The not-so-real "trio" hurried toward the East Capital Guard Bureau.
Along the way, Platinum kept grumbling that doing cardio after dinner was "torture," so Revy had to haul out Shadowchaser and let both her and Blue Gold hitch a ride.
Aside from how cramped the space was on the bike with two beautiful women hanging onto him, Revy couldn't deny it gave him a tiny bit of smug satisfaction.
Of course, that smugness vanished the moment they reached the Guard Bureau.
"...What the hell is this?"
Revy had asked Platinum and Blue Gold to wait outside while he went in alone. What greeted him inside was a Rhodes Island operator chained up like a criminal and left in a holding room like trash.
A round, grotesquely obese police officer greeted him—no, "fat cop" was probably more appropriate, given the man's body looked like it had been inflated like a balloon. His uniform hung on him like a napkin, unable to cover his massive gut.
"We have strong reason to believe Rhodes Island collaborated with criminal groups to hijack critical supplies bound for Yan. Until a full investigation is completed, we have the right to detain all suspects."
The fat officer spoke in a smug, bureaucratic tone, but his eyes gave away a glint of petty satisfaction and disdain.
Revy's voice turned cold.
"Suspects? What charges? Where's your evidence? Do you have a warrant?"
"Rhodes Island operators are registered diplomatic personnel, both as neutral medi-tech agents and officially recognized foreign emissaries. Unless you have a legitimate legal reason, no nation may interfere with their freedom of movement. That's written into the treaty we signed with partner states—"
"—So, is law in East Capital something you can just toss aside when you feel like it?"
"Y-You—! Who do you think you are? How dare you slander the legal system—!"
The flustered officer tripped over his words. Revy had just accused him of disrespecting Yan's own national law—effectively calling him a traitor.
And in a monarchy like Yan? That was no small accusation.
Even his higher-ups might not be able to save him if such a charge stuck.
But Revy didn't intend to let it slide.
"You claim this case is serious? Fine. As an elite operator of Rhodes Island, I have the right to demand a formal explanation for the detention of my colleague."
Revy's voice grew colder.
"Furthermore, as acting military attaché to Yan, I will take all necessary measures based on your response."
"Y-You wouldn't dare!!"
"Why wouldn't I?" Revy narrowed his eyes.
"Foreign agents representing internationally recognized organizations enjoy extraterritoriality. That was part of the joint agreement signed between Rhodes Island, Rhine Lab, and three other major neutral institutions with the Terra Federation."
"You're violating that treaty. So if we invoke Article 9—we are authorized to use force to defend ourselves."
"G-Guards! Arrest him!"
Panicking now, the fat officer shouted for help.
But no one came.
The entire floor remained eerily quiet.
"Don't bother yelling. No one's coming."
Revy spoke calmly, stepping closer. The walls might've been soundproofed—or something else was interfering—but it was clear the officer was now trapped.
"W-What do you want?!"
The fat cop began to tremble.
He didn't know who Revy really was—but it was clear now that he wasn't someone this officer could handle alone.
"Want? I don't want anything."
In a blink, Revy appeared in front of him.
He kicked the man off his feet, straddled him, and pressed him to the cold floor by the throat.
A small knife appeared in his hand—no one saw where it came from.
"...Just thought I'd help you lose some weight."
He slowly dragged the blade across the man's wrist, elbow, and thigh.
"Did you know bloodletting used to be a respected medical technique?"
His voice was almost soothing.
"It's especially effective in weight loss. If you bleed enough, the body becomes lighter. Amazing, right?"
The officer trembled violently. He couldn't even form words.
"Oh, and should I carve off a few chunks of fat while I'm at it? After all, fat is your biggest enemy in losing weight."
Revy looked the man over with disgust.
"And yours is... generous."
The man stopped shaking.
He just started crying—nose running, tears flowing.
Revy narrowed his eyes.
"Let me guess—this whole thing was instigated by the Crown Prince, wasn't it?"
The officer nodded. Hard. Desperately. Repeatedly.
"—Good."
Revy stood up.
"You're clearly not the one in charge here. Looks like I'll need to talk to whoever actually runs this place."
He glanced down at the trembling mess on the floor.
"But for now, let's awaken the nightmare."
"Thanks for your time. And yes—you really do need to lose weight."