"Will you believe me?" Aili once again gazed at Levin with her clear, azure eyes that resembled a serene sky.
"Sir… no, Aili, I am willing to believe you." Levin nodded slowly, "You became a guard to protect the land and people you love, just like your adoptive father, didn't you?"
"No, it's merely because the guards offer high wages and good benefits," Aili blinked, seemingly speaking the truth.
Levin: "…"
"I'm just kidding. Apart from the influence of my adoptive father, becoming a guard was actually the safest option for me." Aili lowered her gaze, seemingly lost in thought.
"At that time, after my adoptive father's death, if I aspired to become a guard, I could directly take his place and be promoted to captain, with a much more lenient background check."
"If I chose to become a guard, it would be less likely for the guards to come knocking on my door during the full moon, right? Thinking this way, I embarked on the path of becoming a guard," Aili continued.
"I see now, the most dangerous place is indeed the safest one," Levin thought to himself.
"So, Aili, what do you plan to do in the future? Will you continue to keep it a secret?" Levin asked Aili.
"I will definitely keep it a secret… The laws of the Sage's Council will not change just because I'm an ordinary guard." Aili reopened her eyes, which were now shrouded in a veil of uncertainty.
"But what happens next… I'm not quite sure."
"There must be a way to remove the wolf's blood mark, right?" Levin inquired cautiously.
"For the past decade, I've been searching for possible solutions, both with the church and in the libraries directly governed by the Sage's Council, but I've found no remedy for the wolf's blood mark." Aili's eyes grew darker, "Perhaps bearing this bloodthirsty curse is my destiny."
"Aili, you must believe that there will be a solution. If there's a way to attach it, surely there's a way to remove it," Levin took Aili's right hand in his.
"You… um…" Aili instinctively tried to pull away, and Levin quickly realized the discomfort, releasing her hand.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Levin immediately apologized.
"If you do that again, I might have to consider it sexual harassment," Aili said, glaring at Levin with a faint blush on her pale face.
"But you're right. I've always held that belief, that as long as I keep searching, there will be a solution."
The most likely place to find a solution might be the church that hunts the demon Varkillis, after all, that is the origin of the wolf's blood mark, Levin thought.
"By the way, Aili, how did you overcome me after I transformed into a werewolf? I barely remember, only a few fragmented memories," Aili looked at Levin with curiosity.
"Aili, speaking of which, why do you carry a silver dagger and silver bullets?"
"Ah… so that's what they're for…" Aili realized, "They're for self-termination."
"Self… termination?" Levin looked at Aili in astonishment.
"Yes, if one day I can no longer control my sanity and might even harm my colleagues… I…" Aili's voice trembled, and she gripped the bedclothes tightly.
"Aili, that day will never come. You won't need to resort to self-termination," Levin took Aili's hand again, this time she did not struggle.
"You fool, I said I'd count it as sexual harassment," Aili tapped Levin's head with her other hand, "Don't hold my hand like that. You never know what rumors might spread if the younger ones see it. No need for self-termination… You really have confidence. Aren't you afraid that one day I might go berserk and eat you?"
I was terrified for days… Of course, Levin couldn't say that.
"And even with the silver dagger and bullets… it probably wouldn't be enough. As a werewolf, I possess strength equivalent to a mid-level extraordinary being. Are you…" Aili's eyes widened in surprise.
"Indeed, Aili, I've advanced to the extraordinary level and can now be considered a beginner extraordinary being," Levin admitted openly when he realized he couldn't hide it any longer.
"Wonderful! When did you advance? Why didn't you tell me?" Aili chided Levin, her eyes filled with delight.
"Because I was previously targeted for assassination, I intended to keep it a secret for a while to surprise the mastermind. Inspector Arios knows about it too," Levin explained.
"I see. You were right to think that way, considering the recent events. Since Arios knows, it makes sense that headquarters assigned such an unclear mission to our East Fourth Team. It seems they were confident we could handle it. This time, I'll have to settle accounts with that Edel fellow," Aili said with a fierce look, making Levin smile with understanding.
It seems our captain retains a childlike heart when she lets go of herself.
"But next time, don't keep things like this from me… Levin, if I'm wrong, correct me… Were you a bit afraid of me before?" Aili scrutinized Levin with sharp eyes, "Is there something else you're hiding from me?" Despite the question, Aili spoke with such certainty as if she had already caught concrete evidence.
