NOVPUBMaybe sensing his tension, Nikola reminded him with a teasing tone.
"I wish it could be a good arranged job, instead of being brought in for investigation and interrogation by Captain Nikola every day."
Lanci spread his hands and helplessly shook his head.
"I never said that was what I meant." 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Red Falcon Nikola stood with his hands behind his back, as usual, facing the elevator door as he spoke.
When the elevator doors opened again, Lanci found himself in a spacious sky hall, with circular floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked nearly the entire central district of the Capital Brilda.
Atop this high building, all clamor was isolated, leaving only the sound of footsteps and breathing.
Red Falcon Nikola led Lanci forward, weaving through corridors and finally arriving at an atrium that occupied most of the area of this level.
A quick estimate suggested the open space of over a thousand square meters was surrounded by towering glass curtain walls, with a silvery white circular column of light as the focal point of the atrium, extending from the ground to the ceiling and allowing light and air to flow freely through the circular opening.
The entire atrium was carpeted, with desks and sofa lounging areas, essentially functioning as an office.
"Director Dex, I’ve brought Mr. Landry."
Nikola saluted forward.
Lanci looked ahead and saw a tall and straight figure standing in the distance, gazing out the window, leisurely smoking a cigarette.
The silvery light outlined his figure, setting off the Capital visible through the window.
"Come, sit."
The thin mist curled around his fingertips and quickly dispersed in the air as he slowly turned his head.
He seemed to be over one meter eighty-five, nearing fifty, lean but muscular, with neatly combed black hair peppered with strands of gray.
His eyes were deep brown, almost black, looking unusually calm, high cheekbones, square jaw, neatly trimmed thin beard.
Consistent with the intelligence Lanci had seen before leaving the Poseen Kingdom, he was the Cerryti Empire’s Foreign Minister, Duke Dex Reynolds.
Even seeing him in person, one could hardly imagine him as a head of spies.
"Duke Dex, thank you for the invitation."
Lanci was polite, saluting Duke Dex just as Nikola did.
"..."
Red Falcon Nikola glanced at Lanci and again led him to the sofa.
"Professor Landry, you don’t need to act like Nikola; he is a former student of mine and so tends to salute me upon meeting. Please feel more at ease."
Duke Dex extinguished the cigarette and gestured for them to sit on the sofas by the window,
"Our department is not as hierarchical as the Imperial Army Headquarters. Due to the nature of our work, we often prioritize efficiency. The only goal is to fulfill the mission and serve the Empire regardless of rank or position."
He casually explained, sitting across on the long sofa, crossing his hands over his knees.
The sofas, made from top-quality black leather produced by the Reynolds Family’s enterprises, were soft and comfortable yet stable.
The coffee table was already prepared with aromatic coffee and pastries specially supplied by the Royal Family, obviously arranged by somebody from the Special Action Department specifically for this meeting.
Red Falcon Nikola sat erect, serious. Although he was an observer, Landry was still his responsibility, and any issue might concern him.
The Director specifically called for Professor Landry, which clearly showed a special regard for his research.
Besides the headquarters, the Empire’s Special Operations Department had field stations in various cities and regions, categorized by size or importance into several ranks. The place where Landry was from, Nixasende on the northwest border of the Cerryti Empire, was a lower third-order station.
The headquarters had clear divisions of work. Director Dex oversaw all the leaders of the field stations, also serving as the head of the only zero-order station in the Capital Brilda, directly commanding the Empire’s most outstanding spies.
Under his command were four departments: Intelligence, Strategies, Action Teams, and Research Institutes. Like Nikola from Domestic Strategy Section One, mainly responsible for first-scene investigation, under normal circumstances, Section Chief Nikola would not actively engage in combat.
For direct confrontations and arrests, the Action Team’s Captain Maguire would be more likely to take action.
The Intelligence Department leaned towards logistics, while the Research Institute was the most secretive.
After Professor Landry joined, although in name an honorary advisor to the Research Institute, he would mostly interact with their Strategies Section. Nikola took on the task of liaising with Professor Landry and monitoring him.
Lanci appeared more relaxed, seemingly following Dex’s instructions, not as restrained.
"The Empire truly burgeons with talent now. You are even younger than I imagined. When Nikola told me that the professor who proposed the theory of Magical Energy Fission at Saint Kray Temple was Sir Landry Washington, the same man we met on the Magic Power Rail Train, I was surprised."
Duke Dex’s sharp, black-stone eyes gazed directly at Lanci as he began to speak.
"The days of the Empire’s transformation often attract those who love the Empire. History tends to develop connections, thus I believe it’s not a coincidence, but inevitable."
Landry returned the gaze composedly.
"You truly are a promising young talent. Compared to your brilliance, your ideological maturity stands out. Rest assured, if I choose to utilize you, I will not be suspicious of you. The fact that you’ve passed Nikola’s scrutiny says enough. Even if there’s a need to investigate your background, it’s not my concern. I will leave that entirely to Nikola."
