There were no windows in this room.

Nothing but a single, thirteen-inch-thick, bolted steel door leading inside. This room was impenetrable, able to shake off a nuclear explosion from next door. This room was also impervious to magic, both of the new and long forgotten variety. And within this room, Kaori Kanzaki waited.

She made a conscious effort to present a positive image, so she wore a light smile and adjusted her suit jacket to downplay her curves. Despite having a lovely figure, she chose clothing that concealed rather than accentuated her shape. She even wore a bra to minimize her chest and prevent any jiggling. Her conservative skirt also hid her knees, falling below them instead of following the current trend of mid-thigh length. She had once been told that her body was too ‘sexy’ to hide.

In exchange for the praise, Kanzaki broke nine of the ten fingers the person making the compliment had, leaving one behind so they could pinkie-promise to repent for their perverted ways.

Kanzaki, a high ranking Special Agent in the Obscenity Institute's Faith division, a position held by only nine other people in the entire world. A person could normally not reach Faith Agent status until well into their career. Kanzaki however, was the exception.

And yet, this was the first time she’d been summoned to this room. Her journey alone sparked a primal fear which was both familiar and alien.

Nobody ever came to this place. Or if they did, they never talked about it. Not even her fellow Faith operatives.

Before coming here, Kanzaki had been at the centre of a large, country spanning sex investigation. Orgies, unmarried rogues and lots of money.

Simply remembering the tail end of it; taking into custody so many unscrupulous degenerates turned her stomach. If she had her way, each one of them would've been executed on the spot. She would have gladly pulled the trigger.

...or ensure they couldn't become repeat offenders.

But execution was preferable. It was the only real way to ensure that none of the wonderful, law-abiding citizens of this country ever fell victim to these perverted influences.

“…”                   

Yet despite the many people she'd done away with, Kanzaki just couldn't get comfortable being in this room.

The only source of illumination in this vast room were the thousands of monitors that lined every inch of every wall. Varying in size, but at least one meter by two. The sheer volume made it plain to anyone that the inside of the room was somehow larger within than without.

Many times over.

The countless monitors broadcast footage of various city sections, streets, buildings, stores, neighborhoods and houses. They were innumerable and spying on the millions of people of this great city. Kanzaki tried to shake off a feeling of lightheadedness.

Some monitors showed the inside of households. Kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms among others. Even the floors and ceilings of this very room were lined with cameras. It was unnerving, but Kanzaki knew it was all necessary to keep the purity of the nation intact.

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In the center of the room, stood a single man. He didn't turn to acknowledge her. He simply watched the incalculable monitors around him.

Before her arrival, Kanzaki had been given a lengthy briefing on what her behavior should consist of:

She was not to speak unless spoken to.

She was to look down whenever this man chose to engage her directly.

She was not to approach. If he collapsed, she should remain stationary.

She was not to provide any assistance of any kind except those asked of her.

The person in front of her was smartly dressed. From this distance and from the back of his head, she could see that he was at least in his late fifties. Maybe early sixties.

“Do you know the reason you were called here?" The man asked, continuing his grand observation.

“Commander Sōma gave me a short brief before I came here." The words squeaked out of Kanzaki's mouth without her consent.

Even though there was no reason to think otherwise, she sensed an enormous amount of hostility emanating from this man. As though he was just managing to hide his contempt beneath a friendly demeanor.

The man turned, prompting Kanzaki to immediately stare at the floor. The monitor beneath her showed footage of a wife beckoning her husband to come to bed, no doubt to engage in lawful copulation. Kanzaki quickly stepped aside to focus on a monitor showcasing an empty street instead.

"There are questions left unanswered."

Kanzaki didn't know much about the case, only that the perpetrator had been taken into custody following multiple accusations.

“You will look into this matter for me. Discretion is of utmost importance."

Kanzaki couldn't help but wonder why this man would even care about something as trivial as this. The case itself did not even make the top story on the news when it happened.

"I believe there is more to this matter than meets the eye.”

Kanzaki froze, suddenly terrified that this man might have read her mind. Was that even possible? Was he doing it right now?

"There is a strong possibility that magic was involved."

Kanzaki’s ears perked. She was one of the privileged few; along with the other members of FAITH, who knew about the existence of magic, as well as the rogues who used it to corrupt others with vile lust and debauchery.

"I need you to investigate the validity of the claim and report back."

"I understand sir."

If magic truly was involved, then there was no telling what to expect.

"The accused, have they managed to put their claims on the record?" Kanzaki asked, keeping her gaze firmly fixated on the floor.

"Not yet. But it's only a matter of time."

Kanzaki pondered the thought a little longer. The damage that could be done to the safety and stability of the world should magic became public knowledge.

There would be chaos in the streets.

Anarchy.

The knowledge might even inspire other Erocians to come forward and use the public spotlight to their advantage.

"You can rely on me to take care of everything, sir”, Kanzaki affirmed, adamantly.

“Should you come across any suspicious items, confiscate them.”

“Suspicious items?” Kanzaki couldn’t begin to imagine what sort of criteria to use to establish whether something should be classified as suspicious or not.

The monitor beneath her, the one she’d been staring at, flickered. Instead of an empty street, it now listed off images of everyday items and trinkets.

The list was long and varied, but there were no common traits shared between the items flashing on the screen to help Kanzaki establish a sure fire way to identify one should she happen upon it.

She wanted to ask this man more questions, but the monitor quickly flickered again to show the empty street.

“Deliver all items directly to Nagayuki Sōma.”

“I will. And what about the holders of these items? Should I bring them in for questioning?”

Kanzaki silently observed the man take his time deciding. The surreal atmosphere he left behind by not immediately answering made her uneasy for some reason. Nervousness ran down her spine. It was a sensation she outright hated. 

“Treat them as obstacles…and remove them.”

Kanzaki grinned maliciously. She understood the man’s true intent through his spoken intent. She reached inside her belt and produced a long, curved dagger. She brought it up to her mouth and tasted the unforgiving steel on her lips.

“As you wish, sir.”