Ryan looked around, trying to find the supervisor overseeing the hall, but everywhere his gaze fell, there were only citizens and officers arguing with one another.
Finding him was like searching for a person without knowing what he looked like.
How am I supposed to find him? Captain Yean didn't even give me his name or a description; he just told me to go find him... Ryan sighed deeply.
Forget it, I'll just ask an officer.
Ryan approached an officer who had a free moment and was not busy with paperwork.
Seeing someone head toward his desk, the officer's face lit up with an inexplicable joy. He composed himself and said, "How can I help you, sir?"
The officer had slightly yellowish skin, resembling the town natives who worked under the sun, and short, brown, curly hair. He wore an officer's uniform with a silver plaque resting on the right side of his chest, embedded with a Judge symbol.
This symbol marked him as an officer under the Judgemental branch.
The Law Courts were not limited strictly to magician squads; they consisted of three orders and three branches. The three orders were Judgemental, Glorious, and the Royal Guard. Each order was divided into many teams, stationed based on their authority across the country of Ditness.
Likewise, the three branches served beneath the three main orders, differing primarily in that they were designed for non-magicians.
Judgemental handled the administration of city law and maintained civil safety. Typically, if various supernatural cases occurred within the city, they were left for Judgemental to handle. Beneath Judgemental were the officers, and virtually every town or village contained at least one officer headquarters.
Biusis was a town under the jurisdiction of Kellaz City. Kellaz acted as the economic arm of Ditness; every year, it produced vast quantities of goods, such as beans, coffee beans, wheat, milk, beef, pork, seeds, and related products. All of these goods were exported to other countries, earning tens of millions of bins annually. Ditness's agricultural output was famous across the entire continent for its high quality.
Thus, as a town under Kellaz City, Biusis was heavily guarded. Even as a small town, Biusis contained two separate officer headquarters.
"Do you know where the supervisor overseeing this place is?" Ryan asked.
Clear bewilderment showed on the officer's face. "Why are you looking for him?"
Ryan calmly replied, "Captain Yean recommended me for the officer position, but he had an urgent matter to attend to. He tasked me with finding the supervisor managing this hall so I could be briefed on my work."
He intentionally used the phrase "recommended by Captain Yean" to elevate his standing in the officer's eyes, intending to imply he had relevant experience and to make the interaction go smoother.
The officer looked Ryan up and down, searching for anything remarkable about him.
Strangely enough, a wave of disappointment washed over the officer's face. He had anticipated that Ryan was coming to file a report or request assistance. In truth, this officer had only been on the job for three days, and today was his third. Since starting, he had not received a single report or case from a client.
All day, he simply sat at his desk from morning until midnight without anyone bringing him a case to handle. Even though he still received his weekly salary, he was unhappy about the situation.
According to Law Court rules, a newly joined officer had to earn two ratings within a month. Failing to secure a two-rating standing would result in dismissal.
A person could only serve as an officer three times in their entire life.
The ratings here were equivalent to contribution points. When an officer worked quickly and flawlessly to meet a client's expectations, the client could rate them anywhere from 1 star (awful) to 5 stars (flawless). To leave a rating, clients picked up a slip of white paper from the box beside the hall entrance, wrote out their feedback, assigned a star rating from 1 to 5, and dropped the paper into the box on the officer's desk.
After all, being an officer was an exceptionally dangerous job. They never knew what kind of case they might take on, and sometimes a file was filled with bizarre and horrifying elements. Extensive experience and training were necessary for the role.
Seeing the officer remain silent, Ryan thought for a moment before adding, "How about this? Consider helping me find him as a mission I'm assigning to you. Once you lead me to him, I'll write you a 5-star rating."
Upon hearing "5-star rating," the officer's eyes lit up with joy. He had waited for this exact moment for three whole days; now he finally saw a chance to secure a rating and continue working as an officer.
"It would be my pleasure!"
The officer stood up immediately to lead Ryan to the supervisor.
Ryan followed behind as they navigated past the chaotic crowd and into a separate corridor lined with rooms on both sides. This was the inner hall of the officer headquarters. Beside each doorway was a silver plaque inscribed with words in the language of Ditness.
Only officers were permitted access to this inner hall. It served as a repository for various records and documents. Every case report an officer took on was recorded in detail and sent here to be archived.
Additionally, the inner hall contained a supply room holding gear for officers to use while on missions, though they had to submit a written application before retrieving any items.
The corridor was quiet, though not entirely empty. Occasionally, an officer would step out of a room, casting a glance at Ryan and the officer.
