Side story 2, part 2: Of superiors and subordinates

-18.04.1052-

-Location: Silvana-

-Time: About 7:30-

Aria stood tensely in an office room. She clutched some papers, marking small dents on their surface. Although imperceptible, her nails dug deeper into the paper with every beat of her heart, reflecting her nervousness. However, there was a quiet reassurance deep in her mind. She was a brave person. Had she not been, she wouldn't have come here like this.

The woman Aria watched shuffled in her seat slightly. The elbow-long hair of brown color went around her dark-skinned face. The stare of her silver eyes was focused on her before going somewhere to the desk as though searching for something she expected to be there. One of the more notable features this woman possessed was her rather pointy ears.

"So," her voice held a hearable edge of tiredness. "Why are you here, Sergeant Brinn?"

Aria almost flinched before shuffling the items in her hands and pulling one out.

The woman accepted the paper and read through a few sentences. Her brows quickly corrugated.

*Sigh*

A gesture of defeat left her plump lips as she put the paper on the desk. Her silver eyes bore into Aria, devoid of warmth.

"Again with this joke?" she raised her voice ever so slightly.

"It's not a joke," Aria replied. "I'm serious about this case, Captain."

The elf woman closed her eyes. Aria could almost see a vein pop up on her temple, almost immediately followed by Captain grasping the bridge of her nose.

"...right," her eyes gazed upon the Mage in front. "On the same night I and Captain Huran were called to Poiri urgently, you suddenly disappeared in the middle of the night with a man who was apprehended earlier that day," she spoke, her tone lowering slightly as though to emphasize the underlying annoyance of her mind. "You do realize how insane everything you spoke about sounds, do you not? If that were true, that'd be the coincidence of the century."

Aria's head bobbed in a hesitant nod. "Captain Nimmel, I know that very well. But I'm telling you, for the gods-know-which time, it's all truth!" her fist almost clenched as she felt frustration rise within her chest.

"A truth hanging on the words of just you and Sergeant Innel. Tell me, how am I to take this as anything else but a prank you're attempting to pull?"

"There is also Sergeant Beler... and others..." Aria's brunt lost its strength by the second. Her countenance turned sheepish, eyes shifted slowly to the floor.

"And none saw you disappear. The only 'witness' was a man with a questionable identity," Captain Nimmel's gaze remained sharp. "Where is he? You've tried reaching him before, haven't you?"

Aria nodded silently, feeling lost. She already knew that attempting to get through Rebecca Nimmel was biting far more than what she could chew. She had held her position longer than Aria had been alive. But this time, she had a new card.

"Captain... that man visited me recently."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Where is he, then?"

"I..." Aria's ears warmed. "...he left for Quear Mountains before I could talk with him about this. I want to ask for leave to find him in Lodiz."

...

A few moments of tense silence transpired.

Aria knew very well how much she was asking for. She had felt the workload of Silvana's offices on her own shoulders. Too few people were present to efficiently handle every case happening here and there. If she were to leave, even for just a few days, the remaining workers were bound to experience a harsh payload.

...

Yet, within her, there was but a hopeful fire. It was an unquenchable desire born of her experiences from the past days. Having seen how much determination Travis showed about getting past his hurdle with that hellish place, she could not help but admire his way of doing things. The least she could do was ensure the case of their disappearance would be treated seriously. Aria was dead set on getting her way.

That was why, when her eyes lifted, she barely even reacted to Rebecca's sharp gaze. Her spirit stirred, burning with bravery she didn't even know she had in herself.

Rebecca stirred in her seat. The long fingers of her hand went to the desk's surface. One of her nails tapped against the wooden surface. However, as silent as her gesture was, Aria could sense pondering behind her silver eyes.

Suddenly, Captain Nimmel moved her seat back slightly and stood up. Aria had to significantly shift her gaze. This half-elf was more than a head taller than herself, probably closer to two, even.

"Lodiz...?" she spoke the city's name.

Aria nodded. "I'm certain that's where he is. All I need is to get there, and I can contact the guards--"

"Denied," Rebecca's sudden, stern answer gave the white-headed Mage a pause.

"!?" Aria's eyebrow raised. Her veins pulsed as her resolve began burning more fiercely. She was about to make a step forth and plead her case before Captain raised a hand, telling her to not come closer.

"I can't give you a leave. You know yourself the challenges of the work here. It is why you are in the position you are in," Rebecca's plump lips moved slowly, which felt almost unfitting given the sharp gaze of her eyes. In a way, Aria could not help but sense that Captain had some plan. "However, that is only the case for a 'leave'."

"What does that mean, Captain?"

"There are a few documents that must be delivered to Lodiz, preferably in April still. Normally, I'd have asked Inspector Lepin to do that, but his attendance is not yet set in stone. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

"I am to deliver those documents," Aria spoke softly.

