Bureau of rats

The nighttime braziers could already be seen alive and flickering from two hundred metres away from the gates. Two massive braizers were positioned directly above the arch where a small queue was trickling into the city. No matter the time, or day or festival or just the mundane everyday, there was always a queue.

Isadora confirmed her instructions with the brat as she saw him off at the ladder.

" Follow go with Glia to the adventurer's guild to collect our payment, then wait for me back at the inn as usual." 

" Yesss master!" For some reason she felt like his voice was poking fun at her.

" Glia, would you accompany my apprentice?" She asked, ignoring him. The reasons why could be easily left unsaid. She didn't trust the security of the city enough to let him walk alone. And it'd be a hassle if she had to get him back later. 

" Leave it to me." 

Meanwhile, there were a number of other things which she had to do.

After seeing the main part of their party off, Isadora turned to face Mauvelai. Pulling her cloak a little more tightly around her, Isadora levitated their two prisoners and moved closer to him. 

" Take me." She instructed.

Mauvelai pulled hard on his reins and their mobile mountain began to move. The sight of the city swung away in a blur from their front to their left. They were going around the city.

Agravoss was initially built to be a fort. It had circular walls, built with thick and hard mountain stone. If one knew where to look, the five garrisons within the city could be spotted from peering over the edge of the battlements. At full capacity, they housed an army large enough to mount an impenetrable defense, or a formidable attack. 

' Although stripped of its thorns, it still resembles the iron rose which it was designed to be.' Isadora mused poetically as she silently overlooked the view. It was a good atmosphere for contemplation and Isadora soon found herself in deep thought.

' Only two of the garrisons are manned. But the patrols on the walls have no holes. The demons haven't gotten complacent.' She noticed.

Logic dictated that such a phenomenon was abnormal. Afterall, if not Agravoss, which city could afford complacency? It was the city furthest away from the brewing war and it was desert all around. Any advancing army would be spotted right away even by a half-asleep watchman. 

But this wasn't true, not for demons. They were wired differently from humans. When under contract, they would do anything to fulfill their bond. No matter the duration, no matter the cost. This was only natural. 

However, Isadora did catch onto something strange. ' Why is over half of the city's armed men away?' She thought quizzically. Was it to aid in the war? But there has been no battle yet. And there is no shortage of warriors in the realm. Why draw on men from so far away and waste time?

Isadora shot a look behind her to where her two prisoners lay. They were unconscious from the induced sleep that she had casted on them. To be extra careful, although she didn't see the need, Glia and the brat had also bound them by rope. Isadora only now noticed how strange a combination they were. A human and a demon. Simply to recover him, the bandits had deployed such a valuable member that it was almost astounding. 

The creature that the demon had rode was a Wenut, a manner of great monster that was tagged as a dangerous and high level quarry even for elite adventurers. Riding them was not unheard of, but to do so, one had attain its acknowledgment. Even outside of combat, a powerful wenut rider had his share of strengths. 

Then there was the human. From what the brat had told her, he attempted to smoke conversation before sneaking off. Isadora could only say that that was indeed, a very human-like thing to do. 

This told her two relatively valuable things. Isadora organised her thoughts and started laying out the facts in her mind.

First was that the bandits were overconfident. They assumed many things with regards to the strength of their attackers as well as themselves. This had led them to impulsively deploy a single ace with intent to destroy the enemy. Obviously that had backfired. They were likely less confident now.

Isadora set a hand to her chin as she moved on to the next clue.

' The second was that the girl's suspicions are likely true. The first sign comes from the failure of the Inglisa Bureau to notice and investigate such a large illegal alliance. They still think that the missing cargo and travellers are the work of a rampaging sandworm. This plays into our theory that someone corrupt is withholding information from the bureau.'

" From here, there are two main possibilities. First, the corruption comes from within the bureau. Second, the corruption comes from the administrative body of Agravoss. That means three people. The Treasurer, the Overseer and the Overseer's right hand.' 

' If the former is true, then it would be disadvantageous to reveal what we know. However, there is also insufficient information to evict them as the culprits. But the opposite is also true. Since the cons outweigh the benefits, a new plan is needed before we face the bureau's representatives who might be corrupt.' 

' By elimination, it is easier to confirm if the rat is in the bureau or not. We can do this by…' 

Isadora turned to their two prisoners and beckoned them closer. The two bound men floated closer towards her. Once they were at a satisfactory distance, four thin rays of light extended from Isadora's open palm. They danced around each other in circles, painting an intricate pattern in the air before blowing up in a small flash of golden light. 

' PEERER.'

' A spell that allows you to see what a target sees, hear what a target hears and feel whatever a target feels for a designated period of time.' Isadora was convinced that said period of time would last several hours even if she wasn't well practiced in using the spell.

To avoid detection, Isadora casted two more spells in quick succession. This would make it watertight. 

No effects took the air this time but Isadora could see the effects of the spells in the mana world. The mana signature of the spying spell was being erased at astounding speeds, and there was no indication of a mana radiation that was characteristic of spells that casted prolonged effects. 

Her spells were completed just in time as they rounded the corner into north gate. They had come one full round to the other side of the city. 

The north gate always had the smallest queue because the district which it led to was the most isolated in the city. There were no residential areas here, nor many street hawkers selling their wares. At night like this time, walking along these streets meant that that firelight would often be your only companion. It was a cold, reserved and withdrawn section of the city.

For reasons, it was here that the Inglisa Bureau chose to situate their headquarters. And because of the low demand, the land around here was assumed to be cheaper which was a reasonable guess as to how they managed to secure such a large and imposing building for their operations. 

Mauvelai pulled the Mayaka to a stop about three hundred metres away from the north gate. Turning back to her, he said: 

" I'm sorry, could you wait for me while I house him?" He petted the Mayaka, referring to it. " It slipped my mind that the stables were nearer to the east gate. I should have stopped us there and made the rest of the walk by foot." 

Isadora spied fatigue in both his voice and body. He had been through a lot today so Isadora instantly decided on a path of action and to do him a favor.

" No need." She declined, standing up. " You've done enough for me today." I can take it from here. 

Without waiting for his reply, Isadora took her prisoners with her and jumped off, heading towards the gate. A shout echoed after her. It was only after she entered that she heard the sound of the Mayaka's footsteps recede away as Mauvelai left. 

Not paying any mind, Isadora continued forging forward." Well that's that. Now, time to hunt.' Isadora grinned as the sight of the imposing building got closer and closer.