Chapter 12

Recently, the secret human organization known as Familia has resurfaced within the Demon Emperor’s Nation and resumed its covert activities.

Naturally, this organization, which enjoys overwhelming support from humans within the empire, was the top priority target for the Peacekeeping Bureau.

In particular, their current slogan—a ridiculous claim that Hero Kaiser, who died 20 years ago, is still alive—was enough to not only irritate the upper echelons of the Peacekeeping Bureau but also offend the royal family itself.

It was only natural that every department of the Peacekeeping Bureau had no choice but to go all out in an attempt to catch even a single lead on these guys.

However, despite all these efforts, they managed to cleverly expand their operations across the entire Demon Emperor’s Nation, eventually extending their dirty claws even to the sacred Capital City.

A few weeks ago, there was a mass worship event by humans in the slums on the outskirts of the capital.

The fact that the object of worship was Hero Kaiser and that the notorious Familia was behind it was enough to send the headquarters of the Capital Peacekeeping Bureau into chaos.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few witnesses nearby, so the Peacekeeping Bureau ultimately mobilized all available resources and barely managed to cover up the incident.

By manipulating the truth to make it seem like “foolish humans were merely commemorating a dead hero,” they were able to breathe a sigh of relief—but the root cause still remained unresolved, leaving them unable to completely let go of the situation.

And at this worst possible time, the mission fell to his team: the Secret Peacekeeping Division 3, led by none other than him.

Eliminate any remaining members of Familia believed to have infiltrated the capital.

Furthermore, completely eradicate the belief in Hero Kaiser among the humans in the capital.

This was the core directive handed down from the upper levels of the Peacekeeping Bureau.

Of course, the latter would naturally fade away once the former was dealt with, but the former was proving to be the biggest headache.

Finding those guys hiding somewhere in the vast expanse of Tracion… It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even if the Peacekeeping Bureau’s Secret Division was known for its superior skills compared to other departments. This mission was on an entirely different level.

Without clear clues, starting an investigation based solely on the assumption that the suspects are human was practically impossible.

Moreover, capturing humans suspected of having contact with them wasn’t easy either.

The masterminds behind the worship had vanished without a trace, and the few related individuals they managed to capture committed suicide immediately upon realizing their fate.

Given the secretive nature of humans living in hidden places, recapturing them would never be simple.

It was no surprise, then, that the investigation made little progress.

Of course, as usual, the upper management had no understanding of the field situation and bombarded him with reprimands and relentless demands for results.

To make matters worse, if there were no tangible results by next week, they would transfer command of the investigation to another team and force him to work under them in joint operations—a blow that could shatter the tenuous grip he maintained on his sanity.

Not only would he lose control of the investigation, but being subordinated under others essentially meant that the upper levels no longer trusted the investigative abilities of Team 3—an outcome akin to a death sentence for someone who had followed the elite career path.

Still, amidst all this, there was one glimmer of hope.

His desperate prayers seemed to have been answered when news came from the upper levels that a top-tier expert had been brought in from outside to resolve the case quickly.

Grateful for this unexpected lifeline sent from above, he eagerly awaited the arrival of the mysterious powerhouse mere hours ago.

…And now, the moment has come again.

After finishing his long reminiscence and returning to the present, Maxwell could not help but sink into despair beyond anger at the incomprehensible reality before his eyes.

He had expected nothing less than an elite demon with unparalleled skills, someone who had solved countless major cases in the past, given the endorsement from the upper levels.

Instead, what showed up at the appointed time was some young black-furred feline woman, seemingly rolled in from who-knows-where.

Even if he generously allowed that much, the real issue lay elsewhere.

There was absolutely no way to verify the achievements or past record of this black-furred feline standing before him.

With her appearance already being a significant detractor, the lack of a verifiable history shattered any trust he might have had in her from their very first meeting.

He even double-checked for administrative errors, but the reality before him remained unchanged.

Worse yet, as a staunch believer in demon supremacy and harboring discriminatory views toward other races, the current situation left him feeling utterly hopeless.

The final straw came with the first words out of this beastman’s mouth, sealing his unease.

“…So, Ms. Riel? Just to confirm again, you’re saying that you’ve been granted full authority over this investigation?”