Rebecca nodded. "I think that given this situation, this will be the best solution. Inspector Lepin uses the Church's teleport gate to travel to and from Lodiz every month, and he usually takes about two days to finish. I can give you a week. Deliver the documents, and you will have the remaining time to search for that man."

'This seems... a little too good a deal.' Aria frowned ever so little at the thought. However, she was not going to nag about this. It was a perfect chance for her. "If you will give me that chance, I will set off immediately."

"It's not as simple," Rebecca shook her head lightly. "Allow me to explain it simply."

-Late afternoon, a bar-

"And then she told me I need to *hic* pass a test, and she needs approval from Captain Huran, blah blah blah," Aria's mouth moved as she stirred in her seat in a bar. Her slightly unsteady movements were proof of her having had a few drinks.

Her conversationist, Chris, laughed heartfully. "Who'd have imagined that someone that scared of paperwork would be willing to follow the official process."

Aria sighed heavily, the sound almost a shudder. The room felt suddenly smaller, the air thicker. She continued to swirl the violet liquid, its movement hypnotic. The way it sloshed, reflecting the light in a particular way, **** a slightly unsettling feeling to nest within her spirit.

"Well," she started, her voice quieter, words slightly slurred, "she did say that I can do that when I get back. For now, she will come to an agreement with Captain Huran and grant me the rank unofficially."

"Unofficially?" Chris raised his brow. "Is it like what has been going on currently, everyone treating you like an Inspector when you were still a Sergeant?"

"From what I... from what I understand, yes," Aria nodded, blinking slowly. "In her own words, it's 'assuming you already passed the test before you took it'."

Chris hummed, taking a sip of his own drink. Turning in his seat a little, he scanned the innards of the bar.

"What about you, though?" Aria asked, her speech slightly more deliberate as she tried to enunciate clearly. "Have you thought about taking the aptitude test for the Enforcer rank?"

"That's not for me," the huge man shook his head. "I like what I do. It's a quiet town with nice people. If I rank up, I'll end up being sent to some shithole like Guill."

'...I suppose that's true. Chris hasn't finished an academy like me. He's from a camp for Soldiers. Our work differs a lot,' Aria thought, her head feeling a bit fuzzy. Her lips met the rim of her cup. The mildly bitter wine made its way down her throat, letting her feel its coolness. The taste was sharp, almost medicinal, even.

"Besides, that'd be too tiring for me," Chris added with a sigh. "Having to show proper aptitude in combat, clearing a few dungeons in a team, no, it's nothing like what an Officer has to go through. I just want to live a little easily, I don't mind being in this position," he laughed before downing his entire drink.

Aria almost frowned. 'I didn't even know the tests for us would be different. I suppose it makes sense, since Inspectors are more of problem-solvers involving law and its nuances, and Enforcers are typically the **** for protection of a city.' she sighed lightly.

She sipped her drink once more, her gaze somewhat unfocused. This seemingly got Chris's attention as the man leaned on the counter. With a low grunt, he turned to the barman nearby, ordering a repeat of the drinks for himself and Aria. The few silver coins that came out of his hand seemed enough.

...

Aria, in the meantime, stayed silent. Feeling her heartbeat through her fingers, she stared at the cup in her hands. Perhaps it was the tipsiness that got to her head, but the white-haired woman felt an eerie feeling, looking at the fluid. The way it stirred...

Her mind flashed with a couple of images. The place she'd been to. The hellscape overflowing with trees and vines, ferns, and animals, all of which were like nothing she'd ever seen. The vivid scenery was still alive and well within her mind. It was something she'd never rid herself of.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the memories, but the scent of the bar, the earthy smell of spilled beer, and the sharp tang of sweat only intensified her sense of disorientation. Chris's voice and the bustling atmosphere of the bar were quickly forgotten. With every hastening beat of her heart, Aria tried to quell the creepy feeling crawling up her shins. It felt almost as though something really was scaling her skin, threatening to grasp at her and pull her away. Just like that time...

'Calm down.' Aria tried to take a steady breath. Her legs moved a bit, ensuring that the phantom sensations were just that. 'You're safe... you're safe.' she closed her eyes.

But the reassurance felt hollow. What was the most terrifying was the gnawing uncertainty of her own safety. There was no certainty that that event would not repeat out of the blue. How could that man withstand such a dreadful thought--

"!" her eyes darted to her hand the moment she felt something cool spread on it. The violet fluid stained her hand. It spread quickly between her fingers.

Panic surged through her. She bolted backward with a loud yelp, her chair scraping against the floor. The bar fell silent as patrons turned to stare, but Aria didn't care. All she knew was that she had to get away from that fluid. She scrambled back, her breath coming in ragged gasps, eyes wide with terror.

