Chapter 22

The Magical Beast Ecology Investigation Bureau was divided into four departments:

Land Beast Division, Aquatic Beast Division, Winged Beast Division, and the Crystal Whale Division.

Since the Crystal Whale was the only sea-dwelling magical beast, the Crystal Whale Division was sometimes also called the Marine Beast Division.

Whether they were communicators or not, newly hired ecology investigators were typically assigned to either land or aquatic magical beasts.

It wasn’t mandated by Imperial law, but there were practical reasons.

Flying beasts were difficult to approach in the first place, and Crystal Whales were simply too enormous.

The larger a magical beast was, the harder it was to communicate with.

And since Crystal Whales required traveling across vast stretches of ocean, they weren’t suitable subjects for beginners still learning the ropes.

As a result, I had originally been scheduled for assignment to the Land Beast Division.

However, near the end of my basic training period, the Bureau Director discovered that I was the daughter of Samuel Soling, the renowned Crystal Whale scholar and passionate Crystal Whale conservation activist.

The moment he learned that, he shoved me straight into the Crystal Whale Division.

The fact that my communication abilities had proven much stronger than expected during the evaluation process only reinforced his decision.

Others might have considered it a stroke of luck.

I desperately wanted to avoid Crystal Whales.

“Thank you, but I think the position is far beyond what I deserve.”

“What do you mean, beyond you? You probably don’t realize how capable you are because you haven’t been a communicator for very long.”

The Director pointed around the building.

“How many magical beasts are on this floor right now?”

The question should have been easy to answer.

But I deliberately hesitated.

I had hoped that if I took my time and gave a low estimate, he’d conclude he had overestimated my abilities and send me to the Land Beast Division instead.

Unfortunately, the Director spoke before I could answer.

“See this? The ones who can’t sense very many answer immediately.”

He grinned.

“Because they don’t have much to count.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

And so, despite being a complete newcomer, I was assigned to the Crystal Whale Division.

Needless to say, that was when people throughout the Bureau started treating me like a nepotism hire.

It was also when I learned that being transferred into the Crystal Whale Division was considered a promotion among investigators.

And that Aster, who had originally been next in line for that transfer from the Land Beast Division, had lost the opportunity because of me.

The fact that Aster happened to be one of the most popular and well-liked people in the Bureau was an absolute disaster for me.

That’s why the hazing never stopped.

Even now, all the way out here in Melgot.

The investigators in my own department talked about me so much behind my back that even people from other divisions had formed opinions.

“That her? The nepotism hire who stole somebody else’s position?”

“I heard she’s talented. Good at communication and competent at her job.”

“You think that’s all her? That’s her father’s influence.”

“True enough. It’s not like the rest of us are investigating land beasts because we’re incompetent.”

“Seriously. This isn’t some provincial office. How is there a nepotism hire in the Imperial Palace?”

If I made a mistake, they said that was exactly what you’d expect from a nepotism hire.

If I performed well, they said it was because of my father.

I was tired of Crystal Whales.

I was tired of hearing about my father.

Being forced to endure both at the same time was incredibly stressful.

The Director surely knew all of that.

Yet whenever I requested a transfer, he opposed it fiercely.

I’d endured an entire year waiting for my departmental transfer review.

Though, to be fair, there were only two communicators in the Crystal Whale Division.

After much consideration, the Director finally proposed a compromise.

“If you obtain the Tower Lord’s seal, I’ll transfer you to whichever department you want.”

“And that’s how I ended up in Melgot.”

After listening quietly to my story, Senior Simona broke into a grin.

“That actually is an interesting story.”

Then she shrugged.

“Though honestly, I wouldn’t care even if you really were an incompetent nepotism hire.”

“I kind of got that impression.”

“Why would I? There’s no downside to being friends with a junior employee backed by powerful people.”

“…I didn’t realize that was your reasoning.”

I couldn’t even say she was entirely wrong.

“Come on, let’s head back. If I keep you any longer, Yukel might actually murder me.”

The way Simona said it made it sound less like a joke and more like a realistic possibility.

So we hurried back.

She had been checking on my mood ever since yesterday, and even when we parted ways in the hallway, she gave me a playful wink.

Thanks to that, I entered the office suppressing a smile.

The atmosphere inside was still as dreary as ever.

But somehow it felt less oppressive than before.

Even when Administrative Officer Yukel glared at me as though asking why I’d taken so long, I had enough composure left to offer an awkward smile.

Aster still isn’t here.

His desk had been empty all morning.

It looked like he had gone straight to the Magic Tower.

Whatever he was doing, it seemed to be taking quite a while.

Then couldn’t they just use two communicators?

The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I spent the entire day swallowing sighs.

“Here. Ah—never mind.”

The researcher seated next to me started to hand over a document before changing his mind.

Instead, he stood up and placed it on Aster’s desk.

I had instinctively reached for it when I noticed it concerned the Magic Tower.

Then I awkwardly withdrew my hand.

