Chapter 24: Security Bureau
Silence enveloped the interrogation room as the high officials within it were staring at Alastair with a shocked expressions plastered on their faces. Well, it was understandable as Alastair simply broke through the Acheron's chains which were something they were proud of. They probably needed time to adapt and take in the information, which was only about a second.
The chief of the security bureau furrowed his eyebrows as he stood up and looked seriously at Alastair right in the eyes. If needed, he was supposed to be the reinforcements in case the dark spirit was too powerful for the cavalry to handle. He was relatively satisfied that the dark spirit got captured, but from how things were.
It appears that the dark spirit before them wasn't a simple one.
"What are you trying to do?" The chief questioned with a calm voice as the high officials looked at Alastair with serious and cold expressions. The Acheron's chains were less effective, meaning that defeating or detaining dark spirits would become a lot harder from now on. The price of such chains would probably fall if such news came out.
Upon hearing the words of the chief, Alastair gazed upon them with an emotionless expression and replied. "Didn't I already tell you? I am going to show you, not tell you. My actions should mean a simple thing, correct? I hope that all of you will understand it."
Her words echoed throughout the interrogation room as the chief himself sighed. The chief shook his head and thought to himself. 'The Acheron's chains are extremely powerful. Not even the strongest dark spirits can escape them. So her escaping from it could mean many things.'
'Specifically, she is powerful enough to easily break it, or she isn't even a dark spirit.'
'Wouldn't that mean that this is simply a misunderstanding?' Such was the last thought which passed through his mind. While standing up, he looked Alastair right in the eye and slightly bowed. He then uttered with a calm and apologetic tone. "We apologize for the misunderstanding. It appears that you aren't a dark spirit. We were jumping to conclusions for no reason."
From the words of the chief, the high officials in the interrogation room quickly understood the situation. The one who they captured was nothing more than a strange spirit. They were simply jumping to conclusions based on a single word from the guard. They didn't even bother testing the allegations.
All of them sighed upon this unwanted failure. The situation before the high officials resulted from their lack of security or anything essential to capturing dark spirits. They were unprepared, and many high officials like them panicked, not knowing what to do.
The danger of the dark spirits was something not to be trifled with. Each of their attacks was rare, but it brought upon decimation cities had never seen before. Devouring spirits left and right, getting stronger through a vast massacre. The dark spirits simply didn't have a good reputation in the cities of the realm.
One after another, the high officials walked out of the interrogation room. There was no need for them to stay in the room as the chief of the security bureau would handle the problem for them. Meanwhile, back in the interrogation room, Alastair sat back while the chief kept staring at her.
After a while of gazing at the alleged dark spirit, the chief shook his head and questioned with a calm voice. "Miss, did you come from the capital? You seemed to be someone from it. Are you on vacation in the outskirts?" Such were simple questions, and they brought upon information Alastair needed.
"I am from the capital, but I rarely go out and mostly stay inside my home due to a condition," Alastair answered with her soothing voice as the chief raised an eyebrow and replied. "You have a condition?" After the chief had uttered such words, Alastair knew that it was a success.
What she was doing was controlling the information escaping from her mouth, resulting in a controlled question related to the information. She would have to be extremely broad and not concentrate on a single piece of information for flexibility. With this, she might even gain more knowledge from the chief.
"Correct, since birth, I tend to release a strange miasma that most could consider as poisonous. Of course, such an ability doesn't relate to the dark spirits, but even then, misunderstandings and fear can bring a certain level of understanding, known as a sheep's fear."
Alastair answered as she had finally brought upon the reason of her ability. With the information of not going out since birth, she could avoid being asked about the landmarks in the capital, which was something she didn't know. It was quite a good plan to prevent problems from the security bureau.
"I see... Isn't that unfortunate. So did you leave the capital to explore the entire realm?" The chief questioned as Alastair answered without much of a hesitation. "Yes, I wanted to explore the realm as being inside for so long gave me bad social skills. I tend to be cold and straightforward, so I hope you don't mind."
"No, no, I don't mind. It appears that you and your maid got lost and managed to find this city. We apologize for the disrespectful greeting, especially for a spirit from the capital." The chief wryly smiled as he was already sitting down since the first question escaped his mouth.
"You don't need to apologize. I'm quite used to it. Your reaction was better than most as many others decided to use violence when meeting me." Alastair thought that she needed to stop as giving more information would create the plotholes she wouldn't want to exist.
"As you and your maid got lost, you probably don't have any money. Since you don't go outside, the concept of money must be hard for you to understand. So with this in mind, as the apology for the allegations and bringing you here to the interrogation room."
"The charges of not paying the toll fee will be dropped."
Upon hearing his words, Alastair couldn't help but get elated. Though she kept her emotionless expression, she didn't want to express much of her reaction. Alastair then tilted her head with a smile as she said with a tranquil tone. "Thank you, I will be waiting for my entourage in the coming days. I will pay the toll fee after they arrive."
