Chapter 9

Episode 9

Jericho stared at Selendis and me, his face a mixture of confusion and apprehension.

“Are you serious? I’m going too?”

“Why are you so surprised? We’re not raiding an assassin’s hideout. It’s just a routine investigation.”

“B-but…”

Jericho, a man of considerable size and appetite, suddenly lost his taste for chicken. He couldn’t bring himself to take another bite.

‘He’s a pretty good actor.’

My suspicions weren’t unfounded.

I had used ‘Mind’s Eye’.

His earlier claim of never having been in a fight was a lie.

The meaning of ‘truth’ as interpreted by ‘Mind’s Eye’ could vary depending on how one defined ‘fight’, but it was clear that Jericho was being deceptive.

Just look at this place.

The office space was separate from the safe house, connected by a hidden passage that was difficult to find.

And while Selendis and I were away, Jericho had installed several new security measures.

There were devices that would alert us to visitors in the office and various traps designed for self-defense.

Some of them were even expensive magical artifacts.

This place might have been disguised as an ordinary office, but it housed sensitive information.

It could easily become a target. We might possess information that certain groups would kill to keep secret.

And yet, they would assign someone who couldn’t defend themselves?

If that was Lady Lucia’s reasoning, then she wasn’t worthy of being called a mastermind. A true mastermind would be several steps ahead.

Which meant Jericho was capable of defending himself, whether through martial arts or magic.

“If you’re that worried, I’ll have Lady Selendis act as your bodyguard.”

“But then who will protect you, Master?”

“I can take care of myself. You read the report, didn’t you? You know what I’m capable of.”

Jericho finally picked up his chicken leg and took a large bite.

“Alright! I’m in!”

“That’s the spirit. What did you study at the academy, besides medicine?”

“I studied various subjects, but I was most interested in public administration.”

“Not cooking?”

“Hahaha, as much as I enjoy cooking, my dream was to become a government official in the capital.”

We finished our meal, chatting about various topics, then retired early. I sent a message to the main mansion, informing them that I would be away on official business for a few days.

Balzac would have handled it regardless, but it was important to maintain the illusion that I trusted him.

The next morning…

“You’re well-prepared.”

We emerged from the secret passage into the office space, where our luggage was neatly arranged. Jericho rubbed his nose sheepishly.

“I might be a doctor, but I was also the president of the student council. I’ve organized my fair share of dungeon expeditions.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“It’s a two-day journey to Baron Gerard’s territory. The roads are good, so we don’t need to pack extra food. But I’ve included three days’ worth of emergency rations, just in case. And I’ve also packed a high-concentration potion for each of us. We should be fine.”

“Let’s hope we don’t have to use them.”

“Indeed.”

The door opened, and a young woman with short hair entered. It was Chloe, the newest member of the Inspection Unit.

“Oh, I’m not late! Good morning, Inspector! It’s nice to see you too, Jericho and Selendis!”

What time did she wake up to be this cheerful this early in the morning?

Her energy was contagious.

She was the youngest among us, naturally assuming the role of the team’s little sister.

Chloe was a cheerful, somewhat clumsy office worker.

Her past was also shrouded in mystery. I hadn’t spoken to her much, but I suspected she had arrived here through similar circumstances as Selendis.

Perhaps she was a war orphan or a member of a fallen noble family.

I hadn’t had the opportunity to delve deeper into her personal history.

“I thought your official start date was next week. What brings you here so early?”

“I heard you were going on a mission today. Someone has to watch over the office.”

“There’s no overtime pay for that.”

“It’s fine! I’m doing this because I want to! The Lady is dedicating herself to her family and her people. I can’t just sit at home and relax.”

Her bright smile was heartwarming. And as expected of a Korean game, she was quite attractive.

“But there are three bags. Is Jericho going with you?”

“Ah, yes! We’ll be gone for a few days. You’ll have to fend for yourself.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Jericho is kind of clumsy, you know.”

“Hey, I’m not clumsy!”

“I saw you step on your partner’s foot at the banquet and get slapped.”

Jericho’s face turned bright red. It seemed Chloe was his natural enemy.

“That was ages ago! Why are you bringing that up? Especially in front of the Inspector!”

“We’re family! We shouldn’t keep secrets. And that slap was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s also the time you…”

“Stop! Enough!”

“Mmm!”

Jericho quickly covered Chloe’s mouth. They seemed to have a long history together.

I had spoken to Chloe briefly before, but I had refrained from using ‘Mind’s Eye’.

It was an exhausting skill.

Reading people’s minds could be mentally draining. You often learned things you didn’t want to know.

