"I am now in charge of the Imperial Intelligence Agency Academy branch."
Those were the first words the man uttered.
His voice was unwavering.
The few casually spoken words seed more like a declaration. The phrasing lacked everything—emotion, highs and lows, and even context or reason—but conveyed the intended ssage.
That man had the qualifications for such an attitude.
He bore the Dragonblood Script and, as the representative of the Emperor, carried the seal of the Imperial Family. His words held the authority of the Imperial Family.
Explaining reasons in detail was sothing done by the weak.
For a true, strong individual, it didn't matter if he only delivered conclusions.
After all, convincing the other party was not needed.
The convincing part had to be done by the one receiving the information. As if demonstrating that truth, the prospective agents in the academy branch imdiately bowed their heads.
"We look forward to working with you!"
Even to this fresh greeting, Ian only responded with indifferent eyes.
His eyes looked extrely tired.
If anyone were to et those golden eyes, they would feel the man's profound fatigue. They were like an impenetrable swamp with an unknown depth.
Neris was particularly afraid of eting those eyes.
Ian had always been a formidable opponent, but today, he seed even more so.Her instincts were on high alert.
Do not talk back to this guy.
Not now, at least. Neris realized that it was crucial not to disturb Ian's mood even a little, and she promptly adjusted her behavior accordingly.
Neris knelt respectfully while internally cursing at the man.
It was only appropriate to show proper respect to the representative of the Emperor.
"...I accept the Emperor's decree."
Fortunately, Ian didn't unnecessarily pick on Neris.
He nodded emotionlessly and gestured for Neris to stand up with a chin gesture. Neris then stood politely on the opposite side of Ian.
This place was an underground conference room located beneath the Press Club building.
After his attack on the Press Club so ti ago, Ian had visited again, and now, as the representative of the Emperor, he had taken office in the branch. Thus, all the mbers of the Press Club were present.
It was a sowhat aningful mont.
The Imperial Intelligence Agency Academy branch was rely a temporary facility.
It served as a training ground for prospective agents, and the existence of the branch was only partially known to the Academy, so it was far from the core of the Imperial Intelligence Agency.
Yet now, the representative of the Emperor was stationed here.
Indeed, it was obvious that their status, their ranks, were not matched. But it wasn’t just mismatched; they were leagues apart.
However, even without exaggeration, the man in the head seat had formidable power as he approached Neris.
Indeed, the ability to decide the life or death of agents was just a fraction of his authority.
Oppositely, with a single word, he could change the course of one's career.
It was also the reason why the prospective agents in the academy branch couldn't help but be tense.
Such admiration and fear were already too familiar to Ian. With an utterly indifferent tone, he issued his first command.
"First of all, let make one thing clear. Don't doubt for no reason. It could lead to big trouble. Also, you all need to undergo training again. Starting with the urgent resistance to torture training."
The firm tone caused a stir in the already tense atmosphere.
The eyes of prospective agents, who had been sweating from nervousness, widened. They exchanged glances, showing signs of confusion.
So of them even had their faces turn pale.
What was resistance to torture training?
Without going far, he ntioned training to endure torture without revealing secrets. This included all training processes aid at dulling their sense of pain and strengthening ntal resilience.
Amongst the exercises that Imperial Intelligence agents disliked, it was undoubtedly the most challenging one.
The reason was simple.
It was because it presupposed situations close to torture, requiring them to endure trendous pain.
There was no one who enjoyed pain. Even if there were, it was a taste shared only by a few perverts, yet even these people couldn't embrace pain beyond a certain limit.
Being still in their early twenties, the fresh prospective agents couldn't help but feel dread.
Neris, who was preparing the approval docunts to formally confirm Ian's appointnt, cautiously spoke on behalf of those prospective agents.
"Uh, Sir Ian...?"
The man’s golden eyes vacantly turned towards Neris.
Neris instinctively trembled when confronted with that indifferent gaze. She cursed under her breath, breaking into cold sweat.
Did he think no one would notice that he was a violent sadist? He already looked brutal from his gaze alone. What a crazy bastard.
Of course, Neris had no courage to voice such thoughts.
She continued her words with a more polite tone.
"Well, the resistance to torture training was discontinued a few years ago due to the agents' requests. O-of course, I’m not denying its value, but... this is training so agents receive as needed. Marquis Findleston has specifically prohibited it in the academy branch where there are many prospective agents..."
"...Neris."
At the brief address from the man, Neris imdiately lowered her head, her body trembling.
‘Did I get too presumptuous?’
‘I could have taken a little more ti before trying to persuade him, or he would be angry that a branch manager like dared to speak against the representative of the Emperor while he was still in the process of making his first acquaintance with the branch's agents.’
After saying that, Neris felt an overwhelming sense of regret.
However, contrary to her fear, the situation did not occur.
Without saying a word, Ian subtly gestured with his eyes toward Neris. For a mont, Neris stood there with a puzzled expression, and soon, she realized what Ian was implying as her thoughts connected to the docunts she was holding.
Co to think of it, only after this docunt was stamped Ian would officially take post at the academy branch.
Until then, he might have intended to overlook it.
Neris's complexion brightened considerably with that conclusion.
