Chapter 133 – Development

A few days after recruiting her,

Luna officially came to work.

Knock, knock!

The one who revealed herself in Rashid’s office after the knock was her, who had joined as a new attendant this time.

“Um… Inquisitor. Hello. It’s my first day of work, so I came to greet you.”

“It suits you well. Sister Luna.”

She was dressed in a plain nun’s outfit, but she seemed to find her appearance quite unfamiliar.

“Um… Inquisitor. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“You know… do I have to attend a church or something?”

“If you are asking because of the outfit, you don’t have to go to church. I don’t go to weekend services either.”

She was somewhat surprised.

For a person of the Order not to go to weekend services.

“Oh, really? The Inquisitor doesn’t go to services either?”

“I don’t go, but it’s a secret. Because most people think I attend weekend services.”

“Actually, my faith too…”

“Just think of it as a job. I hired you as a magic advisor. There is no need to prove things like faith; just do your job well.”

One question was resolved.

But there was another question.

“Um, Inquisitor. Before coming here, I also went to meet the other inquisitor. That lady.”

“Do you mean Inquisitor Aria? I mentioned it to her, but did she say something to you separately?”

Luna continued speaking, recalling her, who was extremely stiff and businesslike.

“Um… no. Not really, but… I was a bit scared.”

“Scared?”

“Yes, she seemed like a very prickly person.”

Rashid thought that was possible.

Since she was absolutely not a woman who would be warm to anyone.

“It won’t be bad once you adapt. Ah, she especially likes keeping things clean, so just don’t make a mess. You’ll be halfway there just by cleaning well.”

“Cleaning?”

Knowing her usual behavior well, she showed a somewhat troubled look.

“I’m a bit of a messy style…”

“You have things like magic, right? The kind that organizes things on its own.”

“Ah, right. There was such a thing. Hearing that, I definitely must learn it.”

“For minor things while working, you can ask Karl beside you. If you are really curious, you can come find me.”

“Um… the inquisitor I met earlier told me to come find her first if I had questions.”

“You could do that too. But Inquisitor Aria isn’t always in her seat, and how much would you even have to ask? If you have questions, feel free to come find me. Of course, don’t ask about things that are too trivial. Because asking Karl will be more than enough for those.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“And in a bit, there is a place we need to go.”

It was practically the biggest reason he had recruited her.

Rashid spoke as he looked down at his wristwatch.

“Come find me again in 30 minutes. Or I will take you on my way out, so wait outside.”

“Yes, I will.”

She bowed and walked out.

And a short while later,

there was her, visiting without fail.

“I saw the newly hired attendant. She felt like a Magic Tower advisor.”

“How does she look?”

“She showed a somewhat clumsy side, but she looked good-natured, so it wasn’t bad. By the way, she is Professor Kane’s teaching assistant; did you hire her knowing that?”

“That is why I hired her.”

“Since I also have some knowledge in magic, I asked her a few things.”

She continued speaking while looking around the interior that had no place in particular to tidy up.

“She seemed to have the skills to be kept as an attendant.”

“Her skills should be better than yours, though? Magically speaking.”

“Better than mine?”

Pushing up her glasses slightly, she hid her displeased tone.

“I will pretend I didn’t hear what you just said. Since my skills are not inferior to anyone else’s either.”

“It’s a joke. Anyway, I will assume you liked her.”

Having nothing more to say, she exited just like that without another word.

A short while later,

when Luna returned, Rashid took her and headed to where Kaiser was.

Arriving at the Inquisition Bureau’s basement confinement facility.

Luna looked startled at the interior facility, which was completely different from what she had heard.

“Is this… really the basement facility of the Inquisition Bureau?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“From what I knew… I heard it was a place where screams never ceased due to torture.”

Rashid smiled faintly.

“There indeed was a time like that.”

What should he call the scenery seen now?

A men’s hideout?

It was a space whose identity could not be fathomed at all, lined with so many recreational devices that it was safe to call it their playground.

“Do you not do things like torture here? That kind of image is somewhat stuck with me…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Because it is a place far removed from such things.”

“I thought it was an extremely scary place, so that is a relief…”

Rashid, just in case, told her this.

“In case the person you meet now attempts to win you over, you can ignore it entirely.”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“Just as I recruited you. That fellow might also be coveting you.”

“Pardon? Me?”

The two soon arrived and stood where Kaiser was.

“Oh? This person is…”

“You know him, right? He’s the Party Representative. You must have seen him a few times.”

Kaiser recognized Luna.

“That kid… no, it is her. Professor Kane’s teaching assistant.”

Kaiser offered a greeting while smiling gently with his eyes.

“Nice to meet you. I am Wolfgang Kaiser, the representative of the Golden Age Party. We met a few times before, right?”

“Yes… I remember.”

Rashid, who introduced the two, told her this before leaving the spot.

“It’s your first mission. Hear the detailed story from him. And don’t forget what I said. What I said while coming here earlier.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“If you want to return, you can find the nearby investigators and tell them. Well, I shall go ahead first.”

He also threw a small warning to Kaiser.

“Only say what is absolutely necessary. Don’t say weird things.”

“Haha, what kind of weird things are you saying I would speak? Anyone hearing would misunderstand.”

