{An interlude to make up for missing the update the other day, tomorrow will have the quest continue as usual}
The windowless office was unbearably stuffy, like a cage of a menagerie never properly cleaned from first day or use. There, seated on a plush chair that squeaked with every minute movement was the circus' main act.
Comissioner of the District of Red Peonies, Archdeacon Falefeur Buerg.
To those pretending to be his friends, Fale. A man with a lion like head, one of the many races the outsider foreign gods brought in their invasion.
The transition of the leohards from bloodthirsty frontline berserkers to bloodless middle management was very jarring to the edoliners, but the memory of those days was distant now.
Corato would have preferred facing a leohard berserker again, though older and missing an old 'partner', death would be the result this time.
A plume of smoke escaped Fale's mouth as he waved his cigar in disappointment, adding further to the unspeakable stuffy air of the room.
"You went over my head again Mr. Sekanta, why can't you understand these arrangements are for your sake"
"It was a god, surely you understand what might have..."
"If some idiot makes a mistake, let them. You still hold too much justice in your heart Mr. Sekanta, you're too concerned with others"
He couldn't let go.
"You see, I may be your superior, but you and I have the same job, quietly decompose to our dying days, there's people who get very alarmed when relics like us start acting lively. It's an era of peace you see, our beloved Pantheon of Stars have declared it so, and any nail that sticks up gets hammered"
"A rampaging war god wouldn't be very peaceful dom."
The cigar was forcefully crushed in ashtray before its time was up.
"Even at this moment, injustice happens, countless people dying for this or that absurd reason, you just need to close your eyes and rot"
A fist from the archdeacon slammed the table.
"I don't care if there's some insane conspiracy in the works! You just need to go about your job quietly! You can't be like that partner of yours ok?"
A chill went up Corato's spine.
He had honestly assumed that someone had messed up, listing a case as a rogue spirit instead of a god.
Fale's words were utterly unexpected, it could have been taken as him telling Corato to shut up and stay in his lane.
The leohard's eyes however showed a different story.
"There's an insane conspiracy, you're on your own, don't get any official channels involved, and for the love of the gods be quiet about your investigation"
The Clown Prince of Rot himself encouraging a clandestine detective job?
It took all of Corato's will to not walk over and pull that lion head to see if he was an imposter.
"I'm getting to be a bit old for putting my neck out, the compost heap is for me"
Coupled with his eyes...
"What's this about conspiracy? I'm out"
Corato saw Fale's whole body bulge with tensed muscles, for a moment he thought the leohard was going to leap over his desk and throttle him.
"Understandable to have a lapse in judgement, sometimes these matters can't be helped"
Coupled with his steely gaze...
"Back out and I'll strangle you to death myself"
A laugh almost made its way out of Corato, he never expected that Fale had such a high opinion of him and his 'soul of justice'. What a cunning cat to hide so deeply under foppish rot. Still, he was wrong, the incident with Gurata was a simple matter that was handled by pulling a few favours on a phone call.
Truth was he was a hollow broken shell of a man, some conspiracy happening under the noses of the watchful Pantheon of Stars. No way.
Fale saw this too, the defeated heavy shadow of the man. So, ponderously he got up and gripped Corato by the shoulders, so tightly as to cause pain.
If nothing else, Corato was sick with curious amusement as to what this man he had thought was rotten to the core would say to convince him to get entangled.
"Her anniversary is coming up soon isn't it? Don't drink too much that night, you shouldn't dishonour her memory too much"
In a daze, he was patted on the back and roughly pushed out of the office.
He wondered if he was really that easy.
"Dom Corato? Are you alright? You're sweating heavily and pale as a ghost? I've reported Dom Buerg several times for workplace harassment, this time for sure that rulebreaker will receive justice"
His concerned partner. Corato Sekanta guessed he really was that easy. He'd ride one more time.
Neither her nor justice had lost their grip on him...
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