"It appears that we have reached the conclusion of this problem. Shall we leave this interrogation room?" The chief asked as he stood upon and brought upon his buff hand. Alastair grabbed his hand and left her chair as they exited the interrogation room. That was a long one, but Alastair gained a lot of information.
As she exited the interrogation room, Alastair could notice the large amounts of spirits within the security bureau. It appears that they were expecting something to occur in the interrogation room. Upon seeing such a scene, the chief furrowed his eyebrows and yelled.
"What the hell are all of you doing?"
"The young miss simply faced a false allegation. The Acheron's chains are ineffective to her, meaning that she doesn't have any trace of the corruption. Drop that act as she is a visitor from the capital." His yell echoed throughout the hall as the spirits within it had immediately stopped themselves.
They looked at each other as they dropped the act of hostility towards Alastair. They then continued doing their job and simply ignored the entire thing that had happened before. Alastair couldn't help but get a little bit astonished at how fast the spirits had changed their reactions to her.
The chief then looked back at Alastair and apologized. "I am sorry for that. It appears that they didn't hear the news from the officials who came out of the interrogation room." Upon hearing his words, Alastair shook her head and replied. "There is no need to apologize. I can understand their reaction and their fear."
"You really are understanding. I hope we meet again." The chief waved his hand towards Alastair as he walked to the stairs. He had a lot of things to do, and Alastair understood that. He was, after all, the chief of the security bureau. With this sizeable city, a lot of things must be happening.
As the figure of the chief had entirely disappeared, Alastair slowly walked towards the entrance of the bureau. It was time for her to leave and meet up with Soteria. Alastair wondered what kind of information Soteria would get as despite being in interrogation, Alastair got a lot of essential information.
While walking in the reception area, Alastair thought about the information she had received. 'The capital, the outskirts, and this city. From the words of the chief, I am in a nation. That would mean that in this realm, countries exist. It's not that different from my old world, but it might be bigger and more interesting.'
'I already expected the existence of nations, but I hope for it to only stay as city-states. That would be easier to conquer. Unfortunately, I would have to deal with the entire nation if I tried to do something dangerous.' Alastair sighed as she completely exited the security bureau.
She continued walking in the streets while continuing the thoughts passing through her mind. Alastair needed to create a plan for this situation of hers. With Soteria's information, the detailed plan might succeed though she had to develop some more cautionary strategies just in case.
Meanwhile, back in the security bureau, atop the building where the chief's office was found. The chief was looking at the streets, specifically the alleged dark spirit. He bought the entire reasoning of Alastair, but his instincts were telling him that she was someone dangerous.
Even if she wasn't a dark spirit, the dangers of this world don't stop with a dark spirit. The hostile beings of this realm are as diverse as the spirits. If he doesn't thoroughly check the ones that entered the city. Problems might occur, and the city of Anfang might fall.
With this in mind, the chief turned his head towards his secretary and released a simple order. "Follow her and investigate her actions in the city. I want to know everything about her. I have a bad feeling that her reasons for entering the city aren't as simple as she says it to be."
The security was a beautiful lady. She walked out from the shadows and lightly bowed. "Understood, Sir. Your orders will be followed." Then, without any hesitation, she faded into the darkness. The chief's office was shrouded by silence as the chief looked upon the city he was protecting.
"Such a gorgeous city. I'm glad that I'm protecting it." He silently uttered while looking upon the brilliant scenery.
Back to the streets, Alastair was walking with a serious expression plastered on her face. Now that she had thought about it, she didn't entirely sense the strength of the high officials in that interrogation room. She was quite sure that most of them were stronger than her.
The strongest of them all was the security chief.
His strength was something she wasn't sure of as they would fluctuate depending on the situation. As she continued to walk through the streets, a thought emerged from her mind. 'Hmm... Why did I not ask for his name?' Calling him chief would be respectful, but she was curious about his name.
After a while, she shook her head as he was nothing but her rival. During her stay in this city, she would have to get stronger than ever before. Meaning that she would have to take soul deals. With such a thought emerging from her mind, she remembered someone who faded in front of her.
"Well, I should take the soul deals later. The first thing I would have to do is adapt." Alastair silently uttered as this was the first plan she had in mind. Adapting to this simple current situation of hers was better than planning for her next strategy. She was still used to her past life, meaning that her bad habits might return in this new life.
Alastair then stopped walking in the streets and walked towards the alleyway. Arriving in the alleyway, a smile formed on her face as a figure emerged behind her. It was none other than Soteria. It seemed that the information gatherer of Alastair had come. Alastair turned her head towards Soteria and said with a calm voice.
"Oi, Soteria."
Soteria lightly bowed upon Alastair's greetings and replied with a smile.
"I'm back, Lady Alastair."
"I have fulfilled your wish and command."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone