Chapter 33 - Coffee and Tea

Passing through the open gates of an estate in Whitehare Crescent, an officer with ash blonde hair and a youthful face sighed as he once again walked up the stairs to the stately double doors of the Zhao Manor.

His name was Finn Mackenzie, a young man born and raised in the north side of Noga. He had a thin, angular jaw and delicate eyebrows. His expression was often one of good humour, except for his eyes which held a cold analytical quality to them, even when he laughed. He wore the typical slate grey Noga police uniform; Polished black boots, pressed pants, a double breasted coat with two lines of white buttons, and a thick leather belt with a silver buckle. His hat was short, made of felt with a shallow front brim. On his left breast and the front of the cap was the metal crest of the police force, a sword piercing a mountain range.

He had just completed his basic training and had requested to join Forensics or Homicide. As he was top of his class, he was certain he would receive at least one of his top choices. However, due to reasons unknown to him he had been assigned to the Domestic Violence and Missing Persons unit.

 He had filed complaints and met personally with the Chiefs of both Forensics and Homicide, but his efforts were in vain. It had gotten to the point that the department sent him a letter telling him to accept the placement, or quit. He had relented with disgust.

“Do a good job in the first six months and I’ll try to get you transferred.” The Chief of Forensics, who had taken a liking to him, had told him. Finn had been so angry at the time that he walked out of the building without even saluting.

Thus even before his first day on the force he had already gained the reputation of a trouble maker.

He’d been stuck doing odd jobs and minor cases for the first five months in the DVMP, but finally at the end of last week he’d been called into the DVMP Chief Luan’s office and given a proper assignment. The “Cloud Peak Monastery” case for missing persons was his first major case. The task given to him was simple - interview the leads that they had on the case.

It was technically his own case, since he was the one to bring up the connection in the first place. It had come to him in an epiphany born out of reading and filing countless hundreds of reports as part of the menial tasks assigned to him as a new member of the department. The theory had been accepted by the Chief with thoughtful hesitation. Apparently it was good enough to catch the Chief’s interest, since he ended up putting Finn in charge.

Unfortunately, even though it was only two days in Finn had already made a bad impression on Chief Luan. Of the three leads he’d investigated the day before, two of them had no additional information outside of what was already on file, and the last one was a monk who he chased after for the entire afternoon, apparently just missing him at each location. His end of day report was met with a dissatisfied grunt and a lecture on working hard and how the Chief expected more out of him. 

Now he was back. Not because he particularly thought this was a good lead, but because it was the only lead that had any promise at all.

A young maid opened the door, her eyes lighting up as she recognized him from the previous day.

“Oh, officer!” She said, “You’re back again.”

“Good morning. Yes, I’d like to inquire if Edwin Mak is around this morning?”

“Actually yes! He came back late yesterday afternoon. Please come in.”

Late yesterday afternoon? Finn sighed inwardly. So if I came around here before returning to the station, I would have saved myself a scolding from the Chief... 

Hiding his frustration, he smiled and removed his cap as he entered the manor.

“Please take a seat in the sitting room. I will call Edwin down for you. Would you like a tea? Or coffee?”

“I’ll take a coffee, please.” Finn smiled while hiding his surprise at the offering. Coffee was an expensive imported treat that he had only read of in novels involving people of high culture. For them to serve such a refreshment to a guest, this really was the manor of a tycoon.

“Sugar and cream?” The maid asked.

“Please. One each.” He nodded and smiled. He had no idea what it meant but followed the convention set by his education in detective and romance novels.

“Absolutely. Please make yourself comfortable.” The maid smiled and gestured to a finely furnished sitting room.

Two plush satin couches with curved wood frames sat at angles facing an elegantly carved dinette. The top of the table was polished to a sheen and crafted out of a single piece of wood. It had a grain that was tumultuous and full of knots, yet without any major cracks or deformities to blemish the interesting appearance.

Finn took a seat on the couch, acting reserved and comfortable in perhaps the most extravagant environment he had ever stepped foot in. His eyes kept glancing down at the table as he calculated in his head just how much such a piece of furniture would cost. Two hundred marks? Five hundred??

The entire sitting room, which was larger than his apartment was equally splendidly furnished. He looked down at the rug, wondering if by stepping on it with his boots he had sullied a tapestry worth more than his entire year’s salary.