Naturally, Levin couldn't admit to something without proof; explaining why he was afraid would require revealing the system.
"I didn't… Sir, you mustn't accuse me without evidence. What could I possibly be hiding from you? My fear of you is purely out of… respect, yes, respect."
"Alright, I'll let it pass this time. But don't let me catch you distributing escort ads in the camp again," Aili snorted and then softened her tone, "I understand that as an orphan, it must have been tough for you to join the guards on your own."
That was in the past, I just picked up where someone left off… Levin replied with a strained smile, "Ah… it's fine…"
"Now that you're an extraordinary being, according to the current expansion practices of the guards, our East Fourth Team might soon be handed over to you. As for me…" Aili paused.
"Inspector Arios mentioned that headquarters intends to transfer you to the Special Operations Team, right?" Levin quickly picked up on this.
"Arios really has high hopes for you. He even mentioned it," Aili raised her eyebrows in surprise, "It was the idea of a former subordinate of my adoptive father… He's now the commander of the Special Operations Team and always wanted to transfer me there to look after me…"
"But I'm always reluctant to leave, the East Fourth Team, and everyone in the Eastern District… But with you here, I can be a little more at ease," Aili said, lowering her gaze as if she had made a firm decision.
"Please, Sir, even though I'm an extraordinary being now, I'm not fit to be a captain. I haven't even gotten a handle on my own district yet. Making me captain feels somewhat predetermined," Levin urgently pulled Aili back.
"Ah… written reports…" Aili's expression turned troubled at the mention of this, "Don't think that just because you're the deputy captain, you can leave all the reports to me. No way, you'll handle half of the reports for this incident!" Aili glared fiercely at Levin.
"Please, Captain! Could it be one-third instead? I've never written such a report before. Starting with such a massive task is overwhelming!" Levin begged.
"However, I can postpone the Special Operations Team matter for now. Since you're still grappling with the idea of becoming a captain, let me continue to worry about the East Fourth Team," Aili said with a smile that carried a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
**Weimar City, City Guard Headquarters**
"Ugh, that night nearly exhausted me," Arios grumbled as he forcefully pushed open the office door. Upon sitting down, he noticed a large cup of hot coffee waiting for him. "Ah, was this prepared for me? Thanks!" With that, Arios downed the coffee in a few gulps.
"Ugh, it's so bitter. Don't you know I like it sweet?" Arios said as he wiped his mouth.
"That was for my overtime!" Inspector Edel, with his blonde hair and visible veins, retorted.
"Overtime? What, did you stay late just because I did?" Arios slumped into his chair and burped.
"Of course! Do you think my night was any easier? With the surge in severe cases, writing reports, assigning tasks, and reading reports, I'm utterly exhausted," Edel rubbed his forehead. "I hope you have some good news to reduce my workload as compensation for that coffee, or you're out of here."
"Sorry, there was an incident with the task. I'm leaving now. Do you need help with the door?" Arios swiftly stood up.
"Don't you dare leave. What happened? Explain in detail; your news is more invigorating than that coffee," Edel, usually composed, involuntarily swore in the rough vernacular of Weimar.
Arios resumed his seat and said, "It's an assignment-related incident. The task's difficulty exceeded expectations, and we need to provide bonuses and compensation."
"Whew… that's manageable. A two-month salary's worth of compensation plus half a month's vacation should suffice. Just make sure the report isn't too troublesome. Please, tell me that's all," Edel massaged his temples.
"There's also a warning-related incident: a werewolf sighting," Arios said gravely.
"Looks like there'll be no rest tonight. I'll need to see which teams have available personnel," Edel collapsed onto the desk in despair.
"Don't panic. I actually have a lead on the werewolf sighting," Arios said, sitting beside Edel and giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Oh? Have you got a lead on it?" Edel looked at him with hopeful anticipation.
"No, but after inspecting the scene, I believe the werewolf likely hasn't left Weimar City…" Arios shared his speculation.
"Oh? Hiding within the city? That's quite bold," Edel's expression turned serious. "We must bolster our defenses on the full moon night. We cannot allow this werewolf to wreak havoc in the city."