As Rashid departed like that,

as if waiting for this, Kaiser broached the subject.

“How much?”

“Pardon?”

Luna was flustered.

“What are you suddenly saying?”

“For how much did he hire you? Just come to me. I will give you double the amount he offered.”

To think he would come out like this from the very start.

“N-No way. The Inquisitor said absolutely not.”

“Will a Magic Tower person even adapt to a place like this? Well, let me hear the amount. How much did he hire you for?”

“It’s…”

“I will keep it a secret, so you just need to tell me the amount.”

“10,000… credits.”

“10,000? Oh crap… how does that church guy have so much money.”

The amount he had thought to be around 1,000 was over 10 times more.

Thinking about it in many ways, he soon judged it to be impossible,

and Kaiser brought up the story he originally intended to speak.

“A pity. Let’s speak of this again later. Lately my influence has declined, so my financial leeway isn’t what it used to be.”

The Guild Federation was no longer on the side of the Golden Age Party.

Because they were now pushing more for the Iron Blood Party, which was led by the military.

“Did you hear why you came here?”

“No. I haven’t heard the story yet.”

“It’s simple. You came because of the Arcane Flower.”

“The Arcane Flower? That was what the Professor previously…”

“The recipe did pass over to us. But he didn’t tell us the core process. Therefore, we need someone who can tell us that core process.”

Kaiser’s people were standby nearby.

They were experts within the party who were involved in the Arcane Flower manufacturing.

“They are all experts too. But the reality is they can’t even guess the process Professor Kane didn’t tell us.”

Kaiser continued.

“There is only one thing you need to help with. Finding that process the Professor didn’t tell us, together with us.”

Luna looked around the cluttered surroundings.

Unlike other places, this place was like a laboratory.

“Um… about the Arcane Flower. By any chance, are you planning to manufacture it here?”

Kaiser responded as if it were natural.

“Yes, we are going to make it here.”

Luna was so surprised she covered her mouth with her hand.

To think they would manufacture a mana bomb in the basement of the Inquisition Bureau.

“If you are Professor Kane’s chief disciple, it should probably be possible. Is it possible?”

What on earth is the identity of this place called the Inquisition Bureau basement?

Such a thought would not leave her mind.

* * *

A few days after that,

Knock, knock, knock!

Revealing herself after the knock was Luna, with dark circles deeply settled under her eyes.

That she, whom it had been hard to see since that day, returned carried its own meaning.

“Did you succeed?”

He asked filled with expectation, but the returning answer was slightly disappointing.

“Um… Inquisitor. There is one thing I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Because I don’t think I properly heard the reason for making it.”

“Did Kaiser not tell you anything? Why we are making it.”

“Yes, he didn’t tell me. I did ask him, but I only received the answer to ask the inquisitor.”

The Arcane Flower.

In reality, it didn’t have a good image.

“It’s simple. I plan to blow this up with it.”

Rashid showed her the giant gate structure printed in the newspaper.

“Here? Why here…”

“It’s the dimensional gate the Dharma Mage Division is taking the lead in building.”

“Why are you trying to blow this up?”

“According to my investigation, they say this opens a dimensional gate. Connecting to a completely different world. Could you tolerate something like this? That is why I plan to blow it up.”

“Is that a problem?”

She asked back.

“It could be a good thing, couldn’t it? If it connects to another world, surely…”

Rashid shook his head.

“Have you never thought about this? The thought that a disaster might cross over through that gate.”

“A disaster?”

“That disaster could cross over to this world and bring destruction. No one knows.”

“That may be so, but still, aren’t you viewing it too conclusively?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Rashid continued in a tone filled with conviction.

“The Dharma Mage Division is currently completely seized by the one named Zodiac. This gate is being built under his leadership, and its intention is highly suspicious. I can tell you this for sure. This gate is definitely wrong.”

Dejected, she asked.

“What I am doing right now is surely a good deed, right? Actually, I am scared. Back then, helping the Professor was also something I forced myself to do, even though I knew it was all bad.”

Rashid, understanding her concern, continued speaking to persuade her.

“I know what you are worried about, but I tell you there will absolutely be nothing to worry about.”

She pondered for a long time, then soon showed a look of acceptance.

“Then I will believe you. Because I believe the Inquisitor is a good person.”

“I tell you it is absolutely not something you will regret. More importantly, did you complete it? Or do you still need more time? If you need more, I have no choice but to go find the Face Changer now. Because the gate will be completed before long.”

“Actually, I did improve it further than before. If my assumption is correct, the explosive power will be 10 times more powerful than before.”

“By as much as 10 times?”

“Yes… is it a bit high? Shall I lower it?”

It was good.

However, there seemed to be no need to share this with Kaiser.

“Let’s do this. Make that 10-times bomb now. And give Kaiser the Arcane Flower with the old explosive power. Can you help me in this way?”

“Controlling the power is possible, but is there another reason?”

“While I am naturally doing it for the grand cause, that fellow will use it extremely privately. Since it will just be for localized terror anyway, there’s no need to present him a bomb with 10 times the original destructive power.”

She did not seem to deliberate.

“Yes, then I will do so.”