"Aria?" she barely heard Chris's muffled voice. "What happened?"

Aria didn't answer, her eyes staring at her hand. Her rapid heartbeat reverberated almost ominously, the blood pressure rising in an instant. Frantically, she started wiping the fluid away.

The world around fazed out of existence around her. The sounds became dull and distant, replaced by constant ringing. A creepy, icy sensation akin to her mana being sapped filled her veins.

She tried screaming for help. She tried calling out to someone. But the moment her mouth parted, a tight sensation of dread squeezed her throat. Half a whisper, barely, was released before Aria choked on air.

She felt something hold her arm gently. Flinching with a silent yelp, she charged some mana, a ring of icicles forming around her hand as though to protect her from the invader.

"Aria," the muffled voice suddenly gained some definition to it.

She flinched. The voice felt... strangely familiar. She shut her eyes, feeling tears form at the rims. Curling up a little, Aria felt her entire body trembling.

Slowly opening her eyes, she focused on her hands. Their skin was as pale as snow. The stain of the liquid was still present, but now she could discern that it was drying up wine.

She breathed in, feeling her lungs strain, every cycle almost transforming into a gasp at its end.

"Aria," Chris's voice reached her ears. "Are you alright?"

She gazed to the side. The man's huge form, even when he was on one knee next to her, seemed to swirl lightly. His expression was indiscernible to her.

Aria looked around in confusion. A couple of heads were turned in her direction. She felt her heart thump with strength, its tempo slowly abating.

"I... I'm alright..." she said quietly. Shifting in her position, she sluggishly got on her knees and started getting up. Feeling her legs give, Aria supported herself on a nearby table. "S-Sorry about this..."

"It's alright," Chris said reassuringly. "You're safe here."

"..." she gazed to the side. A queasy feeling stirred once more in her heart, but its origin was starkly different. "I... s-should go. I... need to clear my head."

"I'll walk you back home."

"No..." Aria's voice trailed off for a moment as she breathed deeply a couple of times. Feeling Chris's hand reaching for her shoulder, she swiped it away. "I... I'll go on my own."

Her legs felt weak. Aria's every next step bore with itself the risk of falling over, and the **** in her veins wasn't the only culprit. Still gathering her strength, the white-haired woman stepped forward, leaving the bar within some seconds.

...

...

...

Chris sighed, sitting back in his seat. The heavy motion of his hand grabbing his beer was evident.

His fist clenched with some strength, almost as though he expected to smash the wooden jug with that mere action. His gaze shot toward the barman, who appeared half-ignorant of the situation just now.

"Won't be following her?" the barman asked, staring at Chris with eyes almost as dark as night.

"She'll shrug me off as always," he almost barked back before taking a swing of his drink.

The other man laughed, his gaze shooting over the bar that resumed its normal order of business. "Maybe trying to enter her pants isn't the way, Chris."

"Shut up, Lener. I'm not going against the Commander's orders. We just have to keep an eye on her. No harm done being friendly with her."

"What, do you think, you'll convince her to join Truthseekers?" the barman snorted. "You do remember we're here to ward her brother off?"

Chris sighed with resignation but nodded. "Still, what's bothering me is that guy. Just a nobody, suddenly gets tangled up exactly when Nimmel left, then disappears for two weeks, somehow enters the city completely unnoticed to contact Aria, and leaves again before we even realize it. If I at least could've gotten a hold of him, I'd have removed that variable."

"Do you think he could be affiliated with her brother?" Lener inquired.

The huge guard shrugged, his head shaking. "He's been living here for years, so I don't think he is. Gilbert searched for information on him, but the registries were mostly empty. Nothing that is there is of any use, either. He's not from here, and I can't check more."

"Have you thought about informing Commander?" the barman sat down in a chair of his own, leaning in to make his conversation with Chris a little more private. Even though all the heads in the bar were on their side, he would rather not spew words thoughtlessly for all to hear.

"He wouldn't want to hear of that. That guy isn't dangerous, just a little annoying. I do think it's troubling he managed to go around as he did, but he was level 1 last month. Once I get a hold of him, I'll be sure to define his standing."

"...do you want to know more about him?"

"...? Are you saying you'll search, Lener?" Chris squinted a little.

"I can contact a guy from Guill. If you really don't want to disturb Commander, he can look for the guy under his eye."

"And what would that cost me?"

"Nothing much. Just remember to include me in your reports. Positive light is preferable."

"Hah," Chris chuckled. However, after a moment, he nodded. "So long we don't disturb Commander, it'd be appreciated."

His hand clenched around the cup. His mouth curved in a victorious smile.

It didn't matter that the slimy bastard had escaped his grasp before, or that he was gone for now. Chris knew that he would come around sooner or later. For that occasion, he would start preparing soon.