Disclaimer: Monster Girl Encyclopedia belongs to Kenkou Cross. The events of this fic are purely fictional and are not at all connected to MGE canon.
Chapter 3: Ambitions of a Dead Man
I often wonder what it is that drives a man. Money? Lust? Love? Ambition?
Time and time again, I've seen what drives a man to his utmost limits. The monsters are much the same, driven by an unclenched thirst for love and affection.
But there lies the thing, the root of that ambition, that drive, is desire. Desire makes you a living thing, it makes you an existence above everything else. The desire to feed drives the most base of animals, the desire to procreate and reproduce keeps the world populated.
To desire is to live,
So what if you remove that desire? What if there was nothing that drives you?
Could you even call yourself living at that point? No, at that point, you'll be more of a walking corpse than even the zombies that roam the graveyards.
Those without desire are easily shaped, and those without desire are driven by a monster most heinous.
The monster known as apathy.
That Monster is one I know too well…
-owo-
The rest of the patrol went smoothly.
Well, as smooth as it could be. I owed Rena a drink now. It was a hard debt to pay, considering I'm currently broke. Technically speaking, all of us were. Having absolutely no funding at all means that we're probably rationing our reserves to continue our operations. But those funds are bound to run out sooner or later, so a steady source of income is needed.
What a troublesome job I've managed to find myself in…
In any case, this first task of mine gave me a few insights. Through Rena, I could at least infer that not every inquisitor's scorned and hated. Gangs ran the streets and were even able to operate in the more wealthy parts of the lower sections. It's possible that they're working under the pockets of another, but right now, it's difficult to say.
Maybe I should investigate this on my own, but with the funding being the main problem, I decided to just shelve that thought.
I learned a little bit about Rena too. Headstrong, charismatic, and laid back. Those qualities made her easy to talk to and, in turn, comfortable to be around. But she could be scary if she wanted to, and judging by the reaction of those gang members, she had quite the infamy.
So this was why Vania valued her; I understand her trust now.
That being said, she also had her weaknesses. Headstrong, and she doesn't really think all that much. She could be reckless and negligent but could put in a serious effort when it counted.
From what I can tell, her patrols should come to an end at this hour. In turn, my first task of the day should end. I'm probably going to have to report to Vania after, but right now, I was just glad that things went pretty smoothly.
Aside from the scuffle earlier, obviously.
"That should be it for today, Ciel," Rena stated, stretching her arms as we neared HQ.
"Alright, thanks, Rena." I said out of courtesy,
She pursed her lips and turned to me with a deadpan. "Honestly, though, what the hell were you thinking when you pulled that earlier?"
I scratched the back of my head, "Uh- well… those guys were suspicious so I thought I'd check it out. I left a trail for you to follow once you're done with the barrels."
She deadpanned at me, raising her brow. "You couldn't have come inside to tell me that there was something suspicious?"
"I-... yeah, you're right, sorry… I wasn't thinking," I said,
I did, I was just too lazy to explain it to her,
If I had come in to go and tell Rena, then those guys would have most likely dispersed. I speculated that she was relatively well-known, judging by how she was treated by everyone and how much influence she must hold here in the slums. If they saw me with her, it was unlikely that they would've bitten the bait.
With me being an unknown, they must've thought that I was easy prey… the awkward way I moved probably added to that thought. They must've been exceptionally skilled, though, considering the deliberate way they moved and lured me in. I didn't even notice them until they purposefully showed themselves.
That was probably what gave them the confidence to strike at an Inquisitor, no matter how new I must've been.
I just took the action that would've given me the most information.
It was a gamble, but that gamble paid off.
Besides, there was little risk for me anyways.
Rena sighed, placing her hands on her waist before she spoke. "Listen, doing things without thinking is my thing! Get your own thing, one that won't get you in too much trouble." She said with a sigh,
At least she was self aware? She's pretty honest about herself. I'm kind of jealous, I wish I could speak my mind as freely as she could without getting a hint of scorn. Alas, I couldn't catch up to that natural charisma of hers.
"I'm surprised that you care so much, I've only known you for a few hours." I commented lightly. She gave me a disapproving look in response, placing her hand on my shoulder before she patted it.
"Listen, Ciel, we're comrades now. With how our situation is, we gotta stick together. You're a stranger, yeah. But as far as I'm concerned, you proved yourself today." She added with a small smile.