I was the one dispatched for Magic Tower business.

Yet somehow, within only two days, everything had become Aster’s responsibility instead.

At least, everyone in the office seemed to think so.

After all, he was the communicator who had publicly calmed a rampaging magical beast.

And afterward, he had been chosen by the Tower Lord himself.

Kade’s chosen communicator.

Perhaps Kade had already begun viewing Aster as the Imperial Palace’s representative instead of me.

Whether he considered Aster dangerous or not.

Then what exactly am I doing here?

I had just begun thinking that my desk felt like an isolated island detached from the rest of the office when—

“Administrative Officer!”

A clerk rushed into the room.

“The Magic Tower has requested the observation station’s research vessel. An abnormal climate zone has been discovered, and it sounds like they’ll need personnel from the administrative team as well.”

“What? What could possibly require that?”

Sighing heavily, Yukel pointed at several employees.

The selected staff immediately began gathering supplies in a hurry.

“Oh! They also said they need additional communicators.”

At the clerk’s next words, everyone froze.

Then they all turned to look at me.

I shot to my feet like a child who had finally heard the news she’d been waiting for.

“They need me?”

*

Aster couldn’t understand why he was standing at the docks.

The moment he arrived at the Magic Tower, he’d been ordered to assess the health of every magical beast housed there.

Once that was finished, he’d been told to determine why a gigantic unicorn beast—larger than two carriages combined—was angry.

A beast that size wouldn’t have lowered its guard for anyone except a communicator of my caliber.

He’d assumed that was the end of it.

Instead, they had brought him to the harbor.

What are they planning this time?

Aster looked around the long stretch of portside shops.

Across the street stood rows of massive warehouses and cargo-loading equipment.

Unlike Aster’s confusion, the Tower Lord appeared completely relaxed as he sat on the railing, gazing out over the sea.

At least it doesn’t look like we’re going monster hunting.

Aster remembered that the Magic Tower’s mages had only recently completed a major monster-subjugation campaign.

Yet somehow, that fact failed to reassure him.

He couldn’t shake the fear that the Tower Lord might be planning something like Throw the Government Official Into the Ocean as an alternative to Set the Government Official on Fire.

Considering the rumors surrounding the Tower Lord, the concern wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

When Aster heard that Vivian had survived several days around him without so much as a scratch, he’d assumed the Tower Lord had finally finished intimidating the Imperial Palace and had calmed down somewhat.

But he still couldn’t lower his guard.

The Tower Lord he’d met in person felt different from the rumors.

There was something unsettling about him.

As though those stories concealed something deeper.

Still, it should be safe to bring it up now.

Even if he’s finished his power play, his dislike of the Imperial Palace probably hasn’t changed.

Feigning casualness, Aster slowly approached the Tower Lord.

“The Magic Tower isn’t lacking Crystal Whale crystals, is it?”

Kade glanced at him with complete indifference.

He didn’t bother responding.

Aster wasn’t discouraged.

Instead, he continued confidently.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re not interested in the crystals themselves. What I’m about to propose is something the Imperial Palace absolutely despises and forbids.”

That finally earned a reaction.

Kade turned toward him with a knowing smile.

“Things like that always interest me.”

His eyes narrowed.

“So that’s why you’ve been hovering around trying to get my attention.”

“I thought you’d be interested.”

Aster smiled.

“I’ll come introduce myself properly soon.”

He wanted to elaborate on his vision further.

Unfortunately, the arrival of Kade’s aide forced him to stop.

“They’ve arrived.”

Following the direction of Ben’s gesture, everyone turned.

A carriage bearing the emblem of the Marine Observation Station had pulled up.

Vivian and Yukel stepped out.

Aster frowned.

“Wasn’t I enough?”

“Looks like we’ll need more.”

Kade’s answer left little room for argument.

After all, the workload he’d been given at the Magic Tower could easily have been divided between two communicators.

Even so, Aster disliked the fact that he would have to share duties with Vivian.

Yesterday he’d cautiously tested the waters by suggesting marriage.

As expected, Vivian’s reaction had been terrible.

A ruined noble family is still a noble family.

Too much pride.

Vivian approached the pier.

Judging by her expression, she was just as displeased about yesterday’s conversation.

“We were told you needed us. What kind of abnormal climate phenomenon is this?”

Yukel stepped forward and asked.

Instead of answering, Kade boarded the research vessel that had just docked.

Ben followed immediately behind him.

Aster stared in disbelief.

“We’re going out to sea? Don’t tell me you expect me to communicate with a Crystal Whale.”

“Then why did you think I brought a communicator to the docks?”

Kade’s dry reply drew a laugh from Aster.

He glanced at Vivian.

“What kind of incompetent communicator makes them bring a land-beast investigator onto a ship?”

Vivian snorted.

“Funny. What kind of unreliable eight-year veteran makes them call in a first-year investigator?”

Neither backed down.

The two boarded the ship side by side, glaring at one another.

Sparks practically flew from their eyes.