"Hey, take statements from the snatching robbery victims. Ask them about the appearance of the robber," a woman dressed in pants and a shirt said as she dropped some files on Cassian's desk.
Cassian glanced up at her. She looked to be in her twenties, young but with a seasoned, world-weary air. Her eyes showed signs of fatigue, yet she was still beautiful, her black hair tied back in a ponytail. Her clothes were fitted, hinting at her youthful figure, but Cassian didn't pay attention to that. It had been three days since he started working here.
For those three days, he'd been stuck in this building, writing reports and doing menial tasks like fetching food and running errands. The one who often assigned him those tasks was this woman, Alix—a mage and detective in the special unit.
He couldn't quite understand why a mage would join the law enforcement unit. Sure, mages could be useful in detective work, but what benefit was there for them in law enforcement? Mages needed money for their magical research, and this department certainly didn't pay enough for that.
At most, working here might gain them some reputation, which was usually why warriors took up these positions—to rise in status. It explained why there weren't many mages in the department. What surprised Cassian even more was learning that Alix was a Luminara, a rank comparable to a 5th-circle warrior.
That was rare. Though no warrior would openly admit it, becoming a mage was harder than becoming a warrior of the circles. Warriors could train their bodies and stubbornly push their way to forming their domain fields. Mages, on the other hand, had to go through rigorous steps to gain permission from the world itself to advance in rank, while warriors could brute-force their way through.
Cassian had only read about Luminara mages and didn't fully grasp the exact meaning of their rank, but he understood enough to know that a mage of her caliber had far better options than working in a simple law enforcement unit.
Even in a city where Luminara mages weren't entirely uncommon, it was still odd for her to be here. Truth be told, Cassian didn't care much about why she chose this path. What really bothered him was the way she ordered him around—more than even Lady Katherine, who was his actual master.
Speaking of Lady Katherine, Cassian hadn't been able to meet with her during the past three days. He was only permitted to do so during his free time, which was mostly at night, but he had been using that time to train and sleep. Lady Katherine had relocated to the Beacon of Knowledge—the massive white tower at the center of the city—which was a two to three-hour carriage ride from his current post.
Luckily for him, tomorrow was his day off, and he'd finally have the chance to visit her. As he finished taking statements, Cassian felt a wave of excitement and made his way out of the building, where Robert was already waiting for him. The two had become friends, bonding over their shared goal of becoming sword masters.
Robert was well ahead of Cassian, having been training since Cassian's age, and was now nineteen, while Cassian still had a few months before turning fourteen.
"Excited for the lecture?" Robert asked as Cassian stepped outside. Cassian nodded eagerly, thrilled that the day had finally arrived when he'd get to attend a real sword master's lecture.
It wasn't that Julius hadn't taught him anything before, but those lessons were more practical. Now, Cassian would be learning the essential theory behind swordsmanship—how to develop and advance a domain field, and the different perspectives warriors have on it.
The theory covered much more than just that. It included understanding the role of mana-gathering techniques in becoming a warrior, the true nature of warrior circles, how they're formed, and even the history behind the process of becoming a circle warrior. For many, these theoretical lessons were just as important—if not more so—than the practical training.
Since knowledge about these things is rare, most lower-level warriors don't have access to it. Even those who do tend to keep it to themselves, sharing it only with their closest allies—and rarely for free.
What's more, they were about to learn from a 7th-circle warrior who was also a noble, which meant the knowledge they'd gain would be far more accurate than anything they could get elsewhere. Soon, they arrived at a much larger, slightly aged building, bustling with young people like them walking in and out, all dressed in uniforms that marked them as students.
This was Suros University of Battle Mages. As the name suggests, it trains battle mages—warriors who use magic to fight. Unlike regular warriors, they possess mana hearts and other traits that classify them as mages.
However, Cassian and Robert weren't here to become battle mages. Their purpose was different—the university allowed the law department to use some of its facilities to train enforcement officers, and that's where their lectures would be held.
As Cassian and Robert stood near the entrance, a new figure entered—a tall, muscular woman dressed in a training uniform. Her presence alone commanded respect. She was Sergeant Dallas, a rank higher than both of them, and a member of the special unit Cassian was part of. The moment they saw her approaching, they straightened up and saluted.
"Junior Sergeant Dallas."
Her cold demeanor matched the intensity of her stature. Without a word, she gave a brief gesture for them to be at ease before stepping closer.
"Is Detective Julius' lecture being held here?" she asked, her voice sharp and to the point.
Both Cassian and Robert nodded immediately, knowing full well that she wasn't just any soldier. She was also training in swordsmanship, and what's more, she was a 2nd-circle warrior, which was the reason she landed a job at Sargent rank, which was lower than detective but still held quite authority to punish some people on will.
Sergeant Dallas briefly glanced around the area before turning her attention back to them, her face as unreadable as ever. "Good. Let's not waste time," she said curtly, leading them toward the lecture hall.