When Selina arrived upstairs, she saw the receptionist, Rozanne, stirring a steaming coffee by her usual desk.
She noticed her from the hallway, gestured for a greeting and asked with a hint of anticipation, "Are you now apart of our department?"
Selina gave a soft smile and raised her hand, holding the contract, "I did."
"Great!" Rozanne was delighted. Her hand stopped momentarily to reach for Selina.
Selina took the handshake and assumed her usual poise.
"Welcome to Awwa County Seventh Unit." Rozanne gave a short, warm welcome. "If you ever need something, you can ask the staffs or me, the workaround here is pretty simple, the civilian staffs are usually available here in the surface while the others can be found downstairs..."
Selina maintained a sophisticated demeanor but interrupted after a moment. She asked, "I'm sorry but where can I find Mrs. Orianna?"
"Mrs. Orianna?" Rozanne blurted.
"Yes, Captain said that I can retrieve the items that were confiscated from me to her." Selina said honestly.
"Well, Mrs. Orianna is also very reserved, at a time like this she should be in her office in the far, right-hand side of the hallway", Rozanne replied.
She closed her cup of coffee with a book and fixed her dress before saying, "I can accompany you to her. Captain should have given you a token of approval right?"
Selina glanced at the book's title: Stormwind Mountain Villa and suddenly thought, It's that novel again, is it that popular?
She retracted her attention from it and replied to Rozanne, "Yes, captain said the contract is enough and I should also file for a badge along the way."
Rozanne nodded and gestured for her to follow, "Alright, I'll accompany you to Mrs. Orianna."
Soft sunlight filtered from the thin fabrics of the veils. Each window were a passage that stores the timeless scenery of a world that is far from what Selina had known.
When they finally arrived at the office, Rozanne knocked lightly three times and opened the door.
Inside was a lady, sitting on a cushioned, high-back chair by a safe.
She was a black-haired woman dressed in a flounce lace dress. She appeared in her thirties and had fashionable curly hair. Her pair of green eyes were clear and smiling, and she seemed refined and elegant.
After Orianna heard Rozanne brief about Selina's request, she took out a note and wrote an advance slip.
"Sign here. Do you have a seal? If not, you can leave a thumbprint."
"Alright." Now familiar with the procedures, Selina completed the formalities.
Orianna opened a drawer from a nearby desk. She produced a 45mm brass revolver sheathed on a short gun holster, a knife and a box of matches.
It came with a gun-holster? How considerate of them, Selina was both delighted and puzzled by this.
Upon receiving them, she immediately inspected the revolver of any deformities. While doing this, she noticed a symbol under the brass handle.
It was circle and in the center was a bold capital letter: V, the crest of the Ivory Family.
"Your revolver was first fixed before it was safely kept. It had so many issues with the barrel and the chamber that some parts were replaced." Orianna said for assurance.
I see... I was so preoccupied before that I forgot to check the revolver. Selina murmured to herself, ruminating over the possibilities that might have occurred negatively during those times.
Considering the suggestion of Dunn Smith and Old Neil about her choice of weapon, earlier she had already decided to retrieve the revolver and keep it. It was to make certain measures for when intruders enter her residence again.
With the revolver in hand, the importance of the other items were now shallow that she abandoned the idea of retrieving them.
"By the way", Orianna added as she stores the remaining items back into the drawer. "Ms. Roy, were you the reason behind the massive display of fireworks during the previous weekend and the involvement of paranormal activities that had led the Captain invite you into our department?""
"Yes, quite an impeccable evaluation Mrs. Orianna." Selina wasn't stingy about her compliments.
"It was a hot topic during these past weeks that some suspected it was a show arranged by the arrival of the circus in the city for promotion. However, to think that behind all of the grandeur was a situation of peril.
"Mr. Moretti also experienced a paranormal incident just not in the scale of how you arrive in our department but still special and significant." Orianna recalled Klein's case as she raise a genial conversation.
Special and significant?
"Captain and the others have mentioned the same but I was not informed of any details surrounding it." Selina unloaded the chamber and withdrew it to her hand.
Orianna thought for a moment, then said, "I guess it's fine to tell you certain things about our members. I for instance, had similar experience as well."
"Really?" Selina blurted, her revolver concealed by her sun hat.
Rozanne recalled the details and suddenly stepped in, "...Oh! Sixteen years ago, Tingen city was sent into a frenzy about a serial killer that killed five girls consecutively. Some had their hearts and stomachs removed by that Bloody Butcher. A perfect horror story for a scare right?"
...Perfect horror story? Dear is that the first thing you thought when a murder spree happens? Selina held her facial muscles from moving.
"Yes, and I almost became one of the victims if not for the intervention of the Nighthawks." Mrs. Orianna's tone still had a faint sense of lingering fear within them.
A Bloody Butcher... five consecutive girls... requires the intervention of the special unit Nighthawks...
Selina quietly pieced together for herself to understand and quickly she asked, "Could that serial killer, no—The Butcher was a beyonder?"
If so, what pathway could he belong?
"Yes." Mrs. Orianna gave a firm nod. "He had killed even more before that. The reason why he was captured was because he was preparing a ritual for the devil."
A ritual... Selina could only sympathize with her experience as she replied sincerely, "I'm sorry for making you recall such an unpleasant memory..."
Orianna smiled. "I'm no longer afraid... I was studying accountancy in business school back then. After that incident, I've been here ever since. Do you still want to hear about Mr. Moretti's side?"
