washed a huge wave of relieve over her, knowing she hadn’t returned to a bureaucratic minefield.
But there were a few things she noticed. On her desk were papers—not documents to review, but rundowns for notable events she, as Deputy Minister, should be present at.
“Deputy Minister?” She turned to see Clarissa at the door, “The Minister wants to see you.”
“Me?” Ries asked incredulously, “Is this because I ran off during my break?” She thought worriedly.
“Yes, he is waiting at the office,” Clarissa nodded.
Ries took a deep breath, “Well then, lead the way,” She smiled at Clarissa who led her down the hallway. Before doing so, she straightened her suit and tried to look composed.
Clarissa opened the door to the Minister’s office, and Ries stepped inside. Minister Eden was with Minister Ryman in looking analytically at a board with names. Eden was the first to notice her presence.
“Ah, Anise,” He said in a neutral tone before looking back at the board.
Ries slowly composed herself before talking, “Minister Eden, Minister Ryman,” she greeted them both slowly with a nod.
Eden motioned for her to join them at the board, “We’re been reviewing our strategy going forward,” he said, “the Empress abolishing the Premiership isn’t what we expected. Not this quickly at least.”
Ries slowly walked beside the two ministers and looked at the board. It was filled with hundreds of names, each categorized in columns: Neutral, Royalist, Noble, Lean-Royalist, and Lean-Noble.
Eden pointed to the board, “With the Premiership gone, the political landscape is shifting rapidly. We need to understand where everyone stands, especially those who were previously neutral. The Empress's move has forced many to take sides,” He explains.
Ryman clears his throat, “What we’re trying to do, and what Eden is trying to say, we’re aiming for a censure on the Empress to restore the Premiership.” He explained.
Ries blinked, unsure of what to say, “A censure?” What’s that?
“Indeed. Though it may seem the Empress has all the power, us nobles still have significant influence over the empire. Limited as it may,” Eden walked to his desk, grabbed a cupcake, and offered it to her. “Cupcake?”
“Uhm, sure.” She grabbed the cupcake.
Ryman sat down at the couch and let out a huge sigh, “Your minister has been busy after the coronation. Been reaching out to nobles and whatnot to take a united stand against Overreaching Imperial Authority.”
Eden replied, with cupcake still in his mouth, “Mmm. That’s a concern you know. Some call it tyranny.”
Ryman scoffed and lit a cigar, “Tyranny? You’re never the one to talk about those types of things, Eden.” He puffs the cigar and blew a thick smoke, “Someone’s mad he’s not getting Premiership anytime soon.”
Eden holds up his hand for a while and swallowed the cupcake. “Premiership or not, it is our duty to safeguard the laws of this empire. The Empress abolished the Premiership without consulting us, so now we must fight back.”
“But calling for a censure to reinstate the Premiership? You’d need a super-majority of nobles to agree to that,” Ryman rolled his eyes, “That’s not easily feasible.”
“Including us, that’s two.” Eden’s response triggered Ryman to roll his eyes.
Ries' eyes darted between the two ministers, feeling out of her depth. This was the type of political maneuverings she had hoped to avoid. She wasn’t an expert, nor is she a proper noble like they are.
Eden poured cups of tea before setting them on the table. "Here, enjoy. It's pure Lynchen."
"Lynchen? What, so now the Elves can trade freely?" Ryman raised an eyebrow.
“Such is the price of progress.” Eden shrugs, “Come on, don’t be shy.”
Ries took a cup and blew it lightly, "What's the plan for gathering support?" she asked, trying to sound like she understood everything.
Eden took a sip of his tea before wiping it with a cloth and replying, "We need to identify key nobles who might be sympathetic to our cause—those who have felt marginalized by the Empress' recent actions.” He explained, “Your job will be to reach out to them, explain our position, and convince them to join us."
He pointed at the board, which Ries’ eyes followed. "We've categorized the possible candidates. Best action is to focus on the neutrals and those leaning towards our side."
Ries opened her mouth to speak before Ryman beat her to it and blew a puff of smoke in her direction. "Which means it’ll be more complicated since those nobles are divided even more by their loyalty to respective lords and personal interests."
Eden nodded slowly. "Correct. Counts and below tend to follow the highest-ranked noble, Dukes. Marquises tend to go their own way."
Ries took a deep breath. "Wait, wait, wait. Can you both at least run me through this?"
Eden stood up and put on his glasses. "These are my reading glasses," he said with a small smile.
"We know what they are, Eden. Take it away," Ryman waved dismissively.
Eden sighed. "Right, look at this board," he began, pointing to the various names and categories. "This section here lists the Neutral nobles—those who haven’t committed to either the Royalist or Noble factions. They’re our primary targets. Convincing them is crucial because they hold the balance of power as of right now. Next, we have the Lean-Royalists and Lean-Nobles. These are nobles who have shown some inclination towards one side but aren’t fully committed. Nobles and Royalists, self explanatory."
Ryman took over, pointing at another section from his seat, dark green labels. "Those are the Dukes, the highest-ranked nobles. They have significant influence over the Counts and lower-ranked nobles, maybe even the higher-ranked ones too. If we can sway a few key Dukes, we can bring a lot of their followers with them."