Prior to his initial visit to Sansen Zhao’s manor, Finn had researched the nature of the tycoon’s business and wealth. The sixty-five year old man was a big name in overseas trade. His business, North Kumin Imported, specialized in exotic textiles, furniture and crafts. He owned several offices and warehouses in both Seline Harbour and Noga City, as well as two mansions other than this one.

In more recent years he had taken an interest in local politics and had started increasing his presence in high society, leaving the brunt of the company’s administration to his right hand man, Corbin Nao.

A sound at a set of double doors behind him shook him out of his thoughts. He turned around to see a young man with a shaved head and a round face. His brown eyes were friendly and a bit small. He was athletically built, one hundred seventy five centimeters tall, with a balanced build. He wore earthy brown robes characteristic of the Huan monks. He was escorted by a different maid than the one who had greeted Finn at the door. Undoubtedly this was Edwin Mak, whom Finn had been searching for.

Finn stood up with a professional smile as he held out his hand.

“Edwin Mak, thank you for meeting with me. My name is Finn Mackenzie, I’m with the Department of Missing Persons.” 

Edwin received the handshake, though he had a stiffness to him that suggested he was not familiar with the greeting. “Yes, thank you.”

Edwin sat down on the other couch diagonally across from Finn, looking a bit nervous. Finn chalked it up to unfamiliarity with speaking to police officers. Finn deliberately caught the monk’s eyes with his own and gave a reaffirming smile to try to calm him.

“You can relax, I’m here to ask some questions and help you find your master.”

“Right.” Edwin nodded, not looking any more at ease.

“First, information about yourself. How old are you, where are you from, when did you arrive in Noga, who did you come with and what is the reason for your visit?”

Finn listed off the questions in a relaxed manner, as if having a friendly chat. Edwin took a second to process the questions before replying.

“I’m fifteen, from XiaoDu in Huan. I’m a monk at the Heavens Gate Monastery in ZhongShan. I came alone about two weeks ago to meet with my Master.”

“You’re only fifteen?” Finn asked with a hint of surprise. He had guessed the boy would be at least eighteen due to his height and build. On second thought, his mannerisms did seem awkward and more fitting to his age. Finn re-evaluated his initial impression of the monk based on this new information. “And you made the journey to Noga by yourself?”

“Ah, that’s not entirely true.” Edwin said, “I traveled here with a merchant who was good friends with my Master. They dropped me off at a temple in the city which lets me stay there for free since I’m from Heavens Gate.”

“But currently you’re staying here at the Zhao manner?” Finn asked. He wasn’t sure what kind of relationship the monk had with the tycoon, but if Edwin was looking for his master it would make more sense to stay at a temple where his master could find him.

Yet another maid arrived bearing a tray with a white ceramic cup filled with a rich brown beverage. A drizzle of milk at the top formed a delicate design of a leaf. Also on the tray was a glass of with a lighter, creamy drink.

“Your coffee, officer.” The maid smiled politely as she set down a paper doily and set the cup on top. “And a milk tea for you, Edwin.”

“Thank you,” Edwin smiled at the maid, who wasn’t too old or plain in looks. After taking a sip of the drink with a satisfied look on his face, Edwin turned back to Finn, “Ah, sorry, what was your question?”

“Nevermind.” Finn said, coming to an understanding.

“Tell me about your Master, then. His position in the monastery, his purpose for visiting Noga, and what the plan was once you arrived.”

“My Master’s name is Ming Ru. He is responsible for the martial training of the monks at the monastery. He is well known as many of his students run successful security companies. Also, he is often invited as a guest instructor for the police forces across Huan.”

Finn nodded while taking a sip of the coffee. There was a bitter taste to the drink that was pleasant, balanced out by the creamy and sweet elements. There was a richness to it that he had never experienced before. Is this what the characters in my books experience in their daily lives? He thought as he nodded to himself. As for what Edwin was saying, the information was nothing new to him. In fact, he had a deeper understanding of Ming Ru from his own research. Still, there was value from hearing it directly from the monk.

“Master came to Noga early in order to make arrangements for me. He sent a letter when he arrived, but no one’s heard from him since. He said that there were special preparations that had to be done ahead of time, and that the Abbott at the Cloud Peak Monastery had managed to find a special ingredient that was necessary for the ceremony. So he arrived about a month ago to meet with the Abbott and ensure that everything was in order.”

“What ceremony is that?” Finn asked.

“My initiation ceremony to Candidate of the Spirit Chain Path.”