She's a little too trusting… or maybe it's just because of the circumstances?
Regardless, I appreciated it. Overall, Rena was a breath of fresh air when compared to the other Inquisitors I know. Whether or not this fresh air would remain this way or get polluted, it remains to be seen.
Even still, I smiled at her and gave a short nod. "Thanks Rena, I look forward to working with you."
With that, my first task for the day officially came to an end.
-owo-
We parted soon after, she probably went off to go slack in the lounge or do paperwork. From what I've seen from her so far, probably the former but I could be wrong. In any case, I should receive my next task for the day. Heading to Vania's office, I moved through the damp and broken walls once more.
I feel like I'm getting a little more used to this place. The damp, broken look gives it a strange vibe. It's not a vibe I dislike though, it gives it a more humble feel.
Crack
…
I take back what I said.
I pried my foot out of the new hole I just made. My eyes grimaced at the broken plank. Looking around, I seemed to have caused a stir amongst my peers. That being said, no one really said anything and all were giving me a sympathetic gaze. Looks like I wasn't the only one who had to deal with this mansion's decrepit state.
Sighing, I was about to pry my foot out of the floor before…
"Ciel,"
I jumped lightly, my eyes turning behind me. A black-haired boy with glasses greeted me, his dark eyes staring at me with a frown. Oi… what's with that disappointed look on your face? From the impatient tapping of his feet to the twitching eyes I can quickly see that he was upset about something.
"Is something wrong, uh… Rollo?" I said,
His frown grew. I suppressed the urge to raise my brow. I never really got to talk to him properly until now, but… even still, wasn't this a little rude? Maybe I just wasn't seeing something. Regardless, I decided to try and keep a good impression.
"I've expected a better response from you, Ciel. When speaking with your superior, I suggest you keep your tone formal and your back straight."
Superior? Wait, aren't we the same rank? The only real difference in rankings between inquisitors is when it concerns a master and normal inquisitors. I have no idea where this whole superior thing was coming from; maybe it was a Lescatian thing.
"Superior? Aren't we the same rank?"
"In essence, yes, but in practice? I am your senior." He added,
Seniority huh? That makes sense. Still… he didn't have to be kind of a dick about it. "So, what do you want then, Rollo?"
His brows twitched, but he said nothing else. This guy…
"Yes, Master Myers has given me the task of questioning a few individuals. Nothing too serious, just a few theft cases and petty crimes." He said,
"She asked me to bring you with me, in order for you to familiarize yourself further…" He sounded a little irked at that fact.
I raised my brow visibly. Was it something I said or did? He seems very displeased with my presence.
"Did I wrong you in any way, Rollo?" I decided to ask,
He shook his head, "No, no… it's just that I find it quite troublesome to have to babysit the new recruit when I have better things to do." He said with a sigh, placing his hands behind his back before he cleared his throat.
"Alas, orders are orders. So if you would come with me, I will try my best to look after you. Nevertheless, I hope that you'd be able to pull your own weight."
…
You could've said that in a… well… nicer tone. I understand being harsh, but I'm new here, so can you at least go a little easy? The stress of the entire situation's probably hitting him, but even so…
"You can count on me," I answered,
"Then get your foot out off the floor and move on. Also, refer to me as Sir Rollo from here on out." He curtly said before he walked off.
He didn't even bother to wait. I suppressed a deadpan as a sigh escaped my mouth. Looks like I have my next assignment now. Turning my eyes to Rollo's retreating form, I pondered.
There's something off about you…
Regardless, with a mission to accomplish, I pried my foot out off the floor and walked off. Alright then, Sir Rollo, let's see what you can do.
-owo-
Once again, I walked behind another in our march to capture heretics. Or at least, that's what most would assume. In truth, we were just out to catch some petty criminals. Honestly speaking, wasn't this the job of the city guard? Why were we Inquisitors suddenly being placed on watch duty? This isn't an area where we specifically specialize in. I guess in a way we do? But out investigative skills are supposed to be used against larger threats.
Most notably, the monsters.
Our position really is this bad, huh? Well, regardless, I'll just have to do what the master says. In this case, work with Rollo. Speaking of…
Looking at the man, he didn't spare me a single glance. Just walking forward as if I wasn't behind him. Looks like he intends to finish this with me in the sidelines for as much as possible. Odd, he seemed a little nicer when I first met him.
