In the daytime of Tivian, the thick clouds that had been lingering in the sky for the past few days had mostly dispersed today. The rare winter sunlight spilled over the city, and taking advantage of the good weather, the citizens of Tivian chose to go out. The streets were much more crowded than usual.
At a restaurant by a bustling intersection in North Tivian, by a window overlooking the street, Dorothy sat at a table. Dressed in a simple black-and-white dress, leather boots, and a small hat, her silver-white hair tied into a ponytail, she sipped a cup of coffee while gazing at the lively and peaceful street scene outside. She couldn’t help but softly murmur in admiration.
"What a rare beautiful day..."
"Yeah, the weather in Tivian is like a ghost—unpredictable. It’s either overcast or drizzling, and the wind is always blowing..."
A voice responded to Dorothy’s words. Looking over, across the table from Dorothy sat Gregor, a handsome young man in a brown-black suit, eating a steak from his plate. After chewing and swallowing his food, he continued speaking to his younger sister.
"To be honest, Dorothy, Tivian might look big, but in terms of livability, it might not even compare to Igwynt. At least the weather in Igwynt is much more stable. I don’t have to carry an umbrella every time I go out... Not to mention, the air here is just terrible. The weird smells from the south drift up here all the time. It’s really unpleasant."
As he spoke, Gregor unconsciously pinched his nose. After listening to Gregor’s remarks, Dorothy put down her coffee cup, tilted her head, and asked.
"Gregor, it seems like you miss life in Igwynt."
"Yeah, at least the cost of living there is much lower. The prices here in Tivian are just too high. The rent for a place here could get me a few apartments back in South Sunflower Street, and the conditions might not even be as good."
Gregor complained a bit, then unconsciously touched the wallet in his pocket. Not long ago, after successfully being promoted, he had finally officially joined the headquarters and moved out of the headquarters’ dormitory to rent his own place. After paying the deposit and rent, he had spent a significant amount of money.Hearing Gregor’s words, Dorothy raised an eyebrow slightly, then with a hint of amusement, continued.
"Hmm... It’s true. The weather... the air... the prices... none of them seem much better than in Igwynt. Tivian, aside from being bigger and more prosperous, doesn’t seem as livable as Igwynt. After being in Tivian for a few months... I feel the same way."
Dorothy said this, and upon hearing her words, Gregor’s expression showed that he was glad his sister felt the same way. However, Dorothy then changed the subject and continued.
"But... these feelings came after I’d been in Tivian for several weeks. You, Gregor, are really impressive. You’ve only been here for a day or two, and you’ve already experienced so much. Your observational skills are really sharp..."
With a slight smile, Dorothy said this to Gregor. Hearing her words, Gregor froze for a moment, suddenly realizing there was a problem with what he had just said.
“Crap... In the letters I wrote to Dorothy, I said I had just arrived in Tivian, but in fact, I’ve been here for almost a month preparing for my promotion…”
Realizing his slip, Gregor paused for a moment, then awkwardly laughed and spoke.
"Uh... Well... It’s not that my observational skills are sharp. It’s just that I bought a newspaper on the train ride here, and it had some reports about this. After experiencing Tivian firsthand, it really matched what the newspaper described."
"Oh... I see. That makes sense."
Hearing Gregor’s explanation, Dorothy nodded in response, while internally complaining.
“Brother... With your skills, are you really cut out for covert work? Don’t let slip any clues in your words. But at least you reacted quickly and covered it up decently.”
Dorothy thought this to herself, though she understood that Gregor’s slip-up in front of her was understandable. Gregor had been in Tivian for a long time and had been eager to meet his only family member, his sister. But due to his promotion, he had been delayed for so long. Finally meeting Dorothy today, he was so happy and excited that he got a bit carried away.
"But speaking of which, I didn’t expect you to come to Tivian too, Gregor. In your letters, you mentioned you got promoted at work? If I remember correctly, you work for a security company, right?"
Cutting into her steak, Dorothy continued to ask Gregor, who nodded in response.
"That’s right! I work for a security company. I never mentioned this before, but the boss of the company I work for has extensive connections. He has ties to more prominent security companies in Pritt. If he has talented people, he can recommend them for a fee. Since I helped the police catch a very dangerous criminal, my boss valued my abilities more and recommended me to Tivian, saying I’d have better prospects here. So I agreed."
Taking a sip of water from the glass on the table, Gregor explained to Dorothy, who nodded thoughtfully before praising him.
"I see... Then you’re really impressive, Gregor. To be able to subdue a dangerous criminal... It’s a shame you didn’t become a police officer."
"Haha... That’s right. Your big brother is strong. It’s just that my work is too dangerous. Otherwise, I could have let you see me in action."
Proudly praised by his sister, Gregor laughed and spoke. After cutting another piece of steak and eating it, he continued.
"By the way, Dorothy, how have you been doing in Tivian lately? Especially in terms of your studies and life, are there any difficulties? Or anyone bullying you? If there is, tell me now, and after we finish this meal, we’ll go settle the score."
"Don’t worry, I’m doing well here. I get along well with my classmates and teachers. Everyone is very helpful. At first, I wasn’t used to it, but now I’ve adapted. No need to worry."
With a smile, Dorothy told Gregor about a group of people who didn’t actually exist. Hearing this, Gregor felt relieved and continued.
"Really? That’s good. In that case, Dorothy, you should focus on your studies. For people like us, coming from a rural family, being able to attend high school in Tivian is something we couldn’t even dream of. And not just any high school—the affiliated high school of Royal Crown University, with a chance to directly enter Royal Crown University…”
"I’ve looked it up. It’s almost one of the best universities in Pritt! For someone like us to have a chance to get in is unbelievable. Dorothy, you need to cherish this opportunity."