Neris thought that perhaps having Ian as a superior wasn't so bad, and she placed the docunts on Ian's desk with that in mind.
And the mont when she was about to politely push the docunts toward Ian…
A splash of blood flew into the air.
It happened before Neris' early relief disappeared.
She didn't even notice.
Before she knew it, a white streak of light drew a trace and fell and Neris's delicate fingers, which had been holding the docunts, were at the end of it.
Several of those fingers scattered into the sky.
Neris, who failed to grasp the situation, gradually looked dumbfounded.
What just happened?
Rather than that question, there was a single piercing pain that penetrated Neris's mind.
The pain was akin to being scalded by a burning skewer.
Along with it, Ian's indifferent voice echoed in her ears.
"I told you not to doubt ."
A scream burst out of Neris's mouth.
"Ugh, Kya, AAAAAACKK!"
Neris collapsed just like that, tightly gripping her hand from which blood was dripping steadily. Precisely two fingers, from index to middle, had been severed. Her trembling gaze fixated on the missing fingers.
It hurt, and it was terrifying.
Tears welled in her dark green eyes, and Neris looked up at Ian.
He appeared surprisingly unaffected, displaying no emotional change.
The atmosphere quickly turned chilly in an instant.
So prospective agents even stumbled back, showing signs of shock.
Nevertheless, the man commanded in a cold tone that sent chills down everyone’s spine.
"Stand up."
"Uh, heuh... Y-yes, Sir!"
The unexpected pain triggered mories of a past nightmare, and Neris nearly burst into tears.
But for now, her fear of Ian was greater. Neris stumbled but quickly stood up, deeply bowing her head.
"Does Marquis Findleston's instruction hold higher authority than the Dragonblood Script?"
"N-no, Sir!"
Neris imdiately answered with a trembling voice.
‘Stupid girl, why did you provoke this lunatic?’
A single teardrop rolled down from her regretful eyes. Neris wished for this ti to pass quickly.
Without uttering a word, Ian looked at Neris, who was trembling, then took the Imperial Family's seal from his pocket and stamped the docunt.
He didn’t even need the red stamp ink.
Neris's blood had already soaked it thoroughly.
The only drawback was that the shape of the seal, stamped in blood, disappeared in no ti. Of course, Ian showed no signs of caring.
"Alright, from now on I, Ian Percus will formally take the post at the academy branch. First, investigate the incidents of missing people in the Percus territory and its vicinity."
"Y-yes, Sir!"
The prospective agents responded loud and clear.
It was understandable. Even the strongest among them, Neris, couldn't withstand the man's hacking and fell trembling. What about those weaker and of lower position than her?
Driven by instinctive fear, spontaneous vows of resolution flowed out.
After sobbing for a while, Neris, who had been breathing heavily, finally politely asked her superior, as she always did.
"Sir. Ian, then, for what purpose... Keuh kyaack!"
The hatchet flashed again.
This ti, it was Neris's shoulder. Thrown from his seat, the hatchet instantly crushed the cartilage in Neris’ shoulder, causing her to gush blood.
Neris muttered curses under her breath.
‘Crazy lunatic, did he an not to question anything?’
‘If that was the case, you should have told sooner.’
But her anger vanished like morning dew the mont she t Ian's golden eyes.
Tears sprang to her eyes.
The attitude he displayed, as if stating that he had simply done what was expected, and the lack of humanity in that gaze heightened Neris's sense of dread.
Trembling, she lowered her head straight away.
The hatchet was pulled out on its own, and when it entered the man's hand, only a faint moan escaped. Neris, who received consecutive strikes, found it difficult to maintain her composure.
‘I’m scared. So scared.’
‘I wish this ti would be over already.’
Hoping that such desperate wishes would be heard by heaven, Neris tightened her grip on the hand holding her shoulder, where blood was dripping steadily.
There, she hoped it would lessen the pain a bit.
Fortunately, Ian seed to have no more words to say.
He slowly rose to his feet. The prospective agents of the Press Club hastily bent their waists, bidding a farewell.
Neris considered it fortunate.
She thought that if she stayed like this, she might end up crying miserably. No matter how you looked at it, Ian Percus was the worst superior.
The sight of the woman, shivering while clutching her shoulders, looked pitiable at a glance.
Unfortunately, Neris' hardship was not over.
"And Branch Manager Neris, you will accompany to the Percus territory."
Upon hearing that brief command, Neris' breath caught in her throat.
She looked up at Ian, who was tidying his clothes with a bleak gaze. Even her eyes, filled with a poignant gleam, seed to be damp.
"...Ye-yes?"
"Branch Manager Neris, you will accompany to the Percus territory. Just don't reveal your existence to the outside world because it's only for the sake of information gathering."
In the end, Neris couldn't hold back the teardrops that were welling up.
How could this happen?
Just within a few minutes of facing Ian, Neris already had two wounds on her body. Yet, how long would it take to accompany him on the journey to the Percus territory?
It was unbearable.
So, in her state of distress, Neris made a mistake she would never have committed if she were in her right mind.
"Wh-why... ah."
Once again, the conference room was engulfed in /genesisforsaken
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