Irin swallowed hard.
"I believe I have what it takes. Hopefully," he replied.
Edmund Vane tilted his head. "And where do you come from, Irin? You have the look of a traveler."
Irin froze. The question caught him off guard, and for a heartbeat, his mind went blank.
"I... I'm from..." he stammered, searching for a name that sounded familiar enough.
"Marhan."
Edmund let out a sudden, rowdy laugh that made his monocle wobble.
"Marhan! The far north! I thought as much. I take it you moved to Nikara seeking a better life?"
"Yes," Irin said, finding his footing. "That's right."
Edmund's laughter died down. "Well, it's not as if any place is truly better than another these days, but I understand why people flock to Nikara. It's a glittering trap, isn't it?"
Vane shuffled a few papers on his desk. "Tell me then, do you have experience? Any credentials? A military record, perhaps?"
"No," Irin said.
He saw Edmund's face fall into a sort of disappointment.
Irin noticed the change in his eyes, and he quickly blurted out, "Despite not having experience, I have... I've defeated a monster before. A highly intelligent creature. I thought it might help in your field."
Edmund's eyebrows shot up. He leaned over the desk with sudden curiosity.
"A monster? Truly? Tell me then, are you an Ascender? Or do you have specialized skills like shooting, fighting, magic, or perhaps beast taming?"
"I am an Ascender," Irin replied.
Edmund's eyes instantly lit up.
"An Ascender?! Well, that changes the color of the ink entirely! What phase have you reached? What is your stratum?"
Irin hesitated, struggling within himself whether or not to reveal the information. Seeing his discomfort, Edmund raised a hand.
"Don't worry, don't worry. Whatever it is, it will be invaluable when dealing with our more peculiar cases."
Irin blinked several times with a spark of hope. "Does that mean I have gotten the job?"
"Yes!" Edmund exclaimed, slapping the desk. "You are an Ascender, man! Finding one of your kind is extremely rare. And finding one who actually wants to work as a detective is nearly impossible. The emperor's militia or one of the high houses snatches most of you lot up."
"Tell me, did you attend any academies across the nation?" Edmund asked.
"No," Irin said.
Edmund's smile widened. "Even better. I happen to be a member of the Board of Governors at Veritas Academy in Nikara. If you do well on your first case, I'll put in a personal recommendation for your admission. You'll get proper training, and more importantly, you'll get to live in a district far better than whatever slum you're living in down the street, eh?"
"Thank you," Irin replied .
Edmund stood up and walked toward the window. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"I imagine," Edmund said, his voice reflecting off the glass, "that you are wondering about the payment offer. Every man has his price, especially one who has traveled all the way from the far North."
Internally, Irin let out a sigh of relief. 'Thank goodness we can finally discuss something promising.'
He had been so caught up in the talk about how dangerous the work of a detective was that he'd almost forgotten the state of his empty pockets.
Edmund turned his head slightly towards him.
"As a sign of good faith, I will give you three hundred coppers now, as a down payment. At the end of the month, provided you are still alive, you will receive an additional four hundred copper."
Irin's heart skipped a beat. Seven hundred coppers a month.
It was a small fortune compared to the pittance he had been living on. It was enough to afford him decent meals, warm clothes, and perhaps even a large, comfortable room. It was more than "good" pay.
Edmund turned away from the window. "Well then, let's not waste the daylight. Follow me."
He marched toward the double doors, telling Irin to follow him closely.
"It's time you met the rest of the team. I'll introduce you to the other detectives, and then," he stopped in his tracks and turned to Irin.
"You'll choose your first case to work on."
Edmund did not lead Irin back through the main corridor. Instead, after passing the outer office, he turned and followed a narrow side passage that Irin would have missed entirely if he hadn't been following Edmund closely.
Holding a lamp, they descended a spiral staircase until they reached the bottom of a basement.
Irin stopped walking when he noticed they were approaching a dead end with a brick wall. There was no hint of a door that suggested a way forward.
Irin frowned, wondering if this was some sort of test or if the old man had finally lost his way in his own basement.
"Searching for a door, lad?" Edmund chuckled. He stepped forward and snapped his fingers.
The ground started to vibrate as the stones shook with a low sound. The walls began to untangle themselves from the mortar that held each brick together. The bricks slid over one another like liquid until a narrow doorway was formed where a solid wall had been seconds before.
"I am an Ascender as well," Edmund explained casually, stepping through the newly formed door.
"My Stratum allows me to redefine Matter to any form. My phase can command only the physicality of any substance for now. If I manage to ascend higher, which is difficult and risky to do, I don't think you can phantom the extent of things which I can do."
As they walked through a narrow passage, Irin felt a sense of inadequacy. He marveled at the sheer utility of Edmund's power. This man could bypass walls at a whim, and at a higher ascender phase, he could command the very architecture of the city.
Compared to Edmund, Irin almost thought his own capabilities were small and pitiful, like a candle flame next to a furnace.
They ultimately reached a wooden door reinforced with iron. Edmund pushed it open with a forceful shove.
"Welcome to the Pit," Edmund announced.