With an expectant expression, Gregor continued to speak to Dorothy. In their usual correspondence, Dorothy had told him that she was attending the affiliated high school of Royal Crown University in Tivian and that her goal was to enter Royal Crown University. Coming from the countryside, Gregor, after understanding the prestige of Royal Crown University, felt genuinely proud of his sister.
Gregor cared deeply about Dorothy’s future. When he first brought her to Igwynt, it was so she could attend high school and, after graduation, find a better job. But he never expected that Dorothy, through her own "efforts," would have a chance to attend one of the best universities in the country. This made Gregor incredibly happy.
"You don’t need to tell me, Gregor. Of course, I’ll cherish this opportunity. Getting into Crown University is my goal now."
Dorothy continued to respond, while internally complaining that she was essentially already a student of Royal Crown University, arranged by the school’s board with all the necessary documentation. Although she hadn’t attended a single class there, she had at least learned a lot from its library.
"By the way, Dorothy, where are you staying now? Is it far from here? I’d like to see what the environment is like. If it’s not good, I can help you find a better place."
Having almost finished the steak on his plate, Gregor wiped his mouth with a napkin and spoke. Dorothy directly replied.
"That won’t be necessary. I forgot to mention in my letters that I’m currently staying in the school’s girls’ dormitory. The high school here even has dormitories for female students, so I live on campus. A girls’ dormitory... Well, Gregor, it might not be convenient for you to visit."
Dorothy gave the prepared response. Upon hearing this, Gregor paused, imagining an environment filled with girls Dorothy’s age, and his desire to visit was immediately extinguished.
Afterward, Dorothy and Gregor chatted while finishing their meal. After Gregor paid the bill, they went out for a walk. During this time, Gregor noticed that Dorothy’s clothes were quite plain and assumed she was saving money by buying cheap clothes. So, he took her to a clothing store and bought her some flashy outfits.
Dorothy could only dryly smile and accept the clothes, while internally complaining that her current outfit was custom-made at the same store where Adèle got her clothes. It looked plain only because of the design style, but it was probably worth two or three months of Gregor’s rent.
After shopping, it was already getting late. After giving Dorothy a month’s allowance, Gregor bid her farewell and left. After all, Tivian wasn’t a small city like Igwynt. With their work and study locations so far apart, it wasn’t convenient for them to live together.
"Take care, and don’t spend money recklessly! If anything happens, remember to write or telegram me!"
Standing by the roadside, Gregor waved and shouted at the departing carriage. Inside the carriage, Dorothy also waved back. After the carriage disappeared down the street, Gregor let out a long sigh, then took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it with a match, and took a few puffs, exhaling a cloud of white smoke.
"Phew... After being here for so long, I finally got to see Dorothy... Now it’s time to get serious and officially start work."
With that, Gregor turned and walked down the street, smoking his cigarette.
…
Sunset, moonrise, night fades, day comes.
Soon, a day passed quickly. The day after meeting Dorothy, Gregor finally began his first day at the Serenity Bureau Headquarters.
Taking a special carriage, Gregor arrived at the underground parking lot of the Serenity Bureau Headquarters. After getting off the carriage, he straightened his brown-black suit and, after glancing around the spacious and dimly lit parking lot, quickly walked through a small door into the office area of the headquarters.
Exiting the security corridor with Illuminating Beacons hanging overhead, passing through the grand hall with a towering statue of the Mirror Moon Goddess, and weaving through countless unfamiliar faces, Gregor passed through several more Illuminating Beacon security checkpoints. Finally, he stopped at a door by a long corridor. Checking his watch to confirm he wasn’t late, he pushed the door open and entered.
Inside was a modestly decorated room. Several gas lamps hanging from the ceiling brightly illuminated the small space. The room had two doors, one wall with a blackboard, and a large square table in the center. Around the table sat five people—one woman and four men.
These five individuals varied in appearance and age. The youngest looked about Gregor’s age, while the oldest appeared to be in his forties. Upon hearing Gregor enter, they all turned to look at him. Under their gazes, Gregor closed the door and greeted them with a smile.
"Good morning, everyone. You’re all here early."
Gregor greeted them, but none of the five directly responded. Only an older man and a shorter man nodded in acknowledgment, while the others ignored him. Seeing the cold reaction, Gregor could only shrug inwardly and take a seat at the square table.
After sitting down, Gregor began observing the others while silently waiting. After about ten more minutes, the other door in the room opened, and a woman in her mid-twenties walked in.
She had short yellow hair, blue eyes, a tall figure, and a resolute expression. Wearing a sword at her waist and long boots, she strode into the room.
Taller than most men, the woman, dressed in a modified uniform resembling an officer’s attire, walked to the square table. After pausing for a moment, she scanned the seated individuals and spoke in a commanding tone.
"Good morning, everyone from the various branches across the country. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Starting today, we will be colleagues, working together through thick and thin."
The woman spoke, then placed her hand on her chest and introduced herself.
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Misha Deblanca, a knight personally appointed by Prince Harold, his most loyal servant. Currently, I am under His Highness’s orders to form a special investigation team within the Serenity Bureau Headquarters to address certain internal issues. From now on, I will be your direct superior. In the coming period, I will work with all of you to cleanse the impurities within the headquarters."
Misha spoke thus, and the reactions of those seated varied. Gregor, however, felt a sense of clarity. He had heard that Prince Harold would send his most trusted person to lead them in finding the mole, but he hadn’t expected it to be his own knight.