Though, considering that I've literally only known him for a few minutes until this point. I suppose it makes sense then, there was little reason for him to trust me and vice versa.
Still, at least make an effort to involve me.
"So, who exactly are we meeting?" I asked,
If he wasn't gonna involve me, then I was gonna do so myself. Turning to me for a second, he spoke. "Vittorio Salia, A Leorosian and the leader of the west side gang. Known for smuggling, embezzlement, illegal trade, and various accounts of monster collaboration."
I paused, wait… that's petty? Hold on? I thought we were handling some small-time criminals? Not the leader of a large criminal network? Besides, from what I gathered it didn't look like we were ready to catch him. If he's as dangerous as he sounds, he'd be tricky to catch.
"I thought we were catching a small-time criminal?"
"We are, we just need Vittorio Salia to give us information." Rollo answered,
Hold on…
"We're collaborating with criminals?" I asked incredulously, my brow raising.
I suspected it to be the case but… it was still disappointing to hear. Vania didn't seem to be the type however, but I supposed that desperate times call for desperate measures. Still, this would raise a lot more problems than it would in the future. Because right now, it looks like we're acting in their pockets.
Rollo scowled, obviously just as disappointed with the situation. "You've seen the state of our organization, we have no choice. Vittorio Salia is at least reasonable, if not a little shrewd."
I sighed, "What do they want in exchange?" I asked,
"Pardons, it's the one thing we in this organization can still offer them." He muttered,
A pardon, of course. In essence, it's our version of a get out of jail free card. Those with pardons are freed from all their previous crimes and would no longer be persecuted by any force within the Order. Essentially, we're just giving them free reign to legally do whatever they want. They were only given out under special circumstances, and only a master could give them.
That being said, pardons can only be given to specific crimes. A pardon for embezzlement will not apply to the crime of theft. Pardons themselves could be rendered irrelevant if someone had enough power. It's why most within the top would rather see the Inquisition destroyed than be used as a tool.
"Which crimes have we pardoned so far,"
"Small things: fraud, theft, and their smaller cases of smuggling," Rollo answered curtly.
"I'm guessing that the bigger crimes have yet to be pardoned,"
"We still need something to hang over their heads, if we just granted them that then they'd be in full control over us." Rollo added, his hands clenching.
"How much control do they have over us?"
"..." Rollo didn't answer, only looking to the side in shame. I see, so they do have some control. That's a dilemma alright, we have to rely on the criminals to even stay afloat. Obviously, this isn't a long term solution. If this goes on, it could spell trouble for us all.
"Who are we catching, then?" I said, changing the subject.
He turned to the front before he spoke. "His name is Charon, a petty criminal, all things considered. Said to have black hair and a dirty face, been caught thieving around the area and was seen with contraband material."
That's a pretty general description to go by. How many people in Lescatie's slums have black hair and dirty face? How many more must've stolen something? There were probably countless people like that, so what's so special about Charon?
As if sensing my confusion, Rollo decided to explain. "Charon works for Vittorio Salia. His crimes may be petty, but the man himself is not. We can't afford to strike at the man himself, but hitting his subordinates should be fine. As much leverage as he has, our continued cooperation is more important than a single lackey."
"You think he's gonna let you take him? If he's like any other crime boss I've dealt with, then there's no way he would sell one of his own." I asked.
"Salia is not your typical crime boss… he's… something far worse," Rollo said,
I raised a brow at that, unsure of what to think. Whatever he meant, I'll soon find out.
"We're nearing the location, stay silent and let me do the talking." Rollo stated, turning to me with a stern look. I suppressed a deadpan as I nodded. I'm new here after all, best leave it to my seniors.
"Whatever you say, Sir Rollo." I said sarcastically,
He must've caught my tone, considering the fact that he grumbled something after. Hey, buddy, I was just following your orders. No need to be so prudish about it; after all, we're just going to speak with a dangerous, potentially deadly leader of a criminal organization.
-owo-
I suppressed a gulp. Looking at the place in front of me, it definitely screams 'criminal'. Armed men guarded the two flanks of an old door, people stared at us suspiciously from all around the streets, and the building itself stood like a stone wall.
Looking at Rollo, I was amazed at his ability to stay calm and collected. He stood firm, arms at his side and face as stern as ever. Perhaps it's due to experience, but he never showed any outward fear towards the guards or the men around us.