I was grateful that it was an active skill, not a passive one.

“Chloe, we’ll leave the office in your capable hands.”

“Yes, sir! Have a safe trip! And Jericho, don’t cause any trouble! You hear me?”

“You’re one to talk!”

We mounted our horses, bidding farewell to the boisterous Chloe. The Inspection Unit had several carriages at our disposal, but we decided to travel on horseback for speed and flexibility.

Two days later…

We arrived at Baron Gerard’s territory without incident.

***

“It’s too quiet. I expected them to attack us again.”

Selendis had a point.

That was one of the reasons we had chosen to travel on horseback. Carriages might be comfortable, but they were vulnerable to ambushes.

We discussed our next move before entering the inn.

“What do you think?”

“In my humble opinion, they’re trying to create the illusion that the previous attack was unrelated to Baron Gerard.”

“I agree. They want us to believe it was just a coincidence, a random encounter with bandits.”

I shared their assessment.

If they were truly incompetent, they would have sent wave after wave of assassins, determined to eliminate us. But Baron Roman hadn’t done that.

I recalled Satyr’s face, his eyes filled with a chilling familiarity.

‘He was comfortable with violence. Perhaps even more comfortable than he let on.’

As a seasoned detective, I recognized that look.

Something was definitely amiss.

We entered the inn and secured two rooms. Selendis took one, and I shared the other with Jericho.

After unpacking, Selendis joined me in my room.

We had a light meal, then settled at the table with a beer each. Selendis didn’t touch her drink, her hand never straying far from her sword.

Jericho, on the other hand, was a different story.

He had already finished his first beer, his face flushed.

“This beer is fantastic! Hahaha! So, Inspector, when do we make our move? I’m not sure I can just sit here and wait.”

“Why the rush? It’s not our money we’re spending.”

“But it feels like we’re slacking off.”

“You’re such a model student. Must be the academy prodigy in you.”

Jericho laughed, enjoying the banter. Selendis remained impassive.

“I intend to wait until tomorrow.”

“Hic! Oh, excuse me. I seem to have developed a sudden case of hiccups. Wait until tomorrow, you say?”

I offered him some water.

“Word of our arrival has probably reached Baron Roman by now. I expect we’ll have visitors soon.”

“What if they don’t come?”

“Then we’ll start our investigation. But we won’t target his businesses directly. The Inspection Unit might have the Duke’s approval, but we still lack authority.”

This wasn’t the capital. We could encounter resistance, people who questioned our legitimacy and refused to cooperate.

We could always arrest them later, but I preferred to avoid unnecessary confrontations.

“Lady Selendis, where do you think we’ll find the most unsavory elements in this town?”

“The slums, Master.”

Every town had its slums.

And in towns with a lord’s castle, the disparity between rich and poor was even more pronounced. It wouldn’t be difficult to find poverty and desperation just a short distance from the town center.

And that was where most illicit activities originated.

“Hic! I-it’s not my place to say this, but…hic! The things people do…the things they shouldn’t do…if they just stopped…the world would be a much better place. Where there’s dirty money, there’s bound to be…people being traded…”

“You’ve had enough to drink, Jericho. Time to sober up.”

“Hic! Yes, sir. I guess I got a little carried away. It’s been a while since I’ve been out in the field. Hahaha.”

I reviewed the mission document.

There was no mention of human trafficking. But considering their attempt to take Lilith as collateral, it was a distinct possibility.

And the information I had gathered from various sources painted a rather unflattering picture of Baron Roman’s character.

The term ‘lecher’ appeared frequently.

It was possible that trafficked women were being brought to the Baron’s castle.

Or perhaps he had a secret location where he indulged in his depravity.

I had a plan.

“Lady Selendis, I want you to scout the slums tonight. Report back to me if you find anything suspicious.”

“As you command, Master. But are you sure this is wise?”

Jericho was slumped over the table, snoring softly. Two beers, and he was out cold.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Selendis carried out her mission diligently. She returned later that night with her report.

“You found nothing suspicious?”

“No, Master. It was a typical slum, no different from any other. But there was something that bothered me.”

“What was it?”

“It was too quiet.”

Order emerging from chaos was always a cause for concern.

“Perhaps there’s someone in charge, keeping things under control. Maybe it’s that Satyr fellow we encountered.”

“Master, if I may, I have a suggestion.”

I turned my attention to Selendis.

“Instead of simply observing, perhaps we should take a more proactive approach.”

“Skip the preamble and get to the point.”

Her suggestion was unexpected. I stared at her, my voice laced with disbelief.

“Are you serious?”