"...I believe you."

The group returned to the Secret Investigation Department, talking and laughing. They were all in high spirits, having completed their mission and averted a major crisis for the Caster City State.

However, once they entered the Secret Investigation Department, the laughter died.

"What? Director Ales is dead?" Santiago grabbed the guard by the collar, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared, "What kind of sick joke is this? The Director would be fine even if *you* dropped dead!"

"I... I... WAAAH..." Two tear tracks ran down the guard’s face. He let Santiago hold him, showing no sign of resistance.

"Captain Santiago, let him go. Let’s go back and get the full story first."

In that brief moment, Wei’en’s spiritual perception had already swept across the entire Secret Investigation Department.

Aside from the Detention Area, which was protected by the Rune Barrier, everyone else felt utterly dejected. He could even hear the faint sounds of weeping.

All signs pointed to the fact that something had indeed happened at the Secret Investigation Department.

"Yeah, Captain. Let’s go find out what happened," Kaiten said, pressing his lips together.

"Director Ales..."

At his words, Santiago released the guard and hurried with the others toward the Combat Department.

Wei’en didn’t go with them. ’So Director Ales is really dead?’

’Was it that Matteo from earlier today, or someone else?’

His most profound impression of Director Ales was from the last celebration held jointly by the Dawn Church and the Secret Investigation Department.

He remembered that if Director Ales hadn’t interrupted Kali’s hymn, the gaze of the Lord of Dawn would have descended upon the Caster City State.

He had essentially saved his life. ’Well, and everyone else’s, too.’

’How could a man like that die so easily at the hands of the Abyssal Sect?’ 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

’And with Director Ales gone, doesn’t that mean the letter Clelia asked me to deliver yesterday no longer has a recipient?’

’Maybe I should take a look?’

At this thought, he pulled Tina along and headed straight back to the Investigation Department One office.

After having Tina take a seat, Wei’en took out the letter Clelia had given him. ’The seal is broken?’

He saw the marks on the envelope where it had been torn open and thought pensively, ’Clelia probably didn’t write this. Who writes a letter, seals it, then tears it open to read it again?’

Wei’en took out the letter and began to read. ’It’s even written in the Gonzalez language?’

Now, he was even more certain Clelia hadn’t written the letter. ’That slacker...’

"Ales, my old friend, I’m sorry it’s taken so long to reply. I hope you won’t hold it against me."

"Ever since that incident seventeen years ago, I have traveled through the city-states of four continents, but I still haven’t found any trace of them. Those people have vanished completely, like ghosts."

"I deeply regret that I have yet to complete your commission. I hope that when you hear this, you won’t harbor any hostility toward me or our Eternal Life Association. Such a thing would rob me of my sleep and appetite."

’A member of the Eternal Life Association?’

’He accepted a commission from Director Ales to search for ’them’... Who are they?’

"I’m sorry. In all this time, this is all I’ve been able to find out."

"If you cannot let go of your anger, then vent it on the ones truly responsible for everything. I trust you know who they are—the Ernst Clan."

"I hold no fondness for the Glory Society, either, especially after learning that the forbidden item, ’the Clown,’ lost control because they provoked it."

"Finally, I await your reply. —Your closest comrade, Menor Vannis Stringer."

’Ernst?!’

Wei’en’s eyes narrowed. ’Does that mean the clan of the Count here in the Caster City State?’