Walking up to them, he spoke. "I'm here to see Don Salia," Rollo said,
The guards looked at Rollo,their features hidden by masks. Soon enough, they stood to the side in almost robotic fashion. It was impressive, if slightly creepy. They were staring daggers into us both, but mostly to me. It was only natural, considering that I'm new here.
Walking in, we were met with a sight that wasn't too uncommon in these parts. People just eat around tables, dining and conversing without much issue. If I didn't know any better, I would've just called this place a ridiculously guarded restaurant. But I suppose that this is just how it is with organized criminals, their less legal practices were done in more discreet areas. This is what we were allowed to see, what we weren't is what I wanted to see.
We walked through the room, garnering a few stares here and there. Men lined the rooftops, watching our every move with calculated precision. I placed my hands in my pockets, relaxing my body to show that I meant no harm. Eventually, we were led to a room just by the corner. There sat a man, possibly in his early 20s eating food that wouldn't be too far off from a noble's palette.
He was well dressed, clean, and had slicked back hair. He ate the food on his plate with careful precision, as if even his eating was organized. Rollo stood, not even interrupting him as he ate. I glanced at the man, he wasn't even acknowledging our presence. Just eating and eating as if we weren't even here.
Seconds passed, then minutes… Here we were, two inquisitors, church hounds of the Chief God at the mercy of a man who wouldn't even acknowledge our presence. Looking around, I decided to test the waters a little.
With a loud cough, I checked to see if he'd notice. He spared me a single glance, his eyes narrowing before he continued on with his meal. Rollo gave me a glance as well, panic swelling in his eyes at my casual actions. If coughing was enough to send Rollo into a panic, I wonder what would've happened if I spoke.
Eventually however, after what seemed like an eternity, he placed his utensils down. He pushed his plate back, having a few servants clean his table before leaning forward. His eyes finally glanced at both me and Rollo, with a simple glance he gave us the go ahead.
Rollo was the first to move, walking up to the man before bowing his head slightly. I tilted my own head. From the look on his face, he did not enjoy doing this one bit. He then turned to me, his eyes watching me incredulously before he spoke. "Who is this, Rollo? A new face?"
Getting up, Rollo answered as formally as he could. "He is the new Inquisitor we requested, he's new here so he won't be much of a threat to you, Don Salia." Rollo said. His tone was robotic and showed no emotions. If Rena was a master at flaunting her charms, Rollo could be said to be a master at hiding his intent.
In tense situations like these, he could keep his poker face for as much as possible. It would fool most people, and it makes him a valuable asset when it came to negotiations.
"Is that so," Vittorio said, his eyes turning to me. "Introduce yourself to me, don't be so shy." He said with a small grin.
I fought the urge to spit. The arrogance in this man's tone was annoying, probably ranked 3rd or 4th amongst the people I've met. He's only below some of my siblings, then again, no one's beating them.
I wonder how a meeting would go between you two.
Stepping forward, I cleared my throat before I spoke up. "Inquisitor Ciel," I replied.
I had no last name to speak of, so I just supplemented that with my profession. All he said was for me to introduce myself, and that's what I'll do. My name should be sufficient, but from the looks of it he was expecting a little more.
"Ciel, huh? I see… I pity your situation, Ciel. You must've come at a very poor time, considering that your peers have to turn to me to keep your little organization afloat." Vittorio said, his hand moving to the side of his table as he drank a bit of whatever it was he was drinking.
The balls on this guy to call the Inquisition a little organization. He had control, that much was certain. I wonder, if the Inquisition was still in its original state then would you have called it little? Considering the amount of arrogance he had, I honestly couldn't tell.
That being said, that arrogance wasn't unfounded. This place was wealthy, he had servants around him at his beck and call. While we Inquisitors are forced to stand and wait, he just dined as if we weren't even here. Looking around, I could tell that even the venue was carefully calculated.
Only one door to escape, he's situated in a corner where his position was elevated. Paintings that wouldn't be too far off from what a noble would prize were just casually hung on the wall. It was a show of force, a clear distinction between the power we held. He was the master in this situation, we were the beggars that had to suck up.
What a dangerous man you are, Salia.