“Hmph, you’ve been repeating the same thing since a while ago… Is this really such a difficult concept? I reviewed the investigation records sent to me before coming here, and there’s been no progress whatsoever for several weeks. Continuing on the same track seems futile, so introducing a change wouldn’t be a bad decision.”

This enigmatic beastman insisted she would take charge of the investigation and proceed in her own style.

When she should have been building trust by explaining her specialties and past accomplishments, she instead declared this absurd takeover, leading to the frustrating impasse they found themselves in after hours of fruitless conversation.

Regardless, since she was specially selected by the upper levels to assist with the investigation, he had planned to test her capabilities and fully support her if she proved extraordinary. However, her stubbornness and inflexibility complicated matters further.

Her extremely irritating remarks implying that “everything your team has done so far is garbage” only aggravated his already boiling temper.

How dare she insult the Secret Peacekeeping Division, filled with the most skilled investigators in the bureau, especially since she was just a filthy beastman, almost indistinguishable from humans?

Though an overwhelming desire to stomp her face into the ground surged within him, Maxwell suppressed his rage, furrowing his brow in frustration.

Yelling at and dismissing her would accomplish nothing; in fact, it would only worsen the situation. Knowing this better than anyone, he took a deep breath and finally spoke with forced brightness.

“…Very well. We will provide you with all the support we can offer. However, that is contingent upon your willingness to join our Secret Peacekeeping Division 3. That is my final compromise.”

“And one last piece of advice—if you think you’re entitled to treat this division as your personal playground just because you’re a specially invited guest, you’re mistaken. You are merely a collaborator, not the owner of this division. Please exercise caution and avoid reckless actions.”

This division isn’t something you can toy with as you please.

Whatever gives her the audacity to act so arrogantly, he didn’t know—but continuing in this manner would lead to nothing good.

This was a clear warning, reinforced by a sharp glare laced with faint killing intent and dense demonic energy, chilling the room’s atmosphere instantly.

Sensing the tension, her expression hardened accordingly.

As the tense standoff continued without an inch of compromise, Maxwell assumed she would back down soon and relaxed slightly.

Unfortunately, her response shattered his expectations.

“I kind of anticipated this, but… there’s nothing else to do. Let’s call the negotiation off, then. I’ll leave now.”

“What exactly do you think you’re doing…?”

“If you’re unwilling to grant me full authority, I’ll operate independently. Honestly, working under someone else’s control doesn’t appeal to me anyway. Moreover, dragging things out without reaching an agreement is meaningless. A clean break is more efficient.”

“…As a temporary member of the Secret Peacekeeping Division and with adequate funding, I’ll handle the rest myself.”

Maxwell stared wide-eyed at the black-furred feline rising from her seat without hesitation, disbelief etched across his face.

Is this beastman truly sane? His expression was nothing short of masterpiece-worthy.

Indeed, anyone else in his position would feel the same way.

While seasoned secret peacekeepers, equipped with extensive information networks and top-notch investigative skills honed over years in the capital, struggled against Familia, how could an outsider, unfamiliar with the city, possibly solve the case alone?

From his perspective, her declaration was nothing short of shocking abandonment—a gesture equivalent to surrendering altogether.

Losing whatever patience he had left, his face contorted savagely as he threatened to report her every insolent action to the higher-ups.

Though he had restrained himself until now, knowing such actions would ruin all cooperation, with the lid blown off, there was no point in holding back anymore.

Yet, undeterred by his final warning, the mysterious Riel calmly walked toward the door, delivering her stance in a bored tone without even turning back.

“One thing is certain—I was instructed by your superiors to resolve this case however I see fit. Whether I collaborate with you or not is entirely up to me. They care about results, not process.”

A confident assertion that she could solve the case without their help.

At this point, Maxwell had completely resigned himself, sinking deeper into his chair as he watched her retreating silhouette, her black tail swaying gently.

He had realized by now—this woman was beyond comprehension, operating outside the realm of logic.

Just as Riel reached the door, she turned her head slightly, her emerald green eyes gleaming as she delivered a captivating smile and a parting remark.

“And wolves don’t bow to dogs, do they?”

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll credit all the merits of solving this case to you.”

Creeeak… Clang.

With that, the enigmatic black-furred beast disappeared.

Alone once more, Maxwell sighed deeply, crushing the document in his hand as if trying to suppress his anger.

Why did the higher-ups bring in this unknown madwoman? Pure curiosity mingled with endless resentment welled up within him.