Chapter 94: The Lieutenant and the Sergeant
Upon hearing Ain's words, Lieutenant Hyfer abruptly straightened in his chair, staring intently at Ain. The earlier casualness and laziness disappeared, replaced by an oppressive air as he smiled menacingly. "Kid, uttering nonsense, especially for a law enforcement officer, can have severe consequences."
A heavy pressure suddenly bore down on Ain's mind and soul, stifling his thoughts. He was on the verge of losing control of his body when cold sweat began forming on his forehead. But just as he was about to collapse, the pressure lifted, restoring peace to his world. His gaze, which had unknowingly fallen to the floor, slowly refocused on Lieutenant Hyfer.
Ain realized the vast disparity in their ranks, but despite this, he was determined to continue. He couldn't abandon the cat and pups. "If you help me, I'll tell you what I know," Ain said with unwavering resolve.
"You've deliberately concealed important information from the Law Enforcement Agency. Do you think I can't just apprehend you and make you talk?" Elric said in a threatening tone, though the intensity in his eyes had diminished drastically.
At this moment, the blue-haired officer with glasses standing beside Lieutenant Hyfer intervened, cutting through the tension. "Alright, Lieutenant, you've had your fun. Stop giving him a hard time."
"What do you mean 'fun'? I just wanted to see if the kid was telling the truth," Elric replied with a smirk as his posture relaxed.
The spectacled man turned to Ain with a smile. "Let me apologize for the Lieutenant. He didn't mean any harm. I am Sergeant Lunabrooke, by the way."
Ain nodded at Sergeant Lunabrooke and then faced Lieutenant Hyfer, who added, "And you can call me Lieutenant Hyfer. Like Lucas said, don't take it to heart. I was just testing you. You really are something to try and make a deal with the Law Enforcement Agency."
Lieutenant Hyfer chuckled and observed Ain, who still frowned. He continued, "I have a personal grudge against the Order of Blood Origin now. I'll give you a chance. Let's hope your clue is worth it."
With that, he glanced at Sergeant Lunabrooke and gestured toward Ain with a chin gesture, saying, "Help him, Lucas."
"In the end, it falls on me, huh?" Sergeant Lunabrooke complained half-heartedly.
"I'm injured, can't you see?" Lieutenant Hyfer shrugged.
"Alright, your name was Ain Weisman, right? I'll call you Ain. Just wait here for a moment. I'll go check the surveillance footage."
With those words, Sergeant Lunabrooke departed, and Ain felt a sense of relief as the sudden progress in the situation lightened his mood. His expression became more neutral, and as another individual approached the reports desk to report an incident, Ain moved to a secluded corner to wait for Sergeant Lunabrooke. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Hyfer, bored, picked up his chair and followed along.
As they settled into their new location, Lieutenant Hyfer asked Ain, "So, what were you doing at the tavern that day? You don't look like the tavern type."
Ain glanced at him and noted the striking contrast in Lieutenant Hyfer's demeanor from the tavern. At the tavern, the lieutenant had exuded an imposing and ruthless aura that had left an indelible impression on the onlookers.
"I was returning from a trip outside," Ain replied briefly. There was no need to conceal this information since he had already revealed his presence at the scene, and his tracks could be easily traced.
Ain's emotions were complex at the moment. He hadn't felt this way since the first time he regained consciousness after the Bloodpoint Incident that had orphaned him. Even the time when he found the pups couldn't compare.
Just yesterday, he had learned that the Order of Blood Origin was targeting him, and this fact had weighed heavily on his mind, leading him to speculate whether it was connected to his current situation.
Of course, the main source of his complexity was the cat and the pups. This void reminded him of his lonely childhood and stirred long-forgotten emotions. The initial negative response from the reports desk and the previous stance of Lieutenant Hyfer added fuel to the fire.
Ain's impression of Lieutenant Hyfer was far from favorable at the moment, but he needed the assistance of the Law Enforcement Agency. So he swallowed his displeasure and continued with the conversation.
The conversation carried on as Sergeant Hyfer probed further. As Ain grew increasingly impatient with the probing and leading questions, Sergeant Lunabrooke returned. He projected a screen from his hololink and displayed a video.
Ain recognized the location in the video—it was the park adjacent to his apartment building. In the video, three figures passed by, engaged in casual conversation. The video then fast-forwarded, stopping just in time to show the three figures returning along the same path. However, unlike before, they were now carrying a large sack and some alchemy instruments.
The culprits hadn't even made an effort to hide their faces, making Sergeant Lunabrooke's task much easier.
"So, who are they?" Lieutenant Hyfer asked Sergeant Lunabrooke, observing Ain's focused gaze on the sack in the culprits' hands.