"It is what it is, Don Salia." I said in response,
Right now, there was little we could do about it. As unagreeable as this situation was, the alternative would've been to get starved out. That being said, this relationship of ours was more parasitic than it is mutually beneficial. We needed to cut him off somehow, but to do that we need another source of revenue.
"Hah, interesting new recruit you have here. Rollo, looks like your little dog house managed to get a brand new pup." He said, his tone casual with a slight edge.
Turning to Rollo, he crossed his legs and leaned forward. "So then, friend… how can a man such as I help you today."
Without missing a beat, Rollo decided to be straightforward with his approach. "We're after a man named Charon." He said,
"Charon… Charon… Ah, Charon!" Salia said, snapping his fingers as he leaned forward. "What about him, did he perhaps wrong you in any sort of way?"
"He's been suspected of theft, vandalism, and ownership of contraband materials." He said,
"I see, so even in this state you still try to continue with your operations." Salia commented, leaning back onto his seat as he picked up his wine glass. Moving it around, he let the red liquid spin around causing ripples in his glass. "What an admirable thing it is, if not a little foolish. Regardless, I wonder… how is it that you've managed to come to that conclusion? As far as I'm concerned, Charon is an honest man."
Says the dishonest criminal.
"Multiple eye witness reports, complaints from the locals, and the fact that he wouldn't answer the Inquisition's summons and has gone quiet the moment I was initially sent to investigate." Rollo answered,
"Is that so? Pray tell me, who was it that came forward to claim something so ludicrous?" Salia said, his eyes narrowing at Rollo. Rollo just stood, impassive and uncaring.
"We have promised to keep their identities hidden, I will not rescind our oath to protect them. Nothing you do or say will make us yield." Rollo said,
Woah, impressive. The conviction in his voice in the face of someone who had the power to kill us right here and now was impressive. In response, Salia narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.
"Are you challenging me, Inquisitor?"
"No, merely protecting what dignity we have left."
"Dignity? Of what? An organization that's basically in my pockets?"
In that instance, Rollo's eyes sharpened. "Make no mistake, Don Salia. We may be cooperating with you but we are not in your pockets." Rollo sharply said.
Salia said nothing, his eyes turning to Rollo before he moved his hand up. Rollo paused at the gesture, his eyes widening at the sight. He knew what it meant, and knowing Leorosian customs, I knew what it was as well. In order to show respect, in order to denote a hierarchy within a relationship, the ones below must kiss the hands of those on top.
Rollo looked like he didn't know what to do. He grit his teeth, almost cursing himself for saying something so foolish earlier. If he stayed his tongue, then perhaps he didn't have to do this.
He now had a choice, two of them. He could either stand and do nothing, anger Vittorio and possibly lose his support. Or go back on his words, kneel down and prove to Salia that he was truly under control. Before he could move however, I decided to act.
Moving forward, I knelt and took his hand. I kissed the back of his hand, bowing my head in a show of respect. As unpleasant as this was, it was the only way I could keep both parties happy. Rollo keeps his pride, Vittorio gets shown that the Inquisition is 'subservient' to him.
At least for now. Congratulations, Vittorio Salia…
You'll be the first one I target once I fix this mess of an organization.
Salia just stared, his eyes looking at Rollo before he laughed. "Look at this, even if you deny it your new dog knows your position." Rollo looked at me with a disapproving glance, I stared back at him with my own look of disappointment. As Inquisitors, we need to do whatever it takes to get what we need. There was no pride to be found, no desire in our organization. We were expected to be cold, ruthless, and unyielding.
Of course, that would be nigh-impossible for any man. Man is made with desire, and a man without desire is no man at all. The Inquisition expects monsters out of men, but that is simply impossible.
At least not without a true monster's influence.
In any case, after kneeling, I stood back up and moved a few paces back. I kept myself in the back, feigning shame as Rollo and Vittorio continued on without me. "Regardless, I'll feed you and your organization what you need. Take it as payment for this entertaining little performance you've made." Vittorio said,
"Though, I would like a donation in return." Salia said,
"Yeah, yeah… we'll grant you whatever pardon you want." Rollo said, pushing his glasses up.
With a wide grin, Vittorio sat back and took another sip of his drink. My eyes caught his for but a second, though he didn't seem to notice.
What a troublesome figure you are, Vittorio Salia. To play with fire this much and not burn your hands in an impressive feat. I wonder how far your hand reaches out, I wonder how many you have dancing on your palm…
I wonder what it would take to break you…
I'll know soon enough, but for now…
We have a criminal to catch.