Eden raised his finger, "Problem being…" he trailed off, "these Dukes, most of them, don’t like the imperial government. They are regional powers with strong bases in their respective regions. Their loyalty is often to their own territories first and the empire second."
Ries furrowed her brow. "So… how do we approach them?"
Eden raised a finger. "We need to find common ground,” he turned to his desk and fetched a document. “Many of them feel threatened by the centralization of power under the Empress. We need to assure them that reinstating the Premiership will protect their regional autonomy and their interests. Have a look."
Ries took the document and began to read it silently. It was filled with bureaucratic jargon and legal language, outlining the proposed censure and the strategy for garnering votes from the nobles. Each noble had an equal vote, regardless of their rank, which meant that even the lower-ranked nobles' support would be crucial to our cause.
“I’ve been saying it’s a terrible idea since yesterday, Eden. It’s too much of a risk,” Ryman slowly stood up with a groan and leaned on the board. “You need a super majority. That’s not something we can easily achieve.”
“How much is a super majority?” Ries set down the document and threw it to the table.
“Three hundred and sixty-three votes out of five hundred and fifty.” Ryman stated.
Ries’ eyes widened. "Three hundred and sixty-three votes? That’s... a lot."
“That’s because it is,” Eden said, placing his hands on his hips. "And that’s where you come in, Anise. I’m tied up dealing with imperial administration here in the capital, but I’ve made it clear to the nobles that I am very much against further centralization.” He pointed at Ries. “You, Anise, will be my liaison. You’ll reach out to the nobles on my behalf and gauge their support.”
“But I don’t have experience,” Ries replied with uncertainty. “And forgive me if I’m wrong, but I just started working here yesterday. I haven’t made any connections to anyone nor am I familiar with my job yet.”
“Then this’ll be a good experience for you. Apply the theories you learned and apply it to real life situations. These nobles are wary, and they’ll be looking for any reason to mistrust us. But you’ve got something we don’t—you’re new to them, a fresh face. That can work to your advantage.” Ryman added.
“But I’m a Beastmen,” Ries countered. “Won’t that… you know… hinder my efforts?”
“A Beastmen wearing the seal of the imperial government,” Eden corrected her. “I understand you might have reservations considering the history of our races, but remember that you are first and foremost a citizen of the empire.”
Ries hesitated but finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
Eden clasped his hands together, a look of satisfaction on his face. “Good. Now let’s talk about strategy, shall we?” he collapsed on the sofa, “we already have around two hundred and twenty votes for the censure, so we’ll need another one hundred and forty-three to reach the supermajority.”
“So I’ll need to talk to a hundred and forty-three nobles? That sounds exhausting…” Ries could feel a drop in her stomach.
“Not necessarily, no,” Ryman replied, “We just need to approach one faction and that’s it.”
“I sense a big ‘but’…” Ries began, her eyes narrowing.
Ryman nodded. “Ahem, indeed. The faction we’re targeting is influential but fragmented. The rural nobles hold significant sway, but they’re divided in their loyalties and concerns. If we can convince a few key leaders, the rest might follow.”
“Duke Alaric.” Eden chimed in, “He’s the de facto leader of the rural nobles on the central provinces. If we could convince him, the rest might follow his lead. I could send you his dossier later.”
Ries nodded. It actually would be favorable for her to go out from the capital, remembering she’d had to go to Anise’s small town and investigate there.
“Good.” Ryman said, looking relieved, “now that that’s solved, how about you feed your slaves, Eden? I’ve been here for four hours listening to your plans.”
----------------------------------------
Ries stood with arms crossed and her back leaning against the wall, struggling to open her eyes. That ‘dinner’ Eden proposed had somehow devolved into a drinking game between the two ministers, and she was unfortunately dragged into it. In the end, she was ordered to travel all the way to the central provinces to carry out the task she was given. She came home with a pounding headache and the lingering taste of expensive alcohol she didn’t know existed on her lips.
5 a.m. That was the time Eden had said to catch the train to the central provinces. She glanced at the giant clock hanging on the station, “thirty minutes to go… where the hell is she?”
Azazel was supposed to accompany her. She had made a formal request to the adventurer’s guild to specifically enlist Azazel, the S-ranked adventurer mercenary, to be a bodyguard for an important government official. That would at least make it less suspicious.
“Hey. Early riser, are you?” Ries’ eyes snapped open, and she turned to see Azazel who’d just appeared beside her.
“Where have you been?” Ries grumbled, “I’d rather be sleeping inside the train than waiting here for you.”
“Apologies, but I have to be prepared to protect the important government official, no?” She motioned for the rifle on her back and the sword on her hip. “Plus, this station is gigantic.” Azazel replied, glancing at Ries. “And you look immaculate.”
Azazel looked at her from top to bottom. Indeed, she was asked to be presentable when conveying the minister’s message. So, she had decided to walk to the tailor shop and grab her custom-tailored suit—a three-piece ensemble with a red shirt that stood out against her dark hair and black everything.
Ries sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Just… let’s get on the train. We can’t afford to be late.”
Azazel smirked, “Oho? Lead the way, my lady.”