[Inspector Aerel's POV]
After their arrival at the academy through the underwater ocean mist, Aerel and Casey had navigated to the Academy's Admin building, where the detachment of the Archmage's constabulary was.
An officer had been alerted beforehand and had shown them to the commander's office, which had been vacant for some time.
…Aerel had also been informed that she needed to make a speech for the freshmen's orientation.
Aerel sighed as she set herself down in the office, her back to the massive clear glass window behind the hefty long wooden desk. The office was flanked by heavy bookshelves while the table was stacked with layers of paperwork and hefty tomes that the previous occupant had left behind. It smelled faintly of new paper and ink.
Aerel rubbed her eyes. "I hate doing speeches."
"I'm sure you'll do fine, ma'am." Casey pulled open the weighty curtains, letting the golden early morning light pool into the room.
"Thank you," Aerel replied with a sigh. "Once you're done with the curtains, Casey, come over. I need to brief you on some things."
Outside the office, all types of strange trees swayed in the gentle, arcane breeze underneath the ocean, held at bay by the magical barrier.
*Tak*
Aerel set down her cane before igniting the gas lamp on the desk which hissed to life, the small red flame dancing within the sealed glass.
Aerel glanced around the room before whispering under her breath. "Silencieux."
She quietly extended her mana. From the center of the room, a faint ripple spread outward like a drop falling into still water. The shimmer expanded into a barely visible veil that pressed gently against the walls.
This spell would stop eavesdroppers from listening in—anything inside the sphere would stay silent to anything outside of it.
Casey finished fixing the curtains and removed her top hat, revealing a bun mussed from the trip. She loosened her black hair, then pinned it back into place before stepping in front of the desk. Casey shuffled back to the desk in front of Aerel.
Her boss was as frostily beautiful and regal as ever.
Aerel slowly crossed her legs, quietly elegantly folding them one over the other, pausing in thought. "…I'll start with this. Are you familiar with AO 1032C?"
"Yes, ma'am. The guttershell?" Casey replied.
AOs or Anomalous Objects were objects, like their name suggested, that didn't abide by the laws of the world.
Anomalous Objects—or AOs for short—were things that defied the laws of the world, classified as artifacts, creatures, or entities and monitored by the archmage's constabulary.
AO-1032C, creature-class, the "guttershell," was a sapient black slime with an octopus-like form and a cylindrical shell. While its mimicry wasn't perfect, it could warp its body well enough to lure prey within range to strike.
However, their mimicry and intelligence evolved at an alarming rate. Left unchecked, they could quickly evolve into something far worse.
This last fact was only accentuated by the fact that they were pack predators—always moving in a synchronized motion and coordination while in small social groups called pods.
If they were to have traveled to the academy, where not only there were humans but the top scholars of the world, and where the bulk of magic was taught…
That would be disastrous.
They could even birth a similar race of sentient creatures that represented a real threat to humanity.
For that reason, the guttershell found itself high up on the constabulary's risk list.
"Correct," Aerel nodded. "They were responsible for the attacks down at Vaulnere's docks."
She folded her hands and continued softly. "Headmaster Adam believes they've evolved again. Naturally—or through tampering. The head commissioner suspects the academy has been infiltrated by 1032C specimens. Possibly survivors from the docks. She also expects tainted witch involvement."
Aerel exhaled softly. "After confirming they know about the archmage's death… it's all possible. They're getting bolder."
Casey nodded and stared at inspector Aerel, but her focus drifted. She had to pull herself to Aerel's words.
Wow, Aerel's neck looked so slender…
"Witch activity makes sense," Casey said. "Most things couldn't get to the academy at all. But 1032C? Even evolved, they're not really subtle."
"Right," Aerel replied, "Unless they've evolved again—or were altered. Either way… it's going to be a mess."
The room seemed to cool with Aerel's breath, the desk lamp flickering faintly.
"…Right," Casey said belatedly, her scattered eyes greedily taking in her boss.
Aerel glanced up at her adjutant. "Are you okay, Casey? You seem a bit distracted today."
"Am I?" Casey blinked, taking a step forward toward the desk.
A spark of heat seemed to flare in her chest, spreading out to her arms and legs. It pooled and gathered in her stomach, and she took another step forward, not really thinking.
Aerel narrowed her eyes. "Casey."
"...Yes?"
This time, Casey's reply came out slightly breathily and messily. She stepped around the desk, sitting on it right by her boss's chair. Up close, Aerel's faint scent of lemongrass and winter air wafted through Casey's newfound haze.
"...Did you forget to take your suppressant again?" Aerel asked flatly.
Casey didn't reply. Her breathing just sped up, and Aerel could almost feel the heat radiating from Casey's skin.
Inspector Aerel sighed and retrieved a small glass vial from her pocket, popping out a tablet. "I am not making a habit of this," she said. "You need to manage your cycles properly. Heat onset during duty is dangerous, for you and everyone around you."
She shook the tablet in her palm and pushed her chair back slightly. "Come here."
Casey obeyed without hesitation, her eyes already glassed over. Her balance tipped as she leaned in closer than necessary, and ended up half against Aerel's knees on the chair.
Aerel simply pressed her fingers with the pill into Casey's mouth, feeling her fingers hot and slick with Casey's saliva. As she slid them out and clamped her subordinate's mouth shut, Aerel felt Casey gently licking and nibbling her fingers.
Aerel ignored it. "Swallow."
Casey did, her throat throbbed as it worked.
Quickly, her weight sagged.
Aerel steadied Casey and guided her into the chair. Within moments, Casey was asleep. Aerel removed her trenchcoat and draped it over her adjutant's shoulders.
Even suppressed, the aftereffects of a triggered heat would leave Casey exhausted.
Aerel straightened slowly, then reached up to undo her ponytail. Her silver hair slipped free, falling around her shoulders as she turned back toward the desk, reflecting the subtle lamplight like threads of moonlight.
For a moment, she observed Casey—curled slightly under the coat, breathing evenly now, defenseless. A sense of possessiveness and hotness worked a knot inside her chest, but Aerel quickly looked away.
They were still on duty.
She'd let Casey rest.
If AO 1032C had actually infiltrated the academy, then she'd have a massive responsibility on her hands, like the head commissioner had predicted.
She had to find and eliminate them as fast as possible—and it was already possible that AO 1032C had already taken on a near-seamless human guise.
Aerel sat down against the desk and pulled the nearest report off of the table.
…It was a preliminary report about some findings on the individual the tainted witches had been hunting for, SN.
She glanced down at the paper, tucking stray strands of her platinum hair over her ear, ignoring her fingers still wet and slick from Casey's mouth.
Aerel sighed, listening to the soft, gentle breathing of Casey sleeping in her chair as she opened the report file.
There was work to do.
…She'd just have to multitask and come up with a speech while she was at it.