Unexpected Visitor

"A Returner has emerged from the Samael Slums, and his interview results were excellent—he has already met the admission standards."

For a time, dozens of people throughout the Police Bureau fell into heated discussion.

After all, the Samael Slums ranked dead last among the four major slums.

In such a poor, foul-smelling environment where normal education was unavailable, a Returner had actually appeared—and one who had passed the interview and was about to enter the Royal Knights Academy as a Knight-Errant.

This was a major event.

There seemed not to have been anything like this in recent years.

Of course, while everyone was discussing it intensely... the two staff members who had just arrested Han Dong felt their hearts tighten.

The tall man asked nervously, "Charles... don't tell me the one we arrested was...?"

"Impossible. That guy's arms were as skinny as wooden poles. Escorting him took no effort at all. How could someone like that be a Knight-Errant?"

"That's true. If someone like him could become a Knight-Errant... then we could too!"

While reassuring each other, the two also began asking their colleagues for information.

The officers responsible for Festival Plaza began discussing the unusual traits of the Returner from a few days ago:

"I remember now! A Returner did appear in the center of the plaza yesterday afternoon, and a Black Rose Knight immediately took him away for an interview...

"Although I was far away, that person looked incredibly imposing. His back seemed so huge as I watched him leave!"

"Right, right! I heard that the Returner who appeared yesterday afternoon looked extraordinary even from afar... Maybe he was some commoner genius born with immense strength!"

Hearing such descriptions,

the fat Charles and the tall Brown swept away their worries. That image completely failed to match the young man they had arrested.

After resting briefly, Officer Days said,

"I'll personally bring this Valen Nicholas to the bureau for the relevant registration and file transfer... As for the escapee you caught, we'll deal with him later."

"Alright!" (They had not even asked Han Dong's name and had no idea what he was called.)

The fact that the Police Commissioner was personally going to visit showed just how high the status of a Knight-Errant was in a place like the slums.

Officer Days changed into casual clothes and headed alone to Nicholas's residence.

After all, the matter of a Returner required a certain degree of confidentiality.

If people with ill intentions learned of it, the Returner, who had just escaped Destiny Space and was injured and weak, might encounter danger.

Following the address listed in the records, he found Nicholas's home.

"What?! He was arrested?!"

After hearing Nina explain what had happened when she opened the door, Days immediately thought of the "escapee" his subordinates had mentioned.

He was furious, but sweat also broke out from anxiety.

If the Returner held a grudge, things would truly become troublesome in the future.

Days had become a Police Commissioner not because of his family, but because he himself was also a Returner.

However, he had failed the interview because he had only passed a one-star Destiny Event, and there had been a certain amount of luck involved.

Even so, it had been enough for him to serve as Police Commissioner of the Samael Slums Police Bureau for more than a decade.

"What rotten luck. Those idiots they keep around are not only useless, but stupid enough to drag down the entire bureau.

"From now on, we need to screen our officers more carefully... I just hope this friend Nicholas won't be too concerned about it."

Days secretly took out five Copper Coins and handed them to the little girl before him, then bent at the waist ninety degrees in apology.

"I'm sorry. We made a mistake in our work! This is my personal apology. Later, there will also be a formal apology from our Police Bureau."

Nina had never seen so much money at once, much less received it from the administrator of the Samael District... She accepted the Copper Coins in a daze.

Days lowered his head again in apology, then rushed back to the bureau as quickly as possible.

At that moment, the tall man and the fat man were still laughing loudly in the bureau, discussing how they would indulge themselves that night.

Just as Officer Days hurried back to the bureau and was about to cross the last street, a heavy metallic clopping of hooves came from the stone road beside him.

A black metal steam horse, with a rose emblem on its chest.

A noble knight of the Black Rose Knights had arrived.

Including Days, the residents around the street all lowered their heads.

"My lord knight, is there anything I can help with? I am the Police Commissioner of the Samael Slums, Days Fodiland."

"Valen Nicholas is from your district, correct?"

"Yes!"

"I want some records of his life since birth. I trust your Police Bureau has relevant records from the annual census."

"Of course... Please follow me, my lord."

Days was anxious beyond measure.

This was a member of the Black Rose Knights, a high-ranking knight who had graduated from the Knight Academy and possessed the ability to venture beyond the city walls to battle omnipotent lifeforms.

In terms of status, a Police Commissioner from some slum was less than nothing.

Such a figure was far stronger than a Returner. Days could not understand why someone like this would personally come for the sake of a Returner.

"My lord knight, is there some problem with this friend Valen?"

"Just a personal interest of mine. Give me the records."

This knight was Barton Foggus, the very one who had given Han Dong a ride yesterday. He had come specifically to investigate Han Dong's life before entering Destiny Space.

The instant Knight Barton stepped through the doors, the entire Police Bureau fell silent.

"My lord knight, please have a seat. I'll have the archive staff find the relevant records immediately."

Barton stared at the sweating Police Commissioner before saying,

"By the way, are you that nervous just from seeing me? Since you became a Police Commissioner, you must be a Returner as well, right? Your abilities are merely somewhat lacking. Relax. I myself came from a commoner background."

"Haha... I'm not nervous, not nervous."

Days's smile was painfully stiff.

The key figure everyone was focused on was locked in the underground holding cells. How could he possibly not be nervous?

If this knight learned of it, he might lose his position as Police Commissioner.

The only thing Days could do was give Barton the materials he wanted, see the knight off, then deal with the mess his foolish subordinates had created.

Afterward, he would spend a great deal of money and find a way to settle the matter privately with Nicholas.

However.

Just as Knight Barton received the relevant records,

"Ah! Ah!!"

A series of screams came from the underground holding cells. The commotion was enormous, as though someone had died.

"The slums are still as chaotic as ever..."

Knight Barton sighed, rose to his feet, and headed toward the underground holding cells.

Officer Days's eyes reddened with panic, yet he did not dare step forward to stop him.

As for the fat Charles and the tall Brown nearby, they had not realized the severity of the situation at all.

They were even holding police batons, wearing serious expressions as they prepared to go downstairs and suppress the troublesome suspect, intending to put on a good performance before the knight.

When the group descended into the spacious underground holding cells,

the sight inside shocked everyone, including Knight Barton.

The frail and sickly Han Dong had not been subjected to any "chrysanthemum treatment." Instead, he sat alone against the wall, resting and recuperating.

Yet the other thugs and burly men in the holding cells had mostly gathered in the corner opposite Han Dong, terror spilling from their eyes... while two men lay on the ground, foaming at the mouth.