"If you could, please." said Selina.
"As for him, I heard that his case was an incident involving a book and a death of his two colleagues from Khoy University. This two students who had recently graduated were Welch Mcgovern and Naya Rouselt, both committed suicide apart from him, either drowning themselves in a sink or destroyed their skull on a wall. Such a gruesome ending for his two friends." Mrs. Orianna said as thought of it.
"Not only that, Mr. Moretti himself stated that he shot himself in the head, afterwards couldn't remember anything aside from his diaries and a revolver in hand." Rozanne couldn't help but add in a few more details.
Shot himself in the head? He lived even after that? Selina felt something was off by how they describe Moretti's case.
She blurted out, "A revolver? In what place did he almost killed himself?"
Rozanne quickly responded as though it was a casual conversation, "In their small apartment in the West Borough, lower street. The residence there lived in a worker class system, scarce of opportunities and always in a run for just a few soli for the whole week. I'm glad they finally moved out of the area and get to have a more pleasant environment."
He shot himself... In a small apartment...
"I see..." Selina didn't escalated her questions, in fear of breaching a boundary.
Hearing Rozanne's constant words, Mrs. Orianna sighed and said, "Well, that's the gist of it. I can brief you more but that's as far as I know about the others."
Selina forced a smile as she asked, "I-Is it fine talking about someone like this?"
"It's fine, it also helps us get more familiar with each other. Maybe next time you can share your experience of such paranormal incidents, that way we can be more capable of reaching out to you." Mrs. Orianna smiled.
Although her own experience was deeply personal, it would still risked a valuable aspect of herself from getting exposed. However, by including them for a few parts, it would lessen their suspection and wariness of her, allowing for a more comfortable environment.
Selina nodded, "Thank you, also, captain told me to request for a badge."
Her own faint dementia almost crept in if not for the sensation of her revolver.
Upon receiving what she came for. Selina and Rozanne both took their leave and soon arrived back in the reception area.
Along the way, she had already strapped the gun holster to her thigh tightly.
Selina quickly felt how assuring it is to sheathe her revolver compared to her crudely-made holster from just a few strips of torn clothes.
I don't have to constantly check if my revolver was still there now, Selina smiled faintly for herself as sign of appreciation.
"So what are you planning on doing next? Did captain already assigned you a job? I would still suggest being a concierge, it would help you gain attraction and possibly a man of your life. Mhm, a husband to take care of you as quickly as possible", Rozanne said, wearing a delightful eyes at Selina.
...Eh? Selina was taken aback as she replied softly, "What about you? You seem to be lot more stressful compared to me. With your position and appearance, you can most likely attract a man to be your husband."
Rozanne gasped lightly then quickly shook her head in denial, saying , "Oh no no, those things require great considerations. For instances, he would need to have a non-problematic salary, his competency is only a mjor factor along with his overall character. I wouldn't dare rush it."
Are you... hearing yourself right now? Selina could only smile bitterly as she chose to refrain from engaging any sort of sophistry with the receptionist.
After exchanging a bit of pleasantries. She soon exited the establishment. It didn't took her long to board a trackless carriage afterwards, back to the Municipal Square.
...
The horses galloped across the street and finally arriving at 18 Vlad Street.
I hope Mr. Darkwill won't mind me being late... She muttered to herself before crossing the road and stopping at the shop.
The door chimed, indicating a customer entering.
From the entrance, Selina quickly noticed that the person, behind the counter wasn't the chubby man she was familiar of, whose face was often frowned whenever she arrived for lectures.
Instead, he was replaced by young man with fixed hair and slightly crooked nose. Wearing a gentleman's attire, quietly cleaning the counter with a napkin.
Selina slowly approached him and asked politely, "Excuse me. Um good afternoon sir, may I ask where did the previous owner of this shop go?"
Where did that indecisive man whose habit was to make sarcastic remarks to his customers?
The man behind the counter fell into a momentary daze before he quickly snapped back to reply, "Y-You mean Mr. Lawson?"
Man... Darkwade you lucky bastard. He quietly added to himself, "H-He left, unfortunately."
Selina creased her brow and pressed, "To where?"
She still haven't paid him a penny for all of the lectures she received!
Deep inside the man, he thoughts was full of profanity for the man as he replied earnestly, "He didn't told me. All he did was entrust this shop to me."
Entrust... Selina sighed, then produced twenty pounds from her wallet.
She figured that because of his status as a wild beyonder. Darkwill is naturally wary of the officials, on the side note she had noticed from time to time his awareness of the numbers of new customers arriving.
Although she had only seen one or two customers, she wasn't always present to be certain how many sales Darkwill had made.
The man was dumbfounded by her act of displaying money.
Before handing them, Selina asked with a meaningful intent, "Sir, may I know your name?"
The man hesitated before answering nonetheless, "It's Schermaine."
Selina committed the name in mind and gave the twenty pound to the counter, "If you're able to contact him, give him this payment. It's only right to give back what you received."
"A twenty pound note?" Schermaine accurately counted and muttered.
"Also, please thank him on my behalf, that's all." Selina added in passing as she turned for the door.
It was slightly dreadful that her mentor had vanished without notice. However, understanding that since she had now become an official, it's also her job to arrest such wild beyonders as they could affect civilians. They may display normalcy for now, but the threat of losing control are still inevitable.
The door chimed once again, now to exit completely.
Selina wore her sun hat, strained to feel her revolver underneath her dress and proceeded to look for a trackless carriage to board.