-owo-
"It should be around here," Rollo said, his eyes scanning the map as he made his way into the deeper areas of the slums. This is where the truly downtrodden laid, where the disease-ridden and forgotten ran around in hopes for a better future.
A future that will not come,
Comparing how they treated Rena to how they treated Rollo was like night and day. While Rena commanded respect and admiration through her natural charisma, Rollo had no such thing. He was a logical thinker, avoiding as much attention as possible while taking the safest route. He was cautious, but knows when to take a risk.
The slum dwellers gave us side glances and glares, but none did anything to provoke us two. Was it apathy or was it fear? I didn't know, and knowing how humans behaved it didn't matter. They left us alone, and we left them alone. A mutual understanding to stay out of each other's way was formed, one that I'll respect for now.
"How are we so sure that this is the place? What if Vittorio just has an ambush set up at where we're going?" I asked,
"If Vittorio wanted us dead, he would've killed us when we met him. I hate to admit this much, but our position is at the level where killing us there would've garnered the same result as laying an ambush." Rollo answered,
I nodded in acceptance. Along with that, we were most likely more useful to him alive than dead. As long as we're under his leash, then there's little that we can do. Until we find another source of revenue, we'll have to keep playing by his rules.
What a joke, the organization feared by kings is now being bullied by a small-time gang leader.
How pitiful, this won't do.
"Even still, it's a little risky just trusting his words like this." I commented,
"It's even riskier if we don't. Keeping Vittorio's support is necessary if we want to keep the organization afloat. Until we find another source of revenue, this is all that we can do." Rollo replied,
"You do realize that us collaborating with criminals is something a rival of ours could use to completely destroy our credibility."
"You can't break something that's already broken. Our reputation is already down the gutter, the best we can do now is for us to do whatever it takes to survive."
You say that but you almost blew it by not bowing to Vittorio. You're a confusing man, Rollo. A mixture of pride and logic that meshes as well as vinegar and water. You confuse me, disgust me, and intrigue me all the same. There's a conflict inside of you, that much I can tell. But I wonder what it is that turned you into the man I see before me.
Let's see if I can pry a little…
"Can I ask you a question?" I said.
"Is it relevant to the mission?" He asked,
"In a way,"
"Then save it for later, we're nearing the location."
I sighed, ah well. I'll shelf these questions of mine for now. We have a duty to fulfill after all. Looking at the building before us, I can barely make out that this is an in. The reason why I can barely make it out as one is because its in such a state of disrepair that I cannot for the life of me imagine anyone lying here, much less sleeping here.
I looked at Rollo, he looked to me in return.
"So what's the plan, Sir Rollo." I said with a small joking grin. He deadpanned at me.
"Did Rena teach you that stupid smirk or are you two of the same breed?" He asked,
"I learn quickly," is my response. Sighing, he turned towards the inn before he spoke.
"Do you see any potential openings for escape?" Rollo asked, his eyes turning to me. I looked around, checking every corner before I spotted a few. A window there, a broken piece of wood near the side. Telling Rollo this, he nodded before he turned to the roof of a nearby building. "Get on that roof and if anyone leaves, go catch them. You can at least do that much, right?"
I deadpanned, nodding as I did. If that's all I had to do then so be it. "Will you be alright on your own,"
He simply nodded, huffing slightly before he turned to the inn. "This isn't the first time I've had to catch someone on my own; it most certainly won't be the last." Was his answer.
I blinked at that; that's a lot of confidence you've got. In that case, I guess I'll put my faith in him. Nodding, I moved into position. The plan was alright, it could be more effective with more people, but with me here, this should do the trick. Sitting just by outside, away from the inn's view but close enough to hear I looked up and watched.
Rollo burst into the room, immediately getting the attention of the entire room towards him. In a loud voice, he spoke. "I am Inquisitor Rollo, I am currently looking for a man named Charon! None of you are allowed to leave until either I have confirmed that he isn't here, or until I know which of you it is!"
I deadpanned… that was… a little too direct. If I didn't know who he was, it'd be pretty intimidating. Fortunately, none of the people inside seemed to know him. I guess that in the slums, were people were mostly ignorant, the diminished state of the Inquisition isn't so apparent. A wry grin came to my face, we're using their ignorance as a weapon. How utterly crude…
"I have men stationed outside, ready to apprehend anyone who dares to run."