"They're from Viper Beast Provisions. Ain, you should be familiar with this name," Sergeant Lunabrooke said meaningfully.
Ain averted his gaze from the holographic screen and asked, "Bruce Hawtin?"
"Exactly. Bruce Hawtin was a member of Viper Beast Provisions. He attacked you before you reached Rank-0, and he was arrested and imprisoned for it. This was likely an act of revenge by his colleagues," Sergeant Lunabrooke explained.
Lieutenant Hyfer raised an eyebrow, prompting Ain to recount the events involving Bruce Hawtin.
"I see. They didn't bother hiding their faces because they believe you can't retaliate," Lieutenant Hyfer concluded.
"Of course he can't. Ain is only an Intermediate Rank-1 Spirit Tamer, whereas Gavric Sorn, the leader of Viper Beast Provisions, is an Advanced Rank-2 Spirit Tamer. Moreover, they have more members who are Rank-1 and Rank-2 Spirit Tamers," Sergeant Lunabrooke added.
Lieutenant Hyfer looked at Ain, who seemed to be contemplating his chances, and then turned to Sergeant Lunabrooke. "Lucas, go with Ain and take care of it. We just happen to be on leave."
Sergeant Lunabrooke nodded with a smile. "Sure."
Upon hearing this, Ain suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. He stared at Lieutenant Hyfer and Sergeant Lunabrooke in surprise. While he had hoped for their assistance in retrieving the cat and the pups, he was ready to propose a different "deal." After all, Ain's "clue" could be a fabrication, for all they knew.
"It's going to be dark soon. Let's depart if you're ready, Ain." Sergeant Lunabrooke patted Ain on the shoulder as he walked past him. Ain turned to follow the figure walking away before briefly turning back to Lieutenant Hyfer, who was still seated in his chair.
"Thank you," Ain said, bowing slightly to express his gratitude to Lieutenant Hyfer before swiftly turning around and following after Sergeant Lunabrooke.
Lieutenant Hyfer watched Ain's retreating figure and muttered to himself, "Lucas, that bastard. He's the one who wanted to test the kid. In the end, I took the blame."
...
After leaving the Law Enforcement Agency, Ain and Sergeant Lunabrooke rode in the latter's rover towards the Viper Beast Provisions' base. Much like Frans, Sergeant Lunabrooke retrieved his rover from a storage ring, providing Ain with further insight into the lives of the wealthy.
Just like the Vaughan family that Frans belonged to, the Lunabrooke family was also one of the three major families in Duskfield City.
The luxurious rover was illuminated by the evening sunlight as it sped through the air. Sergeant Lunabrooke recalled the information he had learned about Ain's performance at Red Oak Spirit Academy. After a moment of contemplation, he smiled and spoke to Ain without turning his head, "Ain, have you decided on your path after graduating?"
Ain glanced at Sergeant Lunabrooke, who was still focused on driving, and responded, "I plan to attend a university." Universities provided the necessary resources and knowledge after graduation.
"Indeed, universities are the most common choice, but they're not the only option. You might find better opportunities elsewhere," Sergeant Lunabrooke remarked.
Ain didn't take long to respond. "The Law Enforcement Agency?"
Sergeant Lunabrooke simply smiled and continued with pride, "The Lieutenant is the most remarkable genius our city has produced recently. He secured second place in the Champions path, with the champion barely edging him out."
"Later, he received a personal invitation from a representative of Saint Heart Arcane University. However, he declined without hesitation and chose to join the Law Enforcement Agency instead."
Ain remembered the overwhelming presence Lieutenant Hyfer had exuded at the tavern during that discussion. He did indeed seem extremely powerful.
Sergeant Lunabrooke added, "Most organizations, whether public or private, allow their members to attend a university concurrently. But that's not the case with the Law Enforcement Agency. You must understand that the Law Enforcement Agency is a direct path to the pinnacle of our Dawnstar Federation. If you're a talented genius, the entire Dawnstar Archipelago is your playground."
At this point, Sergeant Lunabrooke paused, giving Ain time to consider his words. As he expected, Ain's thoughts did shift slightly. Ain's true goal was to acquire resources and opportunities, as long as it aligned with his somewhat ambiguous moral compass. The entire Dawnstar Federation seemed like a far more attractive option than Saint Heart University.
However, Ain didn't take the Sergeant's words at face value. He had limited knowledge of the Dawnstar Federation at large and could be certain that the appealing picture painted in front of him was incomplete. Moreover, within the Sergeant's words, Ain discerned that his freedom would be restricted, which was enough to dampen his growing interest.
"I'll give it some thought," Ain replied after a brief silence. Sergeant Lunabrooke nodded, concluding his subtle recruitment pitch. The journey was short due to the rover's speed, and soon, their destination came into view.
