An antique shop in Hedan Outer City, with a closed sign on the door, resembles a junk store. Behind a pile of cluttered shelves is a passageway, leading to a very simple basent, scattered with miscellaneous items. Only a semi-crouching winged stone statue stands out, roughly two ters tall, its expression fierce with sharp beak and fangs, carved lifelike, seeming ready to co to life with the flicker of candlelight.
This is one of Funeral Attendant's secret eting spots; Travis is waiting, as the other party is evidently late, but Travis remains patient.
After a while, the candlelight suddenly extinguished without warning, and Travis bent over, while the hunched-over stone sculpture slowly stood up.
"Commander." Travis said respectfully.
"Your... actions... are too slow, need... to escalate the conflict, make things bigger." The statue's voice sounded abrasive at first, but after saying a few sentences it beca fluent, still giving the impression of chewing bones, extraordinarily jarring in the pitch-black basent.
"The Cabinet is putting too much pressure on us; the power of the Funeral Attendants is hard to withstand, in this matter... I'm at a loss."
"Afraid at this point?" The statue said, its mouth indeed opening and closing, slowly approaching Travis, appearing as if it could bite off Travis's head at any mont.
Travis did not retreat, sighed with a rueful smile, "Afraid, how can I not be? I don't even know what I'm doing; continuing like this will..."
"Too late to be afraid now, no way out, either do it or die." The robed man's tone remained calm.
"I'm not afraid to die, it's just that I don't know what I'm doing, why I must fight desperately, and why..." Travis didn't finish his sentence. Having worked in the Funeral Attendants for many years, exposed to all kinds of hidden events, how could he fear death? But now what he's doing seems scarier than dying.
"Rember, everything we're doing is to protect the Kingdom, protect the Funeral Attendants, protect the justice we maintain!" The statue creaked, "That's why you were chosen, you're the only suitable one."
"And the next step?" Travis responded without much reaction, commanders love to paint grand pictures, but these aren't even promises.
He's not thinking of retreating, understands what he's doing represents sothing significant, and the obscured parts likely wouldn't be revealed by the other party. At this point, even knowing he must take actions that defy judgnt, he decides to trust in justice.
"Agree to Didia's request, then unintentionally leak the dossiers to him."
"Alright, a small matter. Should we offer Simmons so help?" Travis continued to ask.
"No need, if he can't handle such trivial matters, then the Count is truly muddled," the statue paused for a mont, shook its wings, "Not likely, this old fox is exceptionally cunning, he must have a plan; let's do our own part, he'll definitely find a way to cooperate."
The basent light turned on again, and the statue slowly curled back up, while Travis silently slipped out the back door. In the night, Travis still felt a deep chill creeping in...
***
Anthony is being held at the Funeral Attendants' headquarters in the Holy Grace District, the Nasser Clan has been wanting to visit but continually refused, the Funeral Attendants worry about issues, but external pressures are also imnse. Didia Arthur is waiting with his n at the Funeral Attendants; having resolved the duel with Simmons, he stays at the Night Patrol hoping they will agree to let him see his elder brother.
He eats and sleeps at the Funeral Attendants; the mbers are quite courteous to this young master of the Nasser Clan. Frankly, Anthony's incident was rely unfortunate timing, nothing to implicate the Nasser Duke, as the Nasser family is one of the kingdom's eight pillars, sharing the Kingdom's fate, producing a few unworthy descendants is no big deal, everyone has them. The difference this ti is the previous incidents leaked only in limited scope, now amplified by the Hex Bird Report along with Inner Demon's effects, sparking strong public resentnt and the King's fury, leading to this situation.
Upon seeing Travis return, Didia imdiately approached, "Captain Travis, let see my brother, you can have soone follow, really, I just want to check on my brother's condition."
"Master Didia, please spare ; right now is really not the right ti for a eting," Travis responded politely, "Inner Demon case is not over, we must continue investigating, and Anthony's case goes on. The bar was crowded, you can see we truly can't..."
Involved were so aristocratic offspring; the Funeral Attendants find only a cold reception upon inquiry, can't really do anything about them, only politely request. This series of troubles is brought by Anthony, the underlings of Funeral Attendants are full of complaints, with strict royal orders above. They're stuck in between, feeling the most pressure.