If by men you mean one guy, then yes. Nice bluff Rollo, even if it'd only work on the ignorant within the inn.
Still, I listened as his voice got softer. No one dared to move, all were frozen in place. I guess Rollo could be scary if he wanted to, or was it just due to our reputation? Regardless, no one who truly knew of our diminished state would understand that we had little power. If they decided to all collectively leave, we wouldn't be able to do anything.
I kept looking on, watching before suddenly…
My eyes moved up, just above the inn; a figure crawled out of the window. Then another one, and then another… A total of three people, all wearing cloaks and all dressed in the same wear. I understood it immediately, decoys… Charon is a smart man.
It was possible that none of them was Charon, and that the man had already left through an unknown secret exit that we would have no knowledge of. But right now, I couldn't take the risk. If that was the case, then there was no way we would've caught him.
Best settle for one of his lackeys then, and if we're lucky, then the man himself.
I watched the three as they moved. One stumbled down, slipping on a ledge and almost falling off; another skilfully climbed up the rooftops before they made their move. The last one stood still, looking around before they moved down onto the ground.
They all ran in separate directions. I clicked my tongue, looks I have to choose amongst the three. With my choice made, I moved.
I followed him through the streets and alleys, tailing from behind so as to not be seen. However, I might've made a slight mistake. I didn't know exactly what happened, but the man suddenly began to move more skillfully, a sudden jump in abilities. Okay, looks like I'll have to go all out for now.
Getting up on the roof I followed from above as he made his way to an alley. When he turned the corner, I swept into action. Dropping down, I landed right in front of him. He paused, yelping slightly and startled by my presence. I didn't let up, I moved in to apprehend him, but…
I had to admit, this Charon guy was good. He managed to dodge my every strike, and let out his own counters here and there. When he came in to throw a punch, I ducked under it before I pushed my palm onto his chest and pushed him to the wall. He struggled, swinging at me but I managed to grab it with my other hand.
All those years of back breaking training was finally paying off. Thanks Old Man, that really saved me a lot of headaches.
"Nowhere left to go, surrender." I told him,
He continued to struggle. Sigh, look my guy, I'm not trying to hurt you anymore than I need to. I'm not even sure if you're the guy I'm after, but better safe than sorry. Moving my other hand to his hood, I pulled it off to get a better look at him.
Now, let's see what this apparently infamous thief looks like. Not so crafty now, huh, you absolute son of a-
…
…
Okay, out of everything perhaps I should've expected this. Either one he's one of the most feminine boys I've ever seen, or two, she's a woman.
Okay…
One way to find out.
"Kya!" She yelled out, "Y-You Pervert!"
"Sorry, I just had to make sure that you're a woman," I said blankly. Look, I had to check somehow. Just be glad that you barely have anything on that chest of yours that I could check.
Okay, confirmed, she's a woman. I can barely feel the two mounds on her chest but it's definitely there. Poor girl, she's as flat as they come. But Charon was said to be a man. So it's possible that she isn't the one I was looking for and I just captured some random woman. Still affiliated, most likely, but not the culprit.
Lost in thought, she elbowed me and got away. I didn't pursue, instead placing my hands in my pockets. There was no need to catch her, not yet… letting a petty criminal like her go wouldn't mean much for now.
Taking a deep breath, I went back to the Inn. Once I was there, I was met with a less-than-pleased Rollo. Crossing his arms, he looked at me with a slight look of disappointment on his face. Oddly enough, it didn't seem to be directed at me but rather at himself.
"I'm guessing he got away," He said,
I only nodded, unable to say anything. With a sigh, he massaged his temples before he spoke.
"It's my fault, Charon's one of the craftiest criminals in the slums." He said, turning to me before he spoke up. "I should've come up with a better plan,"
Yeah, you should've. Honestly, it was pretty solid considering that it was just the two of us. "So what now,"
"We return empty-handed, there's nothing we can do. He'll be laying low for a while, and we can't risk Salia getting more power over us." He said, turning to the streets before he started walking. "Come on, we have to fulfill our end of the bargain."
I only nodded at that,
-owo-
"Well, what a sour look you two have on." Vittorio Salia commented, his eyes scanning our bodies before Rollo just furrowed his brows.