After walking for a short while, they stopped in front of a door. Mounted on the door was a sign reading, Do not enter unless it is an urgent matter. Above the doorframe, a silver plaque was embedded with the words, The Supervisor.
The officer looked at Ryan, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "This is the supervisor's room."
He quickly added, "And don't forget to leave that rating for me!"
With that, the officer turned on his heel and walked back toward the main hall, making no effort to hide his delight.
Watching the departing back of the officer, who was happily humming an unfamiliar tune, Ryan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
What a strange guy... Ryan thought softly.
Averting his gaze, he took a deep breath, tried to compose himself, and knocked lightly on the door.
Soon, a deep voice rang out from within: "Come in."
Having received permission, Ryan turned the handle and politely pushed the door open.
The moment he stepped inside, an indescribable gaze fell upon him. He felt as though his entire being and soul were being seen through, his secrets laid completely bare. For a brief second, Ryan felt utterly exposed beneath this mysterious weight.
He froze in place, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead as rapid thoughts raced through his mind.
What is this gaze? Is someone secretly monitoring me? Did I violate the binding contract? No, that shouldn't be it. The feeling of being exposed this time is different from back then, it's far stronger and more terrifying. Is the creator of that binding contract nearby?
Ryan's mind churned like a vortex, analyzing multiple possibilities in an instant.
He took another deep breath before politely closing the door behind him.
He had lost count of how many times he had taken a deep breath today.
As the door clicked shut, the air grew heavy with the rich, comforting fragrance of freshly brewed coffee, softened by the creamy scent of warm milk and the deep, sugary sweetness of melted caramel.
Ryan thought quietly to himself, When I first entered the room, there wasn't any smell of coffee at all. Perhaps that overwhelming sensation earlier made me overlook it?
The room was ordinary, featuring rows of bookshelves along the wall opposite the door. At the far end of the shelves sat a simple wooden desk piled with books.
Seated behind the desk was a young man in his late twenties with slightly disheveled, light blonde hair. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, framing sharp brown eyes that remained locked onto a book, seemingly absorbed in reading.
He wore a dark, tailored wool frock coat over a fitted dark brown vest with brass buttons, layered over a high-collared white cotton shirt. Below, he wore high-waisted, dark tailored trousers held up by suspenders. His entire demeanor exuded the air of a refined gentleman at study.
Noticing Ryan, the gentleman set his book down and said softly, "Please, have a seat." His voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring warmth that naturally calmed the nerves.
Without a word, Ryan took a seat.
Resting beside the book was a heavy stoneware mug sitting on a rounded silver saucer. Inside was a pale, creamy caramel-colored coffee topped with a light layer of foam, steam rising softly from its surface.
The gentleman took a sip of the coffee before waiting for Ryan to speak.
Ryan refrained from unnecessary formalities and went straight to the point. "Captain Yean entrusted me to find you for more details regarding my assignment."
"Where did he go when he entrusted you to me?"
Ryan replied, "He mentioned he had an urgent matter to address."
The gentleman chuckled softly under his breath. "From what I know, you are likely a magician, given that the captain never sends anyone to meet me unless it is an urgent matter."
Ryan nodded in agreement.
The gentleman observed Ryan for a moment, recalling his earlier statement, and asked, "What Will do you possess?"
All magical power stemmed from the same source: the Will. The Will granted magicians their various unique abilities, taking different forms that lacked standardized names; people simply named them based on their manifestations.
Generally, a Will formed when a human reached a desperate crisis at a pivotal moment in life, giving birth to a magician.
Back in the interrogation room, when Captain Yean had asked Ryan about his Will, Ryan had not provided an answer. But now that he had entered Judgemental, he had no choice but to reveal a portion of his secret to establish trust and understanding among members.
Ryan let out an emotional sigh and said, lowering his head, "My Will is a Death Will."
A soft laugh escaped the gentleman's lips. "You know the name of your Will after all. Most magicians don't understand the specifics of their own power; they only know that their abilities originate from the so-called Will."
He paused for a moment before adding, "There are two foundational Wills that serve as the origin of all others: the Living Will and the Death Will. The difference between them lies in their speed of formation; a Living Will is a slow process, whereas a Death Will is the fastest."
Confusion showed on Ryan's face as he asked, "What do you mean by a 'slow process'?"
The gentleman took another sip of his coffee before explaining, "A Living Will is a force that an individual gradually accumulates within their body. It begins to take shape the moment you reach adulthood, progressing slowly over a long period until a complete Will is nurtured. The pace can accelerate depending on a person's daily life. Do you know what nurtures a Will?"
Ryan shook his head, signaling his lack of knowledge on the topic.
The gentleman answered naturally, "It is called experience."