"Captain Travis, you're worried about collusion, but there's no need. I won't go inside, just look around from outside and say a few words. You can join ." Didia said, "Just nod, and you'll win the friendship of the Nasser Clan."
Given the status of the Nasser Clan, a small Funeral Attendant Captain has never been able to reach so high, only dealing with dirty, tiring secret tasks, whereas the Nasser Clan is the pillar of the nation.
Travis squinted his eyes, "Is Young Master Didia representing himself, or the Nasser Clan?"
"Of course I'm representing the Nasser Clan. Other mbers cannot show themselves. I'm the captain from Knight Academy. I swear by the dignity and honor of the knights, I'll never secretly communicate with Anthony." Didia said.
Travis pondered for a while, feeling conflicted. Not showing any stance would strongly offend them. "Young Master Didia, please co with . I appreciate your sincerity. While I can't allow you to communicate, you may watch our interrogation for a while."
Didia knew this was the limit; pushing further would be too much. "Thank you, Travis!"
"Please follow . Wait here for a mont. I'll arrange the interrogation, in the room next door." Travis said and then hurriedly left.
Didia stayed in the room, finally able to see Anthony. His older brother, who took great care of him, despite the age difference. They were very close, but Didia had spent long periods focused on cultivating the Divine Relic and exploring the Holy Land, which lessened their contact. By the ti he returned, Anthony had gone to fight at the front for the country. They seed distant due to growing up. Didia, with greater strength and potential, beca the first heir of the family, feeling guilty and respecting Anthony even more.
The wait was lengthy. Didia saw an open dossier on the table. Initially, he didn't want to read it, but Anthony's photograph was too obvious. Surreptitiously, he began to read, and anger took over. His hand clenched visibly, but his expression soon changed, his lips quivering, gradually turning pale as the blood drained away.
The dossier contained information about Anthony, the current incident, and past cases compiled, so involving nobility were archived and sealed at the behest of higher-ups, with Funeral Attendants executing orders. They had an internal departnt with the highest clearance for these sensitive matters.
At Knight Academy, Anthony had raped female students, smoothing over victims to suppress incidents, but soon offended again, fleeing to the front from Hedan to dodge scandal. From captain to officer, earning accolades, gaining the title of Viscount, yet Funeral Attendants secretly investigated questionable acts, with evidence pointing to Anthony's false heroics for his own gains, supposedly returning triumphantly while Funeral Attendants gathered evidence.
Anthony disregarded all norms; finally freed from that barren land, he relished returning to bustling Hedan, unable to contain himself, finding frontier won incomparable to the luscious ones in Hedan, their shrieks artistic.
Unbeknownst to him, Funeral Attendants had recorded everything, enabling swift intervention by the patrol squad.
Photos and images in the dossier were extrely horrific, descriptions rendering his mind numb. It puzzled him why he beca heir despite potential, while Anthony's eldest son status was undermined. Perhaps the family always knew.
The behaviors weren't human anymore.
He had heard rumors of noble indulgence in pleasures, differing paths embraced without conflict – so strive, others savor leisure, having misunderstood "pleasure."
Then Anthony was escorted into another room; Travis and two Night Patrol mbers interrogated him fiercely, while Anthony hurled threats, vowing to dismber them. Related to the case, he yelled accusations of being frad, claiming the woman's involvent in conspiracy, and boasting of his patriotic sacrifices as a hero.
Funeral Attendants dared not torture, waiting for higher directives, fearing Anthony's potential release and subsequent retaliation, aware of their familial responsibilities, not solitary figures.
Through a gap, Didia glimpsed chaos refuting expectations – Travis's sche?
Did he deliberately expose those false, fabricated details?
Yet… he recalled past mories of soone killed at the doorstep yet family's composure, dismissing as madness, bewitched acts, enduring like a hero clan often does.
All occurrences, a family secret known, yet t with indifference.
Didia left Funeral Attendants dazed; pride in the Nasser surna fueled battles, enhanced power, persisted beliefs now feeling voided, wandering lost in the streets of the Holy Grace District...
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