Here we are again, in the small-time restaurant he's stationed in. He wasn't eating anything this time, merely sitting on his chair with a punchable look on his face. Looks like our sour looks was enough of a meal for the man.
"Regardless of your performance, I gave you accurate information regarding the man. Your failure to catch him was your own." He said, a grin forming on his face as he leaned forward. "I am expecting my due."
Rollo sighed, taking out a piece of paper before he spoke. "What crimes do you need pardoned."
"Crime is such a strong word… I like the term misunderstanding more. After all, I'm merely clearing up a few misunderstandings with the Order." Salia said,
"Then what misunderstandings should we get cleared up," Rollo said, his tone getting sharper and more irritated. If I was in his position, I'd probably be seething.
Actually, I already kind of am. This man has made his way into my shit list and I've barely even known him. Amazing, Vittorio, you've managed to crack the top 10. As a prize, I'll be sure to give you a proper send-off when you retire.
Salia smiled, snapping his fingers. As he did, a girl moved up and gave him a piece of paper. I widened my eyes, it was the same girl from before. She was now dressed in formal clothing, something fit for a maid. My eyes narrowed. The two of them seemed a little close.
"Thank you, Lia." He said with a small smile before his eyes turned to me. "Oh, are you interested in Lia here? Is that not unbecoming of an Inquisitor?" Vittorio said,
Ah… I was staring a little too much. I took my eyes off, bowing in apology. With a satisfied look, he then turned to Rollo before he handed him the paper. "I want all of the crimes listed here pardoned."
Rollo said nothing, merely looking at the paper and grimacing. With a slow nod, he agreed to have the terms signed. Looking at the crimes he wanted pardoning, I narrowed my eyes. Embezzlement, cases of banditry, contact with the monsters, and possession of contraband materials. We didn't really have much of a choice, did we?
The Inquisition's purpose was to be the one who did the dirty work. While the heroes fought the monsters and took the glory, we worked in the shadows to fight the darkness. At least… that's what their purpose was anyways. Just now I'm reminded of how much of that darkness could consume the Inquisition. That vision, the idea that we fight in the darkness is false. We play by their rules, we fight in their home, we are at a disadvantage.
Sometimes, we just let that darkness slip by.
"If that's all, then you should all leave. You'll disturb the rest of the tenants." Vittorio said,
With nothing left to say or do, Rollo and I reluctantly left. I took one last glance at the building, my eyes narrowing before I sighed and moved. Vittorio Salia, that name brings a bitter taste to my mouth.
He definitely has the slums under his control, how much of it? I'm not so sure.
How droll… is this the depths of Lescatie's darkness? No, it's merely just the surface.
Salia is merely an ant to the worms who maneuver in Lescatie's highest echelons. You're playing with fire here, Vittorio Salia, but you're a lot more clever than you appear to be. You've set up the game and shown us the overwhelming disadvantage we're in. You kept your operations small enough to not get the attention of lions while you kept them big enough to threaten the ants.
Very clever, Vittorio.
If this is how you want to play then so be it. I'll play your game, I'll be your opponent.
Let's see how well you do against me,
That officially ended my first day as Inquisitor here in Lescatie.
Author's Notes:
Okay, that took longer than I thought.
So uh, hey! Wham0 here! Writing this took some time but I'm satisfied with how it turned out. It took a while to figure out how to characterize a few people, but I think I did a good job.
First things first, Vittorio Salia… he's a bastard, but he's super fun to write. He'll act as the main antagonistic force in the first few arcs. He won't be prominent for a while, but I wanted to showcase how much power he holds right now.
Secondly, on the issue of the monsters. So uh… confession, the monsters won't show up for a while. As I said before, this is an Order Centric Fic and for now, I want to explore the political and intrigue side of Lescatie before getting into the monster bits. They'll show up eventually, considering that this is taking place around the same era when Lescatie fell. But for now, it's just Ciel and the Inquisition.
The canon chars are actually gonna show up soon, technically one already has. Well, at least one of them is. As for who... you'll see...
But yeah, that should end the set up phase of the story. I'll try to get the next one out asap.
In any case, that's all for now. Make sure to leave a review, criticisms, reactions, etc. Feedback would be much appreciated, seeing as how I'm relatively new to political thriller-type stories.
Anyways, have a nice day!
Whamo out!